Diffusion-Weighted MR Neurography with Unidirectional Motion-Probing Gradient to Evaluate Lumbar Nerve Roots at 1.5T MR.

Purpose: Recent studies have demonstrated the usefulness of diffusion-weighted MR neurography (DW MRN) for assessing nerve roots. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of DW MRN with a unidirectional motion-probing gradient (MPG) for the lumbar nerve roots at 1.5T MR.

Needle Entry Angle to Prevent Carotid Sheath Injury for Fluoroscopy-Guided Cervical Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection.

Objective: To suggest rotation angles of fluoroscopy that can bypass the carotid sheath according to vertebral levels for cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI).

Methods: Patients who underwent cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from January 2009 to October 2017 were analyzed. In axial sections of cervical spine MRI, three angles to the vertical line (α, angle not to insult carotid sheath; β, angle for the conventional TFESI; γ, angle not to penetrate carotid artery) were measured.

Differential sonographic features of the extensor pollicis longus tendon rupture and other finger tendons rupture in the setting of hand and wrist trauma.

Purpose: To investigate the difference between sonographic findings in extensor pollicis longus tendons rupture and other finger tendons rupture in patients sustaining hand and wrist trauma.

Methods: Twenty-four patients who presented with signs and symptoms clinically suspicious for tendon injury and surgically confirmed tendon rupture were included in this study. We analyzed 6 sonographic features: discontinuity of the tendon, pseudomass formation, decreased echogenicity of the tendon, retraction of the ruptured tendon, fluid collection within the tendon sheath, and the motion of the tendon.

The effects of graft shrinkage and extrusion on early clinical outcomes after meniscal allograft transplantation.

Background: Graft shrinkage or radial extrusion is a reported complication after meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT). Whether shrinkage or extrusion progress after surgery and whether they are associated with the clinical outcome of MAT remain debatable. In this study, graft shrinkage and extrusion were measured in the coronal and sagittal planes using serial postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Extensive spinal extradural ganglioneuroma of the lumbar spine: mimicking lymphoma.

Background: Ganglioneuromas are rare, benign, well-differentiated tumors arising from neural crest cells that commonly occur in the posterior mediastinum, retroperitoneum, cervical spine, and adrenal gland. We report an unusual case of an extensive spinal extradural ganglioneuroma, circumferentially and longitudinally affecting the extradural space of the lumbar spine and continuously invading bilateral psoas muscles.

Case Description: A 32-year-old man presented with a 1-week history of abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Intraarticular calcifying aponeurotic fibroma of the wrist: mimicking gout or calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition disease.

Calcifying aponeurotic fibroma is a rare, benign fibroblastic tumor that typically occurs in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet in children and adolescents. We report an unusual case of a calcifying aponeurotic fibroma with diffuse intra-articular involvement of the carpal joints in a 59-year-old female. Radiographs and computed tomography scans revealed a large lobulated soft tissue mass with multiple stippled calcifications around the carpal joints and numerous erosions of the second to fifth carpometacarpal and intercarpal joints.

Safety and tolerability of intradiscal implantation of combined autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and hyaluronic acid in patients with chronic discogenic low back pain: 1-year follow-up of a phase I study.

Background: Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs) offer potential as a therapeutic option for chronic discogenic low back pain (LBP) because of their immunomodulatory functions and capacity for cartilage differentiation. The goal of this study was to assess the safety and tolerability of a single intradiscal implantation of combined AT-MSCs and hyaluronic acid (HA) derivative in patients with chronic discogenic LBP.

Methods: We performed a single-arm phase I clinical trial with a 12-month follow-up and enrolled 10 eligible chronic LBP patients.

Giant angioleiomyoma of the sacral foramina: an unusual location.

Angioleiomyoma is a benign, vascular smooth muscle tumor originating from the tunica media of the vessel wall. In general, it typically arises in the cutaneous, subcutaneous tissue or fascia of the lower extremities in middle-aged women and is less than 2 cm in diameter. We report an unusual case of an angioleiomyoma of the sacral foramina in an 82-year-old man.

Solitary myofibroma of the lumbar vertebra in young adult: A case report with 4-year follow-up of postoperative CT or MRI.

Background: Solitary myofibroma of the spine is extremely rare, particularly among adults. To the best of our knowledge, only 3 cases affecting lumbar vertebrae have been reported in the English language literature. Of them, only 1 case was an adult case of solitary myofibroma affecting the L1 vertebra.

Ultrasonographic findings of posterior interosseous nerve syndrome.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ultrasonographic findings associated with posterior interosseous nerve (PIN) syndrome.

Methods: Approval from the Institutional Review Board was obtained. A retrospective review of 908 patients' sonographic images of the upper extremity from January 2001 to October 2010 revealed 10 patients suspicious for a PIN abnormality (7 male and 3 female patients; mean age of 51.

Desmoid type fibromatosis in the facet joint of lumbar spine: case report and review of literature.

Desmoid type fibromatosis is a benign fibroblastic tumor arising from the fascia or musculoaponeurosis. It may occur in various locations, but most commonly in the shoulder girdle and neck; to our knowledge, there has been no reported case originating from a facet joint of the spine. We report CT and MR imaging findings of a desmoid type fibromatosis, involving the facet joint of the L3-4 spine with bone involvement.

The association between meniscal subluxation and cartilage degeneration.

Purpose: The menisci play a critical protective role for the knee joint through shock absorption and load distribution. We hypothesized that cartilage degeneration will be abruptly progressed if meniscal subluxation exceeds a critical point.

Methods: Of 56 cases that showed medial meniscal subluxation without cartilage degeneration of ipsilateral medial femoral condyle (MFC) on initial MRI, from January 2005 to June 2007, meniscal subluxation index (MSI), the ratio of meniscal overhang to meniscal width in mid-coronal image of initial MRI, was measured.

Acute symptomatic intervertebral disk calcification in a child with retropharyngeal edema: computed tomography and magnetic resonance findings.

Intervertebral disk calcification in children is an uncommon self-limiting disease, which can cause symptoms like neck pain or torticollis, and can be treated with conservative management. The calcified disk material can herniate anteriorly, inducing dysphagia, or herniate posteriorly, causing neurologic symptoms secondary to spinal cord compression. We report computed tomography and magnetic resonance findings of a symptomatic intervertebral disk calcification at the C2-3 level with retropharyngeal edema caused by anterior herniation of calcified material in a 7-year-old boy.

Soft tissue chondromyxoid fibroma of the foot: sonographic findings.

Chondromyxoid fibroma is a rare benign bone tumor, which represents less than 1% of primary bone tumors. However, chondromyxoid fibroma developing in the soft tissue is extremely rare. We report the sonographic findings in a case of soft tissue chondromyxoid fibroma in the foot confirmed pathologically.

Imaging of primary chest wall tumors with radiologic-pathologic correlation.

Neoplasms and tumorlike lesions that originate from chest wall tissues are uncommon compared with tumors in other parts of the body, and unfamiliarity with these disease entities can cause diagnostic difficulties for radiologists. Furthermore, the imaging features of many of these tumors are nonspecific, particularly those that are locally aggressive. However, a systematic approach based on patient age, clinical history, lesion location, and characteristic imaging findings often helps limit the differential diagnosis.

Displaceability of SLAP lesion on shoulder MR arthrography with external rotation position.

Objective: To investigate the usefulness of the external rotation (ER) position on magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography for the diagnosis of superior labral anterior to posterior (SLAP) lesion.

Materials And Methods: Approval of institutional review board was obtained, and informed consent was waived. The MR arthrograms of 210 shoulders that were arthroscopically confirmed as SLAP lesion in 163 shoulders and intact superior labrum in 47 shoulders were retrospectively reviewed in each neutral and ER position for the diagnosis of SLAP lesion, the extent of distraction of the torn labrum, and the external rotation angle.

Unusual variation of the rotator interval: insertional abnormality of the pectoralis minor tendon and absence of the coracohumeral ligament.

Objective: To evaluate the anomalous insertion of the pectoralis minor tendon with absence of the coracohumeral ligament on MR arthrography and to demonstrate the associated findings seen with this anatomical variation.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the 335 MR arthrograms of the shoulder joint (mean age 37.8 years) performed from March 2000 to February 2008.

Pregnancy and natural delivery following magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound surgery of uterine myomas.

This report discusses a pregnancy case following a series of two consecutive magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) procedures for the treatment of two different myomas in an individual patient. Both procedures were completed without adverse events, and the patient conceived naturally four months after treatment. At 39 weeks, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl, via a vaginal delivery.

Superficial soft-tissue masses of the extremities.

Superficial soft-tissue masses are among the most common indications for imaging of the extremities. A broad array of benign and malignant processes may be manifested in palpable cutaneous or subcutaneous masses or nodules. Most such lesions are treated with surgical excision, but some may be conservatively managed.