Radiology
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Comparative Study
Intermittent claudication: cost-effectiveness of revascularization versus exercise therapy.
To compare the costs, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of alternative treatment strategies for intermittent claudication. ⋯ The results suggest that, on average, the expected gain in effectiveness achieved with bypass surgery for intermittent claudication is small compared with the costs. Angioplasty performed whenever feasible was more effective than was exercise alone, and the cost-effectiveness ratio was within the generally accepted range.
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Comparative Study
Emphysema: hyperpolarized helium 3 diffusion MR imaging of the lungs compared with spirometric indexes--initial experience.
To quantitatively evaluate hyperpolarized helium 3 ((3)He) diffusion magnetic resonance (MR) images of the lung in patients with emphysema and to determine whether apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) measured with MR imaging correlate with spirometric indexes. ⋯ Hyperpolarized (3)He diffusion MR imaging demonstrated potential for use in evaluating the global and regional severity of emphysema.
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To test the hypothesis that the accuracy of gadolinium- and ferumoxides-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is different in small (< or =1.5-cm) and large (>1.5-cm) hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). ⋯ For the detection of early HCC, gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging is preferred to ferumoxides-enhanced MR imaging because the former demonstrated significantly greater accuracy in the detection of small HCCs.
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Comparative Study
Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia and usual interstitial pneumonia: comparative appearances at and diagnostic accuracy of thin-section CT.
To compare the morphologic abnormalities on thin-section computed tomographic (CT) images in a group of patients with histopathologically confirmed nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) or usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) and a clinical presentation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. ⋯ In patients with a clinical presentation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the accuracy of thin-section CT in identifying NSIP is considerably higher than previously reported. At CT, NSIP is characterized by more ground-glass attenuation and a finer reticular pattern than is UIP. Nevertheless, considerable overlap in thin-section CT patterns exists between NSIP and UIP.
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To relate different types of radiographic contrast material distributions to anatomic compartments by using cadaveric specimens and to relate the injection site to treatment-induced discomfort and therapeutic effect. ⋯ Therapeutic SNRB is effective in sciatica, but early response does not predict the effect after 2 weeks. Type 1 injections are more painful than type 2 injections.