Intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted MR imaging for differentiation of benign and malignant musculoskeletal tumours at 3 T.

Objective: To evaluate the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted (DW) MRI for differentiating between benign and malignant musculoskeletal tumours at 3 T.

Methods: 65 patients with treatment-naïve musculoskeletal tumours (47 malignant and 23 benign lesions) who underwent 3 T MRI including IVIM DW imaging were included. IVIM-derived parameters included pure diffusion coefficient (D), perfusion related incoherent microcirculation (D*, pseudodiffusion coefficient), and perfusion fraction (f).

Ultrasonographic diagnosis of snapping annular ligament in the elbow.

Elbow snapping by annular ligament is rare and may be difficult to diagnose, when this Epub ahead of print condition is not familiar. We report a case of elbow snapping by annular ligament diagnosed by ultrasonography, which was confirmed by arthroscopic observation. The ultrasonographic findings were thickening of the annular ligament and snapping in and out of the radiocapitellar joint during elbow flexion and extension on dynamic ultrasonography.

Visual MRI grading system to evaluate atrophy of the supraspinatus muscle.

Objective: To investigate the interobserver reproducibility and diagnostic feasibility of a visual grading system for assessing atrophy of the supraspinatus muscle on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Materials And Methods: Three independent radiologists retrospectively evaluated the occupying ratio of the supraspinatus muscle in the supraspinatus fossa on 192 shoulder MRI examinations in 188 patients using a 3-point visual grading system (1, ≥ 60%; 2, 30-59%; 3, < 30%) on oblique sagittal T1-weighted images. The inter-reader agreement and the agreement with the reference standard (3-point grades according to absolute occupying ratio values quantitatively measured by directly contouring the muscles on MRI) were analyzed using weighted kappa.

High prevalence of abnormal MR findings of the distal semimembranosus tendon: contributing factors based on demographic, radiographic, and MR features.

Objective: The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of thickening and signal alteration of the distal semimembranosus (SM) tendon on knee MRI and analyze the patient factors associated with abnormal MR findings of the distal SM tendon.

Materials And Methods: Knee MRI scans of 116 subjects (58 men, 58 women; mean age, 48.5 years; range, 18-79 years) who underwent knee surgery were evaluated to assess the distal SM tendons in terms of signal alteration and thickness.

Does the amount of tagged stool and fluid significantly affect the radiation exposure in low-dose CT colonography performed with an automatic exposure control?

Objective: To determine whether the amount of tagged stool and fluid significantly affects the radiation exposure in low-dose screening CT colonography performed with an automatic tube-current modulation technique.

Methods: The study included 311 patients. The tagging agent was barium (n = 271) or iodine (n = 40).

Sclerotherapy of peritoneal inclusion cysts: a long-term evaluation study.

Background: This study was designed to evaluate the long-term results of sclerotherapy for the treatment of peritoneal inclusion cysts (PICs).

Methods: Twenty-nine patients with 30 PICs were included in the study. Sclerotherapy was performed with use of povidone-iodine in 13 PICs and ethanol in 17 PICs, until the drained volume was less than 5 mL.