Radiology
-
To characterize the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging response of brain metastases after gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery and determine whether imaging features and tumor response rates correlate with local tumor control and survival. ⋯ Baseline homogeneous tumor enhancement and initial good response correlate with local control. Initial lesion growth does not preclude local control and may represent radiation-related change. Recognition of these serial MR imaging findings may guide image interpretation and influence treatment in patients with stereotactic radiosurgery-treated metastases.
-
In 21 consecutive patients, the authors analyzed changes in venous Doppler waveforms of damped or diminished cardiac pulsatility and respiratory phasicity. Each patient was suspected of having upper limb venous thrombosis, but thrombus was not visible at gray-scale ultrasonography (US) in the subclavian and brachiocephalic veins. US findings were compared with phlebographic findings. The results show that US can be used to establish the presence or absence of thrombosis in the distal portion of the brachiocephalic or subclavian veins, which are inaccessible to direct insonation.
-
To evaluate coronary blood flow per gram of myocardial mass and vasodilator flow reserve in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and in healthy subjects by using breath-hold velocity-encoded cine (VEC) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. ⋯ Breath-hold VEC MR imaging is a noninvasive technique for evaluating coronary flow per gram of myocardial mass and coronary flow reserve.
-
To determine the clinical utility of gadolinium-enhanced fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain by comparing results with those at gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging with magnetization transfer (MT) saturation. ⋯ Fast FLAIR images have noticeable T1 contrast making gadolinium-induced enhancement visible. Gadolinium enhancement in lesions that are hyperintense on precontrast FLAIR images, such as intraparenchymal tumors, may be better seen on T1-weighted images than on postcontrast fast FLAIR images. However, postcontrast fast FLAIR images may be useful for detecting superficial abnormalities, such as meningeal disease, because they do not demonstrate contrast enhancement of vessels with slow flow as do T1-weighted images.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Acute appendicitis: influence of early pain relief on the accuracy of clinical and US findings in the decision to operate--a randomized trial.
To determine the influence of early pain relief on the diagnostic performance of ultrasonography (US) and on the appropriateness of the surgical decision. ⋯ Morphine does not improve US-based diagnosis of appendicitis.