Efficacy of gadoteridol for magnetic resonance imaging of extracranial head and neck pathology.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the efficacy of gadoteridol in patients with extracranial head and neck pathology. METHODS: One hundred twenty-two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cases from a multicenter safety and efficacy trial of gadoteridol in patients with suspected head and neck pathology were randomly assigned for evaluation to one of two blinded neuroradiologists. RESULTS: Enhancement of pathology after gadoteridol injection was noted in 96 cases (78.7%) and provided additional diagnostic information in 57 cases (46.7%). Improved lesion visualization was noted in 37 (64.9%) of these 57 cases; an increase in the number of lesions seen was noted in 4 (7.0%) of 57 cases. Blinded readers determined that additional diagnostic information provided by gadoteridol would have resulted in a change in diagnosis in 20 (35.1%, or 16.4% of total population) of 57 patients. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that gadoteridol is an efficacious agent for enhanced MRI of head and neck pathology.

Parosteal lipoma of the finger: preoperative evaluation with computed tomography.

Lipomas are very common benign soft tissue neoplasms arising from fatty tissue and may occur anywhere in the body. They are usually slow growing, painless masses often noted in the extremities of adult women. Occurrence in the hands and feet is unusual and those found in the digits are extremely rare. We describe a case of a lipoma presenting as a soft tissue mass of the index finger and show how computed tomography was extremely helpful in preoperative assessment by accurately defining the size of the lesion, the degree of bone involvement, and even giving indication of its underlying pathology.