Journal highlights
The following are highlights from the current issues of RSNA’s peer-reviewed journals.
RSNA Editorial Fellowship Applications
Application Deadline: March 9
Gain hands-on editorial experience and insider insight into the peer review process through an RSNA editorial fellowship. Designed for radiologists at multiple career stages who are interested in radiologic journalism and publishing, the fellowships are fully virtual and are designed to fit seamlessly into any schedule.
RSNA currently offers three fellowship opportunities:
- William R. Eyler Fellowship in Radiology Science Journalism - A one-month program intended for mid-career radiologists hoping to further their experience in radiologic journalism.
- William W. Olmsted Fellowship in Radiology Education Journalism – A one-week program designed for early-career radiologists and trainee residents who are interested in scholarly publication and the medical journal editorial processes.
- Herbert Y. Kressel International Editorial Fellowship - A one- to two-week program for early- or mid-career radiologists who currently reside in a non-North American country.
Now is your chance to gain firsthand experience in radiologic journalism and the editorial review process. Applications are due March 9.
Learn more about each fellowship and apply today.
The Current State of Breast US
Breast US is a noninvasive, widely available imaging tool that provides detailed views of breast tissue. As an adjunct to mammography and MRI, it can help assess breast and axillary lesions, guide interventions and monitor treatment response in patients with breast cancer.
The role of breast US continues to expand, with growing interest in dense breast screening and AI applications. However, breast US is operator dependent. Radiologists must understand various current and emerging techniques to ensure high-quality imaging and accurate diagnosis.
Jung Min Chang, MD, from Seoul National University Hospital, South Korea, and colleagues authored a Radiology review that provides a state-of-the-art summary of breast US. They discuss screening and diagnostic indications, as well as new technologies including US tomography, optoacoustic imaging and contrast-enhanced US, that may enhance assessment of breast anatomy and pathology.
“As radiologists use optimized scanning techniques with meticulous attention to the morphologic characteristics of lesions, along with the expanding range of indications and emerging applications, the value and capabilities of breast US will continually grow and evolve,” the authors write.
Read the full article, “Breast US: State of the Art.”
Follow the Radiology editor on X @RadiologyEditor.
S optoacoustic images of a solid mass. (A) US images in a 57-year-old woman with an oval hypoechoic circumscribed mass with low-level echoes and posterior enhancement (arrows), assessed as probably benign (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System 3). Color Doppler US (not shown) was negative. (B) Optoacoustic image shows increased red and pink deoxygenated hemoglobin with tortuous and radiating neovascularity within the mass and along the border (outline and arrow) consistent with a positive result and suspicious for malignancy. US core needle biopsy revealed a high-grade triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma. Images courtesy of Tom Stavros, MD, Seno Medical Instruments, San Antonio, Texas.
https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.233101 ©RSNA 2026
Understanding Female Gynecologic Pelvic MRI
In patients with gynecologic conditions, MRI is frequently used because it provides excellent anatomic detail. Common indications for pelvic MRI include characterizing indeterminate adnexal masses, investigating pelvic pain, staging gynecologic cancers and evaluating placental abnormalities.
To accurately interpret pelvic MRI, radiologists need to understand normal female pelvic anatomy, use tailored imaging protocols and consider the patient’s clinical history and laboratory data.
In a recent article published in RadioGraphics, authors led by Lauren F. Alexander, MD, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, and Stephanie Nougaret, MD, Montpellier Cancer Institute, France, present a comprehensive reference handbook for gynecologic pelvic MRI. Beginning with proper patient preparation, they describe a step-by-step approach to evaluating lesion origin, lesion tissue composition and solid tissue characteristics.
Finally, they emphasize the importance of disease-specific structured reporting to both facilitate decision-making and support future improvements.
“Based on lesion origin and these categories, the differential diagnosis can be developed and communicated in a structured radiology report, ensuring clear and concise communication with the treatment team,” the authors explained.
Read the full article, “Reference Handbook of Gynecologic Pelvic MRI.” This article is also available for CME on EdCentral.
Follow the RadioGraphics editor on X @RadG_Editor.
Bilateral serous borderline tumors in a 41-year-old female patient presenting with pelvic pain, bloating, and elevated serum CA-125 levels. Axial T2-weighted image shows bilateral ovarian lesions with a predominant exophytic surface growth pattern of the visualized papillary projections. The papillary projections show a characteristic T2-hyperintense architecture (white arrowhead) with T2-hypointense internal branching (black arrowhead). This distinctive sea anemone–like appearance is diagnostic of serous borderline tumors.
https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.rg250029 ©RSNA 2026
Enhancing Assessment of Chronic Coronary Syndrome using Multi-energy CT
Chronic coronary syndrome is frequently accompanied by myocardial fibrosis, which is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes and remains challenging to assess noninvasively. Advanced imaging techniques play an important role in characterizing myocardial tissue and refining risk stratification.
In a study published in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging, Qi Xu, MD, from Affiliated Hospital 2 of Nantong University in China, and colleagues evaluated the prognostic value of myocardial extracellular volume fraction (ECV) derived from multi-energy CT in non-infarcted myocardial segments.
Using coronary CT angiography followed by late iodine enhancement imaging, the authors assessed ECV in 352 patients with chronic coronary syndrome and examined its association with long-term outcomes.
During a median follow-up of more than three years, elevated non-infarcted ECV was independently associated with major adverse cardiovascular events, including cardiac death and heart failure hospitalization. Prognostic performance improved when ECV was combined with late iodine enhancement, rather than clinical and anatomic information alone.
“Measurement of ECV with the use of multi-energy CT is simple, reliable and clinically feasible, offering additional myocardial information that enhances the value of comprehensive cardiac CT examinations,” the authors conclude.
Read the full article, “Prognostic Value of Multienergy CT–derived Myocardial Extracellular Volume Fraction in Noninfarcted Segments of Individuals with Chronic Coronary Syndrome.”