Decline to Review a Manuscript: Insight and Implications for AJR Reviewers, Authors, and Editorial Staff.

OBJECTIVE. The objective of the study was to evaluate and categorize the decline-to-review response to a manuscript review invitation that would allow American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) editorial staff to improve the peer review process and to reduce manuscript turnaround time. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This retrospective analysis included 9366 decline-to-review responses received by AJR editorial staff between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2017 (a 3-year period). The responses were sorted into six broad categories: no reason given, reviewer was overcommitted (with academic or personal commitments), manuscript was not in an area of the reviewer's expertise, the reviewer had already committed to a simultaneous AJR manuscript review, the reviewer claimed a conflict of interest, and miscellaneous and otherwise not listed reasons. RESULTS. The 9366 declined reviews were declined according to six general categories: no reason (3251, 34.7%), overcommitted (4629, 49.4%), not an area of expertise (1181, 12.6%), simultaneous AJR manuscript review (235, 2.5%), conflict of interest (55, 0.6%), and miscellaneous (15, 0.2%). CONCLUSION. The analyzed data provide a valuable insight for AJR editorial staff and reviewers to further improve the peer review process. The results and subsequent actions could help to reduce decline-to-review responses, which will help shorten the manuscript turnaround time and contribute to a timely decision on manuscripts for authors.

Multidetector CT in Vascular Injuries Resulting from Pelvic Fractures: A Primer for Diagnostic Radiologists.

Pelvic vascular injuries are typically caused by high-energy trauma. The majority of these injuries are caused by motor vehicle collisions, and the rest are caused by falls and industrial or crush injuries. Pelvic vascular injuries are frequently associated with pelvic ring disruption and have a high mortality rate due to shock as a result of pelvic bleeding. Morbidity and mortality resulting from pelvic vascular injury are due to pelvic hemorrhage and resultant exsanguination, which is potentially treatable and reversible if it is diagnosed early with multidetector CT and treated promptly. The pelvic bleeding source can be arterial, venous, or osseous, and differentiating an arterial (high-pressure) bleed from a venous-osseous (low-pressure) bleed is of paramount importance in stratification for treatment. Low-pressure venous and osseous bleeds are initially treated with a pelvic binder or external fixation, while high-pressure arterial bleeds require angioembolization or surgical pelvic packing. Definitive treatment of the pelvic ring disruption includes open or closed reduction and internal fixation. Multidetector CT is important in the trauma setting to assess and characterize pelvic vascular injuries with multiphasic acquisition in the arterial and venous phases, which allows differentiation of the common vascular injury patterns. This article reviews the anatomy of the pelvic vessels and the pelvic vascular territory; discusses the multidetector CT protocols used in diagnosis and characterization of pelvic vascular injury; and describes the spectrum of pelvic vascular injuries, the differentiation of common injury patterns, mimics, and imaging pitfalls. Online supplemental material is available for this article. ©RSNA, 2019 See discussion on this article by Dreizin.

MRI morphology of surgically treated lumbar canal stenosis: a retrospective study.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify morphologic features on magnetic resonance imaging that might correlate with lumbar canal stenosis severe enough to warrant surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: None of the quantitative parameters measured on x-rays, CT scans, or magnetic resonance imaging correlates well with the severity of clinical symptoms in lumbar canal stenosis (LCS). In a patient with neurogenic claudication, we need to define what would constitute radiologic LCS and whether he needs surgical intervention. This paper attempts to define MRI features of LCS addressing the morphology rather than canal dimensions in any direction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 64 consecutive patients who were operated at 113 levels of LCS were reviewed retrospectively. Their clinical notes and MRI were analyzed. Only the axial T2-weighted images were utilized for this study. The images were reviewed by 1 orthopedic surgeon and 1 radiologist and segregated into morphologic categories. No interobserver and intraobserver studies were undertaken. RESULTS: Two types of axial image features were identified in LCS symmetrical and asymmetrical with 5 subtypes. They were trefoil, triangular, "cat's eye," "pinhole," and complete obliteration. Several subtypes were also described. Of the operated cases, 70.8% had a triangular configuration of the canal with symmetrical large triangular canal shape occurring in 49/80 levels. It was impossible to correlate the severity of symptoms, their duration, and the presence of objective neurological deficits with the morphologic picture from the documentation available. CONCLUSIONS: LCS seems to produce predictable patterns on T2 axial MRI. The triangular configuration correlates most frequently with surgical LCS. Further studies are needed in normal individuals, in prospective patients, and to determine the outcome of treatment based on MRI morphology.

Caecal duplication cyst leading to intussusception in an adult.

Colonic duplication cyst is an uncommon cause of intussusception in adults. We report a case of caecal duplication cyst in a 24-year-old adult with a 3-year history of recurrent abdominal pain mainly in the periumbilical region. CT and MRI of the abdomen showed a lesion suggesting an caecal duplication cyst within an intussuception. The patient underwent diagnostic laparoscopy and was found to have a caecal duplication cyst acting as a lead point for the intusseception for which laparoscopic-assisted resection was performed. The histological examination confirmed the presence of intestinal duplication cyst without any underlying malignancy.

Trabecular Anatomy of the Axis Vertebra: A Study of Shaded Volume-Rendered Computed Tomography Images.

BACKGROUND: To date, trabecular morphology studies have been conducted on thin-section computed tomography (CT) scans of cadaveric bone. Here we describe the trabecular anatomy of the axis vertebra as revealed by an innovative imaging tool. METHODS: Ten patients who underwent thin-slice CT scans for suspected cervical spine injury were prospectively subjected to shaded volume-rendered 3-dimensional reconstruction of the images. The trabecular anatomy thus depicted was recreated, and the mechanical vectors were deduced independently by a senior radiologist and spine surgeon and then matched. The clinical implications were postulated. RESULTS: The most striking trabeculae are the vertical compression trabeculae connecting the C1 facet to the C3 body. The center of the body of C2 has a space with sparse trabeculae; similarly, the pars interarticularis also has a clear void. The dens contain predominantly tensile trabeculae that are retained even in older patients. Midline remnants of the odontoid body synchondrosis persist even into late adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: Shaded volume-rendered imaging appears to be an excellent tool for studying the trabecular anatomy of cancellous bone. The weight-bearing trabeculae run from the C1-2 facet to the C3 body; the inferior facet contributes little to weight-bearing.

Frontotemporal dementia in Oman: cognitive behavioural profile and neuroimaging characteristics; a prospective hospital-based study.

Frontotemporal dementia is increasingly recognised as an important cause of early-onset dementia and is considered to be the second commonest neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's disease. We describe the cognitive, behavioural profile and neuroimaging characteristics of 6 patients with frontal variant of Frontotemporal dementia that were evaluated at the cognitive behavioural clinic at this tertiary referral teaching hospital. All patients underwent clinical, neuropsychological, structural/functional neuroimaging, and laboratory evaluations. The male to female ratio was 1:1; mean age of onset was 54 years, and the mean duration of symptoms were 30 months. The mean scores for Addenbrooke's cognitive examination, Frontal Assessment Battery, and Mini-Mental State Examination were 70.5, 6.33 and 23.6 respectively. The mean VLOM ratio was 2.04. MRI revealed significant asymmetrical regional frontal/temporal atrophy supplemented by the evidence of circumscribed hypoperfusion in SPECT imaging. We conclude that a combination of behavioural and cognitive assessment using short bedside tests, along with structural and functional neuroimaging does facilitate early identification, and increase the diagnostic specificity of Frontotemporal dementia.

Foix-alajouanine syndrome presenting as acute cauda equina syndrome: a case report.

Study Design Case report. Objective Present a case of Foix-Alajouanine syndrome that presented as acute cauda equina syndrome and discuss the pathophysiology and management. Methods An adult male patient developed sudden onset of back pain and leg pain with weakness of the lower limbs and bladder/bowel dysfunction typical of cauda equina syndrome. Emergency magnetic resonance imaging revealed no compressive lesion in the spine but showed tortuous flow voids and end-on blood vessels in the peridural region suggesting spinal arteriovenous malformation resulting in Foix-Alajouanine syndrome. Results The case was managed by endovascular embolization with excellent results. The pathophysiology, imaging features, management, and literature review of the syndrome is discussed. Conclusion The authors conclude that this condition may be an important differential diagnosis for cauda equina syndrome.

MDCT of acute subaxial cervical spine trauma: a mechanism-based approach.

Injuries to the spinal column are common and road traffic accidents are the commonest cause. Subaxial cervical spine (C3-C7) trauma encompasses a wide spectrum of osseous and ligamentous injuries, in addition to being frequently associated with neurological injury. Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) is routinely performed to evaluate acute cervical spine trauma, very often as first-line imaging. MDCT provides an insight into the injury morphology, which in turn reflects the mechanics of injury. This article will review the fundamental biomechanical forces underlying the common subaxial spine injuries and resultant injury patterns or "fingerprints" on MDCT. This systematic and focused analysis enables a more accurate and rapid interpretation of cervical spine CT examinations. Mechanical considerations are important in most clinical and surgical decisions to adequately realign the spine, to prevent neurological deterioration and to facilitate appropriate stabilisation. This review will emphasise the variables on CT that affect the surgical management, as well as imaging "pearls" in differentiating "look-alike" lesions with different surgical implications. It will also enable the radiologist in writing clinically relevant CT reports of cervical spine trauma. Teaching Points • Vertebral bodies and disc bear the axial compression forces, while the ligaments bear the distraction forces.• Compressive forces result in fracture and distractive forces result in ligamentous disruption.• Bilateral facet dislocation is the most severe injury of the flexion-distraction spectrum.• Biomechanics-based CT reading will help to rapidly and accurately identify the entire spectrum of injury.• This approach also helps to differentiate look-alike injuries with different clinical implications.