Acta radiologica
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Mass-forming chronic pancreatitis may mimic a pancreatic cancer on dynamic computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and preoperative differential diagnosis is often difficult. Recently, the usefulness of diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer has been reported in several studies. ⋯ On high-b-value DWI, most pancreatic cancers showed very high signal intensity, and may hence be distinguished from benign mass-forming chronic pancreatitis based on our preliminary results.
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Although pulsed arterial spin labeling (PASL) enables the reliable qualitative grading of brain tumors, its use in quantification for glioma grading may be hampered by the limited interobserver variability associated with low spatial resolution. ⋯ Quantitative perfusion measurement with PASL can improve the diagnostic accuracy of preoperative glioma grading, as compared to the application of conventional imaging alone. However, the interobserver variability for quantification is substantial.
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The presence and extent of osteolytic bone lesions in untreated patients with multiple myeloma are important factors in the staging of the disease, and the extent of bone lesions in multiple myeloma cases significantly influences decisions regarding therapy. Recently, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been used to detect bone marrow involvement in patients with multiple myeloma. ⋯ MRI is superior to FDG-PET in detecting bone marrow involvement in the spine of patients with advanced multiple myeloma.
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Differentiation between the viable and necrotic parts of a tumor is essential for accurate biopsy results and for treatment planning. ⋯ Creation of an ADC map is an excellent method for differentiation between the viable and necrotic parts of head and neck tumors. Thus, the ADC map can be used to select the best biopsy site and to detect tumor viability in post-treatment follow-up of patients after radiation therapy.
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Unipedicular vertebroplasty can be successful in selected patients to decrease procedure time, sedation amounts, and cost. ⋯ The unipedicular vertebrogram was helpful in predicting adequate cement deposition, using a single pedicle, in 51 of 75 cases (68%). The vertebrogram was also accurate in predicting the need for a double-pedicle technique in an additional 21 cases (28%). Therefore, the vertebrogram was very helpful in predicting the route of cement deposition in 72 of 75 (96%) cases, and should be considered as an adjunct to percutaneous vertebroplasty.