Accuracy of thin-slice model-based iterative reconstruction designed for brain CT to diagnose acute ischemic stroke in the middle cerebral artery territory: a multicenter study.

PURPOSE: Model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) yields higher spatial resolution and a lower image noise than conventional reconstruction methods. We hypothesized that thin-slice MBIR designed for brain CT could improve the detectability of acute ischemic stroke in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory. METHODS: Included were 41 patients with acute ischemic stroke in the MCA territory; they were seen at 4 medical centers. The controls were 39 subjects without acute stroke. Images were reconstructed with hybrid IR and with MBIR designed for brain CT at slice thickness of 2 mm. We measured the image noise in the ventricle and compared the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in the ischemic lesion. We analyzed the ability of reconstructed images to detect ischemic lesions using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis; 8 observers read the routine clinical hybrid IR with 5 mm-thick images, while referring to 2 mm-thick hybrid IR images or MBIR images. RESULTS: The image noise was significantly lower on MBIR- than hybrid IR images (1.2 vs. 3.4, p < 0.001). The CNR was significantly higher with MBIR than hybrid IR (6.3 vs. 1.6, p < 0.001). The mean area under the ROC curve was also significantly higher on hybrid IR plus MBIR than hybrid IR (0.55 vs. 0.48, p < 0.036). Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 41.2%, 88.8%, and 65.7%, respectively, for hybrid IR; they were 58.8%, 86.1%, and 72.9%, respectively, for hybrid IR plus MBIR. CONCLUSION: The additional thin-slice MBIR designed for brain CT may improve the detection of acute MCA stroke.

T2-FLAIR Mismatch Sign and Response to Radiotherapy in Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma.

PURPOSE: The T2-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) mismatch sign was previously reported as a diagnostic indicator of diffuse astrocytoma, isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutant, and 1p/19q noncodeletion. Subsequently, it was reported that the same findings were observed in diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). We investigated the clinical significance of T2-FLAIR mismatch sign in DIPG. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with DIPG (Male: Female = 12:9) were treated at our institute between 2004 and 2019. All patients were treated with local radiotherapy of 54 Gy/30 fractions. The positive T2-FLAIR mismatch sign was defined if it fulfilled the following criteria: (1) T2-FLAIR mismatch volume was >50% of T2 high volume at nonenhanced area, (2) the FLAIR low lesion is not associated with gadolinium enhancement (inside of enhancement or just outside of enhancement defined as edema), and (3) signal-intensity of FLAIR lowest lesion at tumor is lower than the normal cerebellar cortex. RESULTS: In our patient series, T2-FLAIR mismatch sign was found in 5 out of 21 patients. Objective response rate of radiotherapy was 100% in patients positive for T2-FLAIR mismatch, while it was 25.0% in patients negative for T2-FLAIR mismatch, and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01, Fisher's exact test). In patients under the age of 18-years, T2-FLAIR mismatch positive had a slightly better prognosis (p < 0.05, Wilcoxon test). CONCLUSION: T2-FLAIR mismatch sign in DIPG may be an indicator for better response to radiotherapy and a better prognostic factor.

T2-FLAIR mismatch sign in dysembryoplasticneuroepithelial tumor.

PURPOSE: T2-FLAIR mismatch sign was reported as specific imaging marker in non-enhancing diffuse astrocytoma, IDH-mutant & 1p/19q non-codeleted. However, most of the previous studies for T2-FLAIR mismatch sign were confirmed only among lower grade glioma. The aim of this study is to assess the T2-FLAIR mismatch sign in dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNET) and unveil the exception rules of the sign. METHOD: Eleven patients with histopathologically confirmed DNET were included in this study. The MR images were evaluated by 2 independent reviewers to assess (i) the presence or absence of T2-FLAIR mismatch sign and (ii) the presence or absence of gadolinium enhancement. CT was also performed to evaluate calcification and localized thinning of the skull bone. Inter-reviewer agreement with Cohen's kappa (κ) was calculated. RESULTS: The T2-FLAIR mismatch sign was present in 8 cases (72.7 %) and absent in 3 cases (27.3 %). None of them showed contrast enhancement on initial MR images. The inter-reviewer agreement for T2-FLAIR mismatch and CT characteristics was excellent (κ = 1.00). All of the DNET without T2-FLAIR mismatch presented with calcification on CT. All of the DNET adjacent to skull vault (5 cases) presented with localized bone thinning overlying the tumor. CONCLUSIONS: The T2-FLAIR mismatch sign was observed in more than half of the DNET and the sign is not specific for diffuse astrocytoma, IDH-mutant & 1p19q non-codeleted. The localized skull bone thinning overlying the tumor might help for diagnosis of DNET in some cases.

Utility of dual-energy CT for predicting the vascularity of meningiomas.

PURPOSE: Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) can provide iodine, electron density (ED), and effective atomic number Z (Zeff) maps, facilitating the identification of tissue types. We investigated whether DECT parameters can predict the vascularity of meningiomas. METHOD: We acquired DECT and perfusion CT (PCT) images in 24 patients with histologically diagnosed meningioma. Regions of interest (ROIs) were placed at the tumor in iodine, ED, and Zeff maps derived from DECT and in a blood volume (BV) map derived from PCT. To normalize these parameters' values, we divided them by the values of contralateral normal-appearing white matter, i.e., the relative (r)ED, rZeff, and rBV. The vascular density of the tumor specimens was immunohistochemically analyzed by calculating the von Willebrand factor-positive vessel wall. We calculated Pearson's correlation coefficients to determine the correlation with PCT/DECT parameters and an immunohistopathological index. RESULTS: Contrast rZeff (r = 0.7020, p = 0.0001) and iodine (r = 0.5814, p = 0.0029) both had positive correlations with rBV derived from PCT. The rED values were negatively correlated with the rBV values (r = -0.4735, p = 0.0194), and the vascular density results confirmed positive correlations with rBV (r = 0.6909, p = 0.0002) and contrast rZeff (r = 0.4982, p = 0.0132) and a negative correlation with rED (r = -0.4265, p = 0.0377). Regarding the radiation exposure, the mean estimated volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) of DECT was 33.1 ± 1.72 mGy, much lower than that of PCT (103.3 ± 4.65 mGy). CONCLUSIONS: DECT predicted vascular density with lower radiation exposure compared to PCT. DECT could potentially replace PCT for evaluating the vascularity of meningiomas.

Clinical staging of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma for T staging: Review and pictorial essay.

Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma is staged using the TNM classification of malignant tumors. Preoperative TNM is important for treatment planning. Computed tomography urography is now widely used for clinical survey of upper urinary tract carcinoma because of its diagnostic accuracy. Computed tomography urography is recommended as the first-line imaging procedure in several guidelines. Several reports stated that computed tomography urography is also useful for staging. However, no educational and practical reviews detailing the T staging of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinomas using imaging are available. We discuss the scanning protocol, T staging using computed tomography urography, limitations, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography comparison and pitfalls in imaging of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma. A recent study reported the high diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography urography with respect to T3 or higher stage tumors. To date, images that show a Tis-T2 stage have not been reported, but various studies are ongoing. Although magnetic resonance imaging has lower spatial resolution than computed tomography urography, magnetic resonance imaging can be carried out without radiation exposure or contrast agents. Magnetic resonance imaging also offers the unique ability of diffusion-weighted imaging without contrast agent use. Some researchers reported that diffusion-weighted imaging is useful not only for detecting lesions, but for predicting the T stage and tumor grade. We recommend the appropriate use of computed tomography and magnetic resonance while considering the limitations of each modality and the pitfalls in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma imaging.

Usefulness of Histogram-Profile Analysis in Ring-Enhancing Intracranial Lesions.

BACKGROUND: Several intracranial pathologies present as a ring-enhancing lesion on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), creating diagnostic difficulty. We studied the characteristics of the anatomical border of gadolinium enhancement on T1-weighted imaging (WI) and hypointensity on T2WI to employ a simple technique of histogram-profile analysis of MRI for differentiation of various ring-enhancing intracranial lesions. METHODS: After approval from the institutional review board, preoperative MRI (T2WI, postcontrast T1WI) scans were analyzed retrospectively in 18 patients with histologically confirmed brain abscess, 66 glioblastomas, 46 brain-metastases, and 16 tumefactive multiple sclerosis (MS). T2WI and postcontrast T1WI were overlapped, and histogram-profile analysis was performed with in-house image-fusion software. The pattern of differential-peaks in histogram-profile was assessed visually. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis incorporating histogram-profile patterns was performed in patients with glioblastoma. RESULTS: The histogram-profile study revealed 4 distinct patterns. Pattern 1 showed no differential T2-hypointensity trough, pattern 2 had T2-hypointensity trough inside, whereas pattern 3 had T2-hypointensity trough overlapping the enhanced margin. Pattern 4 had T2-hypointensity trough immediately external to the enhanced margin. Pattern 1 was specific for tumefactive MS (93.3%), whereas pattern 4 was specific for glioblastoma (40.7%). Pattern 4 glioblastoma was subdivided into rim (T2-hypointensity ≥50% of circumference of contrast-enhanced tumor) and arc (T2-hypointensity <50% of circumference of contrast-enhanced tumor). Pattern 4 glioblastoma was further subdivided into group A (edema: T2-hyperintensity ≥50% of circumference of contrast-enhanced tumor) and group B (less edema: T2-hyperintensity <50% of circumference of contrast-enhanced tumor). Patients with pattern 3 glioblastoma (37.6%) had better survival compared with others (P = 0.0341) and pattern 4B had decreased survival compared with pattern 4A (P = 0.0001) and others (P = 0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: Tumefactive MS and a subset of glioblastomas show specific patterns in histogram-profile analysis. The difference in anatomical border also determines difference in survival in glioblastoma. Histogram-profile analysis is a simple and efficient technique to differentiate these pathologies.

Thyroid-associated Orbitopathy: Quantitative Evaluation of the Orbital Fat Volume and Edema Using IDEAL-FSE.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To compare orbital quantitative data obtained by fast spin-echo iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation (FSE-IDEAL) in patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) and healthy controls and to investigate the characteristics of these data in TAO patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two TAO patients (4 males and 18 females; median age 51.0 years) and 22 healthy subjects (5 males and 17 females; median age 50.5 years) underwent orbital T2-weighted FSE-IDEAL. The water fraction in orbital fat was defined as the signal intensity (SI) water / (SI water + SI fat). The orbital fat volume was measured on fat images. The degree of proptosis was evaluated using in-phase imaging. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare these quantitative data in the two groups. In TAO patients we ascertained the correlation among these values with the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. RESULTS: In TAO patients, the water fraction (right and left, p = 0.04), fat volume (right and left, p = 0.03) and degree of proptosis (right and left, p < 0.01) were higher than in the controls. In TAO patients, only the water fraction and the fat volume of left orbit showed negative correlation (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: The water fraction of orbital fat, the orbital fat volume and the degree of proptosis obtained with FSE-IDEAL were higher in TAO patients than in the controls. The water fraction was a new parameter for differentiating between TAO patients and healthy subjects.

Improved differentiation between high- and low-grade gliomas by combining dual-energy CT analysis and perfusion CT.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of the cerebral blood volume (CBV) obtained with perfusion computed tomography (CT) and the electron density (ED) measured by dual-energy CT for differentiating high- from low-grade glioma (HGG, LGG).The CBV and ED were obtained in 9 LGG and 7 HGG patients. The CBV and ED of LGGs and HGGs were compared. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated for CBV, ED, and CBV plus ED. The correlation between CBV, ED, and the MIB-1 labeling index of the tumors was examined. All of these analyses were also performed using relative CBV (rCBV) and ED (rED) (the value of tumors/the value of contralateral white matter).The mean CBV, ED, rCBV, and rED values were significantly higher in HGG than LGG (P < .05). By ROC analysis, the combination of rCBV plus rED as well as CBV plus ED were more accurate than CBV, ED, rCBV, rED alone. There was a significant correlation between ED and MIB-1 (P = .04).ED improved diagnostic accuracy of perfusion CT for differentiating HGG from LGG.

Introduction to the Technical Aspects of Computed Diffusion-weighted Imaging for Radiologists.

Diffusion-weighted (DW) imaging is a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging method. It is an indispensable sequence for the diagnosis of acute cerebral infarction and is recognized as a standard tool in oncologic imaging. Computed DW imaging refers to the synthesizing of arbitrary b-value DW images from a set of measured b-value images by voxelwise fitting. Computed DW imaging is advantageous because it generates DW images with a higher diffusion effect than that achievable by using the MR imaging units in use today. Additionally, computed DW imaging can reduce imaging time while producing images characterized by a higher signal-to-noise ratio than what the acquired DW images would display at the corresponding b values. By fitting input images acquired at a lower b value and correspondingly a shorter echo time, the signal intensity of the resulting computed DW image is closer to the ideal case. Computed DW images are generated by employing mathematical models that use mono-, bi-, or triexponential equations. To generate accurate computed DW images, the appropriate model must be selected, and the image parameters for the input data must be chosen accordingly. In addition, to reduce artifacts on computed DW images, the misalignment of input data must be corrected with the aid of image registration techniques. ©RSNA, 2018.

Patients with major depressive disorder exhibit reduced reward size coding in the striatum.

BACKGROUND: Anhedonia is a core symptom of major depressive disorder (MDD). While recent evidence suggests that reduced motivation for reward may be a core feature of anhedonia, the abnormalities in modulatory neural responses to variable reward amounts in MDD patients remain unclear. We investigated whether MDD patients' ability to represent variable-sized monetary rewards in the striatum is disrupted. METHODS: Twelve MDD patients and 12 healthy volunteers completed an assessment of psychometric status and participated in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task that involved the anticipation of financial reward (monetary incentive delay task). The size of the monetary reward was varied among trial conditions and was cued with geometric stimuli. Patients participated in additional fMRI sessions after a 6-week pharmacological treatment with escitalopram, an SSRI. RESULTS: In healthy volunteers, striatal activity increased in proportion to the size of the monetary reward during reward anticipation. This pattern was altered in MDD patients, and significant group-by-reward size interaction effects were observed in the bilateral putamen and the left ventral striatum. Reward sensitivity in motor response and striatum activity at three regions were correlated in healthy controls. In MDD patients, this neurobehavioral coupling was not observed. In addition, changes in the neural reward sensitivity parameter at the left ventral striatum in response to treatment were positively correlated with a reduction of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with MDD exhibit reduced ability to modulate neural response when adjusting for variable amount of reward. This result suggests that reward size coding in the striatum may represent a neural correlate of motivational anhedonia in MDD patients.

Imaging features of papillary renal cell carcinoma with cystic change-dominant appearance in the era of the 2016 WHO classification.

PURPOSE: Papillary renal cell carcinoma (P-RCC) typically exhibits a homogeneous, solid hypovascular mass; P-RCC with a cystic appearance is atypical. Tubulocystic RCC (TC-RCC), a newly proposed entity for renal tumors in the 2016 WHO classification, and cystic papillary RCC, may yield similar imaging findings. Therefore, we investigated the incidence of papillary RCC with cystic changes and compared its CT and pathologic features to differentiate between two entities. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 26 consecutive patients diagnosed with P-RCC. Two radiologists consensually identified dominant masses indicative of cystic changes on CT scans and recorded their Bosniak classification. In addition, two pathologists inspected the whole area of tumors macroscopically, labeled them as solid- or cystic change-dominant tumors, determined the pathogenesis of the cystic components (necrosis or hemorrhage), and recorded their inherent cystic characteristics (with/without TC-RCC components). We defined masses with cystic changes involving more than 50% of the entire tumor as cystic change-dominant tumors. RESULTS: Of the 26 tumors, 7 (27%) were diagnosed cystic change-dominant based on imaging and pathologic findings, of these, 2 were classified as Bosniak type III and 5 as Bosniak type IV. The pathologists confirmed that two type IV tumors demonstrated extensive necrosis and one type IV tumor revealed extensive hemorrhage. Four P-RCCs (type III and IV, 2 each) were of a mixed type harboring both solid and cystic components. Only one tumor exhibited a multilocular cystic appearance. All 7 cystic change-dominant P-RCCs were pathologically diagnosed as a pure P-RCC without TC-RCC components. CONCLUSION: While P-RCCs may contain cystic features, the multilocular type of cystic P-RCC is rare.

Coronary Artery Stent Evaluation with Model-based Iterative Reconstruction at Coronary CT Angiography.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to compare the image quality of coronary artery stent scans on computed tomography images reconstructed with forward projected model-based iterative reconstruction solution (FIRST) and adaptive iterative dose reduction 3D (AIDR 3D). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Coronary computed tomography angiography scans of 23 patients with 32 coronary stents were used. The images were reconstructed with AIDR 3D and FIRST. We generated computed tomography attenuation profiles across the stents and measured the width of the edge rise distance and the edge rise slope (ERS). We also calculated the stent lumen attenuation increase ratio (SAIR) and measured visible stent lumen diameters. Two radiologists visually evaluated the image quality of the stents using a 4-point scale (1 = poor, 4 = excellent). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the edge rise distance between the two reconstruction methods (P = 0.36). The ERS on FIRST images was greater than the ERS on AIDR 3D images (325.2 HU/mm vs 224.4 HU/mm; P <0.01). The rate of the visible stent lumen diameter compared to the true diameter on FIRST images was higher than that on AIDR 3D images (51.4% vs 47.3%, P <0.01). The SAIR on FIRST images was lower than the SAIR on AIDR 3D images (0.19 vs 0.30, P <0.01). The mean image quality scores for AIDR 3D and FIRST images were 3.18 and 3.63, respectively; the difference was also significant (P <0.01). CONCLUSION: The image quality of coronary artery stent scans is better on FIRST than on AIDR 3D images.

Diffusion-weighted MR imaging of non-complicated hepatic cysts: Value of 3T computed diffusion-weighted imaging.

PURPOSE: To investigate the utility of computed 3T diffusion-weighted imaging (c-DWI) for the diagnosis of non-complicated hepatic cysts with a focus on the T2 shine-through effect. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 50 patients with non-complicated hepatic cysts we acquired one set of DWIs (b-value 0 and 1000 s/mm(2)) at 1.5T, and two sets at 3T (b-value 0 and 1000 s/mm(2), TE 70 ms; b-value 0 and 600 s/mm(2), TE 60 ms). We defined the original DWIs acquired with b = 1000 s/mm(2) at 1.5T and 3T as "o-1.5T-1000" and "o-3T-1000". c-DWIs were calculated with 3T DWI at b-values of 0 and 600 s/mm(2). c-DWI with b = 1000 and 1500 s/mm(2) were defined as "c-1000" and "c-1500". Radiologists evaluated the signal intensity (SI) of the cysts using a 3-point score where 1 = not visible, 2 = discernible, and 3 = clearly visible. They calculated the contrast ratio (CR) between the cysts and the surrounding liver parenchyma on each DWIs and recorded the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) with a b-value = 0 and 1000 s/mm(2) on 1.5T- and 3T DWIs. RESULTS: Compared with o-1.5T-1000 DWI, the visual scores of all but the c-1500 DWIs were higher (p = 0.07 for c-1500- and p < 0.01 for the other DWIs). The CR at b = 1000 s/mm(2) was higher on o-3T-1000- than on o-1.5T-1000- (p < 0.01) but not higher than on c-1500 DWIs (p = 0.96). The CR at b = 0 s/mm(2) on 3T images with TE 70 ms was higher than on 1.5T images (p < 0.01). The ADC value was higher for 3T- than 1.5T images (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Non-complicated hepatic cysts showed higher SI on o-3T-1000- than o-1.5T-1000 DWIs due to the T2-shine through effect. This high SI was suppressed on c-1500 DWIs.

Effect of the Motion Correction Technique on Image Quality at 320-Detector Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

OBJECTIVE: Adaptive motion correction (AMC) is a new technique that can suppress blurring of the coronary arteries. We evaluated its effect on the image quality of coronary computed tomography angiography in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: Twenty-five patients with persistent AF underwent coronary computed tomography angiography. Axial image data sets were reconstructed with and without AMC and the image noise in the perivascular tissue of the coronary arteries was measured. Two radiologists visually evaluated the overall image quality of the coronary artery segment using a 4-point scale (1, uninterpretable; 4, good). RESULTS: The mean image noise in the perivascular tissue of the right, but not the left coronary artery, was reduced by AMC (43.8 vs 52.5 Hounsfield units; P < 0.01) and the mean image quality score for the right, but not the left coronary artery, was improved by AMC (3.01 vs 2.74; P < 0.01). The image quality scores in patients with a heart rate of 75 to 114 beats per minute tended to be improved by AMC (75-94 beats per minute: P = 0.06; 95-114 beats per minute: P < 0.01); in patients with a heart rate up to 74 or above 115 beats per minute, they were not improved (P = 0.46 and P = 0.13, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Adaptive motion correction reduced motion artifacts and improved image quality of the right coronary artery in some patients with AF.

Changes in the regional cerebral blood flow detected by arterial spin labeling after 6-week escitalopram treatment for major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: A few studies have used pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) to assess the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, rCBF changes during treatment with escitalopram have not been studied in detail. We used pCASL to investigate the effect of 6-week escitalopram treatment on the rCBF in MDD patients. METHODS: We subjected 53 MDD patients and 36 controls to pCASL (T1, baseline). The patients then received treatment with escitalopram for 6 weeks and 27 were scanned again (T2). We used selected regions of interest that exhibited differences between the controls and patients at T1 and compared the T2 rCBF in the patients with the T1 rCBF of the controls. We also compared the T1 and T2 rCBF in the patients to assess their response to escitalopram. RESULTS: After 6-week treatment with escitalopram, the rCBF in the patients' left inferior temporal gyri, the middle- and inferior frontal gyri, and the subgenual anterior cingulate, which had been higher at T1 than in the controls, was decreased. Their rCBF in the right lingual gyrus remained significantly lower at T2. LIMITATION: We did not have a placebo-control group and the number of patients available at T2 was small. CONCLUSION: In MDD patients, 6-week escitalopram treatment elicited significant rCBF changes toward normalization in most of the areas that had shown significant differences between the patients and the controls at T1. The persistence of rCBF anomalies in the right lingual gyrus may be a trait marker of MDD.

Disrupted Brain Activation and Deactivation Pattern during Semantic Verbal Fluency Task in Patients with Major Depression.

BACKGROUND: Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) exhibit cognitive impairment, and evidence suggests that the semantic version of the verbal fluency task is a reliable cognitive marker of the disorder. Here, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we investigated the dysfunction of neural processing in acute depression and examined the effects of a 6-week pharmacological intervention. METHODS: Sixteen patients with MDD participated in 2 fMRI sessions, and 16 healthy control (HC) subjects participated in 1 fMRI session. During each fMRI session, the participants performed a semantic verbal fluency task. Brain activity during the task was compared between groups (MDD 1st fMRI vs. HC) and times (MDD 1st fMRI vs. 2nd fMRI). RESULTS: Significant brain hypoactivation was observed in MDD patients at the prefrontal, lateral parietal, and limbic regions compared to HC, and MDD patients exhibited hyperactivation at the left precuneus compared to HC. Hypoactivity of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and hyperactivity of the precuneus were normalized with treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Hypoactivation of the left DLPFC and hyperactivation of the precuneus should be considered as dysregulation of anticorrelated brain networks during a cognitive demanding task. This failure of network regulation may be an important factor in the pathophysiology of MDD.

Changes over Time in Intracranial Air in Patients with Cerebral Air Embolism: Radiological Study in Two Cases.

Cerebral air embolism can be easily identified on computed tomography (CT) scans. However, changes in the distribution and amount of intracranial air are not well known. We report two patients with cerebral air embolism and present imaging findings on the serial changes in the intracranial air. We thought that the embolic source was venous in one patient because CT showed air inflow in cortical veins in the bilateral frontal areas, reflecting air buoyancy. In the other patient, CT showed air inflow into not only the cortical veins but also the bilateral cerebral hemispheres and we thought this to be a paradoxical cerebral air embolism. We found that intracranial air can be promptly absorbed and while cerebral infarcts due to air are clearly visualized on diffusion-weighted images (DWI), the air may rapidly disappear from images. In patients with suspected cerebral air embolism whose CT findings show no intracranial air, DWI should be performed because it may reveal cerebral infarction due to cerebral air embolism.

Radiation dose reduction for coronary artery calcium scoring at 320-detector CT with adaptive iterative dose reduction 3D.

To assess the possibility of reducing the radiation dose for coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring by using adaptive iterative dose reduction 3D (AIDR 3D) on a 320-detector CT scanner. Fifty-four patients underwent routine- and low-dose CT for CAC scoring. Low-dose CT was performed at one-third of the tube current used for routine-dose CT. Routine-dose CT was reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) and low-dose CT was reconstructed with AIDR 3D. We compared the calculated Agatston-, volume-, and mass scores of these images. The overall percentage difference in the Agatston-, volume-, and mass scores between routine- and low-dose CT studies was 15.9, 11.6, and 12.6%, respectively. There were no significant differences in the routine- and low-dose CT studies irrespective of the scoring algorithms applied. The CAC measurements of both imaging modalities were highly correlated with respect to the Agatston- (r = 0.996), volume- (r = 0.996), and mass score (r = 0.997; p < 0.001, all); the Bland-Altman limits of agreement scores were -37.4 to 51.4, -31.2 to 36.4 and -30.3 to 40.9%, respectively, suggesting that AIDR 3D was a good alternative for FBP. The mean effective radiation dose for routine- and low-dose CT was 2.2 and 0.7 mSv, respectively. The use of AIDR 3D made it possible to reduce the radiation dose by 67% for CAC scoring without impairing the quantification of coronary calcification.

Iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation (IDEAL) magnetic resonance imaging as a biomarker for symptomatic multiple myeloma.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the effectiveness of iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation (IDEAL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to discriminate between symptomatic and asymptomatic myeloma in lumbar bone marrow without visible focal lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The lumbar spine was examined with 3-T MRI in 11 patients with asymptomatic myeloma and 24 patients with symptomatic myeloma. The fat-signal fraction was calculated from the ratio of the signal intensity in the fat image divided by the signal intensity of the corresponding ROI in the in-phase IDEAL image. The t test was used to compare the asymptomatic and symptomatic groups. ROC curves were constructed to determine the ability of variables to discriminate between symptomatic and asymptomatic myeloma. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that ß2-microglobulin and bone marrow plasma cell percent (BMPC%) were significantly higher and fat-signal fraction was significantly lower with symptomatic myeloma than with asymptomatic myeloma. Areas under the curve were 0.847 for ß2;-microglobulin, 0.834 for fat-signal fraction, and 0.759 for BMPC%. CONCLUSION: The fat-signal fraction as a biomarker for multiple myeloma enables discrimination of symptomatic myeloma from asymptomatic myeloma. The fat-signal fraction offers superior sensitivity and specificity to BMPC% of biopsy specimens.