Generation of high-resolution MPRAGE-like images from 3D head MRI localizer (AutoAlign Head) images using a deep learning-based model.

Purpose: Magnetization prepared rapid gradient echo (MPRAGE) is a useful three-dimensional (3D) T1-weighted sequence, but is not a priority in routine brain examinations. We hypothesized that converting 3D MRI localizer (AutoAlign Head) images to MPRAGE-like images with deep learning (DL) would be beneficial for diagnosing and researching dementia and neurodegenerative diseases. We aimed to establish and evaluate a DL-based model for generating MPRAGE-like images from MRI localizers.

Handgrip strength in patients with type 2 diabetes correlates with diabetic polyneuropathy. A single-center, retrospective observational study in Japanese patients.

Nerve conduction studies (NCS) are the standard method for diagnosing diabetic polyneuropathy. Because a clear association between handgrip strength and diabetic neuropathy can serve as a screening tool, the present study evaluated the association between handgrip strength and NCS and diabetes-related complications. A total of 436 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who were admitted to our hospital between April 1, 2018 and March 31, 2023, and evaluated using Baba's diabetic neuropathy classification (BDC) were included.

Clinical outcomes of endocrine and other disorders induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors in Japanese patients.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the efficacy of treatment and survival after administration of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) in Japanese patients and had endocrine-related and/or other immune-related adverse events (irAEs), as well as irAEs in multiple organs. This is a single-center, retrospective, observational study of 571 Japanese patients treated with ICI at our hospital. We evaluated the occurrence of Grade 3 or higher irAEs and the life expectancy and treatment efficacy after ICI administration.

Comparison of DWI techniques in patients with epidermoid cyst: TGSE-BLADE DWI vs. SS-EPI DWI.

Purpose: To compare quantitative values and image quality between single-shot echo-planar imaging (SS-EPI) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and two-dimensional turbo gradient- and spin-echo DWI with non-Cartesian BLADE trajectory (TGSE-BLADE DWI) in patients with epidermoid cyst.

Methods: Patients with epidermoid cyst who underwent both SS-EPI DWI and TGSE-BLADE DWI were included in this study. Two raters placed ROIs encircling the entire epidermoid cyst on SS-EPI DWI, and then on TGSE-BLADE DWI.

Early radiological reduction of periventricular anastomosis after direct bypass surgery for adult moyamoya disease.

Objective: Periventricular anastomosis (PA), a recently recognized cause of hemorrhage in moyamoya disease, is reducible after bypass surgery. The timing of the reduction, however, remains poorly understood. The objectives of the present study were to demonstrate radiological reduction of PA occurring within 48 hours after surgery and to identify factors associated with reduction.

Neural substrates underlying distinct dual cognitive syndromes in Parkinson's disease.

Background: A dual-syndrome hypothesis, which states the cognitive impairments in Parkinson's disease (PD) are attributable to frontostriatal dopaminergic dysregulation and cortical disturbance-each associated with attention/executive and memory/visuospatial dysfunction, respectively-has been widely accepted. This multisystem contribution also underlies highly heterogeneous progression rate to dementia.

Methods: Nondemented PD patients who underwent [I]N-ω-fluoropropyl-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl) nortropane ([I]FP-CIT) SPECT and neuropsychological examinations were enrolled.

Stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation for ventricular tachycardia: a review of clinical trials and emerging roles of imaging.

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a severe arrhythmia commonly treated with implantable cardioverter defibrillators, antiarrhythmic drugs and catheter ablation (CA). Although CA is effective in reducing recurrent VT, its impact on survival remains uncertain, especially in patients with extensive scarring. Stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation (STAR) has emerged as a novel treatment for VT in patients unresponsive to CA, leveraging techniques from stereotactic body radiation therapy used in cancer treatments.

Image-based Re-evaluation of the JCOG0911 Study Focusing on Tumor Volume and Survival, Disease Progression Diagnosis, and Radiomic Prognostication for Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma.

Purpose: To re-evaluate images recovered from JCOG0911, a randomized phase 2 trial for newly diagnosed glioblastoma (nGBM) conducted by the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) Brain Tumor Study Group.

Methods: The correlation between tumor volumes and survival was evaluated, followed by progression-free survival (PFS) analysis by independent central review based on Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria using MRI recovered from 118 nGBM patients enrolled in the JCOG0911 trial. A radiomic analysis was also performed to identify radiomic features predictive of nGBM prognosis.

Comparison of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features Between Programmed Cell Death 1/Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 Inhibitor-Induced Hypopituitarism and Idiopathic Hypopituitarism in Japanese Subjects.

Objective Immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated hypopituitarism (ICI-HP) is a rare immune-related adverse event (irAE) of ICIs. This study aimed to identify characteristic pituitary findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in ICI-HP. Methods This study is a single-center, retrospective, observational study.

Advancing clinical MRI exams with artificial intelligence: Japan's contributions and future prospects.

In this narrative review, we review the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) into clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams, with a particular focus on Japan's contributions to this field. In the first part of the review, we introduce the various applications of AI in optimizing different aspects of the MRI process, including scan protocols, patient preparation, image acquisition, image reconstruction, and postprocessing techniques. Additionally, we examine AI's growing influence in clinical decision-making, particularly in areas such as segmentation, radiation therapy planning, and reporting assistance.

Serum concentrations of anti-Müllerian hormone modulate ovarian response to different doses of follicle-stimulating hormone in Japanese Black donors.

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a marker for predicting embryo production in cows subjected to superovulation; however, it remains to be established as a reliable predictor of reproductive performance. We hypothesized that the serum AMH concentration of donors affects the ovarian response to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) treatment during superovulation. Herein, we retrospectively investigated the association between different FSH doses and AMH concentrations in donor Japanese Black cows in a superovulation program and analyzed the number of total and transferable embryos recovered.

The Evolution and Clinical Impact of Deep Learning Technologies in Breast MRI.

The integration of deep learning (DL) in breast MRI has revolutionized the field of medical imaging, notably enhancing diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. This review discusses the substantial influence of DL technologies across various facets of breast MRI, including image reconstruction, classification, object detection, segmentation, and prediction of clinical outcomes such as response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and recurrence of breast cancer. Utilizing sophisticated models such as convolutional neural networks, recurrent neural networks, and generative adversarial networks, DL has improved image quality and precision, enabling more accurate differentiation between benign and malignant lesions and providing deeper insights into disease behavior and treatment responses.

Comparison study of quantitative susceptibility mapping with GRAPPA and wave-CAIPI: reproducibility, consistency, and microbleeds detection.

Purpose: We compared quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) with wave-CAIPI 9 × (QSM_WC9 ×) with reference standard QSM with GRAPPA 2 × (QSM_G2 ×) in two MR scanners. We also compared detectability of microbleeds in both QSMs to demonstrate clinical feasibility of both QSMs.

Materials And Methods: This prospective study was approved by the institutional review board and written informed consent was obtained from each subject.

Delineating three distinct spatiotemporal patterns of brain atrophy in Parkinson's disease.

The clinical manifestation of Parkinson's disease exhibits significant heterogeneity in the prevalence of non-motor symptoms and the rate of progression of motor symptoms, suggesting that Parkinson's disease can be classified into distinct subtypes. In this study, we aimed to explore this heterogeneity by identifying a set of subtypes with distinct patterns of spatiotemporal trajectories of neurodegeneration. We applied Subtype and Stage Inference (SuStaIn), an unsupervised machine learning algorithm that combined disease progression modelling with clustering methods, to cortical and subcortical neurodegeneration visible on 3 T structural MRI of a large cross-sectional sample of 504 patients and 279 healthy controls.

Involvement of the basal forebrain and hippocampus in memory deficits in Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-determined atrophy of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (Ch4) predicts cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, interactions with other brain regions causing the decline remain unclear. This study aimed to describe how MRI-determined Ch4 atrophy leads to cognitive decline in patients with PD.

Quantitative Assessment of Gadolinium Deposition in Dentate Nuclei with MR Fingerprinting.

Rationale And Objectives: Gadolinium deposition in the dentate nucleus (DN) has been evaluated by T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) and T1 (R1) mapping, but not MR fingerprinting (MRF). This study investigated associations between T1 and T2 values of DN and gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) using 2-dimensional MRF.

Materials And Methods: This study included 101 patients.

Efficacy of high-resolution vessel wall MRI in the postoperative assessment of intracranial aneurysms following flow diversion treatment.

Objective: Certain patients must undergo frequent postoperative digital subtraction angiography (DSA) after flow diversion (FD) therapy. No imaging modality with an efficacy comparable to that of DSA has been established. This study was conducted to determine the efficacy of contrast-enhanced delay alternating with nutation for tailored excitation (DANTE) T1-sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts by using different flip angle evolution (SPACE), a high-resolution vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging technique for evaluating the occlusion status of intracranial aneurysms after FD treatment, with DSA serving as the reference standard.

Nilotinib-induced Diabetes in Japanese Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.

Objective This study aimed to examine the risk of diabetes mellitus induced by nilotinib, a second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Methods This retrospective study included 25 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treated with nilotinib at our hospital. Four patients had diabetes mellitus at the start of nilotinib administration (prior DM group), and five patients were newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus after the start of nilotinib administration (new DM group).