No abstract available.
Oxides/*diagnostic use ; *Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Liver/*pathology ; Iron/*diagnostic use ; Humans ; Focal Nodular Hyperplasia/*diagnosis ; Female ; *Contrast Media ; Adult

This study was aimed to evaluate the relationship between carotid atherosclerotic plaque stability and the clinical symptoms in patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaques by using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. Fifty patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaques were enrolled and examined with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. The correlation of contrast agent enhancement of the carotid atherosclerotic plaques and the clinical symptoms was analyzed. The results showed that among the 50 patients, plaques were enhanced in the 23 patients with obvious clinical symptoms. In 27 patients without apparent clinical symptoms, plaques were enhanced sparsely in 15 patients and not enhanced in 12 patients. It was suggested that contrast-enhanced ultrasonography could be used for the examination of the microcirculation in carotid atherosclerotic plaques on real-time basis and serve as a new noninvasive approach for the assessment of stability of carotid atherosclerotic plaques.
Carotid Artery Diseases/*ultrasonography ; Contrast Media ; Image Enhancement/*methods ; Phospholipids/*diagnostic use ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sulfur Hexafluoride/*diagnostic use

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of using gadolinium-chelates for digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in patients with contraindications to iodinated contrast material, and to assess the clinically effective concentration of gadolinium (Gd). Gadopentetate dimeglumine and iopromide were used in density measurements. Using 20 mL disposable syringes, serial dilutions of Gd and iopromide with saline were performed. Computed tomography scanning was done and the attenuation of each was recorded as mean Hounsfield units using region of interest analysis. Clinical trials were done in twelve patients with the following types of angiogram or intervention: hemodialysis access, percutaneous biliary drainage, percutaneous nephrostomy, cerebral angiography and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in hepatocellular carcinoma. The density of 1 : 1 diluted Gd was nearly equal to that of 1 : 4 dilution of iopromide, and that of pure Gd was similar to or less than that of 1 : 1 dilution of iopromide. Serum creatinine level was not elevated in any of the patients. Gd is a safe alternative agent in patients with contraindications to iodinated contrast materials. Pure Gd without dilution is the most clinically useful concentration.
Angiography, Digital Subtraction/*methods ; *Contrast Media/adverse effects ; Feasibility Studies ; Gadolinium DTPA/adverse effects/*diagnostic use ; Human ; Safety

Perfusion is a fundamental biological function that refers to the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to tissue by means of blood flow. Perfusion MRI is sensitive to microvasculature and has been applied in a wide variety of clinical applications, including the classification of tumors, identification of stroke regions, and characterization of other diseases. Perfusion MRI techniques are classified with or without using an exogenous contrast agent. Bolus methods, with injections of a contrast agent, provide better sensitivity with higher spatial resolution, and are therefore more widely used in clinical applications. However, arterial spin-labeling methods provide a unique opportunity to measure cerebral blood flow without requiring an exogenous contrast agent and have better accuracy for quantification. Importantly, MRI-based perfusion measurements are minimally invasive overall, and do not use any radiation and radioisotopes. In this review, we describe the principles and techniques of perfusion MRI. This review summarizes comprehensive updated knowledge on the physical principles and techniques of perfusion MRI.
Arteries/chemistry ; Brain Neoplasms/radiography ; Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/standards/*trends ; Spin Labels ; Stroke/radiography

The purpose of this study was to compare the image quality of 3D-TOF MR angiography (MRA) using Gadomer-17 with that using Gd-DTPA in a flow phantom model, and to present preliminary data about the proper dose concentration of Gadomer-17. In the visual analysis of vessel conspicuity, we compared the quality of pre- and post-contrast MIP images. For quantitative analysis, the signal intensities were measured in the axial base 3D-TOF images, and then the relative contrast enhancement was calculated. The results of our studies were that: 1. Maximal signal intensities were obtained at 1 mmol/L of Gadomer-17 and 4 mmol/L of Gd-DTPA. 2. Flow-related signal loss was decreased by Gd-DTPA proportional to the concentration, but Gadomer-17 did not show such a dose accumulative effect. In conclusion, after comparing the results of Gd-DTPA, it was clear that improved MRA images and higher signal intensities of vessels were obtained when lower concentrations of Gadomer-17 were used.
Comparative Study ; Contrast Media*/administration & dosage ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Gadolinium DTPA/diagnostic use* ; Human ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography*

Pericardial fat necrosis is an infrequent cause of acute chest pain and this can mimic acute myocardial infarction and acute pericarditis. We describe here a patient with the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of pericardial fat necrosis and this was correlated with the computed tomography (CT) findings. The MRI findings may be helpful for distinguishing pericardial fat necrosis from other causes of acute chest pain and from the fat-containing tumors in the cardiophrenic space of the anterior mediastinum.
Adult ; Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fat Necrosis/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods ; Male ; Pericardium/*pathology

Hepatic involvement of amyloidosis is common. Diffuse infiltration with hepatomegaly is a usual radiologic finding of hepatic amyloidosis. To our knowledge, this is the first case of amyloidosis involving the liver that presented as a mass.
Aged ; Amyloidosis/*radiography/ultrasonography ; Biopsy, Needle ; Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Diseases/*radiography/ultrasonography ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Breast capillary hemangioma is a type of benign vascular tumor which is rarely seen. Little is known about its presentation on dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI). Here, we describe a case of suspicious breast lesion detected by DCE-MRI and pathologically confirmed as capillary hemangioma. Our case indicates that a small mass with a superficial location, clear boundary, and homogeneous enhancement on DCE-MRI indicates the possible diagnosis of hemangioma, whereby even the lesion presents a washout type curve.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Breast Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; Contrast Media/*diagnostic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Hemangioma, Capillary/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods

No abstract available.
Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Female ; Hepatic Veins/ultrasonography ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Peliosis Hepatis/*diagnosis/ultrasonography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Periosteal osteosarcoma is an extremely rare chondroblastic osteosarcoma in the flat bone. There were authors reporting of two cases of periosteal osteosarcoma in the highly unusual sites. One of them arose from the rib, in a 17-year-old male, which appeared as a hypodense juxtacortical mass with periosteal reaction on CT. The other one arose from the scapula, in a 17-year-old female, which showed the intermediate signal intensity (SI) on T1-weighted image (WI), heterogeneous high SI on T2WI, and rim-enhancement on contrast-enhanced T1WI with cortical destruction on MRI.
Adolescent ; Bone Neoplasms/*radiography ; Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Osteosarcoma/*radiography ; Ribs/*radiography ; Scapula/*radiography