Gout is a common metabolic disorder resulting from supersaturation of uric acid in extracellular fluid and deposition of monosodium urate crystals in tissues. Gouty arthritis typically affects the peripheral joints of the appendicular skeleton, especially the feet and hands. Gouty involvement of the spine, however, is not as rare as ...

BACKGROUND: Thrombolytic treatment with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (iv tPA) is the only FDA-approved therapy for acute ischemic stroke. There are risks associated with thrombolytics, including intracranial and extracranial hemorrhage and hypersensitivity reactions. Established treatment for post-tPA hemorrhage includes administration of blood products including cryoprecipitate, fresh frozen plasma, and platelets ...

This theme issue provides a timely collection of studies on magnetic nanoparticle-based imaging, bio-sensing, therapy and/or their combinations.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been widely used to characterize osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions. However, the usefulness of MRI for predicting fragment stability in OCD of the humeral capitellum (capitellar OCD) remains unclear. HYPOTHESIS: Preoperative MRI cannot accurately diagnose fragment instability of capitellar OCD in overhead athletes. STUDY DESIGN: ...

A 30-year-old woman was referred for an F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT to rule out lymphoma, and was found to have an incidental FDG-avid right breast nodule that grew significantly in size and FDG uptake on a subsequent scan, raising suspicion of a growing breast malignancy. Histologic evaluation showed a complex ...

The newly introduced Big Bore computed tomography (CT) has a possibility to increase the tube current product scan time (mA s) for compensation of image degradation due to larger gentry opening without sound guideline. The objective of this paper is to derive optimal scan conditions for Big Bore CT scanner, ...

Multifunctional and degradable nanogels encapsulating both model drug (fluorescently labeled dextran) and imaging reagent (monodisperse Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles) were developed by polymerizing zwitterionic monomers with a disulfide crosslinker. Results show that the nanogels have a hydrodynamic size of about 110 nm in saline solution and their size remained unchanged for over 6 ...

Chitosan (CTS) is biocompatible, biodegradable, and can be formed into 3D porous structures for bone tissue engineering applications. Although studies have reported on the effects of molecular weight (MW) on CTS physicochemical properties, studies evaluating CTS biological property relationships often do not account for MW that confounds interpretation of study ...

PURPOSE: Adequate labral restorations after Bankart repair have been demonstrated in cadaver models for knot-tying and knotless anchors and in vivo by magnetic resonance imaging for knot tying. The influence of glenoidal bio-degradation on clinical outcome, and conclusions regarding drill hole enlargement and foreign body reactions remain controversial. METHODS: The ...

Objective: Registration of ultrasound to computed tomography (CT) images is used in several image-guided procedures, including laparoscopic surgery and radiation therapy. Conventional approaches use an external tracker calibrated to the ultrasound transducer and CT system, but several calibration steps are required. Registration can also be performed by aligning image features ...

The MRI-based evaluation of the quantity and regional distribution of adipose tissue is one objective measure in the investigation of obesity. The aim of this article was to report a comprehensive and automatic analytical method for the determination of the volumes of subcutaneous fat tissue (SFT) and visceral fat tissue ...

Selective redox degradation of chlorinated aliphatics by Fenton reaction in pyrite suspension was investigated in a closed system. Carbon tetrachloride (CT) was used as a representative target of perchlorinated alkanes and trichloroethylene (TCE) was used as one of highly chlorinated alkenes. Degradation of CT in Fenton reaction was significantly enhanced ...

It is widely recognised that the measurement of the arterial input function (AIF) is a key issue and a major source of errors in the pharmacokinetic modelling of dynamic, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) data, and the modality of the AIF determination is still a matter of debate. In this ...

To compare lesion volume determination by applying diameter measurement and three different segmentation algorithms at different slice thicknesses reconstructed from computed tomography (CT) of a phantom model for hepatic colorectal metastases. Based on CT attenuation measurements obtained retrospectively from 20 patients with colorectal liver metastases, a phantom model was designed ...

Automatic assessment of brain volumes is needed in research and clinical practice. Manual tracing is still the criterion standard but is time-consuming. It is important to validate the automatic tools to avoid the problems of clinical studies drawing conclusions on the basis of brain volumes estimated with methodologic errors. The ...

Non-invasive imaging methods like echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are very valuable in longitudinal follow-up studies of cardiac function in small animals. To be able to compare results from studies using different methods, and explain possible differences, it is important to know the agreement between these methods. As both ...

To analyze cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) characteristics in patients with isolated left ventricular noncompaction (IVNC) and assess its value in the diagnosis of IVNC in a Chinese adult Han population. We collected a consecutive series of 30 patients with IVNC from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2008. During ...

Left Atrial Volume and Function Assessment.  In patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing catheter ablation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can determine left atrial (LA) volume and function before and after ablation. The most accurate, but time consuming, method to determine LA volume is the multiple slice method (MSM), which involves manual ...

Large-scale longitudinal studies of regional brain volume require reliable quantification using automated segmentation and labeling. However, repeated MR scanning of the same subject, even if using the same scanner and acquisition parameters, does not result in identical images due to small changes in image orientation, changes in prescan parameters, and ...

The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of 7 T cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to quantitatively assess left ventricular volumes, mass, and function from cine short-axis series and left ventricular diastolic filling from velocity-encoded MRI in 10 healthy volunteers. As comparative "gold standard," the corresponding measures ...

Some studies have suggested an association between hypocholesterolemia and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). In the SPARCL trial, statin use increased ICH risk. We tested the hypothesis that use of statins affects the volume of spontaneous ICH and contributes to the progression of ICH volume between baseline and follow-up CT scans. Consecutive ...

Determine inter- and intraobserver variability of computed tomography (CT) tumor volume measurements in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated in a Phase II clinical trial using chest CT. Twenty-three advanced NSCLC patients with a total of 53 measurable lung lesions enrolled in a Phase II, multicenter, open-label clinical trial ...

Stroke volume, an increasingly used end point in phase II trials, is considered stationary at least 30 days after the ictus. We investigated whether information conveyed by MR imaging measurements of the "final" infarct volume could be assessed as early as the subacute stage (days 3-6), rather than waiting for ...

Multiple techniques have been used to assess synovial morphology and change on MRI in OA. Broadly speaking these methods are divided into quantitative and semi-quantitative methods. Quantitative measurements use computer-aided image processing to assess joint quantification (cartilage morphometry, bone volume, bone marrow lesion volume, meniscal position and volume, synovial volume, ...

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the feasibility and utility of magnetic resonance (MR) image and electroanatomic (EA) maps integration in guiding detailed left ventricle (LV) anatomical and substrate mapping, identifying the most accurate registration strategy. Twenty-five patients with dilated ischemic or non-ischemic cardiomyopathy were enrolled. We first ...

The purpose of this study was to compare the size of the entrance of the notch, as measured arthroscopically (2-dimensionally), with the volume of the notch as measured by use of computed tomography (CT) (3-dimensionally). For 20 cadaveric knees, the dimensions of the notch entrance were measured arthroscopically, and the ...

Since renal volume is to be considered in managing renal diseases, a reproducible technique is needed. Our aim was to estimate intraobserver, interobserver, and interstudy reproducibility of renal volume measurement in subjects without known kidney disease using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. We studied 20 patients (age range 33-82 years) without ...

Findings of standard MR imaging examinations are usually normal in primary CD. These findings are now increasingly challenged by studies using advanced neuroimaging techniques detecting abnormalities in brain areas that may be functionally involved in the pathophysiology of CD. Our purpose was to evaluate GM volumes in patients with CD ...

Airway wall dimensions can be determined in vivo using transverse computed tomographic (CT) images, but the measurement of airway phantoms shows that the wall thickness is consistently overestimated for small airways. This phantom study was performed to derive and test corrections to the measurements on the basis of consideration of ...

Sensitivity for screening gynecologic cytology appears to be correlated with workload, but data in the literature is limited. We gathered all known published data that included independently estimated measures of sensitivity and workload, for manual and automated screening, including individual cytotechnologist (CT) and laboratory data. We then attempted to synthesize ...

Enlargement of the left atrium is a risk factor for cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events. We evaluated the performance of prototype software for fully automated segmentation and volumetry of the left atrium. In 34 retrospectively ECG-gated coronary CT angiography scans, the end-systolic (LAVsys) and end-diastolic (LAVdia) volume of the left atrium ...

Thigh muscle volume was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging in 16 subjects with spinal muscular atrophy. Scans were successful for 14 of 16 subjects (1 type 1, 6 type 2, and 7 type 3) as young as 5.7 years. Muscle volume with normal and abnormal signal was measured using blinded, ...

Aim:  We prospectively evaluated the reliability and validity of splenic volume with 3-D ultrasound measurement and clarified its clinical usefulness. Methods:  Thirty healthy volunteers and 30 patients with cirrhosis were included in this study. All 3-D ultrasound examinations of splenic volumes were performed twice by two experienced sonographers with transabdominal ...

We sought to assess the correlation between mitral valve characteristics and severity of mitral regurgitation (MR) in subjects with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) undergoing cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Compared with extensive echocardiographic studies, CMR predictors of MVP-related MR are unknown. The severity of MR at the time of diagnosis ...

To determine the accuracy of visual analysis of left ventricular (LV) function in comparison with the accepted quantitative gold standard method, Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR). Cine CMR imaging was performed at 1.5 T on 44 patients with a range of ejection fractions (EF, 5-80%). Clinicians (n = 18) were asked to visually ...

To prospectively compare the left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), end-systolic volume (LVESV), and ejection fraction (LVEF) obtained from gated perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (GSPECT) with those obtained from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC). Twenty-one patients with IDC (6 females) with a ...

quantitative assessment and validation of left ventricular (LV) volumes and mass in neonates and infants with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) is important for clinical management but has not been undertaken. We compared matrix-array 3D echocardiography (3D echo) measurements of volumes, mass, and ejection fraction (EF) with those measured by ...

To evaluate morphology of lateral ventricles of ventriculomegaly/hydrocephaly fetuses using 3D-sonography by virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL) technique and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and verify morphologic patterns related to etiology. Seventeen fetuses presenting with ventricular enlargement (atria > 10 mm) were evaluated. 3D datasets were acquired from a coronal reference plane and post-processed ...

To evaluate efficacy and reproducibility of 320-slice computed tomography (CT) for measuring left atrial (LA) maximum (LAVmax) and minimum volume (LAVmin) during the cardiac cycle, we compared CT with three- and two-dimensional (3D and 2D) transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE). LAVmax and LAVmin (ml), and LA ejection fraction (LAEF) (%) were assessed ...

We compared customized ITVs obtained with CE-4D-CT imaging (ITV(4D)) with a population-based (ITV(PBC)) in 29 patients (PTs) and evaluated the intra-observer ITV delineation reproducibility in 5 PTs with unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). The ITV(PBC) was quite different from the ITV(4D), with under/over estimation of volume. Intra-observer volume delineation variability ...

The gold standard for measuring cranial vault volume is a computed tomography (CT) scan. Computed tomography scans in the pediatric population carry the significant risk of inducing a malignancy later in life. In a novel study, we show that a three-dimensional (3D) photograph can be used to measure and track ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of various combinations of PaCO2 and PaO2 values on brain morphometrics. ANIMALS: 6 healthy adult dogs. PROCEDURES: A modified Latin square design for randomization was used. Dogs were anesthetized with propofol (6 to 8 mg/kg, IV), and anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane (1.7%) and atracurium ...

Determining right ventricular (RV) function is challenging because of the complex anatomy of the right ventricle. Three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) has achieved better estimation, but underestimations of volumes and ejection fraction (EF) has often been reported, and no previous study has synthesized these data. The investigators performed a meta-analysis on the ...

Functional mitral regurgitation (MR) at different phases of the regurgitant period may respond differently to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). The aims of this study were to examine the impact of CRT on the phasic changes of MR (early vs late systole) and to explore the mechanisms of such changes. Instantaneous ...

Microstructural analyses by MRI brain scans and by DTI analysis of MR images were used to investigate the possible relationship between deep gray matter structures (amygdala and hippocampus) and dreaming in healthy subjects. Thirty-four subjects ranging in age 20s to 70s underwent to a MRI protocol for the assessment of ...

Although dyskinesias may be one of the first behavioral indicators of progressive striatal dysfunction, a mechanism critically implicated in the pathogenesis of psychotic disorders, little is known about the association between striatal structures and abnormal movements in high-risk populations. Thirty participants with a prodromal syndrome were rated for dyskinetic movements ...

Different pathophysiologic pathways in the development of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy can be reflected in phenotypical differences. A total of 119 subjects (39 with hypertension [HTN]; 43 with nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy [HC], and 37 control subjects) underwent a standardized cardiac magnetic resonance imaging protocol for assessment of global and regional ...

Precise, noninvasive analysis and quantification of in vivo body composition is essential for research involving longitudinal, small-animal disease models. We investigated the feasibility and precision of a rapid, flat-panel μCT scanner to report whole body adipose tissue volume (ATV), lean tissue volume (LTV), skeletal tissue volume (STV), and bone mineral ...

To evaluate the accuracy of a semiautomatic quantification of left ventricular (LV) volumes and ejection fraction (EF) using two-dimensional (2D) feature tracking imaging (FTI). Thirty-four consecutive subjects (11 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, 13 with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and 10 subjects with no cardiac disease) underwent, on the same day, trans-thoracic echocardiography ...

To investigate possible relationship between the D-dimer and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels and radiological imaging-based severity scores in pulmonary embolism (PE) based on two different radiological characteristics; the pulmonary arterial obstruction index (PAOI) and the right ventricle/left ventricle (RV/LV) ratio. In this prospective cohort study, forty-seven patients presenting to the ...