European journal of radiology
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Airspace enlargement with fibrosis (AEF) has been identified pathologically as a smoking related change. We sought to identify the HRCT findings of AEF and search for distinguishing features from honeycombing. ⋯ We confirmed that HRCT features of AEF were MTWCs and/or reticular opacities. MTWCs might be distinguished from those of honeycomb change. While we prefer the term MTWCs, these sorts of changes have probably been confused with/interpreted as honeycombing and/or empysema in the past.
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The spinal pain, and expecially the low back pain (LBP), represents the second cause for a medical consultation in primary care setting and a leading cause of disability worldwide [1]. LBP is more often idiopathic. It has as most frequent cause the internal disc disruption (IDD) and is referred to as discogenic pain. ⋯ The clinical assessment of pain source can be a challenge because of the complex anatomy and function of the spine; the advanced imaging methods are often not sufficient for a definitive diagnosis because similar findings could be present in either asymptomatic and symptomatic subjects: a clinical correlation is always mandatory and the therapy cannot rely uniquely upon any imaging abnormalities. Purpose of this review is to address the current concepts on the pathophysiology of discogenic, radicular, facet and dysfunctional pain, focusing on the role of the imaging in the diagnostic setting, to potentially address a correct approach also to minimally invasive interventional techniques. Special attention will be done to the discogenic pain, actually considered as the most frequent cause of chronic low back pain.
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Therapeutic armamentarium for symptomatic intervertebral disc herniation includes conservative therapy, epidural infiltrations (interlaminar or trans-foraminal), percutaneous therapeutic techniques and surgical options. Percutaneous, therapeutic techniques are imaging-guided, minimally invasive treatments for intervertebral disc herniation which can be performed as outpatient procedures. They can be classified in 4 main categories: mechanical, thermal, chemical decompression and biomaterials implantation. ⋯ Decompression techniques are feasible and reproducible, efficient (75-94% success rate) and safe (>0.5% mean complications rate) therapies for the treatment of symptomatic intervertebral disc herniation. Percutaneous, imaging guided, intervertebral disc therapeutic techniques can be proposed either as an initial treatment or as an attractive alternative prior to surgery for the therapy of symptomatic herniation in both cervical and lumbar spine. This article will describe the mechanism of action for different therapeutic techniques applied to intervertebral discs of cervical and lumbar spine, summarize the data concerning safety and effectiveness of these treatments, and provide a rational approach for the therapy of symptomatic intervertebral disc herniation in cervical and lumbar spine.
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Imaging of the brachial plexus has come a long way and has progressed from plain radiography to CT and CT myelography to MRI. Evolution of MR imaging sequences has enabled good visualization of the small components of the plexus. The purpose of our study was to correlate the results of MR neurography (MRN) in patients with traumatic brachial plexopathy with their operative findings. We wanted to determine the usefulness of MRN and how it influenced surgical planning and outcome. ⋯ MR neurography is an extremely useful modality to image the traumatized brachial plexus. It influences both surgical planning and outcome/prognosis.
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To review the state-of-the-art of image-guided techniques used to treat painful syndromes of the lower back, their indications, how they should be performed, their related risks and the expected results. ⋯ Image-guided injections of the epidural space and of the sacroiliac joints are effective techniques for the treatment of pain; their effectiveness is sometimes not lasting for long periods of time but considering the low associated risk when performed by trained personnel, they can be easily repeated.