The Journal of computed tomography最新文献

We report the computed tomography findings in an unusual case of diffuse metastatic calcification secondary to renal failure.

A surgically proved case of lipomatous hypertrophy of the interatrial septum is demonstrated on magnetic resonance imaging. The intensity on T₁-weighted images and characteristic distribution of the lesion may make the diagnosis possible without surgical intervention.

Pericardial cysts are infrequently found. They are generally located in the cardiophrenic angle, dominantly on the right side. We present an example of a pericardial cyst in the anterior mediastinum abutting the ascending aorta.

Twenty-seven patients with locally advanced and inoperable bladder carcinoma (LABCa) were referred for chemotherapy. All were staged by cytoscopy, examination under anesthesia, and computed tomography (CT), and 18 also had bipedal lymphangiography (LAG). In 16 patients (56%), there was agreement between the clinical and the CT staging of the primary bladder tumor. In four of these 16 patients, CT detected lymphadenopathy in three and demonstrated pelvic bone invasion in one. Of the remaining 11 patients, CT underestimated the local extent of the bladder tumor in nine and over-estimated in two. Lymphangiography was abnormal in nine patients (50%), in four of whom the abnormality was not seen on CT scan. Among the ten patients with normal LAG, six had abnormal pelvic nodes detected by CT. The LAG affected the overall staging of the tumor in five patients (16.6%). The total incidence of nodal metastasis as seen on CT, LAG, or both was 72%. Although CT and LAG may not add significantly to the clinical staging of the primary tumor in LABCa, they will affect the overall staging of the tumor by detecting lymphadenopathy. Accurate staging of these patients is important because, with aggressive chemotherapy, some of these patients might become candidates for more radical treatment such as surgery or radiotherapy.

The most sensitive indicators of an abnormal adrenal gland have been a change in the margin of the gland from concave or straight to convex, and the presence of calcification. Large adrenal glands that have preserved normal shape and in postintravenous enhancement show homogeneous increased density indicate hyperplasia.

Focal fat collections in the middle compartment of the lower mediastinum are reported in the literature. However, this explanation for a mass in that location is not widely recognized. We found four cases of focal fat collections on routine computed tomography. We then reviewed 100 consecutive computed tomography scans and found another four examples.

We report a case of malignant melanoma, metastatic to the brain, in which disease was not detected by magnetic resonance imaging but was detected by contrast enhanced computed tomography. At least in some instances, magnetic resonance imaging fails to detect disease that is apparent by computed tomography.

A case is presented in which calcified metastatic nodules in the liver from a primary osteosarcoma of the femur were demonstrated by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

The computed tomography findings of three cases of adenocarcinoma of the colon metastatic to skeletal muscle are presented. The metastases ranged in size from 8 cm to 12 cm. Two of the cases demonstrated decreased attenuation and all cases demonstrated calcifications.

The potential spaces of the mediastinum can be involved in a variety of disease processes and become evident by computed tomography study. The potential spaces may be distended with air, blood, inflammatory exudate, excessive fat, or tumor which separates and displaces the normal mediastinal structures. Seven cases with various pathologic processes are selected to demonstrate the computed tomography characteristics of such lesions. We emphasize the importance of computed tomography in evaluating and understanding various disease processes involving the potential spaces in an often widened mediastinum.