RESUMEN
Purpose: To compare the sensitivities of T2-weighted image (T2WI) and susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in detecting cerebral arteriovenous fistula (AVF), cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM), and carotid-cavernous sinus fistula (CCF), and to qualitatively evaluate single-echo SWI (s-SWI) and multi-echo SWI (m-SWI) in characterizing vascular lesions. Materials and Methods: From January 2016 to December 2021, cerebral angiography-proven lesions were recruited. The sensitivities of T2WI and SWI in detecting vascular lesions were compared using McNemar's test. Qualitative evaluations of s-SWI and m-SWI were categorized to be of poor, average, or good quality and compared using Fisher's exact test. Results: A total of 24 patients (mean age: 61 years, 12 female, and 12 male) were enrolled. Twenty patients underwent s-SWI or m-SWI, and four patients underwent both. AVF, AVM, and CCF were diagnosed in 10, 11, and 3 patients, respectively. SWI demonstrated higher sensitivity compared to that of T2WI (82.1% vs. 53.6%, p = 0.013). m-SWI showed better image quality compared to that of s-SWI (good quality, 83.3% vs. 25.0%, p = 0.009). Conclusion: SWI demonstrated a higher sensitivity for detecting cerebral arteriovenous shunts compared to that of T2WI. m-SWI exhibited better image quality compared to that of s-SWI in characterizing vascular lesions.
RESUMEN
PURPOSE: This study was aimed to compare thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) techniques (conventional vs. whirling) in terms of cell harvesting ability ex vivo, the unsatisfactory rate and complication rate in vivo, and multi-operator performance in a phantom study. METHODS: In the ex vivo study, cell counts per background at ×100 magnification were compared between both techniques. In the in vivo study, 70 patients who underwent whirling FNAB from July 2019 to November 2019 were retrospectively compared to 140 matched patients who underwent conventional FNAB from January 2018 to November 2019 regarding the unsatisfactory rate and complication rate. As a subgroup analysis, thyroid nodules in difficult biopsy situations (nodule diameter <10 mm and location within 3 mm from major anatomical structures) were compared. In the phantom study, eight operators with varying experience recorded levels of dexterity and needle tip visualization, and their preferences for both techniques. RESULTS: In the ex vivo study, cell counts were comparable between both techniques in all thyroid nodule mimickers (80.0% vs. 87.5%, P=0.178). In the in vivo study, the unsatisfactory rate was comparable between the two groups (15.7% vs. 12.9%, P=0.859). In the subgroup analysis, the whirling technique demonstrated a lower unsatisfactory rate (5.9% vs. 24.2%, P=0.045) and a lower complication rate (0% vs. 6.1%, P=0.553). In the phantom study, the whirling technique demonstrated better dexterity and needle tip visualization and was preferred by all operators. CONCLUSION: This newly proposed whirling technique for thyroid FNAB may be effective and safe, especially in difficult biopsy situations.
