Implementation of 3D Printing in Medical Care for Preoperative Planning of Complex Ventricular Septal Defect.

Three-dimensional (3D) modeling and printing in medicine have emerged to encompass every aspect of medical applications. This ranges from education, illustration, and treatment, as well as patient care whether for purposes of diagnosis or treatment and surgical planning. In the past few decades, these novel tools have shown promising utility to help radiologists and the medical team to improve quality of patient care and outcomes via 3D printing application and utilization.

Role of imaging in lung transplantation evaluation.

Lung transplantation is an effective treatment for patients with end-stage pulmonary disease. Due to the myriad of complications that can occur in the post-operative period and long-term after discharge, imaging plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of these patients. On imaging, the time of onset is most helpful in differentiating reimplantation response from acute rejection during the post-operative period.

3-Dimensional Printed Alternative to the Standard Synthetic Flocked Nasopharyngeal Swabs Used for Coronavirus Disease 2019 Testing.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), can be detected in respiratory samples by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or other molecular methods. Accessibility of diagnostic testing for COVID-19 has been limited by intermittent shortages of supplies required for testing, including flocked nasopharyngeal (FLNP) swabs.

Methods: We developed a 3-dimensional printed nasopharyngeal (3DP) swab as a replacement of the FLNP swab.

Middle Lobe Torsion after Unilateral Lung Transplant.

Lobar torsion is well documented after pneumonectomy, but is very rare after lung transplant. To the best of our knowledge, this is the twelfth reported case of lobar torsion after lung transplant. In our case, bronchoscopies and chest radiographs were inconclusive; however, CT scan clearly demonstrated findings consistent with right middle lobe torsion.

Anastomotic Airway Complications After Lung Transplant: Clinical, Bronchoscopic and CT Correlation.

The purpose of this article is to review the normal appearance and common complications of the airway anastomosis in lung transplant patients with emphasis on computed tomography images with bronchoscopic correlation. The spectrum of complications will be presented as early (<1 mo after transplant) or late (>1 mo). Variations in surgical technique as well as presentation and management options for airway complications will also be discussed.

Research Challenges and Opportunities for Clinically Oriented Academic Radiology Departments.

Between 2004 and 2012, US funding for the biomedical sciences decreased to historic lows. Health-related research was crippled by receiving only 1/20th of overall federal scientific funding. Despite the current funding climate, there is increased pressure on academic radiology programs to establish productive research programs.

To breathe or not to breathe: a review of artificial airway placement and related complications.

Artificial airway devices are commonly used to provide adequate ventilation and/or oxygenation in multiple clinical settings, both emergent and nonemergent. These frequently used devices include laryngeal mask airway, esophageal-tracheal combitube, endotracheal tube, and tracheostomy tube and are associated with various acute and late complications. Clinically, this may vary from mild discomfort to a potentially life-threatening situation.

Aspiration-related lung diseases.

Aspiration is a common but underrecognized clinicopathologic entity, with varied radiographic manifestations. Aspiration represents a spectrum of diseases, including diffuse aspiration bronchiolitis, aspiration pneumonitis, airway obstruction by foreign body, exogenous lipoid pneumonia, interstitial fibrosis, and aspiration pneumonia with or without lung abscess formation. Many patients who aspirate do not present with disease, suggesting that pathophysiology is related to a variety of factors, including decreased levels of consciousness, dysphagia, impaired mucociliary clearance, composition of aspirate, and impaired host defenses.

Reversed halo sign on CT as a presentation of lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia.

A 52 year-old African American female with a past medical history of symptomatic uterine fibroids and increasing abdominal circumference underwent abdominal computed tomography (CT) as part of her workup. Because of an abnormality in the left lower lobe, CT of the chest was subsequently performed and showed a focal region of discontinuous crescentic consolidation with central ground glass opacification in the right lower lobe, suggestive of the reversed halo sign. The patient underwent percutaneous CT-guided core biopsy of the lesion, which demonstrated lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia, a benign lymphoproliferative disease characterized histologically by small lymphocytes and plasma cells.

Phase II trial of induction gemcitabine and carboplatin followed by conformal thoracic radiation to 74 Gy with weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin in unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: The survival for patients with locally advanced, unresectable non-small cell lung cancer receiving standard of care concomitant chemoradiation remains disappointingly low. A reduction in both local and distant recurrence is needed to improve patients' outcome. Performing molecular studies on serially collected tumor specimens may result in a better selection of therapeutic options.

Gerbode ventricular septal defect diagnosed using cardiac CTA imaging.

This report describes the ability of computed tomography angiography (CTA) imaging of the heart to visualize an acquired shunt between the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) and the right atrium (RA) (Gerbode defect). Previously, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has been the mainstay of diagnosis. To the best of our knowledge, the use of cardiac CTA imaging to visualize and diagnose this disorder has not been previously reported.

Delayed levorotation of the heart in traumatic pericardial rupture.

Traumatic pericardial rupture, with complicating cardiac herniation, is an extremely uncommon condition with a high mortality rate. We are reporting our experience with a case of blunt trauma to the chest, secondary to high-impact motor vehicle collision. The preoperative diagnosis of ascending aortic transection was made on subsequent imaging studies for which surgical repair was elected.

External beam irradiation of myocardial carcinoid metastases: a case report.

The heart is an exceedingly rare site of metastatic involvement in carcinoid tumors. Only nineteen cases have been described in the literature over the past 30 years. We report here on a patient who presented with progressive carcinoid syndrome despite surgical resection of her liver metastases.

Feasibility and efficacy of molecular analysis-directed individualized therapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: The treatment of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is based on clinical trials experience. Molecular characteristics that impact metabolism and efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents are not used for decision making. Ribonucleotide reductase subunit 1 (RRM1) is crucial for nucleotide metabolism, and it is the dominant molecular determinant of gemcitabine efficacy.

Imaging for lung cancer restaging.

Diagnostic imaging plays an important role in the monitoring of tumor response during lung cancer restaging to evaluate the efficacy of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy during treatment, and in the detection of recurrent or metastatic neoplasm after treatment has been completed. While CT represents the primary imaging modality for lesion evaluation during restaging and for surveillance imaging once therapy has been completed, studies evaluating the role of 18-fluoro-2 deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in lung cancer restaging have shown promise regarding the detection of residual and recurrent neoplasm, and in evaluating for early response to first line therapy. With both CT and FDG-PET, residual or recurrent disease should, when possible, be differentiated from therapy-related changes in the lungs.

Lung cancer. Practice organization.

The management of patients with suspected or known lung cancer is becoming increasingly complex. State-of-the-art care often requires input from many sources, including pulmonology, thoracic surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology, and radiology. Valuable contributions to care also come from nursing, social work, psychology, psychiatry, pastoral care, and palliative care, among others.

Screening for lung cancer with CT: a preliminary cost-effectiveness analysis.

Study Objective: To appraise the potential cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening with CT.

Study Design: Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios are estimated for two hypothetical cohorts followed up over time. One cohort was screened over the first 5 years of the study period; the other cohort received usual care.