Acta radiologica最新文献

Background: The management of patients with slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) requires imaging diagnostics of good quality and accurate measurement of the degree of slippage. In Sweden, three different radiological methods are commonly used: the calcar femorale method; the Billing method; and the Head-shaft angle described by Southwick.

Purpose: To evaluate whether any of the three most common methods used in Sweden to measure the slip angle was more useful and reproducible than the others.

Material and methods: Two experienced orthopaedists measured the slip angle in preoperative hip radiographs. Intra- and inter-observer variability between the two experienced observers and the reported value by clinicians who treated the child with SCFE was evaluated.

Results: The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) confidence interval (CI) between the two experienced observers and the reporting clinicians overlapped for the three methods. In 37% of the cases, the difference was more than 5° between the experienced observers' measurement and the reported value by clinicians. The two experienced orthopaedists' intra- and inter-observer variability was low.

Conclusion: The observer's experience is more important than the method of choice when measuring the slip angle in SCFE. The research group recommends the calcar femorale method due to its feasibility on the versatile and commonly used frog leg lateral view.

Spinal bone lesions encompass a wide array of pathologies, spanning from benign abnormalities to aggressive malignancies, such as diffusely localized metastases. Early detection and accurate differentiation of the underlying diseases is crucial for every patient's clinical treatment and outcome, with radiological imaging being a core element in the diagnostic pathway. Across numerous pathologies and imaging techniques, deep learning (DL) models are progressively considered a valuable resource in the clinical setting. This review describes not only the diagnostic performance of these models and the differing approaches in the field of spinal bone malignancy recognition, but also the lack of standardized methodology and reporting that we believe is currently hampering this newly founded area of research. In line with their established and reliable role in lesion detection, this publication focuses on both computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, as well as various derivative modalities (i.e. SPECT). After conducting a systematic literature search and subsequent analysis for applicability and quality using a modified QUADAS-2 scoring system, we confirmed that most of the 14 identified studies were plagued by major limitations, such as insufficient reporting of model statistics and data acquisition, a lacking external validation dataset, and potentially biased annotation. Although we experienced these limitations, we nonetheless conclude that the potential of these methods shines through in the presented results. These findings underline the need for more stringent quality controls in DL studies, as well as model development to afford increased insight and progress in this promising novel field.

Background: The capsular ligaments at the hip joint work in synchrony with the acetabulum and femoral head for articular stability. There is a lack of understanding about ischiofemoral ligament (ISFL) anatomy and function.

Purpose: To assess the insertion of the ISFL in non-arthritic adult hips.

Material and methods: A retrospective analysis was performed in 72 patients who underwent magnetic resonance arthrogram (MRA) for the assessment of hip pain. The distribution of the ISFL components, the thickness, and the insertion site were assessed by concomitantly using the axial oblique, coronal, and sagittal MRA images.

Results: Two insertions of the ISFL anterior to the center of the femoral head were identified in 71 (99%) hips: (i) predominant anterior merging with the iliofemoral ligament as continuation of zona orbicularis, observed in all hips; and (ii) anterolateral junction of femoral neck and greater trochanter. Two ISFL parts (proximal and distal) were identified in 70 (97%) of the 72 studied hips. The proximal part was always thinner (mean 2.6 ± 0.7 mm) and originated from the ischium at the acetabular rim. The distal part was a continuation of the zona orbicularis, and the mean thickness was 6.7 ± 1.6 mm. Both parts merged as they coursed over the superior portion of the femoral head.

Conclusion: The predominant insertion of the ischiofemoral ligament is a merging to the iliofemoral ligament anteriorly. Surgical procedures such as hip arthroscopy involving the ISFL will affect the function of the iliofemoral ligament, and vice versa.

Background: Photon-counting detector computed tomography (PCD-CT) is a groundbreaking technology with promising results for visualization of small bone structures.

Purpose: To analyze the delineation of the thoracic spine in multiplanar reconstructions (MPR) on PCD-CT compared to energy-integrating detector (EID)-CT.

Material and methods: Two euthanized mice were examined using different scanners: (i) 20-slice EID-CT and (ii) dual-source PCD-CT at various CTDI_Vol values. Readers evaluated the thoracic spine and selected series with best visualization among signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)-matched pairs.

Results: SNR was significantly higher in PCD-CT reconstructions (Br68) and lower in Hr98 reconstructions compared to EID-CT. Bone detail visualization was superior in PCD-CT (especially in Hr98 reconstructions) compared to EID-CT.

Conclusion: MPR on a PCD-CT had a higher SNR and better bone detail visualization even at lower radiation doses compared to EID-CT. PCD-CT with bone reconstructions showed the best delineation of small bone structures and might be considered in clinical routine.

Background: Bleeding from the puncture tract after percutaneous transhepatic portal vein intervention can become life-threatening. To date, studies about tract embolization with gelatin sponge after percutaneous transhepatic portal vein intervention are only with small numbers of patients, or non-consecutive or pediatric patients with a relatively small sheath in diameter.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of tract embolization with gelatin sponge strips after percutaneous transhepatic poral vein access.

Material and methods: Between September 2017 and February 2024, 100 consecutive patients (61 men, 39 women; mean age = 53 ± 15 years) underwent a total of 105 portal vein interventions using a percutaneous transhepatic approach. Tract embolization for the removal of 6-8 Fr sheath was performed using gelatin sponge strips in all procedures, including 71 portal vein embolization before major hepatectomy, 27 portal balloon venoplasty or stent placement after liver transplantation, and seven other interventions.

Results: No bleeding occurred after tract embolization with gelatin sponge strips. Minor portal vein thrombosis was detected in three procedures after liver transplantation and in one procedure for portal vein stenosis caused by essential thrombocytopenia. Thrombosis occurred in the punctured portal vein branch in all procedures. Thrombosis was not clinically relevant in any patient, and it was difficult to differentiate whether thrombosis was caused by sheath placement or the inserted gelatin sponge.

Conclusion: Tract embolization with gelatin sponge strips after percutaneous transhepatic portal vein intervention is a safe and feasible method for preventing hemorrhage from the puncture tract.

Background: Preoperative prediction of lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) is crucial for improving the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the value of preoperative amide proton transfer (APT) imaging combined with serum CA125 levels for predicting LVSI in cervical cancer.

Material and methods: This retrospective study included 80 patients with cervical cancer who underwent preoperative magnetic resonance imaging, including APT imaging. Serum CA125 levels were measured using a fully automated immunoassay analyzer and chemiluminescence method. The presence of LVSI was determined based on the pathological results after surgery.

Results: Among the 40 patients who met the requirements, 29 had postoperative pathological confirmation of LVSI, while 11 did not. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) of preoperative APT and CA125 levels predicting LVSI were 0.889 and 0.687, respectively. When the APT value was 2.9%, the corresponding Youden index was the highest (0.702), with a sensitivity of 79.3% and specificity of 90.9%. When the critical value of the preoperative serum CA15 level was 25.3 u/mL, the corresponding Youden index was the highest (0.508), with a sensitivity of 69.0% and a specificity of 81.8%. The sensitivity and specificity of preoperative APT imaging combined with serum CA125 in predicting LVSI were 82.7% and 100%, respectively, with a Youden's index of 0.828 and an AUC of 0.923.

Conclusion: The combination of preoperative APT imaging and serum CA125 levels is valuable for predicting LVSI in cervical cancer. Diagnostic efficacy is highest when the APT value is >2.9% and the serum CA125 level is >25.3 u/mL.

Background: Photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) enables new ways of image reconstruction, e.g. material decomposition and creation of virtual non-contrast (VNC) series with higher resolution and lower radiation dose than standard computed tomography (CT). Clinical experiences of this are limited.

Purpose: To compare true non-contrast (TNC) series with VNC series derived from non-enhanced (VNC_u), arterial phase (VNC_a) and portal venous phase (VNC_v) in clinically approved PCCT.

Material and methods: A total of 45 clinical, tri-phasic abdominal CT scans from the PCCT Naetom Alpha, between February 2022 and November 2022, were retrospectively assessed. Placing a region of interest in six different locations in each VNC series - right liver parenchyma, left liver parenchyma, spleen, aorta, erector spinae muscle, and in the subcutaneous fat - absolute Hounsfield values (HU) and standard deviations (SD) were collected. Differences in HU (ΔHU) were compared and statistically analyzed.

Results: Statistically significant differences between VNC and TNC were seen in all measurements, with the largest difference in the subcutaneous fat and the smallest difference in the erector spinae muscle. Only small differences were seen between VNC_a and VNC_v, where the largest differences were seen in the left and right liver lobes.

Conclusion: VNC images from the first-generation clinically approved PCCT showed a significant difference between VNC and TNC images. The differences vary with the type of tissue. Only small differences were seen depending from which contrast phase the VNC was derived.