AJR. American journal of roentgenology
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · May 2006
Comparative StudyImaging of lymphatic vessels in breast cancer-related lymphedema: intradermal versus subcutaneous injection of 99mTc-immunoglobulin.
The disordered physiology that results from axillary lymph node clearance surgery for breast cancer and that leads to breast cancer-related lymphedema is poorly understood. Rerouting of lymph around the axilla or through new pathways in the axilla may protect women from breast cancer-related lymphedema. The aim of the study was to compare intradermal with subcutaneous injection of technetium-99m ((99m)Tc)-labeled human polyclonal IgG (HIG) with respect to lymphatic vessel imaging. ⋯ In patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema, lymphatic vessels are more clearly depicted after intradermal than subcutaneous injection as a result of direct access of radiotracer to dermal lymphatics. This finding has implications for imaging lymphatic vessel regeneration and lymph rerouting.
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The objective of our study was to investigate outcome predictors of short- and medium-term therapeutic efficacy of facet joint blocks. ⋯ Facet joint blocks appear to have a beneficial medium-term effect in one third of patients with chronic lower back pain and may therefore be a reasonable adjunct to nonoperative treatment. However, outcome appears to depend on clinical, not on morphologic, imaging findings.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · May 2006
Comparative StudyAcute pulmonary embolism on MDCT of the chest: prediction of cor pulmonale and short-term patient survival from morphologic embolus burden.
To predict cor pulmonale and short-term outcome in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE), we retrospectively investigated three morphology-based MDCT systems for scoring pulmonary artery obstruction. ⋯ Mastora score was a significant predictor of cor pulmonale and short-term outcome and may therefore allow therapy and risk stratification in patients with acute PE.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · May 2006
Case ReportsSaline-infused bipolar radiofrequency ablation of high-risk spinal and paraspinal neoplasms.
We present three cases of symptomatic high-risk metastases involving the vertebral body treated using infused bipolar radiofrequency ablation either alone or in combination with vertebroplasty. ⋯ In our experience, the bipolar technique can reduce the risk of spinal cord damage in radiofrequency ablation of lesions within 1 cm of neural structures and involving paravertebral soft tissue.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · May 2006
Truncation artifact on PET/CT: impact on measurements of activity concentration and assessment of a correction algorithm.
Discrepancy between fields of view (FOVs) in a PET/CT scanner causes a truncation artifact when imaging extends beyond the CT FOV. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the impact of this artifact on measurements of 18F-FDG activity concentrations and to assess a truncation correction algorithm. ⋯ Truncation affects measurements of 18F-FDG activity concentrations in PET/CT. A truncation-correction algorithm corrects truncation artifacts with small residual error.