Synthetic MRI to Assess Neurological Injury in Recovered COVID-19 Patients / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo assess the microstructural involvement of gray matter in recovered COVID-19 patients using Synthetic MRI. MethodsThis study was conducted in 29 recovered COVID-19 patients， including severe group （SG， n=11） and ordinary group （OG， n=18）. Healthy volunteers matched by age， sex， BMI and years of education were selected as a healthy control group （HC=23 cases）. Each subject underwent synthetic MRI to generate quantitative T1 and T2 maps， and the T1 and T2 maps were segmented into 90 regions of interest （ROIs） using automatic anatomical labeling （AAL） mapping. T1 and T2 values for each ROI were obtained by averaging all voxels within the ROIs. The T1 and T2 values of the 90 brain regions between the three groups were compared. ResultsRelative to HC， the SG had significantly higher T2 values in bilateral orbital superior frontal gyrus， bilateral parahippocampal gyrus， bilateral putamen， bilateral middle temporal gyrus， bilateral Inferior temporal gyrus， left orbital superior frontal gyrus， left orbital inferior frontal gyrus， left gyrus rectus， left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri， right median cingulate and paracingulate gyri， left posterior cingulate gyrus， and left supramarginal gyrus （P＜0.05）； Relative to OG， SG showed significantly increased T2 values in the left rectus gyrus， left parahippocampal gyrus， bilateral middle temporal gyrus， and bilateral inferior temporal gyrus （P＜0.05）. Relative to HC， the T1 values of SG were significantly increased in bilateral orbital superior frontal gyrus， left rectus gyrus， left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri， right posterior cingulate gyrus， left parahippocampal gyrus， left lingual gyrus， left putamen， left thalamus（P＜0.05）； Relative to OG， the T1 values of SG were significantly higher in the right posterior cingulate gyrus， right calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex， and left putamen （P＜0.05）. ConclusionsEven after recovering from COVID-19， patients may still have persistent or delayed damage to their brain gray matter structure， which is correlated with the severity of the condition. SyMRI can serve as a sensitive tool to assess the extent of microstructural damage to the central nervous system， aiding in early diagnosis of the disease.

Correlation analysis of bone mineral density, hemoglobin and serum albumin in healthy population / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To use quantitative computed tomography (QCT) technology to measure the bone mineral density of the spine of the Chinese healthy population, and to explore its correlation with hemoglobin and serum albumin.Methods:The data in this study came from the China Health Quantitative CT Big Data Project (China Biobank). The spine bone density was measured by using QCT Pro Image Analysis System and all cooperating centers used the European spine phantom (NO.145) for quality control. Total of 50 053 healthy persons who met the criteria for entry were selected as the research subjects. The subjects were divided into 7 groups according to age. The general data, spine bone density, serum albumin, hemoglobin of the subjects were collected. The single-factor analysis of variance, Pearson correlation analysis and multi-classification logistic regression model were applied to analyze the correlation between bone density and hemoglobin and serum albumin.Results:The bone mineral density of healthy people decreased with age ( P<0.05), and there were significant differences in hemoglobin, serum albumin and body mass index (BMI) among different age groups (all P<0.05). Linear correlation analysis showed that there were positive correlation between bone mineral density and hemoglobin in healthy males in different age groups ( r=0.086, 0.101, 0.076, 0.090, 0.072, 0.123, 0.100, all P<0.01). There were negative correlation between bone mineral density and hemoglobin in certain age groups in women (40-49 years group: r=-0.027; 70-79 yearsgroup: r=-0.077; both P<0.05). And corelation were found between bone mineral density and serum levels of albumin in certain age groups of healthy subjects (among men, 30-39 years group: r=-0.048; 40-49 years group, r=-0.027; 70-79 years group, r=-0.051; among women, 30-39 years group: r=-0.044; 40-49 years group, r=-0.042; 50-59 years group, r=-0.086; 70-79 years group, r=-0.070; all P<0.05). After adjusting for age and BMI, the multi-category logistic regression analysis showed that the hemoglobin level was protective factor of normal bone density ( OR=1.022, 95% CI:1.017-1.027) and decreased bone density ( OR=1.012, 95% CI:1.007-1.016) in healthy males, and the serum albumin was risk factor for normal bone density ( OR=0.926, 95% CI:0.905-0.948) and decreased bone density ( OR=1.006, 95% CI:0.951-1.011) in healthy women. Conclusion:There is a correlation between bone mineral density and hemoglobin and serum albumin in Chinese healthy population. Hemoglobin is a protective factor for bone mineral density in men, and serum albumin is a risk factor for bone mineral densityin women.

Reference value of lumbar spine bone mineral density and regional differences based on quantitative CT examination in healthy adult female in China / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To establish the normal reference value of lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) under quantitative CT (QCT) in Chinese healthy adult females and to explore the regional differences.Methods:Total of 35 431 healthy women who met the inclusion criteria of Chinese health quantitative CT big data program were selected in this study. The BMD of the central plane of L 1 and L 2 vertebrae was measured by Mindways′s QCT system, and the mean value was taken. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the BMD differences of lumbar vertebrae in women of different ages and regions. The subjects were grouped by an age interval of 10 years, and the level of BMD in different regions of the same age group were compaired. Results:The peak BMD of Chinese healthy adult women appeared in the age group of 20-29 years (Northeast China(183.01±24.58) mg/cm 3, North China (188.93±24.80) mg/cm 3, East China (187.54±27.71) mg/cm 3, South China (186.22±33.72) mg/cm 3, Central China (176.33±24.91) mg/cm 3, Southwest China(182.25±28.00) mg/cm 3), and then it decreased with age. The level of BMD in different regions decreased with the age. Before the age of 70 years, BMD in Central and Southwest China was always at a low level((176.23±24.91) to (90.38±28.12) mg/cm 3, 182.25±28.00 to (88.55±25.68) mg/cm 3), lower than those in Northeast China ((183.01±24.58) to (99.69±27.85) mg/cm 3), North China ((188.93±24.80) to (95.89±26.12) mg/cm 3), East China ((187.54±27.71) to (95.65±27.86) mg/cm 3). After 70 years of age, BMD tended to be the same in different regions ( P>0.05). The BMD values in Central China and Southwest China were similar in the age group of 40-60 years ( P>0.05). The BMD values in the health adult femles in the age group of 60 years in different regions of Chinawere all lower than those of bone mass abnormality (all P<0.05). The detection rate of osteoporosis in females over 50 years was the highest in Southwest China (25.65%) and it was the lowest in North China (17.30%). Conclusions:This study establishes reference values of BMD under QCT in healthy Chinese women, which can be used as a reference basis for identifying women with low BMD who are at risk of osteoporosis. The BMD value is the lowest in Southwest China and the highest in South China.

Normal reference and regional variation of spinal bone mineral density under the quantitative CT in Chinese male population / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To investigate the normal reference values of spinal bone mineral density measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and the differences of bone mineral density (BMD) in different regions of in Chinese adult males.Methods:Men who underwent low-dose CT lung scan for cancer screening in regions of Northeast, North, East, South, Central and Southwest of China from January 2018 to December 2019 were selected. And the lumbar vertebrae BMD values in the male subjects were measured by the QCT system (Mindways Software, Inc.). The mean BMD values and their decline rates were calculated at an age interval of 10 years, and the prevalence of osteoporosis was calculated according to the American College of Radiology spine QCT osteoporosis diagnostic criteria.Results:A total of 50 682 males with a mean age of (50.22±12.79) years (ranged 20 to 98 years) were included in this study. The peak BMD of (173.11±28.56) mg/cm 3 in the healthy Chinese adult male population appeared in the age group of 20 to 29 years and then declined with age. Before the age of 70 years, the BMD was relatively higher in males in South China, and it was lower in Central China and Southwest China, and it was intermediate in Northeast, North and East of China, with statistically significant differences. There was no significant differences in BMD in the males in the two age groups of 70 to 79 years and 80 and older among the regions in China. The overall decline rate of spinal BMD in Chinese males under QCT was about 46.92% over the lifetime, and it declined obviouslyin the 40-49 age group. The overall prevalence of osteoporosis in Chinese male population aged 50 years and above was approximately 11.42%, with the highest prevalence in Southwest China and Central China (14.72% and 13.87%, respectively) and the lowest in North China and South China (8.53% and 7.71%, respectively). Conclusions:A reference of lumbar spine BMD values for healthy males in China based on QCT is established. BMD values were highest in South China and Lowest in Central China.

Baseline characteristics of the Chinese health quantitative CT big data program in 2018—2019 / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To describe the baseline characteristics of the subjects enrolled in the China Quantitative CT (QCT) big data program in 2018—2019.Methods:Based on baseline data from the Chinese health big data project from January 2018 to December 2019 from the eligible enrolled population, measurements of bone mineral density (BMD) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were performed using Mindways′ QCT Pro Model 4 system. The baseline data of age, gender, regional distribution, height, weight, abdominal circumference, blood pressure, blood routine and blood biochemical tests were analyzed. And the single factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to check the age related trend of BMD and VAT in both genders.Results:After screening the inclusion exclusion criteria and outliers of the main indicators, 86 113 people were enrolled in the project. The enrollment rate was 92.47%, including 35 431 (41.1%) women and 50 682 (58.9%) men, and the ratio of men to women was 1.43. The mean age was (50.3±12.7) years in all the subjects, and it was (50.2±12.8) years and (50.4±12.5) years in men and women, respectively, and there was no statistical difference between the two genders ( P>0.05). Total of 43 833 people were enrolled in east China, it was the largest group by region (50.90%), it was followed by central China (16 434 people, 19.08%), and the number of people enrolled in Northeast China was the lowest (2 914 people, 3.38%). The rate of completing of health information indicators related to the main outcome of the study were all above 70%, and there were significant differences between men and women (all P<0.05). The mean BMD was (139.33±46.76) mg/cm 3 in women, (135.90±36.48) mg/cm 3 in men, which showed a decreasing trend with age in both gender (both P<0.001); the mean intra-abdominal fat area was (116.39±56.23) cm 2 in women, (191.67±77.07) cm 2 in men, and there was an increasing trend with age in both men and women (both P<0.001). Conclusions:There are gender differences in BMD and VAT measured by QCT with different age tendency, and there are gender differences in health information index. Regional factors should also be taken into account for regional differences in the inclusion of data.

Quantitative computed tomography-derived abdominal visceral adipose tissue and cardiometabolic risk in a large-scale population / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To investigate the relationship between abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and cardiometabolic risk (CMR) through quantitative computed tomography (QCT).Methods:The present study included 76226 participants. Abdominal fat areas were measured using the QCT Pro Model 4 system. Cardiometabolic indices were collected, including systolic and diastolic blood pressures, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density and high-density lipoprotein cholesterols CMR score was the sum of abnormal blood pressure, fasting glucose, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Restricted cubic spline and ordered logistic regression models were applied.Results:The mean age was 50±13 years and the percentage of men was 58.8%. The level of VAT area was higher in men than in women (191.7±77.1 cm 2 vs 116.4±56.2 cm 2, P<0.0001 for all). After adjustment for age, the cardiometabolic indices except high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased with increasing VAT area. When VAT area was 300 cm 2, age-adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of a CMR score ≥ 1 were 14.61 (13.31, 16.04) for men and 5.46 (4.06, 7.36) for women, and the age-adjusted probability of a CMR score ≥ 3 was 31.7% for men and 31.3% for women. Conclusions:QCT-derived VAT is closely related to CMR. The findings suggest that measurement of visceral fat is recommended for the management of abdominal obesity in subjects who agree to undergo lung cancer screening via low-dose CT without additional radiation exposure.

Monitoring changes of knee in amateur marathon athletes using synthetic MRI: a preliminary study / 中华放射学杂志

Objective:To explore the value of synthetic MRI in quantitative monitoring of knee joint structural and cartilage changes of amateur marathon runners before and after the whole marathon.Methods:Totally 26 amateur marathon enthusiasts from Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province were recruited from October 2019 to January 2020. The right knee joints were scanned 1 week before the race and within 48 h after the race. The scanning sequence included the three-dimensional proton density weighted image with isotropic (3D-CUBE-PD) sequence and synthetic MRI sequence. The conventional contrast weighted images T 1WI, T 2WI, proton density (PD) weighted imaging, short-T 1 inversion recovery (STIR) and T 1, T 2, PD mapping were obtained by the latter scans. The 3D-CUBE-PD sequence was used as a reference to evaluate the detection of knee joint lesions. The knee articular cartilage was divided into 8 subregions: central medial femoral condyle (CMFC), posterior medial femoral condyle (PMFC), central lateral femoral condyle (CLFC), posterior lateral femoral condyle (PLFC), medial tibia plateau (MTP), lateral tibia plateau (LTP), patella and trochlear. Based on the synthetic MRI quantitative mapping, the T 1, T 2 and PD values of each cartilage subregion were measured independently by 2 radiologists. The ICC was used to evaluate the consistency of the measurement between observers. The T 1, T 2 and PD values of knee cartilage before and after marathon exercise were compared by Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results:The 2 radiologists had good consistency in the measurement of T 1, T 2 and PD values of knee articular cartilage with the ICC values of 0.912, 0.933 and 0.954, respectively. The synthetic MRI quantitative mapping sequence can detect all cartilage damage ( n=3) and joint effusion ( n=15), and 7 of 9 meniscus injuries were detected. The T 1, T 2 and PD values of the knee cartilage as a whole before the race were higher than those after race, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The T 1 values were statistically significant except patellar cartilage and trochlear cartilage, and T 2 values were significantly different in the CMFC, LTP, MTP ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Synthetic MRI has a good display of knee joint structural lesions, and its quantitative parameters T 1, T 2 and PD can detect the changes of knee cartilage before and after marathon.

The value of MAGiC short T 1 inversion recovery sequence in the detection of bone marrow edema in sacroiliitis / 中华放射学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the value of MAGiC STIR sequence inassessing bone marrow edema (BME) of the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients.Methods:Twenty two AS patients from the Affiliated Fifth Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from September 2019 to January 2020 underwent MR scanning, consisting of T 2WI fat-suppressed (FS) sequence and MAGiC sequence. Each SIJ was divided into four quadrants for analysis on oblique coronal MR image. Two radiologists [middle-higher seniority levels (radiologist 1 and radiologist 2) reviewed image sets of two sequences [T 2WI FS and MAGiC short T 1 inversion recovery (STIR) sequence] independently at separate times, using Hermann-Braun scoring system for degree of BME and summing numbers of quadrants based on BME findings. Disagreements were resolved to reach an agreement for final results.Assessments were repeated two weeks later by radiologist 2. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated to assess the inter-and intra-observer agreement for the degree of BME and numbers of positive BME quadrants in the MAGiC STIR sequence, respectively. The differences between the two sequences for the degree of BME and numbers of positive BME quadrants were analyzed with Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Chi-square test, respectively. Taking the results of T 2WI FS sequence as a reference standard, the ROC curve was drawn, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value in the detection of BME were calculated for the MAGiC STIR sequence. Results:Nineteen AS patients including 38 sacroiliac joints were enrolled in our study, being divided into 152 quadrants. Inter-and intra-observer agreement for the degree of BME and inter-observer agreement for numbers of positive BME quadrants in the MAGiC STIR sequence were all good (ICC=0.936, 95%CI 0.912-0.953, P<0.001; ICC=0.910, 95%CI 0.878-0.934, P<0.001; ICC=0.876, 95%CI 0.833-0.909, P<0.001). The difference between the two sequences for the degree of BME in quadrants was statistically significant ( Z=-3.132, P=0.002). But there was no statistically significant difference between sequences for numbers of quadrants in detecting BME (χ2=0.244, P=0.622). Area under the ROC curve of MAGiC STIR sequence in diagnosis of BME was 0.920 ( P<0.001). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for the MAGiC STIR sequence in the detection of BME were 82.0%, 95.1%, 89.1% and 91.5%, respectively. Conclusion:MAGiC STIR sequence can be used to evaluate bone marrow edema of SIJ in AS patients with high sensitivity and specificity.

Artificial intelligence for rapid identification of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

For diagnosis of COVID-19, a SARS-CoV-2 virus-specific reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test is routinely used. However, this test can take up to two days to complete, serial testing may be required to rule out the possibility of false negative results, and there is currently a shortage of RT-PCR test kits, underscoring the urgent need for alternative methods for rapid and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19 patients. Chest computed tomography (CT) is a valuable component in the evaluation of patients with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nevertheless, CT alone may have limited negative predictive value for ruling out SARS-CoV-2 infection, as some patients may have normal radiologic findings at early stages of the disease. In this study, we used artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to integrate chest CT findings with clinical symptoms, exposure history, and laboratory testing to rapidly diagnose COVID-19 positive patients. Among a total of 905 patients tested by real-time RT-PCR assay and next-generation sequencing RT-PCR, 419 (46.3%) tested positive for SARSCoV-2. In a test set of 279 patients, the AI system achieved an AUC of 0.92 and had equal sensitivity as compared to a senior thoracic radiologist. The AI system also improved the detection of RT-PCR positive COVID-19 patients who presented with normal CT scans, correctly identifying 17 of 25 (68%) patients, whereas radiologists classified all of these patients as COVID-19 negative. When CT scans and associated clinical history are available, the proposed AI system can help to rapidly diagnose COVID-19 patients.

Radiomics models based on non-enhanced MRI can differentiate chondrosarcoma from enchondroma / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To develop and validate radiomics models based on non-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for differentiating chondrosarcoma from enchondroma.@*METHODS@#We retrospectively evaluated a total of 68 patients (including 27 with chondrosarcoma and 41 with enchondroma), who were randomly divided into training group (=46) and validation group (=22). Radiomics features were extracted from TWI and TWI-FS sequences of the whole tumor by two radiologists independently and selected by Low Variance, Univariate feature selection, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). Radiomics models were constructed by multivariate logistic regression analysis based on the features from TWI and TWI-FS sequences. The receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analyses of the radiomics models and conventional MR imaging were performed to determine their diagnostic accuracy.@*RESULTS@#The ICC value for interreader agreement of the radiomics features ranged from 0.779 to 0.923, which indicated good agreement. Ten and 11 features were selected from the TWI and TWI-FS sequences to construct radiomics models, respectively. The areas under the curve (AUCs) of TWI and TWI-FS models were 0.990 and 0.925 in training group and 0.915 and 0.855 in the validation group, respectively, showing no significant differences between the two sequence-based models (>0.05). In all the cases, the AUCs of the two radiomics models based on TWI and TWI-FS sequences and conventional MR imaging were 0.955, 0.901 and 0.569, respectively, demonstrating a significantly higher diagnostic accuracy of the two sequence-based radiomics models than conventional MR imaging (<0.01).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The radiomics models based on TWI and TWI-FS non-enhanced MR imaging can be used for the differentiation of chondrosarcoma from enchondroma.

Value of radiomics nomogram based on T 1WI for pretreatment prediction of relapse within 1 year in osteosarcoma: a multicenter study / 中华放射学杂志

Objective:To explore the value of a radiomics nomogram based on T 1WI for prediction of the relapse of osteosarcoma after surgery within 1 year from multicenter data. Methods:The imaging and clinical data of 107 patients with pathologica1ly confirmed osteosarcoma who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery from 6 hospitals from January 2009 to October 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. A training cohort consisted of 75 patients from firstly enrolled 4 hospitals and an independent validation cohort of 32 patients from other 2 hospitals. Pretreatment T 1WI was used to extract radiomics features. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was applied to reduce the dimension and then the radiomics signature was constructed to predict the relapse of osteosarcoma after surgery within 1 year in training cohort. Independent clinical risk factors were screened using one-way logistic regression, and then a radiomics nomogram incorporated the radiomics signature and MRI characteristics was developed by multivariate logistic regression. The predictive nomogram was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve in the training cohort, and validated in the independent validation cohort. The calibration curve was used to evaluate the agreement between prediction and actual observation and the decision curve was used to demonstrate the clinical usefulness. Results:Based on T 1WI from multicenter institutions, the radiomics signature was built using 2 valuable selected features that were significantly associated with relapse within 1 year. Two selected features included 1 gray-level co-occurrence matrices (GLCM) feature (L_G_1.0_GLCM_homogeneity1, LASSO coefficient 3.122) and 1 gray-level run length matrix (GLRLM) feature (GLRLM_RP, LASSO coefficient -2.474). The prediction nomogram including radiomics signature and MRI characteristics (joint invasion and perivascular involvement) showed good discrimination with the area under the ROC curve of 0.884 and 0.821 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The calibration curve showed that the nomogram achieved good agreement between prediction and actual observation. Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the radiomics nomogram was clinically useful when the threshold probability was greater than 21%. Conclusion:The radiomics nomogram based on T 1WI can be used as a non-invasive quantitative tool to predict relapse of osteosarcoma within 1 year before treatment, which provides support for clinical decision-making in osteosarcoma.

Early evaluate the feasibility and reproducibility of sorafenib-targeted therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma by volume measurement approach / 中华放射学杂志

Objective Early evaluate the feasibility and reproducibility of sorafenib-targeted therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma by RECIST1.1, mRECIST and three-dimensional volume measurement. Methods Seventy patients with pathology or typical imaging findings confirmed as hepatocellular carcinoma along with the sorafenib-targeted treatment for more than 2 months between October 2004 to April 2017 in the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University were retrospectively analyzed. Patients underwent chest, abdominal and pelvic CT scans and enhanced scans before and after 2 weeks of sorafenib treatment. Two physicians used RECIST 1.1, mRECIST, and volume measurement criteria to evaluate the efficacy of treatment. According to their averaged results, the patients were divided into two groups (control group and non-control group). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare the prognostic values between different response evaluation criterias for early predicting the efficacy of sorafenib-targeted therapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Kappa test was used to assess the efficacy response consistency in intra-group and inter-group. Results Based on mRECIST and RECIST 1.1 measurements, the control group included 34 cases, and the non-control group included 36 cases. Based on semi-automatic volume measurement, the control group included 38 cases, and the non-control group included 32 cases. Before the treatment with sorafenib, the RECIST 1.1 and mRECIST methods were used. There was a high degree of consistency between the two doctors (Kappa values were 0.79 and 0.71, respectively), and the semi-automatic volume measurement method was extremely consistent (Kappa value was 0.90); the consistency in intra-observer by three different methods was extremely high (Kappa values were 0.91, 0.85, 0.97, respectively). After the treatment with sorafenib, the consistency between the two radiologists using RECIST 1.1 measurement was high (Kappa value was 0.65), the consistency of mRECIST measurement was moderate (Kappa value was 0.52), and the consistency of tumor volume measurement was extremely high (Kappa The value was 0.83), the consistency in intra-observer using the above three methods was high or very high (Kappa values were 0.86, 0.74, 0.90, respectively). The RECIST 1.1 and mRECIST measurements were less sensitive in early evaluation of sorafenib-targeted treatment, and there was no significant difference between the control group and the non-control group (P=0.578 and 0.613) while the semi-automatic volumetric measurement was sensitive (P=0.004). Conclusion Semi-automated three-dimensional volume measurement which has better intra-and inter-group consistency and reproducibility can reflect the efficacy of sorafenib-targeted therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma in early stage.

MRI features and related factors of ankle injury in amateur marathoners / 中华放射学杂志

Objective@#To explore the factors, characteristics and imaging manifestations of ankle joint injury in amateur marathoners (no formal training and no marathon career).@*Methods@#From December 2018 to March 2019, the amateur marathon runners in Guangdong Zhuhai had been recruited as research subjects according to the study inclusion and exclusion criteria. The questionnaires were used to collect relevant data, and the subjects underwent MRI scans of the ankle joint. The ankle joint special phased array coils were used to perform fast spin echo sequence (TSE) coronal T1WI and proton density-weighted fat-suppression sequence (PDWI-FS). Axial, coronal and sagittal scans, three-dimensional-double echo steady-state sequence (3D-DESS) and three-dimensional variable flip angle fast spin echo sequence (3D-SPACE) scans were also acquired. The results of the examination were independently analyzed by two radiologists (5 and 17 years of work experience, respectively) on the ligament, tendon, bone marrow and ankle joint injuries. When they had inconsistent views, the diagnosis provided by the third radiologist (27 years of work experience) was considered a final diagnosis. The relationship between ankle injury and different running postures, the number of participating in marathons and training intensity was analyzed, and the independent sample χ2 was used for statistical analysis. The consistency of two radiologists was tested by Kappa test.@*Results@#According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 39 subjects were included, with 64 ankles totally, 35 right ankles and 29 left ankles. MRI showed that (1) Ligament injuries: 28 ankles were anterior talofibular ligament injuriy;50 ankles were posterior talofibular ligament injury; 60 ankles the calcaneofibular ligament injuries and 54 ankles were deltoid ligament injuries, without complete injury. (2) Tendon sheath effusion and injuries: peritendinous effusion was common, with 47 flexor hallucis longus tenosynovitis, 49 posterior tibialis tenosynovitis, 37 flexor digitorum longus tenosynovitis, 7 peroneus longus tenosynovitis and 5 peroneus brevis tenosynovitis. (3) Synovitis effusion: 43 posterior ankle synovitis and local effusion. (4) Others: cartilage injury in 2 ankles, bone marrow edema in 8 ankles, and among them stress fracture in 2 ankles. The two radiologists had good consistency with the Kappa value of 0.91. Regarding the running posture, the incidence of ligaments injuries was obviously higher in those who landed on the hind foot than in those landed on front and middle foot,and the difference was statistically significant(P=0.013, χ2 value was 6.191).The incidence of tendon injuries was higher in those who landed on the front middle foot than in those landed on the hind foot, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.029, χ2 value was 4.775). Those with larger training (training running ≥300 km/month) had significant ankle injury (P=0.005, χ2 value was 7.844).@*Conclusion@#The MRI features of ankle joint injuries in amateur marathon volunteers are related to different running postures and training intensity.

MRI features and related factors of ankle injury in amateur marathoners / 中华放射学杂志

Objective To explore the factors, characteristics and imaging manifestations of ankle joint injury in amateur marathoners (no formal training and no marathon career). Methods From December 2018 to March 2019, the amateur marathon runners in Guangdong Zhuhai had been recruited as research subjects according to the study inclusion and exclusion criteria. The questionnaires were used to collect relevant data, and the subjects underwent MRI scans of the ankle joint. The ankle joint special phased array coils were used to perform fast spin echo sequence (TSE) coronal T1WI and proton density?weighted fat?suppression sequence (PDWI?FS). Axial, coronal and sagittal scans, three?dimensional?double echo steady?state sequence (3D?DESS) and three?dimensional variable flip angle fast spin echo sequence (3D?SPACE) scans were also acquired. The results of the examination were independently analyzed by two radiologists (5 and 17 years of work experience, respectively) on the ligament, tendon, bone marrow and ankle joint injuries. When they had inconsistent views, the diagnosis provided by the third radiologist (27 years of work experience) was considered a final diagnosis. The relationship between ankle injury and different running postures, the number of participating in marathons and training intensity was analyzed, and the independent sample χ2 was used for statistical analysis. The consistency of two radiologists was tested by Kappa test. Results According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 39 subjects were included, with 64 ankles totally, 35 right ankles and 29 left ankles. MRI showed that (1) Ligament injuries: 28 ankles were anterior talofibular ligament injuriy;50 ankles were posterior talofibular ligament injury; 60 ankles the calcaneofibular ligament injuries and 54 ankles were deltoid ligament injuries, without complete injury. (2) Tendon sheath effusion and injuries: peritendinous effusion was common, with 47 flexor hallucis longus tenosynovitis, 49 posterior tibialis tenosynovitis, 37 flexor digitorum longus tenosynovitis, 7 peroneus longus tenosynovitis and 5 peroneus brevis tenosynovitis. (3) Synovitis effusion: 43 posterior ankle synovitis and local effusion. (4) Others: cartilage injury in 2 ankles, bone marrow edema in 8 ankles, and among them stress fracture in 2 ankles. The two radiologists had good consistency with the Kappa value of 0.91. Regarding the running posture, the incidence of ligaments injuries was obviously higher in those who landed on the hind foot than in those landed on front and middle foot,and the difference was statistically significant(P=0.013, χ2 value was 6.191).The incidence of tendon injuries was higher in those who landed on the front middle foot than in those landed on the hind foot, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.029, χ2 value was 4.775). Those with larger training (training running ≥300 km/month) had significant ankle injury (P=0.005, χ2 value was 7.844). Conclusion The MRI features of ankle joint injuries in amateur marathon volunteers are related to different running postures and training intensity.

Imaging features of parietal bones atrophy and review of the literatures / 实用放射学杂志

Objective To discuss the imaging features of parietal bones atrophy,and to improve the understanding of this disease. Methods Clinical and imaging data of 8 patients with parietal bones atrophy were analyzed retrospectively.Age ranged 66-90 years with median age 76 years.CT scans were performed in all cases,and CT enhanced examination in 1 case.MRI examination were performed in 3 cases,in which MRI enhanced examination in 2 cases.Imaging characteristics were analyzed along with a review of the current literature.Results Bilateral parietal sympathetic involvements were found in 4 cases,unilateral parietal involvement in 4 cases,in which the left parietal bone was found in 2 cases and the right side in other 2 cases.The lesions ranged from 2.4 cm to 7.1 cm.On CT and MRI images,the external table of the parietal bones showed symmetrical impression,the diploe revealed thinner and the inner table was intact,which presented"Step change".Two of these patients were followed up,in which 1 case become severe atrophy,and the other case was no significant change.Nothing was showed in the relative scalp and soft tissue.Conclusion According to different degrees of thinning of parietal bones,combined with specific age,symmetrical parietal bone impression should be considered.

Clinical Observation of Sanjiao Fuzheng Mixture Combined with Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy of Paclitaxel and Nedaplatin in the Treatment of Local Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To observe the efficacy and safety of Sanjiao fuzheng mixture combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy of paclitaxel and nedaplatin in the treatment of local advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS:A total of 68 patients with local advanced NSCLC selected from our hospital during Jan. 2015 to Jan. 2017 were divided into control group and observation group according to random number table,with 34 cases in each group. Control group was given Paclitaxel injection 135 mg/m2 intravenously,d1+Nedaplatin for injection 75 mg/m2 intravenously,d3,21 d as a treatment course,for 2 courses;routine fractionated intensity modulated radiation therapy,2 Gy each time,5 times a week,60-70 Gy in total;given 2 cycles of primary chemotherapy continuously after radiotherapy. Observation group was additionally given Sanjiao fuzheng mixture 250 mL/d,divided into 3 times,till the end of treatment,on the basis of control group. Clinical efficacies were observed in 2 groups. The levels of nutritional indexes (BMI,PAB,ALB,Hb) and tumor markers (SCC-Ag,CEA,TK1, CYFRA21-10) before and after treatment were observed. The occurrence of ADR were recorded. RESULTS:There was no statistical significance in the total effective rate between 2 groups (observation group 82.35％ vs. control group 73.53％)(P>0.05). After treatment,the levels of BMI,PAB,ALB and Hb in 2 groups were significantly lower than before treatment,but the observation group was significantly higher than the control group. The levels of SCC-Ag,CEA,TK1 and CYFRA21-1 in 2 groups were significantly lower than before treatment,and the observation group was significantly lower than the control group,with statistical significance (P<0.05). The incidence of Ⅲ-Ⅳ degree aleucocytosis,Ⅰ-Ⅱ degree hemoglobin reduction and thrombocytopenia in observation group were significantly lower than control group, with statistical significance (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS:The efficacy of Sanjiao fuzheng mixture combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy of paclitaxel and nedaplatin is similar to that of concurrent chemoradiotherapy of paclitaxel and nedaplatin for localadvanced NSCLC,which can improve nutritional status significantly,and reduce the incidence of ADR.

Effects of Acorustatarinowii Schott on chronic restraint stress mice and its mechanisms / 实用医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the effects of Acorustatarinowii Schott(ATS)on chronic restraint stress mice and its possible mechanisms. Methods Chronic stressed mice underwent a repeated 8h/d constraint in a specific behavior blocker ,however ,only CSA mice received once gavages of 4.5 g/(kg · d)ATS decoction for con-secutive 28 days. Morris water maze(MWM)task was conducted for evaluating learning and memory of the mice. ELISA was used to examine the levels of plasma corticosteroid. Results ATS dramatically ameliorated cognitive impairments and decreased serum corticosteroid level in the stressed mice(P<0.01). Conclusion ATS improves cognitive deficits provoked by chronic stress in mice ,which may attribute to decreasing plasma corticosteroid levels.

Correlation of the changes of fat and microcirculation in vertebral bone marrow and the intervertebral disc degeneration: initial study / 中华放射学杂志

Objective To investigate the correlation between the changes of fat and microcirculation in vertebral marrow and the intervertebral disc degeneration. Methods This was a cross-sectional cohort study. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, all 82 patients were recruited, while 246 lumbar intervertebral disc (L2/3-L4/5) were studied. Each disc was assessed by using Pfirrmann grades. The chemical shift imaging (CSI) was performed to calculate the signal intensity ratio (SIR) of the corresponding upper and under vertebral marrow. And intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging was performed to obtain the IVIM parameters of slow apparent diffusion coefficient (Dslow), fast apparent diffusion coefficient (Dfast) and perfusion fraction (f). At the same time, b values of 0, 600 s/mm2 were used to obtain the ADC value of each disc. The ADC values of disc, the SIR values and IVIM parameters of the upper and under vertebral marrow between the different segments and different Pfirrmann grading groups were compared using one-way ANOVA or non-parametric test. The correlation of the Pfirrmann grading and ADC value of disc with the parameters of the vertebral marrow were analyzed, respectively. Results Only the f value of the upper and under vertebral marrow showed significant difference between the different segments groups of L2/3 to L4/5 discs (F=5.351 and 8.482, both P<0.05). The ADC values of discs, the SIR value of the upper vertebral marrow and the Dslow value of the under vertebral marrow had significant difference between the different Pfirrmann grading groups (all P<0.05). The Pfirrmann grading was negatively correlated with the disc ADC values (r=-0.651, P<0.01), and was mildly and positively correlated with the SIR values of the upper and under vertebral marrow (r=0.238 and 0.266, both P<0.01). The disc ADC values had a slightly negative correlation with the SIR value of the upper and under vertebral marrow(r=-0.230 and-0.247, both P<0.01). Conclusions The changes of the SIR value and all IVIM parameters of the vertebral bone marrow were not very obvious with the increasing of the grading of the intervertebral disc degeneration, which may be not an effective supplement for the grading of intervertebral disc degeneration.

Correlation of the changes of fat and microcirculation in vertebral bone marrow and the intervertebral disc degeneration: initial study / 中华放射学杂志

Objective To investigate the correlation between the changes of fat and microcirculation in vertebral marrow and the intervertebral disc degeneration. Methods This was a cross-sectional cohort study. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, all 82 patients were recruited, while 246 lumbar intervertebral disc (L2/3-L4/5) were studied. Each disc was assessed by using Pfirrmann grades. The chemical shift imaging (CSI) was performed to calculate the signal intensity ratio (SIR) of the corresponding upper and under vertebral marrow. And intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging was performed to obtain the IVIM parameters of slow apparent diffusion coefficient (Dslow), fast apparent diffusion coefficient (Dfast) and perfusion fraction (f). At the same time, b values of 0, 600 s/mm2 were used to obtain the ADC value of each disc. The ADC values of disc, the SIR values and IVIM parameters of the upper and under vertebral marrow between the different segments and different Pfirrmann grading groups were compared using one-way ANOVA or non-parametric test. The correlation of the Pfirrmann grading and ADC value of disc with the parameters of the vertebral marrow were analyzed, respectively. Results Only the f value of the upper and under vertebral marrow showed significant difference between the different segments groups of L2/3 to L4/5 discs (F=5.351 and 8.482, both P<0.05). The ADC values of discs, the SIR value of the upper vertebral marrow and the Dslow value of the under vertebral marrow had significant difference between the different Pfirrmann grading groups (all P<0.05). The Pfirrmann grading was negatively correlated with the disc ADC values (r=-0.651, P<0.01), and was mildly and positively correlated with the SIR values of the upper and under vertebral marrow (r=0.238 and 0.266, both P<0.01). The disc ADC values had a slightly negative correlation with the SIR value of the upper and under vertebral marrow(r=-0.230 and-0.247, both P<0.01). Conclusions The changes of the SIR value and all IVIM parameters of the vertebral bone marrow were not very obvious with the increasing of the grading of the intervertebral disc degeneration, which may be not an effective supplement for the grading of intervertebral disc degeneration.