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To evaluate the diagnostic performance of iron-sensitive sequences targeting the substantia nigra for distinguishing patients with Parkinson’s disease from control participants and to identify factors causing heterogeneity. A systematic literature search in the Ovid-MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was performed for studies reporting the relevant topic before March 6, 2020. The pooled sensitivity and specificity values with their 95% confidence intervals were calculated using bivariate random-effects modeling. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were also performed to determine factors influencing heterogeneity affecting the diagnostic performance among the clinical, MRI, and analytic characteristics. A total of 22 articles including 1126 patients with Parkinson’s disease and 933 control participants were enrolled in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Of those, 12 studies used objective analyses of quantitative susceptibility measurements, and 10 visually assessed the nigrosome-1 in subjective analyses. Iron-sensitive nigral magnetic resonance imaging showed a pooled sensitivity of 92% (95% confidence interval 88–95%) and a pooled specificity of 90% (95% confidence interval 81–95%). According to subgroup and meta-regression analyses, a longer mean disease duration in patients with Parkinson’s disease (≥ 5 years), subjective analysis, a smaller size of pixel ( 15°), a smaller slice thickness (≤ 1 mm), and specific targeting of the substantia nigra pars compacta improved the diagnostic performance. Iron-sensitive nigral magnetic resonance imaging had a favorable diagnostic performance in discriminating patients with Parkinson’s disease from control participants. Subjective analytic methods remain superior to objective approaches. Further improvements of the spatial resolution and contrast-to-noise ratio to specifically target the nigrosome-1 with objective analytic methods will be needed.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Nigrostriatal dopaminergic function in patients with Parkinson disease can be assessed using (123)I-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl)-nortropan dopamine transporter ((123)I-FP-CIT) SPECT, and a good correlation has been demonstrated between nigral status on SWI and dopaminergic denervation on (123)I-FP-CIT SPECT. Here, we aim to correlate quantified dopamine transporter attenuation on (123)I-FP-CIT SPECT with nigrosome-1 status using susceptibility map-weighted imaging (SMWI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May 2017 and January 2018, consecutive patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease (n = 109) and control participants (n = 29) who underwent (123)I-FP-CIT SPECT with concurrent 3T SWI were included. SMWI was generated from SWI. Two neuroradiologists evaluated nigral hyperintensity from nigrosome-1 on each side of the substantia nigra. Using consensus reading, we compared the (123)I-FP-CIT–specific binding ratio according to nigral hyperintensity status and the (123)I-FP-CIT specific binding ratio threshold to confirm the loss of nigral hyperintensity was determined using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: The concordance rate between SMWI and (123)I-FP-CIT SPECT was 65.9%. The (123)I-FP-CIT–specific binding ratios in the striatum, caudate nucleus, and putamen were significantly lower when nigral hyperintensity in the ipsilateral substantia nigra was absent than when present (all, P

Background Accurate detection of brain metastasis (BM) is important for cancer patients. We aimed to systematically review the performance and quality of machine-learning-based BM detection on MRI in the relevant literature. Methods A systematic literature search was performed for relevant studies reported before April 27, 2020. We assessed the quality of the studies using modified tailored questionnaires of the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) criteria and the Checklist for Artificial Intelligence in Medical Imaging (CLAIM). Pooled detectability was calculated using an inverse-variance weighting model. Results A total of 12 studies were included, which showed a clear transition from classical machine learning (cML) to deep learning (DL) after 2018. The studies on DL used a larger sample size than those on cML. The cML and DL groups also differed in the composition of the dataset, and technical details such as data augmentation. The pooled proportions of detectability of BM were 88.7% (95% CI, 84–93%) and 90.1% (95% CI, 84–95%) in the cML and DL groups, respectively. The false-positive rate per person was lower in the DL group than the cML group (10 vs 135, P < 0.001). In the patient selection domain of QUADAS-2, three studies (25%) were designated as high risk due to non-consecutive enrollment and arbitrary exclusion of nodules. Conclusion A comparable detectability of BM with a low false-positive rate per person was found in the DL group compared with the cML group. Improvements are required in terms of quality and study design.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Transoral robotic surgery is an emerging strategy for treating human papillomavirus–positive cancers, but the role of MR imaging in predicting the surgical outcome has not been established. We aimed to identify preoperative MR imaging characteristics that predispose the outcome of transoral robotic surgery toward an insecure (positive or close) surgical margin in human papillomavirus–positive tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between December 2012 and May 2019, sixty-nine patients underwent transoral robotic surgery at our institution. Among these, 29 who were diagnosed with human papillomavirus–positive tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma, did not receive neoadjuvant treatment, underwent preoperative 3T MR imaging, and had postoperative pathologic reports and were included in this retrospective study. Two neuroradiologists evaluated the preoperative MR imaging scans to determine the tumor spread through the pharyngeal constrictor muscle using a 5-point scale: 1, normal constrictor; 2, bulging constrictor; 3, thinning constrictor; 4, obscured constrictor; and 5, tumor protrusion into the parapharyngeal fat. The risk of an insecure surgical margin (involved or

To determine the diagnostic performance of neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging discriminating between patients with Parkinson’s disease and normal healthy controls and to identify factors causing heterogeneity influencing the diagnostic performance. A systematic literature search in the Ovid-MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was performed for studies reporting the relevant topic before February 17, 2020. The pooled sensitivity and specificity values with their 95% confidence intervals were calculated using bivariate random-effects modeling. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were also performed to determine factors influencing heterogeneity. Twelve articles including 403 patients with Parkinson’s disease and 298 control participants were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging showed a pooled sensitivity of 89% (95% confidence interval, 86–92%) and a pooled specificity of 83% (95% confidence interval, 76–88%). In the subgroup and meta-regression analysis, a disease duration longer than 5 and 10 years, comparisons using measured volumes instead of signal intensities, a slice thickness in terms of magnetic resonance imaging parameters of more than 2 mm, and semi-/automated segmentation methods instead of manual segmentation improved the diagnostic performance. Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging had a favorable diagnostic performance in discriminating patients with Parkinson’s disease from healthy controls. To improve diagnostic accuracy, further investigations directly comparing these heterogeneity-affecting factors and optimizing these parameters are necessary. • Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI favorably discriminates patients with Parkinson’s disease from healthy controls. • Disease duration, parameters used for comparison, magnetic resonance imaging slice thickness, and segmentation methods affected heterogeneity across the studies.

Objectives. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of maxillary sinus fungus ball (MFB) to increase the preoperative diagnostic accuracy.Methods. A retrospective review of 247 patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery for unilateral maxillary sinusitis from January 2015 to December 2017 at a single institution was performed. Patients with pathologically proven MFB were compared to those with unilateral chronic maxillary sinusitis (CMS). Patient demographics and computed tomography (CT) findings were evaluated. The CT features were categorized as intralesional hyperdensity (calcification), the irregular lobulated protruding lesion (fuzzy appearance), maxillary sinus full haziness without mass effect, maxillary sinus full haziness with mass effect, and others. A regression tree analysis was performed.Results. In total, 247 patients were analyzed; among them, 179 (72.5%) had MFB and 68 (27.5%) had CMS. MFB showed predominance in older individuals. Among the radiological features, intralesional hyperdensity was most commonly associated with MFB. The presence of a fuzzy appearance or full opacity with mass effect was also associated with MFB. The highest area under the curve was noted with the regression tree analysis based on the model, which included the presence of intralesional hyperdensity, demographic data (age), and presence of fuzzy appearance or maxillary sinus full haziness with mass effect in case of absence of intralesional hyperdensity (0.904).Conclusion. A simple algorithm to optimize the preoperative diagnosis of MFB was developed. Physicians should be aware of such findings in the management of patients presenting with unilateral CMS.

The purpose of this study was to assess the association between fruit intake and abnormalities in body composition (bone, muscle, and adipose tissue) related to osteosarcopenic obesity (OSO) in postmenopausal women.The data of 1420 postmenopausal women aged 50-64 years were collected from cross-sectional studies conducted by the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2008 to 2010.A dietary intake survey was administered using the 24-h dietary recall method, and intakes of nutrients and food groups were analyzed. Body composition was evaluated using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Body composition abnormalities include low bone mass (T-score-1.0), low muscle mass (weight-adjusted appendicular skeletal muscle mass below the mean reference value of healthy young adults), and obesity (waist circumference ≥85 cm). The associations between nutrient intake and fruit groups and the number of abnormalities in body composition were tested by logistic regression analysis.The intakes of vitamin C and potassium per 1000 kcal of total energy intake were significantly lower in women with a larger number of abnormalities in body composition (p = 0.0155 and p = 0.0037, respectively). After controlling for covariates, women with a high intake of fruit (≥257.4 g/d) had a significantly reduced likelihood of multiple abnormalities in body composition compared with women with no fruit intake (p for trend: p0.01 for those with one, two, or three abnormalities).Intake of fruits rich in vitamin C and potassium may help to decrease OSO-related risks in middle-aged postmenopausal women.

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) can involve the skull base or the Eustachian tubes. GPA is diagnosed on the basis of clinical manifestations and serological tests, although it is challenging to discriminate GPA from infectious processes driving skull base osteomyelitis (SBO) and malignant processes such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Moreover, current serological tests have a low sensitivity and cannot distinguish GPA from these other conditions. We hypothesized that certain MRI characteristics would differ significantly among conditions and aimed to evaluate whether the features could differentiate between GPA, SBO, and NPC involving the skull base. We retrospectively evaluated the MRI findings of patients with GPA, SBO, and NPC. We performed univariable logistic regression analyses to identify the predictive variables for differentiating between conditions and evaluated their diagnostic values. We showed, for the first time, that certain MRI findings significantly differed between patients with GPA and those with SBO or NPC, including the lesion morphology and extent, the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values, the contrast enhancement patterns, the presence or absence of necrosis, and retropharyngeal lymphadenopathy. In conclusion, utilizing certain MRI features can improve the diagnostic performance of MRI by differentiating GPA with skull base involvement from other conditions with similar radiologic findings, including SBO and NPC, facilitating treatment plans and, thus, improving patient outcomes.

This study aimed to analyze the association between the dietary lifestyles and health outcomes among middle-aged (40–64 years old) and elderly (65 years old and older) individuals living alone using the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI). The study was conducted with 1442 participants (475 men and 967 women) aged 40 years and older living in single-person households using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2016 to 2018. The KHEI scores were calculated based on the 24-h recall data of dietary intake. Among women living alone, the total KHEI score of the participants aged 40–64 years was 65.92, which was significantly lower than the 70.66 of those aged 65 years and older (p = 0.0152). In addition, the total score in the adequacy domain was significantly lower among the 40~64-year-old group than those aged 65 years and older (p = 0.0011). Among the elderly in single-person households, the odds of diabetes in the T1 group were 2.08 times higher than those in the T3 group according to the KHEI (95% confidence interval: 1.36–3.17). The results of this study are expected to be used as baseline data to establish nutrition, home meal replacement utilization, and health policies for the elderly living alone.

BackgroundAlthough accurate treatment response assessment for brain metastases (BMs) is crucial, it is highly labor intensive. This retrospective study aimed to develop a computer-aided detection (CAD) system for automated BM detection and treatment response evaluation using deep learning.MethodsWe included 214 consecutive MRI examinations of 147 patients with BM obtained between January 2015 and August 2016. These were divided into the training (174 MR images from 127 patients) and test datasets according to temporal separation (temporal test set #1; 40 MR images from 20 patients). For external validation, 24 patients with BM and 11 patients without BM from other institutions were included (geographic test set). In addition, we included 12 MRIs from BM patients obtained between August 2017 and March 2020 (temporal test set #2). Detection sensitivity, dice similarity coefficient (DSC) for segmentation, and agreements in one-dimensional and volumetric Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology Brain Metastases (RANO-BM) criteria between CAD and radiologists were assessed.ResultsIn the temporal test set #1, the sensitivity was 75.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 69.6%, 79.9%), mean DSC was 0.69 ± 0.22, and false-positive (FP) rate per scan was 0.8 for BM ≥ 5 mm. Agreements in the RANO-BM criteria were moderate (κ, 0.52) and substantial (κ, 0.68) for one-dimensional and volumetric, respectively. In the geographic test set, sensitivity was 87.7% (95% CI: 77.2%, 94.5%), mean DSC was 0.68 ± 0.20, and FP rate per scan was 1.9 for BM ≥ 5 mm. In the temporal test set #2, sensitivity was 94.7% (95% CI: 74.0%, 99.9%), mean DSC was 0.82 ± 0.20, and FP per scan was 0.5 (6/12) for BM ≥ 5 mm.ConclusionsOur CAD showed potential for automated treatment response assessment of BM ≥ 5 mm.

Temporalis muscle thickness (TMT) on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is correlated with sarcopenia and can be a predictive marker for survival in patients with brain tumors, but the association of TMT on head and neck computed tomography (CT) with survival in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unclear. We investigated whether TMT on CT could predict progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with HNSCC. A total of 106 patients with newly diagnosed HNSCC were included in this retrospective study. The patients underwent baseline head and neck CT and/or MRI between July, 2008 and August, 2018. The correlation between TMT on CT and MRI was tested using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The cut-off value of TMT on CT for determining tumor progression was identified using receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis. Uni- and consecutive multi-variable Cox regression models were used to verify the association between TMT and PFS. TMT on CT and MRI showed excellent correlation (ICC, 0.894). After a mean follow-up of 37 months, 49 out of 106 patients showed locoregional recurrence and/or distant metastasis. The cut-off TMT of 6.47 mm showed good performance in predicting tumor progression (area under the curve, 0.779). The Cox regression model showed that TMT ≤ 6.24 mm (median value in study population) was a significant contributing factor for predicting shorter PFS (hazard ratio 0.399; 95% confidence interval 0.209–0.763; P = .005). TMT may be used as a surrogate parameter for pre-treatment sarcopenia and could help predict PFS in patients with HNSCC.

Rationale: Synovial sarcoma is a rare malignant tumor that typically originates from the soft tissue of the extremities. The occurrence of primary pharyngeal synovial sarcoma is even rarer, and few studies have reported its radiological features. Here, we report a case of pediatric primary pharyngeal synovial sarcoma and describe the conventional and advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings with pathologic correlation. Patient concerns: An 11-year-old girl presented to the otolaryngologic clinic with dysphagia. Diagnosis: Laryngoscopy revealed a large mass in the oropharynx. MRI revealed a well-defined soft tissue mass with a maximal diameter of approximately 5 cm originating from the submucosal space of the oropharynx. The mass was primarily solid and showed homogeneous contrast-enhancement. The mass was hypointense on T1-weighted images and hyperintense on T2-weighted images. The mass showed a homogeneously low apparent diffusion coefficient value on diffusion-weighted imaging, which indicated high tumor cellularity. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI revealed a hypovascular tumor with low values of the volume transfer constant between the extracellular extravascular space and blood plasma and blood plasma volume per unit tissue volume. Amide proton transfer-weighted MRI revealed a relatively high amide proton transfer signal in the tumor, indicating a high protein/peptide component. The patient underwent partial surgical resection of the tumor, and the diagnosis of biphasic synovial sarcoma was confirmed on postoperative pathological examination. Intervention: The patient was started on chemotherapy with vincristine, ifosfamide, doxorubicin, and etoposide. Outcomes: The tumor did not respond to the 3 cycles of the chemotherapy. Thus, the patient underwent second surgery and subsequent radiation therapy. The patient is now under ifosfamide/carboplatin/etoposide chemotherapy. Lesson: Synovial sarcoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pediatric oropharyngeal submucosal tumors. Multimodal MRI may aid diagnosis, although the final diagnosis should be based on the postoperative pathological examination findings.

Background Classification of true progression from nonprogression (eg, radiation-necrosis) after stereotactic radiotherapy/radiosurgery of brain metastasis is known to be a challenging diagnostic task on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The scope and status of research using artificial intelligence (AI) on classifying true progression are yet unknown. Methods We performed a systematic literature search of MEDLINE and EMBASE databases to identify studies that investigated the performance of AI-assisted MRI in classifying true progression after stereotactic radiotherapy/radiosurgery of brain metastasis, published before November 11, 2020. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated using bivariate random-effects modeling. Meta-regression was performed for the identification of factors contributing to the heterogeneity among the studies. We assessed the quality of the studies using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) criteria and a modified version of the radiomics quality score (RQS). Results Seven studies were included, with a total of 485 patients and 907 tumors. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 77% (95% CI, 70–83%) and 74% (64–82%), respectively. All 7 studies used radiomics, and none used deep learning. Several covariates including the proportion of lung cancer as the primary site, MR field strength, and radiomics segmentation slice showed a statistically significant association with the heterogeneity. Study quality was overall favorable in terms of the QUADAS-2 criteria, but not in terms of the RQS. Conclusion The diagnostic performance of AI-assisted MRI seems yet inadequate to be used reliably in clinical practice. Future studies with improved methodologies and a larger training set are needed.

Purpose Although endovascular treatment is currently thought to only be suitable for patients who have pial arterial filling scores >3 as determined by multiphase computed tomography angiography (mpCTA), a cut-off score of 3 was determined by a study, including patients within 12 hours after symptom onset. We aimed to investigate whether a cut-off score of 3 for endovascular treatment within 6 hours of symptom onset is an appropriate predictor of good functional outcome at 3 months. Materials and Methods From April 2015 to January 2016, acute ischemic stroke patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy within 6 hours of symptom onset were enrolled into this study. Pial arterial filling scores were semi-quantitatively assessed using mpCTA, and clinical and radiological parameters were compared between patients with favorable and unfavorable outcomes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was then performed to investigate the independent association between clinical outcome and pial collateral score, with the predictive power of the latter assessed using C-statistics. Results Of the 38 patients enrolled, 20 (52.6%) had a favorable outcome and 18 had an unfavorable outcome, with the latter group showing a lower mean pial arterial filling score (3.6±0.8 vs. 2.4±1.2, P=0.002). After adjusting for variables with a P-value of 2 vs. ≤2. Conclusion A pial arterial filling cut-off score of 2 as determined by mpCTA appears to be more suitable for predicting clinical outcomes following endovascular treatment within 6 hours of symptom onset than the cut-off of 3 that had been previously suggested.

This study aimed to clarify the association between the frequency of dining out and the risk of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia among Korean adults. This cross-sectional study surveyed 640 participants aged 20-69 years in Korea. Daily intake of energy, fat, protein, and cholesterol significantly increased as the frequency of dining out increased (

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of cavitating lesions involving the internal auditory canal (IAC) in subjects with cochlear otosclerosis with regard to poststapedotomy hearing outcome. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS A retrospective chart review of 134 subjects with otosclerosis treated from January 2011 to June 2017 at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital was conducted. Sixteen subjects (23 ears) with temporal bone computed tomography (TBCT)-confirmed cochlear otosclerosis who underwent stapedotomy were included in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Pure tone audiometry (PTA) (i.e., air and bone conduction; AC and BC, respectively) thresholds and air-bone gap (ABG), measured at 6 months postoperatively were compared between cochlear otosclerosis with and without IAC involvement (IAC group and non-IAC group, respectively). RESULTS A total of 14 of 23 ears showed involvement of the IAC. There were no significant differences in age, side of otosclerosis, or preoperative hearing threshold between the two groups. The mean postoperative AC and BC thresholds and ABG of the IAC group were significantly poorer (45.7 dB, 33.8 dB, and 11.8 dB, respectively) than those of the nonIAC group (24.1 dB, 20.0 dB, and 4.1 dB, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Cochlear otosclerosis with cavitating lesions involving the IAC showed significantly poorer postoperative audiological outcomes than those without any cavitating lesion. Cavitation extending to the IAC may act as a third window providing a route for sound energy shunting, and thus precluding successful hearing outcome in some subjects with cavitating otosclerosis after stapedotomy.

The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic performance of a deep learning algorithm with that of radiologists in diagnosing maxillary sinusitis on Waters' view radiographs.Among 80,475 Waters' view radiographs, examined between May 2003 and February 2017, 9000 randomly selected cases were classified as normal or maxillary sinusitis based on radiographic findings and divided into training (n = 8000) and validation (n = 1000) sets to develop a deep learning algorithm. Two test sets composed of Waters' view radiographs with concurrent paranasal sinus computed tomography were labeled based on computed tomography findings: one with temporal separation (n = 140) and the other with geographic separation (n = 200) from the training set. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of the algorithm and 5 radiologists were assessed. Interobserver agreement between the algorithm and majority decision of the radiologists was measured. The correlation coefficient between the predicted probability of the algorithm and average confidence level of the radiologists was determined.The AUCs of the deep learning algorithm were 0.93 and 0.88 for the temporal and geographic external test sets, respectively. The AUCs of the radiologists were 0.83 to 0.89 for the temporal and 0.75 to 0.84 for the geographic external test sets. The deep learning algorithm showed statistically significantly higher AUC than radiologist in both test sets. In terms of sensitivity and specificity, the deep learning algorithm was comparable to the radiologists. A strong interobserver agreement was noted between the algorithm and radiologists (Cohen κ coefficient, 0.82). The correlation coefficient between the predicted probability of the algorithm and confidence level of radiologists was 0.89 and 0.84 for the 2 test sets, respectively.The deep learning algorithm could diagnose maxillary sinusitis on Waters' view radiograph with superior AUC and comparable sensitivity and specificity to those of radiologists.

Autoimmune and autoinflammatory inner ear diseases (AIED/AID) are characterized by the symptom of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). To date, standardized diagnostic tools for AIED/AID are lacking, and clinically differentiating AIED/AID from chronic otitis media (COM) with SNHL is challenging. This retrospective study aimed to construct a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based decision tree using classification and regression tree (CART) analysis to distinguish AIED/AID from COM. In total, 67 patients were enrolled between January 2004 and October 2019, comprising AIED/AID (n = 18), COM (n = 24), and control groups (n = 25). All patients underwent 3 T temporal bone MRI, including post-contrast T1-weighted images (postT1WI) and post-contrast FLAIR images (postFLAIR). Two radiologists evaluated the presence of otomastoid effusion and inner ear contrast-enhancement on MRI. A CART decision tree model was constructed using MRI features to differentiate AIED/AID from COM and control groups, and diagnostic performance was analyzed. High-intensity bilateral effusion (61.1%) and inner ear enhancement (postFLAIR, 93.8%; postT1WI, 61.1%) were the most common findings in the AIED/AID group. We constructed two CART decision tree models; the first used effusion amount as the first partitioning node and postT1WI-inner ear enhancement as the second node, whereas the second comprised two partitioning nodes with the degree of postFLAIR-enhancement of the inner ear. The first and second models enabled distinction of AIED/AID from COM with high specificity (100% and 94.3%, respectively). The amount of effusion and the degree of inner ear enhancement on MRI may facilitate the distinction between AIED/AID and COM with SNHL using decision tree models, thereby contributing to early diagnosis and intervention.

Background and Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the pooled proportion of image findings of acute to subacute craniocervical arterial dissection (AD) direct signs on magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging (MR-VWI) and to identify factors responsible for the heterogeneity across the included studies.Methods: A systematic literature search in the Ovid-MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was performed for studies published on the relevant topic before April 14, 2020. Pooled sensitivity and specificity values and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using bivariate random-effects modeling. Meta-regression analyses were also performed to determine factors influencing heterogeneity.Results: Eleven articles with data for 209 patients with acute to subacute craniocervical AD who underwent MR-VWI were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The most common findings on MR-VWI were wall hematoma (84%; 95% CI, 71%−92%), abnormal enhancement (72%; 95% CI, 49%−88%), aneurysmal dilatation (71%, 95% CI, 53%−84%), and intimal flap or double lumen signs (49%; 95% CI, 29%−71%). Among the potential covariates of heterogeneity, the presence of contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging (CE-T1WI) within the MR-VWI sequence combination significantly affected the pooled proportion of the intimal flap or double lumen signs.Conclusion: Wall hematoma and intimal flap or double lumen signs were the most common and least common direct sign image findings, respectively, on MR-VWI in patients with acute to subacute craniocervical AD. Furthermore, the absence of CE-T1WI in MR-VWI protocol was the cause of heterogeneity for the detection of the intimal flap or double lumen signs. This data may help improve MR-VWI interpretation and enhance the understanding of the radiologic diagnosis of craniocervical AD.

Accurate image interpretation of Waters’ and Caldwell view radiographs used for sinusitis screening is challenging. Therefore, we developed a deep learning algorithm for diagnosing frontal, ethmoid, and maxillary sinusitis on both Waters’ and Caldwell views. The datasets were selected for the training and validation set (n = 1403, sinusitis% = 34.3%) and the test set (n = 132, sinusitis% = 29.5%) by temporal separation. The algorithm can simultaneously detect and classify each paranasal sinus using both Waters’ and Caldwell views without manual cropping. Single- and multi-view models were compared. Our proposed algorithm satisfactorily diagnosed frontal, ethmoid, and maxillary sinusitis on both Waters’ and Caldwell views (area under the curve (AUC), 0.71 (95% confidence interval, 0.62–0.80), 0.78 (0.72–0.85), and 0.88 (0.84–0.92), respectively). The one-sided DeLong’s test was used to compare the AUCs, and the Obuchowski–Rockette model was used to pool the AUCs of the radiologists. The algorithm yielded a higher AUC than radiologists for ethmoid and maxillary sinusitis (p = 0.012 and 0.013, respectively). The multi-view model also exhibited a higher AUC than the single Waters’ view model for maxillary sinusitis (p = 0.038). Therefore, our algorithm showed diagnostic performances comparable to radiologists and enhanced the value of radiography as a first-line imaging modality in assessing multiple sinusitis.

This study aims to evaluate the utility of texture analysis in predicting the outcome of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for brain metastases from lung cancer. From 83 patients with lung cancer who underwent SRS for brain metastasis, a total of 118 metastatic lesions were included. Two neuroradiologists independently performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based texture analysis using the Imaging Biomarker Explorer software. Inter-reader reliability as well as univariable and multivariable analyses were performed for texture features and clinical parameters to determine independent predictors for local progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Furthermore, Harrell&rsquo, s concordance index (C-index) was used to assess the performance of the independent texture features. The primary tumor histology of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) was the only clinical parameter significantly associated with local PFS in multivariable analysis. Run-length non-uniformity (RLN) and short-run emphasis were the independent texture features associated with local PFS. In the non-SCLC (NSCLC) subgroup analysis, RLN and local range mean were associated with local PFS. The C-index of independent texture features was 0.79 for the all-patients group and 0.73 for the NSCLC subgroup. In conclusion, texture analysis on pre-treatment MRI of lung cancer patients with brain metastases may have a role in predicting SRS response.

To assess the glymphatic activity in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) using the "Diffusion Tensor Image-Analysis aLong the Perivascular Space (DTI-ALPS)" method, and determine the feasibility of non-invasive MRI for the evaluation of the glymphatic function.Between April 2017 and March 2019, 16 patients diagnosed with NPH and 16 age- and sex-matched controls were included. On 3T DTI-MRI, the diffusivities along x-, y-, and z-axes were measured, and the ALPS-index - a ratio that accentuated water diffusion along the perivascular space - was calculated by two independent readers. The inter-observer agreement was tested using the interclass correlation coefficient. The differences in the diffusivities and the ALPS-index between the NPH and control groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney test. The values were also compared according to the treatment response to the cerebrospinal fluid drainage and correlated with the callosal angle using a correlation coefficient.The inter-observer agreements were excellent for the diffusivities and the ALPS-index. The diffusivity along the x-axis in the projection fibers area and the ALPS-index were significantly lower in patients with NPH (median, 0.556/1.181) than in the controls (0.610/1.540), respectively (P = 0.032/0.0001). The ALPS-index was significantly lower in the NPH group who did not show treatment response than those who showed symptomatic relief (0.987/1.329; P 0.0001). The ALPS-index showed a significant positive correlation with the callosal angle (r = 0.82, P = 0.0001).The DTI-ALPS method can be a useful imaging tool for identifying glymphatic dysfunction and for individually quantifying glymphatic activity in patients with NPH.

To develop and validate a risk scoring system based on clinical and imaging findings to predict lymph node metastasis from HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas. This study population who had undergone neck dissections or lymph node biopsies in patients with HPV+ OPSCC was obtained from a historical cohort from two tertiary referral hospitals. The training set from one hospital included 455 lymph nodes from 82 patients, and the test set from the other hospital included 150 lymph nodes from 42 patients. The baseline clinical and imaging findings on pretreatment CT or MR were investigated and the reference standards were the histopathologic results. A risk scoring system was constructed based on logistic regression and validated both internally and externally. A 7-point risk scoring system was developed based on the following variables: central necrosis, infiltration of adjacent planes, lymph node level, and the maximal axial diameter of the lymph node. This risk scoring system showed good discriminative ability for metastasis in the training set (C-statistic 0.952; 95% CI, 0.931–0.972) and test set (C-statistic 0.968, 95% CI, 0.936–0.999) and good calibration ability in the training set (p = 0.723) and test set (p = 0.253). We developed and validated a reliable risk scoring system that predicts lymph node metastasis from HPV+ OPSCCs based on the clinical data and pretreatment imaging findings. We expect this risk scoring system to be a useful guide for better decision-making in practice. • It is important to diagnose lymph node metastasis from HPV+ OPSCC for treatment planning; however, there has been little research on that. • We developed and externally validated a new scoring system for stratifying the risk of lymph node metastasis from HPV+ OPSCC based on clinical and imaging data. • A predictive model combining both clinical and imaging data showed high diagnostic accuracy and efficiency for lymph node metastasis from HPV+ OPSCC.

Preoperative MRI detection of post-laminar optic nerve invasion (PLONI) offers guidance in assessing the probability of total tumor resection, an estimation of the extent of surgery, and screening of candidates for eye-preserving therapies or neoadjuvant chemotherapies in the patients with retinoblastoma (RB). The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of MRI for detecting PLONI in patients with RB and to demonstrate the factors that may influence the diagnostic performance. Ovid-MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched up to January 11, 2020, for studies identifying the diagnostic performance of MRI for detecting PLONI in patients with RB. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of all studies were calculated followed by meta-regression analysis. Twelve (1240 patients, 1255 enucleated globes) studies were included. The pooled sensitivity was 61%, and the pooled specificity was 88%. Higgins I2 statistic demonstrated moderate heterogeneity in the sensitivity (I2 = 72.23%) and specificity (I2 = 78.11%). Spearman correlation coefficient indicated the presence of a threshold effect. In the meta-regression, higher magnetic field strength (3 T than 1.5 T), performing fat suppression, and thinner slice thickness (

Background Although oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has a good prognosis, the accurate prediction of survival and risk of treatment failure is essential to design deintensification regimens. Here, we investigated estrogen receptor α (ERα) as a prognostic biomarker with therapeutic implications in OPSCC alongside factors associated with HPV infection. Methods We performed immunohistochemistry for ERα and p53 using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues and assessed the HPV status using p16 immunohistochemistry and HPV DNA testing in 113 consecutive patients with OPSCC treated with surgical resection or radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy. Results ERα expression and p53 alteration was observed in 35.4% and 21.2% OPSCCs; 45.6% and 1.3% p16+/HPV+ OPSCCs; and 11.5% and 76.9% p16− OPSCCs, respectively. These data suggest that OPSCC pathogenesis varies with HPV status. Furthermore, ERα expression was associated with improved overall survival (OS) in both HPV+ (p16+/HPV+ OPSCC) and p16+ (p16+ OPSCC irrespective of HPV status) models (p = 0.005 and p = 0.006, respectively) and with improved OS adjusted for stage (p = 0.037, hazard ratio: 0.109, 95% confidence interval 0.013–0.871) in the p16+ model. Conclusions ERα is a potential predictive biomarker for improved survival in both HPV+ and p16+ OPSCC models.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multisystemic disorder characterized by various non-motor symptoms (NMS) in addition to motor dysfunction. NMS include sleep, ocular, olfactory, throat, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, or musculoskeletal disorders. A range of NMS, particularly hyposmia, sleep disturbances, constipation, and depression, can even appear prior to the motor symptoms of PD. Because NMS can affect multiple organs and result in major disabilities, the recognition and multidisciplinary and collaborative management of NMS by physicians is essential for patients with PD. Therefore, the aim of this review article is to provide an overview of the organs that are affected by NMS in PD together with a brief review of pathophysiology and treatment options., Graphical Abstract

Objective Distinguishing intralabyrinthine schwannoma (ILS) from labyrinthitis is crucial in deciding patient management between surgery and medication; however, the clinical and radiological differentiation between ILS and labyrinthitis is difficult, especially when labyrinthitis shows contrast-enhancement mimicking ILS on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study aimed to evaluate the quantitative characteristics of signal intensity on 3T MRI for differentiating ILS from contrast-enhancing labyrinthitis (CEL). Study design Retrospective study. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients Between July 2003 and June 2017, 9 subjects diagnosed with ILS (16 MRI cases) and 9 subjects diagnosed with CEL (9 MRI cases) were enrolled in the study. Main outcome measures Normalized signal intensity on contrast-enhanced T1-weighted image (nCE-T1), normalized signal intensity on T2-weighted image (nT2), and normalized signal intensity on contrast-enhanced fluid-attenuated inversion recovery image (nFLAIR) were measured and compared between ILS and CEL. The diagnostic performance of these values was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results In ILS, the nCE-T1 and the nT2 were significantly higher and lower, respectively, than in CEL (all, p 0.05). The maximal nCE-T1 achieved the highest area under the curve (AUC) in differentiating ILS and CEL, followed by the mean nCE-T1, the mean nT2, and the maximal nT2. Combination of the nCE-T1 and the nT2 showed higher AUC than the nCE-T1 alone, but without statistical significance (p = 0.340). Conclusions Quantitative measurement of the signal intensity on MRI can be a viable imaging tool for differentiating ILS from CEL.

Susceptibility-weighted magnetic resonance imaging at 3.0 T may be a viable imaging tool for recognizing patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder with high risk of synucleinopathies before the onset of overt parkinsonism.

Autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 (SCA17) is known to have various manifestations. Previously, ataxia and autonomic dysfunction have been reported with this disorder, making an overlap with multiple systemic atrophy (MSA). However, respiratory complications, especially stridor during sleep, have not yet been reported with SCA17, in contrast to MSA, in which stridor occurs during sleep and is associated with an increased risk of death. Herein, we report a patient with SCA17, in whom stridor developed during sleep. CITATION: Kim KJ, Kim JM, Bae YJ, Yoon IY, Song YS, Kim SE. Occurrence of stridor during sleep in a patient with spinocerebellar ataxia type 17. J Clin Sleep Med. 2019;15(1):153–155.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The Solitaire FR can be used not only as a tool for mechanical thrombectomy but also as a detachable permanent stent. Our aim was to assess the feasibility and safety of permanent stent placement with the Solitaire FR compared with other self-expanding stents for intracranial artery recanalization for acute ischemic stroke. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2011 through January 2016, we retrospectively selected 2979 patients with acute ischemic stroke. Among them, 27 patients who underwent permanent stent placement (13 patients with the Solitaire FR [Solitaire group] and 14 patients with other self-expanding stents [other stent group]) were enrolled. The postprocedural modified TICI grade and angiographic and clinical outcomes were assessed. The safety and efficacy of permanent stent placement of the Solitaire FR for acute large-artery occlusion were evaluated. RESULTS: Stent placement was successful in all cases. Modified TICI 2b–3 reperfusion was noted in 84.6% of the Solitaire group and in 78.6% of the other stent group. Procedural time was significantly shorter in the Solitaire group than in the other stent group (P = .022). Shorter procedural time was correlated with favorable outcome (ρ = 0.46, P = .035). No significant differences were found in the modified TICI grade, NIHSS score, mRS, and hemorrhagic transformation rate between the 2 groups. The acute in-stent thrombosis rate at discharge was significantly lower when a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor was injected during the procedure (P = .013). CONCLUSIONS: Permanent stent placement with the Solitaire FR compared with other self-expanding stents appears to be feasible and safe as a rescue tool for refractory intra-arterial therapy.

Accurate assessment of nodal metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is important, and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has emerged as a potential technique in differentiating benign from malignant lymph nodes (LNs). This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic performance of texture analysis using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) data of multi-shot echo-planar imaging-based DWI (msEPI-DWI) in predicting metastatic LNs of head and neck SCC. 36 patients with pathologically proven head and neck SCC were included in this study. A total of 204 MRI-detected LNs, including 176 subcentimeter-sized LNs, were assigned to metastatic or benign groups. Texture features of LNs were compared using independent t-test. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to exclude redundant features. Multivariate logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic analysis were performed to assess the diagnostic performance. The discriminative texture features for predicting metastatic LNs were complexity, energy and roundness. Areas under the curves (AUCs) for diagnosing metastasis in all/subcentimeter-sized LNs were 0.829/0.767 using complexity, 0.699/0.685 using energy and 0.671/0.638 using roundness, respectively. The combination of three features resulted in higher AUC values of 0.836/0.781. In conclusion, texture analysis of ADC data using msEPI-DWI could be a useful tool for nodal staging in head and neck SCC.

Background and Objectives: We aimed to identify prognostic computed tomography (CT) findings in retrofenestral otosclerosis, with particular attention paid to the role of otosclerotic lesion area in predicting post-stapedotomy outcome. Materials and Methods: We included 17 subjects (23 ears) with retrofenestral otosclerosis who underwent stapedotomy. On preoperative CT, the presence of cavitating lesion and involvement of various subsites (cochlea, round window [RW], vestibule, and semicircular canal) were assessed. Pre- and post-stapedotomy audiometric results were compared according to the CT findings. The surgical outcomes were analyzed using logistic regression with Firth correction. Results: Cavitating lesions were present in 15 of 23 ears (65.2%). Involvement of the RW was the strongest predictor of unsuccessful surgical outcome, followed by involvement of the internal auditory canal (IAC) and the cochlea. Conclusions: RW and IAC involvement in retrofenestral otosclerosis were shown to predict unsuccessful outcomes. While a &ldquo, third window&rdquo, effect caused by extension of a cavitating lesion into the IAC may dissipate sound energy and thus serve as a barrier to desirable postoperative audiological outcome, a &ldquo, single window&rdquo, effect due to an extension of retrofenestral otosclerosis into the RW may preclude a good surgical outcome, even after successful stapedotomy, due to less compressible cochlear fluid and thus decreased linear movement of the piston.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to delineate the clinical and laboratory features suggestive of intralabyrinthine schwannoma (ILS). Methods: We compared the clinical features of 16 patients with ILS, who had been diagnosed at the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital from 2003 to 2018, with those of 18 patients with symptomatic unilateral intracanalicular schwannoma and randomly selected 20 patients with definite or probable unilateral Meniere's disease (MD). Results: Patients with ILS presented with either recurrent spontaneous dizziness/vertigo combined with auditory symptoms (n = 8), isolated auditory symptoms without dizziness/vertigo (n = 7), or recurrent spontaneous dizziness/vertigo without auditory symptoms (n = 1). Most patients reported no improvement (n = 11) or worsening (n = 1) of the symptoms despite medical treatments including intratympanic (n = 5) or intravenous steroids (n = 2). Conventional brain MRIs failed to detect ILS in about a half of the patients (7/16, 44%). However, ILS showed a filling defect on 3-dimensional (3D) heavily T2-weighted MRIs (n = 12), and nodular enhancement on 3D contrast-enhanced T1 (n = 15) or FLAIR MRIs (n = 13) targeted for the inner ear. Compared to MD or intracanalicular schwannoma, ILS showed mostly abnormal head-impulse tests (HITs, p = 0.001). In contrast, the incidence of canal paresis did not differ among the groups (p = 0.513). Conclusion: ILS may mimic MD by presenting recurrent dizziness/vertigo and auditory symptoms. ILS should be suspected in patients with recurrent audiovestibulopathy especially when (1) the duration of the dizziness is not typical for MD, (2) the patients do not respond to medical treatments, or (3) HITs are abnormal.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to evaluate the association of dietary diversity score with health-related quality of life and osteosarcopenic obesity in female aged 50 or older using data from the 2008∼2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 4276 subjects (50∼64y: n = 2279, ≥65y: n = 1997) were classified according to dietary diversity score (DDS) (≥3 DDS

Objective To determine whether susceptibility map-weighted imaging (SMWI) was superior to conventional susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and in its correlation with 123I-2bcarbomethoxy-3b-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl)-nortropane single photon emission computerized tomography (123I-FP-CIT SPECT). Methods Between May 2017 and February 2018, 125 consecutive patients diagnosed with idiopathic PD, vascular pseudoparkinsonism, essential tremor, or drug-induced parkinsonism and who underwent 123I-FP-CIT SPECT imaging and 3 T SWI on the same day or within 3 months were included in this retrospective study. In all patients, SMWI images were generated from SWI images. On both MRIs, two neuroradiologists independently evaluated the status of nigral hyperintensity on each side of substantia nigra. Inter-observer agreements for the nigral hyperintensity were tested. Using consensus reading, concordance between SWI, SMWI, and 123I-FP-CIT SPECT were evaluated, and the diagnostic performance between SWI and SMWI for PD was compared. Results Inter-observer agreement for the nigral hyperintensity was higher for SMWI (right, κ = 0.919; left, κ = 0.984) than for SWI (right, κ = 0.918; left, κ = 0.902). SMWI (right 67.2 %, left 68.0 %) showed a higher concordance rate with the results of 123I-FP-CIT SPECT than SWI (right 60.0 %, left 59.2 %). SMWI (area under curve [AUC], 0.791) provided significantly higher diagnostic performance for PD than SWI (AUC, 0.720; P = 0.0005). Conclusion SMWI may be a superior assessment tool for nigral hyperintensity than SWI and may be an improved diagnostic imaging modality for patients with suspected PD.

Background Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is frequently caused by vascular compression of the facial nerve. Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBDE) may cause vascular crowding in the limited space of the posterior fossa, increasing the chance of vascular compression of the facial nerve. We investigated the prevalence of VBDE in HFS. Methods We analyzed the presence of VBDE on 3.0 T magnetic resonance images in patients with HFS and control subjects; age, sex and hypertension were matched. Two blinded readers independently assessed the images. We evaluated the vascular risk factors, including diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, ischemic heart disease, stroke, and presence of lacunes. Results A total of 310 patients with HFS and 310 control subjects were included. The prevalence of VBDE was higher in patients with HFS (48/310, 15.5%) than in controls (10/310, 3.2%), with an odds ratio (OR) of 5.82 (P Conclusions We found that VBDE is associated with HFS in a portion of patients. Since vascular risk factors were more prevalent in dolichoectasia-positive patients, an investigation of VBDE and its risk factors may serve to prevent vascular complications.

BackgroundBoth multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used for assessment of lumbar foraminal stenosis (LFS). Therefore, it is relevant to assess agreement between these imaging modalities.PurposeTo determine intermodality, inter-, and intra-observer agreement for assessment of LFS on MDCT and MRI.Material and MethodsA total of 120 foramina in 20 patients who visited our institution in January and February 2014 were evaluated by six radiologists with different levels of experience. Radiologists evaluated presence and severity of LFS on sagittal CT and MR images according to a previously published LFS grading system. Intermodality agreement was analyzed by using weighted kappa statistics, while inter- and intra-observer agreement were analyzed by using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and kappa statistics.ResultsOverall intermodality agreement was moderate to good (kappa, 0.478–0.765). In particular, two professors and one fellow tended to overestimate the degree of LFS on CT compared with MRI. For inter-observer agreement of all six observers, ICCs indicated excellent agreement for both CT (0.774) and MRI (0.771), while Fleiss’ kappa values showed moderate agreement for CT (0.482) and MRI (0.575). There was better agreement between professors and fellows compared with residents. For intra-observer agreement, ICCs indicated excellent agreement, while kappa values showed good to excellent agreement for both CT and MRI.ConclusionMDCT was comparable to MRI for diagnosis and assessment of LFS, especially for experienced observers. However, there was a tendency to overestimate the degree of LFS on MDCT compared with MRI.

Background The aim of this study was to investigate whether 3 Tesla susceptibility-weighted imaging can detect the alteration of substantia nigra hyperintensity in Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and to assess the concordance between the loss of nigral hyperintensity on 3 Tesla susceptibility-weighted imaging and the nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration indicated by 123I-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl)-nortropane single photon emission computerized tomography. Methods Consecutive subjects with suspected parkinsonism were included, and clinical diagnosis was solidified during clinical follow-up. Two blinded neuroradiologists interpreted the nigral hyperintensity on susceptibility-weighted imaging. The performance of susceptibility-weighted imaging for detection of nigral hyperintensity loss was estimated on the basis of the clinical diagnosis and compared with single photon emission computerized tomography results. Results The study included 210 subjects (126 PD, 11 MSA, 11 PSP patients, 26 healthy controls, 36 disease controls). The presence or absence of nigral hyperintensity was accurately visualized in 112 PD, 7 MSA, and 11 PSP patients and 53 controls. We identified 16 false-negative cases and 11 false-positive cases. The sensitivity and specificity of susceptibility-weighted imaging were 88.8% and 83.6%, respectively. The concordance rate between susceptibility-weighted imaging and single photon emission computerized tomography was 86.2%. Conclusions The loss of nigral hyperintensity on susceptibility-weighted imaging suggested nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration in a large portion of patients with parkinsonism, which was indicated by 123I-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl)-nortropane single photon emission computerized tomography. In consideration of false-negative and -positive cases, well-designed imaging protocols should be introduced to improve the performance of nigral hyperintensity imaging. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society

Purpose To describe magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in 10 cases of Toxocara canis myelitis and to analyze these findings to aid in the diagnosis of this condition. Materials and Methods From June 2015 to March 2018, we retrospectively analyzed the electronic medical records and MR images of patients who were diagnosed with Toxocara canis myelitis. The analysis of the MR images was based on a discussion between an experienced spinal radiologist and a radiology resident. Results This study classified MRI findings into the following two types. Type 1 was defined as central and diffuse T2 high signal intensity on the axial plane, which was observed in 50% of all cases. All lesions showed avid enhancement, mostly in the posterolateral or posterior region (4 cases, 80%). Type 2 was defined as wedge-shaped or focal T2 high signal intensity in the posterolateral or posterior region and corresponded to the remaining 50% of the cases. In this case, the extent of the lesion was relatively small and contrast enhancement was observed in only one case. Conclusion This study revealed that various imaging findings could be observed in cases of Toxocara canis myelitis, and the findings were classified into two types.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. Although its major manifestation is motor symptoms, resulting from the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, psychiatric symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, hallucination, delusion, apathy and anhedonia, impulsive and compulsive behaviors, and cognitive dysfunction, may also manifest in most patients with PD. Given that the quality of life — and the need for institutionalization — is so highly dependent on the psychiatric well-being of patients with PD, psychiatric symptoms are of high clinical significance. We reviewed the prevalence, risk factors, pathophysiology, and treatment of psychiatric symptoms to get a better understanding of PD for improved management., Graphical Abstract

Background: Superficial siderosis (SS) is a rare condition in which hemosiderin, an iron storage complex, is deposited in neural tissues because of recurrent subarachnoid bleeding. Hemosiderin deposition in the vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII), brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerve can cause sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and postural imbalance, but much remains unknown about the vestibular manifestations of SS. Objectives: To report the clinical course, cochleovestibular status, and patterns of vestibulopathy during follow-up of a relatively large case series, and to discuss the possible pathophysiological mechanism of vestibular deterioration. Methods: Six patients diagnosed with SS by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were enrolled. Their medical records and radiological findings were retrospectively reviewed, particularly in terms of progression of the vestibulocochlear manifestations and the radiological characteristics. Results: All six patients had SNHL. Five of them exhibited progressive hearing loss over years, which was asymmetric in four. On their most recent evaluations, patients showed cerebellar ataxia with combined central and peripheral vestibulopathy on both sides (n = 4), a bilateral peripheral vestibulopathy (n = 1) or isolated central vestibulopathy (n = 1). Notably, the former four patients showed an evolution of isolated central vestibulopathy into combined central and peripheral vestibulopathy. Hypo-intense lesions on T2 weighted MRIs were evident around the cerebellum in all patients, but such lesions were observed around the brainstem in five and the CN VIII in four. The cochlea-vestibular dysfunction generally progressed asymmetrically, but no left-right asymmetry was evident on MRI. Conclusions: SS typically presents as bilaterally asymmetric, progressive cochleovestibular dysfunction with cerebellar ataxia. The pattern of vestibular dysfunction is usually combined central and peripheral vestibulopathy on both sides. Thus, precise identification of audiovestibular dysfunction and central signs is essential in SS, and patients with SS should undergo regular, comprehensive neurotological evaluation to optimize their treatments and prognosis.

Background Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are associated with cerebrovascular risk factors and cognitive dysfunction among patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, whether CMBs themselves are associated with PD is to be elucidated. Methods We analyzed the presence of CMBs using 3-Tesla brain magnetic resonance imaging in non-demented patients with PD and in age-, sex-, and hypertension-matched control subjects. PD patients were classified according to their motor subtypes: tremor-dominant, intermediate, and postural instability-gait disturbance (PIGD). Other cerebrovascular risk factors and small vessel disease (SVD) burdens were also evaluated. Results Two-hundred and five patients with PD and 205 control subjects were included. The prevalence of CMBs was higher in PD patients than in controls (16.1% vs. 8.8%; odds ratio [OR], 2.126; P = 0.019); CMBs in the lobar area showed a significant difference between PD patients and controls (11.7% vs. 5.9%; OR, 2.234; P = 0.032). According to the motor subtype, CMBs in those with PIGD type showed significant difference from controls with respect to the overall brain area (21.1% vs. 8.9%; OR, 2.759; P = 0.010) and lobar area (14.6% vs. 4.9%; OR, 3.336; P = 0.016). Among PD patients, those with CMBs had higher age and more evidence of SVDs than those without CMBs. Conclusion We found that CMBs are more frequent in PD patients than in controls, especially in those with the PIGD subtype and CMBs on the lobar area. Further study investigating the pathogenetic significance of CMBs is required.

Background and Purpose Quantitative magnetic resonance angiography (Q-MRA) enables direct measurement of volume flow rate (VFR) of intracranial arteries. We aimed to evaluate the collateral flows in internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion with primary collateral pathway via circle of Willis using Q-MRA, and to compare them between patients who recently developed ipsilateral symptomatic ischemia and those who did not. Methods Between 2012 and 2014, 505 patients underwent Q-MRA in our institution. Among these, 33 patients who had unilateral ICA occlusion with primary collateral pathway were identified, and grouped into asymptomatic patients, stable patients with chronic infarction, and symptomatic patients with acute/subacute infarction. Mean VFR (mVFR) in intracranial arteries was measured and compared between the patients’ groups. Kruskal-Wallis test was used for statistical analysis. Results Six patients were asymptomatic, fifteen with chronic infarction were stable, and twelve with acute/subacute infarction were symptomatic. The mVFR of ipsilateral middle cerebral artery in symptomatic patients was significantly lower than those in stable or asymptomatic patients (73.7 ± 45.6 mL/min vs. 119.9 ± 36.1 mL/min vs. 121.8 ± 42.0 mL/min; P = 0.04). Total sum of the mVFR of ipsilateral anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries was significantly lower in symptomatic patients than those in other groups (229.3 ± 51.3 mL/min vs. 282.0 ± 68.6 mL/min vs. 314.0 ± 44.4 mL/min; P = 0.02). Conclusions Q-MRA could be helpful to demonstrate the difference in the degree of primary collateral flow in ICA occlusion between the patients with recent symptomatic ischemia and those without.

Changes in hormone levels in postmenopausal women increase the risk of noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, poor bone health, and cancer. Postmenopausal vegetarian women may obtain various health benefits from plant food–based diets, but studies have also observed poor nutritional conditions in postmenopausal vegetarian women, such as poor nutrient absorption and nutritional status. These changes may be due to the characteristics of the overall dietary patterns, making it difficult to draw consistent conclusions. In this chapter, we examine the effect of a vegetarian diet on bone health, breast cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women. Conflicting or nonmeaningful results have been reported regarding the association between a vegetarian diet and these diseases with respect to several nutrient intakes, type of vegetarian diet, hormone levels, etc. Despite differences among types of vegetarian diets, previous studies and the health benefits observed in vegetarians suggest that a vegetarian diet might reduce postmenopausal health risks.

Obesity-induced chronic inflammation is known to increase the risk of ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and colorectal cancer. Accumulating evidence suggests that leptin and insulin are key molecules linking obesity with diseases of the lower intestine. Here, we identified serum phenotype-associated genes in the colon of diet-induced obese mice as early biomarkers of obesity-associated colonic diseases. C57BL/6J mice were fed with either normal diet (ND, 15% of fat calories) or high-fat diet (HFD, 45% of fat calories) for 8 weeks. Serum concentrations of insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), leptin, and adiponectin were measured as obesity-related phenotypic markers. Genome-wide gene expression profiles of colon tissue were determined, followed by statistical analyses to detect differentially expressed and serum phenotype-associated genes. HFD-fed mice showed higher serum concentrations of leptin (P < 0.001) and insulin (P < 0.01) than those in the ND group, whereas serum IGF-1 and adiponectin concentrations did not differ between the two dietary groups. Among differentially expressed genes affected by HFD, 135, 128, 110, and 341 genes were associated with serum levels of leptin, insulin, IGF-1, and adiponectin, respectively. We identified 17 leptin-associated genes and 4 insulin-associated genes that inversely responded to HFD and ND. Among these, leptin-associated Peli3 (Pellino E3 ubiquitin protein ligase family member 3), Creb1 (cAMP responsive element binding protein 1), and Enpp2 (ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 2, autotaxin) and insulin-associated Centg1 (AGAP2, ArfGAP with GTPase domain) are reported to play a role either in obesity or colonic diseases. mRNA expression of these genes was validated by RT-qPCR. Our data suggest Peli3, Creb1, Enpp2, and Centg1 as potential early biomarker candidates for obesity-induced pathophysiological changes in the colon. Future studies verifying the function of these candidates are needed for the prevention, early detection, and treatment of colon diseases.

Fenpyroximate is a widely used acaricide. Its main action is to inhibit the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Chronic exposure to fenpyroximate is associated with dopaminergic cell loss and parkinsonism; however, to date, there has not been a reported case of parkinsonism as a result of acute fenpyroximate intoxication. Here, we report a 58-year-old man who developed parkinsonism after deliberate fenpyroximate intoxication, but with normal presynaptic I-Ioflupane SPECT image.

Recent studies have reported correlations between mineral intake and metabolic syndrome (MS), but accurate relationships and consistency in the results are difficult to confirm. Accordingly, this study aims to assess the dietary intakes of magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) to determine their relationship with MS. Data from a total of 5,136 adults (2,084 men, 3,052 women) was collected from the 2007-2008 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), and the intakes of Mg, Mn, and Cu of the MS patients were compared with those of healthy adults. The relationship between the intakes of these minerals and the MS risks was analyzed. Diagnosis of MS was evaluated by the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) standards. Among all study subjects, 25.9 % (540 subjects) of the men and 24.5 % (748 subjects) of the women met diagnostic criteria for inclusion in the MS group. In the men, daily intakes of Mg and Cu in the MS group were significantly lower than those in control group, and in the women, daily intakes of energy, Mg, Mn, and Cu in the MS group were significantly lower than those of the control group. The women subjects with high blood pressure showed significantly lower intakes of Mg, Mn, and Cu than control subjects. In addition, in the women, the highest quartile of Mg and Cu was inversely associated with MS, but with adjustment were not maintained. However, in the postmenopausal women, MS was significant and inversely associated with the highest quartiles of Cu intake and the association remained significant after adjustments. Considering that MS incidence increases and dietary intake and nutrient density decrease with increasing age, and mineral intake is reduced accordingly, these results suggest that meal management with adequate mineral intake is advisable to control MS.

To provide magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of compressive myelopathy simulating idiopathic acute transverse myelopathy (ATM). From 19,416 patients who had spinal MRI from 1 September 2004 to 10 July 2011, the patients who met inclusion criteria were enrolled as follows: (1) definable cord compression, (2) long-segmental intramedullary T2-high signal intensity (HSI) extending more than 2 vertebral segments, and (3) no history of trauma, malignancy, or demyelinating disease. The characteristics of T2-HSI and contrast enhancement pattern were analyzed. The patients’ clinical information was collected in the process. Thirteen patients (10 men, 3 women; mean age, 52.8 years; age range, 43–77 years) were included in this study. Twelve patients had cervical cord compression and one had thoracic compression. Common findings of T2-HSI included fusiform shape (100 %) with cord swelling (92.3 %), cord compression in midline location (76.9 %), diffuse distribution occupying more than two-thirds of the cross-sectional dimension of the cord in axial image (84.6 %), and focal and peripheral enhancement (63.6 %). Intravenous corticosteroid was administered to four patients, including two patients following decompressive surgery, and interval decrease in T2-HSI was seen in three patients, but with residual lesions at cord compression level. Spinal cord compression can induce long-segmental cord signal change, such as idiopathic ATM.

Horizontal eye movements are conducted by the medial rectus and the lateral rectus muscles, which are innervated by the oculomotor nerve (cranial nerve III) and the abducens nerve (cranial nerve VI), respectively. The oculomotor and the abducens nuclei are interconnected by a tract in the brainstem named the medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF). Through the MLF, the actions of the oculomotor and the abducens nuclei are coordinated, generating conjugate horizontal eye movements. The disorders of horizontal eye movement that are caused by brainstem lesions are classified into three groups: (a) lateral gaze palsy, (b) internuclear ophthalmoplegia, and (c) one-and-a-half syndrome. Lateral gaze palsy is caused by a lesion involving the paramedian pontine reticular formation (PPRF) or the abducens nucleus. Internuclear ophthalmoplegia occurs as a result of a lesion involving the MLF. One-and-a-half syndrome is a combination of lateral gaze palsy and internuclear ophthalmoplegia and is caused by a lesion involving both (a) the ipsilateral PPRF or the ipsilateral abducens nucleus and (b) the ipsilateral MLF. The pathologic lesions depicted on magnetic resonance images were topographically well correlated with the brainstem pathways and each type of horizontal eye movement disorder. Most of the lesions were tiny acute infarctions and were found in the most posterior region of the pons, which corresponded to the location of the brainstem pathways. Therefore, awareness of the brainstem pathways controlling horizontal eye movement is important to avoid missing a small pontine lesion.

Pulsatile tinnitus (PT) is often an initial presenting symptom of dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF), but it may be overlooked or diagnosed late if not suspected on initial diagnostic work-up. Here, we assess anatomical features, treatment outcomes, and clinical implications of patients with PT due to dAVF. Of 220 patients who were diagnosed with dAVF between 2003 and 2014, 30 (13.6%) presented with only PT as their initial symptom. The transverse-sigmoid sinus (70.0%) was the most common site, followed by the hypoglossal canal (10.0%) and the middle cranial fossa (6.7%) on radiologic evaluation. Regarding venous drainage patterns, sinus or meningeal venous drainage pattern was the most common type (73.3%), followed by sinus drainage with a cortical venous reflux (26.7%). PT disappeared completely in 21 (80.8%) of 26 patients who underwent therapeutic intervention with transarterial embolization of the fistula, improved markedly in 3 (11.5%), and remained the same in 2 (7.7%). In conclusion, considering that PT may be the only initial symptom in more than 10% of dAVF, not only otolaryngologists but also neurologists and neurosurgeons should meticulously evaluate patients with PT. In most cases, PT originating from dAVF can be cured with transarterial embolization regardless of location and venous drainage pattern.