Evaluation of Fast Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging Using New Software Designed for Widespread Clinical Use.

Clinical research using restricted diffusion-weighted imaging, especially diffusion kurtosis (DK) imaging, has been progressing, with reports on its effectiveness in the diagnostic imaging of cerebral infarctions, neurodegenerative diseases, and tumors, among others. However, the application of DK imaging in daily clinical practice has not spread because of the long imaging time required and the use of specific software for image creation. Herein, with the aim of promoting clinical research using DK imaging at any medical facility, we evaluated fast DK imaging using a new software program.

Early enlarging cavitation after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of lung tumors: Incidence, risk factors and outcome.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to retrospectively determine the incidence of early enlarging cavitation after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of lung tumor and identify risk factors associated with their occurrence.

Patients And Methods: A total of 245 patients (140 men, 105 women; mean age, 62.7 ± 11.

Correlation between renal ablation zone in contrast-enhanced CT and non-enhanced MRI during the early period following percutaneous cryoablation.

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate and correlate the contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) and non-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during the early period following renal cryoablation.

Materials And Methods: Both dynamic CECT and non-enhanced MRI were performed within 4 days following cryoablation in 34 renal tumors in 33 patients. The renal volumes of the unenhanced regions on dynamic CECT (nephrogenic phase, 4 mm thickness) and the regions with signal intensity changes on non-enhanced MRI (fat-suppressed T2-weighted image, 4 mm thickness) were evaluated.

Visceral Adipose Mass and Radiation Pneumonitis After Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Patients With Non-small-cell Lung Cancer.

Aim: To investigate whether muscle and adipose mass are associated with radiation pneumonitis (RP) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer undergoing preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Patients And Methods: We calculated body mass index and determined skeletal muscle, psoas muscle, visceral adipose tissue (VAI), and subcutaneous adipose tissue indices, and visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue area ratio for patients using computed tomography. We examined their relationship with grade 2 or more RP.

In Vivo Microwave Ablation of Normal Swine Lung at High-power, Short-duration Settings.

To evaluate the volume and heat-sink effects of microwave ablation (MWA) in the ablation zone of the normal swine lung. MWA at 100 W was performed for 1, 2, and 3 min in 7, 5, and 5 lung zones, respectively. We assessed the histopathology in the ablation zones and other outcome measures: namely, length of the longest long and short axes, sphericity, ellipsoid area, and ellipsoid volume.

Development and Evaluation of a Short-time Imaging Method for the Clinical Study of the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Subtraction Method.

The apparent diffusion coefficient subtraction method (ASM) was developed as a new restricted diffusionweighted imaging technique for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The usefulness of the ASM has been established by in vitro basic research using a bio-phantom, and clinical research on the application of the ASM for the human body is needed. Herein, we developed a short-time sequence for ASM imaging of the heads of healthy volunteers (n=2), and we investigated the similarity between the obtained ASM images and diffusion kurtosis (DK) images to determine the utility of the ASM for clinical uses.

Percutaneous needle biopsy under 1.2 Tesla open MRI guidance.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of percutaneous needle biopsy using a 1.2 Tesla open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, which has the highest field strength among the currently available open MRI systems.

Materials And Methods: This single-center prospective study included 10 patients.

New field-in-field with two reference points method for whole breast radiotherapy: Dosimetric analysis and radiation-induced skin toxicities assessment.

The usefulness of the field-in-field with two reference points (FIF w/ 2RP) method, in which the dose reference points are set simultaneously at two positions in the irradiation field and the high-dose range is completely eliminated, was examined in the present study with the aim of decreasing acute skin toxicity in adjuvant breast radiotherapy (RT). A total of 573 patients with breast cancer who underwent postoperative whole breast RT were classified into 178 cases with wedge (W) method, 142 cases with field-in-field without 2 reference points (FIF w/o 2RP) method and 253 cases with FIF w/ 2RP method. Using the FIF w/ 2RP method, the high-dose range was the lowest among the three irradiation methods.

Usefulness of cardiac fusion imaging with computed tomography and Doppler echocardiography in the assessment of conduit stenosis in complex adult congenital heart disease.

Background: Noninvasive assessment of stenotic lesions in patients with complex adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) is challenging due to its complex morphology. The simultaneous two-screen display of multidetector-computed tomography (MDCT) and real-time echogram (STDME) technology can display a virtual multi-planar reconstruction from MDCT corresponding to the same cross-sectional image from transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). We investigated the usefulness of the STDME technology for stenosis severity assessment in complex ACHD patients.

Pulmonary lymphatic involvement in metastatic uterine sarcomas: imaging and pathological appearance.

Pulmonary lymphatic involvement of sarcomas is an extremely rare form of metastases. We report the computed tomography (CT) features of pathologically confirmed pulmonary lymphatic involvement from metastatic uterine sarcomas. The CT illustrated smooth or nodular thickenings of the interlobular septa and bronchovascular bundle.

Investigation into the Effect of Breast Volume on Irradiation Dose Distribution in Asian Women with Breast Cancer.

Reports on irradiation dose distribution in breast cancer radiotherapy with sufficient sample size are limited in Asian patients. Elucidating dose distribution in Asian patients is particularly important as their breast volume differs compared to patients in Europe and North America. Here, we examined dose distribution in the irradiation field relative to breast volume for three irradiation methods historically used in our facility.

Clinical Outcome of Palliative Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy with Cisplatin/Docetaxel for Stage III Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Palliative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is often administered to patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We investigated the clinical outcomes of patients receiving palliative CCRT for NSCLC. Data of patients with NSCLC who underwent palliative CCRT (n=16), preoperative CCRT plus surgery (n=97), or definitive CCRT (n=48) were evaluated.

CT evaluation of patent artery after percutaneous cryoablation of renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the incidence of persistent patent artery after percutaneous cryoablation of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and the relationship between patent arteries one month after cryoablation and early tumor progression.

Materials And Methods: One hundred and fifty-nine patients (112 men, 47 women; mean age, 63.6±14.

Percutaneous Cryoablation of Lower Limb Soft-Tissue Venous Malformations: Preliminary Results of Long-Term Efficacy.

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate long-term efficacy of percutaneous cryoablation for lower limb soft-tissue venous malformations.

Materials And Methods: Nine patients (mean age, 36.6 years) with lower limb soft-tissue venous malformations were included.

CT-guided biopsy of lung nodules with pleural contact: Comparison of two puncture routes.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare two puncture routes (transpleural vs. transpulmonary) for computed tomography (CT) fluoroscopy-guided cutting needle biopsy of lung nodules with pleural contact.

Patients And Methods: A total of 102 patients (72 men; mean age, 71.

Sarcopenia is associated with poor prognosis after chemoradiotherapy in patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer: a retrospective analysis.

We intended to investigate whether muscle and adipose masses were associated with prognosis among patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were undergoing chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). We retrospectively explored data of patients with stage III NSCLC who underwent definitive CCRT (≥ 60 Gy) between January 2004 and March 2018 at our hospital. We examined the relationship of overall survival (OS) with body mass index (BMI), skeletal muscle index (SMI), psoas muscle index (PMI), visceral adipose tissue index (VAI), subcutaneous adipose tissue index (SAI), and visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue area ratio (VSR) using log-rank tests for the univariate analysis and Cox proportional hazard models for the multivariate analysis.

Contrast examination of central venous access port implanted through internal jugular vein for evaluation of suspected complications.

Purpose: We summarized the findings, diagnosis, and outcomes of cases for which contrast examination of central venous access ports (CV-ports) were attempted to detect complications.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-seven contrast examinations were attempted for 45 patients with 46 CV-ports (median, 162 days after implantation). Contrast examination was performed due to three suspicion catheter fractures or 54 CV-port dysfunctions (combinations of an absence of blood reflux on aspiration and 9 sufficient, 21 insufficient, or 24 impossible drip infusions).

Sarcopenia is related to poor prognosis in patients after trimodality therapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: The association between sarcopenia and prognosis in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing trimodality therapy, consisting of preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy and surgery, has not been reported. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association of sarcopenia and fat mass with prognosis after trimodality therapy.

Methods: To assess sarcopenia, the psoas muscle mass was measured.

Computed Tomography-guided Core Needle Biopsy for Renal Tumors: A Review.

Small renal tumors are sometimes challenging to diagnose accurately through imaging alone, and image-guided biopsies are performed when histological diagnoses are needed. Although ultrasound guidance is usually chosen for renal tumor biopsies, computed tomography guidance is preferred for selected cases; e.g.

Imaging evaluation of hereditary renal tumors: a pictorial review.

More than 10 hereditary renal tumor syndromes (HRTSs) and related germline mutations have been reported with HRTS-associated renal and extrarenal manifestations with benign and malignant tumors. Radiologists play an important role in detecting solitary or multiple renal masses with or without extrarenal findings on imaging and may raise the possibility of an inherited predisposition to renal cell carcinoma, providing direction for further screening, intervention and surveillance of the patients and their close family members before the development of potentially lethal renal and extrarenal tumors. Renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) associated with von Hippel-Lindau disease are typically slow growing while RCCs associated with HRTSs, such as hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma syndrome, are highly aggressive.