Effects of gadodiamide and gadoteric acid on lung tissue: A comparative study.

We set out to investigate the effects of gadodiamide and gadoteric acid, used for magnetic resonance imaging, on the lungs. In this study, 32 male Sprague Dawley rats were used. These were allocated into four groups; The first group (control) was untreated. The second group received isotonic saline on the first and fourth days of the week for 5 weeks. Following the same schedule, the third and fourth groups received a total of 2 mg/kg gadodiamide and gadoteric acid, respectively, in place of saline. The alveolar Wall thickness was evaluated. Gadodiamide and gadoteric acid significantly increased the numbers of collagen-3 and caspase-3 positive cells in the lung tissue (p < 0.05). In addition, these two substances increased the alveolar Wall thickness (p < 0.05). Furthermore, they increased the levels of malondialdehyde and glutathione (p < 0.05). This study demonstrates that both linear and macrocyclic contrast agents are toxic for the lungs in rats.

The effects of long-term doppler ultrasound exposure in the prenatal period on renal tissue physiology in rats.

Doppler ultrasonography (DUSG) is widely used for fetal evaluations. This study investigated the effects of new generation Doppler ultrasound application at different frequencies during pregnancy on postnatal renal development. Six pregnant female rats were divided into three groups. No procedure was performed on the first (control) group. In the second group, transabdominal DUSG was performed continuously for 15 min every day from the first day of gestation until birth. In the third group, DUSG was applied for 15 min every two days. Twenty-four male pups were sacrificed after 60 days. Renal tissues were then collected and subjected to biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical evaluation. Malondialdehyde, glutathione, urea, Ca, K, and Cl levels increased in the DUSG groups compared to the control group (p < .05). Histopathologically, tubular damage increased in the DUSG groups compared to the control group (p < .05). Immunohistochemically, an increase was determined in Caspase-3 expression in the DUSG groups compared to the control group (p > .05). The DUSG groups also exhibited an increase in the superficial areas of the proximal and distal tubules, although the difference compared to the control group was not significant (p > .05). Multiple administrations of new generation DUSG to pregnant rats resulted in deleterious effects on the development of postnatal renal tissue. This shows that DUSG should be applied for as short a time as possible and that re-exposure should be avoided.

Effects of long-term Doppler ultrasound exposure on cochlea and cochlear nucleus in prenatal period in an experimental model.

BACKGROUND: New generation Doppler ultrasonography (DUSG) application effects on cochlea and cochlear nucleus (CN) are unclear. We aimed to investigate the effects of new generation DUSG application at different frequencies in prenatal period on cochlea and CN in rats. OBJECTIVE: Twenty-four pregnant female rats were divided into three groups (n = 8). Group 1 was the control group and was not subjected to any treatment. Group 2 was determined as the USG every day (USGED) treatment group. Group 2 has received DUSG application every day from the 4th to 18th day (20 min/15 per day). Group 3 has received DUSG application as "2 days/one dose as every other day application" (USG2D1) from the 4th to 18th day (20 min/8 every other day). Twenty-four female rats were sacrificed in 21 days. Also, 24 pups were sacrificed after two days. First day after born, the cochlear activities of the right ears of all pups were examined using DPOAEs. Second day, neural tissues from CN were evaluated histopathologically and immunohistochemically. RESULTS: There was no any statistical difference between the groups in respect of histopathologically. USGED group showed mild caspase-3 positive neurons and glial cells. However, there was no significant difference between the USGED and other groups (p>.05). Similarly, the rats applied with USG2D1 had mild caspase-3 expression, but no significant difference between the USG2D1 and other groups (p>.05). Differences in DPOAE amplitudes, and therefore in cochlear activity, between the groups were revealed. The decrease in cochlear activity between the groups involved frequencies at 2, 8, 16, and 32 kHz (p<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Multiple administration of new generation DUSG to pregnant rats has not shown harmful effects on the cochlear neural tissue. High frequencies are more sensitive in cochlea to apply DUSG.

How important is susceptibility-weighted imaging in mild traumatic brain injury?

BACKGROUND: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a public health problem that is recognized as a 'silent epidemic' in its late stages due to undiagnosed axonal damage rated 13 and above on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Injury-related microhemorrhages often cannot be detected on computed tomography (CT) scans and conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study aims to investigate whether susceptibility-weighted imaging is feasible in mTBI patients. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients with GCS scores of 14 and 15 and with symptoms of brief mental fogs, impairment of concentration, memory loss, headache, dizziness, or imbalance after brain injury were examined at the emergency service. A brain CT scan and MRI containing diffusion-weighted and susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) sequences were performed on the patients whose symptoms did not seem to alleviate after the sixth hour. Thirteen patients were excluded from this study because of advanced age, diabetes, a history of hypertension or its chronic sequelae, or acute cerebrovascular disease; 45 patients were included in this study. RESULTS: The patients' CT results were normal, and no diffusion restrictions were observed. The SWI revealed microhemorrhages in seven patients (15.6%). Five of these patients had hyperintense areas in conventional sequences corresponding to the hemorrhages spotted in the SWI. In three of the five patients, these pockets of hemorrhages were higher in number and size in comparison with conventional in the SWI sequence. CONCLUSION: Susceptibility-weighted imaging, which can be used to assess the presence and severity of microhemorrhages due to diffuse axonal injury, is recommended for determining the cause of symptoms in patients with mTBI, to continue targeted treatment and prevent complications that may develop.

Renal Artery Dissection in a Patient With Degenerative Scoliosis: A Rare Complication Caused by Lumbar Vertebra Osteophyte.

Isolated spontaneous renal artery dissection (RAD) without known trauma is rare, and its etiology has not been determined. However, notable risk factors including hypertension, strenuous exercise, connective tissue disorders, atherosclerosis, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, and cocaine abuse have been reported. To the best of our knowledge, isolated RAD caused by lumbar vertebra osteophytes in patients with degenerative lumbar scoliosis has not been reported in the literature. In this article, we present a case of RAD caused by lumbar vertebra osteophyte in a patient with degenerative scoliosis and discuss the management of the disease.

The Efficacy of Magnetic Resonance Imaging for the Diagnosis of Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for diagnosing superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The radiological records of patients who were admitted to our clinic with complaints of otologic and neuro-otologic symptoms between October 2014 and December 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Among these patients, those who underwent both computed tomography and MRI and were reported to have SSCD in the temporal bone on at least one side were included in the study group. MRI records of patients with a confirmed diagnosis were then assessed for the presence of SSCD. RESULTS: The left and right semicircular canals of 52 patients were evaluated in this study. The sensitivity and specificity of MRI in the diagnosis of SSCD was 89.06% and 90%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 93.44% and 83.72%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The use of multiplanar reformats and angulation techniques during MRI assessment of patients with neuro-otologic symptoms can improve the diagnostic process for patients with SSCD. This may allow early diagnosis of the disease by using just one imaging method, which would also reduce the costs per patient during the diagnosis period.

Evaluation of vascular variations at cerebellopontine angle by 3D T2WI magnetic-resonance imaging in patients with vertigo.

BACKGROUND: Vascular loops of the anterior-inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) at the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) are considered related to auditory-vestibular symptoms. Clinical association of these anatomical aberrations, which can be grouped together as vascular compression syndromes, is controversial. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used to visualize this anatomical region, given its high sensitivity and specificity. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the clinical relationship of vertigo symptoms with vascular loop compression syndrome by evaluating the neurovascular contacts of the vestibulocochlear nerve (VCN) and AICA at the CPA and internal auditory canal via high-resolution MRI. METHODS: The study included 417 patients (178 with vertigo and 239 without vertigo) undergoing MRI for various clinical causes. MRI scans were assessed to study the presence of vascular abnormalities at the CPA. RESULTS: According to our findings, type 1 vascular variation was observed most frequently in both sides. MRI findings were similar for the patients with and without vertigo. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying the prevalence of the vascular loops of the AICA primarily depends on diagnostic technique, and our results identified a slightly higher prevalence than those of previous studies, which might be partly related to the high-sensitivity of 3-dimensional T2-weighted MRI.

The Monitoring of Preoperative External Detorsion with Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in a Patient with Acute Testicular Torsion.

Testicular torsion is one of the main causes of acute scrotum and may result in permanent damage of the testicular tissue. Color Doppler imaging has been frequently used in the diagnosis of testicular torsion and posttreatment follow-up period of the disease. There are some studies reporting the value and usefulness of diffusion-weighted imaging in the diagnosis of testicular torsion. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no report regarding the monitoring of preoperative external detorsion in testicular torsion with diffusion-weighted imaging examination. In this article, diffusion-weighted imaging findings in the management of preoperative external detorsion in a case with testicular torsion were presented.

The evaluation of eustachian tube paratubal structures using magnetic resonance imaging in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media.

Conclusion Eustachian tube (ET) dysfunction, which plays a role in the pathogenesis chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM), does not seem to be due to differences in paratubal structures. Objective The aim of this study was to compare the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of the paratubal structures of the ET between normal ears and ears in patients with CSOM. Methods The MRI records of 40 patients who underwent tympanomastoidectomy for a diagnosis of CSOM were reviewed retrospectively. The healthy ears served as the control group. The length, diameter, surface area and volume of the tensor veli palatini muscle (TVPM) and levator veli palatini muscle (LVPM) were measured, in addition to the diameter of the pharyngeal orifice of the ET, volume of the Ostmann fat pad, bimucosal thickness of the lumen of the ET, and mucosal thickness. Results In the pathological ears, the mean length of the TVPM and LVPM was 22.6 mm and 19.3 mm, the mean diameter was 3.2 and 5.3 mm, and the mean volume was 1.75 and 3.2 cm(3), respectively. In addition, the mean diameter of the pharyngeal orifice of the ET was 1.9 mm. There were no significant between-group differences in the paratubal structures (p > 0.05).

Submandibular Lateral Ectopic Thyroid Tissue: Ultrasonography, Computed Tomography, and Scintigraphic Findings.

Ectopic thyroid can be encountered anywhere between the base of tongue and pretracheal region. The most common form is euthyroid neck mass. Herein, we aimed to present the findings of a female case with ectopic thyroid tissue localized in the left submandibular region. A 44-year-old female patient, who underwent bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy four years ago with the diagnosis of multinodular goiter, was admitted to our hospital due to a mass localized in the left submandibular area that gradually increased in the last six months. Neck ultrasonography, contrast-enhanced computed tomography, and scintigraphic examination were performed on the patient. On thyroid scintigraphy with Tc-99m pertechnetate, thyroid tissue activity uptake showing massive radioactivity was observed in the normal localization of the thyroid gland and in the submandibular localization. The focus in the submandibular region was excised. Pathological examination of the specimen showed normal thyroid follicle cells with no signs of malignancy. The submandibular mass is a rarely encountered lateral ectopic thyroid tissue. Accordingly, ectopic thyroid tissue should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of masses in the submandibular region.

A Case Report of Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis and Acute Hemorrhagic Cystitis due to Salmonella Typhi.

Acute acalculous cholecystitis and acute hemorrhagic cystitis due to Salmonella Typhi are a rare condition. A 24-year-old female patient was admitted to our clinic with abdominal pain, nausea, fever, headache, urinary burning, and bloody urine. Based on clinical, laboratory, and radiological evaluations, the patient was diagnosed with acute acalculous cholecystitis and acute hemorrhagic cystitis due to Salmonella Typhi. The patient was treated with intravenous ceftriaxone for two weeks. After the treatment, the patient's clinical and laboratory findings improved. Acute acalculous cholecystitis due to Salmonella Typhi concomitant with acute hemorrhagic cystitis is very rare and might be difficult to diagnose. Infectious agents such as Salmonella Typhi should be considered when acute acalculous cholecystitis and acute hemorrhagic cystitis are detected in adult patients with no underlying diseases.