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Biomedical subjects

R Stiglbauer

Publications and source records attributed to R Stiglbauer.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

MRI of cartilaginous tumours of the larynx.

Cartilaginous lesions of the larynx are uncommon, approximately 250 cases being documented in the literature. In general, these tumours grow slowly, exhibiting only local aggressiveness. Distant metastases are rare. Up until now CT has been the best diagnostic tool for the evaluation of these tumours because it demonstrates intratumoral calcification so well. To the best of our knowledge there are no reports of the use of MRI for these lesions. Three cases of cartilaginous laryngeal tumours are presented, emphasizing the MRI features.

Cartilage Diseases

Pituitary adenomas: findings of postoperative MR imaging.

Preoperative and postoperative magnetic resonance (MR) images obtained in 25 patients with pituitary macroadenomas (1.1-5.2 cm in diameter) were evaluated to determine normal (physiologic) and abnormal findings after transsphenoidal or subfrontal surgery. With a 1.5-T unit, T1-weighted sagittal and coronal images were obtained before and after administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine. The physiologic changes after surgery included resorption of packing material and sphenoid sinus opacifications, reexpansion of the pituitary gland, and lowering of the optic chiasm. Implanted gelatin foam appeared as an endosellar, circularly enhancing mass that was seen on follow-up studies to have decreased in size. Muscle-and-fat implants appeared as areas of high signal intensity. In 14 patients, residual tumors were found in the suprasellar (n = 4), retrosellar (n = 3), parasellar (n = 8), and/or endosellar (n = 3) space. Residual tumors were differentiated from implant materials by means of location, characteristic signal intensity, and enhancing pattern, which were identical to those of the corresponding preoperative adenoma in 13 cases (93%). Preoperative studies and clinical information are helpful in the evaluation of postoperative MR imaging examinations.

Adenoma

MRI of spondylitis.

MRI of proven spondylitis was performed in 39 patients. Acute spondylitis appeared hypointense on T1-weighted and hyperintense on T2-weighted images. Following intravenous administration of Gd-DTPA, enhancement of the marrow and disc was seen. With progressive healing an increasing signal was seen on T1-weighted images. This was caused by the presence of focal fat marrow representing the first sign of therapy response. As healing progressed, the T1-signal increased due to fatty marrow, while the T2-signal decreased as well as the enhancement following Gd-DTPA administration. Therefore, MR imaging can be recommended as the method of choice for early diagnosis of spondylitis and assessment of therapy response.

Adult

High resolution CT in children with cystic fibrosis.

High resolution CT (HRCT) was performed in 24 children (median age 57.9 months) suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF). In 23 patients (one examination unacceptable because of motion artifacts) the most frequent finding was bronchial wall thickening, shown in 21 patients (91%), followed by bronchiectasis in 15 patients (65%). Less frequent findings were mucus plugging and patchy consolidations, which could be demonstrated in 11 patients each (48%). Findings were classified using a CT scoring system and including only irreversible pulmonary changes; a statistically significant correlation with lung function tests (FEV1/FVC; MEF50) could be established. HRCT to date seems to be the most valuable method to determine extent and severity of lung involvement in children with CF and should therefore be routinely used for the staging of this disease.

Child

CT-guided percutaneous drainage and fluid aspiration in intensive care patients.

Fifty-two intensive care unit (ICU) patients with clinical signs of sepsis who were considered to be at extremely high risk for operation were subjected to CT-guided interventions. Bedside ultrasound (US) had been performed prior to CT in all patients but diagnoses were equivocal or US-guided interventions had failed. Nineteen patients solely underwent CT-guided diagnostic aspiration of fluid collections to rule out infection. Eighteen patients (72%) with abscess formations after surgery or trauma were cured by catheter drainage alone; 4 patients required additional surgery. Out of 8 patients suffering from acute pancreatitis (after several necrosectomies), abscesses could be cured in 5 (62.5%). Three patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis (no surgery) were not cured by the interventional procedure and all required surgical debridement. Even patients who required additional surgery after drainage improved clinically after the interventional radiologic procedure. Our overall success rate was 64%, emphasizing the need for CT in the case of equivocal US results or if US-guided procedures have failed in ICU patients with signs of sepsis.

Abscess

Contrast-enhanced MRI for the staging of bronchogenic carcinoma: comparison with CT and histopathologic staging--preliminary results.

Nineteen patients with potentially operable bronchial carcinoma were included in a prospective study to assess the staging capabilities of plain and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in comparison with computed tomography (CT) and to compare the results to post-operative histopathological staging (HS). The evaluation focused on the following T-staging criteria: (i) direct invasion of the pleura; (ii) neoplastic invasion of the mediastinum; (iii) differentiation of the primary tumour from alterations of the surrounding lung parenchyma such as inflammation or atelectasis; and (iv) intrathoracic lymph node involvement by tumour. MRI and CT produced similar results for pleural invasion (sensitivity of 0.4 and 0.75 respectively and a specificity of 0.86 and 0.93 respectively). Mediastinal invasion was overdiagnosed in four patients (no false negatives), whereas CT had only one false positive result (two false negatives). Our results showed CT to be superior to MRI for the preoperative evaluation of patients suffering from bronchogenic carcinoma.

Adult

CT and MRI in benign mediastinal haemangioma.

We report the findings of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in two cases of surgically proven benign cavernous haemangiomas of the mediastinum. Both techniques produced similar results, although both were non-diagnostic for haemangioma as was percutaneous needle biopsy, which was performed in one patient.

Adolescent

[Correlation of the x-ray morphology with the histopathological staging and grading of colorectal cancer].

In a retrospective study stage grouping as well as histopathological grading (G category) of colorectal carcinomas was compared to radiographic findings at double contrast barium enema. A good correlation of tumour stage according to Dukes and the pT category and histopathological grading could be established to radiographic morphology. Apple core lesions and eccentrically obstructing neoplasms as well as saddle-like tumours exhibited worse staging and grading categories in comparison to polypoid lesions; plaque-like tumours are probably in between. It can therefore be assumed that the radiographic appearance of colorectal carcinomas may be a valuable tool to indicate stage group and G-category and thus offer information about patient prognosis.

Adult

[Computed tomography in acute mediastinitis].

Acute mediastinitis (AM) has become a rare disease since the introduction of antibiotics but still has an unchanged high mortality-rate if the diagnosis is not readily established, and adequate therapy is performed. Clinical signs of AM are often uncharacteristic, plain chest films do not allow a reliable diagnosis because of lack of sensitivity as well as specificity. In a retrospective study the CT-results of 23 patients clinically suspect for AM were evaluated in order to determine the diagnostic value of CT-findings were compared to operation, percutaneous drainage procedures and clinical course. In 15 patients the diagnosis of AM was established correctly by CT, 8 patients were reported normal. Diffuse infiltration of mediastinal fatty tissue was found in 3 patients, mediastinal fluid collections were demonstrated in 12 (infected hematomas = 4, abscess formation = 8). The extension of inflammatory changes could be exactly assessed by CT in all patients.

Abscess

[High-resolution CT of the lung versus thoracic radiography after adjuvant radiotherapy in breast carcinoma].

We examined the lungs of 35 women following postoperative radiotherapy for breast cancer by using high-resolution computed tomography (HR-CT). Radiotherapy was performed on a cobalt 60 unit using a five-field technique. The average interval between the end of radiotherapy and HR-CT examinations was 23.8 months. HR-CT was limited to those lung areas that were at risk for radiation-induced changes. In 40% of patients minimal interstitial damage (e.g. thickened septal lines, curvilinear densities) invisible on chest x-ray was demonstrated by HR-CT. Massive fibrosis as reported by others was not seen in our study. We conclude that in case lung involvement is suspected clinically during or after radiotherapy, HR-CT is the method of choice for demonstrating these morphological changes.

Adult

[Diagnosis of cerebrovascular disorders using nuclear magnetic resonance tomography].

Regarding cerebrovascular diseases magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides informations which could not be obtained before by any other imaging method. MRI permits an early detection of ischemic infarctions, exact delineation of lesions near to skull base, and microangiopathy. Further diagnosis of arteriovenous malformations and venous thromboses can be done without using contrast media. Exclusion of acute hemorrhage or subarachnoidal hemorrhage is still a domain of computed tomography (CT). Other MR methods, like magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) are expected to replace angiography and positron emission tomography (PET) in the near future, at least for some purposes.

Adult

Transient cerebellopontine demyelinisation revealed by MRI in acute cerebellar ataxia.

An eight year old boy was admitted to our ward with a history of abrupt onset of rapidly progressive gait disorder, nausea, vertigo and vomiting. The clinical as well as the laboratory findings suggested the diagnosis of acute cerebellar ataxia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), however, showed marked demyelinisation in the cerebellar region and visual evoked potentials were pathologic. After immunosuppression the patient promptly improved clinically and the lesions depicted by MRI disappeared almost completely.

Acute Disease

[Spondylitis: the clinical picture and follow-up assessment by magnetic resonance tomography].

MRI of proven spondylitis was performed in 39 patients. Acute spondylitis appeared hypointense on T1-weighted and hyperintense on T2-weighted images. Following intravenous application of Gd-DTPA, enhancement of the marrow and disk was seen. With progressive healing increasing signal was seen on T1-weighted images. This was caused by the presence of focal fat marrow representing the first sign of therapy response. Corresponding to the clinical healing process T1-signal increased due to fatty marrow, while the T2-signal decreased as well as the enhancement following Gd-DTPA application. Therefore, MR imaging can be recommended as the method of choice for early diagnosis of spondylitis and assessment of therapy response.

Adult

[Angiography following liver transplantation].

39 angiographic studies performed on 34 out of 150 patients following a total of 159 orthotopic liver transplantations until the year 1989 were reviewed in retrospect. All of the studies were carried out within a period of two months after transplantation (1-45 days). Angiographic techniques remain the "gold standard" for the assessment of vascular problems after liver transplantation. Arterial complications were seen in fourteen cases (8.8%); complications confined to the portal and inferior caval veins were found in six (3.8%) and twelve cases (7.5%), respectively. Angiography yielded normal postoperative findings in nine patients.

Adolescent

[Magnetic resonance tomography of the failed back surgery syndrome: a comparison with computed tomography].

The term "failed back surgery syndrome" includes a variety of clinical-neurological symptoms following disc surgery. In a prospective study 18 patients suffering from monoradicular symptoms after disc surgery were examined by MRI and CT (both prior to and following intravenous application of contrast material). Findings were then compared to microsurgery. MRI produced correct diagnoses in 17 cases, CT in 13 cases. Recurrent disc herniation caused symptoms four times, and epidural scar formation twice. In twelve cases there was herniated disc material as well as an epidural scar present; disc material preponderated nine times, scar formation in three instances.

Adult

Interstitial lung disease in progressive systemic sclerosis: high-resolution CT versus radiography.

High-resolution computed tomographic (HRCT) scans and chest radiographs were obtained in 23 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) to assess the diagnostic merits of HRCT compared with chest radiography in detecting interstitial lung involvement in these patients. HRCT scans showed interstitial disease in 21 patients (91%). The most frequent finding was the so-called subpleural lines, which were demonstrated in 17 patients (74%). Honeycombing was seen in seven patients (30%), while parenchymal bands were seen in six patients (26%). Chest radiographs, on the other hand, showed definite interstitial opacification patterns in only nine patients (39%); six patients (26%) had equivocal reticular areas of attenuation, while eight patients (35%) had normal chest radiographs. Thus, HRCT is much more sensitive than chest radiography when assessing minimal interstitial lung involvement in patients with PSS.

Female

[CT and MRT in mediastinal and hilar space-occupying lesions].

Thirty-eight patients with mediastinal and/or hilar masses were imaged by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results were analyzed retrospectively regarding the ability to demonstrate the masses, their number, size, definition, location and tissue characteristics. CT and MRI showed equivalent results in 32 cases; additional information was obtained in two patients by CT, in four patients by MRI. In view of the specific advantages and limitations of both CT and MRI we believed that in patients with mediastinal and/or hilar masses, contrast enhanced CT remains the procedure of choice after performing plain chest radiographs; in certain cases MRI will prove useful for further evaluation.

Adolescent

[The diagnostic value of scintigraphy and x-rays in unclear arthralgias of the hands].

33 patients presenting with arthralgia of wrists and finger joints were examined by radionuclide imaging and radiography. In 22 patients clinical symptoms turned out to be caused by inflammation, 11 patients suffered from degenerative joint disorder. Radionuclide imaging proved once more to be nonspecific albeit very sensitive; plain film radiography exhibited good specificity. The combination of both methods resulted in an increase in accuracy as compared to scintiphotography alone (0.88 vs. 0.79). Radionuclide imaging and radiography should therefore always be done and interpreted simultaneously. Radionuclide imaging is mandatory to confirm or to rule out inflammatory joint disorder in case of an inconclusive x-ray (absence of erosions or degenerative changes). A negative radionuclide study rules out inflammation, even when juxta-articular demineralisation is suspected on the x-ray.

Adult