Targeted Biopsy With Reduced Number of Cores: Optimal Sampling Scheme in Patients Undergoing Magnetic Resonance Imaging/Transrectal Ultrasound Fusion Prostate Biopsy.

The 3 Tesla (3T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined ultrasound (TRUS) targeted biopsy plus 12-core systematic biopsy (TBx + 12-SBx) was considered a reliable method for prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis. To find another optimal sampling scheme with fewer cores and the same efficiency as TBx + 12-SBx for prostate biopsy, 113 patients who underwent five different hypothetical sampling schemes were analyzed and compared with TBx + 12-SBx. The detection rates of targeted biopsy plus 6-core lateral systematic biopsy (TBx + lateral 6-SBx) for PCa and clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) (99.

A preliminary study of blood-oxygen-level-dependent MRI in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: Blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide regional measurements of oxygen content using deoxyhemoglobin paramagnetic characteristics. The apparent relaxation rate or R2*(=1/T2*) can be determined from the slope of log (intensity) versus echo time and is directly proportional to the tissue content of deoxyhemoglobin. Thus, as the level of deoxyhemoglobin increases, T2* will decrease, leading to an increase in R2*.

Functional MRI: evaluation of chronic kidney disease with perfusion imaging.

Rationale And Objectives: To evaluate the functional alterations of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with magnetic resonance dynamic perfusion imaging.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-one healthy subjects (42 kidneys) and 20 CKD patients (40 kidneys) underwent routine scans with fat-saturated T1-weighted fast low angle shot (FLASH) and true-fast imaging with steady-state precession (FISP) sequences followed by dynamic perfusion scans using a turbo-FLASH T1-weighted sequence. Signal intensity (SI) of the cortex and medulla on images was measured and plotted as a function of time.

Diffusion tensor imaging study of the anterior limb of internal capsules in neuroleptic-naive schizophrenia.

Rationale And Objectives: Abnormalities in brain structure have been implicated in psychosis. Herein, we investigated the differences in fractional anisotropy (FA) and average diffusion coefficient (ADC) in the bilateral anterior limb of internal capsules between neuroleptic-naive schizophrenic patients and appropriately matched healthy controls.

Materials And Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging was performed with a 1.

[Clinical features and dynamics of cervical magnetic resonance imaging in Hirayama disease].

Objective: to investigate the clinical feature and dynamic changes of the cervical dural sac and spinal cord during neck flexion in Hirayama disease (juvenile muscular atrophy of distal upper extremity).

Methods: Clinical data were taken and MRI in neutral neck position and a fully flexed neck position were performed on 27 cases of Hirayama disease.

Results: (1) All patients were consistent with the diagnostic criteria of Hirayama disease who had asymmetric muscular atrophy and weakness of the hand and forearm.

Cerebrospinal fluid dynamics in Chiari malformation associated with syringomyelia.

Background: About 50% - 70% of patients with Chiari malformation I (CMI) presented with syringomyelia (SM), which is supposed to be related to abnormal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow around the foramen magnum. The aim of this study was to investigate the cerebrospinal fluid dynamics at levels of the aqueduct and upper cervical spine in patients with CMI associated with SM, and to discuss the possible mechanism of formation of SM.

Methods: From January to April 2004, we examined 10 adult patients with symptomatic CMI associated with SM and 10 healthy volunteers by phase-contrast MRI.

[Neutral position magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosis of Hirayama disease].

Objective: To investigate the sensitivity and specificity of neutral position cervical MRI in the diagnosis of Hirayama disease.

Methods: Neutral position cervical MRI of 18 patients and 31 young normal control subjects were evaluated for localized lower cervical cord atrophy, asymmetric cord flattening, abnormal cervical curvature, loss of attachment (LOA) and noncompressed intramedullary high signal intensity on T2-weighted MRI. The difference in frequency of these findings between the control and patient groups was examined by means of the x' test.

Aggregation studies of the water-soluble gadofullerene magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent: [Gd@C82O6(OH)16(NHCH2CH2COOH)8]x.

The aggregation behavior of the newly synthesized gadofullerene magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent, i.e., Gd@C(82)O(6)(OH)(16)(NHCH(2)CH(2)COOH)(8) (abbreviated as AAD-EMF), was studied in detail by dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, T(1)-weighted magnetic resonance, and atomic force microscopy.