An Intravascular Tantalum Oxide-based CT Contrast Agent: Preclinical Evaluation Emulating Overweight and Obese Patient Size.

Purpose To compare the CT imaging performance of a carboxybetaine zwitterionic-coated tantalum oxide (TaCZ) nanoparticle CT contrast agent with that of a conventional iodinated contrast agent in a swine model meant to simulate overweight and obese patients. Materials and Methods Four swine were evaluated inside three different-sized adipose-equivalent encasements emulating abdominal girths of 102, 119, and 137 cm. Imaging was performed with a 64-detector row CT scanner at six scan delays after intravenous injection of 240 mg element (Ta or I) per kilogram of body weight of TaCZ or iopromide.

Focal fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose-avid lesions without computed tomography correlate at whole-body positron emission tomography-computed tomography in oncology patients: how often are they malignant?

Objective: To retrospectively evaluate the rate of malignancy of focal fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG)-avid lesions without computed tomography (CT) correlate at whole-body positron emission tomography (PET)-CT in oncology patients, because better defining these abnormalities could potentially lead to improved patient management algorithms that rely on PET-CT for detection, staging, and treatment monitoring of malignancies.

Methods: We performed a computer search of all PET-CT studies performed at our institution from 2006 to 2009, and identified 87 studies with findings of focal 18F-FDG-avid lesions without correlate at CT. The rate of malignancy of such lesions was determined by reviewing findings at follow-up imaging or by clinical or histopathological follow-up.

Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) MRI of diabetic nephropathy: preliminary experience.

Purpose: To evaluate the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in kidneys of patients with diabetic nephropathy.

Materials And Methods: BOLD MRI of the kidneys (1.5 T, multigradient-recalled-echo sequence with 12 echoes) was performed in 20 patients with diabetic nephropathy (moderate to severe chronic kidney disease: n = 14; mild chronic kidney disease: n = 6), and seven healthy volunteers.

Dual energy CT monitoring of the renal corticomedullary sodium gradient in swine.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dual-energy CT (DECT) for monitoring dynamic changes in the renal corticomedullary sodium gradient in swine.

Material And Methods: This study was approved by our Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Four water-restricted pigs were CT-scanned at 80 and 140 kVp at baseline and at 5 min intervals for 30 min during saline or furosemide diuresis.

Visualization of renal medullary hyperattenuation at unenhanced CT: what is the effect of furosemide administration?

Purpose: To retrospectively investigate the effects of furosemide on the visualization of renal medullary hyperattenuation at unenhanced computed tomography (CT).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective single-institution study was HIPAA compliant and approved by the institutional review board; requirement for informed consent was waived. This study identified 289 consecutive patients (152 men, 137 women; mean age, 59 years) without ureteral obstruction who underwent unenhanced scanning as part of CT urography; of these, 178 patients did not receive intravenous furosemide prior to imaging and 111 did.

Reduction in red blood cell transfusions using a bedside analyzer in extremely low birth weight infants.

Background: Preterm infants typically experience heavy phlebotomy losses from frequent laboratory testing in the first few weeks of life. This results in anemia, requiring red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. We recently introduced a bedside point-of-care (POC) blood gas analyzer (iSTAT, Princeton, NJ) that requires a smaller volume of blood to replace conventional Radiometer blood gas and electrolyte analysis used by our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).