Prevalence, distribution, and hepatic fibrosis burden of the different subtypes of steatotic liver disease in primary care settings.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: In relation to the new umbrella terminology for steatotic liver disease (SLD), we aimed to elucidate the prevalence, distribution, and clinical characteristics of the SLD subgroups in the primary care setting. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We retrospectively collected data from 2535 individuals who underwent magnetic resonance elastography and MRI proton density fat fraction during health checkups in 5 primary care health promotion clinics. We evaluated the presence of cardiometabolic risk factors according to predefined criteria and divided all the participants according to the new SLD classification. The prevalence of SLD was 39.13% in the total cohort, and 95.77% of the SLD cases had metabolic dysfunction (one or more cardiometabolic risk factors). The prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) was 29.51%, with those of metabolic dysfunction and alcohol associated steatotic liver disease (MetALD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) at 7.89% and 0.39%, respectively. According to the old criteria, the prevalence of NAFLD was 29.11%, and 95.80% of the NAFLD cases fulfilled the new criteria for MASLD. The distribution of SLD subtypes was highest for MASLD, at 75.40%, followed by MetALD at 20.06%, cryptogenic SLD at 3.33%, and ALD at 1.01%. The MetALD group had a significantly higher mean magnetic resonance elastography than the MASLD or ALD group. CONCLUSION: Almost all the patients with NAFLD met the new criteria for MASLD. The fibrosis burden of the MetALD group was higher than those of the MASLD and ALD groups.

Diagnostic Performance of Noninvasive Tests for Advanced Hepatic Fibrosis in Young Age Population.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Most noninvasive tests (NITs) for hepatic fibrosis are designed for middle-aged patients with chronic liver disease. We compared the diagnostic performance of major NITs (aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index [APRI], Fibrosis-4 index, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score) for a community-based cohort. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed 8775 participants who underwent magnetic resonance elastography at community health check-up centers. Advanced hepatic fibrosis (≥F3) was defined by magnetic resonance elastography thresholds of 3.6 kPa. The diagnostic performance of 3 NITs was evaluated according to the etiology of liver disease, sex, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and increased aminotransferase levels in 4 age groups. RESULTS: The APRI generally showed the best area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in patients aged 45 years or younger, and it was statistically significant in patients with chronic viral hepatitis and alcoholic fatty liver disease (P < .043). The best APRI cut-off value for detecting advanced hepatic fibrosis was 0.4, with a sensitivity and specificity of 75.8% and 73.5%, respectively, in the community-based cohort. The APRI showed balanced sensitivity and specificity across all age groups, whereas the other metrics showed low sensitivity in those aged <45 and low specificity in those >65 years. CONCLUSIONS: The APRI showed better sensitivity and negative predictive value than the Fibrosis-4 index and the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score in community-based populations with mixed etiology, and, thus, can be performed as the primary test in young adults (age, ≤45 y).

A Reappraisal of the Diagnostic Performance of B-Mode Ultrasonography for Mild Liver Steatosis.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have shown that ultrasonography has high specificity (80%-100%) but low sensitivity (50%-70%) in diagnosing fatty liver; sensitivity is especially low for mild steatosis. In this study, we aimed to reappraise the diagnostic performance of B-mode ultrasonography (B-USG) for fatty liver disease. METHODS: We performed a retrospective, multinational, multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study (6 referral centers from 3 nations). We included 5,056 participants who underwent both B-USG and magnetic resonance proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) within a 6-month period. The diagnostic performance of B-USG was compared with that of MRI-PDFF as a reference standard for fatty liver diagnosis, using sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, diagnostic accuracy, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). RESULTS: B-USG showed a sensitivity of 83.4%, specificity of 81.0%, and AUC of 0.822 in diagnosing mild liver steatosis (6.5% ≤MRI-PDFF ≤14%). The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC in diagnosing the presence of fatty liver disease (MRI-PDFF ≥6.5%) were 83.4%, 81.0%, and 0.822, respectively. The mean PDFF of B-USG-diagnosed nonfatty liver differed significantly from that of diagnosed mild liver steatosis (3.5% ± 2.8% vs 8.5% ± 5.0%, P < 0.001). The interinstitutional variability of B-USG in diagnosing fatty liver was similar in diagnostic accuracy among the 6 centers (range, 82.8%-88.6%, P = 0.416). DISCUSSION: B-USG was an effective, objective method to detect mild liver steatosis using MRI-PDFF as comparison, regardless of the etiologies and comorbidities.

Sarcopenia assessed with DXA and CT increases the risk of perioperative complications in patients with gastrectomy.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated sarcopenia prevalence using various diagnostic criteria based on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and computed tomography (CT) in gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy, and evaluated the association between sarcopenia and perioperative complications. METHODS: This retrospective study included consecutive patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy, and preoperative DXA and CT from January 2013 to November 2020. Body composition was measured using DXA and CT. Height-adjusted DXA-based Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass Index (ASMI) and CT-based skeletal muscle cross-sectional area at the L3 level (SMI) were measured. Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity were defined using reported cutoff values. The chi-square test and univariate analysis were performed to determine risk factors for significant and severe perioperative complications (Clavien-Dindo Grades ≥ 2 and ≥ 3, respectively). RESULTS: In total, 77 males and 43 females aged 61.4 ± 11.0 years were included. ASMI and SMI were correlated (r = 0.819), but sarcopenia prevalence varied (20.0-63.3%), depending on the criteria applied. Univariate analysis revealed sarcopenia defined using the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia (AWGS) criteria and sarcopenic obesity as risk factors for significant (odds ratio [OR] 2.76, p = 0.030 vs. OR 4.31, p = 0.002) and severe perioperative complications (OR 3.77, p = 0.036 vs. OR 4.78, p = 0.010). In subgroup analyses, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity were significantly associated with perioperative complications only in males. CONCLUSION: Perioperative complication risk can be predicted from sarcopenia defined using the AWGS criteria and sarcopenic obesity measured using DXA and CT, particularly in males. KEY POINTS: • The prevalence of sarcopenia varies due to definition differences. • Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity are risk factors for significant and severe perioperative complications, particularly in males. • Our results suggest that physicians need to pay attention to perioperative complications after surgical treatment of male patients with sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity.

Prevalence of advanced hepatic fibrosis and comorbidity in metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in Korea.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: There are several reports on the prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). However, the prevalence of advanced hepatic fibrosis in MAFLD is largely unknown. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of advanced fibrosis in MAFLD. METHODS: A total of 6775 subjects from nationwide 13 health check-up centres were included in this cross-sectional study. Fatty liver was evaluated using ultrasonography. Significant (≥F2) and advanced (≥F3) hepatic fibrosis were defined by MRE thresholds of 3.0 kPa (range: 2.99-3.65 kPa) and 3.6 kPa (range: 3.4-3.9 kPa) respectively. The sex- and age-standardized prevalence of MAFLD and hepatic fibrosis was estimated. RESULTS: The sex- and age-standardized prevalence of MAFLD was 33.9%. The prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥25 kg/m2 ) in MAFLD was 71.1%, and 79.0% of obese subjects had MAFLD. The prevalence of diabetes in MAFLD was 13.3%, and 73.6% of subjects with diabetes had MAFLD. The sex- and age-standardized prevalence of significant (≥F2) and advanced hepatic fibrosis (≥F3) amongst MAFLD was 9.7% (range: 3.0-9.8%) and 3.0% (range: 2.6-4.6%) respectively. The prevalence of advanced hepatic fibrosis in overweight/obese (group I), lean (group II) and diabetic (group III) MAFLD was 2.3%, 3.1% and 9.5% respectively. CONCLUSION: The sex- and age-standardized prevalence of advanced fibrosis was 3.0% (range: 2.6-4.6%) in subjects with MAFLD.

Differentiation of Small Hepatic Abscess From Hepatic Metastasis With a Combination of Imaging Parameters.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the combination imaging features to differentiate small (the lesion size of 3 cm or less) hepatic abscess from metastasis. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with preexisting malignancy and small hepatic lesions who underwent contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within 4 days between March 2017 and July 2020. Two radiologists independently evaluated the imaging features of each focal hepatic lesion. Laboratory parameters were also recorded. Significant parameters differentiating hepatic abscess from hepatic metastasis were identified by univariate generalized estimating equation regression. We compared the diagnostic performances of laboratory parameters, imaging features, and their combinations. RESULTS: We included 16 patients (10 males and 6 females) with 35 hepatic abscesses and 21 patients (13 males and 8 females) with 62 metastases with a mean age of 70.3 years in this study. Abnormal segmental neutrophil, pathy parenchymal enhancement on CT, and absence of dark rim on MRI were associated with hepatic abscess (all P < 0.01). The combination of CT and MRI parameters showed significantly higher specificity and positive predictive value than CT alone ( P ≤ 0.031), without significant difference in sensitivity and negative predictive value. CONCLUSIONS: We have demonstrated that the combination of CT and MRI imaging features is helpful for the differentiation of small hepatic abscess from metastasis.

Ancillary imaging and clinical features for the characterization of prostate lesions: A proposed approach to reduce false positives.

The relatively low specificity and positive predictive value of the Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) can lead to considerable false-positive results and unnecessary biopsies. The aim of this study was to propose ancillary features (AFs) indicating clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) or benign tissues in PI-RADS category ≥3 lesions and determine the usefulness of these AFs in reducing false-positive assessments of suspicious lesions in men at csPCa risk. This was a retrospective study, which included 199 men. A 3T, including turbo spin echo T2 -weighted, echo-planar diffusion-weighted, and spoiled gradient echo dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) images, was used. Five AFs (prostate-specific antigen density ≥0.15 ng/mL2 ; size ≥10 mm; heterogeneous T2 signal intensity; circumscribed nodule in the junction of peripheral and transition zone; and DCE time curves) indicating csPCa or non-csPCa were evaluated by three independent readers. The sensitivity and specificity of each AF were calculated. Inter-reader agreement was evaluated using κ statistics. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine significant AFs. The reduction in positive call rates and csPCa detection rates with combined AF use were calculated and compared with the findings obtained with PI-RADS use alone. The sensitivities and specificities of the AFs indicating csPCa were 72.1%-96.5% and 27.4%-75.2% for reader 1, 66.3%-96.5% and 23.9%-62.0% for reader 2, and 67.4%-96.5% and 34.5%-78.8% for reader 3, with moderate to substantial inter-reader agreement (Fleiss κ, 0.551-0.643). The combined use of two or more AFs for assessing PI-RADS ≥3 lesions resulted in a 19.6%-30.7% reduction in positive calls (p < .05) compared to PI-RADS use alone while preserving the csPCa detection rates (p ≥ .06) for three readers. The use of AFs in combination with PI-RADS can reduce positive calls and false positives without csPCa under-detection.

An index based on deep learning-measured spleen volume on CT for the assessment of high-risk varix in B-viral compensated cirrhosis.

OBJECTIVES: Deep learning enables an automated liver and spleen volume measurements on CT. The purpose of this study was to develop an index combining liver and spleen volumes and clinical factors for detecting high-risk varices in B-viral compensated cirrhosis. METHODS: This retrospective study included 419 patients with B-viral compensated cirrhosis who underwent endoscopy and CT from 2007 to 2008 (derivation cohort, n = 239) and from 2009 to 2010 (validation cohort, n = 180). The liver and spleen volumes were measured on CT images using a deep learning algorithm. Multivariable logistic regression analysis of the derivation cohort developed an index to detect endoscopically confirmed high-risk varix. The cumulative 5-year risk of varix bleeding was evaluated with patients stratified by their index values. RESULTS: The index of spleen volume-to-platelet ratio was devised from the derivation cohort. In the validation cohort, the cutoff index value for balanced sensitivity and specificity (> 3.78) resulted in the sensitivity of 69.4% and the specificity of 78.5% for detecting high-risk varix, and the cutoff index value for high sensitivity (> 1.63) detected all high-risk varices. The index stratified all patients into the low (index value ≤ 1.63; n = 118), intermediate (n = 162), and high (index value > 3.78; n = 139) risk groups with cumulative 5-year incidences of varix bleeding of 0%, 1.0%, and 12.0%, respectively (p < .001). CONCLUSION: The spleen volume-to-platelet ratio obtained using deep learning-based CT analysis is useful to detect high-risk varices and to assess the risk of varix bleeding. KEY POINTS: • The criterion of spleen volume to platelet > 1.63 detected all high-risk varices in the validation cohort, while the absence of visible varix did not exclude all high-risk varices. • Visual varix grade ≥ 2 detected high-risk varix with a high specificity (96.5-100%). • Combining spleen volume-to-platelet ratio ≤ 1.63 and visual varix grade of 0 identified low-risk patients who had no high-risk varix and varix bleeding on 5-year follow-up.

Characteristics of Coronary Artery to Pulmonary Artery Fistula on Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the characteristics of coronary artery-to-pulmonary artery fistula (CPAF) found by coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography. METHODS: Among 10,121 cases of coronary CT angiography performed for 7 years, we found 32 cases of CPAF. We retrospectively evaluated the demographics, clinical symptoms, and anatomical characteristics such as the origin, number of origins, course, opening site of the fistula, and the presence of aneurysmal changes (defined as dilatation 1.5 times the diameter of the origin). We also categorized the fistula openings according to size compared with that of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. RESULTS: The patients were 14 men and 18 women with a mean (range) age of 56.5 (34-86) years. Nineteen patients had no related symptoms, and the other 13 patients had symptoms such as angina, chest discomfort, palpitations, or shoulder pain. Among these patients, 2 patients were diagnosed with coronary artery disease. The origins of CPAF were single (n = 15, 46.9%) or multiple (n = 17, 53.1%). The CPAFs arose most commonly from the conus branch of the right coronary artery (n = 20, 62.5%) and proximal left anterior descending (n = 17, 53.1%). All CPAFs coursed anteriorly to the main pulmonary artery and drained into the anterolateral aspect. Twenty-five patients (78.1%) exhibited aneurysmal changes. The openings were small in 13 (40.6%), medium in 13 (40.6%), and large in 6 (18.8%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of patients with CPAF had no related symptoms. Coronary artery-to-pulmonary artery fistula may have a single origin or multiple origins. All of the CPAFs coursed anteriorly to the main pulmonary artery and drained into the anterolateral aspect; the CPAFs identified here frequently exhibited aneurysmal changes.

Laparoscopic versus open reintervention for anastomotic leakage following minimally invasive colorectal surgery.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic reintervention compared with open surgery in patients with anastomotic leakage after minimally invasive colorectal surgery. METHODS: Between January 2008 and December 2012, 77 patients who required surgical reintervention for anastomotic leakage following minimally invasive colorectal surgery were included in this study. Data on the patients' demographics, operative management, morbidity, hospital stay, and mortality were analyzed for differences based on whether they received laparoscopic or open surgery. RESULTS: Sixteen patients underwent open surgery following laparoscopy, and 61 patients received laparoscopic reintervention following laparoscopy. The conversion rate was 8.2 % (5/61). The median total hospital stay following reintervention was significantly shorter for laparoscopic surgery (16.0 days, range 9-117 days) than for open surgery (35.5 days, range 10-135 days, p < 0.001). The postoperative 30-day morbidity rate, including wound dehiscence (25.0 vs 3.3 %, p = 0.015) and intra-abdominal infection (31.3 vs 6.6 %, p = 0.016), was lower in the laparoscopic surgery group than in the open surgery group. The rate of stoma closure was lower in the open surgery group than in the laparoscopic surgery group (43.8 vs 80.5 %, p < 0.001). There was one in-hospital mortality in the open surgery group. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic reintervention for anastomotic leakage following minimally invasive colorectal surgery is associated with a shorter hospital stay, fewer postoperative complications, and a higher stoma closure rate than open surgery. Laparoscopic reintervention for anastomotic leakage is feasible and safe.

Retroperitoneal Ectopic Pregnancy Detected by CT: A Case Report.

Retroperitoneal ectopic pregnancy is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy. Owing to its rarity and nonspecific symptoms, diagnosing retroperitoneal ectopic pregnancy at the initial presentation poses a significant challenge. Typically, the diagnosis relies on non-radiation imaging modalities, such as ultrasonography and MRI, whereas CT is infrequently used. Herein, we report a rare case of a retroperitoneal ectopic pregnancy, which was diagnosed using CT.

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Rectal syphilis is a rare form of syphilis presentation and its symptoms, endoscopic and radiologic findings are nonspecific. Rectal syphilis typically presents with features such as concentric rectal wall thickening, mucosal hyperemia, perirectal fat stranding, and lymphadenopathy. Rectal cancer exhibits asymmetric wall thickening and lymph node necrosis, aiding in the differentiation between these two diseases. However, due to the considerable overlap in their respective manifestations, distinguishing between rectal syphilis and rectal cancer is extremely challenging without considering the patient's medical history. Rectal syphilis often leads to unnecessary tests or delayed treatment, as it can be mistaken for other benign diseases such as inflammatory bowel diseases in addition to rectal cancer. In this case report, we aim to provide a detailed report on the endoscopic, imaging, and pathological findings based on our experience with a case of suspected rectal malignancy that turned out to be rectal syphilis.

Myosteatosis and aortic calcium score on abdominal CT as prognostic markers in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients.

We aimed to examine the relationship between abdominal computed tomography (CT)-based body composition data and both renal function decline and all-cause mortality in patients with non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD). This retrospective study comprised non-dialysis CKD patients who underwent consecutive unenhanced abdominal CT between January 2010 and December 2011. CT-based body composition was measured using semiautomated method that included visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, skeletal muscle area and density, and abdominal aortic calcium score (AAS). Sarcopenia and myosteatosis were defined by decreased skeletal muscle index (SMI) and decreased skeletal muscle density, respectively, each with specific cutoffs. Risk factors for CKD progression and survival were identified using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard regression models. Survival between groups based on myosteatosis and AAS was compared using the Kaplan-Meier curve. 149 patients (median age: 70 years) were included; 79 (53.0%) patients had sarcopenia and 112 (75.2%) had myosteatosis. The median AAS was 560.9 (interquartile range: 55.7-1478.3)/m2. The prognostic factors for CKD progression were myosteatosis [odds ratio (OR) = 4.31, p = 0.013] and high AAS (OR = 1.03, p = 0.001). Skeletal muscle density [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.93, p = 0.004] or myosteatosis (HR = 4.87, p = 0.032) and high AAS (HR = 1.02, p = 0.001) were independent factors for poor survival outcomes. The presence of myosteatosis and the high burden of aortic calcium were significant factors for CKD progression and survival in patients with non-dialysis CKD.

Correlation analysis of cancer stem cell marker CD133 and human endogenous retrovirus (HERV)-K env in SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Human endogenous retrovirus (HERV)-K is a type of retrovirus that is present in the human genome, and its expression is usually silenced in healthy tissues. The precise mechanism by which HERV-K env influences cancer stemness is not fully understood, but it has been suggested that HERV-K env may activate various signaling pathways that promote stemness traits in cancer cells. OBJECTIVE: To establish the connection between HERV-K env expression and cancer stemness in ovarian cancer cells, we carried out correlation analyses between HERV-K env and the cancer stem cell (CSC) marker known as the cluster of differentiation 133 (CD133) gene in SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells. METHOD: To perform correlation analysis between HERV-K env and CSCs, ovarian cancer cells were cultured in a medium designed for cancer stem cell induction. The expression of HERV-K env and CD133 genes was verified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blot analyses. Additionally, the expression of stemness-related markers, such as OCT-4 and Nanog, was also confirmed using RT-qPCR. RESULTS: In the stem cell induction medium, the number of tumorsphere-type SKOV3 cells increased, and the expression of CD133 and HERV-K env genes was up-regulated. Additionally, other stemness-related markers like OCT-4 and Nanog also exhibited increased expression when cultured in the cancer stem cell induction medium. However, when HERV-K env knockout (KO) SKOV3 cells were cultured in the same cancer stem cell induction medium, there was a significant decrease in the number of tumorsphere-type cells compared to mock SKOV3 cells subjected to the same conditions. Furthermore, the expression of CD133, Nanog, and OCT-4 did not show a significant increase in HERV-K env KO SKOV3 cells compared to mock SKOV3 cells cultured in the same cancer stem cell induction medium. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that the expression of HERV-K env increased in SKOV3 cells when cultured in cancer stem cell induction media, and cancer stem cell induction was inhibited by KO of HERV-K env in SKOV3 cells. These results suggest a strong association between HERV-K env and stemness in SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells.

Interpretation of Complete Tumor Response on MRI Following Chemoradiotherapy of Rectal Cancer: Inter-Reader Agreement and Associated Factors in Multi-Center Clinical Practice.

OBJECTIVE: To measure inter-reader agreement and identify associated factors in interpreting complete response (CR) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) following chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for rectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study involved 10 readers from seven hospitals with experience of 80-10210 cases, and 149 patients who underwent surgery after CRT for rectal cancer. Using MRI-based tumor regression grading (mrTRG) and methods employed in daily practice, the readers independently assessed mrTRG, CR on T2-weighted images (T2WI) denoted as mrCRT2W, and CR on all images including diffusion-weighted images (DWI) denoted as mrCRoverall. The readers described their interpretation patterns and how they utilized DWI. Inter-reader agreement was measured using multi-rater kappa, and associated factors were analyzed using multivariable regression. Correlation between sensitivity and specificity of each reader was analyzed using Spearman coefficient. RESULTS: The mrCRT2W and mrCRoverall rates varied widely among the readers, ranging 18.8%-40.3% and 18.1%-34.9%, respectively. Nine readers used DWI as a supplement sequence, which modified interpretations on T2WI in 2.7% of cases (36/1341 [149 patients × 9 readers]) and mostly (33/36) changed mrCRT2W to non-mrCRoverall. The kappa values for mrTRG, mrCRT2W, and mrCRoverall were 0.56 (95% confidence interval: 0.49, 0.62), 0.55 (0.52, 0.57), and 0.54 (0.51, 0.57), respectively. No use of rectal gel, larger initial tumor size, and higher initial cT stage exhibited significant association with a higher inter-reader agreement for assessing mrCRoverall (P ≤ 0.042). Strong negative correlations were observed between the sensitivity and specificity of individual readers (coefficient, -0.718 to -0.963; P ≤ 0.019). CONCLUSION: Inter-reader agreement was moderate for assessing CR on post-CRT MRI. Readers' varying standards on MRI interpretation (i.e., threshold effect), along with the use of rectal gel, initial tumor size, and initial cT stage, were significant factors associated with inter-reader agreement.

Three segments sampling strategy for the assessment of liver steatosis using magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction.

PURPOSE: This research aims to determine the best liver segments representing the whole-liver fat fraction (FF) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based measurement of the proton density fat fraction (PDFF). METHOD: This retrospective study included 989 adult subjects who underwent MRI-PDFF from March 2018 to January 2021. Three regions of interest (ROI) were measured and averaged for each hepatic segment and the volume-weighted hepatic FF was calculated. Intrahepatic fat variability was assessed by standard deviation between all ROIs. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were done for the factors associated with intrahepatic fat variability among clinical characteristics, blood parameters and the volume-weighted FF. The arithmetic means of specific hepatic segments that were the closest to the volume-weighted FF were identified in all subjects and those with moderate or severe fatty liver. RESULTS: The volume-weighted FF was 8.18% and variability was 1.33%. Volume-weighted FF was the only associated factor with intrahepatic variability. The arithmetic mean of segments V, VI, and IV was closest to the volume-weighted FF in all subjects and in subjects with moderate or severe fatty liver. CONCLUSIONS: There was considerable heterogeneity in hepatic steatosis between each segment of the liver, and the variability was significantly affected by the volume-weighted FF. The mean hepatic FF from segments V, VI, and IV could be used to estimate the volume-weighted FF of the whole liver, not only in the general population but also in patients with moderate or severe fatty liver.

Deep learning-based imaging reconstruction for MRI after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer: effects on image quality and assessment of treatment response.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of deep learning-based imaging reconstruction (DLR) on the image quality of MRI of rectal cancer after chemoradiotherapy (CRT), and its accuracy in diagnosing pathological complete responses (pCR). METHODS: We included 39 patients (men: women, 21:18; mean age ± standard deviation, 59.1 ± 9.7 years) with mid-to-lower rectal cancer who underwent a long-course of CRT and high-resolution rectal MRIs between January 2020 and April 2021. Axial T2WI was reconstructed using the conventional method (MRIconv) and DLR with two different noise reduction factors (MRIDLR30 and MRIDLR50). The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the tumor was measured. Two experienced radiologists independently made a blind assessment of the complete response on MRI. The sensitivity and specificity for pCR were analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression analysis with generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients did not have a pCR whereas five (12.8%) had pCR. Compared with the SNR of MRIconv (mean ± SD, 7.94 ± 1.92), MRIDLR30 and MRIDLR50 showed higher SNR (9.44 ± 2.31 and 11.83 ± 3.07, respectively) (p < 0.001). Compared to MRIconv, MRIDLR30 and MRIDLR50 showed significantly higher specificity values (p < 0.036) while the sensitivity values were not significantly different (p > 0.301). The sensitivity and specificity for pCR were 48.9% and 80.8% for MRIconv; 48.9% and 88.2% for MRIDLR30; and 38.8% and 86.7% for MRIDLR50, respectively. CONCLUSION: DLR produced MR images with higher resolution and SNR. The specificity of MRI for identification of pCR was significantly higher with DLR than with conventional MRI.

Clinical Significance of the Combination of Serum HE4 Levels, Hemoglobin-to-Red Cell Distribution Width Ratio, and CT Imaging for the Pretreatment Assessment of Adnexal Masses.

Background: This study aimed to determine the optimal combination of biomarkers that can predict epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and compare the combination with the risk of ovarian malignancy algorithm (ROMA) or Copenhagen index (CPH-I). Methods: Data from 66 patients with EOC and 599 patients with benign ovarian masses who underwent definitive tissue diagnosis of adnexal masses between January 2017 and March 2021 were analyzed. The Mann-Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis test was used for between-group comparisons of medians. Logistic regression was used to establish an EOC predictor model. Area under the curve (AUC) comparisons between models were performed using the Delong nonparametric approach. Results: The median age of the patients was 43 years. Twenty-nine (43.9%) patients had early-stage disease (stages I-II) and 37 (56.1%) patients had advanced-stage disease (stages III-IV). The median age, body mass index, white blood cell count, hemoglobin-to-red cell distribution width ratio (HRR), platelet count, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, serum albumin level, cancer antigen 125, human epididymal secretory protein 4 (HE4), ROMA, and CPH-I were significantly different between the stage I-IV EOC and benign ovarian mass groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that HE4, HRR, and computed tomography (CT) imaging were significant predictors of both stages I-IV and I-II EOC. Using these covariates, an interim model (IM) (consisting of HE4 and HRR) and a full model (FM) (consisting of HE4, HRR, and CT imaging) were constructed. When predicting stage I-IV EOC, the AUC of IM was comparable to that of ROMA or CPH-I, whereas the AUC of FM outperformed ROMA or CPH-I. In predicting stage I-II EOC, the AUC of IM was comparable to that of CPH-I but higher than that of ROMA, and the AUC of FM outperformed ROMA or CPH-I. Conclusion: FM outperformed ROMA or CPH-I in predicting stage I-IV EOC and stage I-II EOC. Therefore, FM could be a promising model for improving preoperative prediction of EOC at an early stage. However, further prospective studies are required to validate these results.

Discordance diagnosis between B-mode ultrasonography and MRI proton density fat fraction for fatty liver.

We aimed to evaluate the frequency and causes of discordant results in fatty liver (FL) diagnosis between B-mode ultrasonography (B-USG) and magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF). We analyzed patients who underwent both B-USG and MRI-PDFF within a 6-month interval. We made a confusion matrix for FL diagnosis between B-USG and MRI-PDFF and identified four discordant groups as follows: (1) the "UFL-MnFL-wo" group [B-USG FL-MRI-PDFF no FL without chronic liver disease (CLD) or liver cirrhosis (LC)]; (2) the "UFL-MnFL-w" group (B-USG FL-MRI-PDFF no FL with CLD or LC); (3) the "UnFL-MFL-wo" group (B-USG no FL-MRI-PDFF FL without CLD or LC); and (4) the "UnFL-MFL-w" group (B-USG no FL-MRI-PDFF FL with CLD or LC). We compared the "UFL-MnFL-wo" group with the control group in terms of various parameters. We found 201 patients (201/1514, 13.3%) with discordant results for FL diagnosis between B-USG and MRI-PDFF. The "UFL-MnFL-wo" group accounted for the largest portion at 6.8% (103/1514), followed by the "UFL-MnFL-w" group (79/1514, 5.2%) and the "UnFL-MFL-w" group (16/1514, 1.1%). The mean and right PDFF values, body mass index, and abdominal wall thickness were significantly higher in the "UFL-MnFL-wo" group than in the control group (p ≤ 0.001). The frequency of discordant results in the diagnosis of FL between B-USG and MRI-PDFF could be identified. The causes of discordant results were that B-USG was fairly accurate in diagnosing FL disease and that accompanying CLD or LC hindered the evaluation of FL.

Pretreatment CT differential diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis from peritoneal carcinomatosis of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

Delayed diagnosis of female genital tuberculosis (FGTB) can lead to inappropriate treatment and unnecessary surgical procedures rather than standard anti-TB medication. We tried to evaluate the use of computed tomography (CT) imaging to differentiate TB peritonitis from peritoneal carcinomatosis of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (AEOC). We investigated women who underwent CT to distinguish between TB peritonitis and peritoneal carcinomatosis of AEOC. We evaluated various CT imaging features to identify differences between the two diseases. In addition, we performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to identify the independent imaging parameters associated with TB peritonitis and evaluated the diagnostic performance of the combined imaging parameters. We also performed the histopathological analysis of the available salpinx specimens of TB peritonitis. We included 25 women with TB peritonitis and 34 women with peritoneal carcinomatosis of AEOC. A multivariate analysis of the discriminant CT imaging features between the two diseases revealed that changes in fallopian tubes and peritoneal micronodules were independent parameters associated with TB peritonitis (p ≤ 0.012). Combining the two imaging parameters showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.855, a sensitivity of 88.0%, and a specificity of 67.7% for differentiating TB peritonitis from peritoneal carcinomatosis. Furthermore, changes in fallopian tubes were correlated with histopathological abnormalities in salpinx specimens. Pretreatment CT evaluation with useful imaging features could help differentiate TB peritonitis from peritoneal carcinomatosis of AEOC.