Spinal Infections.

Spinal cord infections can present with a wide variety of imaging findings, depending on the pathogen and the host's immune status. Infectious myelitis can have a characteristic distribution of lesions within the spinal cord, which refine the differential disease. Some spinal infections do not show typical imaging features, and many noninfectious may mimic spinal infections with similar MR imaging findings.

Volumetric Assessment of Hippocampus and Subcortical Gray Matter Regions in Alzheimer Disease and Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Background: Quantitative MRI assessment methods have limited utility due to a lack of standardized methods and measures for Alzheimer disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).

Objective: To employ a relatively new and easy-to-use quantitative assessment method to reveal volumetric changes in subcortical gray matter (GM) regions, hippocampus, and global intracranial structures as well as the diagnostic performance and best thresholds of total hippocampal volumetry in individuals with AD and those with aMCI.

Method: A total of 74 individuals-37 with mild to moderate AD, 19 with aMCI, and 18 with normal cognition (NC)-underwent a 3T MRI.

DWI-based MR thermometry: could it discriminate Alzheimer's disease from mild cognitive impairment and healthy subjects?

Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare lateral ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) temperature of the patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and healthy subjects (HS) using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)-based magnetic resonance (MR) thermometry.

Methods: Seventy-two patients (37 AD, 19 MCI, 16 HS) who underwent 3-T MR examination from September 2018 to August 2019 were included in this study. Smoking habits, education level, disease duration, and comorbidity status were recorded.

Prediction of IDH Mutation Status in High-grade Gliomas Using DWI and High T1-weight DSC-MRI.

Rationale And Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced (DSC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters in the noninvasive prediction of the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status in high-grade gliomas (HGGs).

Materials And Methods: A total of 58 patients with histopathologically proved HGGs were included in this retrospective study. All patients underwent multiparametric MRI on 3-T, including DSC-MRI and DWI before surgery.

Validation of combined use of DWI and percentage signal recovery-optimized protocol of DSC-MRI in differentiation of high-grade glioma, metastasis, and lymphoma.

Purpose: With conventional MRI, it is often difficult to effectively differentiate between contrast-enhancing brain tumors, including primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), high-grade glioma (HGG), and metastasis. This study aimed to assess the discrimination ability of the parameters obtained from DWI and the percentage signal recovery- (PSR-) optimized protocol of DSC-MRI between these three tumor types at an initial step.

Methods: DSC-MRI using a PSR-optimized protocol (TR/TE = 1500/30 ms, flip angle = 90°, no preload) and DWI of 99 solitary enhancing tumors (60 HGGs, 24 metastases, 15 PCNSLs) were retrospectively assessed before treatment.

Oligemia, Penumbra, Infarction: Understanding Hypoperfusion with Neuroimaging.

Despite recent progress in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke with multiple trials demonstrating improved clinical outcome associated with endovascular thrombectomy up to 24 hours after onset, there is potential opportunity for optimal patient selection and treatment algorithm to further improve treatment outcome. Current limitation is in part caused by inconsistency of imaging protocols and imaging-based definitions of oligemia, penumbra, and infarction core within the various hypoperfusion states. To truly maximize the impact of imaging in acute ischemic stroke, imaging definitions of hypoperfusion states need to be more consistent and validated to correctly reflect different severities of ischemic injury.

Presurgical evaluation of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with multiple advanced MR techniques at 3T.

Background And Purpose: Accurate localization of the epileptogenic zone is essential for successful surgical treatment of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the hippocampal volumetry (HV), MR spectroscopy (MRS), Dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) and pulsed arterial spin labeling (pASL) perfusion techniques in a large sample size of refractory MTLE patients.

Materials And Methods: Forty-two patients with medically refractory MTLE who underwent preoperative evaluation and eleven normal controls were studied.

Spinal brucellosis.

Spinal involvement in human brucellosis is a common condition and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in endemic areas, because it is often associated with therapeutic failure. Most chronic brucellosis cases are the result of inadequate treatment of the initial episode. Recognition of spinal brucellosis is challenging.

Pyogenic spinal infections.

Spinal infections are a spectrum of disease comprising spondylitis, diskitis, spondylodiskitis, pyogenic facet arthropathy, epidural infections, meningitis, polyradiculopathy, and myelitis. Inflammation can be caused by pyogenic, granulomatous, autoimmune, idiopathic, and iatrogenic conditions. In an era of immune suppression, tuberculosis, and HIV epidemic, together with worldwide socioeconomic fluctuations, spinal infections are increasing.

Assessment of third ventriculostomy patency with the 3D-SPACE technique: a preliminary multicenter research study.

Object: The goal of this study was to determine the value of the 3D sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts using different flip-angle evolutions (3D-SPACE) technique in the evaluation of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) patency.

Methods: Twenty-six patients with ETV were examined using 3-T MRI units. Sagittal-plane 3D-SPACE with variant flip-angle mode, 3D T1-weighted (T1W), and 3D heavily T2-weighted (T2W) images were obtained with isotropic voxel sizes.

Functional MRI compliance in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Purpose: We aimed to test the effect of prescan training and orientation in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to investigate whether fMRI compliance was modified by state anxiety.

Methods: Subjects included 77 males aged 6-12 years; there were 53 patients in the ADHD group and 24 participants in the healthy control group. Exclusion criteria included neurological and/or psychiatric comorbidities (other than ADHD), the use of psychoactive drugs, and an intelligence quotient outside the normal range.

Evaluation of aqueductal patency in patients with hydrocephalus: three-dimensional high-sampling-efficiency technique (SPACE) versus two-dimensional turbo spin echo at 3 Tesla.

Objective: To compare the accuracy of diagnosing aqueductal patency and image quality between high spatial resolution three-dimensional (3D) high-sampling-efficiency technique (sampling perfection with application optimized contrast using different flip angle evolutions [SPACE]) and T2-weighted (T2W) two-dimensional (2D) turbo spin echo (TSE) at 3-T in patients with hydrocephalus.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included 99 patients diagnosed with hydrocephalus. T2W 3D-SPACE was added to the routine sequences which consisted of T2W 2D-TSE, 3D-constructive interference steady state (CISS), and cine phase-contrast MRI (PC-MRI).

pASL versus DSC perfusion MRI in lateralizing temporal lobe epilepsy.

Background: Accurate lateralization of the epileptogenic focus in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is crucial. Pulsed arterial spin labeling (pASL) has the capability of quantifying local relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) by measuring the inflow of electromagnetically labeled arterial blood into the target area, and can be used in the presurgical workup of refractory TLE.

Purpose: To evaluate pASL in detecting mesial temporal lobe (mTL) perfusion asymmetry for the lateralization of the epileptogenic focus in patients with refractory TLE and to compare it with dynamic susceptibility contrast enhanced (DSC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique.

A comprehensive neuropsychological mapping battery for functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Existing batteries for FMRI do not precisely meet the criteria for comprehensive mapping of cognitive functions within minimum data acquisition times using standard scanners and head coils. The goal was to develop a battery of neuropsychological paradigms for FMRI that can also be used in other brain imaging techniques and behavioural research. Participants were 61 healthy, young adult volunteers (48 females and 13 males, mean age: 22.

T2-weighted vs. intrathecal contrast-enhanced MR cisternography in the evaluation of CSF rhinorrhea.

Background: Endoscopic surgical approach is being more widely used in the treatment of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea. Accurate localization of CSF fistulas prior to surgery is essential in increasing the success of dural repair and in decreasing negative or recurrent explorations.

Purpose: To evaluate and compare intrathecal contrast medium-enhanced magnetic resonance cisternography (CEMRC) with T2-weighted MR cisternography (T2MRC) in identifying the presence and site of CSF rhinorrhea.

Staging of hip avascular necrosis: is there a need for DWI?

Background: No comprehensive study has been performed to stage avascular necrosis of the hip using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).

Purpose: To determine apparent diffusion co-efficient (ADC) alterations in hip avascular necrosis (AVN) and to determine variations of ADC values according to stages of disease.

Material And Methods: The study is approved by our institutional review board and local ethical committee.

Giant vertebral notochordal rest: magnetic resonance and diffusion weighted imaging findings.

A giant vertebral notochordal rest is a newly described, benign entity that is easily confused with a vertebral chordoma. As microscopic notochordal rests are rarely found in adult autopsies, the finding of a macroscopic vertebral lesion is a new entity with only seven previously presented cases. We report here radiological findings, including diffusion weighted images, of a patient with a giant notochordal remnant confined to the L5 vertebra, with an emphasis on its distinction from a chordoma.

Pathological laughing as a manifestation in a clinically isolated brainstem syndrome: a case report.

The prevalence of pathological laughing and crying in multiple sclerosis (MS) is 10%. It has been speculated that the anatomical lesion responsible for the pathological laughing is located in the pontine base, prefrontal cortex, and cerebellum. We report an 18-year-old male patient presenting with pathological laughing and hypomania.

A catheter tracking method using reverse polarization for MR-guided interventions.

To conduct interventional procedures in MRI, reliable visualization of interventional devices such as catheters is necessary. For this purpose, the use of inductively-coupled radio frequency (ICRF) coils has been proposed. Without a wired connection, the signal around the ICRF coil is amplified, enabling catheters to be visualized.