Magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment of anomalous pulmonary venous connections.

OBJECTIVE: To illustrate the morphological and functional magnetic resonance findings for total and partial anomalous pulmonary venous connections as well as of the most common complications after surgery. CONCLUSION: The magnetic resonance findings are fundamental in defining the type of anomalous connection, deciding on the treatment, planning the surgery, and detecting postsurgical complications.

[Imaging findings in cardiac masses. Part II: malignant tumors and pseudotumors]. / Hallazgos de imagen de las masas cardíacas. parte II: tumores malignos y lesiones pseudotumorales.

Malignant heart tumors are less common than benign ones. They can be primary or secondary. Secondary or metastatic heart tumors are 20 to 40 times more common than primary malignant heart tumors, which have an estimated incidence of 0.05%. Non-neoplastic pseudotumors can present as cardiac masses, with imaging characteristics than can suggest the diagnosis of a tumor. The aim of this article is to describe and illustrate malignant heart tumors and pseudotumors, stressing the CT and MRI findings that make it possible to differentiate them from benign cardiac tumors.

Imaging findings in cardiac masses (Part I): study protocol and benign tumors.

Cardiac masses represent a diagnostic challenge because decisions about treatment are based on imaging techniques. Echocardiography, magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomography (CT) are fundamental for the detection, characterization, and staging of cardiac masses as well as for planning their treatment. Most primary cardiac tumors are benign; myxomas, papillary fibroelastomas, and lipomas are the most common. The location of the tumors and its characteristics on CT and MR orient the etiologic diagnosis in most cases. This article describes the protocols for CT and MR studies of cardiac masses as well as the morphologic findings, predominant locations, and most useful characteristics for characterizing benign cardiac masses and establishing the differential diagnosis with malignant cardiac tumors and non-neoplastic pseudotumors.

[Continuing medical education: how to write multiple choice questions]. / Formación continuada. Cómo redactar preguntas con opciones de respuesta múltiple.

Evaluating professional competence in medicine is a difficult but indispensable task because it makes it possible to evaluate, at different times and from different perspectives, the extent to which the knowledge, skills, and values required for exercising the profession have been acquired. Tests based on multiple choice questions have been and continue to be among the most useful tools for objectively evaluating learning in medicine. When these tests are well designed and correctly used, they can stimulate learning and even measure higher cognitive skills. Designing a multiple choice test is a difficult task that requires knowledge of the material to be tested and of the methodology of test preparation as well as time to prepare the test. The aim of this article is to review what can be evaluated through multiple choice tests, the rules and guidelines that should be taken into account when writing multiple choice questions, the different formats that can be used, the most common errors in elaborating multiple choice tests, and how to analyze the results of the test to verify its quality.

[Articular and periarticular tumors: differential diagnosis using magnetic resonance imaging]. / Tumores articulares y periarticulares: diagnóstico diferencial con resonancia magnética.

Most patients with articular or periarticular tumors present with chronic monoarthritis and nonspecific alterations on laboratory tests; thus, it is important to know the changes on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that can suggest their diagnosis and the differential diagnosis of these tumors. MRI defines the anatomic origin and the tissue characteristics of articular and periarticular tumors, making it possible to reach a specific diagnosis in most cases. It is important to evaluate the MRI findings together with the plain-film findings because this helps in the characterization of mineralized tumors.

[Guidelines of the Spanish Society of Cardiology on magnetic resonance]. / Guías de práctica clínica de la Sociedad Española de Cardiología en resonancia magnética.

A wide perspective of the cardiac applications of magnetic resonance is presented in this report, including technical aspects of the practice, recommendations on the appropriate training of medical personnel for the practice of examination and also, an extensively commented review of the accepted clinical indications for the practice of a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging study at present.