Use of goniometry to predict inadequate flexion-extension roentgenograms: a preliminary study.

Background: Flexion-extension roentgenograms (FER) of the cervical spine are often inadequate because of limited range of motion (ROM). The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of goniometry to predict a patient's ability to achieve sufficient ROM to obtain adequate FER.

Methods: We evaluated 65 consecutive blunt trauma patients undergoing evaluation by FER in the emergency department.

Contrast-enhanced MR angiography for evaluation of vascular complications of the pancreatic transplant.

Vascular complications are a common cause of postoperative dysfunction in a pancreatic transplant. Coronal three-dimensional (3D) contrast material-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) angiography performed with high spatial and temporal resolution is a safe and effective method of assessing these vascular complications. A study was performed of selected patients who had undergone MR imaging and MR angiography during the past 6 years for evaluation of graft dysfunction following pancreatic transplantation.

Magnetic resonance angiography.

MRA and MRI have become increasingly important diagnostic modalities in vascular surgery. The ability to obtain cross-sectional and angiographic images by these noninvasive and non-nephrotoxic modalities represents one of the most significant advances in vascular surgery over the past decade. We review the current status of MRI and MRA in vascular surgical practice.

Benign and malignant lesions of the stomach: evaluation of CT criteria for differentiation.

Purpose: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of computed tomographic (CT) criteria for differentiating benign from malignant stomach lesions in patients with a thickened gastric wall at CT.

Materials And Methods: A radiology department file search revealed 36 patients with a thickened gastric wall at CT who underwent double-contrast barium suspension upper gastrointestinal tract examinations within 6 weeks before or after CT. The authors reviewed the CT images without knowledge of the final radiologic, endoscopic, or pathologic findings to determine the degree of gastric wall thickening and the symmetry, distribution, and enhancement of the thickened wall.

MR imaging for the detection of endoleaks in recipients of abdominal aortic stent-grafts with low magnetic susceptibility.

Rationale And Objectives: This study was performed to assess the efficacy of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for the detection of endoleaks in recipients of abdominal aortic stent-grafts with low magnetic susceptibility.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective search was conducted in radiology department records for cases of patients with low-susceptibility stent-grafts who had been evaluated with MR imaging and either computed tomography (CT) or conventional angiography within a 1-month time frame. Any endoleaks previously confirmed and classified with the use of CT and/or conventional angiography were compared with findings from MR imaging.

Utility of flexion and extension radiographs of the cervical spine in the acute evaluation of blunt trauma.

Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate the usefulness of flexion and extension radiographs of the cervical spine for the acute evaluation of ligamentous injury in cases of awake blunt trauma.

Methods: A review of 106 consecutive cases of blunt trauma evaluated with flexion and extension radiographs of the cervical spine obtained in the acute setting at a Level I trauma center was performed. The data compiled included the age, sex, mechanism of injury, type of radiographic evaluations, interpretation of all radiographic studies, and clinical outcome on follow-up.

In vivo sodium MR imaging of the intervertebral disk at 4 T.

Rationale And Objectives: The authors performed this study to evaluate whether a semiquantitative method of in vivo sodium imaging of the human intervertebral disk could provide diagnostic quality images in a reasonable time.

Materials And Methods: In vivo sodium imaging of the human spine was performed with a 4-T whole-body magnetic resonance (MR) unit by using custom-built hardware and software. Short-echo-time images were obtained with a modified three-dimensional gradient-echo sequence, a custom-built surface coil, and receiver modifications to allow for nonproton data acquisition.