AJR. American journal of roentgenology
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Apr 2003
Comparative StudyUsing a phantom to compare MR techniques for determining the ratio of intraabdominal to subcutaneous adipose tissue.
Patients who have a greater distribution of intraabdominal adipose tissue as compared with subcutaneous adipose tissue and an increased ratio of intraabdominal adipose tissue to subcutaneous adipose tissue are at greater risk for developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. In previous MR investigations, researchers have used conventional T1-weighted spin-echo images to determine the ratio of intraabdominal adipose tissue to subcutaneous adipose tissue. However, no investigation, to our knowledge, has been performed to determine the accuracy of using different MR sequences to estimate adipose distribution. The purpose of our investigation was to compare MR imaging and segmentation techniques in calculating the ratio of intraabdominal to subcutaneous adipose tissue using an adiposity phantom. ⋯ Conventional T1-weighted spin-echo MR imaging, the current sequence used in practice for measuring visceral adiposity, may not be the optimal MR sequence for this purpose. We found that the T1-weighted fast Dixon sequence was the most accurate at estimating all fat volumes. The T1-weighted 3D spoiled gradient-echo sequence generated similar ratios of intraabdominal to subcutaneous adipose tissue in a fraction of the acquisition time.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Apr 2003
Comparative Study Clinical TrialComparison of oral pentobarbital sodium (nembutal) and oral chloral hydrate for sedation of infants during radiologic imaging: preliminary results.
The purpose of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of oral cherry-flavored pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal) and oral chloral hydrate to sedate infants undergoing radiologic imaging. ⋯ Oral pentobarbital sodium is as safe and efficacious as oral chloral hydrate for sedating infants.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Apr 2003
Comparative StudyFetal central nervous system biometry on MR imaging.
We sought to compare the biometry of the fetal head on MR imaging with sonographic measurements in fetuses with and without suspected central nervous system abnormalities. ⋯ MR imaging measurements of biparietal diameter, head circumference, and cerebellar width are strongly correlated to gestational age in fetuses without central nervous system abnormalities. Significant correlation is found between MR imaging and sonographic measurements of biparietal diameter and head circumference in fetuses with central nervous system abnormalities. Larger biparietal diameter measurements were seen with MR imaging than with sonography in the abnormal group. Fetal central nervous system biometry can be performed as part of the MR imaging evaluation of the fetal central nervous system.
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The purpose of our study was to assess the relative accuracy of imaging findings related to peripheral recurrent nerve paralysis on axial CT studies of the neck. Also assessed were imaging findings of a central vagal neuropathy. ⋯ Three reliable imaging findings associated with vocal cord paralysis were identified on routine axial CT studies: ipsilateral pyriform sinus dilatation, medial positioning and thickening of the ipsilateral aryepiglottic fold, and ipsilateral laryngeal ventricle dilatation. Coronal reformatted images of the larynx may be helpful, but they are not necessary in 95% of patients. Ipsilateral pharyngeal constrictor muscle atrophy is a helpful imaging finding to localize a more central vagal neuropathy. Our findings can aid radiologists in identifying peripheral and central vagal neuropathy in patients who present for CT of the neck who have a normal voice and are without a history suggestive of a vagal problem.