Classification of small lesions on dynamic breast MRI: Integrating dimension reduction and out-of-sample extension into CADx methodology.

Objective: While dimension reduction has been previously explored in computer aided diagnosis (CADx) as an alternative to feature selection, previous implementations of its integration into CADx do not ensure strict separation between training and test data required for the machine learning task. This compromises the integrity of the independent test set, which serves as the basis for evaluating classifier performance.

Methods And Materials: We propose, implement and evaluate an improved CADx methodology where strict separation is maintained.

Classification of Small Lesions in Breast MRI: Evaluating The Role of Dynamically Extracted Texture Features Through Feature Selection.

Dynamic texture quantification, i.e., extracting texture features from the lesion enhancement pattern in all available post-contrast images, has not been evaluated in terms of its ability to classify small lesions.

Performance of topological texture features to classify fibrotic interstitial lung disease patterns.

Purpose: Topological texture features were compared in their ability to classify "honeycombing," a morphological pattern that is considered indicative for the presence of fibrotic interstitial lung disease in high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) images.

Methods: For 14 patients with known occurrence of honeycombing, a stack of 70 axial, lung kernel reconstructed images was acquired from HRCT chest exams. A set of 964 regions of interest of both healthy and pathological (356) lung tissue was identified by an experienced radiologist.

Human vocal tract analysis by in vivo 3D MRI during phonation: a complete system for imaging, quantitative modeling, and speech synthesis.

We present a complete system for image-based 3D vocal tract analysis ranging from MR image acquisition during phonation, semi-automatic image processing, quantitative modeling including model-based speech synthesis, to quantitative model evaluation by comparison between recorded and synthesized phoneme sounds. For this purpose, six professionally trained speakers, age 22-34y, were examined using a standardized MRI protocol (1.5 T, T1w FLASH, ST 4mm, 23 slices, acq.

Functional abnormalities of the visual processing system in subjects with mild cognitive impairment: an fMRI study.

Subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared with healthy controls (HC). Sensory impairment can contribute to the severity of cognitive impairment. We measured the activation changes in the visual system between MCI and HC subjects.

White matter alterations in schizophrenic patients with pronounced negative symptomatology and with positive family history for schizophrenia.

Background: In recent years, in vivo and post-mortem studies detected structural brain changes in schizophrenia. The aim of our analysis was to investigate potential changes of white matter in schizophrenic patients compared to controls, and the relationship to clinical characteristics.

Methods: Fifty male, right-handed schizophrenic patients who met DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia were recruited.

Anterior cingulate cortex does not differ between patients with major depression and healthy controls, but relatively large anterior cingulate cortex predicts a good clinical course.

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is involved in the regulation of emotion processing, and its volume has been found to be reduced in patients with major depression. Furthermore, larger ACC volumes have been associated with faster symptom improvement under therapy. The aims of the study were to examine whether volumes of the anterior cingulate cortex are altered and are related to the clinical course of major depression.

Classification of small contrast enhancing breast lesions in dynamic magnetic resonance imaging using a combination of morphological criteria and dynamic analysis based on unsupervised vector-quantization.

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic value of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in small focal lesions using dynamic analysis based on unsupervised vector quantization in combination with a score for morphologic criteria.

Materials And Methods: We examined 85 mammographically indetermintate lesions (BIRADS 3-4; 47 malignant, mean lesion size 1.2 cm; 38 benign, mean lesion size 1.

Hippocampal volume reduction and history of aggressive behaviour in patients with borderline personality disorder.

Disturbances of aggression and impulse control are important symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD). The hippocampus is part of the limbic system, which is involved in the control of these types of behaviour. The aim of our study was to investigate potential structural changes of the hippocampal formation in BPD and to evaluate if these are related to aggressive and impulsive behaviour.

Reduced hippocampal volume correlates with executive dysfunctioning in major depression.

Objective: Dysfunction of neuronal plasticity or remodelling seems to contribute to the pathopysiology of major depression and may cause the well-documented hippocampal changes in depression. We aimed to investigate whether reduced hippocampal volumes correlate with executive dysfunctioning or memory dysfunctioning or with depression severity.

Methods: We recruited 34 inpatients with a previous or current episode of major depression from the department of psychiatry at the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Germany.

Amygdala volume and depressive symptoms in patients with borderline personality disorder.

Background: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by a high prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders, including major depression (MD). The aim of this study was to examine whether a co-occurrence of MD is associated with structural changes in the amygdala of BPD patients.

Methods: Twenty-five right-handed, female patients with BPD and 25 matched healthy control subjects were examined.

Cluster analysis of signal-intensity time course in dynamic breast MRI: does unsupervised vector quantization help to evaluate small mammographic lesions?

We examined whether neural network clustering could support the characterization of diagnostically challenging breast lesions in dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We examined 88 patients with 92 breast lesions (51 malignant, 41 benign). Lesions were detected by mammography and classified Breast Imaging and Reporting Data System (BIRADS) III (median diameter 14 mm).

Correlation of cerebrospinal fluid levels of tau protein phosphorylated at threonine 231 with rates of hippocampal atrophy in Alzheimer disease.

Background: The microtubule-associated tau protein abnormally phosphorylated at threonine 231 (p-tau231) has been investigated as a potential marker of Alzheimer disease. Levels of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) p-tau231 vary across patients with Alzheimer disease. We hypothesized that these variations partially reflect differences in the degree of neuronal damage and therefore may be used to predict structural disease progression.

Reliable manual segmentation of the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes on magnetic resonance images of healthy subjects.

Background: It is a challenge to reliably measure the lobar volumes from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data.

Objective: Description of a landmark-based method for volumetric segmentation of the brain into the four cerebral lobes from MR images.

Method: The segmentation method relies on a combination of anatomical landmarks and geometrical definitions.

The septum pellucidum and its variants. An MRI study.

Purpose: Increased prevalence of cavum septi pellucidi (CSP) in schizophrenic patients in comparison to healthy subjects was reported previously. Our purpose was to evaluate the prevalence of variants of the septum pellucidum in healthy subjects in three different age groups.

Methods: 151 healthy subjects, including 46 children (age 6 +/- 4 years), 72 young adults (age 31 +/- 8 years) and 33 elderly adults (age 59 +/- 7 years) were examined with high-resolution MRI.

The long-term outcome of anti-Jo-1-positive inflammatory myopathies.

Objective: To determine the response to treatment and the long-term outcome of patients with the antisynthetase syndrome associated with anti-Jo-1-antibodies.

Patients And Methods: A total of 12 patients with histologically proven myositis and anti-Jo-1-autoantibodies were evaluated over a mean follow-up period of 66.4 months.

Hippocampal and amygdala changes in patients with major depressive disorder and healthy controls during a 1-year follow-up.

Background: Although the hippocampus has been found to be smaller in patients with depression, prospective longitudinal in vivo studies are necessary to investigate whether depression can result in a further diminution of hippocampal volumes or whether a smaller hippocampal volume predisposes an individual to the development of depression.

Method: Thirty patients with DSM-IV major depressive disorder as well as 30 healthy control subjects matched for age, gender, and handedness were examined at admission to the hospital and 1 year later using a documentation of the medical history and high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the presence of depression and to determine changes in hippocampal as well as amygdala volumes. Patients were enrolled from March 2000 to August 2002.

Reduced hippocampal volumes associated with the long variant of the serotonin transporter polymorphism in major depression.

Background: Substantial evidence supports a role for dysfunction of the serotonin transporter in the pathogenesis of major depression. Several studies have found reciprocal interactions between the serotonergic system and both brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glutamate, which are known to modulate or affect hippocampal morphologic characteristics.

Objective: To examine the influence of a polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene on hippocampal volumes in patients with major depression and healthy controls.

Integrated imaging using MRI and 123I metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy to improve sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of pediatric neuroblastoma.

Objective: The objectives of this study were to compare MRI and iodine-123 ((123)I) metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy in the detection of neuroblastoma lesions in pediatric patients and to assess the additional value of combined imaging.

Materials And Methods: Fifty MRI and 50 (123)I MIBG examinations (mean interval, 6.4 days) were analyzed retrospectively with regard to suspected or proven neuroblastoma lesions (n = 193) in 28 patients.

Larger amygdala volumes in first depressive episode as compared to recurrent major depression and healthy control subjects.

Background: The aim of our study was to test the hypothesis that amygdala volumes are reduced in patients with recurrent major depression compared with first episode patients.

Methods: Using structural magnetic resonance imaging, we compared 30 inpatients with first-episode depression and 27 inpatients with recurrent major depression (DSM-IV) with healthy volunteer subjects from the local community matched for age, gender, and handedness.

Results: Patients with first-episode depression showed enlarged amygdala volumes compared with patients with recurrent major depression and healthy control subjects.

Handedness and corpus callosum morphology.

Investigations of a relationship between callosal size and functional behavioral lateralization lead to the hypothesis that, as the size of the corpus callosum (CC) increases, interhemispheric information transfer is facilitated and behavioral laterality effects become smaller. The aim of our in vivo study was to investigate the relationship between functional asymmetry of handedness and CC size in healthy subjects. Magnetic resonance images of the CC and five CC subregions were obtained with a 1.

Investigation of a possible diencephalic pathology in schizophrenia.

Absence of the adhesio interthalamica (AI) in schizophrenic first episode patients is suggestive for another marker of early developmental neuropathologic changes. Moreover, findings suggest that schizophrenic patients without AI are characterised by more severe negative symptoms. The study aims to investigate the presence vs.

MR imaging of the brain in pediatric patients: diagnostic value of HASTE sequences.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of half-Fourier single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE) sequences in MR imaging of the brain in pediatric patients.

Subjects And Methods: HASTE sequences were performed in 80 infants and children. Two radiologists who were unaware of the patients' medical histories independently reviewed the images for the presence of nine findings: defects of the parenchyma, hypoplasia or agenesis of the corpus callosum, edema, signs of increased intracranial pressure, myelination disorders, migration disorders, malformations, tumors, and widening of spaces of the cerebrospinal fluid.

Does the definition of borders of the planum temporale influence the results in schizophrenia?

Objective: The planum temporale, a highly asymmetric neocortical area of the temporal lobe, has a possible role in schizophrenia. The authors used three different anatomical definitions of the planum temporale to examine the anterior, posterior, and total planum temporale gray matter volumes simultaneously.

Method: Magnetic resonance imaging was used to examine 30 male schizophrenic patients and 30 healthy male comparison subjects.