Improved Diagnostic Sensitivity of Bowel Disease of Prematurity on Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound

Bowel diseases of prematurity, including necrotizing enterocolitis, are dreaded ailments of neonates. Early diagnosis is difficult, with clinical and radiographic findings often inconclusive. We present a novel use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in detection of pediatric bowel disease. Early identification of compromised blood flow or an at-risk bowel can be quantitatively detected and monitored. This ability has implications for guidance of emerging therapies, allowing targeting of inflammation. These findings represent an advancement in detection of bowel disease in neonates.     

On the Relationship between Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Parameters and the Underlying Vascular Architecture Extracted from Acoustic Angiography

Dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US) has been proposed as a powerful tool for cancer diagnosis by estimation of perfusion and dispersion parameters reflecting angiogenic vascular changes. This work was aimed at identifying which vascular features are reflected by the estimated perfusion and dispersion parameters through comparison with acoustic angiography (AA). AA is a high-resolution technique that allows quantification of vascular morphology. Three-dimensional AA and 2-D DCE-US bolus acquisitions were used to monitor the growth of fibrosarcoma tumors in nine rats. AA-derived vascular properties were analyzed along with DCE-US perfusion and dispersion to investigate the differences between tumor and control and their evolution in time. AA-derived microvascular density and DCE-US perfusion exhibited good agreement, confirmed by their spatial distributions. No vascular feature was correlated with dispersion. Yet, dispersion provided better cancer classification than perfusion. We therefore hypothesize that dispersion characterizes vessels that are smaller than those visible with AA.     

脊椎转移瘤增强减影MR成像

目的评估增强减影在脊椎转移瘤MR I中的应用价值。方法50例脊椎转移瘤病人进行MR I增强扫描,对比剂采用Gd-DTPA(0.1 mmol/kg),然后用T1W I增强后的图像与增强前的图像进行减影。通过对比噪声比(CNR)、信噪比(SNR)以及肿瘤边界清晰程度的比较,对MR I减影与否进行评估。结果MR I对比增强减影图像比传统的T1W I增强图像显示更清晰、更直观。所有脊椎转移瘤图像MR I减影的CNR和SNR比常规T1W I增强图像的CNR和SNR高。MR I减影CNR为155.05±24.73(x±SD),常规T1W I增强图像的CNR为11.11±14.26(t=35.65,Ρ<0.001)。MR I减影SNR为192.82±32.89(x±SD),常规T1W I增强图像的SNR为46.03±28.22(t=23.95,Ρ<0.001))。MR I对比增强减影图像比传统的T1W I增强图像能更好地显示脊椎转移瘤的边界和侵犯情况(2χ=29.34,Ρ<0.005)。结论MR I增强减影为探查和评估脊椎转移瘤提供了一个新的诊断方法。     

Sonographic features of benign thyroid nodules: interobserver reliability and overlap with malignancy.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively determine the sonographic findings of nodular hyperplasia of the thyroid, to compare these with reported findings associated with malignancy, and to assess interobserver reliability. METHODS: Seventy thyroid nodules were scanned, and then biopsies of the nodules were performed under sonographic guidance with fine-needle cytologic analysis; in all cases images were reviewed by 2 experienced radiologists without knowledge of clinical outcome. Findings reported associated with malignancy were specifically assessed. Interobserver agreement between the expert and secondary readers for each finding was calculated by the kappa or weighted kappa statistic and the Fisher exact test of independence. RESULTS: There were 68 benign and 2 malignant nodules in a population of 63 female and 7 male patients. The mean benign nodule size was 2.9 cm; 60% were solid; 54% were hypoechoic; 59% were microlobulated or macrolobulated; 47% had central vascularity; 24% contained calcifications; and 82% were elliptical in shape. There was very good interobserver reliability for the presence of calcium (kappa = 0.91) and good agreement for the presence and location of vascularity (kappa = 0.75) and the amount of cystic components (kappa = 0.62; all P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Sixty-nine percent of benign nodules had at least 1 finding reported previously as associated with malignancy. The interobserver reliability of the sonographic findings was good to very good for 3 of the 5 findings assessed.     

Smoking and hypertension: risk factors for carotid stenosis

Summary The prevalence of smoking, hypertension and diabetes mellitus was assessed in 221 patients suffering from internal carotid stenosis and compared with the prevalences in two sex- and age-matched control groups composed of subjects having normal Doppler findings and from non-neurological outpatients. Of the subjects with carotid stenosis 27.6% were hypertensive smokers in comparison with 9.5% and 17.2% in the two control groups. The difference of the stenosis cohort from the two control groups was significant (P<0.01 and P=0.016 respectively). There was no statistically significant differences between the occurrence of diabetes and hypertension in non-smokers and patients who smoked. In 394 investigated patients suffering from carotid stenosis or occlusion an obstruction index, based on the Doppler shift frequency, was calculated. This index was lowest in the normotentive non-smokers. It was only insignificantly higher in the hypertensive non-smokers but significantly so in the normotensive smokers. The index was highest in the hypertensive non-smokers. It was concluded that cigarette smoking, especially if associated with hypertension, is a determinant risk factor for carotid stenosis and occlusion.     

经颅彩色双功超声在脑血管疾病中的临床应用和进展

经颅彩色双功超声是一种新型、无创的超声诊断仪,高空间分辨率显示颅内血管和脑实质的结构,笔者查阅了近年来相关文献,主要综述经颅彩色多普勒血流显像在颅脑血管疾病中的诊断价值,同时讨论二维经颅超声的应用及新的实验性显像技术。     

超声造影诊断肝孤立性坏死结节的价值

目的:探讨超声造影诊断肝孤立性坏死结节的价值。材料和方法:回顾分析了12例肝孤立性坏死结节的超声造影表现。结果:12例病灶造影动脉期、门脉期、实质期均无增强,呈边界清晰的造影剂充盈缺损区。结论:超声造影对诊断肝孤立性坏死结节具有较高的价值。目的:探讨超声造影诊断肝孤立性坏死结节的价值。材料和方法:回顾分析了12例肝孤立性坏死结节的超声造影表现。结果:12例病灶造影动脉期、门脉期、实质期均无增强,呈边界清晰的造影剂充盈缺损区。结论:超声造影对诊断肝孤立性坏死结节具有较高的价值。     

穿刺加三苯氧胺治疗乳腺囊肿的疗效观察(附36例)

目的：比较乳腺可扪及囊肿穿刺抽液后服用三苯氧胺和单纯穿刺抽液两种治疗方法的疗效.方法：将临床可扪及乳腺囊肿根据乳腺B超检查结果入组68例,随机分为穿刺抽液治疗组32例和穿刺抽液后服三苯氧胺治疗组36例,两组患者穿刺抽液后中位随访13个月观察疗效.结果：68例可扪及乳腺单纯囊肿,平均囊肿大小23mm,36例穿刺服三苯氧胺组复发率13.89%（5/36）,32例穿刺抽液组复发率37.50%（12/32）,两组相比较（P＜0.05）有显著性差异.乳腺囊肿病史＞1年的患者,穿刺服三苯氧胺组和穿刺组复发率分别是36.36%（4/11）和77.78%（7/9）,两组相比较（P＜0.05）差异有显著性.对单个囊肿,多发囊肿,囊肿病史＜1年患者,两种治疗方法不影响复发率（P＞0.05）.结论：临床可扪及乳腺单纯囊肿可根据B超检查筛选适合穿刺患者,穿刺抽液加服三苯氧胺治疗可减少复发,囊肿病史＞1年者复发率较高.