Cytotoxic lesions of the corpus callosum (CLOCCs) are secondary lesions associated with various entities. CLOCCs have been found in association with drug therapy, malignancy, infection, subarachnoid hemorrhage, metabolic disorders, trauma, and other entities. In all of these conditions, cell-cytokine interactions lead to markedly increased levels of cytokines and extracellular glutamate. Ultimately, this cascade can lead to dysfunction of the callosal neurons and microglia. Cytotoxic edema develops as water becomes trapped in these cells. On diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images, CLOCCs manifest as areas of low diffusion. CLOCCs lack enhancement on contrast material-enhanced images, tend to be midline, and are relatively symmetric. The involvement of the corpus callosum typically shows one of three patterns: (a) a small round or oval lesion located in the center of the splenium, (b) a lesion centered in the splenium but extending through the callosal fibers laterally into the adjacent white matter, or (c) a lesion centered posteriorly but extending into the anterior corpus callosum. CLOCCs are frequently but not invariably reversible. Their pathologic mechanisms are discussed, the typical MR imaging findings are described, and typical cases of CLOCCs are presented. Although CLOCCs are nonspecific with regard to the underlying cause, additional imaging findings and the clinical findings can aid in making a specific diagnosis. Radiologists should be familiar with the imaging appearance of CLOCCs to avoid a misdiagnosis of ischemia. When CLOCCs are found, the underlying cause of the lesion should be sought and addressed. RSNA, 2017 An earlier incorrect version of this article appeared online. This article was corrected on February 13, 2017.
ObjectiveTo determine patient, institution, and machine characteristics that contribute to variation in radiation doses used for computed tomography (CT).DesignProspective cohort study.SettingData were assembled and analyzed from the University of California San Francisco CT International Dose Registry.ParticipantsStandardized data from over 2.0 million CT examinations of adults who underwent CT between November 2015 and August 2017 from 151 institutions, across seven countries (Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Israel, and Japan).Main outcome measuresMean effective doses and proportions of high dose examinations for abdomen, chest, combined chest and abdomen, and head CT were determined by patient characteristics (sex, age, and size), type of institution (trauma center, care provision 24 hours per day and seven days per week, academic, private), institutional practice volume, machine factors (manufacturer, model), country, and how scanners were used, before and after adjustment for patient characteristics, using hierarchical linear and logistic regression. High dose examinations were defined as CT scans with doses above the 75th percentile defined during a baseline period.ResultsThe mean effective dose and proportion of high dose examinations varied substantially across institutions. The doses varied modestly (10-30%) by type of institution and machine characteristics after adjusting for patient characteristics. By contrast, even after adjusting for patient characteristics, wide variations in radiation doses across countries persisted, with a fourfold range in mean effective dose for abdomen CT examinations (7.0-25.7 mSv) and a 17-fold range in proportion of high dose examinations (4-69%). Similar variation across countries was observed for chest (mean effective dose 1.7-6.4 mSv, proportion of high dose examinations 1-26%) and combined chest and abdomen CT (10.0-37.9 mSv, 2-78%). Doses for head CT varied less (1.4-1.9 mSv, 8-27%). In multivariable models, the dose variation across countries was primarily attributable to institutional decisions regarding technical parameters (that is, how the scanners were used).ConclusionsCT protocols and radiation doses vary greatly across countries and are primarily attributable to local choices regarding technical parameters, rather than patient, institution, or machine characteristics. These findings suggest that the optimization of doses to a consistent standard should be possible.Study registrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT03000751.
Fungal infections of the central nervous system (CNS) represent a wide spectrum of diseases with some common magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features. Risk factors include immunocompromise of any cause and living in endemic areas. CNS infection occurs through hematogenous spread, cerebrospinal fluid seeding, or direct extension. MRI features include heterogeneous or ring reduced diffusion and weak ring enhancement. Angioinvasive aspergillosis is characterized by multifocal hemorrhagic lesions with reduced diffusion. Cryptococcosis results in gelatinous pseudocyst formation in the basal ganglia. Mucormycosis is characterized by frontal lobe lesions with markedly reduced diffusion. Candidiasis is usually manifest by numerous microabscesses of less than 3 mm occurring at the corticomedullary junction, basal ganglia, or cerebellum. Coccidioidomycosis often results in meningitis with contrast enhancement of the basal cisterns. Blastomycosis and histoplasmosis are rare infections with parenchymal abscesses or meningitis. Recognizing the imaging features of CNS infections allows for early, aggressive treatment of these otherwise rapidly fatal infections.
Purpose To determine the degree of preoperative fatty degeneration within muscles, postoperative longitudinal changes in fatty degeneration, and differences in fatty degeneration between patients with full-thickness supraspinatus tears who do and those who do not experience a retear after surgery. Materials and Methods This prospective study had institutional review board approval and was conducted in accordance with the Committee for Human Research. Informed consent was obtained. Fifty patients with full-thickness supraspinatus tears (18 men, 32 women; mean age, 67.0 years ± 8.0; age range, 41-91 years) were recruited. The degrees of preoperative and postoperative fatty degeneration were quantified by using a two-point Dixon magnetic resonance (MR) imaging sequence; two radiologists measured the mean signal intensity on in-phase [S(In)] and fat [S(Fat)] images. Estimates of fatty degeneration were calculated with "fat fraction" values by using the formula S(Fat)/S(In) within the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and subscapularis muscles at baseline preoperative and at postoperative 1-year follow-up MR imaging. Preoperative fat fractions in the failed-repair group and the intact-repair group were compared by using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results The preoperative fat fractions in the supraspinatus muscle were significantly higher in the failed-repair group than in the intact-repair group (37.0% vs 19.5%, P < .001). Fatty degeneration of the supraspinatus muscle tended to progress at 1 year postoperatively in only the failed-repair group. Conclusion MR imaging quantification of preoperative fat fractions by using a two-point Dixon sequence within the rotator cuff muscles may be a viable method for predicting postoperative retear. (©) RSNA, 2016.
Background Helicobacter cinaedi is rarely identified as a cause of infected aneurysms; however, the number of reported cases has been increasing over several decades, especially in Japan. We report three cases of aortic aneurysm infected by H. cinaedi that were successfully treated using meropenem plus surgical stent graft replacement or intravascular stenting. Furthermore, we performed a systematic review of the literature regarding aortic aneurysm infected by H. cinaedi. Case presentation We present three rare cases of infected aneurysm caused by H. cinaedi in adults. Blood and tissue cultures and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were used for diagnosis. Two patients underwent urgent surgical stent graft replacement, and the other patient underwent intravascular stenting. All three cases were treated successfully with intravenous meropenem for 4 to 6 weeks. Conclusions These cases suggest that although aneurysms infected by H. cinaedi are rare, clinicians should be aware of H. cinaedi as a potential causative pathogen, even in immunocompetent patients. Prolonged incubation periods for blood cultures are necessary for the accurate detection of H. cinaedi.
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