Multiparametric MRI With Dynamic Contrast Enhancement, Diffusion-Weighted Imaging, and 31-Phosphorus Spectroscopy at 7 T for Characterization of Breast Cancer.

Objectives: To describe and to correlate tumor characteristics on multiparametric 7 tesla (T) breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with prognostic characteristics from postoperative histopathology in patients with breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: Institutional review board approval and written informed consent of 15 women (46-70 years) with 17 malignant lesions were obtained. In this prospective study (March 2013 to March 2014), women were preoperatively scanned using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, diffusion-weighted imaging, and 31-phosphorus spectroscopy (¹³P-MRS).

Technical and radiological image quality comparison of different liquid crystal displays for radiology.

Background: To inform cost-effective decisions in purchasing new medical liquid crystal displays, we compared the image quality in displays made by three manufacturers.

Methods: We recruited 19 radiologists and residents to compare the image quality of four liquid crystal displays, including 3-megapixel Barco(®), Eizo(®), and NEC(®) displays and a 6-megapixel Barco display. The evaluators were blinded to the manufacturers' names.

Computed tomography unmasks a phantom tumour.

We describe a patient with left sided congestive heart failure and a round-shaped mass on the chest X-ray. Using computed tomography, the mass is diagnosed as a phantom tumour consisting of loculated effusion in the interlobular fissure that vanishes after treatment for heart failure is initiated.

Multi-detector row computed tomography angiography of peripheral arterial disease.

With the introduction of multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT), scan speed and image quality has improved considerably. Since the longitudinal coverage is no longer a limitation, multi-detector row computed tomography angiography (MDCTA) is increasingly used to depict the peripheral arterial runoff. Hence, it is important to know the advantages and limitations of this new non-invasive alternative for the reference test, digital subtraction angiography.

Lower extremity arterial disease: multidetector CT angiography meta-analysis.

Purpose: To obtain the best available estimates of the diagnostic performance of multidetector computed tomographic (CT) angiography compared with that of digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in the assessment of symptomatic lower extremity arterial disease and to identify the most important sources of variation in diagnostic performance between studies.

Materials And Methods: Reports of studies published from January 2000 through April 2006 in English, German, French, or Spanish were searched for by using the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. Studies were included if they allowed construction of 2 x 2 contingency tables for the detection of stenosis of 50% or greater at multidetector CT angiography compared with that at DSA -- the reference standard -- in patients with claudication or critical ischemia.

Vessel wall calcifications at multi-detector row CT angiography in patients with peripheral arterial disease: effect on clinical utility and clinical predictors.

Purpose: To evaluate retrospectively the effect of vessel wall calcifications on the clinical utility of multi-detector row computed tomographic (CT) angiography performed in patients with peripheral arterial disease and to identify clinical predictors for the presence of vessel wall calcifications.

Materials And Methods: The study was approved by the hospital institutional review board, and informed consent was obtained from all patients. For this study the authors included patients from two randomized controlled trials that measured the costs and effects of diagnostic imaging in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

Interobserver agreement for the interpretation of contrast-enhanced 3D MR angiography and MDCT angiography in peripheral arterial disease.

Objective: The objective of our study was to compare interobserver agreement for interpretations of contrast-enhanced 3D MR angiography and MDCT angiography in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

Subjects And Methods: Of 226 eligible patients, 69 were excluded. The remaining 157 consecutive patients were prospectively randomized to either MR angiography (n = 78) or MDCT angiography (n = 79).

DSA versus multi-detector row CT angiography in peripheral arterial disease: randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: To prospectively compare therapeutic confidence in, patient outcomes (in terms of quality of life) after, and the costs of digital subtraction angiography (DSA) with those of multi-detector row computed tomographic (CT) angiography as the initial diagnostic imaging test in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Materials And Methods: Institutional medical ethics committee approval and patient informed consent were obtained. Between April 2000 and August 2001, patients with PAD were randomly assigned to undergo either DSA or multi-detector row CT angiography as the initial diagnostic imaging test.

Contrast-enhanced MR angiography and digital subtraction angiography in living renal donors: diagnostic agreement, impact on decision making, and costs.

Objective: The objective of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic agreement, the impact on decision making, and the costs of contrast-enhanced MR angiography and digital subtraction angiography in the workup of living renal donors.

Conclusion: Contrast-enhanced MR angiography for the preoperative evaluation of renal donors is superior to digital subtraction angiography in revealing vascular anomalies and depicting parenchymal abnormalities and is less costly; furthermore, it does not lead to preoperative decisions that differ from those based on digital subtraction angiography. If contrast-enhanced MR angiography does not provide sufficient information to make a confident decision, an additional digital subtraction angiography examination should be performed.

Peripheral arterial disease: therapeutic confidence of CT versus digital subtraction angiography and effects on additional imaging recommendations.

Purpose: To compare multi-detector row computed tomographic (CT) angiography and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) prior to revascularization in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease for the purpose of assessing recommendations for additional imaging and physician confidence ratings for chosen therapy.

Materials And Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, 73 patients were assigned to CT angiography, and 72 were assigned to DSA. Physician confidence in the treatment decision was measured as a continuous outcome on a scale of 0-10 (uncertain to certain) and as a dichotomous outcome (further imaging recommended, yes or no).

Cost-effectiveness targets for multi-detector row CT angiography in the work-up of patients with intermittent claudication.

Purpose: To determine the costs, sensitivity for detection of significant stenoses, and proportion of equivocal multi-detector row computed tomographic (CT) angiography results in the work-up of patients with intermittent claudication that would make this imaging examination cost-effective compared with gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) angiography.

Materials And Methods: A decision model was used to compare the societal cost-effectiveness of a new imaging modality with that of gadolinium-enhanced MR angiography. Main outcome measures were quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and lifetime costs.

MR imaging: a "one-stop shop" modality for preoperative evaluation of potential living kidney donors.

At many institutions, magnetic resonance (MR) angiography is the technique of choice for assessment of the renal arteries and renal parenchyma in potential living kidney donors. The renal arteries and renal veins have a varied anatomy and may consist of one or more vessels at several levels with variable calibers and levels of branching. These findings may play an important role in the surgeon's decision about which kidney to harvest, especially if laparoscopic nephrectomy is used.

Living renal donors: optimizing the imaging strategy--decision- and cost-effectiveness analysis.

Purpose: To determine the most cost-effective strategy for preoperative imaging performed in potential living renal donors.

Materials And Methods: In a decision-analytic model, the societal cost-effectiveness of digital subtraction angiography (DSA), gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) angiography, contrast material-enhanced spiral computed tomographic (CT) angiography, and combinations of these imaging techniques was evaluated. Outcome measures included lifetime cost, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios.