Discovery of a novel natural compound, vitekwangin B, with ANO1 protein reduction properties and anticancer potential.

Background: Prostate cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) present significant challenges in the development of effective therapeutic strategies. Hormone therapies for prostate cancer target androgen receptors and prostate-specific antigen markers. However, treatment options for prostatic small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma are limited. NSCLC, on the other hand, is primarily treated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors but exhibits resistance. This study explored a novel therapeutic approach by investigating the potential anticancer properties of vitekwangin B, a natural compound derived from Vitex trifolia. Methods: Vitekwangin B was chromatographically isolated from the fruits of V. trifolia. ANO1 protein levels in prostate cancer and NSCLC cells were verified and evaluated again after vitekwangin B treatment. Results: Vitekwangin B did not inhibit anoctamin1 (ANO1) channel function but significantly reduced ANO1 protein levels. These results demonstrate that vitekwangin B effectively inhibited cancer cell viability and induced apoptosis in prostate cancer and NSCLC cells. Moreover, it exhibited minimal toxicity to liver cells and did not affect hERG channel activity, making it a promising candidate for further development as an anticancer drug. Conclusion: Vitekwangin B may offer a new direction for cancer therapy by targeting ANO1 protein, potentially improving treatment outcomes in patients with prostate cancer and NSCLC. Further research is needed to explore its full potential and overcome existing drug resistance challenges.

Development of a Rabbit Iliac Arterial Stenosis Model Using a Controlled Cholesterol Diet and Pullover Balloon Injury.

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a rabbit iliac stenosis model and evaluate the effects of different mechanical injury techniques on the degree of arterial stenosis. Materials and Methods: Eighteen rabbits were divided into three groups: cholesterol-fed with pullover balloon injury (group A; n = 6), cholesterol-fed with localized balloon dilatation (group B; n = 6), and chow-diet with pullover balloon injury (group C; n = 6). After baseline angiography, the left iliac arteries of all rabbits were injured with a 3 × 10 mm noncompliant balloon using either a wide pullover technique (groups A and C) or a localized balloon dilatation technique (group B). A nine-week follow-up angiography was performed, and the angiographic late lumen loss and percentage of stenosis were compared. Results: Group A exhibited the most severe late lumen loss (A vs. B, 0.67 ± 0.13 vs. 0.04 ± 0.13 mm, p < 0.0001; A vs. C, 0.67 ± 0.13 vs. 0.26 ± 0.29 mm, p < 0.05; stenosis percentage 32.02% ± 6.54%). In contrast, group B showed a minimal percentage of stenosis (1.75% ± 6.55%). Conclusion: Pullover-balloon injury can lead to significant iliac artery stenosis in rabbits with controlled hypercholesterolemia. This model may be useful for elucidating the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and for evaluating the efficacy of novel therapeutic interventions.

CT texture features and lung shunt fraction measured using 99mTc-macroaggregated albumin SPECT/CT before trans-arterial radioembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

The aim of this study is to determine whether contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT)-based texture parameters can predict high (> 30 Gy) expected lung dose (ELD) calculated using 99mTc macroaggregated albumin single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) for pre-trans-arterial radioembolization (TARE) dosimetry. 35 patients were analyzed, with a treatable planned dose of ≥ 200 Gy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Lung shunt fraction (LSF) was obtained from planar and SPECT/CT scans. Texture features of the tumor lesion on CECT before TARE were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to determine potential ELD > 30 Gy predictors. Among the 35 patients, nine (25.7%) had ELD > 30 Gy, and had a higher LSF than the ELD ≤ 30 Gy group using the planar (20.7 ± 8.0% vs. 6.3 ± 3.3%; P < 0.001) and SPECT/CT (12.4 ± 5.1% vs. 3.5 ± 2.0%; P < 0.001) scans. The tumor integral total (HU × L) value was a predictor for high LSF using SPECT/CT, with an area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.983 (95% confidence interval: 0.869-1.000, P < 0.001), 100%, and 88.5%, respectively. The tumor integral total value is an imaging marker for predicting ELD > 30 Gy. Applying CECT texture analysis may assist in reducing time and cost in patient selection and modifying TARE treatment plans.

Decoding auditory-evoked response in affective states using wearable around-ear EEG system.

Objective.In this paper, an around-ear EEG system is investigated as an alternative methodology to conventional scalp-EEG-based systems in classifying human affective states in the arousal-valence domain evoked in response to auditory stimuli.Approach.EEG recorded from around the ears is compared to EEG collected according to the international 10-20 system in terms of efficacy in an affective state classification task. A wearable device with eight dry EEG channels is designed for ear-EEG acquisition in this study. Twenty-one subjects participated in an experiment consisting of six sessions over three days using both ear and scalp-EEG acquisition methods. Experimental tasks consisted of listening to an auditory stimulus and self-reporting the elicited emotion in response to the said stimulus. Various features were used in tandem with asymmetry methods to evaluate binary classification performances of arousal and valence states using ear-EEG signals in comparison to scalp-EEG.Main results.We achieve an average accuracy of 67.09% ± 6.14 for arousal and 66.61% ± 6.14 for valence after training a multi-layer extreme learning machine with ear-EEG signals in a subject-dependent context in comparison to scalp-EEG approach which achieves an average accuracy of 68.59% ± 6.26 for arousal and 67.10% ± 4.99 for valence. In a subject-independent context, the ear-EEG approach achieves 63.74% ± 3.84 for arousal and 64.32% ± 6.38 for valence while the scalp-EEG approach achieves 64.67% ± 6.91 for arousal and 64.86% ± 5.95 for valence. The best results show no significant differences between ear-EEG and scalp-EEG signals for classifications of affective states.Significance.To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first work to explore the use of around-ear EEG signals in emotion monitoring. Our results demonstrate the potential use of around-ear EEG systems for the development of emotional monitoring setups that are more suitable for use in daily affective life log systems compared to conventional scalp-EEG setups.

ANO1-downregulation induced by schisandrathera D: a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of prostate and oral cancers.

Anoctamin 1 (ANO1), a drug target for various cancers, including prostate and oral cancers, is an intracellular calcium-activated chloride ion channel that plays various physiopathological roles, especially in the induction of cancer growth and metastasis. In this study, we tested a novel compound isolated from Schisandra sphenanthera, known as schisandrathera D, for its inhibitory effect on ANO1. Schisandrathera D dose-dependently suppressed the ANO1 activation-mediated decrease in fluorescence of yellow fluorescent protein; however, it did not affect the adenosine triphosphate-induced increase in the intracellular calcium concentration or forskolin-induced cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator activity. Specifically, schisandrathera D gradually decreased the levels of ANO1 protein and significantly reduced the cell viability in ANO1-expressing cells when compared to those in ANO1-knockout cells. These effects could be attributed to the fact that schisandrathera D displayed better binding capacity to ANO1 protein than the previously known ANO1 inhibitor, Ani9. Finally, schisandrathera D increased the levels of caspase-3 and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1, thereby indicating that its anticancer effect is mediated through apoptosis. Thus, this study highlights that schisandrathera D, which reduces ANO1 protein levels, has apoptosis-mediated anticancer effects in prostate and oral cancers, and thus, can be further developed into an anticancer agent.

Neural Applications Using Immersive Virtual Reality: A Review on EEG Studies.

Recent advancements in immersive virtual reality head-mounted displays allowed users to better engage with simulated graphical environments. Having the screen egocentrically stabilized in a way such that the users may freely rotate their heads to observe virtual surroundings, head-mounted displays present virtual scenarios with rich immersion. With such an enhanced degree of freedom, immersive virtual reality displays have also been integrated with electroencephalograms, which make it possible to study and utilize brain signals non-invasively, to analyze and apply their capabilities. In this review, we introduce recent progress that utilized immersive head-mounted displays along with electroencephalograms across various fields, focusing on the purposes and experimental designs of their studies. The paper also highlights the effects of using immersive virtual reality discovered through the electroencephalogram analysis and discusses existing limitations, current trends as well as future research opportunities that may hopefully act as a useful source of information for further improvement of electroencephalogram-based immersive virtual reality applications.

Clinical Outcomes of Transarterial Embolization for Chronic Achilles Tendinopathy Refractory to Conservative Treatment: A Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of transarterial embolization (TAE) for chronic Achilles tendinopathy (AT) refractory to conservative treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 20 patients (12 men and 8 women; mean age, 30.3 years) who received TAE using imipenem/cilastatin sodium for refractory chronic AT from May 2019 to April 2021. Nine patients had bilateral involvement. A total of 29 procedures were performed (8 for nonathletes and 21 for athletes). If feasible, embolization was performed superselectively of the arterial branch demonstrating hypervascularity, early venous drainage, and/or supplying the pain site noted using a radiopaque marker. The visual analog scale (VAS, 0-10) score was used to assess pain symptoms at baseline and during the follow-up period (1 day; 1 week; 1, 3, and 6 months; and open period). Clinical success was defined as a decrease of >50% in the VAS score at 6 months when compared with baseline. RESULTS: In 25 (86.2%) of 29 procedures, clinical success was achieved. Significant decreases in the VAS scores were noted at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months (6.86 at the baseline vs 3.48, 3.41, 3.10, 2.55, and 1.62, respectively; all P < .01). For patients available for the 12- and 24-month follow-ups (n = 19 and 6, respectively), the mean VAS scores significantly decreased (6.84 vs 2.00 and 7.33 vs 1.17, respectively; all P < .01). No serious adverse events were observed during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: TAE may alleviate pain for patients with chronic AT refractory to the conservative treatment with a low risk of adverse events.

Short-term Results of Transcatheter Arterial Embolization for Chronic Medial Epicondylitis Refractory to Conservative Treatment: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for chronic medial epicondylitis (ME) refractory to conservative treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included ten patients (14 procedures) who underwent TAE between May of 2018 and April of 2020 to treat chronic ME refractory to conservative treatments for at least 3 months. Imipenem/cilastatin sodium was used in 12 procedures, and quick-soluble gelatin sponge particles were used in the ensuing two procedures as an embolic agent. The visual analogue scale (VAS, 0-10) score and Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (Quick-DASH) scores were assessed at baseline and at different post-treatment times (1 day; 1 week; 1, 3, and 6 months; and an open period). The clinical success of the procedure was defined as a decrease of more than 70% in the Quick-DASH scores at 6 months compared to the baseline. RESULTS: Clinical success was achieved in 12 of 14 procedures (85.7%). No major complications were observed during the follow-up periods. The mean VAS scores were significantly decreased at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months (7.6 at baseline vs. 3.6, 3.6, 3.6, 3, and 0.9 after treatment; all P < .01). The mean Quick-DASH scores at baseline decreased significantly at 1 day, 1 week, and at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment (71.9 vs. 48.5, 44, 37.7, 30.2, and 8.4; all P < .01). These improvements endured in nine patients for up to 12 months after treatment. CONCLUSION: TAE effectively and safely relieved pain and promoted functional recovery in chronic ME patients refractory to conservative treatments. TAE may be a feasible treatment option for patients with ME intractable to conservative treatments.

Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients With Inferior Vena Caval/Right Atrial Tumor Thrombi Without Hepatic Vein Invasion.

AIM: To clarify the clinical and radiological features of isolated tumor thrombi in the inferior vena cava (IVC)/right atrium in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) without hepatic vein invasion. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, from January 2007 to December 2019, a total of 35,163 chemoembolization sessions were performed in 7,704 patients with HCC. Among them, 10 (0.13%) patients had tumor thrombi in the IVC/right atrium without definitive hepatic vein invasion. Computed tomographic (CT) scans, digital subtraction angiograms, and cone-beam CT images were retrospectively reviewed and interpreted. RESULTS: The tumor thrombi were supplied by the right inferior phrenic artery (n=8) or the right internal mammary artery (n=2). Follow-up CT scans in eight patients showed linear accumulation of iodized oil along the diaphragm, which was presumed to be a thrombosis of the phrenic vein. Retrospective review of formal radiological reports of pre-procedural CT scans revealed that a correct diagnosis of tumor thrombi of the IVC/right atrium was made in only three cases. CONCLUSION: HCC invading the phrenic vein may have tumor thrombi in the IVC/right atrium without hepatic vein invasion.

[Interventional Treatments for Femoropopliteal Arterial Disease and Recent Updates]. / 대퇴슬와동맥의 ì¸í„°ë²¤ì ˜ê³¼ ìµœì‹ ì§€ê²¬.

Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) of the femoropopliteal artery is commonly caused by atherosclerosis. It can present with varying clinical symptoms depending on the degree of disease, ranging from intermittent claudication to critical limb ischemia and tissue loss. Therefore, appropriate and timely treatment is required to improve symptoms and salvage the affected limbs. Interventional approaches for femoropopliteal arterial disease commonly include percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, atherectomy, and stent placement. Over the years, endovascular recanalization has been widely performed for treating PAOD due to continuous developments in its techniques and availability of dedicated devices with the inherent advantage of being minimal invasive. In this review, we introduce various types of endovascular treatment methods, discuss the results of clinical research from existing literature, and illustrate the treatment procedures using representative images.

Transcatheter arterial embolization for advanced gastric cancer bleeding: A single-center experience with 58 patients.

To investigate computed tomography and angiography findings and clinical outcomes after transcatheter arterial embolization for acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding from advanced gastric cancers.From January 2005 to December 2014, 58 patients with pathologically proven gastric cancer were treated at our institution with transcatheter arterial embolization due to acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding recalcitrant to endoscopic treatment. The electronic medical records for each patient were reviewed for clinical presentation, endoscopy history, computed tomography and angiographic findings, blood transfusion requirements, and follow-up results.Angiography findings were positive in 13 patients (22.4%): contrast extravasation was found in 9 patients and pseudoaneurysm in 4 patients. All patients with positive angiograms underwent selective embolization treatment. Those with negative angiography findings underwent empirical embolization. Gelfoam, n-butyl cyanoacrylate, coils, or a combination of these were used as embolic agents. The overall clinical success rate was 72.4% (42/58), and the success rate for patients with positive angiography was 53.8% (7/13). The median survival was 97.5 days (range, 7-1415 days), and the 1-month survival rate was 89.6% (52/58). The 1-month survival rate of the clinical success group was 95.2% (40/42), which was significantly higher than that of the clinical failure group (P = .04). The clinical success group also required significantly fewer transfusions (2.43 units, range 0-24 units) (P = .02).Transcatheter arterial embolization is a highly effective treatment for advanced gastric cancer with active bleeding. It should be considered as an additional treatment, especially when endoscopic or surgical treatment fails or when these approaches are difficult.

Sensitivity Analysis of Weather Variables on Offsite Consequence Analysis Tools in South Korea and the United States.

We studied sensitive weather variables for consequence analysis, in the case of chemical leaks on the user side of offsite consequence analysis (OCA) tools. We used OCA tools Korea Offsite Risk Assessment (KORA) and Areal Location of Hazardous Atmospheres (ALOHA) in South Korea and the United States, respectively. The chemicals used for this analysis were 28% ammonia (NH3), 35% hydrogen chloride (HCl), 50% hydrofluoric acid (HF), and 69% nitric acid (HNO3). The accident scenarios were based on leakage accidents in storage tanks. The weather variables were air temperature, wind speed, humidity, and atmospheric stability. Sensitivity analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program for dummy regression analysis. Sensitivity analysis showed that impact distance was not sensitive to humidity. Impact distance was most sensitive to atmospheric stability, and was also more sensitive to air temperature than wind speed, according to both the KORA and ALOHA tools. Moreover, the weather variables were more sensitive in rural conditions than in urban conditions, with the ALOHA tool being more influenced by weather variables than the KORA tool. Therefore, if using the ALOHA tool instead of the KORA tool in rural conditions, users should be careful not to cause any differences in impact distance due to input errors of weather variables, with the most sensitive one being atmospheric stability.

Use and limitations of offsite consequence analysis tools from South Korea and the United States in hydrogen fluoride accidental release.

We investigated the characteristics and limitations in the event of hydrofluoric acid (HF) leakage by comparing and analyzing the offsite consequence analysis (OCA) tools based on the chemical plant operating conditions. We reviewed the tools Korea Offsite Risk Assessment (KORA) from South Korea and Risk Management Plan*Comp (RMP*Comp™) and Areal Location of Hazardous Atmospheres (ALOHA) from the United States. The scenario studied was based on a leak event from a 50% HF aqueous solution storage tank, and the operating conditions taken into consideration were the operating temperature and dike installation conditions. The results from the OCA differed; KORA presented a smaller range of offsite impact than did ALOHA. The offsite impact ranges of KORA and ALOHA increased as the operating temperature and dike installation area increased. However, RMP*Comp differed greatly in its offsite impact range results in the operating temperature range of 25 °C to 30 °C. Moreover, in the alternative scenario, a limitation existed in that the offsite impact range was not changed by the dike installation conditions. The offsite impact range analyzed via KORA and ALOHA reflected the reality of an HF leak accident better than that analyzed via RMP*Comp. Therefore, it is more reasonable to use KORA and ALOHA instead of RMP*Comp in OCA. Moreover, users should realize that ALOHA has a somewhat wider range of offsite impact than KORA does in OCA. The separation distance from the storage tank when installing a dike is effective between 1 and 1.5 m in consideration of securing the minimum workspace for workers. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:205-211. © 2017 SETAC.

Long-Term Outcomes of Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration for the Treatment of Gastric Varices: A Comparison of Ethanolamine Oleate and Sodium Tetradecyl Sulfate.

PURPOSE: This study was performed to compare the long-term outcomes of balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) for gastric varices using ethanolamine oleate (EO) and sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS). METHODS: From January 2002 to June 2015, 142 patients underwent BRTO for the treatment of gastric varices using EO (n = 59) or STS (n = 83). We retrospectively reviewed the follow-up data related to the obliteration of gastric varices, rebleeding, and clinical complications. The cumulative recurrence rates of gastric varices after BRTO in each group were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. RESULTS: The median follow-up periods were 23.9 (range 0.2-170.7) months in the BRTO with EO group and 19.9 (range 0.2-84.7) months in the BRTO with STS group. Technical success was achieved in 53 of 59 (89.8%) cases in the BRTO with EO group and 80 of 83 (96.4%) cases in the BRTO with STS group. The clinical success rates were 94.9% (56/59) in the BRTO with EO group and 96.4% (80/83) in the BRTO with STS group. The cumulative 1-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence rates for gastric varices were 3.8, 9.4, and 9.4% in the BRTO with EO group and 1.3, 2.5, and 3.8% in the BRTO with STS group, respectively (p = 0.684). CONCLUSIONS: BRTO using STS has comparable long-term outcomes to BRTO using EO for gastric varices.

Evaluation of a chemical risk assessment method of South Korea for chemicals classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic (CMR).

OBJECTIVES: Chemicals were used in various fields by the development of industry and science and technology. The Chemical Hazard Risk Management (CHARM) was developed to assess the risk of chemicals in South Korea. In this study, we were to evaluate the CHARM model developed for the effective management of workplace chemicals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We used 59 carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic (CMR) materials, which are both the work environment measurement result and the usage information among the manufacturer data. The CHARM model determines the risk to human health using the exposure level (based on working environment measurements or a combination of the quantity used and chemical physical properties (e.g., fugacity and volatility)), hazard (using occupational exposure limit (OEL) or Risk phrases (R-phrases)/Hazard statements (H-statements) from the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)). RESULTS: The risk level was lower when using the results of the work environment measurement than when applying the chemical quantity and physical properties in the exposure level evaluation method. It was evaluated as grade 4 for the CMR material in the hazard class determination. The risk assessment method by R-phrases was evaluated more conservatively than the risk assessment method by OEL. And the risk assessment method by H-statements was evaluated more conservatively than the risk assessment method by R-phrases. CONCLUSIONS: The CHARM model was gradually conservatively assessed as it proceeded in the next step without quantitative information for individual workplaces. The CHARM is expected to help identify the risk if the hazards and exposure levels of chemicals were identified in individual workplaces. For CMR substances, although CHARM is highly evaluated for hazards, the risk is assessed to be low if exposure levels are assessed low. When evaluating the risk of highly hazardous chemicals such as CMR substances, we believe the model should be adapted to be more conservative and classify these as higher risk. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2018;31(4):491-501.

Chemoembolisation for hepatocellular carcinoma with bile duct invasion: is preprocedural biliary drainage mandatory?

PURPOSE: To determine the necessity of preprocedural biliary drainage prior to chemoembolisation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with bile duct invasion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 52 patients who received chemoembolisation for unresectable HCC invading bile duct and causing hyperbilirubinemia (>3 mg/dL). Patients were divided into three groups according to biliary drainage and its effect: effective drainage (n=21), ineffective drainage (n=17), and non-drainage (n=14). Thirty-day mortality, length of hospitalisation, adverse events recorded using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), survival, and tumour response was compared among three groups. RESULTS: Thirty-day mortality rates were 14.3% (n=3), 17.6% (n=3), and 7.1% (n=1) for effective, ineffective, and non-drainage groups, respectively, and did not differ significantly among groups (p=0.780). The mean length of hospitalisation was shorter in non-drainage group compared to ineffective drainage group (12.1±11.4 vs 34.1±29.6 days, p=0.012). Mean differences in CTCAE grade for laboratory parameters before and after chemoembolisation were not significantly different among three groups. Survival among three groups was not significantly different (p=0.239-0.825). The tumour response was also not significantly different among three groups (p=0.679). CONCLUSION: Biliary drainage may not be mandatory prior to chemoembolisation in patients with HCC invading the bile duct. KEY POINTS: • Chemoembolisation without biliary drainage can be performed for icteric HCC. • Chemoembolisation without biliary drainage is not accompanied by increased adverse events. • Preprocedural biliary drainage may not be mandatory for chemoembolisation for icteric HCC.

Correction: Cone-beam computed tomography with automated bone subtraction in preoperative embolization for pelvic bone tumors.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175907.].

Cone-beam computed tomography with automated bone subtraction in preoperative embolization for pelvic bone tumors.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of cone-beam computed tomography with automated bone subtraction (CBCT-ABS) in the preoperative embolization of hypervascular tumors located in the pelvic bone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 26 patients with pelvic bone tumors who underwent preoperative embolization between January 2014 and October 2016. A CBCT-ABS scan was taken in a total of 17 patients (CBCT-ABS group), and only a series of digital subtraction angiographies (DSAs) was taken in the remaining 9 patients (DSA group). The percent devascularization, number of angiographic runs, total dose-area product (DAP), fluoroscopy time, interventional procedure time, operative time, and estimated blood loss were compared between the two groups using Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: The percent devascularization, interventional procedure time, fluoroscopy time, operative time, and estimated blood loss were not statistically different between the two groups (p > 0.05). On the other hand, the number of angiographic runs in the CBCT-ABS group was significantly lower than that in the DSA group (p = 0.029). The total DAP of the CBCT-ABS group (mean, 17700.7 µGym2) was higher than that of the DSA group (mean, 8939.4 µGym2) (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The use of CBCT-ABS during the preoperative embolization of pelvic bone tumors significantly reduces the number of angiographic runs at the cost of an increased radiation dose.

Cone Beam CT-Guided Chemoembolization of Probable Hepatocellular Carcinomas Smaller than 1 cm in Patients at High Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of cone-beam computed tomography (CT)-guided chemoembolization for probable hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) smaller than 1 cm in patients at high risk for HCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From December 2009 to May 2014, 57 patients (43 male and 14 female; mean age, 61.1 y) at high risk for HCC underwent cone-beam CT-guided conventional chemoembolization for 79 treatment-naive probable HCCs < 1 cm. Probable HCCs were diagnosed when hepatic nodules showed arterial enhancement and washout on dynamic CT or magnetic resonance images. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional-hazards regression were used to evaluate the time to local progression (TTLP), time to progression (TTP), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Initial follow-up images obtained 2-3 months after chemoembolization showed complete response in all 79 tumors. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year local progression rates were 10.4%, 21.7%, and 35.7%, respectively. Subsegmental catheterization (P < .001; hazard ratio [HR] = .041) and segmental catheterization (P = .001; HR = .049) were significantly associated with longer TTLP. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year progression rates were 40.5%, 66.7%, and 78.6%, respectively. Tumor multiplicity (P = .004; HR = 2.612) was a significant risk factor for shorter TTP. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates were 100%, 98.2%, and 88.5%, respectively. Child-Turcotte-Pugh class B disease (P = .029; HR = 5.989) was significantly associated with shorter OS. No complications occurred after chemoembolization. CONCLUSIONS: Cone-beam CT-guided chemoembolization can be a useful and safe option for probable HCCs < 1 cm in patients at high risk for HCC.

Arteries of the falciform ligament on C-arm CT hepatic arteriography: The hepatic falciform artery and the Sappey's superior artery.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: To investigate the prevalence, anatomy and distribution of the hepatic falciform artery (HFA) and Sappey's superior artery (SSA) using C-arm CT hepatic arteriography (C-arm CTHA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2011 to December 2012, 220 patients who underwent C-arm CTHA during initial transarterial treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma were included in this retrospective study. The HFAs and SSAs prevalence and origin were evaluated using axial images of C-arm CTHA. A 5-point scale for HFAs and a 4-point scale for SSAs were used to designate the radiologically conspicuous arteries. RESULTS: The prevalences of the total HFAs and SSAs were 95 % (n=209) and 22 % (n=49), while those of radiologically conspicuous HFAs and SSAs were 62 % (n=137) and 10 % (n=22), respectively. Thirty HFAs (22 % of radiologically conspicuous HFAs and 14 % of the total study population) were distributed in the subcutaneous layer of the anterior abdominal wall, while the majority of SSAs ran through the superior part of the falciform ligament in the left-anterior direction and anastomosed with left inferior phrenic artery. CONCLUSION: Our study using C-arm CTHA revealed that the prevalence of the HFA is higher than the existing knowledge and proved the existence of the SSA radiologically for the first time. KEY POINTS: • Prevalence of hepatic falciform artery is 95 %, higher than previously known. • 22 % of conspicious hepatic falciform arteries distributed in subcutaneous tissue around umbilicus. • The existence of Sappey's superior artery was proved with a radiological method.