Adenomas are rare liver tumours, a certain percentage of which can become malignant. Using a new MR (magnetic resonance) technique at MedUni Vienna, it is now possible to classify adenomas without subjecting patients to invasive tissue sampling procedures.
Hitherto patients have had to undergo biopsy to take tissue samples for histological examination in order to determine whether a hepatocellular adenoma is benign or potentially malignant. Using a new imaging technique at the University Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at MedUni Vienna (Christian Herold), this type of tumour can now be clearly classified by means of a liver-specific MR contrast agent.
Adenomas of the liver are relatively rare. They can develop in different ways. Hence there are three subtypes (benign, inflammatory, pre-malignant) and a fourth unclassifiable subgroup with different clinical courses and potential progression. It is now possible to determine which group a particular adenoma belongs to using a new MR imaging technique.
The liver-specific contrast agent, gadoxetic acid, targets the bile transporters OATP (organic anion-transporting polypeptide) and MRP (Multidrug Resistance-Related Protein) in adenoma cells and normal liver cells. These will either absorb the agent or re-excrete it. The tumours can then be classified on the basis of the relative proportion of these surface transporters as compared to normal liver cells, as shown in the MR image.

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The results of a study indicate that Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Diffusion-Tensor Imaging (DTI) could be used for the prognosis and treatment of sports injuries in athletes. The researchers obtained DTI Three-dimensional (3-D) measurements of the upper leg from the hip to the knee, including the hamstring and other susceptible muscles, in a single imaging session. The technique revealed changes that qualitative T2-weighted MR imaging with fat suppression was not able to show, and could be used to help clinicians detect long-term changes in the upper leg from sports-related muscle injuries.
The researchers evaluated five male amateur long-distance runners using a 3-T MR examination of both upper legs at three points in time. The exams took place one week before, two days after, and three weeks aft er the runners took part in a marathon. A musculoskeletal radiologist used three grades to evaluate the level of muscle injury using T2-weighted images with fat suppression. The radiologist noted the specific muscle and its location, the craniocaudal, and axial length of the hemorrhage and/or edema, and manually segmented six muscles in both upper legs based on T1- and T2-weighted images.
Lead author of the study, Martijn Froeling, PhD, at the University Medical Centre Utrecht (Utrecht, Netherlands), said,

Results from an interim analysis of the Guinea Phase III efficacy vaccine trial show that VSV-EBOV (Merck, Sharp & Dohme) is highly effective against Ebola. The independent body of international experts – the Data and Safety Monitoring Board

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