Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE:Our objective was to describe the CT features of spontaneous isolated celiac artery dissection in a series of six otherwise healthy patients with acute abdominal pain. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Although once believed rare, isolated spontaneous celiac artery dissection should be considered in the diagnosis of acute abdominal pain, especially in middle-aged adults.

We report the radiology and pathology findings on a patient with colonic schwannoma, and review the literature on this very rare tumor.

OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this pictorial essay is to familiarize radiologists with the clinical functioning, proper anatomic positioning, appearance on radiographs and CT scans, potential complications, and MRI safety issues of several implantable noncardiac pacemaker and stimulator devices. CONCLUSIONS:The use of noncardiac pacemakers and stimulators is rapidly increasing because of the utility of these devices in the management of surgically and medically refractory conditions. Unlike cardiac pacemakers, electrical stimulators are MRI compatible under certain circumstances.

Pulmonary hyalinizing granulomata are rare, noninfectious, fibrosing lesions of the lung, which can mimic metastatic disease radiographically. Their etiology is unknown, but they may be caused by an exaggerated immune response. We report the radiology, long clinical course, and pathology of a patient with pulmonary hyalinizing granuloma who presented with initially asymptomatic pulmonary nodules. Over a 10-year period, the patient developed multiple insidious autoimmune phenomena, including lupus anticoagulant, neuromyotonia, demyelinating sensorimotor polyneuropathy, and eventually, Morvan's syndrome. Such an association has not been previously published to our knowledge.

We report the radiologic and pathologic findings of a newborn with a choledochal cyst and review the etiology, diagnostic considerations, and management of this entity.

Use of diagnostic imaging studies for evaluation of pregnant patients with medical conditions not related to pregnancy poses a persistent and recurring dilemma. Although a theoretical risk of carcinogenesis exists, there are no known risks for development of congenital malformations or mental retardation in a fetus exposed to ionizing radiation at the levels typically used for diagnostic imaging. An understanding of the effects of ionizing radiation on the fetus at different gestational stages and the estimated exposure dose received by the fetus from various imaging modalities facilitates appropriate choices for diagnostic imaging of pregnant patients with nonobstetric conditions. Other aspects of imaging besides radiation (ie, contrast agents) also carry potential for fetal injury and must be taken into consideration. Imaging algorithms based on a review of the current literature have been developed for specific nonobstetric conditions: pulmonary embolism, acute appendicitis, urolithiasis, biliary disease, and trauma. Imaging modalities that do not use ionizing radiation (ie, ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging) are preferred for pregnant patients. If ionizing radiation is used, one must adhere to the principle of using a dose that is as low as reasonably achievable after a discussion of risks versus benefits with the patient.