Materials and Methods: The institutional review board approved this HIPAA-compliant study. Following informed consent, 51 healthy volunteers with normal pulmonary function and no history of smoking

were imaged by using a 64-detector row scanner with spirometric monitoring at total lung capacity and during forced exhalation. The total study population (in whom both main bronchi were imaged) included 25 men and 26 women (mean age, 50 years). Each scan was analyzed at a workstation by a fellowship-trained thoracic radiologist. Cross-sectional area measurements were obtained from end-inspiratory and forced-expiratory CT images for the right main bronchus (RMB), left main bronchus, (LMB), and bronchus intermedius (BI), and the mean percentage of expiratory collapse was calculated for each bronchus. The number of participants who exceeded the current diagnostic threshold IWR-1-endo level (>50% expiratory reduction in cross-sectional area) for bronchomalacia was calculated. Comparisons of airway dimensions and airway collapse according to bronchial segment and sex were made by using repeated-measures analysis of variance.

Results: Mean percentage of expiratory collapse was 66.9% +/- 19.0 (standard deviation) for the RMB and 61.4% +/- 16.7

for the LMB. Thirty-seven (73%) of 51 participants exceeded the diagnostic threshold level for bronchomalacia. buy Cl-amidine Significant differences were observed in mean percentage of expiratory collapse between the RMB (66.9% +/- 19.0) and LMB (61.4% +/- 16.7) (P = .0005). Among a subgroup of 37 participants in whom the BI was also imaged, the mean percentage of expiratory collapse was 61.8% +/- 22.8, and 27 (73%) participants exceeded the diagnostic threshold level for bronchomalacia.

Conclusion: Healthy volunteers demonstrate a wide range of forced-expiratory

bronchial collapse, frequently exceeding the current diagnostic threshold level for bronchomalacia. (C) RSNA, 2010″
“Primary spinal cord tumors constitute 2% to 4% of all central nervous system neoplasms and are characterized based on their location as intramedullary, intradural extramedullary, and extradural. A contemporary literature CDK inhibitor drugs review of primary intradural spinal cord tumors was performed. Among intramedullary tumors, ependymomas are more common and often can be surgically resected. However, astrocytomas infiltrate the spinal cord and complete resection is rare. Intradural extramedullary tumors include schwannomas, neurofibromas, and meningiomas and are usually amenable to surgical resection. Radiotherapy is reserved for malignant variants and recurrent gliomas, whereas chemotherapy is administered for recurrent primary spinal cord tumors without surgical or radiotherapy options. Early recognition of the signs and symptoms related to primary spinal cord tumors facilitates timely discovery, treatment, potentially minimizes neurologic morbidity, and may improve outcome.