AJR. American journal of roentgenology
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Aug 2011
Comparative evaluation of the modified CT severity index and CT severity index in assessing severity of acute pancreatitis.
The purpose of this study was to compare the modified CT severity index (MCTSI) with the CT severity index (CTSI) regarding assessment of severity parameters in acute pancreatitis (AP). Both CT indexes were also compared with the Acute Physiology, Age, and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) index. ⋯ No significant differences were noted between the CTSI and the MCTSI in evaluating the severity of AP. Compared with APACHE II, both CT indexes more accurately diagnose clinically severe disease and better correlate with the need for intervention and pancreatic infection.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Aug 2011
Screening cervical spine CT in a level I trauma center: overutilization?
The objective of our study was to analyze the use of screening cervical spine CT performed after trauma and establish the opportunity of potentially avoidable studies when evidence-based clinical criteria are applied before imaging. ⋯ The strict application of the NEXUS low-risk criteria could potentially reduce the number of screening cervical spine CT examinations in the setting of trauma in more than 20% of cases, thereby avoiding a significant amount of unnecessary radiation and significant cost.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Aug 2011
T2* measurements of 3-T MRI with ultrashort TEs: capabilities of pulmonary function assessment and clinical stage classification in smokers.
The purpose of this study was to determine the usefulness of MRI with ultrashort TEs on a 3-T system and of thin-section MDCT for pulmonary function assessment and clinical stage classification of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in smokers. ⋯ MRI with ultrashort TEs is potentially as useful as quantitatively assessed MDCT for pulmonary function loss assessment and clinical stage classification of COPD in smokers.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Aug 2011
Use of 2D sensitivity encoding for slow-infusion contrast-enhanced isotropic 3-T whole-heart coronary MR angiography.
The purpose of this study was to improve the blood-pool signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and blood-myocardium contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of slow-infusion 3-T whole-heart coronary MR angiography (MRA). ⋯ In combination with contrast administration, 2D SENSE was found effective in improving SNR and CNR in 3-T whole-heart coronary MRA. Further investigation of cardiac motion compensation is necessary to exploit the SNR and CNR advantages and to achieve submillimeter spatial resolution.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Aug 2011
New vertebral compression fractures after prophylactic vertebroplasty in osteoporotic patients.
Previous studies have shown the possible efficacy of prophylactic cement injection for nonfractured vertebrae during percutaneous vertebroplasty for compression fractures. The purpose of this study was to investigate risk factors for subsequent fractures after prophylactic percutaneous vertebroplasty. ⋯ Patients with three or more fractures tended to have subsequent fractures, despite undergoing prophylactic percutaneous vertebroplasty. However, there was no increased risk of subsequent fractures related to prophylactic percutaneous vertebroplasty.