Diffusion-weighted MRI for the assessment of liver fibrosis: principles and applications.

The importance of an early identification of hepatic fibrosis has been emphasized, in order to start therapy and obtain fibrosis regression. Biopsy is the gold-standard method for the assessment of liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases, but it is limited by complications, interobserver variability, and sampling errors. Several noninvasive methods have been recently introduced into clinical routine, in order to detect liver fibrosis early.

Diffusion weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging in the evaluation of transplanted kidneys.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the relation between renal indexes and functional MRI in a population of kidney transplant recipients who underwent MR with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the transplanted graft.

Method: Study population included 40 patients with single kidney transplant. The patients were divided into 3 groups, on the basis of creatinine clearance (CrCl) values calculated using Cockcroft-Gault formula: group A, including patients with normal renal function (CrCl ≥ 60 mL/min); group B, which refers to patients with moderate renal impairment (CrCl > 30 but <60 mL/min); and, finally, group C, which means severe renal deterioration (CrCl ≤ 30 mL/min).

Imaging findings of mucopolysaccharidoses: a pictorial review.

Introduction: Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) represent a heterogeneous group of inheritable lysosomal storage diseases in which the accumulation of undegraded glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) leads to progressive damage of affected tissues. The typical symptoms include organomegaly, dysostosis multiplex, mental retardation and developmental delay. Definitive diagnosis is usually possible through enzymatic assays of the defective enzyme in cultured fibroblasts or leukocytes.