Radiological imaging findings of scheuermann disease

AIM To find accompanying anomalies of typical and atypical Scheuermann's disease(SD) is reported in the present study. METHODS Study included 20 patients(16 men and 4 women) who had radiological imaging radiography, magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) and computed tomography, if available, due to back pain, curved back and low back pain in November 2011-February 2016 period. Patients were categorized into typical and atypical patterns based on the region involved. Thoracic kyphosis values were measured using real Cobb angle. Accompanying disc degeneration, herniations and spinal cord pathologies were studied using MRI.RESULTS Age of the patients ranged from 11.0 to 23.0(mean 17.2 ± 3.0). Typical pattern of SD were detected in 15 patients while atypical pattern were detected in 5 patients. Cobb angle range was 40.2-67.2(mean 55.5 ± 8.7) in typical Scheuermann's patients and 24.7-49.9(mean 36.7 ± 10.8) in atypical ones. Intervertebral level was affected and had the measures of 3-8(mean 5.3 ± 1.6) and 7-9(mean 8.2 ± 0.8) in typical and atypical Scheuermann's patients, respectively. Level of degenerative disc disease in MRI was 1-7 discs(mean 4.1 ± 1.7) in typical patients and 5-10 discs(mean 7.6 ± 1.9) in atypical patients.CONCLUSION SD can be seen in typical and atypical patterns, typical being more frequent. Because degenerative disc diseases,herniations and cord pathologies such as syringomyelia can accompany SD(albeit more common in atypical pattern), it is necessary to evaluate these patients with plain radiography and MRI together.

Evaluation of ischemic lesions after carotid artery stenting with diffusion-weighted imaging

BACKGROUND Almost 90%of cerebral thromboembolism cases are caused by atherosclerosis.Craniocervical atherosclerosis is often observed at the carotid bifurcation and is responsible for 20%-30%of all stroke cases.The course of atherosclerotic carotid artery stenosis varies depending on the grade of stenosis and characteristics of the plaque.Carotid artery stenting(CAS)can be used as a less invasive method in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic high-grade carotid artery stenosis.Diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI)is an effective method for detection of silent or symptomatic acute ischemic lesions that may arise due to CAS or carotid endarterectomy.The number and volume of new ischemic lesions are determined using DWI.AIM To evaluate the number and volume of ischemic lesions and their cerebral parenchymal and vascular distribution after CAS using DWI.METHODS Forty-seven male(73.4%)and seventeen female(26.6%)patients(total,n=64)aged 42-84 years(mean 67.96±8.03 years)diagnosed with carotid stenosis between October 2006 and July 2012 were included in this retrospective study.Twelve of the cases(18.8%)were asymptomatic,while fifty-two(81.2%)were symptomatic.The area where the stenosis was highest was measured,and the stenosis rate was determined using the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial method.DWI of the cases was evaluated by two radiologists experienced in neuroradiology(B.A.with more than 15 years of experience,E.G.with more than 10 years of experience).Routine DWI examinations were carried out by a 1.5 T MR device 1 h before and after the operation.Since the ischemic lesions that developed in the first hour and in the follow-up period of 5-24 h were assumed to be due to CAS,all lesions within the first 24 h were considered as new ischemias.RESULTS In the present study,39 new ischemic lesions were detected in 20 cases.The average number of new lesions after all CAS operations was 0.62.They were mostly located in the occipital lobes,followed by the frontal and parietal lobes.These new ischemic lesions were most common in the middle cerebral artery territory,followed by the posterior cerebral artery territory and middle cerebral artery-posterior cerebral artery watershed areas.New lesions were found in 31.2%(20/64)of patients,including 17(26.5%)in ipsilateral and three(4.6%)in contralateral hemispheres.New bilateral lesions were detected in one case(1.5%).The average volume of the new ischemic lesions detected by the two observers was 1.10 cm³.The numbers of newly appearing ischemic lesions in DWI after CAS were significantly higher in cases where stenting was applied on the left side of the carotid artery and in cases where longer plaques(>1 cm)were responsible for the narrowing in symptomatic patients.The stenosis rate was low in the group with ulcerated plaques.CONCLUSION New ischemic lesions due to CAS appear mostly in the main arterial territory but they may also occur in watershed areas.

Evaluation of variations in sinonasal region with computed tomography

AIM: To investigate the frequency of anatomical variations in sinonasal region and association of these variations with mucosal diseases. METHODS: The study included 400 cases(191 female and 209 male) who were considered to have preliminary diagnoses of sinonasal pathology and who had paranasal sinus computed tomography(CT) examination in axial plane. Reformatted CT images were studied in all planes.RESULTS: Age range of the patients was 20-83(mean 40.26 ± 14.85). Most commonly detected anatomical variation was Agger nasi cell(74.8%). There was a significant association between clinoid process pneumatization and protrusion of internal carotid arteries and optic nerves into sphenoid sinus(P < 0.001). Besides,the relationships between pterygoid process pneumatization and protrusion of vidian nerve into sphenoid sinus,and between pneumatization of large sphenoid wing and protrusion of maxillary nerves into sphenoid sinus were also significant(P < 0.001). Uncinate bulla and giant ethmoid bulla were found to be significantly associated with sinonasal mucosal diseases(P = 0.004 and P = 0.002,respectively).CONCLUSION: Sinonasal region has a great number of variations,and some of them have been determined to be associated with sinonasal mucosal disease. It is necessary to know that some of these variations are associated with protrusion of significant structures such as carotid artery or optic nerve into the sinus and care should be observed in surgeries on patients carrying these variations.

Evaluation of pineal cysts with magnetic resonance imaging

AIM To evaluate radiological imaging findings of patients who had been found to have pineal cyst(PC) in brain magnetic resonance imaging(MRI).METHODS A total of 9546 patients who had brain MRI examination in March 2010-January 2018 period were studied.Fiftysix patients(44 female and 12 male) found to have PC were evaluated.Eighteen of the patients had had follow-up examinations of 2-94 mo(mean 30.50 ± 28.83).PC dimensions and volume,radiological imaging features(signal intensities,contours,internal septationloculation and contrast-enhancement features) and natural history in cases who had been followed-up were evaluated by two radiologists.RESULTS Of 9546 patients,5555 were female(58.2%) and 3991 male(41.8%).Age range was 1-99(mean 43.18 ± 20.94).PC frequency was calculated to be 0.58%.Forty-four of the 56 patients(78.57%) with PC were female and 12 male(21.43%),and their age range was 5-61(mean 31.26 ± 12.73).Thirty-five of the PCs were typical(62.50%) and 21(37.50%) were atypical.No significant difference was found between initial and final imaging sizes of PCs which were monitored by follow-up examinations(P > 0.05).CONCLUSION PCs are cysts which do not show clear size and natural changes and are more frequently observed in females and in adult ages.Most of them are isointense with cerebrospinal fluid on T1 and T2 A weighted images,hyperintense compared to cerebrospinal fluid on fluidattenuated inversion recovery; sequence and smoothly contoured.Their typical forms have peripheral rim and multilocular ones may have septal contrast-enhancement.