Mid-term results of arthroscopically assisted latissimus dorsi transfer for irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tears.

Background: With progress in arthroscopic surgery, latissimus dorsi transfer for irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tears (RCTs) has become a reliable all-arthroscopic or arthroscopically assisted procedure. The mid-term results of arthroscopically assisted latissimus dorsi transfer (aLDT) are scarce in the literature. The purpose of this study was to report our clinical and radiographic mid-term results of aLDT for irreparable posterosuperior RCTs.

Impact of 30 years' high-level rock climbing on the shoulder: an magnetic resonance imaging study of 31 climbers.

Background: Rock climbers are particularly susceptible to shoulder injuries due to repetitive upper-limb movements on vertical or overhanging terrain. However, the long-term effects of prolonged climbing on the shoulder joints are still unknown.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of pain and degenerative changes in the shoulder joints after high-level rock climbing over at least 25 years.

Prospective and longitudinal evolution of postoperative periprosthetic findings on metal artifact-reduced MR imaging in asymptomatic patients after uncemented total hip arthroplasty.

Objective: To prospectively assess the evolution of postoperative MRI findings in asymptomatic patients after total hip arthroplasty (THA) over 24 months (mo).

Methods: This prospective cohort study included 9 asymptomatic patients (56.7 ± 15.

Diagnosis of Periprosthetic Hip Joint Infection Using MRI with Metal Artifact Reduction at 1.5 T.

Background MRI with metal artifact reduction has gained importance in assessment of pain with total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, its role in diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) has not been well defined. Purpose To evaluate findings of PJI after THA and to determine the diagnostic performance of 1.

MRI with state-of-the-art metal artifact reduction after total hip arthroplasty: periprosthetic findings in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients.

Objectives: To assess the spectrum of periprosthetic MRI findings after primary total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods: This multi-center cohort study analyzed 31 asymptomatic patients (65.7 ± 12.

Changes of Supraspinatus Muscle Volume and Fat Fraction After Successful or Failed Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair.

Background: Muscle atrophy and fatty infiltration are limiting factors for successful rotator cuff (RC) repair. Quantitative data regarding these hallmarks of degenerative muscle changes after RC repair in humans are scarce. By utilizing a new application of the 6-point Dixon magnetic resonance imaging technology, 3-dimensional volume and fat fraction analysis of the whole RC muscle have become possible.

Comparison of simultaneous multi-slice readout-segmented EPI and conventional single-shot EPI for diffusion tensor imaging of the ulnar nerve.

Purpose: To compare conventional single-shot echo planar imaging (ss-EPI) and simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) readout-segmented EPI (rs-EPI) for magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the ulnar nerve.

Materials And Methods: This study was approved by the local ethics committee. Ten healthy volunteers (mean age 30.

MRI Predictors of Posterolateral Corner Instability: A Decision Tree Analysis of Patients with Acute Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear.

Purpose To determine the diagnostic performance of MRI for helping to predict posterolateral knee instability in patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. Materials and Methods This retrospective cohort study was performed in a consecutive series of 162 patients (mean age, 32.8 years ± 10.

Imaging of Myopathies.

This article clarifies the current role of MR imaging in the assessment of myopathies. Typical MR imaging findings are discussed for different forms of myopathies, including idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, muscular dystrophies, and congenital myopathies. The last section deals with advanced MR imaging techniques and their potential role in further characterization of muscular disease.

A Micro CT Study in Patients with Breast Microcalcifications Using a Mathematical Algorithm to Assess 3D Structure.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relevance of the three-dimensional (3D) structure of breast microcalcifications (MC) as a predictor of malignancy using highly resolved micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) datasets of biopsy samples.

Material And Methods: The study included 28 women with suspicious MC in their mammogram undergoing vacuum-assisted biopsy. Directly after the intervention, the specimens were scanned in a micro-CT with an isometric spatial resolution of 9 μm.

Material-Dependent Implant Artifact Reduction Using SEMAC-VAT and MAVRIC: A Prospective MRI Phantom Study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the degree of artifact reduction in magnetic resonance imaging achieved with slice encoding for metal artifact correction (SEMAC) in combination with view angle tilting (VAT) and multiacquisition variable resonance image combination (MAVRIC) for standard contrast weightings and different metallic materials.

Methods: Four identically shaped rods made of the most commonly used prosthetic materials (stainless steel, SS; titanium, Ti; cobalt-chromium-molybdenum, CoCr; and oxidized zirconium, oxZi) were scanned at 3 T. In addition to conventional fast spin-echo sequences, metal artifact reduction sequences (SEMAC-VAT and MAVRIC) with varying degrees of artifact suppression were applied at different contrast weightings (T1w, T2w, PDw).

Simultaneous multislice readout-segmented echo planar imaging for accelerated diffusion tensor imaging of the mandibular nerve: A feasibility study.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) using simultaneous multislice (SMS) acquisition with blipped controlled aliasing in parallel imaging (CAIPI) for accelerated readout-segmented echo planar imaging (rs-EPI) of the mandibular nerves. DTI of the mandibular nerves using EPI is challenging due to susceptibility artifacts. Rs-EPI is less prone to artifacts but associated with longer scan durations.

Simultaneous multi-slice echo planar diffusion weighted imaging of the liver and the pancreas: Optimization of signal-to-noise ratio and acquisition time and application to intravoxel incoherent motion analysis.

Purpose: To optimize and test a diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequence with simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) excitation in the liver and pancreas regarding acquisition time (TA), number of slices, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), image quality (IQ), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) quantitation accuracy, and feasibility of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) analysis.

Materials And Methods: Ten healthy volunteers underwent DWI of the upper abdomen at 3T. A SMS DWI sequence with CAIPIRINHA unaliasing technique (acceleration factors 2/3, denoted AF2/3) was compared to standard DWI-EPI (AF1).

MR imaging of the temporomandibular joint: comparison between acquisitions at 7.0 T using dielectric pads and 3.0 T.

Objectives: To qualitatively and quantitatively compare MRI of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) at 7.0 T using high-permittivity dielectric pads and 3.0 T using a clinical high-resolution protocol.

Simultaneous Multislice Diffusion-Weighted Imaging of the Kidney: A Systematic Analysis of Image Quality.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to implement a protocol for simultaneous multislice (SMS) accelerated diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) of the kidneys and to perform a systematic analysis of image quality of the data sets.

Materials And Methods: Ten healthy subjects and 5 patients with renal masses underwent DWI of the kidney in this prospective institutional review board-approved study on a 3 T magnetic resonance scanner. Simultaneous multislice DWI echo-planar sequences (acceleration factors [AFs] 2 and 3) were compared with conventional echo-planar DWI as reference standard for each acquisition scheme.

Intravoxel incoherent motion analysis of abdominal organs: computation of reference parameters in a large cohort of C57Bl/6 mice and correlation to microvessel density.

Objective: Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) combined with intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) analysis may be applied for assessment of organ lesions, diffuse parenchymal pathologies, and therapy monitoring. The aim of this study was to determine IVIM reference parameters of abdominal organs for translational research in a large cohort of C57Bl/6 laboratory mice.

Materials And Methods: Anesthetized mice (n = 29) were measured in a 4.

Diffusional kurtosis MRI of the lower leg: changes caused by passive muscle elongation and shortening.

Diffusional kurtosis MRI (DKI) quantifies the deviation of water diffusion from a Gaussian distribution. We investigated the influence of passive elongation and shortening of the lower leg muscles on the DKI parameters D (diffusion coefficient) and K (kurtosis). After approval by the local ethics committee, eight healthy volunteers (age, 29.

Comparison of a 32-channel head coil and a 2-channel surface coil for MR imaging of the temporomandibular joint at 3.0 T.

Objective: To quantitatively and qualitatively compare MRI of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) using a standard TMJ surface coil and a head coil at 3.0 T.

Methods: 22 asymptomatic volunteers were MR imaged using a 2-channel surface coil (standard TMJ coil) and a 32-channel head coil at 3.

Effect of Gd-DOTA on fat quantification in skeletal muscle using two-point Dixon technique - preliminary data.

Purpose: To assess differences in fat signal fraction (FSF) in skeletal muscle as determined by two-point Dixon technique at 3T before and after application of intravenous gadoterate meglumide (Gd-DOTA).

Materials And Methods: Eight patients (mean age, 50.8 years; range, 41-72 years) underwent clinical whole-body MRI at 3T for myopathic symptoms.

A Standardized Parameter-Free Algorithm for Combined Intravoxel Incoherent Motion and Diffusion Kurtosis Analysis of Diffusion Imaging Data.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to implement and systematically evaluate the performance of a new parameter-free segmented algorithm for analysis of diffusion imaging data using a combined intravoxel incoherent motion and diffusion kurtosis imaging (IVIM-DKI) model of spin diffusion in comparison with the simpler intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) model.

Materials And Methods: A multistep algorithm was implemented intended to separate diffusion kurtosis from IVIM effects in multi-b-value diffusion measurements using an adaptive b-value threshold technique. For each possible b-value threshold (separating diffusion and perfusion effects), diffusion kurtosis analysis of high b-values is followed by IVIM analysis keeping kurtosis parameters fixed.

Simultaneous multi-slice readout-segmented echo planar imaging for accelerated diffusion-weighted imaging of the breast.

Objectives: Readout-segmented echo planar imaging (rs-EPI) significantly reduces susceptibility artifacts in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) of the breast compared to single-shot EPI but is limited by longer scan times. To compensate for this, we tested a new simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) acquisition for accelerated rs-EPI.

Materials And Methods: After approval by the local ethics committee, eight healthy female volunteers (age, 38.

Whole-Body Diffusion Tensor Imaging: A Feasibility Study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of whole-body diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) as a promising tool for research applications, for instance, for investigation of systemic muscle diseases.

Materials And Methods: Twelve healthy volunteers (mean age, 26.6 years; range, 20-39 years) underwent whole-body magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T using an echo planar imaging sequence (b value, 400 s/mm) with 6 different spatial encoding directions.

Accelerated magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging of the median nerve using simultaneous multi-slice echo planar imaging with blipped CAIPIRINHA.

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of MR diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the median nerve using simultaneous multi-slice echo planar imaging (EPI) with blipped CAIPIRINHA.

Materials And Methods: After federal ethics board approval, MR imaging of the median nerves of eight healthy volunteers (mean age, 29.4 years; range, 25-32) was performed at 3 T using a 16-channel hand/wrist coil.

Whole-body MRI in adult inflammatory myopathies: Do we need imaging of the trunk?

Objective: To evaluate whether imaging of the trunk could be omitted in patients with inflammatory myopathies without losing diagnostic accuracy using a restricted whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (rWB-MRI) protocol.

Methods: After approval by the institutional review board, this study was performed in 63 patients (male/female, 13/50; median age, 52 years; range, 20-81 years) with new-onset myopathic symptoms (group 1, n = 41) or previously diagnosed inflammatory myopathy (group 2, n = 22). After performing whole-body MRI (WB-MRI) at 3.