Chronic wounds multimodal image database.

A multimodal wound image database was created to allow fast development of computer-aided approaches for wound healing monitoring. The developed system with parallel camera optical axes enables multimodal images: photo, thermal, stereo, and depth map of the wound area to be acquired. As a result of using this system a multimodal database of chronic wound images is introduced. It contains 188 image sets of photographs, thermal images, and 3D meshes of the surfaces of chronic wounds acquired during 79 patient visits. Manual wound outlines delineated by an expert are also included in the dataset. All images of each case are additionally coregistered, and both numerical registration parameters and the transformed images are covered in the database. The presented database is publicly available for the research community at https://chronicwounddatabase.eu. That is the first publicly available database for evaluation and comparison of new image-based algorithms in the wound healing monitoring process with coregistered photographs, thermal maps, and 3D models of the wound area. Easily available database of coregistered multimodal data with the raw data set allows faster development of algorithms devoted to wound healing analysis and monitoring.

An endovascular treatment of Chronic Cerebro-Spinal Venous Insufficiency in multiple sclerosis patients - 6 month follow-up results.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, the mid-term results (6 month follow-up) of the endovascular treatment in patients with Chronic Cerebro-Spinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) and multiple sclerosis (MS) were prospectively evaluated. METHODS: Thirty-six patients with confirmed MS and CCSVI underwent endovascular treatment by the means of the uni- or bilateral jugular vein angioplasty with optional stent placement. All the patients completed 6 month follow-up. Their MS-related disability status and quality of life were evaluated 1, 3 and 6 months postoperatively by means of the following scales: Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Heat Intolerance scale (HIS) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). For patency and restenosis rate assessment, the control US duplex Doppler examination was used. RESULTS: Six months after the procedure, restenosis in post-PTA jugular veins was found in 33% of cases. Among 17 patients who underwent stent implantation into the jugular vein, restenosis or partial in-stent thrombosis was identified in 55% of the cases. At the 6 month follow-up appointment, there was no significant improvement in the EDSS or the ESS. The endovascular treatment of the CCSVI improved the quality of life according to the MSIS-29 scale but only up to 3 months after the procedure (with no differences in the 6 month follow-up assessment). Six months after the jugular vein angioplasty (with or without stent placement), a statistically significant improvement was observed only in the FSS and the HIS. CONCLUSIONS: The endovascular treatment in patients with MS and concomitant CCSVI did not have an influence on the patient's neurological condition; however, in the mid-term follow-up, an improvement in some quality-of-life parameters was observed.

Magnetic Resonance Venography of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency in patients with associated multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease with not well understood etiology. Recently, a possible association of MS with compromised venous outflow from the brain and spinal cord has been studied (chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency - CCSVI). Angioplasties of internal jugular veins (IJV) and azygous vein (AV) have given promising results, with improvements in patients' clinical status. MATERIAL/METHODS: 830 patients with clinically defined MS were scanned from the level of sigmoid sinuses to the junction with brachiocephalic veins, as well as at the level of AV. T2-weighted, 2D TOF and FIESTA sequences were used. RESULTS: The examination revealed a slower blood flow in IJVs, in 98% of patients: on the right side - in 6%, on the left side - in 15%, on both sides with right-side predominance - in 22%, on both sides with left-side predominance - in 34%, bilaterally with no side predominance - in 19%. In 2%, there was a slower blood flow in IJVs, vertebral veins and subclavian veins and also in the left brachiocephalic vein. Moreover, in 5% of patients there was a decreased blood flow in the azygous vein. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal flow pattern in IJVs is more common on the left side. Less often it can be found in azygous vein and in brachiocephalic veins. Further research is needed to investigate the significance of CCSVI in MS patients. The protocol we described can be used for most of modern magnetic resonance units.

Angiosarcoma arising within a Malignant Endovascular Papillary Angioendothelioma (Dabska tumor).

We report an angiosarcoma arising within a malignant endovascular papillary angioendothelioma (Dabska tumor) in soft tissue of the upper thigh/buttock of a 42-year-old woman. Although neoplastic progression within a vascular tumor of an existing low-grade lesion into DT has been described so far, we seem to be the first to report transformation of DT into an angiosarcoma.