European radiology
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The purpose was to investigate the in vivo effects of unloading and compression on T1-Gd relaxation times in healthy articular knee cartilage. ⋯ T1-Gd times appear to be sensitive to mechanical cartilage stress, and thus, further studies are warranted that investigate the relationship between the biochemical load response and the biomechanical properties of articular cartilage.
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Multicenter Study
Bronchial diverticula in smokers on thin-section CT.
The objective was to determine the prevalence of bronchial diverticula in smokers on thin-section CT and the relationship to clinical and other morphological features on CT. Thin-section CT images of 503 cigarette smokers were assessed for the profusion and location of diverticula in the major airways. The extent of the bronchial diverticula was recorded as follows: grade 0, none; grade 1, one to three diverticula; grade 2, more than three diverticula. ⋯ Subjects with grade 2 bronchial diverticula were heavier smokers, reported a history of coughing more frequently, and showed more severe functional impairment, greater extent of emphysema and more severe bronchial wall thickening compared with subjects with grade 1 and those individuals without bronchial diverticula (P < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that only bronchial wall thickness predicted the extent of the bronchial diverticula (P < 0.0001). Bronchial diverticula are a frequent finding in the major airways of smokers, and they are associated with other markers of smoking-related damage.
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Review Case Reports
Paraplegia complicating selective steroid injections of the lumbar spine. Report of five cases and review of the literature.
Selective steroid injections of the lumbar spine carry a risk of paraplegia of sudden onset. Seven cases have been reported in the English literature since 2002. ⋯ The high rate of French cases when compared to the literature might arise from the almost exclusive use of prednisolone acetate, a molecule with a high tendency to coalesce in macro-aggregates, putting the spinal cord at risk of arterial supply embolization.