With the recent upgrade of the MRI system, it has become possible to use 3D arterial spin labeling (3D ASL), which is an MR perfusion imaging technique without use of any contrast material. In this paper, we report the effects of imaging conditions on the cerebral blood flow (CBF) level (the amount of cerebral blood flow per unit brain tissue〔ml/min・100g〕) . We also report our clinical experience with 3DASL. In respect of the imaging conditions, changes in CBF values were examined when the arm and the number of excitations (NEX) were variable. The results showed that there were no significant differences in CBF values between different regions in the brain. This was due probably to the fact that the spin of the labeled blood was unaffected although the arm influenced the spatial resolution of images and NEX affected SN ratio.

In recent years, plain X-ray CT has often been the first choice for imaging examination of acute abdomen in emergency medical settings. Ultrasound examination depends on the skill of the operator and the findings are subjective. However, we often experience cases in which more information can be obtained by abdominal ultrasonography than by plain CT. In this report, we describe two cases in which ultrasonography and plain CT imaging were performed in patients with right lower abdominal pain due to suspected abscess formation around the cecum. In the future, policies to reduce medical costs such as community healthcare initiatives may progress, and the number of facilities with high-priced medical equipment such as X-ray CT may decrease. Ultrasonography provides more information than simple CT examination, so we believe that ultrasonography should be the first choice for diagnostic imaging of acute abdomen. Therefore, it is important for those involved in ultrasonography to continuously acquire knowledge and scanning techniques.