Marfan syndrome resulting from a rare pathogenic FBN1 variant, ascertained through a proband with IgG4-related arteriopathy.

A 57-year-old man with a family history of aortic aneurysm was found, during assessment of unexplained fever, to have an infrarenal aortic aneurysm requiring immediate repair. Dilatation of popliteal and iliac arteries was also present. Progressive aortic root dilatation with aortic regurgitation was documented from 70 years leading to valve-sparing aortic root replacement at 77 years, at which time genetic studies identified a likely pathogenic FBN1 missense variant c.

Very high GFR in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: prevalence, carboplatin dosing patterns and chemotherapy toxicity.

Aim: Carboplatin dosing depends on accurate glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimation. There is a lack of clinical agreement about carboplatin dosing when the GFR measurement is very high (>110 mL/min).

Methods: A retrospective audit of pre-chemotherapy 99m technetium (Tc) diethylenetriamene pentaacetate (DTPA) radionuclide GFR estimations and patients' chart review were performed from January 2006 to May 2009.

In vitro evaluation of a manganese chloride phantom-based MRI technique for quantitative determination of lumbar intervertebral disc composition and condition.

The application of MRI as a non-invasive, quantitative tool for diagnosing lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration is currently an area of active research. The objective of this study was to examine, in vitro, the efficacy of a manganese chloride phantom-based MRI technique for quantitatively assessing lumbar disc composition and degenerative condition. Sixteen human lumbar discs were imaged ex vivo using T2-weighted MRI, and assigned a quantitative grade based on the relative signal intensities of nine phantoms containing serial concentrations of manganese chloride.

Muscle injury: the role of imaging in prognostic assignment and monitoring of muscle repair.

Muscle injury is common among athletes, and imaging is increasingly being used to confirm injury, to assess its location, extent, and severity, and on occasion to make inferences regarding prognosis and timing of return to sports. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are accurate for diagnosis of acute injuries, but measurements of the extent of injury (cross-sectional area and longitudinal extent of muscle injury adjacent to the musculotendinous junction) have also been shown to correlate with athlete prognosis and recovery time. Specifically, normal MRI studies shortly after injury are associated with rapid (1- to 2-week) recovery and low risk of recurrent injury.

Abdominal adiposity and liver fat content 3 and 12 months after gastric banding surgery.

Weight loss after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery (LAGB) is associated with mobilization of adipose tissue from a variety of depots. We sought to evaluate and relate abdominal and hepatic lipid deposition in an obese female population 3 and 12 months after LAGB. We related changes in these depots to markers of insulin sensitivity.

Bone biopsy of the parasymphyseal pubic bone region in athletes with chronic groin injury demonstrates new woven bone formation consistent with a diagnosis of pubic bone stress injury.

Background: There is little scientific evidence available regarding the pathologic basis for chronic groin injury in athletes, a known difficult clinical problem.

Hypothesis: Histological analysis of the superior pubic ramus in athletes with diagnosed chronic groin injury may reveal the nature of the pathologic process.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Pre-surgical radiologic identification of peri-prosthetic osteolytic lesions around TKRs: a pre-clinical investigation of diagnostic accuracy.

Background: Emerging longitudinal data appear to demonstrate an alarming trend towards an increasing prevalence of osteolysis-induced mechanical failure, following total knee replacement (TKR). Even with high-quality multi-plane X-rays, accurate pre-surgical evaluation of osteolytic lesions is often difficult. This is likely to have an impact on surgical management and provides reasonable indication for the development of a model allowing more reliable lesion assessment.

Determining disk hydration status with a MnCl2-based MR model.

Purpose: An extensive body of literature demonstrates a strong correlation between intervertebral disk (IVD) hydration status (HS) and functional spinal integrity. However, to date, in vivo IVD HS assessment has relied largely on subjective and nonrepeatable measures. The aim of this study was to establish the consistency of signal homogeneity of a novel semisolid-state manganese chloride (MnCl2)-based phantom for HS correlation using conventional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

A MnCl2-based MR signal intensity linear response phantom.

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a manganese chloride (MnCl2)-based phantom model that would allow progressive quantitative assessment of tissue hydration based on observed magnetic resonance (MR) imaging signal intensity (SI) linearity characteristics.

Materials And Methods: The study was performed using a progressive signal refinement technique that allowed development of an imaging tool for semiquantitative sequential discrimination of MR signal responses. A series of 82 phantoms comprising a gelatin-set MnCl2 composite were imaged under basic T1- and T2-weighted conditions.

Hip joint range of motion restriction precedes athletic chronic groin injury.

Although a restricted hip range of motion has been previously associated with chronic groin injury the temporal course of this association remains unclear. Accordingly the purpose of this prospective cohort study was to report preliminary findings examining whether hip joint range of motion restriction is associated with subsequent onset of athletic chronic groin injury. End-range internal and external hip joint range of motion was determined in 29 elite Australian football players, without previous history of groin injury.

Outcome of conservative management of athletic chronic groin injury diagnosed as pubic bone stress injury.

Background: Little data exist on the results of treatment for sports-related chronic groin injury.

Hypothesis: Sports-related chronic groin injury treated with a conservative (rest) program results in a satisfactory outcome.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Rapid significant weight loss and regional lipid deposition: Implications for insulin sensitivity.

Aim: To compare regional lipid deposition and insulin sensitivity after differing weight loss strategies: very low calorie diet (VLCD) and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB).

Method: Thirty-nine obese women underwent anthropometry, proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy for assessment of liver fat (LFAT) and MR imaging for visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous abdominal fat volume (SAT) determination. Fasting blood was taken for insulin, glucose and free fatty acid (FFA) analysis.

Development and validation of a generic 3D model of the distal femur.

The development and validation of a virtual generic 3D model of the distal femur using computer graphical methods is presented. The synthesis of the generic model requires the following steps: acquisition of bony 3D morphology using standard computed tomography (CT) imaging; alignment of 3D models reconstructed from CT images with a common coordinate system; computer graphical sectioning of the models; extraction of bone contours from the image sections; combining and averaging of extracted contours; and 3D reconstruction of the averaged contours. The generic models reconstructed from the averaged contours of six cadaver femora were validated by comparing their surface geometry on a point to point basis with that of the CT reconstructed reference models.

Change in liver size and fat content after treatment with Optifast very low calorie diet.

Background: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) requires surgical access to the gastroesophageal junction, which may be compromised by the enlarged, fatty liver that is frequently encountered in the obese. Liver size appears reduced and surgical access improved following preoperative weight loss with Optifast Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD). The aim of this study was to assess the effects of 6 weeks Optifast VLCD on liver volume and fat content.

Assessment of physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging findings of hamstring injury as predictors for recurrent injury.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Objective: To examine clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of hamstring muscle injury to determine if any are predictive for recurrent injury.

Background: Hamstring muscle strain injury and subsequent recurrent injury are common.

The early effects of weight loss surgery on regional adiposity.

Background: Weight loss beyond 6 months following laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is associated with a preferential mobilization of visceral adipose tissue and an improvement in insulin sensitivity in insulin resistant subjects. Because the rate of weight loss is greatest in the first 3 months after LAGB, we investigated the impact of LAGB on changes in regional lipid deposition and insulin sensitivity over this period.

Methods: 10 female obese non-diabetic subjects underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and spectroscopy before and 12 weeks after LAGB (using the Swedish band), for the quantification of abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue areas and intrahepatic lipid.

Groin pain in footballers: the association between preseason clinical and pubic bone magnetic resonance imaging findings and athlete outcome.

Background: Groin pain and tenderness are common in athletes from a variety of codes of football, but little attention has been directed to the influence of magnetic resonance imaging and such clinical findings on athlete participation.

Hypothesis: Preseason groin pain, tenderness, and magnetic resonance imaging findings such as pubic bone marrow edema are associated with restricted training capacity and missed games.

Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Description of pain provocation tests used for the diagnosis of sports-related chronic groin pain: relationship of tests to defined clinical (pain and tenderness) and MRI (pubic bone marrow oedema) criteria.

The clinical assessment of groin pain in athletes is difficult, with the lack of specific clinical tests being in part responsible. Three pain provocation tests used in the diagnosis of chronic groin pain are described and their relationship to defined clinical and MRI criteria has been assessed. Eighty-nine Australian Rules football players with and without groin symptoms underwent clinical examination followed by history.

Subperiosteal aneurysmal bone cyst with associated bone marrow oedema: an unusual appearance.

A case of a subperiosteal aneurysmal bone cyst with adjacent bone marrow oedema is presented. Aneurysmal bone cysts have been well documented in the published literature; however, relatively few have been observed in a subperiosteal location, and associated bone marrow oedema in the absence of a demonstrable pathological fracture is a rare finding. Aneursymal bone cyst should be considered in the differential diagnosis of subperiosteal bone lesions and may be associated with bone marrow oedema.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of clinical findings in 83 athletes with posterior thigh injury: comparison of clinical findings with magnetic resonance imaging documentation of hamstring muscle strain.

Background: Little is known about the clinical features of posterior thigh injuries and their contribution to accurate diagnosis and prognostic assessment of hamstring muscle strain injury.

Hypotheses: The clinical features of posterior thigh injury can be used to diagnose hamstring muscle strain and to predict duration of absence from competition.

Study Design: Prospective clinical study.

Effect of bovine colostrum supplementation on the composition of resistance trained and untrained limbs in healthy young men.

This study examined the effect of bovine colostrum (BC) supplementation on the tissue composition of resistance trained (T) and untrained (UT) limbs. Using a double-blind design, subjects were randomly allocated to 60 g day(-1) of BC ( n=17) or whey protein (WP) ( n=17) during 8 weeks of resistance training of the elbow flexors (EF) of their non-dominant arm (T). Axial magnetic resonance images of both upper arms, maximal voluntary isometric torque (MVC) of EF, and the one repetition maximum (1RM) for bicep curls were measured pre- and post-supplementation.

Hamstring injury in athletes: using MR imaging measurements to compare extent of muscle injury with amount of time lost from competition.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between MR imaging measurements of the extent of hamstring injury and the amount of time lost from competition in a group of athletes.

Subjects And Methods: Thirty-seven athletes with suspected hamstring injury underwent T1 and inversion recovery T2 turbo spin-echo MR imaging in axial and sagittal planes. The presence and dimensions of abnormal focal intra- and extramuscular T2 hyperintensity were independently recorded by two radiologists, and the muscles involved and intramuscular location of injury were noted.