Age and gender dependence of liver diffusion parameters and the possibility that intravoxel incoherent motion modeling of the perfusion component is constrained by the diffusion component.

The aim of this study was to establish reference values for middle-aged subjects and to investigate the age and gender dependence of liver diffusion MRI parameters. The IVIM type of liver diffusion scan was based on a single-shot spin-echo-type echo-planar sequence using a 1.5 T magnet with 16 b-values.

Elderly men have much lower vertebral fracture risk than elderly women even at advanced age: the MrOS and MsOS (Hong Kong) year 14 follow-up radiology results.

Unlabelled: MrOS MsOS (Hong Kong) studies year 14 follow-up shows for subjects without baseline osteoporotic vertebral deformity, women's incident vertebral fracture (VF) rate was twice that of men. For subjects with vertebral deformity of baseline ≥ 20% height loss, counting subject, women's incident VF rate was three times higher than that of men.

Introduction: For MrOS MsOS (Hong Kong) baseline (BL) studies, 2000 men and 2000 women ≥ 65 years were recruited during 2001 to 2003.

Diagnosis and grading of radiographic osteoporotic vertebral deformity by general radiologists after a brief self-learning period.

Background: The expanded semi-quantitative (eSQ) osteoporotic vertebral deformity (OVD) classification has minimal, mild, moderate, moderately-severe, severe, and collapsed grades with <20%, 20-25%, >25%-1/3, >1/3-40%, >40%-2/3, >2/3 vertebral height loss respectively. This study evaluates the performance of using this grading criterion by radiology readers who did not have former training in OVD assessment.

Methods: Spine radiographs of 44 elderly women with 278 normal appearing vertebrae and 65 OVDs were selected, with two senior readers agreed the reference reading.

Semi-quantitative grading and extended semi-quantitative grading for osteoporotic vertebral deformity: a radiographic image database for education and calibration.

The Genant's semi-quantitative (GSQ) criteria is currently the most used approach in epidemiology studies and clinical trials for osteoporotic vertebral deformity (OVD) evaluation with radiograph. The qualitative diagnosis with radiological knowledge helps to minimize false positive readings. However, unless there is a face-to-face training with experienced readers, it can be difficult to apply GSQ criteria by only reading the text description of Genant (in 1993), even for a musculoskeletal radiologist.

Recognizing osteoporotic vertebral deformity on frontal view radiograph: a cohort analysis and a pictorial review.

Purpose: Opportunities exist to detect osteoporotic vertebral deformities (VDs) on frontal radiograph (FR) indicated for lung or abdominal diseases, while literature have been mostly based on lateral radiograph (LR). This study analyzed the detectability of moderate and severe grades VD on FR.

Methods: There were 105 female cases (mean 72 years, range 55~93 year), who were referred for digital spine FR and LR with back and/or leg pain.

Intravoxel incoherent motion derived liver perfusion/diffusion readouts can be reliable biomarker for the detection of viral hepatitis B induced liver fibrosis.

Background: Recent two studies reported that intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) analysis can separate healthy livers and viral hepatitis B (VHB) induced liver fibrosis. However, in these two studies the starting value for bi-exponential decay analysis was =10 and 15 s/mm respectively. The current study has two primary aims.

High performance of intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion MRI in detecting viral hepatitis-b induced liver fibrosis.

Background: Recently a small cohort study demonstrated that intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion MRI can detect early stage liver fibrosis. Using modified IVIM data acquisition parameters, the current study aims to confirm this finding.

Methods: Twenty-six healthy volunteers, three patients of chronic viral hepatitis-b but without fibrosis and one mild liver steatosis subject, and 12 viral hepatitis-b patients with fibrosis (stage 1-2=7, stage 3-4=5) were included in this study.

Prevalent osteoporotic vertebral fractures more likely involve the upper endplate than the lower endplate and even more so in males.

Background: While the importance of identifying osteoporotic vertebral endplate fracture (EPF) is being recognized; the pathophysiological understanding of EPF till now remain insufficient. In this population-based cross-sectional radiograph study, we aim to investigate the anatomic location characteristics of osteoporotic EPF.

Methods: This study analyzed the anatomical location of osteoporotic EPFs in elderly Chinese population (age ≥65 years).

Osteoporotic vertebral endplate and cortex fractures: A pictorial review.

Unlabelled: Despite years' research, the radiographic criteria for osteoporotic vertebral fracture and its grading remain debated. The importance of identifying vertebral endplate/cortex fracture (ECF) is being recognised; however, evaluation of osteoporotic ECF requires training and experience. This article aims to serve as a teaching material for radiologists/physicians or researchers to evaluate osteoporotic ECF.