Voxel-based mapping of five MR biomarkers in the wrist bone marrow.

Objective: MRI is a reliable and accurate technique to characterize rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of this study was to provide voxel-by-voxel 3D maps of the proton density fat fraction (PDFF), the T of water (T), the T of fat (T), the T* of water (T*), the T* of fat (T*) in the wrist bone marrow.

Materials And Methods: The experiments were conducted on 14 healthy volunteers (mean age: 24 ± 4).

Confounding factors in multi-parametric q-MRI protocol: A study of bone marrow biomarkers at 1.5 T.

Object: The MRI tissue characterization of vertebral bone marrow includes the measurement of proton density fat fraction (PDFF), T and T* relaxation times of the water and fat components (T, T, T*, T*), IVIM diffusion D, perfusion fraction f and pseudo-diffusion coefficient D*. However, the measurement of these vertebral bone marrow biomarkers (VBMBs) is affected with several confounding factors. In the current study, we investigated these confounding factors including the regional variation taking the example of variation between the anterior and posterior area in lumbar vertebrae, B inhomogeneity and the effect of fat suppression on f.

Measurements of Diffusion and Perfusion in Vertebral Bone Marrow Using Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) With Multishot, Readout-Segmented (RESOLVE) Echo-Planar Imaging.

Background: A limited number of studies have used the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) approach on bone marrow. In none of the previous studies were the effects of fat suppression on the IVIM parameters investigated.

Purpose: To measure the water diffusion coefficient and the perfusion fraction in vertebral bone marrow using IVIM with multishot, readout-segmented (RESOLVE) echo-planar imaging and to assess the effects of different fat suppression techniques on the measurement of the IVIM parameters.

Using an Elastic Band Device After a Severe Obstetric Pubic Symphyseal Separation: Clinical and Imaging Evaluation.

Background: Severe separation of the pubic symphysis is a rare delivery complication. Facing this pathology, we decided to study a new elastic band device.

Method: To evaluate the elastic band device, clinical (pain-rated) and imaging (magnetic resonance imaging and radiography) evaluations with and without the device were performed.

A fast method for the quantification of fat fraction and relaxation times: Comparison of five sites of bone marrow.

Purpose: Bone marrow is found either as red bone marrow, which mainly contains haematopoietic cells, or yellow bone marrow, which mainly contains adipocytes. In adults, red bone marrow is principally located in the axial skeleton. A recent study has introduced a method to simultaneously estimate the fat fraction (FF), the T1 and T2* relaxation times of water (T1w, T2*w) and fat (T1f and T2*f) in the vertebral bone marrow.

Breath-hold MR measurements of fat fraction, T1 , and T2 * of water and fat in vertebral bone marrow.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of measuring the fat fraction, T1 and T2 * relaxation times of water and fat signals in vertebral bone marrow using breath-hold magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) gradient echo images of the spine.

Materials And Methods: MRI experiments were performed at 1.5T on eight healthy volunteers (35.

Texture analysis software: integration with a radiological workstation.

Image analysis is the daily task of radiologists. The texture of a structure or imaging finding can be more difficult to describe than other parameters. Image processing can help the radiologist in completing this difficult task.

Ontology driven decision support systems for medical diagnosis - an interactive form for consultation in patients with plasma cell disease.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant disorder characterized by the monoclonal proliferation of B cell derived plasma cells in the bone marrow. The diagnosis depends on the identification of abnormal monoclonal marrow plasma cells, monoclonal protein in the serum or urine, evidence of end-organ damage, and a clinical picture consistent with MM. The distinction between MM stages- monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance or indolent myeloma-is critical in guiding therapy.

MRI image artifact ontology: a proposed method for improved recognition.

Unlabelled: Magnetic Resonance Imaging is an essential diagnostic imaging technique. The complexity of interpreting MRI images is often compounded by the presence of a wide range of artifacts which are often challenging to identify and eliminate. Ontology permits the construction of a knowledge database with which users can interact given an appropriate interface.

Creating a magnetic resonance imaging ontology.

The goal of this work is to build an ontology of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The MRI domain has been analysed regarding MRI simulators and the DICOM standard. Tow MRI simulators have been analysed: JEMRIS, which is developed in XML and C++, has a hierarchical organisation and SIMRI, which is developed in C, has a good representation of MRI physical processes.

Creating an ontology driven rules base for an expert system for medical diagnosis.

Expert systems of the 1980s have failed on the difficulties of maintaining large rule bases. The current work proposes a method to achieve and maintain rule bases grounded on ontologies (like NCIT). The process described here for an expert system on plasma cell disorder encompasses extraction of a sub-ontology and automatic and comprehensive generation of production rules.

[Evaluation of CT guided cervical epidural injections in patients with mechanical cervicobrachial neuralgia].

Purpose: Prospective study evaluating the efficacy and tolerability of CT guided cervical epidural injections for mechanical cervicobrachial neuralgia.

Materials And Methods: Between July 2003 and August 2004, 34 patients (16 females, 18 males) with mean age of 44.5 years were enrolled.

[Synovial biopsy under US guidance: technical considerations and results].

Purpose: To describe and assess ultrasound (US) guided biopsy of peripheral joint synovial membrane.

Method: Between January 2002 and January 2005, 83 patients have undergone biopsies of synovial membrane performed under ultrasonographic guidance, as a diagnostic procedure for monoarthritis of unknown etiology. After synovial thickening was confirmed by US examination, the optimal approach to the joint was decided in accordance with maximal synovial thickening localization and adjacent anatomic structures.

[Diffusion weighted MRI of spine tumors].

Purpose: To evaluate the contribution of diffusion weighted MR imaging in malignant spine pathology. Materials and methods. Between February 2004 and January 2005, 49 patients (43 to 86 years old) were included.

Toward a unified representation of findings in clinical radiology.

The representations of findings in clinical radiology are heterogeneous. Motivations for developing a unified representation include the semantic integration of medical reports based on DICOM-SR(Digital Image Communication in Medicine Structured Reporting), bibliographic databases in the context of evidence-based medicine, and teaching resources. In this work, we propose a unified representation integrating the representations of findings in the UMLS, the GAMUTS in Radiology and the DICOM-SR.

[Vertebral trabecular network analysis on CT images].

Purpose: Comparing texture analysis, density measurement and visual quantification of trabecular network on spine CT images, to better evaluate bone architecture in osteoporosis.

Method And Materials: Seventeen patients, aged 19 to 84 years, were included. One patient presented osteoporotic fractures.

[Periosteal hemangioma of the distal humeral: case report and review of the literature].

The authors report a case of periosteal cavernous hemangioma of the distal humeral. They describe the imaging findings of hemangiomas of long tubular bones and discuss their differential diagnosis.