Brain abscess drainage by use of MR fluoroscopic guidance.

We describe herein the use of MR fluoroscopic guidance in the drainage of abscess cavities. We percutaneously drained 12 brain abscesses in 11 patients. A 0.3T open MR imaging system was used. Sixteen drainages were performed in 12 abscesses. Repeat drainage was needed in three recurrences and one residual lesion. No serious complications were seen. MR fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous brain abscess drainage in an open MR imaging system is feasible.

The role of the MR-fluoroscopy in the diagnosis and staging of the pelvic organ prolapse.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study is to investigate the efficacy of the magnetic resonance fluoroscopy in the diagnosis and staging of the pelvic prolapse. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study consisted of 46 patients who were known to have pelvic prolapses from their vaginal examination. Thirty women who underwent vaginal exam and shown not have pelvic prolapse were selected as a control group. Firstly, pelvic sagittal FSE T2 weighted images of all the women were acquired in 0.3 T open MR equipment than sagittal MR-fluoroscopic images using spoiled gradient echo sequences were obtained during pelvic strain. Physical examination and MR-fluoroscopic findings were compared. The relationship between the stages of prolapse established by both of the methods was evaluated statistically with Pearson's correlation analysis. RESULTS: Physical examination and MR findings were very concordant in the diagnosis of pelvic prolapse and statistical correlations in the stages of prolapse were established between both of the methods (P<0.01 for anterior and middle comportment, P<0.05 for posterior comportment). CONCLUSION: We conclude that MR-fluoroscopy is a non-invasive, easily applied, dynamic useful method without contrast agent in the diagnosis and staging of pelvic organ prolapse.

Demonstrating the effect of theophylline treatment on diaphragmatic movement in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients by MR-fluoroscopy.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine the increase in diaphragmatic excursion of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treated with theophylline by MR-fluoroscopy which is an innovative method to demonstrate effectiveness of this treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Investigations were performed on a 0.3 T open MR unit. MR-fluoroscopy images of 30 patients with COPD were obtained before and after theophylline treatment. Diaphragmatic movement values were recorded for evaluation. RESULTS: The response of the diaphragmatic movement in COPD patients treated with theophylline was evaluated by MR-fluoroscopy and an increase of 48% in diaphragmatic contractility was determined after the treatment. The increase in contractility was found to be parallel with respiratory function tests and clinical status. CONCLUSION: Diaphragmatic movement and response to the medical therapy in patients with COPD can be evaluated by MR-fluoroscopy method which can allow accurate measurements.

[Posterior cerebral artery involvement in Moyamoya disease]. / Moyamoya hastaliginda arka serebral arter tutulumu.

A ten-year-old girl arrived at the hospital with progressive loss of muscular strength on the right side of the body. The cranial MRI showed left fronto-parietal ischemia and atrophic changes in the left parietal lobe. Brain MRI initially disclosed a narrow left MCA. MRA and digital angiography confirmed the diagnosis of brain obstructive chronic vascular disease (Moyamoya). Angiography results demonstrated occlusion of the left MCA and right posterior cerebral artery, with Moyamoya vessels. It therefore appears that in some patients Moyamoya disease is accompanied by posterior circulation involvement.

MR findings in pericardial hydatid cyst.

Pericardial hydatid cyst is rare. We present a 32-year-old man with a pericardial hydatid cyst. Chest x-ray film showed a spherical mass located left mediastinum. A pericardial cyst with low signal intensity was noted on T1 weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images. The cyst had high signal intensity, but signal intensity of folded parasitic membranes in the cyst were seen lower intensity on T2 weighted MR images. Based on these MR findings, pericardial hydatid cyst was diagnosed. The patient underwent surgical removal of the cyst. Histologic study of the cyst confirmed hydatid cyst diagnosis.

Coexistence of subacute thyroiditis and renal cell carcinoma: a paraneoplastic syndrome.

Renal cell carcinoma is characterized by varied manifestations, which include unusual metastatic sites and paraneoplastic and vascular syndromes. We describe the case of a 57-year-old man who presented with high fever, weight loss, palpitations and a tender goitre. We suggest that, in this patient, subacute thyroiditis manifested as a paraneoplastic syndrome of renal cell carcinoma.

Bronchobiliary fistula due to hydatid disease of the liver: a case report.

As a complication of hydatid cyst disease of the liver, bronchobiliary fistula is a rare condition and manifests as bilioptysis. We report the case of a 34 year-old man with echinococcosis of the liver who developed a bronchobiliary fistula which manifested as chronic cough and bile stained sputum. A chest X-ray showed an unilateral infiltrate in the costodiaphragmatic angle. Bronchoscopy revealed bile filling the right basal bronchi. Magnetic resonance cystography revealed that the hepatic bile ducts communicated with the right basal pleural space. Percutaneous transhepatic drainage was applied. When the patient was reevaluated, the hydatid cyst had eroded into the pleural space, and a pleural effusion had developed. The condition of the patient deteriorated. Hence, surgical therapy was performed. After surgery, the condition of the patient improved. He was discharged from the hospital in good condition.

MR findings in cardiac hydatid cyst.

We report a case of a 23-year-old man with a cardiac hydatid cyst involving the left ventricle wall. The diagnosis of the cyst was obtained by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. He was operated on for cardiac hydatid cyst using enucleation and capitonnage procedure under extracorporeal circulation. Histopathologic study confirmed hydatid cyst diagnosis.

Hepatic cavernous hemangiomas: patterns of contrast enhancement on MR fluoroscopy imaging.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the patterns of contrast enhancement of hepatic hemangiomas on gadolinium-enhanced MR fluoroscopy imaging prospectively. METHOD: Investigation was performed on a 0.3-T open MR unit. Gadolinium-enhanced MR fluoroscopy images were obtained in 24 patients with 28 hepatic hemangiomas. Each MR fluoroscopy image was obtained in 2 s and MR fluoroscopy lasted for 10-25 min for each investigation. RESULTS: Three patterns of contrast enhancement were observed in 24 patients on MR fluoroscopy images. Four small lesions were not detected on MR fluoroscopy images. Uniform enhancement was seen in nine lesions (29%), peripheral nodular enhancement progressing centripetally to uniform enhancement was seen in nine lesions (29%), and peripheral nodular enhancement with persistent central hypointensity was seen in six lesions (22%). CONCLUSION: Enhanced MR fluoroscopy technique could obtain dynamic images of hepatic hemangiomas. It can be suggested as a useful technique for the showing of enhancement of hepatic hemangiomas, keeping in mind its low sensitivity in the diagnosis of small hemangiomas.