scholarly journals High signal intensity on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images is a useful finding for detecting early-stage pancreatic cancer

Author(s):  
Akira Kurita ◽  
Yoshiharu Mori ◽  
Yuko Someya ◽  
Shigeto Kubo ◽  
Shunjiro Azuma ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose Early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) may improve the prognosis. We evaluated novel imaging findings that may contribute to early detection. Methods This single-center, retrospective study enrolled 37 patients with a localized main pancreatic duct (MPD) stricture and no obvious pancreatic mass. All patients underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and brush sampling with cytology and serial pancreatic juice aspiration cytologic examination via endoscopic naso-pancreatic drainage. Patients with cytology-confirmed malignancy underwent surgical resection. The remaining patients were followed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Results Twenty patients had confirmed malignancy (cancer group) and 17 did not (non-cancer group). Age, MPD stricture location, and PDAC risk factors were similar, but the sex predominance and symptom rate differed between the two groups. In the cancer group, 17 patients were diagnosed by cytology and three by clinical symptoms. CECT, MRI, and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) revealed no solid tumors in either group. CECT revealed no significant differences between groups. Diffusion-weighted MRI revealed significant differences in the signal intensity between groups. EUS detected indistinct and small hypoechoic areas in 70% and 41.2% of patients in the cancer and non-cancer groups, respectively. In the cancer group, 11 were diagnosed with cancer at the first indication, and nine were diagnosed at follow-up; the prognosis did not differ between these two subgroups.ss Conclusions High signal intensity in diffusion-weighted MRI may be useful for detecting early-stage PDAC and may be an indication for surgical resection even without pathologic confirmation. Clinical trial registration The study was a registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN000039623). Graphic abstract

Hand Surgery ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (01) ◽  
pp. 11-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Iba ◽  
T. Wada ◽  
M. Tamakawa ◽  
M. Aoki ◽  
T. Yamashita

Diffusion-weighted images based on magnetic resonance reveal the microstructure of tissues by monitoring the random movement of water molecules. In this study, we investigated whether this new technique could visualize pathologic lesions on ulnar nerve in cubital tunnel. Six elbows in six healthy males without any symptoms and eleven elbows in ten patients with cubital tunnel syndrome underwent on diffusion-weighted MRI. No signal from the ulnar nerve was detected in normal subjects. Diffusion-weighted MRI revealed positive signals from the ulnar nerve in all of the eleven elbows with cubital tunnel syndrome. In contrast, conventional T2W-MRI revealed high signal intensity in eight elbows and low signal intensity in three elbows. Three elbows with low signal MRI showed normal nerve conduction velocity of the ulnar nerve. Diffusion-weighted MRI appears to be an attractive technique for diagnosis of cubital tunnel syndrome in its early stages which show normal electrophysiological and conventional MRI studies.


2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshihiro Gi ◽  
Atsushi Yamashita ◽  
Yasuyoshi Kuroiwa ◽  
Yuko Konishi ◽  
Taketoshi Asanuma ◽  
...  

Objective: Acuity of deep vein thrombus/ thrombosis (DVT) may affect effectiveness of anti-thrombotic therapy. However, the acuity of DVT is not reliably detected by current noninvasive imaging techniques. This study investigated whether diffusion weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can detect DVT and define the acuity of thrombus in patients with DVT and a rabbit model of venous thrombus. Methods: Diffusion weighted MR imaging was performed with a 1.5-T MR system in 8 patients with DVT. Venous thrombus was induced in rabbit jugular vein by endothelial denudation and 10 minutes blood stasis with a balloon catheter. The thrombus was imaged with a 3.0-T MR system at 4 hours and at 1, 2 and 3 weeks, and the jugular veins were histologically assessed. Results: All patients were detected DVT with diffusion weighted MR imaging, and the DVT showed high or mixed high and iso signal intensity on the diffusion sequence. The rabbit venous thrombi were rich in erythrocyte and fibrin at 4 hours, and showed focal organizing reaction at 1 and 2 weeks, and was replaced by fibrous tissue at 3 weeks. The rabbit thrombi showed high signal intensity on diffusion weighted MR imaging at 4 hours, mixed high and iso signal intensity at 1 and 2 weeks, or mixed iso and low signal intensity at 3 weeks. The signal intensity was positively correlated with erythrocyte and fibrin contents, and negatively correlated with macrophage and collagen contents. Conclusions: Diffusion weighted MR imaging can detect DVT and high signal intensity on the sequence may reflect acuity of DVT.


Nosotchu ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 444-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsuhiko Nomura ◽  
Kenich Watanabe ◽  
Tatsuyoshi Fujii ◽  
Itaru Tani ◽  
Katsuya Emoto ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 262-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinya Fujii ◽  
Naoko Mukuda ◽  
Kanae Nosaka ◽  
Takeru Fukunaga ◽  
Chie Inoue ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
pp. 145749691989699
Author(s):  
E. Virkki ◽  
M. Holstila ◽  
K. Mattila ◽  
O. Pajulo ◽  
I. Helenius

Background and Aims: Spondylolysis is a common cause of lower back pain during youth. The aim of this study is to report the bony union rate and risk factors for non-union of the lumbar spondylolysis of pediatric patients treated with a rigid thoracolumbosacral orthosis (Boston brace). Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 68 children (mean age = 13.9 years) treated for spondylolysis with a thoracolumbosacral orthosis. Patient charts and imaging studies were evaluated to identify the bony union rate of the spondylolysis after a minimum of 3 months of immobilization (mean = 4.2 months). Laterality, grade, level, and presence of high signal intensity in the magnetic resonance imaging were evaluated as prognostic factors. Results: Sixty-eight patients presented with 110 defects. Of them, 46 (42%) were incomplete fractures, 38 (35%) complete fractures, and 26 (24%) pseudoarthrosis. Of these defects, 38 (82.6%), 11 (28.9%), and 0 (0.0%) had bony union at the end of the treatment (p < 0.001). Unilateral defects healed significantly better than bilateral ones (relative risk = 1.71, 95% confidence interval = 1.16–2.54, 17/26 (65%) vs 32/84 (38%), p = 0.014). High signal intensity in the magnetic resonance images before the treatment predicted healing (relative risk = 13.24, 95% confidence interval = 1.93–91.01, 48/87 (55%) vs 1/24 (4.3%), p < 0.001). The level of the spondylolysis (L5 vs above L5) did not affect the healing rate. Conclusion: The union rates of spondylolysis with a thoracolumbosacral orthosis were similar as compared to earlier studies done with a low thoracolumbosacral orthosis. The grade of the defect, laterality, and presence of high signal intensity increased the probability of bony union. A high thoracolumbosacral orthosis (underarm) does not seem to improve the healing rate of pediatric spondylolysis defects.


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