Is the spleen stiffness value acquired using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) technology predictive of the presence of esophageal varices in patients with cirrhosis of various etiologies?

Aim: This study's aimwas to determine the accuracy of the spleen stiffness value acquired using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) technology, to predict the presence of esophageal varices (EVs) in patients with liver cirrhosis of various etiologies.

Material And Methods: Of the 366 enrolled patients, 192 had hepatitis B virus, 74 had hepatitis C virus, and 100 had alcohol-related cirrhosis. All patients underwent biochemical tests, gastrointestinal endoscopy, and liver and spleen elastography by ARFI.

Effect of visceral fat area on outcomes of laparoscopyassisted distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer: subgroup analysis by gender and parameters of obesity.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the visceral fat area (VFA) of patients with gastric cancer undergoing laparoscopic surgery on operative outcomes such as number of retrieved lymph nodes (LNs) and operative time.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and the CT scans of 597 patients with gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopy assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) with partial omentectomy and LN dissection (>D1 plus beta). Patients were stratified by gender, VFA, and body mass index (BMI), and the clinicopathologic characteristics and operative outcomes were evaluated.

Initial phantom study comparing image quality in computed tomography using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction and new adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction v.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the image quality of a novel advanced iterative reconstruction (IR) method called as "adaptive statistical IR V" (ASIR-V) by comparing the image noise, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and spatial resolution from those of filtered back projection (FBP) and adaptive statistical IR (ASIR) on computed tomography (CT) phantom image.

Materials And Methods: We performed CT scans at 5 different tube currents (50, 70, 100, 150, and 200 mA) using 3 types of CT phantoms. Scanned images were subsequently reconstructed in 7 different scan settings, such as FBP, and 3 levels of ASIR and ASIR-V (30%, 50%, and 70%).

Serial change of liver stiffness measured by acoustic radiation force impulse imaging in chronic liver disease: correlation with biochemical markers.

Purpose: In patients with chronic diffuse liver diseases, liver fibrosis severity is an important element for prognosis and for selecting therapy. Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging techniques were recently developed to measure liver fibrosis, but their specificity is impaired by cholestasis, inflammation, or edema in acute hepatitis. Herein, our objectives were to evaluate serial changes in shear wave velocity (SWV) and to correlate these changes with biochemical activity.

Comparative study of shear wave velocities using acoustic radiation force impulse technology in hepatocellular carcinoma: the extent of radiofrequency ablation.

Background/aims: The purpose of this study was to assess the value of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) for predicting the extent of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by correlating the elasticity of HCC and peritumoral parenchyma (as measured by ARFI) with the extent of ablation determined by computed tomography (CT).

Methods: From September 2009 to June 2011, 158 patients underwent RFA ablation for HCC (single, ≤3 cm). We evaluated the data of a total of 38 prospectively enrolled patients who underwent both ARFI imaging and contrast-enhanced CT after one session of 12 minutes of RFA without a change in needle position.

Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography for hepatocellular carcinoma-associated radiofrequency ablation.

Aim: To evaluate the potential usefulness of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) images for evaluation of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC)-associated radiofrequency ablation.

Methods: From January 2010 to June 2010, a total of 38 patients with HCC including recurred HCCs after RFA underwent ARFI elastography. The brightness of tumor was checked and the shear wave velocity was measured for the quantification of stiffness.

Actinomycosis of the appendix mimicking appendiceal tumor: a case report.

Actinomycosis is an uncommon chronic infectious disease. Common sites of involvement include the cervicofacial, thoracic and abdominopelvic regions. In abdominopelvic actinomycosis, the ileocecal region, including the appendix, is the most commonly involved site.

Ultrasonographic evidence of phenotypic instability during hepatocarcinogenesis in N-nitrosomorpholine-treated rats.

Carcinogen-induced hepatoma in immunocompetent animal models has shown a progress similar to the clinical course of human hepatoma. Ultrasonography (US) was used for consecutive evaluation of the phenotypic changes in Sprague-Dawley rats exposed for 8 weeks to N-nitrosomorpholine (NNM, 200 mg/L). Three distinctive US findings were ascites, coarseness (defined as small and heterogeneously widespread increased echogenecity), and nodularity (defined as a >0.