Radiologic clinics of North America
-
CT is the imaging modality of choice to evaluate blunt abdominal trauma. With the advent of multidetector CT (MDCT), scanning times have progressively decreased while image resolution has increased owing to thinner collimation and reduced partial volume and motion artifacts. MDCT also allows high quality two-dimensional and three-dimensional multiplanar reformatted images to be obtained, which aid in the diagnosis of the complex multisystem injuries seen in the trauma patient. This article describes the authors' current imaging protocol with 16-detector MDCT, the spectrum of CT findings seen in patients with blunt abdominal injuries, and the role MDCT has in guiding injury management.
-
Pedal complications of diabetes have long presented a challenge for the clinician and radiologist predominately related to the difficulty in distinguishing infection from neuroarthropathy. The spectrum of diabetic foot infections is broad, ranging from callous and ulcer formation, to septic arthritis, abscess formation, and osteomyelitis. This article summarizes the MR imaging findings in the diabetic foot and the optimal pulse sequences. Focus is placed on aids in differentiating diabetic infection from other entities and increasing the specificity of diagnosing diabetic foot complications.
-
Ultrasound examination of the thorax can be quite rewarding in children, because their unique thoracic anatomy provides many acoustic windows into the chest. With only a modest effort, chest ultrasonography can provide many clinically relevant answers, without the radiation exposure from CT, or the need for sedation sometimes required for CT and MR imaging.
-
The main risks and other adverse consequences from screening mammography include discomfort from breast compression, patient recall for additional imaging, and false positive biopsies. Although these risks affect a larger number of women than those who benefit from screening, the risks are less consequential than the life-sparing benefits from early detection. Radiation risk, even for multiple screenings, is negligible at current mammography doses. Anxiety before screening or resulting from supplementary imaging work-up, short-term follow-up, cyst aspiration, and biopsy has not dampened the enthusiasm of most women for the value of early detection.
-
An appreciation of the normal postoperative changes and complications following cardiac surgical procedures is essential when interpreting postoperative imaging studies. This article focuses on both the normal postoperative appearances and the imaging of complications following common cardiac surgical procedures. Irrespective of the specific nature of the surgery, certain common complications may occur, either from the surgery itself,the use of cardiac bypass, or the patient's underlying cardiac disorder. Postoperative imaging after specific thoracic cardiovascular surgeries is also discussed.