Brain MRI signal abnormalities and right-to-left shunting in asymptomatic military divers.

Introduction: We conducted a controlled study to assess the prevalence of brain MRI hyperintense signals and their correlation with right-to-left shunting (RLS) in military divers.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 32 asymptomatic military divers under 41 yr of age and 32 non-diving healthy subjects matched with respect to age and vascular disease risk factors. We examined both groups with a 3-Tesla brain MRI; RLS was detected using transcranial pulsed Doppler in divers only.

Musculoskeletal decompression sickness and risk of dysbaric osteonecrosis in recreational divers.

Introduction: Dysbaric osteonecrosis (DON) is a complication that usually occurs in professional divers or compressedair workers. Its correlation with a previous musculoskeletal decompression injury (i.e.

MRI findings and clinical outcome in 45 divers with spinal cord decompression sickness.

Background: Decompression sickness (DCS) affecting the spinal cord is the most dangerous form of diving-related injury with potential sequelae. This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between spinal cord lesions on MRI and clinical findings in divers with spinal DCS.

Methods: We studied 45 cases of DCS that were referred to our hyperbaric facility with clinical evidence of spinal involvement during the period 2002-2007.

Towards in vivo diffusion tensor MRI on human heart using edge-preserving regularization.

We investigate the noise sensitivity in various Diffusion Tensor MRI acquisition protocols in sixteen human ex vivo hearts. In particular, we compare the accuracy of protocols with various numbers of excitations and diffusion sensitizing directions for estimating the principal diffusion directions in the myocardium. It is observed that noise sensitivity decreases as the number of excitations and the number of sensitizing directions increase (and hence as the acquisition time increases).