Surface modification of highly hydrophobic polyester fabric coated with octadecylamine-functionalized graphene nanosheets.

This study focuses on the design of highly hydrophobic polyester fabrics (PET) coated with organophilic graphene nanosheets (G-ODA) through a simple, cost-effective and scalable coating method. The organophilic graphene oxide was successfully synthesized by covalently grafting a long chain fatty amine on its surface and was fully characterized by various physicochemical techniques. G-ODA was coated at different loadings onto the PET fabric ranging from 1 to 7 wt% to produce uniformly dispersed PET@G-ODA fabrics with multifunctional performances. FTIR has confirmed the formation of strong interfacial interaction between the PET and G-ODA functional groups. Moreover, the produced PET@G-ODA fabrics resulted in achieving enhanced thermal stability as well as excellent water repellency compared to the pristine PET. Water contact angle measurements showed a tremendous enhancement of surface hydrophobicity up to 148° with 7 wt% loading of G-ODA. Tensile strength tests revealed that our fabric exhibited excellent mechanical properties compared to neat PET. In addition, the designed PET@G-ODA fabrics demonstrated excellent oil/water separation efficiency for different oil/water mixtures. The obtained results are very promising in terms of designing and producing functional PET fabrics with improved thermal and surface proprieties.

18F-FDG PET/CT heterogeneity quantification through textural features in the era of harmonisation programs: a focus on lung cancer.

PURPOSE: Quantification of tumour heterogeneity in PET images has recently gained interest, but has been shown to be dependent on image reconstruction. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the EANM/EARL accreditation program on selected 18F-FDG heterogeneity metrics. METHODS: To carry out our study, we prospectively analysed 71 tumours in 60 biopsy-proven lung cancer patient acquisitions reconstructed with unfiltered point spread function (PSF) positron emission tomography (PET) images (optimised for diagnostic purposes), PSF-reconstructed images with a 7-mm Gaussian filter (PSF7) chosen to meet European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) 1.0 harmonising standards, and EANM Research Ltd. (EARL)-compliant ordered subset expectation maximisation (OSEM) images. Delineation was performed with fuzzy locally adaptive Bayesian (FLAB) algorithm on PSF images and reported on PSF7 and OSEM ones, and with a 50 % standardised uptake values (SUV)max threshold (SUVmax50%) applied independently to each image. Robust and repeatable heterogeneity metrics including 1st-order [area under the curve of the cumulative histogram (CHAUC)], 2nd-order (entropy, correlation, and dissimilarity), and 3rd-order [high-intensity larger area emphasis (HILAE) and zone percentage (ZP)] textural features (TF) were statistically compared. RESULTS: Volumes obtained with SUVmax50% were significantly smaller than FLAB-derived ones, and were significantly smaller in PSF images compared to OSEM and PSF7 images. PSF-reconstructed images showed significantly higher SUVmax and SUVmean values, as well as heterogeneity for CHAUC, dissimilarity, correlation, and HILAE, and a wider range of heterogeneity values than OSEM images for most of the metrics considered, especially when analysing larger tumours. Histological subtypes had no impact on TF distribution. No significant difference was observed between any of the considered metrics (SUV or heterogeneity features) that we extracted from OSEM and PSF7 reconstructions. Furthermore, the distributions of TF for OSEM and PSF7 reconstructions according to tumour volumes were similar for all ranges of volumes. CONCLUSION: PSF reconstruction with Gaussian filtering chosen to meet harmonising standards resulted in similar SUV values and heterogeneity information as compared to OSEM images, which validates its use within the harmonisation strategy context. However, unfiltered PSF-reconstructed images also showed higher heterogeneity according to some metrics, as well as a wider range of heterogeneity values than OSEM images for most of the metrics considered, especially when analysing larger tumours. This suggests that, whenever available, unfiltered PSF images should also be exploited to obtain the most discriminative quantitative heterogeneity features.

Development of a nomogram combining clinical staging with (18)F-FDG PET/CT image features in non-small-cell lung cancer stage I-III.

PURPOSE: Our goal was to develop a nomogram by exploiting intratumour heterogeneity on CT and PET images from routine (18)F-FDG PET/CT acquisitions to identify patients with the poorest prognosis. METHODS: This retrospective study included 116 patients with NSCLC stage I, II or III and with staging (18)F-FDG PET/CT imaging. Primary tumour volumes were delineated using the FLAB algorithm and 3D Slicer™ on PET and CT images, respectively. PET and CT heterogeneities were quantified using texture analysis. The reproducibility of the CT features was assessed on a separate test-retest dataset. The stratification power of the PET/CT features was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. The best standard metric (functional volume) was combined with the least redundant and most prognostic PET/CT heterogeneity features to build the nomogram. RESULTS: PET entropy and CT zone percentage had the highest complementary values with clinical stage and functional volume. The nomogram improved stratification amongst patients with stage II and III disease, allowing identification of patients with the poorest prognosis (clinical stage III, large tumour volume, high PET heterogeneity and low CT heterogeneity). CONCLUSION: Intratumour heterogeneity quantified using textural features on both CT and PET images from routine staging (18)F-FDG PET/CT acquisitions can be used to create a nomogram with higher stratification power than staging alone.

Do clinical, histological or immunohistochemical primary tumour characteristics translate into different (18)F-FDG PET/CT volumetric and heterogeneity features in stage II/III breast cancer?

PURPOSE: The aim of this retrospective study was to determine if some features of baseline (18)F-FDG PET images, including volume and heterogeneity, reflect clinical, histological or immunohistochemical characteristics in patients with stage II or III breast cancer (BC). METHODS: Included in the present retrospective analysis were 171 prospectively recruited patients with stage II/III BC treated consecutively at Saint-Louis hospital. Primary tumour volumes were semiautomatically delineated on pretreatment (18)F-FDG PET images. The parameters extracted included SUVmax, SUVmean, metabolically active tumour volume (MATV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG) and heterogeneity quantified using the area under the curve of the cumulative histogram and textural features. Associations between clinical/histopathological characteristics and (18)F-FDG PET features were assessed using one-way analysis of variance. Areas under the ROC curves (AUC) were used to quantify the discriminative power of the features significantly associated with clinical/histopathological characteristics. RESULTS: T3 tumours (>5 cm) exhibited higher textural heterogeneity in (18)F-FDG uptake than T2 tumours (AUC <0.75), whereas there were no significant differences in SUVmax and SUVmean. Invasive ductal carcinoma showed higher SUVmax values than invasive lobular carcinoma (p = 0.008) but MATV, TLG and textural features were not discriminative. Grade 3 tumours had higher FDG uptake (AUC 0.779 for SUVmax and 0.694 for TLG), and exhibited slightly higher regional heterogeneity (AUC 0.624). Hormone receptor-negative tumours had higher SUV values than oestrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive) and progesterone receptor-positive tumours, while heterogeneity patterns showed only low-level variation according to hormone receptor expression. HER-2 status was not associated with any of the image features. Finally, SUVmax, SUVmean and TLG significantly differed among the three phenotype subgroups (HER2-positive, triple-negative and ER-positive/HER2-negative BCs), but MATV and heterogeneity metrics were not discriminative. CONCLUSION: SUV parameters, MATV and textural features showed limited correlations with clinical and histopathological features. The three main BC subgroups differed in terms of SUVs and TLG but not in terms of MATV and heterogeneity. None of the PET-derived metrics offered high discriminative power.

Baseline Tumor 18F-FDG Uptake and Modifications After 2 Cycles of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Are Prognostic of Outcome in ER+/HER2- Breast Cancer.

UNLABELLED: This study investigated whether (18)F-FDG PET/CT performed at baseline and during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) was able to early depict estrogen receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (ER+/HER2-) breast cancer patients with poor clinical outcome. METHODS: The NAC regimen consisted of 4 cycles of epirubicin plus cyclophosphamide, followed by 4 courses of docetaxel. The patients underwent (18)F-FDG PET/CT at baseline and after 2 cycles of chemotherapy. After completion of NAC, all patients had breast surgery with axillary lymph node dissection. We assessed the impact of 2 PET parameters, maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) and total lesion glycolysis, on event-free survival (EFS). RESULTS: Ninety-eight consecutive patients with clinical stage II or III ER+/HER2- breast cancer were included. (18)F-FDG PET/CT revealed distant metastases in 14 patients (14%). Overall survival was significantly shorter in these patients than in the 84 patients classified as M0 at baseline (18)F-FDG PET/CT (P < 0.001). In M0 patients, a high SUVmax at baseline was associated with shorter EFS (P < 0.001). Twelve patients had a tumor SUVmax of 10 or greater and a 3-y EFS of 49% (vs. 92% in patients with baseline SUVmax < 10). A low change in SUVmax between (18)F-FDG PET/CT examination before starting NAC and after the second cycle of chemotherapy was also associated with recurrence (P = 0.033), as was a low change in total lesion glycolysis (P < 0.001). Contrarily to PET-based prediction, the extent of pathologic response after completion of NAC (partial/complete vs. nonresponders) was poorly correlated to the risk of relapse. CONCLUSION: Baseline tumor (18)F-FDG uptake and modifications after 2 cycles of NAC are prognostic of outcome in patients with ER+/HER2- breast cancer.

Early Metabolic Response to Neoadjuvant Treatment: FDG PET/CT Criteria according to Breast Cancer Subtype.

PURPOSE: To investigate parameters based on fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomographic (PET) imaging that are best correlated with pathologic complete response (PCR) in human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2)-positive cancer and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and with partial or complete response in ER-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was approved by institutional review board with waivers of informed written consent and included consecutive patients treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Five PET examination-derived parameters were tested: standard uptake value (SUV) maximum (SUV(max)), peak (SUV(peak)), and mean (SUV(mean)), metabolically active tumor volume, and total lesion glycolysis (TLG). Absolute values at baseline PET, at PET imaging after two cycles of chemotherapy, and variation (ie, change) were measured. Correlations with pathologic response (Wilcoxon rank-sum test) and predictive power assessed (area under the curve [AUC] on the basis of receiver operating characteristic analysis) were examined. RESULTS: Included were 169 consecutive patients (mean age, 50 years). PCR was more frequent in HER2-positive tumors (16 of 33 patients [48.5%]) and TNBCs (20 of 54 patients [37%]) than in ER positive/HER2-negative tumors (four of 82 [4.9%]) (P < .001). Among patients with ER-positive/HER2-negative cancers, 33 patients had partial response. In TNBC, best association with PCR was obtained with change in SUV(max) (AUC, 0.86) or change in TLG (AUC, 0.88). In HER2-positive phenotype, absolute SUV(max) (or SUV(peak)) values at PET imaging after two cycles of chemotherapy (AUC for each cycle, 0.93) were better correlated with PCR than change in SUV(max) (AUC, 0.78; P = .11) or change in TLG (AUC, 0.62; P = .005). Regarding ER-positive/HER2-negative cancers, change in SUV(max) or change in TLG (AUC, 0.75) were parameters best correlated with partial or complete response. Baseline SUV(max) was higher in lymph nodes than in primary tumor in 31 patients. Findings were similar considering the site with highest FDG uptake. CONCLUSION: Quantitative indexes of tumor glucose use that are best correlated with pathologic response vary by phenotype: change in SUV(max) or TLG are most adequate for TNBCs and ER-positive/ HER2-negative cancers and absolute SUV(max) after two cycles of chemotherapy for HER2-positive breast cancers.

18F-FDG PET uptake characterization through texture analysis: investigating the complementary nature of heterogeneity and functional tumor volume in a multi-cancer site patient cohort.

UNLABELLED: Intratumoral uptake heterogeneity in (18)F-FDG PET has been associated with patient treatment outcomes in several cancer types. Textural feature analysis is a promising method for its quantification. An open issue associated with textural features for the quantification of intratumoral heterogeneity concerns its added contribution and dependence on the metabolically active tumor volume (MATV), which has already been shown to be a significant predictive and prognostic parameter. Our objective was to address this question using a larger cohort of patients covering different cancer types. METHODS: A single database of 555 pretreatment (18)F-FDG PET images (breast, cervix, esophageal, head and neck, and lung cancer tumors) was assembled. Four robust and reproducible textural feature-derived parameters were considered. The issues associated with the calculation of textural features using co-occurrence matrices (such as the quantization and spatial directionality relationships) were also investigated. The relationship between these features and MATV, as well as among the features themselves, was investigated using Spearman rank coefficients for different volume ranges. The complementary prognostic value of MATV and textural features was assessed through multivariate Cox analysis in the esophageal and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cohorts. RESULTS: A large range of MATVs was included in the population considered (3-415 cm(3); mean, 35; median, 19; SD, 50). The correlation between MATV and textural features varied greatly depending on the MATVs, with reduced correlation for increasing volumes. These findings were reproducible across the different cancer types. The quantization and calculation methods both had an impact on the correlation. Volume and heterogeneity were independent prognostic factors (P = 0.0053 and 0.0093, respectively) along with stage (P = 0.002) in non-small cell lung cancer, but in the esophageal tumors, volume and heterogeneity had less complementary value because of smaller overall volumes. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that heterogeneity quantification and volume may provide valuable complementary information for volumes above 10 cm(3), although the complementary information increases substantially with larger volumes.

[Abnormalities of the interatrial septum associated with cerebral ischemia in young adults: contribution of trans-oesophageal echocardiography]. / Anomalies du septum inter-auriculaire complique d'ischemie cerebral chez le sujet jeune: apport de l'echographie trans-oesophagienne.

BACKGROUND: About 40% of the mechanism of ischaemic stroke in young adults remains unclear. A paradoxical embolism associated with persistence of a patent foramen ovale and/or the presence of an atrial septal anevrysm are significantly more frequent in patients examined for ischaemic stroke of unknown cause than in control subjects. AIM: was to evaluate the contribution of trans-oesophageal echocardiography to the diagnosis of abnormalities of the interatrial septum and to identify the role played by this condition in unexplained ischemic stroke. METHODS: In 30 consecutive patients, trans-oesophageal echocardiography recording were made during a saline contrast study. RESULTS: Abnormalities of the interatrial septum was diagnosed in 23.3% cases. The proportion of patent foramen ovale was 10% (3 patients); atrial septal anevrysm was detected in 6.6%(2 patients). The prevalence of patent foramen ovale associated with atrial septal anevrysm was 6.6% (2 patients). CONCLUSION: Transesophageal echocardiography with contrast appears to be an effective exam in diagnosis of abnomalities of the interatrial septum and our study was suggestive of their embolic nature.

[Right atrium angiosarcoma disclosed by alveolar hemorrhage]. / Angiosarcome de l'oreillette droite révélé par une hemorragie alvéolaire.

UNLABELLED: Cardiac angiosarcoma represents a primary cardiac malignancy tumor whose early diagnosis is difficult because of its non specific clinical presentation. We present the case of a 57 years old patient with medium abundance hemoptysis. The chest X ray film and CT scan showed bilateral pulmonary infiltrate without cardiac anomaly. Abdominal echography showed disseminated hepatic tumoral lesions. A transthoracic echocardiography made after apparition of heart failure symptoms found a right atrium cardiac tumor. The hepatic lesion biopsy showed angiosarcoma. CONCLUSION: In presence of uncommon systemic symptoms like diffuse pulmonary lesions associated with cardiac anomaly, the diagnosis of angiosarcoma should be included.

The transesophageal echocardiographic diagnosis of left atrial myxoma simulating a left atrial thrombus in the setting of mitral stenosis.

We report the case of a 56-year-old woman with a history of rheumatic heart disease. The clinical, electrocardiographic, and radiologic findings suggested mitral stenosis. Left atrial obstructive myxoma simulating a thrombus was found by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). The diagnosis was established by use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), confirmed after surgery and by anatomical investigation. Cardiac myxoma associated with mitral stenosis may be difficult to diagnose accurately using TTE. The advantage of TEE in this case and in patients with mitral stenosis is emphasized.

[Feasibility of transesophageal echocardiography during balloon mitral valvulotomy]. / Echographie transoesophagienne multiplan durant la dilatation mitrale percutanée.

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the utility and feasibility of transesophageal echocardiography during percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PBMV). 40 patients were included with symptomatic rheumatic mitral valve stenosis with mean age of 31 years. Transoesophageal echocardiographic monitoring allowed an immediate detection of mitral insufficiency in 10 patients. This latter was moderate in eight cases and severe in two cases indicating to stop the procedure. The addition of on-line TEE during PBMV facilitate and confirm the success of the procedure and detect complications.

[Cardiovascular manifestations of Kawasaki syndrome. Value of echocardiography in diagnosis and progression]. / Manifestations cardiovasculaires du syndrome de Kawasaki. Apport de l'échocardiographie dans le diagnostic et l'évolution.

Seven children with suspected Kawasaki disease were studied by echocardiogram. Coronary abnormalities occurred in all patients, associated with: thrombosis (2 patients) small pericardial effusion (2 patients) poor ventricular function (2 patients), moderate mitral regurgitation (2 patients). Patients received treatment with intravenous gamma globulin, aspirin, and anticoagulant. Echocardiogram abnormalities disappeared between 1 and 26 months after the onset of the disease; only persist coronary hyperechogenecity in 6 patients.

[Cardiopericardial echinococcosis]. / Echinococcose cardiopéricardique.

UNLABELLED: Cardiac hydatid cysts are rare and represent 0.5 to 2% off all hydatid cyst in human. We describe clinical and echographic features in 12 patients with cardiac echinococcosis, admitted between 1992 and 2001. Average age was 40 years (16-60 years). The cysts were located in the left ventricle wall (3 patients), right ventricle wall (3 patients) right atrium (3 patients) and pericardial cavity (3 patients). Cardiac Hydatid cyst diagnosis was established by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in all cases. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed echographic finding. All patients were operated. The operation finding confirmed the imaging data. Only one patient died in the post operative period. No recurrence or associated complication were reported in the late follow up. CONCLUSION: In presence of atypical symptomatology in a patient coming from an endemic area of hydatid cyst the diagnosis of cardiac echinococcosis is possible. TTE and TEE are the imaging procedure of choice and sufficient for the diagnosis of cardiac hydatid cyst. CT and/or MRI provide more information about the extension of echinococcosis diseases in other intra or extrathoracic location.

[Value of early systematic transoesophageal ultrasonography after mitral valve replacement by Saint-Jude prosthesis]. / L'apport de l'échographie transoesophagienne précoce systématique après remplacement valvulaire mitral par une prothese Saint-Jude-Médical.

The aim of this study was to assess the value of the routine multiplane transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the early postoperative period after mitral valve replacement with a Saint Jude Médical (SJM) mechanical prosthesis. This prospective work enrolled 56 patients who have been operated between September 1999 and September 2001, all these patients had a multiplan TEE after 14.7 days (8-29 days) of post-operative. The effect of peri-prosthetic leaks was 59%. They were always minimal and asymptomatic. 68% of them disappeared at the late exam. An asymptomatic intermittent blockage of an leaflet had been noted in one patient. It appears to us today indispensable to achieve a systematic TEE in the early post operative period after mitral valve replacement. This exam remains little aggressive and comfortably supportable by the patient in look of information brought.