A comparative study of computer-aided classification systems for focal hepatic lesions from B-mode ultrasound

Abstract

A comparative study of three computer-aided classification (CAC) systems for characterization of focal hepatic lesions (FHLs), such as cyst, hemangioma (HEM), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and metastatic carcinoma (MET), along with normal (NOR) liver tissue is carried out in the present work. In order to develop efficient CAC systems a comprehensive and representative dataset consisting of B-mode ultrasound images with (1) typical and atypical cases of cyst, HEM and MET lesions, (2) small and large HCC lesions and (3) NOR liver cases have been used for designing K-nearest neighbour (KNN), probabilistic neural network (PNN) and a back propagation neural network (BPNN) classifiers. For differential diagnosis between atypical FHLs, expert radiologists often visualize the textural characteristics of regions inside and outside the lesion. Accordingly in the present work, texture features and texture ratio features are computed from regions inside and outside the lesions. A feature set consisting of 208 texture features (i.e. 104 texture features and 104 texture ratio features) is subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) for dimensionality reduction; it is observed that maximum accuracy of 87.7% is obtained for a PCA-BPNN-based CAC system in comparison to 86.1% and 85% as obtained by PCA-PNN and PCA-KNN-based CAC systems. The sensitivity of the proposed PCA-BPNN based CAC system for NOR, Cyst, HEM, HCC and MET cases is 82.5%, 96%, 93.3%, 90% and 82.2%, respectively. The sensitivity values with respect to typical, atypical, small HCC and large HCC cases are 85.9%, 88.1%, 100% and 87%, respectively. Keeping in view the comprehensive and representative dataset used for designing the classifier, the results obtained by the proposed PCA-BPNN-based CAC system are quite encouraging and indicate its usefulness to assist experienced radiologists for interpretation and diagnosis of FHLs.     

Neurological Soft Signs Predict Auditory Verbal Hallucinations in Patients With Schizophrenia

Neurological soft signs (NSS) are well documented in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ), yet so far, the relationship between NSS and specific symptom expression is unclear. We studied 76 SZ patients using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine associations between NSS, positive symptoms, gray matter volume (GMV), and neural activity at rest. SZ patients were hypothesis-driven stratified according to the presence or absence of auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH; n = 34 without vs 42 with AVH) according to the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Structural MRI data were analyzed using voxel-based morphometry, whereas intrinsic neural activity was investigated using regional homogeneity (ReHo) measures. Using ANCOVA, AVH patients showed significantly higher NSS in motor and integrative functions (IF) compared with non-hallucinating (nAVH) patients. Partial correlation revealed that NSS IF were positively associated with AVH symptom severity in AVH patients. Such associations were not confirmed for delusions. In region-of-interest ANCOVAs comprising the left middle and superior temporal gyri, right paracentral lobule, and right inferior parietal lobule (IPL) structure and function, significant differences between AVH and nAVH subgroups were not detected. In a binary logistic regression model, IF scores and right IPL ReHo were significant predictors of AVH. These data suggest significant interrelationships between sensorimotor integration abilities, brain structure and function, and AVH symptom expression.     

Pelvic floor dysfunction—Does menopause duration matter?

Objective

To explore the effect of menopause and hormone replacement therapy on pelvic organ prolapse and pelvic floor muscle function.

Methods

The records of patients who attended a tertiary urogynaecological center were reviewed retrospectively. A standardised interview included menopausal age, i.e. years since last period or onset of menopausal symptoms, current or previous hormone use. The clinical examination included prolapse assessment (POP-Q) and palpation of the levator ani muscle. 4D transperineal ultrasound, supine and after voiding, was performed in all patients. Volume data sets were analysed for pelvic organ descent and measures of contractility and distensibility of the pelvic floor at a later date, blinded to all clinical data.

Results

Of 311 women seen during the inclusion period, 65% were postmenopausal. Current systemic or local hormone use was reported by 7% and 6%, respectively. 163 women (52%) reported prolapse symptoms with a mean bother of 5.7/10. Significant pelvic organ prolapse was found on clinical examination (POP-Q stage ≥ 2) in 77%, and diagnosed on ultrasound in 61%. On multivariate analysis, controlling for calendaric age, parity and levator avulsion, there was no evidence for menopausal age as an independent predictor of any symptom and sign of pelvic organ prolapse and pelvic floor muscle function. Local oestrogen use and past or present hormone replacement therapy had no detectable effect on any pelvic floor parameter.

Conclusions

Hormone deficiency following menopause is unlikely to play a major role in pelvic organ support and levator ani function. Hence, both do not appear to be substantially influenced by local or systemic hormone replacement therapy.     

Predictors of thermal response and lesion size in patients undergoing magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is being increasingly utilized in the treatment of movement disorders such as essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Whilst skull density ratio (SDR) has previously been correlated with achieving lesional temperature rises, other patient factors such as brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume have not previously been investigated. We aimed to investigate the effect of brain and CSF volumes on lesional temperature rises, as well as the effect of brain and CSF volumes and SDR on post-treatment lesion sizes. Fifty-four consecutive patients were studied with patient and treatment-related variables collected along with post-treatment lesion sizes. Linear regression analysis identified that SDR alone was associated with lesional temperatures. Both SDR and brain atrophy were associated with post-treatment lesion sizes on linear regression analysis. On multiple linear regression analysis SDR was significantly associated with post-treatment lesion size, and the association between brain atrophy and lesion sizes approached significance, a finding that warrants further investigation.     

产前超声诊断先天性马蹄内翻足的应用价值

目的　探讨产前超声诊断先天性马蹄内翻足的应用价值。 方法　选取2016-2019年于我院就诊的38例（44只患足）先天性马蹄内翻足患儿作为观察组,筛查时间为孕周20～26周,另选取同期于我院检查正常的胎儿35例（70只足）作为对照组。应用彩色超声诊断仪分别测量2组足长(FL)及足宽(FW),并计算FL/FW值;采用Dimeglio法评估患儿病情严重程度,并分析其与FL、FW及FL/FW的相关性,采用ROC法分析FL、FW及FL/FW诊断先天性马蹄内翻足的临床价值。 结果　与对照组比较,观察组患儿FL及FL/FW值较小,而FW值较大,且均有统计学差异（P<0.05）;不同Dimeglio分级的FL、FW及FL/FW比较差异显著（P<0.05）,FL及FL/FW值随Dimeglio分级升高而逐渐减小（P<0.05）,而FW值随Dimeglio分级升高而逐渐增大（P<0.05）;Spearman分析显示,FW与 Dimeglio评分呈正相关,而FL和FL/FW与 Dimeglio评分呈负相关（P<0.05）;ROC分析显示,FL、FW及FL/FW诊断先天性马蹄内翻足的曲线下面积分别为0.723（95%CI：0.591～0.926,P =0.005）、0.661（95%CI：0.522~0.849,P =0.017）、0.835（95%CI：0.709~0.984,P<0.001）,最佳诊断截断值依次为4.01、2.49、1.92,诊断灵敏度和特异度分别为80.73和81.26、81.07和78.93、90.13和90.74,经分析,FL/FW对先天性马蹄内翻足的诊断价值最大。 结论　产前超声对临床准确诊断先天性马蹄内翻足具有重要参考价值。     

长时程亚低温治疗对重度颅脑损伤患者脑损伤标志物及氧化应激指标的影响

目的:探讨长时程亚低温治疗对重度颅脑损伤患者脑损伤标志物及氧化应激指标的影响。方法:62例重度颅脑损伤患者根据治疗方式不同将其分为短时程（2 d）亚低温治疗组（对照组, n=30）和长时程（5 d）亚低温治疗组（观察组, n=32）,治疗后第6天时比较两组患者凝血功能指标、脑损伤标志物、氧化应激指标、并发症发生情况,随访期间观察患者昏迷时间及30 d致残率与30 d病死率。结果:治疗后第6天时,观察组血清凝血酶原时间、凝血酶时间、活化部分凝血酶原时间水平高于对照组（P<0.05）,观察组血清D-二聚体水平低于对照组（P<0.05）。治疗后第6天时,观察组患者血清髓鞘碱蛋白、神经元特异性烯醇化酶、S100蛋白、丙二醛、超氧化物歧化酶水平均低于对照组（P<0.05）。两组患者颅内血肿、胃肠动力减弱、泌尿系感染、肺部感染、应激性溃疡发生率无统计学差异（P>0.05）。观察组患者昏迷时间较对照组缩短（P<0.05）;观察组患者30 d致残率及30 d病死率均低于对照组,但两组间差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论:长时程亚低温治疗有利于改善重度颅脑损伤患者凝血功能,降低脑损伤标志物水平及氧化应激损伤,缩短昏迷时间,且不增加并发症发生风险。     

Can Achilles and patellar tendon structures predict musculoskeletal injuries in combat soldiers?

Aiming to investigate whether Achilles tendon (AT) structure and patellar tendon (PT) structure are risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries in combat soldiers, 168 participants were recruited from an infantry commander's course. The AT and PT were examined pre‐course using UTC to capture the structure of four echo‐type fibers (I–IV). All injuries were assessed by military physicians pre‐course and throughout the 14‐week course. Soldiers who were injured during the course had a significantly higher pre‐course prevalence of AT and PT echo‐type III and echo‐type IV compared to soldiers that were not injured during the course. Variables that were found to be associated with injured/non‐injured participants were echo‐type III + IV of the PT (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.24‐1.68) and echo‐type III of the AT (OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.35‐2.12). ROC analyses showed that the best model, exhibiting both high sensitivity and low specificity, was that participants with PT echo‐type III + IV > 10% or AT echo‐type III >8.5% had the highest risk of being injured during the course. In conclusions, the tendon structure at the beginning of high‐intensity activity or physical training program might be a risk factor for subsequent injury during the course. Soldiers and high‐level athletes should be aware of the cutoff points for fiber types in tendon structure that might put them at high risk for future injury. At‐risk soldiers/athletes should be provided with an intervention program before they start their training program, with the aim of improving the tendon structure and preventing subsequent injury.