Study protocol for a pilot clinical trial to understand neural mechanisms of response to a psychological treatment for pain and anxiety in pediatric functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPD).

Background: Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPD) are the most common chronic pain conditions of childhood and are made worse by co-occurring anxiety. Our research team found that the Aim to Decrease Pain and Anxiety Treatment (ADAPT), a six-session coping skills program using cognitive behavioral therapy strategies, was effective in improving pain-related symptoms and anxiety symptoms compared to standard care. In follow-up, this current randomized clinical trial (RCT) aims to test potential neural mechanisms underlying the effect of ADAPT.

Dose-Lowering in Contrast-Enhanced MRI of the Central Nervous System: A Retrospective, Parallel-Group Comparison Using Gadobenate Dimeglumine.

Background: Concerns over gadolinium (Gd) retention encourage the use of lower Gd doses. However, lower Gd doses may compromise imaging performance. Higher relaxivity gadobenate may be suited to reduced dose protocols.

Myocardial Deformation Assessed by MR Feature Tracking in Groups of Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease.

Background: Global myocardial strain assessments have been shown to provide useful measures of contractility in many diseases, but whether feature tracking (FT)-derived strain at rest can differentiate ischemic myocardium from infarcted and remote myocardium in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) remains unclear.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of magnetic resonance imaging FT-derived strain in the detection of regional myocardial deformation in ischemic, infarcted, and apparent normal myocardium in CAD.

Study Type: Retrospective POPULATION: A total of 109 patients with CAD.

Validation of black blood late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) for evaluation of myocardial infarction in patients with or without pathological Q-wave on electrocardiogram (ECG).

Background: The pathological Q-wave (QW) is an important indicator of infarcted myocardial volume indicating a worse prognosis compared to non-Q-wave (NQW) infarctions. Traditional classification divides infarcts into transmural and non-transmural based on QW and NQW. This view has been challenged by the advent of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) MR imaging.

Incorporating diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging into an observation unit transient ischemic attack pathway: a prospective study.

Background And Purpose: National guidelines advocate for early, aggressive transient ischemic attack (TIA) evaluations and recommend diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for brain imaging. The purpose of this study is to examine clinician compliance, the yield of MRI, and patient-centered clinical outcomes following implementation of an emergency department observation unit (EDOU) clinical pathway incorporating routine MRI into the acute evaluation of patients with TIA.

Methods: This is a prospective observational study of patients with TIA admitted from the ED.

The Long-Term Clinical Outcomes Following Autogenous Bone Grafting for Large-Volume Defects of the Knee: 12- to 21-Year Follow-Up.

Objective: We report the long-term clinical outcomes of patients who underwent autogenous bone grafting of large-volume osteochondral defects of the knee due to osteochondritis dessicans (OCD) and osteonecrosis (ON). This is the companion report to one previous published on the biological response. We hypothesized that these grafts would integrate with host bone and the articular surface would form fibrocartilage providing an enduring clinical benefit.

Assessment of myocardial fibrosis and coronary arteries in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy using combined arterial and delayed enhanced CT: comparison with MR and coronary angiography.

Objectives: We sought to determine the feasibility and accuracy of dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) in assessing coronary artery disease and myocardial fibrosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) compared with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging and coronary angiography (CA).

Methods: Forty-seven consecutive patients with HCM were prospectively enrolled. DSCT images were acquired in the arterial and late phases following intravenous contrast medium.

Does diffusion-weighted imaging predict short-term risk of stroke in emergency department patients with transient ischemic attack?

Study Objective: The optimal diagnostic evaluation for establishing the risk of stroke among patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with a transient ischemic attack has not been determined. The objective of this review is to assess the ability of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to predict the short-term risk of stroke.

Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were queried to identify studies examining the use of diffusion-weighted MRI in patients with classically defined transient ischemic attack.

The Biological Response following Autogenous Bone Grafting for Large-Volume Defects of the Knee: Index Surgery through 12 to 21 Years' Follow-up.

Objective: This report focuses on the biological events occurring at various intervals following autogenous bone grafting of large-volume defects of the knee joint's femoral condyle secondary to osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) or osteonecrosis (ON). It was hypothesized that the autogenous bone graft would integrate and the portion exposed to the articular surface would form fibrocartilage, which would endure for years.

Methods: Between September 29, 1987 and August 8, 1994, there were 51 patients treated with autogenous bone grafting for large-volume osteochondral defects.

Fibromatosis of the cervical region following laminectomy: a case report and literature review.

Study Design: A case report and a discussion of recently published data.

Objective: To highlight the occurrence of postoperative fibromatosis arising in the cervical spine.

Summary Of Background Data: Fibromatosis is a benign, locally invasive fibroblastic proliferation that can cause compressive effects on adjacent structures.

Quantitative analysis of the postcontractile blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) effect in skeletal muscle.

Previous studies show that transient increases in both blood flow and magnetic resonance image signal intensity (SI) occur in human muscle after brief, single contractions, and that the SI increases are threefold larger in physically active compared with sedentary subjects. This study examined the relationship between these transient changes by measuring anterior tibial artery flow (Doppler ultrasound), anterior muscle SI (3T, one-shot echo-planar images, TR/TE = 1,000/35), and muscle blood volume and hemoglobin saturation [near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)] in the same subjects after 1-s-duration maximum isometric ankle dorsiflexion contractions. Arterial flow increased to a peak 5.

MDCT evaluation of central airway and vascular complications of lung transplantation.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to illustrate the spectrum of central airway and vascular complications in lung transplantation using MDCT, with an emphasis on the usefulness of advanced postprocessing techniques.

Conclusion: MDCT is an invaluable tool in the diagnosis, evaluation, and posttreatment assessment of central airway and vascular complications in lung transplant recipients. Advanced postprocessing techniques provide complementary information that is visually accessible and anatomically meaningful for the clinician.

A systematic review of neuroimaging for cerebral palsy.

The American Academy of Neurology now recommends that all cases of cerebral palsy of unknown origin undergo neuroimaging. Controversy surrounds this recommendation because of concerns about the adequacy of the supporting evidence. This article reviews the evidence provided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) imaging studies in cerebral palsy and discusses the potential benefits of imaging, techniques in current use, and future directions, with a focus on improving etiologic understanding.

Elevated skeletal muscle phosphodiesters in adults using statin medications.

Elevated skeletal muscle phosphodiesters (PDE) have previously been reported with muscle-related disorders. Myalgia is a side effect of using statin cholesterol-lowering medications and, therefore, statin use may be associated with increased skeletal muscle PDE. The effect of cholesterol-lowering drugs on skeletal muscle phosphorus metabolites was determined with (31)P magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

3.0 T versus 1.5 T MR angiography of the head and neck.

This article presents the advantages and challenges of MR angiography of the intracranial and extracranial cerebral vasculature at 3.0 T with comparative assessment to 1.5 T approaches.

A gated 31P NMR method for the estimation of phosphocreatine recovery time and contractile ATP cost in human muscle.

Muscle phosphocreatine (PCr) recovery time constant (an index of muscle aerobic capacity) and contractile ATP cost were estimated from a gated (31)P NMR protocol which does not require intense, repetitive exercise. Subjects performed 2-s duration, maximum voluntary isometric ankle dorsiflexion contractions at 30-s intervals for 8 min (total 15 contractions), while single-shot (31)P spectra (51.7 MHz, TR 3 s) were acquired from the anterior compartment muscle.

3T MR imaging of the brain.

The advent of very high field clinical scanners that operate at 3T is taking structural and functional imaging to new levels and is reinvigorating clinical spectroscopy, fMR imaging, and noncontrast-enhanced methods of MRA. Most of the challenges that are related to 3T imaging have been addressed to facilitate routine clinical imaging. An awareness of the complexities that underlie the solutions to these challenges is important to the continued improvements to the 3T platform so that its maximal potential can be reached.

Lumbar spine MRI in the elite-level female gymnast with low back pain.

Objective: Previous studies have shown increased degenerative disk changes and spine injuries in the competitive female gymnast. However, it has also been shown that many of these findings are found in asymptomatic athletic people of the same age. Previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies evaluating the gymnastic spine have not made a distinction between symptomatic and asymptomatic athletes.

Asymmetry of subinsular anisotropy by in vivo diffusion tensor imaging.

The cortical regions specialized in speech-language exhibit a left-right asymmetry, e.g., a larger cortical size in the left auditory cortex and Wernicke's area.

Thoracic radiculopathy.

Thoracic radiculopathy represents an uncommon spinal disorder that is frequently overlooked in the evaluation of spinal pain syndromes. Degenerative disc disease and diabetes mellitus may frequently cause radiculopathy at the thoracic level. Electromyography and magnetic resonance imaging are useful in the evaluation of radiculopathy and thoracic spinal pain syndromes.

High b-value diffusion imaging.

Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of the development of high b-value technology has been the insight provided into the physiologic basis of diffusion imaging. The multiexponential features of the diffusion process are revealed on scans obtained with high b-value. The subsequent isotropic diffusion images have the distinct advantage of more accurately reflecting the intrinsic ADC of the tissues examined.