[Imaging of osteoarticular tuberculosis]. / Imagerie de la tuberculose ostéo-articulaire.

PURPOSE: and methods. To perform an illustrated and educational review of musculoskeletal tuberculosis. RESULTS: As the incidence of musculoskeletal tuberculosis still increases, a review appears justified. The following four main presentations are detailed and illustrated, by emphasizing the value of both CT and MR imaging: a) spine tuberculosis (~ 50%) commonly involves two adjacent vertebral bodies with usual large paravertebral abscesses. The following lesions are highly suggestive of tuberculosis: solitary vertebral involvement, solitary epidural abscess with or without erosive spondylitis; b) osteo-arthritis: peripherally located erosions at synovial insertions with gradual narrowing of the joint space are highly suggestive; c) osteomyelitis: unusual, may involve any bones; d) tenosynovitis and bursitis. CONCLUSION: Imaging studies are essential for diagnosis and to assess the extent of musculo-skeletal tuberculosis.

Small nodule detection in cirrhotic livers: evaluation with US, spiral CT, and MRI and correlation with pathologic examination of explanted liver.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this work was to evaluate the detection and characterization of nodules > or = 8 mm and small hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) in liver cirrhosis. METHOD: Pathologic examination and results of US, helical CT, and dynamic MRI with gadolinium were compared after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) of 43 cirrhotic patients. Nodules were classified as macroregenerative nodules (MRNs), borderline nodules (BNs), and HCC. RESULTS: Pathologic examination classified 69 nodules: 50 MRNs, 6 BNs, and 13 HCCs. Sensitivities of MRN, BN, and HCC detection were, respectively, for US imaging 2% (1/50), 33.3% (2/6), and 46.2% (6/13); for helical CT 2% (1/50), 50% (3/6), and 53.8% (7/13); and for MRI 42% (21/50), 50% (3/6), and 76.9% (10/13). MRI detected 21 MRNs. They presented on T1/T2-weighted images as hyperintense/hypointense (n = 8), hyperintense/isointense (n = 7), hypointense/hypointense (n = 4), hypointense/isointense (n = 1), and hypointense depicted only on echo planar imaging (n = 1). The three detected BNs were hyperintense/hypointense nodules. The 10 detected HCCs appeared hyperintense/isointense (n = 7), hyperintense/hypointense (n = 2), and hypointense/isointense (n = 1). None of the MRNs but eight HCCs and one BN were enhanced after gadolinium injection. CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced MRI is the most sensitive technique for detecting liver nodules. No MR signal intensity pattern characteristic of small HCCs enables differentiation from benign nodules, however. Gadolinium enhancement is the most sensitive and specific characteristic of HCC.