Robust performance of deep learning for automatic detection and segmentation of brain metastases using three-dimensional black-blood and three-dimensional gradient echo imaging.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether a deep learning (DL) model using both three-dimensional (3D) black-blood (BB) imaging and 3D gradient echo (GRE) imaging may improve the detection and segmentation performance of brain metastases compared to that using only 3D GRE imaging. METHODS: A total of 188 patients with brain metastases (917 lesions) who underwent a brain metastasis MRI protocol including contrast-enhanced 3D BB and 3D GRE were included in the training set. DL models based on 3D U-net were constructed. The models were validated in the test set consisting of 45 patients with brain metastases (203 lesions) and 49 patients without brain metastases. RESULTS: The combined 3D BB and 3D GRE model yielded better performance than the 3D GRE model (sensitivities of 93.1% vs 76.8%, p < 0.001), and this effect was significantly stronger in subgroups with small metastases (p interaction < 0.001). For metastases < 3 mm, ≥ 3 mm and < 10 mm, and ≥ 10 mm, the sensitivities were 82.4%, 93.2%, and 100%, respectively. The combined 3D BB and 3D GRE model showed a false-positive per case of 0.59 in the test set. The combined 3D BB and 3D GRE model showed a Dice coefficient of 0.822, while 3D GRE model showed a lower Dice coefficient of 0.756. CONCLUSIONS: The combined 3D BB and 3D GRE DL model may improve the detection and segmentation performance of brain metastases, especially in detecting small metastases. KEY POINTS: • The combined 3D BB and 3D GRE model yielded better performance for the detection of brain metastases than the 3D GRE model (p < 0.001), with sensitivities of 93.1% and 76.8%, respectively. • The combined 3D BB and 3D GRE model showed a false-positive rate per case of 0.59 in the test set. • The combined 3D BB and 3D GRE model showed a Dice coefficient of 0.822, while the 3D GRE model showed a lower Dice coefficient of 0.756.

The Effect of Novel Mercapto Silane Systems on Resin Bond Strength to Dental Noble Metal Alloys.

Self-assembled monolayers of thiols (RSH), which are key elements in nanoscience and nanotechnology, have been used to link a range of materials to planar gold surfaces or gold nanoparticles. In this study, the adhesive performance of mercapto silane systems to dental noble metal alloys was evaluated in vitro and compared with that of commercial dental primers. Dental gold-palladium-platinum (Au-Pd-Pt), gold-palladium-silver (Au-Pd-Ag), and palladium-silver (Pd-Ag) alloys were used as the bonding substrates after air-abrasion (sandblasting). One of the following primers was applied to each alloy: (1) no primer treatment (control), (2) three commer- cial primers: V-Primer, Metal Primer II, and M.L. Primer, and (3) two experimental silane primer systems: 2-step application with 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (SPS) (1.0 wt%) and then 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) (1.0 wt%), and a silane blend consisting of SPS and MPS (both 1.0 wt%). Composite resin cylinders with a diameter of 2.38 mm were bonded to the surfaces and irradiated for 40 sec using a curing light. After storage in water at 37 °C for 24 h, all the bonded specimens were thermocycled 5000 times before the shear bond strength test. Regardless of the alloy type, the mercapto silane systems (both the 2-step and blend systems) consistently showed superior bonding performance than the commercial primers. Contact angle analysis of the primed surfaces indicated that higher resin bond strengths were produced on more hydrophilic alloy surfaces. These novel mercapto silane systems are a promising alternative for improving resin bonding to dental noble metal alloys.

Effect of Incorporating Zirconia Powder into a Primer on the Resin Bond Strength to Zirconia Ceramic.

The adhesion property of zirconia powder-incorporated primers was investigated in vitro with the aim of enhancing the resin bond strength to zirconia ceramic. A commercial zirconia primer was modified through the addition of 0 (control), 5, 10, 25, and 50 wt% of a zirconia powder (codes: ZP0, ZP5, ZP10, ZP25, and ZP50, respectively). Prior to primer modification, the powder was characterized via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometry. The surfaces of dental zirconia ceramic discs were air-abraded and treated with one of the five primers. One resin composite cylinder (diameter: 2.38 mm) was bonded on one specimen surface (n = 12/group). The bonded specimens were all stored for 24 h in distilled water at 37 °C and subjected to 5000 thermal cycles prior to shear bond strength (SBS) testing. The DSC and FTIR analyses confirmed that the zirconia powder contained an organic binder. The SBS test results showed that the groups could be arranged as follows, ZP25 > ZP10 > ZP5 > ZP0, i.e., in descending order of the mean value. The lowest SBS value was obtained for the ZP50 group. The results suggest that the incorporation of a zirconia powder into a primer represents a promising modification method for improving the resin bond strength to zirconia ceramic.