Case Report: Radiographic Identification of Intrapleural Misplacement of Epidural Catheter in an Intubated Post-Lung Transplant Patient.

Intrapleural misplacement of epidural catheter is a rare complication of thoracic epidural placement, which can be difficult to detect in intubated patients with unreliable pain reports and hemodynamic response to the test dose. We describe a case of intrapleural misplacement of thoracic epidural in a 50-year-old man status-post bilateral lung transplant and highlight the use of radiographic techniques to identify the misplacement.

Post-operative assessment in patients after liver transplantation: imaging parameters associated with 1-year graft failure.

Purpose: To identify post-liver transplant CT findings which predict graft failure within 1 year.

Materials And Methods: We evaluated the CT scans of 202 adult liver transplants performed in our institution who underwent CT within 3 months after transplantation. We recorded CT findings of liver perfusion defect (LPD), parenchymal homogeneity, and the diameters and attenuations of the hepatic vessels.

CT findings of severe burn injuries after a motor vehicle collision: a case report.

Severe burn injuries can complicate management of polytrauma. While CT is the primary imaging modality for evaluation of trauma injuries, CT findings of severe burn are rarely reported. A 31-year-old female was brought to the emergency department after motor vehicle collision in which she sustained a burn injury from contact with the vehicle muffler.

The Role of Noncontrast CT in the Evaluation of Surgical Abdomen Patients.

Acute surgical abdomen is commonly encountered in the ED and CT is widely used as an informative diagnostic tool to evaluate potential surgical indications. However, the adverse effects of contrast material used in CT scanning have been documented. We sought to delineate the role of noncontrast CT in the evaluation of patients with acute surgical abdomen.

CT Findings for Detecting the Presence of Gangrenous Ischemia in Cholecystitis.

Objective: The objective of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CT in differentiating gangrenous cholecystitis from uncomplicated cholecystitis and healthy gallbladders.

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 308 patients with histologically proven gangrenous cholecystitis who underwent preoperative CT 1 month before gallbladder removal over a 4-year period. Two readers who were blinded to the histologic diagnosis independently recorded CT features of and overall likelihood of gangrenous cholecystitis on a 5-point scale (1, definitely absent; 5, definitely present).

Comparison of hepatocellular carcinoma conspicuity on hepatobiliary phase images with gadoxetate disodium vs. delayed phase images with extracellular cellular contrast agent.

Objective: To compare the conspicuity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on hepatobiliary phase of gadoxetate disodium-enhanced vs. delayed phase of gadodiamide-enhanced MR images, relative to liver function.

Methods And Materials: We retrospectively identified 86 patients with newly diagnosed HCC between 2010 and 2013 and recorded the severity of liver disease by Child-Pugh class (CPC).

Appearance and Frequency of Gas Interface Artifacts Involving Small Bowel on Rapid-Voltage-Switching Dual-Energy CT Iodine-Density Images.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to describe the appearance and frequency of gas interface artifacts in the jejunum that may mimic severe bowel disease on iodine-density images generated from rapid-voltage-switching dual-energy CT (DECT) scans.

Materials And Methods: Two readers retrospectively reviewed 108 consecutive abdominal rapid-voltage-switching DECT scans to record the presence of image artifacts in jejunal segments with different degrees of gaseous luminal filling, classified as full, partial, or absent. Readers viewed iodine-density images and corresponding 140-kVp and 65-keV virtual monochromatic images and classified the jejunal artifacts on iodine-density images as pseudostratified appearance of the bowel wall, pseudopneumatosis, pseudohyperenhancement, or pseudohypoenhancement.

Troubleshooting Arterial-Phase MR Images of Gadoxetate Disodium-Enhanced Liver.

Gadoxetate disodium is a widely used magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agent for liver MR imaging, and it provides both dynamic and hepatobiliary phase images. However, acquiring optimal arterial phase images at liver MR using gadoxetate disodium is more challenging than using conventional extracellular MR contrast agent because of the small volume administered, the gadolinium content of the agent, and the common occurrence of transient severe motion. In this article, we identify the challenges in obtaining high-quality arterial-phase images of gadoxetate disodium-enhanced liver MR imaging and present strategies for optimizing arterial-phase imaging based on the thorough review of recent research in this field.

Prevalence of abdominal aortic calcifications in older living renal donors and its effect on graft function and histology.

We assessed the prevalence of abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) in older living kidney donors and its effect on recipient eGFR and graft histology. A total of 292 consecutive living pairs with donor age ≥50 from 2003 to 2013 were identified (mean age 56; range 50-78; F/M: 1.8).

Transient respiratory motion artifact during arterial phase MRI with gadoxetate disodium: risk factor analyses.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to identify risk factors for arterial phase respiratory motion artifact in gadoxetate disodium-enhanced liver MRI.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively identified 220 consecutive patients who underwent 357 MRI examinations, including 68 patients who underwent multiple MRI examinations, with gadoxetate disodium between 2010 and 2013. The arterial phase timing was determined by a fluoroscopic-triggering method.

CT-guided core needle biopsy of deep suprahyoid head and neck lesions in untreated patients.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CT-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) in the diagnosis of deep head and neck tumors in untreated patients. We retrospectively reviewed the records of ten consecutive CT-guided CNB procedures from ten patients without a related history from March 2004 to February 2012. The surgical results, treatment response and clinical follow-up were used as the diagnostic standards.

Combination therapy of focused ultrasound and radio-frequency for noninvasive body contouring in Asians with MRI photographic documentation.

Previous studies have shown that single or multiple treatments by focused ultrasound are effective and safe. However, most include focused ultrasound only and not radio-frequency treatment. There is paucity of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements and pictures in the literature.

CT-guided core needle biopsy of deep suprahyoid head and neck lesions.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of computer tomography (CT)-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) in the diagnosis of deep suprahyoid lesions in patients with treated head and neck cancers.

Materials And Methods: Between December, 2003 and May, 2011, 28 CT-guided CNBs were performed in 28 patients with deep suprahyoid head and neck lesions. All patients had undergone treatment for head and neck cancers.

Diagnostic efficacy of ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy in evaluating salivary gland malignancy.

Background: Salivary gland masses constitute a diagnostic challenge in daily clinical practice and tissue sampling is required to establish a diagnosis. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (UGFNAB) in the diagnosis of salivary gland lesions.

Methods: From January 2007 to September 2010, a total of 158 patients who underwent both UGFNAB and surgical excision for salivary gland mass lesions were included in this study.

Great saphenous vein thrombosis causing acute pulmonary embolism suggested by combined CT venography and pulmonary angiography.

Pulmonary embolism is a life-threatening condition, which is most commonly related to deep vein thrombosis. Varicose vein thrombosis, a very common disease, is seldom reported as being related to pulmonary embolism. We present combined computed tomography venography and pulmonary angiography findings suggesting that thrombosed varicosities of a great saphenous vein caused acute pulmonary embolism in a 30-year-old male.