Lung Volume Dependence and Repeatability of Hyperpolarized Xe MRI Gas Uptake Metrics in Healthy Volunteers and Participants with COPD.

Purpose: To assess the effect of lung volume on measured values and repeatability of xenon 129 (Xe) gas uptake metrics in healthy volunteers and participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Materials And Methods: This Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant prospective study included data (March 2014-December 2015) from 49 participants (19 with COPD [mean age, 67 years ± 9 (SD)]; nine women]; 25 older healthy volunteers [mean age, 59 years ± 10; 20 women]; and five young healthy women [mean age, 23 years ± 3]). Thirty-two participants underwent repeated Xe and same-breath-hold proton MRI at residual volume plus one-third forced vital capacity (RV+FVC/3), with 29 also undergoing one examination at total lung capacity (TLC).

Impact of pixel value truncation on image quality of low dose chest CT.

Purpose: In some noisy low dose CT lung cancer screening images, we noticed that the CT density values of air were increased and the visibility of emphysema was distinctly decreased. By examining histograms of these images, we found that the CT density values were truncated at -1024 HU. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of pixel value truncation on the visibility of emphysema using mathematical models.

CT Findings and Patterns of e-Cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury: A Multicenter Cohort of 160 Cases.

Background: e-Cigarette or vaping-induced lung injury (EVALI) causes a spectrum of CT lung injury patterns. Relative frequencies and associations with vaping behavior are unknown.

Research Question: What are the frequencies of imaging findings and CT patterns in EVALI and what is the relationship to vaping behavior?

Study Design And Methods: CT scans of 160 subjects with EVALI from 15 institutions were retrospectively reviewed.

Intimal Sarcoma of the Great Vessels.

Intimal sarcomas of the pulmonary artery and aorta are rare entities with a poor prognosis. In many instances, pulmonary artery sarcomas are misinterpreted as acute or chronic pulmonary thromboembolism, whereas aortic intimal sarcomas are often misdiagnosed as protuberant atherosclerotic disease or intimal thrombus. Discernment of intimal sarcomas from these and other common benign entities is essential for the timely initiation of aggressive therapy.

Characterisation of gas exchange in COPD with dissolved-phase hyperpolarised xenon-129 MRI.

To investigate whether hyperpolarised xenon-129 MRI (HXeMRI) enables regional and physiological resolution of diffusing capacity limitations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we evaluated 34 COPD subjects and 11 healthy volunteers. We report significant correlations between airflow abnormality quantified by HXeMRI and per cent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s; HXeMRI gas transfer capacity to red blood cells and carbon monoxide diffusion capacity (%DLCO); and HXeMRI gas transfer capacity to interstitium and per cent emphysema quantified by multidetector chest CT. We further demonstrate the capability of HXeMRI to distinguish varying pathology underlying COPD in subjects with low %DLCO and minimal emphysema.

Emphysema Index Based on Hyperpolarized He or Xe Diffusion MRI: Performance and Comparison with Quantitative CT and Pulmonary Function Tests.

Background Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps of inhaled hyperpolarized gases have shown promise in the characterization of emphysema in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), yet an easily interpreted quantitative metric beyond mean and standard deviation has not been established. Purpose To introduce a quantitative framework with which to characterize emphysema burden based on hyperpolarized helium 3 (He) and xenon 129 (Xe) ADC maps and compare its diagnostic performance with CT-based emphysema metrics and pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Materials and Methods Twenty-seven patients with mild, moderate, or severe COPD and 13 age-matched healthy control subjects participated in this retrospective study.

Interobserver Reliability of the Coronary Artery Disease Reporting and Data System in Clinical Practice.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate interobserver reproducibility between cardiothoracic radiologists applying the Coronary Artery Disease Reporting and Data System (CAD-RADS) to describe atherosclerotic burden on coronary computed tomography angiography.

Methods: Forty clinical computed tomography angiography cases were retrospectively and independently evaluated by 3 attending and 2 fellowship-trained cardiothoracic radiologists using the CAD-RADS lexicon. Radiologists were blinded to patient history and underwent initial training using a practice set of 10 subjects.

Spaced radiology: encouraging durable memory using spaced testing in pediatric radiology.

Applied memory research in the field of cognitive and educational psychology has generated a large body of data to support the use of spacing and testing to promote long-term or durable memory. Despite the consensus of this scientific community, most learners, including radiology residents, do not utilize these tools for learning new information. We present a discussion of these parallel and synergistic learning techniques and their incorporation into a software platform, called Spaced Radiology, which we created for teaching radiology residents.

Scapular Fractures: What Radiologists Need to Know.

Objective: The purpose of this article are to review scapular anatomy and function, describe imaging features of traumatic scapular injury, and discuss the role of diagnostic imaging in clinical decision making after shoulder trauma.

Conclusion: Knowledge of scapular anatomy, function, injury patterns, imaging appearance, and clinical management is important for the radiologist to the care of patients who present with acute shoulder trauma.