The authors retrospectively reviewed the clinical, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings in seven patients with pathologically proved Rathke cleft cysts. All the cysts were located in the anterior sella turcica or the anterior suprasellar cistern. Five cysts had both intra- and suprasellar components, one was entirely intrasellar, and the other was predominantly suprasellar in location. The size of the cysts ranged from 8 to 20 mm. CT scans demonstrated low-density homogeneous lesions in four cases. On MR images of three of these four cases, the cysts had the same intensity as cerebrospinal fluid on T1- and T2-weighted images, while in the fourth case, the cyst was hyperintense on the T1-weighted images. In the remaining three cases, CT showed slight hyperdensity relative to brain parenchyma, suggestive of contrast enhancement. MR showed signal heterogeneity of these lesions with focal components of diminished signal intensity of T2-weighted images. These same foci appeared iso- to slightly hyperintense on T1-weighted images.

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Twenty-three patients with hyperparathyroidism were evaluated preoperatively with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Twenty patients also underwent thallium-201/technetium-99m scintigraphy. Of 22 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, 12 had persistent or recurrent disease. One had secondary hyperparathyroidism due to end-stage renal disease. MR imaging allowed accurate localization of abnormal parathyroid glands in 64% evaluated prospectively and 82% evaluated retrospectively. Scintigraphy allowed localization of 60% evaluated prospectively and 70% retrospectively. The two imaging modalities together allowed detection of 68% evaluated prospectively and 91% retrospectively. MR imaging allowed detection of two of five mediastinal adenomas evaluated prospectively and four of five retrospectively. In patients who underwent both imaging studies, MR was more successful in those with previous neck surgery (73% evaluated prospectively and 91% retrospectively) than in those with no prior surgery (57% prospectively and 71% retrospectively). Scintigraphy allowed accurate localization in 64% evaluated prospectively and 64% retrospectively in patients with previous surgery versus 57% prospectively and 86% retrospectively in patients with no prior neck surgery. Four false-positive results were obtained with MR imaging and three with scintigraphy. MR imaging was useful for parathyroid localization in patients with hyperparathyroidism, particularly in patients requiring additional surgery.

Hemodynamic effects of pulmonary arterial injections of ionic (sodium methylglucamine diatrizoate) and non-ionic contrast media (iohexol) were compared in 9 anesthetized dogs which were maintained with an open thorax in a resting control state. Both were found to increase pulmonary arterial pressure and cardiac output. In addition, both resulted in decreased systemic vascular resistance, though the effect was significantly less with the non-ionic agent. Aortic pressure did not change with the non-ionic agent but fell drastically with the ionic agent. Contrary to prevailing beliefs, the predominant response of the pulmonary circulation to contrast media was a fall rather than a rise in pulmonary vascular resistance.