Hyperechoic malignancies of the breast: Underlying pathologic features correlating with this unusual appearance on ultrasound

Hyperechogenicity in the breast on ultrasound (US) is usually regarded as a benign feature with only rare hyperechoic malignancies reported to date. In this study, we evaluated the pathologic findings on core needle biopsy of hyperechoic lesions and investigated the histologic features in malignancies that give rise to an echogenic pattern. A total of 163 core needle biopsies (CNB) were performed for “hyperechoic” or “echogenic” lesions between 1/1/05 and 7/31/17. Lesions were classified based on the proportion of hyperechoic areas identified. We found that all lesions with a homogenous hyperechoic pattern (>90% hyperechoic) were benign (n = 17), regardless of the type of margins. Malignancies were found in 21% (7/34, six invasive carcinomas and one lymphoma) of heterogenous lesions with ≥50% hyperechoic areas (all with noncircumscribed margins) and in 31% of lesions with <50% hyperechoic areas (19/61, 14 invasive carcinomas, two lymphomas, and three metastases), including five with circumscribed margins (one invasive carcinoma, one lymphoma, and three metastases). Two major US patterns were identified in malignant lesions, those with a hypoechoic center and hyperechoic rim, corresponding to a central tumor area with dense stroma and tumor cells infiltrating adipose tissue at the periphery (“rim pattern”), and a second “dispersed pattern” with hyperechoic areas distributed throughout the lesion. Hyperechoic malignancies were found to be comprised of a complex intermixture of elements of differing echogenicity including tumor cells, adipose tissue, and fluid (in tubules, stromal clefts, or blood vessels). Our findings support the importance of radiologists specifying the echogenic pattern of hyperechoic lesions, as heterogenous lesions are associated with a higher risk of malignancy and pathologists should be alert to the associated pathologic findings.     

Postoperative pain of mixed hemorrhoid treated by embedding needles in Èrbái ( EX-UE 2)

ObjectiveTo explore the effectiveness of treating postoperative pain of mixed hemorrhoid by embedding needles in Èrbái (

EX-UE 2) and find possible ways for relieving postoperative pain of mixed hemorrhoids.Methodspress needle (SEIRIN pyonexes) were embedded in EX-UE 2 of patients with postoperative pain of mixed hemorrhoid, once a day and totally 7 treatments. Visual analogue scale (VAS) values were adopted for evaluation.ResultsComplete remission of clinical pain was observed in 34 cases, accounting for 50.00%; significantly effective in 19 cases, accounting for 27.94%; effective in 13 cases, accounting for 19.12%; and ineffective in 2 cases, accounting for 2.94%; the total effective rate was 97.06%.ConclusionsThe therapy of treating postoperative pain of mixed hemorrhoid by embedding press needle in EX-UE2 is effectively satisfactory.     

Biomechanics of a new atraumatic surgical needle holder

It is the purpose of this report to design, develop, and evaluate a needle holder whose jaws improve needle-holding security without altering the geometry of the curved surgical needle. The configuration of the jaws of this new needle holder is curved, conforming to the curvature of the surgical needle. A biomechanical study of this curved surgical needle holder demonstrates that it holds the curved needle securely without needle deformation.     

Changes in motor unit characteristics after eccentric elbow flexor exercise

Morphological evidence suggests that fast-twitch fibers are prone to disruption of their membrane structures by eccentric exercise. However, it is unclear how this is reflected in the discharge rate and action potential propagation of individual motor units, especially at high contraction levels. High-density surface electromyograms were recorded from biceps brachii muscle and decomposed to individual motor unit action potentials at isometric contraction levels between 10% and 75% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) before intermittent maximal elbow flexor eccentric exercise, and two hours (2H), two days (2D) and four days (4D) post-exercise. Maximal voluntary force decreased by 21.3±5.6% 2H and by 12.6±11.1% 2D post-exercise. Motor unit discharge rate increased and mean muscle fiber conduction velocity decreased, at the highest isometric contraction levels only (50% and 75% of MVC) at 2H post-exercise. These results indicate that eccentric exercise can disturb the function of motor units active at high contraction levels in the early stages after exercise, which seems to be compensated by the central nervous system with an increase in neural drive during submaximal isometric contractions.     

CT导向下经皮穿刺活检及介入治疗的临床应用

目的:探讨CT导向下经皮穿刺活检及介入治疗术的临床应用价值。方法:在CT导向下行诊断目的56例,治疗目的32例,诊断及治疗双目的21例。穿刺部位:头、颈部7例,胸部48例,腹部47例,躯干及四肢7例,共109例112个病灶。结果:112个病灶穿刺114针次,穿刺一次成功率100%,确诊96.1%,治疗有效率86.8%,并发症10.1%。结论:CT导向下经皮穿刺活检及介入治疗术属微创伤性技术,具有安全、可靠、有效、成功率高、并发症少、操作简便快捷等特点,是诊断、鉴别诊断、提高诊治成功率的重要手段。     

银质针导热疗法对腰肌劳损的临床疗效观察

目的观察并比较银质针导热疗法与传统温针灸法对腰肌劳损的治疗效果。方法选取确诊腰肌劳损患者110例,随机分为治疗组(银质针组)和对照组(传统温针灸组)各55例,治疗1、4、8周后对疼痛程度的变化进行随访,并于治疗8周后两种治疗方法的效果进行评价。结果 8周后,治疗组有效率100%,对照组有效率89.09%。治疗组远期疗效优于对照组。结论银质针导热疗法优于传统温针灸法。     

EMG spectral differences among the quadriceps femoris during the stretch reflex

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to examine the electromyographic (EMG) spectral characteristics of the quadriceps femoris muscles during tendon tap stretch reflexes. Methods: Sixteen healthy subjects (mean ± SD age = 21.2 ± 2.8 years) performed tendon tap reflexes of the leg extensors as surface EMG signals were detected from the vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), and vastus medialis (VM) muscles of the dominant thigh. All EMG signals were processed with a wavelet analysis, and the resulting spectra were decomposed with nonparametric spectral decomposition. Results: The results showed that the spectra for the VL had significantly more high‐frequency power than those for the RF and VM, with similar spectral shapes for the RF and VM. Conclusions: These findings could be due to differences in the width of the innervation zone, or the fiber type composition of the muscles, although the latter seems to be more likely. Muscle Nerve 52 : 826–831, 2015