Establishment and comparison of piecewise linear regression models to measure thyroid volume by 2D and 3D ultrasound.

Objective: Compared thyroid volumes measured by 2-D and 3-D US with those of resected specimens and proposed new models to improve measurement accuracy.

Methods: This study included 80 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy. One 2D_model and one 3D_model were developed using piecewise linear regression analysis.

Combination of high-frequency ultrasound and virtual touch tissue imaging and quantification improve the diagnostic efficiency for mild carpal tunnel syndrome.

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment symptom in the peripheral nerves. High-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) is widely used in the diagnosis of CTS. Virtual Touch Tissue Imaging and Quantification (VTIQ), which provides more information about the hardness of organization, is used to diagnose CTS.

Noninvasive evaluation of gastric emptying and gastric wall thickness in SLE patients.

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the gastric emptying in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with gastrointestinal involvement using three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonography.

Methods: The gastric emptying times at 25% (T1), 50% (T2), and 75% (T3) of SLE patients with gastrointestinal involvement (n = 40) and healthy controls (n = 80) were evaluated and compared. In addition, the correlations among the gastric wall thickness, SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI), and upper gastrointestinal symptoms were calculated.

Evaluation of gastric blood supply in diabetic patients with gastroparesis by contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

Objective: Improvement in regional blood flow has been shown to ameliorate diabetic gastroparesis. We compared the gastric blood supply in patients with diabetes with gastroparesis with that in healthy subjects, by using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).

Methods: 30 healthy subjects and 40 patients with diabetic gastroparesis were enrolled.

Application of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and ultrasonography scores in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To investigate diagnostic value of ultrasonography scores (US) and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in evaluating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) activity.

Methods: 39 patients with RA were included and the metacarpophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal, wrist, elbow and knee joints of them were examined by high frequency ultrasound. The severe joints and the related indexes (synovial thickness, synovial blood flow, joint effusion and bone erosion) were exposed.

Evaluation of gastric emptying in diabetic gastropathy by an ultrasonic whole stomach cylinder method.

In order to explore the accuracy of ultrasonic whole stomach cylinder measurement (UWSCM) in the evaluation of gastric emptying, we measured the gastric emptying times (ET) at 25% (T1), 50% (T2) and 75% (T3) of healthy subjects and patients with diabetic gastropathy by UWSCM and scintigraphy. The ET of patients were compared with their clinical symptom scores. We found that the ET measured by UWSCM showed no significant difference with scintigraphy (p > 0.