Automated extraction of vertebral bone mineral density from imaging with various scan parameters: a cadaver study with correlation to quantitative computed tomography.

Purpose: To investigate lumbar vertebral volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) from ex vivo opportunistic multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) scans using different protocols, and compare it to dedicated quantitative CT (QCT) values from the same specimens.

Methods: Cadavers from two female donors (ages 62 and 68 years) were scanned (L1-L5) using six different MDCT protocols and one dedicated QCT scan. Opportunistic vBMD was extracted using an artificial intelligence-based algorithm.

Opportunistic computed tomography (CT) assessment of osteoporosis in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Unlabelled: CT-based opportunistic screening using artificial intelligence finds a high prevalence (43%) of osteoporosis in CT scans obtained for planning of transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Thus, opportunistic screening may be a cost-effective way to assess osteoporosis in high-risk populations.

Background: Osteoporosis is an underdiagnosed condition associated with fractures and frailty, but may be detected in routine computed tomography (CT) scans.

Pediatric Versus Adult Nasopharyngeal Cancer in Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

This study aimed at evaluating apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in the pre-treatment stages of NPC for establishing comparative quantitative parameters between children and adolescents compared to adults. A retrospective multicentric imaging study was conducted in three medical centers by collecting patient data over a 5-year timeframe. Patients were included in the study based on the following criteria: histopathologically proven carcinoma of the nasopharynx with all available medical records.

Simulated low-dose multi-detector computed tomography: spatial effects on surrogate parameters of bone strength at the proximal femur.

Unlabelled: This study investigated simulated tube current reduction and sparse sampling for low-dose computed tomography (CT) regarding volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and cortical bone thickness (Ct.Th) of the proximal femur. Sparse sampling with dose reductions of up to 90% may still allow extraction of bone strength parameters with clinically acceptable accuracy.

Terminologies and definitions used to classify patients with osteoarthritis: a scoping review.

Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA), a prevalent and disabling condition, significantly burdens individuals and healthcare systems worldwide. It is characterized by joint pain, stiffness, and structural changes in cartilage, bone, and synovium. The clinical manifestations of OA vary widely, reflecting complex interactions among genetic, metabolic, biomechanical, and environmental factors.

Consensus Recommendations to Establish Reporting Standards in fMRI of Migraine: A Delphi Study.

Background And Objectives: Migraine is a multifaceted primary headache disorder. In neuroimaging of migraine, fMRI has been used to elucidate pathophysiology or monitor treatment effects. The current literature, however, is highly heterogeneous regarding reported variables and methodologies.

Opportunistic osteoporosis screening in intraoperative CT can accurately identify patients with low volumetric bone mineral density and osteoporosis during spine surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of opportunistic measurements of volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) in intraoperative multi-detector CT (MDCT) scans, using preoperative MDCT as the reference.

Methods: This retrospective, single-center study included 105 patients (mean age: 73 ± 12.6 years, 53 women) who underwent spine surgery for various indications.

Cervicothoracic volumetric bone mineral density assessed by opportunistic QCT may be a reliable marker for osteoporosis in adults.

Unlabelled: This study aimed to validate the correlation between volumetric bone mineral density in the cervicothoracic and lumbar spine using measurements from opportunistic CT scans. The bone density assessment proved feasible, allowing us to propose optimal cut-off values for diagnosing osteoporosis and predicting vertebral fractures in the cervical and thoracic spine.

Objectives: To investigate the performance of cervicothoracic volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), obtained through opportunistic quantitative computed tomography (QCT), in discriminating patients with/without osteoporosis and with/without vertebral fractures (VFs), using lumbar vBMD as the reference.

Corticospinal and Clinical Effects of Muscle Tendon Vibration in Neurologically Impaired Individuals. A Scoping Review.

This review verified the extent, variety, quality and main findings of studies that have tested the neurophysiological and clinical effects of muscle tendon vibration (VIB) in individuals with sensorimotor impairments. The search was conducted on PubMed, CINAHL, and SportDiscuss up to April 2024. Studies were selected if they included humans with neurological impairments, applied VIB and used at least one measure of corticospinal excitability using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

Tube current reduction and iterative image reconstruction for computed tomography myelography.

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the impact of a low-dose (LD) protocol using tube current reduction on image quality, the confidence for intervention planning and guidance, and diagnostic yield for computed tomography (CT) myelography. We retrospectively analyzed 68 patients who underwent CT myelography, with 34 investigations performed with a standard-dose (SD) and 34 investigations performed with a LD protocol (using tube current reduction). The different scans were matched considering variables such as sex, age, presence of spinal instrumentation, and body diameter.

Color-map recommendation for MR relaxometry maps.

Purpose: To harmonize the use of color for MR relaxometry maps and therefore recommend the use of specific color-maps for representing , , and maps and their inverses.

Methods: Perceptually linearized color-maps were chosen to have similar color settings as those proposed by Griswold et al. in 2018.

Magnetic Resonance Assessment of Bone Quality in Metabolic Bone Diseases.

Metabolic bone diseases (MBDs) are a diverse group of diseases, affecting the mass or structure of bones and leading to reduced bone quality. Parameters representing different aspects of bone health can be obtained from various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods such as proton MR spectroscopy, as well as chemical shift encoding-based water-fat imaging, that have been frequently applied to study bone marrow in particular. Furthermore, T2* mapping and high-resolution trabecular bone imaging have been implemented to study bone microstructure.

Cerebral blood flow from arterial spin labeling as an imaging biomarker of outcome after endovascular therapy for ischemic stroke.

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is a contrast agent-free magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF). We sought to investigate effects of CBF within the infarct on outcome and risk of hemorrhagic transformation (HT). In 111 patients (median age: 74 years, 50 men) who had undergone mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for ischemic stroke of the anterior circulation (median interval: 4 days between MT and MRI), post-stroke %CBF difference from pseudo-continuous ASL was calculated within the diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)-positive infarct territory following lesion segmentation in relationship to the unaffected contralateral side.

Color Maps: Facilitating the Clinical Impact of Quantitative MRI.

Presenting quantitative data using non-standardized color maps potentially results in unrecognized misinterpretation of data. Clinically meaningful color maps should intuitively and inclusively represent data without misleading interpretation. Uniformity of the color gradient for color maps is critically important.

A multi-institutional meningioma MRI dataset for automated multi-sequence image segmentation.

Meningiomas are the most common primary intracranial tumors and can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Radiologists, neurosurgeons, neuro-oncologists, and radiation oncologists rely on brain MRI for diagnosis, treatment planning, and longitudinal treatment monitoring. However, automated, objective, and quantitative tools for non-invasive assessment of meningiomas on multi-sequence MR images are not available.

Macro- and microvascular contributions to cerebral structural alterations in patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis.

Atherosclerosis can underly internal carotid artery stenosis (ICAS), a major risk factor for ischemic stroke, as well as small vessel disease (SVD). This study aimed to investigate hemodynamics and structural alterations associated with SVD in ICAS patients. 28 patients with unilateral asymptomatic ICAS and 30 age-matched controls underwent structural (T1-/T2-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging [DTI]) and hemodynamic (pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling and dynamic susceptibility contrast) magnetic resonance imaging.