Purpose: To determine the rate of congruence and to standardize assessment of US (ultrasound) phantom images with the use of an ATS-539 multipurpose phantom for US equipment currently utilized in Korea Materials and Methods: US phantom images were scanned with a 3.0-5.0 MHz convex transducer and were digitized by use of an analogue-digital converter. Members of a committee with consent evaluated the US phantom images from 108 types of ultrasound equipment. The dead zone, vertical and horizontal measurement, axial/lateral resolution, focal zone, sensitivity, functional resolution and gray scale/dynamic range were evaluated. Congruence or incongruence of ultrasound equipment was determined based on the results of dead zone, axial/lateral resolution and gray scale/dynamic range measurements. Other factors were evaluated for the possibility as criteria with the use of the Mann-Whitney U test and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: The dead zone, axial/lateral resolution and gray scale/dynamic range were 91.7%, 94.4% and 76.9%, respectively, for suitable US equipment. Considering all three factors, 78 types of ultrasound equipment were passed. The congruence rate of focal zone and functional resolution were 62.4% and 69.3% of the US equipment, respectively. Conclusion: Of the US equipment, 72.2% of the equipment was acceptable based on the dead zone, axial/lateral resolution, and gray scale/dynamic range measurements as determined with the use of an ATS-539 phantom. Focal zone and 8 mm-functional resolution can be useful as a standard in the assessment of a US phantom image.

1. To review various pathologies of the spleen and their sonographic findings. 2. To discuss the role of sonography in patients with various splenic diseases. The spleen is not the primary site frequently involved in disease. In addtion, in contrast to other solid organs in the abdomen such as the liver and kidney, sonographic appearance of disease is not well cathegorized and well known, because of poor sonographic window for rib cage to evaluate disease and nonspecific imaging findings of various diseases. Understanding the sonographic findings of various abnormalities of spleen might be helpful in the evaluation of patients with splenic diseases. 1. Introduction. 1) Embrology and anatomic relationship . 2) Correlation between sonographic and 3-D CT imaging. 2. Various abnormalities of the spleen. 1) Normal variation mimicking pathology. 2) Congenital anomalies. 3) Nontumorous cysts. 4) Benign and malignant splenic tumors and tumor-like lesions. 5) Infectious and inflammatory lesions. 6) Trauma-associated lesions. 7) Vascular anomalies and infarction. Although the differential diagnoses of various abnormalities of the spleen has been overlooked in practical review of intra-abdominal imaging, an awareness of the spectrum of splenic abnormalities and their sonographic appearances may be helpful for the radiologic assessment in patients with splenic diseases.

We report three cases of Mirizzi syndrome diagnosed by MR imaging. MR cholangiography revealed dilation of the intrahepatic bile ducts, narrowing of the common hepatic duct, the level of obstruction, and the location of gallstone in the cystic duct. MR showed thickening of the gallbladder wall and the pattern of wall enhancement. MR evaluation with MR cholangiography sequences proved to be useful in these patients with Mirizzi syndrome.

We describe two cases of Budd-Chiari syndrome detected by magnetic resonance imaging that resulted from compression of the inferior vena cava by an elevated right hemidiaphragm. Magnetic resonance images demonstrated elevation of the right hemidiaphragm and medial deviation of the inferior vena cava with short segmental narrowing. The hepatic veins and inferior vena cava were patent but discontinuous. Hepatic venous drainage was assisted by multiple large intrahepatic collaterals.

Purpose : To evaluate further the right minor and major fissure on thin-section narrow-interval CT scans with particular emphases on orientation, degree of completeness, Materials and Methods: Thin section CT scans from 10 mm distal to carina to the proximal basal segmental bronchus were obtained at S mm invervals in 50consectutiwe subjects.Orientation, degree of completeness, and the relationship of the minor and major fissure on thin-section CT scans were analyzed .ResuIts : Four principal types of the minor fissure could be identified according to the highest point of the upper surface of the middle lobe. At bronchus intermedius level, the major fissure appeared with its media 1 end anterior to lateral end in 45 subjects. The minor fissure was complete in only 10subiects (20%). Completely absent minor fissure was noted in four subjects (8%) . The major fissure was incomplete in 17 subjects (34%) at bronchus intermedius level. The minor and major fissure intersected each other in only 27 subjects (54%). The highest point of intersection was variable.Conclusion : There are much more variations in the fissural complex in our study than in previous reports and these variations can be visualized well on thin -section CT scans .