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Reflection and transmission coefficients for plane elastic waves obliquely incident on the boundary between two isotropic materials have been known for some time. The solution for anisotropic materials, however, has not been fully treated in the literature. Here we derive these coefficients for the case of a piezoelectric ceramic in contact with water. This problem is of significant practical interest, since in a variety of applications, piezoelectric ceramics, which are inherently anisotropic, are used as transducers to radiate acoustic energy into water. Due to the anisotropy, velocities of both compressional and shear waves are functions of the angle of incidence. Piezoelectric equations are solved to find the variations of compressional and shear wave velocities with the angle of incidence. Reflection and transmission coefficients are then obtained and numerical results are presented for four piezoelectric ceramics.

Review of 31 computed tomographic (CT) scans in 15 neonates with herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) type 2 revealed the most characteristic early findings to be patchy and widespread areas of low attenuation, primarily in white matter, with minimal contrast material enhancement in a meningeal pattern. The low-attenuation lesions increased rapidly in size and prominence during the course of the disease. This was usually accompanied by increased attenuation of cortical gray matter that persisted for weeks to months. Atrophic changes appeared rapidly, being evident in the 3d week. Late findings consisted of very extensive, diffuse, low attenuation of white matter with cortical atrophy. Calcification assumed a variety of distributions, from punctate to an extensive gyral pattern. The cerebellum was involved in nine patients. Early CT findings were not good predictors of outcome, but later serial CT scans showing progression or stability of findings were more accurate in prognosis. CT serves primarily to confirm the diagnosis of neonatal HSE.

Twenty patients with high-flow supratentorial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) were studied by magnetic resonance imaging (MR), computed tomography (CT), and selective cerebral angiography. The size of the malformation measured on MR was found, in general, to be smaller than the size determined from angiographic films. This discrepancy increased as the size of the AVM increased. AVM size on CT and angiography was found to be essentially equivalent. The reason for these differences between MR and CT or angiography was the ability to separate out the draining veins by MR, whereas this was difficult on projection films and contrast enhanced CT. Calcification was more easily detected by CT than by MR. MR better detected hemorrhage, which could be mistaken for old infarction on CT. Foci of cystic change within the nidus of the AVM were equally evident on MR and CT. Due to its sensitivity in discriminating between AVM nidus and adjacent draining veins and MR's ability to show the AVM in three planes, MR appeared to be more accurate in defining the AVM nidus than either CT or cerebral angiography. Such accurate delineation is crucial in patients prior to stereotactic radiosurgery.

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