Ultrasound assessment of brain supplying arteries (transcranial). / Die Ultraschalluntersuchung der hirnversorgenden Arterien (transkraniell).

Ultrasonography of intracranial arteries is a non-invasive and highly efficient method for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with cerebrovascular diseases, also in the bedside setting of the critically ill. For reliable assessment and interpretation of sonographic findings, the technique requires - apart from dedicated anatomic and pathophysiological knowledge of cerebral arteries and their hemodynamics - the comprehension of alternative imaging modalities such as CT or MR angiography. This article reviews the transcranial color-coded duplex sonographic (TCCS) examination technique including the transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) for a standardized ultrasound assessment of the intracranial arteries and typical pathological cases. As a complementary tool, transorbital ultrasound for the assessment of the optic nerve sheath diameter and adjacent structures is also described in this article.

Color Doppler Ultrasound Assessment of Subclinical Activity With Scoring of Morphea.

BACKGROUND: Detection of activity in morphea is paramount for adequately managing the disease. Subclinical ultrasound involvement on inactive lesions or healthy skin areas adjacent to morphea has not been described to date. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to detect morphea's subclinical activity by Color Doppler ultrasound not identified with the clinical scorings. MATERIALS & METHODS: This cross-sectional retrospective study was done from January 2014 to July 2019 in patients with a clinicopathological diagnosis of morphea. The modified Localized Scleroderma Skin Severity Index (mLoSSI) and The Ultrasound Morphea Activity Score (US-MAS) were used to correlate clinical and subclinical activity. RESULTS: A total of 36 patients met the inclusion criteria. 54% of cases presented subclinical activity in areas adjacent to the clinically active lesion, 23% in nonadjacent regions, and 23% demonstrated activity at a clinically inactive lesion site.100% of patients with morphea "en coup de sabre" involving the frontal region of the face concomitantly presented both subclinical activities of morphea on the frontal facial region and the scalp following the same axis.A positive relationship was observed between the degree of clinical activity measured by mLoSSI and US-MAS scoring.The main limitations of our study were the low number of patients and the inability to detect alterations < 0.1 mm. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical activity is frequent in morphea, can extend beyond the lesional areas, including apparently noninvolved adjacent and distant corporal regions, and can be detected by color Doppler ultrasound.

Assessment of blood flow around the knee joint in patients with knee osteoarthritis by color Doppler ultrasound.

OBJECTIVE: To explore a method for early diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis (OA) by comparing vascular morphology and hemodynamic parameters between healthy controls and patients, and explore the effects of age on the blood flow of healthy subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 80 healthy subjects and 106 patients with knee OA were recruited. Color Doppler ultrasound was used to measure the vascular morphology and hemodynamic parameters of 11 blood vessels around the knee joint. A general linear model was used to analyze the difference of blood flow parameters between healthy controls and patients, and to explore the effects of sex and age on the blood flow of healthy subjects. RESULTS: Age has no significant effect on the vessel diameter of healthy subjects, and it only affect the blood flow velocity (P ＜ 0.05) and blood flow volume (P ＜0.0083) of a few blood vessels. There was no significant difference in vascular morphological parameter between healthy controls, patients with mild OA and moderate/severe OA, but there was significant difference in vascular hemodynamic parameters (P ＜ 0.0167). Specifically, in the early stage of knee OA, hemodynamic parameters of main arteries in patients did not change significantly, but those of branch vessels changed significantly (P ＜ 0.0167). With the development of knee OA, the difference of hemodynamic parameters of branch vessels in patients increased gradually. CONCLUSION: Hemodynamic parameters of branch vessels around the knee joint have changed significantly in the early stage of knee OA, which can be treated as an important index to screening the early patients.

Accuracy of doppler assessment of the uterine arteries for the diagnosis of pubertal onset in girls: a scoping review.

The uterine artery pulsatility index (PI) assessed by Doppler ultrasound reflects the impedance to the blood flow in the vessel distal to the sampling point. We aimed to assess the accuracy of the uterine artery PI for the diagnosis of puberty in girls. A PRISMA-ScR-compliant scoping review was performed in the MEDLINE and Embase databases with the search terms "puberty" and "Doppler ultrasonography". Studies that included girls aged 0-18 years who underwent pelvic Doppler ultrasound with calculation of uterine artery PI were eligible. Ten studies comprising 1385 girls aged 1.2-18 years were included. The selected studies included participants from Italy, Brazil, Iran, Belgium and Denmark, and were published between 1996 and 2021. Six studies selected girls who were referred for evaluation of pubertal disorders, while four studies included only healthy girls. Nine studies found a significant difference in Doppler signal pattern and PI according to pubertal stage, with PI cutoff points ranging from 2.5 to 4.6 for the diagnosis of puberty, with a sensitivity of 77%-94%, specificity of 85%-100%, and accuracy of 79%-98%. Doppler assessment of the uterine arteries with PI calculation is a useful noninvasive tool in the diagnosis of pubertal onset in girls.

Ultrasonography in the assessment of disease activity in cranial and large-vessel giant cell arteritis: a prospective follow-up study.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated sensitivity to change and discriminative abilities of vascular US scores in disease monitoring in the follow-up of a prospective cohort of new-onset cranial and large-vessel (LV) GCA patients. METHODS: Baseline and follow-up (8 weeks, 24 weeks and 15 months) US of temporal arteries (TA), carotid and axillary arteries (LV) included assessment of halo and measurement of the intima media complex (IMC). Max IMC, max halo IMC, sum IMC, sum halo IMC, mean IMC, halo count and the Southend halo score were calculated. The provisional OMERACT US score, OGUS, was obtained, taking the average of temporal arteries and axillary arteries IMCs divided by their normal cut-off values. RESULTS: Baseline US was positive in 44/47 patients (72% TA, 72% LV). Sensitivity to change of all composite US scores containing TAs was evident by week 8 onward. LVs responded poorly and new axillary US lesions emerged in six patients despite clinical remission. The OGUS showed a large magnitude of change and is considered the score least prone to potential bias. All TA-based US scores showed moderate-strong correlation with disease activity markers. OGUS, TA halo count, Southend TA halo score, TA sum IMC and TA mean IMC showed potential to discriminate remission and relapse with area under the curve ≥0.8. CONCLUSIONS: The OGUS is suggested as an outcome measurement for the assessment of treatment response in clinical trials. The abilities of US scores to discriminate remission and relapse are encouraging and should be further explored.

Surgeon-conducted color Doppler ultrasound deep inferior epigastric artery perforator mapping: A cohort study and learning curve assessment.

BACKGROUND: Perforator mapping using diagnostic methods facilitates deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap planning. Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) is a well-proven tool for perforator mapping. However, the benefits of color Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) are as follows: 1) CDU involves dynamic real-time examination and 2) does not use radiation. Comparing the accuracies of both methods in a cohort of patients, this study aimed to evaluate the learning curve of surgeon-conducted CDU perforator mapping. METHODS: Twenty patients undergoing DIEP flap breast reconstruction were enrolled in a cohort study. All patients underwent CTA perforator mapping preoperatively. XY coordinates of significant perforators were subtracted by a radiologist. A single surgeon (sonographer) with minimal experience with CDU performed CDU perforator mapping, including XY coordinates subtraction. The sonographer was blinded to the CTA data. The reference coordinates of dissected perforators were measured during surgery. Deviations from reference coordinates for both methods were compared, and CDU mapping learning curve was assessed using Joinpoint Regression. RESULTS: We included 20 women (32 DIEP flaps and 59 dissected perforators). The mean deviation between mapped and reference coordinates was 1.00 (0.50-1.12) cm for CDU and 0.71 (0.50-1.12) cm for CTA. The learning curve of CDU mapping showed the breaking point after the seventh patient (≈ 21 localized perforators). After the breaking point, no significant differences between the deviations of both methods were found (p = 0.980). CONCLUSION: A limited number of examinations were needed for the surgeon to learn CDU DIEA perforator mapping with accuracy similar to that of CTA mapping.

A Comparative Study on a Novel Quality Assessment Protocol Based on Image Analysis Methods for Color Doppler Ultrasound Diagnostic Systems.

Color Doppler (CD) imaging is widely used in diagnostics since it allows real-time detection and display of blood flow superimposed on the B-mode image. Nevertheless, to date, a shared worldwide standard on Doppler equipment testing is still lacking. In this context, the study herein proposed would give a contribution focusing on the combination of five test parameters to be included in a novel Quality Assessment (QA) protocol for CD systems testing. A first approach involving the use of the Kiviat diagram was investigated, assuming the diagram area, normalized with respect to one of the gold standards, as an index of the overall Doppler system performance. The QA parameters were obtained from the post-processing of CD data through the implementation of custom-written image analysis methods and procedures, here applied to three brand-new high-technology-level ultrasound systems. Experimental data were collected through phased and convex array probes, in two configuration settings, by means of a Doppler flow phantom set at different flow rate regimes. The outcomes confirmed that the Kiviat diagram might be a promising tool applied to quality controls of Doppler equipment, although further investigations should be performed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the proposed approach.

Quantitative Assessment of Boiling Histotripsy Progression Based on Color Doppler Measurements.

Boiling histotripsy (BH) is a mechanical tissue liquefaction method that uses sequences of millisecond-long high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) pulses with shock fronts. The BH treatment generates bubbles that move within the sonicated volume due to acoustic radiation force. Since the velocity of the bubbles and tissue debris is expected to depend on the lesion size and liquefaction completeness, it could provide a quantitative metric of the treatment progression. In this study, the motion of bubble remnants and tissue debris immediately following BH pulses was investigated using high-pulse repetition frequency (PRF) plane-wave color Doppler ultrasound in ex vivo myocardium tissue. A 256-element 1.5 MHz spiral HIFU array with a coaxially integrated ultrasound imaging probe (ATL P4-2) produced 10 ms BH pulses to form volumetric lesions with electronic beam steering. Prior to performing volumetric BH treatments, the motion of intact myocardium tissue and anticoagulated bovine blood following isolated BH pulses was assessed as two limiting cases. In the liquid blood the velocity of BH-induced streaming at the focus reached over 200 cm/s, whereas the intact tissue was observed to move toward the HIFU array consistent with elastic rebound of tissue. Over the course of volumetric BH treatments tissue motion at the focus locations was dependent on the axial size of the forming lesion relative to the corresponding size of the HIFU focal area. For axially small lesions, the maximum velocity after the BH pulse was directed toward the HIFU transducer and monotonically increased over time from about 20-100 cm/s as liquefaction progressed, then saturated when tissue was fully liquefied. For larger lesions obtained by merging multiple smaller lesions in the axial direction, the high-speed streaming away from the HIFU transducer was observed at the point of full liquefaction. Based on these observations, the maximum directional velocity and its location along the HIFU propagation axis were proposed and evaluated as candidate metrics of BH treatment completeness.

Preoperative high-frequency color Doppler ultrasound assessment of the blood vessels of the fibular myocutaneous flap.

OBJECTIVE: The fibular myocutaneous flap is a classic flap used to reconstruct oral and maxillofacial defects. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of high-frequency color Doppler ultrasound in detecting the blood vessels in the fibular myocutaneous flap, analyze the influence of variations in the peroneal vessels and perforating peroneal arteries on the surgical design, and explore the value of this technology in preoperatively assessing the blood vessels of the fibular myocutaneous flap. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with mandibular disease or defect underwent preoperative evaluation of the blood vessels of the calf by high-frequency color Doppler ultrasound. The inner diameter and peak systolic velocity (PSV) of the peroneal arteries and veins and the perforating peroneal arteries were compared between different groups. The consistency between the perforating peroneal arteries marked by ultrasonography and the intraoperative findings was analyzed. RESULTS: The initial segment of the peroneal artery had a larger inner diameter (p<0.001) and lower PSV (p<0.05) than the middle segment. The perforating peroneal arteries were mainly distributed in the middle of the fibula. The inner diameter of the perforating peroneal artery was larger in men than in women (p<0.05). In comparison with surgical exploration as the gold standard, high-frequency color Doppler ultrasound results showed good consistency (Kappa=0.684, 95% CI: 0.512-0.856, p<0.001), with a sensitivity of 89.36%, specificity of 78.57%, and accuracy of 85.33%. CONCLUSION: High-frequency color Doppler ultrasound can detect, quantitatively evaluate, and accurately mark the peroneal artery and vein and perforating peroneal artery before fibular myocutaneous flap transplantation.

3D-Arterial analysis software and CEUS in the assessment of severity and vulnerability of carotid atherosclerotic plaque: a comparison with CTA and histopathology.

PURPOSE: Our purpose is to assess Multiparametric Ultrasound (MPUS) efficacy for evaluation of carotid plaque vulnerability and carotid stenosis degree in comparison with Computed Tomography angiography (CTA) and histology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 3D-Arterial Analysis is a 3D ultrasound software that automatically provides the degree of carotid stenosis and a colorimetric map of carotid plaque vulnerability. We enrolled 106 patients who were candidates for carotid endarterectomy. Prior to undergoing surgery, all carotid artery plaques were evaluated with Color-Doppler-US (CDUS), Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS), and 3D Arterial analysis (3DAA) US along with Computerized Tomographic Angiography (CTA) to assess the carotid artery stenosis degree. Post-surgery, the carotid specimens were fixed with 10% neutral buffered formalin solution, embedded in paraffin and used for light microscopic examination to assess plaque vulnerability morphological features. RESULTS: The results of the CTA examinations revealed 91 patients with severe carotid stenoses with a resultant diagnostic accuracy of 82.3% for CDUS, 94.5% for CEUS, 98.4% for 3DAA, respectively. The histopathological examination showed 71 vulnerable plaques with diagnostic accuracy values of 85.8% for CDUS, 93.4% for CEUS, 90.3% for 3DAA, 92% for CTA, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of CEUS and 3D Arterial Analysis may provide a powerful new clinical tool to identify and stratify "at-risk" patients with atherosclerotic carotid artery disease, identifying vulnerable plaques. These applications may also help in the postoperative assessment of treatment options to manage cardiovascular risks.

Assessment of the predictive value of carotid color Doppler ultrasound Crouse score combined with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in elderly diabetics with cerebral infarction.

BACKGROUND: Both the carotid Crouse score and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels are commonly used to evaluate atherosclerosis and vascular inflammatory response. This study was to investigate the correlation between the Crouse score and hs-CRP and cerebral infarction (CI) in elderly diabetics. METHODS: We compared the carotid Crouse scores and hs-CRP levels between two groups of diabetic patients with and without CIs (n = 100 each) and the relationship between changes in these indices and CI. RESULTS: Between the four groups (control, diabetic with a large CI, diabetic with a small CI, and diabetic with a lacunar CI) there was a significant difference in the age, sex, Crouse scores and hs-CRP levels, as well as fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) (all p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis with CI as the dependent variable showed that the age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.114, 95% confidence interval [CFI]: 1.063-1.167, p = 0.000), FBG (OR = 1.260, 95% CFI: 1.102-1.570, p = 0.039), HbA1c (OR = 2.036, 95% CFI: 1.348-3.703, p = 0.001), Crouse score (OR = 2.721, 95% CFI: 1.800-4.114, p = 0.000) and hs-CRP level (OR = 3.364, 95% CFI: 2.185-5.180, p = 0.000) were risk factors for a CI in combination with diabetes mellitus. Significant differences were found in age, diastolic blood pressure, Crouse scores and hs-CRP levels between the male diabetic-non-CI subgroup, female diabetic-non-CI subgroup, male diabetic-CI subgroup and female diabetic-CI subgroup (All p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The carotid Crouse score method has high reliability and reflects the severity of carotid atherosclerosis. The age, sex, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, Crouse score, an elevated hs-CRP level, and the occurrence of CI in elderly with diabetes mellitus are closely related.

Could Aspirin Treatment Modify the Assessment of the Uterine Arteries? / O tratamento com aspirina pode modificar a avaliação das artérias uterinas?

Abstract Objective To analyze whether acetylsalicylic (ASA) intake modifies the mean uterine arteries pulsatility index (UtA-PI) at the 2nd or 3rd trimester in a cohort of pregnant women with abnormal mean UtA-PI at between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study. Singleton pregnancies with abnormal mean UtA-PI at between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation were studied. The participants were divided into 3 groups: 1) If the participant did not take ASA during pregnancy; 2) If the participant took ASA before 14 weeks of gestation; and 3) If the participant took ASA after 14 weeks of gestation. The mean UtA-PI was evaluated at the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, and it was considered to improve when it decreased below the 95th percentile. The prevalence ratio (PR) and the number needed to treat (NNT) werecalculated. Results A total of 72 participants with a mean UtA-PI>95th percentile at the 1st trimester of gestation were evaluated. Out of the 18 participants who took ASA, 8 participants started it before 14 weeks of gestation and 10 after. A total of 33.3% of these participants had improved the mean UtA-PI at the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of gestation, although it was not statistically significant (p=0.154). The prevalence ratio was 0.95 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.31-1.89), but between the 1st and 2nd trimesters of gestation, the PR was 0.92 (95%CI: 0.21-0.99) and it was statistically significant. Conclusion The present work demonstrates a modification of the mean UtA-PI in participants who took ASA compared with those who did not. It is important to check if ASA can modify the normal limits of uterine arteries because this could have an impact on surveillance.

Resumo Objetivo Analisar se a ingestão de acetilsalicílico (ASA) modifica o índice médio de pulsatilidade das artérias uterinas (UtA-PI) no 2° ou 3° trimestre em uma coorte de gestantes com média anormal de UtA-PI entre 11 e 14 semanas. Métodos Este é um estudo de coorte retrospectivo. Gravidezes únicas com média anormal de UtA-PI entre 11 e 14 semanas foram estudadas. As participantes foram divididas em 3 grupos: 1) Se a participante não tomou ASA durante a gravidez, 2) Se a participante tomou AAS antes das 14 semanas e 3) Se a participante tomou ASA após 14 semanas. A média do UtA-PI foi avaliada nos 2° e 3° trimestres e considerou-se que melhorava quando diminuía<95° percentil. Foram calculados a razão de prevalência (RP) e o número necessário para tratar (NNT). Resultados Foram avaliadas 72 participantes com média de UtA-PI>95° percentil no 1° trimestre de gravidez. Das 18 participantes que tomaram ASA, 8 participantes começaram antes de 14 semanas e 10 depois. Um total de 33,3% desses participantes melhoraram a média de UtA-PI nos 2° e 3° trimestres, embora não tenha sido estatisticamente significante (p=0,154). A razão de prevalência foi de 0,95 (intervalo de confiança [IC95%]: 0,31-1,89), mas entre os 1° e o 2° trimestres, a RP foi de 0,92 (IC95%: 0,21-0,99) e foi estatisticamente significativa. Conclusão O presente trabalho demonstra uma modificação da média de UtA-PI em participantes que faziam uso de ASA em comparação com aqueles que não faziam. É importante verificar se o ASA pode modificar os limites normais das artérias uterinas porque isso pode ter um impacto na vigilância.

Sun Sign in the Ultrasound Diagnosis and Activity Assessment of Morphea.

Morphea, a localized form of scleroderma, is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease of the skin. Color Doppler Ultrasound has been reported as a reliable tool to assess the activity of the disease. With histologically confirmed cases, this case series describes a new ultrasound sign consisting of a hyperechoic halo surrounding superficial subcutaneous veins of the extremities in transverse view, named the sun sign. This sign can help diagnose morphea in the inflammatory phase and correlate in pathology with perivascular infiltrates surrounding superficial subcutaneous veins.

Validation of color Doppler ultrasound and computed tomography in the radiologic assessment of non-malignant acute splanchnic vein thrombosis.

INTRODUCTION: International guidelines propose color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) as primary imaging techniques in the diagnosis of acute splanchnic vein thrombosis. However, their reliability in this context is poorly investigated. Therefore, the aim of our study was to validate CDUS and CT in the radiologic assessment of acute splanchnic vein thrombosis, using direct transjugular spleno-portography as gold standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 49 patients with non-malignant acute splanchnic vein thrombosis were included in a retrospective, multicenter analysis. The thrombosis' extent in five regions of the splanchnic venous system (right and left intrahepatic portal vein, main trunk of the portal vein, splenic vein, superior mesenteric vein) and the degree of thrombosis (patent, partial thrombosis, complete thrombosis) were assessed by portography, CDUS and CT in a blinded manner. Reliability of CDUS and CT with regard to portography as gold standard was analyzed by calculating Cohen's kappa. RESULTS: Results of CDUS and CT were consistent with portography in 76.6% and 78.4% of examinations, respectively. Cohen's kappa demonstrated that CDUS and CT delivered almost equally reliable results with regard to the portographic gold standard (k = 0.634 [p < 0.001] vs. k = 0.644 [p < 0.001]). In case of findings non-consistent with portography there was no clear trend to over- or underestimation of the degree of thrombosis in both CDUS (60.0% vs. 40.0%) and CT (59.5% vs. 40.5%). CONCLUSIONS: CDUS and CT are equally reliable tools in the radiologic assessment of non-malignant acute splanchnic vein thrombosis.

Editor's Choice - A Comparison of Computed Tomography Angiography and Colour Duplex Ultrasound Surveillance Post Infrarenal Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair: Financial Implications and Impact of Different International Surveillance Guidelines.

OBJECTIVE: Use of colour duplex ultrasound (CDUS) and computed tomography angiography (CTA) for infrarenal endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) surveillance differs in internationally published guidelines. This study aimed firstly to compare CDUS detection of significant sac abnormalities with CTA. Secondly, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to compare financial estimates of the, predominantly CDUS based, local and Society of Vascular Surgery (SVS) protocols, the risk stratified European Society of Vascular Surgery (ESVS) protocol, and the CTA based National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) protocol. METHODS: Agreement between CDUS and CTA was assessed for detection of significant sac abnormalities. Surveillance protocols were extrapolated from published guidelines and applied to infrarenal EVAR patients active on local surveillance at a large, single centre. Surveillance intensity was dependent on presence of endoleak and subsequent risk of treatment failure in accordance with surveillance recommendations. Estimates for each surveillance protocol were inclusive of a range of published incidences of endoleak, contrast associated acute kidney injury (AKI), and excess hospital bed days, and estimated for a hypothetical five year surveillance period. RESULTS: The kappa coefficient between CDUS and CTA for detecting sac abnormalities was 0.68. Maximum five year surveillance cost estimates for the 289 active EVAR patients were £272 359 for SVS, £230 708 for ESVS, £643 802 for NICE, and £266 777 for local protocols, or £1 270, £1 076, £3 003, and £1 244 per patient. Differences in endoleak incidence accounted for a 1.1 to 1.4 fold increase in costs. AKI incidence accounted for a 3.3 to 6.2 fold increase in costs. CONCLUSION: A combined CTA and CDUS EVAR surveillance protocol, with CTA reserved for early seal assessment and confirmatory purposes, provides an economical approach without compromising detection of sac abnormalities. AKI, as opposed to direct imaging costs, accounted for the largest differences in surveillance cost estimates.

New strategy of color and power doppler sonography combined with DMSA in the assessment of acute pyelonephritis in infants.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of color and power doppler sonography (CPDS) when combined it with 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid scintigraphy (DMSA) in assessment of acute pyelonephritis (APN) in infants. METHODS: A total of 79 children with APN admitted to our hospital from June 2016 to Jan 2019 were enrolled, including 52 boys and 27 girls, age range 1 month to 3 years old. All cases followed the diagnostic criteria for acute pyelonephritis and excluded anatomical abnormalities of urinary system. All 79 patients were examined by urinary ultrasonography (US), CPDS, and DMSA within 48 h of fever and analyzed the clinical value of combining the two methods in the assessment of APN in infants. RESULTS: Among 79 children, urinary ultrasonography revealed 2 cases of renal cortical echo changes, both located in the upper pole of the kidney, 24 cases of kidney enlargement, and 1 case of left kidney shrinkage. Ninety-five kidneys were shown to be diseased with DMSA, while 105 kidneys abnormal by CPDS. The sensitivity of CPDS was 69.4%, and the specificity was 38.1%. In children younger than 6 months, the sensitivity of CPDS was 56.9%, which was 84.2% in childeren between 6 months to 1 year, and 94.4% from 1 to 3 years old, respectively. The corresponding specificity of CPDS was 44.1, 26.7, and 35.7%. There was no significant correlation between CPDS levels and DMSA positive results. The abnormal rate of intermediate part in the kidneys was significantly lower than that in the upper and lower poles. Children with abnormal CPDS have a greater risk of renal scarring(p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Abnormalities detected by CPDS in a cohort of infants with APN poorly correlated with DMSA findings. But the sensitivity of CPDS is highly age-related, it can be used as a non-invasive helpful tool for early diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis in infants older than 6 months old.

Application of the Caprini risk assessment model for deep vein thrombosis among patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer.

ABSTRACT: Application of the Caprini risk assessment model was explored in patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery.This study was a prospective study. The risk factors for DVT were assessed with a survey at baseline and on the morning of surgery, first day after surgery and sixth day by using repeated blood vessels on color Doppler ultrasound of the lower limbs, and the intraoperative and postoperative conditions were recorded.Among 148 surgical patients, 24.3% had asymptomatic DVT. According to the risk stratification, the incidence of DVT was related to the Caprini score (P < .001). The area under the curve of the Caprini model was 0.701 ±â€Š0.047 (95% CI: 0.609-0.793, P<.001). The Youden index was 0.368, while the critical point was 10.5 in the Caprini model, corresponding to a sensitivity of 0.806 and a specificity of 0.563. Age, cardiovascular disease, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative fever, preoperative preparation, and hospital stay were higher in DVT patients than in patients without DVT. Moreover, the incidence of DVT in patients with a lithotomy position was higher than that in patients with a scissors position. In binary logistic regression analysis, the independent risk factors for DVT development were age, intraoperative blood loss, and preoperative preparation time.The Caprini model can be used for the prediction of venous thromboembolism in laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery patients. The thrombosis risk assessment model must be established in line with patients undergoing endoscopic malignant tumor surgery.

Assessment of Sclerodermoid Chronic Graft-versus-host Disease with Colour Doppler Ultrasound.

Sclerodermoid chronic graft-versus-host disease (scGVHD) is a severe complication of allogeneic haema-- topoietic stem cell transplantation. The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of high-frequency ultrasound of the skin in assessing the inflammatory patterns and prognosis of patients with scGVHD. A prospective study was carried out with patients who developed scGVHD in the period June 2016 to April 2018. Clinical and ultrasound examinations were performed on the first visit and at 6-month follow-up. A total of 24 patients were included in the study. A 6-month follow-up high-frequency ultrasound of the skin was performed on 20 of the 24 patients. Abnormal B-mode findings in high-frequency ultrasound of the skin consisted of hypoechogenic dermis, hypoechogenicity of septa and hyperechogenicity of lobules in hypodermis. No differences were observed in these basal parameters between treatment progressive/non-responding and inactive/responding scGVHD groups of patients. Basal Doppler showing increased vascular flow with a systolic peak ≥10 cm/s and a vascular resistance index ≥ 0.70 was observed only in those patients who developed progressive/non-responding scGVHD (62.5% vs 0% p = 0.006). In conclusion, Doppler ultrasound is a useful tool to assess the inflammatory activity and outcome of scGVHD. These findings could enhance patient management and help to guide treatment decisions.