Standard Needle Magnetization for Ultrasound Needle Guidance: First Clinical Experiences in Fine‐Needle Aspiration Cytology of Thyroid Nodules

Fine‐needle aspiration cytology using a novel ultrasound needle guidance system on the basis of standard needle magnetization was consecutively performed in 30 (15 in‐plane and 15 out‐of‐plane) suspicious thyroid nodules. Nondedicated, commercially available needles were used. The technical effectiveness and safety of the system were satisfying; system failures were observed in 2 cases. The needle tip could be (at least occasionally) visualized inside the thyroid nodule in 96%, and the subjective procedure ratings were excellent in 57%. The out‐of‐plane technique was significantly superior in both respects (P = .021 and .027, respectively). Standard needle magnetization ultrasound needle guidance was easy to apply and cost‐effective and has the potential to improve fine‐needle aspiration cytology performance.     

Differentiating benign from malignant cardiac tumors with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging

Background

The purpose of this analysis is to describe the differences in cardiac magnetic resonance characteristics between benign and malignant tumors, which would be helpful for surgical planning.

A case of Klebsiella pneumoniae spondylitis and bacteremia potentially due to inflammation around a fecalith

We herein report a case of Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) spondylitis and bacteremia in a 90-year-old man with diabetes mellitus who had undergone sigmoidectomy and had a fecalith. Two months prior to admission, he had received antimicrobial treatment for 2 weeks for K. pneumoniae bacteremia whose entry was unclear and he was readmitted to our hospital owing to fever and stomachache. K. pneumoniae was isolated from two sets of blood cultures, and computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed inflammation and destruction of the 8th and 9th thoracic vertebra. The diagnosis was spondylodiscitis secondary to K. pneumoniae bacteremia. Although the entry point for K. pneumoniae was unclear, we suggest that inflammation of the mucosa around the fecalith might have caused the Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia.     

Confirmation of Age-dependence in the Leakage of Contrast Medium around the Cortical Veins into Cerebrospinal Fluid after Intravenous Administration of Gadolinium-based Contrast Agent

Purpose:It has been reported previously that intravenously administered gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) leaks into the subarachnoid space around the cortical veins at 4 h after injection in all old people over 37 years, but not in younger people up to 37 years of age in 3D-real IR images. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there was a strict threshold of 37 years of age for the leakage of the GBCA into the subarachnoid space.Methods:The subjects included 190 patients, that were scanned for 3D-real IR images at 4 hours after intravenous injection of GBCA as a diagnostic test for endolymphatic hydrops. The patient’s age ranged from 14 to 81 years. Two experienced neuroradiologists evaluated the images to determine whether the GBCA leakage around the cortical veins was positive or negative. Any discrepancies between the two observers were discussed and a consensus was obtained.A Mann–Whitney U test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were used to compare the positive and the negative group and to set the age cut-off value for the prediction of GBCA leakage.Results:The GBCA leakage around the cortical veins was negative in 35 patients and positive in 155 patients. The average age was 33 ± 11 years in the negative group, and 55 ± 12 years in the positive group (P < 0.01). In the ROC analysis for the age and leakage of the GBCA, an area under the curve was 0.905 and the cut-off age was 37.317 years (sensitivity of 0.942 and specificity of 0.771).Conclusion:Intravenously administered GBCA leaks into the subarachnoid space around the cortical veins in most patients over 37 years of age. However, it should be noted that it can be found occasionally in patients under 37 years of age.     

Current status and challenges of Additive manufacturing in orthopaedics: An overview

Additive manufacturing is a rapidly emerging technology which is being successfully implemented in the various field of medicine as well as in orthopaedics, where it has applications in reducing cartilage defects and treatments of bones. The technology helps through systematic collection of information about the shape of the "defects" and precise fabrication of complex 3D constructs such as cartilage, heart valve, trachea, myocardial bone tissue and blood vessels. In this paper, a large number of the relevant research papers on the additive manufacturing and its application in medical specifically orthopaedics are identified through Scopus had been studied using Bibliometric analysis and application analysis is undertaken. The bibliometric analysis shows that there is an increasing trend in the research reports on additive manufacturing applications in the field of orthopaedics. Discussions are on using technological advancement like scanning techniques and various challenges of the orthopaedic being met by additive manufacturing technology. For patient-specific orthopaedic applications, these techniques incorporate clinical practice and use for effective planning. 3D printed models printed by this technology are accepted for orthopaedic surgery such as revision of lumbar discectomy, pelvic surgery and large scapular osteochondroma. The applications of additive manufacturing in orthopaedics will experience a rapid translation in future. An orthopaedic surgeon can convert need/idea into a reality by using computer-aided design (CAD) software, analysis software to facilitate the manufacturing. Thus, AM provides a comprehensive opportunity to manufacture orthopaedic implantable medical devices.     

胃食管反流病与功能磁共振技术

随着对胃食管反流病研究的深入,大脑和食管感觉及胃排空的相互作用越来越受到重视,功能磁共振成像技术,有助于进一步了解胃食管反流病的发病机制。     

超顺磁性氧化铁标记大鼠骨髓基质细胞经门静脉移植MRI活体示踪的研究

目的观察1．5T场强MRI联合动物专用线圈是否可以活体示踪经门静脉移植的纳米级超顺磁性氧化铁颗粒标记的骨髓基质细胞（bone marrow stromal cells BMSCs），为介人性门静脉骨髓基质细胞移植治疗终末期肝脏疾病的研究提供进一步的依据。方法供体大鼠5只，梯度密度离心分离BMSCs，纳米级超顺磁性氧化铁颗粒和脂质体转染BMSCs，体外经普鲁士蓝染色和HE染色确定细胞标记率。受体大鼠15只，分为5组，分别为对照组和纳米级超顺磁性氧化铁颗粒标记的骨髓基质细胞经门静脉移植人正常大鼠肝脏后2h、3d、7d及2周组。1．5T场强MRI联合动物专用线圈行T1W、T2W和T2＊序列扫描，观察肝脏信号改变情况，与对照组比较，并且与组织切片对照。结果纳米级超顺磁性氧化铁颗粒和脂质体转染BMSCs，细胞标记率〉95％。经门静脉移植人正常大鼠肝脏后，T2＊序列扫描显示经标记的BMSCs在肝内显示弥漫性的结节性低信号影，移植后2h到2周均可见到细胞在受体肝脏内存在，组织学切片显示信号缺失部位与铁颗粒标记细胞相一致。结论纳米级超顺磁性铁氧体颗粒标记的大鼠BMSCs经门静脉移植后可以通过1、5T场强行MRI活体示踪，为临床干细胞移植的应用提供可行的示踪方法。     

1 H-MRS对低级别和高级别脑胶质瘤鉴别诊断的作用及病理级别相关性的研究

目的 分析脑胶质瘤的氢质子磁共振波谱（proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy，^1H—MRS）表现及其临床意义；探讨脑胶质瘤的^1H—MRS特点与其病理级别相关性。资料与方法 搜集经临床手术、病理证实的脑胶质瘤36例，按照WHO诊断标准分成两组：低级别脑胶质瘤组、高级别脑胶质瘤组。所有患者在术前行^1H—MRS检查。均在MR非增强成像的基础上获得。使用Siemens Sonata 1．5T超导磁共振扫描仪，多体素扫描，点分辨表面线圈法，检测不同区域代谢物变化。结果 脑胶质瘤的^1H—MRS表现：肌酸（Cr）轻度下降，N-乙酰天门冬氨酸（NAA）显著下降。胆碱（Cho）显著增高。低级别、高级别脑胶质瘤的肿瘤组织分别和对侧正常脑组织的NAA／Cr、Cho／Cr、NAA／Cho比值存在非常显著性差异（P〈0．01）；低级别脑胶质瘤和高级别脑胶质瘤的肿瘤组织的NAA／Cr、Cho／Cr、NAA／Cho比值存在显著性差异（P〈0．05）。脑胶质瘤的NAA／Cho、Cho／Cr、NAA／Cr比值与病理级别相关，其中NAA／Cho和Cho／cr比值反映肿瘤级别较稳定；NAA／Cr、NAA／Cho比值存在负相关关系（相关系数rs分别为-0．663，-0．851），Cho／Cr比值存在正相关关系（相关系数rs为0．858）。结论 ^1H—MRS与MRI相结合能提高脑胶质瘤术前诊断的准确性。^1H-MRS可评价脑胶质瘤的分级，反映脑胶质瘤代谢特性以及肿瘤生长潜能。     

脑静脉畸形的MRI表现及其诊断价值

目的 探讨脑静脉畸形的MRI表现，评价各成像序列的诊断价值。资料与方法 搜集经临床手术证实的脑静脉畸形8例进行回顾性分析，所有患者均进行了常规MRI平扫及3D-MOTSA MRA检查。6例行Gd-DTPA增强T1WI，其中3例行3D-MOTSA增强MRA检查。结果 小脑4例，额叶、顶叶、枕叶共4例。5例MRI平扫引流静脉为长T1短T2流空信号，3例呈长T1低信号、长T2高信号。扩张的髓静脉为网状及条状长T1低信号、长T2高信号，增强扫描呈“海蛇头”样改变，即多条髓静脉呈辐射状汇入粗大的引流静脉。3D-MOTSA MRA检查显示部分引流静脉，髓静脉显示较少。3D-MOTSA增强MRA检查引流静脉全程显示，髓静脉显示数目多。结论 MRI能明确诊断脑静脉畸形的合并症，弥补脑血管造影的不足，3D-MOTSA增强MRA检查可取代脑血管造影。