Table of Contents: June 2008; 247 (3)

SCIENCE TO PRACTICE

Zhen J. Wang and Benjamin M. Yeh

Science to Practice: Is Assessing Renal Oxygenation by Using Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent MR Imaging a Clinical Reality?

In combination with other techniques such as MR perfusion- and diffusion-weighted imaging, renal MR imaging is evolving from a primarily morphologic assessment to one that probes both form and function.

REVIEWS AND COMMENTARY: PERSPECTIVES

Ferris M. Hall

The Rise and Impending Decline of Screening Mammography

I believe that mammography is going to be replaced by MR imaging as the standard for breast screening, not only in high-risk women but increasingly in those at average risk.

EDITORIALS

John J. Cronan

Thyroid Nodules: Is It Time to Turn Off the US Machines?

Is it time to reassess our goals in the detection and characterization of thyroid nodules?

Alexander A. Bankier, Deborah Levine, Robert G. Sheiman, Michael H. Lev, and Herbert Y. Kressel

Redundant Publications in Radiology: Shades of Gray in a Seemingly Black-and-White Issue

Redundant and duplicate publication are important problems that must be addressed and, we hope, eliminated; to do this will require awareness and cooperation and communication among authors, reviewers, and editorial boards.

Neil M. Rofsky, A. Dean Sherry, and Robert E. Lenkinski

Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis: A Chemical Perspective

We believe that it is important for radiologists to have an appreciation of the relevant chemical properties of MR contrast agents for considerations of the association between nephrogenic systemic fibrosis and MR contrast media.

OPINION

James P. Borgstede

Radiology: Commodity or Specialty

With worldwide distribution of imaging services, the specialty in which we trained and that is so beneficial for patients may evolve into a commodity.

REVIEW

Ana Maria Gaca, James J. Jaggers, L. Todd Dudley, and George S. Bisset III

Repair of Congenital Heart Disease: A Primer–Part 1

An understanding of congenital heart disease and how these defects are repaired is essential to all radiologists interpreting cross-sectional images of the thorax.

REVIEW FOR RESIDENTS

Edward Y. Lee, Phillip M. Boiselle, and Robert H. Cleveland

Multidetector CT Evaluation of Congenital Lung Anomalies

With rapid advances in CT technology in recent years, CT, and in particular multidetector CT, has assumed a pivotal role in the noninvasive evaluation of congenital lung anomalies.

BOOK REVIEWS

Clinical Nuclear Medicine, 4th ed

Liver MRI: Correlation with Other Imaging Modalities and Histopathology

MRI Atlas: Orthopedics and Neurosurgery—The Spine

ORIGINAL RESEARCH: BREAST IMAGING

Rachel F. Brem, Angelique C. Floerke, Jocelyn A. Rapelyea, Christine Teal, Tricia Kelly, and Vivek Mathur

Breast-specific Gamma Imaging as an Adjunct Imaging Modality for the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

Breast-specific gamma imaging is a promising adjunct imaging modality with high sensitivity and moderate specificity to help detect breast cancers, including subcentimeter invasive and in situ cancers.

CARDIAC IMAGING

Farhood Saremi, Lila Pourzand, Subramaniam Krishnan, Oganes Ashikyan, Swaminatha V. Gurudevan, Jagat Narula, Khushboo Kaushal, and Aidan Raney

Right Atrial Cavotricuspid Isthmus: Anatomic Characterization with Multi-Detector Row CT

Cardiac multi-detector row CT provides information in different phases of the cardiac cycle regarding the size, depth, and anatomic variants of the cavotricuspid isthmus.

Elizabeth R. Brown, Richard A. Kronmal, David A. Bluemke, Alan D. Guerci, J. Jeffrey Carr, Jonathan Goldin, and Robert Detrano

Coronary Calcium Coverage Score: Determination, Correlates, and Predictive Accuracy in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Our results show that the spatial distribution of calcified plaque is an important component of coronary atherosclerosis above and beyond the overall amount of calcium and the calcium density.

EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE

Michèle Hamon, Olivier Lepage, Patrizia Malagutti, John W. Riddell, Rémy Morello, Denis Agostini, and Martial Hamon

Diagnostic Performance of 16- and 64-Section Spiral CT for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Assessment: Meta-Analysis

The latest multisection CT scanner shows potential to become a first-line tool for the noninvasive evaluation of patients with suspected coronary artery bypass graft dysfunction.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES

Daniel T. Boll, Elmar M. Merkle, Erik K. Paulson, and Thorsten R. Fleiter

Coronary Stent Patency: Dual-Energy Multidetector CT Assessment in a Pilot Study with Anthropomorphic Phantom

Dual-energy multidetector CT performed with optimized x-ray tube voltage settings and alternative image postprocessing techniques facilitated enhanced coronary stent lumen depiction beyond that achievable with single-energy multidetector CT.

Hyeonjin Kim, Carmen J. Booth, Alexander B. Pinus, Pengyu Chen, Andrew Lee, Maolin Qiu, Mark Whitlock, Philip S. Murphy, and R. Todd Constable

Induced Hepatic Fibrosis in Rats: Hepatic Steatosis, Macromolecule Content, Perfusion Parameters, and Their Correlations—Preliminary MR Imaging in Rats

When hepatic perfusion parameters are explored in fibrosis-affected liver by using MR imaging, a potential compounding effect of hepatic steatosis on those MR imaging parameters may need to be considered in the interpretation of the data.

Gustav Andreisek, Johannes M. Froehlich, Juerg Hodler, Dominik Weishaupt, Verena Beutler, Christian W. A. Pfirrmann, Chris Boesch, and Daniel Nanz

Direct MR Arthrography at 1.5 and 3.0 T: Signal Dependence on Gadolinium and Iodine Concentrations—Phantom Study

In an in vitro study, we aimed at characterizing the signal-to-noise ratio dependence of a variety of MR imaging sequences commonly employed in musculoskeletal imaging on gadopentetate dimeglumine and ioversol concentrations to facilitate an optimized use of these respective MR imaging and radiographic contrast agents in direct MR arthrography.

Ji-Bin Liu, Gervais Wansaicheong, Daniel A. Merton, See-Ying Chiou, Yao Sun, Kai Li, Flemming Forsberg, Pamela R. Edmonds, Laurence Needleman, and Ethan J. Halpern

Canine Prostate: Contrast-enhanced US-guided Radiofrequency Ablation with Urethral and Neurovascular Cooling—Initial Experience

Contrast-enhanced US with urethral cooling technique allows safe and complete ablation of the prostate in an animal model.

GASTROINTESTINAL IMAGING

Vicky Goh, Steve Halligan, Anita Gharpuray, David Wellsted, Josefin Sundin, and Clive I. Bartram

Quantitative Assessment of Colorectal Cancer Tumor Vascular Parameters by Using Perfusion CT: Influence of Tumor Region of Interest

The position and size of the tumor region of interest (ROI) influence estimates of perfusion obtained, and the degree of observer variation for placement of small ROIs found in our study would be unacceptable for clinical practice.

Richard S. Breiman, Fergus V. Coakley, Emily M. Webb, James J. Ellingson, John P. Roberts, Jennifer Kohr, Juergen Lutz, Naomi Knoess, and Benjamin M. Yeh

CT Cholangiography in Potential Liver Donors: Effect of Premedication with Intravenous Morphine on Biliary Caliber and Visualization

Premedication with intravenous morphine prior to CT cholangiography in potential liver donors does not improve bile duct caliber or visualization, including the clinically relevant second-order ducts.

GENITOURINARY IMAGING

Onofrio A. Catalano, Anthony E. Samir, Dushyant V. Sahani, and Peter F. Hahn

Pixel Distribution Analysis: Can It be Used to Distinguish Clear Cell Carcinomas from Angiomyolipomas with Minimal Fat?

Once lesions with macroscopic fat have been excluded, pixel attenuation histogram analysis cannot be used to distinguish angiomyolipomas (AMLs) from clear cell renal cell carcinomas (CCRCCs); on the contrary, lower CT attenuation is more strongly associated with CCRCCs than with AMLs.

Sooah Kim, Lihuan L. Wang, Jay P. Heiken, Cary L. Siegel, Charles F. Hildebolt, and Kyongtae T. Bae

Opacification of Urinary Bladder and Ureter at CT Urography: Effect of a Log-rolling Procedure and Postvoiding Residual Bladder Urine Volume

Use of a log-rolling procedure prior to excretory phase image acquisition at CT urography increases the percentage of the bladder lumen that is opacified when the postvoiding residual bladder urine volume value at the start of the examination is 4000 mm² or less.

Harriet C. Thoeny, Thomas M. Kessler, Sonia Simon-Zoula, Frederik De Keyzer, Markus Mohaupt, Urs E. Studer, and Peter Vermathen

Renal Oxygenation Changes during Acute Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction: Assessment with Blood Oxygen Level–Dependent MR Imaging—Initial Experience

Blood oxygen level–dependent MR imaging allows the noninvasive detection of functional alterations of the kidneys in patients with acute ureteral obstruction and therefore appears to hold promise as a tool in the assessment of the presence or absence of acute ureteral obstruction in a short time period and without ionizing radiation.

HEAD AND NECK IMAGING

Won-Jin Moon, So Lyung Jung, Jeong Hyun Lee, Dong Gyu Na, Jung-Hwan Baek, Young Hen Lee, Jinna Kim, Hyun Sook Kim, Jun Soo Byun, and Dong Hoon Lee, For the Thyroid Study Group, Korean Society of Neuro- and Head and Neck Radiology

Benign and Malignant Thyroid Nodules: US Differentiation—Multicenter Retrospective Study

US criteria for the discrimination of malignant from benign nodules are taller-than-wide shape, spiculated margin, marked hypoechogenicity, and the presence of micro- or macrocalcifications, of which the diagnostic accuracy may be dependent on tumor size; furthermore, isoechogenicity of the nodule in conjunction with a spongiform appearance are reliable US criteria for benign nodules.

HEALTH POLICY AND PRACTICE

Jocelyn M. Lockyer, Claudio Violato, and Herta Fidler

Assessment of Radiology Physicians by a Regulatory Authority

In this study, we developed and evaluated a multisource feedback set of questionnaires to assess radiologists by using their peers, referring physicians, and co-workers that show evidence for the feasibility of the process and the reliability and validity of the instruments.

MOLECULAR IMAGING

Marcus-René Lisy, Annika Goermar, Claudia Thomas, Jutta Pauli, Ute Resch-Genger, Werner A. Kaiser, and Ingrid Hilger

In Vivo Near-infrared Fluorescence Imaging of Carcinoembryonic Antigen-expressing Tumor Cells in Mice

In vivo whole-body fluorescence imaging in mice with xenografted LS-174T and A-375 tumors showed that carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-expressing tumors within mice could be clearly differentiated from CEA-nonexpressing tumors after injection of anti-CEA–DY-676.

Patrick A. Helm, Peter Caravan, Brent A. French, Vincent Jacques, Luhua Shen, Yaqin Xu, Ronald J. Beyers, R. Jack Roy, Christopher M. Kramer, and Frederick H. Epstein

Postinfarction Myocardial Scarring in Mice: Molecular MR Imaging with Use of a Collagen-targeting Contrast Agent

A collagen-targeting T1-shortening agent, EP-3533, generates positive contrast that may be broadly useful for imaging fibrosis.

MUSCULOSKELETAL IMAGING

Adam C. Zoga, Eoin C. Kavanagh, Imran M. Omar, William B. Morrison, George Koulouris, Hector Lopez, Avneesh Chaabra, John Domesek, and William C. Meyers

Athletic Pubalgia and the "Sports Hernia": MR Imaging Findings

We have found MR imaging to be a specific imaging modality for both rectus abdominis and adductor tendon injuries and to have extremely low false-positivity in patients with athletic pubalgia.

NEURORADIOLOGY

Kyrre E. Emblem, Baard Nedregaard, Terje Nome, Paulina Due-Tonnessen, John K. Hald, David Scheie, Olivera Casar Borota, Milada Cvancarova, and Atle Bjornerud

Glioma Grading by Using Histogram Analysis of Blood Volume Heterogeneity from MR-derived Cerebral Blood Volume Maps

Our results suggest that the histogram method has higher interobserver agreement and yields higher sensitivity and negative predictive values and equal specificity when compared with the hot-spot method.

Blake D. Murphy, Allan J. Fox, Donald H. Lee, Demetrios J. Sahlas, Sandra E. Black, Matthew J. Hogan, Shelagh B. Coutts, Andrew M. Demchuk, Mayank Goyal, Richard I. Aviv, Sean Symons, Irene B. Gulka, Vadim Beletsky, David Pelz, Richard K. Chan, and Ting-Yim Lee

White Matter Thresholds for Ischemic Penumbra and Infarct Core in Patients with Acute Stroke: CT Perfusion Study

Our study provides preliminary evidence that CT perfusion imaging can be used to segment white matter and that a combination of cerebral blood flow and cerebral blood volume can be used to characterize white matter tissue that progresses to infarction or recovers within the 1st week after stroke, with infarction defined at an unenhanced CT examination performed 5–7 days after the event.

PEDIATRIC IMAGING

Hee Kyung Kim, Tal Laor, Norah J. Shire, Judy A. Bean, and Bernard J. Dardzinski

Anterior and Posterior Cruciate Ligaments at Different Patient Ages: MR Imaging Findings

During growth, there are significant angular and morphologic changes involving the anterior cruciate ligament and the posterior cruciate ligament.

SPECIAL REPORT

Lionel Arrivé, Maïté Lewin, Pascale Dono, Laurence Monnier-Cholley, Christine Hoeffel, and Jean-Michel Tubiana

Redundant Publication in the Journal Radiology

Redundant publication of original articles appears to be less frequent in Radiology than in other journals or specialties for which redundant publication information has been reported.

TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENTS

Rashindra Manniesing, Max A. Viergever, Aad van der Lugt, and Wiro J. Niessen

Cerebral Arteries: Fully Automated Segmentation from CT Angiography—A Feasibility Study

To our knowledge, we have presented the first integral method for fully automated segmentation of the complete arterial vasculature from CT angiography.

THORACIC IMAGING

Jean Jeudy, Charles S. White, Reginald F. Munden, and Phillip M. Boiselle

Management of Small (3–5-mm) Pulmonary Nodules at Chest CT: Global Survey of Thoracic Radiologists

In this global survey of thoracic radiologists, the most common recommendation for evaluation of small (3–5-mm) pulmonary nodules at CT was short-term (3–6-month) follow-up, with a bias toward less aggressiveness in cases with a lower risk of malignancy and increased aggressiveness in cases with a higher risk of malignancy.

Valencia King, Anjali A. Vaze, Chaya S. Moskowitz, Larry J. Smith, and Michelle S. Ginsberg

D-Dimer Assay to Exclude Pulmonary Embolism in High-Risk Oncologic Population: Correlation with CT Pulmonary Angiography in an Urgent Care Setting

The results presented here show that, at least in oncologic patients, STA Liatest immunoturbidimetric D-dimer assay results have a high negative predictive value and sensitivity for pulmonary embolism.

Alexander A. Bankier, Sheida Mehrain, Daniela Kienzl, Michael Weber, Marc Estenne, and Pierre Alain Gevenois

Regional Heterogeneity of Air Trapping at Expiratory Thin-Section CT of Patients with Bronchiolitis: Potential Implications for Dose Reduction and CT Protocol Planning

Because the extent of air trapping can vary with the chosen examination protocol, identical protocols should be used when air trapping is compared within and between patients.

VASCULAR AND INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY

Farrah J. Wolf, David J. Grand, Jason T. Machan, Thomas A. DiPetrillo, William W. Mayo-Smith, and Damian E. Dupuy

Microwave Ablation of Lung Malignancies: Effectiveness, CT Findings, and Safety in 50 Patients

Microwave ablation of intraparenchymal pulmonary malignancies is safe, and our preliminary data indicate that it leads to improved survival and local tumor control in a population of patients who are unsuitable for surgery.

Nicholas Fidelman, Allan I. Bloom, Robert K. Kerlan, Jr, Jeanne M. LaBerge, Mark W. Wilson, Ernest J. Ring, and Roy L. Gordon

Hepatic Arterial Injuries after Percutaneous Biliary Interventions in the Era of Laparoscopic Surgery and Liver Transplantation: Experience with 930 Patients

Despite changes in the patient population and alterations in the technique used for percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, the risk of hepatic arterial injury over the past 13 years has remained similar to that established in the 1970s and 1980s.

Mathias A. Müller, Dieter Mayer, Burkhardt Seifert, Borut Marincek, and Jürgen K. Willmann

Recurrent Lower-Limb Varicose Veins: Effect of Direct Contrast-enhanced Three-dimensional MR Venographic Findings on Diagnostic Thinking and Therapeutic Decisions

Direct contrast-enhanced three-dimensional MR venographic results have an effect on diagnostic thinking and therapeutic decisions involving patients suspected of having complex varicose vein anatomy.

John P. McGahan and Vijay P. Khatri

Imaging Findings after Liver Resection by Using Radiofrequency Parenchymal Coagulation Devices: Initial Experiences

The use of the InLine Multichannel Radiofrequency Device for parenchymal coagulation during hepatectomy usually results in a linear region of decreased attenuation, in the range of 1 cm or greater, observed at CT at the site of radiofrequency parenchymal coagulation.

DIAGNOSIS PLEASE

Dheeraj Gandhi, Mayank Goyal, and Pierre R. Bourque

Case 138

Mustafa Kemal Demir, Fugen Vardar Aker, Okan Akinci, and Asu Özgültekin

Case 134: Primary Leptomeningeal Melanomatosis

Although the pigmented tumors may have varied appearances on MR images because of their different degrees of melanin, the identification of T1-weighted shortening on MR images is one of the important imaging clues that leads to the diagnosis of primary leptomeningeal melanomatosis.

SIGNS IN IMAGING

Clara L. Ortiz-Neira

The Puff of Smoke Sign

Moyamoya disease is a chronic cerebrovascular disorder in which the stenosis of major cerebral arteries progresses to occlusion.

COMMUNICATIONS: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Antonietta Giannattasio, Francesco Cirillo, Daniela Liccardo, Manuela Russo, Gianfranco Vallone, and Raffaele Iorio

Diagnostic Role of US for Biliary Atresia

Terry M. Humphrey and Mark D. Stringer

Reply

Edyta Pawelczyk and Joseph A. Frank

Transferrin Receptor Expression in Iron Oxide-labeled Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Branislava Janic and Ali S. Arbab

Iron Oxide-Transfection Agent Complexes Are Not Expected to Coat the Cell Membrane and Prevent CD71 Expression

Richard Schäfer, Rainer Kehlbach, and Jakub Wiskirchen

Reply

Yoshito Tsushima, Ayako Takahashi-Taketomi, and Keigo Endo

Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis in Japan: Advisability of Keeping the Administered Dose as Low as Possible

IN MEMORIAM

Helen Kafka

Richard M. Kafka, MD

Peter J. Barrett

Robert E. Paul, Jr, MD