Imaging of Cardiac Sarcoidosis: An Update and Future Aspects.

Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS), an increasingly recognized disease of unknown etiology, is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Given the limited diagnostic yield of traditional endomyocardial biopsy (EMB), there is increasing reliance on multimodality cardiovascular imaging in the diagnosis and management of CS, with EMB being largely supplanted by the use of F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of imaging modalities currently utilized in the screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of CS, while highlighting the latest developments in each area.

MRA as the Preferred Test for Pulmonary Embolism During the Iodinated Contrast Media Shortage of 2022: A Single-Center Experience.

Closure of a GE Healthcare facility in Shanghai, China, in 2022 disrupted the iodinated contrast media supply. Technologic advances have addressed limitations associated with the use of pulmonary MRA for diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE). The purpose of this study was to describe a single institution's experience in the use of pulmonary MRA as an alternative to CTA for the diagnosis of PE in the general population during the iodinated contrast media shortage in 2022.

Distribution of prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) on PET-MRI in patients with and without ovarian cancer.

Objectives: Ovarian cancer is the most lethal cancer and future research needs to focus on the early detection and exploration of new therapeutic agents. The objectives of this proof-of-concept study are to assess the feasibility of PSMA 18F-DCFPyl PET/MR imaging for detecting ovarian cancer and to evaluate the PSMA distribution in patients with and without ovarian cancer.

Methods: This prospective pilot proof-of-concept study in patients with and without ovarian cancers occurred between October 2017 and January 2020.

High-Resolution Computed Tomography of Cystic Lung Disease.

The cystic lung diseases (CLD) are characterized by the presence of multiple, thin-walled, air-filled spaces in the pulmonary parenchyma. Cyst formation may occur with congenital, autoimmune, inflammatory, infectious, or neoplastic processes. Recognition of cyst mimics such as emphysema and bronchiectasis is important to prevent diagnostic confusion and unnecessary evaluation.

Increased RV:LV ratio on chest CT-angiogram in COVID-19 is a marker of adverse outcomes.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) dilation has been used to predict adverse outcomes in acute pulmonary conditions. It has been used to categorize the severity of novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) infection. Our study aimed to use chest CT-angiogram (CTA) to assess if increased RV dilation, quantified as an increased RV:LV (left ventricle) ratio, is associated with adverse outcomes in the COVID-19 infection, and if it occurs out of proportion to lung parenchymal disease.

PET/MR imaging in gynecologic cancer: tips for differentiating normal gynecologic anatomy and benign pathology versus cancer.

Positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MR) is used in the pre-treatment and surveillance settings to evaluate women with gynecologic malignancies, including uterine, cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancers. PET/MR combines the excellent spatial and contrast resolution of MR imaging for gynecologic tissues, with the functional metabolic information of PET, to aid in a more accurate assessment of local disease extent and distant metastatic disease. In this review, the optimal protocol and utility of whole-body PET/MR imaging in patients with gynecologic malignancies will be discussed, with an emphasis on the advantages of PET/MR over PET/CT and how to differentiate normal or benign gynecologic tissues from cancer in the pelvis.

A Rare Case of Primary Pericardial Schwannoma.

Schwannomas are typically benign, indolent neoplasms. Primary pericardial schwannomas are extremely rare and arise from the cardiac plexus and vagus nerve innervating the heart. Few case reports have been documented to date.

Routes of Transdiaphragmatic Migration from the Abdomen to the Chest.

The diaphragm serves as an anatomic border between the abdominal and thoracic cavities. Pathologic conditions traversing the diaphragm are often incompletely described and may be overlooked, resulting in diagnostic delays. Several routes allow abdominal contents or pathologic processes to spread into the thorax, including along normal transphrenic structures, through congenital defects in the diaphragm, through inherent areas of weakness between muscle groups, or by pathways created by tissue destruction, trauma, or iatrogenic injuries.

Imaging Early Postoperative Complications of Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Imaging plays a central role in the evaluation of patients following cardiothoracic surgery, both for monitoring in the early postoperative period and for assessing for suspected complications. Patients with postsurgical complications can develop a range of signs and symptoms, from hypotension and tachycardia, as the result of severe bleeding, to fever and leukocytosis because of infection. The radiologist is an important member of the care team in the postoperative period, helping identify and manage complications of cardiothoracic surgery.

Thoracic Manifestations of Connective Tissue Diseases.

Connective tissue diseases (CTDs) are a common cause of chronic lung disease, and lung involvement, which can be the initial site of disease, is a major contributor to CTD-related morbidity and mortality. A variety of patterns of acute and chronic lung diseases are associated with CTD including diffuse alveolar damage, organizing pneumonia, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, usual interstitial pneumonia, nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, and lymphoid interstitial pneumonia. Patients with CTD are also at increased risk for respiratory tract infection and treatment-related complications such as drug-induced lung injury.

Imaging of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Idiopathic interstitial pneumonias are a heterogeneous group of diffuse lung diseases characterized by distinct clinicopathologic entities with the usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) being the most common. The pattern of UIP can be seen in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) as well as in secondary causes, most commonly in connective tissue diseases. IPF is usually progressive and associated with a very poor prognosis, and newer therapies pose a risk of serious complications; therefore, diagnostic certainty is crucial.

PET/CT and MRI in the imaging assessment of cervical cancer.

Imaging plays a central role in the evaluation of patients with cervical cancer and helps guide treatment decisions. The purpose of this pictorial review is to describe magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) assessment of cervical cancer, including indications for imaging, important findings that may result in management change, as well as limitations of both modalities. The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics cervical cancer staging system does not officially include imaging; however, the organization endorses the use of MR imaging and PET/CT in the management of patients with cervical cancer where these modalities are available.

(18)F-DOPA PET with and without MRI fusion, a receiver operator characteristics comparison.

This study is a retrospective analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of FDOPA PET with MRI fusion to FDOPA PET without MRI fusion. Clinical FDOPA PET scans obtained between 2000 and 2008 at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics were assessed using measures derived from regions of interest (ROI) generated with fused MRI (fused group) and again with ROIs derived solely from PET data (non-fused groups). The ROIs were used to calculate ratios (Striatum/Occipital cortex, Striatum/Cerebellum) pertinent to Parkinson's disease (PD) pathology.