Radiology
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Owing to its ability to depict the pathologic features of multiple sclerosis (MS) in exquisite detail, conventional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has become an established tool in the diagnosis of this disease and in monitoring its evolution. MR imaging has been formally included in the diagnostic work-up of patients who present with a clinically isolated syndrome suggestive of MS, and ad hoc diagnostic criteria have been proposed and are updated on a regular basis. In patients with established MS and in those participating in treatment trials, examinations performed with conventional MR pulse sequences provide objective measures to monitor disease activity and progression; however, they have a limited prognostic role. ⋯ These techniques have allowed in vivo assessment of the heterogeneity of MS pathologic features in focal lesions and in normal-appearing tissues. More recently, some of the finer details of MS, including macrophage infiltration and abnormal iron deposition, have become quantifiable with MR imaging. The utility of these modern MR techniques in clinical trial monitoring and in the assessment of the individual patient's response to treatment still need to be evaluated.
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Comparative Study
Acute, subacute, and chronic myocardial infarction: quantitative comparison of 2D and 3D late gadolinium enhancement MR imaging.
To assess a late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) single-breath-hold three-dimensional (3D) inversion recovery magnetic resonance (MR) imaging sequence for the quantification of myocardial scar mass and transmurality in comparison with a clinically established two-dimensional (2D) sequence. ⋯ Three-dimensional LGE MR imaging enables quantitative evaluation of scar tissue mass and transmurality in patients with acute, subacute, or chronic myocardial infarction at significantly reduced acquisition times compared with 2D LGE MR imaging.
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To retrospectively identify magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings that are associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in 1-2-cm nodules detected at surveillance ultrasonography (US) and to propose newer MR imaging diagnostic criteria. ⋯ http://radiology.rsna.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1148/radiol.11101549/-/DC1.
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To describe nationwide trends and factors associated with the use of computed tomography (CT) in children visiting emergency departments (EDs) in the United States between 1995 and 2008. ⋯ Use of CT in children who visit the ED has increased substantially and occurs primarily at non-pediatric-focused facilities. This underscores the need for special attention to this vulnerable population to ensure that imaging is appropriately ordered, performed, and interpreted.