ABSTRACT
Methods@#Patients with degenerative lumbar diseases, whose MRIs detected BME, were enrolled. On a T2-weighted fat-saturated MRI, BME appeared as a high-intensity region adjacent to the vertebral endplate. We calculated the contrast ratios (CRs) of BME and normal bone marrow using the signal intensities of BME, normal bone marrow, and the spinal cord. On computed tomography, we calculated Hounsfield unit (HU) values in the same area as BME, the sclerotic endplate, and normal bone marrow to assess bone density. @*Results@#There were 16 men and 14 women, with an average age of 73.5 years. The mean CRs of BME and normal bone marrow were −0.015±0.056 and −0.407±0.023, respectively. BME’s CR was significantly higher than that of normal bone marrow (p<0.01). The HU values in the same area as BME, the sclerotic endplate, and normal bone marrow were 251.9±24.6, 828.3±35.6, and 98.1±9.3, respectively; these values were significantly different from each other (p<0.01). @*Conclusions@#The CR on MRI is a useful quantitative assessment tool for BME in patients with degenerative lumbar diseases.
ABSTRACT
Methods@#Adolescent athletes with spondylolysis, including those with symptoms of low back pain, were enrolled. The sporting activity of the patients was restricted, and a hard brace was attached to the spine. The BME range of interest was taken on T2-weighed fat-saturated MRI, and the signal intensity (SI) of the BME (SIedema) was measured. The contrast ratio (CR) between the SI of the BME and SI of the spinal cord (SIcord) was calculated per the following formulae: CRedema=(SIedema–SIcord)/(SIedema+SIcord). The CR of the normal pedicle was measured as a control per the following formulae: CRcontrol=(SIcontrol–SIcord)/(SIcontrol+SIcord). @*Results@#The study enrolled 32 men and one woman; the mean patient age was 15.2 years (range, 12–18 years). The average CR of the edema and normal pedicle at the first visit was 0.506 (range, 0.097–0.804) and 0.137 (range, -0.741 to 0.572), respectively. The CR of the edema was significantly higher as compared to that of the normal pedicle (p<0.01). MRI that was performed 1 month after the first visit showed that the CR of the edema had decreased to 0.204 (range, -0.152 to 0.517). The CR of the edema 1 month thereafter was significantly lower than that at the first visit (p<0.01). @*Conclusions@#Quantitative assessment of BME using CR on MRI is useful in the evaluation of the healing process of spondylolysis.
ABSTRACT
We report a case of actinomycosis arising in the minor salivary gland in the buccal region. A 71-year-old male presented with a swelling in the left buccal region. The clinical diagnosis was minor salivary gland tumor in the buccal mucosa. Under local anesthesia, the lesion was excised. Histopathological examination showed basophilic amorphous masses of <i>Actinomyces</i> in the dilated excretory duct with squamous metaplasia. A final diagnosis of actinomycosis was made. Its portal of entry was thought to be a disruption of the mucosal barrier after trauma due to maladaptation of dentures. There was no sign of recurrence after the surgery.