Septal repair implants: evaluation of magnetic resonance imaging safety at 3 T

Specialized implants are used for transcatheter closure of septal defects, including atrial and ventricular septal defects, and patent foramen ovale. These metallic devices may pose a risk to patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures especially if performed at 3 T. Therefore, this investigation evaluated MRI safety at 3 T for septal repair implants (CardioSEAL Septal Repair Implant and STARFlex Septal Repair Implant, NMT Medical, Boston, MA, USA) by characterizing magnetic field interactions, heating and artifacts. These implants exhibited minor magnetic field interactions; heating was not excessive (+0.5°C); and artifacts will only create a problem if the area of interest is in the same area as or near these devices. Thus, the findings indicated that it would be safe for a patient with these implants to undergo MRI at 3 T or lower. Importantly, because of the minor magnetic field interactions, MRI may be performed immediately after implantation.     

Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging in consecutive patients evaluated for surgical treatment of temporal lobe epilepsy

We present the results of quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in 55 consecutively referred patients with clinical evidence of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). The Cavalieri method was used in combination with point counting to provide unbiased estimates of the volume of the left and right hippocampus, amygdala, temporal lobe, lateral ventricles and cerebral hemisphere, and pixel by pixel maps of the T2 relaxation time were computed for both central and anterior sections of the hippocampus. The 99th centiles of hippocampal volume, hippocampal volume asymmetry and T2 relaxation times in 20 control subjects provided limits which identified the presence of MTS. The results of the quantitative MRI were compared with the results of conventional diagnostic MRI, foramen ovale (FO) recording and the WADA test. Thirty-one patients were found to have unilateral MTS (17 left and 14 right) and 7 bilateral MTS. No evidence of MTS was detected in 16 patients. Of the 31 patients diagnosed with unilateral MTS on the basis of hippocampal volume and T2 measurement, 74% and 77% would respectively have received the same diagnosis on the basis of hippocampal volume and T2 measurements alone. In comparison to FO recording, quantitative MRI has a sensitivity of 55% and a specificity of 86%, while conventional diagnostic MRI has a sensitivity of 42% and a specificity of 80% for detection of MTS. Unilateral abnormalities were detected by FO recording in 30% cent of patients who appeared normal on quantitative MRI. WADA test results were available for 40 patients. The findings were consistent with quantitative MRI showing reduced memory function ipsilateral to unilateral MTS in 18 patients, but reduced memory function contralateral to unilateral MTS in two patients, and reduced memory function without MR abnormality in seven patients. WADA testing revealed unilateral memory impairments where MRI found bilateral pathology in 4 patients and in 4 patients in whom quantitative MRI detected unilateral MTS there was no evidence of reduced memory during WADA testing of the corresponding cerebral hemisphere. In the patients with unilateral right MTS a highly significant negative correlation (p = 0.0003) was observed between age of onset and the volume of the contralateral temporal lobe.

Quantitative MR imaging of the hippocampus (i.e. volume and T2 measurement) is preferable to conventional radiological reporting for providing objective evidence of the presence of MTS on which to base the referral of patients for surgery, and since it has associated morbidity FO recording is now only being used in selected patients. Furthermore, stereology provides a convenient method for estimating the volume of other brain structures, which is relevant to obtaining a better understanding of the effects of laterality and age of onset of TLE.     

超声心动图对胎儿卵圆孔血流受限或提前闭合的临床诊断价值分析

为探讨超声心动图诊断胎儿卵圆孔血流受限或提前闭合(FO-R/C)的价值,本文分析了31例FO-R/C胎儿(观察组)和30例正常胎儿(对照组)超声心动图资料,以病理或出生后超声心动图诊断结果为准,分析超声心动图诊断FO-R/C的效能。结果显示,观察组胎儿卵圆孔最大流度、右室与左室内径比值(RV/LV)、右房与左房内径比值(RA/LA)、主肺动脉与主动脉内径比值(MPA/AO)、肺动瓣上/主动脉瓣上血流速度比值(VMPA/VAO)、心胸比、静脉导管阻力指数均大于对照组(P<0.05),卵圆孔直径、卵圆孔与主动脉瓣环比、卵圆孔与右房横径比小于对照组(P<0.05)。RA/LA、VMPA/VAO、卵圆孔最大流度、静脉导管阻力指数诊断FO-R/C具有较高效能。由上述结果可知超声心动图可用于辅助诊断FO-R/C。