Calcifying Aponeurotic Fibroma with Osseous Involvement of the Finger: a Case Report with Radiologic and US Findings

Calcifying aponeurotic fibroma is a rare soft tissue tumor that occurs in the distal extremities of children and adolescents. We report ultrasound and X-ray findings of a calcifying aponeurotic fibroma in the finger of a 36-year-old woman, associated with distal phalangeal bone involvement.

The Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Predict the Clinical Outcome of Non-Surgical Treatment for Lumbar Interverterbal Disc Herniation

OBJECTIVE: We wanted to investigate the relationship between the magnetic resonance (MR) findings and the clinical outcome after treatment with non-surgical transforaminal epidural steroid injections (ESI) for lumbar herniated intervertebral disc (HIVD) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Transforaminal ESI were performed in 91 patients (50 males and 41 females, age range: 13-78 yrs) because of lumbosacral HIVD from March 2001 to August 2002. Sixty eight patients whose MRIs and clinical follow-ups were available were included in this study. The medical charts were retrospectively reviewed and the patients were divided into two groups; the successful (responders, n = 41) and unsatisfactory (non-responders, n = 27) outcome groups. A successful outcome required a patient satisfaction score greater than two and a pain reduction score greater than 50%. The MR findings were retrospectively analyzed and compared between the two groups with regard to the type (protrusion, extrusion or sequestration), hydration (the T2 signal intensity), location (central, right/left central, subarticular, foraminal or extraforaminal), and size (volume) of the HIVD, the grade of nerve root compression (grade 1 abutment, 2 displacement and 3 entrapment), and an association with spinal stenosis. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the responders and non-responders in terms of the type, hydration and size of the HIVD, or an association with spinal stenosis (p > 0.05). However, the location of the HIVD and the grade of nerve root compression were different between the two groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: MRI could play an important role in predicting the clinical outcome of non-surgical transforaminal ESI treatment for patients with lumbar HIVD.

Anthracofibrosis Mimicking Lung Cancer on CT: MR Imaging Findings

PURPOSE: To describe the MRI findings in the bronchial anthracofibrosis mimicking lung cancer on CT examination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten patients, who showed CT findings mimicking lung cancer, were selected among fifty patients of bronchial anthracofibrosis proven by bronchoscopic biopsy, consisting of two men and eight women, ranging in age from 58 to 79 years old (average age, 68 years old). CT scan and MRI were performed in all patients(n=10). Percutaneous lung biopsy on mass was performed in one patient. MRI findings were analyzed with the emphasis on the signal intensity of the mass (n=4), collapsed lung (n=4) and lymph node (n=10) on axial T1 and T2-weighted images by two radiologists in consensus. No contrast enhancement was used in all cases. RESULTS: CT scan revealed mass(n=4), atelectasis with obstructive pneumonia(n=4) and bronchial wall thickening(n=2). All patients showed enlarged medistinal lymph nodes(n=10). The mass showed low signal intensity on T1WI and T2WI (n=4). The collapsed lung in patients with atelectasis indicated intermediate signal intensity on T1WI and low signal intensity on T2WI (n=4). Nine patients showed low signal intensity of lymph node on T1WI and T2WI, except one patient who showed central high signal intensity with peripheral rim of low signal intensity in right lower paratracheal lymph node on T2WI. CONCLUSION: Low signal intensity of a mass, collapsed lung, and lymph nodes on T2WI in anthracofibrosis patients may be helpful in differentiation of the lesion from lung cancer.