Muscle Pathology Associated With Cardiac Function in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Objective: To compare the progression of muscle fibrosis of various site and its relation between cardiac deterioration in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). In this study aimed to examine the associations between echocardiogram-based cardiac function indices and fibrosis of the abdominal and lower extremity muscles in patients with DMD to facilitate early detection of cardiac dysfunction and identify its predictors.

Methods: Twenty-one patients with DMD patients were enrolled in the study.

Clinical efficacy of motion-insensitive imaging technique with deep learning reconstruction to improve image quality in cervical spine MR imaging.

Objective: To demonstrate that a T2 periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (PROPELLER) technique using deep learning reconstruction (DLR) will provide better image quality and decrease image noise.

Methods: From December 2020 to March 2021, 35 patients examined cervical spine MRI were included in this study. Four sets of images including fast spin echo (FSE), original PROPELLER, PROPELLER DLR50%, and DLR75% were quantitatively and qualitatively reviewed.

Comprehensive evaluation of artifact reduction and tissue recovery effects of metal artifact reduction technique based on full-reference metric.

For the comprehensive evaluation of metal artifact reduction (MAR) technique, not only the removal of metal artifacts but also the evaluation of the area restored by MAR is required. We propose a method to comprehensively evaluate the effect by MAR in this study. We have conducted the computed tomography scan to acquire both the evaluation image and the reference image for the full-reference based evaluation.

Myositis Ossificans with Aneurysmal Bone Cystic Changes at the Thoracic Paraspinal Region: A Case Report.

Myositis ossificans (MO) is a benign heterotopic bone formation in muscle or soft tissue. It is a self-limiting disease that is usually initiated by trauma and often occurs in the extremities of the body. Here we report a rare case of traumatic myositis ossificans caused by unusual trauma (extracorporeal shock wave therapy) at thoracic paraspinal muscles.

Malignant Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor Presenting as an Extra-Articular Superficial Soft-Tissue Mass in a Knee.

Malignant tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TsGCT) is a rare disease that can arise as a recurrent lesion or co-exist with a benign TsGCT lesion. Here we report a rare case of malignant TsGCT in a 73-year-old male with a history of lymphoma. The tumor appeared as a superficial soft-tissue mass in the subcutaneous fat tissue of the left knee.

Malignant melanotic nerve sheath tumors in the spinal canal of psammomatous and non-psammomatous type: Two case reports.

Background: A malignant melanotic nerve sheath tumor (MMNST), previously known as a melanotic schwannoma, is a rare variant of a peripheral nerve sheath tumor composed of Schwann cells with melanotic differentiation. Only a few reports of spinal MMNST have been reported.

Case Summary: In the first case, a 58-year-old woman presented with a history of low back pain and paresthesia.

Imaging Characterization of Non-Rheumatoid Retro-Odontoid Pseudotumors: Comparison with Atlantoaxial Manifestation of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Backgroundand Objectives: To date, imaging characterization of non-rheumatic retro-odontoid pseudotumors (NRROPs) has been lacking; therefore, NRROPs have been confused with atlantoaxial joint involvement of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It is important to differentiate these two disease because the treatment strategies may differ. The purpose of this study is to characterize imaging findings of NRROPs and compare them with those of RA.

Emphysema Quantification Using Ultra-Low-Dose Chest CT: Efficacy of Deep Learning-Based Image Reconstruction.

Background and Objectives: Although reducing the radiation dose level is important during diagnostic computed tomography (CT) applications, effective image quality enhancement strategies are crucial to compensate for the degradation that is caused by a dose reduction. We performed this prospective study to quantify emphysema on ultra-low-dose CT images that were reconstructed using deep learning-based image reconstruction (DLIR) algorithms, and compared and evaluated the accuracies of DLIR algorithms versus standard-dose CT. Materials and Methods: A total of 32 patients were prospectively enrolled, and all underwent standard-dose and ultra-low-dose (120 kVp; CTDIvol < 0.

Distant migration of gel filler: imaging findings following breast augmentation.

Recently, many attempts have been made to use injectable materials in the subcutaneous fat layer anywhere in the body, including the breast and face, for cosmetic purposes. A 56-year-old woman presented with multiple palpable lumps without tenderness or skin color changes on the anterior and lateral chest and the abdominal walls. Magnetic resonance imaging showed fluid-like collections without surrounding soft tissue inflammatory changes in the chest wall, abdominal wall, and deeper within the abdomen.

Erratum: Transiting Nerve Rootlet Abnormalities on MRI after Lumbar Laminectomy: Associations with Persistent Postoperative Pain.

This corrects the article on p. 225 in vol. 22, PMID: 32901462.

Clumpy artifacts can be differentiated from tophi with DECT: comparison between gout-free and gouty patients.

Objectives: To accurately differentiate clumpy artifacts from tophi with foot and ankle DECT.

Methods And Materials: In session 1, 108 clumpy artifacts from 35 patients and 130 tophi images from 25 patients were analyzed. Reviewers classified green pixelation according to anatomic location, shape (linear, stippled, angular, oval), and height and width ratio.

Imaging characteristics of intradural disc herniation: A comparison with large disc extrusion.

Objective: To compare the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of lumbar intradural disc herniation (IDH) and disc extrusion mimicking IDH.

Materials And Methods: Between January 2015 and August 2018, 32 with surgically confirmed IDH or disc extrusion mimicking IDH were included. Age, sex, symptoms, herniated disc level, history of discectomy at the same site, and operative findings were investigated through the medical records.

The Optimal Combination of Monochromatic and Metal Artifact Reconstruction Dual-energy CT to Evaluate Total Knee Replacement Arthroplasty.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of gemstone spectral imaging-metal artifact reduction (GSI-MAR) on different dual-energy CT monochromatic images for patients with total knee replacement arthroplasty (TKRA) and to identify an appropriate protocol for clinical practice.

Method: We enrolled 34 patients with TKRA. CT images were iteratively reconstructed with or without GSI-MAR at different energy levels (70, 95, 115, and 140 keV).

Transiting Nerve Rootlet Abnormalities on MRI after Lumbar Laminectomy: Associations with Persistent Postoperative Pain.

Objective: To determine whether changes in the transiting nerve rootlet or its surroundings, as seen on MRI performed after lumbar hemilaminectomy, are associated with persistent postoperative pain (PPP), commonly known as the failed back surgery syndrome.

Materials And Methods: Seventy-three patients (mean age, 61 years; 43 males and 30 females) who underwent single-level partial hemilaminectomy of the lumbar spine without postoperative complications or other level spinal abnormalities between January 2010 and December 2018 were enrolled. Two musculoskeletal radiologists evaluated transiting nerve rootlet abnormalities (thickening, signal alteration, distinction, and displacement), epidural fibrosis, and intrathecal arachnoiditis on MRI obtained one year after the operations.

Not All Green Is Tophi: The Importance of Optimizing Minimum Attenuation and Using a Tin Filter to Minimize Clumpy Artifacts on Foot and Ankle Dual-Energy CT.

The clumpy artifact has a high misdiagnosis rate, but the artifact has not been well studied. The aims of this study were to evaluate the frequency and location of clumpy artifacts, the rate of misdiagnosis of clumpy artifacts as gout, and the effects of raising the minimum attenuation value and using a selective photon shield in dual-energy CT (DECT). Forty patients without gout who underwent foot and ankle DECT were enrolled in this study.

Spine Computed Tomography to Magnetic Resonance Image Synthesis Using Generative Adversarial Networks : A Preliminary Study.

Objective: To generate synthetic spine magnetic resonance (MR) images from spine computed tomography (CT) using generative adversarial networks (GANs), as well as to determine the similarities between synthesized and real MR images.

Methods: GANs were trained to transform spine CT image slices into spine magnetic resonance T2 weighted (MRT2) axial image slices by combining adversarial loss and voxel-wise loss. Experiments were performed using 280 pairs of lumbar spine CT scans and MRT2 images.

Clinical Efficacy of Real-Time Sonoelastography for the Follow-Up of Congenital Sternocleidomastoid Muscle Torticollis.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of real-time sonoelastography (RTS) for the follow-up of congenital muscular torticollis, based on measurements of muscle elasticity.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-four infants (23 male, 11 female) with congenital sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle torticollis underwent ultrasonography and elastography between November 2012 and December 2014. We evaluated the thickness, morphology (mass-like, fusiform, or overall thickened shape), and echogenicity of the SCM muscle on grayscale images and color patterns (homogeneous blue, mixed green < 50% and ≥ 50%, and green to red) on elastography.

Bone marrow edema in non-traumatic hip: high accuracy of dual-energy CT with water-hydroxyapatite decomposition imaging.

Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of dual-energy CT with water-hydroxyapatite (HAP) imaging for bone marrow edema in patients with non-traumatic hip pain.

Methods: Forty patients (mean age, 58 years; 16 male and 24 female) who underwent rapid kVp-switching dual-energy CT and MRI within 1 month between April 2018 and February 2019 with hip pain but no trauma were enrolled. Two radiologists retrospectively evaluated 80 hip joints for the presence, extent (femoral head involved, head and neck, and head to intertrochanter), and severity (mild edema, moderate, severe) of bone marrow edema on dual-energy water-HAP images.

Protein phosphatase magnesium-dependent 1A induces inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a highly inflammatory autoimmune disease. Although proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin (IL)-6, play a key role in the pathogenesis of RA, the causes of chronic inflammation are not fully understood. Here, we report that protein phosphatase magnesium-dependent 1A (PPM1A) levels were increased in RA synovial fluid compared with osteoarthritis (OA) synovial fluid and positively correlated with TNF levels.

Diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted (DWI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI for the differentiation of benign from malignant soft-tissue tumors.

Background: A wide range of specificity values for the differentiation of benign and malignant soft-tissue tumors show the limitations of conventional MRI features. The data obtained by quantitative analysis of diffusion-weighted image (DWI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRIs would provide more objective results, especially in terms of cellularity and perfusion.

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacies of DWI and DCE MRI for the differentiation of malignant and benign soft-tissue tumors.

Imaging analysis of superficial soft tissue lymphomas.

Purpose: To describe imaging findings in superficial soft tissue lymphomas, especially those located in the skin and subcutaneous layer.

Materials And Methods: This study included 44 pathologically confirmed superficial lymphoma lesions. Imaging analysis included the size, margin, location, morphology, homogeneity and multiplicity.

Three-dimensional versus two-dimensional shear-wave elastography: Associations of mean elasticity values with prognostic factors and tumor subtypes of breast cancer.

Purpose: To explore associations between prognostic factors and subtypes of invasive breast cancer (IBC) and elasticity values using three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) shear-wave elastography (SWE).

Materials And Methods: Mean elasticity values (kPa) of 121 IBCs were measured using both 3D and 2D SWE. Associations between these values and prognostic factors and subtypes were analyzed using linear regression model.

Muscular sarcoidosis involving the chest and abdominal walls: case report with MR imaging.

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disorder that is characterized by the presence of noncaseating granulomas in tissues, involving many organs and tissues. Extra-pulmonary, especially muscular sarcoidosis is a rare condition. The most common location of the muscular sarcoidosis is known to be the proximal muscles of the extremities; however, there have been no cases of diffuse involvement of the chest and abdominal wall muscles.