The new algorithm compared favorably with the old in its ability to estimate bulk motion in a limited study of volunteer motion. A larger study of patients is planned for future work.

Study Design: Narrative review. Objectives: Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have emerged as disruptive technologies with the potential to drastically affect clinical decision making in spine surgery. AI can enhance the delivery of spine care in several arenas: (1) preoperative patient workup, patient selection, and outcome prediction; (2) quality and reproducibility of spine research; (3) perioperative surgical assistance and data tracking optimization; and (4) intraoperative surgical performance. The purpose of this narrative review is to concisely assemble, analyze, and discuss current trends and applications of AI and ML in conventional and robotic-assisted spine surgery. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive PubMed search of peer-reviewed articles that were published between 2006 and 2019 examining AI, ML, and robotics in spine surgery. Key findings were then compiled and summarized in this review. Results: The majority of the published AI literature in spine surgery has focused on predictive analytics and supervised image recognition for radiographic diagnosis. Several investigators have studied the use of AI/ML in the perioperative setting in small patient cohorts; pivotal trials are still pending. Conclusions: Artificial intelligence has tremendous potential in revolutionizing comprehensive spine care. Evidence-based, predictive analytics can help surgeons improve preoperative patient selection, surgical indications, and individualized postoperative care. Robotic-assisted surgery, while still in early stages of development, has the potential to reduce surgeon fatigue and improve technical precision.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus identified in 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic effectively ended all major spine educational conferences in the first half of 2020. In response, the authors formed a "virtual" case-based conference series directed at delivering spine education to health care providers around the world. We herein share the technical logistics, early participant feedback, and future direction of this initiative.-METHODS: The Virtual Global Spine Conference (VGSC) was created in April 2020 by a multiinstitutional team of spinal neurosurgeons and a neuroradiologist. Biweekly virtual meetings were established wherein invited national and international spine care providers would deliver casebased presentations on spine and spine surgeryLrelated conditions via teleconferencing. Promotion was coordinated through social media platforms such as Twitter.-RESULTS: VGSC recruited more than 1000 surgeons, trainees, and other specialists, with 50e100 new registrants per week thereafter. An early survey to the participants, with 168 responders, indicated that 92% viewed the content as highly valuable to their practice and 94% would continue participating post COVID-19. Participants from the United States (29%), Middle East (16%), and Europe (12%) comprised the majority of the audience. Approximately 52% were neurosurgeons, 18% orthopedic surgeons, and 6% neuroradiologists. A majority of participants were physicians (55%) and residents/fellows (21%).-CONCLUSIONS: The early success of the VGSC reflects a strong interest in spine education despite the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing guidelines. There is widespread opinion, backed by our own survey results, that many clinicians and trainees want to see "virtual" education continue post COVID-19.

SENSE not only accelerates PROPELLER but can also improve robustness and precision of head motion correction, which improves overall image quality even when SNR is lost due to acceleration. The reduction of SNR, as a penalty of acceleration, is characterized by the proposed g-factor method.

No abstract

A 57-year-old African American woman with a history of sickle cell b-thalassemia presented to the hospital with a 3-day history of chest and back pain unresponsive to oxygen and analgesic therapy. Her medical history included multiple painful crises due to sickle cell-induced vaso-occlusion, multiple blood transfusions, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. The evening of her admission, she developed a fever and hypotension, and a sepsis evaluation was initiated. She was treated with empirical antimicrobial agents and received oxygen, a red blood cell transfusion, and medications for pain. Two nights later, she became mildly confused. Unenhanced computed tomography (CT) of the head was performed. The following morning, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain and MR angiography of the head and neck were performed. Later that day, the patient's hypotension worsened, and she became difficult to arouse. Intubation was performed to protect her airway, and she was transferred to the intensive care unit. Thrombocytopenia was diagnosed, and the prophylactic antithrombotic therapy initiated at admission was temporarily withheld. Multiple studies for infectious agents returned negative results. The patient's status continued to deteriorate with the development of respiratory failure, renal failure, and ischemic hepatitis ("shock liver"). Sedation was discontinued, and 48 hours later, with the patient still unresponsive, comfort measures were instituted. The patient died on the 10th day of her hospitalization.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is an artificial cardiopulmonary bypass technique used to support patients with severe pulmonary failure or both pulmonary and cardiac failure. The hemodynamic changes produced by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation affect the appearance of CTA of the head images, often confounding interpretation if the correct history and understanding of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation are not known. This technical report describes the principles of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, techniques to optimize intracranial CTA imaging, and pitfalls.

A case of biopsy-proven acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis is reported. The early computed tomography scans showed extensive bilateral hypodensities with mass effects and foci of microhemorrhages. Bilateral asymmetric hyperintensities in the mesiotemporal and frontal lobes and massive edema were found on T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance images in a pattern classic for herpes simplex encephalitis. This fulminant demyelinating disease progresses to coma and death within days. Early diagnosis with neuroimaging studies and rapid correlation with the clinical findings of this disease are vital for the institution of potentially lifesaving treatments.