Objective. To identify clinical and morphofunctional changes in the lacrimal gland in sarcoidosis.

Material and methods. Ultrasonography was conducted in 53 patients (106 eyes) with a verified diagnosis of systemic sarcoidosis (7 men and 46 women) whose age was 31 to 72 years.

Results. Different types of lacrimal gland structural changes in sarcoidosis were detected. Comparing the acoustic and functional findings revealed a high correlation (r > 0.7) between these parameters as vascularization index, a reflex component of tear secretion, and the presence of tubular structures. Types of changes in the acoustic structure of the lacrimal glands were identified, which were designated as edematous and polymorphic changes, as well as atrophic changes with a necrotic component.

Conclusion. The findings can be used to diagnose lacrimal gland changes in patients suffering from sarcoidosis.

Objective. To assess the sensitivity of computed tomography urography (CTU) and magnetic resonance urography (MRU) (native versus contrast-enhanced studies) in patients with traumatic ureteral strictures.

Material and methods. The data of 51 CTUs and 34 MRUs made in patients with upper urinary tract injuries were prospectively analyzed. The studies were performed using an Aquilion Prime 160-slice scanner (Toshiba, Japan) and high-field devices at a magnetic field strength of 1.5 Tesla Vantage Atlas (Toshiba, Japan) and at 3.0 Tesla Ingenia (Philips, Netherlands). Excretory urography was also carried out in 92.2% of cases; ultrasound examination was made in 74.5%. The degree of obstruction, its causes, the state of the adjacent structures, and the presence of complications were assessed.

Results. All (100%) CTU studies correctly estimated the level of stricture of the ureter; the lower third of the organ was involved most frequently (68.6%). MRU identified traumatic strictures in 94.0% of cases. MRU and CTU could be confined to native series in 51.0 and 27.5% of patients, respectively. MRU more commonly revealed the changes concurrent with injuries: there was diffuse ureter wall thickening in 44.1% (27.5% at for CTU), periureteral fat infiltration in 43.1% (37.2% at CTU), and pelvic fluid accumulation in 9.8% (7.8% at with CTU). The techniques could also establish the presence of sinus tracts: MRU was useful in the preoperative imaging of pathological fistulas in 100%. CTU was able to demonstrate the leakage of a contrast agent and/or its flow into the vagina in 66.7%.

Conclusion. MRU demonstrates the sensitivity comparable to that of CTU in detecting ureteral injuries (including in diagnosing complications, such as fistulas) and can be used in patients with contraindications to CTU and, due to the absence of ionizing radiation, for follow-up studies.

Objective. To compare liver function assessments using Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI and the gold standard hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) in patients with bile duct diseases.

Material and methods. The investigation enrolled 18 patients (male/female = 11/7; age, 29–70 years, Klatskin tumor (n=16), bile duct epithelial dysplasia (n=1), intrahepatic cholangiolithiasis (n=1)) after biliary decompression, who underwent 21 paired MRIs and 99mTc-mebrofenin HBS at a study interval of no more than 3 days. In the same regions of interest with a size of 30–50 pixels located in liver segments II–III, IV, V–VIII, and VI–VII, a MRI signal was measured before MR contrast agent (MRCA) injection into the standard vascular phases and at 10, 20, 30 and 40 minutes, then the signal was expressed as a percentage of intensity compared to the precontrast series. After MR volumetry, the functional volumes of the left and right liver lobes were also defined as the area under the MRCA accumulation curve, which was multiplied by the lobe volume and expressed as a percentage of the similarly calculated function of the entire liver. Similar intensity parameters and functional volumes were estimated for a HBS study.

Results. The lobe functional volumes measured by the two methods were highly correlated (R=0.8; p<0.001) and did not show a significant difference at all when comparing with the Mann–Whitney test (p>0.3). The excretion rate of 99mTc-mebrofenin was also highly correlated with MRI findings (R=0.5–0.9; p<0.05). Conclusion. Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI revealed a high correlation with the gold standard; however, additional studies are needed to clarify the possibilities and limitations of replacing one method with another one.><0.05).

Conclusion. Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI revealed a high correlation with the gold standard; however, additional studies are needed to clarify the possibilities and limitations of replacing one method with another one.

This clinical case shows the experience in concurrently using video-assisted bronchoscopy and endosonography in a patient with mediastinal adenopathy for differential diagnosis between tuberculous and metastatic changes. It demonstrates the possibilities and limitations of using both classical bronchoscopy and transesophageal endosonography with a EUS-b-FNA using echobronchoscope.

Mucormycosis is an infection caused by one of several types of mold. Invasive mucormycosis is the most aggressive, rapidly progressive fungal infection. The disease is characterized by high attributable mortality. The early and accurate diagnosis of invasive mucormycosis determines the choice of an adequate therapeutic policy, by improving the prognosis of the disease. The method of choice for diagnosing pulmonary mucormycosis is computed tomography that allows accurate determination of the location and extent of the lesion, the state of the lung parenchyma, and the presence of concomitant complications. The paper describes a clinical case of damage to the lung and skin in invasive mucormycosis in a 28-year-old woman with aplastic anemia. The case is of interest due to a larger number of immunocompromised patients, especially those susceptible to the disease.

A popliteal cyst or Baker’s cyst is easily distinguished from other cystic or solid tumors on the magnetic resonance imaging sections. At the current level of medicine development, many options have been developed for medical and surgical treatments for popliteal cysts; however, there are still disputes on their validity and efficiency. In addition, there is no consensus on the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease. MRI is known to show similar intraarticular changes in asymptomatic patients and articular syndrome patients, which could suggest that intraarticular pathological changes played a secondary role in a number of cases of Baker’s cyst formation. Under these conditions, laser-induced thermotherapy is considered by the authors to be justified. Its main goal is to coagulate the wall of the tissue cyst, which subsequently leads to obliteration of its anastomosis and cavity. Ultrasound control is used to visualize and ensure the safety of manipulation. This paper describes a case of MRI for diagnosing a popliteal cyst and monitoring the efficiency of laser-induced thermotherapy.

The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) is quite complicated, which is associated with its clinical features and the lack of unique confirmatory tests. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the ways to confirm the diagnosis and also makes it possible to establish a differential diagnosis with other demyelinating diseases and to exclude diseases that mimic MS. This review presents not only MRI criteria for MS and other diseases similar to the MRI pattern, but also additional clinical and laboratory data, without which it is impossible to make a correct diagnosis.