Clinical imaging
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Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. Neurologic manifestations occur usually as a part of the spectrum of the systemic disease. ⋯ All patients had neurological symptoms and were evaluated with MRI revealing a wide spectrum of findings: periventricular and white matter lesions, multiple or solitary supra- and infratentorial brain lesions, leptomeningeal enhancement, involvement of brain nerves and intramedullar lesions. These findings are not specific for sarcoidosis and must be considered with the clinical course of the patient in arriving at the correct diagnosis.
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Whole-body magnetic resonance (MR) scanners at high field strengths (> or =3 T) have been introduced in expectation of a larger signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), which would decrease the length of scan time or improve the spatial resolution. In this paper, the advantages and disadvantages of the high field MR imaging are discussed. Although the building of the radio frequency (RF) coil, safety and the specific absorption rate (SAR) are issues, the application of high field MR imaging is promising. The optimization of all parameters including injection rate of Gd-DTPA is necessary for high field MR imaging to obtain maximal results; however, we hope that high field MR imaging can be used in routine clinical applications in the future.
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Patients with Baastrup disease may experience pain owing to irritation of the periosteum or adventitial bursae between abutting spinous processes. We are not aware of any reports in the literature that describe stress fractures of the spinous fractures in patients with Baastrup disease. In this case report, we present two cases of spinous process fractures in lumbar vertebrae associated with Baastrup disease and describe their appearance with conventional radiography, bone scintigraphy, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.
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This study aims to evaluate the usefulness of single shot fast spin echo diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWSSFSE) in differentiating malignant metastatic tumor infiltration of vertebral bone marrow from benign vertebral fracture edema. ⋯ DWSSFSE of the spine may be useful in differentiating metastatic tumor infiltration of vertebral bone marrow from benign fracture edema.
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Comparative Study
Magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted images of cystic meningioma: correlating with histopathology.
Cystic meningiomas are quite rare, accounting for between 2% and 4% of all intracranial meningiomas. To better understand all the types of cystic meningiomas with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and histopathology, we attempted to correlate the MRI and DWI features of cystic meningiomas with the histopathological findings. ⋯ It is important to recognize the neuroimaging features of the cystic meningiomas. Conventional MRI and DWI may play an important role in the preoperative radiological evaluation and the recognition of these types of cysts for proper surgical treatment.