European journal of radiology
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To validate a threshold-based prototype software application (MeVis PULMO 3D) for quantification of chronic interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using variable threshold settings for segmentation of diseased lung areas. ⋯ The MeVis PULMO 3D system used holds promise to become a valuable instrument for quantification of chronic ILD in patients with RA when using the threshold value of -800HU, with evidence of the closest correlations, both with human observers and physiologic impairment.
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Digital tomosynthesis is a radiographic technique that can produce an arbitrary number of section images of a patient from a single pass of the X-ray tube. It utilizes a conventional X-ray tube, a flat-panel detector, a computer-controlled tube mover, and special reconstruction algorithms to produce section images. While it does not have the depth resolution of computed tomography (CT), tomosynthesis provides some of the tomographic benefits of CT but at lower cost and radiation dose than CT. ⋯ By reducing visual clutter from overlying normal anatomy, it also enhances detection of small lung nodules. This review article outlines the components of a tomosynthesis system, discusses results regarding improved lung nodule detection from the recent literature, and presents examples of nodule detection from a clinical trial in human subjects. Possible implementation strategies for use in clinical chest imaging are discussed.
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Comparative Study
Quantitative and qualitative comparison of 3.0T and 1.5T MR imaging of the liver in patients with diffuse parenchymal liver disease.
The purpose of our study was to compare signal characteristics and image qualities of MR imaging at 3.0T and 1.5T in patients with diffuse parenchymal liver disease. ⋯ MR imaging of post-gadolinium VIBE sequence at 3.0T has quantitative and qualitative advantages of evaluating for diffuse parenchymal liver disease.
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Radiologist are commonly required to compare a sequence of two or more chest radiographs of a given patient obtained over a period of time, which may range from a few hours to many years. In such cases, the task is one of detecting interval change. In the case of patients who have had a previous chest radiograph, an opportunity exists to enhance selectively areas of interval change, including regions with new or altered pathology, by using the previous radiographs as a subtraction mask. ⋯ A "difference image" is then created, by subtracting the previous from the current radiograph. In this temporal subtraction image, areas that are unchanged appear as uniform gray, while regions of new opacity, such as due to pneumonia or cancer, appear as prominent dark foci on a lighter background. By cancelling out the complex anatomical background, temporal subtraction can provide dramatically enhanced visibility of new areas of disease.