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The treatment of vertebral split fractures remains controversial, consisting of either corset or internal fixation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the technical feasibility of CT- and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous vertebroplasty in the treatment of vertebral split fractures.Institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained for this study. Sixty-two consecutive adult patients who had post-traumatic vertebral split fractures (A2 according to the AO classification) without neurological symptoms were prospectively treated by percutaneous vertebroplasty. All these procedures were performed by an interventional radiologist under computed tomography (CT) and fluoroscopy guidance by using only local anaesthesia. Postoperative outcome was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores.Vertebroplasty was performed on thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, creating a cement bridge between the displaced fragment and the rest of the vertebral body. Seven discal cement leakages (11%) were observed, without occurrence of adjacent vertebral compression fractures. The mean VAS measurements ± standard deviation (SD) significantly decreased from 7.9 ± 1.5 preoperatively to 3.3 ± 2.1 at 1 day, 2.2 ± 2.0 at 1 month, and 1.8 ± 1.4 at 6 months (P0.001). The mean ODI scores ± SD had also a significant improvement: 62.3 ± 17.2 preoperatively and 15.1 ± 6.0 at the 6-month follow-up (P0.001).This study suggests that type A2 vertebral fractures could be successfully treated by CT- and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous vertebroplasty.

Bone metastases are detected at initial diagnosis of cancer in 25% of cases and bone metastases are common in the course of a majority of cancer types. The spine and proximal long bones are the most affected sites. Knowledge of the basic radiological semiology is important to make the proper diagnosis of metastasis(s) bone(s), especially in situations in which the clinical context is not suggestive of metastases (such as cases where bone metastases are inaugural or cases of peripheral solitary metastasis). Tumor aggressiveness can be assessed at the level of the cortical bone and periosteum. Lodwick criteria are useful for the diagnosis of malignancy and tumor aggressiveness at initial diagnosis on plain radiographs, which are very important in the context of bone metastases. A CT scanner is required to confirm the malignancy of a bone lesion. MRI is complementary to the scanner including for the assessment of bone marrow involvement and tumor extensions.

To assess the feasibility of computed tomography (CT)- and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous facet screw fixation following anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) or anterior pseudarthrosis in adults.Institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained for this study. One hundred seven consecutive adult patients (46 men, 61 women; mean age ± standard deviation: 56.3 years ± 12.9) with ALIF (n = 79) or anterior pseudarthrosis (n = 28) were prospectively treated by means of percutaneous facet screw fixation with CT and fluoroscopic guidance. Two 4.0-mm cannulated screws were placed per level to fix facet joints by using either a translaminar facet or transfacet pedicle pathway. Only local anesthesia was used during these procedures. Procedural time was noted for each patient. Postoperative follow-up ranging from 1 year to 3 years was assessed by using Macnab and radiologic criteria.The mean procedure times for a lumbar single-level and a double-level fusion ranged from 15 to 25 minutes and from 40 to 50 minutes, respectively. All the transfacet pedicle (n = 182) and translaminar facet (n = 56) screws were successfully placed in one attempt. Radiographic fusion was observed within the year following posterior fixation in all patients despite one translaminar screw failure. According to the Macnab criteria, the clinical results were classified as excellent in 92 (86%) and good in 15 (14%) of 107 patients at the time of their last follow-up examination.This feasibility study showed that CT- and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous facet screw fixation is a rapid, safe, and effective method.

We present a case of percutaneous fixation of a "carrot-stick" spinal fracture in an elderly patient with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). A surgical stabilization was not possible in this 83-year-old man with comorbidities. Under local anesthesia, percutaneous screw fixation of a transdiscal shear fracture at the level T10-T11 was performed using computed tomography (CT) and fluoroscopy guidance. Two 4.0-mm Asnis III cannulated screws were placed to fix facet joints using transfacet pedicle pathway. The procedure time was 30 min. Using the visual analog scale (VAS), pain decreased from 10, preoperatively, to 1 after the procedure. Radiographic fusion was observed at a 3-month post-procedural CT scan. CT- and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous screw fixation of spinal fractures could potentially be an alternative to surgery in elderly AS patients with poor performance status.

The aim of this study was to evaluate CT- and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous screw fixation by radiologists in the management of acetabular roof fractures.Fifty-two consecutive adult patients with a nondisplaced and isolated acetabular roof fracture were prospectively treated by an interventional radiologist who made a percutaneous screw fixation under CT and fluoroscopy guidance. All these procedures were performed under local anesthesia. The postoperative follow-up ranged from 36 to 48 months.For each patient, two 6.5-mm Asnis III screws were inserted to fix the roof acetabular fracture. The mean procedure time was 45 minutes (range, 30-90 minutes). No complications were observed. Follow-up CT showed evidence of fracture healing. No evidence of secondary displacement, degenerative changes, or screw failure was noted. Using the rating system of D'Aubigne and Postel, all patients had excellent results.The results of our study showed that nondisplaced acetabular roof fractures could be successfully treated by a minimally invasive technique with an excellent long-term outcome.

To evaluate percutaneous computed tomography (CT)-guided intracystic and intra-articular steroid injections for the treatment of lumbar facet joint cyst causing radicular pain.A single-centre prospective study involving 120 consecutive patients with symptomatic lumbar facet joint cyst-induced radicular pain was done (72 women, 48 men). The average age was 68.2 years (52-84). Patients were treated by percutaneous CT-guided intracystic and intra-articular steroid injections. The clinical course of nerve root pain was evaluated after 1 day, and 1, 3 and 6 months, with long-term follow-up after 12 months.Patient follow-ups in our series show supportive results: within 120 patients, 54% of patients were satisfied with a long-lasting result from the first intra-cystic and intra-articular steroid injections (n = 65), while 20.8% were satisfied with a long-lasting result from a second intervention. Combining these two results shows that 75% of patients were satisfied with a long-lasting result.Our results showed that percutaneous treatment of vertebral lumbar facet joint cysts by double injections is an effective and economic therapeutic technical management among 75% of our patients. Thus we recommend that it should be considered as a first choice of treatment.Lumbar facet joint cysts are a common feature of back and radicular pain. They may be treated effectively by interventional radiologists using CT guidance. Percutaneous treatment using double injections can save surgery in 75% of patients.

PURPOSE: To assess which MRI-derived kinetic parameters reflect decreased transvascular and interstitial transport when low- and high-molecular-weight agents are used in rat hepatocellular carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dynamic MRI after injection of a low-molecular-weight contrast agent of 0.56 kDa (Gd-DOTA, gadoterate) and two high-molecular-weight contrast agents of 6.47 kDa (P792, gadomelitol) and 52 kDa (P717, carboxymethyldextran Gd-DOTA) was performed in rats with chemically induced hepatocellular carcinomas. The data were analyzed with the Kety compartmental model, the extended Kety compartmental model in which it is assumed that the tissue voxels contain a vascular component, and the St Lawrence and Lee distributed-parameter model. RESULTS: The extravascular extracellular space accessible to the contrast agent v(e) and the extraction fraction E decreased with increasing molecular weight of the contrast agent. In contrast, the volume transfer constant Ktrans did not differ significantly when low- or high-molecular-weight agents were used. CONCLUSION: In this animal model the results suggest that the accessible extravascular extracellular space and the extraction fraction are more sensitive indicators of decreased transvascular and interstitial transport with high-molecular-weight agents than the volume transfer constant, which is a lumped representation of blood flow and permeability. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2008;28:906-914. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The purpose of our study was to prospectively compare the success rate and diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance elastography, ultrasound elastography, and aspartate aminotransferase to platelets ratio index (APRI) measurements for the noninvasive staging of fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease.We performed a prospective blind comparison of magnetic resonance elastography, ultrasound elastography, and APRI in a consecutive series of patients who underwent liver biopsy for chronic liver disease in a university-based hospital. Histopathologic staging of liver fibrosis according to the METAVIR scoring system served as the reference.A total of 141 patients were assessed. The technical success rate of magnetic resonance elastography was higher than that of ultrasound elastography (133/141 [94%] vs 118/141 [84%]; P = .016). Magnetic and ultrasound elastography, APRI measurements, and histopathologic analysis of liver biopsy specimens were technically successful in 96 patients. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of magnetic resonance elasticity (0.994 for For= 2; 0.985 for For= 3; 0.998 for F = 4) were larger (P.05) than those of ultrasound elasticity, APRI, and the combination of ultrasound elasticity and APRI (0.837, 0.709, and 0.849 for For= 2; 0.906, 0.816, and 0.936 for For= 3; 0.930, 0.820, and 0.944 for F = 4, respectively).Magnetic resonance elastography has a higher technical success rate than ultrasound elastography and a better diagnostic accuracy than ultrasound elastography and APRI for staging liver fibrosis.

PURPOSE: To prospectively compare the sensitivity and specificity of magnetic resonance (MR) elastography with those of the routinely available aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) test for staging hepatic fibrosis in patients who have undergone liver biopsy for suspicion of chronic liver disease, with histopathologic examination as the reference standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was approved by the ethics committee. All patients gave written informed consent. Eighty-eight patients (37 men, 51 women; mean age, 54.0 years +/- 13.1 [standard deviation]) who underwent liver biopsy for suspicion of chronic liver disease underwent MR elastography and APRI testing within 2 days after liver biopsy. At histopathologic examination, the fibrosis stage was assessed according to METAVIR scores (fibrosis scores F0 [no fibrosis] to F4 [cirrhosis]). MR elastography was performed by transmitting mechanical waves within the liver and measuring the small cyclic displacement of the liver spins with a phase-contrast spin-echo sequence. The performances of MR elastography and APRI testing were assessed, and the optimal cutoff values for fibrosis stage were determined with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: At MR elastography, areas under the ROC curves (A(z)) for elasticity and viscosity, respectively, were 0.999 and 0.863 at fibrosis scores greater than or equal to F2, 0.997 and 0.962 at scores greater than or equal to F3, and 1.000 and 0.986 at score F4. A(z) values for elasticity at MR were significantly larger than those for the APRI (0.854 at scores > or = F2, P or = F3, P = .003; and 0.851 at score F4, P = .004). Optimal cutoff values of elasticity were 2.5 kPa for fibrosis scores greater than or equal to F2, 3.1 kPa for scores greater than or equal to F3, and 4.3 kPa for score F4. CONCLUSION: Large A(z) values for elasticity (>0.990 for scores > or = F2, > or = F3, and F4) show that MR elastography was accurate in liver fibrosis staging and superior to biochemical testing with APRIs.

Tumor angiogenesis induces the proliferation of immature blood vessels that are both heterogeneous and leaky. These characteristics can be demonstrated by measuring the perfusion parameters with MRI. Perfusion MRI is usually performed with in T1-weighted dynamic imaging after bolus injection of an exogenous contrast agent such as gadolinium chelate. The perfusion parameters are obtained by semi-quantitative or quantitative analysis of the enhancement curves in the tumor and the arterial input. Perfusion can also be assessed without injecting a contrast agent using arterial spin labeling techniques, diffusion MRI, or BOLD (blood oxygen level dependent) MRI. However, these latter methods are limited by a low signal-to-noise ratio and problems with quantification. The main indication for perfusion MRI is the assessment of antiangiogenic and antivascular treatments. New possibilities for demonstrating angiogenic blood vessels are being opened by molecular imaging.

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the technical feasibility of the combination involving percutaneous screw fixation and vertebroplasty in split fractures of thoracolumbar spine.Institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained. Ten consecutive adult patients who had posttraumatic vertebral split fractures (Magerl A2) were prospectively treated by an interventional radiologist under computed tomography and fluoroscopy guidance. Using a bilateral route under local anesthesia, one 4.0-mm cannulated screw was placed on one side to fix the fracture, and on the other side, vertebroplasty was performed. Follow-up ranging from 12 to 24 months was assessed using visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) RESULTS: Combined procedures were performed on thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, creating both osteosynthesis and cement bridge between the displaced fragment and the rest of the vertebral body. Mean VAS measurements ± standard deviation (SD) decreased from 7.5 ± 1.5 preoperatively to 3.2 ± 1.9 at 1 day, 2.1 ± 1.2 at 1 month, and 1.9 ± 1.4 at the last examination (P0.001). Mean ODI scores ± SD decreased from 65.3 ± 16.2, preoperatively, to 16.1 ± 5.0 at the final examination (P0.001).This study suggests that type A2 vertebral fractures could be successfully stabilized by the combination of percutaneous osteosynthesis and vertebroplasty.

We report a new minimally invasive technique of extraction of cement leakage following percutaneous vertebroplasty in adults.Seven adult patients (five women, two men; mean age: 81 years) treated for vertebral compression fractures by percutaneous vertebroplasty had cement leakage into perivertebral soft tissues along the needle route. Immediately after vertebroplasty, the procedure of extraction was performed under computed tomography (CT) and fluoroscopy guidance: a Chiba needle was first inserted using the same route as the vertebroplasty until contact was obtained with the cement fragment. This needle was then used as a guide for an 11-gauge Trocar t'am (Thiebaud, France). After needle withdrawal, a 13-gauge endoscopy clamp was inserted through the cannula to extract the cement fragments. The whole procedure was performed under local anesthesia.In each patient, all cement fragments were withdrawn within 10 min, without complication.This report suggests that this CT- and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous technique of extraction could reduce the rate of cement leakage-related complications.

To evaluate the feasibility of computed tomography (CT)- and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous screw fixation for the treatment of low-grade isthmic spondylolisthesis in adults. Ten consecutive adult patients (four men and six women; mean age: 57.1 [range, 44–78 years]) were prospectively treated by percutaneous screw fixation for low-grade (six grade 1 and four grade 2) isthmic spondylolisthesis of L5. For each patient, two 4.0-mm Asnis III cannulated screws were placed to fix the pars interarticularis defects. All procedures were performed under local anaesthesia by using CT and fluoroscopy guidance. Post-operative outcome was assessed using the visual analogue scale and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores. The procedure time ranged from 45 to 60 min. The mean screw length was 27 mm (range, 24–32 mm). The VAS and ODI measurements ± SD decreased from 7.8 ± 0.9 preoperatively to 1.5 ± 1.1 at the last 2-year follow-up, and from 62.3 ± 17.2 to 15.1 ± 6.0, respectively (P

To evaluate and compare two groups of patients with sciatica due to intervertebral disc herniation with no neurologic deficit. The groups consisted of patients with intervertebral disc herniation in a medial location (group 1) and those in a lateral location (group 2).A total of 200 patients were included in the study and were followed for a minimum of 6 months. In our series, we treated 80 postero-lateral herniated discs (40% of cases), 46 postero-medial herniated discs (23%), and 74 foraminal herniated discs (37%). Level L3-L4 was treated in 30 cases (15%), L4-L5 in 98 cases (49%), and L5-S1 in 72 cases (36%). The procedure was performed under dual guidance: fluoroscopic and CT. A helical probe was activated. It penetrates the herniated disc and causes the pulpous material to be mechanically evacuated through the probe. All 200 patients were followed for a minimum of 6 months.In group 1, the patients had a mean pain score of 7.9 ± 2.5 VAS units (range 6-10 units) prior to intervention. This was reduced to 3.2 ± 2.1 VAS units (range 0-10 units) at 48 h follow-up and increased to 3.9 ± 1.2 VAS units (range 0-10 VAS units) at 1 month follow-up and further reduced to 2.7 ± 1.2 units (range 0-10 VAS units) at 6 month follow-up. In group 2, the patients had a mean pain score of 8.2 ± 3.2 VAS units (range 6-10 units) prior to intervention. This was reduced to 2.8 ± 1.5 VAS units (range 0-10 units) at 48 h follow-up and decreased to 1.5 ± 0.9 VAS units (range 0-10 units) at 1 month and further reduced to 1.1 ± 0.5 VAS units (range 0-10 units) at 6 months.Our study showed that results were more satisfactory for the hernia located laterally (postero-lateral, foraminal, and extra-foraminal) as compared to the hernia located posteromedially.

Magnetic resonance (MR) elastography is an emerging method for measuring the viscoelastic properties of tissues. Hepatic fibrosis, which increases the elasticity or stiffness of the liver, can be detected and staged by MR elastography. The technique has several advantages compared with transient ultrasound elastography (FibroScan): it can evaluate much larger liver volumes; it can be performed in obese patients and in those with ascites; and it can assess the full three-dimensional displacement vector, allowing a more precise analysis of viscoelastic parameters. These technical advantages mean that MR elastography is more accurate forstaging liver fibrosis than is transient ultrasound elastography. Moreover, it has been shown in animal studies using MR elastography that parameters other than fibrosis can also increase liver elasticity, including inflammation and myofibroblast activation before extracellular matrix deposition. Because of its greater accuracy-but also its higher cost-MR elastography will probably have a complementary role alongside ultrasound elastography. Nevertheless, this role should be further studied, especially in terms of response to treatment and the early detection of chronic liver diseases such as steatohepatitis.

The purpose of this study was to prospectively compare the performance of magnetic resonance (MR) elastography using echo-planar and spin-echo imaging for staging of hepatic fibrosis. Twenty-four patients who had liver biopsy for suspicion of chronic liver disease had MR elastography performed with both spin-echo and echo-planar sequences. At histology, the fibrosis stage was assessed according to METAVIR. The data acquisition time was about 20 min using spin-echo, and only 2 min using echo-planar imaging. The hepatic signal-to-noise ratios were similar on both images (22.51 +/- 5.37 for spin-echo versus 21.02 +/- 4.76 for echo-planar, p = 0.33). The elasticity measurements and the fibrosis stages were strongly correlated. The Spearman correlation coefficients were r = 0.91 (p < 0.01) with spin-echo and r = 0.84 (p < 0.01) with echo-planar sequences. These correlation coefficients did not differ significantly (p = 0.17). A strong correlation was also observed between spin-echo and echo-planar elasticity (r = 0.83, p < 0.001), without systematic bias. The results of our study showed that echo-planar imaging substantially decreased the data acquisition time of MR elastography, while maintaining the image quality and diagnostic performance for staging of liver fibrosis. This suggests that echo-planar MR elastography could replace spin-echo MR elastography in clinical practice.

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of using non-invasive MR elastography for determining the stage of liver fibrosis. Twenty-five consecutive patients who had liver biopsy for suspicion of chronic liver disease were included in the study. The stage of fibrosis on the biopsies was assessed according to the METAVIR scoring system from F0, no fibrosis, to F4, cirrhosis. MR elastography was performed by transmitting low-frequency (65 Hz) mechanical waves into the liver with a transducer placed at the back of the patients. The MR pulse sequence was a motion-sensitized spin-echo sequence, phase-locked to the mechanical excitation. The phase maps were processed to obtain shear elasticity and shear viscosity maps. The mean hepatic shear elasticity increased with increasing stage of fibrosis. The mean elasticity was 2.24 +/- 0.23 kPa in the 11 patients without substantial fibrosis (F0-F1 grades), 2.56 +/- 0.24 kPa in the four patients with substantial fibrosis (F2-F3) and 4.68 +/- 1.61 kPa in the 10 patients with cirrhosis (F4). The differences between groups were statistically significant (p

Editor: Computed tomography (CT) imaging is routinely used to evaluate talar fractures and plan surgical treatment. We present a case that shows the usefulness of a combined technique of CT-guided and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous screw fixation in a case of nonunion of a talar fracture after unsuccessful surgical fixation. A 28-year-old man presented to the emergency department 1 hour after a fall from approximately 3 m that resulted in left ankle trauma. Radiographs and CT scan of the ankle revealed a minimally displaced fracture with a vertical line extending through the talar neck. Neither comminution nor major displacement was present, excluding the need for reduction (type I Hawkins fracture). Surgery was performed the following day and consisted of fracture fixation with two screws through an anteromedial incision using fluoroscopy guidance. However, a follow-up CT scan performed 1.5 months after surgery showed nonhealing because of incorrect positioning of the two fixation screws, which were surgically retrieved 9 days later. It was decided 2 months after the initial surgery that an orthopedic surgeon and interventional radiologist would attempt fixation jointly in an interventional CT suite using CT (GE Lightview 8-row MDCT scanner; GE Healthcare, Waukesha, Wisconsin) and lateral fluoroscopy (GE Stenescope C-arm; GE Healthcare) guidance. The patient was placed supine on the CT table, and images of the foot were obtained to plan the operative approach. Millimeter multiplanar reconstructions were analyzed on a GE Advantage 4.2 workstation (GE Healthcare) to determine the best possible angle for the trajectory of the Kirschner guide wire and the positioning of the screws, which should ideally be perpendicular to the fracture line. The reconstructions were also used to find an anterior path avoiding the anterior tibial artery, tendons, and nerves. Radiopaque markers were placed on the skin before and after administering a local anesthetic (lidocaine 1%