Contrast-enhanced ultrasound for ovary assessment in a murine model: preliminary findings on the protective role of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue from chemotherapy-induced ovarian damage.

The prolonged, gonadotoxic effect of chemotherapy can finally lead to infertility in female cancer survivors. There is controversial evidence regarding the protective role of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRH-a) on chemotherapy-induced ovarian damage. In the present study on a murine model, ultrasound (US) and contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) were firstly used to characterise ovarian glands in normal conditions to validate a preclinical model. In addition, preliminary findings were obtained on anatomical and vascular ovarian changes induced by GnRH-a based on decapeptyl administration. Ovaries were accurately assessed with US and CEUS in a murine model placed in prone position, providing quantitative and reproducible information. Ovaries were identified in 40/40 cases and CEUS analysis was successfully performed in 20/20 cases with 100% technical success. A statistically significant increase of the diameter of the dominant follicle at US and a statistically significant reduced vascularisation at CEUS in decapeptyl-treated mice compared to untreated control mice were recorded. Further studies using US and CEUS in the murine model combining GnRH-a and chemotherapeutic agents will be needed to obtain more translational information useful for clinical practice.

Assessment of Remote Myocardium Heterogeneity in Patients with Ventricular Tachycardia Using Texture Analysis of Late Iodine Enhancement (LIE) Cardiac Computed Tomography (cCT) Images.

PURPOSE: Diffuse remodeling of myocardial extra-cellular matrix is largely responsible for left ventricle (LV) dysfunction and arrhythmias. Our hypothesis is that the texture analysis of late iodine enhancement (LIE) cardiac computed tomography (cCT) images may improve characterization of the diffuse extra-cellular matrix changes. Our aim was to extract volumetric extracellular volume (ECV) and LIE texture features of non-scarred (remote) myocardium from cCT of patients with recurrent ventricular tachycardia (rVT), and to compare these radiomic features with LV-function, LV-remodeling, and underlying cardiac disease. PROCEDURES: Forty-eight patients suffering from rVT were prospectively enrolled: 5/48 with idiopathic VT (IVT), 23/48 with post-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (ICM), 9/48 with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM), and 11/48 with scars from a previous healed myocarditis (MYO). All patients underwent echocardiography to assess LV systolic and diastolic function and cCT with pre-contrast, angiographic, and LIE scan to obtain end-diastolic volume (EDV), ECV, and first-order texture parameters of Hounsfield Unit (HU) of remote myocardium in LIE [energy, entropy, HU-mean, HU-median, standard deviation (SD), and mean absolute deviation (MAD)]. RESULTS: Energy, HU mean, and HU median by cCT texture analysis correlated with ECV (rho = 0.5650, rho = 0.5741, rho = 0.5068; p < 0.0005). cCT-derived ECV, HU-mean, HU-median, SD, and MAD correlated directly to EDV by cCT and inversely to ejection fraction by echocardiography (p < 0.05). SD and MAD correlated with diastolic function by echocardiography (rho = 0.3837, p = 0.0071; rho = 0.3330, p = 0.0208). MYO and IVT patients were characterized by significantly lower values of SD and MAD when compared with ICM and IDCM patients, independently of LV-volume systolic and diastolic function. CONCLUSIONS: Texture analysis of LIE may expand cCT capability of myocardial characterization. Myocardial heterogeneity (SD and MAD) was associated with LV dilatation, systolic and diastolic function, and is able to potentially identify the different patterns of structural remodeling characterizing patients with rVT of different etiology.

Tailored breast cancer screening program with microdose mammography, US, and MR Imaging: short-term results of a pilot study in 40-49-year-old women.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility, performance, and cost of a breast cancer screening program aimed at 40-49-year-old women and tailored to their risk profile with supplemental ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The institutional review board approved this study, and informed written consent was obtained. A total of 3017 40-49-year-old women were invited to participate. The screening program was tailored to lifetime risk (Gail test) and mammographic density (according to Breast Imaging Reporting and Data Systems [BI-RADS] criteria) with supplemental US or MR imaging and bilateral two-view microdose mammography. The indicators suggested by European guidelines, US incremental cancer detection rate (CDR), and estimated costs were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 1666 women (67.5% participation rate) were recruited. The average lifetime risk of breast cancer was 11.6%, and nine women had a high risk of breast cancer; 917 women (55.0%) had a high density score (BI-RADS density category 3 or 4). The average glandular dose for screening examinations was 1.49 mGy. Screening US was performed in 835 study participants (50.1%), mostly due to high breast density (800 of 1666 women [48.0%]). Screening MR imaging was performed in nine women (0.5%) at high risk for breast cancer. Breast cancer was diagnosed in 14 women (8.4 cases per 1000 women). Twelve diagnoses were made with microdose mammography, and two were made with supplemental US in dense breasts (2.4 cases per 1000 women). All patients were submitted for surgery, and 10 underwent breast-conserving surgery. The sentinel lymph node was evaluated in 11 patients, resulting in negative findings in six. Pathologic analysis resulted in the diagnosis of four ductal carcinomas in situ and 10 invasive carcinomas (five at stage I). CONCLUSION: A tailored breast cancer screening program in 40-49-year-old women yielded a greater-than-expected number of cancers, most of which were low-stage disease.

Cross-sectional assessment of the effect of kidney and kidney-pancreas transplantation on resting left ventricular energy metabolism in type 1 diabetic-uremic patients: a phosphorous-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

OBJECTIVES: To test whether left ventricular (LV) dysfunction affecting type 1 diabetic-uremic patients was associated with abnormal heart high-energy phosphates (HEPs) and to ascertain whether these alterations were also present in recipients of kidney or kidney-pancreas transplantation. BACKGROUND: Heart failure is the major determinant of mortality in patients with diabetic uremia. Both uremia and diabetes induce alterations of cardiac HEPs metabolism. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging and phosphorous magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the LV were performed in the resting state by means of a 1.5-T clinical scanner. Eleven diabetic-uremic patients, 5 nondiabetic patients with uremia, 11 diabetic recipients of kidney transplantation, and 16 diabetic recipients of combined kidney-pancreas transplantation were studied in a cross-sectional fashion. Eleven nondiabetic recipients of kidney-only transplant and 13 healthy subjects served as control groups. RESULTS: Uremic patients had higher LV mass, diastolic dysfunction, and lower phosphocreatine (PCr)/adenosine triphosphate (ATP) ratio in comparison with recipients of kidney-pancreas or nondiabetic recipients of kidney transplant. In diabetic recipients of kidney transplant the PCr/ATP ratio was higher than in uremic patients but was lower than in the controls. Recipients of combined kidney-pancreas transplant had a higher ratio than uremic patients but no difference was found in comparison with controls. CONCLUSIONS: Altered resting myocardial HEPs metabolism may contribute to LV dysfunction in diabetic-uremic patients. In diabetic recipients of kidney transplantation, a certain degree of LV metabolic and functional impairment was found. In combined kidney-pancreas recipients the resting LV metabolism and function were not different than in controls.