MRI findings in eastern equine encephalitis: the "parenthesis" sign.

Two patients with eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) presented to a tertiary referral center. Both subjects' brain magnetic resonance imaging showed T2/FLAIR (fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) hyperintensities including linear areas of hyperintensity in the external and internal capsules with sparing of the lentiform nuclei. Single case reports of imaging findings in EEE exist with nonspecific patterns of abnormality.

Improvements in lumbar spine MRI at 3 T using parallel transmission.

Objective: Parallel transmission MRI at 3 T improves image quality by reducing dielectric effects with radiofrequency shimming. The purpose of this study was to determine whether parallel transmission MRI improves signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in lumbar spine MRI at 3 T.

Materials And Methods: Ten healthy volunteers underwent T1-weighted MRI and nine healthy volunteers underwent T2-weighted MRI of the lumbar spine.

Linear longitudinal decline in fractional anisotropy in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: preliminary results.

Background And Purpose: As potential therapies aimed at halting or slowing the decline in upper motor neuron function in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) are developed, a quantitative method for monitoring response will be necessary. Measurement of fractional anisotropy (FA) using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) over time should parallel functional decline from upper motor neuron degeneration in these patients.

Patients And Methods: Two patients with definite ALS were imaged at 3.

Discrepancy rates of on-call radiology residents' interpretations of CT angiography studies of the neck and circle of Willis.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to determine the discrepancy rates of radiology residents' interpretations of emergent CT angiography (CTA) studies of the neck and circle of Willis and to assess any adverse clinical outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Five hundred thirty-eight CTA studies (287 circle of Willis and 251 neck) ordered emergently after hours and given preliminary readings by radiology residents from January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2007, were retrospectively reviewed. Discrepancies between the interpretations of radiology residents and the final reports of neuroradiology attending physicians were classified as either false-negatives (failure to recognize abnormalities) or false-positives (misinterpreting normal scans as abnormal).

The misinterpretation rates of radiology residents on emergent neuroradiology magnetic resonance (MR) angiogram studies: correlation with level of residency training.

The purpose of this study was to determine the discrepancy rates of radiology residents interpreting emergent neck and Circle of Willis magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) studies and to detect any adverse clinical outcomes. Three hundred seventeen MRA studies given preliminary reading by radiology residents were retrospectively reviewed over a 2-year period. Discrepancies were classified as either false negatives (failure to diagnose abnormalities) or false positives (misinterpreting normal scans as abnormal).

Diffusion tensor imaging and tractography of Rasmussen encephalitis.

A 5-year-old girl presented with intractable seizures and nonfocal hemispheric slowing on EEG. Blood, urine, and CSF laboratory values were all normal. MR imaging of the brain demonstrated diffuse volume loss of the entire left hemisphere.

Discrepancy rates of radiology resident interpretations of on-call neuroradiology MR imaging studies.

Purpose: To determine the discrepancy rates of radiology residents interpreting emergent neuroradiology magnetic resonance (MR) imaging studies and to assess any adverse clinical outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Three hundred sixty-one brain and spine MR imaging and MR angiographic examinations that were ordered emergently after hours and given preliminary interpretations by radiology residents were retrospectively reviewed from December 1, 2006 to May 31, 2007 with institutional review board approval. Discrepancies between the interpretations of radiology residents and the final reports of attending neuroradiologists were classified as either false-negative (FN, failure to recognize abnormalities) or false-positive (FP, misinterpreting normal images as abnormal).