Journal of Medical Ultrasound RSS feed: Current Issue. The Journal of Medical Ultrasound is the peer-reviewed publication of the Asian Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, and the Chinese Taipei Society of Ultrasound in Medicine. Its aim is to promote clinical and scientific research in ultrasonography, and to serve as a channel of communication among sonologists, sonographers, and medical ultrasound physicians in the Asia-Pacific region and wider international community. The Journal invites original contributions relating to the clinical and laboratory investigations and applications of ultrasonography. http://www.jmu-online.com/?rss=yesElsevier Inc.en © 2011 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Journal of Medical Ultrasound0929-6441194December 2011 © 2011 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. healthpermissions@elsevier.comhttp://www.jmu-online.com/article/PIIS0929644111001081/abstract?rss=yesEditorial Board10.1016/S0929-6441(11)00108-1Journal of Medical Ultrasound 19, 4 (2011)2011-12-01Journal of Medical Ultrasound2011-12-01194S0929-6441(11)X0005-Xiihttp://www.jmu-online.com/article/PIIS0929644111000932/abstract?rss=yesTransthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TDE) is a noninvasive tool for measuring coronary flow reserve in the epicardial coronary arteries. In the absence of stenosis in the epicardial coronary artery, TDE can detect impaired microvascular vasodilatation associated with diseases, including reperfused myocardial infarct, systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary vasospasm, microvascular angina, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by demonstrating a decrease in the coronary flow reserve. Because it is noninvasive, TDE allows for serial coronary flow reserve evaluations to explore the effect of various therapies. This noninvasive imaging technique expands the field of diagnostic echocardiography and brings new insight into the pathophysiology of ischemic heart disease. This review outlines rationale of TDE to evaluate coronary flow reserve in the left anterior descending coronary artery and discusses its clinical applications.Clinical Applications of Transthoracic Doppler Echocardiographic Coronary Flow Reserve Measurements in the Left Anterior Descending Coronary ArteryMing-Jui Hung, Wen-Jin Cherng10.1016/j.jmu.2011.10.005Journal of Medical Ultrasound 19, 4 (2011)2011-10-31Journal of Medical Ultrasound2011-10-31194S0929-6441(11)X0005-XReview Article115121http://www.jmu-online.com/article/PIIS0929644111000920/abstract?rss=yesLeft ventricular function is affected differently in acute and chronic mitral regurgitation (MR). Twenty-six patients (12 men and 14 women, average age: 55±20 years) with acute severe MR caused by flail leaflet and 30 patients with chronic severe MR of organic origin (14 men and 16 women, average age: 56±14 years) were included in the study. All of the patients were evaluated in detail by conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). Among conventional echocardiographic parameters, left ventricle ejection fraction (%) was found higher in acute MR (71±5/59±12, p=0.001) whereas left ventricle end-systolic volume, left ventricle end-diastolic volume, left ventricle end-systolic diameter, left ventricle end-diastolic diameter, left atrium dimension, and left atrial area were significantly higher in chronic MR. Among TDI parameters, peak systolic wave velocities (11.4±3.6/8.8±2.5cm/s, p=0.018), peak early diastolic velocities (10.8±4.5/9.3±3.8cm, p=0.03), and contraction time (248±56/219±47ms, p=0.04) were found higher in acute MR, whereas precontraction time (119±29/164±48ms, p=0.005) and precontraction time to contraction time ratio (0.52±0.23/0.78±0.28, p=0.008) were significantly higher in chronic MR. As evaluated by conventional echocardiography, the systolic function of chronic MR was also normal, although it was lower than that of acute MR. We also found that left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions by TDI were also relatively preserved in patients with acute MR when compared with those with chronic MR.Evaluation of Left Ventricular Function by Conventional Echocardiography and Tissue Doppler Imaging in Patients with Acute and Chronic Mitral RegurgitationKargin Ramazan, Bulut Mustafa, Emiroglu Yunus, Mutlu Halil, Pala Selcuk, Akcakoyun Mustafa, Cevik Cihan, Aung Soe Moe, Özdemir Nihal10.1016/j.jmu.2011.10.004Journal of Medical Ultrasound 19, 4 (2011)2011-11-02Journal of Medical Ultrasound2011-11-02194S0929-6441(11)X0005-XOriginal Article122127http://www.jmu-online.com/article/PIIS0929644111000907/abstract?rss=yesPigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a disease rarely found in the elbow, and there is limited literature describing its ultrasonographic morphology. We report a case of elbow PVNS, showing the sonographic features of a hyperechoic, heterogenous, irregularly-shaped mass. Compared to knee joint PVNS, elbow joint PVNS has less joint effusion. This is also the first article to demonstrate the increased blood perfusion of PVNS with power-mode Doppler imaging.Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis of the Elbow: A Case Report and Sonographic FindingsSun Mio, Yi-Chian Wang, Wen-Shiang Chen, Tyng-Guey Wang10.1016/j.jmu.2011.10.002Journal of Medical Ultrasound 19, 4 (2011)2011-11-14Journal of Medical Ultrasound2011-11-14194S0929-6441(11)X0005-XCase Reports128130http://www.jmu-online.com/article/PIIS0929644111000919/abstract?rss=yesAmbiguous genitalia is a medical term for rare condition in which the newborn’s external genitalia do not conform to either male or female type. The condition of ambiguous genitalia has serious psycho-social concerns and is usually followed-up with a multitude of complex tests for identifying the gender and the cause of the anomaly. Three cases of ambiguous genitalia are reported here where ultrasound helped to elucidate the probable cause and to direct further appropriate tests.Ultrasound in Ambiguous GenitaliaMuktachand L. Rokade10.1016/j.jmu.2011.10.003Journal of Medical Ultrasound 19, 4 (2011)2011-11-15Journal of Medical Ultrasound2011-11-15194S0929-6441(11)X0005-XCase Reports131134http://www.jmu-online.com/article/PIIS0929644111000944/abstract?rss=yesMyxomas are extremely rare cardiac lesions in the fetus. We describe the prenatal findings in a case of extracardiac myxoma of the fetus. This anomaly was demonstrated by two- and three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonography.In Utero 3D Sonographic Depiction of Cervical Cutaneous MyxomaChih-Yao Chen, Yi-Cheng Wu, Peng-Hui Wang, Hsing-I Wang, An-Hung Yang, Kuan-Chong Chao10.1016/j.jmu.2011.10.006Journal of Medical Ultrasound 19, 4 (2011)2011-11-09Journal of Medical Ultrasound2011-11-09194S0929-6441(11)X0005-XCase Reports135137http://www.jmu-online.com/article/PIIS0929644111000890/abstract?rss=yesWe present a case of a hydrocele within the canal of Nuck that initially presented as a palpable mass in the right inguinal region. Ultrasonography demonstrated an anechoic cyst. Surgery was performed and the pathological diagnosis was a cyst in the canal of Nuck. This is a rare diagnosis, and the differential diagnosis often includes more common causes of inguinal masses. Ultrasound is the imaging modality of choice to narrow the differential diagnosis and to confirm a hydrocele. We also discuss the reported clinical and imaging characteristics of the cyst which differentiate it from other inguinal masses.Hydrocele in the Canal of NuckMartha A. Kaeser, Daniel W. Haun, John C.S. Cho, Norman W. Kettner10.1016/j.jmu.2011.10.001Journal of Medical Ultrasound 19, 4 (2011)2011-11-09Journal of Medical Ultrasound2011-11-09194S0929-6441(11)X0005-XCase Reports138140http://www.jmu-online.com/article/PIIS0929644111000956/abstract?rss=yesDuring the course of systemic sclerosis (SSc), patients often experience hand involvement as the first clinical manifestation, and the broad spectrum of hand conditions leads to a loss of manual dexterity and interferes with daily and working life . The diagnosis of hand involvement is primarily based on clinical signs and symptoms, and radiographic abnormalities . Nevertheless, a recent study has emphasized the role of ultrasonography (US) in identifying subclinical synovitis or tenosynovitis that cannot be detected by means of radiography .The Role of Ultrasonography in the Assessment of Skeletal Hand Involvement in Systemic SclerosisFrancesca Ingegnoli, Patrizia Boracchi, Amedeo Soldi, Anna Ingegnoli, Roberta Gualtierotti, Valentina Galbiati, Pier Luigi Meroni10.1016/j.jmu.2011.10.007Journal of Medical Ultrasound 19, 4 (2011)2011-11-15Journal of Medical Ultrasound2011-11-15194S0929-6441(11)X0005-XResearch Letters141142http://www.jmu-online.com/article/PIIS0929644111000968/abstract?rss=yesA 36-year-old, gravida 2, para 1, woman was referred at 27 weeks of gestation because of multiple renal cysts on the right side and hypoplasia of the kidney on the left side in the fetus. The parents were non-consanguineous, and there was no family history of polycystic kidneys and renal abnormalities. The patient had undergone amniocentesis which revealed a karyotype of 46,XX. Detailed ultrasound showed a normal amount of amniotic fluid, a singleton fetus with fetal biometry consistent with the gestational age, a duplex right kidney with hydronephrosis and a right megaureter (). The left renal system was hypoplastic. Prenatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a right-sided duplex collecting system with a megaureter and hydronephrosis arising from the upper pole moiety and an inferiorly compressed lower pole moiety (). At 38 weeks of gestation, the woman delivered a female baby weighing 3048g with Apgar scores of 9 and 10 at 1 minute and 5 minutes, respectively. The postnatal MRI findings were consistent with the prenatal diagnosis (). The baby underwent an exploratory laparotomy, which confirmed a duplex right kidney and ureter with hydronephrosis and hydroureter arising from the upper pole moiety. Ureteroplasty and reimplantation of the ureter were successfully performed. The child was doing well at the age of 4 months.Perinatal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Demonstration of Duplication of the Right Renal Collecting System with Ipsilateral Hydronephrosis and Hydroureter, and Contralateral Renal HypoplasiaChih-Ping Chen, Jeng-Daw Tsai, Chin-Yuan Hsu, Tung-Yao Chang, Yu-Peng Liu, Jun-Wei Su, Wayseen Wang10.1016/j.jmu.2011.11.001Journal of Medical Ultrasound 19, 4 (2011)2011-12-08Journal of Medical Ultrasound2011-12-08194S0929-6441(11)X0005-XResearch Letters143145