Identification of a periorbital wooden foreign body as the cause of chronic ocular discharge in a horse

The clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic features of a horse with a wooden foreign body embedded in the deep portion of the right masseter muscle adjacent to the right orbit are presented. The purpose of this report is to describe the clinical presentation, magnetic resonance imaging findings and treatment of a penetrating wooden foreign body in a horse that had no history of trauma or evidence of a puncture wound. This report documents the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging to detect a wooden foreign body embedded in the soft tissues of a horse with a chronic copious ocular discharge. Two surgical procedures were necessary, which is a frequent complication encountered with wooden foreign bodies.     

Effect of acquisition time and chemical fat suppression on meningeal enhancement on MR imaging in dogs

Our purpose was to characterize meningeal gadolinium enhancement on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in dogs with inflammatory and neoplastic diseases, and to assess interobserver variability and the impact of delayed acquisition and chemical fat saturation on its conspicuity. Transverse T1-weighted FLAIR images were acquired prior to, and immediately following gadolinium injection (T0), and at 5 (T5) and 15-20 min delay (TD), with and without fat suppression, in 155 consecutive dogs imaged for suspected brain disease. The agreement on meningeal enhancement was globally substantial (kappa = 0.61) and the likelihood of obtaining a definite diagnosis was significantly increased with the use of fat suppression (P < or = 0.004). Meningeal enhancement was judged definitively present by consensus in 46 of 155 (30%) dogs. Of these, meningeal enhancement was characterized qualitatively and quantitatively in 30 dogs with a clinical diagnosis (18 inflammatory, 11 neoplastic, 1 infarct), and image sequences were compared. Meningeal enhancement was more often diffuse and leptomeningeal in animals with inflammation versus neoplasia (50% vs. 42%, and 69% vs. 48%, respectively), but significant associations were not found. Meningeal thickness and contrast ratio were higher with neoplasia (P < or = 0.02), but results did not vary significantly between series for either group. Yet, images with fat suppression were most useful 50% of the time for definite diagnosis and/or characterization of meningeal enhancement. While delayed image acquisition following gadolinium injection does not improve characterization of meningeal enhancement in dogs, fat suppression is beneficial qualitatively.     

Impact of coastal development on mangrove cover in Kilim river, Langkawi Island, Malaysia

We examined the impact of various coastal developments on mangrove cover along the Kilim River, Langkawi Island, Malaysia between 1996 and 2008. We analysed images from Systeme Probatoire d’Observation de la Tarre (SPOT) of Kilim River using supervised classification and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Over 8% (176.83 ha) of mangrove cover was degraded along the Kilim River from its total area of 2153.07 ha during the past 14 years. We identified several causes of mangrove degradation, including mangrove clearing (38%), mangrove conversion to commercial area (21%), residential area (19%), agriculture (12%), aquaculture (12%) and wake current (6%). Langkawi is one of the main tourism islands in Malaysia. Tthe pace of coastal development throughout the entire island including Kilim River had suppressed the mangroves propagation over the years. Long term monitoring of mangrove ecosystems is essentials to ensure the survival and sustainability of mangrove associated biodiversity.     

Stratified vegetation cover index: A new way to assess vegetation impact on soil erosion

Vegetation cover is an important parameter used in assessing the relationship between vegetation and soil erosion. However, the intensity of soil erosion actually changes not only with vegetation cover but also with differences in vegetation type and structure. How to integrate the cumulative effect of the different growth forms making up a vegetation community into one index for inclusion in soil loss predictive equations is an open research question. This paper proposes a method to separately measure the cover of different vegetation strata, estimate their contribution to reducing soil loss, and then to integrate this into a single vegetation index called the stratified vegetation cover index (C_s). The results show that C_s is more effective than projected vegetation cover for the assessment of soil erosion and also can overcome the disadvantages of vegetation indices such as NDVI. This means that C_s is a good substitute for vegetation cover or cover-related vegetation indices in studies on the relationship between vegetation and soil erosion. The concept of Cs may help the local governors or forest department understand the importance of vegetation structure and make right management decisions.     

小肾癌MRI诊断与鉴别诊断的研究

目的：回顾性分析直径小于3cm的肾癌的MRI征象,寻找早期肾癌的特点,提高对早期肾细胞癌的认识。方法：分析总结手术病理证实的小肾癌8例,寻找小肾癌的MRI表现特征。结果：小肾癌主要表现为肾脏变形,局部皮质、髓质分界消失,病灶边缘可出现假包膜征。结论：直径小于3cm的小肾癌,病灶信号表现形式多样、复杂,动态增强扫描的表现与其血供有很大的相关性,假包膜的出现对于小肾癌有一定的诊断与鉴别诊断意义。     

彩色多普勒超声与触诊对鼻咽癌放疗后颈部肿物诊断的比较

目的：比较彩色多普勒超声（CDFI）与临床触诊对鼻咽癌放疗后颈部肿物的诊断价值。方法：84例鼻咽癌根治性放疗后又出现可疑颈部包块者行临床触诊、CDFI和穿刺活检。以病理学诊断为金标准．评价触诊和CDFI对肿瘤复发与放射性纤维化诊断的敏感性和特异性。结果：（1）105个颈部肿物中,64个为复发肿物．41个为纤维化改变;（2）临床触诊发现颈部肿物92个．诊断的敏感性为61.9％,特异性为73.8％,符合率为66．7％;（3）CDFI检出颈部肿物105个．诊断的敏感性为92．2％．特异性为85．4％．符合率为89．5％;（4）复发组的纵、横径比值（L／T）明显小于纤维化组．但峰值血流速度、舒张末期血流速度和阻力指数明显增高（P〈0．01）。结论：CDFI对鉴别鼻咽癌放疗后颈部肿瘤复发与放射性纤维化的价值明显优于临床触诊。     

Three-dimensional reconstruction of electrical impedance tomography based on corresponding points matching interpolation

An interpolation algorithm with corresponding point matching is presented for interpolating two-dimensional reconstructed images of electrical impedance tomography(EIT）to realize three-dimensional reconstruction. The calculation methods of the gradient and its orientation angle have been adjusted according to the characteristic of the EIT data, and the interpolated slice shows good quality. The experimental model is a 2.1 S/m cylinder agar block immersed in a cylindrical water tank. The comparisons of the presented algorithm to the linear interpolation and the shape-based interpolation are made. The results show that corresponding point matching algorithm can ensure both accuracy and computational efficiency, thus the algorithm satisfies the requirements of the real-time EIT monitoring.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF PULP IN NORMAL AND DISEASED EQUINE CHEEK TEETH

A retrospective analysis of 619 upper and lower cheek teeth from 62 horses was performed. Based on clinical findings, as well as radiographic and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings, the teeth were classified into five groups. There were 20 teeth with abnormal MR imaging signals as well as clinical alterations and 599 healthy teeth. Using MR imaging, the appearance of pulp in diseased and disease‐free teeth was compared, and the appearance of abnormal pulp was studied. Subsequently, the ability of MR imaging to diagnose pulpitis and pulp necrosis in teeth with normal external appearance was investigated. In horses with clinically verified dental disease, abnormal MR imaging findings were confirmed in the pulp of all affected teeth. An enlarged blurred pulp image with a lower signal intensity was observed only in clinically diseased teeth and was a reliable criterion for diagnosing dental disease on MR imaging. On the other hand, partial or complete absence of pulp in all MR imaging sequences was observed in both diseased and nondiseased teeth. These data demonstrate that pulp changes in equine cheek teeth can be evaluated using MR imaging.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FEATURES OF INTRACRANIAL GRANULAR CELL TUMORS IN SIX DOGS

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging characteristics of intracranial granular cell tumors (GCTs) have been previously reported in three dogs. The goal of this retrospective study was to examine a larger number of dogs and determine whether distinctive MR characteristics of intracranial GCTs could be identified. Six dogs with histologically confirmed intracranial GCTs and MR imaging were included. Tumor location, size, mass effect, T1‐ and T2‐weighted signal intensity, and peritumoral edema MR characteristics were recorded. In all dogs, GCTs appeared as well‐defined, extra‐axial masses with a plaque‐form, sessile distribution involving the meninges. All tumors were located along the convexity of the cerebrum, the falx cerebri, or the ventral floor of the cranial vault. All tumors were mildly hyperintense on T1‐weighted images, and iso‐ to hyperintense on T2‐weighted images. A moderate‐to‐severe degree of peritumoral edema and mass effect were evident in all dogs. Findings indicated that, while several MR imaging characteristics were consistently identified in canine cerebral GCTs, none of these characteristics were unique or distinctive for this tumor type alone.     

IMAGING FINDINGS IN 14 DOMESTIC FERRETS (MUSTELA PUTORIUS FURO) WITH LYMPHOMA

Lymphoma is the most common malignant neoplasia in domestic ferrets, Mustela putorius furo. However, imaging findings in ferrets with lymphoma have primarily been described in single case reports. The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe imaging findings in a group of ferrets with confirmed lymphoma. Medical records were searched between 2002 and 2012. A total of 14 ferrets were included. Radiographs (n = 12), ultrasound (n = 14), computed tomography (CT; n = 1), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; n = 1) images were available for review. Median age at the time of diagnosis was 5.2 years (range 3.25–7.6 years). Clinical signs were predominantly nonspecific (8/14). The time between the first imaging study and lymphoma diagnosis was 1 day or less in most ferrets (12). Imaging lesions were predominantly detected in the abdomen, and most frequently included intra‐abdominal lymphadenopathy (12/14), splenomegaly (8/14), and peritoneal effusion (11/14). Lymphadenopathy and mass lesions were typically hypoechoic on ultrasound. Mild peritoneal effusion was the only detected abnormality in two ferrets. Mild pleural effusion was the most common thoracic abnormality (3/12). Expansile lytic lesions were present in the vertebrae of two ferrets with T3‐L3 myelopathy and the femur in a ferret with lameness. Hyperattenuating, enhancing masses with secondary spinal cord compression were associated with vertebral lysis in CT images of one ferret. The MRI study in one ferret with myelopathy was inconclusive. Findings indicated that imaging characteristics of lymphoma in ferrets are similar to those previously reported in dogs, cats, and humans.