Brain magnetic resonance imaging findings and brain volumetric differences in a large series of benign rolandic epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: Several studies with a small sample size have investigated the relationship between structural and functional changes on MRI and the clinical and natural history of BRE. We aim to assess the frequency of incidental epileptogenic lesions on brain MRI in a large cohort of patients diagnosed with BRE and to assess the difference in volumetric brain measurements in BRE patients compared to healthy controls. METHODS: The case-control study includes 214 typical BRE cases and 197 control children with non-epileptic spells. Brain MRIs were evaluated for abnormalities which were classified into normal and abnormal with or without epileptogenic lesions with categorization of epileptogenic lesions. Brain segmentation was also performed for a smaller group of BRE patients and another healthy control group. Pearson's chi-squared test and two-tailed independent samples t-test were used. RESULTS: In patients with BRE, 7% had an epileptogenic lesion on their MRI. The frequency of epileptogenic lesion in the control group was 10.2% and not significantly different from those with BRE (p= 0.2). Significantly higher intracranial and white matter volumes were found in BRE patients compared to the healthy group while lower gray matter volume was found in BRE patients. Cortical and subcortical regions showed either higher or lower volumes with BRE. Interestingly, altered subcallosal cortex development which has a known association with depression was also found in BRE. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings confirm the absence of any association between specific brain MRI abnormalities and BRE. However, the altered cortical and subcortical development in BRE patients suggests a microstructural-functional correlation.

Volumetric measures of the paralyzed vocal fold using computerized tomography; its clinical implication.

OBJECTIVE: To report the volumetric measures of the paralyzed vocal fold in patients undergoing injection laryngoplasty. MATERIAL AND METHOD: All the medical records of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis who had high resolution computerized tomography scan of the neck and chest prior to injection laryngoplasty between October 2015 and May 2018 were included. Volumetric evaluation of the vocal folds was performed by measuring the vocal fold height using coronal images and the vocal fold length and width using axial images. RESULTS: A total of 21 patients divided into 13 males and 8 females were identified. The mean age was 56.66 ± 20.94 years. The mean volume of the paralyzed vocal fold was significantly smaller than that of the non-paralyzed vocal fold (p < .05). Similarly, the mean length and height of the paralyzed vocal folds were smaller than those of the non-paralyzed vocal folds (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Volumetric measurements of the paralyzed vocal fold in comparison to the normal vocal fold in a group of 21 patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis shows the presence of significant difference between the normal and affected site, and the presence of large inter-subject variation. Information on the volume difference between the two vocal folds may be used to better estimate the amount that needs to be injected in medialization procedures.

The value of diffusion weighted imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient in primary Osteogenic and Ewing sarcomas for the monitoring of response to treatment: Initial experience.

PURPOSE: To assess the value of using Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) mapping in Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) when monitoring treatment response in pediatric Osteogenic and Ewing sarcomas and to correlate with level of necrosis on post-surgical excision pathology. METHOD: This retrospective study includes 7 Osteosarcoma and 8 Ewing sarcoma patients. Pre-treatment and post-treatment focal MRIs were evaluated for ADC values, tumor volumes and variability of both measurements. We also compared the measurement between Ewing and Osteosarcoma groups, as well as between good (=/>90 % necrosis post-excision) and poor (<90 % necrosis post-excision) responders. RESULTS: All measurements except Maximum ADC (p = 0.20) showed a statistically significant difference when comparing them before and after treatment. When we segregated our population according to pathologic complete response, there was no difference in ADC measurements, volumetric measurements or either variability between good (8 Patients) and poor responders (7 Patients). When comparing the before-after changes in our measurement between the Ewing sarcoma and Osteosarcoma cases, there was no significant difference in the change between pre and post treatment (Δ) Mean or Maximum ADC, or in Δtumor-volume when measured on STIR or SPIR T1 post-contrast sequences. Only the ΔMinimum-ADC showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.02) in this group. CONCLUSIONS: ADC can potentially reflect cellular changes associated with chemotherapy use, reflecting a response to treatment. However, quantitative use of those parameters to dictate a change in management, treatment regimen or chemotherapy dose in order to target a good response (>/ = 90 % necrosis post-excision) needs further investigation.

Factors influencing incidental 18F-FDG uptake in the gallbladder in a large cohort of patients: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess the incidence of incidental activity in the gallbladder and the factors that may contribute to it in a large cohort of patients undergoing 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-PET/CT for cancer evaluation. METHODS: 8096 PET/CTs were retrospectively reviewed. Data pertaining to patient demographics and PET/CT parameters were collected. Patients' records were reviewed for gallbladder disorders for up to 3 years after the exam. The presence/absence of gallbladder uptake was visually assessed. Findings were classified as focal, diffuse increased and diffuse increased wall uptake, or no uptake. Volumetric measurements of the gallbladder and SUVmax of the gallbladder, liver and blood pool were measured. Chi-square and Student's t-test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: 54 cases (0.67%) of incidental gallbladder uptake were detected (uptake group). 162 exams without uptake were selected as control (no uptake group). The injection-to-scan interval, SUVmax of the liver and blood pool, and the gallbladder volume did not differ significantly between both groups. Higher blood glucose levels were observed in the uptake (109.9 ± 32.5) vs. no uptake group (97.4 ± 18) (p = 0.01), with levels >150 mg/dL more common in the uptake group (p = 0.004). The incidence of gallbladder disease within 3 years after imaging was higher for the uptake group (12/36) compared to the no uptake group (15/115) (p = 0.02). Diffuse increased wall uptake was more likely in the group who later developed a pathology (4/12) (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Incidental gallbladder uptake in patients is independent of the injected FDG dose, injection-to-scan interval or gallbladder volume, but may be related to blood glucose level. There's a higher incidence of gallbladder pathology three years after the exam particularly in cases of diffuse increased wall uptake.

Intracranial calcifications on CT: an updated review.

Intracranial calcifications are frequently encountered in non-contrast computed tomography scan in both adult and pediatric age groups. They refer to calcifications within the brain parenchyma or vasculature and can be classified into several major categories: physiologic/age-related, dystrophic, congenital disorders/phakomatoses, infectious, vascular, neoplastic, metabolic/endocrine, inflammatory and toxic diseases. In this updated review, we present a wide spectrum of intracranial calcifications from both pediatric and adult populations focusing on their pattern, size and location.

Osteoma-like melorheostosis: a rare type of skeletal dysplasia depicted on FDG PET/CT.

Melorheostosis, also known as Leri's disease, is a rare benign form of mesodermal mixed sclerosing bone dysplasia. We report the unusual case of a 14-year-old boy with melorheostosis in the lower extremity that went undiagnosed due to concurrent Ewing sarcoma in the opposite limb, confounding the findings for metastatic disease. The diagnosis was made on FDG PET/CT when the patient presented for post Ewing sarcoma treatment follow-up. The different types of melorheostosis as well as the challenge of diagnosing this rare entity are discussed in this report.

Body Weight-Based Protocols During Whole Body FDG PET/CT Significantly Reduces Radiation Dose without Compromising Image Quality:Findings in a Large Cohort Study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate radiation dose reduction during whole body fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomographic (PET)/computed tomography (CT) by employing weight-based protocols. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One thousand and twenty-eight patients were referred for 18F-FDG PET/CT study with one of two protocols: conventional protocol I; 120 kVp, 120 mAs, 0.5 second rotation time, pitch 0.8 mm/rot across all body weights; four-tier body weight protocol II all used 140 kVp, 0.75 seconds rotation time and pitch 0.8 mm/rot: Protocol A (≤60 kg): 35 mAs, Protocol B (61-80 kg): 50 mAs, Protocol C (81-100 kg): 65 mAs, and Protocol D: (>101 kg): 100 mAs. All protocols employed tube current modulation. Quantitative and qualitative image visual grading characteristics assessed image quality. RESULTS: Patient demographics demonstrated no significant difference between each protocol except for patient weight in weight protocol IIB (p < 0.009). Mean effective dose in all protocols were significantly lower in Protocol B compared to A (p < 0.009). Contrast-to-noise ratio demonstrated no differences between each protocol (p < 0.21) except for weight protocol in protocol IIA (<60 kg, p = 0.035) with the visual grading characteristics demonstrating preference over protocol II compared to I. CONCLUSION: Significant reduction in radiation dose can be achieved using patient-specific body weight-based protocols during whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT without compromising image quality when employing weight-based protocols.

Clinical review of liver hydatid disease and its unusual presentations in developing countries.

Human hydatid cyst disease is an international public health issue that particularly affects the developing countries. In this article, we discuss the epidemiology of hydatid disease in third world countries, the life cycle of echinococcus granulosus and how to make the clinical diagnosis of the disease, including laboratory tests and imaging modalities as well as uncommon presentation of this entity that we have encountered at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). We emphasize on the new World Health Organization classification of hepatic echinococcosis with examples from our clinical practice at AUBMC, and finally we describe the treatment, including medical and interventional therapies.

Split-bolus contrast injection protocol enhances the visualization of the thoracic vasculature and reduced radiation dose during chest CT.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the visualization of mediastinal lymph nodes during thoracic CT employing a multiphasic contrast media (CM) protocol. METHODS: Institutional review board approved retrospective study consisting of 300 patients with known chest malignancy. Patients were allocated to one of two CM protocols: Protocol A, consisted of dual bolus (Phase 1:100 ml CM followed by 100 ml saline chaser) i.v. injected at 2.5 ml s-1; Protocol B employed 100 ml of CM using a multiphasic injection protocol (Phase 1 and 2:60 ml contrast and saline, followed by Phase 3 and 4:40 ml contrast and saline injected at 2.5 ml s-1) with a fixed scan delay of 70 s for each acquisition. Attenuation profiles of the thoracic arteries and veins were calculated as well as the arterio-venous contrast ratios (AVCR). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC), visual grading characteristic (VGC), and Cohen's kappa analysis were assessed. RESULTS: Arterial opacification was up to 24% (p < 0.032) higher in protocol B than A, whereas, in the veins it was significantly lower in protocol B than A, with a maximum reduction of up to 84% (p < 0.0001). There was no statistical significance between the central and peripheral pulmonary arteries [>263 Hounsfield units (HU)] in each protocol. Protocol B, demonstrated significant improvement in AVCR at various anatomical sites (p < 0.002). Radiation dose was significantly reduced in protocol B compared to A (p < 0.004). Both ROC and VGC demonstrated significantly higher Az score for protocol B compared to A (p < 0.0001) with an increased inter reader agreement from poor to excellent. CONCLUSION: Employing a multiphasic CM protocol significantly improves opacification of the thoracic vasculature and visualization of mediastinal lymph nodes during thoracic CT. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Uniform opacification between thoracic arteries and veins increases the delineation between vasculature and lymph nodes, reduces radiation dose when employing a multiphase contrast media injection protocol.

Rare skeletal muscle metastasis from renal cell carcinoma: case report and review of the literature.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a tumor that usually metastasizes to lung, liver, bone and brain, but rarely to skeletal muscles. We report a case of an elderly man with a history of bilateral metachronous RCC for which he underwent curative bilateral nephrectomies and renal transplantation, was in remission, and presented with a large solitary skeletal muscle metastasis from the initial RCC, 3 years later.