The British journal of radiology
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Comparative Study
Sonoanatomy relevant for ultrasound-guided central neuraxial blocks via the paramedian approach in the lumbar region.
The use of ultrasound to guide peripheral nerve blocks is now a well-established technique in regional anaesthesia. However, despite reports of ultrasound guided epidural access via the paramedian approach, there are limited data on the use of ultrasound for central neuraxial blocks, which may be due to a poor understanding of spinal sonoanatomy. The aim of this study was to define the sonoanatomy of the lumbar spine relevant for central neuraxial blocks via the paramedian approach. ⋯ Using a simple water-based spine phantom, volunteer scans and anatomical slices from the Visible Human Project (cadaver) we have described the sonoanatomy relevant for ultrasound-guided central neuraxial blocks via the paramedian approach in the lumbar region.
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Erlenmeyer flask deformity is a common radiological finding in patients with Gaucher's disease; however, no definition of this deformity exists and the reported prevalence of the deformity varies widely. To devise an easily applied definition of this deformity, we investigated a cohort of knee radiographs in which there was consensus between three experienced radiologists as to the presence or absence of Erlenmeyer flask morphology. ⋯ Unlike diagnostic assignments based on subjective review, our simple procedure for identifying the modelling deformity is based on robust quantitative measurement: it should facilitate comparative studies between different groups of patients, and may allow more rigorous exploration of the pathogenesis of the complex osseous manifestations of Gaucher's disease to be undertaken.
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Comparative Study
Quantitative MRI measurements of the Achilles tendon in spondyloarthritis using ultrashort echo times.
Tendon involvement is common in spondyloarthritis. The MRI signal from the Achilles tendon has been used to quantify mechanical tendinopathy; however, conventional MRI is limited by the short T(2) of normal tendon. Short and ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI have the potential to better measure signal intensity reflecting changes in T(2) or gadolinium enhancement. Furthermore, UTE images could be used for normalisation to reduce variability. The aim of this work was to investigate such techniques in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). ⋯ Signal intensity ratios using UTE images allow quantitative measurements to be made which are sensitive to tendon T(2) or contrast enhancement and which are increased in spondyloarthritis. They therefore have the potential for use as measures of tendon disease in spondyloarthritis.
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Comparative Study
Regional grey and white matter volumetric changes in myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome): a voxel-based morphometry 3 T MRI study.
It is not established whether myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is associated with structural brain changes. The aim of this study was to investigate this by conducting the largest voxel-based morphometry study to date in CFS. ⋯ These data support the hypothesis that significant neuroanatomical changes occur in CFS, and are consistent with the complaint of impaired memory that is common in this illness; they also suggest that subtle abnormalities in visual processing, and discrepancies between intended actions and consequent movements, may occur in CFS.
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Comparative Study
Diffusion tensor imaging of normal prostate at 3 T: effect of number of diffusion-encoding directions on quantitation and image quality.
The purpose of this study was to prospectively investigate differences of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) using a different number of diffusion-encoding directions and to evaluate the feasibility of tractography in healthy prostate at 3 T. ⋯ In conclusion, prostate DTI at 3 T was feasible with different numbers of diffusion-encoding directions. The number of diffusion-encoding directions did not have a significant effect on imaging quality.