Brain volumes and cerebrovascular lesions on MRI in patients with atherosclerotic disease. The SMART-MR study.

Objective: To estimate brain volumes, white matter lesion (WML) volume and asymptomatic infarcts on MRI in a large cohort of patients with atherosclerotic disease.

Methods: Within the SMART-MR (Second Manifestations of ARTerial disease-Magnetic Resonance) study, a prospective cohort study on determinants and course of brain changes on MRI, cross-sectional analyses were performed in 1044 patients (mean age 58+/-10 years, 80% male) with coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, or abdominal aortic aneurysm. Brain segmentation was used to quantify volumes of cortical gray matter, white matter, sulcal and ventricular cerebrospinal fluid, and WML.

Diffusion-weighted MR neurography of the sacral plexus with unidirectional motion probing gradients.

Background: This technical note introduces diffusion-weighted (DW) MR neurography (MRN) of the sacral plexus with unidirectional motion probing gradients (MPGs).

Methods: This is compared with DW MRN with three-directional and six-directional MPGs.

Results And Conclusion: This paper indicates that DW MRN of the sacral plexus should be performed with unidirectional MPGs.

White matter lesions and lacunar infarcts are independently and differently associated with brain atrophy: the SMART-MR study.

Objective: To investigate the independent association of white matter lesions (WML) and lacunar infarcts (LI) with measures of global brain atrophy on MRI.

Methods: Within the SMART-MR study, a cohort study among patients with manifest arterial disease, cross-sectional analyses were performed in 840 patients (mean age 58 +/- 10 years, 80% male) without cortical, large subcortical or infratentorial infarcts. Brain segmentation was used to quantify volumes of brain tissue, cerebrospinal fluid and WML.

Comparing coronary artery calcium and thoracic aorta calcium for prediction of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events on low-dose non-gated computed tomography in a high-risk population of heavy smokers.

Background: Coronary artery calcium (CAC) and thoracic aorta calcium (TAC) can be detected simultaneously on low-dose, non-gated computed tomography (CT) scans. CAC has been shown to predict cardiovascular (CVD) and coronary (CHD) events. A comparable association between TAC and CVD events has yet to be established, but TAC could be a more reproducible alternative to CAC in low-dose, non-gated CT.

A novel fluorescent imaging agent for diffuse optical tomography of the breast: first clinical experience in patients.

Purpose: This is the first clinical evaluation of a novel fluorescent imaging agent (Omocianine) for breast cancer detection with diffuse optical tomography (DOT).

Procedures: Eleven women suspected of breast cancer were imaged with DOT at multiple time points (up to 24 h) after receiving an intravenous injection of Omocianine (doses 0.01 to 0.

MR spectroscopy of cerebral white matter in type 2 diabetes; no association with clinical variables and cognitive performance.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes (DM2) is associated with cognitive decline, but the pathogenesis of this important complication remains unclear. We investigated whether abnormalities in neuronal metabolism or membrane integrity in normal appearing cerebral white matter are associated with cognitive impairment in patients with DM2.

Methods: Single voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1.

3.0-T MR-guided focused ultrasound for preoperative localization of nonpalpable breast lesions: an initial experimental ex vivo study.

Purpose: To compare the accuracy of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) with MR-guided needle-wire placement (MRgNW) for the preoperative localization of nonpalpable breast lesions.

Materials And Methods: In this experimental ex vivo study, 15 turkey breasts were used. In each breast phantom an artificial nonpalpable "tumor" was created by injecting an aqueous gel containing gadolinium.

[The radiologist as the treating physician for cancer: interventional oncology].

Interventional oncology is a new specialism which focuses on image-guided minimal-invasive treatment of cancer patients. Interventional oncology has joined the traditional treatments of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy as the fourth pillar of cancer care. Oncological interventions can be divided into three categories: intra-arterial techniques, tumour ablation techniques, and palliative procedures.

Association of white matter lesions and lacunar infarcts with executive functioning: the SMART-MR study.

The authors investigated the association of white matter lesions and lacunar infarcts with cognitive performance and whether brain atrophy mediates these associations. Within the Second Manifestations of Arterial Disease-Magnetic Resonance study (2001-2005, the Netherlands), cross-sectional analyses of 522 patients were performed (mean age, 57 years (standard deviation, 10); 76% male). Brain segmentation was used to quantify volumes of brain tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, and white matter lesions.

Blood pressure and progression of cerebral atrophy in patients with vascular disease.

Background: Cerebral atrophy on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been associated with vascular risk factors including hypertension. Progression of cerebral atrophy and its risk factors have not been studied in vascular disease patients. This study aimed to assess the progression of cerebral atrophy and to evaluate possible associations with blood pressure (BP) in patients with pre-existing vascular disease.

Computer-aided detection (CAD) for breast MRI: evaluation of efficacy at 3.0 T.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of 3.0-T breast MRI interpretation using manual and fully automated kinetic analyses.

Material And Methods: Manual MRI interpretation was done on an Advantage Workstation.

Total cerebral blood flow and hippocampal volume in patients with arterial disease. The SMART-MR study.

It has been suggested that compared with other brain tissues, the hippocampus in particular is vulnerable to chronic hypoperfusion. We investigated whether total parenchymal cerebral blood flow (pCBF) was associated with hippocampal atrophy, and also whether this relationship was modified by white matter lesions (WMLs). In a cross-sectional analysis within the SMART-MR (Second Manifestations of ARTerial disease-magnetic resonance) study, which is a cohort study among patients with arterial disease, total CBF (tCBF) and hippocampal volume were assessed in 392 patients (mean age: 62+/-9 years, 84% men).

Common and different genetic background for rheumatoid arthritis and coeliac disease.

Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed genetic risk factors in autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Several of the associated genes and underlying pathways are shared by various autoimmune diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and coeliac disease (CD) are two autoimmune disorders which have commonalities in their pathogenesis.

White matter lesions and brain atrophy: more than shared risk factors? A systematic review.

Background: White matter lesions (WML) and brain atrophy are often found on MRI in the elderly. Shared vascular risk factors may be an explanation for their concomitance. However, disturbances of white matter integrity could also be involved in the pathogenesis of brain atrophy.

Perforating arteries originating from the posterior communicating artery: a 7.0-Tesla MRI study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of time-of-flight (TOF) magnetic resonance (MR) angiography at 7.0 Tesla to show the perforating branches of the posterior communicating artery (PCoA), and to investigate the presence of such visible perforating branches in relation to the size of the feeding PCoA. The secondary aim was to visualise and describe the anterior choroidal artery and the perforating branches of the P1-segment of posterior cerebral artery (P1).

Brain atrophy and cognition: interaction with cerebrovascular pathology?

We examined the interaction of brain atrophy and white matter lesions (WML) with cognitive functioning in 605 patients (mean age, 58±10; 76% men) with atherosclerotic disease from the Second Manifestations of ARTerial disease-MR substudy (SMART-MR study). Automated brain segmentation was used to quantify volumes of brain tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, and WML on MRI. Total brain, ventricular, and cortical gray matter volume were divided by intracranial volume (ICV).

Observer variation of magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion weighted imaging in pelvic lymph node detection.

Aim: Conventional MRI and the recently developed diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) technique both are being used for the detection of pelvic lymph node metastasis in gynaecologic cancers. Little is known about the reproducibility of DWI. This study assesses the reproducibility of pelvic lymph node detection by conventional MRI and DWI.

Stent placement in patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis and impaired renal function: a randomized trial.

Background: Little is known about the efficacy and safety of renal artery stenting in patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) and impaired renal function.

Objective: To determine the efficacy and safety of stent placement in patients with ARAS and impaired renal function.

Design: Randomized clinical trial.

Nonmaturation of arm arteriovenous fistulas for hemodialysis access: A systematic review of risk factors and results of early treatment.

Introduction: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) nonmaturation increases reliance of hemodialysis patients on grafts and catheters, exposing them to associated high complication risks. This systematic review assessed the success rates and complications of therapeutic interventions in arm hemodialysis AVFs experiencing nonmaturation. It also compared the efficacy of preoperative clinical factors (eg, age, gender, race), and preoperatively and postoperatively acquired hemodynamic parameters (eg, arterial diameter or blood flow through the AVF) at stratifying risk of nonmaturation.

Frequency and consequences of early in-stent lesions after carotid artery stent placement.

Purpose: To examine the prevalence of in-stent lesions 1 month after carotid artery stent placement with multidetector computed tomography (CT) angiography and to evaluate their possible causes and their consequences during 1-year follow-up.

Materials And Methods: Sixty-nine patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis underwent multidetector CT angiography of the carotid arteries 1 month after carotid artery stent placement. Patients were followed-up until 1 year after stent placement, when duplex ultrasonography (US) was performed.

Relation of common carotid intima-media thickness with left ventricular mass caused by shared risk factors for hypertrophy.

Background: It is unclear whether the relationship between common carotid intima-media thickness (cCIMT) and left ventricular mass (LVM) is due to shared risk factors for atherosclerosis or for hypertrophy.

Methods: In 525 hypertensive subjects at high cardiovascular risk, the relation of cCIMT to LVM and established vascular risk factors was studied.

Results: CCIMT was positively related to LVM.

Visual rating of the hippocampus in non-demented elders: Does it measure hippocampal atrophy or other indices of brain atrophy? The SMART-MR study.

Visual rating of hippocampal atrophy is often used to differentiate between normal aging and Alzheimer's disease. We investigated whether two visual rating scales of hippocampal atrophy were related to hippocampal volumes, and if visual rating was related to global, cortical and subcortical brain atrophy in persons without dementia. Within the SMART-MR study, a prospective cohort study among patients with manifest arterial disease, medial temporal lobe atrophy was qualitatively rated in 95 participants without dementia (mean age 62 +/- 10 years) using two visual rating scales: the medial temporal lobe (MTA) score was rated on coronal oriented images and the perihippocampal cerebrospinal fluid (HCSF) score was rated on axial oriented images.

Feasibility of MRI-guided large-core-needle biopsy of suspiscious breast lesions at 3 T.

The feasibility of large-core-needle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided breast biopsy at 3 T was assessed. Thirty-one suspicious breast lesions shown only by MRI were detected in 30 patients. Biopsy procedures were performed in a closed-bore 3-T clinical MR system on a dedicated phased-array breast coil with a commercially available add-on stereotactic biopsy device.

Diffuse optical tomography of the breast: preliminary findings of a new prototype and comparison with magnetic resonance imaging.

This paper presents an evaluation of a prototype diffuse optical tomography (DOT) system. Seventeen women with 18 breast lesions (10 invasive carcinomas, 2 fibroadenomas, and 6 benign cysts; diameters 13-54 mm) were evaluated with DOT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A substantial fraction of the original 36 recruited patients could not be examined using this prototype due to technical problems.