The added value of the visual analysis of DWI in post-surgery follow-up of soft tissue sarcoma of the extremities: do we really need ADC?

Introduction: MRI has a fundamental role in the follow-up of soft tissue sarcomas (STSs). However, the differentiation of recurrences/residual disease from post-surgical changes is a complex task, with a central role for the radiologist.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 64 post-surgery MRI for extremities STSs.

The role of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnostic work-out of myopathies: differential diagnosis between inflammatory myopathies and muscular dystrophies.

Objectives: The differential diagnosis between idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) and muscular dystrophies (MD) may be challenging. We analysed the potential role of muscular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the differential diagnosis between IIM and MD.

Methods: MRI of patients (91 IIM and 43 MD), studied with a standardised protocol, have been collected.

A case of intravascular large B cell lymphoma with brain involvement mimicking progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a very rare form of extranodal lymphoma, characterized by the proliferation of neoplastic B cells within the lumen of small vessels. Due to its high aggressivity, for years the prognosis had been really poor with only anectodical cases of remission after traditional chemotherapy. More recently, new therapeutic protocols allowed a significant increase in overall survival.

Humeral greater tuberosity osteolysis as a complication of intraosseous calcification migration: natural history depicted by imaging.

Migration of calcification within the bone leading to greater tuberosity osteolysis is a peculiar complication of the calcifying tendinitis of the rotator cuff. The case of a 38-year-old woman complaining of right shoulder pain, which had been going on for one year, is hereby described. The evolution of the infraspinatus tendon calcifying tendinitis leading to osteolysis of the greater tuberosity of the humerus is depicted by imaging and, particularly, by the MR and CT features changing over time.

Acral Dedifferentiated Chondrosarcoma: Report of a Case Arising in the Proximal Phalanx of the Fourth Finger.

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma is a well-recognized entity, but its occurrence in the distal extremities is exceedingly rare. We present the case of a 49-year-old woman who experienced local recurrence of an "enchondroma" of the proximal phalanx of the fourth finger of the left hand, which had been initially treated with intralesional curettage at another hospital 4 years before, and 1 year before for a local recurrence. The imaging findings indicated an aggressive behavior, and an incisional biopsy showed a highly cellular proliferation of spindle and pleomorphic elements without evidence of matrix production intermixed with few fragments of a well-differentiated cartilaginous neoplasm with bland cellular atypia, focal nuclear hyperchromatism, and binucleation.

Musculoskeletal MRI at 7 T: do we need more or is it more than enough?

Ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging (UHF-MRI) provides important diagnostic improvements in musculoskeletal imaging. The higher signal-to-noise ratio leads to higher spatial and temporal resolution which results in improved anatomic detail and higher diagnostic confidence. Several methods, such as T2, T2*, T1rho mapping, delayed gadolinium-enhanced, diffusion, chemical exchange saturation transfer, and magnetisation transfer techniques, permit a better tissue characterisation.

Bioactive Glass in a Rare Case of Osteomyelitis of the Heel in a Guillain-Barré Syndrome: A Case Report.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) represents an acute inflammatory immune-mediated demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy with an incidence of 0.6 per 100 000 people. In this article, we report the case of a 19-year-old girl affected by GBS since the age of 2 who presented at our clinic complaining for a chronic plantar hindfoot-infected ulceration.

Biphasic bioresorbable scaffold (TruFit) in knee osteochondral defects: 3-T MRI evaluation of osteointegration in patients with a 5-year minimum follow-up.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to follow morphological imaging characteristics and osteointegration of TruFit bone graft substitute (BGS) plugs in cases of chondral and osteochondral defects of the articular surface of the knee joint, using high-quality cartilage-sensitive 3-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), linked to clinical outcomes.

Methods: The MRI was used to assess osteointegration and biological evolution of the TruFit BGS plugs in cases with minimum 5-year follow-up: The TruFit plug was used in 46 patients for a total of 47 cases with mean age of 57.89 (range 32-80).

MRI anatomical preoperative evaluation of distally based peroneus brevis muscle flap in reconstructive surgery of the lower limb.

Background: The distally based peroneus brevis muscle flap has proved to be a simple solution for small- to moderate-sized wounds of the lower limb. The length of the muscle belly suitable for coverage is a crucial parameter. In this study, we evaluated the capability of 3D MRI of the lower limb to measure it preoperatively.

Osteoid osteoma mimicking monoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis in a girl.

Osteoid osteoma (OO) is a benign osteogenic neoplasm, usually affecting children and young adults, that is typically characterized by nocturnal pain and response to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. OO is frequently misdiagnosed because it mimics juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), bone infection or malignancy. Herein we report the case of a girl who presented with chronic monoarthritis of the knee mimicking JIA.

Thigh magnetic resonance imaging for the evaluation of disease activity in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies followed in a single center.

Introduction: In patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been proposed as a useful tool for diagnosis and follow-up. It may identify muscle inflammation (edema) and fatty infiltration for evaluation of disease activity and damage. Little information is available on the role of MRI in assessment of large cohorts of adult patients with IIM.

A Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a Diabetic Foot: Case Report.

A 72-year-old male was referred to our hospital for a plantar ulceration that had occurred many years earlier. The lesion, with exuberant granulation and large areas of necrosis and fibrin, had long been treated by plastic surgeons with no positive evolution. At admission in our hospital no ischemia was detected, and foot radiograph was negative for bone involvement.

Muscle exercise in limb girdle muscular dystrophies: pitfall and advantages.

Different genetic mutations underlying distinct pathogenic mechanisms have been identified as cause of muscle fibers degeneration and strength loss in limb girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMD). As a consequence, exercise tolerance is affected in patients with LGMD, either as a direct consequence of the loss of muscle fibers or secondary to the sedentary lifestyle due to the motor impairment. It has been debated for many years whether or not muscle exercise is beneficial or harmful for patients with myopathic disorders.

Could the sling position influence the clinical outcome in male patients treated for urinary incontinence? A magnetic resonance imaging study with a 3 tesla system.

Objective: To analyze the morphologic changes visible on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after sling procedure in continent patients and to compare MRI findings with the incontinent ones, to detect possible factors explaining the different clinical outcomes.

Methods: Twenty-seven male patients who were treated with Advance sling for urinary stress incontinence after prostate surgery were enrolled: 16 had clinical recovery, whereas 11 had persistent incontinence. Patients after sling were defined as continent if used 0-1 dry "security pad" or incontinent >1 pad.

Role of 18F-DOPA PET/CT in diagnosis and follow-up of adrenal and extra-adrenal paragangliomas.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to establish the clinical value of F-DOPA PET/CT in patients with adrenal and extra-adrenal paragangliomas (PGLs).

Methods: Twenty-six consecutive patients with suspected or recurrent PGL underwent MR (and/or CT) and F-DOPA PET/CT. Histopathology confirmation was obtained in 20 cases.

Progressive Brachial Plexus Palsy after Osteosynthesis of an Inveterate Clavicular Fracture.

Introduction: The thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a rare complication of clavicular fracture, occurring in 0.5-9% of cases. In the literature from 1965 - 2010, 425 cases of TOS complicating a claviclular fracture were described.

Automatic 2D registration of renal perfusion image sequences by mutual information and adaptive prediction.

Unlabelled: The objective of this study was to develop an automatic image registration technique capable of compensating for kidney motion in renal perfusion MRI, to assess the effect of renal artery stenosis on the kidney parenchyma.

Materials And Methods: Images from 20 patients scheduled for a renal perfusion study were acquired using a 1.5 T scanner.

Sporadic or familial head neck paragangliomas enrolled in a single center: clinical presentation and genotype/phenotype correlations.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical features and prevalence of germline mutations of patients with head/neck paragangliomas.

Methods: Genetic analysis on known susceptibility genes for paragangliomas (VHL, RET, SDHB, SDHC, SDHD, and SDHAF2) was performed in 17 consecutive patients with head/neck paraganglioma (age range, 14-82 years) and 17 relatives.

Results: Head/neck paragangliomas were usually symptomatic with "mass effect" (88.

Rippling muscle disease and facioscapulohumeral dystrophy-like phenotype in a patient carrying a heterozygous CAV3 T78M mutation and a D4Z4 partial deletion: Further evidence for "double trouble" overlapping syndromes.

We report the first case of a heterozygous T78M mutation in the caveolin-3 gene (CAV3) associated with rippling muscle disease and proximal myopathy. The patient displayed also bilateral winged scapula with limited abduction of upper arms and marked asymmetric atrophy of leg muscles shown by magnetic resonance imaging. Immunohistochemistry on the patient's muscle biopsy demonstrated a reduction of caveolin-3 staining, compatible with the diagnosis of caveolinopathy.

Time-resolved contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CEMRA) of the left atrium-pulmonary veins complex with half dose of intravenous gadolinium-based contrast agent. Technical feasibility and comparison with a conventional CEMRA, full contrast dose protocol.

Purpose: To evaluate feasibility and image quality of time-resolved contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CEMRA) of the left atrium-pulmonary veins (LA-PV) complex with half dose of intravenous gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) in patients candidate to percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Methods And Materials: Fifty-seven patients underwent CEMRA of the LA-PV complex on a 1.5T MRI scanner.

Role of dynamic MRI in the follow-up of acute Charcot foot in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in assessing the level of activity of acute Charcot foot, monitoring treatment response and predicting healing time.

Materials And Methods: Forty diabetic patients with acute Charcot foot were prospectively enrolled. Patients underwent limb immobilization and were followed every 3 months by clinical examination (skin temperature and circumferences) and MRI.