Clinicopathologic Features and Survival Outcomes of Primary Lung Mucinous Adenocarcinoma Based on Different Radiologic Subtypes.

BACKGROUND: Primary lung mucinous adenocarcinomas (LMAs) could be subclassified as the pure-solid, part-solid, and pneumonic types according to the findings of high-resolution computed tomography. This study aimed to expound on the clinicopathologic, radiologic, and prognostic characteristics of LMAs based on radiologic classification within a large set of patients. METHODS: From November 2009 to December 2016, this study enrolled 294 resected LMAs, which were divided into the pure-solid (n = 169), part-solid (n = 87), and pneumonic (n = 38) types. The clinicopathologic and radiologic characteristics of the tumors were evaluated, and patient prognosis was determined through follow-up evaluation. Survival outcomes were calculated by Kaplan-Meier curves and compared using log-rank tests. The prognostic impact of clinicopathologic variables, including radiologic presentations, were evaluated by establishing a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: The LMAs were infrequently associated with lymph node metastasis (5.4 %), lymphatic/vascular invasion (4.4 %), or visceral pleural invasion (5.1 %). During the median 71-month follow-up period, recurrence was observed in 62 patients and death in 44 patients. The patients with pneumonic-type LMAs had a poorer prognosis (5-year recurrence-free survival [RFS], 23.7 %; 5-year overall survival [OS], 44.7 %) than those with the pure-solid type (RFS, 83.2 %; OS, 100 %) or part-solid type (RFS, 93.7 %; OS, 100 %). Besides, lymph node metastasis, emphysema, and clinical T stage were independent predictors of RFS and OS. CONCLUSION: Solitary-type LMA patients had excellent prognoses, whereas the survival outcomes for pneumonic-type LMA patients were dismal. Furthermore, pneumonic-type LMA patients were prone to intrapulmonary metastasis by means of aerogenous dissemination rather than distant metastasis.

[Clinical and genetic analysis of two pedigrees affected with Carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase deficiency due to variant of SLC25A20 gene].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical phenotype and genotypes of two children with Carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase deficiency (CACTD). METHODS: Two children diagnosed with CACTD at the Gansu Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital respectively on January 3 and November 19, 2018 were selected as the study subjects. Trio-whole exome sequencing (trio-WES) was carried out, and candidate variants were validated through Sanger sequencing and pathogenicity analysis. RESULTS: Both children were males and had manifested mainly with hypoglycemia. Trio-WES and Sanger sequencing showed that child 1 had harbored compound heterozygous variants of the SLC25A20 gene, namely c.49G>C (p.Gly17Arg) and c.106-2A>G, which were inherited from his father and mother, respectively. Child 2 had harbored homozygous c.199-10T>G variants of the SLC25A20 gene, which were inherited from both of his parents. Among these, the c.106-2A>G and c.49G>C variants were unreported previously. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the c.49G>C (p.Gly17Arg), c.106-2A>G, and c.199-10T>G variants were classified as likely pathogenic (PM2_supporting+PP3+PM3_strong+PP4), pathogenic (PVS1+PM2_supporting+PM5+PP3), and pathogenic (PVS1+PM2_supporting+PP3+PP5), respectively. CONCLUSION: Combined with their clinical phenotype and genetic analysis, both children were diagnosed with CACTD. Above finding has provided a basis for their treatment as well as genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis for their families.

Imaging Features in BMPR2 Mutation-associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Background Germline mutation in the BMPR2 gene is common in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, its association with imaging findings in these patients is, to the knowledge of the authors, unknown. Purpose To characterize distinctive pulmonary vascular abnormalities at CT and pulmonary artery angiography in patients with and without BMPR2 mutation. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, chest CT scans, pulmonary artery angiograms, and genetic test data were acquired for patients diagnosed with idiopathic PAH (IPAH) or heritable PAH (HPAH) between January 2010 and December 2021. Perivascular halo, neovascularity, centrilobular ground-glass opacity (GGO), and panlobular GGO were evaluated at CT and graded on a four-point severity scale by four independent readers. Clinical characteristics and imaging features between patients with BMPR2 mutation and noncarriers were analyzed using the Kendall rank-order coefficient and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results This study included 82 patients with BMPR2 mutation (mean age, 38 years ± 15 [SD]; 34 men; 72 patients with IPAH and 10 patients with HPAH) and 193 patients without the mutation, all with IPAH (mean age, 41 years ± 15; 53 men). A total of 115 patients (42%; 115 of 275) had neovascularity, and 56 patients (20%; 56 of 275) had perivascular halo at CT, and so-called frost crystals were observed on pulmonary artery angiograms in 14 of 53 (26%) patients. Compared with patients without BMPR2 mutation, patients with BMPR2 mutation more frequently showed two distinctive radiographic manifestations, perivascular halo and neovascularity (38% [31 of 82] vs 13% [25 of 193] in perivascular halo [P < .001] and 60% [49 of 82] vs 34% [66 of 193] in neovascularity [P < .001], respectively). "Frost crystals" were more frequent in patients with BMPR2 mutation compared with noncarriers (53% [10 of 19] vs 12% [four of 34]; P < .01). Severe perivascular halo frequently coexisted with severe neovascularity in patients with BMPR2 mutation. Conclusion Patients with PAH with BMPR2 mutation showed distinctive features at CT, specifically perivascular halo and neovascularity. This suggested a link between the genetic, pulmonary, and systemic manifestations that underly the pathogenesis of PAH. © RSNA, 2023 Supplemental material is available for this article.

Multiparametric MRI for evaluation of pathological response to the neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy in resectable non-small-cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the predictive value of intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM-DWI) and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) quantitative parameters for the response to neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy (NCIT) in resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, so as to provide a basis for clinical individualized precision treatment. METHODS: Treatment naive locally advanced NSCLC patients who enrolled in 3 prospective, open-label, and single-arm clinical trials and received NCIT were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Functional MRI imaging was performed at baseline and following 3 weeks of treatment as an exploratory endpoint to evaluate treatment efficacy. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify independent predictive parameters for NCIT response. Prediction models were built with statistically significant quantitative parameters and their combinations. RESULTS: In total of 32 patients, 13 were classified as complete pathological response (pCR) and 19 were non-pCR. Post-NCIT ADC, ΔADC, and ΔD values in the pCR group were significantly higher than those in the non-pCR group, while the pre-NCIT D, post-NCIT Kapp, and ΔKapp were significantly lower than those in non-pCR group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that pre-NCIT D and post-NCIT Kapp values were independent predictors for NCIT response. The combined predictive model, which consisted of IVIM-DWI and DKI, showed the best prediction performance with AUC of 0.889. CONCLUSIONS: The pre-NCIT D, post-NCIT parameters (ADC and Kapp) and Δ parameters (ΔADC, ΔD, and ΔKapp) were effective biomarkers for predicting pathologic response, and pre-NCIT D and post-NCIT Kapp values were independent predictors of NCIT response for NSCLC patients. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: This exploratory study indicated that IVIM-DWI and DKI MRI imaging would predict pathologic response of neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy in locally advanced NSCLC patients at initial state and early treatment, which could help make clinical individualized treatment strategies. KEY POINTS: • Effective NCIT treatment resulted in increased ADC and D values for NSCLC patients. • The residual tumors in non-pCR group tend to have higher microstructural complexity and heterogeneity, as measured by Kapp. • Pre-NCIT D and post-NCIT Kapp values were independent predictors of NCIT response.

Imaging features of juvenile xanthogranuloma.

BACKGROUND: Juvenile xanthogranuloma is rare in children and there are limited data on its imaging features. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of juvenile xanthogranuloma in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of clinical and radiographic data of histologically confirmed juvenile xanthogranuloma between January 2009 and June 2020. RESULTS: Fourteen children (4 girls, 10 boys; age range: 1 day to 13 years, mean age: 73 months) were included in the study: 4/14 had CT only, 5/14 had MRI only and 5/14 had CT and MRI. Sites of extracutaneous juvenile xanthogranuloma involvement included subcutaneous soft tissue (8/14), liver (2/14), lungs (2/14), kidney (2/14), nose (2/14), pancreas (1/14), central nervous system (1/14) and greater omentum (1/14), mainly manifested as single or multiple nodules or masses in different organs. On CT, the lesions mainly manifested as an iso-hypo density mass with mild or marked enhancement. On MRI, the lesions mainly manifested as slightly hyperintense on T1 and slightly hypointense on T2, with decreased diffusivity and homogeneous enhancement. Juvenile xanthogranuloma was not included in the imaging differential diagnosis in any case. CONCLUSION: Juvenile xanthogranuloma mainly manifests as single or multiple nodules or masses in different organs. Slight hyperintensity on T1 and slight hypointensity on T2 with decreased diffusivity and homogeneous enhancement are relatively characteristic imaging findings of juvenile xanthogranuloma. Combined with its typical skin lesions and imaging features, radiologists should include juvenile xanthogranuloma in the differential diagnosis when confronted with similar cases.

[Clinical features and genetic analysis of a child with 3-methylglutenedioic aciduria type VII due to novel variants of CLPB gene].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical features and genetic basis for a child with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria type VII. METHODS: A child who was diagnosed at the Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital on August 9, 2019 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the child, including urine gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, were collected. The child and her parents were subjected to whole exome sequencing. RESULTS: The child, a female neonate, had presented mainly with intermittent skin cyanosis, convulsions, hypomagnesemia, apnea, neutropenia after birth. Her urine 3-methylpentenedioic acid has increased to 17.53 µmol/L. DNA sequencing revealed that she has harbored compound heterozygous variants of the CLPB gene, namely c.1016delT (p.L339Rfs*5) and c.1087A>G (p.R363G), which were respectively inherited from her mother and father. Both variants were unreported previously. Based on the standards from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the variants were respectively predicted to be pathogenic and likely pathogenic. CONCLUSION: The child was diagnosed with 3-methylglutenedioic aciduria type VII. Discovery of the c.1016delT and c.1087A>G variants has enriched the mutational spectrum of the CLPB gene.

Deep Learning for Prediction of N2 Metastasis and Survival for Clinical Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background Preoperative mediastinal staging is crucial for the optimal management of clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Purpose To develop a deep learning signature for N2 metastasis prediction and prognosis stratification in clinical stage I NSCLC. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study conducted from May 2020 to October 2020 in a population with clinical stage I NSCLC, an internal cohort was adopted to establish a deep learning signature. Subsequently, the predictive efficacy and biologic basis of the proposed signature were investigated in an external cohort. A multicenter diagnostic trial (registration number: ChiCTR2000041310) was also performed to evaluate its clinical utility. Finally, on the basis of the N2 risk scores, the instructive significance of the signature in prognostic stratification was explored. The diagnostic efficiency was quantified with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and the survival outcomes were assessed using the Cox proportional hazards model. Results A total of 3096 patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 60 years ± 9; 1703 men) were included in the study. The proposed signature achieved AUCs of 0.82, 0.81, and 0.81 in an internal test set (n = 266), external test cohort (n = 133), and prospective test cohort (n = 300), respectively. In addition, higher deep learning scores were associated with a lower frequency of EGFR mutation (P = .04), higher rate of ALK fusion (P = .02), and more activation of pathways of tumor proliferation (P < .001). Furthermore, in the internal test set and external cohort, higher deep learning scores were predictive of poorer overall survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.9; 95% CI: 1.2, 6.9; P = .02) and recurrence-free survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.2; 95% CI: 1.4, 7.4; P = .007). Conclusion The deep learning signature could accurately predict N2 disease and stratify prognosis in clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer. © RSNA, 2021 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Park and Lee in this issue.

The role of pirfenidone in the treatment of interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features.

OBJECTIVES: No approved pharmacotherapies are available for patients with interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF). In the present work, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pirfenidone for the treatment of IPAF. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study consisting of patients who met diagnostic criteria for IPAF was performed after a multidisciplinary review, and the patients receiving pirfenidone were compared with those in the non-pirfenidone group. The baseline data and diagnostic characteristics of patients were assessed. Pulmonary function and prednisone dose were analysed by a mix-effects model. RESULTS: A total of 184 patients, who met the diagnostic criteria of IPAF, were divided into two groups: pirfenidone group (n=81) and non-pirfenidone group (n=103). Patients in the pirfenidone group had a lower forced vital capacity (FVC%, p<0.001) and a lower diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO%, p=0.003). The pirfenidone group exhibited a greater increase of FVC% at 6 (p=0.003), 12 (p=0.013), and 24 (p=0.003) months. After adjustment for sex, age, UIP pattern, baseline FVC% and DLCO%, patients in the pirfenidone group continued to show a greater improvement in FVC% (χ2(1)=4.59, p=0.032). Subgroup analysis identified superior therapeutic effects of pirfenidone in patients with dosage >600 mg/day (p=0.010) and medication course >12 months (p=0.007). Besides, the pirfenidone group had a lower prednisone dose than the non-pirfenidone group after 12 months of treatment (p=0.002). Moreover, 17 patients (19.32%) experienced side effects after taking pirfenidone, including one case of anaphylactic shock. CONCLUSIONS: Pirfenidone (600-1,800 mg/day) might help improve FVC, with an acceptable safety and tolerability profile in IPAF patients.

Groundwater antibiotics and microplastics in a drinking-water source area, northern China: Occurrence, spatial distribution, risk assessment, and correlation.

In recent years, antibiotics and microplastics have both received increasing attention. However, the contamination and correlation between the two pollutants in the groundwater of drinking-water source areas has not yet been considered. In this study, eight antibiotics were detected in 81 groundwater samples from a drinking-water source area. These were trimethoprim (TMP), sulfadimidine (SDD), sulfadiazine (SDZ), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), sulfachloropyridazine (SCP), norfloxacin (NOR), ciprofloxacin (CIP) and enrofloxacin (ENRO). Detection rates ranged from 1.23% to 95.06% and the maximum concentration ranged from 0.44 ng/L to 45.40 ng/L. Antibiotics in the groundwater pose no threat to human health, while only ENRO, CIP, NOR, SMX, and SDZ posed medium to low risks to the aquatic ecosystem. In contrast, the detection rate of microplastics was 100% with abundance values ranging from 4 n/L to 72 n/L, with an average of 29 n/L. Microplastic polymers were identified as polyamide, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride and polystyrene. These also occurred in surface water but the particle sizes in groundwater were lower than those in the surface water. Through correlation analysis, it was found that NOR, ENRO and total antibiotic concentrations were significantly correlated with microplastic abundances. This study revealed the contamination and potential risks of antibiotics and microplastics in the groundwater of a drinking-water source area and found a correlation between them, indicating that risk management of antibiotics and microplastics in groundwater should be highly concerned.

Chest high-resolution computed tomography can make higher accurate stages for thoracic sarcoidosis than X-ray.

BACKGROUND: To explore if chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) can make higher accurate stages for thoracic sarcoidosis stage than X-ray (CRX) only. METHODS: Clinical data from medical records of consecutive patients with a confirmed diagnosis of pulmonary sarcoidosis at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from January 1 2012 to December 31 2016 and consecutive patients treated at the Sarcoidosis Center of University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Ohio, USA from January 1 2010 to December 31 2015 were reviewed. The clinical records of 227 patients diagnosed with sarcoidosis (140 Chinese and 87 American) were reviewed. Their sarcoidosis stage was determined by three thoracic radiologists based on CXR and HRCT presentations, respectively. The stage determined from CXR was compared with that determined from HRCT. RESULTS: Overall, 50.2% patients showed discordant sarcoidosis stage between CXR and HRCT (52.9% in Chinese and 44.8% in American, respectively). The primary reason for inconsistent stage between CXR and HRCT was failure to detect mediastinal lymph node enlargement in the shadow of the heart in CXR (22.1%) and small nodules because of the limited resolution of CXR (56.6%). Stage determined from HRCT negatively correlated with carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) significantly (P < .01) but stage determined from CXR did not. Pleural involvement was detected by HRCT in 58 (25.6%) patients but only in 17 patients (7.5%) by CXR. Patients with pleural involvement had significantly lower forced vital capacity and DLCO than patients without it (both P < .05). CONCLUSION: Revised staging criteria based on HRCT presentations included 5 stages with subtypes in the presence of pleural involvement were proposed. Thoracic sarcoidosis can be staged more accurately based on chest HRCT presentations than based on CXR presentations. Pleural involvement can be detected more accurately by HRCT.

Predicting EGFR mutation status in lung adenocarcinoma on computed tomography image using deep learning.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) genotyping is critical for treatment guidelines such as the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in lung adenocarcinoma. Conventional identification of EGFR genotype requires biopsy and sequence testing which is invasive and may suffer from the difficulty of accessing tissue samples. Here, we propose a deep learning model to predict EGFR mutation status in lung adenocarcinoma using non-invasive computed tomography (CT).We retrospectively collected data from 844 lung adenocarcinoma patients with pre-operative CT images, EGFR mutation and clinical information from two hospitals. An end-to-end deep learning model was proposed to predict the EGFR mutation status by CT scanning.By training in 14 926 CT images, the deep learning model achieved encouraging predictive performance in both the primary cohort (n=603; AUC 0.85, 95% CI 0.83-0.88) and the independent validation cohort (n=241; AUC 0.81, 95% CI 0.79-0.83), which showed significant improvement over previous studies using hand-crafted CT features or clinical characteristics (p<0.001). The deep learning score demonstrated significant differences in EGFR-mutant and EGFR-wild type tumours (p<0.001).Since CT is routinely used in lung cancer diagnosis, the deep learning model provides a non-invasive and easy-to-use method for EGFR mutation status prediction.

Thick-wall cavity predicts worse progression-free survival in lung adenocarcinoma treated with first-line EGFR-TKIs.

BACKGROUND: Cavity occurs in 5.7 to 14.9% of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (ADC). However, the impact of cavity on the therapeutic response to epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in ADC patients with EGFR mutations remains unclear. The aim of the present retrospective study was to elucidate the incidence and detailed characteristics of EGFR-mutant cavitary ADC and investigate the efficacy of EGFR-TKI treatment in this subgroup. METHODS: Two hundred seventy-six consecutive patients with advanced EGFR-mutant lung ADC treated with first-line EGFR-TKIs were enrolled. Cavitation and the thickness of cavity wall were assessed based on high-resolution computed tomography scans. Progression-free survival (PFS) was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier plots and the log-rank test was used to calculate the significance between groups. RESULTS: Cavity occurred in 5.4% (15/276) of patients with EGFR-mutant lung ADC and was more prevalent among male patients (66.7% vs. 33.3%, P = 0.008). Of the 15 EGFR-mutant cavitary ADC, 9 patients had exon 19 deletion (19DEL) and 6 harbored L858R mutation, 9 patients had thick-wall cavity while 6 had thin-wall cavity. Cavity had an adverse impact on the PFS of EGFR-mutant ADC treated with first-line EGFR-TKIs (noncavity versus cavity, 11.0 versus 6.5 months, hazard ratio [HR]: 0.33, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.15-0.73, P = 0.003). The impaired effect was only observed in patients with L858R mutation (11.0 vs. 4.2 months, HR: 0.05, 95%CI, 0.01-0.27, P = 0.0003) but not in those with 19DEL (10.4 versus 9.7 months, HR: 0.73, 95%CI, 0.30-1.75, P = 0.483). All six L858R-mutant cavitary ADC patients had thick-wall cavity while thick-wall cavity was only identified in one thirds (3/9) of patients with 19DEL. Further analyses showed that patients with thick-wall cavity had worse PFS (6.0 versus 11.0 months, P = 0.013). Multivariate analysis identified cavity as an independent predictive factor for PFS (HR: 0.49, 95% CI, 0.26-0.90, P = 0.022). CONCLUSION: Cavitary ADC was associated with a worse PFS of first-line EGFR-TKI therapy, mainly in those with L858R mutation. Thick-wall cavity formation may be the main cause that contribute to the worse PFS.

Radiomic signature as a diagnostic factor for histologic subtype classification of non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To distinguish squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) from lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) based on a radiomic signature METHODS: This study involved 129 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (81 in the training cohort and 48 in the independent validation cohort). Approximately 485 features were extracted from a manually outlined tumor region. The LASSO logistic regression model selected the key features of a radiomic signature. Receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the performance of the radiomic signature in the training and validation cohorts. RESULTS: Five features were selected to construct the radiomic signature for histologic subtype classification. The performance of the radiomic signature to distinguish between lung ADC and SCC in both training and validation cohorts was good, with an AUC of 0.905 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.838 to 0.971), sensitivity of 0.830, and specificity of 0.929. In the validation cohort, the radiomic signature showed an AUC of 0.893 (95% CI: 0.789 to 0.996), sensitivity of 0.828, and specificity of 0.900. CONCLUSIONS: A unique radiomic signature was constructed for use as a diagnostic factor for discriminating lung ADC from SCC. Patients with NSCLC will benefit from the proposed radiomic signature. KEY POINTS: • Machine learning can be used for auxiliary distinguish in lung cancer. • Radiomic signature can discriminate lung ADC from SCC. • Radiomics can help to achieve precision medical treatment.

Value of CT Characteristics in Predicting Invasiveness of Adenocarcinoma Presented as Pulmonary Ground-Glass Nodules.

Background Less invasive adenocarcinomas (LIAs) of the lung, including adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA), are indications of sublobar resection and has a 5-year disease-free survival rate of almost 100% after surgery. By distinguishing invasive adenocarcinoma from LIA with computed tomography (CT) characteristics, it is possible to determine the extent of resection and prognosis for patients with ground-glass nodules (GGNs) before surgery. Methods We reviewed CT and pathological findings of 728 GGNs in 645 consecutive patients who received curative lung resection in a single center. Only AIS, MIA, and invasive adenocarcinoma were included. Characteristics of CT, including maximum diameter of the lesion (Lmax) and maximum diameter of the consolidation (Cmax), were assessed thoroughly. Results Multivariate logistic regression showed that larger Lmax (p < 0.001) and nonsmooth margin (p = 0.001) were independent factors for invasive adenocarcinoma in pure GGNs (pGGNs). The optimal cut-off value of Lmax was 12.0 mm. In mixed GGNs (mGGNs), multivariate analysis revealed that larger Lmax (p < 0.001), larger Cmax (p = 0.032), and vacuole sign (p = 0.007) were predictive factors for invasive adenocarcinoma, and the area under curve of regression model was 0.866. The optimal cut-off values of Lmax and Cmax were 15.4 and 5.8 mm, respectively. No node metastasis was found in 295 patients who had at least three stations of mediastinal lymph nodes dissected. Conclusion In pGGNs, larger Lmax (>12.0 mm) and nonsmooth margin were reliable predictors for invasive adenocarcinoma. In mGGNs, lesions with larger Lmax (>15.4 mm), larger Cmax (>5.8 mm), and vacuole sign were more likely to be invasive adenocarcinoma.

The clinical and imaging features of eosinophilic cystitis in children: a case series study.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic cystitis (EC) is rare in children and remains poorly understood. Our aim was to analyse the clinical and imaging features of eosinophilic cystitis in children. METHODS: A retrospective review of histologically confirmed eosinophilic cystitis between January 2008 and December 2022 was performed, including patient age, sex, symptoms, laboratory examination, radiology, treatment and outcome. RESULTS: Twelve children (two girls, 10 boys; age range: 3-12 years, mean age: 7.2 years) were included in the study. Urinary irritation symptoms (10/12), haematuria (5/12) and hypogastralgia (3/12) were the most common symptoms. Five patients had a history of allergies, six patients had elevated serum IgE, nine patients had elevated peripheral eosinophils and six patients had positive microscopic haematuria. Radiology revealed diffuse homogeneous or inhomogeneous thickening in seven patients, localised thickening in three patients, and solitary tumour-like lesions in the other two patients. Preservation of the mucosal line and bladder wall layering were observed in eleven patients, and perivesical exudation and small vessel dilatation were observed in ten patients. All four patients with delayed scans showed obvious delayed enhancement. One patient showed low signal intensity on T2-W imaging. All patients received antihistamine, antibiotic and/or corticosteroid therapy and two tumour-like patients underwent transurethral resection. Nine patients achieved complete response and three patients achieved partial response. CONCLUSION: The clinical and imaging manifestations of EC in children have relative characteristics; when urologist and radiologist confronted with similar cases, EC should be considered. The final diagnosis depends on pathological biopsy.

The Status and Influencing Factors of COVID-19 Vaccination for 3-7-Year-Old Children Born Prematurely.

Objective: To explore the status and influencing factors of COVID-19 vaccination for 3-7-year-old children born prematurely. Methods: A questionnaire was administered to parents of preterm infants born between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2019 in Gansu Maternal and Child Health Hospital using convenience sampling. Results: It was found that 96.81% of 282 parents had known about COVID-19 vaccines and acquired COVID-19- and vaccine-related knowledge primarily through WeChat (104/282, 36.88%) and TikTok (91/282, 32.27%). Most parents of the group whose children were vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine believed that this approach was effective in preventing COVID-19 (49.75%), whereas most parents of the group whose children were not vaccinated were worried about the adverse reaction and safety of the vaccine (45.88%). According to the regression analysis, the risk factors of children born prematurely receiving a COVID-19 vaccine were no vaccination against COVID-19 in the mothers (odds ratio [OR]=48.489, 95% CI: 6.524-360.406) and in younger children (OR=12.157, 95% CI: 6.388-23.139). Previous history of referral (OR=0.229, 95% CI: 0.057-0.920), history of diseases (OR=0.130, 95% CI: 0.034-0.503) and high educational level of guardians (OR=0.142, 95% CI: 0.112-0.557) were protective factors for children born prematurely to receive COVID-19 vaccination. Conclusion: There is a relatively high proportion of children born prematurely receiving COVID-19 vaccination, but some people still have concerns. Publicity in the later stage can be conducted through WeChat, TikTok and other social media platforms, with special attention paid to the populations with lower education levels.

Pulmonary Function Recovery and Displacement Patterns After Anatomic Segmentectomy vs Lobectomy.

BACKGROUND: The functional benefit of segmentectomy compared with lobectomy remains controversial. This ambispective study characterizes the changes in pulmonary function as correlated to displacement patterns of residual lung after segmentectomies vs lobectomies. METHODS: Patients with normal preoperative pulmonary function and undergoing segmentectomy or lobectomy between 2017 and 2021 were considered. Pulmonary function testing was scheduled preoperatively and at least 3 months postoperatively. Differences in the proportions of the median forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) reduction between segmentectomy and lobectomy were calculated. Covariance analysis was used to estimate the adjusted postoperative FEV1 (apoFEV1) and compare the difference value (DV) in apoFEV1 between segmentectomy and lobectomy. RESULTS: The study enrolled 634 patients (334 lobectomies and 300 segmentectomies). Median difference in the proportions of the FEV1 reduction between segmentectomy and lobectomy was 4.58%, with maximal difference observed in right S6 (9.08%) and minimal difference in left S1+2+3 (2.80%). For resections involving the upper lobe, apoFEV1 was significantly higher after segmentectomy than after lobectomy (DV, 0.15-0.22 L), except for left S3 and S1+2+3 segmentectomies (DV, 0.08 L and 0.06 L, respectively). Compared with a lower lobe lobectomy, S6 segmentectomy conferred a higher apoFEV1, whereas S7+8 and S9+10 had a similar apoFEV1 (DV, 0.16-0.18 L, 0.07 L, and 0.00-0.06 L, respectively). Functional recovery after segmentectomy was associated with the number of intersegment planes (P < .01) and the presence of an adjacent nonoperated on lobe (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Basilar and left S3 segmentectomies did not preserve more pulmonary function compared with their corresponding lobectomies, possibly due to the presence of multiple intersegmental resection planes.

Efficacy and safety of local ablative therapy for patients with NSCLC and coexisting interstitial lung disease.

BACKGROUND: The effective therapeutic approach is still an unmet need for patients diagnosed with both lung cancer and interstitial lung disease (ILD). This is primarily due to the possible risk of ILD exacerbation caused by surgery or radiotherapy. The current study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of local ablative therapy (LAT) for this specific population. METHODS: Consecutive patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and ILD who received LAT between January 2018 and August 2022 were enrolled, and propensity score matching (PSM) was utilized to match the non-ILD group. The primary endpoint was recurrence-free survival (RFS), and secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), adverse events (AEs) and hospital length of stay (HLOS). RESULTS: The PSM algorithm yielded matched pairs in the ILD group (n = 25) and non-ILD group (n = 72) at a ratio of 1:3. There were no statistically significant differences in RFS (median 16.4 vs. 18 months; HR = 1.452, p = 0.259) and OS (median: not reached vs. 47.9 months; HR = 1.096, p = 0.884) between the two groups. Meanwhile, no acute exacerbation of ILD was observed in the ILD group. However, the incidence of pneumothorax, especially pneumothorax requiring chest tube drainage, was significantly higher (36.0% vs. 11.2%, p = 0.005) among patients with NSCLC and co-existing ILD, which resulted in longer HLOS (p = 0.045). CONCLUSION: Although ILD was associated with a higher incidence of pneumothorax, the efficacy of LAT for NSCLC patients with ILD was comparable to those without ILD, suggesting that LAT might be a reliable and effective treatment option for this population, particularly in the early stage.

[Small molecule inhibitor SB203580 enhances the antitumor effect of gefitinib in PC-9 and A549 lung cancer cell lines].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the inhibitory effect of a p38MAPK inhibitor SB203580 in combination with gefitinib on lung adenocarcinoma cell line PC-9 cells and A549 cells, and its cellular and molecular mechanisms of action. METHODS: MTT test was used to detect the growth inhibition of PC-9 and A549 cells by SB203580 alone and in combination with gefitinib. Cell apoptosis and cell cycles were determined by flow cytometry. The expressions of p38 and phosphorylated -p38 proteins in the two cell lines were analyzed by immunofluorescence microscopy. The associated protein expression was determined by Western-blot. RESULTS: Compared with the SB203580 group and gefitinib group, the growth inhibition and cell apoptosis of PC-9 cells in the SB203580 + gefitinib group were significantly increased (P < 0.05). The inhibition rate of PC-9 cells of 2 µmol/L SB203580 + 0.01 µmol/L gefitinib group was (46.6 ± 2.4)%, significantly higher than that induced by 0.01 µmol/L gefitinib (12.7 ± 1.5%) (P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence microscopy showed a low expression of phosphorylated-p38 protein in A549 cells and high expression in PC-9 cells. Flow cytometry showed that PC-9 cells in the SB203580 + gefitinib group were (77.35 ± 2.83)% at G0/G1 phase, (3.38 ± 0.84)% at S phase, and (19.56 ± 1.99)% at G2/M phase. Western-blotting showed that compared with the control group, the expression of phosphorylated Akt and phospho-p38 proteins in PC-9 cells of the SB203580 + gefitinib group was almost completely suppressed. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the small molecular inhibitor SB203580 can effectively enhance the inhibitory effect of gefitinib on lung adenocarcinoma PC-9 cells. The enhanced inhibitory effect of SB203580 may be correlated with the blockage of p38MAPK signal transduction pathway.

[Construction of RGD10-NGR9 dual-targeting superparamagnetic iron oxide and its magnetic resonance imaging features in nude mice].

OBJECTIVE: To construct angiogenesis-specific RGD10-NGR9 dual-targeting superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, and to evaluate its magnetic resonamce imaging (MRI) features in nude mice and potential diagnostic value in tumor MRI. METHODS: Dual-targeting peptides RGD10-NGR9 were designed and synthesized. Ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation method and the surface was modified to be hydrophilic by coating with dextran. The dual-targeting peptides RGD10-NGR9 were conjugated to USPIO. Cell binding affinity and up-taking ability of the dual-targeting USPIO nanoparticles to integrin ανß3-APN positive cells were subsequently tested by Prussian blue staining and phenanthroline colorimetry in vitro. The RGD10-NGR9 conjugated with USPIO was injected intravenously into xenograft mice, which were scanned by MRI at predetermined time points. The MRI and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) values were calculated to evaluate the ability of dual-targeting USPIO as a potential contrast agent in nude mice. RESULTS: P-CLN-Dextran-USPIO nanoparticles with stable physical properties were successfully constructed. The average diameter of Fe3O4 nanoparticles was 8-10 nm, that of Dextran-USPIO was about 20 nm and P-CLN-Dextran-USPIO had an average diameter about 30 nm. The in vitro studies showed a better specificity of dual-targeting USPIO nanoparticles on proliferating human umbilical vein endothelia cells (HUVEC). In vivo, RGD10-NGR9-USPIO showed a significantly reduced contrast in signal intensity and 2.83-times increased the CNR in the tumor MRI in xenograft mice. CONCLUSION: This novel synthesized RGD10-NGR9 dual-targeting USPIO is with better specific affinity in vitro and in vivo, and might be used as a molecular contrast agent for tumor angiogenesis MRI.