Is there a relationship between three-dimensionally measured Baker's Cyst volume and knee pathologies?

Objective: Baker’s cyst (BC) is also known as popliteal cyst. To evaluate its effect on intra-articular pathology, it is important to have the exact volume of the cyst. As BC may change its shape due to mass effect of the surrounding anatomic structures, it is difficult to measure the exact volume of BC. This study examined the relationship between three-dimensionally measured BC volume and symptomatic intra-articular knee pathologies. Materials and Methods: The magnetic resonance (MR) images of 45 patients with symptomatic knees were retrospectively examined. The BC volumes were measured via volumetric analysis. The joint effusion was examined in the sagittal plane in T2-proton density-weighted images. The medial plicae were assessed in accordance with the modified Sakakibara classification. Using the MR images, the meniscuses were classified in accordance with the meniscus rupture classification of Stoller et al. The cartilaginous lesions were analyzed using an MR grading system. In this study, correlations between the following measures were analyzed: BC volume and effusion level, medial plica presence, medial femoral condyle, medial tibial condyle, lateral femoral condyle and lateral tibial condyle cartilage degeneration, and medial meniscus anterior horn, medial meniscus posterior horn, lateral meniscus anterior and posterior horn ruptures. Results: Cartilage degeneration, medial plicae, increase in intra-articular effusion, and increase in the BC volume were found to be statistically significant (p<0.01). Conclusion: Cartilage degeneration, medial plicae, and increase in intra-articular effusion may increase the BC volume. We believe that this study may contribute to clinicians in understanding the relationship between BC volume changes and pathologies causing intra-articular knee symptoms

Is liver biopsy necessary in patients with chronic hepatitis B with normal alanine aminotransferase level?

Objectives: If not treated early, morbidity and mortality will remain high in hepatitis B virus infection. In this study, it was aimed to analyze the liver biopsy results of patients with chronic hepatitis B with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted retrospectively. The patients who were admitted in the infectious diseases and clinical microbiology outpatient clinic, had liver biopsy and received treatment between 01.09.2019 and 01.12.2019, were included. Results: A total of 169 patients were included in the study. Of the individuals, 95 (56.2%) were female, with a mean age of 42.4 +/- 11.15 years. The rates of having an histological activity index (HAI) score of 6/18 and above and a fibrosis stage of 2/6 or more (90%, 100%, respectively) in patients with ALT level above upper limit of normal (ULN) were higher than in patients with ALT level below ULN (63.6% and 79.1%, respectively) (p=0.001 and p=0.002, respectively). When 129 patients with ALT level below ULN were evaluated in subgroup analyses. HAI score was 6 or higher in 59 (58.4%) of the hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative patients, and fibrosis stage was 2 or higher in 76 (75.2%) patients. In patients with ALT below ULN and HBeAg positivity, the rates of HAI score of 6 and above and fibrosis stage of 2 and above were found to be statistically significantly higher than in HBeAg negative patients. Conclusion: Liver fibrosis and necroinflammation may develop in patients with normal ALT levels. In making the biopsy decision, ALT level should be considered together with other factors that may affect liver damage

The evaluation of eustachian tube paratubal structures using magnetic resonance imaging in patients with nasal obstruction

Amaç: Bu çalışmada tek taraflı nazal tıkanıklığı olan hastaların östaki tüpü paratubal yapıları manyetik rezonans görüntüleme (MRG) yöntemi ile değerlendirildi. Hastalar ve Yöntemler: Ocak 2018 - Aralık 2020 tarihleri arasında kliniğimizde tek taraflı burun kitlesi tanısı ile izlenen ve MRG tetkiki ile değerlendirilen toplam 30 hasta (17 erkek, 13 kadın; ort. yaş: 56 yıl; dağılım, 18-67 yıl) çalışmaya dahil edildi. Çekilen MRG kesitlerinde, tensor veli palatini ve levator veli palatini kaslarının elde edilen en geniş kesit üzerinden kalınlığı, uzunluğu ve ortalama kas volümleri ölçülerek, sağlam taraf ölçümleri ile karşılaştırıldı. Bulgular: Hastaların nazal tıkanıklık olan tarafların ortalama tensor veli palatini kası kalınlığı, uzunluğu ve volümü sırasıyla 3.7±0.6 mm, 26.4±2.1 mm ve 2.1±0.5 cm³ idi. Ortalama levator veli palatini kası kalınlığı, uzunluğu ve volümü sırasıyla 5.7±0.5 mm, 23.9±2.3 mm ve 3.0±0.6 cm³ idi. Tıkanıklık olan ve olmayan tarafların paratubal yapıları arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık izlenmedi (p>0.05). Sonuç: Bu çalışmada tek taraflı nazal tıkanıklığın östaki tüpü paratubal yapılarında anlamlı bir değişiklik yapmadığı görüldü. Ancak bu konuda daha uzun süreli ve geniş serili klinik çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır.Objectives: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the eustachian tube paratubal structures of patients with unilateral nasal obstruction using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients and Methods: Between January 2018 and December 2020, a total of 30 patients (17 males, 13 females; mean age: 56 years; range, 18 to 67 years) who were followed with a diagnosis of unilateral nasal mass in our clinic and evaluated by MRI were included in the study. The thickness, length, and mean muscle volumes of tensor veli palatini and levator veli palatini muscles were measured from the largest section obtained from the MRI sections and compared with the healthy side measurements. Results: The mean tensor veli palatini muscle thickness, length, and volume of the patients with nasal obstruction were 3.7±0.6 mm, 26.4±2.1 mm, and 2.1±0.5 cm³, respectively. The mean levator veli palatini muscle thickness, length, and volume were 5.7±0.5 mm, 23.9±2.3 mm, and 3.0±0.6 cm³, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the paratubal structures of the sides with and without obstruction (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that unilateral nasal obstruction did not pose a significant change in the eustachian tube paratubal structures. However, further large-scale, longer-term clinical studies are needed on this subject

Comparison of linear versus macrocyclic gadolinium chelates in rat skeletal muscle

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effects on skeletal muscle of gadolinium based linear and macrocyclic radiocontrast agents applied at experimental intervals using histopathological methods. METHODS: Thirty-two male Sprague–Dawley rats were included in the study for histopathological analysis. No procedure was performed on the healthy control group. The sham group received 0.1 ml/kg intravenous (IV) saline solution through the tail vein 4 times weekly for 5 weeks. The gadodiamide group received total 2 mmol/kg IV gadodiamide through the tail vein 4 times weekly for 5 weeks. The gadoteric-acid group received 2 mmol/kg IV gadoteric acid through the tail vein 4 times weekly for 5 weeks. RESULTS: We determined no marked apoptotic myofibrils associated withcaspase-3 expression in these two groups. Furthermore, no calcineurin expression was observed in myofibrils in the two groups. However, quantitative analyses revealed a decrease in muscle-fiber area in the gadodiamide and gadoteric-acid groups compared to the control group (Respectively; p=0.001 and p=0.017). CONCLUSION: In our experimental study, linear and macrocyclic GBCAs applied at repeated doses played no role in myofibril damage induced by caspase-3 and calcineurin – nuclear factor of activated T-cells in skeletal muscle tissue

Periportal hepatic involvement of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a rare case report with magnetic resonance imaging findings

WOS: 000458842200050PubMed: 30465451Lymphoma with hepatic involvement can present with three morphological patterns: diffuse infiltrative, nodular, and mixed infiltrative-nodular. However, lymphoma with periportal infiltrative hepatic involvement is rare. There have been a few reports of cases with this type of hepatic involvement including ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) findings. in this case report, we present CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and diffusion-weighted MRI findings together with the histopathological results for a patient with periportal hepatic lymphoma presenting with obstructive jaundice

An Asymptomatic Large Anterior Sacral Meningocele in a Patient with a History of Gestation: A Case Report with Radiological Findings

Anterior sacral meningocele is characterized by herniation of the meningeal sac due to a developmental bone defect in the front of a sacrum bone. It was first described in 1837. The sacral meningocele may be congenital or acquired. It is usually discovered during a rectal or pelvic examination as a cystic lesion or discovered incidentally. Most of the symptoms are due to compression on the adjacent organs. In this paper, we present a case of an asymptomatic female patient who had a pelvic cyst detected during a routine obstetric ultrasound examination. We show radiological findings of the detailed postpartum evaluation of the cyst, which led to detection of sacral agenesis, huge anterior sacral meningocele, and significant arcuate uterus

The Evaluation of Paraspinal Markers in the Numbering of the Lumbosacral Transitional Vertebrae

Amaç: Lumbosakral geçiş vertebra (GV) yaygın bir konjenital anomali olup kronik bel ağrısı ile ilişkili olduğu bilinmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı bilgisayarlı tomografi (BT) görüntülerde lumbosakral GV’nin doğru numaralandırılmasında çölyak arter (ÇA), süperior mezenterik arter (SMA), sağ renal arter (SRA) orijinleri, abdominal aort bifurkasyonu (AAB) ve iliolumbar ligament (İL) gibi paraspinal belirteçlerin değerini ortaya koymaktır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Ocak 2015 ile Aralık 2017 tarihleri arasında tüm vücut BT görüntülemesi yapılan 18-65 yaşları arasındaki olgular retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Çalışmaya 380 olgu (yaş, 53,4±10,8 yıl; 164 kadın ve 216 erkek) dahil edildi, 51 olguda (%13,4) GV vardı. Normal spinal segmentasyonlu ve GV’li olgular arasında ÇA, SMA, SRA orijini, AAB ve İL düzeyleri açısından anlamlı farklılık saptandı (p<0,001). Sonuç: Normal spinal segmentasyonlu ve GV’li bireyler arasında ÇA, SMA, SRA orijinleri, AAB ve İL düzeylerinin lokalizasyonu açısından anlamlı farklar vardır. Dolayısıyla, bu belirteçlerin kullanımı, vertebral numaralandırmanın belirlenmesinde yanlışlıklara neden olabilir.Objective: Lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (TV) are a common congenital anomaly and known to be associated with chronic low back pain. The purpose of this study is to reveal the value of the paraspinal markers such as celiac artery (CA), superior mesenteric artery (SMA), right renal artery (RRA) origins, abdominal aorta bifurcation (AAB), and iliolumbar ligament (IL) in the correct numbering of lumbosacral TV on computed tomography (CT) imaging. Materials and Methods: The cases with aged from 18-65 years who underwent the whole-body CT imaging between the dates January 2015 and December 2017 were assessed retrospectively. Results: Of the 380 cases (age 53.4±10.8 years; 164 women and 216 men) included in the study, 51 (13.4%) had TV. A significant difference was determined in terms of the level of CA, SMA, RRA origin, AAB, and IL between the cases with TV and normal spinal segmentation (p<0.001). Conclusion: There are significant differences in terms of the localization of the CA, SMA, RRA origins, AAB, and IL levels between the subjects with normal spinal segmentation and TV. Therefore, the use of these marks may result in inaccuracy of the vertebral numbering

The association of achilles sonoelastography findings with disease activity, functional status and enthesitis index in patients with axial spondyloarthritis

Background Sonoelastography (SE) is a new ultrasound (US)-based technique able to assess tissue elasticity. Using conventional US, it is sometimes difficult or even impossible to distinguish pathologic tissue because it often presents with the same echogenicity as the surrounding healthy tissue. This study aimed to evaluate SE findings in Achilles tendons of patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and to assess how these findings are associated with disease-related parameters. Material and Methods Sixty-four consecutive patients (37 men, 27 women; mean age 39.7 years; range 20-65 years) with axSpA and 30 sex and age-matched healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Disease activity was evaluated using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), whereas functional capacity was evaluated using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) enthesitis index were recorded. All participants underwent an SE examination of the Achilles tendon and measurement of the strain index (SI). Results The mean right and left SI were significantly higher in axSpA patients than in controls (2.96 +/- 0.94 vs. 1.90 +/- 0.45; p<0.001; 2.95 +/- 0.95 vs. 1.92 +/- 0.48, p<0.001, respectively). In axSpA patients, both right and left SI were significantly correlated with the BASDAI, BASFI and SPARCC enthesitis indices, but not with ESR or CRP. Conclusion AxSpA patients had an increased SI compared with healthy subjects and these values were associated with disease activity, functional capacity and the enthesitis index. SE may be a useful tool for the evaluation of Achilles tendons in patients with axSpA

Submandibular Lateral Ectopic Thyroid Tissue: Ultrasonography, Computed Tomography, and Scintigraphic Findings

Celiker, Metin/0000-0002-9833-402XWOS: 000215209500072PubMed: 26634164Ectopic thyroid can be encountered anywhere between the base of tongue and pretracheal region. the most common form is euthyroid neck mass. Herein, we aimed to present the findings of a female case with ectopic thyroid tissue localized in the left submandibular region. A 44-year-old female patient, who underwent bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy four years ago with the diagnosis of multinodular goiter, was admitted to our hospital due to a mass localized in the left submandibular area that gradually increased in the last six months. Neck ultrasonography, contrast-enhanced computed tomography, and scintigraphic examination were performed on the patient. on thyroid scintigraphy with Tc-99m pertechnetate, thyroid tissue activity uptake showing massive radioactivity was observed in the normal localization of the thyroid gland and in the submandibular localization. the focus in the submandibular region was excised. Pathological examination of the specimen showed normal thyroid follicle cells with no signs of malignancy. the submandibular mass is a rarely encountered lateral ectopic thyroid tissue. Accordingly, ectopic thyroid tissue should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of masses in the submandibular region

Noninvasive Assessment of Liver Parenchyma Using Gray-Scale Ultrasound-Based Histogram Analysis in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B Infection

ERTURK, AYSE/0000-0001-6413-9165WOS: 000526724700013PubMed: 30855417The aims of this study were to examine the alterations of liver echo-intensity histogram parameters in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and to assess the potential role of histogram parameters in the evaluation of hepatic fibrosis. A total of 52 patients with CHB who underwent liver biopsies were included in the study. the control group consisted of 30 healthy individuals. Histogram parameters were obtained from histogram analysis of gray-scale ultrasound images of both groups. the histogram parameters of the groups were compared. the association of histogram parameters with the grading and staging of histological activity index (HAI) in patients with CHB were evaluated. the patient group had statistically significant lower skewness, kurtosis, and higher variance, mean, 50th, and 90th percentile values compared with control group. When patients with CHB were divided into subgroups according to HAI stage, there was the increasing trend in skewness values and decreasing trend in kurtosis values across subgroups. the first percentile values showed negative correlation with HAI staging in patients with CHB. Ultrasound is a fast, inexpensive, and reproducible imaging method; histogram analysis of gray-scale ultrasound images may provide useful information for evaluation of hepatic fibrosis in CHB patients