PURPOSE: To assess the usefulness of T2-weighted oblique coronal MR imaging (T2OCI) in the differential diagnosis of complete and partial tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients with ACL tear (16 complete and 17 partial tears), comfirmed by arthroscopy, were included in this study. Conventional MR imaging and T2OCI were performed, and the findings were retrospectively reviewed by two radiologists in terms of continuity, shape, axis and internal signal intensity of the ligament. Each finding was tested if there were stastistically significant differences in its prevalence between partial and complete tears. The diagnostic accuracy of T2OCI and conventional MR imaging in the detection of partial and complete tears of the ACL were compared. RESULTS: Conventional MR imaging revealed no statistically significant finding for differential diagnosis of complete and partial ACL tears. The reliable and statistically significant (p<0.001) findings of T2OCI were complete discontinuity of the ligament in cases involving complete ACL tears (14 of 16 complete tears and 2 of 17 partial tears) and the preservation of the band form for partial ACL tears (2 of 16 complete tears and 15 of 17 partial tears). The accuracy of T2OCI and conventional MR imaging was 88% and 70%, respectively. CONCLUSION: When ACL injury is vague on conventional MR images, a modality which is more useful in the differential diagnosis of partial and complete tears of the ACL, and in predicting the site of a tear, is T2-weighted oblique coronal imaging.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament* ; Arthroscopy ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Humans ; Knee* ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of T2-weighted oblique coronal imaging in the diagnosis of anteriorcruciate ligament (ACL) injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MRI findings of 12 patients with ACL injury and a groupof 12 with normal ACL were respectively reviewed in terms of nonvisualization or focal defect, morphologic changeand increased signal intensity of ACL. Diagnostic accuracy in the conventional sagittal or coronal plane and inthe T2-weighted oblique coronal plane was also compared. T2-weighted oblique coronal scanning was performed, withthe imaging plane parallel to the direction of the intercondylar roof. RESULTS: In the ACL injury group,conventional MR imaging showed nonvisualization or focal defect (10/12), morphologic change (7/12), displacement(4/12), and increased signal intensity (9/12). T2-weighted oblique coronal imaging showed nonvisualization orfocal defect (11/12), morphologic change (5/12), and increased signal intensity(9/12). In the normal ACL group,conventional MR imaging demonstrated false-positive findings, i.e. these mimicked ACL injuries. Nonvisualizationor focal defect (2/12), and morphologic change (1/12), and increased signal intensity (5/12) were seen.T2-weighted oblique coronal imaging demonstrated normal ACL as an anteromedial and posterolateral band ; therewere no false-positive cases. On T2-weighted oblique coronal scan, no normal ACL showed increased signal intersity; compared with conventional MR imaging, this difference was statistically significant(P < 0.005). Overall, thesensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of conventional sagittal or coronal plane and T2-weighted oblique coronalplane imaging were, respectively 92% and 92%, 58% and 100%, and 75% and 96%. CONCLUSION: On T2-weighted obliquecoronal scans, the visualization of all normal anterior cruciate ligaments was better than on conventional MRimages. When ACL injury is vague on conventional MR imaging, T2-weighted oblique coronal imaging is considered tobe useful for the differentiation of ACL injury and normal ACL.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

PURPOSE: To compare T2*-weighted images with spin-echo T1- and turbo spin-echo (TSE) T2-weighted images inpatients with diffuse axonal injury(DAI) MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a 1.0T MR unit, SE T1-, TSE T2-, and andFLASH T2*-weighted images were obtained from 69 patients with a history of head trauma. In 18 MR images of 17patients with imaging findings of DAI, T2*-weighted images were retrospectively compared with SE T1-and TSET2-weighted images. The interval between trauma and MR scan varied from 5 days to 24 (mean, 11) months. Focusingon the number of lesions, and their location and signal intensity, as weel as associated findings, three imageswere simultaueously evaluated. RESULTS: In 18 MR images of 17 patients with MR imaging findings of DAI, 21lesions were detected on T1-weighted images, 28 on TSE T2-weighted images, and 70 on T2*-weighted images; the lastof these revealed all lesions detected on the other two. Most lesions were hypointense on T1-weightedimages(17/21), hyperintense on TSE T2-weighted (21/28), and hypointense on T2*-weighted (63/70). Common locationsfor DAI were the frontal lobe(n=35) and corpus callosum (n=22). Associated brain injuries were cortical contusion(n=5), brainstem injury (n=3), deep gray matter injury (n=2), and subdural hematoma (n=1). CONCLUSION: Inpatients with DAI. T2*-weighted images can detect more lesions and associated petechial hemorrhage than can TSET2-weighted images. This modality is thus useful for the evaluation of patients with head trauma.
Axons ; Brain Injuries ; Brain Stem ; Corpus Callosum ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Diffuse Axonal Injury* ; Hematoma, Subdural ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Retrospective Studies

A primary tumor of mesenteric origin is rare. We encountered a malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) of mesenteric origin that demonstrated severe necrosis, and report the CT findings and review the literature.
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors* ; Mesentery* ; Necrosis

Rothmund-Thomson syndrome(RTS), or poikiloderma congenita, is a rare, multisystem disorder. It is inherited genetically as an autosomal recessive trait, occurring predominantly in females(1.4 : 1). The RTS is comprised of poikiloderma, short stature, sparse hair, juvenile cataracts, skeletal defects, dystrophic teeth and nails, photosensitivity, and hypogonadism. We report a case of RTS who died of bleeding from esophageal varices, pulmonary hemorrhage and septic shock at 25 years of age and had suffered from various diseases such as transient pure red cell aplasia, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, chronic maxillary sinusitis, bronchiectasis, secondary hemochromatosis, and liver cirrhosis in addition to poikiloderma, alopecia, and sexual infantalism which are typical of RTS.
Alopecia ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune* ; Bronchiectasis ; Cataract ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; Hair ; Hemochromatosis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Infant ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Maxillary Sinus ; Maxillary Sinusitis ; Red-Cell Aplasia, Pure* ; Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome* ; Shock, Septic ; Tooth