ISRN Radiology

Magnetoencephalography is a noninvasive, fast, and patient friendly technique for recording brain activity. It is increasingly available and is regarded as one of the most modern imaging tools available to radiologists. The dominant clinical use of this technology currently centers on two, partly overlapping areas, namely, localizing the regions from which epileptic seizures originate, and identifying regions of normal brain function in patients preparing to undergo brain surgery. As a consequence, many radiologists may not yet be familiar with this technique...

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is one of the most widely discussed and debated topics in cardiovascular medicine. With increasing number of contrast-media- (CM-) enhanced imaging studies being performed and growing octogenarian population with significant comorbidities, incidence of CI-AKI remains high. In this review, pathophysiology of CI-AKI, its relationship with different types of CM, role of serum and urinary biomarkers for diagnosing CI-AKI, and various prophylactic strategies used for nephroprotection against CI-AKI are discussed in detail...

Non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphomas frequently involve many structures in the abdomen and pelvis. Extranodal disease is more common with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma than with Hodgkin's lymphoma. Though it may be part of a systemic lymphoma, single onset of nodal lymphoma is not rare. Extranodal lymphoma has been described in virtually every organ and tissue. In decreasing order of frequency, the spleen, liver, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, abdominal wall, genitourinary tract, adrenal, peritoneal cavity, and biliary tract are involved...

Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the detection rate of adrenal incidentalomas and subsequent workup. Design. Retrospective cohort study. Methods. Two investigators evaluated the adrenals on abdominal CT scans. Abnormalities were compared to the original radiology reports and an experienced abdominal radiologist reviewed the CT scans. All additional imaging and laboratory tests were assessed. Results. The investigators detected 44/356 adrenal incidentalomas (12%). In 25 patients an adrenal incidentaloma had been noted in the radiology report...

The aim of our study was to compare the results of the TTE (transthoracic echocardiography) with the results obtained by the ECG-gated 64 slices CT during the followup of patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), after aortic valve replacement; in particular we evaluated the aortic root and the ascending aorta looking for a new algorithm in the followup of these patients. From January 1999 to December 2009 our attention was focused on 67 patients with isolated surgical substitution of aortic valve; after dismissal they were strictly observed...

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of detecting pulmonary emboli utilizing noncontrast magnetic resonance imaging techniques in patients with known pulmonary embolism. Materials and Methods. Eleven patients were enrolled in a study to evaluate right ventricular function by cardiac MRI in patients diagnosed with acute pulmonary embolism on CT pulmonary angiogram. Cardiac MRI was performed as soon as possible following pulmonary embolism detection. Two independent observers reviewed the precontrast portion of each MRI, scoring right, left, and lobar arteries as positive or negative for PE...

Diagnostic and therapeutic image-guided percutaneous interventions have become increasingly important in the clinical management of various conditions. Though precise needle placement via a safe route is essential for successful percutaneous interventions, it is often difficult in cases of deeply situated, small lesions. The present paper describes the efficacy of the directable needle guide (DNG), which allows manipulation of the direction of a fine needle within organs. The DNG was used in patients for needle biopsy of hepatic (n = 26) and splenic (n = 1) lesions and for percutaneous ethanol injection therapy for liver tumors (n = 33) under sonographic or computed tomography guidance...

Renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for managing patients with end-stage kidney disease. Being submitted to a very serious surgical procedure, renal transplant recipients can only benefit from follow-up imaging and monitoring strategies. Ultrasound is considered as the principal imaging test in the evaluation of renal transplants. It is an easily applied bedside examination that can detect possible complications and guide further imaging or intervention. In this imaging review, we present essential information regarding the sonographic features of healthy renal transplants, detailing the surgical technique and how it affects the sonoanatomy...

Objectives. To compare the effectiveness of the bismuth breast shield and partial CT scan in reducing entrance skin dose and to evaluate the effect of the breast shield on image quality (IQ). Methods. Nanodots were placed on an adult anthropomorphic phantom. Standard chest CT, CT with shield, and partial CT were performed. Nanodot readings and effective doses were recorded. 50 patients with chest CTs obtained both with and without breast shields were reviewed. IQ was evaluated by two radiologists and by measuring Hounsfield units (HUs) and standard deviation (SD) of HU in anterior subcutaneous region...

Introduction. Gonial angle and antegonial region are important landmarks in mandible which is influenced by gender, age, and dental status. The objective of this study was to evaluate the gonial angle, antegonial angle, and antegonial depth and to investigate their relationship to gender, age group, and dental status. Materials and Methods. A total of 1060 panoramic radiographs were evaluated: the dentulous group, 854 subjects and the edentulous group, 206 subjects. The patients were grouped into six age groups of 10-years each...

Purpose. This study was designed to determine the efficacy and mechanisms of radioprotection by the combination of gamma-tocotrienol (GT3) and pentoxifylline (PTX) against acute radiation injury. Materials and Methods. Post-irradiation survival was monitored to determine the most efficacious dose and time of administration of PTX. Dose reduction factor (DRF) was calculated to compare the radioprotective efficacy of the combination. To determine the mechanism of synergistic radioprotection by the combination, mevalonate or calmodulin were coadministered with the GT3-PTX combination...

Background. Hemosuccus pancreaticus (HP) is a very rare and obscure cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Due to its rarity, the diagnostic and therapeutic strategy for the management of this potentially life threatening problem remains undefined. The objective of our study is to highlight the challenges in the diagnosis and management of HP and to formulate a protocol to effectively and safely manage this condition. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the records of all patients who presented with HP over the last 15 years at our institution between January 1997 and December 2011...

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common pathology in western societies. Unenhanced computed tomography (CT) of the liver is a valuable tool in determining the presence of steatosis hepatis, but in most departments standard CT protocols of abdomen often do not include unenhanced scans anymore. In a small series of 22 patients the liver density was measured in the acquired low-dose baseline scan for bolus tracking and was compared to the measurement in a regular unenhanced CT scan of the upper abdomen...

Purpose. Our purpose was to combine the results of the MDCT (multidetector computed tomography) morphological data and the SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography) data using hybrid imaging to overcome the limits of the MDCT in the evaluation of coronary stenosis in diabetic patients with large amount of calcium in the coronary arteries. Method and Materials. 120 diabetic patients underwent MDCT examination and SPECT examination. We evaluated 324 coronary arteries. After the examinations, we merged CT and SPECT images...

Background. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) strain analysis is a sensitive method to assess myocardial function. Our objective was to define the feasibility of MRI circumferential strain (ε cc) analysis in assessing subtle changes in myocardial function following stem cell therapy. Methods and Results. Patients in the Amorcyte Phase I trial were randomly assigned to treatment with either autologous bone-marrow-derived stem cells infused into the infarct-related artery 5 to 11 days following primary PCI or control...

In diagnostic radiology examinations there is a benefit that the patient derives from the resulting diagnosis. Given that so many examinations are performed each year, it is inevitable that there will be occasions when an examination(s) may be inadvertently performed on pregnant patients or occasionally it may become clinically necessary to perform an examination(s) on a pregnant patient. In all these circumstances it is necessary to request an estimation of the foetal dose and risk. We initiated a study to investigate fetal doses from different countries...

Gall bladder carcinoma is the most common biliary tract cancer. Delayed presentation and early spread of tumor make it one of the lethal tumors with poor prognosis. Considering that simple cholecystectomy for T1 disease could offer a potential cure, it is increasingly needed to identify it at early stages. Identification of high-risk cases and offering prophylactic cholecystectomy can decrease the incidence of gallbladder carcinoma. With advances in diagnostic tools like contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasound, elastography, multidetctor CT, MRI, and PET scan, we can potentially diagnose gallbladder carcinoma at early stages...

This investigation is part of an ongoing large scale study using volumetric breast ultrasound (VBUS) as a screening modality in mammographically dense breasts, offering a substantial benefit to MR imaging of the breast in terms of cost and efficiency. The addition of VBUS to mammography in women with greater than 50% breast density resulted in the detection of 12.3 per 1,000 breast cancers, compared to 4.6 per 1,000 by mammography alone with an overall attributable risk of breast cancer of 19.92 (95% confidence level, 16...

Aims. To examine the relationship between different types of dementia and hippocampal volume. Methods. Hippocampal volume was measured using FL3D sequence magnetic resonance imaging in 26 Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, mixed dementia, and normal pressure hydrocephalus patients and 15 healthy controls and also hippocampal ratio, analyzed. Minimental scale was used to stratify patients on cognitive function impairments. Results. Hippocampal volume and ratio was reduced by 25% in Alzheimer's disease, 21% in mixed dementia, 11% in vascular dementia and 5% in normal pressure hydrocephalus in comparison to control...