Tara A. Morgan

Reporting Initiative of the Radiological Society of North America: Progress and New Directions

This report, from two members and the chair of the subcommittee, provides an update on the progress of the Radiological Society of North America’s reporting initiative and describes future goals and strategies.

Advances in CT colonography for colorectal cancer screening and diagnosis

CT colonography (CTC) is a validated colorectal cancer test that provides an additional minimally-invasive screening option which is likely to be preferred by some patients. Important examination prerequisites include adequate colonic cleansing and distention. Tagging of residual material aids in the differentiation of true polyps from stool. Low radiation dose technique should be employed routinely for screening studies. Readers must be skilled in the use of both 2D and 3D interpretation methods.

Evidence Supporting LI-RADS Major Features for CT- and MR Imaging–based Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review

The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) standardizes the interpretation, reporting, and data collection for imaging examinations in patients at risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It assigns category codes reflecting relative probability of HCC to imaging-detected liver observations based on major and ancillary imaging features. LI-RADS also includes imaging features suggesting malignancy other than HCC. Supported and endorsed by the American College of Radiology (ACR), the system has been developed by a committee of radiologists, hepatologists, pathologists, surgeons, lexicon experts, and ACR staff, with input from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the Organ Procurement Transplantation Network/United Network for Organ Sharing. Development of LI-RADS has been based on literature review, expert opinion, rounds of testing and iteration, and feedback from users. This article summarizes and assesses the quality of evidence supporting each LI-RADS major feature for diagnosis of HCC, as well as of the LI-RADS imaging features suggesting malignancy other than HCC. Based on the evidence, recommendations are provided for or against their continued inclusion in LI-RADS.

Acute Traumatic Aortic Injuries: Posttherapy Multidetector CT Findings

Acute traumatic aortic injury is a life-threatening entity that requires emergent treatment. Treatment was once performed with left thoracotomy, resection of the damaged aortic segment, and placement of an interposition graft. Within the past decade, endovascular therapy has gained increased acceptance, primarily because of a significant decrease in mortality and morbidity compared with those of surgery. The authors reviewed the experience with management of acute traumatic aortic injuries at their institution, as well as that reported in the literature. Complications after endovascular repair include endoleak, endograft collapse, stroke, upper extremity ischemia, paraplegia, graft infection, endograft structural failure, missed injury or stent migration, and access site complications. After surgical repair, paraplegia and ischemia to other organs, graft dehiscence, graft infection, and graft stenosis may occur. With the growing use of endovascular management of acute traumatic aortic injuries and the increased likelihood of patient survival, the radiologist will be expected to be familiar with the findings in these patients and is positioned to play a critical role in early recognition of potential complications. Early diagnosis of the complications of therapy for aortic injury is imperative for reduction of mortality and morbidity.

Hepatic Gas: Widening Spectrum of Causes Detected at CT and US in the Interventional Era

The spectrum of causes of hepatic gas detected at computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography (US) is widening. There are many iatrogenic and noniatrogenic causes of hepatic parenchymal, biliary, hepatic venous, and portal venous gas. Hepatic gas may be an indicator of serious acute disease (infarct, infection, abscess, bowel inflammation, or trauma). In other clinical scenarios, it may be an expected finding related to therapeutic interventions (such as surgery; hepatic artery embolization for a tumor or for active bleeding in acute trauma cases; percutaneous tumor ablation performed with radiofrequency, cryotherapy, laser photocoagulation, or ethanol). In some cases, hepatic gas is an incidental finding of no clinical significance. Familiarity with the expanding list of newer intervention-related causes of hepatic gas detected at CT and US, knowledge of the patients clinical history, and a careful search for associated clues on images are all factors that may allow the radiologist to better determine the clinical relevance of this finding.

Facial Recognition Software Success Rates for the Identification of 3D Surface Reconstructed Facial Images: Implications for Patient Privacy and Security

Image de-identification has focused on the removal of textual protected health information (PHI). Surface reconstructions of the face have the potential to reveal a subject’s identity even when textual PHI is absent. This study assessed the ability of a computer application to match research subjects’ 3D facial reconstructions with conventional photographs of their face. In a prospective study, 29 subjects underwent CT scans of the head and had frontal digital photographs of their face taken. Facial reconstructions of each CT dataset were generated on a 3D workstation. In phase 1, photographs of the 29 subjects undergoing CT scans were added to a digital directory and tested for recognition using facial recognition software. In phases 2–4, additional photographs were added in groups of 50 to increase the pool of possible matches and the test for recognition was repeated. As an internal control, photographs of all subjects were tested for recognition against an identical photograph. Of 3D reconstructions, 27.5% were matched correctly to corresponding photographs (95% upper CL, 40.1%). All study subject photographs were matched correctly to identical photographs (95% lower CL, 88.6%). Of 3D reconstructions, 96.6% were recognized simply as a face by the software (95% lower CL, 83.5%). Facial recognition software has the potential to recognize features on 3D CT surface reconstructions and match these with photographs, with implications for PHI.

Value of Intraoperative Sonography in Pancreatic Surgery.

The utility of intraoperative sonography for pancreatic disease has been well described for detection and evaluation of neoplastic and inflammatory pancreatic disease. 1– 8 Intraoperative sonography can help substantially reduce surgical time as well as decrease potential injury to tissues and major structures. Imaging with sonography literally at the point of care—the surgeons scalpel—can precisely define the location of pancreatic lesions and their direct relationship with surrounding structures in real time during surgery. This article highlights our experience with intraoperative sonography at multiple institutional sites for both open and laparoscopic surgical procedures. We use intraoperative sonography for a wide range of pancreatic disease to provide accurate localization and staging of disease, provide guidance for enucleation of nonpalpable, nonvisible tumors, and in planning the most direct and least invasive surgical approach, avoiding injury to the pancreatic duct or other vital structures.

Meaningful Use for Radiology: Current Status and Future Directions

The purpose of this editorial is to introduce the use health information technology criteria that the authors believe would be meaningful to radiology.

US LI-RADS: ultrasound liver imaging reporting and data system for screening and surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Ultrasound is the most widely used imaging tool for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening and surveillance. Until now, this method has lacked standardized guidelines for interpretation, reporting, and management recommendations [1–5]. To address this need, the American College of Radiology (ACR) has developed the Ultrasound Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (US LI-RADS) algorithm. The proposed algorithm has two components: detection scores and visualization scores. The detection score guides management and has three categories: US-1 Negative, US-2 Subthreshold, and US-3 Positive. The visualization score informs the expected sensitivity of the ultrasound examination and also has three categories: Visualization A: No or minimal limitations; Visualization B: Moderate limitations; and Visualization C: Severe limitations. Standardization in ultrasound utilization, reporting, and management in high-risk individuals has the capacity to improve communication with patients and referring physicians, unify screening and surveillance algorithms, impact outcomes, and supply quantitative data for future research.

Utility of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in the Diagnosis and Treatment ofSuprapatellar Fat Pad Impingement: A Case Report

We report a case of suprapatellar fat pad impingement diagnosed and treated using musculoskeletal ultrasound. This report describes the utility of musculoskeletal ultrasound in making the diagnosis of suprapatellar fat pad impingement, which may potentially present as anterior knee pain, and more specifically, anterior superior knee pain. The importance of recognizing this entity on musculoskeletal ultrasound, especially when the imaging findings are subtle on prior MR imaging, is emphasized. Unconvincing suprapatellar fat pad edema on MR imaging, for example, should not preclude consideration of this entity at targeted ultrasound of the anterior knee in a patient with anterior knee pain. Furthermore, once the diagnosis is made using ultrasound, the suprapatellar fat pad impingement can be immediately and effectively treated with ultrasound-guided injection of steroid and anesthetic.