Journal highlights
The following are highlights from the current issues of RSNA’s peer-reviewed journals.
AI Devices Vary in Lung Cancer Detection
Early diagnosis of lung cancer relies on timely and accurate chest radiography. Commercially available AI devices can detect lung masses, nodules or cancer on chest radiographs. However, these devices perform differently depending on the intended patient population and clinical setting. Meanwhile, AI tools are expanding and the demand for medical imaging is increasing.
Currently, there are 16 Conformité Européenne-marked AI devices capable of detecting lung features. Four devices have U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. It is essential for radiologists to understand how AI device performance varies, which can help streamline workflows, conserve resources and support informed decision-making.
In a Radiology study, authors led by Ahmed Maiter, MB BChir, MA, from the University of Sheffield, England, directly compared the performance of seven commercial devices in 5,235 patients. They found substantial variability in diagnostic accuracy for detecting lung cancer on chest radiographs.
“Future studies should compare the impact of different devices on radiol ogists’ diagnostic accuracy and report ing behavior, patient outcomes and healthcare service delivery,” the authors conclude.
Read the full article, “Independent Head-to-Head Comparison of Commercial Artificial Intelligence Devices for Lung Cancer Detection on Chest Radiographs,” and the related editorial, “Benchmarking of AI Software in Chest Radiography: Opportunities and Challenges.” Follow the Radiology editor on X @RadiologyEditor.
Cropped secondary capture examples, provided for illustration and not intended to imply superiority or inferiority of any device. (A–F) Posteroanterior chest radiographs demonstrating varied device performance in detecting or characterizing thoracic abnormalities, including true positives, false negatives and false positives across multiple clinical scenarios. All annotations shown were produced by the devices.
Complete legend details can be found at https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.252205 ©RSNA 2026.
Evaluating Crohn’s Disease with Quantitative Imaging
Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic, relapsing and remitting inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract. If left untreated, a majority of patients with small bowel disease and a substantial portion of those with colonic disease can develop complications such as strictures, fistulas or abscesses.
Diagnosis and treatment of CD centers on a multifactorial approach to endoscopic, histological, clinical and biologic evaluation. While mucosal healing remains the current treatment target, imaging assessment of transmural healing may be a better predictor of treatment response and long-term patient outcomes.
In a new RadioGraphics article, Richa D. Patel, MD, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA, and colleagues outline the quantitative imaging methods to help standardize treatment response assessment, including contrast-enhanced US, T1 mapping at MRI, standardized stricture assessment and velocity-encoded phase contrast imaging.
The authors describe how, despite documented endoscopic mucosal healing, up to 73% of patients may still have transmural inflammation at imaging and up to 70% of patients with transmural healing at imaging may still have mucosal disease at endoscopy. This suggests that endoscopy and imaging may play complementary roles in the evaluation of CD treatment response.
“Radiologists are valuable players in the treatment of CD including initial diagnosis, treatment response, and surveillance in patients on biologic therapy,” the authors conclude.
Read the full article, “Update on Novel Biologic Therapies for Crohn Disease and the Impact of Imaging on Clinical Decision Making.” This article is also available for CME on EdCentral.
Follow the RadioGraphics editor on X @RadG_Editor.
Diffusion restriction in active terminal ileal inflammation in a 12-year-old patient with newly diagnosed CD. (A) Axial single-shot fast spin-echo MR image shows severe wall thickening, luminal narrowing, and intramural edema of the terminal ileum (arrow). (B) Axial diffusion-weighted MR image shows markedly increased signal intensity within the terminal ileum (arrowhead), while normal bowel loops show near–background signal intensity. (C) Axial ADC parametric map shows signal hypointensity in the inflamed bowel, consistent with restricted (impeded) diffusion (*). The average bowel wall ADC was 0.7 × 10−3 mm2/sec.
https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.250162 ©RSNA 2026
Dual-Phase MRA Improves Heart Disease Imaging
High-resolution MR angiography (MRA) plays a critical role in the evaluation and management of pediatric patients with complex congenital heart disease (CHD), where precise visualization and measurement of cardiovascular anatomy are essential for diagnosis and procedural planning. However, image quality and vessel dimensions can vary depending on the cardiac phase, and arrhythmia or high heart rate variability may limit diagnostic adequacy.
In a recent article published in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging, Lucia D. Beissel, MD, University Hospital Bonn, Germany, and colleagues evaluated a novel free-breathing dual-phase three-dimensional modified Dixon steady-state MRA technique in children with complex CHD. The authors demonstrate that dual phase imaging enables phase-dependent assessment of vessel size and image quality within a single acquisition, with systolic imaging improving visualization of select structures and mitigating non diagnostic exams in challenging cases.
“Dual-phase acquisition may support more reliable preinterventional planning and reduce the likelihood of nondiagnostic examinations, particularly in pediatric patients with elevated or irregular heart rates,” the authors explain. Read the full article, “Dual-Phase 3D Modified Dixon Steady-State MR Angiography in Pediatric Complex Congenital Heart Disease.”Journal Peer Reviewers Needed
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