Publications by authors named "Allison Zhong"

Background And Objective: Due to the potential debilitating sequelae following pediatric mTBI, the CDC published the Guideline on the Diagnosis and Management of mTBI Among Children in 2018. However, the guideline identified several key gaps in our clinical knowledge to support several clinical recommendations. The objective of this review is to evaluate if subsequent research has addressed these gaps in clinical practice recommendations.

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  • Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a challenging cancer that spreads to the lungs and is not effectively treated with systemic chemotherapy, prompting the use of local therapies for management.
  • The case study focuses on a patient who underwent extensive local ablative treatments, including over 850 brachytherapy seeds and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), to tackle around 80 metastases in the lungs and liver.
  • Remarkably, the patient has survived approximately 12 years post-diagnosis, showcasing the potential success of these localized treatment methods for controlling the disease's progression.
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  • High b-value diffusion-weighted images (DWI) are used to detect clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa), and this study compares synthesized DWI (sDWI) to acquired DWI (aDWI) in this context.
  • The study involved 151 patients and used various b-values (0, 500, 1000, and 2000 s/mm) to assess differences in signal intensity and classification accuracy for detecting csPCa.
  • Results showed that while sDWI is similar to aDWI qualitatively, it introduced artifacts in surrounding tissue that hinder cancer detection, with a previously validated biomarker (RSIrs) proving to be more effective for identifying csPCa.
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Purpose: The focal radiation therapy (RT) boost technique was shown in a phase III randomized controlled trial (RCT) to improve prostate cancer outcomes without increasing toxicity. This technique relies on the accurate delineation of prostate tumors on MRI. A recent prospective study evaluated radiation oncologists' accuracy when asked to delineate prostate tumors on MRI and demonstrated high variability in tumor contours.

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Background: The US government considers veterans to have been exposed to Agent Orange if they served in Vietnam while the carcinogen was in use, and these veterans are often deemed at high risk of prostate cancer (PCa). Here, we assess whether presumed Agent Orange exposure is independently associated with increased risk of any metastatic or fatal PCa in a diverse Veteran cohort still alive in the modern era (at least 2011), when accounting for race/ethnicity, family history, and genetic risk.

Patients And Methods: Participants in the Million Veteran Program (MVP; enrollment began in 2011) who were on active duty during the Vietnam War era (August 1964-April 1975) were included (n = 301,470).

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Purpose: The FLAME trial provides strong evidence that MR-guided external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) focal boost for localized prostate cancer increases biochemical disease-free survival (bDFS) without increasing toxicity. Yet, there are many barriers to implementation of focal boost. Our objectives are to systemically review clinical outcomes for MR-guided EBRT focal boost and to consider approaches to increase implementation of this technique.

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Background: In a recent phase III randomized control trial, delivering a focal radiotherapy (RT) boost to tumors visible on MRI was shown to improve disease-free survival and regional/distant metastasis-free survival for patients with prostate cancer-without increasing toxicity. The aim of this study was to assess how widely this technique is being applied in current practice, as well as physicians' perceived barriers toward its implementation.

Methods: We invited radiation oncologists to complete an online questionnaire assessing their use of intraprostatic focal boost in December 2022 and February 2023.

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Purpose: In a phase III randomized trial, adding a radiation boost to tumor(s) visible on MRI improved prostate cancer (PCa) disease-free and metastasis-free survival without additional toxicity. Radiation oncologists' ability to identify prostate tumors is critical to widely adopting intraprostatic tumor radiotherapy boost for patients. A diffusion MRI biomarker, called the Restriction Spectrum Imaging restriction score (RSIrs), has been shown to improve radiologists' identification of clinically significant PCa.

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Purpose: Exposure to Agent Orange, a known carcinogen, might increase risk of prostate cancer (PCa). We sought to investigate the association of Agent Orange exposure and PCa risk when accounting for race/ethnicity, family history, and genetic risk in a diverse population of US Vietnam War veterans.

Methods & Materials: This study utilized the Million Veteran Program (MVP), a national, population-based cohort study of United States military veterans conducted 2011-2021 with 590,750 male participants available for analysis.

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Background: In a recent phase III randomized control trial (FLAME), delivering a focal radiotherapy (RT) boost to tumors visible on MRI was shown to improve outcomes for prostate cancer patients without increasing toxicity. The aim of this study was to assess how widely this technique is being applied in current practice as well as physicians' perceived barriers toward its implementation.

Methods: An online survey assessing the use of intraprostatic focal boost was conducted in December 2022 and February 2023.

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Background: Limited literature exists on the morbidity and mortality of AVM associated intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) compared with non-AVM ICH.

Objective: We examine morbidity and mortality in cAVM in a large nationwide inpatient sample to create a prognostic inpatient ruptured AVM mortality score.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study from 2008 to 2014 compares outcomes in cAVM related hemorrhages and ICH utilizing the National Inpatient Sample database.

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Article Synopsis
  • High-value diffusion-weighted images (DWI) are crucial for detecting clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa), leading to synthesis of DWI to enhance efficiency and image quality.* -
  • This study retrospectively compared synthesized DWI (sDWI) to acquired DWI (aDWI) in 151 patients, using various b-values, and assessed their effectiveness in predicting csPCa.* -
  • Results showed that while sDWI has some qualitative similarities to aDWI, its accuracy and image quality are worse than aDWI and a validated biomarker, indicating limitations in using synthesized images for csPCa detection.*
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Background: Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) improves detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa), but the subjective Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) system and quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) are inconsistent. Restriction spectrum imaging (RSI) is an advanced diffusion-weighted MRI technique that yields a quantitative imaging biomarker for csPCa called the RSI restriction score (RSI).

Objective: To evaluate RSI for automated patient-level detection of csPCa.

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The frontal aslant tract (FAT) is a recently described intralobar tract that connects the superior and inferior frontal gyri. The FAT has been implicated in various speech and language processes and disorders, including motor speech impairments, stuttering disorders, opercular syndrome, and verbal fluency, but the specific function(s) of the FAT have yet to be elucidated. In the current study, we aimed to address this knowledge gap by investigating the underlying role that the FAT plays in motor aspects of speech and language abilities in post-stroke aphasia.

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Objectives: Despite the success of mechanical thrombectomy in large vessel acute ischemic stroke, recanalization may fail due to difficult anatomic access or peripheral arterial occlusive disease. In these cases, transcarotid access may be used as an alternative, but it has not gained prominence due to safety concerns. Our objective was to assess the efficacy and safety of transcarotid access for mechanical thrombectomy.

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Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) of the musculoskeletal system has various applications, including visualization of bone tumors. However, DWI acquired with echo-planar imaging is susceptible to distortions due to static magnetic field inhomogeneities. This study aimed to estimate spatial displacements of bone and to examine whether distortion corrected DWI images more accurately reflect underlying anatomy.

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Current evidence strongly suggests that the arcuate fasciculus (AF) is critical for language, from spontaneous speech and word retrieval to repetition and comprehension abilities. However, to further pinpoint its unique and differential role in language, its anatomy needs to be explored in greater detail and its contribution to language processing beyond that of known cortical language areas must be established. We address this in a comprehensive evaluation of the specific functional role of the AF in a well-characterized cohort of individuals with chronic aphasia ( = 33) following left hemisphere stroke.

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Normal brain aging is characterized by declining neuronal integrity, yet it remains unclear how microstructural injury influences cognitive aging and whether such mechanisms differ between sexes. Using restriction spectrum imaging (RSI), we examined sex differences in associations between brain microstructure and cognitive function in 147 community-dwelling older men and women (56-99 years). Gray and white matter microstructure correlated with global cognition, executive function, visuospatial memory, episodic memory, and logical memory, with the strongest associations for restricted, hindered and free isotropic diffusion.

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Broad use of germline testing has identified an increasing number of women at risk for breast cancer with a need for effective chemoprevention. We report a novel method to selectively deliver various anti-estrogens at high drug levels to the breast tissue by implanting a device comprised of silastic tubing. Optimized tubing properties allow elution of otherwise poorly bioavailable anti-estrogens, such as fulvestrant, into mammary tissue in vitro and in vivo with levels sufficient to inhibit estrogen receptor activation and tumor cell proliferation.

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Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) are rare subpopulations of cancer cells that are resistant to conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy and contribute to cancer metastases and tumor recurrence. Therefore, it is of significance to develop an effective therapy to eliminate the CSCs. Cancer thermotherapy realized by depositing heat into tumor in a minimally invasive way is a promising alternative to the conventional therapies for cancer treatment.

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