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Background The plasma cell disease is been studying by the whole-body MRI technology. However, the time requested to learn this radiological technique is unknown. Purpose To esteem, quantitatively and qualitatively, the essential time to learn the whole-body MRI diffusion-weighted imaging with background body signal suppression in patients with plasma cell disease. Materials and methods Between January 2015 and February 2017, three readers in-training with different levels of experience examined the anonymised and randomised whole-body MRI images of 52 patients with a diagnosis of plasma cell disease and analysed their morphological (T1w, T2w with and without fat suppression) and functional sequences. Reports of an expert radiologist were considered the standard of reference. Images were analysed in two sessions, during which each reader was timed. Readers reported the number of segments with lesions and staged the disease using the Durie–Salmon PLUS staging system. Weighted Cohen’s ĸ and Z-test were used to compare the trainees’ reports with those of the expert radiologist, and learning curves were drawn up to show changes between the two sessions. Results Weighted Cohen’s ĸ of number of lesioned segments increased from 0.536 ± 0.123 to 0.831 ± 0.129 (Prob > Z under 0.005), thus approaching the goal of ĸ > 0.8. Trainees reached the level of experienced radiologist in terms of time by the 33rd patient. Agreement concerning the Durie–Salmon PLUS increased from 0.536 ± 0.123 to 0.831 ± 0.129 (Prob > Z under 0.005). Conclusions The findings of this study demonstrate that whole-body MRI with DWIBS can be learned in about 80 reports and leads to a high level of inter-observer concordance when using the Durie–Salmon PLUS staging system.

Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging is constantly gaining more importance in rheumatology, particularly for what concerns the diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment response evaluation. Initially applied principally for the study of ankylosing spondylitis, in the last years, its use has been extended to several other rheumatic diseases. Particularly in the pediatric population, WB-MRI is rapidly becoming the gold-standard technique for the diagnosis and follow-up of both chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis and juvenile spondyloarthritis. In this review, we analyze the benefits and limits of this technique as well as possible future applications.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) and Doppler indices of central retinal arteries and veins for the detection of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and of the usefulness of a second assessment of these variables in the monitoring of ICH. METHODS A total of 46 acute ICH patients with (group 1, n = 25) and without (group 2, n = 21) clinical and radiological computed tomography signs of raised ICP and 40 healthy controls were recruited. The median binocular ONSD and Doppler indices of retinal vessels including resistive index (RI) and retinal venous pulsation (RVP) were compared among groups, both at admission and later during ICH monitoring. RESULTS Median binocular ONSD showed higher accuracy for the detection of increased ICP (sensitivity and specificity 100%), while Doppler indices were less accurate (sensitivity 48% and specificity 95% for RI; 80% and 62% for RVP). In ICH patients, ONSD was significantly elevated in group 1 both at admission (6.40 mm [interquartile range [IQR] = .70] vs. 4.70 [.40]) and at control time (6.00 [.55] vs. 4.55 [.40]; P

Background: Arthroscopic cuff repair is a highly successful technique, but postoperative rehabilitation is complex and the rate of tear recurrence is not negligible. Biological augmentations have been proposed to overcome these drawbacks. The platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a platelet-rich blood fraction that is applied on the repair site to enhance tendon healing. This study evaluates the effectiveness of PRP application in arthroscopic cuff repair. Materials and Methods: A prospective nonrandomized study was carried out on 22 patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Only patients with isolated and repairable supraspinatus tears were included and divided into two groups: 11 patients (Group A) received intraoperative PRP and 11 patients (Group B) did not. All patients had the same rehabilitation and followup protocol. Clinical–functional parameters (visual analog score, active range of motion, University of California at Los Angeles - UCLA, Constant) were recorded at predefined intervals, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed 1 year postoperative. Results: Only one patient of Group B did not complete the study protocol. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were observed. No differences were found in the clinical–functional parameters during the entire study. At 1 year, MRI showed 1 retear in Group A and 2 retears in Group B, but the difference was not significant. Conclusions: The role of PRP as an adjuvant for surgical repair of rotator cuff tears is controversial. In this study, we could not demonstrate significant advantages of PRP for arthroscopic repair of isolated supraspinatus tears. The potential improvement in the structural outcome should be evaluated in the long term to justify the additional costs related to PRP application.

To quantitatively compare the artefact reduction between standard and metallic artefact reduction (MAR) fast spin echo (FSE) T2 sequences in a low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner (0.3 T) in patients with titanium volar wrist plating. Sixteen patients with fractures of the distal radius, treated with titanium volar wrist plating and screws, were examined using a dedicated 0.3 T MRI scanner. Coronal standard FSE T2, FSE T2 high bandwidth (HiBW) and FSE T2 view angle tilting (VAT) sequences were performed. Metallic artefact volume, consisting of both “black” and “bright” artefacts, was calculated for each sequence. Quantitative differences were compared using repeated measures ANOVA test (P

Background: Traumatic brachial plexus injuries are rare but serious consequences of major traumas. Pre-ganglionic lesions are considered irreparable, while post-ganglionic injuries can be potentially treated if an early diagnosis is available. Pre-surgical diagnosis is important to distinguish low-grade from high-grade lesions and to identify their location. The aim of the review is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the identification of adult post-ganglionic lesions due to traumatic brachial plexus injuries, compared to intraoperative findings. Methods: Research on the main scientific electronic databases was conducted. Studies of adults with traumatic post-ganglionic brachial plexus injuries were included. The index test was preoperative MRI and the reference standard was surgical exploration. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Results: Four studies were included for the systematic review, of which three articles met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. Pooled sensitivity and pooled specificity values resulted high. The sensitivity value is associated with a high heterogeneity index of the selected literature. Conclusion: MRI can be considered, despite the limits, the gold standard exam in morphological evaluation of brachial plexus injuries, particularly in the diagnosis of post-ganglionic traumatic injuries.

In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows investigation at the microstructural level, employing techniques able to reveal white matter changes. In the current study, a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis, with a collection of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) indexes, was performed in ALS patients to correlate geno- and phenotype features with MRI data, to investigate an in-vivo correlation of different neuropathological patterns. All patients who underwent the MR-DTI analysis were retrospectively recruited. MRI scan was collected within three months from diagnosis. FA and ADC values were collected in corpus callosum (CC), corona radiata (CR), cerebral peduncle (CR), cerebellar peduncle (CbP) and corticospinal tract at posterior limb of internal capsule (CST). DTI analysis performed in the whole ALS cohort revealed significant FA reduction and ADC increase in all selected regions, as widespread changes. Moreover, we observed a higher value of FA in rCR in bulbar patients. A positive correlation between ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised and FA in rCP was evident. In consideration of the non-invasiveness, the reliability and the easy reproducibility of the method, we believe that brain MRI with DTI analyses may represent a valid tool usable as a diagnostic marker in ALS.

Background and Purpose: Acute ischemic stroke and large vessel occlusion can be concurrent with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Outcomes after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for large vessel occlusion in patients with COVID-19 are substantially unknown. Our aim was to study early outcomes after MT in patients with COVID-19. Methods: Multicenter, European, cohort study involving 34 stroke centers in France, Italy, Spain, and Belgium. Data were collected between March 1, 2020 and May 5, 2020. Consecutive laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases with large vessel occlusion, who were treated with MT, were included. Primary investigated outcome: 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes: early neurological improvement (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale improvement ≥8 points or 24 hours National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 0–1), successful reperfusion (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction grade ≥2b), and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. Results: We evaluated 93 patients with COVID-19 with large vessel occlusion who underwent MT (median age, 71 years [interquartile range, 59–79]; 63 men [67.7%]). Median pretreatment National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score were 17 (interquartile range, 11–21) and 8 (interquartile range, 7–9), respectively. Anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke represented 93.5% of cases. The rate modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction 2b to 3 was 79.6% (74 patients [95% CI, 71.3–87.8]). Thirty-day mortality was 29% (27 patients [95% CI, 20–39.4]). Early neurological improvement was 19.5% (17 patients [95% CI, 11.8–29.5]), and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was 5.4% (5 patients [95% CI, 1.7–12.1]). Patients who died at 30 days exhibited significantly lower lymphocyte count, higher levels of aspartate, and LDH (lactate dehydrogenase). After adjustment for age, initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, and successful reperfusion, these biological markers remained associated with increased odds of 30-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio of 2.70 [95% CI, 1.21–5.98] per SD-log decrease in lymphocyte count, 2.66 [95% CI, 1.22–5.77] per SD-log increase in aspartate, and 4.30 [95% CI, 1.43–12.91] per SD-log increase in LDH). Conclusions: The 29% rate of 30-day mortality after MT among patients with COVID-19 is not negligible. Abnormalities of lymphocyte count, LDH and aspartate may depict a patient’s profiles with poorer outcomes after MT. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT04406090.

Summary Objectives The esophageal speech is one of the possible alaryngeal voices resulting after total laryngectomy. Its production is made by the regurgitation of the air coming from the esophagus, sonorized through the passage from the walls of the upper esophageal sphincter. The neural correlates of this voice have never been investigated, while the neural control of laryngeal voice has been already documented by different studies. Methods Four patients using esophageal speech after total laryngectomy and four healthy controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging. The fMRI experiment was carried out using a “Block Design Paradigm.” Results Comparison of the phonation task in the two groups revealed higher brain activities in the cingulate gyrus, the cerebellum and the medulla as well as lower brain activities in the precentral gyrus, the inferior and middle frontal gyrus and the superior temporal gyrus in the laryngectomized group. Conclusions The findings in this pilot study provide insight into neural phonation control in laryngectomized patients with esophageal speech. The imaging results demonstrated that in patients with esophageal speech, altered brain activities can be observed. The adaptive changes in the brain following laryngectomy reflect the changes in the body and in the voice modality. In addition, this pilot study establishes that a blocked design fMRI is sensitive enough to define a neural network associated with esophageal voice and lays the foundation for further studies in this field.

Purpose Our goal was to evaluate the usefulness of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) ratios in discriminating true from false positives in multiparametric (mp) prostate MRI in clinical practice. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 98 prostate lesions in a series of 73 patients who had undergone prostate mpMRI and standard 12-core prostatic biopsy in our institution from 2016 to 2018. Two experienced radiologists performed double blind ADC value quantifications of both MRI-identified lesions and apparently benign contralateral prostatic parenchyma in a circular region of interest (ROI) of ∼10 mm2. The ratios between the mean values of both measurements (i.e., ADC ratio mean) and between the minimum value of the lesion and the maximum value of the benign parenchyma (i.e., ADC ratio min-max) were automatically calculated. The malignancy of all lesions was determined through biopsy according to Gleason score (GS ≥ 6) and localization. Results For Reader 1, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of ADC ratio mean and ADC ratio min-max were 0.72 and 0.67, respectively, whereas for Reader 2 these values were 0.74 and 0.71, respectively. The best cut-off values for ADC ratio means were ≥ 0.5 (Reader 1) and ≥ 0.6 (Reader 2), with a sensitivity of 76.3 % and 84.2 % and a specificity of 51.7 % and 50 %, respectively. Moreover, based on a threshold of 0.6, no clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) was missed by Reader 1, while only one went unnoticed by Reader 2. Conclusion The ADC ratio is a useful and moderately accurate complementary tool to diagnose prostate cancer in the mp-MRI.

INTRODUCTION: A direct aspiration first pass technique (ADAPT) is an alternative technique as first-line thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion in acute ischemic stroke, still debated when compared to first-line stent retriever. To retrospectively evaluate technical and clinical outcomes of the ADAPT as first-line treatment for anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke with large-bore reperfusion catheters. METHODS: A multicentric data collection from 14 medical centers was retrospectively analyzed. Large-bore catheters had a distal diameter between 0.64 and 0.71 in; stent retriever was added when aspiration alone failed. Baseline characteristics, technical and clinical variables were collected, including NIHSS, thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI), peri-procedural complications, 90-day mRS and 90-day mortality. RESULTS: Overall, 501 patients were treated. No statistically significant difference in terms of baseline features or tPA administration was recorded between patients treated with ADAPT and with additional stent retriever. ADAPT alone was successful in achieving TICI ≥ 2b in 71.8% with a median of 1.55 aspiration attempts. In terms of TICI ≥ 2b, ADAPT alone was better than additional stent retriever (p

71-year-old patient affected by right parietal gemistocytic astrocytoma treated with subtotal resection and subsequent combined radiation therapy–chemotherapy.

58-year-old patient with left frontal anaplastic astrocytoma treated with surgery and subsequent combined radiation therapy–chemotherapy. Multimodal CT/MR (morphologic and perfusion study) follow-up performed in the early and late postoperative phase at 1, 9, and 12 months after surgery and combined radiation therapy–chemotherapy.

45-year-old patient with a low-grade astrocytoma of the right temporal lobe treated with subtotal excision and subsequent chemotherapy. Morphofunctional MR follow-up performed with morphologic study, perfusion, and spectroscopy at 36 months after surgery and combined chemotherapy.

58-year-old patient with right frontal-temporal-parietal-insular anaplastic oligodendroglioma treated with surgery and subsequent combined radiation therapy–chemotherapy and second-line chemotherapy. Morphofunctional MR follow-up performed with morphologic study, perfusion, and spectroscopy preoperatively and at 10, 15, and 19 months after surgery and combined chemotherapy.

After glioma resection, the neuroradiological evaluation performed with MRI could be an authentic challenge. The knowledge of changes of brain tissue during time and other normal consequences related to craniectomy and surgical trauma is helpful and allows to choose correct treatment in case of complications.

19-year-old patient came to the emergency room with headache and intracranial hypertension and he was treated with surgery for a GBM localized in the left temporal lobe.

45-year-old patient with bilateral frontal anaplastic oligoastrocytoma treated with subtotal resection and subsequent combined radiation therapy–chemotherapy. Morphofunctional MR follow-up performed with morphologic study, perfusion, and spectroscopy preoperatively and at 3 months after surgery and radiation therapy–chemotherapy.

58-year-old patient with low-grade astrocytoma of the left frontal lobe treated with surgery and first-line chemotherapy. Morphofunctional MR follow-up performed with morphologic study, perfusion, and spectroscopy preoperatively and at 5 and 10 months after surgery and combined chemotherapy.

30-year-old patient with right frontal glioblastoma multiforme treated with surgery and combined radiation therapy–chemotherapy. Morphologic CT/MR studies performed at 5 months (following diastasis of the craniotomy bone flap with underlying purulent collection and subsequent acrylic resin cranioplasty) and at 12 months after resection.

The role of radiotherapy (RT) in the treatment of different brain tumors is now widely consolidated. Standard treatment of patients with glioblastoma consists of surgery and postoperative radiotherapy with temozolomide followed by adjuvant temozolomide.

Patient with right frontal low-grade oligoastrocytoma treated with partial excision surgery and subsequent combined radiation therapy–chemotherapy following anaplastic transformation. Morphofunctional MR follow-up performed with morphologic study, perfusion, and spectroscopy at 24 months after surgery and combined chemotherapy.

36-year-old patient arrived in the emergency room after an epilectic attack; he was treated with surgery for a low-grade astrocytoma localized in the right fronto-temporo-insular area.

47-year-old patient treated with surgery for a grade III astrocytoma of the left temporal lobe. Morphofunctional MR follow-up performed with morphologic imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, and spectroscopy 12 months after surgery and radiation therapy.

Purpose: To perform a survey among all members of the Italian Society of Medical and Interventional Radiology (SIRM) to assess how whole-body MRI (WB-MRI) is performed in oncologic patients in Italy. Methods: On March 2019, we administered an online poll to all SIRM members about their use of WB-MRI in 2018 asking 15 questions regarding oncologic indications, imaging protocol, use of contrast media, experience in WB-MRI, duration of scan time and reporting time. Results: Forty-eight members participated to the survey. WB-MRIs/total MRIs ratio was 1%. Lymphoma was the most common indication (17/48, 35%), followed by myeloma and prostate cancer, with these three tumors representing the most common indication in 39/48 of cases (81%). WB-MRI acquisition time and reporting time were 46–60min in 22/48 centers (46%) and 20–30min in 19/48 (40%), respectively. WB-MRIs were mostly performed in 1.5T scanners (43/48, 90%), with surface coils (22/48, 46%) being preferred to Q-body (15/48, 31%) and integrated coils (11/48, 23%). Contrast media were injected in 22/48 of the centers (46%), mainly used for breast cancer (13/22, 59%). DWI was the most used sequence (45/48, 94%), mostly with b800 (27/48, 56%), b0 (24/48, 50%) and b1000 (20/48, 42%) values. In about half of cases, radiologists started evaluating WB-MRI non-contrast morphologic sequences, then checking DWI and post-contrast images. Conclusion: WB-MRI was mainly performed at 1.5T unit, with lymphoma, myeloma and prostate cancer having been the most common indications. The extreme variability in the choice of imaging protocols and use of contrast agents demonstrates the need of a standardization of WB-MRI application in clinical practice.

Quantitative bone marrow (BM) MR sequences, as DWI and CSI, were used to evaluate BM water–fat composition. The aim of the study was to assess the potential usefulness of fat fraction (FF) and ADC, calculated by CSI or DWI, in diagnosing and classifying myeloma (MM) patients according to their different BM infiltration patterns. The study group included 43 MM patients (19F; 24M; mean age 64 years), 15 asymptomatic, 15 symptomatic with diffuse BM infiltration and 13 symptomatic with focal lesions (FLs). The control group was made up of 15 healthy subjects (7F; 8M; mean age 64 years). MRI examinations consisted of sagittal T1w TSE on the spinal column, axial DWI (b 50–400–800 mm2/s) and coronal T2 Dixon, on the whole body. Mean ADC and FF were calculated placing 1 ROI on 6 vertebras and 2 ROIs on either the pelvis or FL. ANOVA with Bonferroni’s correction showed a significant difference in ADC values among the different groups of MM patients (P

Whole-body MRI (WB-MRI) with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can now be used to stage and restage multiple myeloma (MM) and lymphoma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the standard tool to detect BM involvement (BMI). The 2016 diagnostic criteria of the International Myeloma Working Group identify WB-MRI and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) as the most sensitive imaging techniques for detecting skeletal and extra-skeletal MM invasion, respectively. Preliminary findings have also shown that WB-MRI is better than CT and equal to PET/CT in staging aggressive lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma, whereas MRI is better for diagnosing BMI in patients with low-grade lymphoma. Signal intensity (SI) and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) are useful metrics to quantify the chemotherapy response in WB-MRI.

Background The aim of this study was to determine whether apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) bi-component curve-fitting histogram analysis and volume percentage change (VPC) prior to bevacizumab treatment can stratify progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) on first recurrence. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 17 patients with recurrent GBM who received bevacizumab and fotemustine ( n = 13) or only bevacizumab ( n = 4) on first recurrence at our institution between December 2009 and July 2015. Both T2/FLAIR abnormalities and enhancing tumor on T1 images were mapped to the ADC images. ADC-L and ADC-M values were obtained trough bi-Gaussian curve fitting histogram analysis. Furthermore, the study population was dichotomized into two subgroups: patients displaying a reduction in enhancing tumor volume of either >55% or 41% or Results In univariate analysis, contrast-enhanced (CE)-ADC-L was significantly predictive of PFS ( p = 0.01) and OS ( p = 0.03). When we dichotomized our sample using the 55% cut-off for enhancing tumor volume, CE-VPC was able to predict PFS ( p = 0.01) but not OS ( p = 0.08). In multivariate analysis, only the CE-ADC-L was predictive of PFS ( p = 0.01), albeit not predictive of OS ( p = 0.14). CE-ADC-M, T2/FLAIR-ADC-L, T2/FLAIR-ADC, and T2/FLAIR VPC were not significantly predictive of PFS and OS ( p > 0.05) in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Conclusions CE-ADC and CE-VPC can stratify PFS for patients with recurrent glioblastoma prior to bevacizumab treatment.

The main objective of this phase I trial was to assess the feasibility and safety of microtransplanting human neural stem cell (hNSC) lines into the spinal cord of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Eighteen patients with a definite diagnosis of ALS received microinjections of hNSCs into the gray matter tracts of the lumbar or cervical spinal cord. Patients were monitored before and after transplantation by clinical, psychological, neuroradiological, and neurophysiological assessment. For up to 60 months after surgery, none of the patients manifested severe adverse effects or increased disease progression because of the treatment. Eleven patients died, and two underwent tracheotomy as a result of the natural history of the disease. We detected a transitory decrease in progression of ALS Functional Rating Scale Revised, starting within the first month after surgery and up to 4 months after transplantation. Our results show that transplantation of hNSC is a safe procedure that causes no major deleterious effects over the short or long term. This study is the first example of medical transplantation of a highly standardized cell drug product, which can be reproducibly and stably expanded ex vivo, comprising hNSC that are not immortalized, and are derived from the forebrain of the same two donors throughout this entire study as well as across future trials. Our experimental design provides benefits in terms of enhancing both intra- and interstudy reproducibility and homogeneity. Given the potential therapeutic effects of the hNSCs, our observations support undertaking future phase II clinical studies in which increased cell dosages are studied in larger cohorts of patients. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2019;8:887–897

Introduction. Mechanical thrombectomy with ADAP-technique of ischemic stroke has been reported as fast and effective. Aim of this study is to evaluate imaging criteria as possible predictors of stroke severity, therapeutic success, and outcome. Materials and Methods. Patients (30) presenting from October 2015 to April 2017 with Emergent Large Vessel Occlusion of the anterior circulation were treated with ADAP-technique. 22 received also IV tPA; 8 underwent endovascular treatment only. Every patient was evaluated with noncontrast CT, multiphase angiography-CT, and perfusion CT. Clinical and radiological characteristics were measured. Good clinical outcome was an improvement of 8 points on NIHSS at discharge or a modified Rankin Scale ≤2 at discharge and at 90 days. Results. Successful revascularization was obtained in 57% of patients, no procedural complications were witnessed, and only two hemorrhages were reported. Good outcome at discharge was obtained in 11 patients (37%) and predicted by NCCT ASPECT and TICI; outcome at 90 days was predicted by NCCT ASPECT, clot length, and premorbid mRS. Mortality was 23% at discharge and 30% at 90 days. Conclusion. ADAPT is an effective endovascular method of stroke treatment with fast procedural times. Multimodal CT evaluation is effective in assessing stroke severity, providing important prognostic information, which is able to select patients for the appropriate treatment.

BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of a combined computed tomography angiography (CTA) and computed tomography perfusion (CTP) approach in the diagnosis of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS Nineteen patients with clinical signs of arterial vasospasm and positive transcranial Doppler (TCD) were enrolled and underwent CTP. Mean time transit (MTT), cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) values of 20 standardized ROI (regions of interest) were analyzed, and CTA used to measure the gauge of 26 arterial ramifications. CTA measurements were compared with those taken upon hospitalization. Of the 19 patients, 11 were scheduled for digital subtraction angiography (DSA), performed less than 12 hours after execution of the CTA-CTP protocol. The results were compared with findings of DSA and/or clinical follow-up and CT or TCD. RESULTS Computed tomography angiography diagnosis of vasospasm was confirmed in all cases (100% sensitivity and 100% specificity), while CTP yielded 3 false negatives (70% sensitivity and 100% specificity). All patients sent for endovascular treatment had received diagnostic confirmation of vasospasm by angiography. CTP thresholds proved reliable in both diagnosis and indicating treatment. CONCLUSIONS Combined one-shot CT angiography and CT perfusion represents a valid alternative to DSA in the diagnosis and management of cerebral vasospasm.

We describe a 64-year-old woman, suffering from late-onset obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) from the age of 57, who developed dysarthria and dysphagia, spastic diplegic, and proximal muscles weakness. Needle electromyography showed no active denervation. Neuropsychological evaluation showed intact cognitive functioning. We diagnosed upper motor neuron disease (MND), with no known genetic correlates. Brain magnetic resonance (MRI) detected bilateral hippocampal atrophy with sclerosis of right hippocampus. 18F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET) showed moderate right temporal cortex thinning. Six months later, motor and behavioral symptoms worsened. Neuropsychological examination revealed long-term memory deficit and executive dysfunction. MRI and PET evidenced severe worsening of atrophy in temporal and frontal lobes. Four years later a definitive diagnosis of primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) and FTD was made. To our knowledge, this is the first report of PLS and FTD with OCD at onset.

Aqueductal stroke volume (ACSV) measured by phase-contrast cine (PCC)-MRI has been proposed with controversy as a tool for the selection of patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) as candidates for shunt-surgery. The aim of this study was to assess if PCC-MRI scan measurements of ACSV could select properly these patients.We retrospectively reviewed charts and MRI of 38 shunted patients (72.16±6.16 years). ACSV measurements were performed 7-30 days before shunt and at the first and sixth months after surgery. Normally distributed variables were compared in the two groups (improved/unimproved) by t-test for baseline values and with repeated measures analysis of variance.Twenty-six patients (68,4%) improved after VPS (mean time of symptom onset was 8.15±7.19 months). Mean preoperative ACSV value was 271.85±143.03, which decreased by 21.6% (mean 213±125.14) at the first month and 40.3% sixth months after VPS (mean 162.15±91.5). Twelve patients (31.6%) did not improve (mean time of symptom onset was 29±5.62 months). Mean preoperative ACSV value was 79.83±31.24, decreased to 8.7% (mean 72.83±28.66) at first month after VPS. 21.2% (mean 62.83±31.12) after six months. We found statistical difference between preoperative ACSV of improved and unimproved patients (P0.01), onset time of symptoms (P0.01) and the changes in ACSV after one and six months in both groups (P0.001).ACSV is useful to stratify patients with NPH after surgery (improved /not improved) suggesting to proceed with serial ACSV measurements before deciding treatment.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable neuro-degenerative disease that lacks specific biomarkers. Hence, for the accuracy of diagnosis, a definite exclusion of ALS-mimic syndromes is m...

This paper reports our preliminary experience with the endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms using flow-diverter stents (FDs) and compares it with the literature data.From May 2009 to April 2012, 28 patients (6 men and 22 women; mean age, 54 years) with a total of 35 aneurysms were treated with FDs. We evaluated postprocedural technical success and long-term efficacy, with follow-up examinations performed at 3-7 days [computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance (MR) angiography] and at 3, 6 and 12 months (digital subtraction angiography, DSA). A total of 43 FDs were placed, 36 Pipeline and 7 Silk.A total of 30 procedures were performed (two patients were treated twice). Technical success was 96.6%, with one case of postprocedural death; the aneurysm exclusion rate at 3, 6 and 12 months was 60%, 73% and 89%, respectively. There was no case of acute stent thrombosis, and only two cases of nonsignificant stenosis. All covered side branches were patent, except one case of steno-occlusion of the ophthalmic artery.Our results are consistent with the literature and demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of FDs in selected cases of cerebral aneurysm (wide neck, fusiform, blister-like).

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to assess whether the early monitoring of the effects of bevacizumab in patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) using perfusional dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after the beginning of antiangiogenic therapy is predictive of treatment response. METHODS Thirteen patients with recurrent GBM underwent perfusion MRI with relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) mapping before (T0) and after the beginning (T1) of bevacizumab treatment. Recurrence Regions of Interest (RoIs) were positioned on the enhancing component of tumoral tissue revealed by postcontrast T1-weighted images. The rCBV measurements on the corresponding maps were made before and after the start of the antiangiogenic therapy. The Cox proportional hazards model and the Kaplan-Meier method were used with the log-Rank Test to establish whether pre- and postbevacizumab rCBV predicted progression-free survival (PFS). We tried to assess if there was a correlation between rCBV at T0 and rCBV at T1 using the Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS In the univariable analysis, rCBV was significantly predictive of PFS at T0 (HR=5.3, P=0.003) and at T1 (HR=4.14, P=0.04). Similarly, in the multivariate Cox model analysis, rCBV was predictive of PFS at T0 (HR=4.4, P=0.04) and T1 (HR=4.2, P=0.02). PFS was longer in patients whose rCBV was less than 4.50 mL/100g at T0 and less than 1.83 mL/100g at T1 than in patients with higher rCBV values. There was a moderate positive correlation between rCBV at T0 and rCBV at T1 (P=0.032, R=0.546). CONCLUSIONS Despite the limited number of enrolled patients, rCBV assessed using DSC-MRI through the parameter rCBV is proved reliable in predicting the effects of antiangiogenic treatment in patients with recurrent GBM.

We describe a case of a rare soft-palatal and parapharyngeal mass in an adult woman. A 71-year-old female presented with a huge mass protruding from the soft palate, complaining about difficulty in swallowing for the past 4 months. After inspection and ear nose and throat fibroscopy, in which the mass appeared regular-shaped and with a regular mucosa, the patient underwent a CT scan and MRI examination. The CT scan showed an oval, not-infiltrating, hypodense mass including a discrete irregular-shaped central calcification, while the MRI examination confirmed the non-infiltrating growth and showed that around the calcified core, the lesion was surrounded by fat. After surgical removal, the histopathologic diagnosis was that of an "ectomesenchymal chondromyxoid tumour". Ectomesenchymal chondromyxoid tumour is a rare benign neoplasm arising from the tongue. Although only 45 cases have been reported in the literature, there are several unique features that define this lesion. Ours is the first case with a complete CT scan and MRI with diffusion imaging description.

The aim of this retrospective study was to map the specific ischemic lesion patterns of distribution in patent foramen ovale-related stroke (PFO-stroke) and atrial fibrillation-related stroke (AF-stroke) in patients with idiopatic ischemic stroke. 750 ischaemic strokes were screened on basis of diagnostic imaging and tests: patients with known causes were excluded. 171 patients with unknown cause were selected and divided in two groups: AF-stroke (43 patients) and PFO-stroke (128 patients). Vascular territories of ischemic involvement were divided into four classes in each group: the anterior cerebral artery, the middle cerebral artery, the vertebro-cerebral artery (including the posterior cerebral artery) and multisite (MS) involvement. Infarcts in vertebro-basilar territory and multisite represented each one about 32% of infarcts in PFO-stroke group and their involvement are more frequent than AF-stroke group (p = 0.03). Ischemic lesions in PFO-group were predominantly cortical (34.3%), and in AF-group cortical-subcortical (60.4%). Multisite pattern of ischemic lesion was more frequent in patients with severe degree of right to left shunts (37.5%). In clinical practice, PFO may be considered a cause of cortical stroke on the basis of radiological findings, when VB vascular territory or MS brain involvement is present in younger patients (

This study aimed at evaluating the role of “baseline” apparent diffusion coefficent (ADC), in patients affected by head and neck cancer treated with radio-chemotherapy, as a potential marker of response to therapy. Fifty-seven patients underwent pretreatment ADC maps. Minimum, maximum, and medium ADC were computed. Age, dose, treatment time, and ADC values were compared between the two groups (Group 1: local control; Group 2: relapse/persistence of disease) using the Student t test two-tailed unpaired. Two-tailed Fischer exact test was used to compare T stage, N stage, grading and type of treatment between two groups. We have analyzed the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) of statistically significant variables. In patients with local control, values of pre-treatment medium and minimum ADC were lower than ADC values of patients with persistent or recurrent disease, with values, respectively, of 0.83 ± 0.02 × 10–3 mm2/s and 0.59 ± 0.02 × 10–3 mm2/s (vs 0.94 ± 0.05 × 10–3 mm2/s and 0.70 ± 0.05 × 10–3 mm2/s). ROC curve analysis displayed statistical significance as regarding the medium ADC value, showing a sensitivity of 50% and a specificity of 84.8%. ROC analysis of the values minimum ADC showed a sensitivity of 42.9% and specificity of 87.9%. The value of the ADC pre-treatment of patients with local control of the disease is lower than that of patients with persistent disease or recurrence.

Intraspinal stem cell (SC) transplantation represents a new therapeutic approach for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) clinical trials. There are considerable difficulties in designing future efficacy trials, some related to the field of ALS and some that are specific to SCs or the mode of delivery. In October 2015, the most controversial points on SC transplantation were addressed during an international workshop intended to bring together international SC and ALS researchers in a public discussion on a topic for which expertise is limited. During the meeting, a discussion was started on the basic structure of the ideal clinical trial testing the efficacy and safety of SC transplantation. The current document includes a number of consensus points reflecting the design of phase II/III clinical trials.

Balò's sclerosis is considered a rare variant of multiple sclerosis characterized by demyelination with concentric rings. Advanced magnetic resonance studies allow nowadays early diagnosis and prompt treatment. However, the pathophysiology of lesion evolution is still matter of debate, as detailed in our literature review. Based on a clear-cut Balò's lesion analysis, we describe early changes in DWI and ADC values within the different layers, favoring the concept of a centrifugal growth.

Background. The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of whole-body MRI with diffusion-weighted sequences (WB-DW-MRI) with that of18F-FDG-PET/CT in the staging of patients with primary gastrointestinal lymphoma.Methods. This retrospective study involved 17 untreated patients with primary abdominal gastrointestinal lymphoma. All patients underwent18F-FDG-PET/CT and WB-DW-MRI. Histopathology findings or at least 6 months of clinical and radiological follow-up was the gold standard. The Musshoff-modified Ann Arbor system was used for staging, and diagnostic accuracy was evaluated on a per-node basis.Results. WB-DW-MRI exhibited 100% sensitivity, 96.3% specificity, and 96.1% and 100% positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and PPV and NPV of PET/CT were 95.9%, 100%, and 100% and 96.4%, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the two techniquesp=0.05. The weighted kappa agreement statistics with a 95% confidence interval were 0.97 (0.95–0.99) between the two MRI readers and 0.87 (0.82–0.92) between the two methods.Conclusions. WB-DW-MRI appears to have a comparable diagnostic value to18F-FDG-PET/CT in staging patients with gastrointestinal lymphoma.

We retrospectively evaluated the role of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with fat and background signal suppression in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions of the chest-mediastinum by calculating the mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values.Thirty-four patients with lung nodules/mediastinal masses underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the chest with conventional and DWI sequences. All patients had been previously studied with computed tomography (CT). After magnetic resonance (MR) imaging the patients underwent transthoracic CT-guided biopsy or mediastinoscopy. After the histopathological diagnosis had been obtained, the lesions were retrospectively divided into five groups: adenocarcinomas (n=16), squamous cell carcinomas (n=12), chronic pneumonias (n=2), malignant mediastinal tumours (n=2) and typical carcinoids (n=2). We compared ADC values in the different lesion groups using the Mann-Whitney U test.There were statistically significant differences (p0.05) between ADC values of benign and malignant lesions. Using an ADC value of 1.25×10⁻³ mm²/s as a threshold, we were able to differentiate malignant from benign lesions with 91% diagnostic accuracy, 90% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value and 57% negative predictive value.Short-tau inversion-recovery echo-planar imaging (STIR-EPI) sequences applied to the chest-mediastinum provided potentially useful images for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions.

Objectives To evaluate the relationship between chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) and the presence of a Chronic Venous Disorder (CVD). Method We included 55 subjects with CCSVI aged >18 years, and 186 controls without CCSVI. Each subject was evaluated with color Doppler sonography in accordance with Zamboni’s five criteria, examined by two neurologists and interviewed with an ad-hoc designed form. The neurologists and the sonographers were mutually blinded. CVD were classified according to CEAP. Results Mean age was 42 years (SD = 9) in cases and 43 years (10) in controls ( p = ns). The odds ratios in subjects CCSVI were 0.6 (0.2–2.2) for CEAP 1, 0.9 (0.2–4.5) for CEAP 2, and 1.0 (0.6–1.9) for family history of varicose veins. The prevalence of CVD and, family history of varicose veins, was similar between cases and controls for each Zamboni criterion. Conclusions We found no association of CCSVI with the presence of CVD or family history of varicose veins.

Whole body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with diffusion-weighted imaging (WB-MRI-DWI) is currently emerging as a diagnostic technique in the evaluation of bone metastases from breast, prostate, lung, thyroid, and melanoma tumors. The most relevant articles regarding the detection of solid tumor bone metastases with MRI have been reviewed and cited. The imaging methods currently used in the detection of bone metastases are bone scintigraphy, computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET/CT) with 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18] fluoro-d-glucose (18F-FDG PET/CT). WB-MRI-DWI allows qualitative and quantitative evaluation of focal lesions through signal intensity evaluation on DWI images and the reconstruction of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map. In prostate and breast cancer, WB-MRI-DWI is useful in assessing the response of bone lesions to therapy and to detecting early non-responders, while in lung cancer the method shows a similar sensitivity to 18F-FDG PET/CT in the detection of bone metastases. In bone metastases of thyroid tumors and melanoma, the WB-MRI-DWI shows a higher sensitivity when compared to 18F-FDG PET/CT. With a standardization of the WB-MRI-DWI protocol, this method seems to play an important role in the diagnosis of bone solid tumor metastases.

To analyse the role of MR diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) and perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) in characterising tumour boundaries in patients with glioblastoma multiforme. Seventeen patients with surgically treated WHO IV grade gliomas who were candidates for adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy were enrolled. Before (T0) and after radiation treatment (T1), they underwent DTI and PWI, and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA) and relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) in the enhancing tumour, the hyperintense tissue adjacent to the enhancing tumour, and the normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) adjacent to the hyperintense areas were analysed. The enhancing tissue at T1 was retrospectively divided on the basis of whether or not it was also enhancing at T0. The controls were the corresponding contralateral areas, on which we normalized the rCBV values, calculating the rCBV ratio. In NAWM, we did not find any significant differences in FA, ADC or rCBV. In the hyperintense perilesional regions, FA was significantly lower and ADC significantly higher than in the unaffected contralateral tissue; there were no significant differences in the rCBV maps. The values of FA, ADC and rCBV in enhancing neoplastic tissue were all significantly different from those observed in the contralateral tissue. There was no significant difference in rCBV values between the areas enhancing at T0 and those not enhancing at T0 but enhancing at T1, which may indicate the neoplastic transformation of apparently normal brain tissue. DTI metrics identify ultrastructural changes in hyperintense perilesional areas, but these are not specific for neoplastic tissue. rCBV seemed to reflect an ultrastructural alteration that was not visible at T0, but became visible (as neoplastic progression) on conventional MR images at T1. These findings could help identify tissue at risk of tumour infiltration.

Importance Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) is characterized by restricted venous outflow from the brain and spinal cord. Whether this condition is associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) and whether venous percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) is beneficial in persons with MS and CCSVI is controversial. Objective To determine the efficacy and safety of venous PTA in patients with MS and CCSVI. Design, Setting, and Participants We analyzed 177 patients with relapsing-remitting MS; 62 were ineligible, including 47 (26.6%) who did not have CCSVI on color Doppler ultrasonography screening. A total of 115 patients were recruited in the study timeframe. All patients underwent a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, parallel-group trial in 6 MS centers in Italy. The trial began in August 2012 and concluded in March 2016; data were analyzed from April 2016 to September 2016. The analysis was intention to treat. Interventions Patients were randomly allocated (2:1) to either venous PTA or catheter venography without venous angioplasty (sham). Main Outcomes and Measures Two primary end points were assessed at 12 months: (1) a composite functional measure (ie, walking control, balance, manual dexterity, postvoid residual urine volume, and visual acuity) and (2) a measure of new combined brain lesions on magnetic resonance imaging, including the proportion of lesion-free patients. Combined lesions included T1 gadolinium-enhancing lesions plus new or enlarged T2 lesions. Results Of the included 115 patients with relapsing-remitting MS, 76 were allocated to the PTA group (45 female [59%]; mean [SD] age, 40.0 [10.3] years) and 39 to the sham group (29 female [74%]; mean [SD] age, 37.5 [10.6] years); 112 (97.4%) completed follow-up. No serious adverse events occurred. Flow restoration was achieved in 38 of 71 patients (54%) in the PTA group. The functional composite measure did not differ between the PTA and sham groups (41.7% vs 48.7%; odds ratio, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.34-1.68;P = .49). The mean (SD) number of combined lesions on magnetic resonance imaging at 6 to 12 months were 0.47 (1.19) in the PTA group vs 1.27 (2.65) in the sham group (mean ratio, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.15-0.91;P = .03: adjustedP = .09) and were 1.40 (4.21) in the PTA group vs 1.95 (3.73) in the sham group at 0 to 12 months (mean ratio, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.32-1.63;P = .45; adjustedP = .45). At follow-up after 6 to 12 months, 58 of 70 patients (83%) in the PTA group and 22 of 33 (67%) in the sham group were free of new lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (odds ratio, 2.64; 95% CI, 1.11-6.28;P = .03; adjustedP = .09). At 0 to 12 months, 46 of 73 patients (63.0%) in the PTA group and 18 of 37 (49%) in the sham group were free of new lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (odds ratio, 1.80; 95% CI, 0.81-4.01;P = .15; adjustedP = .30). Conclusion and Relevance Venous PTA has proven to be a safe but largely ineffective technique; the treatment cannot be recommended in patients with MS. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT01371760