An optimized 1.5 Tesla MRI protocol of the brachial plexus.

Purpose: Creating an effective MRI protocol for examining the brachial plexus poses significant challenges, and despite the abundance of protocols in the literature, there is a lack of reference standards for basic sequences and essential parameters needed for replication. The aim of this study is to establish a reproducible 1.5 T brachial plexus imaging protocol, including patient positioning, coil selection, imaging planes, and essential sequence parameters.

Ultrasound elastography in chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Ultrasound elastography (USE) is a noninvasive technique for assessing tissue elasticity, and its application in nephrology has aroused growing interest in recent years. The purpose of this article is to systematically review the clinical application of USE in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), including native and transplanted kidneys, and quantitatively investigate differences in elasticity values between healthy individuals and CKD patients. Furthermore, we provide a qualitative analysis of the studies included, discussing the potential interplay between renal stiffness, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and fibrosis.

Non-contrast MR dacryocystography for the evaluation of epiphora and recurrent dacryocystitis: A preliminary study.

Introduction: Obstruction of the lacrimal drainage represents a common ophthalmologic issue. The blockage may interest any level of the lacrimal drainage pathway, and it is important to find the site of obstruction to plan the most appropriate treatment. In this study, findings from magnetic resonance (MR) dacryocystography were compared with findings from endoscopic and surgical procedures to evaluate the accuracy of MR dacryocystography in localizing the site of nasolacrimal duct obstruction.

Texture analysis and machine learning to predict water T2 and fat fraction from non-quantitative MRI of thigh muscles in Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

Purpose: Quantitative MRI (qMRI) plays a crucial role for assessing disease progression and treatment response in neuromuscular disorders, but the required MRI sequences are not routinely available in every center. The aim of this study was to predict qMRI values of water T2 (wT2) and fat fraction (FF) from conventional MRI, using texture analysis and machine learning.

Method: Fourteen patients affected by Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy were imaged at both thighs using conventional and quantitative MR sequences.

Variable echo time imaging for detecting the short T2* components of the sciatic nerve: a validation study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and validate an MRI protocol based on a variable echo time (vTE) sensitive to the short T2* components of the sciatic nerve.

Materials And Methods: 15 healthy subjects (M/F: 9/6; age: 21-62) were scanned at 3T targeting the sciatic nerve at the thigh bilaterally, using a dual echo variable echo time (vTE) sequence (based on a spoiled gradient echo acquisition) with echo times of 0.98/5.

Laparoscopic subtotal colectomy for synchronous colon high-grade dysplasia adenomas in intestinal malrotation: A case report and literature review.

Intestinal malrotation is an embryologic anomaly rarely presenting in adults especially in association with colon cancer. Fully laparoscopic colonic resection has not yet described in literature for adenomas in malrotation. Preoperative assessment of vascular anatomy by computed tomography is considered mandatory to perform safely laparoscopic surgery.

MR microneurography and quantitative T2 and DP measurements of the distal tibial nerve in CIDP.

Objective: In this study we investigated the potential of magnetic resonance (MR) micro-neurography to detect morphological and relaxometric changes in distal tibial nerves in patients affected with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), and their associations with clinical and electrophysiological features.

Materials And Methods: 10 subjects affected with CIDP and 10 healthy subjects were examined. Multiple MR parameters, including the number of fascicles (N), fascicles diameter (FD), total fascicles area (FA), epineurium area (EA), total nerve area (NA), fascicles to nerve ratio (FNR) and quantitative T2 and proton density (PD) were investigated on high resolution MR images of the distal tibial nerve.

Diffusion-weighted imaging and loco-regional N staging of patients with colorectal liver metastases.

Introduction: Diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) contributes to N staging of rectal cancers and diagnosis of colorectal liver metastases (CLM). About 15% of CLM patients have loco-regional lymph node (LN) metastases that impact prognosis and treatment strategy. This retrospective study is the first one to evaluate quantitative ADC measurement as a tool to identify metastatic LNs in patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer.

Median nerve evaluation by shear wave elastosonography: impact of "bone-proximity" hardening artifacts and inter-observer agreement.

Purpose: Peripheral nerves frequently travel close to the bone surface and are, therefore, prone to elastosonographic "bone-proximity" hardening artifacts. The impact of these artifacts on quantitative measurements of median nerve stiffness performed by shear wave elastosonography has not been explored. Our aim was to assess normal median nerve stiffness values at various locations.

Refining the management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma integrating 11C-choline PET/CT scan into the multidisciplinary team discussion.

Objective: The aim of this study was to report the impact of C-choline PET/CT on the management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and incorporate into a refined algorithm combining diagnostic imaging and multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussion.

Patients And Methods: From February 2010 to February 2016, the charts of all patients discussed in the liver MDT were revised. Suspected or confirmed HCC lesions or Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stages A, B or C with a C-choline PET/CT performed in our hospital were included in the analyses.

Role of MRI in predicting meniscal tear reparability.

Objective: To elucidate the role of MRI in predicting meniscal tear reparability according to tear type and location in relation to vascular zones.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study, two readers evaluated 79 pre-surgical MRIs of meniscal tears arthroscopically treated with meniscectomy or meniscal repair. Tears were classified according to type into vertical, horizontal, radial, complex, flaps and bucket handle and were considered reparable if the distance measured from the tear to the menisco-capsular junction was less than or equal to 5 mm.

MR Micro-Neurography and a Segmentation Protocol Applied to Diabetic Neuropathy.

The aim of this study was to assess with MRI morphometric ultrastructural changes in nerves affected by diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). We used an MR micro-neurography imaging protocol and a semiautomated technique of tissue segmentation to visualize and measure the volume of internal nerve components, such as the epineurium and nerve fascicles. The tibial nerves of 16 patients affected by DPN and of 15 healthy volunteers were imaged.

Nerve Fascicles and Epineurium Volume Segmentation of Peripheral Nerve Using Magnetic Resonance Micro-neurography.

Rationale And Objectives: The aims of this study were to propose a semiautomated technique to segment and measure the volume of different nerve components of the tibial nerve, such as the nerve fascicles and the epineurium, based on magnetic resonance microneurography and a segmentation tool derived from brain imaging; and to assess the reliability of this method by measuring interobserver and intraobserver agreement.

Materials And Methods: The tibial nerve of 20 healthy volunteers (age range = 23-69; mean = 47; standard deviation = 15) was investigated at the ankle level. High-resolution images were obtained through tailored microneurographic sequences, covering 28 mm of nerve length.

In Vivo MR Microneurography of the Tibial and Common Peroneal Nerves.

MR microneurography is a noninvasive technique that provides visualization of the microanatomy of peripheral nerves, otherwise available only with histopathology. The objective of this study was to present a protocol to visualize the microstructure of peripheral nerves in vivo, using a 3T MRI scanner with a clinical set of coils and sequences. The tibial and the common peroneal nerves of healthy volunteers were imaged above the medial malleolus and at the level of the fibular head, respectively.

Peliosis hepatis associated with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia.

Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal, predominantly inherited disease characterized by diffuse telangiectases involving the skin, mucous membranes, lung, brain, gastrointestinal tract and liver. Peliosis hepatis is a rare, benign disorder causing sinusoidal dilatation and the presence of multiple blood-filled lacunar spaces within the liver. We report a case of an HHT patient with incidental magnetic resonance findings of focal hepatic peliosis.

Testicular neuroblastoma.

We report a case of isolated intratesticular neuroblastoma in a 17-year-old boy with a history of recurrent metastatic neuroblastoma. He had undergone multiple cycles of chemotherapy, and at the time of our examination was apparently disease-free. Testicular metastases are not uncommon in patients with active metastatic neuroblastoma, but isolated testicular involvement is rare.