Effect of very early treatment in rheumatoid arthritis on bone oedema and synovitis, using magnetic resonance imaging.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of hand involvement before and 1 year after treatment in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHOD: MRI of the dominant hand was performed in 22 patients fulfilling the new criteria for early RA. The patients were divided into three groups. Nine had very early RA (VERA; disease duration < 3 months), seven had early RA (ERA; disease duration < 6 months), and six had established RA (ESTRA; disease duration > 12 months). The MRI protocol consisted of fat-suppressed T2, and plain and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted sequences. Assessment of bone marrow oedema, synovitis, and bone erosions was performed by the OMERACT RA MRI scoring system. Patients were treated with methotrexate (MTX) 0.2 mg/kg/body weight/week and prednisone 7.5 mg/day. Clinical assessment was evaluated using the Disease Activity Score for 28 joint indices (DAS28). RESULTS: After treatment, a significant decrease was observed: (a) in DAS28 of VERA (6.2 ± 0.9 vs. 2.4 ± 1.2), ERA (5.3 ± 0.8 vs. 2.8 ± 1.0), and ESTRA patients (5.7 ± 8.0 vs. 2.7 ± 0.7; p < 0.05); (b) in bone oedema (16.77 ± 13.78 vs. 5.88 ± 6.31) and synovitis (12.44 ± 6.44 vs. 2.88 ± 3.25) of VERA patients; and (c) in synovitis (7.57 ± 6.32 vs. 1.42 ± 1.81) of ERA patients (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found in erosions in any group. CONCLUSION: Bone marrow oedema and synovitis decrease significantly when RA is diagnosed and treated early. MRI is useful in the early detection of these changes. MTX treatment resulted in a significant decrease in DAS28 score and significant improvement in bone oedema and synovitis.

Apparent diffusion coefficient values of the normal uterus: Interindividual variations during menstrual cycle.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) changes of the normal uterine zones among reproductive women during the menstrual cycle. METHODS: The study included 101 women of reproductive age, each with regular cycle and normal endometrium/myometrium, as proved on histopathology or MR imaging examination. Diffusion-weighted (DW) imaging was performed along the axial plane, using a single shot, multi-slice spin-echo planar diffusion pulse sequence and b-values of 0 and 800s/mm(2). The mean and standard deviation of the ADC values of normal endometrium/myometrium were calculated for menstrual, proliferative and secretory phase. Analysis of variance followed by the least significant difference test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The ADC values of the endometrium were different in the three phases of the menstrual cycle (menstrual phase: 1.25±0.27; proliferative phase: 1.39±0.20; secretory phase: 1.50±0.18) (F: 9.64, p: 0.00). Statistical significant difference was observed among all groups (p<0.05). The ADC values of the normal myometrium were different in the three phases of the menstrual cycle (menstrual phase: 1.91±0.35; proliferative phase: 1.72±0.27; secretory phase: 1.87±0.28) (F: 3.60, p: 0.03). Statistical significant difference was observed between menstrual and proliferative phase and between proliferative and secretory phase (p<0.05). No significant difference was noted between menstrual and secretory phase (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A wide variation of ADC values of normal endometrium and myometrium is observed during different phases of the menstrual cycle.

Primary diffuse large B-cell testicular lymphoma: magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Testicular lymphoma represents the commonest testicular malignancy in men older than 50 years. MR imaging of the scrotum is an efficient supplemental diagnostic tool in the evaluation of scrotal diseases. We report two cases of primary diffuse large B-cell testicular lymphoma, presented in men over the age of 50 years. MR imaging revealed the presence of a hypointense intratesticular mass lesion on T2-weighted images, strongly and heterogeneously enhancing after gadolinium administration.

Early-stage sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma: multidetector CT findings.

A 64-year-old woman was referred for multidetector CT examination of the abdomen due to an incidental right renal mass, found on routine sonographic examination. A lower pole renal mass was detected on CT, with no signs of invasiveness or metastatic disease. The mass was sharply demarcated and heterogeneously enhanced, the last finding suggestive of malignancy. Pathologically, the tumor was an early-stage sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma. The patient remains well, with no signs of recurrence or metastases 18 months after surgery.

Small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder: virtual CT cystoscopic findings.

A 74-year-old man underwent multidetector CT virtual cystoscopy due to macroscopic hematuria. A large, irregularly-surfaced, solid bladder mass was detected, infiltrating the perivesical fat, the seminal vesicles and the prostate. CT examination of the chest and abdomen showed no distant metastases. Radical cystectomy was performed and pathology reported pure small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.