Possible prevention and treatment of prostate cancer by exercise

Exercise and physical activity have been linked to the prevention of certain types of cancer such as colon and breast. As prostate cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed in the male population, there is obvious interest in determining a possible effect of exercise on disease prevention and improvement of disease-related outcomes. Thus far, data has been conflicting and there has been no clear determination of prostate cancer prevention through exercise. However, as prostate cancer treatment carries many side effects which may be bothersome and health-threatening, researchers have examined the effects of exercise training on reducing treatment-related complications and improving outcomes and quality of life (QOL). In this review, we discuss the impact of exercise on reducing side effects of prostate cancer treatment and improving cancer-specific and overall survival outcomes, as well as improving QOL in prostate cancer patients.     

An MRI system for imaging neonates in the NICU: initial feasibility study

Background

Transporting premature infants from a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to a radiology department for MRI has medical risks and logistical challenges.

Objective

To develop a small 1.5-T MRI system for neonatal imaging that can be easily installed in the NICU and to evaluate its performance using a sheep model of human prematurity.

Materials and methods

A 1.5-T MRI system designed for orthopedic use was adapted for neonatal imaging. The system was used for MRI examinations of the brain, chest and abdomen in 12 premature lambs during the first hours of life. Spin-echo, fast spin-echo and gradient-echo MR images were evaluated by two pediatric radiologists.

Results

All animals remained physiologically stable throughout the imaging sessions. Animals were imaged at two or three time points. Seven brain MRI examinations were performed in seven different animals, 23 chest examinations in 12 animals and 19 abdominal examinations in 11 animals. At each anatomical location, high-quality images demonstrating good spatial resolution, signal-to-noise ratio and tissue contrast were routinely obtained within 30?min using standard clinical protocols.

Conclusion

Our preliminary experience demonstrates the feasibility and potential of the neonatal MRI system to provide state-of-the-art MRI capabilities within the NICU. Advantages include overall reduced cost and site demands, lower acoustic noise, improved ease of access and reduced medical risk to the neonate.     

A real-time freehand ultrasound calibration system with automatic accuracy feedback and control

This article describes a fully automatic, real-time, freehand ultrasound calibration system. The system was designed to be simple and sterilizable, intended for operating-room usage. The calibration system employed an automatic-error-retrieval and accuracy-control mechanism based on a set of ground-truth data. Extensive validations were conducted on a data set of 10,000 images in 50 independent calibration trials to thoroughly investigate the accuracy, robustness, and performance of the calibration system. On average, the calibration accuracy (measured in three-dimensional reconstruction error against a known ground truth) of all 50 trials was 0.66 mm. In addition, the calibration errors converged to submillimeter in 98% of all trials within 12.5 s on average. Overall, the calibration system was able to consistently, efficiently and robustly achieve high calibration accuracy with real-time performance.     

Efficacy of topical cyclosporine for the treatment of ocular rosacea

Introduction  This study was designed to compare the efficacy of cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion 0.05% with an artificial tear solution for the treatment of rosacea-associated eyelid and corneal pathology. Methods  Double-masked, randomized, 3-month clinical trial of 37 patients with rosacea-associated eyelid and corneal changes (defined as lid margin telangiectasia, meibomian gland inspissation, and/or fullness of the lid margin). All findings were standardized and compared to photographs for grading. Results  There was a statistically significant increase in Schirmer (with anesthesia) scores of 2.7±2.2 mm after 3 months of treatment in the topical cyclosporine group (P<0.001), compared with a mean decrease of −1.4±4.6 mm (P=0.271) in the artificial tears group. The mean tear break-up time score significantly improved in the topical cyclosporine group (mean increase of 3.56±1.5 seconds, P<0.001), but worsened in the control group, although this change was not significantly significant (mean decrease of −0.04±1.6 seconds, P=0.929). The topical cyclosporine group exhibited a significantly greater mean reduction in corneal staining scores (−1.3±0.53) compared with the control group (−0.2±0.83; between groups P<0.001). The topical cyclosporine group had a greater improvement in Ocular Surface Disease Index scores than those using artificial tears (P=0.022). Limitations of the study included an older, predominantly Caucasian patient population and short trial length. Conclusions  Topical cyclosporine 0.05% is more effective than artificial tears for the treatment of rosacea-associated lid and corneal changes.     

Magnetic resonance imaging of cystic adnexal lesions during pregnancy

Management of cystic adnexal lesions diagnosed during pregnancy is a challenging issue for obstetricians. The range of treatment options changes from immediate surgery to close follow-up. This pictorial essay illustrates the magnetic resonance imaging findings of various cystic adnexal lesions in pregnant patients. Magnetic resonance imaging may help in better characterization of some of the cystic adnexal lesions diagnosed during pregnancy without exposing the fetus to ionizing radiation.