Combining bi-modal imaging and immunohistochemical indicators to predict axillary lymph nodes status in cN 1 breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To investigate whether ultrasound features, mammographic features and immunohistochemical indicators show any association with rates of axillary pathologic complete response(pCR) in cN 1 breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC), and to construct prediction models of axillary pCR to predict axillary lymph nodes (ALN) status, so as to select suitable patients for less invasive axillary surgery after NAC. Methods:This retrospective study evaluated 134 consecutive cN 1 breast cancer patients with ALN metastasis who underwent NAC in the Second Affiliated Hospital and Tumor Hospital of Harbin Medical University from July 2020 to July 2022. According to the pathological results of ALN surgery after NAC, the cases were divided into pCR and non pathologic complete respose(npCR) groups. The ultrasound images, mammographic images and immunohistochemical indicators of the two groups were compared. In terms of logistic regression algorithm, the model A(the ultrasound model), the model B(the ultrasound combined with mammography model), the model C(the ultrasound combined with immunohistochemistry model) and the model D(the ultrasound combined with mammography and immunohistochemistry model) were respectively established for predicting the pathological state of axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients, ROC curves were plotted to evaluate the performance of the models, and the diagnostic efficiency of different models was compared by Delong′s test. The model with the best predictive performance was shown in a nomogram. Results:①The P values between two groups of the short diameter of ALN, the ratio of long/short diameter of ALN, fatty hilum and central hilar vascularity, mammographic spiculation, estrogen receptor(ER), progesterone receptor(PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2) were <0.05 by the t test and χ 2 test analysis. ②The ratio of long/short diameter and fatty hilum in the model A were independent factors for predicting the pathological status of ALN after NAC. The independent predictors of model B and Model C were respectively added with mammographic spiculation and immunohistochemical indicators (ER, PR) on the basis of model A. In the model D, the ratio of long/short diameter, short diameter, fatty hilum, mammographic spiculation, and immunohistochemical indicators (ER, PR) remained significant independent predictors associated with axillary pCR. ③The area under ROC curve (AUC) of the model A, B, C, D was 0.78, 0.84, 0.84 and 0.89, respectively. The sensitivity was 0.71, 0.80, 0.78 and 0.86, the specificity was 0.76, 0.74, 0.76 and 0.80, and the accuracy was 0.73, 0.76, 0.77 and 0.83, respectively. ④Delong′s test showed the model D had an improved AUC of 0.89(0.89 vs 0.78, 0.84, 0.84, all P<0.05). Conclusions:The prediction models combining bi-modal imaging and immunohistochemical indicators show good prediction ability and can provide reference for selecting suitable patients for less invasive axillary surgery after NAC.

Quantitative evaluation of left ventricular systolic function in hyperglycemia during pregnancy by left ventricular pressure-strain loop / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To detect the changes of left ventricular myocardial work parameters, and evaluate the left ventricular systolic function in patients with hyperglycemia during pregnancy by left ventricular pressure-strain loop (PSL).Methods:From June 2021 to March 2022, 97 pregnant women who were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University and clinically diagnosed as gestational hyperglycemia were prospectively and randomly selected. According to the blood glucose level, the patients were divided into gestational dominant diabetes mellitus (ODM) group(39 cases) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) group(58 cases). Meanwhile, another 62 healthy pregnant women were selected as control group. The basic clinical data of the pregnant women were collected, and the conventional two-dimensional parameters of the heart were collected. The global longitudinal strain (GLS) was analyzed by two-dimensional speckle tracking technique. Then the cuff blood pressure was used as the left ventricular pressure to construct a non-invasive left ventricular pressure-strain loop. The global myocardial work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW) and global work efficiency (GWE) of each group were calculated and compared. The correlation between myocardial performance parameters and GLS, glycated hemoglobin(HbA 1c) were analyzed, and the independent factors affecting left ventricular systolic function were obtained by Logistic regression analysis. Twenty cases were randomly selected from the study subjects, and the intraclass correlation coefficients(ICC) of within the observers and between observers were calculated for repeatability test. Results:①Conventional ultrasound parameters: There were no significant differences among the three groups (all P>0.05). ②GLS and left ventricular myocardial performance parameters: GWI, GWE, GCW and GLS in GDM and ODM groups were significantly lower than those in control group (all P<0.001), GWW was significantly higher than control group ( P<0.001); GWI, GWE, GCW and GLS in ODM group were lower than those in GDM group (all P<0.001), while GWW was higher than control group ( P<0.001). ③GWE, GWI and GCW were negatively correlated with GLS ( r=-0.525, -0.408, -0.435; all P<0.05), GWW was positively correlated with GLS ( r=0.348, P<0.05). GWE, GWI and GCW were negatively correlated with HbA 1c ( r=-0.325, -0.262, -0.250; all P<0.05), while GWW was positively correlated with HbA 1c ( r=0.175, P<0.05). ④GWE, 1 h oral glucose tolerance test and HbA 1c were the influencing factors of left ventricular systolic function in patients with hyperglycemia during pregnancy. ⑤The predictive values of GWI, GWE, GCW, GWW and GLS for cardiac function in patients with gestational hyperglycemia were high, and the predictive value of GWE was the highest (AUC: 0.87, the best truncation value: 94.5%, specificity: 0.76, sensitivity: 0.82) and better than GLS. ⑥The repeatability of myocardial work parameters was better in both groups. Conclusions:Myocardial work parameters obtained by PSL are early and sensitive parameters for evaluating left ventricular systolic function impairment in patients with hyperglycemia during pregnancy which can provide reliable and objective quantitative indicators for early clinical intervention and improvement of prognosis.

Prediction of Ki-67 expression level in mass breast cancers using multi-modal ultrasound features / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To predict the Ki-67 expression grading in patients with mass breast cancer based on multimodal ultrasound features to aid clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods:Ninety-three female patients (93 masses in total) with breast cancers confirmed by pathological examination were retrospectively included in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from September 2017 to September 2020. According to the immunohistochemical results, the patients were divided into Ki-67 high expression group (55 cases) and Ki-67 low expression group (38 cases). The qualitative and quantitative features from two-dimensional gray-scale ultrasound, color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI), shear wave elastography (SWE) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) images of all breast masses were retrospectively analyzed, differential features were analyzed based on logistic regression algorithm. ROC curves and Kappa test were used for the evaluation of diagnosis.Results:The univariate analysis revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups for conventional ultrasound features (size, shape, margins), SWE features (stiff rim sign, Eratio), and CEUS features (perfusion defect, IMAX) (all P<0.05). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, the margins, stiff rim sign, and perfusion defect were the independent factors for predicting the Ki-67 expression (all P<0.05). The performance of the predictive model was 0.882 (95%confidence interval of 0.798-0.940, P<0.05) with the sensitivity of 0.818 and specificity of 0.790. Conclusions:A preliminary analysis of the relationship between multi-modal ultrasound features and Ki-67 expression grading in mass breast cancers was performed based on logistic regression algorithm to provide more imaging information for clinical treatment and prognosis assessment.

Superiority of Multimedia in Ultrasound Diagnostics Teaching / 中华医学教育探索杂志

This article introduces the way of making and using ultrasound multimedia courseware,which can improve teaching means,enrich teaching contents,activate classroom atmosphere and enhance the connection of basic and clinical knowledge.Meanwhile,the environment request of the demonstration courseware and interaction courseware as well as the necessity and significance of multimedia in ultrasound teaching are discussed.It is suggested that computer assisted instruction(CAI) plays an important role in ultrasound teaching.

The Application of the Visualization Technology Based on VREL in the Ultrasound Teaching / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Through the Introduction of the visualization technology based on VREL and its application in ultrasound teaching,the teaching means has been changed,the teaching content enriched and the contact between basic and clinic knowledge enhanced,which indicates that the visualization technology exerts an important role in ultrasound teaching.