Imaging of Heart Disease in Women.

Ischemic heart disease is the number one cause of death of women in the United States, accounting for over a quarter of a million annual female deaths. Evidence within the last several decades supports sex-specific differences in the prevalence, symptoms, and prognosis of ischemic heart disease between men and women. Despite women having a lower burden of obstructive coronary artery disease compared with men, the prevalence of angina and mortality from ischemic heart disease is higher for women than men. In addition to ischemic heart disease, certain nonischemic conditions may also have sex-specific differences in clinical presentation and occurrence. With the rising utilization of noninvasive modalities for the diagnosis and management of ischemic heart disease, it is important for radiologists to be familiar with the unique considerations for imaging women with heart disease. The purpose of this review is to discuss challenges for detection of heart disease in women, examine performance of noninvasive modalities in the detection of ischemic heart disease, and discuss nonischemic cardiomyopathies unique to or prevalent in women. Considerations for cardiac imaging in pregnancy are also discussed. © RSNA, 2017.

Multi-Institutional Evaluation of Digital Tomosynthesis, Dual-Energy Radiography, and Conventional Chest Radiography for the Detection and Management of Pulmonary Nodules.

Purpose To conduct a multi-institutional, multireader study to compare the performance of digital tomosynthesis, dual-energy (DE) imaging, and conventional chest radiography for pulmonary nodule detection and management. Materials and Methods In this binational, institutional review board-approved, HIPAA-compliant prospective study, 158 subjects (43 subjects with normal findings) were enrolled at four institutions. Informed consent was obtained prior to enrollment. Subjects underwent chest computed tomography (CT) and imaging with conventional chest radiography (posteroanterior and lateral), DE imaging, and tomosynthesis with a flat-panel imaging device. Three experienced thoracic radiologists identified true locations of nodules (n = 516, 3-20-mm diameters) with CT and recommended case management by using Fleischner Society guidelines. Five other radiologists marked nodules and indicated case management by using images from conventional chest radiography, conventional chest radiography plus DE imaging, tomosynthesis, and tomosynthesis plus DE imaging. Sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy were measured by using the free-response receiver operating characteristic method and the receiver operating characteristic method for nodule detection and case management, respectively. Results were further analyzed according to nodule diameter categories (3-4 mm, >4 mm to 6 mm, >6 mm to 8 mm, and >8 mm to 20 mm). Results Maximum lesion localization fraction was higher for tomosynthesis than for conventional chest radiography in all nodule size categories (3.55-fold for all nodules, P < .001; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.96, 4.15). Case-level sensitivity was higher with tomosynthesis than with conventional chest radiography for all nodules (1.49-fold, P < .001; 95% CI: 1.25, 1.73). Case management decisions showed better overall accuracy with tomosynthesis than with conventional chest radiography, as given by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (1.23-fold, P < .001; 95% CI: 1.15, 1.32). There were no differences in any specificity measures. DE imaging did not significantly affect nodule detection when paired with either conventional chest radiography or tomosynthesis. Conclusion Tomosynthesis outperformed conventional chest radiography for lung nodule detection and determination of case management; DE imaging did not show significant differences over conventional chest radiography or tomosynthesis alone. These findings indicate performance likely achievable with a range of reader expertise. © RSNA, 2016 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Digital tomosynthesis of the chest: current and emerging applications.

Digital tomosynthesis (DTS) of the chest is a technique whose basic components are similar to those of digital radiography, but that also provides some of the benefits of computed tomography (CT). The major advantages of DTS over conventional chest radiography are improved visibility of the pulmonary parenchyma and depiction of abnormalities such as pulmonary nodules. Calcifications, vessels, airways, and chest wall abnormalities are also much more readily visualized at DTS than at chest radiography. DTS could potentially be combined with chest radiography to follow up known nodules, confirm or rule out suspected nodules seen at radiography, or evaluate individuals who are at high risk for lung cancer or pulmonary metastases. DTS generates coronal "slices" through the chest whose resolution is superior to that of coronal reconstructed CT images, but it is limited by its suboptimal depth resolution and susceptibility to motion; consequently, potential pitfalls in recognizing lesions adjacent to the pleura, diaphragm, central vessels, and mediastinum can occur. However, the radiation dose and projected cost of chest DTS are lower than those of standard chest CT. Besides pulmonary nodule detection, specific applications of DTS that are under investigation include evaluation of pulmonary tuberculous and nontuberculous mycobacterial disease, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, and asbestos-related thoracic diseases. A basic understanding of chest DTS and of the emerging applications of this technique can prove useful to the radiologist. Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Tumors and tumorlike conditions of the large airways.

OBJECTIVE: Large-airway tumors and tumorlike conditions are uncommon, but a systematic approach aids in narrowing the differential diagnosis. In this article, we describe an approach to dealing with large-airway lesions and discuss their imaging characteristics and clinical presentations. CONCLUSION: We have found it useful to separate these entities into groups on the basis of the distribution pattern (focal vs diffuse) and location (trachea vs bronchi).

Cardiac complications of oncologic therapy.

As survival rates continue to increase for patients with childhood and adult malignancies, imaging utilization in these patients will likely increase substantially. It is important to detect disease recurrence and to recognize the potential complications that occur after treatment with oncologic medications and therapeutic radiation. The most common cardiotoxic side effect of the anthracycline drug class is a dose-dependent decline in ejection fraction, which may result in dilated cardiomyopathy. Multiple-uptake gated acquisition (MUGA) scanning plays an important role in diagnosis of this subclinical cardiac dysfunction. Other less common cardiotoxic side effects of chemotherapeutic medications include arrhythmia, myocarditis, coronary artery disease, tamponade, pericarditis, and pericardial effusion. Radiation therapy can also lead to cardiotoxicity when the heart or pericardium is included in the radiation portal. Radiation-induced conditions include pericardial disease, coronary artery disease, valvular disease, and cardiomyopathy. Many of these side effects are asymptomatic until late in the course of the disease. With imaging, these pathologic conditions can often be diagnosed before symptom onset, which may allow early intervention. Radiologists should be familiar with the current knowledge and pathophysiology regarding cardiac complications related to chemotherapy and radiation therapy of malignant neoplasms and the appearances of treatment-related cardiotoxicity that can be found at radiography, nuclear medicine examinations, and cross-sectional imaging. Supplemental material available at http://radiographics.rsna.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1148/rg.336125005/-/DC1.

Cardiovascular MR imaging after surgical correction of tetralogy of Fallot: approach based on understanding of surgical procedures.

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is one of the most common congenital heart diseases for which patients are referred for postoperative magnetic resonance (MR) imaging evaluation. The most common surgical procedures for TOF repair include infundibulectomy, transannular pulmonary artery patch repair, and right ventricle-pulmonary artery conduit placement. In the past few decades, surgery has proved successful, but most patients require repeat imaging throughout their lives. MR imaging is now frequently used for morphologic and functional evaluation after TOF repair. The most common late postoperative sequelae and residual lesions include right ventricular outflow tract aneurysm and dyskinesis, conduit failure, pulmonary regurgitation, tricuspid regurgitation, right ventricular failure, residual main and branch pulmonary artery stenosis, branch pulmonary artery aneurysm, left pulmonary artery kinking, and residual or recurrent ventricular septal defect. The imaging approach for the evaluation of patients with repaired TOF should be guided by the surgical procedure used and the complications that are expected. Knowledge of the most common postoperative problems and their cardiovascular MR imaging appearances is essential for good radiology practice in this clinical setting.

Tumorlike conditions of the pleura.

Tumorlike conditions of the pleura are rare, but diagnosis is facilitated by recognizing certain imaging patterns and interpreting them in the clinical context. A tumorlike condition of the pleura is any nonneoplastic lesion of the pleura itself, or within the pleural space, that resembles a tumor. An approach to diagnosis of the tumorlike conditions of the pleura is provided, and these conditions are grouped into focal or diffuse conditions, with an emphasis on specific imaging features. Focal tumorlike conditions of the pleura include pleural plaque, thoracic splenosis, thoracic endometriosis causing catamenial pneumothorax, and pseudotumor caused by pleural effusion. Thoracic splenosis should be considered in a patient who has a healed left lower rib fracture, an absent spleen, and left lower pleural nodules. Thoracic endometriosis with catamenial pneumothorax should be considered in a woman of childbearing age who presents with right scapular pain and recurrent pneumothorax occurring at or around the onset of menses. Extrapleural hematoma is a nonpleural mimic of pleural tumor and shares some imaging features with focal tumorlike conditions of the pleura, despite residing in the extrapleural space. Diffuse tumorlike conditions of the pleura include diffuse pleural thickening and rare conditions such as Erdheim-Chester disease and diffuse pulmonary lymphangiomatosis. Erdheim-Chester disease should be considered when diffuse pleural thickening occurs with a perirenal soft-tissue halo or distal femoral sclerosis. Diffuse pulmonary lymphangiomatosis should be considered when findings include diffuse pleural thickening, interlobular septal and peribronchovascular interstitial thickening, and mediastinal fat infiltration limited to the thorax and when these findings persist despite diuretic therapy.

Clinical evaluation of aortic coarctation with 4D flow MR imaging.

PURPOSE: To show that 4D Flow is a clinically viable tool for evaluation of collateral blood flow and demonstration of distorted blood flow patterns in patients with treated and untreated aortic coarctation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Time-resolved, 3D phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (4D Flow) was used to assess blood flow in the thoracic aorta of 34 individuals: 26 patients with coarctation (22 after surgery or stent placement) and eight healthy volunteers. RESULTS: Direct comparison of blood flow calculated with 2D and 4D phase contrast data at standard levels for analysis in coarctation patients showed good correlation and agreement (correlation coefficient r = 0.99, limits of agreement = -20% to 20% for collateral blood flow calculations). Abnormal blood flow patterns were demonstrated at peak systole with 4D Flow visualization techniques in the descending thoracic aorta of patients but not volunteers. Marked helical flow was seen in 9 of 13 patients with angulated aortic arch geometries after coarctation repair. Vortical flow was seen in regions of poststenotic dilation. CONCLUSION: 4D Flow is a fast and reliable means of evaluating collateral blood flow in patients with aortic coarctation in order to establish hemodynamic significance. It also can detect distorted blood flow patterns in the descending aorta after coarctation repair.

Velocity-encoded cine MR imaging in aortic coarctation: functional assessment of hemodynamic events.

Velocity-encoded cine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is becoming the modality of choice for the clinical evaluation of aortic coarctation, a congenital narrowing of the thoracic aorta, in which a functional assessment of hemodynamic obstruction is as important as anatomic delineation. A flow-sensitive phase-contrast technique, velocity-encoded cine MR imaging is based on the principle that moving protons change phase in proportion to their velocity. Because it enables precise hemodynamic characterization, the technique is especially useful for evaluating the severity of aortic coarctation. By enabling a qualitative assessment of the presence and direction of collateral circulation, velocity-encoded cine MR imaging provides information about the presence and severity of obstruction. It also allows accurate quantitation of key hemodynamic parameters such as flow velocity, flow volume, and pressure gradients across the coarctation-functional information that is clinically useful for both preoperative planning and postinterventional monitoring. The results of recent experience indicate that velocity-encoded cine MR imaging also may be applicable for the detection of recurrent stenosis after stent placement or angioplasty.

MR imaging of ischemic heart disease.

When ischemic heart disease (IHD) is suspected or confirmed, the primary imaging modality is echocardiography. When appropriate, complementary examinations can be performed. These include stress perfusion scintigraphy, cardiac catheterization, coronary angiography, and CT. MR imaging techniques have developed rapidly over the past several years, and MR imaging has the ability to delineate myocardial perfusion, ventricular function, and myocardial viability in a single examination. Although coronary MR angiography is promising, in recent years it has been supplanted as a noninvasive imaging modality by coronary CT angiography. The other capabilities of MR imaging suggest that it will be performed more and more frequently for the assessment of IHD.

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the lung: radiologic features of an uncommon primary pulmonary neoplasm.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to review the chest radiographic, CT, and MRI appearances of primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC). CONCLUSION: Primary pulmonary LELC is histopathologically identical to nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The radiographic, CT, and MRI features of primary pulmonary LELC are nonspecific, often resembling those of bronchogenic carcinoma. Primary pulmonary LELC usually presents as a poorly circumscribed, enhancing, peripheral solitary pulmonary nodule on CT; necrosis may be present and is considered a poor prognostic sign. MRI shows isointense to low-intensity signal on T1-weighted images and mildly increased signal on T2-weighted images; enhancement of abnormal tissue is typical. Most patients present with early-stage disease. Primary pulmonary LELC should be suspected in selected patients and requires differentiation from bronchogenic carcinoma and metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The functional single ventricle: how imaging guides treatment.

Functional single ventricle (FSV) encompasses a spectrum of severe congenital heart disease. Patients with FSV are living longer than decades prior resulting in more frequent imaging both for surgical planning and functional evaluation. At each stage of surgical intervention, imaging plays a critical role in detecting postoperative complications and preprocedural planning. This article describes the unique imaging findings, including complications, that are most important to the referring physician or surgeon at each surgical stage of FSV management. A description of lesions that embody the diagnosis of FSV is also included.

High-resolution CT of the lung: patterns of disease and differential diagnoses.

High-resolution CT (HRCT) of the lung is a powerful tool for the investigation of patients with acute or chronic respiratory symptoms or diffuse parenchymal lung disease. Detailed knowledge of normal pulmonary anatomy and an understanding of how normal anatomy is altered in disease states are required to appreciate fully HRCT findings in patients with pulmonary disease. Detailed knowledge of the technical aspects of HRCT examinations is required for optimal image quality. With the proper foundation, a pattern approach to HRCT interpretation may then be used successfully to provide accurate and reproducible interpretation.

Revised curriculum on cardiothoracic radiology for diagnostic radiology residency with goals and objectives related to general competencies.

This document is a revision of a previously published cardiothoracic curriculum for diagnostic radiology residency, and reflects interval changes in the clinical practice of cardiothoracic radiology and changes in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements for diagnostic radiology training programs. The revised ACGME Program Requirements for Residency Education in Diagnostic Radiology went into effect December 2003.

Guidelines for Moderators: Roadmap to a Successful Conference.

The ideal moderator of a conference session does more than simply introduce the speakers to the audience: a capable facilitator can do a great deal to lead the presenters and the participants on an informative journey. This article discusses expectations of a moderator and tips that can be applied to facilitate effective and efficient sessions at professional society meetings and to optimize the satisfaction of audience members. To assist first-time moderators become adept, these guidelines are comprehensive; however, even the most experienced moderators may benefit by reviewing this article.

Cardiovascular shunts: MR imaging evaluation.

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has become an important tool for the accurate and noninvasive assessment of congenital heart disease. Because more precise delineation of anatomy and evaluation of function can be obtained with MR imaging than with either echocardiography or angiography, MR imaging is frequently used to evaluate cardiovascular shunt lesions. It is essential that imaging specialists be able to recognize the MR imaging features of various kinds of shunts, including supracristal ventricular septal defect, atrioventricular septal defect, and partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection. MR imaging is particularly useful for evaluating shunt severity, which can be expressed quantitatively as the ratio of pulmonary flow to systemic flow. This ratio can be estimated accurately with the use of either volumetric cine MR imaging or velocity-encoded cine MR imaging.

CT and MR imaging of pericardial disease.

In the evaluation of pericardial disease, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging traditionally have been used as adjuncts to echocardiography. However, CT and MR imaging are particularly useful as sensitive and noninvasive methods for evaluating loculated or hemorrhagic pericardial effusion, constrictive pericarditis, and pericardial masses. Both CT and MR imaging provide excellent delineation of the pericardial anatomy and can aid in the precise localization and characterization of various pericardial lesions, including effusion, constrictive pericarditis and pericardial thickening, pericardial masses, and congenital anomalies such as partial or complete absence of the pericardium. Both modalities provide a larger field of view than does echocardiography, allowing the examination of the entire chest and detection of associated abnormalities in the mediastinum and lungs. Soft-tissue contrast on CT scans and MR images also is superior to that on echocardiograms. Given the many potential applications of these modalities in the evaluation of pericardial diseases, familiarity with the CT and MR imaging features of these diseases is important.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma: evaluation with CT, MR imaging, and PET.

Imaging plays an essential role in the evaluation of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Computed tomography is the primary imaging modality used for the diagnosis and staging of MPM. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and, more recently, positron emission tomography (PET) have emerged as modalities that can provide additional important diagnostic and prognostic information to help further delineate the extent of disease, especially in surgical candidates. Use of MR imaging performed with different pulse sequences and gadolinium-based contrast material can improve the detection of tumor extension, especially to the chest wall and diaphragm. PET can provide both anatomic and metabolic information, especially in cases of extrathoracic and mediastinal nodal metastasis. Each imaging modality has its advantages and limitations, but their combined use is crucial in determining the most appropriate treatment options for patients with MPM.