Academic radiology
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The effects of locally delivered angiogenic factors or stem cells on the coronary artery perfusion territory are not well defined. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the ability of the selective injection of magnetic resonance contrast media (MR-CM) to map and quantify the territories of the major coronary arteries. ⋯ Interventional cardiac x-ray and magnetic resonance fluoroscopy can be used to map and quantify the perfusion territory of each coronary artery. This experimental method can be used before and after the local delivery of angiogenic factors and stem cell therapy to determine their efficacy.
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We assessed subjects with stage II and stage III chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and age-matched healthy volunteers at a single center using (3)He magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3.0 T. Measurements of the (3)He apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and center coronal slice (3)He ventilation defect volume (VDV) were examined for same-day and 7-day reproducibility as well as subgroup comparisons. ⋯ Hyperpolarized (3)He MRI was well-tolerated in subjects with stage II and stage III COPD. Seven-day repeated scanning was highly reproducible for ADC and moderately reproducible for VDV.
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To evaluate the correlation between apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of the pancreas on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and pancreatic exocrine function determined by HCO(3) concentration in the secretin endoscopic pancreatic function test (ePFT). ⋯ Strong correlation between ADC value and pancreatic exocrine function as well as Cambridge score for chronic pancreatitis exists. Further studies are needed to determine the cut off ADC value for chronic pancreatitis.
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We sought to evaluate the automatic detection of the papillary muscle and to determine its influence on quantitative left ventricular (LV) mass assessment. ⋯ The automatic algorithm for detecting the papillary muscle was accurate with variabilities comparable to intra- and interobserver variabilities. LV mass is determined most accurately when the papillary muscles are included in the LV mass measurements. Taken together, these observations warrant the inclusion of automatic contour detection of papillary muscle mass in studies that involve the determination of LV mass.
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Only a few studies have systematically evaluated risk factors for pneumothorax and pulmonary hemorrhage in computed tomographically (CT)-guided transthoracic lung biopsy (TLB). We evaluated the diagnostic yield of CT-guided TLB and determined risk factors for pneumothorax and hemorrhage. ⋯ The high diagnostic yield of CT-guided TLB was not affected by lesion characteristics or emphysema. Pneumothorax rate was influenced by lesion size and depth. Hemorrhage was associated with CT signs of emphysema.