Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to compare the perceived quality of 3-T axial T2-weighted high-resolution 2D and high-resolution 3D fast spin-echo (FSE) endorectal MR images of the prostate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six radiologists independently reviewed paired 3-T axial T2-weighted high-resolution 2D and 3D FSE endorectal MR images of the prostates of 85 men in two sessions. In the first session (n = 85), each reader selected his or her preferred images; in the second session (n = 28), they determined their confidence in tumor identification and compared the depiction of the prostatic anatomy, tumor conspicuity, and subjective intrinsic image quality of images. A meta-analysis using a random-effects model, logistic regression, and the paired Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Three readers preferred the 2D acquisition (67-89%), and the other three preferred the 3D images (70-80%). The option for one of the techniques was not associated with any of the predictor variables. The 2D FSE images were significantly sharper than 3D FSE (p < 0.001) and significantly more likely to exhibit other (nonmotion) artifacts (p = 0.002). No other statistically significant differences were found. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that there are strong individual preferences for the 2D or 3D FSE MR images, but there was a wide variability among radiologists. There were differences in image quality (image sharpness and presence of artifacts not related to motion) but not in the sequences' ability to delineate the glandular anatomy and depict a cancerous tumor.

Between 2004 and 2012, US funding for the biomedical sciences decreased to historic lows. Health-related research was crippled by receiving only 1/20th of overall federal scientific funding. Despite the current funding climate, there is increased pressure on academic radiology programs to establish productive research programs. Whereas larger programs have resources that can be utilized at their institutions, small to medium-sized programs often struggle with lack of infrastructure and support. To address these concerns, the Association of University Radiologists' Radiology Research Alliance developed a task force to explore any untapped research productivity potential in these smaller radiology departments. We conducted an online survey of faculty at smaller clinically funded programs and found that while they were interested in doing research and felt it was important to the success of the field, barriers such as lack of resources and time were proving difficult to overcome. One potential solution proposed by this task force is a collaborative structured research model in which multiple participants from multiple institutions come together in well-defined roles that allow for an equitable distribution of research tasks and pooling of resources and expertise. Under this model, smaller programs will have an opportunity to share their unique perspective on how to address research topics and make a measureable impact on the field of radiology as a whole. Through a health services focus, projects are more likely to succeed in the context of limited funding and infrastructure while simultaneously providing value to the field.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify geographic and temporal patterns related to the frequencies of online searches within the United States for information on imaging-based cancer screening tests. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Google Trends, a web-based tool for identifying the frequency of online searches, was used to determine, on both a monthly and a geographic basis, the relative frequency of searches for imaging-based cancer screening tests in the United States from 2004 through 2014. Findings were evaluated qualitatively. RESULTS: Searches for "mammography" decreased slightly overall, although they peaked in October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) in most years and spiked in November 2009 (when the updated U.S. Preventive Services Task Force screening mammography guidelines were released). The frequency of searches for "tomosynthesis" increased rapidly from 2009 through 2014. On the other hand, the frequency of searches for "lung cancer screening" decreased slightly from 2006 through 2010, increased rapidly from 2011 through 2014, and exhibited a spike in November 2010 (when the results of the National Lung Screening Trial were released). Searches for "virtual colonoscopy" decreased substantially from 2004 through 2010, remained stable from 2011 through 2014, and spiked in months coinciding with the publication of the results of large relevant clinical trials and a press release announcing that the president of the United States was undergoing virtual colonoscopy. The frequency of searches for "prostate MRI" was stable from 2006 through 2010 and increased rapidly from 2011 through 2014. Searches for "prostate MRI biopsy" increased rapidly in 2013 and 2014. These searches occurred predominantly in densely populated areas (e.g., searches for "lung cancer screening," "prostate MRI," and "tomosynthesis" were highest in New York City). CONCLUSION: Online search patterns indicate geographic and short- and long-term temporal variation in the interest in cancer screening examinations among the U.S. POPULATION: These trends may indicate pending shifts in the use of these examinations.

PURPOSE: To explore whole-lesion histogram analysis of the hepatobiliary phase (HBP) defect in indeterminate hypovascular liver lesions for predicting progression to arterial-enhancing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Twenty patients undergoing gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI for HCC screening with 12 degrees and 25 degrees flip angle (FA) HBP acquisitions demonstrating an indeterminate lesion showing HBP hypointensity but no arterial enhancement were included. Volumes-of-interest were placed on HBP defects, from which histogram metrics were obtained. Associations between these metrics and progression to arterial-enhancing HCC on follow-up imaging were investigated. Lesions were also assessed for the presence of a signal abnormality on conventional sequences. RESULTS: 40% of lesions progressed to arterial-enhancing HCC; 60% were stable at >/=6 months follow-up. Neither T2-hyperintensity increased diffusion signal nor portal/equilibrium phase washout was different between progressing and nonprogressing lesions (p = 1.0). Among direct signal intensity-based measures (overall mean; mean of bottom 10th, 10-25th, and 25-50th percentiles), area-under-the-curve (AUC) for prediction of progression to arterial-enhancing HCC was consistently higher at 25 degrees (range 0.619-0.657) than at 12 degrees (range 0.512-0.548). However, at both FAs, the four measures with highest AUC were measures related to lesion texture and heterogeneity [standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), skewness, and entropy], having AUC of 0.655-0.750 at 12 degrees and 0.686-0.800 at 25. The metric with highest AUC at 12 degrees was SD (AUC = 0.750) and at 25 degrees was CV (AUC = 0.800). CONCLUSION: Whole-lesion histogram HBP measures of indeterminate hypovascular liver lesions may help predict progression to arterial-enhancing HCC by reflecting greater lesion heterogeneity, particularly at higher FA. Larger studies are therefore warranted.

BACKGROUND: MRI-ultrasound fusion-targeted prostate biopsy (MRF-TB) may improve detection of prostate cancer (PCa) in men presenting for prostate biopsy. We report clinical outcomes of 12-core systematic biopsy (SB) and MRF-TB in men presenting for primary biopsy and further describe pathological characteristics of cancers detected by SB and not by MRF-TB. MATERIALS & METHODS: Clinical outcomes of 435 consecutive men who underwent pre-biopsy mpMRI followed by MRF-TB and SB at our institution between June 2012 and March 2015 were captured in an IRB-approved database Clinical characteristics, biopsy results and MRI suspicion scores (mSS) were queried from the database. RESULTS: Among 370 men (mean age 64+/-8.5 years; mean PSA 6.8, SEM 0.3 ng/mL) who met inclusion criteria, PCa was detected in 200 (54.1%) cases. Cancer detection rates for SB and MRF-TB were 47.3% and 43.5%, respectively (p = 0.104). MRF-TB detected more Gleason score >/=7 cancers than SB (114/128 (89.1%) vs 95/128 (74.2%), respectively, p = 0.008). Of 39 cancers detected by SB, but not by MRF-TB, 32/39 (82.1%) demonstrated Gleason 6 disease, and 24/39 (61.5%) and 32/39 (82.1%) were clinically insignificant by Epstein and UCSF CAPRA (score