Endoscopy and MR enteroclysis: equivalent tools in predicting clinical recurrence in patients with Crohn's disease after ileocolic resection.

Background: Ileocolonoscopy poses the gold standard in the evaluation of postoperative recurrence of Crohn's disease (CD) at the site of ileocolonic anastomosis. Magnetic resonance enteroclysis (MRE) on the other hand is a promising technique for small bowel imaging. The aim was to compare MRE and ileocolonoscopy for predicting clinical recurrence in CD patients who have undergone ileocolonic resection.

Diagnostic imaging in Merkel cell carcinoma: lessons to learn from 16 cases with correlation of sonography, CT, MRI and PET.

Objective: The authors report imaging findings in a series of 16 patients with MCC, a rare tumour which is often managed primarily by a dermatologist. To our knowledge, no equivalent series of MCC has been described in the nuclear medicine literature.

Material And Methods: In this IRB-approved retrospective noncomparative case series 16 patients with biopsy-proven Merkel cell carcinoma were included between January 1999 and October 2007.

Anastomotic recurrence of Crohn's disease after ileocolic resection: comparison of MR enteroclysis with endoscopy.

The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of MR enteroclysis in patients with Crohn's disease recurrence after ileocolic resection and to establish an MR scoring sytem. MR enteroclysis and endoscopy were performed in 30 patients with suspected Crohn's disease recurrence after ileocolic resection. Findings were evaluated by three radiologists, using an MR score based on image quality, contrast enhancement, and mural and extramural bowel-wall changes: MR0 (no abnormal features), MR1 (minimal mucosal changes), MR2 (diffuse aphtoid ileitis, moderate recurrence), and MR3 (severe recurrence with trans- and extramural changes).

MDCT of small bowel tumours.

Primary benign and malignant neoplasm of the small bowel are rare. Malignant tumours often present late symptoms resulting in a poor prognosis. Early detection of small bowel neoplasms is desirable but challenging for both clinicians and radiologists.

An automatic model-based system for joint space measurements on hand radiographs: initial experience.

This ethics committee-approved pilot study was performed with informed consent. A Web-based service that was developed for automated measurement of joint space and automatic analysis of radiographs was tested prospectively. A total of 160 metacarpophalangeal joint spaces were measured in 20 patients (average age, 48 years; age range, 18-89 years; 16 women) suspected of having rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.

Two K versus 4 K storage phosphor chest radiography: detection performance and image quality.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of matrix size (4-K versus 2-K) in digital storage phosphor chest radiographs on image quality and on the detection of CT-proven thoracic abnormalities. In 85 patients who underwent a CT of the thorax, we obtained two additional posteroanterior storage phosphor chest radiographs, one with a matrix size of 3,520x4,280 (=4-K) and the other with a matrix size of 1,760x2,140 (=2-K). Acquisition, processing and presentation parameters were identical for all radiographs.

Pulmonary nodules: sensitivity of maximum intensity projection versus that of volume rendering of 3D multidetector CT data.

Purpose: To prospectively compare maximum intensity projection (MIP) and volume rendering (VR) of multidetector computed tomographic (CT) data for the detection of small intrapulmonary nodules.

Materials And Methods: This institutional review board-approved prospective study included 20 oncology patients (eight women and 12 men; mean age, 56 years +/- 16 [standard deviation]) who underwent clinically indicated standard-dose thoracic multidetector CT and provided informed consent. Transverse thin slabs of the chest (thickness, 7 mm; reconstruction increment, 3.

High-resolution 3 T MR microscopy imaging of arterial walls.

Purpose: To achieve a high spatial resolution in MR imaging that allows for clear visualization of anatomy and even histology and documentation of plaque morphology in in vitro samples from patients with advanced atherosclerosis. A further objective of our study was to evaluate whether T2-weighted high-resolution MR imaging can provide accurate classification of atherosclerotic plaque according to a modified American Heart Association classification.

Methods: T2-weighted images of arteries were obtained in 13 in vitro specimens using a 3 T MR unit (Medspec 300 Avance/Bruker, Ettlingen, Germany) combined with a dedicated MR microscopy system.

Diagnostic value of CT enteroclysis compared with conventional enteroclysis in patients with Crohn's disease.

Objective: The objective of our study was to assess the diagnostic value of CT enteroclysis compared with conventional enteroclysis in patients with Crohn's disease.

Subjects And Methods: Fifty consecutive patients (26 women, 24 men; mean age, 36.3 years; age range, 18-52 years) with histologically proven Crohn's disease underwent CT enteroclysis and conventional enteroclysis (median time interval, 21.

Flat-panel display (LCD) versus high-resolution gray-scale display (CRT) for chest radiography: an observer preference study.

Objective: Our objective was to compare cathode ray tube (CRT) display with liquid crystal display (LCD) for soft-copy viewing of chest radiographs in a clinical setting.

Materials And Methods: We displayed 80 posteroanterior digital chest radiographs side by side on a 5-megapixel CRT display and a 3-megapixel LCD. Gradation characteristics of both monitors were adjusted to DICOM display standards.

Comparison of an automatic versus a semiautomatic mode for gray-scale adaptation for digital chest radiography.

Purpose: To compare image quality of digital chest radiographs using 2 modes of gradation adjustment.

Methods: We compared image quality and visualization of anatomic landmarks of 50 chest radiographs after digital processing using a semiautomatic mode with a fixed gamma of 2.6 and an automatic mode with individual gamma adaptation.

Community-acquired and nosocomial pneumonia.

Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of morbidity, hospitalization, and mortality in both industrialized and developing countries. In particular, pulmonary infections acquired in the community, and pneumonias arising in the hospital setting, represent a major medical and economic problem and thus a continuous challenge to health care. For the radiologist, it is important to understand that community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and nosocomial pneumonia (NP) share a number of characteristics, but should, in many respects be regarded as separate entities.

Diffusivity- and T2 imaging at 3 Tesla for the detection of degenerative changes in human-excised tissue with high resolution: atherosclerotic arteries.

Rationale And Objectives: We investigated whether it is possible to investigate degenerative changes in human tissue on a sub-100-microm resolution scale not only on special high-field small-bore MR-microscopy systems but also on a 3T whole-body MR-scanner.

Methods: Spin-spin relaxation, proton density, and diffusion microimaging were investigated in studying human atherosclerotic arteries. Strong diffusion weighting and high spatial resolution was achieved by means of a strong dedicated gradient system and a small birdcage radiofrequency resonator.

Peripheral vascular occlusive disease: evaluation with contrast-enhanced moving-bed MR angiography versus digital subtraction angiography in 106 patients.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to compare contrast-enhanced moving-bed MR angiography and digital subtraction angiography in the evaluation of peripheral vascular occlusive disease.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective report includes 106 patients (45 women, 61 men) with known or suspected peripheral vascular occlusive disease who underwent MR angiography and intraarterial digital subtraction angiography of the peripheral arteries. MR angiography was performed on a 1.