Seminars in ultrasound, CT, and MR
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The hypopharynx is a clinically silent area and early lesions may be asymptomatic for a long period. At presentation, primary squamous cell carcinoma of this area is usually advanced. Almost all of these lesions are studied with imaging as part of the clinical work-up. The goal of this article is to help the practicing radiologist convey a report which provides information that will directly influence treatment of patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma.
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Semin. Ultrasound CT MR · Dec 1998
ReviewSquamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx and oral cavity: how imaging makes a difference.
The development of modern imaging techniques has significantly altered the treatment and management of these malignancies. Important treatment decisions that were once made intraoperatively are now made by using information from CT and MR imaging. The intent of this article is to provide the specific information that needs to be transmitted to the referring otolaryngologist or radiation oncologist and which will alter the treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity and oropharynx.
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Semin. Ultrasound CT MR · Aug 1998
ReviewAmniotic fluid and the umbilical cord: the fetal milieu and lifeline.
Amniotic fluid volume should be routinely assessed in every second and third trimester case. A review of amniotic fluid physiology and techniques for ultrasound evaluation of fluid volume is presented. The causes and significance of oligohydramnios and polyhydramnios are stressed. ⋯ The clinical significance of some common umbilical cord abnormalities such as a two-vessel cord and nuchal cord are discussed. Other, more uncommon entities such as cord mass lesions are also reviewed. Finally, the role of cord Doppler interrogation in determining fetal well-being is discussed.
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Semin. Ultrasound CT MR · Oct 1997
ReviewChronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: the disease, the diagnosis, and the treatment.
Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is a disease of unknown etiology, the diagnosis and treatment of which has changed dramatically in the past decade. Increased clinical awareness and recent developments in imaging techniques combine to promote earlier and less invasive diagnosis. Improved surgical thromboendarterectomy techniques and decreased perioperative mortality have enabled remarkable cures for most patients with this previously fatal condition. This article reviews current understanding of the disease process, imaging modalities used in diagnosis, and surgical treatment of patients with chronic thromboembolism.
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Recent technical advances in CT have led to the ability to scan a volume in a shorter period with optimal contrast opacification of blood vessels, including the pulmonary arteries. Initially, there were isolated instances of an accidental detection of a filling defect because of pulmonary embolus in the pulmonary arteries. Gradually, directed examinations were introduced to diagnose or exclude pulmonary embolus. ⋯ Radiologists and clinicians now are turning to fast CT for this purpose for a variety of reasons, including the proven accuracy and reliability of the method and the relative deficiencies of traditional noninvasive methods. Accurate interpretation of CT scans for possible pulmonary embolus depends on the ability to conduct a high-quality examination and to recognize the spectrum of findings for both acute and chronic emboli. This article reviews the history of fast CT pulmonary angiography, and it presents both technical and diagnostic information germaine to the performance of this technique.