AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Jan 2013
Lateral decubitus positioning for cervical nerve root block using CT image guidance minimizes effective radiation dose and procedural time.
Cervical steroid injections are a minimally invasive means of providing pain relief to patients with cervical radiculopathy. CT guidance offers many potential advantages. We developed a technique with the patient in the lateral position with a lateral needle trajectory to minimize the required needle depth from skin to target and a near-vertical needle trajectory. The aim of this study was to analyze the cohort for complications, procedural time, and effective radiation dose. ⋯ The lateral patient position with CT guidance is safe and allows use of a short needle in a vertical trajectory. This reduces the number of needle adjustments and imaging series to provide a short procedural time with a low effective radiation dose from the procedure.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Jan 2013
Intracranial artery stenosis or occlusion predicts ischemic recurrence after transient ischemic attack.
Patterns of DWI findings that predict recurrent ischemic events after TIA are well-established, but similar assessments of intracranial MRA findings are not available. We sought to determine the imaging characteristics of MRA that are predictive of early recurrent stroke/TIA in patients with TIA. ⋯ Proximal lesions of cerebral arteries seen on MRA were predictive of recurrent stroke/TIA at 7 days. These findings suggest that MRA could be used to improve the selection of patients with TIA at high risk of early recurrent stroke/TIA.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Dec 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialFollow-up of coiled intracranial aneurysms: comparison of 3D time-of-flight MR angiography at 3T and 1.5T in a large prospective series.
Our aim was to compare 3D TOF-MRA sequences at 3T and 1.5T in the follow-up of coiled aneurysms. The follow-up of coiled intracranial aneurysms is mandatory to depict potential recanalization. 3D-TOF MRA is an appropriate tool for this purpose. ⋯ In this large prospective series of patients, 3D TOF-MRA was superior at 3T to 1.5T for the evaluation of coiled intracranial aneurysms.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Dec 2012
Comparative StudyCharacterizing hypervascular and hypovascular metastases and normal bone marrow of the spine using dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging.
The role of DCE-MR imaging in the study of bone marrow perfusion is only partially developed, though potential applications for routine use in the clinical setting are beginning to be described. We hypothesize that DCE-MR imaging can be used to discriminate between hypervascular and hypovascular metastases based on measured perfusion variables. ⋯ Our data demonstrate that, unlike conventional MR imaging sequences, DCE-MR imaging may be a more accurate technique in discriminating hypervascular from hypovascular spinal metastases.
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AJNR Am J Neuroradiol · Dec 2012
Comparative StudyClinical standardized fMRI reveals altered language lateralization in patients with brain tumor.
Brain tumors affecting language-relevant areas may influence language lateralization. The purpose of this study was to systematically investigate language lateralization in brain tumor patients using clinical language fMRI, comparing the results with a group of healthy volunteers. ⋯ Clinical language fMRI was feasible for patients with brain tumors and provided relevant presurgical information by localizing essential language areas and determining language dominance. A significant effect of the brain masses on language lateralization was observed, with a shift toward the contralesional, nondominant hemisphere. This may reflect compensatory mechanisms of the brain to maintain communicative abilities.