16 research outputs found
Giant Vertebral Notochordal Rest: Magnetic Resonance and Diffusion Weighted Imaging Findings
A giant vertebral notochordal rest is a newly described, benign entity that is easily confused with a vertebral chordoma. As microscopic notochordal rests are rarely found in adult autopsies, the finding of a macroscopic vertebral lesion is a new entity with only seven previously presented cases. We report here radiological findings, including diffusion weighted images, of a patient with a giant notochordal remnant confined to the L5 vertebra, with an emphasis on its distinction from a chordoma
A combined VBM and DTI study of schizophrenia: bilateral decreased insula volume and cerebral white matter disintegrity corresponding to subinsular white matter projections unlinked to clinical symptomatology
PURPOS
Functional Mri Compliance In Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
PURPOSE We aimed to test the effect of prescan training and orientation in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to investigate whether fMRI compliance was modified by state anxiety. METHODS Subjects included 77 males aged 6-12 years; there were 53 patients in the ADHD group and 24 participants in the healthy control group. Exclusion criteria included neurological and/or psychiatric comorbidities (other than ADHD), the use of psychoactive drugs, and an intelligence quotient outside the normal range. Children were individually subjected to prescan orientation and training. Data were acquired using a 1.5 Tesla scanner and an 8-channel head coil. Functional scans were performed using a standard neurocognitive task. RESULTS The neurocognitive task led to reliable fMRI maps. Compliance was not significantly different between ADHD and control groups based on success, failure, and repetition rates of fMRI. Compliance of ADHD patients with extreme levels of anxiety was also not significantly different. CONCLUSION The fMRI compliance of ADHD children is typically lower than that of healthy children. However, compliance can be increased to the level of age-matched healthy control children by addressing concerns about the technical and procedural aspects of fMRI, providing orientation programs, and performing on-task training. In patients thus trained, compliance does not change with the level of state anxiety suggesting that the anxiety hypothesis of fMRI compliance is not supported.WoSScopu
A combined VBM and DTI study of schizophrenia: bilateral decreased insula volume and cerebral white matter disintegrity corresponding to subinsular white matter projections unlinked to clinical symptomatology
PURPOSE
Grey matter and white matter changes within the brain are well defined
in schizophrenia. However, most studies focused on either grey matter
changes or white matter integrity separately; only in limited number of
studies these changes were interpreted in the same frame. In addition,
the relationship of these findings with clinical variables is not
clearly established. Here, we aimed to investigate the grey matter and
white matter changes in schizophrenia patients and exhibit the relation
of these imaging findings with clinical variables.
METHODS
A total of 20 schizophrenia patients and 16 matched healthy controls
underwent magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the grey matter and
white matter alterations that occur in schizophrenia patients using
voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and whole brain voxel-wise analysis of
diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters with SPM8, respectively. While
the preprocessing steps of VBM were performed with the default
parameters of VBM8 toolbox, the preprocessing steps of DTI were carried
out using FSL. Additionally, VBM results were correlated with clinical
variables.
RESULTS
Bilateral insula showed decreased grey matter volume in schizophrenia
patients compared with healthy controls (P < 0.01). The opposite
contrast did not show a significant difference. Psychiatric scores,
duration of illness, and age were not correlated with the decreased grey
matter volume of insula in schizophrenia patients. DTI analysis revealed
a significant increase in mean, radial, and axial diffusivity, mainly of
the fibers of bilateral anterior thalamic radiation and superior
longitudinal fasciculus with left predominance, which intersected with
bilateral subinsular white matter (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
Our findings suggest that insula may be the main affected brain region
in schizophrenia, which is also well supported by the literature. Our
results were independent of disease duration and schizophrenia symptoms.
White matter alterations were observed within bilateral anterior
thalamic radiation and superior longitudinal fasciculus that intersects
with subinsular white matter. Studies with larger sample sizes and more
detailed clinical assessments are required to understand the function of
insula in the neurobiology of schizophrenia
Spinal Tuberculosis in Non-HIV-Infected Patients: 10 Year Experience of a Medical Center in Central Taiwan
Virtual conferences: results of an international survey on radiologist preferences and perspectives
Background
We explored perceptions and preferences regarding the conversion of in-person to virtual conferences as necessitated by travel and in-person meeting restrictions.
Methods
A 16-question online survey to assess preferences regarding virtual conferences during the COVID-19 pandemic and future perspectives on this subject was disseminated internationally online between June and August 2020.
Findings
A total of 508 responses were received from 73 countries. The largest number of responses came from Italy and the USA. The majority of respondents had already attended a virtual conference (80%) and would like to attend future virtual meetings (97%). The ideal duration of such an event was 2–3 days (42%). The preferred time format was a 2–4-h session (43%). Most respondents also noted that they would like a significant fee reduction and the possibility to attend a conference partly in-person and partly online. Respondents indicated educational sessions as the most valuable sections of virtual meetings. The reported positive factor of the virtual meeting format is the ability to re-watch lectures on demand. On the other hand, the absence of networking and human contact was recognized as a significant loss. In the future, people expressed a preference to attend conferences in person for networking purposes, but only in safer conditions.
Conclusions
Respondents appreciated the opportunity to attend the main radiological congresses online and found it a good opportunity to stay updated without having to travel. However, in general, they would prefer these conferences to be structured differently. The lack of networking opportunities was the main reason for preferring an in-person meeting
Virtual conferences : results of an international survey on radiologist preferences and perspectives
Evaluation of Aqueductal Patency in Patients with Hydrocephalus: Three-Dimensional High-Sampling-Efficiency Technique (SPACE) versus Two-Dimensional Turbo Spin Echo at 3 Tesla
Current therapeutic strategy in spinal brucellosis
Brucellosis is a systemic disease and may affect many organ systems. However, musculoskeletal involvement represents 10-85% of the focal complications. Involvement of the spine is one of the most common localized forms of human brucellosis, especially in elderly patients. It is a destructive disease that requires a correct and early diagnosis, and immediate treatment. However, controversy remains over the optimal duration and antimicrobial regimen required for the treatment of spinal brucellosis. Relapses and sequetae are stilt reported. In recent years, in order to improve outcomes, alternative regimens have been investigated. However, the classical regimen (doxycycline, 100 mg twice daily, for at least 12 weeks combined with streptomycin, 1 g daily, for the first 2 or 3 weeks) remains the first choice of antibiotic therapy. Alternative therapies (rifampin, fluoroquinolones, co-trimoxazole) should be considered when adverse reactions or contraindications to the above drugs (ototoxicity, nephrotoxicity, pregnancy, etc.) are reported. (C) 2008 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved