Combination of several MRI features can provide clues to differentiate between malignant, osteoporotic, and infective vertebral compression fractures.
Background: Varicose veins are defined as dilated, tortuous, and elongated superficial veins of the lower limbs with incompetent valves. Varicose veins are described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as dilatation of the veins, which are sometimes tortuous. Varicose veins are divided into primary and secondary varicose veins according to their etiology. Sclerotherapy could be a minimally invasive technique that uses an injection of a special chemical (sclerosant) into varicosity to wreck and scar the inside lining of the vein. Resulting in blockage of the treated vein. Patients and Methods: This study was conducted at Sohag University hospitals to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and patient satisfaction following foam sclerotherapy for varicose veins. There have been 60 cases with lower limb varicosities whose mean age was 33.72 years (range, 20 -52). Females represented 62% of cases, while the remaining cases were males. As regards the duration of varicosities during this study, it had a mean of 6.03 years (range, 1 -12). The right leg was affected in 52% of cases, while the other cases had the left side affected. The large saphenous veins were treated with 3% Aethoxysclerol. Accessory great saphenous and short saphenous veins were treated with 2% Aethoxysclerol. Reticular veins and telangiectasia treated with 1% Aethoxysclerol Results: The cosmetic appearance showed a major improvement (p < 0.001) after our intervention. Pain sensation was significantly decreased after the intervention. Only 25% of cases reported that sensation after 1 week, which percent decreased all the way down to 3, 3, and seven during the following visits respectively. Saphenofemoral reflux was present in 48% of cases before the intervention, and it decreased all the way down to 7, 3, 3, and seven of cases at the scheduled follow-up visits respectively. Complications were reported by 28% of cases, Skin hyperpigmentation was the most common complication (22%), followed by visual disturbances (8%), and thrombophlebitis(7%). Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy seemed to be a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency within the selected group of patients.
No previous studies discussed the significance of the MRI pattern of vertebral collapse in differentiation between vertebral compression fractures due to malignancy, osteoporosis, and infections. MRI was used in the evaluation of 152 atraumatic vertebral compression fractures in 80 patients: 85 malignant, 34 osteoporotic, and 33 infective. Central collapse of the fractured vertebral body was the commonest pattern in malignant fractures (57 vertebrae, 67%), followed by uniform collapse (21 vertebrae, 24.7%), then anterior wedging (5 vertebrae, 5.9%), and finally posterior wedging (2 vertebrae, 2.4%). In osteoporotic fractures, anterior wedging was the commonest pattern (18 vertebrae, 53%), followed by central collapse (11 vertebrae, 32.3%), then uniform collapse (4 vertebrae, 11.8%), and finally posterior wedging (1 vertebra, 2.9%). In vertebral compression fractures due to spinal infection, anterior wedging was the commonest pattern (20 vertebrae, 60.6%), followed by uniform collapse (12 vertebrae, 36.4%), while only one vertebra (3%) was centrally collapsed. Central collapse of the vertebral body is highly suggestive of malignant compression fracture while anterior vertebral wedging is highly suggestive of a benign compression fracture.
Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is highly prevalent in developed countries and is a leading cause of death. Diagnostic imaging plays an important role in the proper assessment and management of CAD. Myocardial perfusion is evaluated by SPECT in most patients today; however, this technique exposes patients to radiation and its diagnostic accuracy is sometimes limited by relatively low spatial resolution and artifacts from photon scatter and tissue attenuation. Scintigraphy defects may not be apparent until 10 g of tissue is infarcted. Thus, because a sizable threshold of damage is required, SPECT may miss small or subendocardial MI. Advances in rapid magnetic resonance imaging technology and its application to cardiac imaging have shown that MR imaging has tremendous potential for evaluation of cardiac disease. Practical advantages of cardiac MRI include the lack of ionizing radiation, a shortened examination time (25 to 40 min), good safety and tolerability profile, and detection of small subendocardial infarcts. Aim: assessment of myocardial viability in patients with chronic coronary artery disease by magnetic resonance imaging in comparison with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Patients and Methods: This prospective study include examination of 10 adult patients (each patient has 3 coronary arteries, so we examined 30 coronary arteries and their myocardial territories) known to have chronic ischemic heart disease in Cairo university by MRI and SPECT with conventional angiography as a standard reference. MRI done by using 1.5T machine, using SENSE (sensitivity encoding) cardiac coil (6 element phased-array coil, receive only), functional cine images, first pass perfusion images and delayed enhancement images were acquired. SPECT study was done by 2-day exercise/rest gated SPECT imaging with Tc-99m sestamibi. Conventional coronary angiography was done using a trans-femoral approach to selectively inject the left and right coronary systems sequentially. The results of cardiac MRI subdivided into three groups: (a) Myocardial ischemia was defined as: either 1-Cardiac segment with motion abnormality or perfusion deficit at first-pass perfusion MR imaging consistent with no hyperenhancement at delayed-enhancement MR imaging. Or 2-Cardiac segment of subendocardial enhancement (25 % thickness scar) with motion abnormality. (b) Myocardial scarring is defined as: either 1-Cardiac segment with myocardial delayed enhancement having ≥ 75% thickness scar. Or 2-Myocardial thickness less than 6 mm in diastole. (c) Mixed myocardial ischemia and scarring is defined as: Cardiac segment with myocardial delayed enhancement of near 50 % (>25% and <75%) thickness scarring. The results of SPECT were obtained by comparison between resting and exercise images to detect areas with fixed defects (scar) and those with reversible defects (ischemia). A defect was considered to be fixed (scarred) when there was no change between the stress and rest images, partially reversible (mixed ischemia and scar) when there ...
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.