European journal of radiology
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Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM) is a rare, chronic lung disease with unknown etiology and with a nonuniform clinical course. Nonuniformity of clinical course might be related to the degree of pulmonary parenchymal alterations, which can be revealed with high resolution computed tomography (HRCT). However, HRCT findings of PAM were not fully described in the current literature. ⋯ We conclude that patients with PAM may have all findings of interstitial lung disease in varying degrees as well as MNs on their HRCTs. More importantly, this study suggests a proportional relationship between profusion of MNs and parenchymal alterations in patients with PAM. This study also suggests that the degree of parenchymal alterations closely related with the degree of pulmonary function loss in patients with PAM.
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Prospective MR analysis of the cervical spine of 30 asymptomatic volunteers. ⋯ Annular tears and focal disk protrusions are frequently found on MR imaging of the cervical spine, with or without contrast enhancement, in asymptomatic population. The extruded disk herniation and medullary compression are unusual findings in a symptom-free population.
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Comparative Study
Degeneration and height of cervical discs classified from MRI compared with precise height measurements from radiographs.
Descriptive study comparing MRI classifications with measurements from radiographs. ⋯ 1. Progressing disc degeneration classified from MRI is on average significantly associated with a decrease of disc height as measured from radiographs. Within each MRI defined category of degeneration measured disc heights, however, scatter in a wide range. 2. The inter-observer agreement between two neuro-radiologists in both defining degeneration and disc height by MRI was only moderate. Studies addressing questions related to cervical disc degeneration should take this into consideration.
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To assess early high-resolution computer tomographic (CT) signs of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in non-HIV immunosuppressed patients and their potential association with patient's outcome, including frequency and severity of pulmonary hemorrhage, taking also in consideration the impact of other known risk factors contributory to IPA. ⋯ Initial CT findings of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis consist mainly of small nodules or patchy consolidations, showing in 82% of cases an early halo sign. Serious pulmonary hemorrhage was an infrequent clinical complication in our series, with an attributable mortality of 4.3%. IPA-related lethality was 26%, in our cohort. None of the early HRCT signs seemed to predict outcome.