Potential utility of [68Ga]DOTA-FAPI-04 as a broad-spectrum benign disease imaging agent-comparison with [18F]FDG and [99mTc]MDP.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the detection performance of [68Ga]DOTA-FAPI-04 positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and [18F]FDG PET/CT for patients with various benign diseases and that of [68Ga]DOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT and [99mTc]MDP single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) for patients with benign bone lesions. METHODS: This prospective study included 89 patients who underwent [18F]FDG and [68Ga]DOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT and 22 patients who underwent [99mTc]MDP SPECT/CT and [68Ga]DOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT. Detection performance of [68Ga]DOTA-FAPI-04, [18F]FDG PET/CT, and [99mTc]MDP SPECT/CT for benign lesions was compared using the T/B value, T value, and true positive rate. Paired sample t-tests were conducted for comparisons. RESULTS: This study comprised 53 men and 58 women (mean age, 53 ± 15.75 years). [68Ga]DOTA-FAPI-04 demonstrated a higher uptake and detection rate for fibrotic disease (SUVmax [FAPI vs FDG: 6.26 ± 1.61 vs 2.38 ± 1.26], p1 < 0.001; T/B value [FAPI vs FDG: 9.38 ± 2.78 vs 1.95 ± 1.33], p2 < 0.001; and true positive rate 100% vs 26.3%), infectious disease (T/B value [FAPI vs FDG: 14.15 ± 12.42 vs 6.70 ± 5.87], p2 < 0.05; and true positive rate 94% vs 82%), and benign tumor (T/B value [FAPI vs FDG: 6.49 ± 5.85 vs 1.96 ± 2.03], p2 < 0.05; and true positive rate 70% vs 52%) than [18F]FDG. [68Ga]DOTA-FAPI-04 demonstrated a lower uptake and a comparable detection rate for benign bone disease (T/B value [FAPI vs FDG: 5.46 ± 2.91 vs 23.58 ± 15.37], p < 0.001; and true positive rate 90% vs 99%) than [99mTc]MDP. CONCLUSION: [68Ga]DOTA-FAPI-04 could be used as a benign disease imaging agent to complement traditional nuclide imaging agents. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Our study showed that [68Ga]DOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT could provide reliable imaging evidence for clinical detection and diagnosis of various benign lesions, such as inflammatory, infectious, fibrotic diseases, and benign tumors. KEY POINTS: • [68Ga]DOTA-FAPI-04 demonstrated a higher uptake and detection rate for fibrotic disease, infectious disease, and benign tumor than [18F]FDG. • [68Ga]DOTA-FAPI-04 demonstrated an equivalent detection efficacy to [18F]FDG for inflammatory diseases. • [68Ga]DOTA-FAPI-04 demonstrated a lower uptake and a comparable detection rate for benign bone disease than [99mTc]MDP.

Quantitative analysis of vertebral fat fraction and R2* in osteoporosis using IDEAL-IQ sequence.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between FF, R2* value of IDEAL-IQ sequence and bone mineral density, and to explore their application value in the osteoporosis. METHODS: We recruited 105 women and 69 men aged over 30 years who voluntarily underwent DXA and MRI examination of lumbar spine at the same day. Participants were divided into normal, osteopenia and osteoporosis group based on T-score and BMD value of DXA examination. One-way ANOVA was adopted to compare the quantitative parameters among the three groups. Independent samples t-test was utilized to compare FF and R2* value between men and women.Pearson correlation analysis was used to research the correlation between FF, R2* value and BMD. RESULTS: Age, height, weight, BMD and FF value were significantly different among three groups (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found in FF value between male and female group, while R2* value were significantly different. Vertebral FF was moderately negatively correlated with aBMD, especially in women (r = -0.638, p < 0.001). R2* was mildly to moderately positively correlated with aBMD in men (r = 0.350, p = 0.003), but not in women. Moreover, FF was positively correlated with age, R2* was negatively correlated with age in men, and BMD was negatively correlated with age. CONCLUSIONS: The vertebral FF value of IDEAL-IQ sequence has the potential to be a new biological marker for the assessment of osteoporosis. Vertebral FF is moderately negatively correlated with aBMD, especially in women, allowing accuratly quantify the bone marrow fat. R2* value is mildly to moderately correlated with BMD in men and can be served as a complementary tool in the assessment of osteoporosis.

Molecular characterization of solitary pulmonary nodules in dual-energy CT nonlinear image fusion technology.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and to optimize the parameters of nonlinear blending technique in dual-energy CT on solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN). METHODS: The simulated enhanced SPN were used the mixture of nonionic iodinated contrast agent (Iopromide 370mgI/100 ml) and normal saline and then randomly placed inside an anthropomorphic chest phantom. The phantom was examined on SOMATOM definition flash with dual mode (80/140 kV) and single energy mode (120 kV) (the same CTDIvol). Nonlinear blending images and linear blending images with a weighting factor of 0.3 were generated and the image qualities were analyzed. RESULTS: For different simulated density SPN, when 0 HU was chosen as the Blending Center (BC) and 0 to 30 HU were chosen as the Blending width (BW), the nonlinear blending images yielded a higher contrast-to-noise (CNR). There were significant differences in the image noise and signal-to-noise (SNR) of different simulated density SPN at non-linear blending images, linear blending images and 120 kV images (p < .05); But the differences of CNR between the three groups were not statistically significant (p > .05). The SNR of different simulated density SPN at non-linear blending images was significantly increased compared with it at linear blending images and 120 kV images (p < .05); And the image noise at non-linear blending was lower than it at linear blending images (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Nonlinear blending technique in dual-energy CT can increase the SNR of enhanced SPN, and it is helpful in diagnosis of SPN.

Factors influencing magnetic resonance imaging finding of endopelvic fascial edema after ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation of uterine fibroids.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the relationships between endopelvic fascial edema and its influencing factors after ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (USgHIFU) ablation of uterine fibroids. METHODS: This retrospective study included 688 women with uterine fibroids treated by USgHIFU; based on post-treatment MRI, the patients were divided into two groups: endopelvic fascial edema group and nonedema group. The specific location of fascial edema of each patient was also recorded. Fascial edema and fibroid features and treatment parameters were set as the dependent and independent variables, respectively, and the correlations were studied using univariate and multivariate analyses. The relationship between the pain-related adverse events and location of fascial edema was analyzed by χ2 and fisher's exact tests. RESULTS: Edema and nonedema groups had 556 and 112 patients, respectively. Among the edema patients, posterior fascial edema incidence was the highest. Multifactorial analysis showed that the energy efficiency factor (EEF), fibroid location, and enhancement type were positively associated with endopelvic fascial edema (p < 0.05), while the distance from dorsal surface of the fibroid to sacrum was negatively correlated (p < 0.001). Patients with anterior, posterior and perirectal, and right lateral fascial edemas were associated with lower abdominal pain, sacrococcygeal pain, and leg numbness/pain, respectively. CONCLUSION: Post-USgHIFU ablation, patients were prone to developing endopelvic fascial edema, and some of them experienced pain-related adverse events. The fibroid location, its types of contrast enhancement, the distance from the dorsal surface of the fibroid to the sacrum, and EEF were the influencing factors resulting in the endopelvic fascial edema after USgHIFU ablation.

Patellar shape is associated with femoral trochlear morphology in individuals with mature skeletal development.

BACKGROUND: As several studies have detected correlations between patellar and femoral trochlear development, this raises the question of whether patellar shape is associated with trochlear developmental outcomes. METHODS: Patellar shape and femoral trochlear morphology were retrospectively analyzed in 183 subjects, of whom 61 each were classified as having Wiberg type I, II, and III patellae (groups A, B, and C, respectively). The sulcus angle (SA), lateral trochlea inclination angle (LTA), medial trochlear inclination angle (MTA), lateral facet length (LFL), medial facet length (MFL), lateral trochlear height (LTH), medial trochlear height (MTH), trochlea sulcus height (TH), and lateral-medial trochlear facet distance (TD) were analyzed as a means of evaluating trochlear morphology. Trochlear depth, trochlear condyle asymmetry, and trochlear facet asymmetry were additionally calculated, and differences in trochlear morphology and correlations between trochlear morphology and patellar shape were evaluated. RESULTS: The femoral trochlear parameters of patients in group A differed significantly from those of patients in groups B and C. No significant differences between groups B and C were evident. Patellar shape was positively correlated with LTA, MTA, MFL, trochlear condyle asymmetry, and trochlear facet asymmetry, and was negatively correlated with SA. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicated that patellar shape and trochlear morphology are related to one another,which suggest normalized patella morphology surgery and trochlear surgery are better choices for patients with patella instability. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered.

Sharp margin of antero-inferior lateral femoral condyle as a risk factor for patellar tendon-lateral femoral condyle friction syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the correlation between patellar tendon-lateral femoral condyle friction syndrome (PLFFS) and the morphological characteristics of the antero-inferior part of the lateral femoral condyle (ALFC) to explore the potential pathogenesis. METHODS: A total of 170 knees of 140 patients with PLFFS (PLFFS group) were retrospectively analyzed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data for a 4-year period from our database. The Insall-Salvati ratio, shape of the ALFC (SALFC, defined as two subtypes: sharp versus blunt), lateral femoral condyle angle (LFCA), lateral trochlear length (LTL), and lateral trochlear height (LTH) were measured on MRI. Two groups were enrolled as controls: pure patella alta group (n = 192) and normal group (n = 172). All the parameters of the PLFFS group were compared with those of the two control groups. RESULTS: The LFCA was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the PLFFS group than in the pure patella alta group. The SALFC was significantly different (p < 0.001) in these two groups, whereas the Insall-Salvati ratio, LTH, and LTL showed no significant difference. The LFCA, LTH, SALFC, and the Insall-Salvati ratio in the PLFFS group were also significantly different (p < 0.001) with the normal group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed the efficacy of the Insall-Salvati ratio and SALFC was better than that of the other parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The morphological characteristics of ALFC are correlated with PLFFS. The sharp shape of ALFC may be an important causative co-factor along with patella alta in the pathogenesis of PLFFS. KEY POINTS: • A sharp margin of the antero-inferior lateral femoral condyle is an important risk factor for the development of PLFFS in patients with patella alta. • Antero-inferior femoral condyle shape can easily be assessed with high intra- and inter-reader reliability PLFFS. • PLFFS is more common in young adults.

MRI evaluation of endopelvic fascial swelling and analysis of influencing factors in patients with uterine fibroids after high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation.

Purpose: To evaluate endopelvic fascial swelling in patients with uterine fibroids after high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and investigate the factors that influence endopelvic fascial swelling.Methods: MRI and clinical data from 188 patients with uterine fibroids who were treated with HIFU were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into a fascial swelling group and a non-swelling group, and the degree of swelling was graded. Fascial swelling was set as the dependent variable, and factors such as baseline characteristics and HIFU parameters, were set as the independent variables. The relationship between these variables and fascial swelling was analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses. Correlations between the factors and the degree of fascial swelling were evaluated by Kruskal-Wallis test.Results: The univariate analysis revealed that the fibroid location, distance from the fibroid to the sacrum, sonication time, treatment time, treatment intensity, therapeutic dose (TD), and energy efficiency (EEF) all affected the endopelvic fascial swelling (p < 0.05). Subsequently, multivariate analysis showed that the distance from the fibroid to the sacrum was significantly correlated with fascial swelling (p < 0.05). Moreover, TD and sonication time were significantly positively correlated with the degree of fascial swelling (p < 0.05). The incidence of sacrococcygeal pain was significantly correlated with fascial swelling (p < 0.05).Conclusion: The distance from the fibroid to the sacrum was a protective factor for fascial swelling. TD and sonication time were significantly positively correlated with the degree of fascial swelling.

Uterine Peristalsis Before and After Ultrasound-Guided High-Intensify Focused Ultrasound (USgHIFU) Treatment for Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids.

BACKGROUND This study investigated uterine peristalsis before and after ultrasound-guided high-intensify focused ultrasound (USgHIFU) treatment for symptomatic uterine fibroids by cine magnetic resonance imaging (cine MRI). MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 30 patients with symptomatic uterine fibroids were treated by USgHIFU, who were subjected to cine MRI before and after USgHIFU treatment in the periovulatory phase. The images were analyzed for the existence, direction, and frequency of uterine peristalsis. The effects of uterine volume, the largest fibroid volume and location, and the fibroid number were examined before and after USgHIFU treatment. RESULTS The incidence of uterine peristalsis was significantly increased after USgHIFU treatment. The main direction of uterine peristalsis before and after USgHIFU was cervix-to-fundus. In 12 cases, uterine peristalsis newly emerged after USgHIFU, and the largest fibroid volumes in these 12 cases were significantly smaller than in the remaining 18 cases before and after USgHIFU. The reduction rates of the largest fibroid volume in the 12 cases were significantly higher than in the remaining 18 cases. The largest fibroids were mainly located in the intramural area before and after USgHIFU. CONCLUSIONS USgHIFU treatment may contribute to the recovery of uterine peristalsis in patients with symptomatic fibroids, as detected by cine MRI. Uterine peristalsis recovery was related to the largest fibroid volume, especially for intramural fibroids.

Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging in patellar tendon-lateral femoral condyle friction syndrome: relationship with subtle patellofemoral instability.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation of patellar tendon-lateral femoral condyle friction syndrome (PTLFCFS) with subtle patellofemoral instability to explore its pathogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred knees of 80 patients with PTLFCFS were analyzed retrospectively by retrieving magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data over a 3-year period from our database. Seven quantitative parameters for evaluating patellofemoral stability were measured on MR images, including the Insall-Salvati ratio, tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance, trochlear groove depth, medial trochlear/lateral trochlear length (MT/LT) ratio, medial trochlear/lateral trochlear height (MH/LH) ratio, lateral patellofemoral angle (LPA), and lateral trochlear inclination (LTI) angle. These patellofemoral parameters of the PTLFCFS group and the normal control group were compared (n = 88), and receiving-operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to determine the specificity and sensitivity of these parameters. RESULTS: The trochlear depth, MT/LT, LPA, and LTI angle were significantly lower (p < 0.001) and the Insall-Salvati ratio was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in the PTLFCFS group. However, the TT-TG distance and MH/LH ratio showed no significant difference (p = 0.231 and 0.073 respectively). The area under the ROC curve of the Insall-Salvati ratio, trochlear depth, MT/LT, LPA, and LTI angle were 0.925, 0.784, 0.8, 0.731, and 0.675 respectively. The efficiency of the Insall-Salvati ratio was the highest among those five parameters. CONCLUSION: This study verified the presence of subtle patellofemoral instability by measuring various patellofemoral parameters in patients with PTLFCFS. It confirmed that PTLFCFS is associated with subtle patellofemoral instability and could largely explain the pathogenesis of PTLFCFS.

Lateral ventricular volume measurement by 3D MR hydrography in fetal ventriculomegaly and normal lateral ventricles.

BACKGROUND: In fetuses with prenatal ventriculomegaly (VM), ventricular volume on MRI has been shown to correlate with poor postnatal outcomes and in utero death. 3D magnetic resonance hydrography (MRH) has been widely used for MR cholangiopancreatography. PURPOSE: To investigate the reliability of 3D MRH for lateral ventricular volume measurement in fetuses with VM and normal lateral ventricles, using manual multisection planimetry (MSP) as a reference standard. STUDY TYPE: Prospective study. POPULATION: Thirty-five fetuses with VM at 24-37 gestational weeks (GA) and 35 fetuses with normal lateral ventricles at 24-38 GA. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 1.5T MRI with 3D MRH and T2 -weighted single-shot fast-spin echo sequence. ASSESSMENT: Left, right, and total lateral ventricle volumes in fetuses were acquired from 3D MRH and manual MSP. All image analysis was performed by a radiologist twice and another radiologist once, blindly. STATISTICAL TESTS: Analysis of linear regression analysis, Pearson's correlation coefficient, Bland-Altman plots, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and independent samples t-test were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: There were highly significant relationships between all 3D MRH and manual MSP measurements of lateral ventricular volumes (rVM = 0.92-0.98; rN = 0.95-0.98; all P < 0.0001; VM: VM group, N: normal group), although left, right, and total lateral ventricular volumes measured by 3D MRH tended to be slightly larger than MSP (biasVM 0.1 ± 0.95, 0.26 ± 0.63, and 0.3 ± 0.68 mL, respectively; biasN 0.1 ± 0.95, 0.26 ± 0.63, and 0.3 ± 0.68 mL, respectively). Interrater agreement and intrarater repeatability were also excellent for 3D MRH (ICCVM = 0.994-0.99, ICCN = 0.989-0.992; ICCVM = 0.975-0.987, ICCN = 0.958-0.971, respectively). 3D MRH showed significantly reduced measurement time (VM: 3.55 ± 0.42 vs. 11.81 ± 0.13 min; N: 3.08 ± 0.39 vs. 12.12 ± 0.11 min; all P < 0.0001). DATA CONCLUSION: Lateral ventricular volume measurement by 3D MRH was comparable to manual MSP. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy Stage 1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017.

Black Hole Sign Predicts Poor Outcome in Patients with Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: In spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), black hole sign has been proposed as a promising imaging marker that predicts hematoma expansion in patients with ICH. The aim of our study was to investigate whether admission CT black hole sign predicts hematoma growth in patients with ICH. METHODS: From July 2011 till February 2016, patients with spontaneous ICH who underwent baseline CT scan within 6 h of symptoms onset and follow-up CT scan were recruited into the study. The presence of black hole sign on admission non-enhanced CT was independently assessed by 2 readers. The functional outcome was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between the presence of the black hole sign and functional outcome. RESULTS: A total of 225 patients (67.6% male, mean age 60.3 years) were included in our study. Black hole sign was identified in 32 of 225 (14.2%) patients on admission CT scan. The multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age, intraventricular hemorrhage, baseline ICH volume, admission Glasgow Coma Scale score, and presence of black hole sign on baseline CT independently predict poor functional outcome at 90 days. There are significantly more patients with a poor functional outcome (defined as mRS ≥4) among patients with black hole sign than those without (84.4 vs. 32.1%, p < 0.001; OR 8.19, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The CT black hole sign independently predicts poor outcome in patients with ICH. Early identification of black hole sign is useful in prognostic stratification and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for anti-expansion clinical trials.

Prediction of recurrence risk factors in patients with early-stage cervical cancers by nomogram based on MRI handcrafted radiomics features and deep learning features: a dual-center study.

PURPOSE: To establish and validate a deep learning radiomics nomogram (DLRN) based on intratumoral and peritumoral regions of MR images and clinical characteristics to predict recurrence risk factors in early-stage cervical cancer and to clarify whether DLRN could be applied for risk stratification. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty five pathologically confirmed early-stage cervical cancers were enrolled and made up the training cohort and internal validation cohort, and 40 patients from another center were enrolled into the external validation cohort. On the basis of region of interest (ROI) of intratumoral and different peritumoral regions, two sets of features representing deep learning and handcrafted radiomics features were created using combined images of T2-weighted MRI (T2WI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). The signature subset with the best discriminant features was chosen, and deep learning and handcrafted signatures were created using logistic regression. Integrated with independent clinical factors, a DLRN was built. The discrimination and calibration of DLNR were applied to assess its therapeutic utility. RESULTS: The DLRN demonstrated satisfactory performance for predicting recurrence risk factors, with AUCs of 0.944 (95% confidence interval 0.896-0.992) and 0.885 (95% confidence interval 0.834-0.937) in the internal and external validation cohorts. Furthermore, decision curve analysis revealed that the DLRN outperformed the clinical model, deep learning signature, and radiomics signature in terms of net benefit. CONCLUSION: A DLRN based on intratumoral and peritumoral regions had the potential to predict and stratify recurrence risk factors for early-stage cervical cancers and enhance the value of individualized precision treatment.

The risk and protective factors on the mental health of healthcare workers during the lockdown period due to covid-19 pandemic.

This study aimed to analyze the impact of the lockdown period due to COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health status of healthcare workers and identify the related risk factors of psychosomatic distress. We conducted an online questionnaire survey to investigate the general demographic characteristics, perceived stress level, adult attachment style (AAS), family cohesion and adaptability, social support, sleep state, emotional state, and physical health of healthcare workers during the lockdown period due to the pandemic in 2022. We compared the mental health status between doctors and nurses, and further analyzed the factors influencing sleep, emotions, physical symptoms, and severe psychosomatic distress separately. For factors that showed statistical significance in the univariate analysis, forward stepwise regression was used for logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors for the corresponding issues. A total of 622 healthcare workers participated in the survey. Among the participants, 121 (19.5%) reported sleep problems, 209 (33.6%) had negative emotional states, and 147 (23.6%) reported physical health problems. There were 48 (7.7%) healthcare workers with severe psychosomatic distress. Compared to the group of nurses, the group of doctors exhibit a higher prevalence of emotional issues, physical health problems and psychosomatic distress. Perceived stress was identified as a risk factor for sleep disturbance, while living with others during quarantine and family adaptability were identified as protective factors. Higher educational background and perceived stress were identified as risk factors for negative emotion, while subjective support was identified as a protective factor. Perceived stress and coming from a rural area were also identified as risk factors for physical health. Overall, for the comparison between the no psychosomatic distress and severe psychosomatic distress groups, perceived stress was identified as a risk factor for severe psychosomatic distress, while subjective support was identified as a protective factor. Healthcare workers' potential mental and physical health problems are related to their educational background, family cohesion and adaptability, perceived stress and social support. This makes it clearer on how to deal with and prevent adverse consequences when facing stressful situations.

Differences in Patellofemoral Alignment Between Static and Dynamic Extension Positions in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain.

Background: Considering that patellofemoral pain (PFP) is related to dynamic factors, dynamic extension on 4-dimensional computed tomography (4-DCT) may better reflect the influence of muscles and surrounding soft tissue than static extension. Purpose: To compare the characteristics of patellofemoral alignment between the static and dynamic knee extension position in patients with PFP and controls via 4-DCT. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Included were 39 knees (25 patients) with PFP and 37 control knees (24 participants). For each knee, an image of the dynamic extension position (a single frame of the knee in full extension [flexion angle of -5° to 0°] selected from 21 frames of continuous images acquired by 4-DCT during active flexion and extension) and an image of the static extension position (acquired using the same equipment with the knee fully extended and the muscles relaxed) were selected. Patellofemoral alignment was evaluated between the dynamic and static extension positions and between the PFP and control groups with the following parameters: patella-patellar tendon angle (P-PTA), Blackburne-Peel ratio, bisect-offset (BO) index, lateral patellar tilt (LPT), and tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance. Results: In both PFP patients and controls, the P-PTA, Blackburne-Peel ratio, and BO index in the static extension position were significantly lower (P < .001 for all), while the LPT and TT-TG distance in the static extension position were significantly higher (P ≤ .034 and P < .001, respectively) compared with values in the dynamic extension position. In the comparison between groups, only P-PTA in the static extension position was significantly different (134.97° ± 4.51° [PFP] vs 137.82° ± 5.63° [control]; P = .027). No difference was found in the rate of change from the static to the dynamic extension position of any parameter between the study groups. Conclusion: The study results revealed significant differences in patellofemoral alignment characteristics between the static and dynamic extension positions of PFP patients and controls. Multiplanar measurements may have a role in subsequent patellofemoral alignment evaluation.

Factors influencing magnetic resonance imaging changes associated with pelvic bone injury after high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation of uterine fibroids: a retrospective case-control study.

Background: The application of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in the treatment of uterine fibroids is becoming increasingly widespread, and postoperative collateral thermal damage to adjacent tissue has become a prominent subject of discussion. However, there is limited research related to bone injury. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential factors influencing unintentional pelvic bone injury after HIFU ablation of uterine fibroids with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: A total of 635 patients with fibroids treated with HIFU in the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University were enrolled. All patients underwent contrast-enhanced MRI (CE-MRI) pre- and post-HIFU. Based on the post-treatment MRI, the patients were divided into two groups: pelvic bone injury group and non-injury group, while the specific site of pelvic bone injury of each patient was recorded. The univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the correlations between the factors of fibroid features and treatment parameters and pelvic bone injury, and to further analyze the factors influencing the site of injury. Results: Signal changes in the pelvis were observed on CE-MRI in 51% (324/635) of patients after HIFU. Among them, 269 (42.4%) patients developed sacral injuries and 135 (21.3%) had pubic bone injuries. Multivariate analyses showed that patients with higher age [P=0.003; odds ratio (OR), 1.692; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.191-2.404], large anterior side-to-skin distance of fibroid (P<0.001; OR, 2.297; 95% CI: 1.567-3.365), posterior wall fibroid (P=0.006; OR, 1.897; 95% CI: 1.204-2.989), hyperintensity on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI, P=0.003; OR, 2.125; 95% CI: 1.283-3.518), and large therapeutic dose (TD, P<0.001; OR, 3.007; 95% CI: 2.093-4.319) were at higher risk of postoperative pelvic bone injury. Further analysis of the factors influencing the site of the pelvic bone injury showed that some of the fibroid features and treatment parameters were associated with it. Moreover, some postoperative pain-related adverse events were associated with the pelvic bone injury. Conclusions: Post-HIFU treatment, patients may experience pelvic injuries to the sacrum, pubis, or a combination of both, and some of them experienced adverse events. Some fibroid features and treatment parameters are associated with the injury. Taking its influencing factors into full consideration preoperatively, slowing down treatment, and prolonging intraoperative cooling phase can help optimize treatment decisions for HIFU.

A Deep Learning Radiomics Nomogram to Predict Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Two-Center Study.

Purpose: This study aimed to establish a deep learning radiomics nomogram (DLRN) based on multiparametric MR images for predicting the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). Methods: Patients with LACC (FIGO stage IB-IIIB) who underwent preoperative NACT were enrolled from center 1 (220 cases) and center 2 (independent external validation dataset, 65 cases). Handcrafted and deep learning-based radiomics features were extracted from T2WI, DWI and contrast-enhanced (CE)-T1WI, and radiomics signatures were built based on the optimal features. Two types of radiomics signatures and clinical features were integrated into the DLRN for prediction. The AUC, calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were employed to illustrate the performance of these models and their clinical utility. In addition, disease-free survival (DFS) was assessed by Kaplan-Meier survival curves based on the DLRN. Results: The DLRN showed favorable predictive values in differentiating responders from nonresponders to NACT with AUCs of 0.963, 0.940 and 0.910 in the three datasets, with good calibration (all p > 0.05). Furthermore, the DLRN performed better than the clinical model and handcrafted radiomics signature in all datasets (all p < 0.05) and slightly higher than the DL-based radiomics signature in the internal validation dataset (p = 0.251). DCA indicated that the DLRN has potential in clinical applications. Furthermore, the DLRN was strongly correlated with the DFS of LACC patients (HR = 0.223; p = 0.004). Conclusion: The DLRN performed well in preoperatively predicting the therapeutic response in LACC and could provide valuable information for individualized treatment.

Association between needle track bleeding and postoperative immediate pneumothorax in CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic lung biopsies: a cross-sectional study.

The relationship between Needle Track Bleeding (NTB) and the occurrence of postoperative immediate pneumothorax remains unclear. In our cross-sectional study, we conducted a retrospective collected of data from 674 consecutive patients who underwent CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic lung biopsies between 2019 and 2022. A logistic regression model was employed to explore the association between NTB and postoperative immediate pneumothorax, and restricted cubic spline curves was used to investigate the link and its explicit curve shape. A sensitivity analysis was performed by transforming the continuous NTB into categorical variable and calculated an E-value. A total of 453 participants (47.90% male) were included in our analysis. The postoperative immediate pneumothorax rate was 41.05% (186/453). We found a negative correlation between NTB and postoperative immediate pneumothorax (OR = 0.91, 95%CI 0.88-0.95) after adjusting for confounding factors. This relationship was nonlinear, with a key inflection point at NTB of 8 mm. No significant link was noted for NTB > 8 mm (OR = 0.98, 95%CI 0.95-1.02), while a protective association was observed for NTB ≤ 8 mm (OR = 0.74, 95%CI 0.66-0.81). NTB showed a nonlinear, protective correlation with postoperative immediate pneumothorax. However, when NTB exceeded 8 mm, the protective association was not observed.

Effect of body mass index (BMI) on image contrast in the hepatobiliary phase of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced-MRI and the feasibility of the application of half-dose Gd-EOB-DTPA to hepatobiliary phase imaging in patients with a BMI less than 24: a comparative study.

Background: Gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can detect more lesions through the image contrast of hepatobiliary phase. Body mass index (BMI) reflects the composition ratio of human tissue, which is an influencing factor of magnetic resonance image contrast. Meanwhile, Gd-EOB-DTPA is recommended to use the minimum dose when the diagnosis demands could be met. The aim of this paper was to investigate the effect of BMI on hepatobiliary phase image contrast and explore the feasibility of using low-dose Gd-EOB-DTPA to obtain good hepatobiliary phase image contrast in patients with normal and lean BMI. Methods: Eighty-two patients who had previously undergone Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI (0.025 mmol/kg) were collected and divided into group A (BMI <24 kg/m2) and group B (BMI ≥24 kg/m2) according to Chinese BMI standards. Liver-to-portal vein contrast ratio (LPC20) and liver-to-spleen contrast ratio (LSC20) in hepatobiliary phase (20 min after injection) were calculated. Thirty patients with a BMI <24 kg/m2 who were about to receive Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI were randomly divided into group C (0.0125 mmol/kg) and group D (0.025 mmol/kg). Image acquisition was performed at 10, 15, and 20 min after injection. LPC10, LPC15, LPC20 and LSC10, LSC15, LSC20 in corresponding phases were calculated. Results: In retrospective grouping study, compared with group B, group A's LPC20 was significantly higher [2.63 (2.42-3.00) vs. 2.22 (1.97-2.67); P<0.01]. In prospective grouping study, there were no differences in LPC15, LSC15, LPC20 and LSC20 between group C and group D. Intragroup comparison in each group showed that LPC15 (group C: 2.67±0.33; group D: 2.61±0.21) and LPC20 (group C: 2.74±0.37; group D: 2.72±0.27) were higher than LPC10 (group C: 2.19±0.18; group D: 1.94±0.17) (all P<0.01), while there were no changes between LPC15 and LPC20. Conclusions: Under conventional dose, hepatobiliary phase image contrast in patients with a BMI <24 was higher, which was mainly manifested in the high LPC. For patients with a BMI <24 kg/m2, using a half conventional dose (0.0125 mmol/kg), good hepatobiliary phase image contrast can still be obtained at 15-20 min after administration.

The impact of obstructive sleep apnea on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by episodic sleep state-dependent collapse of the upper airway, with consequent hypoxia, hypercapnia, and arousal from sleep. OSA contributes to multisystem damage; in severe cases, sudden cardiac death might occur. In addition to causing respiratory, cardiovascular and endocrine metabolic diseases, OSA is also closely associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). As the prevalence of OSA and NAFLD increases rapidly, they significantly exert adverse effects on the health of human beings. The authors retrieved relevant documents on OSA and NAFLD from PubMed and Medline. This narrative review elaborates on the current knowledge of OSA and NAFLD, demonstrates the impact of OSA on NAFLD, and clarifies the underlying mechanisms of OSA in the progression of NAFLD. Although there is a lack of sufficient high-quality clinical studies to prove the causal or concomitant relationship between OSA and NAFLD, existing evidence has confirmed the effect of OSA on NAFLD. Elucidating the underlying mechanisms through which OSA impacts NAFLD would hold considerable importance in terms of both prevention and the identification of potential therapeutic targets for NAFLD.

Comparison of ultrasound-based ADNEX model with magnetic resonance imaging for discriminating adnexal masses: a multi-center study.

Objectives: The ADNEX model offered a good diagnostic performance for discriminating adnexal tumors, but research comparing the abilities of the ADNEX model and MRI for characterizing adnexal tumors has not been reported to our knowledge. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the ultrasound-based ADNEX (Assessment of Different NEoplasias in the adneXa) model in comparison with that of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for differentiating benign, borderline and malignant adnexal masses. Methods: This prospective study included 529 women with adnexal masses who underwent assessment via the ADNEX model and subjective MRI analysis before surgical treatment between October 2019 and April 2022 at two hospitals. Postoperative histological diagnosis was considered the gold standard. Results: Among the 529 women, 92 (17.4%) masses were diagnosed histologically as malignant tumors, 67 (12.7%) as borderline tumors, and 370 (69.9%) as benign tumors. For the diagnosis of malignancy, including borderline tumors, overall agreement between the ADNEX model and MRI pre-operation was 84.9%. The sensitivity of the ADNEX model of 0.91 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.85-0.95) was similar to that of MRI (0.89, 95% CI: 0.84-0.94; P=0.717). However, the ADNEX model had a higher specificity (0.90, 95% CI: 0.87-0.93) than MRI (0.81, 95% CI: 0.77-0.85; P=0.001). The greatest sensitivity (0.96, 95% CI: 0.92-0.99) and specificity (0.94, 95% CI: 0.91-0.96) were achieved by combining the ADNEX model and subjective MRI assessment. While the total diagnostic accuracy did not differ significantly between the two methods (P=0.059), the ADNEX model showed greater diagnostic accuracy for borderline tumors (P<0.001). Conclusion: The ultrasound-based ADNEX model demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance for adnexal tumors, especially borderline tumors, compared with MRI. Accordingly, we recommend that the ADNEX model, alone or with subjective MRI assessment, should be used for pre-operative assessment of adnexal masses.