Angled oblique sagittal MR imaging of rotator cuff tears: comparison with standard oblique sagittal images.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the accuracy for diagnosing rotator cuff tears of oblique coronal images supplemented with standard oblique sagittal images versus thinner-section angled oblique sagittal images. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: The study included 75 consecutive patients who had a shoulder MR scan followed by arthroscopy. MR images included oblique coronal, oblique sagittal (4 mm thick, 1 mm interslice gap), and angled oblique sagittal (3 mm/0.2 mm) images perpendicular to the lateral cuff. A musculoskeletal staff radiologist and fellow separately evaluated the cuff for tears on the oblique coronal images supplemented with either the oblique sagittal or the angled sagittal images. RESULTS: For distinguishing a cuff tear from no tear, the staff radiologist had an accuracy of 0.76 (95% confidence interval: 0.67, 0.85) with the standard sagittal set, and 0.88 (0.80, 0.95) with the angled set (P=0.04). There was a nonsignificant improvement in accuracy for the fellow, calculated as 0.73 (0.63, 0.83) on the standard sagittal set and 0.76 (0.67, 0.85) on the angled set. Both readers also improved their diagnostic accuracy for partial-thickness tears with the angled set, although the improvement was statistically significant only for the staff radiologist. CONCLUSION: There is a slight improvement in accuracy for diagnosing rotator cuff tears, particularly partial-thickness tears, for the more experienced radiologist using thinner-section angled oblique sagittal images. These images may be useful as a supplemental sequence in patients where it is important to identify partial-thickness tears accurately.

Abnormal superior popliteomeniscal fascicle and posterior pericapsular edema: indirect MR imaging signs of a lateral meniscal tear.

OBJECTIVE: Because MR diagnosis of lateral meniscal tears can be difficult, indirect signs may be useful when a tear is suspected. We studied whether an abnormality of the superior popliteomeniscal fascicle or pericapsular edema was associated with lateral meniscal tears and thus may be an indirect MR imaging sign of a lateral meniscal tear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified 59 consecutive patients who underwent both knee MR imaging examinations and knee arthroscopy. Thirty patients had lateral meniscal tears, and 29 had intact lateral menisci. We reviewed paired sagittal proton density- and T2-weighted MR images from these 59 patients for abnormal superior popliteomeniscal fascicles and edema surrounding the posterolateral capsule. RESULTS: The superior popliteomeniscal fascicles were abnormal in nine of the 30 patients with torn lateral menisci but were normal in all 29 patients with intact menisci (p = 0.001). Abnormal fascicles were apparent only when the lateral meniscal tear involved the posterior horn. Posterior pericapsular edema was seen in 10 patients with a torn posterior horn and in one patient with an anterior horn tear of the lateral meniscus, but in only two patients with intact menisci (p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: The presence of superior popliteomeniscal fascicle abnormalities and of posterior pericapsular edema is significantly associated with a tear of the lateral meniscus, most commonly in the posterior horn. Noting the presence of these findings may help improve the accuracy of MR diagnosis of lateral meniscal tears.

Iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis: safety and efficacy outcome during 5 years of catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy.

PURPOSE: To prospectively evaluate the angiographic and clinical results of using catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy for the treatment of acute iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis (IFDVT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: All consecutive patients with acute IFDVT referred for thrombolytic treatment from July 1990 to December 1995 were included in this clinical data analysis. Infusions of urokinase were administered via a multisidehole infusion catheter. Angioplasty, stent placement, mechanical thrombectomy, and other procedures were often performed in conjunction with the thrombolytic procedure. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients and 87 limbs were treated. The overall technical success rate was 79%, and was 86% for iliac veins and 63% for femoral veins. The primary and secondary patency rates at 1 year were 63% and 78%, respectively, for the iliac veins, and 40% and 51%, respectively, for the femoral veins. Patients with malignant disease fared worse. Patients requiring stent placement appeared to have inferior outcomes. A previous history of DVT did not appear to affect the results. Bleeding requiring transfusion and hematomas were the major complications encountered. Pulmonary embolus was not a significant problem. Technical success rates were lower in patients who had had symptoms for more than 4 weeks compared to those who had a more recent onset of symptoms. CONCLUSION: Current data suggest that catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy is safe and effective in achieving intermediate-term venous Patency. The long-term clinical benefits of this procedure remain, however, to be established.