Association between QUS and structural parameters?
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H K Genant.
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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of routine MR imaging sequences in detecting and characterizing secondary reactive synovitis of the knee joint using arthroscopy as the standard of reference. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Fifty consecutive patients with a history of knee pain who were referred for MR imaging and subsequently underwent arthroscopy of the knee comprised the study group. MR images were evaluated for the presence and appearance of synovitis reflected in synovial thickening and irregularity. Synovial thickening was graded on MR imaging as follows: 0=normal, 1=thin line of increased signal intensity, 2=increased signal intensity with frond-like or hair-like projections and a granular appearance of joint fluid. Standard knee imaging protocols were used. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MR imaging in detecting synovitis compared with arthroscopy were 88%, 97%, and 95%, respectively. Grade 1 synovitis was best seen on proton-density-weighted images, demonstrating increased signal intensity of the synovium against the relatively low signal intensity of the joint fluid. Grade 2 synovitis was best seen on proton-density images and T2-weighted spin echo and fast spin echo images with fat saturation, demonstrating a granular and linear hair-like appearance of joint fluid. Axial and sagittal imaging planes were most helpful in the diagnosis of synovitis. CONCLUSION: Routine MR pulse sequences are useful in identifying the presence and extent of synovial abnormalities. The detection of different stages of synovial pathology should become an important part of the evaluation of the post-traumatic patient as treatment may be altered as a result.
The purpose of this review is to provide illustrative examples of diseases of the foot and ankle when imaged with a low-field MR imaging system. A retrospective review of 268 foot and ankle examinations, performed in our institution within the past 3 years with a 0.2-T (Artoscan Esaote, Genoa, Italy) dedicated extremity MR system was done. Additionally, illustrative comparison with conventional radiography and high-field MR imaging is presented in patients in whom these examinations were also performed. Although motion artifact limited the value of a few studies, in the majority of examinations low-field MR imaging provided diagnostic image quality for the full spectrum of disorders affecting the foot and ankle and seemed to be a feasible alternative to high-field MR imaging in establishing an accurate diagnosis.
This study aimed to evaluate the ability of speed of sound (SOS) measured at the phalanges to estimate simulated wrist fracture load and stress. SOS was measured along the proximal phalanges of the second, third and fourth fingers using an ultrasound (US) system operating in axial transmission mode. The bone mineral density (BMD) of the radius and the phalanges was also measured with quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and the combined cortical thickness (CCT) of the phalanges was measured from hand radiographs. After the measurements were completed, the radius was excised from the cadaver, embedded in polymethylmethacrylate and tested to failure on a servohydraulic testing machine. The configuration of the radius was chosen to simulate a fall onto the hand. Linear regression analysis showed a highly significant correlation between SOS (r = 0.76-0.94, p < 0.001), CCT (r = 0.86-0.90, p < 0.001) and BMD (r = 0.92-0.96, p < 0.0001) in the three proximal phalanges measured. SOS, BMD and CCT were significant predictors of fracture load (r = 0.60-0.69, p < 0.03) and stress (r = 0.65-0.77, p < 0.02). Cortical area and bone mineral content (BMC) of the radius were consistently higher predictors of fracture load (r = 0.76-0.82, p < 0.01 for area and r = 0.78-0.88, p < 0.01 for BMC) than BMD. The correlation of BMC and area was poorer with fracture stress. In a step-wise regression analysis using both phalangeal BMD and SOS, only SOS remained a significant predictor of fracture stress. In forward stepwise regression analysis, both cortical area and SOS were entered into the regression model to estimate fracture load. Only SOS remained significant in the model for estimating fracture stress. Phalangeal BMD was only entered in the combined model with the cortical area at the 4% site (r = 0.84, p = 0.002). Phalangeal SOS is a useful parameter in the assessment of bone status of the radius.
Cystic lesions that arise adjacent to the shoulder have been reported in association with labral tears or as an unusual manifestation of massive rotator cuff tears. The purpose of this study was to define the relationship between intramuscular cysts of the rotator cuff and tears of the rotator cuff. Thirteen cases of intramuscular cysts of the rotator cuff were identified on magnetic resonance imaging of the shoulder and analyzed retrospectively along with the clinical data. Surgical findings were retrospectively reviewed in 5 patients who underwent follow-up arthroscopy. This series shows that intramuscular cysts of the rotator cuff are associated with small, full-thickness tears or partial undersurface tears of the rotator cuff. These cysts are easily identified on T2-weighted sequences and, when present, should always prompt a thorough search for associated rotator cuff pathology.
This investigation compares quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurement of the phalanges with peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) and dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurement of the forearm, to estimate the strength of the distal radius in 13 cadaveric forearms. The cadavers were scanned at the distal radius by pQCT and DXA for bone mineral density (BMD) and at the approximate phalanges by QUS for speed of sound (SOS). The distal radii were subjected to a simulated Colles fracture produced with a materials testing machine. The load at which the distal radius was fractured was considered as a representation of bone strength. The bone strength correlated significantly with SOS at different phalanges (r = 0.63-0.72), BMD at different regions of interest by DXA (r = 0.67-0.75), and cortical BMD at different sites by pQCT (r = 0.61-0.67). Standard stepwise regression analysis showed that adding phalangeal SOS into forearm densitometric variables significantly enhanced the statistical power for prediction of the strength of the distal radius. Our results suggest that, for assessment of site-specific distal forearm strength, QUS measurement of the phalanges is comparable to forearm densitometry. Phalangeal QUS may add clinical value if distal forearm strength has a high priority.
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Conventional and gadolinium enhanced magnetic resonance arthrograms were done on 14 hips in 10 children ages 7 to 24 months. The contralateral normal hips in those with unilateral disease were studied with unenhanced magnetic resonance imaging for comparison. By conventional arthrography, there were no well visualized structures. Visualized structures seen as filling defects were the labrum, ligamentum teres, and transverse acetabular ligament. By magnetic resonance arthrography, well visualized structures were the labrum, ligamentum teres, transverse acetabular ligament, and pulvinar. By unenhanced magnetic resonance imaging, well visualized structures were the labrum, ligamentum teres, and transverse acetabular ligament. The difference in visualization by magnetic resonance arthrography versus conventional arthrography was statistically significant with respect to all five structures: labrum, ligamentum teres, transverse acetabular ligament, pulvinar, and psoas tendon. The difference in visualization by magnetic resonance arthrography versus unenhanced magnetic resonance imaging was statistically significant with respect to the labrum and pulvinar. Magnetic resonance arthrography is indicated for assessing complete concentric reduction when it does not appear to be achieved by conventional arthrography, for confirming closed reduction immediately after manipulation, and potentially for preoperative planning for an open reduction.
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Our purpose in this study was (i) to measure trabecular bone structure using fractal analysis of distal radius radiographs in subjects with and without osteoporotic hip fractures, and (ii) to compare these measures with bone mineral density (BMD) as well as with measures of trabecular bone structure derived from high resolution magnetic resonance (MR) images. Distal radius radiographs were obtained using semi-industrial films (55 kVp, 400 mAs) in 30 postmenopausal patients, who had suffered osteoporotic hip fractures (74.8+/-8.2 years) in the last 24 months and 27 postmenopausal age-matched (74.6+/-6.6 yr) normal volunteers. Radiographs were digitized at 50 microm. A Fourier power spectrum-based fractal dimension (FD) characterizing the trabecular pattern was measured in a region of interest proximal to the joint line. The fractal dimension was calculated over two spatial frequency (f) ranges: FD1 was calculated over 0.5<log(f)<l.0, FD2 over the higher range 1.0<log(f)<1.5. Trabecular BMD in the radius was obtained using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) (Stratec GmbH, Germany). In addition BMD of the proximal femur was determined using dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) (QDR 2000, Hologic, MA). In a subset of patients (16 controls and 18 with hip fractures), high resolution MR imaging of the distal radius (spatial resolution of 156 x 156 x 500 microm) was used to obtain measures analogous to bone histomorphometry. There were significant differences (p<0.05) between the fracture and nonfracture groups in the total femur BMD (13%), trabecular BMD in the distal radius (4%), and the fractal dimension in the radiographs (FD2) (3%). The correlations between FD2 and the total femur BMD as well as trabecular bone BMD in the distal radius were -0.48 (p<0.006) and -0.22 (p<0.33); respectively; FD1 increased with BMD and showed lower correlations. FD2 showed good correlations with App. Tb.N (-0.71) and App. Tb.Sp (0.69) (p<0.01), moderate correlation with App BV/TV (-0.53) (p<0.05), and no significant correlation with App. Tb.Th. The correlations between structural measures and FD1 showed the inverse trend and were typically lower. The odds ratios for a hip fracture were 2.44 for total femur BMD, 1.5 for trabecular BMD (radius), and 1.5 for FD2, respectively. In summary, the fractal measures derived from radiographs of the radius show differences between subjects with and without hip fractures, the predictive power of measures in the distal radius are comparable to radial trabecular BMD but lower than that of total hip BMD.
The progression of osteoarthritis (OA) can be monitored by measuring the minimum joint space width (mJSW) between the edges of the femoral condyle and the tibial plateau on radiographs of the knee. This is generally performed by a trained physician using a graduated magnifying lens and is prone to the subjectivity and variation associated with observer measurement. We have developed software that performs this measurement automatically on digitized radiographs. The test data consisted of 180 digitized radiographs of the knee (90 duplicate acquisitions) from 18 normal (nonarthritic) subjects and 38 images from 10 subjects with OA. These were digitized and manually cropped so that the images were free of nonanatomical structures and the knee was approximately centered. The software first determined the edge of the femoral condyle on 400 microm pixel subsampled images. Contours marking the location of the tibial plateau in the medial compartment were found on 100 microm images using the femoral edge as a reference. The algorithm was trained using an independent but similar data set and using a jackknife approach with the test data. The results were compared to contours drawn by a trained reader and the duplicate acquisitions were used to measure the reproducibility of the mJSW measurement. The reproducibility was 0.16 mm and 0.18 mm for normal and osteoarthritic knees, respectively, representing an improvement of approximately a factor of 2 over manual measurement. The algorithm also showed excellent agreement with the hand-drawn contours and with mJSW determined by the manual method.
Arthritis diseases are widespread with enormous societal costs. The two most common forms, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, affect joints of the hand and cause narrowing of the joint spaces as the disease destroys the articular cartilage. Radiographic assessment is one of the most promising tools to detect subtle changes in joint space width (JSW), and therefore disease progression. Currently radiographic assessment of arthritis in joints of the hand is accomplished though semiquantitative subjective scoring systems which do not provide a quantitative measurement of the JSW. We describe here an automated method which calculates the average JSW of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP), proximal interphalangeal (PIP), and distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint spaces for fingers 2 to 5 (index, middle, ring, and little) on digitized hand radiographs. The method was tested with a set of 54 hand radiographs on joints with mild to moderate rheumatoid arthritis. Performance was evaluated by comparing algorithm measured JSW to a gold standard determined from expertly hand-drawn joint margins. The agreement was quantified by a measurement of root mean square deviation, 0.148 mm, 0.089 mm, and 0.114 mm for the MCP, PIP, and DIP joints, respectively. In addition, the algorithm measured JSW strongly correlated with the gold standard: R2=0.80 (MCP), R2= 0.82 (PIP), and R2= 0.84 (DIP). This is an accurate and robust algorithm and should provide a more quantitative measure of disease progression than current methods.
PURPOSE: To assess the value of central quality assurance (QA) reading of transvaginal ultrasonographic (US) images obtained to measure endometrial thickness and to assess image quality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Results of 2,000 US examinations performed in 1,000 subjects during one of two multicenter drug trials were evaluated. Endometrial thickness was measured at the study site; images were then sent to the QA center, where an experienced sonologist evaluated endometrial thickness and image quality. RESULTS: In 360 (18%) of the 2,000 examinations, image quality was insufficient for central QA reading. Repeat examinations were requested, and suggestions for improvement in technique were provided. In 349 (97%) of the 360 examinations, repeat US images were of acceptable quality. In 99 (5%) of the 1,989 examinations in which endometrial thickness was measured, central measurement of thickness differed by more than 2 mm from that of the site. In a group (n = 300) that was followed up for 1 year, requests for repeat US examinations decreased from 24% at baseline to 11% at 1 year. CONCLUSION: Central QA reading provides a consistent evaluation of endometrial thickness on US images obtained in multicenter drug trials and helps to ensure the acquisition of high-quality transvaginal US images. It further leads to demonstrable improvement in site performance.
This study evaluated a new body composition phantom and its use for quality control and cross-calibration of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) instruments for measurements of body composition. We imaged the variable composition phantom (Lunar, Madison, WI) on eight different DXA devices. Deviations of up to 7% fat were observed when we compared the percent fat values measured by the different devices with the nominal values provided by the manufacturer. Absolute precision error of percent fat measurements for the phantom ranged from 0.6 to 0.8%. The phantom's percent fat values were also compared with whole body composition measurements from 130 female and male volunteers. The phantom detected differences in percent fat values that were similar to those found by comparing in vivo measurements with values from different DXA scanner models from the same manufacturer. When comparing different models of scanners from different manufacturers, such as the Hologic QDR-4500 and the Lunar DPX-IQ, the phantom showed a different relationship than was seen for patients. Therefore, corrections or comparisons based on the phantom data alone would be incorrect. In conclusion, the Lunar variable composition phantom is capable of accurately measuring the fat calibration of DXA devices and may be suitable for cross-sectional cross-calibration between scanners from the same manufacturer; however, for comparison of DXA scanners from different manufacturers, in vivo cross-calibration is still the only accurate method. The phantom may be used in longitudinal quality control to verify an instrument's temporal stability.
Noninvasive and/or nondestructive techniques are capable of providing more macro- or microstructural information about bone than standard bone densitometry. Although the latter provides important information about osteoporotic fracture risk, numerous studies indicate that bone strength is only partially explained by bone mineral density. Quantitative assessment of macro- and microstructural features may improve our ability to estimate bone strength. The methods available for quantitatively assessing macrostructure include (besides conventional radiographs) quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and volumetric quantitative computed tomography (vQCT). Methods for assessing microstructure of trabecular bone noninvasively and/or nondestructively include high-resolution computed tomography (hrCT), micro-computed tomography (muCT), high-resolution magnetic resonance (hrMR), and micromagnetic resonance (muMR). vQCT, hrCT and hrMR are generally applicable in vivo; muCT and muMR are principally applicable in vitro. Although considerable progress has been made in the noninvasive and/or nondestructive imaging of the macro- and microstructure of bone, considerable challenges and dilemmas remain. From a technical perspective, the balance between spatial resolution versus sampling size, or between signal-to-noise versus radiation dose or acquisition time, needs further consideration, as do the trade-offs between the complexity and expense of equipment and the availability and accessibility of the methods. The relative merits of in vitro imaging and its ultrahigh resolution but invasiveness versus those of in vivo imaging and its modest resolution but noninvasiveness also deserve careful attention. From a clinical perspective, the challenges for bone imaging include balancing the relative advantages of simple bone densitometry against the more complex architectural features of bone or, similarly, the deeper research requirements against the broader clinical needs. The considerable potential biological differences between the peripheral appendicular skeleton and the central axial skeleton have to be addressed further. Finally, the relative merits of these sophisticated imaging techniques have to be weighed with respect to their applications as diagnostic procedures requiring high accuracy or reliability on one hand and their monitoring applications requiring high precision or reproducibility on the other.