Extrahepatic metastases of hepatocellular carcinoma: A spectrum of imaging findings.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary tumour of the liver, responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. In the Western world, it primarily affects patients with cirrhosis, secondary to hepatitis C virus and alcoholism. In the rest of the world, HCC is closely associated with hepatitis B virus infections.

Comparison of MERGE and axial T2-weighted fast spin-echo sequences for detection of multiple sclerosis lesions in the cervical spinal cord.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to compare axial multiple-echo recombined gradient echo (MERGE) with axial T2-weighted fast spin-echo (FSE) imaging for the detection of multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions in the cervical spinal cord on MRI.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-nine cervical spine MRI studies of patients with MS lesions and 29 control cases were reviewed retrospectively. Two blinded neuroradiologists independently assessed randomized axial MERGE and axial T2-weighted FSE sequences from each study, documenting the location and number of cord lesions, the degree of confidence in calling each lesion, and the presence of artifacts.

Plain radiograph assessment of spinal hardware.

The frequency and variety of spinal instrumentation has increased tremendously over the past 100 years, and imaging plays an important role in evaluating the postoperative spine. Although assessment of spinal hardware often involves a multimodality approach, plain radiographs are the most commonly used modality, given accessibility, cost, relatively low radiation dose compared with computed tomography, and provision of positional information. An approach to assessment of plain radiographs of the postoperative spine is discussed, and examples of common postoperative complications are provided, including infection, hardware failure, incomplete fusion, and junctional failure.

Imaging in adult scoliosis: preoperative assessment and postoperative complications.

Adult scoliosis rates range from 2 to 32%. Surgery for scoliosis is common. Accurate and surgically relevant information should be provided to the referring surgeon from pre- and postoperative imaging.

An incidence of anteroinferior cerebellar artery/posteroinferior cerebellar artery anatomic variants penetrating the subarcuate fossa dura: operative technique and identification with 3-dimensional fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: This case series reports an incidence of anomalous vascular anatomy within the cerebellopontine angle. The relevant literature effectively describes techniques for mobilization yet underestimates the incidence. There has been no literature on the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to preoperatively identify this anatomic variant.

Radiographic evaluation of scoliosis: self-assessment module.

Objective: The educational objectives for this self-assessment module are for the participant to exercise, self-assess, and improve his or her understanding of evaluation of scoliosis using radiography.

Conclusion: The solutions to the questions in this activity review the imaging characteristics of radiologic evaluation of scoliosis.

SKyphoplasty.

Objective: SKyphoplasty is a new method of percutaneous spinal augmentation. Despite its limited availability in the United States, SKyphoplasty has experienced considerable growth in recent years. In this article, we aim to provide a stepwise documentation of the technique, with brief reference to the 2 established methods, vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty.

Injury of the posterior ligamentous complex of the thoracolumbar spine: a prospective evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging.

Study Design: Prospective diagnostic imaging study.

Objective: To determine the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing injury of the posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) in patients with thoracolumbar trauma.

Summary Of Background Data: Treatment decisions in thoracolumbar injury patients are currently based on the status of the PLC.

Combined cementoplasty and radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of painful neoplastic lesions of bone.

Purpose: To assess the safety and effectiveness of combined radiofrequency (RF) ablation and cementoplasty in the treatment of painful neoplastic lesions of bone.

Materials And Methods: The authors performed a retrospective analysis of 25 combined treatments comprising RF ablation followed by injection of polymethylmethacrylate cement performed in 19 patients during a 22-month period. Patients ranged in age from 42 to 82 years (mean, 58.

Magnetic resonance imaging appearance of partial latissimus dorsi muscle tendon tear.

There is still a paucity of information about the clinical presentation, treatment and imaging findings of latissimus muscle tears. Only one study has specifically described the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of latissimus tendon tears. We describe a case of a high-grade tear in the latissimus muscle tendon in an active water skier with no significant prior medical history.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the ankle at 3.0 Tesla and 1.5 Tesla in human cadaver specimens with artificially created lesions of cartilage and ligaments.

Purpose: To compare magnetic resonance imaging of the ankle joint at 1.5 Tesla (T) and 3.0 T in the assessment of cartilage and ligament pathology in fresh human cadaver specimens.

Therapeutic and diagnostic joint injections.

Joint injections remain a valuable modality in the detection and treatment of intra-articular pathology. Over the past several decades, various diagnostic and therapeutic indications for joint injections have been developed. Imaging guidance for joint injection generally increases accuracy in joint aspirations and diagnostic blocks.

Imaging the degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine.

Degenerative changes of the spine may involve the disc space, the facet joints, or the supportive and surrounding soft tissues. MR imaging is ideally suited for delineating the presence, extent, and complications of degenerative spinal disease. Other imaging modalities such as radiography, myelography, and CT may provide complimentary information in selected cases.

MR imaging of the ankle at 3 Tesla and 1.5 Tesla: protocol optimization and application to cartilage, ligament and tendon pathology in cadaver specimens.

The objective of this study was to optimize ankle joint MR imaging in volunteers at 1.5 Tesla (T) and 3.0 T, and to compare these optimized sequences concerning image quality and performance in assessing cartilage, ligament and tendon pathology in fresh human cadaver specimens.

Magnetic resonance arthrography.

For decades, fluoroscopic arthrography was the only method available to image a joint with contrast enhancement. Advances in CT led to the natural development of CT arthrography. Development of MRI and its capability for multiplanar imaging led to direct magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA).