Acne Scars

Eur J Radiol. 2009 Aug 7; Zaher S, Gedroyc W, Lyons D, Regan LThe purpose of this research was to identify a method for performing Magnetic Resonance Imaging Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS) of symptomatic uterine fibroids in patients with abdominal scars, by visualisation of these scars on MR images. 25 patients who presented with treatable symptomatic uterine fibroids and having transverse abdominal scars were treated with MRgFUS. A solution containing MRI contrast paramagnetic iron oxide particles was used to demark the skin surface scar tissue on the treatment planning MR images. During treatment, the focused ultrasound energy was steered around the scar based on its enhanced visual location. After the treatment, contrast enhanced MR images were acquired for immediate results evaluation. Adverse events and fibroid related symptoms were captured during the 6-months follow up period. All the women were treated with no complications. No episodes of skin burns, ulceration or skin redness were reported. The post-treatment contrast-enhanced MR images showed an average fibroid non-perfused volume ratio of 64%. At their 6-month follow-up, 92% of the patients reported a clinical improvement. Using paramagnetic iron oxide solution to highlight transverse abdominal scars helps in their identification on MR images, thereby enabling the operator to avoid scars and facilitating the treatment of women who were previously excluded.

Eur Radiol. 2009 Aug 14; Wybier M, Gaudart S, Petrover D, Houdart E, Laredo JDBACKGROUND: Selective steroid injections of the lumbar spine carry a risk of paraplegia of sudden onset. Seven cases have been reported in the English literature since 2002. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five new cases have been analyzed, all coming from Paris area centers. Injections were performed between 2003 and 2008. The following items were searched for: location of a previous lumbar spine surgery if any, symptoms indicating the procedure, route of injection, imaging technique used for needle guidance, injection of a contrast medium, type of steroid, other drugs injected if any, paraplegia level, post-procedure MR findings. The current and reported cases were compared. RESULTS: MR findings were consistent with spinal cord ischemia of arterial origin. The high rate of patients who had been operated on in these cases does not correspond to that of patients undergoing injections. The presence of epidural scar might increase the risk. The foraminal route was the only one involved in nonoperated patients. Foraminal, interlaminar, or juxta-zygoapophyseal routes were used in operated-on patients. CONCLUSION: The high rate of French cases when compared to the literature might arise from the almost exclusive use of prednisolone acetate, a molecule with a high tendency to coalesce in macro-aggregates, putting the spinal cord at risk of arterial supply embolization.

Clin Ophthalmol. 2008 Sep; 2(3): 675-8Sonoyama H, Araki-Sasaki K, Kazama S, Kawasaki T, Ideta H, Sunada A, Asari S, Inoue Y, Hayashi KClinical findings and treatment of keratomycosis caused by Beauveria bassiana, an entomopathogenic filamentous fungus, are described for an 80-year-old woman, who was referred to the hospital for ocular pain and redness on the 9th day after an ocular injury caused by the frame of her glasses. She had a long history of recurrent diabetic iritis and continuously used topical antibiotics and corticosteroids. At her first visit, a slit-lamp examination indicated a corneal ulcer confined within the superficial stromal layer, along with a slight infiltration and edema. Only a very few inflammatory cells were seen in the anterior chamber. Direct microscopic examination of corneal scrapings revealed septate fungal hyphae with zig-zag rachis and budding that was subsequently identified as B. bassiana by slide culture. Topical voriconazole with miconazole, pimaricin and oral itraconazole were effective and the lesion disappeared leaving only a mild scar at 2 months. The sensitivity of B. bassiana to various antimycotic agents was confirmed by broth microdilution, agar dilution with the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute standard, and a disk method using topically applied concentrations. B. bassiana, which exhibits a characteristic appearance in smears and causes superficial keratomycosis, is sensitive to voriconazole with miconazole, pimaricin, and itraconazole.