We incorporated clay modeling into gross anatomy and neuro‐anatomy courses to help students understand cross‐sectional anatomy. By making clay models, cutting them and comparing cut surfaces to CT and MR images, students learned how cross‐sectional two‐dimensional images were created from three‐dimensional structure of human organs. Most students in a clay modeling group responded positively to this approach, and their average score on CT examination was higher than that of a group that did not use clay models. Clay modeling appears to be a useful supplement to conventional anatomy or radiologic anatomy education. It can be applied to any part of human body, and its effectiveness will be greater when a more complicated understanding of cross‐sectional anatomy is required. Anat Sci Educ 2:156–159, 2009. © 2009 American Association of Anatomists.

Early diagnosis and treatment of Takayasu arteritis is important in prevention of serious complications. Spin‐echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can depict early wall thickening of the aorta and cine MRI can evaluate aortic valve function. Significant enhancement in and around the aorta and carotid arteries is observed on postcontrast MR images in acute phase Takayasu arteritis. In the chronic phase, contrast enhancement in the aortic wall stronger than in the myocardium suggests activity of the disease. Breath‐hold contrast‐enhanced three‐dimensional MR angiography is very effective in noninvasive evaluation of luminal change of aortitis. Contrast‐enhanced MRI and MR angiography have an important role in early diagnosis, activity determination, and follow‐up of Takayasu arteritis. MRI and MR angiography can be utilized for initial diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis and replace catheterization angiography. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1999;10:751–757.

Kim EY, et al. Korean J Radiol. 2009 Mar-Apr;10(2):164-175. http://dx.doi.org/10.3348/kjr.2009.10.2.164

Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is an unclassified cardiomyopathy and there is no consensus on the diagnosis of LVNC. The aims of this study were to establish quantitative methods to diagnose LVNC using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and to suggest refined semi-quantitative methods to diagnose LVNC. This retrospective study included 145 subjects with mild to severe trabeculation of the left ventricle myocardium [24 patients with isolated LVNC, 33 patients with non-isolated LVNC, 30 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) with non-compaction (DCMNC), 27 patients with DCM, and 31 healthy control subjects with mild trabeculation]. The left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, global LV myocardial volume, trabeculated LV myocardial volume, and number of segments with late gadolinium enhancement were measured. In addition, the most prominent non-compacted (NC), compacted (C), normal mid-septum, normal mid-lateral wall, and apical trabeculation thicknesses on the end-diastolic frames of the long-axis slices were measured. In the patients with isolated LVNC, the percentage of trabeculated LV volume (TV%, ​42.6 ± 13.8 %) ​relative to total LV myocardial volume was 1.4 times higher than in those with DCM (30.3 ± 14.3 %, p < 0.001), and 1.7 times higher than in the controls (24.8 ± 7.1 %, p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in TV% between the isolated LVNC and DCMNC groups (47.1 ± 17.3 % in the DCMNC group; p = 0.210). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis using Jenni’s method for CMR classification as the standard diagnostic criteria revealed that a value of TV% above 34.6 % was predictive of NC with a specificity of 89.7 % (CI: 74.2 - 98.0 %) and a sensitivity of 66.1 % (CI: 52.6 - 77.9 %). A value of NC/septum over 1.27 was considered predictive for NC with a specificity of 82.8 % (CI: 64.2 - 94.2 %) and a sensitivity of 57.6 % (CI: 44.1 - 70.4 %). In addition, a value of apex/C above 3.15 was considered predictive of NC with a specificity of 93.1 % (CI: 77.2 - 99.2 %) and a sensitivity of 69.5 % (CI: 56.1 - 80.8 %). A trabeculated LV myocardial volume above 35 % of the total LV myocardial volume is diagnostic for LVNC with high specificity. Also, the apex/C and NC/septum ratios could be useful as supplementary diagnostic criteria.

It has been reported that left ventricular (LV) myocardial strain and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging have prognostic value in patients with heart failure (HF). However, previous studies included patients with various systolic functions. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of LV myocardial strain and LGE on CMR imaging in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) with reduced ejection fraction (EF < 40%). From a prospectively followed cohort who underwent CMR between November 2008 and December 2015, subjects with LV EF < 40% and a diagnosis of idiopathic DCM were eligible for this study. The CMR images were analyzed for LV and right ventricular (RV) function, presence and extent of LGE, and LV myocardial strain. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death and heart transplantation. The secondary outcome was hospitalization for HF. A total of 172 patients were included, in whom mean LV EF was 23.7 ± 7.9% (EF 30–40% n = 47; EF < 30% n = 125). During a median follow-up of 47 months, the primary outcome occurred in 43 patients (16 heart transplantations, 29 all-cause deaths), and there were 41 hospitalizations for HF. Univariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis showed that mean arterial pressure, serum sodium concentration, log of plasma NT-proBNP level, and presence of LGE (HR 2.277, 95% CI: 1.221–4.246) were significantly associated with the primary outcome. However, LV strain had no significant association (HR 1.048, 95% CI: 0.945–1.163). Multivariable analysis showed that presence of LGE (HR 4.73, 95% CI: 1.11–20.12) and serum sodium (HR 0.823, 95% CI: 0.762–0.887) were independently associated with the primary outcome. LGE in CMR imaging was a good predictor of adverse outcomes for patients with idiopathic DCM and reduced EF. Identification of LGE could thus improve risk stratification in high-risk patients. LV strain had no significant prognostic value in patients with moderate to severe systolic dysfunction.