Oligoclonal Band Straightening Based on Optimized Hierarchical Warping for Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis.

The detection of immunoglobulin G (IgG) oligoclonal bands (OCB) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by isoelectric focusing (IEF) is a valuable tool for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Over the last decade, the results of our clinical research have suggested that tears are a non-invasive alternative to CSF. However, since tear samples have a lower IgG concentration than CSF, a sensitive OCB detection is therefore required.

Toward an automatic tool for oligoclonal band detection in cerebrospinal fluid and tears for multiple sclerosis diagnosis: lane segmentation based on a ribbon univariate open active contour.

The latest revision of multiple sclerosis diagnosis guidelines emphasizes the role of oligoclonal band detection in isoelectric focusing images of cerebrospinal fluid. Recent studies suggest tears as a promising noninvasive alternative to cerebrospinal fluid. We are developing the first automatic method for isoelectric focusing image analysis and oligoclonal band detection in cerebrospinal fluid and tear samples.

A story of oedemas.

The Waldmann's disease is a primitive intestinal lymphangectasia. This exsudative enteropathy initiates a protein leakage by the digestive tract. Clinically, this syndrome is characterised by oedemas and biologically by hypoprotidemia and loss of lymphocytes T CD4+, which increases a risk for infections.

Three-dimensional (3D) culture of adult murine colon as an in vitro model of cryptosporidiosis: Proof of concept.

Cryptosporidium parvum is a major cause of diarrheal illness and was recently potentially associated with digestive carcinogenesis. Despite its impact on human health, Cryptosporidium pathogenesis remains poorly known, mainly due to the lack of a long-term culture method for this parasite. Thus, the aim of the present study was to develop a three-dimensional (3D) culture model from adult murine colon allowing biological investigations of the host-parasite interactions in an in vivo-like environment and, in particular, the development of parasite-induced neoplasia.

[Comparison of immunochromatographic tests Actim(®) Prom and Amnioquick(®) Duo for the rapid detection of premature rupture of membranes].

Premature rupture of membranes (PRM) affects 5 to 15% of pregnancies, leading to prematurity and neonatal infection. PRM can be identified by through various amniotic fluid proteins in vaginal secretions. The aim of this study is to compare two immunochromatographic tests based on the detection of insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP-1) and alpha-foeto protein (AFP) for one of the two tests in cervico-vaginal secretions.

Prostate contours delineation using interactive directional active contours model and parametric shape prior model.

Prostate contours delineation on Magnetic Resonance (MR) images is a challenging and important task in medical imaging with applications of guiding biopsy, surgery and therapy. While a fully automated method is highly desired for this application, it can be a very difficult task due to the structure and surrounding tissues of the prostate gland. Traditional active contours-based delineation algorithms are typically quite successful for piecewise constant images.

Study of proximal femoral bone perfusion with 3D T1 dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI: a feasibility study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare measurements of semi-quantitative and pharmacokinetic parameters in areas of red (RBM) and yellow bone marrow (YBM) of the hip, using an in-house high-resolution DCE T1 sequence, and to assess intra- and inter-observer reproducibility of these measurements.

Methods: The right hips of 21 adult patients under 50 years of age were studied. Spatial resolution was 1.

Carpal pseudoerosions: a plain X-ray interpretation pitfall.

Objective: To examine in detail images of pseudoerosion of the wrist and hand on plain radiographs.

Material And Methods: The study was conducted with 28 cadaver wrists. During a single imaging session three techniques-plain radiography, tomosynthesis, and computed tomography-were used to visualize the wrist and hand specimens.

BioSigPlot: an opensource tool for the visualization of multi-channel biomedical signals with Matlab.

This paper presents a Matlab-based software (MathWorks inc.) called BioSigPlot for the visualization of multi-channel biomedical signals, particularly for the EEG. This tool is designed for researchers on both engineering and medicine who have to collaborate to visualize and analyze signals.

Assessment of reduced field of view in diffusion tensor imaging of the lumbar nerve roots at 3 T.

Objectives: To assess the value of reduced field of view (rFOV) imaging in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and tractography of the lumbar nerve roots at 3 T from the perspective of future clinical trials.

Methods: DTI images of the lumbar nerves were obtained in eight healthy volunteers, with and without the rFOV technique. Non-coplanar excitation and refocusing pulses associated with outer volume suppression (OVS) were used to achieve rFOV imaging.

Angiographic regression patterns after intravitreal ranibizumab injections for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Background And Objective: To investigate the relation between visual gain, injection frequency, and the angiographic regression patterns after intravitreal ranibizumab on an as-needed basis in exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Patients And Methods: Fifty-nine treatment-naïve patients (68 eyes) were retrospectively analyzed. All patients received three consecutive monthly injections (induction phase) of ranibizumab (0.

Tear analysis in clinically isolated syndrome as new multiple sclerosis criterion.

In clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), the detection of oligoclonal bands (OCBs) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is critical for space dissemination validation when magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnostic criteria are not fulfilled. However, lumbar puncture for CSF collection is considered relatively invasive. Previous studies have demonstrated applicability of OCB detection in tears to the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Factors of accuracy of transient elastography (fibroscan) for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C.

Unlabelled: The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of success rate and interquartile range on the accuracy of transient elastography for the diagnostic of fibrosis in hepatitis C virus infection. Two-hundred fifty-four consecutive patients had liver stiffness measurements and liver biopsy of at least 15 mm. Discordances of at least two stages between transient elastography and histological assessment were observed in 28 cases (11%).

Routine practice HCV infection screening with saliva samples: multicentric study in an intravenous drug user population.

Objective: The purpose of this randomized multicentric study was to evaluate the diagnostic contribution of screening for HCV infection on saliva samples in day-to-day practice in the intravenous drug-user (IVDU) population.

Methods: Between January and May 2004, 274 presumably HCV-negative IVDU were screened for HCV infection in 15 centers in France (median age 29 years). After centralized randomization, screening tests were performed on blood samples (arm A) or saliva samples (arm B).

An analysis of the biochemical diagnosis of 66 pheochromocytomas.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to determine the performance of each variable, to define the optimal diagnostic thresholds and to determine the relative value of assaying chromogranin A (CgA).

Design: Prospective study.

Methods: Two groups of patients were studied: a control group of 71 patients and a group of 63 patients with a histologically-proven pheochromocytoma (52 pheochromocytomas and 14 paragangliomas).

Clinical evaluation of nine free thyroxine assays: persistent problems in particular populations.

Over the past decade, numerous papers have addressed the various methodological problems encountered with free thyroxine (FT4) assays. We evaluated the clinical performance of nine FT4 assays in five centres, using a panel of 310 sera: 156 from euthyroid controls; 27 from hyperthyroid patients; 34 from untreated hypothyroidism; 22 from patients with renal failure; 30 from women in the last trimester of pregnancy; 23 from patients on thyroid substitutive therapy; and 18 from patients treated with amiodarone. Only three methods showed a Gaussian distribution of FT4 concentrations.

[An inter-laboratory study of anti-HCV antibody detection in saliva samples].

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody detection in the saliva samples of 108 drug users in an inter-laboratory study.

Methods: Between January and June 2001, 108 subjects in Lille, Metz and Lens received a test to detect anti-HCV antibodies in their saliva. Two consecutive saliva samples were taken in each subject (Salivette system, Sarstedt).