Comparison of real-time cholecystosonography and oral cholecystography

To evaluate the efficacy of real-time ultrasonography in detecting cholelithiasis, a series of outpatients and inpatients was examined by oral cholecystography and real-time cholecystosonography. In 163 patients, real-time cholecystosonography achieved a sensitivity of 0.91 and a specificity of 0.99. These values are equal to or better than those usually obtained in current B-mode cholecystosonography or some reported series of oral cholecystography. However, technically excellent and meticulously performed oral cholecystography achieves slightly better sensitivity and specificity than real-time cholecystosonography. The latter is suggested as the initial examination for hospitalized patients, those with abnormal liver function studies or gastric outlet obstruction, and pregnant women. Real-time ultrasonography should also be used when the gallbladder is not adequately opacified on initial oral cholecystography if a sequential dose examination cannot be readily accomplished.     

Evaluation of biliary tract disease by ultrasonic B-mode scanning

To establish the value of diagnostic ultrasound (sonar) in the diagnosis of bilitary tract disease, 140 patients were scanned and also had a plain film of the biliary tract. Of these, 105 had contrast radiography and 123 were subjected to laparotomy. The results obtained suggest that in the absence of jaundice, sonar compares well with oral cholecystography in demonstrating the gallbladder, but is not as good as intravenous cholangiography in showing the duct system. In the presence of jaundice, however, sonar is considered the imaging investigation of choice.     

Arylsulphatase and glycosulphatase of Charonia lampas. Substrate specificity towards sugar sulphate derivatives

A prospective study was designed to assess the accuracy of gray scale ultrasonography in the evaluation of cholelithiasis. A series of 111 patients with nonvisualization on first-day oral cholecystography underwent ultrasonic cholecystography, and the results were compared with subsequent second-day visualitzation or surgical findings. In 75 cases sufficient data were present to assess the accuracy of the method. Ultrasound correctly diagnosed 68 (91%) of these cases with regard to gallstones. Only 6 gallbladders could not be visualized ultrasonically and all subsequently proved to have gallstones. It is concluded that improved ultrasonic technique is of considerable value in investigating the nonvisualized gallbladder. Valuable information conderning other upper abdominal pathology was often discovered.     

Use of duodenal drainage in the diagnosis of acalculous gallbladder disease

Because of overreliance on oral cholecystograms, we have re-evaluated a little used laboratory test, duodenal drainage. In a series of 56 patients with normal oral cholecystograms and upper GI series who underwent duodenal drainage and cholecystectomy, 53 (95%) were found to have positive microscopic examinations. We think duodenal drainage is a safe, simple test which should be used as an adjunct to history and physical examination and oral cholecystography. In regard to clinical follow-up, 96 per cent of patients followed were judged to have excellent-to-good results.     

Rapid roentgenologic diagnosis of acute cholecystitis

A rapid and safe method of roentgenographic evaluation of the acutely inflamed wall of the gallbladder, infusion tomography of the gallbladder, was performed 146 times, and the correlation with 67 subsequent cholecystectomies was reviewed. If the results of infusion tomogram of the gallbladder are abnormal, the gallbladder is diseased; if acute cholecystitis is present, the results of the examination will be abnormal in 96 per cent; if results of the infusion tomogram of the gallbladder are normal, the results are questionable, and oral cholecystography should be performed to evaluate the condition further. If the results of a repeat dosage oral cholecystogram are abnormal, the gallbladder probably is diseased, even if the results of an infusion tomographic examination of the gallbladder are normal.     

Non-invasive vascular imaging of peripheral vessels

The purpose of this review is to describe recent advances in non-invasive vascular imaging techniques and to discuss their current clinical applications for imaging of peripheral vessels. Principles for applying ultrasound, CT angiography (CTA), and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) for non-invasive imaging of peripheral arteries and veins are presented. Clinical applications are reviewed for different vascular diseases, therapy planning, and follow-up studies. Conventional Doppler and color duplex sonography are the most cost-effective procedures to detect or rule out peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) and to provide specific recommendations for therapy. In the near future, contrast-enhanced MRA (CE MRA) with additional axial two-dimensional time-of-flight studies to search for non-anatomic runoff will replace diagnostic intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for planning of reconstructive surgery with acquisition slabs displaying projections similar to intra-arterial DSA. Color duplex sonography should also be the first non-invasive technique applied for the detection of peripheral aneurysms. Preoperative or preinterventional therapy planning of aneurysms may be performed by CTA or CE MRA. Compression ultrasound is the imaging procedure of choice in deep venous thrombosis (DVT). In the preoperative assessment of venous incompetence, color duplex sonography is the imaging technique which is sufficient in most cases.     

Fat necrosis after trauma: a benign cause of palpable lumps in children

OBJECTIVE: Our objective is to describe the clinical entity and MR imaging appearance of fat necrosis after trauma, a benign cause of palpable soft-tissue lesions in children. A related objective is to establish MR imaging criteria that can be used reliably to differentiate this entity from other more serious causes of soft-tissue masses. CONCLUSION: Fat necrosis after trauma is a common cause of palpable lumps in children and has a benign course on long-term follow-up. When characteristic MR imaging findings are seen, conservative therapy is appropriate.     

Traumatic thoracobiliary fistula: report of a case successfully managed conservatively, with an overview of current diagnostic and therapeutic options

Thoracobiliary fistula is a rare complication of hepatic trauma that may present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. We report a case of a thoracobiliary fistula complicating thoracoabdominal trauma. Although numerous imaging modalities are able to detect the condition, optimal imaging is achieved with endoscopic retrograde cholangiography, which provides anatomic delineation and has the therapeutic potential of a sphincterotomy. Conservative therapy consists of a safe temporizing measure during the workup and may, on occasion, be the only therapy that is necessary provided that controlled drainage of the fistula is achieved. The current recommendation would be the exhaustion of nonoperative therapeutic modalities before resorting to surgical intervention.     

Congenital anomalies and vascular birthmarks of the lower extremities

MR imaging is an invaluable tool for the evaluation of congenital abnormalities and vascular birthmarks of the extremities in children. These abnormalities of the immature musculoskeletal system are often underestimated by radiography. MR imaging is useful for diagnosis, assisting in therapy, showing response to treatment, and determining prognosis. Localized and generalized abnormalities of the lower extremities and issues pertinent to their MR imaging are illustrated in this article.     

The cholecystogram as a prerequisite of the chemical litholysis from the view of the roentgenologist. (author's transl)

The preoperative cholecystography and postoperative radiography of gallstones were compared in 68 patients. Calcified structures were detected in 32% of the stones which were free of calcium in the native roentgenograms. The possibility is stressed that the calciumocontent of cholecystographic transparent stones may be responsible for the failure of CDCA-therapy. 52 of the 68 patients additionally received a fat meal. A contraction of the gallbladder was not observed in 25% of these cases. From the missing contraction of the gallbladder should not be concluded that a CDCA-therapy is contraindicated. A functional analysis with a synthetic derivate of cholecystokinin is recommended.     

A possible role for saliva as a diagnostic fluid in patients with chronic pain

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the joints with routine pulse sequences can show the three main categories of osteochondral and chondral injuries: osteochondral fractures, osteochondritis dissecans, and chondral fractures. Detecting acute osteochondral fractures, which frequently accompany ligament tears, may modify patient treatment and ultimately may prove important in long-term prognostication. Staging osteochondritis dissecans lesions is possible with MR imaging and can be used to guide therapy, both surgical and nonsurgical. Specific treatment for chondral fractures is evolving; preoperative diagnosis using MR imaging is advantageous because these lesions often are not initially suspected, they are radiographically occult, and they clinically mimic other internal derangements, for which therapy differs. The MR imaging finding that these traumatic lesions share is the frequent presence of an abnormality in the subchondral bone. Fat-suppressed images are the key to detecting subtle areas of subchondral edema, which in turn may draw attention to a defect in the overlying articular surface.     

Current status of monoclonal antibodies for imaging and therapy of prostate cancer

It is clear that there is significant need for improved staging and therapy of prostate cancer. The attributes and strengths of MoAbs seem particularly well-suited to the setting of prostate cancer. Recent progress in the application of MoAbs to in vivo imaging and therapy is encouraging. Clearly, further such efforts in prostate cancer are warranted.     

MR imaging and MR angiography in the diagnosis of dural arteriovenous fistulas

Intracranial DAVFs are most commonly found in the cavernous, transverse, and sigmoid sinuses. MR imaging and MR angiography can be used to screen for these lesions and determine if there is cortical venous drainage. Conventional angiography still has a major role in screening and is mandatory prior to any therapy. Spinal DAVFs are uncommon lesions seen predominantly in older men. The diagnosis can be suspected with MR imaging if a large draining vein is seen in association with swelling and enhancement of the conus and increased signal on T2-weighted images. MR angiography shows some promise in identifying the vascular anatomy of these lesions.     

Clinical applications of transpulmonary contrast echocardiography

BACKGROUND: The recent development of new fluorocarbon-based echocardiographic contrast agents that are capable of opacification of the left-sided cardiac chambers after intravenous injection is a major new advance in diagnostic cardiac imaging. METHODS AND RESULTS: This is a review article focusing on these novel contrast agents, new echocardiographic imaging techniques to optimize their efficacy, and their clinical applications. Specific clinical applications of these agents are (1) enhancement of endocardial border definition to improve assessment of regional and global left ventricular function, (2) myocardial perfusion imaging by intravenous contrast echocardiography, (3) augmentation of spectral and color flow Doppler images, and (4) tissue-specific targeting of microbubbles for delivery of therapeutic agents. CONCLUSIONS: New intravenous contrast agents offer the possibility to assess myocardial perfusion echocardiographically. It is also possible to use these agents for delivery of therapeutic agents, including gene therapy.     

Neuroimaging findings in patients on immunosuppressive therapy: experience with tacrolimus toxicity

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to describe the neuroimaging (CT and MR imaging) findings in liver transplant patients who develop severe neurologic side effects during immunosuppressive therapy with tacrolimus and to correlate these findings with clinical signs and tacrolimus levels in blood. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Brain CT and/or MR imaging was performed on six patients who developed neurologic symptoms while receiving tacrolimus in the post-transplant period. All patients were evaluated by the neurology staff, and imaging studies were independently interpreted by three neuroradiologists. Trough tacrolimus levels in blood were measured with the IMX immunoassay and were correlated with neurologic symptoms and imaging findings. RESULTS: Imaging abnormalities were observed in five of six patients during the course of their neurologic illnesses. For each patient, neurologic symptoms began when the tacrolimus level in blood was at a peak, exceeding the therapeutic limit in all but one case. In five patients, neurologic symptoms eventually resolved after the tacrolimus dose was reduced or after the drug was stopped. Multifocal low attenuation of white matter was the predominant finding seen on CT images, and matching hyperintense white matter foci were observed on long-TR MR images. In three patients, clinical recovery was accompanied by reversal of the white matter abnormalities seen on CT and MR images. CONCLUSION: Immunosuppressive therapy with tacrolimus may produce neurologic side effects that are associated with brain CT and MR imaging abnormalities. Resolution of symptoms and reversal of imaging findings occur when the tacrolimus dose is reduced.     

Cholelithiasis in persons under 25 years old. Clinicopathologic review of 96 cases

Ninety-six of 683 patients undergoing cholecystectomy at the Naval Regional Medical Center, Long Beach, Calif, from 1967 to 1974 were between 7 and 25 years old. Although females predominated in ratio of 4:1, the sex incidence was equal when nulliparous females were compared with males. Signs and symptoms were nonspecific in 70%, leading to delay in proper diagnosis in 26%. Only two patients had an underlying blood dyscrasia. Oral cholecystography proved to be the most reliable diagnostic test. Moreover, the incidence of choledocholithiasis was 4.1%, approximately one third less than in older age groups.     

Magnetic resonance imaging in breast cancer staging

For many solid carcinomas, high-resolution cross-sectional imaging has changed cancer staging, the evaluation of therapeutic response, the detection of recurrence, and even how therapy is selected and performed. Such imaging has not yet had similar effects on breast cancer. Evaluations of therapeutic response in breast carcinomas have been impeded by the current limited methods of evaluating breast tumor size and extent: clinical palpation, ultrasonography, and mammography. The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast in the evaluation of breast tumors brings the advantages of high-resolution cross-sectional imaging to breast cancer staging and treatment evaluation and is likely to greatly enhance research efforts in this complex disease. MRI of the breast has evolved to be the most accurate noninvasive technique for local staging of breast cancer. MRI is most accurate in measuring tumor size and detecting multicentric disease. These staging characteristics affect the selection of therapy and initial determination of prognosis; therefore, MRI of the breast can change the assessment of fundamental parameters on which treatment is selected. Because clinical trials of new cancer treatments are predicated on proper and accurate characterization of the tumor, MRI also should affect how clinical trials are performed and evaluated.     

Mitochondrial permeability transition as induced by cross-linking of the adenine nucleotide translocase

Non-invasive assessment of vascularity is a new diagnostic approach to characterise tumours. Vascular assessment is based on the pathophysiology of tumour angiogenesis and its diagnostic implications for tumour biology, prognosis and therapy response. Two current techniques investigating vascular features in addition to morphology are Doppler ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced MRI. Diagnostic differentiation has been shown to be possible with Doppler, and a high degree of observed vascularity could be linked to an aggressive course of the disease. Dynamic MRI using gadolinium chelates is already used clinically to detect and differentiate tumours. The histological correlation shows that capillary permeability is increased in malignant tumours and is the best criterion for differentiation from benign processes. Permeability and perfusion factors seem to be more diagnostic than overall vessel density. New clinical applications are currently being established for therapy monitoring. Further instrumental developments will bring harmonic imaging in Doppler, and faster imaging techniques, higher spatial resolution and novel pharmacokinetic concepts in MRI. Upcoming contrast agents for both Doppler and MRI will further improve estimation of intratumoural blood volume and vascular permeability.