[A comparison between magnetic resonance and other imaging technics in the study of cardiac pathology]. / Confronto tra la Risonanza Magnetica e le altre tecniche ad immagini nello studio della patologia cardiaca.

In this paper the authors reviewed the diagnostic applications of magnetic resonance imaging in the study of cardiovascular disease. This technique shows to be promising for the future; nevertheless echocardiography and nuclear medicine are yet the techniques of first choice in the evaluation of cardiovascular diseases.

[High resolution CT in the evaluation of pulmonary parenchymal diseases]. / La TC ad alta risoluzione nella valutazione della patologia del parenchima polmonare.

In this manuscript we evaluate the role of HR CT in polmonary parenchymal disease.

[Role of CT in the evaluation of patients with painful symptoms located in the lower right abdominal quadrant]. / Ruolo della TC nella valutazione dei pazienti con sintomatologia dolorosa in corrispondenza del quadrante addominale inferiore di destra.

Eleven patients presenting signs and symptoms related to flogistic disease of the right inferior abdominal region were studied with Computed Tomography. Four out of the eleven patients also underwent Magnetic Resonance examination. In 9 patients final diagnosis was correctly reached after surgery and in 1 case diagnosis was made on the basis of endoscopic findings and delayed echographic controls. Among the eleven patient a correct diagnosis was possible on the basis of CT findings in seven of the examined patients; 4 of them were correctly diagnosed as appendicitis; 1 case was diagnosed as Crohn disease; 1 case was a mucocele and 1 case was diagnosed as tubo-ovaric abscess. In 1 case no one diagnostic hypothesis was possible on the basis of CT and MR findings; on surgery the diagnosis was of appendicitis. In 2 cases of surgery proven tubo-ovaric abscesses a diagnosis of appendicitis was done on the basis of CT examination. In one case CT and MR findings were considered to be related to an ovaric tumor; on surgery the correct diagnosis was of post-surgical fibrosis. In 4 cases MR findings confirmed the diagnostic hypothesis reached with CT examination but only in two of them the final diagnosis was correct. In this paper we describe all the CT and MR findings found in each patient.

[Role of CT and MRI in the evaluation of tumoral pathology in the rhinopharynx, the parapharyngeal space and the masticatory apparatus]. / Ruolo della TC e della RM nella valutazione della patologia tumorale del rinofaringe, dello spazio parafaringeo e dello spazio masticatorio.

In this paper we discussed the usefulness of CT and MR imaging in the study of tumors of nasopharynx, paraphararyngeal space and masticatory space. We also stressed the role of the techniques in the characterization and in assessing the extension of these diseases.

[Images of pancreatic pathology: advantages and limitations of magnetic resonance compared with computerized tomography and ultrasound]. / Immagini della patologia pancreatica. Vantaggi e limiti della risonanza magnetica al confronto con la tomografia computerizzata e gli ultrasuoni.

We discuss the usefulness of MR examination in the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases, in addition to the other available imaging techniques. MR imaging yields important information in diagnosis and staging of pancreatic tumours, and in the characterization of pancreatic masses. MRI is also valuable for the study of chronic as well as acute pancreatitis, although there are some limits such as the poor detection of calcifications in the chronic, and the excessively long time required to complete the examination in the acute form.

[Role of magnetic resonance in the evaluation of space-occupying mediastinal pathology]. / Ruolo della risonanza magnetica nella valutazione della patologia espansiva mediastinica.

All MR findings in the study of mediastinal masses are discussed in this report, with the aim of evaluating the reliability of MR imaging in this pathology. The results obtained in the assessment of the extension of these masses are very useful and MR imaging appears to be the most informative of all techniques. Masses originating from the thymus, cystic lesions, substernal goitre, and esophageal tumors were considered. MRI results were compared to those obtained by CT scan which is considered of proven reliability for the evaluation of mediastinal masses.

[The role of magnetic resonance in the evaluation of diffuse liver diseases]. / Ruolo della risonanza magnetica nella valutazione delle epatopatie di tipo diffuso.

We discuss in this report the results and limits of MR imaging in the evaluation of non focal hepatic pathology. At present, MR imaging seems to be one of the most important diagnostic steps, in the study of widespread hepatic diseases.

[Diagnostic imaging in the evaluation of non-neoplastic space occupying pathology in the sellar and suprasellar region]. / La diagnostica per immagini nella valutazione della patologia non neoplastica occupante spazio in corrispondenza della regione sellare e soprasellare.

Before the introduction of computed imaging techniques like CT scan and MR, the differential diagnosis of lesions affecting the sellar and suprasellar regions was very difficult, more often impossible. These techniques contributed to ameliorate the typing of pathological tissues. Non neoplastic pathological findings of this region are very different and they can variate between phlogistic processes, vascular lesions, hamartomatous formations or congenital malformations. In this work we describe the characteristic changes of morphology and radiologic aspect in the diagnostic study of this region, using CT scan and MR imaging.

[The role of magnetic resonance in the evaluation of pathological processes involving the penis]. / Ruolo della risonanza magnetica nella valutazione dei processi patologici coinvolgenti il pene.

The above paper was aimed at defining the usefulness of MRI in the study of pathologies involving the penis. Disorders considered include Peyronie's disease, fibrosis of the penis, priapism, trauma, congenital anomalies, and tumors. In Peyronie's disease and in fibrosis of the penis, MRI permits to demonstrate the abnormal thickening of tunica albuginea and erectile tissue; after administration of gadolinium, it becomes possible in some cases to demonstrate plaques of the albuginea that are not palpable. In priapism, MRI is useful both for identifying the cause and for assessing the time elapsed since blood extravasation. In traumatic and congenital pathologies, MRI is essential for the acquisition of all information on anatomy that may be useful for selecting the most suitable surgical therapy. In neoplastic pathology, MRI has proved useful for accurately assessing the extension of lesions involving the basis of the penis.

[The role of tomography (X-ray and magnetic resonance) in the diagnosis and determination of the extension of tumors in the roof of the third ventricle]. / Ruolo della tomografia (a raggi X ed a risonanza magnetica) nell'accertamento e nel bilancio di estensione dei tumori del tetto del III ventricolo.

We describe the CT scan and MR appearance of neoplastic lesions affecting the roof of the third ventricle. The neoplastic lesions of this region may be of neuroepithelial origin (sub-ependymoma, colloid cyst), meningeal cell origin (meningiomas), metastatic or primary localization of lymphoproliferative tumors (lymphomas) and dysembryogenetic origin (epidermoid tumor). CT scan and MR imaging are useful techniques for diagnosis and planning of surgical or medical treatment. The primary role of these imaging techniques, is discussed in the quantification of extension, biologic malignancy and anatomical relationships between pathologic lesion and normal nervous tissue.

[The role of magnetic resonance in the study of cerebrospinal malformations in childhood. An analysis of 51 clinical cases]. / Ruolo della Risonanza Magnetica nello studio delle malformazioni cerebro-midollari dell'infanzia. Analisi di 51 casi clinici.

This study was aimed at assessing MR utility in the evaluation of cerebral-medullar malformative pathologic conditions in infants. Among 274 patients 2 months to 15 years old examined by means of MR imaging, 51 (18.6%) were affected with cerebral-medullar abnormalities. Seventeen different types of pathologic conditions were identified, some of which single and some multiple; tethered cord was the most frequent finding. 45/51 patients affected with malformative pathologic conditions required sedation. The high incidence of malformative pathologic conditions in pediatrics highlights the importance of this subject for all the radiologists dealing with MR imaging in pediatrics. MR imaging appears to be the method of choice for the evaluation of cerebral-medullar abnormalities.

[MR in the evaluation of schizencephaly]. / La RM nella valutazione della schizencefalia.

This study was aimed at evaluating MR utility in the diagnosis of schizencephaly in patients with seizures and developmental delay. In 7 patients, 8 months to 15 years old, MR imaging detected the presence of unilateral (5 cases) and bilateral (2 cases) hemisferic clefts. Moreover, MR imaging allowed the presence of such anomalies as dysgenesis of the corpus callosum, and agenesis of the septum pellucidum to be demonstrated, together with areas of polymicrogyria and heterotopic gray matter.

[CT in the evaluation of carcinoma of the pancreas]. / La TC nella valutazione del carcinoma del pancreas.

The routine use of CT has given a great contribution both to the diagnosis and to the evaluation of the extent of pancreatic carcinomas. Forty-three patients clinically suspected of pancreatic carcinoma were examined with CT. Forty of them underwent surgical control. This study was conducted to evaluate the role of CT in the diagnosing and staging of pancreatic carcinomas. 31/43 neoplasms were identified, with a diagnostic accuracy of 90%. CT was extremely accurate in the demonstration of late metastases, while it had lower accuracy in assessing the involvement of lymph nodes and peripancreatic vessels (60-70%). CT proved to be extremely useful in diagnosing pancreatic carcinomas, for it allows the detection of masses associated with Wirsung's duct dilatation and atrophy, which are a highly pathognomonic sign of pancreatic neoplasms. Moreover, CT proved useful in the staging, by assessing the presence of lymph nodes and metastases.

[Evaluation of parietal infiltration in carcinoma of the bladder: comparison of MR imaging, CT and histology]. / Valutazione dell'infiltrazione parietale da carcinoma della vescica: confronto tra RM, TC e istologia.

Twenty-two patients with bladder carcinoma were examined by MR imaging and CT to determine the degree of parietal involvement. The results were then compared with the surgical and histological findings. A classification in CT and MR stages was elaborated in order to supply corresponding models to clinical TNM staging. Three groups were thus formed, corresponding to the evolutive phases of the tumor. The first MR group included T1-T2 forms (accuracy: 75%); the second group included T3a forms (accuracy: 75%), and the third T3b-T4 forms (accuracy: 90%). Overall MR accuracy was 81.81%. The first CT group included T1 forms (acc. 71.42%), the second group T2-T3a forms (acc. 60%), and the third group included T3b-T4 forms (acc. 90%). Overall CT accuracy was 77.27%. MR imaging proved thus more accurate than CT in the staging of bladder tumors, especially thanks to its allowing deep muscular involvement to be assessed.