Incorporation of a computer-aided vessel-suppression system to detect lung nodules in CT images: effect on sensitivity and reading time in routine clinical settings.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether a computer-aided vessel-suppression system improves lung nodule detection in routine clinical settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used computer software that automatically suppresses pulmonary vessels on chest CT while preserving pulmonary nodules. Sixty-one chest CT images were included in our study. Three radiologists independently read either standard CT images alone or both computer-aided CT and standard CT images randomly to detect a pulmonary nodule ≥ 4 mm in diameter. After an interval of at least 15 days to avoid recall bias, the three radiologists interpreted the counterpart images of the same patients. The reference standard was decided by an expert panel. The primary endpoint was sensitivity. The secondary endpoint was interpretation time. RESULTS: The average sensitivity improved with computer-aided CT (72% for standard CT vs. 84% for computer-aided CT, p = 0.02). There was no difference in the false-positive rate (21% for both standard CT and computer-aided CT, p = 0.98). Although the average reading time was 9.5% longer for computer-aided plus standard CT compared with standard CT alone, the difference was not significant (p = 0.11). CONCLUSION: Vessel-suppressed CT images helped radiologists to improve the sensitivity of pulmonary nodule detection without compromising the false-positive rate.

T-staging of rectal cancer: Utility of single-shot turbo spin-echo diffusion-weighted imaging with T2-weighted images and fusion images.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of turbo spin-echo (TSE) DWI with fusion images in the T-staging compared with T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) alone and conventional echo-planner imaging (EPI) DWI. METHODS: In this prospective study, 4-mm-thick axial EPI-DWI, TSE-DWI, and T2WI were performed with the same slice locations for 20 patients with rectal cancer. Fusion images of DWI and T2WI were created for both EPI-DWI and TSE-DWI. Ten readers independently diagnosed the T-stages and scored the degree of confidence referring to T2WI alone and then to DWI, T2WI, and fusion images (DWI+T2WI) for each EPI-DWI and TSE-DWI. Visual score assessments of image quality were performed for each DWI. RESULTS: Inter-observer agreement of T-staging for 10 readers was slight on T2WI alone but fair on EPI-DWI+T2WI and excellent on TSE-DWI+T2WI images. No readers gave higher confidence scores for T2WI compared to EPI/TSE-DWI+T2WI and for EPI-DWI+T2WI compared to TSE-DWI+T2WI. In seven pathologically-proven cases, poor, poor to slight, and fair to perfect agreements with the pathological T-stage were observed with T2WI alone, EPI-DWI+T2WI, and TSE-DWI+T2WI, respectively. All readers gave higher scores regarding image distortion and lower scores regarding image noise for TSE-DWI compared to EPI-DWI. For DWI utility, higher scores were assigned for TSE-DWI compared to EPI-DWI in 7 readers and there were no significant differences in the other 3 readers. CONCLUSION: TSE-DWI images might be more appropriate for image fusion with T2WI and rectal cancer T-staging compared with EPI-DWI and T2WI alone.

Multiple large pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysms due to celiac artery occlusion: Combination of the aorto-hepatic bypass and coil embolization with a dual approach through both the superior mesenteric artery and bypass.

Pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysm can occur from occlusion or stenosis of the celiac artery due to arteriosclerosis or median arcuate ligament compression. The risk of rupture of the aneurysm is independent of the aneurysmal diameter. A 78-year-old woman presented with multiple large aneurysms of the anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery. To preserve arterial flow to the liver, bypass grafting from the supra-celiac aorta to the common hepatic artery was performed at first. Coil embolization was successfully performed 10 days later with a dual approach through both the superior mesenteric artery and bypass. It was considered that the combination of the aorto-hepatic bypass and coil embolization was effective for the pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysms due to celiac artery occlusion.