A study of 5.9 million radiological examinations found no significant difference in major and minor discrepancy rates for acute community setting exams between concordant and discordant with radiologists' fellowship training. However, advanced examination discrepancies were higher when concordant with radiologists' fellowship training.
A recent study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology found a link between COVID-19 mRNA vaccination and myocarditis in adolescent males. Cardiac MRI was used to assess suspected myocarditis post-vaccination, with late gadolinium enhancement persisting in two patients undergoing repeat MRI.
A deep learning algorithm from VUNO improved radiologists' sensitivity for detecting reticular opacity on chest radiographs in patients with mild to severe interstitial lung disease. The algorithm accuracy reached 98.5% and improved interobserver agreement, suggesting its potential for screening suspected ILD patients.
Left atrium emptying fraction derived from cardiac CTA improves predictive performance of established clinical risk scores. A reduced LAEF independently predicts all-cause mortality within 24 months post-procedure.
A retrospective cohort study of 27 patients with sarcoma lung metastases found high primary technical success rates for percutaneous image-guided microwave and cryoablation. The treatment modality and tumor location did not affect local progression, and smaller tumors showed lower cumulative incidence of local progression.
A prospective study found that liver stiffness measurements obtained by shear-wave elastography decreased significantly after image-guided intervention for chronic Budd-Chiari syndrome in children. Disease recurrence was typically associated with an increase in liver stiffness measurements compared to prior assessments.
A recent study published in AJR found that gallbladder polyps can fluctuate significantly in size and number over time. The authors suggest revising guidelines to reflect this variability, with no cases of gallbladder carcinoma identified in patients who underwent cholecystectomy.
A multidisciplinary organization has reached consensus on guidelines for performing, interpreting, and reporting MR defecography. The consensus templates aim to standardize care for patients with evacuation disorders of the pelvic floor.
A new paradigm in breast cancer screening has been established with immediate-read screenings during the pandemic. This approach reduces racial and ethnic disparities in same-day diagnostic imaging, while speeding up diagnoses.
A single-center retrospective study found that preoperative thoracic CT findings can complement preoperative clinical risk factors to improve risk assessment for the need of postoperative mechanical ventilation. Bronchial wall thickening, pericardial effusion, and anteroposterior chest diameter were identified as independent predictors...
A new 3D spiral gradient recalled echo (GRE) sequence has been developed to overcome conventional challenges in head and neck MRI. This sequence achieves improved image quality and contrast-to-noise ratio compared to traditional Cartesian sequences, while reducing scan time by up to 44.6%.
A deep learning tool for sarcopenia assessment on CT scans shows similar utility in predicting hip fractures and death at both L1 and L3 vertebral levels. Muscle attenuation measurements performed better than muscle area assessments, likely due to the inclusion of intramuscular fat.
A single-center retrospective study found that AI-CAD reduced recall rates and improved accuracy compared to digital mammography (DM) and DBT. The study showed lower recall rates and higher accuracy for DM with AI-CAD, indicating a practical addition to lowering false-positive findings.
A retrospective study of over 3,900 patients found that warming iohexol 350 contrast media did not significantly reduce adverse reactions or extravasations. The results suggest that maintaining the agent at room temperature is non-inferior to warming it to body temperature before injection.
A standardized non-invasive clear cell likelihood score derived from MRI correlates with the growth rate of small renal masses. Small renal masses with higher scores are more likely to grow faster and may require earlier intervention.
A prospective study found that returning to routine screening for BI-RADS 3 lesions on supplemental automated whole-breast ultrasound substantially reduces the recall rate, with no increase in adverse outcomes. The study involved 2,257 women and showed a 3.8% recall rate, 0.5% biopsy rate, and 58.3% positive biopsy rate.
A recent study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology found that reduced-dose CT scans can detect greater than 90% of lung nodules in children and young adults with cancer. This could lead to a reduction in patient dose while maintaining high diagnostic accuracy.
A reduced dose of gadobutrol was found to be non-inferior to the standard dose of gadoterate for contrast-enhanced brain MRI in patients undergoing multiple examinations. The study demonstrated equivalent efficacy for lesion detection and delineation.
High-dose intranodal lymphangiography with ethiodized oil has been shown to be a safe and effective procedure for treating high-output postsurgical chylothorax, with a success rate of 83%. The procedure involved injecting higher doses of ethiodized oil, which led to resolution of symptoms in most patients.
A new imaging technique, flexed elbow valgus external rotation (FEVER) view, has been shown to improve the evaluation of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries in Major League Baseball pitchers. This study found increased joint space width and diagnostic confidence with FEVER view compared to standard positioning.
Placental bulge sign on prenatal ultrasound or MRI significantly aids diagnosis of severe placenta accreta spectrum disorder, warranting hysterectomy over conservative management. The sign's accuracy and sensitivity are notable, making it a valuable tool for maternal counseling.
A retrospective study found increased axillary lymph node uptake on PET scans after COVID-19 vaccination, affecting 7.4% of FDG and 23.1% of 11C-choline PET examinations. Ipsilateral deltoid uptake was also observed in 14.5% of examinations.
A retrospective study found that CT features can help select patients with stage IA non-small cell lung cancer for sublobar resection. Peritumoral interstitial thickening and pleural contact were independently associated with pathologic lymphovascular invasion, predicting recurrence-free survival after the procedure.
A retrospective review found non-contrast pituitary MRI has a high concordance rate with original reports, excepting cases requiring contrast for definitive characterization. The study suggests saving time and costs in imaging pediatric pathologies.
A study of renal transplant biopsies found that blood pressure thresholds above 180/95/116 mmHg don't increase complication risk, but combined high pressures do
The American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) honors all members with the 2021 ARRS Gold Medal for their selfless service on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. The award recognizes their distinguished contributions to radiology and its impact on patient care.
A study found that radiology residency program directors will likely rely on USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge scores as an objective metric for applicant screening. Program directors are unsure whether to require Step 2 CK scores at application or before interviewing applicants.
A study found that a chest x-ray scoring system can predict patient outcomes, including death, intubation, and chronic renal replacement therapy, in COVID-19 patients with high pretest probability or rapid test results. The scoring system was accurate and reliable, even among junior residents.
A large randomized controlled trial found that low-dose IV contrast-enhanced 2-millisievert CT is comparable to conventional-dose CT for diagnosing right colonic diverticulitis. The study included 3,074 patients and demonstrated similar diagnostic performance between the two groups.
Increased rates of emphysema were found in marijuana smokers, particularly paraseptal emphysema, compared to non-smokers and tobacco-only smokers. Marijuana smoking is also associated with airways disease, including bronchial wall thickening and bronchiolar mucoid impaction.
The COVID-19 'Safer at Home' order led to a 40% decline in total radiology orders, with outpatient volumes decreasing by 67% and ED volumes declining by 21%. Subspecialty imaging saw significant declines, especially in dexa and breast imaging.
Updated USPSTF guidelines based on age, pack-years, and quit-years exacerbate eligibility disparities among racial and ethnic minorities. However, incorporating certain risk prediction models may help mitigate these inequalities, according to a study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology.
Research suggests that contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) is concordant with MRI for staging in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer and breast augmentation. CEM was found to be effective in detecting additional cancers not identified by MRI, including two malignant lesions.
A new study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology found that CT colonography with a 10 mm threshold is the most effective and efficient non-invasive screening test for colorectal cancer prevention and detection. This method targets advanced neoplasia while reducing unnecessary colonoscopies compared to other tests.
Researchers identified 23 cases of axillary adenopathy after COVID-19 vaccination, with 13% being symptomatic. The study highlights the importance of considering vaccination date and laterality in assessing imaging-detected axillary adenopathy.
According to a study published in American Journal of Roentgenology, COVID-19 is associated with leukoencephalopathy on brain MRI. The condition, known as CRDL, can cause extensive white matter lesions and microhemorrhages, highlighting the importance of considering it in patients with neurologic manifestations of coronavirus disease.
Sanjeev Bhalla, MD, has been recognized as the 2021 ARRS Distinguished Educator for his proven record of improving radiological education. He is a dedicated teacher and innovator in medical imaging.
Research suggests that radiologists' diagnoses of lumbar spine pain generators are highly accurate when using patient-reported symptom information from brief questionnaires. The study found almost perfect agreement between radiologists' diagnoses using symptom information and those without it, improving diagnostic certainty levels.
A study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology found that multiparametric CT findings can distinguish patients with high-risk NAFLD, characterized by advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis. However, the presence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) remains elusive on CT.
A study of 419 breast MRI examinations found new suspicious findings in 5.5% of patients, but all were benign; results suggest biopsies may not be necessary for patients responding well to neoadjuvant therapy.
A new imaging technique has been developed to identify non-ferromagnetic projectiles that are safe for MRI, enabling patients with ballistic embedded fragments to receive medical treatment. The technique uses radiography and CT images to distinguish between ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic bullets, allowing for safer MRI scans.
Drs. Kelil and Jaimes will investigate personalized breast cancer risk assessment and fetal diffusion tensor imaging to improve conventional risk prediction models and characterize normal brain development in fetuses with congenital heart disease. Their studies aim to harness cutting-edge MRI processing tools to correct for fetal motion.
Post-neoadjuvant therapy changes in metabolic metrics from PET/MRI and morphologic metrics from CT were associated with pathologic response and overall survival in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Serum CA 19-9 levels did not predict pathologic response or survival.
A prototype 16-channel head AIR coil from GE Healthcare has been shown to perform better than a conventional 8-channel head coil for in vivo whole-brain imaging, but not as well as a 32-channel coil. The coil's lightweight and flexible design exhibits improved electrical characteristics that could lead to future design improvements.
A study found that pediatric CT use for abdominal pain decreased from 1.2% to 0.6% between 1997 and 2016, while adult CT use increased from 3.9% to 37.8% during the same period., Children evaluated in pediatric EDs were at lower odds of receiving CT than those in general EDs for abdominal pain with appendicitis diagnosis.
A study found that diagnostic imaging studies with positive conclusions were associated with a shorter time from study completion to publication, contributing to an overrepresentation of positive results in the test accuracy literature. Studies with positive titles showed no significant association with faster publication times.
A study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology found that ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle biopsy is highly accurate for diagnosing small pleural lesions with nodular morphology or thickness over 4.5 mm. The procedure yielded a diagnostic accuracy rate of 85.4% and a 96.4% yield rate for nodular CT lesions.
Researchers found that fluorine-18-labeled fluciclovine PET/MRI accurately identified prostate cancer lesions, suspicious lymph nodes, and detected nodal metastases not visible on conventional imaging. The technology also showed promise in evaluating response to androgen deprivation therapy.
A study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology found that spectral CT with electron density imaging can improve the assessment of lung lesion extent in patients with COVID-19. The results showed that lesion extent was easier to ascertain on electron density images, and ground-glass opacities were more conspicuous.
A study of secondary body MRI interpretations at tertiary care centers found a high rate of discrepancies, with cognitive errors being the most common type. The researchers suggest that subspecialty interpretations and additional resources are needed to address these errors and their potential impact on patient outcomes.