Biomedical subjects
R Kricun
Publications and source records attributed to R Kricun.
Epidural abscess of the cervical spine: MR findings in five cases.
Cervical epidural abscess is an uncommon infectious process of the spinal epidural space. Although this disorder is often unsuspected clinically, the patient's signs and symptoms may suggest other diagnoses that frequently lead to an MR examination. We retrospectively reviewed the MR examinations of five patients with surgically proved cervical epidural abscess in order to assist in the diagnosis of this clinically elusive disorder. Each epidural abscess was evaluated for MR signal intensity, location, extent, delineation, and enhancement pattern. We assessed the spinal cord for compression and signal intensity and analyzed the vertebrae, intervertebral disks, and paraspinal soft tissue. Compared with the spinal cord, the abscess was isointense or hypointense on T1-weighted spin-echo images and hyperintense on T2-weighted images. The abscess was hyperintense or isointense relative to the cord on T2* gradient-echo images. Enhancement of the abscess occurred in the two patients given an IV injection of gadopentetate dimeglumine. The epidural abscess was located anteriorly in three patients, posteriorly in one, and was circumferential in one. The abscess extended from two to nine vertebral bodies in length. In each case, the abscess caused some degree of spinal cord compression, and one patient had bright signal intensity within the cord on T2-weighted images. Three patients had MR changes of accompanying osteomyelitis and paravertebral abscess. MR imaging is useful in diagnosing cervical epidural abscess and in evaluating associated abnormality of the spinal cord, vertebral bodies, intervertebral disks, and paraspinal soft tissue.
Tortuous vertebral artery shown by MR and CT.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Advances in spinal imaging.
Considerable technical advances in spinal imaging have been made that have greatly aided diagnosis, surgical planning, treatment, and posttreatment follow-up of patients with spinal disorders. This article presents an update on the recent advances in magnetic resonance, digital, and radionuclide imaging techniques, three-dimensional computed tomography, and sonography of the spine.
Giant colonic diverticulum.
Five patients with giant colonic diverticulum (GCD) are reported. Three of them had complications of the GCD including free perforation with pneumoperitoneum and peritonitis and an instance of carcinoma arising in a GCD. The preoperative diagnosis of GCD is made radiographically with findings of a large, smoothly marginated, round or oval, homogenous radiolucency in the abdomen that is in close apposition to the colon on barium enema examination. Barium enters the GCD in 60% of the cases. Most GCDs are considered to be pseudodiverticula; however, an occasional case may have all layers of bowel in the wall of the diverticulum and is believed to represent a true diverticulum or a communicating partial colonic duplication.
Patellar tendon rupture with underlying systemic disease.
Two patients with patellar tendon rupture and underlying systemic disease are described. One had systemic lupus erythematosus and the other had chronic renal failure and secondary hyperparathyroidism. There have been 13 other cases of patellar tendon rupture in patients with systemic disease reported in the literature and they are reviewed. Patellar tendon rupture has occurred spontaneously in more than one-half of the cases and has been associated with rupture of the contralateral extensor tendon mechanism in 87%. Although patellar tendon rupture almost always occurs at the tendinous insertion, on a rare occasion (as in one case described in this report), the tear may involve the main substance of the tendon, which is the part of the tendon with the greatest tensile strength. The relation between systemic disease and patellar tendon rupture is discussed and the clinical and radiographic findings are described.
Chondroblastoma of the calcaneus: radiographic features with emphasis on location.
Fourteen cases of chondroblastoma of the calcaneus have been examined and the radiographic features described. Thirteen occured in males. In all but one case the location was either at the talocalcaneal articulation or adjacent to the posterior calcaneal cortex. A sclerotic margin was present in all instances. Occasionally calcifications and septations were seen.
CT and MR appearance of cervical acrylic struts.
A patient sustained trauma to the cervical spine and underwent surgical fusion that included the use of methyl methacrylate struts. The CT and MR appearances of these acrylic struts are described.