Combination of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and strain elastography to assess cytologically non-diagnostic thyroid nodules.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the benefits of combining contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and strain elastography (SE) for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules with non-diagnostic fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) results. Between October 2013 and March 2017, CEUS and SE were performed in 226 patients (236 thyroid nodules) with non-diagnostic FNAC results prior to thyroidectomy. The diagnostic value of CEUS, SE and their combination (CEUS+SE) in distinguishing malignant from benign thyroid nodules was evaluated, using surgical pathology as a reference.

Role of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in the Pre-operative Diagnosis of Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis in Patients with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

The objective of this study was to prospectively evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in differentiating between benign and metastatic cervical lymph nodes in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Three hundred nineteen cervical lymph nodes (162 metastatic from PTC and 157 benign) were evaluated using conventional ultrasonography (US) and CEUS before biopsy or surgery. Metastatic lymph nodes more often manifested centripetal or asynchronous perfusion, hyper-enhancement, heterogeneous enhancement, perfusion defects and ring-enhancing margins than benign lymph nodes at pre-operative CEUS (all p values < 0.

Compact terahertz wave polarization beam splitter using photonic crystal.

Electromagnetic polarization conveys valuable information for signal processing. Manipulation of a terahertz wave polarization state exhibits tremendous potential in developing applications of terahertz science and technology. We propose an approach to efficiently split transverse-electric and transverse-magnetic polarized terahertz waves into different propagation directions over the frequency range from 0.

[Effect of Zhuangyao Jianshen Wan (ZYJCW) on P2X1 and P2X3 mRNA expressions in rats with diuresis caused by kidney deficiency].

To investigate the urination-reducing effect and mechanism of Zhuangyao Jianshen Wan (ZYJCW). In this study, SI rats were subcutaneously injected with 150 mg · kg(-1) dose of D-galactose to prepare the sub-acute aging model and randomly divided into the model group, the Suoquan Wan group (1.17 g · kg(-1) · d(-1)), and ZYJCW high, medium and low dose groups (2.

[Ultrasonic scores of conventional ultrasound and ultrasound elastography in the diagnosis of thyroid nodular lesions].

Objective: To explore the values of total ultrasonic scores of conventional ultrasound and ultrasound elastography in the diagnosis of thyroid nodular lesions.

Methods: A total of 347 thyroid nodules proved by fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and surgery underwent preoperative conventional ultrasound and ultrasound elastography. The features on gray scale, color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and elastograms were documented and total ultrasonic scores recorded.

[Treatment of unresectable pancreatic carcinoma by radiofrequency ablation with 'cool-tip needle': report of 18 cases].

Objective: To explore the effects of treatment of unresectable pancreatic tumors by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with "cool-tip needle".

Methods: 18 patients with unresectable pancreatic tumors, 8 with pancreatic head carcinoma and 10 with pancreatic body and tail carcinomas, 12 males and 6 females, aged 66.2, underwent RFA under laparotomy for 3 times and simultaneous infusion of iced normal saline.

Ultrasonographic findings at the resected area after hepatectomy.

Background: Since hepatectomy has been widely performed, different operative manner, operating areas, and material in the residual cavity may be found ultrasonographically near the resected area after the operation. In this study, we investigated the changes of focal ultrasonography at the resected area post hepatectomy and recognized the characteristic ultrasonographic images.

Methods: 176 patients whose ultrasonographic findings were studied in the residual area during the early and later periods after hepatectomy were retrospectively analyzed in terms of operative manner, operative area, and material in the residual cavity.