OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to characterize the relationship between signal intensity on STIR MRI, histology, and liver function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRI was performed in 39 patients with chronic liver diseases [chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH), chronic active hepatitis (CAH), liver cirrhosis (LC)] and 11 patients without liver dysfunction (normal). RESULTS: On STIR images, very low signal intensities compared with those of the spleen were seen in all 11 normal livers (100%), and brighter intensities were seen in chronic diffuse liver diseases (10 patients with CPH, 11 patients with CAH, and 18 patients with LC) (100%). The higher the signal grade on STIR images (moderate, marked), the more advanced was the chronic diffuse liver disease (p < 0.02). The levels of serum glutamic-oxaloacetic and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase increased in parallel with increasing signal intensity on STIR images (both p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: We found that the signal intensity of liver on STIR images appeared to be associated with the degree of histologic and/or clinical severity in patients with chronic liver disease.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of diets containing different levels of calcium, phosphate, and vitamin D3 on tooth uptake of 47Ca-chloride in rat models: comparison with bone uptake.

The effect of dietary manipulation on global tooth uptake of 47Ca-chloride was evaluated in three rat models of metabolic bone diseases verified by histologic bone study. The 24-hr tooth uptake of 47Ca-chloride was significantly decreased in the osteomalacic group, and was increased in the osteoporotic group at the fourth week. Tooth uptake closely paralleled femoral uptake at a correlation coefficient of 0.73 (p less than 0.01). The uptake of 47Ca-chloride in tooth was found to be more affected by dietary manipulation than that in femur in our rat models.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Precision of total-body and regional bone mineral measurement by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

The precision of total-body and regional bone mineral measurements from whole body scans obtained by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was determined in a phantom and two normal subjects. Whole body scans were performed once a week for three months at the speed of 80 mm/sec. Coefficients of variation for measurements of total-body bone mineral content (BMC) in the phantom and the subjects were 1.7% and 1.5% (average), respectively. Moreover, plots of total-body BMC values with time showed no significant slope, indicating the stability of the instrument. Regional BMC measurement from whole body scans, however, resulted in larger precision errors than total-body BMC measurement. This is attributed to the more rapid scan speed and coarser scan width used in whole body scanning as compared with regional scanning. Good precision of total-body BMC measurement by DEXA is of great clinical value in the assessment of metabolic bone disease.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of ionic and nonionic contrast media on regional distribution of thallium-201 in rabbits.

Cardiac output is effectively redistributed to each part of the body by regional changes in vascular resistance. Thallium-201 distribution reflects the fractional distribution of cardiac output and parallels regional blood flow. The side effects of iodinated contrast media in different organs have been well documented in animal experiments and clinical studies. However, no simultaneous assessment of regional blood flow change in each part of the body after the administration of contrast media has been reported. Using a double-dose thallium-201 method, we investigated the effect of contrast media on the regional distribution of thallium-201 in each organ as an estimate of regional blood flow change in rabbits. The distribution of 201T1 and 99mTc-MAA was similar in the heart, spleen, kidneys, and leg muscles in the control animals (r = 0.99). The regional distribution of thallium-201 significantly increased in the heart and leg muscle, but decreased in the liver in the nonionic (Iohexol) and ionic (Iothalamate) contrast medium groups as compared with the control group. There were no significant changes in the kidneys or intestine in these three groups in our study. The intravenous infusion of contrast media in rabbits causes uneven redistribution of regional blood flow in the heart, leg muscle and liver. These changes are more prominent in the ionic contrast medium group.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Assessment of congenital left ventricular diverticulum by magnetic resonance imaging: comparison with myocardial perfusion.

We report two cases of left ventricular diverticulum assessed by magnetic resonance (MR) and radionuclide imaging. MR imaging clearly demonstrated the diverticulum in each case, where abnormal perfusion was observed on Tl-201 myocardial SPECT.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Thallium-201 single photon emission computed tomography in the evaluation of thymic carcinoma.

Thymic carcinoma is a rare mediastinal tumor that is distinguished from malignant thymoma without cytologic atypia. We present two cases of thymic carcinoma with high uptake of Tl-201. Absence of Tl-201 uptake in a residual mass on the CT scan indicated a lack of tumor viability after the completion of therapy, which was verified by sequential needle biopsy. Tl-201 SPECT seems to be useful both in detecting thymic carcinoma and in assessing the therapeutic effect.

Aged↗