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I Pandolfo

Publications and source records attributed to I Pandolfo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Role of coronal oblique reconstruction as a complement to CT study of the temporal bone: normal anatomy.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the usefulness of coronal oblique multiplanar reconstruction computed tomography (MPR CT) reformation parallel to the basal turn of the cochlea in the evaluation of the retrotympanum and hypotympanum to complete the standard CT examination of the temporal bone obtained with axial and coronal images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 30 patients aged 18-79 years for a total of 60 normal petrous pyramids. All examinations were performed on a multislice CT (MSCT) scanner (Sensation 16, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) with axial volumetric acquisition and completed with reformations of coronal and coronal-oblique images. MSCT scan parameters for axial acquisition were set as follows: 0.75-mm scan collimation, FOV 300 mm, 170 mAs. Axial images were reconstructed at 0.7-mm thickness and with a reconstruction increment of 0.5 mm using a high-resolution bone algorithm. RESULTS: Coronal oblique MPR CT reformations provided additional information with respect to standard CT images in all cases. In particular, they enabled measurement of the craniocaudal and laterolateral diameters of the sinus tympani. In all cases, there was optimal visualisation of the ponticulus and subiculum. Analysis of the pyramidal eminence was improved thanks to its visualisation in profile. Moreover, we obtained an optimal representation of the hypotympanum, which was always exhaustively explored with only one reconstruction. Finally, in all cases, it was possible to identify the facial nerve canal and main vascular structures and to measure the distance between these and the sinus tympani, pyramidal eminence and hypotympanum. The coronal oblique CT reformation was of no advantage in the evaluation of the fossa of the oval window and the niche of the round window. CONCLUSIONS: Coronal oblique MPR CT reformation should not be considered an alternative to the standard CT examination, but it can represent a valid integration to provide additional information on particularly crucial districts characterised by frequent involvement of inflammatory and/or expansile disease and because of their difficult endoscopic approach. Moreover, it can represent a meaningful aid to optimise surgical planning thanks to its different perspectives of observation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Twisted ovarian fibroma with high signal intensity on T1-weighted MR image: a new sign of torsion of ovarian tumors?

Torsion of ovarian tumors is often difficult to diagnose, because of non-specific clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings. We report a case of twisted ovarian fibroma whose main characteristic was the presence of large areas of high signal intensity on both T1- and T2-weighted MR images due to the passive congestion of the mass. This previously unreported finding should be considered a sign of ovarian torsion and may facilitate prompt surgical intervention.

Female↗
PubMed2001

MR pyelography in 115 patients with a dilated renal collecting system.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of MR pyelography in the assessment of hydroureteronephrosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and fifteen patients, with variable degree of hydroureteronephrosis demonstrated by US and urography were subjected to MR pyelography obtained by means of two ultra-fast sequences. RESULTS: Of the 228 kidneys examined, the collecting systems of 130 kidneys were dilated and correctly identified on MR pyelography, with only 2 false-positive results. The specificity of MR pyelography in detecting hydronephrosis was 98%. Accuracy in revealing level of obstruction was 100%. Sensitivity in detecting stones, strictures and congenital ureteropelvic junction obstructions was respectively 68.9%, 98.5% and 100%. CONCLUSION: MR pyelography can rapidly and accurately depict the morphological features of dilated urinary tracts with information regarding the degree and level of obstruction, without using contrast medium or ionizing radiation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

CT and MR findings in neoplastic perineural spread along the vidian nerve.

The aims of this article are to describe the findings of perividian tumor spread and to compare the accuracy of MRI and CT in diagnosing perineural metastasis along the vidian nerve. Moreover, the frequency of perividian metastasis in patients with head and neck cancer was evaluated. The CT and MR examinations of 98 consecutive untreated patients with histologically proven head and neck cancer were retrospectively reviewed. We considered as criteria for perineural tumor spread along the vidian nerve the following CT and MR findings: For CT (a) enlargement of the pterygoid canal, (b) erosion of its bony wall, and (c) obliteration of its normal fatty content; and for MR (a) enlargement of the vidian nerve, (b) enhancement of the nerve, and (c) obliteration of fat, particularly in the anterior part of the pterygoid canal. Ten patients met the selected criteria for perineural metastasis, which was bilateral in 3 patients, with a total of 13 vidian metastases. The CT scans demonstrated unilateral involvement of the vidian nerve in 9 patients. The MRI scans showed 13 perineural metastases. In 3 patients MR scans demonstrated involvement of four vidian nerves that appeared normal on CT examinations. The diagnostic difference between CT and MRI was statistically significant (Fisher's exact test; p = 0.04). Perineural spread along the vidian nerve is an event more frequent than previously reported and must be investigated with a careful imaging technique. Although a major limitation of our study is the lack of histological proof, the MR finding of a significant enhancement of the nerve, whether enlarged or normal in size, could be considered very suggestive of this kind of metastatic spreading, particularly if associated with simultaneous involvement of the neighboring structures (pterygopalatine fossa, foramen lacerum, trigeminal branches, etc.).

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Magnetic resonance imaging of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma.

The purpose of this study is to describe the magnetic resonance (MR) features of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma. MR examinations of 18 patients with proven bronchioloalveolar carcinoma were reviewed. Detection at computed tomography (CT) and pathologic confirmation were the entry criteria. Nine patients had a solitary nodule, three patients a lobar consolidation, and six patients had diffuse disease. For each patient, both breath-hold T2-weighted fast spin-echo, and breath-hold T1-weighted gradient-echo images, before and after injection of gadolinium, were available. Nine patients with pulmonary consolidation or diffuse disease had also heavily T2-weighted MR imaging (Haste or TSE 240; Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). MR imaging showed pulmonary abnormalities in 17 of 18 patients. Unenhanced T1-weighted and T2-weighted images depicted tumor in 16 of 18 patients. Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images showed tumor in 17 of 18 patients. In no case did MR imaging depict abnormalities corresponding to the ground-glass opacities seen on CT scans. In three patients with mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, heavily T2-weighted images showed lesions isointense with respect to static fluid of the human body. In conclusion, the ability of MR imaging in detecting small nodules and ground-glass opacities is limited. However, heavily T2-weighted sequences are able to show the presence of mucin. This is useful information because mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma carries a poor prognosis.

Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar↗
PubMed2000

Chronic infiltrative lung diseases: value of gadolinium-enhanced MRI in the evaluation of disease activity--early report.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the value of gadolinium-enhanced MRI in the assessment of disease activity in chronic infiltrative lung diseases (CILDs). DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: University hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five consecutive patients with CILD were studied. The following diseases were diagnosed: sarcoidosis (n = 10), bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (n = 3), usual interstitial pneumonia (n = 4), radiation pneumonia (n = 2), desquamative interstitial pneumonia (n = 1), rheumatoid lung (n = 1), vasculitis (n = 1), alveolar proteinosis (n = 1), bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (n = 1), and chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (n = 1). In each patient, the disease activity was assessed by one or more of the following studies: BAL (n = 18), gallium-radioisotope lung scanning (n = 6), serum angiotensin-converting enzyme assay (n = 10), and open lung biopsy (n = 4). T1-weighted breath-hold MRI studies were obtained before and after IV injection of gadolinium. The MRI examinations were analyzed to assess the presence or absence of lesional enhancement. RESULTS: The presence of enhanced pulmonary lesions was seen in 14 patients. All of these patients had active disease. Of the 17 patients with active disease, 14 had enhanced lesions, and 3 had unenhanced lesions. Pulmonary lesions were not enhanced in any patients with inactive disease. The difference was statistically significant (Fisher Exact Test, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Gadolinium-enhanced MRI may prove to be a useful tool in assessing disease activity in CILDs.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Sudden unilateral deafness with endolymphatic sac adenocarcinoma: MRI.

A 30-year-old man presented with sudden left deafness and vertigo. CT showed an osteolytic retrolabyrinthine tumour of the left temporal bone. High signal from the tumour and labyrinth was seen on fat-suppressed T 1-weighted images. At surgery, a haemorrhagic papillary-cystic adenocarcinoma of the endolymphatic sac was found.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1999

Radiolucencies and cavitation in bronchioloalveolar carcinoma: CT-pathologic correlation.

Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) is a polymorphic lung cancer the incidence of which is rising. The presence of intratumoral radiolucencies is an important feature of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma. The aim of this study was to present pictorially the spectrum of intratumoral radiolucencies visible in BAC. In 57 BACs studied with thin-slice CT, we identified six types of radiolucencies: (a) patent intratumoral bronchioles (air bronchiologram); (b) pseudocavitations; (c) cavitation; (d) serpentine radiolucencies; (e) internal alveologram; and (f) multiple cystic lesions.

Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar↗
PubMed1999

Computed tomography halo sign in pulmonary nodules: frequency and diagnostic value.

On computed tomography (CT) scanning, a ground-glass opacity zone surrounding a pulmonary nodule has been named the computed tomography (CT) halo sign. To investigate the frequency and diagnostic value of the CT halo sign, the authors reviewed the CT examinations of 305 patients with proven diseases producing solitary or multiple nodules. The CT halo sign was seen in 22 patients (7%). Eleven patients had a solitary nodule; five patients had multiple nodules; and six patients had nodules associated with areas of pulmonary consolidation, or ground-glass opacity, or both. Solitary nodules were the result of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (n = 5), tuberculoma (n = 2), squamous cell carcinoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, myxovirus infection, and metastasis (n = 1 each). Multiple nodules were the result of metastasis (n = 2), Kaposi sarcoma (n = 2), and Wegener granulomatosis (n = 1). Nodules associated with areas of consolidation or ground-glass opacity were the result of metastasis (n = 2), bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia, eosinophilic pneumonia, and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (n = 1 each). The data showed that the CT halo sign is a nonspecific finding. It is known that in immunocompromised patients the CT halo sign should suggest invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, Kaposi sarcoma, and lymphoproliferative pulmonary disorders. However, in immunocompetent patients, the authors found that a solitary nodule with the CT halo sign and pseudocavitations has a high likelihood of being a bronchioloalveolar carcinoma.

Humans↗
PubMed1998

[Magnetic resonance pyelography: clinical use of ultrafast breath-hold sequences in obstructive uropathy. Personal experience].

INTRODUCTION: We investigated the diagnostic yield of MR pyelography (MRP) performed with two ultrafast breath-hold sequences in obstructive uropathy patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-four patients with US demonstration of urinary tract dilation were examined with MRP at 1.5 T and with a standard body coil. HASTE sequences (TE 66, ETL 128, FA 180 degrees, 1 NEX, MA 240 x 256, slice thickness 4 mm, TA 13 s) were always performed and 26/34 patients were also examined with single-shot TSE sequences (TE 1100, ETL 240, FA 150 degrees, 1 NEX, slice thickness 7 cm, MA 240 x 256, FS, TA 7 s); 20/34 patients were given 500 mL superparamagnetic contrast agent (Lumirem). MRP findings were interpreted independently by two radiologists and analyzed for image quality, the presence/absence of dilation, the obstruction grade (mild, moderate, severe), site (intrarenal; ureteropelvic junction; proximal, mid-, distal ureter; indeterminate) and cause (intrinsic obstruction from a stone or other conditions; stenosis; indeterminate cause). The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for the detection of urinary tract dilation were calculated for each reviewer and interobserver agreement was calculated with the k analysis relative to the presence, grade, site and cause of urinary tract dilation. RESULTS: MRP examinations were considered technically adequate in all cases by both observers. As for the presence of urinary tract dilation, the values were 100% for the first observer and 97%, 100%, 100%, and 95%, respectively, for the second observer. Interobserver agreement was .98 for dilation presence (excellent), .80 for dilation degree (excellent), .62 for dilation site (good) and finally .69 for dilation cause (good). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: MRP performed with the ultrafast breath-hold technique provides very good results in diagnosing urinary tract dilation, as well as the obstruction grade, site and cause, with results equal or even superior to those of non-breath-hold sequences. Ultrafast MRP lasts only 10 minutes, meaning it occupies the magnet shortly and costs less: it can be thus considered a routine alternative to conventional diagnostic imaging, especially ivp, in the evaluation of obstructive uropathy.

Humans↗