Use of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) pulse sequences for differential diagnosis of hepatic hemangiomas and hepatic cysts

Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging of hepatic hemangiomas (10 patients, 16 lesions) and hepatic cysts (8 patients, 10 lesions) was performed. All hemangiomas were hypointense on T1-weighted images and hyperintense on T2-weighted images. With Gd-DTPA (0.1 mmol/kg), all hemangiomas were enhanced but not all cysts. It was necessary to perform contrast enhanced imaging to differentiate hepatic hemangiomas from hepatic cysts. However, on FLAIR imaging, hepatic hemangiomas were strongly hyperintense and 9 of the 10 hepatic cysts were isointense. One of the hepatic cysts was slightly hyperintense. FLAIR images were useful in differential diagnosis of hepatic hemangiomas and hepatic cysts without using Gd-DTPA.</p

Detection of subependymal veins using high-resolution magnetic resonance venography

High-resolution magnetic resonance venography (HR-MRV) of intracranial subependymal veins using a two-dimensional Fourier-transform time-of-flight technique was performed on normal volunteers and clinical cases of cerebral disease. For the pulse sequence, fast-field-echo sequence was used with the following parameters: TR/TE/ flip angle = 34ms/12ms/50deg., 256 x 256 matrix, 1 mm effective slice thickness, 150mm field of view, and one signal acquisition. Sequential vertical coronal sections were taken against the skull base. The anterior septal vein, the medial atrial vein, the anterior caudate vein and thalamostriate vein were detected in all subjects. In all clinical cases, HR-MRV was equal in diagnostic capability to conventional cerebral angiography.</p

Experimental studies on nicaraven as a radioprotector : Survival ratio of mice, spleen colony formation, blood picture and lipid peroxidation

The degree of radiation protection from Nicaraven after whole-body irradiation was investigated in C3H mice. Nicaraven is a free radical scavenging agent, which was shown to improve brain edema and blood flow. Nicaraven was injected intraperitoneally in mice before and/or after whole-body irradiation with 640cGy or 740cGy using Toshiba Lineac LMR-4C (4MV, 6.45×10(-2)C/㎏/min). The 30 day survival ratio was improved significantly by Nicaraven (P≦0.02). Endogenous spleen colony formation was investigated after 640cGy. The agent was injected before (pre), after (post) or before and after irradiation (pre-post), and compared with the untreated group (control). Nine days after irradiation, the mean colony formation was 2.00 (pre), 3.09 (post), 4.31 (pre-post) and 1.47 (control). The differences between pre and post (p≦0.01), between pre-post and control (p≦0.01) and between post and control (p≦0.05) were significant. Nicaraven induced recovery of leukocyte and lymphocyte counts after irradiation, but not that of erythrocytes. The effect of the agent on mice liver mitochondrial lipid peroxidation was also investigated. The lag time was not shortened, but reduction of the TBA value was observed. Nicaraven was not only recognized as a radioprotector, but its ability to promote recovery from the damage caused by irradiation was also suggested