[Correlation between Fractional Anisotropy and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and Effect of Inte- grative Medical Treatment on ALS].

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether fractional anisotropy (FA) value could be taken as a quantitative indicator for tracing and reexamining amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and to analyze the correlation between FA value and integrative medical treatment. METHODS: Totally 18 ALS patients were recruited in this study. All patients received diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) using 3. OT (Propeller HD) MRI twice. Six regions of interest (ROI) were selected to measure FA values. Survival analyses were performed in 11 cases of end point events. RESULTS: (1) Three ROI (cerebral peduncle, posterior limb of internal capsule, and corona radiata) all indicated that FA value was the highest in patients with mild health status scale of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS/HSS). (2) There was statistical difference in the means of FA values in cerebral peduncle, posterior limb of internal capsule, and corona radiata of 18 cases between initial examination and reexamination (P < 0.01). (3) Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed the survival rate of ALS patients decreased as time went by, with the median survival time of 48 months. CONCLUSIONS: FA value was inversely proportional to the severity of ALS, the more severe, the lower FA values. FA value was an objective indicator for assessing the severity of ALS. ALS is an incurable disease till now. Integrative medical treatment might become one direction for ALS patients.

Diffusion Weighted Imaging, Diffusion Tensor Imaging, and T2* Mapping of Lumbar Intervertebral Disc in Young Healthy Adults.

BACKGROUND: Although conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could provide excellent detection of morphological changes in the diagnosis of lumbar disc degeneration (LDD), it has some difficulties in discriminating minimal changes associated with early LDD before morphological or clinical alterations. Therefore, newer MRI techniques have emerged for investigation of early LDD. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to use diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and T2* mapping to detect lumbar discs in healthy young adults, to evaluate if they could depict the microstructural changes of early LDD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA), and T2* images of the lumbar discs were obtained for 40 asymptomatic young subjects (19 males and 21 females; mean age of 24.3 years), using DWI, DTI and T2* mapping with a 1.5-T MRI scanner. ADC, FA, and T2* values were measured to compare five regions of interest (ROI) selected in each nucleus pulposus (NP) of the images. RESULTS: The ADC, FA, and T2* values were different (P < 0.05) among different ROIs within the same disc or among corresponding ROIs in different level discs. While the average values of ADC increased regularly with the lowering of the anatomical location (P < 0.05), the average FA and T2* values also associated with the anatomic locations, showed an increase in L4-L5 and L5-S1 discs (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: ADC, FA, and T2* values may quantitatively reflect the microstructural characteristics of NP, therefore they could be used to detect the minimal changes of early LDD.

Role of quantitative intravoxel incoherent motion parameters in the preoperative diagnosis of nodal metastasis in patients with rectal carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic value of intravoxel incoherent motion imaging (IVIM) in differentiating metastatic and nonmetastatic lymph nodes in patients with rectal carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In all, 68 patients with histologically proven rectal carcinoma underwent an IVIM sequence (b = 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, and 2000 s/mm(2) ) on a 3.0T MRI scanner. The IVIM parameters (D, D*, f, and apparent diffusion coefficient [ADC] values) in metastatic and nonmetastatic lymph nodes were measured and calculated. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were conducted to determine the optimal thresholds, the sensitivities, and specificities for differentiation. RESULTS: Mean D, f, and ADC values of metastatic lymph nodes were significantly greater than those of the normal lymph nodes (P < 0.01), whereas the mean D* value of metastatic lymph node was statistically lower (P = 0.03). The AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and the cutoff value, respectively, for differentiating metastatic from nonmetastatic lymph nodes for D, D*, f, and ADC were as follows: D, 0.9460, 89.25%, 91.04%, and 1.14 × 10(-3) mm(2) /s; D*, 0.6930, 64.18%, 82.80%, and 7.02 × 10(-3) mm(2) /s; f, 0.7810, 92.47%, 55.22%, and 0.27%; ADC, 0.8970, 87.10%, 88.06%, and 0.80 × 10(-3) mm(2) /s. The ROC curves demonstrated that the area under the ROC (AUC) of the D, ADC, f, and D* values successively decreased, and D had the highest AUC, with D* values being lowest. CONCLUSION: An IVIM sequence may be helpful in diagnosing metastatic lymph nodes of rectal carcinoma. Average D and ADC values are more sensitive than f and D* values in this differentiation. J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2016;44:1031-1039.

Assessment of levator ani morphology and function in asymptomatic nulliparous women via static and dynamic magnetic resonance imaging.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate levator ani morphology and function in healthy nulliparous women using static and dynamic magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: Eighty asymptomatic, healthy nulliparous Chinese women (mean age, 25.3±3.5years) volunteered for the present study. Static T2-weighted fast spin-echo images were employed to evaluate levator ani morphology; dynamic T2-weighted fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition was used to evaluate its function. A 2 samples t test was employed to compare groups. RESULTS: No morphologic abnormality was detected in the 80 healthy nulliparous women. However, 15% (12/80) of women had various degrees of pelvic organ descent below the pubococcygeal line. In these women, the width of the pubic portion of the levator ani was significantly reduced during straining, whereas the levator plate angle, the levator hiatus area, and the H and M line lengths were enlarged. These changes were associated with weakened levator ani function and pelvic floor laxity. CONCLUSION: Functional abnormality of the levator ani muscle was noted in nulliparous women at static and dynamic magnetic resonance imaging. Further follow-up investigation is needed to confirm whether women with functional abnormality are more likely to develop a prolapse after vaginal birth.

[Effects of acupuncture on the cortical functional areas activated by index finger motion in the patient with ischemic stroke].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture on cortical functional areas of the patient with ischemic stroke activated by the index finger motion. METHODS: The cortical magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were carried out in 15 cases of ischemic stroke during the index finger motion at acupuncture or non-acupuncture. The distribution of the cortical functional areas activated and the size of the activated region and the intension of signals were measured. RESULTS: The finger motion with no acupuncture could activate the contralateral primary somatomotor area (M1), contralateral premotor area (PMA) and contralateral first somatosensory area (S1). The finger motion with acupuncture could activate the same areas and also activate ipsilateral M1, focus area contralateral superior parietal lobule, contralateral superior temporal gyrus, and contralateral insular lobe, etc.. Both the area of the activated region and the minimum signal in the finger motion with acupuncture were statistically significantly larger than those in finger motion with no acupuncture. CONCLUSION: Rehabilitation of motor functions of the patient with ischemic stroke by acupuncture is related with improvement of blood circulation functional area in the cortex.

[Comparative study of barium enema, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in preoperative diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic value of barium enema (BE), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) in primary colorectal carcinoma. METHODS: A total of 64 patients with suspected colorectal carcinoma received BE (n=39), spiral CT (n=31) and MRI (n=42). The detective results were compared with the surgical results. RESULTS: Among 64 patients, 54 cases were pathologically proved as colorectal carcinoma. The diagnostic sensitivity of BE,CT and MRI was 96.9% ,96.2% and 97.1% ,and the overall accuracy was 92.3% 83.9 % and 90.5% respectively. The overall accuracy of CT and MRI for tumor T staging was 73.1% and 82.9% respectively. CONCLUSION: BE can be considered as a primary approach for diagnosing colorectal carcinoma, CT and MRI be necessary diagnostic approaches. Combined BE with MRI is the best choice for diagnosing of colorectal carcinoma.