Whole-body MRI for preventive health screening in a general population: Prevalence of incidental findings around the hip.

PURPOSE: To report the frequencies of incidental findings on whole body MRI (WB-MRI) around the hip and to characterize the significance of incidental findings in a general population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 7287 cases that underwent WB-MRI as part of a preventive health screening. WB-MR images were reviewed by two musculoskeletal radiologists in consensus. According to clinical severity and urgency of medical intervention, each finding was classified into two subgroups as clinically significant and insignificant. The clinically significant group included findings that suggested abnormalities requiring further evaluation or follow-up, such as avascular necrosis (AVN), bone tumor (enchondroma), soft tissue tumor, and fracture. The clinically less significant group included subcortical cyst, bone marrow edema, para-labral cyst, simple bone cysts, and ganglion cysts. RESULTS: The prevalence of clinically significant and less significant incidental findings of the hip on WB-MRI was substantial overall. The incidences were recorded as 1.2% and 19.9%, respectively. Besides bone and soft tissue tumor or tumor-like lesions, AVN of the femoral head was one of the findings with a 0.3% prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: An awareness of the prevalence of incidental findings can be helpful for radiologists and clinicians when interpreting WB-MRI for health screening and explaining the results to subjects.

Akt and calcium-permeable AMPA receptor are involved in the effect of pinoresinol on amyloid ß-induced synaptic plasticity and memory deficits.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders characterized by memory deficits. Although no drug has given promising results, synaptic dysfunction-modulating agents might be considered potential candidates for alleviating this disorder. Pinoresinol, a lignan found in Forsythia suspensa, is a memory-enhancing agent with excitatory synaptic activation. In the present study, we tested whether pinoresinol reduces learning and memory and excitatory synaptic deficits in an amyloid ß (Aß)-induced AD-like mouse model. Pinoresinol enhanced hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) through calcium-permeable AMPA receptor, which was mediated by Akt activation. Moreover, pinoresinol ameliorated LTP deficits in amyloid ß (Aß)-treated hippocampal slices via Akt signaling. Oral administration of pinoresinol ameliorated Aß-induced memory deficits without sensory dysfunction. Moreover, AD-like pathology, including neuroinflammation and synaptic deficit, were ameliorated by pinoresinol administration. Collectively, pinoresinol may be a good candidate for AD therapy by modulating synaptic functions.