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Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is characterized by nonhealing exposed bone in the maxillofacial region in patients who have undergone bisphosphonate treatment. The underlying etiology is unclear and may be multifactorial. The diagnosis is primarily clinical. Diagnostic tissue sampling may exacerbate the process and is typically avoided, necessitating other diagnostic approaches. The appearance of ONJ at diagnostic imaging is variable and includes sclerotic, lytic, or mixed lesions with possible periosteal reaction, pathologic fractures, and extension to soft tissues. There is a spectrum of signal intensity changes on T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images with variable enhancement, findings that may correspond to the clinical and histopathologic stage of the process. Bone scintigraphy is sensitive with increased uptake in the area of the lesion. Although the imaging findings are nonspecific, there appears to be a role for imaging in the management of ONJ. Radiography is relatively insensitive but typically employed as the first line of radiologic investigation. Computed tomography and MR imaging are more precise in demonstrating the extent of the lesion. A number of imaging modalities have revealed lesions that may be associated with bisphosphonate exposure in asymptomatic individuals or in the context of nonspecific symptoms. The risk of these lesions advancing to overt clinical disease is unknown at this time. The radiologist should be aware of ONJ and include it in the differential diagnosis when evaluating patients with a history of bisphosphonate therapy without jaw irradiation, so as to avoid potentially harmful biopsies.

To prospectively compare magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-defined abnormalities of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee with radiographic severity measurements of OA of the knee and self-reported pain.This study was approved by the institutional review board of University of Michigan. Informed consent was obtained for this HIPAA-compliant study. Knee MR imaging was performed in 117 women (mean age, 46 years; range, 32-56 years) from a community-based arthritis study (n = 1053) with 30 women in each of four categories: (a) no pain and no OA of the knee, (b) no pain and OA of the knee, (c) pain and no OA of the knee, and (d) pain and OA of the knee. OA of the knee was defined from radiographs. Two hundred thirty-two eligible knees had Kellgren-Lawrence scores for OA of the knee as follows: grade 0, 115 (49.6%); grade 1, 33 (14.2%); grade 2, 66 (28.4%); grade 3, 17 (7.3%); and grade 4, one (0.4%). MR images were assessed for location and severity of defects of cartilage, bone marrow edema (BME), osteophytes, subchondral cysts, sclerosis, meniscal and/or ligamentous tears, joint effusion, synovial cysts, and synovitis. MR imaging findings were compared with radiographic severity of OA of the knee (Kellgren-Lawrence scale) and self-reported pain with analysis of variance, t tests, and contingency table analyses.Defects of cartilage (higher than grade IIA) were found in 75% of knees; BME was found in 57% of knees (1 cm, 41%;1 cm, 16%). Large BME lesions were common in the pain and OA of the knee group (P = .001); this group was significantly more likely to have defects of cartilage (P = .001); meniscal tears (P = .001); and osteophytes, subchondral cysts, sclerosis, joint effusion, and synovitis (P.001). Defects of cartilage, osteophytes, sclerosis, meniscal or ligamentous tears, joint effusion, and synovitis were strongly related to increasing Kellgren-Lawrence grade (P.001).In middle-aged women, there were significant associations between pain, radiographic severity of OA of the knee, and seven MR imaging-identified parameters.

Six patients were retrospectively identified as having undergone lateral ligament reconstruction surgery. The surgical procedures were categorized into four groups: direct lateral ligament repair, peroneus brevis tendon rerouting, peroneus brevis tendon loop, and peroneus brevis tendon split and rerouting. At radiography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, the presence of one or more suture anchors in the region of the anterior talofibular ligament indicates direct ligament repair, whereas a fibular tunnel indicates peroneus brevis tendon rerouting or loop. Both ultrasonography (US) and MR imaging demonstrate rerouted tendons as part of lateral ankle reconstruction; however, MR imaging can also depict the rerouted tendon within an osseous tunnel if present, especially if T1-weighted sequences are used. Artifact from suture material may obscure the tendon at MR imaging but not at US. With both modalities, the integrity of the rerouted peroneus brevis tendon is best evaluated by following the tendon proximally from its distal attachment site, which typically remains unchanged. The rerouted tendon or portion of the tendon can then be traced proximally to its reattachment site. Familiarity with the surgical procedures most commonly used for lateral ankle ligament reconstruction, and with the imaging features of these procedures, is essential for avoiding diagnostic pitfalls and ensuring accurate assessment of the ligament reconstruction.

To describe the radiographic appearance of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in adults and to correlate lung opacity with physiologic parameters and mortality.Chest radiographs of 50 adults treated with ECMO were reviewed; pre-ECMO radiographs were available in 35 patients. Lung opacity was assigned a score of 0-4. Complications of ECMO seen at chest radiography were recorded.The lung opacity scores of the first post-ECMO radiographs were higher than those of the pre-ECMO radiographs in 17 of 35 patients (P = .0005). Maximum opacity score was significantly lower for patients who survived compared with those who died (P = .001). Twelve of 14 patients (86%) with a maximum opacity score of 4 died, compared with eight of 29 patients (28%) with a maximum score of 3. Sixteen of 26 patients (61%) with evidence of baro-trauma died, compared with six of 24 patients (25%) without pneumothorax (P = .02). Four patients developed hemothorax.Lung opacity increases immediately after initiation of ECMO. Increased opacity corresponds to decreased pulmonary function, and severe opacity correlates strongly with mortality.