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1.
Neuroimage ; 297: 120738, 2024 Aug 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39009248

ABSTRACT

Ultrasound imaging stands as the predominant modality for neonatal health assessment, with recent advancements in ultrafast Doppler (µDoppler) technology offering significant promise in fields such as neonatal brain imaging. Combining µDoppler with high-frequency ultrasound (HF-µDoppler) presents a potential efficient avenue to enhance in vivo microvascular imaging in small animals, notably newborn rats, a crucial preclinical animal model for neonatal disease and development research. It is necessary to verify the imaging performance of HF-µDoppler in preclinical trials. This study investigates the microvascular imaging capabilities of HF-µDoppler using a 30 MHz high-frequency linear array probe in newborn rats. Results demonstrate the clarity of cerebral microvascular imaging in rats aged 1 to 7 postnatal days, extending to whole-body microvascular imaging, encompassing the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. In conclusion, HF-µDoppler technology emerges as a reliable imaging tool, offering a new perspective for preclinical investigations into neonatal diseases and development.


Subject(s)
Animals, Newborn , Brain , Microvessels , Animals , Rats , Microvessels/diagnostic imaging , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Brain/blood supply , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Ultrasonography, Doppler/methods
2.
Liver Transpl ; 30(8): 805-815, 2024 Aug 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38466885

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to propose an innovative intraoperative criterion in a liver transplantation setting that would judge arterial flow abnormality that may lead to early hepatic arterial occlusion, that is, thrombosis or stenosis, when left untreated and to carry out reanastomosis. After liver graft implantation, and after ensuring that there is no abnormality on the Doppler ultrasound (qualitative and quantitative assessment), we intraoperatively injected indocyanine green dye (0.01 mg/Kg), and we quantified the fluorescence signal at the graft pedicle using ImageJ software. From the obtained images of 89 adult patients transplanted in our center between September 2017 and April 2019, we constructed fluorescence intensity curves of the hepatic arterial signal and examined their relationship with the occurrence of early hepatic arterial occlusion (thrombosis or stenosis). Early hepatic arterial occlusion occurred in 7 patients (7.8%), including 3 thrombosis and 4 stenosis. Among various parameters of the flow intensity curve analyzed, the ratio of peak to plateau fluorescence intensity and the jagged wave pattern at the plateau phase were closely associated with this dreaded event. By combining the ratio of peak to plateau at 0.275 and a jagged wave, we best predicted the occurrence of early hepatic arterial occlusion and thrombosis, with sensitivity/specificity of 0.86/0.98 and 1.00/0.94, respectively. Through a simple composite parameter, the indocyanine green fluorescence imaging system is an additional and promising intraoperative modality for identifying recipients of transplant at high risk of developing early hepatic arterial occlusion. This tool could assist the surgeon in the decision to redo the anastomosis despite normal Doppler ultrasonography.


Subject(s)
Hepatic Artery , Indocyanine Green , Liver Transplantation , Optical Imaging , Thrombosis , Humans , Liver Transplantation/adverse effects , Liver Transplantation/methods , Indocyanine Green/administration & dosage , Hepatic Artery/diagnostic imaging , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Optical Imaging/methods , Thrombosis/etiology , Thrombosis/diagnostic imaging , Aged , Adult , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Postoperative Complications/diagnostic imaging , Postoperative Complications/epidemiology , Postoperative Complications/diagnosis , Ultrasonography, Doppler/methods , Predictive Value of Tests , Arterial Occlusive Diseases/etiology , Arterial Occlusive Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Arterial Occlusive Diseases/diagnosis , Arterial Occlusive Diseases/surgery , Liver/diagnostic imaging , Liver/blood supply , Liver/surgery , Coloring Agents/administration & dosage , Constriction, Pathologic/etiology , Monitoring, Intraoperative/methods , Retrospective Studies , Intraoperative Care/methods
3.
Ann Rheum Dis ; 83(7): 847-857, 2024 Jun 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38443140

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To assess, in spondyloarthritis (SpA), the discriminative value of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) ultrasound lesions of enthesitis and their associations with clinical features in this population. METHODS: In this multicentre study involving 20 rheumatology centres, clinical and ultrasound examinations of the lower limb large entheses were performed in 413 patients with SpA (axial SpA and psoriatic arthritis) and 282 disease controls (osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia). 'Active enthesitis' was defined as (1) power Doppler (PD) at the enthesis grade ≥1 plus entheseal thickening and/or hypoechoic areas, or (2) PD grade >1 (independent of the presence of entheseal thickening and/or hypoechoic areas). RESULTS: In the univariate analysis, all OMERACT lesions except enthesophytes/calcifications showed a significant association with SpA. PD (OR=8.77, 95% CI 4.40 to 19.20, p<0.001) and bone erosions (OR=4.75, 95% CI 2.43 to 10.10, p<0.001) retained this association in the multivariate analysis. Among the lower limb entheses, only the Achilles tendon was significantly associated with SpA (OR=1.93, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.88, p<0.001) in the multivariate analyses. Active enthesitis showed a significant association with SpA (OR=9.20, 95% CI 4.21 to 23.20, p<0.001), and unlike the individual OMERACT ultrasound lesions it was consistently associated with most clinical measures of SpA disease activity and severity in the regression analyses. CONCLUSIONS: This large multicentre study assessed the value of different ultrasound findings of enthesitis in SpA, identifying the most discriminative ultrasound lesions and entheseal sites for SpA. Ultrasound could differentiate between SpA-related enthesitis and other forms of entheseal pathology (ie, mechanical enthesitis), thus improving the assessment of entheseal involvement in SpA.


Subject(s)
Enthesopathy , Spondylarthritis , Ultrasonography, Doppler , Humans , Female , Male , Enthesopathy/diagnostic imaging , Adult , Middle Aged , Ultrasonography, Doppler/methods , Spondylarthritis/diagnostic imaging , Spondylarthritis/complications , Arthritis, Psoriatic/diagnostic imaging , Arthritis, Psoriatic/complications , Severity of Illness Index , Achilles Tendon/diagnostic imaging , Achilles Tendon/pathology , Case-Control Studies
4.
Rheumatology (Oxford) ; 63(1): 190-197, 2024 Jan 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37166435

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between sonographic enthesitis with sonographic synovitis and tenosynovitis in PsA patients, and the association between sonographic enthesitis and clinical characteristics. METHODS: Consecutive PsA patients that fulfilled the ClASsification criteria for Psoriatic ARthritis (CASPAR) were prospectively recruited. Each patient was evaluated by comprehensive clinical and sonographic assessment (greyscale and Doppler), the latter including 52 joints, 40 tendons and 14 entheses [according to MAdrid Sonography Enthesitis Index (MASEI) plus lateral epicondyles] performed by an experienced sonographer blinded to the clinical data. The US enthesitis score was further categorized to inflammatory (hypoechogenicity, thickening, bursitis and Doppler) and structural (enthesophytes/calcifications and erosions) subcategories. Multivariate linear regression models assessed the association between enthesitis and the selected variables. RESULTS: A total of 158 PsA patients [mean (s.d.) age 52.3 (13) years, 88 (55.7%) females] were analysed. Multivariate linear regression analyses showed a significant association between sonographic enthesitis and sonographic synovitis (ß = 0.18, P = 0.008) and between sonographic enthesitis and sonographic tenosynovitis (ß = 0.06, P = 0.02). These associations were derived from the enthesitis inflammatory subcategory of the MASEI (P < 0.05). Associations between enthesitis and synovitis were also demonstrated on the level of the elbow, knee and ankle joints (P < 0.05). In addition, sonographic enthesitis was significantly associated with older age, male sex, swollen joint count, CRP level and physical occupation. CONCLUSIONS: Sonographic enthesitis is associated with sonographic synovitis and tenosynovitis. The severity of sonographic enthesitis may represent a marker for inflammatory activity in other musculoskeletal domains.


Subject(s)
Arthritis, Psoriatic , Enthesopathy , Synovitis , Tenosynovitis , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Arthritis, Psoriatic/complications , Arthritis, Psoriatic/diagnostic imaging , Tenosynovitis/diagnostic imaging , Ultrasonography , Synovitis/diagnostic imaging , Ultrasonography, Doppler , Enthesopathy/diagnostic imaging , Severity of Illness Index
5.
J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol ; 35(8): 1589-1600, 2024 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38837477

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The underlying risks of asymptomatic embolization during high-power short-duration (HPSD) ablation for atrial fibrillation remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate microembolic signals (MESs) during HPSD ablation with power settings of 50 and 90 W in comparison with those during cryoballoon (CB) ablation using a novel carotid ultrasound-Doppler system that classifies solid and air bubble signals using real-time monitoring. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty-seven patients underwent HPSD ablation using radiofrequency (RF), and 13 underwent CB ablation. MESs were evaluated using a novel pastable soft ultrasound probe equipped with a carotid ultrasound during pulmonary vein isolation. We compared the detailed MESs and their timing between RF and CB ablations. The number of MESs and solid signals were significantly higher in the RF group than in CB group (209 ± 229 vs. 79 ± 32, p = .047, and 83 ± 89 vs. 28 ± 17, p = .032, respectively). In RF ablation, the number of MESs, solid, and bubble signals per ablation point, or per second, was significantly higher at 90 W than at 50 W ablation. The MESs, solid, and bubble signals were detected more frequently in the bottom and anterior walls of the left pulmonary vein (LPV) ablation. In contrast, many MESs were observed before the first CB application and decreased chronologically as the procedure progressed. Signals were more prevalent during the CB interval rather than during the freezing time. Among the 28 patients, 4 exhibited a high-intensity area on postbrain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The MRI-positive group showed a trend of larger signal sizes than did the MRI-negative group. CONCLUSION: The number of MESs was higher in the HPSD RF group than in the CB group, with this risk being more pronounced in the 90 W ablation group. The primary detection site was the anterior wall of the LPV in RF and the first interval in CB ablation.


Subject(s)
Atrial Fibrillation , Cryosurgery , Pulmonary Veins , Humans , Pulmonary Veins/surgery , Pulmonary Veins/diagnostic imaging , Pulmonary Veins/physiopathology , Atrial Fibrillation/surgery , Atrial Fibrillation/diagnostic imaging , Atrial Fibrillation/physiopathology , Cryosurgery/adverse effects , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Aged , Time Factors , Treatment Outcome , Catheter Ablation/adverse effects , Predictive Value of Tests , Risk Factors , Ultrasonography, Doppler , Carotid Arteries/diagnostic imaging , Carotid Arteries/surgery , Retrospective Studies , Asymptomatic Diseases , Ultrasonography, Carotid Arteries
6.
J Vasc Surg ; 80(1): 251-259.e3, 2024 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38417709

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are at increased risk for peripheral artery disease (PAD) and its complications. Arterial calcification and non-compressibility may limit test interpretation in this population. Developing tools capable of identifying PAD and predicting major adverse cardiac event (MACE) and limb event (MALE) outcomes among patients with DM would be clinically useful. Deep neural network analysis of resting Doppler arterial waveforms was used to detect PAD among patients with DM and to identify those at greatest risk for major adverse outcome events. METHODS: Consecutive patients with DM undergoing lower limb arterial testing (April 1, 2015-December 30, 2020) were randomly allocated to training, validation, and testing subsets (60%, 20%, and 20%). Deep neural networks were trained on resting posterior tibial arterial Doppler waveforms to predict all-cause mortality, MACE, and MALE at 5 years using quartiles based on the distribution of the prediction score. RESULTS: Among 11,384 total patients, 4211 patients with DM met study criteria (mean age, 68.6 ± 11.9 years; 32.0% female). After allocating the training and validation subsets, the final test subset included 856 patients. During follow-up, there were 262 deaths, 319 MACE, and 99 MALE. Patients in the upper quartile of prediction based on deep neural network analysis of the posterior tibial artery waveform provided independent prediction of death (hazard ratio [HR], 3.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.31-5.56), MACE (HR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.49-2.91), and MALE (HR, 13.50; 95% CI, 5.83-31.27). CONCLUSIONS: An artificial intelligence enabled analysis of a resting Doppler arterial waveform permits identification of major adverse outcomes including all-cause mortality, MACE, and MALE among patients with DM.


Subject(s)
Peripheral Arterial Disease , Predictive Value of Tests , Ultrasonography, Doppler , Humans , Male , Female , Aged , Peripheral Arterial Disease/physiopathology , Peripheral Arterial Disease/diagnostic imaging , Peripheral Arterial Disease/mortality , Peripheral Arterial Disease/complications , Risk Assessment , Middle Aged , Risk Factors , Deep Learning , Reproducibility of Results , Prognosis , Aged, 80 and over , Time Factors , Tibial Arteries/diagnostic imaging , Tibial Arteries/physiopathology , Diabetic Angiopathies/physiopathology , Diabetic Angiopathies/diagnostic imaging , Diabetic Angiopathies/mortality , Diabetic Angiopathies/diagnosis
7.
Microvasc Res ; 152: 104641, 2024 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38072161

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Renal Resistive Index (RRI) is an important and non-invasive parameter of renal damage and it is associated with abnormal microcirculation or to a parenchymal injury. The aim of our study was to compare the RRI in a cohort of patients with renal diseases categorized in three groups: nephrotic syndrome (NS), acute nephritic syndrome (ANS) and patients with urinary abnormalities (UA). METHODS: Four hundred eighty-two patients with median age of 48 years (IQR 34-62) with indications for kidney disease were included in the study. Biochemical analyses, clinical assessment with detection of NS, ANS and UA and comorbidities were reported. Renal Doppler ultrasound with RRI was evaluated in all patients at the time of enrolment. RESULTS: NS was present in 81 (16.8 %) patients while ANS in 81 (16.8 %) and UA in 228 (47.3 %) patients. Patients with ANS showed significant higher RRI compared to both patients with NS [0.71 (IQR 0.67-0.78) vs 0.68 (0.63-0.73), p < 0.001] and UA [0.71 (0.67-0.78) vs 0.65 (0.61-0.71), p < 0.001]; RRI was higher in NS patients than in patients with UA [0.68 (0.63-0.73) vs 0.65 (0.61-0.71), p < 0.001]. Patients with ANS had significantly lower median estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) compared respectively to NS and UA patients [19.7 ml/min vs 54.8 ml/min and vs 72.3 ml/min, p < 0.001], while renal length was significantly higher in patients with NS compared to both patients with ANS and UA [111.88 mm vs 101.98 mm and vs 106.15, p < 0.001]. Patients with ANS had more frequently hematuria and RRI ≥ 0.70 (p < 0.001) compared to both patients with NS and patients with UA. The multiple regression analysis, weighted for age, showed that RRI inversely correlates with eGFR (ß coefficient = -0.430, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Higher and pathological RRI were found in ANS than NS and UA. Renal resistive index in ANS reflects changes in intrarenal perfusion and microvascular dysfunction related to disease characteristics.


Subject(s)
Hematuria , Kidney Diseases , Humans , Adult , Middle Aged , Microcirculation , Kidney/blood supply , Ultrasonography, Doppler
8.
BMC Cancer ; 24(1): 224, 2024 Feb 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38365653

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Breast ultrasound is highly sensitive, but its specificity is not as high for detecting malignant lesions. Auxiliary modalities like elastography, Color and Power Doppler ultrasound are used as adjuncts to yield both a high sensitivity and specificity. Superb microvascular imaging (SMI) is a newer modality with more accuracy for detecting breast lesions. In this study, our goal was to investigate the role of SMI as an adjunct to ultrasound and find a suitable combination model for the evaluation of breast masses. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 132 women with 172 breast masses who underwent ultrasound-guided biopsy were included.. The ultrasound features of the lesion, the strain ratio in strain elastography, the number of vessels for each lesion, their morphology and distribution in Doppler and Power Doppler ultrasound and SMI were recorded for each lesion. A vascular score and a vascular ratio were defined. RESULTS: In the histologic examination, 31 lesions (18%) were malignant and 141 lesions (82%) were benign. The vascular score was more accurate than the vascular ratio in all three modalities. The predictive ability of strain ratio was higher than Doppler and Power Doppler ultrasound and SMI. Adding SMI alone to ultrasound increased the specificity from 46.10% to 61.2% and the accuracy from 55.80% to 70.11%. In the combination of ultrasound with other modalities, the best was the combination of ultrasound, strain elastography, and SMI; which yielded a specificity and sensitivity of 100% and 74.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Adding SMI and STE modalities as adjuncts to ultrasound lowers the chance of missing malignant lesions and reduces unnecessary biopsies of breast lesions. A study with a larger sample size using this combination model to evaluate the accuracy with greater precision is recommended.


Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms , Elasticity Imaging Techniques , Female , Humans , Cross-Sectional Studies , Sensitivity and Specificity , Ultrasonography/methods , Ultrasonography, Doppler , Elasticity Imaging Techniques/methods , Microvessels/diagnostic imaging , Image-Guided Biopsy , Diagnosis, Differential , Breast Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging
9.
Muscle Nerve ; 70(5): 954-962, 2024 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39136612

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Myotonia is a key symptom of myotonic dystrophies (DM), and its quantification is challenging. This exploratory study evaluated the utility of tissue Doppler ultrasound (TDU) to assess myotonia in DM. METHODS: Twelve DM patients (seven type-1 DM [DM1] and five type-2 DM [DM2]) and 20 age-matched healthy subjects were included in this cross-sectional study. After measuring cross-sectional areas of the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) and extensor digitorum communis (EDC) muscles in a resting state, muscle contraction/relaxation time, time to peak tissue velocity, peak tissue velocity and velocity gradients of these muscles were measured via TDU while performing forced fist unclenching after fist closure. Additionally, grip strength, Medical Research Council Sum score and patient-reported myotonia severity scores were assessed. RESULTS: DM1 and DM2 patients had a lower grip strength than healthy subjects (p = .0001/p = .002). Patient-reported myotonia did not differ between DM1 and DM2 patients. DM1 patients revealed FDS and EDC atrophy compared to DM2 patients and healthy subjects (p = .003/p = .004). TDU revealed prolonged muscle contraction and relaxation times in both DM subtypes, with prolonged time to reach FDS peak relaxation velocity and altered peak FDS relaxation velocity only in DM1 patients (p = .03/p = .003). Peak FDS relaxation velocity correlated inversely with C(C)TG repeat numbers in DM patients. Sensitivity of TDU parameters to detect myotonic dystrophy varied between 50% and 75%, with a specificity of 95%. DISCUSSION: Our exploratory study suggests that TDU could serve as a novel tool to quantify myotonia in DM patients, but larger follow-up studies are warranted to validate its diagnostic accuracy.


Subject(s)
Arm , Hand Strength , Muscle, Skeletal , Myotonia , Myotonic Dystrophy , Ultrasonography, Doppler , Humans , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Adult , Myotonia/physiopathology , Myotonia/diagnostic imaging , Myotonic Dystrophy/diagnostic imaging , Myotonic Dystrophy/physiopathology , Muscle, Skeletal/diagnostic imaging , Muscle, Skeletal/physiopathology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Hand Strength/physiology , Ultrasonography, Doppler/methods , Arm/physiopathology , Arm/diagnostic imaging , Muscle Contraction/physiology , Aged
10.
Am J Obstet Gynecol ; 231(1): 130.e1-130.e10, 2024 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38527602

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Assessing the umbilical artery pulsatility index via Doppler measurements plays a crucial role in evaluating fetal growth impairment. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate perinatal outcomes associated with discordant pulsatility indices of umbilical arteries in fetuses with growth restriction. STUDY DESIGN: In this retrospective cohort study, all singleton pregnancies were included if their estimated fetal weight and/or abdominal circumference fell below the 10th percentile for gestational age (2017-2022). Eligible cases included singleton pregnancies with concurrent sampling of both umbilical arteries within 14 days of birth at the ultrasound evaluation closest to delivery. The exclusion criteria included births before 22 weeks of gestation, evidence of absent or reverse end-diastolic flow in either umbilical artery, and known fetal genetic or structural anomalies. The study compared cases with discordant umbilical artery pulsatility index values (defined as 1 umbilical artery pulsatility index at ≤95th percentile and the other umbilical artery pulsatility index at >95th percentile for gestational age) to pregnancies where both umbilical artery pulsatility indices had normal pulsatility index values and those with both umbilical arteries displaying abnormal pulsatility index values. The primary outcome assessed was the occurrence of composite adverse neonatal outcomes. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed, adjusting for relevant covariates. RESULTS: The study encompassed 1014 patients, including 194 patients (19.1%) with discordant umbilical artery pulsatility index values among those who had both umbilical arteries sampled close to delivery, 671 patients (66.2%) with both umbilical arteries having normal pulsatility index values, and 149 patients (14.7%) with both umbilical arteries exhibiting abnormal values. Pregnancies with discordant umbilical artery pulsatility index values displayed compromised sonographic parameters compared with those with both umbilical arteries showing normal pulsatility index values. Similarly, the number of abnormal umbilical artery pulsatility index values was associated with adverse perinatal outcomes in a dose-response manner. Cases with 1 abnormal (discordant) umbilical artery pulsatility index value showed favorable sonographic parameters and perinatal outcomes compared with cases with both abnormal umbilical artery pulsatility index values, and cases with both abnormal umbilical artery pulsatility index values showed worse sonographic parameters and perinatal outcomes compared with cases with discordant UA PI values. Multivariate analysis revealed that discordant umbilical artery pulsatility indices were significantly and independently associated with composite adverse perinatal outcomes, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.75 (95% confidence interval, 1.24-2.47; P = .002). CONCLUSION: Evaluating the resistance indices of both umbilical arteries may provide useful data and assist in assessing adverse perinatal outcomes among fetuses with growth restriction.


Subject(s)
Fetal Growth Retardation , Pulsatile Flow , Ultrasonography, Prenatal , Umbilical Arteries , Humans , Female , Umbilical Arteries/diagnostic imaging , Umbilical Arteries/physiopathology , Pregnancy , Fetal Growth Retardation/physiopathology , Fetal Growth Retardation/diagnostic imaging , Retrospective Studies , Adult , Vascular Resistance , Infant, Newborn , Ultrasonography, Doppler , Pregnancy Outcome , Gestational Age , Cohort Studies
11.
Am J Obstet Gynecol ; 231(5): 552.e1-552.e13, 2024 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38423447

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The great obstetrical syndromes of fetal growth restriction and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy can occur individually or be interrelated. Placental pathologic findings often overlap between these conditions, regardless of whether 1 or both diagnoses are present. Quantification of placental villous structures in each of these settings may identify distinct differences in developmental pathways. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine how the quantity and surface area of placental villi and vessels differ between severe, early-onset fetal growth restriction with absent or reversed umbilical artery Doppler indices and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy or the 2 conditions combined among subjects with disease severity that warrant early preterm delivery. We hypothesized that the trajectories of placental morphogenesis diverge after a common initiating insult of deep defective placentation. Specifically, we postulated that only villi are affected in pregnancy-related hypertension, whereas both villous and vascular structures are proportionally diminished in severe fetal growth restriction with no additional effect when hypertension is concomitantly present. STUDY DESIGN: In this retrospective cohort study, paraffin-embedded placental tissue was obtained from 4 groups, namely (1) patients with severe fetal growth restriction with absent or reversed umbilical artery end-diastolic velocities and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, (2) patients with severe fetal growth restriction with absent or reversed umbilical artery Doppler indices and no hypertension, (3) gestational age-matched, appropriately grown pregnancies with hypertensive disease, and (4) gestational age-matched, appropriately grown pregnancies without hypertension. Dual immunohistochemistry for cytokeratin-7 (trophoblast) and CD34 (endothelial cells) was performed, followed by artificial intelligence-driven morphometric analyses. The number of villi, total villous area, number of fetoplacental vessels, and total vascular area across villi within a uniform region of interest were quantified. Quantitative analyses of placental structures were modeled using linear regression. RESULTS: Placentas from pregnancies complicated by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy exhibited significantly fewer stem villi (-282 stem villi; 95% confidence interval, -467 to -98; P<.01), a smaller stem villous area (-4.3 mm2; 95% confidence interval, -7.3 to -1.2; P<.01), and fewer stem villous vessels (-4967 stem villous vessels; 95% confidence interval, -8501 to -1433; P<.01) with no difference in the total vascular area. In contrast, placental abnormalities in cases with severe growth restriction were limited to terminal villi with global decreases in the number of villi (-873 terminal villi; 95% confidence interval, -1501 to -246; P<.01), the villous area (-1.5 mm2; 95% confidence interval, -2.7 to -0.4; P<.01), the number of blood vessels (-5165 terminal villous vessels; 95% confidence interval, -8201 to -2128; P<.01), and the vascular area (-0.6 mm2; 95% confidence interval, -1.1 to -0.1; P=.02). The combination of hypertension and growth restriction had no additional effect beyond the individual impact of each state. CONCLUSION: Pregnancies complicated by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy exhibited defects in the stem villi only, whereas placental abnormalities in severely growth restricted pregnancies with absent or reversed umbilical artery end-diastolic velocities were limited to the terminal villi. There were no significant statistical interactions in the combination of growth restriction and hypertension, suggesting that distinct pathophysiological pathways downstream of the initial insult of defective placentation are involved in each entity and do not synergize to lead to more severe pathologic consequences. Delineating mechanisms that underly the divergence in placental development after a common inciting event of defective deep placentation may shed light on new targets for prevention or treatment.


Subject(s)
Artificial Intelligence , Chorionic Villi , Fetal Growth Retardation , Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced , Placenta , Umbilical Arteries , Humans , Female , Pregnancy , Fetal Growth Retardation/diagnostic imaging , Fetal Growth Retardation/pathology , Fetal Growth Retardation/physiopathology , Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced/diagnostic imaging , Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced/pathology , Retrospective Studies , Adult , Placenta/pathology , Placenta/diagnostic imaging , Placenta/blood supply , Umbilical Arteries/diagnostic imaging , Umbilical Arteries/pathology , Chorionic Villi/pathology , Chorionic Villi/diagnostic imaging , Chorionic Villi/blood supply , Premature Birth , Cohort Studies , Ultrasonography, Doppler
12.
Am J Obstet Gynecol ; 230(5): 553.e1-553.e14, 2024 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38295969

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms responsible for menstrual pain are poorly understood. However, dynamic, noninvasive pelvic imaging of menstrual pain sufferers could aid in identifying therapeutic targets and testing novel treatments. OBJECTIVE: To study the mechanisms responsible for menstrual pain, we analyzed ultrasonographic and complementary functional magnetic resonance imaging parameters in dysmenorrhea sufferers and pain-free controls under multiple conditions. STUDY DESIGN: We performed functional magnetic resonance imaging on participants with and those without dysmenorrhea during menses and outside menses. To clarify whether regional changes in oxygen availability and perfusion occur, functional magnetic resonance imaging R2∗ measurements of the endometrium and myometrium were obtained. R2∗ measurements are calculated nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation rates sensitive to the paramagnetic properties of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin. We also compared parameters before and after an analgesic dose of naproxen sodium. In addition, we performed similar measurements with Doppler ultrasonography to identify if changes in uterine arterial velocity occurred during menstrual cramping in real time. Mixed model statistics were performed to account for within-subject effects across conditions. Corrections for multiple comparisons were made with a false discovery rate adjustment. RESULTS: During menstruation, a notable increase in R2∗ values, indicative of tissue ischemia, was observed in both the myometrium (beta ± standard error of the mean, 15.74±2.29 s-1; P=.001; q=.002) and the endometrium (26.37±9.33 s-1; P=.005; q=.008) of participants who experienced dysmenorrhea. A similar increase was noted in the myometrium (28.89±2.85 s-1; P=.001; q=.002) and endometrium (75.50±2.57 s-1; P=.001; q=.003) of pain-free controls. Post hoc analyses revealed that the R2∗ values during menstruation were significantly higher among the pain-free controls (myometrium, P=.008; endometrium, P=.043). Although naproxen sodium increased the endometrial R2∗ values among participants with dysmenorrhea (48.29±15.78 s-1; P=.005; q=.008), it decreased myometrial R2∗ values among pain-free controls. The Doppler findings were consistent with the functional magnetic resonance imaging (-8.62±3.25 s-1; P=.008; q=.011). The pulsatility index (-0.42±0.14; P=.004; q=.004) and resistance index (-0.042±0.012; P=.001; q=.001) decreased during menses when compared with the measurements outside of menses, and the effects were significantly reversed by naproxen sodium. Naproxen sodium had the opposite effect in pain-free controls. There were no significant real-time changes in the pulsatility index, resistance index, peak systolic velocity, or minimum diastolic velocity during episodes of symptomatic menstrual cramping. CONCLUSION: Functional magnetic resonance imaging and Doppler metrics suggest that participants with dysmenorrhea have better perfusion and oxygen availability than pain-free controls. Naproxen sodium's therapeutic mechanism is associated with relative reductions in uterine perfusion and oxygen availability. An opposite pharmacologic effect was observed in pain-free controls. During menstrual cramping, there is insufficient evidence of episodic impaired uterine perfusion. Thus, prostaglandins may have protective vasoconstrictive effects in pain-free controls and opposite effects in participants with dysmenorrhea.


Subject(s)
Dysmenorrhea , Endometrium , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Naproxen , Oxygen , Humans , Female , Dysmenorrhea/diagnostic imaging , Dysmenorrhea/drug therapy , Dysmenorrhea/physiopathology , Adult , Naproxen/therapeutic use , Young Adult , Endometrium/diagnostic imaging , Endometrium/metabolism , Endometrium/blood supply , Oxygen/metabolism , Oxygen/blood , Myometrium/diagnostic imaging , Myometrium/blood supply , Myometrium/metabolism , Ultrasonography, Doppler , Case-Control Studies , Menstruation , Uterine Artery/diagnostic imaging , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use
13.
Nephrol Dial Transplant ; 39(9): 1416-1425, 2024 Aug 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38697934

ABSTRACT

Color pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasound (CPWD-US) emerges as a pivotal tool in intensive care units (ICUs) for diagnosing acute kidney injury (AKI) swiftly and non-invasively. Its bedside accessibility allows for rapid assessments, making it a primary imaging modality for AKI characterization. Furthermore, CPWD-US serves as a guiding instrument for key diagnostic-interventional procedures such as renal needle biopsy and percutaneous nephrostomy, while also facilitating therapy response monitoring and AKI progression tracking. This review shifts focus towards the integration of renal ultrasound into ICU workflows, offering contemporary insights into its utilization through a diagnostic standard-oriented approach. By presenting a flow chart, this review aims to provide practical guidance on the appropriate use of point-of-care ultrasound in critical care scenarios, enhancing diagnostic precision, patient management and safety, albeit amidst a backdrop of limited evidence regarding long-term outcomes.


Subject(s)
Acute Kidney Injury , Critical Care , Nephrology , Humans , Critical Care/methods , Acute Kidney Injury/diagnostic imaging , Acute Kidney Injury/therapy , Nephrology/methods , Ultrasonography, Doppler/methods , Kidney/diagnostic imaging , Kidney/pathology
14.
J Sex Med ; 21(8): 734-739, 2024 08 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39091226

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Vasculogenic erectile dysfunction is the most common type of erectile dysfunction, and penile Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) is a useful tool to assess erectile hemodynamics in the clinician's effort to discuss prognosis and management strategies with the patient. AIM: We herein describe the PDUS protocol used at our center, including indications, technique, and data interpretation. METHODS: We describe our institutional experience with PDUS and discuss it in the context of a contemporary review of the literature for this investigation. OUTCOME: Our institutional PDUS protocol. RESULTS: To perform PDUS properly, adequate training, equipment, setting, technique, and interpretation are critical. The accuracy of PDUS is entirely predicated on achieving complete cavernosal smooth muscle relaxation. A redosing protocol optimizes the reliability and reproducibility of the hemodynamic data acquired during PDUS. A rigidity-based assessment is performed, and patients are scanned according to the erection rigidity achieved (full hardness) or by administration of maximum dose of the vasoactive agent. Peak systolic velocity is considered a measure of arterial inflow (normal, >30 cm/s), while end diastolic velocity evaluates the veno-occlusive mechanism (normal, <5 cm/s). After the procedure, the patient is evaluated to confirm detumescence. If the patient has a persistent penetration rigidity erection, intracavernosal phenylephrine is administered; however, if detumescence is not achieved with intracavernosal phenylephrine injections alone, corporal aspiration is potentially performed. CONCLUSION: PDUS is a valuable minimally invasive tool for erectile hemodynamics assessment and an accurate assessment of such, provided that complete cavernosal smooth muscle relaxation is achieved.


Subject(s)
Penis , Ultrasonography, Doppler , Humans , Male , Penis/blood supply , Penis/diagnostic imaging , Ultrasonography, Doppler/methods , Impotence, Vasculogenic/diagnostic imaging , Impotence, Vasculogenic/physiopathology , Erectile Dysfunction/diagnostic imaging , Erectile Dysfunction/drug therapy , Erectile Dysfunction/physiopathology , Penile Erection/physiology
15.
Curr Opin Crit Care ; 30(3): 260-267, 2024 06 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38690955

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Venous pressure is an often-unrecognized cause of patient morbidity. However, bedside assessment of PV is challenging. We review the clinical significance of venous pressure measurement, existing techniques, and introduce the Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS) Score as a novel approach using doppler ultrasound to assess venous pressure. RECENT FINDINGS: Studies show clear associations between elevated venous pressure and adverse outcomes in critically ill patients. Current venous pressure measurement techniques include physical examination, right heart catheterization (RHC), two-dimensional ultrasound, and a variety of labor-intensive research-focused physiological maneuvers. Each of these techniques have specific shortcomings, limiting their clinical utility. To address these gaps, Beaubien-Souligny et al. introduced the VExUS Score, a novel doppler ultrasound-based method that integrates IVC diameter with doppler measurements of the hepatic, portal, and renal veins to generate a venous congestion assesment. Studies show strong correlations between VExUS score and RHC measurements, and well as an association between VExUS score and improvement in cardiorenal acute kidney injury, diuretic response, and fluid status shifts. However, studies in noncardiac populations have been small, heterogenous, and inconclusive. SUMMARY: Early studies evaluating the use of doppler ultrasound to assess venous congestion show promise, but further research is needed in diverse patient populations and clinical settings.


Subject(s)
Ultrasonography, Doppler , Humans , Ultrasonography, Doppler/methods , Critical Illness , Venous Pressure/physiology , Vena Cava, Inferior/diagnostic imaging , Vena Cava, Inferior/physiopathology , Monitoring, Physiologic/methods , Critical Care/methods
16.
Scand J Rheumatol ; 53(2): 123-129, 2024 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38085537

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The optimal strategy for difficult-to-treat (D2T) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has not been identified, and the ultrasound characteristics of D2T RA have not been reported. We investigated the clinical characteristics and factors contributing to the outcome in D2T RA in a multicentre RA ultrasound observational cohort. METHOD: We reviewed 307 Japanese patients diagnosed with RA who underwent treatment with biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs). We compared the differences in patient characteristics between the D2T RA and non-D2T RA groups. We examined the factors contributing to a good response [defined as b/tsDMARD continuation and Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) ≤ 10 at 12 months] in the D2T RA patient group. RESULTS: Forty-three patients (14%) were categorized as D2T RA and the remaining 264 (86%) as non-D2T RA at baseline. The grey-scale (GS) score, disease duration, and CDAI at the initiation of treatment were significantly higher in the D2T RA group than in the non-D2T RA group. In contrast, the power Doppler (PD) score was not significantly different between the two groups. Of the 43 D2T RA patients, 20 achieved a good response. The introduction of CTLA4-Ig (n = 5) was significantly associated with a good response in analysis based on inverse probability weighting with propensity score. GS and PD scores at baseline were not significantly associated with therapeutic response at 12 months in D2T RA patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with D2T RA had high clinical and ultrasound activity and poor responses to treatment with b/tsDMARDs. CTLA4-Ig was associated with a good response at 12 months in D2T RA patients.


Subject(s)
Antirheumatic Agents , Arthritis, Rheumatoid , Humans , Abatacept/therapeutic use , Antirheumatic Agents/therapeutic use , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/diagnostic imaging , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/complications , Cohort Studies , Ultrasonography , Ultrasonography, Doppler
17.
J Vasc Interv Radiol ; 35(9): 1367-1376.e2, 2024 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38906246

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To determine the feasibility of using a 2-dimensional quantitative digital subtraction venography (qDSV) technique that employs a temporally modulated contrast medium injection to quantify blood velocity in phantom, normal, and stenotic porcine iliac vein models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood velocity was calculated using qDSV following temporally modulated pulsed injections of iodinated contrast medium and compared with Doppler ultrasound (US) measurements (phantom, in-line sensor; in vivo, diagnostic linear probe). Phantom evaluation was performed in a compliant polyethylene tube phantom with simulated venous flow. In vivo evaluation of qDSV was performed in normal (n = 7) and stenotic (n = 3) iliac vein models. Stenoses were created using endovenous radiofrequency ablation, and blood velocities were determined at baseline, after stenosis, after venoplasty, and after stent placement. RESULTS: In the phantom model, qDSV-calculated blood velocities (12-50 cm/s) had very strong correlations with US-measured velocities (13-51 cm/s) across a range of baseline blood velocities and injection protocols (slope, 1.01-1.13; R2 = 0.96-0.99). qDSV velocities were similar to US velocities regardless of injection method: (a) custom injector, (b) commercial injector, or (c) hand injection. In the normal in vivo model, qDSV-calculated velocities (5-18 cm/s) had strong correlation (slope, 1.22; R2 = 0.90) with US-measured velocities (3-20 cm/s). In the stenosis model, blood velocities at baseline, after stenosis, after venoplasty, and after stent placement were similar on qDSV and US at all time points. CONCLUSIONS: Venous blood velocity was accurately quantified in a venous phantom and in vivo porcine models using qDSV. Intraprocedural changes in porcine iliac vein blood velocity were quantified with qDSV after creation of a stenosis and subsequently treating it with venoplasty and stent placement.


Subject(s)
Angiography, Digital Subtraction , Feasibility Studies , Iliac Vein , Phantoms, Imaging , Phlebography , Animals , Blood Flow Velocity , Iliac Vein/diagnostic imaging , Iliac Vein/physiopathology , Swine , Constriction, Pathologic , Contrast Media/administration & dosage , Disease Models, Animal , Reproducibility of Results , Stents , Predictive Value of Tests , Ultrasonography, Doppler
18.
Aging Male ; 27(1): 2339352, 2024 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38590113

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of a novel approach to achieve the optimal penile erection during the penile doppler ultrasound (PDU) examination, which was oral sildenafil combined alprostadil injection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 ED patients were enrolled in our prospective study, and they were randomly assigned to two group with different PDU order. The approaches assisted the PDU included two models, mode A meaning injection of 15 µg alprostadil and model B meaning oral sildenafil 100 mg plus injection of 15 µg alprostadil. The PDU parameters were measured continuously before induced erection, and 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 min. RESULTS: Each group included 30 ED patients with similar clinical characteristics. After pooling the results together, the PSV, EDV, and RI were all improved significantly, when adding the oral sildenafil administration to assist PDU. Also, the clinical response of oral sildenafil administration plus alprostadil injection was better than that in alprostadil injection alone (p = 0.016). The arterial ED were decreased from 31.67% to 15.00% with the P value 0.031, and the mixed ED was also decreased statistically (23.33% vs 8.33%, p = 0.024). CONCLUSION: Oral sildenafil administration plus alprostadil injection could improve the diagnostic accuracy of PDU.


Subject(s)
Erectile Dysfunction , Penile Erection , Male , Humans , Sildenafil Citrate/pharmacology , Penile Erection/physiology , Alprostadil , Erectile Dysfunction/drug therapy , Erectile Dysfunction/diagnosis , Prospective Studies , Penis/diagnostic imaging , Ultrasonography, Doppler
19.
Clin Exp Rheumatol ; 42(2): 351-357, 2024 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37877419

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: There is growing interest in ultrasound (US) as an outcome measure in IBM. Our study aimed to determine the ability of B mode US and power Doppler (PD) to detect changes in affected muscles over time and if US domains correlate with disease progression. METHODS: Participants attended on four occasions over a median follow-up period of 26 months. All completed a patient self-reported health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), patient visual analogue scale (pVAS), manual muscle testing (MMT), and US (fascial thickness-FT, muscle bulk, echogenicity, and PD) on deltoid and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles at each visit. RESULTS: This longitudinal observational study had 35 participants: 21 (60%) males, median age 70 (IQR (64-76), and the majority (85.7%) not on immunosuppression. When analysed for sex differences at baseline, males had lower FT-VL (p=0.018) and higher muscle bulk (p=0.002) than females. Only FT-deltoid (p<0.001) increased significantly over time with follow-up. When participants were stratified into progressors and non-progressors, FT at baseline was lower in progressors (0.06 vs. 0.09, p=0.017), who were predominantly male. There were no significant differences in other US domains. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights previously unreported sex differences in US findings in IBM. Certain US domains, such as FT, showed measurable changes over time and correlated with disease progression. However, further studies with longer follow-up periods and larger patient cohorts will need to be performed to determine whether B mode US could be a useful disease outcome measure for therapeutic trials.


Subject(s)
Myositis, Inclusion Body , Myositis , Humans , Male , Female , Aged , Myositis, Inclusion Body/diagnostic imaging , Longitudinal Studies , Ultrasonography , Ultrasonography, Doppler , Disease Progression
20.
Scand J Gastroenterol ; 59(3): 344-351, 2024 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38031926

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder causing abdominal pain, altered bowel habits and bloating without structural issues. Gallbladder dysfunction may be linked to IBS due to disrupted cholecystokinin release. This study aims to assess gallbladder function and related hemodynamic parameters using Doppler ultrasound in IBS before and after meals. METHOD: In this case-control study, we investigated gallbladder function differences between constipation-predominant IBS (C-IBS) patients and healthy volunteers. Participants underwent ultrasonography to measure gallbladder parameters before and after consuming a predefined meal. Gallbladder volume, wall thickness and resistance index (RI) of cystic and superior mesenteric arteries (SMA) were assessed. Student t-test and paired t-test were used to compare case and control groups and pre- and post-meal data, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 34 people (18 C-IBS and 16 healthy control) were included. The mean (Standard deviation) of gallbladder fasting volume was measured 24.74 (8.85) and 29.73 (9.65) cubic millimeter for case and controls, respectively. Postprandial volume was 11.34 (5.66) and 16.9 (6.16) cubic millimeter for case and controls respectively. We observed a statistically significant difference in emptying fractions (EF) between groups (p value = 0.009). IBS patients had a smaller fasting SMA RI (p value = 0.016) but the fraction of change after meal was not significant (p value = 0.10). The cystic artery RI did not reach statistical significance between the fasting and post-meal values (p value = 0.067). CONCLUSION: IBS patients have a higher emptying fraction and lower change in SMA RI compared to healthy controls. Further studies with larger sample size, inclusion of patients with different coexisting conditions and subtypes of IBS and combining colon transit study with gallbladder ejection fraction evaluation can be used to further provide more meaning to this study.


Subject(s)
Gallbladder , Irritable Bowel Syndrome , Humans , Abdominal Pain/etiology , Case-Control Studies , Gallbladder/diagnostic imaging , Irritable Bowel Syndrome/complications , Irritable Bowel Syndrome/diagnostic imaging , Ultrasonography, Doppler/methods
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