Perfusion heterogeneity in breast tumors for assessment of angiogenesis.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the perfusion heterogeneity of malignant and benign breast tumors and assay their vascular architecture changes and molecular expression, thereby evaluating the relevance between imaging and histologic characteristics of angiogenesis. METHODS: Real-time grayscale contrast-enhanced sonography was performed in 310 women with 317 breast tumors. The enhancement patterns and perfusion parameters for malignant and benign tumors were analyzed by contrast-enhanced sonography with microvascular imaging and quantitative time-intensity curve analysis. Structural characteristics were observed by light and electron microscopy. The microvessel density, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, and human kinase insert domain-containing receptor (KDR) expression for all tumors were assessed by immunohistochemical staining of CD31, KDR, and VEGF. RESULTS: Surgical pathologic analysis showed 163 malignant and 154 benign tumors. Significant morphologic differences, including perfusion defects, vessel distortion, vessel dilatation, and heterogeneous enhancement, were observed between the malignant and benign groups (P < .05). The mean perfusion parameters (peak intensity, ascending slope, area under the curve, and wash-out time) were greater in the malignant tumors (P < .05). There were significant differences in the peak intensity, ascending slope, area under the curve, and wash-out time between peripheral and central regions of the malignant tumors (P < .05) but none in the benign tumors. Vessels had various morphologic and distributional characteristics in the peripheral and central regions of the malignant tumors. The microvessel density and VEGF and KDR expression were significantly higher in the malignant group (P < .05), especially in the peripheral regions. CONCLUSIONS: Perfusion heterogeneity was closely associated with the tumor microvascular architecture and molecular expression. Perfusion features, especially regional morphologic and hemodynamic features, can provide valuable information for differentiating malignant from benign breast tumors.

Quantitative Evaluation of Biceps Brachii Muscle by Shear Wave Elastography in Stroke Patients.

Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate the differences in muscle size and shear wave speed (SWS) values of biceps brachii muscle (BBM) between stroke survivors and healthy controls. Methods: This study comprised 61 stroke survivors and 24 healthy subjects, examined at Guangzhou First People's Hospital within one year. Each participant underwent ultrasonic examinations for recording some specific measurement indicators, including muscle thickness, cross-sectional area (CSA), and shear wave speed (SWS) of BBM. The muscular tension of the paretic arm was scored using the modified Ashworth scale (MAS). These above-mentioned indexes were compared between stroke survivors and healthy controls. Also, the correlations among SWS and MAS scores were assessed. Results: When the lifting arm angle was set for 45°, the CSA and muscle thickness of BBM were obviously decreased in the paretic arms of stroke subjects compared to the non-paretic arms as well as the arms of healthy controls. Moreover, the paretic arms had obviously higher SWS than the non-paretic arms and the healthy arms at 45° or 90°. When the angles of paretic arms were lifted at 90° and 45°, respectively, a positive correlation was established between MAS and SWS. Conclusion: Ultrasonic examination assessing muscle thickness, CSA, and SWS of the BBM could be used as a means of assessment of the paretic arms of stroke survivors.

[Photocatalytic Degradation Kinetics and Mechanism of Monoazo Dye Acid Yellow 17 by UV/TiO2 in Aqueous Solution].

In order to explore the removal methods, transformation, environmental fate, effect and potential risk of dyes in environmental water, monoazo dye acid yellow 17 (AY17) was selected as model compound to investigate the degradation possibility in different advance oxidation processes (AOPs), and the degradation efficiencies followed the order of UV/H2O2