Initial experience with renal 3D US indicates that it is an accurate method for assessment of renal parenchymal volume and relative renal size, provided there is no acute renal disease.

The purpose of this study was to determine the value of a blood-pool contrast media (NC100150, Nycomed Imaging (now Amersham Health) Oslo, Norway) for evaluation of venous thrombosis of the deep veins of the pelvis and lower extremities. Twelve patients were prospectively evaluated with conventional X-ray venography (XRV) and MR venography (MRV) after injection of NC100150 (2 ml/kg body weight). The source images and 3D maximum intensity projection (MIP) were viewed on an independent workstation. Diagnosis was made in consensus from two radiologists.

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Times when RBC surface, mean, and core temperature exceed 10°C can be estimated from each other. Moreover RBC mean temperature can be calculated for arbitrary storage and ambient temperatures. Findings might serve as a helpful tool in RBC temperature monitoring.

PurposeTemperature is a key measure in human red blood cell concentrate (RBC) quality control. A precise description of transient temperature distributions in RBC units removed from steady storage exposed to ambient temperature is at present unknown. Magnetic resonance thermometry was employed to visualize and analyse RBC warm up processes, to describe time courses of RBC mean, surface and core temperatures by an analytical model, and to determine and investigate corresponding model parameters.MethodsWarm-up processes of 47 RBC units stored at 1–6°C and exposed to 21.25°C ambient temperature were investigated by proton resonance frequency thermometry. Temperature distributions were visualized and analysed with dedicated software allowing derivation of RBC mean, surface and core temperature-time courses during warm up. Time-dependence of mean temperature was assumed to fulfil a lumped capacitive model of heat transfer. Time courses of relative surface and core temperature changes to ambient temperature were similarly assumed to follow shifted exponential decays characterized by a time constant and a relative time shift, respectively.ResultsThe lumped capacitive model of heat transfer and shifted exponential decays described time-dependence of mean, surface and core temperatures close to perfect (mean R2 were 0.999±0.001, 0.996±0.004 and 0.998±0.002, respectively). Mean time constants were τ mean = 55.3±3.7 min, τ surface = 41.4±2.9 min and τ core = 76.8±7.1 min, mean relative time shifts were Δsurface = 0.07±0.02 and Δcore = 0.04±0.01. None of the constants correlated significantly with temperature differences between ambient and storage temperature.ConclusionLumped capacitive model of heat transfer and shifted exponential decays represent simple analytical formulas to describe transient mean, surface and core temperatures of RBC during warm up, which might be a helpful tool in RBC temperature monitoring and quality control. Independence of constants on differences between ambient and storage temperature suggests validity of models for arbitrary storage and ambient temperatures.

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