AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Jun 2003
The mind's eye: functional MR imaging evaluation of golf motor imagery.
Mental imagery involves rehearsing or practicing a task in the mind with no physical movement. The technique is commonly used, but the actual physical foundation of imagery has not been evaluated for the fast, complex, automatic motor movement of the golf swing. This study evaluated motor imagery of the golf swing, of golfers of various handicaps, by using functional MR imaging to assess whether areas of brain activation could be defined by this technique and to define any association between activated brain areas and golf skill. ⋯ This study showed the feasibility of defining areas of brain activation during imagery of a complex, coordinated motor task. Decreased brain activation occurred with increased golf skill level for the supplementary motor area and cerebellum with little activation of basal ganglia.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · May 2003
Multicenter Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialMinimally invasive oxygen-ozone therapy for lumbar disk herniation.
Oxygen-ozone therapy is a minimally invasive treatment for lumbar disk herniation that exploits the biochemical properties of a gas mixture of oxygen and ozone. We assessed the therapeutic outcome of oxygen-ozone therapy and compared the outcome of administering medical ozone alone with the outcome of medical ozone followed by injection of a corticosteroid and an anesthetic at the same session. ⋯ Combined intradiscal and periganglionic injection of medical ozone and periganglionic injection of steroids has a cumulative effect that enhances the overall outcome of treatment for pain caused by disk herniation. Oxygen-ozone therapy is a useful treatment for lumbar disk herniation that has failed to respond to conservative management.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · May 2003
Comparative StudyProspective evaluation of carotid artery stenosis: elliptic centric contrast-enhanced MR angiography and spiral CT angiography compared with digital subtraction angiography.
Although digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is the reference standard for assessing carotid arteries, it is uncomfortable for patients and has a small risk of disabling stroke and death. These problems have fueled the use of spiral CT angiography and MR angiography. We prospectively compared elliptic centric contrast-enhanced MR angiography and spiral CT angiography with conventional DSA for detecting carotid artery stenosis. ⋯ Elliptic centric contrast-enhanced MR angiography is more accurate than spiral CT angiography to adequately evaluate carotid stenosis. Furthermore, elliptic centric contrast-enhanced MR angiography appears to be adequate to replace conventional DSA in most patients examined.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · May 2003
Comparative StudyMeasurement of cerebral blood flow in chronic carotid occlusive disease: comparison of dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion MR imaging with positron emission tomography.
Our purpose was to evaluate the accuracy of cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurements obtained by using dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced MR imaging, including the influence of arterial input function (AIF) selection, compared with those obtained by using [(15)O]-H(2)O positron emission tomography (PET) for patients with chronic carotid occlusion. ⋯ Although linearly correlated with CBF values measured by PET, dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced MR imaging was not accurate for measuring absolute CBF values. AIF selection relative to the side of carotid occlusion did not significantly affect calculated MR imaging CBF values for six of the seven patients.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · May 2003
Case ReportsDemonstration of an actively bleeding aneurysm by CT angiography.
We describe a case of an actively bleeding aneurysm demonstrated by CT angiography (CTA). The active hemorrhage was characterized by a nebulous attenuation in the subarachnoid space adjacent to the aneurysm. The measurements (HU) of the hemorrhage were equal to or slightly less than those of the contrast material in the arteries and diminished as one moved further from the aneurysm. As CTA is used more frequently in the diagnosis of cerebral aneurysms, it is important to understand imaging features of this potentially lethal condition.