Heterogeneity in Spinal Bone Mineral Density Among Young Adults From Three Eastern Provincial Capital Cities in Mainland China.

This study compares spinal volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) with spinal areal bone mineral density (aBMD) among young adults from 3 eastern provincial capital cities in Mainland China. A total of 416 young adults (age range: 20-40 yr) from 3 eastern provincial capital cities (Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou) in Mainland China were recruited in this study. From each subject, the vBMD of the lumbar spine was measured by the Mindways quantitative computed tomography system. Moreover, the aBMD of the lumbar spine, measured by the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, was extracted from a previous multicenter large-scale study, and the 420 participants were matched by age, gender, height, weight, as well as geographic territory. The vBMD and the aBMD values were further compared and analyzed. Generally, the bone mineral density (BMD) results were significantly different among participants from the 3 cities (p <0.05). Specifically, both vBMD and aBMD values of participants from Beijing were significantly different from those from Guangzhou (p <0.05). Additionally, a statistically significant difference in aBMD values was also found between participants from Beijing and Shanghai (p <0.05). However, no significant differences were found between participants from Shanghai and Guangzhou in terms of the aBMD and vBMD values (p1 > 0.05 and p2 > 0.05). Interestingly, the overall mean vBMD value was 5.9% greater in women than those in men for all the 3 cities (p <0.001). This study demonstrated an overall heterogeneity in spinal BMD among young adults from 3 eastern provincial capital cities in Mainland China. Specifically, the taller and heavier young adults from the northern part of China have smaller spinal vBMD but higher spinal aBMD values than those who were shorter and lighter from the southern part of China.

Dual-energy CT angiography for the diagnosis of intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula.

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical utility of dual-source dual-energy CT angiography (DSDECTA) for diagnosing intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF). METHODS: Nine intracranial DAVF patients were examined using Siemens DSDECTA and cerebral digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Imaging data were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate the concordance between the imaging modalities. RESULTS: DSDECTA examination showed that the blood-supplying arteries were thickened and the draining veins and dural sinuses were expanded in all 9 patients. The presence and characteristics of intracranial DAVF were confirmed using DSA. Head CT showed subarachnoid hemorrhage in 4 cases and intracerebral hematoma in 3 cases. CONCLUSION: Although DSA is the gold standard for DAVF diagnosis, DSDECTA is less invasive and more suitable for revealing the three-dimensional structure of secondary intracranial lesions as well as other DAVF characteristics. Thus, DSDECTA may be a new alternative for noninvasive screening of suspected DAVF patients before interventional embolization and surgical resection.

[Features of the dual energy technique with dual-source computed tomography for anterior cruciate ligament injuries].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the diagnostic value of the dual-energy technique with dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) for anterior cruciate ligament injuries. METHODS: The clinical data of 8 patients with arthroscopic results were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent two- and three-dimensional imaging by multiplanar reconstruction, volume rendering, and tendon mode on DSCT. Dual-energy characteristics were compared with arthroscopic results. RESULTS: Six patients who were arthroscopically diagnosed as anterior cruciate ligament injuries, all of them were also correctly diagnosed by DSCT. Two patients who were arthroscopically diagnosed as normal, one was also diagnosed as normal by DSCT and the other was misdiagnosed. The overall agreement rate was 87.5% (7/8) . Under the dual energy tendon mode, the dual energy staining of the injured anterior cruciate ligament was lower than that of the contralateral normal cruciate ligament of the patient. CONCLUSION: The staining diminution in DSCT imaging may be a new feature that can be used to effectively diagnose anterior cruciate ligament injury.

[Imaging of congenital coronary artery anomalies by dual-source computed tomography angiography].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) angiography in the examination of congenital coronary artery anomalies. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 2530 patients by DSCT angiography between January 2008 and September 2010. Congenital coronary artery anomalies were shown by maximum intensity projection, curved planar reconstruction, and volume rendering. RESULTS: A total of 284 segments with congenital coronary artery anomalies in 225 patients were displayed. The anomalies included those originated from the main branch of coronary artery (n=121, including 35 segments of right coronary artery with high take-off origin and 24 segments of left coronary artery, 17 segments of right coronary artery dated from left aortic sinus, 4 segments of left coronary artery dated from right aortic sinus, 2 segments of left coronary artery dated from posterior aortic sinus, 2 segments of single coronary artery, and 37 segments of para-coronary artery) , coronary artery dysplasia (n=18) , coronary artery fistula (n=9, including 4 segments of right coronary artery-right ventricle fistula, 2 segments of right coronary artery-pulmonary artery fistula, 2 segments of left coronary artery-left ventricle fistula, and 1 segments of left coronary artery-pulmonary artery fistula) , and myocardial bridge (n=136) . In addition, 818 segments of left sinuatrial nodal artery original anomalies in 1720 patients whose sinuatrial nodal artery were well shown. CONCLUSION: DSCT can be helpful in detecting the anomalies of coronary artery.