Color and power Doppler US for diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome and determining its severity: a quantitative image processing method.

PURPOSE: To determine whether intraneural vascularity seen at color Doppler ultrasonography (US) can be used to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and to evaluate an image processing method for quantifying the severity of CTS on the basis of this vascularity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was approved by the university ethics review committee. One hundred one patients with clinical evidence of CTS and 55 healthy control subjects were enrolled. Electrodiagnostic testing (EDT) was performed in all participants, and the presence of intraneural vascularity was evaluated with color Doppler US. An image processing program was designed by using software to determine the sum of pixels in the intraneural vascular area on power Doppler US scans of the median nerve. The relationship between the number of pixels and the severity of the abnormality at EDT was determined. RESULTS: The sensitivity (83%) and specificity (89%) of intraneural vascularity in the diagnosis of CTS were similar to those of EDT (81% and 84%, respectively). Intraneural vascularity was seen in 91.4% of patients with mild CTS and 100% of patients with moderate or severe CTS. In participants with positive intraneural vascularity, the sum of pixels in the intraneural vascular area was significantly higher in patients than in control subjects and paralleled the severity of the abnormality at EDT (P < .01). CONCLUSION: Color Doppler US can be used to accurately diagnose CTS. By processing the recorded power Doppler images and determining the number of pixels in the intraneural vascular area, the severity of CTS can be assessed. 2011 SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: http://radiology.rsna.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1148/radiol.11110150/-/DC1.

Combination of high-resolution and color Doppler ultrasound in diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound has recently emerged as a diagnostic tool in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). PURPOSE: To evaluate the utility of a combination of high-resolution and color Doppler ultrasound as an alternative to electrodiagnostic tests (EDT), in CTS diagnosis, and to define an ultrasonographic prediction model for CTS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 85 patients with certain clinical diagnosis of CTS and 49 healthy controls were enrolled. High-resolution and color Doppler ultrasound were performed and the cross-sectional area (CSA), hypoechogenicity, and hypervascularity of the median nerve were evaluated. Receiver-operating characteristic curves were used to determine the optimal cut-off point of median nerve CSA in diagnosis of CTS. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to formulate a prediction model for CTS. RESULTS: The optimal cut-off point of median CSA in wrist was 10.5 mm(2). Hypervascularity (OR = 37.95), hypoechogenicity (OR = 12.30), and high CSA (OR = 34.79) of median nerve were significantly (P < 0.001) higher in CTS patients than in controls. No significant difference was found between the sensitivity and specificity of EDT and any of the above indices in prediction of CTS. An ultrasonographic model for prediction of CTS, comprised hypervascularity and/or high CSA of median nerve, could predict the CTS probability between 87-99%. The sensitivity and specificity of this model (86% and 84%) was not different from EDT (80% and 84%). CONCLUSION: A combination of high-resolution and color Doppler ultrasound can be used as a non-invasive alternative to EDT in diagnosis of CTS.

Preoperative sonographic diagnosis of appendiceal intussusception: a case report.

Appendiceal intussusception is an uncommon form of intussusception. Most of the literature regarding appendiceal intussusception discusses the colonoscopic diagnosis or surgical treatment of the condition. Sonographic findings have rarely been described. We present a case of preoperative sonographic diagnosis of appendiceal intussusception.

Antidepressant effects of magnetic resonance imaging--based stimulation on major depressive disorder: a double-blind randomized clinical trial.

Antidepressant effects of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based stimulation have been reported in animal studies, but no human studies are available on subjects with major depressive disorder. Here, the efficacy of two diagnostic MRI protocols (echo-planar diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and T1-weighted imaging) was assessed in patients with major depressive disorder. In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 51 patients with clinically proven major depressive disorder were randomly enrolled into three equal groups. All patients were receiving a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor as the only antidepressant treatment. The first group received echo-planar DW stimulation (DWI group), the second group received T1-weighted stimulation (T1 group), and the third group experienced a similar condition without receiving any magnetic stimulation (sham group). The Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD24) and Beck depression inventory (BDI) were used to assess the effect of MR stimulation on depressive symptoms. In comparison to baseline, mean HAMD24 and BDI scores significantly (p < 0.001) decreased in the DWI (by 35% and 39%) and T1 (by 38% and 39%) groups 2 weeks after MR stimulation. In the sham group, reduction in HAMD24 (19%, p = 0.04) and BDI score (15%, p = 0.07) were lower than the MR stimulation groups. Two weeks after the MR experiments, changes in mean HAMD24 score and BDI score were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in subjects treated with MR stimulation (DWI or T1) vs. sham group. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the antidepressant effects of DWI and T1 MRI protocols. Our results may point to usefulness of MR stimulation for clinical use in patients with major depressive disorder.

Evaluating the reliability of anatomic landmarks in safe lumbar puncture using magnetic resonance imaging: does sex matter?

Aim. To determine the level of the conus medullaris-Tuffier's line, and conus medullaris-Tuffier's line distance using imaging and evaluate their relation to age and gender. Methods. We performed a cross-sectional study of 189 adult participants, who underwent MR imaging of lumbosacral spine. Each vertebra was divided into 3 equal segments (upper, middle, and lower), and intervertebral disc space was also assumed as one segment. All segments from T12 upper segment to L5S1 intervertebral disc were numbered consecutively. The position of conus medullaris and Tuffier's line was determined by the vertebral segment or intervertebral disc space at the same level. The patients were stratified into high/low conus medullaris position (cutpoint: L1 middle segment) and short/long conus-Tuffier's distance (cutpoint: 14 segments). Results. Women with low conus were significantly more than men, in patients older than 50 years old (72.7% in females versus 55.3% in males; P < .05), whereas there was not such a sexual dimorphism in patients younger than 50 years old. Similarly, short conus-Tuffier's distance was more frequent among women than men in patients older than 50 years old (59.7% in females versus 39.5% in males; P < .05), whereas there was not any gender difference in patients younger than 50 years old. Conus-Tuffier's distance was negatively correlated with age (r = -0.32, P < .001) in all studied population. Conclusion. Anatomical landmarks vary according to age and gender, with a lower end of conus medullaris in women, so clinicians should use more caution on the identification of the appropriate site for lumbar puncture, particularly in elderly women.

Nintinol self-expandable metallic stenting in management of malignant obstructive jaundice: a case series.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Palliation therapy is the only available therapeutic method for most patients with tumor-induced obstructive jaundice. Metallic stents are now performed percutaneously as an alternative route to the endoscopic approach. It is widely accepted because of its safety, good patency rate, and minimal invasiveness. This study was designed to evaluate the long-term results of metallic self-expandable stent insertion in patients with malignant stenosis of the biliary tree. METHODS: It is a longitudinal study of patients with percutaneously biliary stenting from September 2005 to March 2009. The patients had unresectable malignant biliary obstruction with unsuccessful endoscopic stenting and access. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram performed after adequate local anesthesia, under sonographic or fluoroscopic guidance. Stenting or balloon dilation was performed through the hydrophilic guide wire. Among 50 patients, 45 stents were placed in biliary tree stenosis sites. Patients' follow-up was during the first, second, third, and then the sixth month after insertion of biliary stents. Stent patency was considered successful in our patients, when there were no lab results or sonographic appearance of biliary tree obstruction. RESULTS: 10(20%) patients' stent placement treatment failed because of unsuccessful technical procedure. The stenosis of biliary tract was complete and passage of guide wire was not possible through the tumor growth. 6 (15 %) patients with successful stent placements died within one month (mean, 22 days). Total serum bilirubin resolved to below 1.5 mg/dl within 30 days for 36 (90%) patients with successful stent placements. Early complications not leading to death occurred in 28% of cases. The mean survival time for all patients who underwent stent placement was 140 days (16-420days). The mean patency rate for all stents was 147 days. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous biliary stenting is a safe procedure with few technical complications and a high success rate of palliation for patients with malignant biliary jaundice. Early complications are mostly managed conservatively and death is mainly due to systemic effects of the malignant disease.