Diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease on Diffusion Weighted MR Imaging Manifesting With Typical Pulvinar or Hockey Stick Sign

Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD) is a rapidly progressing fatal neurodegenerative disease and can manifest with a rapidly progressive cognitive decline, ataxia, behavioral changes, visual disturbances and myoclonus. In our case report, we described a 68-year-old woman presented with rapid cognitive decline, gait disturbance, and cerebellar symptoms. Her laboratory and CSF examinations were found within normal limits. EEG examination revealed generalized periodic sharp and slow wave complexes. She underwent MRI examination including DWI. On DWI, restricted diffusion was detected at bilateral fronto-parietal and temporo-occipital lobes involving cingulate gyrus and bilateral basal ganglia and thalamic regions. The typical bilateral restricted diffusion areas in the medial pulvinar nuclei of the medial called as pulvinar sign or hockey stick sign were also found. DWI plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of CJD, because restricted diffusion abnormalities could be detected within a couple of weeks after the onset of disease symptoms and even before the manifestation of periodic triphasic waves on EEG. Hence, in this case report, we would like to emphasize the invaluable role of DWI in the early diagnosis of CJD cases

Precoccygeal epidermal inclusion cyst: ultrasound and MR imaging features.

In this case report, we are presenting a 33 year-old pregnant woman who suffered from pelvic and coccygeal pain. Her medical examination and laboratory tests were found within normal limits. In order to explain her pain, initially a pelvic ultrasound was performed which revealed a huge hypoechoic cystic mass in the precoccygeal-presacral region. She then underwent a pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination in order to better delineate the characteristics and extension of this huge mass. On these images the mass was hypointense on T1 weighted images and extremely hyperintense on T2 weighted images. We also performed a diffusion weighted sequence which exhibited high signal intensity for the mass. We thought that this finding could be suggestive of an epidermal inclusion cyst similar to that of a brain epidermoid cyst which shows bright signal intensity on diffusion weighted images. The patient was operated and the cystic mass removed from the precoccygeal region. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of epidermal inclusion cyst. This case report suggests that an epidermal inclusion cyst should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intractable pelvic and coccygeal pain. MRI can help to establish the correct diagnosis

Imaging features of liver hydatid cyst disseminated into pelvis.

Hydatid disease (HD) is a unique parasitic infection that is endemic in many parts of the world. Although the disease primarly affects the liver, HD can be encountered almost anywhere in the body depending on its hematogenous dissemination. In this case report, we describe a 61-year-old man who presented with abdominal pain and urinary complaints. Imaging studies revealed a huge liver and pelvic region lesions that exhibited characteristic imaging findings for type 3 HD. The second lesion was interpreted as occurring due to dissemination from the liver HD. Due to the extensiveness of the disease, both surgery and percutaneous drainage of the lesions were excluded and the patient was put on albendazole treatment

The diagnostic MRCP examination: overcoming technical challenges to ensure clinical success

The magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) examination has all but replaced the diagnostic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) examination for imaging the biliary tree and pancreatic ducts in many practical aspects of the clinical setting. Despite this increase in popularity, many magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiographers still find aspects of the MRCP examination quite challenging. The aim of this tutorial paper is to provide useful technical advice on how to overcome such perceived challenges and thus produce a successful diagnostic MRCP examination. This paper will be of interest to novice MRI radiographers who are at the beginning of their learning curve in MRCP examination. Other MRI radiographers who are interested in practical tips for protocol variations may also find the paper useful

APPLIED RADIATION AND ISOTOPES

In this study, we performed X-ray diffraction (XRD) and environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) techniques to examine the structure and morphological observation of the samples and thermoluminescence (TL) experiments to extract the trapping parameters and dosimetric properties of LaAlBO3 phosphors doped with Eu at various doping concentrations. Diffraction patterns of obtained sample were well consistent JCPDS card No 98-009-7945, indicating the formation of pure phase. The TL kinetic parameters were estimated by CGCD software. TL glow curves of LaAlBO3:Eu3+ consist of 12 trap levels and exhibited dominantly first order kinetics. Photoluminescence (PL) emission was observed in the range 400-800 nm for LaAlBO3 phosphor doped with Eu3+. The dominant emission of Eu3+ corresponding to the electric dipole transition D-5(0) -> F-7(2) is located at 616 nm. The sharp emission properties exhibited demonstrate that the LaAlBO3 is a suitable host for rare-earth ion doped phosphor material. It is observed that for the variable concentration of Eu3+ on PL studies, the PL intensity augments with increase in the dopant concentration and the concentration quenching was found after 1 mass% of Eu3+. The PL experimental results reveal that LaAlBO3:Eu3+ phosphor as an red emitting phosphor may be promising luminescence materials for the optoelectronic applications

APPLIED RADIATION AND ISOTOPES

In this work, Eu, Nd co-doped MAl2O4:Eu, Nd (M = Ca, Sr, Ba) phosphors were synthesized at low temperatures (550 degrees C) by the combustion method. The crystallinity of the phosphors was monitored by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the morphology was examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Synthesis of phosphors, the effect of lanthanide concentrations on light emission intensity and duration investigated by using photoluminescence (PL) measurements. Narrow orange-red emissions from 500 to 750 nm in the PL spectra are assigned to D-5(0) -> F-7(j)) (j = 0,1,2,3,...) transitions of Eu3+ ion. In contrast, the broad luminescence band of the samples in the range of 400-500 rim are attributed to the 5d-4 f transitions of Eu3+ ion in the same host materials. Investigated the effects of radiation on the severity of the trap depths of these structures. The decay curves of these phosphors show how long the phosphors are attenuated. Thermoluminescence (TL) glow curves have been recorded from room temperature to 300 degrees C at a constant heating rate of 1 degrees C/s after preheat process at 130 degrees C for 10 s using lexsyg smart TL/OSL reader. Nd3+ trap levels can be thought of as the lanthanide element that causes long composition in the phosphorescence structure at room temperature

Computed Tomography - Advanced Applications

The advent and rapid diffusion of advanced multidetector-row scanner technology offers comprehensive evaluation of different anatomic structures in daily practice. The aim of this book is to introduce the applications of CT imaging in not only general medicine but also in different fields especially in veterinary medicine, dentistry, and engineering. Recent developments in CT technology have led to a widening of its applications on many areas like material testing in engineering, 3D evaluation of teeth, and the vascular and cardiac evaluations of small animals

CT Diagnosis of a Thoracic Aort Aneurysm with Type B Aortic Dissection Clinically Misdiagnosed as Acute Pulmonary Embolism

A 54-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department, presenting with an acute onset of chest pain and severe respiratory distress symptoms. He was medicated with intravenous analgesia and antihypertensive drugs. The patient was subjected to a chest X-ray which revealed a prominent widening of the mediastinum and pleural effusion on the left side. In laboratory tests-d-dimer level was highly elevated. The patient was clinically interpreted as having an acute pulmonary embolism and referred to the radiology clinic to perform a computed tomography (CT) examination. Contrast-enhanced CT demonstrated that there was no abnormality related to the pulmonary vasculature, but a huge thoracic aorta aneurysm measuring 11 × 8.1 × 7.7 cm in diameter was detected. Accompanying the aneurysm, an intimal flap was also present in the proximal descending thoracic aorta, distal to the origin of the left subclavian artery and extending into the bifurcation level. The patient was therefore diagnosed as having a type B aortic dissection as well. Once these serious conditions were detected, he was immediately transferred to a cardiovascular thoracic surgery hospital for endovascular repairment operation