Editor’s choice:
- 1. Weon
Since the best protocol to identify these abnormalities has not been established, the authors studied 16 patients with transient global amnesia using different b-values and slice thickness. They found that protocols using the thinnest sections and highest b-values identified lesions best.
Y.C. Weon, J.H. Kim, J.S. Lee, and S.Y. Kim
Optimal Diffusion-Weighted Imaging Protocol for Lesion Detection in Transient Global Amnesia
http://www.ajnr.org/cgi/content/full/29/7/1324 - Bisdas
Although both CT perfusion and glucose-based PET are used in the diagnosis of head and neck neoplasias, it is not known if the findings of these techniques correlate well with each other. 15 head and neck cancer patients were evaluated with dedicated PET/CT and perfusion CT of the neck. After extensive statistic analysis of their results the authors concluded that perfusion and metabolic activity are coupled in head and neck squamous cell cancers.
S. Bisdas, K. Spicer, and Z. Rumboldt
Whole-Tumor Perfusion CT Parameters and Glucose Metabolism Measurements in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas: A Pilot Study Using Combined Positron-Emission Tomography/CT Imaging
http://www.ajnr.org/cgi/content/full/29/7/1376 - Renowden
A small percentage of coiled aneurysms recur and need further coiling. The risk of recoiling is uncertain and thus the authors analyzed the results of this procedure from 10-year long databases obtained from 2 institutions. They found 100 patients with subtotal initial occlusion or aneurysm re-growth that necessitated a second procedure. Their conclusion was that recoiling has a low complication rate and leads to satisfactory occlusion in most patients.
S.A. Renowden, P. Koumellis, V. Benes, W. Mukonoweshuro, A.J. Molyneux, and N.S. McConachie
Retreatment of Previously Embolized Cerebral Aneurysms: The Risk of Further Coil Embolization Does Not Negate the Advantage of the Initial Embolization
http://www.ajnr.org/cgi/content/full/29/7/1401
Fellows’ journal club:
- Bastos-Leite
White matter T2 hyperintensities are common in older adults and believed to be related to ischemia. In this article the authors used arterial spin labeling cerebral MR angiography to evaluate 21 elderly patients with confluent white matter disease and compared their CBF measurements with those of patients that had punctate or mild T2 hyperintensities. They concluded that CBF was significantly reduced in patients with confluent T2 white matter hyperintensities.
A.J. Bastos-Leite, J.P.A. Kuijer, S.A.R.B. Rombouts, E. Sanz-Arigita, E.C. van Straaten, A.A. Gouw, W.M. van der Flier, P. Scheltens, and F. Barkhof
Cerebral Blood Flow by Using Pulsed Arterial Spin-Labeling in Elderly Subjects with White Matter Hyperintensities
http://www.ajnr.org/cgi/content/full/29/7/1296 - Santucci
High T2 signal intensity is known to occur in the territory drained by a developmental venous anomaly. The authors found 28 such patients and assessed the location and morphology of their developmental venous anomalies. 12.5% of the anomalies had accompanying abnormal T2 signal intensity. Findings associated with developmental venous anomalies with brain parenchymal T2 signal included a periventricular location of the anomaly and older patient age.
G.M. Santucci, J.L. Leach, J. Ying, S.D. Leach, and T.A. Tomsick
Brain Parenchymal Signal Abnormalities Associated with Developmental Venous Anomalies: Detailed MR Imaging Assessment
http://www.ajnr.org/cgi/content/full/29/7/1317 - Venail
Differentiating recurrent/residual middle ear cholesteatomas from postoperative changes may be difficult but DWI is thought to be useful in these regards. In this study, 31 patients with residual soft tissue abnormalities after canal up mastoidectomies were imaged with DWI and delayed post contrast T1 images. Although both techniques gave acceptable results in the assessment of residual cholesteatoma, DWI was the best one.
F. Venail, A. Bonafe, V. Poirrier, M. Mondain, and A. Uziel
Comparison of Echo-Planar Diffusion-Weighted Imaging and Delayed Postcontrast T1-Weighted MR Imaging for the Detection of Residual Cholesteatoma
http://www.ajnr.org/cgi/content/full/29/7/1363
