Under-reporting of cardiovascular findings on chest CT.

Purpose: It is unclear whether (and, to what extent) radiologists look at and report cardiovascular abnormalities on non-cardio-synchronized standard chest computed tomography (CT). In this study, the frequency and the reporting rate of cardiovascular findings in chest CT examinations were retrospectively assessed.

Materials And Methods: This study was approved by the institutional review board of each participating center.

Myocardial perfusion defects in scleroderma detected by contrast-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Purpose: The authors investigated whether contrast-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging may be used to detect early cardiac involvement in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Materials And Methods: Twenty-six SSc patients (nine with diffuse cutaneous SSc and 17 with limited cutaneous SSc) and 13 sex- and age-matched healthy controls (HC) were studied. Contrast-enhanced CMR allowed the analysis of first-pass images (areas of hypo-enhancement indicating perfusion defects) and delayed images (persistent hyper-enhancement indicating fibrosis).

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) artefacts in hip prostheses: a comparison of different prosthetic compositions.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to compare the artefacts produced by different hip prostheses on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Materials And Methods: An identical MRI protocol was used to perform a quali-quantitative in vitro evaluation of artefacts caused by different hip prosthetic materials at different field strengths: prosthesis number 1, composed of cobalt-chrome-molybdenum (head and stem); prosthesis number 2, composed of ceramic (head) and titanium (stem); prosthesis number 3, composed of cobalt-chrome (head) and titanium (stem). All prostheses were imaged with both a clinical 1 Tesla (T) (Signa Horizon, General Electrics) and 1.

Automatic detection, localization, and volume estimation of ischemic infarcts in noncontrast computed tomographic scans: method and preliminary results.

Objectives: Sensitivity of noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) in detecting hyperacute (< 8 hours) and acute (< 24 hours) cerebral infarction is low. We propose an automatic method to detect and localize ischemic infarct and to assess its volume from a single NCCT scan.

Materials And Methods: The method automatically determines attenuation value ranges of cerebrospinal fluid and white and gray matter, separates the brain scan into the left and right hemispheres, and by analyzing hemisphere attenuation value distributions using percentile difference ratios, it detects, localizes, and quantifies the infarct without its segmentation.

Functional MRI examination of visual pathways in patients with unilateral optic neuritis.

The relations between brain areas involved in vision were explored in 8 patients with unilateral acute optic neuritis using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). In all patients monocular stimulation of affected and unaffected eye elicited significantly different activation foci in the primary visual cortex (V1), whereas the foci evoked in the middle temporal visual area (area V5) were similar in size and in delay of blood-oxygen-level-dependent response. DTI analysis documented lower white matter anisotropy values and reduced fibre reconstruction in the affected compared with the unaffected optic nerves.

Stenting right main bronchus with montgomery T tube for upper lobe ventilation.

The involvement of the right main bronchus (RMB) along with the upper lobe bronchus and bronchus intermedius by malignant tumor is frequently encountered. However, the use of a stent for palliation of airway stenosis of the RMB might obstruct upper lobe orifice and pose complications such as atelectasis or recurrent pneumonia. We report the use of modified Montgomery T tube in a 78-year-old man with neoplasm of the RMB by placing the tracheostomy arm of the T tube in the upper lobe bronchus to maintain its patency.

Performance of imaging modalities in diagnosis of liver metastases from colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Surgery of liver metastases can be effective, and the appropriate selection of surgical candidates relies first on imaging. Different techniques are available, but information on their relative performance is unclear. The aim of this overview is to assess the imaging modality performance in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) liver metastases.

Acute aortic syndromes: Role of multi-detector row CT.

Acute thoracic aortic syndromes encompass a spectrum of emergencies including aortic dissection, intramural haematoma, penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer and aneurysm rupture. All these life-threatening conditions require prompt diagnosis and appropriate management. To date multi-detector row Computed Tomography represents a valuable diagnostic tool especially in the emergency setting.

Suspected pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis: A comprehensive MDCT diagnosis in the acute clinical setting.

Both pulmonary arterial and peripheral venous sides of venous thromboembolism (VTE) can now be efficiently and safely investigated by multi-detector CT (MDCT) at the same time by a combined CT angiography/CT venography protocol. In the emergency setting, the use of such a single test for patients suspected of suffering from VTE on a clinical grounds may considerably shorten and simplify diagnostic algorithms. The selection of patients to be submitted to MDCT must follow well-established clinical prediction rules in order to avoid generalized referral to CT on a generic clinical suspicion basis and excessive population exposure to increased ionizing radiation dose, especially in young patients.

The many faces of aortic dissections: Beware of unusual presentations.

Aortic dissection is gaining recognition in Western societies, and it is being diagnosed with increasing frequency. New diagnostic imaging modalities, longer life expectancy, as well as the increase in the number patients suffering from hypertension have all contributed to the growing awareness of aortic dissection. Nevertheless, as many as 30% of patients ultimately diagnosed with acute dissection are first thought to be suffering from something else.

Screening US and CT for blunt abdominal trauma: a retrospective study.

Objective: To assess the accuracy of screening US and CT in patients with blunt abdominal trauma admitted to the trauma centre of our General Hospital.

Materials And Method: The abdominal US reports of 864 primary trauma patients (139 with major and 725 with minor injuries) and 162 CT reports of a subgroup of the same subjects (64 with major and 98 with minor injuries) were reviewed and compared to the best available reference standard. The accuracy of screening US was assessed by evaluating its overall ability to distinguish negative from positive cases by showing at least one of the lesions documented by the reference standard and its specific ability to depict all lesions; CT reports were evaluated only for the method's performance in depicting all lesions.

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in primary sclerosing cholangitis in children.

Background: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic syndrome of unknown aetiology. Diagnosis is based on clinical and laboratory data in conjunction with imaging of the biliary tree using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

Objective: : To evaluate the clinical usefulness of MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in the diagnosis of PSC in children.