To qualitatively and quantitatively compare unenhanced ultra-low-dose chest computed tomography (ULD-CT) acquired at 80 kVp and 135 kVp.
Materials and methods
Fifty-one patients referred for unenhanced chest CT were prospectively included. There were 29 men and 22 women, with a mean age of 64.7 ± 11.6 (SD) years (range: 35–91 years) and a mean body mass index of 26.2 ± 6.3 (SD) (range: 17–54.9). All patients underwent two different ULD-CT protocols (80 kVp-40 mA and 135 kVp-10 mA). Image quality of both ULD-CT examinations using a 5-level scale as well as assessability of 6 predetermined lung parenchyma lesions were blindly evaluated by three radiologists and compared using a logistic regression model. Image noise of the two protocols was compared with Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
Results
The mean dose-length product at 80 kVp and at 135 kVp were 14.7 ± 1.8 (SD) mGy.cm and 15.6 ± 1.9 (SD) mGy.cm, respectively (P < 0.001). Image noise was significantly lower at 135 kVp (58.9 ± 12.4) than at 80 kVp (74.7 ± 14.5) (P < 0.001). For all readers and for all examinations, the 135 kVp protocol yielded better image quality than 80 kVp protocol, with a mean qualitative score of 4.5 ± 0.7 versus 3.9 ± 0.8 (P < 0.001). The 135 kVp protocol was significantly more often of diagnostic quality than the 80 kvp protocol (92.3% versus 77.8%, respectively) (P < 0.001) and was less prone to image quality deterioration in obese patients. Parenchymal lesions were never better depicted on the 80 kVp protocol than with the 135 kVp protocol.
Conclusion
Unenhanced chest ULD-CT should be acquired at a high kilovoltage and low current, such as 135 kVp-10 mA, over a low kilovoltage and high current protocol. 相似文献
Background and purpose — No difference in outcome has been demonstrated comparing cemented taper-slip and composite beam designs in short-term randomised trials; we assessed outcome differences using a registry analysis.
Patients and methods — All cemented stems with > 100 implantations were identified in the National Joint Registry of England and Wales from April 1, 2003 to September 31, 2013 and categorised as taper-slip or composite beam. Survival analyses using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression were performed.
Results — We identified 292,987 cemented arthroplasties, of which 16% (47,586) were composite beam stems, with taper-slip stems making up the remainder (n = 245,401). There was a statistically significant increased chance of revision in the composite beam group compared with the taper-slip group (1.7% vs 1.3%, p < 0.001) but statistically no significant differences of survival estimates (p = 0.06). When the 2 groups were segregated to delineate the most implanted model in each category, the differences became more profound with the most implanted taper-slip stem (Exeter V40) showing statistically and clinically significant superior 8-year survival: 97.9% compared with 97.6% for all other taper-slip; 97.5% for the most implanted composite beam (Charnley cemented stem); and 97.7% for all other composite beam.
Interpretation — There was an increased incidence of revision for composite beam stems. The most implanted taper-slip stem demonstrated significant survival advantage vs. all other stems. 相似文献
To obtain an overview of the management and outcomes of children aged 18 years or younger diagnosed with differentiated thyroid carcinoma of follicular cell origin across the UK, by collecting and analysing data from the limited number of centres treating these patients. This multicentre data might provide a more realistic perspective than single-institution series.
Materials and methods
Six centres submitted data extracted from historical records on patients aged 18 years or younger, diagnosed between 1964 and 2017. The univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify potential predictors of progression-free survival, using national data as a control.
Results
Data on 166 patients were available for analysis. Females (74%) were predominant, and the age ranged from 3 to 19 years at diagnosis, mean 14.1 years. Nodal metastases were present in 51%; 12% had distant metastases. After surgery, 95% received radioactive iodine (39% on more than one occasion) and 4% received external beam radiotherapy. With a median follow-up duration of 5 years, 69% are alive with no evidence of disease; 20% are alive with a raised thyroglobulin level as the only evidence of residual disease; 6% have residual structural disease detectable on imaging; 2% have died, from cerebral metastases.
Conclusion
Despite most patients having advanced disease at presentation, outcomes are very good. A national prospective registry should allow systematic collection of good-quality data and may facilitate research to further improve outcomes. 相似文献
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an uncommon cancer with a poor prognosis and heterogeneous survival. Surgery for MPM is offered in some specialist centers to highly selected patients. A previously described classification and regression tree (CART) model stratified survival in unselected MPM patients using routinely collected clinical data. This study aimed to examine the performance of this CART model on a highly selected surgical population.
Methods
Data were collected from subjects undergoing cytoreductive surgery for MPM from specialist centers in Hyõgo, Japan, and Sydney, Australia, between 1991 and 2016. The CART model was applied using the combination of clinical variables to stratify subjects into risk groups (1 through 4); survival characteristics were then compared.
Results
Two hundred eighty-nine cases were included (205 from Australia, 84 from Japan). Overall median survival was 34.6 (interquartile range: 17.5–56.1) months; median age was 63.0 (interquartile range: 57.0–67.8) years, and 83.0% (n = 240) were male. There were no clinically meaningful differences between the two cohorts. Survival across the four risk groups was significantly different (p < 0.0001); the model stratified survival well with a Harrell's concordance statistic of 0.62 (95% confidence interval: 0.57–0.66) at 36 months. The group with the longest survival (median, 82.5 months) had: no weight loss, hemoglobin > 153 g/L and serum albumin > 43 g/L at time of referral to the surgical center.
Conclusions
Using routinely available clinical variables, the CART model was able to stratify surgical patients into risk groups with statistically different survival characteristics with fair to good performance. Presence of weight loss, anemia, and low albumin should confer caution when considering surgical therapy for MPM. 相似文献
BackgroundCirculating cell-free deoxyribonucleic acid (cfDNA) is promptly materializing as a highly useful tool for the surveillance of solid-organ transplant rejection. Donor-specific fraction (DF) cfDNA is a potential marker of selective donor organ injury. It is emerging as a promising analytical target in the near future. The aim of this systematic review is to throw light on the importance of cfDNA and future perspective in detecting acute rejection in heart transplantation.MethodsAn exhaustive search was carried out for this review article on the basis of literature available including scientific databases of PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov. The search engines were systematically explored using the search terms “cell free DNA,” “Heart transplant,” and “Rejection” from inception until August 2020, and narrative analysis was accomplished. Majority of the studies described endomyocardial biopsy-proven acute rejection as reference standard.ResultsAfter initial screening of 331 articles, 11 studies were included and discussed in detail in the present review article. Majority of the studies showed prospective designs. A firm correlation was noted between acute rejection (identified on endomyocardial biopsy) and cfDNA levels by most of the studies.ConclusionscfDNA is a promising tool to replace repeated biopsies to detect rejection. The development in the area of digital droplet polymerase chain reaction and massive parallel sequencing, along with the overall reduction in cost of sequencing with its automation, has helped establish its role in the transplant population. 相似文献