Carotid artery stenting and follow-up: value of 64-MSCT angiography as complementary imaging method to color-coded duplex sonography.

Purpose: To compare 64-multi-slice-CT angiography (64-MSCTA) to color-coded duplex sonography (CCDS) in the follow-up after carotid artery stenting (CAS).

Methods: Thirty patients who had an MSCTA and CCDS examination prior and after CAS were included. Twelve closed-cell and 24 open-cell stents were implanted.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Objective: To evaluate whether diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is a reliable technique to quantify microstructural differences between head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and tumour-free soft tissue.

Materials And Methods: DWI was obtained from 20 patients with histologically proven, untreated head and neck SCC. DWI was acquired using a diffusion-weighted, navigated echo-planar imaging sequence with a maximum b-value of 800 s/mm2.

Pharmacoresistance in epilepsy: a pilot PET study with the P-glycoprotein substrate R-[(11)C]verapamil.

Purpose And Methods: Regional overexpression of the multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in epileptic brain tissue may lower target site concentrations of antiepileptic drugs and thus contribute to pharmacoresistance in epilepsy. We used the P-gp substrate R-[(11)C]verapamil and positron emission tomography (PET) to test for differences in P-gp activity between epileptogenic and nonepileptogenic brain regions of patients with drug-resistant unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy (n = 7). We compared R-[(11)C]verapamil kinetics in homologous brain volumes of interest (VOIs) located ipsilateral and contralateral to the seizure focus.

Advanced virtual endoscopy for endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery.

Objective: Virtual endoscopy (vE) is the navigation of a camera through a virtual anatomical space that is computationally reconstructed from radiological image data. Inside this three-dimensional space, arbitrary movements and adaptations of viewing parameters are possible. Thereby, vE can be used for noninvasive diagnostic purposes and for simulation of surgical tasks.

Covered versus bare self-expanding stents for endovascular treatment of carotid artery stenosis: a stopped randomized trial.

Purpose: To investigate whether filter-protected carotid artery stenting (CAS) using a covered self-expanding stent reduces the risk of cerebral embolization.

Methods: Fourteen asymptomatic patients (13 men; median age 77 years, IQR 73-83) were enrolled in a randomized pilot trial comparing the rates of cerebral microembolism during and after filter-protected CAS using either a self-expanding covered (n=8) or a bare (n=6) carotid stent. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring was done during and for 90 minutes after the procedure.

Standardized time to peak in ischemic and regular cerebral tissue measured with perfusion MR imaging.

Background And Purpose: Standardized time to peak (stdTTP) enables a quick quantification of time to peak measurements. An stdTTP /=7 seconds indicates critically perfused tissue.