Exploring the limitations of mitochondrial dye as a genuine horizontal mitochondrial transfer surrogate.

Rosamine-based mitochondrial dyes, such as Mitotracker Red, have commonly been employed to visualize mitochondrial localization within cells due to their preferential accumulation in organelles with membrane potential. Consequently, Mitotracker Red has often served as a surrogate indicator for tracking mitochondrial movement between neighboring cells. However, it is important to note that the presence of membrane potential in the cell membrane and other organelles may lead to the non-specific partial enrichment of Mitotracker Red in locations other than mitochondria. This study comprehensively investigates the reliability of mitochondrial dye as a marker for studying horizontal mitochondrial transfer (HMT). By meticulous replicating of previous experiments and comparing the efficiency of mitochondrial dye transfer with that of mito-targeted GFP, our findings confirm that HMT occurs at significantly lower efficiency than previously indicated by Mitotracker dye. Subsequent experiments involving mitochondria-deficient cells robustly demonstrates the non-specificity of mitochondrial dye as indicator for mitochondria. We advocate for a thorough reevaluation of existing literature in this field and propose exploration of alternative techniques to enhance the investigation of HMT. By addressing these pivotal aspects, we can advance our understanding of cellular dynamics and pave the way for future explorations in this captivating field.

Multiparametric MRI for Staging of Bowel Inflammatory Activity in Crohn's Disease with MUSE-IVIM and DCE-MRI: A Preliminary Study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate if the combination of multishot diffusion imaging-based multiplexed sensitivity encoding intravoxel incoherent motion (MUSE-IVIM) and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) is feasible for staging Crohn's disease (CD) activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 65 CD patients were enrolled and analyzed in this retrospective study. The simplified endoscopic score for Crohn's disease (SES-CD) and magnetic resonance index of activity (MaRIA) were used as the reference. The MUSE-IVIM and DCE-MRI data were acquired at 3.0-T MRI scanner and processed by two radiologists. Three MUSE-IVIM parameters: fast apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCfast), slow apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCslow), and the fractional perfusion (Fraction of ADCfast), as well as four DCE-MRI parameters: volume transfer constant (Ktrans), rate constant (Kep), extravascular extracellular volume fraction (Ve), and plasma volume fraction (Vp) were generated. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), non-parametric test (Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U), logistic regression, receiver operating characteristic analysis, Delong test, and Spearman's correlation test were performed. RESULTS: According to SES-CD, 116 ileocolonic segments with CD lesions were identified as: inactive, mild, and moderate to severe. With multivariable logistic regression analysis, ADCfast (p < 0.001), Fraction of ADCfast (p = 0.005), Ktrans (p < 0.001) and Kep (p = 0.003) were identified as significant factors for differentiating among the three groups. Binary logistic analyses identified ADCfast (p = 0.001), Ktrans (p = 0.014), and Kep (p = 0.029) as independent predictors for the active status. The combination of ADCfast, Ktrans, and Kep performed better than MaRIA score (p = 0.028), for differentiating inactive and active status. MaRIA score was positively correlated with ADCfast (p < 0.001), Ktrans (p < 0.001), Kep (p < 0.001), and Ve (p = 0.001), however, negatively correlated with Fraction of ADCfast (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The combination of MUSE-IVIM and DCE-MRI has been demonstrated to accurately stage inflammatory activity in CD.

Differentiating benign from malignant gallbladder wall thickening in non-contrast MRI imaging: Preliminary study of a combined diagnostic indicator.

To synthetically evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of image features for differentiating benign from malignant gallbladder wall thickening disease with non-contrast MRI and establish the optimal diagnostic indicator. A total of 23 patients with wall thickening type gallbladder carcinoma and 61 patients with benign wall thickening disease were included. The diagnostic performance of six image features including the layered pattern on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) images, T2WI signal intensity, papillary growth, the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value, and the lesion to liver parenchyma ratio (LLR) of gallbladder were evaluated and compared. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and binary logistic regression analysis were used to construct the optimally combined indicator. All six indicators showed high diagnostic accuracy. The layered pattern on DWI and LLR had the highest area under the curve (AUC) value (0.904), followed by the layered pattern on T2WI (0.883), T2WI signal intensity (0.859), ADC value (0.836), and papillary growth (0.796). There was no statistically significant difference in the AUC among indicators for pairwise comparisons. A combination of layered patterns on DWI and papillary growth was shown to be the optimal indicator by binary logistic regression analysis. The AUC value of the combination (0.972) was higher than the layered pattern on DWI (0.904) and papillary growth (0.796) (P < .001). Non-contrast MRI provides several reliable indicators for differentiating benign from malignant gallbladder thickening disease. The combination of layered patterns on DWI and papillary growth is the optimal indicator.

Urinary sodium and potassium excretion and cerebrovascular health: a multimodal imaging study.

PURPOSE: Dietary sodium and potassium intake are associated with stroke, but the potential mechanisms are unclear. We aimed to study the association between sodium and potassium intake and subclinical cerebrovascular health in hypertensive older males using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: A total of 189 hypertensive male subjects without previous cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease were included. Daily urinary sodium and potassium excretion were estimated from a fasting spot urine sample using a formula approach. A dedicated cerebrovascular health imaging protocol including vessel wall imaging, angiography, arterial spin labeling imaging and T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging was performed to study intracranial atherosclerosis, vascular rarefaction (defined as fewer discernible vessels on angiography), brain perfusion and small vessel disease, respectively. RESULTS: The mean age was 64.9 (± 7.2) years. The average daily urinary and potassium excretion was 4.7 (± 1.4) g/L and 2.1 (± 0.5) g/L, respectively. Increased urinary sodium excretion was associated with decreased cerebral blood flow and elevated urinary potassium excretion was associated with reduced prevalence of intracranial plaque. The associations remained significant after adjusting for covariates, even including blood pressure control. Quadratic regression analysis indicated a marginally significant U-shaped association between urinary sodium intake and white matter hyperintensity, which lost significance in fully adjusted models. No significant association of urinary sodium and potassium excretion with other cerebrovascular health measures was noted. CONCLUSION: We concluded that in hypertensive older males without overt cardiovascular disease, increased sodium intake and reduced potassium intake are associated with impaired subclinical cerebrovascular health.

Structural and Functional Brain Changes in Hemodialysis Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease: DTI Analysis Results and ALFF Analysis Results.

INTRODUCTION: The current study aimed to depict intrinsic structural changes and the spontaneous brain activity patterns in voxel level in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis (HD) by using diffusion-tensor imaging and resting-state functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with an amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) algorithm and their clinical relevance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the study, the diffusion-tensor imaging and resting-state functional MR imaging were performed in forty-two hemodialysis patients with ESRD and 42 healthy control subjects. Neuropsychological and laboratory tests were performed in all subjects. ALFF, fraction anisotropy (FA), and mean diffusivity (MD) values were compared between the two groups. Correlations between ALFF, FA or MD values, and clinical markers were analyzed. RESULTS: We found that ESRD patients exhibited significantly lower ALFF values in multiple areas, including medial frontal gyrus, limbic lobe, superior frontal gyrus, bilateral lingual gyri, occipital lobe, parahippocampal gyrus, precuneus, while increased ALFF values in medial frontal gyrus than healthy controls. FA values were decreased in medial frontal gyrus, parietal lobe, and left precuneus regions in the ESRD group compared with controls. Importantly, FA for the frontal and parietal lobes was negatively associated with the dialysis duration of ESRD patients, ALFF z-scores for the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) were positively correlated with the dialysis duration of ESRD patients and Serum calcium of ESRD patients negatively correlated with FA values in the frontal and parietal lobes (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that both impaired brain structure and function in ESRD patients with routine hemodialysis distributed mainly in the parietal, temporal, and frontal lobes. ESRD patients have cognitive impairment and declined memory ability. Serum calcium and dialysis duration might be associated with the impairment of brain structure and function in patients with ESRD.

Prognostic Value of Coronary CT Angiography-Derived Fractional Flow Reserve in Non-obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: A Prospective Multicenter Observational Study.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Myocardial ischemia may occur in patients with normal or non-obstructive CAD on invasive coronary angiography (ICA). The comprehensive evaluation of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) integrated with fractional flow reserve derived from CCTA (CT-FFR) to CAD may be essential to improve the outcomes of patients with non-obstructive CAD. China CT-FFR Study-2 (ChiCTR2000031410) is a large-scale prospective, observational study in 29 medical centers in China. The primary purpose is to uncover the relationship between the CCTA findings (including CT-FFR) and the outcome of patients with non-obstructive CAD. At least 10,000 patients with non-obstructive CAD but without previous revascularization will be enrolled. A 5-year follow-up will be performed. The primary endpoint is the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarct, unplanned revascularization, and hospitalization for unstable angina. Clinical characteristics, laboratory and imaging examination results will be collected to analyze their prognostic value.

Arterial elasticity, endothelial function and intracranial vascular health: A multimodal MRI study.

Vascular dysfunctions, including arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction, are prevalent in hypertensive subjects. We aimed to study their relations to subclinical intracranial vascular health in this study. A total of 200 older hypertensive males without overt cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases were recruited. Arterial elasticity was measured as carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and endothelial function was measured as digital reactive hyperemia index (RHI). Cerebrovascular health was evaluated using MRI in four aspects: intracranial atherosclerosis, brain perfusion as cerebral blood flow (CBF), vascular rarefaction analyzed as visible arterial branches on angiography using a custom-developed analysis technique and small vessel disease measured as white matter hyperintensity (WMH). There was a significant negative association between cfPWV and CBF, suggesting a link between arterial stiffness and CBF decline. Higher cfPWV was also associated with presence of intracranial stenotic plaque and greater WMH volume. RHI was positively related to CBF, indicating that endothelial dysfunction was associated with reduced CBF. All the associations remained significant after adjustment for confounding variables. Arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction are associated with reduced brain perfusion in older hypertensive males. Arterial stiffness is also associated with global cerebral vascular injury, affecting both small and medium-to-large arteries.

Uncontrolled hypertension associates with subclinical cerebrovascular health globally: a multimodal imaging study.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to analyze the association between hypertension control and subclinical cerebrovascular health using a comprehensive multimodal imaging approach. METHODS: The study included 200 hypertensive older males without previous cardiovascular diseases. Clinic blood pressure (BP) was measured using a standard approach. Cerebrovascular health was evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging in the following four aspects: Intracranial atherosclerosis as determined by vessel wall imaging; Vascular rarefaction (defined as less discernible vessels on angiography) was evaluated using a custom-developed technique. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) were assessed using arterial spin-labeling imaging and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 189 subjects had MRI scans. The mean age was 64.9 (± 7.2) years. For intracranial atherosclerosis, there was a significant association between uncontrolled hypertension and presence of intracranial plaque. When systolic and diastolic BP were analyzed separately, the association remained significant for both. For vascular rarefaction, uncontrolled hypertension was associated with less discernible vessel branches or shorter vessel length on angiography. Further analysis revealed that this is due to uncontrolled diastolic BP, but not uncontrolled systolic BP. There was an association between uncontrolled hypertension and reduced CBF, which was also mainly driven by uncontrolled diastolic BP. We also found that uncontrolled diastolic BP, but not uncontrolled systolic BP, was associated with increased WMH volume. CONCLUSIONS: Uncontrolled hypertension was associated with subclinical cerebrovascular injury globally, with both small and medium-to-large arteries being affected. KEY POINTS: • In this study, we leveraged the advantage of a series of cutting-edge MR imaging and analysis techniques and found uncontrolled hypertension is associated with subclinical globally compromised cerebrovascular health. • The detrimental consequences of uncontrolled BP affect not only the small vessels but also the medium-to-large arteries, and uncontrolled systolic and diastolic BP are both independently associated with certain types of cerebrovascular injury. • Our data suggest that cerebrovascular health is impaired globally in uncontrolled hypertension before the onset of stroke.

Differentiation of usual vertebral compression fractures using CT histogram analysis as quantitative biomarkers: A proof-of-principle study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the utility of CT histogram analysis (CTHA) for discrimination of traumatic, osteoporotic and malignant fractures in patients with vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of CTHA in differentiating non-malignant (traumatic and osteoporotic) from malignant VCFs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Totally, 235 patients with VCFs were enrolled in the current experimental study. There were 132 patients with traumatic VCFs, 51 with osteoporotic VCFs and 52 with malignant VCFs, with MRI and histology as the standard references. All the patients underwent unenhanced CT scans. Nineteen histogram-based parameters were derived using Omni-Kinetics software (Omni-Kinetics, GE Healthcare). The reproducibility of those parameters was evaluated using two independent delineations conducted by two observers. These histogram parameters were compared among the three different VCFs using Kruskal-Wallis H test. Traumatic VCFs and osteoporotic VCFs were combined as non-malignant VCFs and compared with malignant VCFs using Mann-Whitney U test Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed on the significantly different features and built a diagnosis model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was carried out to observe the difference of diagnostic performance between the single positive parameter and the combination of parameters. RESULTS: All the 19 parameters presented excellent reproducibility, with intraclass correlation coefficient values from 0.789 to 0.997. At quantitative evaluation, the best predictive histogram parameters in discrimination of the three different types of VCFs were relative min intensity (p = 0.022), relative entropy (p = 0.043), and relative frequency size (p < 0.001). Relative frequency size (p < 0.001) and relative quantile5 (p = 0.012) resulted in statistically significant difference between non-malignant and malignant VCFs. The area under ROC curve indicated that relative frequency size combined with relative quantile5 (0.754; 95 % confidence intervals: 0.661∼0.829; p < 0.001) was of best performance in differentiating malignant from non-malignant VCFs. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are encouraging and suggest that histogram parameters derived from unenhanced CT could be reliable quantitative biomarkers for diff ;erential diagnosis of usual VCFs.

A comparative study on droplet characteristics and specific charge of ethanol in two small-scale electrospray systems.

An investigation on the droplet characteristics of ethanol in small-scale combustors with two different systems was conducted experimentally and theoretically. The classical capillary-mesh electrode arrangement was applied in Type A electrospray system, and for Type B, an additional ring electrode is included. The droplet size and velocity were measured by a Phase Doppler Anemometer. The electric filed intensity was theoretically calculated in the two electrospray systems. Compared with Type A, Type B system has smaller droplet size and velocity in the same spraying mode. Meanwhile the electrospray process in Type B system is more stable than that in Type A with its smaller root mean square velocity. By measuring the spraying current, the average specific charge of the droplets for the two systems was obtained in different spraying modes. And it was found that the addition of the ring electrode can help to increase the droplet charge, which is the fundamental reason for Type B electrospray system to perform better. The corona charge of the droplets was theoretically calculated for the two electrospray systems. It was found that the calculated specific charge generated by corona charging was in good agreement with the experimental results.

Orthostatic blood pressure reduction as a possible explanation for memory deficits in dialysis patients.

Cognitive impairment is prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but its underlying mechanisms are obscure. Here, we test the hypothesis that exaggerated orthostatic blood pressure reduction mediates the effects of renal failure on global cognition and memory. A total of 160 study subjects were recruited, including 80 dialysis patients and 80 controls. Global cognition was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and episodic memory was evaluated using the auditory verbal learning test (AVLT). Autonomic function was evaluated via the low-frequency to high-frequency ratio (LF/HF) through heart rate variability analysis. Compared with the controls, the dialysis patients had significantly lower MoCA and AVLT scores (including learning memory, short recall memory, and delayed recall memory) (all p < 0.001). They also showed exaggerated orthostatic systolic blood pressure reductions (all p ≤ 0.001). The maximum orthostatic systolic blood pressure reduction was independently and negatively associated with short (ß = -0.05, p = 0.029) and delayed (ß = -0.05, p = 0.035) recall memory in dialysis patients but not in controls. Mediation analysis demonstrated that maximum orthostatic systolic blood pressure reduction mediates 13.8% of the effect of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on short recall memory (p = 0.04). After adjustment for LF/HF, the negative association between maximum orthostatic blood pressure reduction and short recall score remained significant (p = 0.049), while the association between maximum orthostatic blood pressure reduction and delayed recall score became nonsignificant, with a marginal p value of 0.062. Our study reveals that exaggerated orthostatic blood pressure reduction is a possible explanation for ESRD-associated memory deficits.

Role of perfusion parameters on DCE-MRI and ADC values on DWMRI for invasive ductal carcinoma at 3.0 Tesla.

BACKGROUND: The value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and quantitative parameters (Ktrans, Kep, Ve) in detecting prognostic factor at 3.0 Tesla remains unclear, especially in predicting prognosis of breast cancer. METHODS: A total of 151 patients with IDC underwent breast DCE-MRI and DWI-MRI at 3.0 Tesla following surgery. The ADC values were acquired with b values of 0 and 1000 s/mm2. The relationship between ADC values or DCE-MRI quantitative parameters and size, histologic grade (HG), lymph node metastasis (LNM), ER, PR, and Ki67 was evaluated. The predictive values of ADC, Ktrans, Kep, and Ve to prognosis of IDC were assessed. RESULTS: ADC value was positively related to size (P = 0.04) and HER2 (P = 0.046) expression and negatively related to ER (P = 0.012) and PR (P < 0.001) expression. Ktrans value has positive correlation with size (P < 0.001), HG (P < 0.001), LNM (P < 0.001), HER2 (P = 0.007), and Ki67 (P < 0.001) expression and negative correlation with ER (P < 0.001) and PR (P < 0.001) expression. Kep value was positively related to size (P < 0.001) and negatively related to ER (P < 0.001) and PR (P < 0.001) expression. Ve value was negatively related to HER2 expression (P = 0.004). The Cox hazard ratio (HR) of ADC, Ktrans, Kep, and Ve values on survival was 5.26 (P = 0.093), 1.081 (P = 0.002), 1.006 (P = 0.941), and 0.883 (P = 0.926), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Ktrans value was a best predictive indicator of HG, LNM, ER, PR, and Ki67 expression, and ADC value was the best predictive indicator of HER2. Preoperative use of the 3.0 Tesla could provide important information to determine the optimal treatment plan.

Ultrasound­targeted microbubble destruction­mediated miR­205 enhances cisplatin cytotoxicity in prostate cancer cells.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non­coding ~20 nucleotides long sequences that function in the initiation and development of a number of cancers. Ultrasound­targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) is an effective method for microRNA delivery. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential roles of UTMD­mediated miRNA (miR)­205 delivery in the development of prostate cancer (PCa). In the present study, miR­205 expression was examined by reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. miR­205 mimics were transfected into PC­3 cells using the UTMD method, and the PC­3 cells were also treated with cisplatin. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion abilities were detected using Cell Counting kit­8, flow cytometry, wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. In addition, the protein expression levels of caspase­9, cleaved­caspase 9, cytochrome c (cytoc), epithelial (E)­cadherin, matrix metalloproteinase­9 (MMP­9), phosphorylated (p)­extracellular signal­regulated kinase (ERK) and ERK were measured by western blot analysis. The results of the present study demonstrated that miR­205 expression was low in human PCa cell lines compared with healthy cells and that UTMD­mediated miR­205 delivery inhibited PCa cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and promoted apoptosis modulated by cisplatin compared with UTMD­mediated miR­negative control group and miR­205­treated group. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that UTMD­mediated miR­205 transfection increased the expression of caspase­9, cleaved­caspase 9, cytochrome c and E­cadherin, and decreased the expression of MMP­9 and p­ERK. Therefore, UTMD­mediated miR­205 delivery may be a promising method for the treatment of PCa.

Low­frequency ultrasound and microbubbles combined with simvastatin promote the apoptosis of MCF­7 cells by affecting the LATS1/YAP/RHAMM pathway.

Ultrasound scanning has widespread used in clinical practice and also has therapeutic applications. Simvastatin is a statins that is able to competitively inhibit the activity of 3­hydroxy­3­methylglutaryl­coenzyme A reductase. The aim of the present study was to investigate the roles and mechanisms of low­frequency ultrasound (LFU) and microbubbles combined with simvastatin on MCF­7 cell growth and apoptosis. Cell viability, apoptosis and cell cycle were evaluated using an MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The expression of related proteins was measured by western blot assay. The results revealed that simvastatin and LFU with microbubbles reduces the viability of MCF­7 cells. The combination of LFU and microbubbles with simvastatin promoted the apoptosis of MCF­7 cells. Furthermore, it was confirmed that LFU and microbubbles combined with simvastatin affected the large tumor suppressor 1 (LATS1)/yes­associated protein (YAP)/receptor of the hyaluronan­mediated motility (RHAMM) pathway in MCF­7 cells. It was determined that LATS1 acts as a negative regulator in the LATS1/YAP/RHAMM pathway in MCF­7 cells. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that LFU and microbubbles combined with simvastatin promotes the apoptosis of MCF­7 cells via the LATS1/YAP/RHAMM pathway. The present study suggested a possible strategy for the treatment of breast cancer.

Management of testicular Leydig cell tumor: A case report.

RATIONALE: Testicular Leydig cell tumor (LCT) is a rare neoplasm. It commonly presents as a painless testicular mass with or without endocrine changes. Histological and immunohistochemical examination play important roles in differentiating LCT from testicular germ cell tumors. PATIENT CONCERNS: We highlight the imaging phenotype, as well as the pathological findings of a case of LCT in a 62-year-old male. DIAGNOSES: Preoperative noncontrast CT scan of the abdomen revealed a 7.0 × 6.4 × 5.3 cm oval mass with heterogeneous density, located in the right testis. Pelvic noncontrast MRI showed a heterogeneous mass on T1-weighted and T2-weighted images. The solid part of the tumor exhibited high signal on the diffusion-weighted imaging, and an obvious enhancement on the contrast-enhanced MR imaging. Ultrasonography examination demonstrated a large mixed echogenic space occupying lesion involving the whole right testis with multiple cystic areas and increased vascularity. This patient underwent radical orchiectomy. The pathologic diagnosis was LCT. INTERVENTIONS: This patient underwent operative resection of the tumor. Due to the negative resection margins and absence of distant metastases, the patient did not receive additional radiotherapy or chemotherapy. OUTCOMES: Four months after the surgery, the follow-up CT-scan did not reveal any local recurrence and distant metastases. LESSONS: This case improves our ability to detect and diagnose LCT by summarizing its imaging characteristics as well as reviewing the literature. Additionally, we described the state-of-the-art management of the management of this rare tumor.

Imaging appearance of renal epithelioid angiomyolipoma: A case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: Epithelioid angiomyolipoma (EAML) is an extremely rare disease. It commonly occurs in middle-aged females and mainly involves the kidney. Histological and immunohistochemical examination play important roles in differentiating EAML from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and poor-fat angiomyolipoma (AML). PATIENT CONCERNS: Here, We report the imaging phenotype, as well as the pathological findings of a case of EAML in a 39-year-old female. DIAGNOSES: Preoperative noncontrast computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a 6.0 × 5.2 × 7.0 cm soft tissue mass with necrosis, located in the left kidney. On contrast-enhanced CT images, aprogressive enhancement pattern was observed. CT angiography did not show any enlarged vessels or vascular malformation. Abdominal MRI showed a well-circumscribed solid mass with a heterogeneous signal on T1-weighted and T2-weighted images. Ultrasonography of the abdomen demonstrated a hypoechoic mass with abundant blood flow. This patient underwent radical nephrectomy. The pathologic diagnosis was EAML. INTERVENTIONS: This patient underwent operative resection of the tumor. The resection margins were negative for the neoplastic proliferation and no distant metastases were found. The patient did not receive advanced radiotherapy or chemotherapy. OUTCOMES: Four months after surgery, the follow-up CT scan did not reveal any local recurrence or distant metastases. LESSONS: This case adds to the experience with EAML by summarizing its imaging characteristics as well as reviewing the literature. Additionally, we described the state-of-the-art management of the management of this rare tumor.

Assessment of therapeutic response in Crohn's disease using quantitative dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) parameters: A preliminary study.

The aim of the study was to investigate dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) as a potential marker to assess the therapeutic responses of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and to determine the parameter or combination of parameters most strongly associated with changes in clinical indicators after treatment.In 22 CD patients, DCE-MRI was performed with a 3.0T scanner. Parameters of DCE-MRI (vascular transfer constant [K] and blood volume [BV]) in the terminal ileum were compared between before and day 90 after FMT treatment. The differences of clinical indicators (C-reactive protein [CRP], Harvey-Bradshaw index [HBI]) and DCE-MRI parameters (K, BV) between pre- and post-treatment was calculated by Student's 2-tailed, paired t-test. The correlations between percent change of clinical indicators (ΔCRP, ΔHBI) with DCE-MRI parameters (ΔK, ΔBV) were analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficients. A logistic regression model was used to identify the changes of DCE-MRI parameters related to the treatment outcomes. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs) were generated to assess which DCE-MRI parameter showed the best accuracy for evaluation of therapeutic response.After treatment, mean values of clinical indicators decreased significantly (CRP: 62.68 ±â€Š31.86 vs 43.55 ±â€Š29.63 mg/L, P = .008; HBI: 7.18 ±â€Š2.10 vs 5.73 ±â€Š2.33, P = 0.012). Both DCE-MRI parameters showed prominent differences before and after treatment: K (1.86 ±â€Š0.87 vs 1.39 ±â€Š0.83 min, P = .017), BV (61.02 ±â€Š28.49 vs 41.96 ±â€Š22.75 mL/100 g, P = .005). There were significant correlations between ΔCRP or ΔHBI and percent change of CDE-MRI parameters (ΔK to ΔCRP: 0.659; ΔK to ΔHBI: 0.496; ΔBV to ΔCRP: 0.442; ΔBV to ΔHBI: 0.476). Compared to ΔK and ΔBV individually, the combination of both parameters performed best in assessment of therapeutic response with an area under the ROCs (AUC) of 0.948.K and BV parameters derived from DCE-MRI have the potential to assess for therapeutic response after FMT treatment for CD. The combination of K and BV measurements improved the predictive capability compared to the individual parameters.

Interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma presenting in the sigmoid colon mesentery: A case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: Interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma (IDCS) is an extremely rare disease. It commonly occurs in middle-aged males and mainly involves the lymph nodes. Pathological examination plays an important role in differentiating from other tumors, but far less published literature focuses on the imaging characteristics of IDCS. PATIENT CONCERNS: Here, we reported a case of IDCS in a 52-year-old male involving the pelvis with medical imaging and pathologic findings. DIAGNOSES: Preoperative unenhanced CT scan revealed a 6.0 × 6.3 × 8.0 cm mass with density equal to that of adjacent muscle, located in the pelvis. On contrast-enhanced CT images, the tumor presented apparent homogeneous enhancement. CT angiography showed that the tumor was supplied by the branches of inferior mesenteric artery. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging manifested a lobulated solid mass with low signal on T1-weighted and intermediate to high signal on T2-weighted images. Simultaneously, significantly high signal intensity was exhibited on the diffusion-weighted images. This patient underwent operative resection of the tumor. The pathologic diagnosis was IDCS. INTERVENTIONS: This patient underwent operative resection of the tumor. The resection margins were negative for the neoplastic proliferation and no distant metastases were found. The patient did not receive advanced radiotherapy or chemotherapy. OUTCOMES: Three months after surgery, the follow-up CT scan did not reveal any recurrence or metastases. LESSONS: This case adds to the experience with IDCS by summarizing its characteristics as well as reviewing the literature.

Angiomyofibroblastoma of the mediastinum: A case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Angiomyofibroblastoma (AMFB) is an extremely rare disease. It commonly occurs in middle-aged females and mainly involves the vulvovaginal region. Pathological examination plays an important role in differentiating from other tumors. But far less published literature focus on the imaging characteristics of AMFB. CLINICAL FINDINGS/DIAGNOSES: We reported a case of AMFB in a 73-year-old male, involving the mediastinum with computed tomography (CT) imaging and pathologic findings. Preoperative unenhanced CT scan of chest revealed a 6.9 × 7.4 × 9.3 cm mass with equal density, located in the posterior mediastinum. On contrast-enhanced CT images, the tumor presented moderate, heterogeneous enhancement. Due to the unclear interface between the tumor and adjacent tissues, this patient underwent operative partial resection of the tumor. The pathologic diagnosis was AMFB. CONCLUSIONS: This tumor represents a further example of unusual location different from conventional AMFB. This case adds to the experience with AMFB by summarizing its characteristics, and also reviewing the literature.

[Application value of multiple phase subtraction imaging of dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in common breast tumor].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the application value of multiple phase subtraction imaging of dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in common breast tumor. METHODS: All radiographic and MRI data of 72 patients with histological proved common breast tumor were analyzed retrospectively. Prior to an injection of gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (GD-DTPA), 3D mask scans were performed. Then 9 consecutive phases of imaging were acquired. After the drawing of time-signal intensity curve, he first and second phases were selected to perform subtraction with the mask, rebuild 3D maximum intensity projection and analyze the application value of subtracted and 3D maximum intensity projection (MIP) reformation images. Chi-square test was used for the analyses of benign and malignant breast tumors. RESULTS: There were 83 lesions in 72 patients. Among 18 cases of fibro adenoma, 23 lesions had no tumor vessel. For the detecting ratio of lesions, the first and second phase subtraction imaging had no statistics difference. Only one intraductal papilloma with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) had tumor vessel in 4 intraductal papilloma patients. Among 5 DCIS cases, one of them had small curved tumor vessel. And 51 lesions were found in 45 infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) cases. Tumor vessels could be seen in all IDC cases. And 37 cases had multiple tumor vessels while 8 cases had single tumor vessel. When the first phase was used for subtraction, 36 lesions were found. On the other hand, 51 lesions were found in the second phase subtraction. There were significant differences between them. CONCLUSION: No significant differences exist in benign breast tumor on differential phase subtraction images of DCE-MRI, but there are significant differences in malignant breast tumor. It is very important to detect the lesions and show the tumor vessels by rebuilding multiple phase subtraction.