MW ablation of hepatic tumors produced significantly more contraction of tumor and ablated hepatic tissue compared to RF ablation. Tissue contraction should be taken into account during pre-procedural planning and assessing treatment response by comparing pre- and post-ablation images.

No abstract

Radiologists face the daily challenge of analyzing and interpreting a high volume of images in a timely manner. Minimizing errors, whether perceptual or cognitive in nature, is paramount for high-quality diagnostics and patient care. There are certain areas within the head encountered at routine brain imaging in which the interpreting radiologist is most prone to make perceptual errors. These areas, or "blind spots," include the cerebral sulci, dural sinuses, orbits, cavernous sinuses, clivus, Meckel cave, brainstem, skull base, and parapharyngeal soft tissues. In addition, the use of an inappropriate window width and level for the evaluation of computed tomographic (CT) scans can be a virtual, rather than an anatomic, blind spot. The inclusion of a comprehensive checklist for evaluation of these blind spots as part of every brain imaging study is crucial for avoiding false-negative results. Knowledge of the anatomic features of these blind spots is also crucial, as well as familiarity with the normal CT and magnetic resonance imaging findings in these areas. In addition, the radiologist should be aware of possible interpretation pitfalls that may lead to false-positive results (eg, normal anatomic variants that may be mistaken for pathologic conditions). Finally, a well-developed differential diagnosis will help ensure correct interpretation and appropriate patient treatment.

Primary vulvar and vaginal cancers are rare female genital tract malignancies which are staged using the 2009 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging. These cancers account for approximately 2,700 deaths annually in the USA. The most common histologic subtype of both vulvar and vaginal cancers is squamous cell carcinoma, with an increasing role of the human papillomavirus (HPV) in a significant number of these tumors. Lymph node involvement is the hallmark of FIGO stage 3 vulvar cancer while pelvic sidewall involvement is the hallmark of FIGO stage 3 vaginal cancer. Imaging techniques include computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET)-CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and PET-MRI. MRI is the imaging modality of choice for preoperative clinical staging of nodal and metastatic involvement while PET-CT is helpful with assessing response to neoadjuvant treatment and for guiding patient management. Determining the pretreatment extent of disease has become more important due to modern tailored operative approaches and use of neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy to reduce surgical morbidity. Moreover, imaging is used to determine the full extent of disease for radiation planning and for evaluating treatment response. Understanding the relevant anatomy of the vulva and vaginal regions and the associated lymphatic pathways is helpful to recognize the potential routes of spread and to correctly identify the appropriate FIGO stage. The purpose of this article is to review the clinical features, pathology, and current treatment strategies for vulvar and vaginal malignancies and to identify multimodality diagnostic imaging features of these gynecologic cancers, in conjunction with its respective 2009 FIGO staging system guidelines.

All cases of NSF occurred in dialysis-dependent, gadolinium-exposed patients. Associations between immunosuppressive and erythropoietin therapies and NSF need further investigation.

Within our institution, only 0.1% (1/709) of all liver transplantation patients exposed to gadolinium-based contrast agents or 1.4% (1/74) of CKD5 patients requiring dialysis had biopsy proof of NSF. This incidence is consistent with the rate of NSF in all patients exposed to gadolinium-based contrast agents regardless of liver transplantation reported in the literature. Therefore, liver transplantation may not be an independent risk factor in development of NSF in patients exposed to gadolinium-based contrast agents.

No abstract

Truncal valve insufficiency is a significant risk factor for post-operative mortality following repair of truncus arteriosus. The surgical management of dysplastic and insufficient truncal valves remains an operative challenge. We report the cases of two infants with type 2 truncus arteriosus and severely dysplastic and insufficient quadricuspid truncal valves. At primary repair, their truncal valves were successfully repaired using pericardial leaflet extensions. This technique may be used in neonates with truncal valve insufficiency as part of the primary repair of truncus arteriosus.