Impact of various iodine concentrations of iohexol and iodixanol contrast media on image reconstruction techniques in a vascular-specific contrast media phantom: quantitative and qualitative image quality assessment.

Purpose: The aim of our study is to investigate the impact of iodine quantification on image reconstruction when employing a vascular-specific contrast media phantom with varying iodine concentrations.

Materials And Methods: A 30-cm phantom simulating arterial and venous blood vessel diameters was manufactured. Small (9 mm) and medium (12 mm) cylinders contained iodine concentrations from 10 to 100% while large (21 mm) cylinders were in quartiles from 25 to 100% diluted in blood equivalent medium.

Bowel wall thickening on computed tomography scan: Inter-observer agreement and correlation with endoscopic findings.

Background And Study Aims: Bowel wall thickening (BWT) on computed tomography (CT) has been frequently reported by radiologists. There are no clear guidelines regarding the level of thickening that is correlated with definite pathology. Radiologists usually rely on their overall subjective impression, and studies on inter-observer agreement (IOA) are lacking.

An atypical manifestation of idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis: A case report.

A 58-year-old male patient, previously healthy, presented with right flank pain of few hours duration. Initial workup showed an elevated creatinine and right hydroureteronephrosis. Computed tomography imaging revealed a retroperitoneal soft tissue mass encasing the right common iliac artery which is a first reported case in its anatomical distribution.

The acute scrotum: Frequency and range of etiologies in a Middle Eastern setting.

Aim: To investigate the frequency of different etiologies of acute scrotal pain in males presenting to the emergency department at American University of Beirut Medical Center in Beirut, Lebanon.

Materials And Methods: In all, 94 patients between the ages 18 and 40 years presenting to the emergency room at American University of Beirut Medical Center with acute scrotum were recruited. The scrotum was inspected with palpation, and Doppler Ultrasound of the testicle was performed by a radiology resident to confirm the diagnosis.

An augmented patient-specific approach to administration of contrast agent for CT renal angiography.

Purpose: This hybrid retrospective and prospective study performed on 200 consecutive patients undergoing renal CTA, investigates the opacification of renal vasculature, radiation dose, and reader confidence.

Materials And Methods: 100 patients were assigned retrospectively to protocol A and the other 100 were allocated prospectively to protocol B. Both protocols implemented a contrast material and saline flow rate of 4.

Clinical review of liver hydatid disease and its unusual presentations in developing countries.

Human hydatid cyst disease is an international public health issue that particularly affects the developing countries. In this article, we discuss the epidemiology of hydatid disease in third world countries, the life cycle of echinococcus granulosus and how to make the clinical diagnosis of the disease, including laboratory tests and imaging modalities as well as uncommon presentation of this entity that we have encountered at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). We emphasize on the new World Health Organization classification of hepatic echinococcosis with examples from our clinical practice at AUBMC, and finally we describe the treatment, including medical and interventional therapies.

Split-bolus contrast injection protocol enhances the visualization of the thoracic vasculature and reduced radiation dose during chest CT.

Objective: To investigate the visualization of mediastinal lymph nodes during thoracic CT employing a multiphasic contrast media (CM) protocol.

Methods: Institutional review board approved retrospective study consisting of 300 patients with known chest malignancy. Patients were allocated to one of two CM protocols: Protocol A, consisted of dual bolus (Phase 1:100 ml CM followed by 100 ml saline chaser) i.

Crossed Unfused Ectopic Pelvic Kidneys: A Case Illustration.

Crossed unfused ectopia constitutes a very rare variant of ectopic kidneys, with an approximate incidence of 1 : 75000. We hereby describe a rare case of an incidental finding of crossed unfused ectopic kidneys, in a 45-year-old gentleman incidentally found to have a bladder lesion. The unique blood supply of his kidneys has also been described.

Augmented Quadruple-Phase Contrast Media Administration and Triphasic Scan Protocol Increases Image Quality at Reduced Radiation Dose During Computed Tomography Urography.

Purpose: The aim of this article was to investigate the opacification of the renal vasculature and the urogenital system during computed tomography urography by using a quadruple-phase contrast media in a triphasic scan protocol.

Materials And Methods: A total of 200 patients with possible urinary tract abnormalities were equally divided between 2 protocols. Protocol A used the conventional single bolus and quadruple-phase scan protocol (pre, arterial, venous, and delayed), retrospectively.

Qualitative and quantitative radiological analysis of non-contrast CT is a strong indicator in patients with acute pyelonephritis.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of non-contrast computed tomography (CT) by reporting the difference in attenuation between normal and inflamed renal parenchyma in patients clinically diagnosed with acute pyelonephritis (APN).

Material And Methods: This is a retrospective study concerned with non-contrast CT evaluation of 74 patients, admitted with a clinical diagnosis of APN and failed to respond to 48h antibiotics treatment. Mean attenuation values in Hounsfield units (HU) were measured in the upper, middle and lower segments of the inflamed and the normal kidney of the same patient.

Synchronisation between contrast media administration and caudocranial scan direction increases visualisation of altered coronary artery blood flow in patients presenting with dual left anterior descending coronary artery.

Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) has the advantage over invasive coronary angiography in that its non-invasive nature and minimal risk on patients. CCTA enables accurate assessment of the entire heart, coronary artery system and thorax, displaying three-dimensional information about the spatial relations of the anomalous vessels and surrounding intraluminal and extraluminal anatomy, and thereby contributing clinically important prognostic information. Dual left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery consists of of two LAD arteries within the anterior interventricular sulcus (AIVS).

Renal pseudoaneurysm formation post allograft biopsy: a case report.

Renal pseudoaneurysm (PSA) is a rare complication post kidney transplant biopsy that accounts for less than 1% of allograft dysfunction. Imaging guidelines in the diagnosis of renal PSA have not yet been developed owing to the low occurrence and limited data availability. However, contrast-enhanced CT and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) are the preferred modalities in detecting PSA owing to the high contrast and spatial resolution.

256 Slice Multi-detector Computed Tomography Thoracic Aorta Computed Tomography Angiography: Improved Luminal Opacification Using a Patient-Specific Contrast Protocol and Caudocranial Scan Acquisition.

Clinical Relevance Statement: Caudocranial scan direction and contrast injection timing based on measured patient vessel dynamics can significantly improve arterial and aneurysmal opacification and reduce both contrast and radiation dose in the assessment of thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) using helical thoracic computed tomography angiography (CTA).

Objectives: To investigate opacification of the thoracic aorta and TAA using a caudocranial scan direction and a patient-specific contrast protocol.

Materials And Methods: Thoracic aortic CTA was performed in 160 consecutive patients with suspected TAA using a 256-slice computed tomography scanner and a dual barrel contrast injector.

Imaging in multiple sclerosis: A new spin on lesions.

This article evaluates the most relevant state-of-the-art magnetic resonance (MR) techniques that are clinically available to investigate multiple sclerosis (MS). The presence of hypo- and hyperintense lesions on T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences in white matter (WM) is a common finding that is occasionally a diagnostic challenge for the radiologist. The technical requirements and how they may help to understand, classify or follow-up these pathologies are briefly summarized.

Incidence of sepsis following transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy at a tertiary-care medical center in Lebanon.

Background: Urosepsis is a rare but life-threatening complication following transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided needle prostate biopsy. Despite the technological and pharmacological improvements, the problem of bacterial urosepsis after prostate biopsy remains. A strategy for preventing urosepsis following TRUS prostate biopsy in áreas with high prevalence of resistant strains or patients presenting risk factors is lacking.

Exponentially Decelerated Contrast Media Injection Rate Combined With a Novel Patient-Specific Contrast Formula Reduces Contrast Volume Administration and Radiation Dose During Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiography.

Clinical Relevance: Matching contrast injection timing with vessel dynamics significantly improves vessel opacification and reduces contrast dose in the assessment of pulmonary embolism during computed tomography (CT) pulmonary angiography.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate opacification of the pulmonary vasculature (PV) during CT pulmonary angiography using a patient-specific contrast formula (PSCF) and exponentially decelerated contrast media (EDCM) injection rate.

Materials And Methods: Institutional review board approved this retrospective study.

Contrast medium administration and image acquisition parameters in renal CT angiography: what radiologists need to know.

Over the last decade, exponential advances in computed tomography (CT) technology have resulted in improved spatial and temporal resolution. Faster image acquisition enabled renal CT angiography to become a viable and effective noninvasive alternative in diagnosing renal vascular pathologies. However, with these advances, new challenges in contrast media administration have emerged.

Quantifying the impact of using Coronary Artery Calcium Score for risk categorization instead of Framingham Score or European Heart SCORE in lipid lowering algorithms in a Middle Eastern population.

Background: The use of the Coronary Artery Calcium Score (CACS) for risk categorization instead of the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) or European Heart SCORE (EHS) to improve classification of individuals is well documented. However, the impact of reclassifying individuals using CACS on initiating lipid lowering therapy is not well understood. We aimed to determine the percentage of individuals not requiring lipid lowering therapy as per the FRS and EHS models but are found to require it using CACS and vice versa; and to determine the level of agreement between CACS, FRS and EHS based models.

Concentric Rectangular Blades Rotated around the K-Space Origin Reduces Hypointensities in the Basal Ganglia during T2-Weighted Brain MRI: Case Report.

Multifocal basal ganglia T2-weighted hypointensities are believed to arise mainly from mineralization in and around penetrating arteries and perivascular spaces within gray and white matter structures. Recently, it has been proposed that these hypointensities can serve as a biomarker for small-vessel disease and aging in magnetic resonance imaging when using T2-weighted sequences. With advances in digital coil technology and parameter applications, there has been an increase in image quality and faster examination times.