US-CT fusion-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of large substernal benign thyroid nodules.

The aim of the present study was to assess feasibility, safety and outcome of ultrasound (US) guided percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation of large substernal benign thyroid nodules assisted by US-computed tomography (CT) fusion imaging and real-time virtual needle tracking (VT) system. Thirty patients (18 females, mean age 56 y, range 32-76 y) with 35 benign nonfunctioning thyroid nodules (mean volume ± SD 26.8 ± 7.

Molecular imaging in MSK radiology: Where are we going?

Musculoskeletal (MSK) pathologies are one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. However, treatment options and understanding of pathogenetic processes are still partially unclear, mainly due to a limited ability in early disease detection and response to therapy assessment. In this scenario, thanks to a strong technological advancement, structural imaging is currently established as the gold-standard of diagnosis in many MSK disorders but each single diagnostic modality (plain films, high-resolution ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance) still suffer by a low specificity regarding the characterization of inflammatory processes, the quantification of inflammatory activity levels, and the degree of response to therapy.