Feasible CT features to distinguish incidental rib enhancement from sclerotic metastasis in patients with malignancies.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the CT features of incidental rib enhancement (RE) and to summarize the CT characteristics for distinguishing the RE from sclerotic metastasis (SM) in patients with malignancies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective observational study enrolled 79 patients with RE (involved 133 ribs) during October 2014 and December 2021. Another 53 patients with SM (160 SM) in the same period were selected randomly for comparison. The location, enhancement patterns of RE were reviewed. The CT values of RE regions and SM were measured and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Most REs (70 patients, 88.6%) were in the 1st to 6th ribs. 50 patients had solitary RE and 29 with multiple REs in a regional distribution. All the REs were closely connected to the intercostal venous plexus (ICVP) ipsilateral to the injection site. No visible abnormalities on unenhanced scans were detected in all REs. One hundred and twenty REs (90.2%) had nodular/patchy enhancement. The CT value of RE regions in the venous phase was lower than that in the arterial phase (589.8 ± 344.2 HU versus 1188.5 ± 325.3 HU, p < 0.001). During the venous phase, most REs (125, 94.0%) shrank or disappeared. SM appeared similar on both contrast-enhanced and unenhanced scans in terms of shape and CT values. CONCLUSION: The RE demonstrated characteristic CT features. The manifestations of nodular/patchy enhancement in the arterial phase, decreased density and shrinkage or disappearance during the venous phase, and no abnormality on unenhanced scans, as well as a close connection with the ICVP, may help differentiate RE from SM.

Erratum: Human gingiva tissue-derived MSC ameliorates immune-mediated bone marrow failure of aplastic anemia via suppression of Th1 and Th17 cells and enhancement of CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells differentiation.

[This corrects the article on p. 7627 in vol. 11, PMID: 31934306.].

Human gingiva tissue-derived MSC ameliorates immune-mediated bone marrow failure of aplastic anemia via suppression of Th1 and Th17 cells and enhancement of CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells differentiation.

Accumulating evidence has revealed that human gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) are emerging as a new line of mesenchymal stem cells and may have the potential to control or even treat autoimmune diseases through maintaining the balance between Th and Treg cells. Given that GMSCs have a robust immune regulatory function and regenerative ability, we investigated the effect of GMSCs on preventing T cell-mediated bone marrow failure (BMF) in a mouse model. We observed that GMSCs markedly improved mice survival and attenuated histological bone marrow (BM) damage. Moreover, we found GMSCs significantly reduced cell infiltration of CD8+ cells, Th1 and Th17 cells, whereas increased CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) differentiation in lymph nodes. GMSCs also suppressed the levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-17A and IL-6, but IL-10 was increased in serum. The live in vivo imaging identified that GMSCs can home into inflammatory location on BM. Our results demonstrate that GMSCs attenuate T cell-mediated BMF through regulating the balance of Th1, Th17 and Tregs, implicating that application of GMSCs may provide a promising approach in prevention and treatment of patients with aplastic anemia.