Janus kinase inhibitors and their use in non-infectious orbital inflammatory disorders: new treatment possibilities? A case series.

We present a patient with isolated autoimmune anterior scleritis and a patient with nonspecific orbital inflammation (NSOI). Both patients were treated with systemic corticosteroids during multiple recurrences, with the addition of various disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), including biologics, in the case of scleritis, resulting in complications and local adverse events. Both patients were subsequently effectively managed using Janus kinase inhibitors (JAK-i), specifically baricitinib and tofacitinib without relapses of inflammation during the follow-up of more than one year.

Psychometric evaluation of the 5-item Medication Adherence Report Scale questionnaire in persons with multiple sclerosis.

The 5-item Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS-5) is a reliable and valid questionnaire for evaluating adherence in patients with asthma, hypertension, and diabetes. Validity has not been determined in multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed to establish criterion validity and reliability of the MARS-5 in persons with MS (PwMS).

Investigating the value of radiomics stemming from DSC quantitative biomarkers in IDH mutation prediction in gliomas.

Objective: This study aims to assess the value of biomarker based radiomics to predict IDH mutation in gliomas. The patient cohort consists of 160 patients histopathologicaly proven of primary glioma (WHO grades 2-4) from 3 different centers.

Methods: To quantify the DSC perfusion signal two different mathematical modeling methods were used (Gamma fitting, leakage correction algorithms) considering the assumptions about the compartments contributing in the blood flow between the extra- and intra vascular space.

ADC values as a biomarker of fetal brain maturation.

Background: During the period of fetal development, myelination plays a key role and follows specific time and spatial sequences. The water content in the brain is inversely proportional to myelination - the more myelinated the brain, the lower the water content in it. The diffusion of water molecules can be quantitatively assessed using the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC).

Clinical indications and acquisition protocol for the use of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in head and neck cancer squamous cell carcinoma: recommendations from an expert panel.

Background: The clinical role of perfusion-weighted MRI (PWI) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains to be defined. The aim of this study was to provide evidence-based recommendations for the use of PWI sequence in HNSCC with regard to clinical indications and acquisition parameters.

Methods: Public databases were searched, and selected papers evaluated applying the Oxford criteria 2011.

Disease specific and nonspecific metabolic brain networks in behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia.

Behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is common among young-onset dementia patients. While bvFTD-specific multivariate metabolic brain pattern (bFDRP) has been identified previously, little is known about its temporal evolution, internal structure, effect of atrophy, and its relationship with nonspecific resting-state networks such as default mode network (DMN). In this multicenter study, we explored FDG-PET brain scans of 111 bvFTD, 26 Alzheimer's disease, 16 Creutzfeldt-Jakob's disease, 24 semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (PPA), 18 nonfluent variant PPA and 77 healthy control subjects (HC) from Slovenia, USA, and Germany.

Recurrent Strokes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Treated With Direct Oral Anticoagulant Agents.

Recurrent ischemic strokes (IS) in patients treated with direct oral anticoagulant agents (DOACs) are rare. Knowledge regarding the type of recurrent IS and predisposing factors is insufficient. We analyzed a cohort of 1001 patients (77.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in malignant pleural mesothelioma: prediction of outcome based on DCE-MRI measurements in patients undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Background: The malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) response rate to chemotherapy is low. The identification of imaging biomarkers that could help guide the most effective therapy approach for individual patients is highly desirable. Our aim was to investigate the dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MR parameters as predictors for progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with MPM treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

Multicenter DSC-MRI-Based Radiomics Predict IDH Mutation in Gliomas.

To address the current lack of dynamic susceptibility contrast magnetic resonance imaging (DSC-MRI)-based radiomics to predict isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations in gliomas, we present a multicenter study that featured an independent exploratory set for radiomics model development and external validation using two independent cohorts. The maximum performance of the IDH mutation status prediction on the validation set had an accuracy of 0.544 (Cohen's kappa: 0.

Clinical and Radiological Characteristics Associated with Respiratory Failure in Unilateral Lateral Medullary Infarction.

Background: The prognosis for unilateral lateral medullary infarction (ULMI) is generally good but may be aggravated by respiratory failure with fatal outcome. Respiratory failure has been reported in patients with severe bulbar dysfunction and large rostral medullary lesions, but its associated factors have not been systematically studied. We aimed to assess clinical and radiological characteristics associated with respiratory failure in patients with pure acute ULMI.

Prognostic value of CT perfusion and permeability imaging in traumatic brain injury.

Background: Currently established prognostic models in traumatic brain injury (TBI) include noncontrast computed tomography (CT) which is insensitive to early perfusion alterations associated with secondary brain injury. Perfusion CT (PCT) on the other hand offers insight into early perfusion abnormalities. We hypothesized that adding CT perfusion and permeability data to the established outcome predictors improves the performance of the prognostic model.

MRI characteristics of the asymptomatic temporomandibular joint in patients with unilateral temporomandibular joint disorder.

Objective: To determine the association between unilateral temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) and the presence of imaging abnormalities in the contralateral, asymptomatic joint.

Methods: MRI studies of 219 subjects with symptoms of unilateral TMD were examined for signs of disc displacement, osteoarthritis, disc deformation, and effusion in both temporomandibular joints (TMJ). The Chi-Square test and stepwise logistic regression analysis were performed.

Machine learning assisted DSC-MRI radiomics as a tool for glioma classification by grade and mutation status.

Background: Combining MRI techniques with machine learning methodology is rapidly gaining attention as a promising method for staging of brain gliomas. This study assesses the diagnostic value of such a framework applied to dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC)-MRI in classifying treatment-naïve gliomas from a multi-center patients into WHO grades II-IV and across their isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status.

Methods: Three hundred thirty-three patients from 6 tertiary centres, diagnosed histologically and molecularly with primary gliomas (IDH-mutant = 151 or IDH-wildtype = 182) were retrospectively identified.

Transarterial embolization of the external carotid artery in the treatment of life-threatening haemorrhage following blunt maxillofacial trauma.

Background Severe bleeding after blunt maxillofacial trauma is a rare but life-threatening event. Non-responders to conventional treatment options with surgically inaccessible bleeding points can be treated by transarterial embolization (TAE) of the external carotid artery (ECA) or its branches. Case series on such embolizations are small; considering the relatively high incidence of maxillofacial trauma, the ECA TAE procedure has been hypothesized either underused or underreported.

Prognostic role of diffusion weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in loco-regionally advanced head and neck cancer treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy.

Background In the study, the value of pre-treatment dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) and diffusion weighted (DW) MRI-derived parameters as well as their changes early during treatment was evaluated for predicting disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with locoregionally advanced head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) with cisplatin. Patients and methods MRI scans were performed in 20 patients with locoregionally advanced HNSCC at baseline and after 10 Grays (Gy) of cCRT. Tumour apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and DCE parameters (volume transfer constant [Ktrans], extracellular extravascular volume fraction [ve], and plasma volume fraction [Vp]) were measured.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of malignant pleural mesothelioma: a comparative study of pharmacokinetic models and correlation with mRECIST criteria.

Background: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare and aggressive thoracic malignancy that is difficult to cure. Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI is a functional imaging technique used to analyze tumor microvascular properties and to monitor therapy response. Purpose of this study was to compare two tracer kinetic models, the extended Tofts (ET) and the adiabatic approximation tissue homogeneity model (AATH) for analysis of DCE-MRI and examine the value of the DCE parameters to predict response to chemotherapy in patients with MPM.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy - immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (PML-IRIS) in liver transplant recipient.

65-year-old liver transplant recipient presented with progressive neurologic dysfunction. CSF analysis revealed high JC virus load and MRI findings suggested the diagnosis of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Cidofovir and mirtazapine were initiated and patient's regular immunosuppressants were reduced.

Presence of central veins and susceptibility weighted imaging for evaluating lesions in multiple sclerosis and leukoaraiosis.

Purpose: The process of demyelination in multiple sclerosis (MS) is reflected in lesions of the central nervous system (CNS), which are found in an abundance of different diseases and are frequently radiographically indistinguishable. Our aim was to determine whether the perivenous distribution of MS lesions identified on susceptibility weighted images (SWI) could be used as a specific radiographic sign for MS, and also to determine whether the visibility of the central vein (CV) is affected by the activity of MS lesions.

Methods: We retrospectively examined 34 subjects with MS and 19 subjects with ischemic lesions, which underwent a 3T MRI investigation.

Assessment of Progression-Free-Survival in Glioblastomas by Intratreatment Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI.

Purpose: The efficacy of concomitant chemoradiation in patients with glioblastomas (GBMs) cannot be reliably assessed until several weeks after therapy completion. Our aim was to evaluate dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) as an early predictive assay for the progression-free-survival.

Methods And Materials: A total of 22 patients with primary GBMs underwent DCE-MRI before, during and after completion of adjuvant chemoradiation.

Magnetic resonance imaging of temporomandibular joint dysfunction-correlation with clinical symptoms, age, and gender.

Objective: To determine whether the morphological (magnetic resonance imaging) MRI manifestations correlate with the signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction according to gender and age of the patients.

Study Design: One hundred and forty-four subjects with TMJ dysfunction underwent a MRI of both TMJ to establish the presence of disk displacement, osteoarthritis, and effusion. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were preformed.

Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of small renal cell carcinoma: technique, complications, and outcomes.

Imaging-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an option for treatment in patients with early-stage small renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). RFA has been introduced to treat focal renal tumors, particularly incidental lesions <3 cm in elderly patients and those with comorbid conditions. Other uses have included treatment in patients with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome and other diseases that predispose patients to multiple renal carcinomas, where renal parenchymal preservation is desired.

Moyamoya syndrome with arteriovenous dural fistula after head trauma.

Moyamoya vascular pattern and dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) are rare vascular abnormalities and both can be secondary to head trauma. The role of dural angiogenesis in the pathophysiology of vascular malformation is rather unclear. We report a unique case of moyamoya vasculopathy simultaneously associated with dAVF after heavy head trauma.

Percutaneous imaging-guided radiofrequency ablation of small renal cell carcinoma: techniques and outcomes of 24 treatment sessions in 18 consecutive patients.

Purpose: To evaluate the early clinical experience associated with percutaneous imaging-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Methods: Eighteen consecutive patients with RCC were treated with percutaneous RFA sessions (24 sessions for 19 solitary RCC in 18 patients: 15 patients underwent a single RFA session, 3 had 2 sessions and one 3 sessions). Treatment indications were localized, solid renal mass <4.

Changes in perfusion CT of advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated during the course of concomitant chemoradiotherapy.

Background And Purpose: Concomitant chemoradiation is a promising therapy for the treatment of locoregionally advanced head and neck carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate early changes in primary tumor perfusion parameters during concomitant cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy of locoregionally advanced SCCHN and to evaluate their predictive value for response of the primary tumor to therapy.

Materials And Methods: Twenty patients with locoregionally advanced SCCHN underwent perfusion CT scans before therapy and after completion of 40 Gy and 70 Gy of chemoradiotherapy.