Can contrast-enhanced ultrasound differentiate the type of hepatic echinococcosis: cystic echinococcosis or alveolar echinococcosis?

BACKGROUND: Hepatic echinococcosis (HE) is a zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus, and Echinococcus granulosus and E. multilocularis are the most common, causing cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE), respectively. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is an imaging technique which has been recommended for identifying focal lesions in the liver. However, the effect of CEUS on the differentiation of hepatic echinococcosis type remains unclear. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with 46 HE lesions confirmed by histopathology in our hospital from December 2019 to May 2022 were reviewed by conventional ultrasound (US) and CEUS examinations, respectively. After US was completed, the CEUS study was performed. A bolus injection of 1.0-1.2 ml of a sulfur hexafluoride-filled microbubble contrast agent (SonoVue®) was administered. The images and clips of the lesions by US and CEUS were reviewed retrospectively. The lesions detected using US were evaluated including the location, size, morphology, margin, internal echogenicity and the internal Doppler signal. The lesions detected using CEUS were evaluated including the enhancement degree, enhancement pattern and enhancing boundary in different phases. The diagnoses of lesions by US or CEUS were respectively recorded. By taking the histopathology as the gold standard, the paired Chi-square test was performed with statistical software (IBM SPSS; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA), and the results of differentiation of HE type by US and CEUS were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 46 lesions were involved in 25 patients, including 10 males (40.0%) and 15 females (60.0%) aged 15-55 (42.9 ± 10.3) years. By histopathology, 24 lesions of nine patients were diagnosed as CE and 22 lesions of 16 patients were diagnosed as AE. Among the 46 HE lesions, compared with histopathological examination, the accuracy rate was 65.2% and 91.3% in US and CEUS findings, respectively. Among the 24 CE lesions, 13 lesions were correctly differentiated by US, and 23 by CEUS. The difference between US and CEUS was statistically significant (Chi-square test, [Formula: see text] = 8.10, df = 23, P < 0.005). Among the total 46 HE lesions, 30 lesions were correctly differentiated by US, and 42 by CEUS. The difference between US and CEUS was statistically significant (Chi-square test, [Formula: see text] = 10.08, df = 45, P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: CEUS is a more effective technique than US for differentiating the type of HE between CE and AE. It could be a reliable tool in the differentiation of HE.

How Does the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Pediatric Patients with Intussusception Treated by Ultrasound-Guided Hydrostatic Enema Reduction?

BACKGROUND: The pandemic of COVID-19 has significantly influenced the epidemiology of intussusception. Nevertheless, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the operation of ultrasound-guided hydrostatic enema reduction (USGHER) for intussusception have been largely unknown. METHODS: The data of pediatric patients with intussusception who were treated by USGHER from January to March of 2019 (Control Group), 2020 (Study Group 1), and 2021 (Study Group 2) in a large Chinese medical institution were retrospectively collected and analyzed. RESULTS: We enrolled 246 patients, including 90 cases in Control Group, 70 in Study Group 1, and 86 in Study Group 2 (p = 0.042). The time from the onset of symptoms to the hospital visit and the time from the hospital visit to performing the ultrasound in Study Group 1 was significantly longer than that in Control Group and Study Group 2 (p = 0.036, p = 0.031, respectively). The number of patients with bloody stool and the longest invaginated length of intussusception in Study Group 1 increased significantly compared with patients in the other two groups (p = 0.007, p = 0.042, respectively). Comparisons of neither the pressure of enema nor the time of duration when performing USGHER present statistical significance among the three groups (p = 0.091, p = 0.085, respectively). For all enrolled pediatric patients, there was no perforation case involved, and recurrence of intussusception occurred in few cases. CONCLUSIONS: Besides the negative impacts on the incidence of intussusception, the COVID-19 pandemic might have led to the diagnostic delay of intussusception and the deterioration of patients' clinical manifestations, but it did not significantly affect the operation of USGHER and patients' clinical outcome.

[Low Plasma High Density Lipoprotein-cholesterol Level Associated with Deep Vein Thrombosis in Traumatic Fracture Patients].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association of plasma high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in traumatic fracture patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study in 1 054 traumatic fracture patients admitted between April 2012 and December 2014. 188 cases were divided into DVT and others (n=866) into control group based on ultrasound results. The relationship between HDL-C and DVT was determined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Compared with control group, patients in DVT group had significantly lower HDL-C level, and low level of plasma HDL-C was associated with the occurrence of DVT. Deceased HDL-C, inceased age, inceased immobilization, inceasd anticoagulant-free days, fracture sites, and blood transfusion were risk factors for the occurrence of DVT in traumatic fracture patients. Patients with surgery had significantly lower level of HDL-C in both groups compared with patients without surgery respectively. CONCLUSION: Low level of plasma HDL-C was independently associated with the occurrence of DVT in traumatic fracture patients.

Sonographic and CT imaging features of intestinal perforation from a pill and packing: A case report.

RATIONALE: Sharp foreign bodies such as toothpicks or chicken bones can lead to intestinal perforation. Small intestinal perforation secondary to foreign body ingestion is usually manifested as an acute abdomen without a history of trauma. Here we describe the diagnosis and treatment of a case of small bowel perforation caused by an ingested pill and its outer packing. PATIENT CONCERNS: An 84 years old male patient complained of right lower abdominal pain for 4 days and the pain was becoming progressively worse. DIAGNOSES: The patient, who has Alzheimer's disease, mistakenly took the pill (oxiracetam) without removing the outer packaging. This resulted in perforation of the small intestine. INTERVENTIONS: During the ultrasound examination, the scanning physician discovered that the abnormal sonographic findings present could not be explained by the leading diagnosis of perforation of the small intestine at the time. This led the physician to suspect small bowel perforation secondary to a foreign body. The subsequent computerized tomography (CT) examination further confirmed the ultrasound findings. OUTCOMES: Emergency laparotomy was performed and the foreign body was removed. After the surgical procedure, the patient resumed anti-inflammatory treatment (Cefoxitin sodium 2000mg tid) and rehydration therapy (Sodium Chloride Solution 100mL tid). LESSONS: Because ingestion of foreign bodies of this type is relatively rare, when patients cannot provide an accurate history, diagnosis can be quite difficult. In this paper, the imaging features associated with intestinal perforation secondary to foreign body ingestion on ultrasound and CT are described. This series of events demonstrate how imaging findings can guide and alter a clinician's decision-making.

Preoperative ultrasound-guided carbon nanoparticles localization for metastatic lymph nodes in papillary thyroid carcinoma during reoperation: A retrospective cohort study.

Due to the damaged anatomical structure and a large amount of fibrous and scar tissues in the surgical field, reoperation of papillary thyroid carcinoma is difficult. This study introduces a new method of locating metastatic lymph nodes during reoperation and evaluates the effectiveness and safety of the preoperative ultrasound-guided carbon nanoparticles (CNs) localization. This retrospective cohort study enrolled 52 patients who were diagnosed with lymph node metastasis by histopathology and underwent reoperation from October 2015 to February 2016. The modified radical neck dissection or selective neck node dissection was performed. A total of 26 patients underwent preoperative ultrasound-guided CNs injection, and other 26 patients did not. Tolerance, the result of injection, the number of resected metastatic lymph nodes, and postoperative complications were recorded and analyzed. In CNs group, 102 suspicious nonpalpable lesions in 26 patients were injected with CNs, and 99 of the 102 lesions were successfully identified by surgeon in the reoperation. The positive rate of resected lymph nodes in total, in the central compartment, and in the lateral compartment were 31.6%, 31.2%, and 32.8%, respectively, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.041). In addition, the positive rates of levels III, IV, and V in the CNs group were 35.6%, 21.9%, and 30.5%, respectively, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.001, P = 0.005, and P = 0.01). In additional, in the CNs group, the rate of temporary hypoparathyroidism was significantly lower compared with the control group (0% vs 26.9%, P = 0.021). Preoperative ultrasound-guided CNs injection is a safe and effective method for localization of the metastatic lymph nodes during reoperation.