Background:A 19-year-old man was referred to the orthopedist with a history of progressive pain, swelling and limitation of movement of his right elbow. Conventional radiographs had been taken one and a half year ago, at the occasion of trauma, and were repeated at the current consultation. Furthermore, patient underwent CT-Arthrography of the elbow, followed by ultrasonography after the intra-articular injection and finally MRI of the right elbow.

Keywords: Appendix appendicitis ultrasonography computed tomography MRI A B S T R A C T Objectives: To describe the normal and pathological radiological appearance of the appendix in the adult patient using ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Furthermore, to review the utility of the aforementioned imaging modalities in different clinical contexts. Summary: The diagnosis of an inflamed appendix based on clinical evaluation, biological data and crosssectional imaging. US is the first line technique to consider and is the modality of choice for children, young and thin patients and women of childbearing age. An inconclusive ultrasound examination should lead to the realization of a CT. The appearance of the normal and pathological appendix needs to be clarified, in view of the modern technological developments of US as well as on the basis of the new CT methods (multidetector CT, with or without dual energy, low-dose acquisition). CT examinations can be performed with or without intravenous injection of contrast medium, accompanied by oral or rectal opacification, with variable diagnostic performance depending on the thickness of the sections and the possible use of reconstructions. MRI remains the second most important examination for young patients and pregnant women. In view of such technical progress, the plain films of the abdomen no longer have a role in everyday practice. Conclusion:A better knowledge of the US and cross-sectional appearance (CT-MRI) of the normal or inflamed appendix should allow the radiologist to contribute to an optimal management of this very frequent acute clinical situation. This approach reduces unnecessary radiation and negative appendectomies and optimizes the health care expenditures.

CT colonography for combined colonic and extracolonic surveillance after curative resection of colorectal cancer. Radiology 2010 ; 257 (3): 697-704. 2. You YT , Chang Chien CR , Wang JY , et al. Evaluation of contrast-enhanced computed tomographic colonography in detection of local recurrent colorectal cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2006 ; 12 (1): 123-126. 3. Fletcher JG , Johnson CD , Krueger WR , et al. Contrast-enhanced CT colonography in recurrent colorectal carcinoma: feasibility of simultaneous evaluation for metastatic dis ease, local recurrence, and metachronous neoplasia in colorectal carcinoma. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2002 ; 178 (2): 283-290. 4. Laghi A , Iannaccone R , Bria E , et al. Contrastenhanced computed tomographic colonography in the follow-up of colorectal cancer patients: a feasibility study. Eur Radiol 2003 ; 13 (4): 883-889 .

Diastematomyelia is a form of spinal dysraphism characterised by a cleft in the spinal cord. This abnormality may be diagnosed at first by the obstetric intrauterine US and is confirmed by prenatal MRI which also provides complementary information about the fetal nervous system. Postnatal diagnostic approach refines the diagnosis, providing additional information about skeletal and nervous lesions. We describe a fully documented case of diastematomyelia type I investigated using prenatal US and MRI and postnatal US, MRI and Radiography. Case reportAt the 25th week of an uncomplicated gestation the routine US raised the suspicion of spina bifida as it showed a spinal abnormality of the fetus consisting of widening of the spinal canal and an abnormal angulation of the spine. Four days later, a fetal MRI was performed on a 1.5 Tesla scanner. The examination acknowledged a split of the spinal cord at the level of lumbosacral junction. A thick septum which separated the spinal cord was present at the same level ( Fig. 1, 2A). No brain abnormality was detected.At birth examination a hairy patch at the level of the lower spine was observed. There was no motor abnormality of the extremities. Three months later an ultrasound examination, radiography of the spine and a MRI were performed. The X-Ray exam showed scoliosis of the dorsolumbar region , multiple costovertebral malformations and widening of the spinal canal (Fig. 2B). The ultrasonography of the spine showed precisely the divided spinal cord and the thick septum (Fig. 3). DiscussionDiastematomyelia is a rare form of spinal dysraphism characterised by a cleft in the spinal cord. As a result is the separation of the spinal cord in a sagittal direction. There are two types of diastematomyelia. Type 1 consists of two hemicords each being surrounded by a separate dural sac and divided by a bony-cartilaginous septum. Type 2 consists of a single dural sac which contains MRI confirmed the presence of diastematomyelia from the T12 to the L5 level with a thick band separating the two hemicords (Fig. 4, 5). Several abnormalities of the vertebras and agenesis of the sacrum were also detected JBR-BTR, 2011, 94: 333-335. DIASTEMATOMYELIA: PRE-AND POSTNATAL MULTIMODAL DIAGNOSTIC APPROACHV

The goal of our study was to evaluate alterations of placental perfusion upon a prenatal stress challenge by in vivo dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a murine model. Methods: MRI was performed on a small animal scanner (ClinScan, Bruker BioSpin, Germany) at 7 Tesla on 10 pregnant DBA/2J-mated BALB/c mice on gestational day (gd) 16.5. One group of dams (n = 4) was exposed to an established model of prenatal stress challenge. Another group of dams (n = 6) served as controls. For dynamic MR imaging, a contrast enhanced 3D T1-weighted gradient-echo sequence was used. After calculation of perfusion maps using the steepest slope model, a volume-of-interest analysis was performed to obtain the average perfusion values for each placenta. A two-sided t-test was used to determine if there was a significant difference between the two groups. Results: Imaging was successfully performed in all animals. No considerable difference in number of implantation could be observed between groups. Perfusion measurements could be performed in 18 placentas in the control group and 14 placentas in the stress challenged group. Means (+ standard deviation) of placental perfusion was significantly higher in the stress challenged group (148+19.6 ml/ml/min), compared to the control group (101+14.5 ml/ml/min) (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: DCE-MRI of the mouse placenta allows real time in vivo measurements of placental perfusion. Stress exposure during pregnancy results in an increase in placental perfusion.