The switch from Gd-DTPA to Gd-DOTA is not associated with decrease of the T1 signal intensity of the pallidus and dentate in a pediatric population.

Background: The switch from the linear gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) gadopentate dimeglumine (Gd_DTPA) to the macrocyclic GBCA gadobutrol is associated with a decrease of the T1 signal intensity (SI) in brain gray matter nuclei. The effects of the switch to other macrocyclic GBCAs are not yet established.

Purpose: To explore the effects of switching from Gd-DTPA to the macrocyclic GBCA gadoterate meglumine (Gd-DOTA) in pediatric patients.

Effectiveness of 3D T2-Weighted FLAIR FSE Sequences with Fat Suppression for Detection of Brain MR Imaging Signal Changes in Children.

Background And Purpose: T2-weighted FLAIR can be combined with 3D-FSE sequences with isotropic voxels, yielding higher signal-to-noise ratio than 2D-FLAIR. Our aim was to explore whether a T2-weighted FLAIR-volume isotropic turbo spin-echo acquisition sequence (FLAIR-VISTA) with fat suppression shows areas of abnormal brain T2 hyperintensities with better conspicuity in children than a single 2D-FLAIR sequence.

Materials And Methods: One week after a joint training session with 20 3T MR imaging examinations (8 under sedation), 3 radiologists independently evaluated the presence and conspicuity of abnormal areas of T2 hyperintensities of the brain in FLAIR-VISTA with fat suppression (sagittal source and axial and coronal reformatted images) and in axial 2D-FLAIR without fat suppression in a test set of 100 3T MR imaging examinations (34 under sedation) of patients 2-18 years of age performed for several clinical indications.

Vertebra plana: reappraisal of a contraindication to percutaneous vertebroplasty.

Purpose: We evaluated the efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in treating symptomatic vertebra plana, which is considered a relative contraindication to the procedure.

Methods: Out of 540 levels treated in 260 patients, we treated 40 patients (mean age: 74 years) with vertebra plana between T6 and L3 (37 osteoporotic and 3 metastatic levels). In most cases, the vertebra was accessed with fluoroscopic guidance from a single, transpedicular approach.

Effects of hyaluronan on free-radical formation, corneal endothelium damage, and inflammation parameters after phacoemulsification in rabbits.

Free-radical formation may play a role in postoperative complications of phacoemulsification (e.g., corneal endothelium damage from mechanical injury).