Bone Tissue in Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Contribution of New Zero Echo Time Sequences.

The introduction of new ultrashort and zero echo time (ZTE) sequences is revolutionizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and optimizing patient management. These sequences acquire signals in tissues with very short T2: mineralized bone, cortical bone, and calcium deposits. They can be added to a classic MRI protocol.

The yield of a positive MRI of the spine as imaging criterion in the ASAS classification criteria for axial spondyloarthritis: results from the SPACE and DESIR cohorts.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of spinal inflammation on MRI in patients with chronic back pain (CBP) of maximally 3 years duration and to evaluate the yield of adding a positive MRI-spine as imaging criterion to the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) classification criteria for axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

Methods: Baseline imaging of the sacroiliac joints (X-SI), MRI of the sacroiliac joints (MRI-SI) and MRI-spine were scored by ≥2 experienced central readers per modality in the SPondyloArthritis Caught Early (SPACE) and DEvenir des Spondylarthropathies Indifférenciées Récentes (DESIR) cohorts. Inflammation suggestive of axSpA was assessed in the entire spine.

Rate and Predisposing Factors for Sacroiliac Joint Radiographic Progression After a Two-Year Follow-up Period in Recent-Onset Spondyloarthritis.

Objective: To evaluate the rate of radiographic structural progression in the sacroiliac (SI) joints in patients with radiographic or nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (SpA), and to determine factors predisposing to such progression, over 2 years.

Methods: Patients with recent-onset axial SpA (from the Devenir des Spondyloarthropathies Indifferérenciées Récentes cohort) were assigned a radiographic SI joint score according to the modified New York criteria. Demographic characteristics, smoking status, HLA-B27 positivity, inflammation on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the SI joints, disease activity, and treatment were investigated as potential predisposing factors.

Ultrasound of wrist and hand masses.

Ultrasound is a useful tool to investigate soft tissue masses in the wrist and hand. In most situations ultrasound helps distinguish between a cyst and a tissue mass. This article provides a simple clinical approach to the use of ultrasound imaging for the diagnosis and preoperative assessment of wrist and hand masses.

Fat Suppression with Dixon Techniques in Musculoskeletal Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Pictorial Review.

Dixon techniques are part of the methods used to suppress the signal of fat in MRI. They present many advantages compared with other fat suppression techniques including (1) the robustness of fat signal suppression, (2) the possibility to combine these techniques with all types of sequences (gradient echo, spin echo) and different weightings (T1-, T2-, proton density-, intermediate-weighted sequences), and (3) the availability of images both with and without fat suppression from one single acquisition. These advantages have opened many applications in musculoskeletal imaging.

Tears at the myotendinous junction of the infraspinatus: ultrasound findings.

Purpose: Tears involving the myotendinous junction (MTJ) of the infraspinatus (IS) have been recently described on MRI. These occur centrally in the muscle belly, and are not associated with full thickness tears of the distal infraspinatus tendon. They also induce a rapidly progressive fatty infiltration of the muscles and amyotrophy.

Classification of axial SpA based on positive imaging (radiographs and/or MRI of the sacroiliac joints) by local rheumatologists or radiologists versus central trained readers in the DESIR cohort.

Objective: Investigating changes in patient classification (ASAS (Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society) axSpA criteria) based on evaluation of images of the sacro-iliac joints (MRI-SI and X-SI) by local and central readers.

Methods: The DESIR cohort included patients with inflammatory back pain (IBP; ≥3 months, but <3 years), suggestive of axSpA. Local radiologists/rheumatologists (local-reading) and two central readers (central-reading) evaluated baseline images.

Ultrasound-guided injection in osteoarticular pathologies: general principles and precautions.

In the past, needle aspirations or injections involving the motor system were always carried out either blind or guided by fluoroscopy. Over the last few years, sonography has begun to offer an interesting alternative. Its advantages are that it is a relatively inexpensive technique, while not emitting ionising radiation and being easily accessible.

Is superolateral Hoffa fat pad edema a consequence of impingement between lateral femoral condyle and patellar ligament?

Purpose: To evaluate whether knee extensor mechanism features are associated with superolateral Hoffa fat pad edema at magnetic resonance imaging.

Materials And Methods: Institutional review board approval and written consent from all patients were obtained. Patients with superolateral Hoffa fat pad edema (n = 30) and a control group without edema of the fat pad (n = 60) were evaluated prospectively with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

[Spondyloarthropathy: MR imaging features].

The new diagnostic criteria for ankylosing spondylitis include MRI. MRI frequently allows early diagnosis of inflammatory lesions in patients with normal plain films. In addition, MRI is useful for the detection and quantification of inflammatory and structural lesions, and to assess disease activity.

Assessment of vascular invasion by bone and soft tissue tumours of the limbs: usefulness of MDCT angiography.

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of computed tomography angiography (CTA) in predicting arterial encasement by limb tumours, by comparing CTA with surgical findings (gold standard).

Methods: Preoperative CTA images of 55 arteries in 48 patients were assessed for arterial status: cross-sectional CTA images were scored as showing a fat plane between artery and tumour (score 0), slight contact between artery and tumour (score 1), partial arterial encasement (score 2) or total arterial encasement (score 3). Reformatted CTA images were assessed for arterial displacement, rigid wall, stenosis or occlusion.

Results of 32 allograft-prosthesis composite reconstructions of the proximal femur.

Unlabelled: The use of allograft-prosthesis composites for reconstruction after bone tumor resection at the proximal femur has generated considerable interest since the mid1980s on the basis that their use would improve function and survival, and restore bone stock. Although functional improvement has been documented, it is unknown whether these composites survive long periods and whether they restore bone stock. We therefore determined long-term allograft-prosthesis composite survival, identified major complications that led to revision, and determined whether allograft bone stock could be spared at the time of revision.

[Quantitative dynamic MRI and localisation of non-palpable prostate cancer].

Purpose: To determine whether quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI improves the performance of T2W-MRI for the localisation of non-palpable prostate cancer (PCa) and for the estimation of tumor volume.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-three patients (PSA: 8.91+/-6.

Monitoring surgical performance: an application to total hip replacement.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: Inadequate surgical implantation of a hip replacement may result in decreased patient satisfaction and reduced implant survival. The objective was to monitor surgical performance in hip replacement.

Method: The study took place at a teaching centre.

Fractures of the ankylosed spine: MDCT and MRI with emphasis on individual anatomic spinal structures.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to illustrate the spectrum of MDCT and MRI appearances of spinal fractures in ankylosing spondylitis and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.

Conclusion: Spinal fractures associated with ankylosing spondylitis and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis usually involve the three columns of the spine, and injury to the posterior osteoligamentous component is the hallmark of these fractures. Osseous and ligamentous injuries can be accurately visualized and analyzed with MDCT with multiplanar reformation and with MRI.

Ipsilateral femoral autograft reconstruction after resection of a pelvic tumor.

Background: Reconstruction of bone after the resection of a pelvic tumor is challenging. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the use of the ipsilateral femur as the graft material for reconstruction.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of thirteen patients with a malignant pelvic lesion who underwent resection followed by reconstruction with an ipsilateral femoral autograft and insertion of a total hip replacement.

[Fissures of the posterior labrum and associated lesions: CT arthrogram evaluation].

Purpose: To describe osseous, chondral and tendinous lesions associated with fissures of the posterior labrum. To better understand the pathological processes leading to fissure of the posterior labrum. Materials and methods.

[Harmonic sonography of rotator cuff tendons: are cleavage tears visible at last?].

Purpose: For some, cleavage tears remain a pitfall of sonography (US). The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the visibility of intratendinous tears of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons and describe their imaging features on tissue harmonic US.

Materials And Methods: Prospective study of 52 patients with suspected cuff pathology who underwent US prior to CT-arthrography, CT-bursography or MR arthrography.

[Imaging of wrist injuries in athletes].

Wrist imaging is currently used for diagnosis of sport injuries as part of a global strategy of rapid recovery. Standard x-rays are the first step in this procedure. Although arthrography is still the reference for the diagnosis of intrinsic ligament and cartilaginous lesions, MRI can sometimes be sufficient.

Population study of food allergy in France.

Background: Food allergy (FA) is an important health problem for which epidemiologic studies are needed.

Objective: We performed an epidemiologic survey in France to determine the prevalence, clinical pictures, allergens, and risk factors of FA.

Methods: This study was conducted on 33,110 persons who answered a questionnaire addressed to a representative sample of the French population on a scale of 1:1000 (44,000 subjects aged View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Ultrasonographic and endocrine evaluation of ovarian function among Norplant implants users with regular menses.

With the objective of evaluating the ovulatory function among long-term Norplant implants users with regular menstrual cycles, we undertook this prospective study including 11 Norplant implants users and 11 control women who were not using hormonal methods of fertility control. Exposed and unexposed women had had at least three regular menstrual cycles preceding enrollment. All women were followed during one menstrual cycle by serial vaginal ultrasound and estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), LH, and FSH measurements.