Automated Delivery of Clinical Follow-Up to the Radiologist via E-Mail: Feasibility Study of a New Information Technology Algorithm.

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to develop an automated process for radiologists to obtain clinical follow-up on radiology reports via HIPAA-compliant e-mail and to determine what follow-up data were collected and whether they were relevant to the radiology reports. CONCLUSION: The algorithm generated high-yield follow-up data for radiologists that may improve patient care by facilitating radiologist engagement and self-assessment.

Microwave Ablation for Lung Neoplasms: A Retrospective Analysis of Long-Term Results.

PURPOSE: To determine the long-term safety and efficacy of microwave (MW) ablation in the treatment of lung tumors at a single academic medical center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review was performed of 108 patients (42 female; mean age, 72.5 y ± 10.3 [standard deviation]) who underwent computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous MW ablation for a single lung malignancy. Eighty-two were primary non-small-cell lung cancers and 24 were metastatic tumors (9 colorectal carcinoma, 2 renal-cell carcinoma, 4 sarcoma, 2 lung, and 7 other). Mean maximum tumor diameter was 29.6 mm ± 17.2. Patient clinical and imaging data were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier modeling and logistic regression. RESULTS: Odds of primary technical success were 11.1 times higher for tumors < 3 cm vs those > 3 cm (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.97-41.1; P = .0003). For every millimeter increase in original tumor maximal diameter (OMD), the odds of not attaining success increased by 7% (95% CI, 3%-10%; P = .0002). For every millimeter increase in OMD, the odds of complications increased by 3% (95% CI, 0.1%-5%; P = .04). Median time to tumor recurrence was 62 months (95% CI, 29, upper bound not reached; range, 0.2-96.6 mo). Recurrence rates were estimated at 22%, 36%, and 44% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. Recurrence rates were estimated at 31% at 13 months for tumors > 3 cm and 17% for those < 3 cm. Complications included pneumothorax (32%), unplanned hospital admission (28%), pain (20%), infection (7%), and postablation syndrome (4%). CONCLUSIONS: This study further supports the safe and effective use of MW ablation for the treatment of lung tumors.

MRI of Native Knee Cartilage Delamination Injuries.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to describe the normal imaging appearance of cartilage and the pathophysiologic findings, imaging appearance, and surgical management of cartilage delamination. CONCLUSION: Delamination injuries of knee cartilage signify surgical lesions that can lead to significant morbidity without treatment. These injuries may present with clinical symptoms identical to those associated with meniscal injury, and arthroscopic identification can be difficult, thereby creating a role for imaging diagnosis. A low sensitivity of imaging identification of delamination injury of the knee is reported in the available literature, although vast improvements in MRI of cartilage have since been introduced.