Radiographic Atlas Research Articles

Percent Final Height Is a Novel Method That Identifies Differences Between the Rate of Development in American Children of Different Races.

The Greulich & Pyle (G&P) Radiographic Atlas of Skeletal Development uses hand x-rays obtained between 1926 and 1942 on children of Caucasian ancestry. Our study uses modern Caucasian, Black, Hispanic, and Asian children to investigate patterns of development as a function of percent final height (PFH). A retrospective review, at a single institution, was conducted using children who received a hand x-ray, a height measurement taken within 60 days of that x-ray, and a final height. BA and CA were compared between races. PFH was calculated by dividing height at the time of the x-ray by their final height. To further evaluate differences between races in CA or BA, PFH was then modeled as a function of CA or BA using a fifth-degree polynomial regression, and mean ages at the 85th PFH were compared. Patients were then divided into Sanders stages 1, 2-4, and 5-8 and the mean PFH, CA, and BA of the Asian, Black, and Hispanic children were compared with the White children using Student t test. P values less than 0.05 were considered significant. We studied 498 patients, including 53 Asian, 83 Black, 190 Hispanic, and 172 White patients. Mean BA was significantly greater than CA in Black males (1.27y) and females (1.36y), Hispanic males (1.12y) and females (1.29y), and White females (0.74y). Hispanic and Black patients were significantly more advanced in BA than White patients ( P <0.001). At the 85th PFH, White and Hispanic males were older than Black males by at least 7 months ( P <0.001), and White females were significantly older than Hispanic females by 6.4 months ( P <0.001). At 85th PFH for males, Hispanic and Black males had greater BA than White males by at least 5 months ( P <0.001), and Asian females had a greater BA than Black females by at least 5 months ( P <0.001). Compared with White children, Hispanic children were significantly younger at Sanders 2-4 than White children, and Black children were skeletally older at Sanders 5-8. BA was greater than CA by ≥1 year in Black and Hispanic children, and that these children had a significantly greater BA than their White counterparts. Black males and Hispanic females reached their 85th PFH at younger ages, and Hispanic males and Asian females were the most skeletally mature at their 85th PFH. Our results suggest that BA and CA may vary as a function of race, and further studies evaluating growth via the 85th PFH may be necessary. Therapeutic Study - Level IV.

Forensic age estimation in living children: how accurate is the Greulich-Pyle method in Sabah, East Malaysia?

The Greulich and Pyle's Radiographic Atlas of Skeletal Development of the Hand and Wrist (GP Atlas) is the most widely used method of determining the bone age (BA) of a child. It is also a widely accepted method for forensic age determination. As there is limited local bone age data for forensic age estimation, the purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of the GP Atlas for forensic age determination in living Sabahan children. This study recruited 182 children between the ages of 9 years to 18 years. BA estimation of the left-hand anteroposterior radiographs were performed by two experienced radiologists using the Greulich-Pyle method. The BA estimates from two radiologists had very high interobserver reliability (ICC 0.937) and a strong positive interobserver correlation (r > 0.90). The GP method, significantly and consistently underestimated chronological age (CA) by 0.7, 0.6 and 0.7 years in overall children, boys and girls respectively with minimal errors. Mean absolute error and root of mean squared error for overall children was 1.5 and 2.2 years respectively, while mean absolute percentage error was 11.6%. This underestimation was consistent across all age groups but was statistically significant only at 13-13.9 and 17-18.9 years old age groups. Despite high interobserver reliability of BA estimation using the GP Atlas, this method consistently underestimates the age of the child in all children to a significant degree, for both boys and girls across all age groups, with an acceptably low level of error metrics. Our findings suggest that locally validated GP Atlas or other type of assessments (artificial intelligence or machine learning) are needed for assessment of BA to accurately predict CA, since current GP Atlas standards significantly underestimated chronological age with minimal error for children in Sabah. A larger population-based study would be necessary for establishing a validated atlas of a bone age in Malaysia.

Comparing the effectiveness of two diagnostic approaches for the interpretation of oral radiographic lesions by dental students.

Interpreting radiographic lesions on dental radiographs is a challenging process especially for novice learners, and there is a lack of tools available to support this diagnostic process. This study introduced dental students to two diagnostic aids with contrasting reasoning approaches—ORAD DDx, which uses an analytic, forward reasoning approach, and a Radiographic Atlas, which emphasizes a non-analytic, backward reasoning approach. We compared the effectiveness of ORAD DDx and the Atlas in improving students’ diagnostic accuracy and their ability to recall features of radiographic lesions. Participants (99 third-year dental students) were assigned to ORAD DDx, Atlas and Control groups. In the pre-test and post-test, participants provided their diagnosis for eight types of radiographic lesions. All groups also completed a Cued Recall Test. Feedback about ORAD DDx and the Atlas was collected. Results indicated that the Atlas was more effective than ORAD DDx in improving diagnostic accuracy (Estimated marginal mean difference = 1.88 (95% CI 0.30–3.46), p = 0.014, Cohen’s d = 0.714). Participants in the Atlas group also outperformed the Control group in the recall of the lesions’ radiographic features (Estimated marginal mean difference = 3.42 (95% CI 0.85–5.99), p = 0.005, Cohen’s d = 0.793). Students reported that both ORAD DDx and Atlas increased their confidence and decreased the mental effort required to develop differential diagnosis (p ≤ 0.001). This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a non-analytic approach in interpreting dental radiographs among novice learners through the novel use of diagnostic aids.

Preferential tumor localization in relation to 18F-FDOPA uptake for lower-grade gliomas.

Although tumor localization and 3,4-dihydroxy-6-18F-fluoro-L-phenylalanine (FDOPA) uptake may have an association, preferential tumor localization in relation to FDOPA uptake is yet to be investigated in lower-grade gliomas (LGGs). This study aimed to identify differences in the frequency of tumor localization between FDOPA hypometabolic and hypermetabolic LGGs using a probabilistic radiographic atlas. Fifty-one patients with newly diagnosed LGG (WHO grade II, 29; III, 22; isocitrate dehydrogenase wild-type, 21; mutant 1p19q non-codeleted,16; mutant codeleted, 14) who underwent FDOPA positron emission tomography (PET) were retrospectively selected. Semiautomated tumor segmentation on FLAIR was performed. Patients with LGGs were separated into two groups (FDOPA hypometabolic and hypermetabolic LGGs) according to the normalized maximum standardized uptake value of FDOPA PET (a threshold of the uptake in the striatum) within the segmented regions. Spatial normalization procedures to build a 3D MRI-based atlas using each segmented region were validated by an analysis of differential involvement statistical mapping. Superimposition of regions of interest showed a high number of hypometabolic LGGs localized in the frontal lobe, while a high number of hypermetabolic LGGs was localized in the insula, putamen, and temporal lobe. The statistical mapping revealed that hypometabolic LGGs occurred more frequently in the superior frontal gyrus (close to the supplementary motor area), while hypermetabolic LGGs occurred more frequently in the insula. Radiographic atlases revealed preferential frontal lobe localization for FDOPA hypometabolic LGGs, which may be associated with relatively early detection.

Risk factors for the incidence of hand interphalangeal joint osteoarthritis- a systematic review

Purpose: Radiographic hand osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent type of OA in the general population. Unlike the hip and knee, where joint injury and excessive load are known to be strong risk factors for OA development, the risk factors for the development of hand OA are not yet well recognised. Furthermore, OA at the base of the thumb and the finger interphalangeal joints (IPJs) are now considered to be separate disease processes, and therefore are likely to have different aetiology. OA at the base of thumb has been more widely researched in the literature, whilst research on IPJ OA is still scarce and has not yet been reviewed systematically. The aims of this systematic review were to identify risk factors for the incidence of hand IPJ OA, and to summarise the methods used to diagnose the incidence of hand IPJ OA. Methods: This review was prospectively registered on PROSPERO (CRD42019116782) and PRISMA guidelines were followed. Search criteria were developed in consultation with a health-care librarian, with terms for hand and finger, osteoarthritis, and development. Medline, Embase, Scopus, and The Cochrane Library, were searched from inception until October 2018. Abstracts and titles were assessed for eligibility by two independent reviewers. To be eligible for inclusion, articles must have reported the incidence of IPJ OA either radiographically or clinically, and investigated a risk factor and its association with incident OA. Ineligible studies were those on paediatrics/ animals/ cells/ cadavers, reports/ abstracts/ letters, and studies where IPJ OA Results could not be separated from other joints or from inflammatory arthritis. Full text articles were assessed and data extracted by two reviewers, with disagreement settled by consensus with a third reviewer. Risk of bias was assessed using a modified Quality in Prognosis Studies Tool. Studies were heterogeneous in design, risk factor analysis, and outcome measure, so a meta-analysis could not be performed. Results: 22,344 articles were found, with 11,588 remaining after removal of duplicates. 11,526 titles and abstracts were excluded, with 179 full text articles assessed for eligibility. Overall, 29 studies were included in the systematic review. Six studies had a moderate risk of bias whilst 23 had a high risk of bias. Unclear study characteristics and a lack of adjusting for potential risk factors were the most common reasons for high risk of bias. Of the 29 studies, 28 diagnosed OA radiographically. The most commonly used radiographic atlas was the Kellgren-Lawrence classification system (23 studies). Three studies required either radiographic or clinical signs to be present, whilst 3 studies required both radiographic and clinical features for a diagnosis. Studies most commonly diagnosed OA at the row or hand level. Of the 35 potential risk factors that were analysed, 9 were associated with an increased risk of incident IPJ OA (Table 1): greater grip strength (1 high risk of bias study), Kashin-Beck Disease (1 high risk of bias study), foot OA (1 moderate risk of bias study), base of thumb OA (1 high risk of bias study), family history of OA (3 high risk of bias studies), higher insulin-like growth factor-1 (1 high risk of bias study), human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR2 (1 moderate risk of bias study), multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the interleukin-1 gene (1 high risk of bias study), and genetic risk factors (single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs9340799 on chromosome 6 (1 moderate risk of bias study), SNP rs1982073 on chromosome 19 (1 moderate risk of bias study), linkage disequilibrium on chromosomes 4 (1 high risk of bias study) and 7 (1 moderate risk of bias study). Seventeen potential risk factors were not associated with IPJ OA incidence. Multiple studies found no association between smoking (4 high risk of bias studies), or physical activity level (2 high risk of bias studies) and incident IPJ OA. Conclusions: Despite a large number of articles included in this review, few variables were found to be risk factors for the development of IPJ OA. Most potential risk factors were investigated by a single study, most studies were of high risk of bias and few studies adjusted for multiple confounders, highlighting the need for further high quality research.

Prevalence of Radiographic and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features of Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis in Young and Middle-Aged Adults With Persistent Patellofemoral Pain.

To describe the prevalence of radiographic features of patellofemoral (PF) osteoarthritis (OA) in adults with persistent PF pain, to describe the prevalence of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-defined PF OA and compare it to that in age- and sex-matched controls, and to explore the prevalence of radiographic and MRI-defined PF OA across age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) groups. This cross-sectional study included 84 individuals with PF pain ≥3 months duration and 26 age- and sex-matched controls. In participants with PF pain, posteroanterior, lateral, and skyline radiographs were obtained. Radiographic OA features were scored using Kellgren/Lawrence (K/L) criteria and a radiographic atlas, with K/L grade ≥2 defined as OA, and K/L grade 1 as early OA. Both groups underwent 3.0 Tesla MRI scans, scored using the MRI Osteoarthritis Knee Score criteria. Compartmental prevalence of MRI OA features was based on cartilage lesions, bone marrow lesions (BMLs), and osteophytes. Overall, 20 participants (24%) with PF pain had radiographic PF OA (K/L grade ≥2), and 36 participants (43%) had early PF OA (K/L grade 1). MRI-defined PF OA was more prevalent in participants with PF pain (16-29%) than in controls (4-12%), irrespective of how PF OA was defined. Within the PF pain group, the prevalence of PF OA on radiographs and MRI was greater in participants who were older or female or who had a higher BMI. Features of radiographic and MRI-defined PF OA were evident in 20-30% of adults ages 26-50 years with persistent PF pain, with greater prevalence observed in those who were older, or female, or who had a higher BMI. MRI-defined PF OA was more prevalent in individuals with PF pain than in pain-free controls, especially when defined as a full-thickness cartilage lesion with BML.

Bone Age Practices in Infants and Older Children among Practicing Radiologists in Pakistan: Developing World Perspective.

ObjectiveTo investigate which bone age assessment techniques are utilized by radiologists in Pakistan to determine skeletal age in three defined age groups: less than one year, one to three years and three to 18 years. We also assessed the perceived confidence in skeletal age assessments made by respondents using their chosen bone age assessment technique, within each defined age group.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 147 practicing radiologists in Pakistan. A pre-validated survey form was adopted from a similar study conducted amongst members of the Society for Pediatric Radiology. The survey collected demographic information, choice of bone age assessment technique in each age group and confidence of bone age assessments in each age group.ResultsThe hand-wrist method of Greulich and Pyle was used by 87.5% of respondents when assessing bone age in infants (less than one year), followed by Gilsanz-Ratib hand bone age method (7.3%). In children aged one to three years, Greulich and Pyle method was chosen by 85.7% of respondents, followed by Gilsanz-Ratib hand bone age method (6.1%) and the Hoerr, Pyle, Francis' Radiographic Atlas of Skeletal Development of the Foot and Ankle (3.1%). In children, older than three years, the Greulich and Pyle technique was used by 83.7% of respondents. This was followed by Gilsanz-Ratib hand bone age method (5.8%) and the Hoerr, Pyle, Francis' Radiographic Atlas of Skeletal Development of the Foot and Ankle (3.8%). 26.4% were “very confident” in bone age assessments conducted among infants. In children aged one to three years, 38.1% were “very confident”. In children, greater than three years, 48.6% were “very confident” in their chosen technique.ConclusionGreulich and Pyle is the dominant method for bone age assessments in all age groups, however, confidence in its application among infants and young children is low. It is recommended that clear recommendations be developed for bone age assessments in this age group alongside incorporation of indigenous standards of bone age assessments based on a representative sample of healthy native children.

Mapping seizure foci and tumor genetic factors in glioma associated seizure patients.

Epilepsy, which is the most common symptom accompanying gliomas, was reported as an independent favorable prognosis factor for glioma patients. However, the correlation between glioma location and epilepsy prognosis, genesis and genetic phenotypes of the glioma associated seizure (GAS) patients is far from clear, the purpose of the current study was to provide probabilistic radiographic atlases reflecting seizure susceptible regions, relationship between tumor associated biomarkers and seizure initiation and poor epilepsy prognosis areas. Preoperative MRIs were collected from 119 newly diagnosed patients with histologically confirmed gliomas. These samples were analyzed for seizure status and tumor genetic makers (TP53 mutations, MMP-9.PTEN, MGMT, EGFR and IDH1) using a statistical voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) method. We found bilaterally that the frontal lobe containing regions were associated with GAS for low grades gliomas, moreover lesions with the PTEN mutation and IDH1 mutation and seizure susceptible regions were located close together and partially overlapped, Patients with preoperative tumor involving the right frontal lobe may have good seizure control; however, for the glioma-infiltrated regions in front of the precentral regions in the left hemisphere, the epilepsy prognosis is poor. The current results of seizure associated molecules and specific regions on structural MRI could be used in preoperative surgical planning, seizure prognosis predictions and anti-epilepsy drug usage.

Lateral-compartment Osteophytes are not Associated With Lateral-compartment Cartilage Degeneration in Arthritic Varus Knees.

Progression of arthritis in the lateral compartment is one of the main failure modes of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). The decision regarding whether to perform a medial UKA sometimes is made based on whether lateral-compartment osteophytes are visible on plain radiographs obtained before surgery, but it is not clear whether the presence of lateral-compartment osteophytes signifies that the cartilage in the lateral compartment is arthritic. (1) Is the presence of lateral compartment osteophytes associated with biomechanical properties of lateral-compartment cartilage, and (2) are osteophytes in the lateral compartment associated with particular histologic features of cartilage in the lateral compartment? Between May 2010 and January 2012, we performed 201 TKAs for varus osteoarthritis confirmed on standardized AP hip-to-ankle standing radiographs. All patients with a varus deformity were considered for this prospective study. During the enrollment period, 100 patients (101 knees) were not enrolled for this study because of declined consent or because they were unable to perform all required preoperative radiographic examinations. That left 84 patients (100 knees), of whom an additional 23 patients (27%) were excluded because either radiographic or biomechanical data were missing. For final analysis, 61 patients (71 knees) were available. There were 29 males (48%) and 32 females (52%) with a mean age of 65 years (range, 49-89 years). Their mean BMI was 26 kg/m2 (range, 17-47 kg/m2). Lateral-compartment osteophytes were graded by two observers on AP standing knee radiographs based on a template of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) radiographic atlas. During surgery, osteochondral plugs were harvested from the lateral tibial plateau and the distal lateral femur for biomechanical and histologic assessments. The intrinsic material coefficients aggregate modulus (Ha) and dynamic modulus (DM) were determined by applying a compressive load of 20 g for 1 hour. The histologic analysis was performed according to the qualitative osteoarthritis cartilage histopathology assessment system. The Mann-Whitney U test was performed to compare the distribution of variables. Power analysis was performed for the Mann-Whitney U test using an alpha of 0.05, a power of 80%, and a sample size of 71 resulting in a detectable effect size of 0.6. Owing to the limited sample size, only medium or large effects in changes of biomechanical properties can be excluded with adequate power. Ha and DM were not different with the numbers available when comparing knees with osteophyte Grades 0, 1, and 2 on the lateral tibia. For Grade 3 tibial osteophytes (n = 3), the lateral tibia cartilage showed low Ha (0.39 MPa; SD, 0.17 MPa) and low DM (2.85 MPa; SD, 2.12 MPa). On the lateral femur, no differences of Ha and DM were observed with the numbers available between Grades 0 to 3 osteophytes. No differences with the numbers available in the OARSI histologic grades on the lateral tibia plateau and the distal lateral femur were observed between the different osteophyte grades. Lateral-compartment osteophytes are not associated with biomechanically weaker cartilage or with more-advanced histologic signs of degeneration of lateral-compartment cartilage in knees with varus arthritis. Given the small sample size of 71, the study was underpowered to detect small-to-modest decreases in biomechanical properties. Future studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the current findings. Factors other than the presence or absence of lateral-compartment osteophytes should be considered when evaluating patients with medial-compartment arthritis for medial UKA. Future studies are required to define the limitations of plain radiographs to rule out cartilage degeneration in the lateral compartment of varus knees.

Mapping genetic factors in high-grade glioma patients

BackgroundTumor location, which serves as a prognostic factor for high-grade gliomas, may reflect the molecular and genetic phenotype of tumor initiate cells and thus predict tumor origin. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to combine radiographic atlases and tumor biomarkers through a voxel-based neuroimaging approach. MethodsPreoperative MRIs were collected from 65 newly diagnosed patients with histologically confirmed high-grades gliomas. These samples were analyzed for TP53 mutations and MMP-9.PTEN, MGMT, EGFR and IDH1 statuses using a statistical voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) method, which correlates the anatomical location of HGGs with their molecular profile. ResultsVLSM analysis identified P53, Wild-type IDH and EGFR overexpression mutations in the white matter of the periventricular region in the left hemisphere, which can be predicted by a short overall survival from the time of diagnosis. The lack of MGMT promoter methylation deep in the right frontal lobe region indicates a poor prognosis. ConclusionsOur study demonstrates that different molecular phenotypes are related to specific brain regions. In addition, the structural MRI and genetic profile-based analysis of brain regions associated with survival-associated factors could be used in planning glioma operations and clinical survival predictions.

The epidemiology of symptomatic midfoot osteoarthritis in community-dwelling older adults: cross-sectional findings from the Clinical Assessment Study of the Foot.

IntroductionThe foot is largely overlooked in calls for better characterisation of clinical phenotypes in osteoarthritis (OA). Yet the midfoot complex in particular has the potential to provide important insights into OA pathogenesis given its central role in lower limb load transmission and alignment. Its recent inclusion in radiographic atlases has paved the way for international studies. In this UK study, we provide the first comprehensive account of the descriptive epidemiology of symptomatic midfoot OA.MethodsParticipants aged ≥50 years registered with four general practices were recruited via a mailed health survey (n = 5109 responders) and research clinic (n = 560 responders). Symptomatic midfoot OA was defined as midfoot pain in the last 4 weeks, combined with radiographic OA in one or more joints (1st and 2nd cuneometatarsal, navicular first cuneiform and talonavicular joints) graded from weight-bearing dorso-plantar and lateral radiographs using a validated atlas. Prevalence estimates, overall and stratified by age, gender, and socio-economic class, were derived using multiple imputation and weighted logistic regression. Associations between symptomatic midfoot OA and current body mass index, previous injury, history of high-heeled footwear, nodal interphalangeal joint OA and patterns of comorbidity were estimated using binary logistic regression. Healthcare use was summarised.ResultsSymptomatic midfoot OA was present in 12.0 % (95 % CI: 10.9, 13.2) of the population aged over 50 years. Higher occurrence was observed in females, adults aged over 75 years, and those in intermediate/routine occupational classes. Obesity, previous foot/ankle injury, and pain in other weight-loaded joints, but not high-heeled footwear or nodal interphalangeal joint OA, were associated with increased risk of symptomatic midfoot OA. Persons with symptomatic midfoot OA were also more likely to report multiple non-musculoskeletal comorbidities, including diabetes. In the previous 12 months, the proportions consulting a general practitioner, physiotherapist or podiatrist/chiropodist about foot pain were 46.2 %, 18.5 % and 47.9 % respectively. A total of 64.7 % had used oral analgesia in the past month for foot pain (36.1 % paracetamol, 31.9 % mild/moderate opioids, 27.7 % NSAIDs).ConclusionsOur study confirms that symptomatic OA frequently affects the midfoot. The patterns of associations are interpreted as being largely consistent with the role of mechanical factors in its pathogenesis.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13075-015-0693-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Distribution of FDG-avid nodes in esophageal cancer: Implications for radiotherapy target delineation.

151 Background: Clinical target volumes (CTV) for radiation therapy (RT) in esophageal cancer (EC) are based on standard expansions of the primary tumor volume. Data is needed to better define the regions at highest risk for occult disease, based on histology and location of the primary tumor. We therefore reviewed PET scans in EC patients to characterize the frequency and location of FDG-avid lymph node metastases (LNM). Methods: We identified 474 EC patients with reviewable pre-treatment PET-CT scans who received RT. Tumors were classified by histology and location: upper esophageal (above carina, 15%), or lower/GE junction (85%). Locations of suspicious LNM were classified using standard radiographic nodal atlases, and distances from primary tumor to paraesophageal LNM were also measured. Results: FDG-avid LNM were identified and characterized in 204 patients. The most common LNM in upper EC were supraclavicular (1), retrotracheal (3P) and paratracheal (4). The most common LNM in lower EC were paraesophageal (8), and those in the gastrohepatic space (abdominal stations 1, 3 and 7). Overall, 55% of paraesophageal LNM were adjacent to the primary tumor. Of upper esophageal tumors with paraesophageal LNM, 87% were adjacent to the tumor and none were &gt;6cm from tumor. However, 57% of lower esophageal tumors with paraesophageal LNM had non-adjacent paraesophageal nodes, half of which were &gt;5cm from the tumor. Conclusions: A more data-driven and individualized approach to CTV delineation could improve the therapeutic ratio of RT in esophageal cancer. These results can guide CTV delineation by indicating the potential distribution of nodal involvement in esophageal cancer according to tumor location and histology. Because most paraesophageal LNM are adjacent to primary tumor, the necessity for uniformly large, longitudinal CTV expansions along the esophagus is unclear. [Table: see text]

NI-54 * HYPERVASCULAR VOLUME ESTIMATED BY COMPARISON TO A LARGE-SCALE CEREBRAL BLOOD VOLUME (CBV) RADIOGRAPHIC ATLAS PREDICTS SURVIVAL IN RECURRENT GLIOBLASTOMA TREATED WITH BEVACIZUMAB

Background: Dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC)-MRI is a well-established perfusion MR imaging technique for estimating relative cerebral blood volume (CBV) in primary brain tumors; however, tumors localized to regions with naturally elevated perfusion, including cortical tissue and common vascular territories, make evaluation of tumor vascularity difficult to assess. In the current study, we have constructed a large-scale radiographic atlas of CBV to assess treatment response to bevacizumab in individual patients with recurrent glioblastoma. Methods: Z-score normalized CBV maps were registered to stereotactic atlas space in 450 patients with brain tumors. A CBV atlas was created by calculating the voxel-wise mean and variability in CBV. MRI and CBV maps from 32 recurrent glioblastoma patients were then obtained prior to and following treatment with bevacizumab, registered to and compared with the CBV atlas. The volume of tumor tissue with elevated CBV, percentage of enhancing tumor with elevated CBV, and the mean and maximum change in normalized CBV intensity relative to the atlas were computed. Results: Voxel-wise comparison of individual patient CBV maps to the atlas allowed delineation of elevated tumor perfusion from artery and normal cortical tissue. An atlas-defined hypervascular tumor blood volume greater than 2.35 cc prior to treatment, 0.14 cc after treatment, and a decrease in atlas-defined hypervascular tumor volume less than 80% following treatment were characteristic of a shorter PFS and OS. Traditional measures of CBV were not predictive of PFS or OS. Conclusions: This study highlights the advantages of large-scale population maps to identify abnormal biological tissues.

Skeletal Development of the Hand &amp; Wrist A radiographic Atlas &amp; Digital Bone Age Companion

The&nbsp;Radiographic Atlas of Skeletal Development of the Hand and Wrist by Drs. Greulich and Pyles has long been the reference text for medical practitioners to determine bone age maturity. It has seen widespread use for more than fi fty years. The atlas includes a detailed description of the subtle changes of a human hand as it matures. Each image is accompanied by reference charts of the appropriate standard variation values. Comparing the subtle changes of the hand and wrist against reference standards can be very time consuming.

Probabilistic Radiographic Atlas of Glioblastoma Phenotypes

Tumor location is a significant prognostic factor in glioblastoma, which may reflect the genetic profile of tumor precursor cells. The purpose of the current study was to construct and analyze probabilistic radiographic atlases reflecting preoperative tumor locations and corresponding demographic, "-omic," and interventional phenotypes to provide insight into potential niche locations of glioblastoma cells of origin. Preoperative anatomic MR images in 507 patients with de novo glioblastoma were analyzed. Images were registered to stereotactic space, tumors were segmented, and the stereospecific frequency of tumor occurrence was analyzed statistically by age, extent of resection, MGMT methylation, IDH1 mutation, gene expression subclassification, PTEN loss, PTEN deficiency, EGFR amplification, EGFR variant 3 expression, progression-free survival from the start of radiochemotherapy, and overall survival from initial diagnosis. Most glioblastomas grow into the periventricular white matter regions adjacent to the subventricular zone. MGMT promoter methylated tumors occur more frequently in the left temporal lobe, in young patients with glioblastoma, in IDH1 mutant tumors, in tumors having the proneural gene expression subtype, and in tumors lacking loss of PTEN occurring most frequently in the frontal lobe. MGMT methylated tumors with the IDH1 mutation tended to occur in the left frontal lobe. EGFR amplified and EGFR variant 3-expressing tumors occurred most frequently in the left temporal lobe. A similar region in the left temporal lobe was associated with favorable response to radiochemotherapy and increased survival. Radiographic atlases for specific phenotypes provide insight into overlap between prognostic variables and may help to identify niche locations for cancer cells of origin.

Bone age in the 21st century: is Greulich and Pyle’s atlas accurate for Israeli children?

The applicability today of Greulich and Pyle's Radiographic Atlas of Skeletal Development of the Hand and Wrist (G&P) is uncertain. The purpose of this study was to determine whether G&P is accurate in Israeli children today. Left-hand radiographs of 679 children (375 boys) ranging in age from 1day to 18years old were obtained for trauma in the period 2001-2009 and were evaluated for bone age according to G&P. Individual bone age was plotted against calendar age and smoothed to obtain the association between calendar age and bone age. Any difference was assessed with Wilcoxon signed-rank test. In girls, there was no significant difference between bone age and calendar age (P = 0.188). G&P underestimated bone age in boys <15years old (median difference, 2.3months; P < 0.0001) and overestimated bone age in boys ≥15years old (median difference, 2.9months; P = 0.0043). The largest median difference (5.4months; P = 0.0003) was seen in boys 6-10years old. The differences between calendar age and bone age according to G&P were relatively small compared with normal variance and are unlikely to be of clinical importance.

Comparative study of Greulich and Pyle Atlas and Maturos 4.0 program for age estimation in a Portuguese sample

Age estimation of living individuals has become one of the big issues of forensic anthropology. The increase of children and adolescents with no valid proof of their chronological age is a legal concern to many countries, especially in situations of illegal immigration, sub adult delinquency and juvenile work. For this purpose, the use of radiological methods for evaluation of skeletal maturation is particularly useful. In this study we compare the two of the most common methods applied in age estimation by hand/wrist radiographs: the Radiographic Atlas of Skeletal Development of the Hand and Wrist made by Greulich and Pyle (GP), 1959,and the Sempé method developed for computer--Maturos 4.0 (MT) program. These methods were applied to a sample of 230 radiographs of the hand and wrist from Portuguese children and adolescents of known sex age and age, aged between 12 and 20 years, who performed medical examination at the University of Coimbra Hospitals during 2005. The methods achieved different performances, depending on the age group. Between 12 and 15 years the bone age with the MT program is closer to the chronological age, whereas in older ages the GP Atlas method is more trustworthy. At the ages with legal consequences in Portugal (16 and 18 years) the GP Atlas method is most accurate, namely to decide whether an individual is younger or older than 18 years. Around 16 years old, although there are doubts in relation to the accuracy of both methods, GP Atlas seems to perform better.

Age assessment by the Greulich and Pyle method compared to other skeletal X-ray and dental methods in data from Finnish child victims of the Southeast Asian Tsunami

The validity of the age assessment method based on the "Radiographic Atlas of Skeletal Development of the Hand and Wrist" by Greulich and Pyle (1st edition 1950) has been frequently questioned. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of this widely used method and to compare it to various dental and other skeletal age assessment methods. Forty-seven Finnish children of known ages below 16years, who perished in Thailand in the Southeast Asian Tsunami on 26 December 2004 were examined. Every victim repatriated to Finland underwent a complete forensic autopsy including CT-scan, toxicological screening, and diatom analysis in order to establish the cause of death, as well as DNA testing and dental examination for the verification of the identification established in Thailand. Age assessment was performed by dental and skeletal methods. The average difference between the age assessment values obtained by the Greulich and Pyle method, and the chronological age was 9.7months. In addition to the Greulich and Pyle method, an alternate skeletal method, Tanner and Whitehouse 2, resulted in an average age difference of 10.3months. Dental age assessment methods were based either on the eruption (Nyström method, 8 cases, average age difference 5.6months), or the development of the crown and roots (Demirjian method, 33 cases, average age difference 5.2months and ABFO method, 7 cases, average differences 12.6months). Dental methods proved to be most accurate in childhood until the teeth-with the exception of wisdom teeth-have erupted and root development is completed. In adolescence, however, the validity of skeletal methods improves considerably.

Heritability patterns in hand osteoarthritis: the role of osteophytes

IntroductionThe objective of the present study was to assess heritability of clinical and radiographic features of hand osteoarthritis (OA) in affected patients and their siblings.MethodsA convenience sample of patients with clinical and radiographic hand OA and their siblings were evaluated by examination and radiography. Radiographs were scored for hand OA features by radiographic atlas. The heritability of hand OA phenotypes was assessed for clinical and radiographic measures based on anatomic locations and radiographic characteristics. Phenotypic data were transformed to reduce non-normality, if necessary. A variance components approach was used to calculate heritability.ResultsOne hundred and thirty-six probands with hand OA and their sibling(s) were enrolled. By anatomic location, the highest heritability was seen with involvement of the first interphalangeal joint (h2 = 0.63, P = 0.00004), the first carpometacarpal joint (h2 = 0.38, P = 0.01), the distal interphalangeal joints (h2 = 0.36, P = 0.02), and the proximal interphalangeal joints (h2 = 0.30, P = 0.03) with osteophytes. The number and severity of joints with osteophyte involvement was heritable overall (h2 = 0.38, P = 0.008 for number and h2 = 0.35, P = 0.01 for severity) and for all interphalangeal joints (h2 = 0.42, P = 0.004 and h2 = 0.33, P = 0.02). The severity of carpometacarpal joint involvement was also heritable (h2 = 0.53, P = 0.0006). Similar results were obtained when the analysis was limited to the Caucasian sample.ConclusionsIn a population with clinical and radiographic hand OA and their siblings, the presence of osteophytes was the most sensitive biomarker for hand OA heritability. Significant heritability was detected for anatomic phenotypes by joint location, severity of joint involvement with osteophytes as well as for overall number and degree of hand OA involvement. These findings are in agreement with the strong genetic predisposition for hand OA reported by others. The results support phenotyping based on severity of osteophytes and a joint-specific approach. More specific phenotypes may hold greater promise in the study of genetics in hand OA.

Perceived Value of Computer‐Aided learning in a Gross Anatomy Course

Results: Frequency of technology use by students was ranked using Likert scales as follows: (1) Never, (2) Rarely, (3) Sometimes, (4) Frequently, (5) Always. In response to questions regarding student use of CDs, DVDs, or software for studying for lecture or lab materials (four different questions) the averaged response was 1.70. Use of Internet resources for studying (lecture or lab) or online quizzes: averaged response from three questions, 2.39. Use of technology to help with dissections (one question), 1.26. Use of computers to access instructor's powerpoint lectures (one question), 3.82. In response to a second survey of “how useful” would these technologies be to their studying (Likert scale ranging 1‐4 with 1=not at all useful and 4=very useful), the averaged response (three questions) was 3.62. In a third survey, students were asked “how often” they would use technologies if they were available to them (Likert scale: (1) Never, (2) Rarely, (3) Sometimes, (4) Frequently, (5) Always). Use of a “searchable” anatomy atlas, radiographic atlas, or dissector available during lab/dissection sessions: averaged response of three questions, 3.99. Use of a “searchable” anatomy atlas, radiographic atlas, or dissector available outside of lab/dissection sessions: averaged response of three questions, 4.04.