Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging reflects activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 during focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) is a unique protein family that binds to DNA, coupled with tyrosine phosphorylation signaling pathways, acting as a transcriptional regulator to mediate a variety of biological effects. Cerebral ischemia and reperfusion can activate STATs signaling pathway, but no studies have confirmed whether STAT activation can be verified by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) in rats after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. Here, we established a rat model of focal cerebral ischemia injury using the modified Longa method.

Erythropoietin reduces apoptosis of brain tissue cells in rats after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury: a characteristic analysis using magnetic resonance imaging.

Some experiments have shown that erythropoietin (EPO) increases resistance to apoptosis and facilitates neuronal survival following cerebral ischemia. However, results from studies are rarely reported. Perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) have been applied successfully to distinguish acute cerebral ischemic necrosis and penumbra in living animals; therefore, we hypothesized that PWI and DWI could be used to provide imaging evidence for the conclusion that EPO could reduce apoptosis in brain areas injured by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.

Prediction of Vascular Invasion Using a 3-Point Scale Computed Tomography Grading System in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Correlation With Surgery.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between a 3-point scale multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) grading system and surgical exploration in predicting vascular invasion and resectability in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA).

Methods: Fifty-five patients with surgical and pathologic confirmation of PDA were retrospectively analyzed by 3 radiologists independently. All patients had MDCT examination with multiplanar reformatted images, computed tomography (CT) angiography, and negative-contrast CT cholangiopancreatography (nCTCP).

Presurgical Evaluation of Pancreatic Cancer: A Comprehensive Imaging Comparison of CT Versus MRI.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare comprehensive CT and MRI in the presurgical evaluation of pancreatic cancer.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-eight patients with pathologically proven pancreatic cancer were included in a retrospective study. CT with negative-contrast CT cholangiopancreatography and CT angiography (CTA) (CT image set) versus MRI with MRCP and MR angiography (MRI image set) were analyzed independently by two reviewers for tumor detection, extension, metastasis, vascular invasion, and resectability.

Differentiation of noncalculous periampullary obstruction: comparison of CT with negative-contrast CT cholangiopancreatography versus MRI with MR cholangiopancreatography.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare CT with negative-contrast CT cholangiopancreatography (nCTCP) using subvolume minimum intensity projection (MinIP) versus MRI with MRCP in differentiating noncalculous periampullary obstruction.

Methods: Sixty-four patients with clinically proven noncalculous periampullary obstructions who had undergone both MDCT and MR examinations before operation were reviewed retrospectively. Two reviewers independently interpreted the two image sets (the CT with nCTCP set [CT set] vs.