Underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scans Research Articles

Robustness of Radiomic Features: Two-Dimensional versus Three-Dimensional MRI-Based Feature Reproducibility in Lipomatous Soft-Tissue Tumors.

This retrospective study aimed to compare the intra- and inter-observer manual-segmentation variability in the feature reproducibility between two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomic features. The study included patients with lipomatous soft-tissue tumors that were diagnosed with histopathology and underwent MRI scans. Tumor segmentation based on the 2D and 3D MRI images was performed by two observers to assess the intra- and inter-observer variability. In both the 2D and the 3D segmentations, the radiomic features were extracted from the normalized images. Regarding the stability of the features, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate the intra- and inter-observer segmentation variability. Features with ICC > 0.75 were considered reproducible. The degree of feature robustness was classified as low, moderate, or high. Additionally, we compared the efficacy of 2D and 3D contour-focused segmentation in terms of the effects of the stable feature rate, sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of machine learning on the reproducible features. In total, 93 and 107 features were extracted from the 2D and 3D images, respectively. Only 35 features from the 2D images and 63 features from the 3D images were reproducible. The stable feature rate for the 3D segmentation was more significant than for the 2D segmentation (58.9% vs. 37.6%, p = 0.002). The majority of the features for the 3D segmentation had moderate-to-high robustness, while 40.9% of the features for the 2D segmentation had low robustness. The diagnostic accuracy of the machine-learning model for the 2D segmentation was close to that for the 3D segmentation (88% vs. 90%). In both the 2D and the 3D segmentation, the specificity values were equal to 100%. However, the sensitivity for the 2D segmentation was lower than for the 3D segmentation (75% vs. 83%). For the 2D + 3D radiomic features, the model achieved a diagnostic accuracy of 87% (sensitivity, 100%, and specificity, 80%). Both 2D and 3D MRI-based radiomic features of lipomatous soft-tissue tumors are reproducible. With a higher stable feature rate, 3D contour-focused segmentation should be selected for the feature-extraction process.

Natural History of First-Time Anterior Shoulder Dislocation in Patients Older Than 50 Years: A Study of 179 Patients With a Mean Follow-up of 11 Years.

There is a dearth of knowledge on anterior shoulder instability in older patients. The purposes of this study were to describe the incidence and epidemiology, injury characteristics, and treatment and outcomes in patients ≥50 years old with first-time anterior shoulder instability. We also describe the historical trends in diagnosis and treatment. It was hypothesized that the rates of obtaining a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and surgical intervention have increased over the past 20 years. Descriptive epidemiology study. An established geographic database was used to identify 179 patients older than 50 years who experienced new onset anterior shoulder instability between 1994 and 2016. Medical records were reviewed to obtain patient characteristics, imaging characteristics, and surgical treatment and outcomes, including recurrent instability. Comparative analysis was performed to identify differences between age groups. Mean follow-up time was 11 years. The incidence of first-time anterior shoulder dislocation in our study population was 28.8 per 100,000 person-years, which is higher than previously reported. Full-thickness rotator cuff tears were found in 62% of the 66 patients who underwent MRI scans. Of all patients, 26% progressed to surgery at a mean time of 1.6 years after injury; 57% of all surgical procedures involved a rotator cuff repair, and 17% included anterior labral repair. All patients who underwent a labral repair also underwent concomitant rotator cuff repair. The rate of recurrent instability for the cohort was 15% at a median of 176 days after the initial instability event. There were no instances of recurrent instability after operative intervention. At an average of 7.5 years after the initial instability event, 14% of patients developed radiographic progression of glenohumeral arthritis. The rate of surgical intervention within 1 year of initial dislocation increased from 5.1% in 1994 to 1999 to 52% in 2015 to 2016. The incidence of first-time anterior shoulder instability in patients aged ≥50 years was 28.8 per 100,000 person-years. Full-thickness rotator cuff tears (62%) were the most common condition associated with anterior shoulder instability, followed by Hill-Sachs lesions (56%). The rate of recurrent instability for the entire cohort was 15%, with no instances of recurrent instability after operative intervention.

Prevalence and risk factors of MRI-defined brain infarcts among Chinese adults.

BackgroundFew studies have explored the prevalence and risk factors of brain infarcts (BI) detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in China. The purpose was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of brain infarcts (BI) detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 1.4 million Chinese adults.MethodsThis was a multicenter cross-sectional study conducted on 1,431,527 participants aged ≥18 years (mean age: 46.4 years) who underwent MRI scans in health examinations from 28 provinces of China in 2018. MRI-defined BI was defined as focal parenchymal lesions ≥3 mm. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate risk factors associated with MRI-defined BI.ResultsThe age- and sex-standardized prevalence of MRI-defined BI, lacunar and non-lacunar infarcts were 5.79% (5.75–5.83%), 4.56% (4.52–4.60%), and 1.23% (1.21–1.25%), respectively. The sex-standardized prevalence of MRI-defined BI ranged from 0.46% among those aged 18–29 years to 37.33% among those aged ≥80 years. Men (6.30%) had a higher age-standardized prevalence of MRI-defined BI than women (5.28%). The highest age- and sex-standardized prevalence of MRI-defined BI was observed in the Northwest (8.34%) and Northeast (8.02%) regions, while the lowest prevalence was observed in the Southwest (4.02%). A higher risk of MRI-defined BI was associated with being male [odd ratio (OR) 1.17, 95% CI 1.15–1.19], older age (OR per 10-year increments 2.33, 2.31–2.35), overweight (1.12, 1.10–1.14) or obesity (1.18, 1.16–1.21), hypertension (1.80, 1.77–1.83), diabetes (1.24, 1.21–1.26), and dyslipidemia (1.07, 1.05–1.08).ConclusionMRI-defined BI is highly prevalent in China, even among young adults. MRI-defined BI was associated with being male, older age, living in the northern region, and metabolic conditions.

Is bone marrow oedema in patients with labral tear an indicator of hip pain?

BackgroundHip labral tear (LT) causes various degrees of hip pain, for which there are few objective measures. Bone marrow oedema (BME), characterized by a diffuse, widely spreading change in the bone marrow, is observed in some patients with LT. However, its pathological role has not been fully understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of BME on hip magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with LT and to determine whether BME was an objective indicator of hip pain.MethodsIn total, 84 patients with LT who underwent MRI scanning under the same conditions were included. We determined the presence or absence of BME and its size on MRI and evaluated the relationships between BME and sex, age, and pain and total scores on the modified Harris hip score (MHHS). In addition, we collected data on surgical treatments such as hip arthroscopy within a one-year follow-up period and examined whether the presence of BME affected the course of therapy.ResultsBME was found in 34.5% of patients. MHHS pain and total scores were significantly lower in patients with BME (MHHS pain score: non-BME vs. BME ≤ 1 cm: p = 0.022, non-BME vs. BME > 1 cm: p < 0.001; MHHS total score: non-BME vs. BME ≤ 1 cm: p = 0.131, non-BME vs. BME > 1 cm: p = 0.027). The presence of BME did not differ between patients who did and did not undergo surgery during follow-up (p = 0.563).ConclusionBME on MRI in patients with LT might be an indicator of hip pain and hip joint dysfunction.

Efficacy Evaluation of Modified Siwu Decoction to Treat Osteoporosis in Patients with Poststroke Hemiplegia by Using the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features

This study was focused on the clinical efficacy and safety of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based Siwu decoction for poststroke hemiplegia complicated with osteoporosis. 120 patients with poststroke hemiplegia and osteoporosis were divided into an observation group (modified Siwu decoction based on the treatment scheme of control group, 60 cases) and a control group (conventional drugs in neurology + neurology-based rehabilitation training treatment of muscle enhancement surgery, 60 cases). They all underwent MRI scans. The results showed that the bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar spine, ipsilateral femoral neck, and ipsilateral patella in the observation group was higher than that in the control group 180 days after treatment ( P &lt; 0.05 ). MRI showed restricted diffusion and edema in the left frontoparietal cortex and subcortical white matter. The levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25-OH-VD) and bone gla-containing protein (BGP) in the observation group 180 days after treatment were higher, and the type I collagen n-terminal propeptide (PINP) and type I collagen cross-linked C-terminal telopeptide (β-CTX) were lower ( P &lt; 0.05 ). The visual analogue scale (VAS) score of the observation group at 180 days after treatment was lower, while the quality of life score was higher ( P &lt; 0.05 ). The median cell count in the observation group at 180 days after treatment was less, while the lymphocytes showed a higher level ( P &lt; 0.05 ). In conclusion, the Siwu decoction could effectively improve the bone metabolism of patients with poststroke hemiplegia and osteoporosis, promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteocytes, and improve the BMD and quality of life of patients.

Medial meniscus tears are most prevalent in type I ACL tears, while type I ACL tears only account for 8% of all ACL tears.

This study aimed to assess the distribution of different anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear locations in different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) planes, and to explore the relationships of ACL tear types with both meniscus injuries and bone bruising. A retrospective study was performed in patients under 60years old who underwent MRI scans in the sagittal and coronal oblique planes of the knee for ACL tears between 2014 and 2020. Patients with reports of chronic tears, partial tears, or prior surgeries were excluded. Tear locations were classified into five types, and the meniscus tear measurement variables included the presence of ramp, root, bucket-handle, and other types of tears. All injuries were confirmed by arthroscopy. Meanwhile, the presence and location of bone bruising were analysed and scored with the Whole-Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score (WORMS) bone bruising subscale. A total of 291 patients were included. The prevalence rates of type I and type III injuries were 23/291 (7.9%) and 145/291 (49.8%) in the sagittal plane and 22/291 (7.6%) and 179/291 (61.5%) in the oblique coronal plane, respectively. The prevalence of medial meniscus tears with ACL tears was 126/291 (43.3%), while that of lateral meniscus tears with ACL tears was 77/291 (26.5%). The highest prevalence of medial meniscus injury with ACL tears was 15/22 (68.2%) for type I injuries. Bone bruises were located on the lateral femoral center in 125 patients (46%) and on the lateral tibia posterior in 132 patients (48%); the common areas of bone bruising were slightly correlated with type III ACL tears but not correlated with type I ACL tears. The plane in which an MRI scan is performed affects the classification of ACL tears. The tear type is associated with the prevalence of medial meniscus injuries, and medial meniscus tears are most prevalent in type I ACL tears. IV.

Imaging Findings and Clinical Features of Primary Spinal Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma.

Rationale and ObjectivesPrimary spinal epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (SEHE) is an extremely rare angiocentric vascular neoplasm with inherent metastatic potential, which pursues a clinical course intermediate between hemangioma and angiosarcoma. The present study sought to present computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and clinical features of primary SEHE and review the literature.Materials and MethodsClinical data of four patients with primary SEHE confirmed by pathology from January 2011 to May 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Two cases underwent CT scan, while 3 cases underwent MRI scan. Image observation included the tumor location, bone changes, morphology, density/signal characteristics, and enhanced features.ResultsThe four patients were all women who ranged in age from 25 to 74 years. Four cases of the lesions were in the vertebral body; among them, two cases involved the accessory of the vertebra. Soap bubble appearance was detected in 2 cases, honeycomb osteolytic appearance in 2 cases, a sclerotic margin in 3 cases, and accompanying vertebral compression fracture in 1 case. CT showed a slightly inhomogeneous low density with punctate high-density foci. MRI showed an inhomogeneous low signal on T1-weighted image (T1WI) and a high signal on T2WI. Contrast-enhanced CT/MRI demonstrated moderate to intensive inhomogeneous enhancement of the lesions. The discs were normal. In one case, lesions presented a dural tail sign.ConclusionsPrimary SEHE is so rare in the clinic as an aggressive vascular tumor. The relatively typical clinical features and radiographic findings can help in preoperative diagnosis.

Sex-related differences in sternocleidomastoid muscle morphology in healthy young adults: A cross-sectional magnetic resonance imaging measurement study

BackgroundChanges in sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and volume may contribute to neck-related concussion symptoms and whiplash-associated disorders. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data on healthy SCM morphology can provide information that may lead to targeted treatment protocols. ObjectivesTo examine sex-related differences in MRI-based SCM CSA, SCM volume and neck area in healthy young adults, to analyze associations between measurements and participant variables and to assess inter-rater reliability for measurement quantification. DesignCross-sectional study. Methods13 males and 14 females underwent MRI scans. Slices obtained from C3–C7 were analyzed by three raters. SCM CSA at C4, total SCM volume from C3–C7 and neck area at C4 were quantified. Measurements were calculated as absolute and normalized values by body mass. Multivariable regression was used to analyze associations between normalized measurement values and participant variables. Inter-rater reliability was determined using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). ResultsFemales had significantly lower normalized overall average SCM CSA (mean difference 1.3 mm2/kg (95% CI 0.4–2.2, p = 0.006) and total SCM volume (mean difference 140.8 mm3/kg (95% CI 66.1–215.5, p < 0.001) than males. Regression models indicated female sex was associated with lower normalized overall average SCM CSA (p = 0.004) and total SCM volume (p < 0.001). Inter-rater reliability was excellent for SCM CSA (ICC3,3 = 0.909), SCM volume (ICC3,3 = 0.910) and neck area (ICC3,3 = 0.995). ConclusionsThese results enhance our understanding of sex-related differences in SCM morphology and will inform future research and clinical practice related to cervical muscle injury.

Perilesional Perfusion in Chronic Stroke-Induced Aphasia and Its Response to Behavioral Treatment Interventions.

Stroke-induced alterations in cerebral blood flow (perfusion) may contribute to functional language impairments in chronic aphasia, particularly in perilesional tissue. Abnormal perfusion in this region may also serve as a biomarker for predicting functional improvements with behavioral treatment interventions. Using pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we examined perfusion in chronic aphasia, in perilesional rings in the left hemisphere and their right hemisphere homologues. In the left hemisphere we found a gradient pattern of decreasing perfusion closer to the lesion. The opposite pattern was found in the right hemisphere, with significantly increased perfusion close to the lesion homologue. Perfusion was also increased in the right hemisphere lesion homologue region relative to the surrounding tissue. We next examined changes in perfusion in two groups: one group who underwent MRI scanning before and after three months of a behavioral treatment intervention that led to significant language gains, and a second group who was scanned twice at a three-month interval without a treatment intervention. For both groups, there was no difference in perfusion over time in either the left or the right hemisphere. Moreover, within the treatment group pre-treatment perfusion scores did not predict treatment response; neither did pre-treatment perfusion predict post-treatment language performance. These results indicate that perfusion is chronically abnormal in both hemispheres, but chronically abnormal perfusion did not change in response to our behavioral treatment interventions, and did not predict responsiveness to language treatment.

Deep Learning-Based Multimodal 3 T MRI for the Diagnosis of Knee Osteoarthritis.

The objective of this study was to investigate the application effect of deep learning model combined with different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences in the evaluation of cartilage injury of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Specifically, an image superresolution algorithm based on an improved multiscale wide residual network model was proposed and compared with the single-shot multibox detector (SSD) algorithm, superresolution convolutional neural network (SRCNN) algorithm, and enhanced deep superresolution (EDSR) algorithm. Meanwhile, 104 patients with KOA diagnosed with cartilage injury were selected as the research subjects and underwent MRI scans, and the diagnostic performance of different MRI sequences was analyzed using arthroscopic results as the gold standard. It was found that the image reconstructed by the model in this study was clear enough, with minimum noise and artifacts, and the overall quality was better than that processed by other algorithms. Arthroscopic analysis found that grade I and grade II lesions concentrated on patella (26) and femoral trochlear (15). In addition to involving the patella and femoral trochlea, grade III and grade IV lesions gradually developed into the medial and lateral articular cartilage. The 3D-DS-WE sequence was found to be the best sequence for diagnosing KOA injury, with high diagnostic accuracy of over 95% in grade IV lesions. The consistency test showed that the 3D-DESS-WE sequence and T2∗ mapping sequence had a strong consistency with the results of arthroscopy, and the Kappa consistency test values were 0.748 and 0.682, respectively. In conclusion, MRI based on deep learning could clearly show the cartilage lesions of KOA. Of different MRI sequences, 3D-DS-WE sequence and T2∗ mapping sequence showed the best diagnosis results for different degrees of KOA injury.

Sparse and Incomplete Signal Dictionaries for Reconstruction of MR Images

Compressed Sensing(CS) is a mathematical approach for data acquisition in which the signals are compressible and sparse w.r.t. to an orthonormal basis. These sparse signals are reconstructed from very less measurements. CS technique Is widely used in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) where the doctors suggest the patients to undergo MRI scans for diagnosing their body parts. During the prolonged MRI Scan, the exact slice of the MRI cannot be achieved due to the difficulties faced by the patient or irregular changes in the body position of the patient. The idea is to reduce the exposure time of the patient’s body against the MRI scan by considering only fewer samples. Is it possible to Reconstruct the signal by making use of a fewer number of samples that are less than the Nyquist rate? Yes, it is possible to reconstruct the signal by making use of the Compressed Sensing or sampling Technique. Compressed sensing is a new framework for signal acquisition and representation in a compressible manner less below the Nyquist sampling rate. In this article, Sampling and reconstruction are dealt here thoroughly as part of the research activity. Compressive Sensing Matching pursuit (CoSaMP) is a novel technique for optimization. It is an iterative approximation method for sparse and incomplete signal recovery. CoSaMP method along with Different transform techniques is used for reconstruction. The FFT_CoSaMP, DCT_CoSaMP and DWT_CoSaMP are proposed methods for MR Image Reconstruction, where DWT-based CoSaMP along with different wavelet families give the best results when compared to other CS-based techniques w.r.t. PSNR, SSIM and RMSE analysis.

An Automated Toolbox to Predict Single Subject Atrophy in Presymptomatic Granulin Mutation Carriers.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures may be used as outcome markers in frontotemporal dementia (FTD). To predict MRI cortical thickness (CT) at follow-up at the single subject level, using brain MRI acquired at baseline in preclinical FTD. 84 presymptomatic subjects carrying Granulin mutations underwent MRI scans at baseline and at follow-up (31.2±16.5 months). Multivariate nonlinear mixed-effects model was used for estimating individualized CT at follow-up based on baseline MRI data. The automated user-friendly preGRN-MRI script was coded. Prediction accuracy was high for each considered brain region (i.e., prefrontal region, real CT at follow-up versus predicted CT at follow-up, mean error ≤1.87%). The sample size required to detect a reduction in decline in a 1-year clinical trial was equal to 52 subjects (power = 0.80, alpha = 0.05). The preGRN-MRI tool, using baseline MRI measures, was able to predict the expected MRI atrophy at follow-up in presymptomatic subjects carrying GRN mutations with good performances. This tool could be useful in clinical trials, where deviation of CT from the predicted model may be considered an effect of the intervention itself.

Back Propagation Neural Network-Based Magnetic Resonance Imaging Image Features in Treating Intestinal Obstruction in Digestive Tract Diseases with Chengqi Decoction

This study was to explore the adoption effect of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image features based on back propagation neural network (BPNN) in evaluating the curative effect of Chengqi Decoction (CD) for intestinal obstruction (ileus), so as to evaluate the clinical adoption value of this algorithm. Ninety patients with ileus were recruited, and the patients were treated with CD and underwent MRI scans of the lower abdomen. A BPNN model was fabricated and applied to segment the MRI images of patients and identify the lesion. As a result, when the overlap step was 16 and the block size was 32 × 32, the running time of the BPNN algorithm was the shortest. The segmentation accuracy was the highest if there were two hidden layer (HL) nodes, reaching 97.3%. The recognition rates of small intestinal stromal tumor (SIST), colon cancer, adhesive ileus, and volvulus of MRI images segmented by the algorithm were 91.5%, 88.33%, 90.3%, and 88.9%, respectively, which were greatly superior to those of manual interpretation (P < 0.05). After the intervention of CD, the percentages of patients with ileus that were cured, markedly effective, effective, and ineffective were 65.38%, 23.16%, 5.38%, and 6.08%, respectively. The cure rate after intervention of CD (65.38%) was much higher in contrast to that before intervention (13.25%) (P < 0.05). In short, CD showed a good therapeutic effect on ileus and can effectively improve the prognosis of patients. In addition, MRI images based on BPNN showed a good diagnostic effect on ileus, and it was worth applying to clinical diagnosis.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the gastrointestinal tract shows reduced small bowel motility and altered chyme in cystic fibrosis compared to controls

People with cystic fibrosis (CF) experience digestive symptoms but the mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here we explore causes and consequences of slower gastrointestinal transit using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Twelve people with CF and 12 healthy controls, matched for age and gender, underwent MRI scans, both fasted and after standardised meals, over 6.5 h. Fasted small bowel motility scores were lower in CF than in controls. No difference in ascending colon chyme T1 was detected. The difference in texture between small bowel and colon contents, seen in health, was diminished in CF. The ascending colon in CF participants had an abnormal appearance compared to controls. MRI offers unique potential to evaluate gut luminal content, colonic mucosa and intestinal motor activity. These new data support the theoretical cycle of desiccation, dysmotility and delayed transit as a cause of gastrointestinal symptoms in CF.

Magnetic resonance imaging analysis of screw in-type lateral anchor pull-out in large to massive rotator cuff repair in patients older than 60 years.

BackgroundThis study was performed to identify the incidence of screw in-type lateral anchor pull-out in patients older than 60 years who underwent rotator cuff repair for large to massive rotator cuff tear (RCT).MethodsWe reviewed 25 patients over 60 who were diagnosed with large to massive RCT and underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair in our hospital from March 2017 to February 2021. Preoperative tear size (anterior to posterior, medial to lateral) was measured via preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). All 25 patients underwent MRI scanning on postoperative day 1 and at 3 months after surgery. The change of anchor position was measured in axial views on MRI images postoperative day 1 and 3 months after surgery. And it was statistically compared according to bone mineral density (BMD), sex, and number of lateral anchors.ResultsTwo MRIs (postoperative day 1 and 3 months) in 25 patients were compared. Anchor pull-out occurred in six patients during 3 months (6.7%), and the mean pull-out length difference was 1.56 mm (range, 0.16–2.58). There was no significant difference in the number of pull-out anchors, degree of pull-out difference by comparing BMD (A, BMD≤-2.5; B, BMD>-2.5), sex, or number of anchors used in each surgery (C, two anchors; D, three anchors) (p>0.05).ConclusionsPull-out of screw in-type anchors was rarely observed and the mean pull-out length difference was negligibly small in our study. The screw in-type lateral anchor seems to be a decent option without concern of anchor pull-out even in elderly patients.

Association of Cerebral Blood Flow and Brain Tissue Relaxation Time With Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Preterm Neonates: Multidelay Arterial Spin Labeling and Synthetic MRI Study.

Both cerebral blood flow (CBF) and brain tissue relaxation times are known to reflect maturation in the neonatal brain. However, we do not yet know if these factors are associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes. The objective of this study was to acquire CBF and relaxation time in preterm neonates, using multidelay arterial spin labeling and synthetic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and show their association with later neurodevelopmental outcomes. In this prospective study, preterm neonates were recruited, and multidelay arterial spin labeling and synthetic MRI were performed between September 2017 and December 2018. These neonates underwent the Bayley Scales of Infant Development test at 18 months of age, and both cognitive and motor outcome scores were measured. Transit time-corrected CBF and T1 and T2 relaxation time values were measured for different brain regions. The measured values were correlated with gestational age (GA) at birth and corrected GA at the MRI scan. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were performed for the measured values and neurodevelopmental outcome scores. Forty-nine neonates (median [interquartile range] GA, 30 [2] weeks, 209 [17] days; 28 boys) underwent MRI scans at or near term-equivalent age (median [interquartile range] corrected GA, 37 [2] weeks, 258 [14] days). Transit time-corrected CBF (coefficient, 0.31-0.59) and relaxation time (coefficient, -0.39 to -0.86) values showed significant correlation with corrected GA but not with GA. After controlling for GA, the frontal white matter CBF in preterm neonates showed a negative relationship with cognitive outcome scores (β = -0.97; P = 0.029). Frontal white matter T1 relaxation times showed a positive relationship with cognitive outcome scores (β = 0.03; P = 0.025) after controlling for GA. Higher CBF values and lower T1 relaxation times in frontal white matter were associated with poorer cognitive outcomes. As quantitative neuroimaging markers, CBF and relaxation times may help predict neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm neonates.

Cerebral Blood Flow Difference Between Acute and Chronic Tinnitus Perception: A Perfusion Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

Purpose: The central nervous mechanism of acute tinnitus is different from that of chronic tinnitus, which may be related to the difference of cerebral blood flow (CBF) perfusion in certain regions. To verify this conjecture, we used arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in this study to compare the CBF alterations of patients with acute and chronic tinnitus.Methods: The current study included patients with chronic tinnitus (n = 35), acute tinnitus (n = 30), and healthy controls (n = 40) who were age-, sex-, and education-matched. All participants underwent MRI scanning and then ASL images were obtained to measure CBF of the entire brain and analyze the differences between groups as well as the correlations with tinnitus characteristics.Results: The chronic tinnitus group showed increased z-CBF in the right superior temporal gyrus (STG) and superior frontal gyrus (SFG) when compared with the acute tinnitus patients. Further connectivity analysis found enhanced CBF connectivity between the right STG and fusiform gyrus (FG), the right SFG and left middle occipital gyrus (MOG), as well as the right parahippocampal gyrus (PHG). Moreover, in the chronic tinnitus group, the tinnitus handicap questionnaire (THQ) score was positively correlated with the normalized z-CBF of right STG (r = 0.440, p = 0.013).Conclusion: Our results confirmed that the CBF changes in some brain regions were different between acute and chronic tinnitus patients, which was correlated with certain tinnitus characteristics. This is of great value to further research on chronicity of tinnitus, and ASL has a promising application in the measurement of CBF.

Diagnosis and follow-up MRI evaluation of tennis leg:New understanding of the pathogenesis and imaging

ObjectivesTo evaluate the Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of patients with a clinical diagnosis of tennis leg and to explore the pathogenesis of tennis leg. MethodsA retrospective review of 58 (45 men, 13 women; age range, 7–81 years; mean age, 46.7 years) patients with a clinical diagnosis of tennis leg at our hospital during a 64-month period (May 2014 through Sep 2019) was conducted. All patients underwent MRI scan. Follow-up MRI was performed on 4 patients. Images findings, including integrity of the myotendinous junction and tendon of the gastrocnemius and soleus, and presence of fluid collection were analyzed. ResultsMRI revealed fluid collection between the medial head of the gastrocnemius and soleus in 44 cases (72.1%). In 25 cases (41.0%), the collected fluid spread to around the medial border of fascia cruris. Fifty-five cases (90.2%) had edema or disruption of the gastrocnemius, with most cases (n = 55) showing edema or disruption of the medial head of the gastrocnemius at the myotendinous junction. Twenty-two (36.1%) cases had edema or disruption of the soleus, with most cases (n = 17) showing edema or disruption of the soleus at the myotendinous junction. Plantaris tendon disruption was observed in 7 cases (11.5%). A thick area of reparative tissue at the distal myotendinous junction of the medial head of the gastrocnemius was observed in all 4 MRI patients followed up. ConclusionAbnormalities of the medial head of the gastrocnemius at the myotendinous junction and tendon appear to be more common than those of the plantaris tendon. Reparative tissue at the distal myotendinous junction of the medial head of the gastrocnemius may be an important specific indication of chronic tennis leg injury.

Gait Impairment and Upper Extremity Disturbance Are Associated With Total Magnetic Resonance Imaging Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Burden.

Background and Purpose: Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD)—including white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), lacunes, and enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS)—is related to gait impairment. However, the association between the total magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cSVD burden and gait and upper extremity function remains insufficiently investigated. This study aimed to assess the correlation between the total MRI cSVD burden score and gait impairment as well as upper extremity impairment.Method: A total of 224 participants underwent MRI scans, and the presence of lacunes, WMHs, CMBs, and EPVS was evaluated and recorded as a total MRI cSVD burden score (range 0–4). Gait was assessed by 4-m walkway, Tinetti, Timed Up and Go (TUG), and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) tests. Upper extremity function was assessed by 10-repeat hand pronation-supination time, 10-repeat finger-tapping time, and 10-repeat hand opening and closing time.Result: The mean age of the 224 participants was 60.6 ± 10.5 years, and 64.3% were men. Independent of age, sex, height, and vascular risk factors, multivariable linear regression analyses showed that a higher total MRI cSVD burden score was related to a shorter stride length, wider step width, higher cadence, and poorer performance on the Tinetti, TUG, and SPPB tests and upper extremity tests (all P < 0.05).Conclusion: Total MRI cSVD burden was associated with gait impairment and upper extremity disturbances, suggesting that total MRI cSVD burden might contribute to motor function decline. Longitudinal studies are required to determine whether there is a causal relationship between total MRI cSVD burden and motor function decline.

Safety of MRI in the localization of implanted intracranial electrodes for refractory epilepsy.

This is an observational study to evaluate the safety of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to localize subdural grids and depth electrodes in patients with refractory epilepsy using a 1.5 Tesla MR scanner. We implemented an optimized MRI protocol providing adequate image quality for the assessment of subdural grids and depth electrodes, while minimizing the specific absorption rate (SAR). We reviewed all MRI studies performed in patients with subdural grids and depth electrodes between January 2010 and October 2018. Image quality was graded as acceptable or nonacceptable for the assessment of intracranial device positioning. We reviewed the medical record and any imaging obtained after intracranial implant removal for adverse event or complication occurring during and after the procedure. Ninety-nine patients with refractory epilepsy underwent MRI scans using a magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition of gradient echo sequence and a transmit-receive head coil with depth electrodes and subdural grids in place. Two patients underwent two separate depth electrode implantations for a total of 101 procedures and MRI scans. No clinical adverse events were reported during or immediately after imaging. Image quality was graded as acceptable for 97 MRI scans. Review of follow-up CT and MRI studies after implant removal, available for 70 patients, did not demonstrate unexpected complications in 69 patients. In our experience, a low SAR MRI protocol can be used to safely localize intracranial subdural grids and depth electrode in patients with refractory epilepsy.