Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging in Acute Wernicke's Encephalopathy Associated with Pseudomembranous Colitis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Wernicke's encephalopathy is a common complication of thiamine deficiency among chronic alcoholics. However, there have been few reports about MR imaging findings, including the diffusion-weighted changes of this neurologic disorder, in nonalcoholic patients. We present here a rare case of acute Wernicke's encephalopathy that developed in a patient who received prolonged total parenteral nutrition for his pseudomembranous colitis. The MR imaging, including the diffusion-weighted imaging, was performed at the onset of disease and during follow-up. The diagnosis was made by the characteristic MR imaging findings and it was supported by the clinical features. The initial and follow-up MR imaging findings with diffusion-weighted imaging changes are described and correlated with the clinical status.

The Usefulness of High-Resolution Three-Dimensional Dynamic MR Imaging with Sensitivity Encoding for Evaluating Extrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer

PURPOSE: We assessed the usefulness of high-resolution 3D dynamic MR imaging with sensitivity encoding (mSENSE) for evaluating bile duct cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients with extrahepatic bile duct cancer underwent multiphasic 3D GRE MRI, including two delayed phases without and with mSENSE. The first delayed phases were obtained with volumetric interpolated breath-hold imaging (VIBE) and then the higher in-plane resolution images (320x168) were obtained using mSENSE. The two delayed phase images were compared quantitatively by measuring the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of liver and tumor, the liver-visceral fat contrast and the tumor-visceral fat contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR); the two delayed phase images were compared qualitatively by evaluating the sharpness of the hepatic vessels and bile duct, the artifacts and the conspicuity of bile duct cancer. RESULTS: The quantitative results with mSENSE image were significantly better than those with conventional VIBE. Though the clarity of the intrahepatic vessels and the intrahepatic bile duct, and the artifacts did not differ significantly between the two images (p>0.05), the clarity of the extrahepatic vessels, the extrahepatic bile duct and the bile duct cancer were better on the mSENSE image than on the VIBE (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The higher in-plane resolution 3D GRE image obtained with mSENSE was of a better image quality than the conventional VIBE images. This technique shows promise for use as a comprehensive exam for assessing bile duct cancer.

MR Imaging and Spectroscopic Findings of Primary Angiosarcoma of the Breast: A Case Report

Angiosarcoma is a rare, malignant tumor of the breast. MR spectroscopy and a new breast MR imaging technique called MR angiography were used to study a case of multifocal primary angiosarcoma of the breast. The mass was isointense on the T1-weighted images and it was hyperintense on the T2-weighted images. Early fast enhancement and draining vessels with a washout curve were revealed by the dynamic enhancement. The MR spectroscopy did not show a choline peak.

Transvaginal Expulsion of Intramural Leiomyoma after Uterine Artery Embolization: Case Report

We report a case in which an intramural uterine leiomyoma was transvaginally expelled after uterine arterial embolization (UAE). A 29-year-old unmarried female presented with vaginal bleeding, and at pre-treatment MRI an intramural leiomyoma was diagnosed. UAE was performed and after 13 days the tumor was transvaginally expelled. Follow-up MRI performed seven days later depicted a large myometrial defect in the anterior uterine wall; subsequent follow-up MRI showed that the defect became gradually smaller, and the size and configuration of the uterus progressively normalized.