Preoperative imaging for staging of rectal cancer has become an important aspect of current approach to rectal cancer management, because it helps to select suitable patients for neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and determine the appropriate surgical technique. Imaging modalities such as endoscopic ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) play an important role in assessing the depth of tumor penetration, lymph node involvement, mesorectal fascia and anal sphincter invasion, and presence of distant metastatic diseases. Currently, there is no consensus on a preferred imaging technique for preoperative staging of rectal cancer. However, high-resolution phased-array MRI is recommended as a standard imaging modality for preoperative local staging of rectal cancer, with excellent soft tissue contrast, multiplanar capability, and absence of ionizing radiation. This review will mainly focus on the role of MRI in preoperative local staging of rectal cancer and discuss recent advancements in MRI technique such as diffusion-weighted imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in women and the third most common cancer in men with 570 100 and 663 600 estimated new cases per year worldwide, respectively (1). Rectal cancer accounts for approximately 42% of colorectal cancers with 45 000 estimated new cases per year in the United States (2). Prognosis of rectal cancer is determined by depth of invasion, number of involved lymph nodes, and involvement of circumferential resection margin. Management of rectal cancer has evolved over the years with preoperative imaging playing an increasingly prominent role. Initial strategy of clinical diagnosis followed by surgery and postoperative chemotherapy had a high local recurrence rate (27%) and poor survival (48% 5-year survival) (3). Later studies showed that neoadjuvant chemoradiation improves survival and decreases local recurrence rates significantly (4). In addition, it reduces tumor size, facilitates curative resection (5), and may enable sphincter sparing surgery in cancers close to the anorectal junction (6). Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is not indicated in stage I tumors (confined to rectal wall with no nodal involvement), but is recommended for stage II (extends beyond the rectal wall, no nodal involvement) and stage III tumors (regional lymph node involvement). Therefore, in order to avoid unnecessary chemoradiation in stage I cancers, a reliable imaging modality is crucial to precisely define depth of invasion and to identify lymph node involvement (7). Current approach in the management of rectal cancer includes preoperative staging with different imaging modalities followed by neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (for stage II/III cancers). This approach has lowered the local recurrence rate (11%) and improved survival (58% 5-year survival) (3).Preoperative imaging for rectal cancer staging is also useful to determine which surgical technique would be more appropriate: recently-developed lo...

Introduction High-flow arterial priapism is rare and characterized by a prolonged nonpainful erection. Autologous clot embolization allows complete resolution of the problem in most of the cases. Aim To review our experience with superselective transcatheter embolization in the treatment of nonischemic priapism. Main Outcome Measures Advances in the understanding of the nonischemic priapism with the aid of newer techniques have altered the current management of nonischemic priapism. Materials and Methods Between 2002 and 2006, 11 patients underwent superselective transcatheter embolization of nonischemic priapism with blunt trauma to the penis or perineum. All patients underwent diagnostic evaluation with color–flow Doppler ultrasound and superselective pudendal arteriography, revealing bilateral arteriocorporal fistula and pseudoaneurysm in two cases, bilateral arteriocorporal fistula in one case, unilateral arteriocorporal fistula in one case, and unilateral arteriocorporal fistula and pseudoaneurysm in seven cases. Autologous blood clot was used as an embolization agent in all cases combined with microcatheter guidance. Results The procedure was technically successful in all cases. In three (27.2%) cases, a second embolization was required due to recurrence of priapism. In all patients, erectile function was restored within 6 weeks of the procedure. Follow-ups at 6 and 12 months after the last procedure revealed that full erectile capacity was restored in 10 of 11 patients, and these patients did not experience further recurrence of priapism. One patient reported a slight decrease in the quality of his penile erection. Conclusions Our experience revealed that superselective transcatheter embolization and transient occlusion of the fistula with autologous blood clot is an effective therapy for the treatment of nonischemic priapism. Furthermore, recovery of erectile function due to recanalization of the occluded vessel occurred weeks after the procedure.

Findings of fever, headache, and meningeal irritation are generally accepted as the clinical features of meningitis. When CSF findings are not characteristically compatible with bacterial meningitis and particularly when the headache is orthostatic in nature, SIH should also be included in the differential diagnosis. MRI findings are characteristic and clearly contribute to the differential diagnosis between viral meningitis and SIH.

The femoral neck injection technique provides high intraarticular contrast volume and produces less extraarticular contrast leakage than the femoral head injection technique when US guidance is used for MR arthrography of the hip.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is the most common clinical subgroup of sero-negative spondyloarthropathies. Radiographic and clinical signs of bilateral inflammatory involvement of sacroiliac joints are the gold standard for the diagnosis of juvenile AS. Although radiographic evidence of sacroiliitis is included in the definition, it is not mandatory for the diagnosis of juvenile AS. The aim of this study is to describe pelvic enthesitis-osteitis MRI findings accompanying sacroiliitis in a group of juvenile AS. Eleven patients suffering from low back pain underwent MRI of the pelvis and were enrolled in this retrospective study. The mean duration of symptoms was 12 months. The mean age of the 11 cases in our study was 12.18 years (range, 6-19). There were eight boys and three girls. Anteroposterior radiographs of the pelvis were obtained in all patients. Sacroiliac joint involvement was detected in all of the cases by pelvic MRI. Pathologic signal changes were detected in the pubic symphisis (osteitis pubis) in ten cases, trochanteric bursitis in six cases, coxofemoral joint in five cases, crista iliaca in three cases, and ischion pubis in three cases. There was increased T2 signal intensity in eight of the 11 cases (72.7%) relevant with soft tissue edema/inflammation. This high correlation between sacroiliitis and enthesitis suggests that enthesitis could be an important finding in juvenile AS.