Dysaccommodation of the stomach: therapeutic nirvana?

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a highly prevalent gastrointestinal disorder and has a complex pathophysiology. Impaired fundic relaxation in response to a meal is present in 40% of patients with FD. This review focuses on impaired gastric accommodation of the stomach as a pathophysiological mechanism and the possible therapeutic targets that can be derived from the current knowledge of the neuroregulation of the accommodation reflex. First the different means of gastric accommodation assessment are described and the relationship between symptoms and impaired gastric accommodation. The different therapeutic options are subsequently discussed in view of their molecular target, based on the different receptor subtypes involved in the accommodation reflex. Although impaired gastric accommodation is highly prevalent in dyspeptic patients and basic knowledge about the accommodation reflex enables to develop pathophysiologically targeted therapies, it is unlikely that therapies aimed at dysaccommodation of the stomach will lead to symptom relief in all dyspeptic patients. A major challenge is the development of methods that readily identify impaired accommodation in clinical practice.     

11^C-蛋氨酸的体内生物学分布和初步临床应用

目的研究新型脑肿瘤显像剂：11^C-蛋氨酸（11^C-MET）的体内生物学分布，探讨11^C—MET的临床显像方法及其在脑肿瘤显像中的应用．方法测定11^C—MET在小鼠体内的分布，对健康志愿者和病理证实胶质瘤患者进行PET脑显像．结果小鼠体内分布实验和脑PET显像发现，11^C—MET在血液中清除较慢，在肿瘤内有较长的滞留时问，平台期位于30—45min之间，延迟相对有利于脑瘤的显像，其余放射性主要集中在消化系统．结论11^C—MDT有较高的肿瘤／脑比值，是理想的脑肿瘤显像剂．     

屈颈MRI对青年性上肢远端肌萎缩症的诊断价值

目的评价屈颈MRI对青年性上肢远端肌萎缩症的诊断价值。方法男性患者5例，平均年龄21岁，临床表现为一侧或两侧上肢远端肌萎缩。对照组为健康志愿者，21岁男性8例。2组均行常规及屈颈颈椎MR平扫，矢状、轴面SET1WI、T2WI、液体衰减反转恢复（FLAIR）序列扫描。结果常规颈椎扫描：5例患者下段颈髓变细；屈颈位MR扫描：下颈段颈6以下脊髓前屈、变扁平，矢状径4～6mm，硬膜囊后壁前移，硬膜后间隙明显增宽，可见多发条状、迂曲流空信号影及软组织信号。对照组：常规扫描，下颈段脊髓（颈6～胸2）可见颈膨大，屈颈位脊髓略变细（6～7mm），硬膜囊后壁无前移，硬膜后间隙未见扩张血管影。结论屈颈MRI有助于显示下颈段脊髓及硬膜囊改变，结合临床资料可准确诊断青年性上肢远端肌萎缩症。     

MRI evaluation of bulky tumor masses in the mesentery and bladder involvement in peritoneal carcinomatosis

AIM: Peritonectomy procedures with intraperitoneal chemohyperthermia are an effective but costly treatment for peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). Consequently a proper selection of patients is necessary. We evaluated the benefit of MRI prior to surgery, in the detection of two of the main surgery contraindications: bulky mesenteric tumors and bladder implants. METHODS: Three experts retrospectively reviewed abdominal and pelvic MRI from 19 cases of surgically proved PC (ovary: 7; colorectal: 7; gastric: 2; pseudomyxoma peritonei: 2; appendix: 1). RESULTS: Mesenteric tumors were always identified as hypersignal masses on axial and coronal fat suppression gadolinium-enhanced T1 images (n=3). Three out of five bladder implants were detected. The two cases of bladder implants that were not detected on MRI were missed because the bladder was not filled. The best sequence for the detection of bladder involvement was axial T2-weighted images with bladder filling. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluating the preoperative resectability of PC is crucial for patient management. MRI seems to reliably detect bulky mesenteric tumors and bladder implants on condition the bladder is filled and appropriate sequences are used.     

^1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy screening for animals with acute cerebral infraction suitable forthrombolytic therapy

BACKGROUND: As a non-invasive technique which can provide comprehensive biological information, 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) may provide valuable reference data for irreversible recovery or reversible changes in ischemic tissue after stroke. OBJECTIVE: To monitor and evaluate the effect of the urokinase thrombolytic therapy after experimental acute cerebral ischemia by 1H-MRS technology and investigate its adaptability. DESIGN: Randomly controlled animal study. SETTINGS: Shenzhen Hospital of Peking University and National Key Laboratory of Pattern and Atom & Molecular Physics, Wuhan Physics and Mathematics Institute, Chinese Academy of Science. MATERIALS: Eleven healthy adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, weighing 260–300 g and of both genders, were supplied by Experimental Animal Center of Tongji Medical Collage, Huazhong University of Science and Technology [SCXK (e) 2004-007]. 4.7T superconducting nuclear magnetic resonance meter was provided by Brucker Company. METHODS: The experiment was carried out in Shenzhen Hospital of Peking University and National Key Laboratory of Pattern and Atom & Molecular Physics, Wuhan Physics and Mathematics Institute, Chinese Academy of Science from August 2003 to December 2005. ① The rats were randomly divided into 30-minute self-thrombo-embolism group (n =6) and 60-minute self-thrombo-embolism group (n =5). Six rats in 30-minute self-thrombo-embolism group were occluded with clot embolus for 30 minutes and 5 rats in 60-minute self-thrombo-embolism group were occluded for 60 minutes. 10 000 U/kg urokinase was dissolved in 2 mL saline and the operation lasted for 5 minutes. ② 1H-MRS was performed before thrombolysis and at 3 hours and 24 hours after successful embolization. The metabolic changes of N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid (NAA)/phosphocreatine (PCr) + creatine (Cr), choline phosphate (Cho)/PCr+Cr and lactic acid (Lac)/PCr+Cr in the region of interests were analyzed. ③ The T2W image was conducted 24 hours after the thrombolytic therapy with TR=500 ms and TE=25 ms. ④ The subjects were sacrificed immediately after 1H-MRS and the brain tissues were cut into pieces and stained with HE method; in addition, pathological changes were observed under optic microscope. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Metabolic changes of NAA/PCr+Cr, Cho/PCr+Cr and Lac/PCr+Cr in the region of interests; ② T2W image at 24 hours after the thrombolysis; ③ pathological observation of brain tissue. RESULTS: Eleven rats were all involved in the final analysis. ① Metabolic changes in the region of interests : In 30-minute self-thrombo-embolism group, the Lac peak emerged immediately after the embolism, but the ischemic zone decreased 3 hours after the thrombolytic therapy (0.252±0.01, 0.603±0.01, P < 0.01). Lac/(PCr+Cr) ratio was 0.290±0.01 at 24 hours after thrombolysis, which was higher than that at 3 hours after thrombolysis (P < 0.01). The NAA/ (PCr+Cr) ratio decreased significantly at 3 hours after the thrombolysis as compared with that before thrombolysis (0.922±0.16, 1.196±0.01, P < 0.05). In 60-minute self-thrombo-embolism group, the Lac/(PCr+Cr) ratio was higher at 3 hours after thrombolysis than that before thrombolysis (0.846±0.12, 0.601±0.11, P < 0.05) and the NAA/(PCr+Cr) decreased at 3 hours after the embolism. Fluctuation of NAA/ (PCr+Cr) ranged from 0.68 to 0.75 before thrombolysis and from 0.71 to 0.75 at 3 hours after thrombolysis. ② T2W image: T2W image showed that 2 subjects in 30-minute self-thrombo-embolism group whose Lac/NAA was higher than 0.7 suffered from intracranial hemorrhage. This meant that the subjects with Lac/NAA > 0.7 were more likely to suffer from intracranial hemorrhage. ③ Histological and morphological examinations: Optic microscope demonstrated that interspace surrounding nerve cells was widened at ischemic center; neurons were swelling; nucleus was stained lightly; pyknosis and mesenchymal edema were mainly observed in lateral cortex of brow and vertex and in lateral part of corpus striatum. CONCLUSION: ①Compound parameters in ischemic area before thrombolysis should be regarded as an important predicting marker for thrombolytic therapy, effect evaluation and termination. ② 1H-MRS combining with other imaging technique is a detecting way for screening cases who are suitable for thrombolytic therapy.     

Dorsal intramedullary spinal epidermoid cysts: Report of two cases and review of literature

Intramedullary epidermoid cysts of the spinal cord are rare tumors, especially those not associated with spinal dysraphism. About 50 cases have been reported in the literature. Of these, only seven cases have had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. We report two cases of spinal intramedullary epidermoid cysts with MR imaging. Both were not associated with spina bifida. In one patient, the tumor was located at D4 vertebral level; while in the other, within the conus medullaris. The clinical features, MRI characteristics and surgical treatment of intramedullary epidermoid cyst are presented with relevant review of the literature.     

Sonographic evaluation of gallbladder kinetics: in vitro and in vivo comparison of different methods to assess gallbladder emptying.

In an in vitro study, 10 gallbladders of adult pigs and 6 gallbladders of lambs, all removed immediately after slaughtering, were stimulated in a water bath by electric means to induce active contraction. Gallbladder emptying was followed by ultrasonography employing five measurement procedures: (1) gallbladder width, (2) longitudinal planimetry, (3) transverse planimetry, (4) ellipsoid method, and (5) sum of cylinders method. In an in vivo investigation, gallbladder emptying of 30 volunteers (12 healthy subjects, 18 diabetics) was evaluated in the same way after ingestion of a fatty meal. Gallbladder width was found to be unsuitable to estimate the decrease in gallbladder volume due to a nonlinear relation of the parameters. Longitudinal planimetry tended to be less valid than transverse planimetry in assessing gallbladder volume reduction. The most valid estimation of gallbladder volume decreases was obtained by the two three-dimensional procedures. However, in neither in vitro nor in vivo could a significant difference between the sum of cylinders method and the ellipsoid method in determining relative volume reduction be established. We conclude that a three-dimensional measurement procedure should be used for valid assessments of gallbladder motility. However, according to our data there is no advantage in using the time-consuming sum of cylinders method compared to the simple ellipsoid method.     

常见眼眶病变的MRI诊断与鉴别诊断

目的：探讨眼眶病变的MRI诊断与鉴别诊断价值。方法：对29例经临床病理确诊的眼眶病变的病例进行回顾性分析，重点观察该类疾病的MRI表现。结果：眼眶病变29例，包括肿瘤10例。炎症10例，血管性病变3例，眼肌病变6例。其在MRI表现各具有影像学特征，眼眶肿瘤多表现为位于眼眶内、外的局限性软组织肿块，MR T1WI呈等或稍低信号，T2WI呈高或等信号多见；炎性假瘤则表现为眶内局限性软组织肿块或弥漫性异常信号．MR T1WI呈低信号，T2WI呈高信号，常伴有眼肌肥大或眼环增厚，泪腺肿大等。结论：MRI检查能显示眼眶病变的影像学特征，对其诊断及鉴别诊断具有重要价值。