Gout of feet and ankles in different stages: The potentiality of a new semiquantitative DECT scoring system in monitoring urate deposition.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic performance of a novel semi-quantitative dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) scoring system in monitoring urate deposition. This study included 287 patients with gout. All patients underwent ankle/foot DECT scans. DECT scores at different stages were compared and their diagnostic efficacies evaluated. Associations between DECT scores and clinical variables were evaluated. Gouts with positive DECT results in early, middle, and late stages were 78.5 %, 81.4 %, and 95.8 %, respectively (all P > .05). The total and ankle/midfoot DECT scores at different stages significantly increased with disease duration (all P < .05). DECT scores of 4 regions excluding the first metatarsophalangeal joint in early and middle stages were lower than those in late stage (all P < .05). DECT scores achieved excellent diagnostic performance for differentiating gout in early stage from middle and late stages (area under the curve, 0.923 and 0.949), with high sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value (all > 85 %). Total DECT score was highly positively correlated with the volume of urate crystals (R = 0.873, P < .001). Disease duration, serum uric acid level, bone erosion, and Achilles tendon involvement significantly affected total DECT scores (all P < .01). In conclusion, longer disease duration, higher serum uric acid levels, bone erosion, and Achilles tendon involvement were closely associated with total DECT scores. DECT scoring system may be an invaluable tool for gout diagnosis owing to its high detection efficacy and a surrogate method to evaluate the amount of urate crystals and erosion of surrounding tissues.

MRI characteristics and correlation with pathology of an unusual inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the bladder.

We report a case of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the bladder (IMTB) that arises from left posterior bladder wall. The IMTB usually demonstrates slight hypointensity on T1WI, heterogeneous bright hyperintensity on T2WI, hyperintensity on DWI, and no restricted diffusion on ADC map. IMTB exhibits irregular ring enhancement and scatters stripe-like enhancement in central area with progressive and persistent enhancement pattern on CE-MRI. High-contrast multisequence MRI may be a potential technique to distinguish IMTB from other bladder tumors.

CTU findings of duplex kidney in kidney: A rare duplicated renal malformation.

Duplex kidney is a common congenital malformation appeared as duplication of pelvis and ureter. However, renal duplication within sinus renalis is an extremely rare variation of the renal collecting system. In this study, we report a case of an asymptomatic kidney disease in a 33-year-old man, who demonstrates abnormal echo of renal sinus anomaly discovered incidentally in ultrasound examination. Computed tomography urography (CTU) exhibited the other small duplex kidney located in renal sinus. In the excretory phase images, the contrast medium within its small renal pelvis could be seen to flow into the right major renal calices. This case exhibited a very rare anatomical variation of duplicated renal malformation.