An investigation of the efficacy of shear wave elastography in the characterization of benign and malignant liver lesions.

Purpose: To investigate whether shear wave elastography (SWE) examination, which has recently been proposed as an accessory radiological examination technique, is effective in characterizing focal liver lesions (FLLs). Material and methods: A total of 105 patients, comprising 48 males and 57 females, underwent SWE examination. The mean age of the patients was 53.31 ± 1.59 (age range 5-87) years. The SWE measurements were obtained from FLLs that were approximately 2 to 8 cm in depth in a box that was approximately 0.5 × 1 cm wide on an ultrasonography (USG) screen from approximately 2 different locations. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to determine the diagnostic SWE values in the differentiation of benign and malignant lesions. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive and negative predictive values were calculated in the presence of significant limit values. Results: The SWE values, in kPa and m/s, in the malignant lesions were significantly higher than those in the benign lesions (p = 0.006, p = 0.011). In the ROC curve analysis, the cut-off value was calculated as 9.005 kPa in the differentiation of malignant lesions from benign lesions. The area under the ROC curve was calculated as 0.656 in the range of 0.551-0.761 with 95% reliability. Sensitivity was calculated as 64.2%, specificity as 61.5%, positive predictive value as 63%, and negative predictive value as 62.7%. Conclusions: In addition to providing little contribution to the differentiation of benign and malignant lesions, the SWE technique is thought to contribute to a certain extent, especially in suspected cases, during the diagnosis with cross-sectional methods.

Morphometric Analysis of the Sacral Canal and Hiatus Using Multidetector Computed Tomography for Interventional Procedures.

AIM: The sacral canal has been frequently used as "a passage" for minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for spinal diseases. The aim of the present study was to investigate morphometric analyses of the sacral canal, hiatus, and surrounding structures according to different age groups and gender by using the "multidetector computed tomography" method. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Multiplanar-reconstructed images from 300 adult (150 females and 150 males, between 20 and 80 years old) were divided into three groups according to age and retrospectively examined. Various anatomic measurements of the sacral hiatus, surrounding structures, and sacral canal were performed. Sacral curvature angle and lumbosacral lordotic angle were noted. RESULTS: Bony anatomic abnormalities such as absent hiatus (0.3%), complete agenesis (1%), and bony septum (2.6%) were detected in some cases. The anteroposterior (AP) diameter of the hiatus was less than 2 mm in 5% of cases. In all groups, the mean values of the hiatus AP diameter and area, and the shortest distance of the sacral canal AP diameter were shorter in the 60-80 years age group when compared with those in 20-39 years age group (p=0.01). The shortest sacral canal AP diameter was commonly located at the S2 and S3 levels in 59.2% and 33.9% of cases, respectively. The levels of maximum curvature were at S3 and S2 in 63.3% and 26.7% of cases, respectively. Median sacral curvature angles and lumbosacral lordotic angles were measured as 164° and 134°, respectively. CONCLUSION: Sacral structures have morphometric variations. Understanding of the detailed anatomy may improve the reliability of interventional procedures.

Radiological anatomy of the C7 vertebra: Clinical implications in spine surgery.

CONTEXT: This study was designed to understand and define the special radio-anatomic morphometry of C7 vertebra by using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). AIMS: The major aim of the study was to detect the gender- and side-related morphometric differences of C7 vertebra among subjects. SETTING AND DESIGN: Our radiology unit database scanned for MDCT sections of the C7 vertebra. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 214 patients (134 men, 80 women) were selected. A detailed morphometric evaluation of C7 was done. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: T test, ANOVA. Lamina length (P < 0.001), pedicle length (P < 0.001), outer cortical (P = 0.01) and inner cancellous pedicle (P < 0.001) width, pedicle angle to sagittal plane (P < 0.001) values were statistically significantly different on the right versus left side. When the results were stratified by gender, lamina length, inner cancellous lamina height, pedicle length, inner cancellous pedicle height, outer cortical pedicle width, lateral mass anteroposterior length, anteroposterior length of C7 corpus, height of C7 corpus (P < 0.001), C6-7 (P = 0.013) and C7-T1disc height (P = 0.04), transverse foramina perpendicular width at C7 (P = 0.046) values were found to be statistically significantly different. Vertebral artery most commonly enters into the transverse foramina at C6 level. CONCLUSIONS: Gender and side differences are important factors for preoperative planning and showed significant differences among subjects. MDCT is a practical option for investigating the exact anatomical features of osseous structures.