Diffusion-weighted MRI in the evaluation of renal lesions: preliminary results

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the capability and the reliability of diffusion-weighted MRI in the evaluation of normal kidney and different renal lesions. 39 patients (10 normal volunteers and 29 patients with known renal lesions) underwent MRI of the kidneys by using a 1.5 T superconducting magnet. Axial fat suppressed turbo spin echo (TSE) T(2) and coronal fast field echo (FFE) T(1) or TSE T(1) weighted images were acquired for each patient. Diffusion-weighted (DW) images were obtained in the axial plane during breath-hold (17 s) with a spin-echo echo planar imaging (SE EPI) single shot sequence (repetition time (TR)=2883 ms, echo time (TE)=61 ms, flip angle=90 degrees ), with b value of 500 s mm(-2). 16 slices were produced with slice thickness of 7 mm and interslice gap of 1 mm. An apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map was obtained at each slice position. The ADC was measured in an approximately 1 cm region of interest (ROI) within the normal renal parenchyma, the detected renal lesions and the collecting system if dilated. ADC values in normal renal parenchyma ranged from 1.72 x 10(-3) mm(2) s(-1) to 2.65 x 10(-3) mm(2) s(-1), while ADC values in simple cysts (n=13) were higher (2.87 x 10(-3) mm(2) s(-1) to 4.00 x 10(-3) mm(2) s(-1)). In hydronephrotic kidneys (n=6) the ADC values of renal pelvis ranged from 3.39 x 10(-3) mm(2) s(-1) to 4.00 x 10(-3) mm(2) s(-1). In cases of pyonephrosis (n=3) ADC values of the renal pelvis were found to be lower than those of renal pelvis of hydronephrotic kidneys (0.77 x 10(-3) mm(2) s(-1) to 1.07 x 10(-3) mm(2) s(-1)). Solid benign and malignant renal tumours (n=7) showed ADC values ranging between 1.28 x 10(-3) mm(2) s(-1) and 1.83 x 10(-3) mm(2) s(-1). In conclusion diffusion-weighted MR imaging of the kidney seems to be a reliable way to differentiate normal renal parenchyma and different renal diseases. Clinical experience with this method is still preliminary and further studies are required

The dramatic effect of the annealing temperature and dielectric functionalization on the electron mobility of indene-C60 bis-adduct thin films

\ua9 The Royal Society of Chemistry. Herein we report on the charge transport properties of spin-coated thin films of an n-type fullerene derivative, i.e. the indene-C60 bis-adduct (ICBA). In particular, the effects of annealing temperature and duration as well as surface functionalization are explored. Electron mobilities approaching 0.1 cm2 V-1 s-1 are reported. This journal i