Biomedical subjects

L E Crooks

Publications and source records attributed to L E Crooks.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1983

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the adrenal gland: a preliminary report.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging characteristics of the normal and abnormal adrenal gland were evaluated and compared with findings on computed tomography (CT). Forty-two patients were examined: 36 had normal adrenal glands and 6 had adrenal disease (3 metastatic lesions, 1 pheochromocytoma, and 2 cortical hyperplasia). NMR clearly showed all 42 left adrenals (100%) and 36 right adrenals (86%). In some patients, it appeared to differentiate the adrenal cortex from the medulla. The ability of NMR to detect adrenal disease was similar to that of CT in 6 cases examined. CT demonstrated superior spatial resolution in most cases, but NMR provided superior soft-tissue contrast. Since NMR does not involve ionizing radiation and provides excellent soft-tissue differentiation without contrast material, it has advantages over CT and appears to be a promising modality for imaging of the adrenal gland.

Adrenal Gland Diseases↗

PubMed1983

Musculoskeletal applications of nuclear magnetic resonance.

Thirty healthy subjects and 15 patients with a variety of musculoskeletal disorders were examined by conventional radiography, computed tomography (CT), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). NMR proved capable of demonstrating important anatomic structures in the region of the lumbosacral spine. Lumbar disk protrusion was demonstrated in three patients with CT evidence of the disease. NMR appeared to differentiate annulus fibrosus from nucleus pulposus in intervertebral disk material. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head was demonstrated in two patients. The cruciate ligaments of the knee were well defined by NMR. Muscles, tendons and ligaments, and blood vessels could be reliably differentiated, and the excellent soft-tissue contrast of NMR proved useful in the evaluation of bony and soft-tissue tumors. NMR holds promise in the evaluation of musculoskeletal disorders.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1983

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the thorax.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) images of the thorax were obtained in ten normal volunteers, nine patients with advanced bronchogenic carcinoma, and three patients with benign thoracic abnormalities. In normal volunteers, mediastinal and hilar structures were seen with equal frequency on NMR images and computed tomographic scans. The hila were especially well displayed on spin-echo images. Spin-echo images showed mediastinal invasion by tumor, vascular and bronchial compression and invasion, and hilar and mediastinal adenopathy. Tumor and benign abnormalities could be separated from mediastinal and hilar fat because of their longer T1 times. Lung masses and nodules as small as 1.5 cm could be seen on the spin-echo images. NMR imaging shows promise for assessment of benign and malignant mediastinal, hilar, and lung abnormalities.

Adult↗

PubMed1983

Work in progress: nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the gallbladder.

A preliminary study of the relation between food intake and intensity of gallbladder bile on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) images was made. Twelve subjects (seven volunteers, five patients) were imaged following a minimum of 14 hours of fasting. Six of seven volunteers were reimaged one hour after stimulation by either a fatty meal or an alcoholic beverage. An additional seven patients were imaged two hours after a hospital breakfast. It was found that concentrated bile emits a high-intensity spin echo signal (SE), while hepatic bile in the gallbladder produces a low-intensity SE signal. Following ingestion of cholecystogogue, dilute hepatic bile settles on top of the concentrated bile, each emitting SE signals of different intensity. The average T1 value of concentrated bile was 594 msec, while the T1 value of dilute hepatic bile was 2,646 msec. The average T2 values were 104 msec for concentrated bile and 126 msec for dilute bile. The most likely cause for the different SE intensities of bile is the higher water content, and therefore longer T1 and T2 relaxation times, of hepatic bile. It is suggested that NMR imaging has the ability to provide physiological information about the gallbladder and that it may prove to be a simple and safe clinical test of gallbladder function.

Cholagogues and Choleretics↗

PubMed1983

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the cardiovascular system: normal and pathologic findings.

Whole body nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging of the cardiovascular system was carried out in early clinical trials in 244 volunteers and patients using a 3.5 KGauss (0.35 T) unit. The spin echo technique with multiple imaging parameters was used. Blood vessels were clearly discriminated from solid organs and lesions because little or no intraluminal signal is seen with laminar blood flow at normal velocities, whereas a more intense image is generated by solid organs. Characteristic flow signals were observed in normal patients and were accentuated by varying the imaging parameters. Cardiac chambers were well delineated in some patients on nongated images. In one case, internal topography of the ventricles was exquisitely displayed on a gated image. Intraluminal pathology, such as dissection of the aorta, aneurysms of the aorta and left ventricle, and aortic atheroma, was clearly demonstrated. Patency of coronary arterial bypass grafts was shown. Abnormal flow patterns due to slow or turbulent flow were accentuated on images using the second spin echo. This preliminary experience indicates the considerable potential of NMR imaging in the evaluation of cardiovascular diseases.

Blood Flow Velocity↗

PubMed1983

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the infarcted muscle: a rat model.

Eleven Sprague-Dawley rats with experimentally produced infarction of the lower extremities were imaged by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) immediately after infarction, and 6 and 24 hours later. Contrast between the infarcted and control muscles was noted immediately and continued to increase through 24 hours. These changes corresponded to a significant increase in the water content of the infarcted extremity at 24 hours. These results suggest promise for NMR imaging in the identification of myocardial infarction and should encourage further investigation in this area.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the kidney: renal masses.

Fifteen patients with a variety of renal masses were examined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), computed tomography, ultrasound, and intravenous urography. NMR clearly differentiated between simple renal cysts and other renal masses. On spin echo images, the simple renal cyst appeared as a round or slightly oval, homogeneous low-intensity mass with characteristically long T1 and T2 values. The thickness of the cyst wall was not measurable. The cyst had a smooth outer margin and a distinct, sharp interface with normal parenchyma. Hemorrhagic cysts were seen as high-intensity lesions. Renal cell carcinomas displayed a wide range of intensity. The T1 and T2 values of the tumors were always different from those of the surrounding renal parenchyma. Tumor pseudocapsule was identified in four of five patients examined. All carcinomas were accurately staged by NMR and extension of the tumor thrombus into the inferior vena cava was demonstrated. The authors predict that if these preliminary results are confirmed by data from a larger number of patients, NMR will play a significant role in renal imaging.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1983

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of atherosclerotic disease.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) images of 93 patients undergoing studies of the abdomen and pelvis were studied for evidence of lesions of the aorta and the iliac and femoral arteries; atherosclerotic lesions were present in 13 of them. The lesions consisted of eccentric and concentric mural thickening with luminal narrowing and discrete plaques protruding into the vessel lumen. This appearance was distinctly different from the morphology of the internal vessel surface and uniformly thin vessel wall in normal patients and volunteers under the age of 30 years. Intraluminal flow signals observed in atherosclerotic and nonatherosclerotic subjects could be distinguished from mural lesions because of their lack of contiguity with the vessel wall and variation in appearance on multiple images obtained with the first and second spin echo. This initial experience suggests a potential role for NMR in the noninvasive imaging of atherosclerotic lesions. The natural contrast between flowing blood and the vessel wall indicates a distinct advantage of NMR for vascular imaging.

Abdomen↗

PubMed1983

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of induced renal lesions.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) images obtained after unilateral ligation of the ureter, renal artery, or renal vein in the rat were analyzed and compared with NMR images of the normal rat kidney. Anatomic and functional correlation of the induced renal lesions was made by concurrent CT and by gross examination of the excised kidneys. Many normal anatomic structures at the level of the renal hilum can be identified by high resolution NMR imaging. Differentiation of urine from renal parenchyma permits detection of gross changes both in renal function and in the mass of the renal parenchyma. NMR imaging is capable of diagnosing hydronephrosis, acute renal ischemia, and acute venous congestion in this rat model. In addition, a trend toward prolongation of the relaxation times T1 and T2 for abnormal renal parenchyma is demonstrated.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of a fibrosarcoma tumor implanted in the rat.

Fibrosarcoma tumor cells were implanted in the hind legs of 25 rats and studied from the first to the sixth week postimplantation. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging detected all tumors and did not yield any false-positives in five control rats. The T1 relaxation values of tumors overlapped those of muscle, and the T2 values overlapped those of fat, but the combination of the two values allowed discrimination of each of the three tissues with no overlap. The difference in relaxation time between tumor and muscle could be accounted for on the basis of water content, which was approximately 14% higher in the tumors. This study confirms data from previous studies suggesting that nuclear magnetic resonance imaging is a highly sensitive modality, but that T1 and T2 values are not specific for individual pathologic conditions.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1983

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of gallstones in vitro.

The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging characteristics of gallstones of various composition from 36 patients were studied in vitro using a spin-echo imaging technique. The majority of gallstones (83%) produced no measurable NMR signal despite having a mean water content of 12% and a mean cholesterol content of 61%. Six (17%) of the stones had a weak but measurable signal in the center of the stone, which was thought to represent signal from water in clefts or pores within the stones. The mean water and cholesterol content of the stones with measurable signal did not differ significantly from that of stones with no signal. A possible explanation for these findings, based on the known NMR characteristics of solid materials, is offered.

Bilirubin↗

PubMed1983

Nuclear magnetic resonance contrast enhancement study of the gastrointestinal tract of rats and a human volunteer using nontoxic oral iron solutions.

Two dilute oral iron solutions, made from commonly available nonprescription dietary supplements, were found to enhance the gastrointestinal tract in nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of live rats and one human volunteer. The paramagnetic and pharmacologic properties of ferric ammonium citrate were more favorable than those of ferrous sulfate heptahydrate. The paramagnetic iron solutions shorten T1 and T2 relaxation times of water protons in the contrast media-filled gastrointestinal tract, producing easily observable change in NMR intensity. Because these iron solutions are available commercially and are known to be well tolerated, the clinical use of iron-containing NMR contrast agents for the gastrointestinal tract is feasible.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

NMR demonstration of cerebral abnormalities: comparison with CT.

Sixty-eight patients with a wide spectrum of brain pathology were imaged with both computed tomography (CT) using a G.E. 8800 scanner and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging with a 3.5 kG prototype device. NMR was more advantageous in the detection and/or characterization of pathology in 20 of the 68 patients, especially when demyelination was part of the disease process or when the lesion was obscured on CT by beam-hardening artifact. Punctate foci of calcification identified on CT were not detected on NMR, but larger calcifications were seen. NMR was sensitive to detection of both normal and abnormal vascular structures. The ability of NMR to differentiate among different pathologic entities remains to be fully evaluated. NMR currently complements CT in the evaluation of many disease entities and may actually supplant CT in some. The full future potential of NMR and its role with respect to CT has only begun to be elucidated.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1983

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of vasculature of abdominal viscera: normal and pathologic features.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging of intraabdominal vascular anatomy and the effect of various lesions on retroperitoneal and splanchnic vessels was assessed in 67 patients and volunteers using a superconducting magnet (0.35 tesla) and the spin-echo imaging techniques. Because of the low signal generated by flowing blood in most images, blood vessels, including intraparenchymal vessels, were well demonstrated. Clear delineation of the splenic vein facilitated visualization of the normal pancreas and pancreatic masses. Variation in the size and shape of the inferior vena cava and portal venous system reflected constricting and mass lesions. Preliminary observations from this initial experience suggest conspicuity of splanchnic vessels out of proportion to the current spatial resolution of NMR imaging due to the marked natural contrast between flowing blood and solid organs.

Abdomen↗

PubMed1983

Anatomy and pathology of the male pelvis by magnetic resonance imaging.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the male pelvis was performed in 25 subjects: five normal volunteers; six patients with carcinoma of the bladder; nine with benign nodular hyperplasia (including five with concomitant bladder carcinoma); nine with prostatic carcinoma; and one with a lymphocele after radical prostatectomy. The display of normal anatomy is enhanced by the ability of the MRI device to provide images in direct transverse, sagittal, and coronal planes. Sessile and pedunculated types of bladder carcinoma are readily shown due to the superior ability of MRI for soft-tissue characterization. Direct sagittal scans are advantageous for evaluation of tumors at the bladder base, and by combining two different planes of images, the extent of the neoplasm is better delineated. In the analysis of the prostate, MRI displays the gland in three dimensions and therefore allows accurate volumetric measurements. The greatest potential of MRI seems to be its ability to detect pathology confined to the gland. However, it is not yet known if a neoplastic nodule can be differentiated from chronic prostatitis. Unlike x-ray CT, metallic clips produce no streaking artifacts, giving MRI a definite advantage in the evaluation of patients after radical surgery. These observations were made on a small number of patients. If the results are confirmed with a larger number of patients, MRI will assume a prominent role in the clinical evaluation of bladder and prostate cancer.

Adult↗

PubMed1983

Magnetic resonance imaging of the female pelvis: initial experience.

The potential of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was evaluated in 21 female subjects: seven volunteers, 12 patients scanned for reasons unrelated to the lower genitourinary tract, and two patients referred with gynecologic disease. The uterus at several stages was examined: the premenarcheal uterus (one patient), the uterus of reproductive age (12 patients), the postmenopausal uterus (two patients), and in an 8 week pregnancy (one patient). The myometrium and cyclic endometrium in the reproductive age are separated by a low-intensity line (probably stratum basale), which allows recognition of changes in thickness of the cyclic endometrium during the menstrual cycle. The corpus uteri can be distinguished from the cervix by the transitional zone of the isthmus. The anatomic relation of the uterus to bladder and rectum is easily outlined. The vagina can be distinguished from the cervix, and the anatomic display of the closely apposed bladder, vagina, and rectum is clear on axial and coronal images. The ovary is identified; the signal intensity from the ovary depends on the acquisition parameter used. Uterine leiomyoma, endometriosis, and dermoid cyst were depicted, but further experience is needed to ascertain the specificity of the findings.

Adult↗

PubMed1983

Magnetic resonance imaging of the spinal cord and canal: potentials and limitations.

Preliminary experience with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spinal cord and canal in 17 patients indicates considerable promise in the diagnosis of neoplastic, degenerative, and congenital lesions. The ability to image the cord directly rather than indirectly as in myelography, the absence of bone artifact as in computed tomography, and the multiplanar capabilities indicate that MRI will be the procedure of choice in the examination of the spinal cord. Current limitations include partial-volume effects due to slice thickness and the inability to perform contiguous sections when using multiplanar techniques. The relative increase in signal from cerebrospinal fluid with long TR and TE sequences in spin-echo imaging may result in less sensitivity than in the brain for detection of cord edema and/or infarction.

Humans↗

PubMed1983

Cardiovascular imaging with nuclear magnetic resonance.

This article provides some examples of what the previous article outlined. The sections on Image Display and Myocardial Characterization contain numerous illustrations of gating, cross-sectional images, flow signals, and ischemic injury. The possibility of metabolic imaging with NMR and quantitating blood flow is also considered.

Aorta, Abdominal↗