Extracellular Mitochondria Exacerbate Retinal Pigment Epithelium Degeneration in Diabetic Retinopathy.

Advances in fundus imaging are revealing disruptions in the neurovascular unit in diabetic retinopathy (DR). In the era of anti-VEGF treatment, a thorough characterization of neurodegeneration is imperative until DR patients are sufficiently cured. Here we demonstrate that extracellular mitochondria exacerbate retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration and inflammation in DR.

Severity Scale of Diabetic Macular Ischemia Based on the Distribution of Capillary Nonperfusion in OCT Angiography.

Purpose: To evaluate the severity scales of diabetic macular ischemia (DMI) by analyzing the quantity and distribution of capillary nonperfusion using OCT angiography (OCTA) images.

Design: A single-center, prospective case series.

Participants: Three hundred one eyes from 301 patients with diabetic retinopathy.

Quantification of dilated deep capillaries in diabetic retinopathy on optical coherence tomography angiography.

Morphological changes in capillaries are one of major clinical signs in diabetic retinopathy (DR). In this study, we quantified the dilated deep capillaries on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images. Central 3 × 3 mm en face images were obtained using a swept source OCTA device in 105 eyes of 99 patients with DR.

Pathological Neurovascular Unit Mapping onto Multimodal Imaging in Diabetic Macular Edema.

Diabetic retinopathy is a form of diabetic microangiopathy, and vascular hyperpermeability in the macula leads to retinal thickening and concomitant reduction of visual acuity in diabetic macular edema (DME). In this review, we discuss multimodal fundus imaging, comparing the pathogenesis and interventions. Clinicians diagnose DME using two major criteria, clinically significant macular edema by fundus examination and center-involving diabetic macular edema using optical coherence tomography (OCT), to determine the appropriate treatment.

Nationwide survey on the current situation of quality control of diagnostic displays in Japan.

The Japan Association of Radiological Technologists (JART) and the Japan Medical Imaging and Radiological Systems Industries Association jointly conducted a nationwide survey to reveal the current situation of diagnostic displays in Japan using a questionnaire on the performance and quality control (QC) of diagnostic displays for mammography and common use. The questionnaire for radiological technologists (RTs) was distributed via email to 4519 medical facilities throughout Japan, where RTs affiliated with JART were employed; 613 (13.6%) facilities responded.

Clinically Significant Nonperfusion Areas on Widefield OCT Angiography in Diabetic Retinopathy.

Purpose: To investigate the distribution of clinically significant nonperfusion areas (NPAs) on widefield OCT angiography (OCTA) images in patients with diabetes.

Design: Prospective, cross-sectional, observational study.

Participants: One hundred and forty-four eyes of 114 patients with diabetes.

Factors predicting the treatment frequency of ranibizumab injections during the second year in diabetic macular edema.

Purpose: To investigate the predictors of annual treatment frequency in the second year of pro re nata (PRN) intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) injections for diabetic macular edema (DME).

Study Design: A retrospective study.

Methods: We reviewed 65 eyes of 60 patients with center-involved DME who received PRN IVR injections after 3 monthly loading doses.

The intercapillary space spectrum as a marker of diabetic retinopathy severity on optical coherence tomography angiography.

Microcirculatory disturbance plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis in diabetic retinopathy (DR). We retrospectively quantified the total counts and morphological features of intercapillary spaces, i.e.

Macular hole closure at seven years after surgery.

Purpose: To report a case of macular hole (MH) closure at seven years after internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling.

Observations: A 66-year-old woman developed a MH in her left eye. Pars plana vitrectomy with ILM peeling and SF6 gas injection followed by face-down position for a week slightly improved the visual acuity from 20/400 to 20/200 but did not close the MH.

Four-Year Outcome of Aflibercept for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

Intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents such as ranibizumab and aflibercept are the first-line treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, data about long-term outcome in real-world clinical practice is scarce. We recruited 98 AMD patients and investigated four-year visual outcome.

Radiopacity Measurement of Restorative Resins Using Film and Three Digital Systems for Comparison with ISO 4049: International Standard.

This study compared Ultra Speed Occlusal Film (USOF) and 3 digital systems in determining the radiopacity of 5 different restorative resins in terms of equivalents of aluminum thickness. Whether those digital systems could be used to determine whether radiopacity was in line with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recommendations was also investigated. Disks of each of 5 restorative resins and an aluminum step wedge were exposed at 65 kVp and 10 mA on USOF and imaged with each digital system.

Optimization of parameter settings in cine-MR imaging for diagnosis of swallowing.

Videofluorography is frequently used to evaluate swallowing and is considered the "gold standard" among imaging modalities. This modality, however, has several disadvantages, including radiation exposure and limitations in the detection of soft tissues. Conversely, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers excellent contrast resolution in soft tissue without radiation exposure.

Potential of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MRI as an alternative to contrast-enhanced MRI for oral and maxillofacial vascular malformations: experimental and clinical studies.

Objective: To determine the potential of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging of oral and maxillofacial vascular malformations as an alternative to contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we investigated the influence of differences in T1 and T2 values on image contrast in FLAIR images and evaluated the diagnostic utility of such images.

Study Design: FLAIR imaging and heavily T2-weighted (hT2-weighted) imaging were performed using a phantom. FLAIR and hT2-weighted images of 32 lesions (11 mucous cysts, 12 vascular malformations, and 9 tumors) were also studied retrospectively.

[Weighted-averaging multi-planar reconstruction method for multi-detector row computed tomography].

Development of multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) has enabled three-dimensions (3D) scanning with minute voxels. Minute voxels improve spatial resolution of CT images. At the same time, however, they increase image noise.

Potential of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) in identification of temporomandibular joint effusion compared with T2-weighted images.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the potential of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequence images in the identification of joint effusion (JE) compared with T2-weighted images.

Study Design: A total of 31 joints (28 patients) with JE were investigated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Regions of interest were placed over JE, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and gray matter (GM) on T2-weighted and FLAIR images and their signal intensities compared.

Automatic segmentation of teeth from dentomaxillofacial 3D-CT images.

CT is an effective tool for image diagnosis because it enables noninvasive observation of internal organs. In the course of CT, 3D-CT, such as a helical scanning CT and a multi-detector row CT, has been developed. With the use of 3D-CT, organs can be observed from several viewing directions.

Localized mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma of the lung: thin-section computed tomography and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography findings.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate thinsection computed tomography (CT) and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) findings of localized pulmonary mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinomas (BACs).

Methods And Materials: From February 2000 to February 2009, there were seven patients with pulmonary localized mucinous BACs that were pathologically confirmed in the surgical specimens. Their CT findings were assessed regarding location, extent (percent) of groundglass opacity (GGO), margin characteristics, and the presence of air-containing spaces and contractive changes.

Fat suppression with short inversion time inversion-recovery and chemical-shift selective saturation: a dual STIR-CHESS combination prepulse for turbo spin echo pulse sequences.

Purpose: To test a newly developed fat suppression magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) prepulse that synergistically uses the principles of fat suppression via inversion recovery (STIR) and spectral fat saturation (CHESS), relative to pure CHESS and STIR. This new technique is termed dual fat suppression (Dual-FS).

Materials And Methods: To determine if Dual-FS could be chemically specific for fat, the phantom consisted of the fat-mimicking NiCl(2) aqueous solution, porcine fat, porcine muscle, and water was imaged with the three fat-suppression techniques.

Relationship between appearance of a double contour on the mandibular condyle and the change in articular disc position after splint therapy.

Objective: The aim was to investigate the relationship between the appearance of double contours on the mandibular condyle and changes in articular disc position after splint therapy.

Study Design: Panoramic radiographs and magnetic resonance images of 82 joints in 41 patients taken before and after treatment were studied. The number of cases showing a double contour after treatment was compared between the 2 groups with and without disc displacement before treatment, and between the 2 groups with and without reduction in the displacement group; a comparison was also made among age groups and among 3 groups showing improvement, aggravation, or no change in displacement after treatment.

Relationship between maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of lung cancer and lymph node metastasis on FDG-PET.

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between SUVmax of primary lung cancers on FDG-PET and lymph node metastasis.

Method And Materials: The subjects were a total of consecutive 66 patients with lung cancer who were examined by FDG-PET and subsequently underwent surgery between October 2004 and January 2008. There were 41 males and 25 females, ranging in age from 45 to 83 years with an average of 68 years.

Thin-section CT of the mediastinum in preoperative N-staging of non-small cell lung cancer: comparison with FDG PET.

Purpose: To compare diagnostic capability of preoperative N-staging of lung cancer between thin-section CT of the mediastinum and FDG PET, and 5mm slice thickness CT.

Materials And Methods: The subjects were 34 patients with lung carcinoma who were examined by both CT and PET, and subsequently underwent surgery between May 2005 and January 2007. CT was carried out with a 16 detector row helical CT scanner.

Static MR images for diagnosis of swallowing.

Evaluation of swallowing has been made possible by cine-Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with high time resolution. However, the spatial resolution in cine-MR imaging remains inadequate for the detection of anatomical structures. Therefore, it is necessary to refer to static MR images in conjunction with cine-MR imaging.

A potential reference point for assessment of condylar bone marrow of the temporomandibular joint on proton density weighted images.

The purpose of this research was to determine a potential reference point for measurement of signal intensity of bone marrow of the condyle on proton density-weighted images (PDW) prior to analysis of bone marrow abnormality related to symptomatic osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The study was based on 79 joints in 41 patients. The regions of interest (ROI) were placed over the bone marrow of the condyle and four other structures, It was hypothesized that a correlation between signal intensity of ROI over bone marrow and that of another structure would provide a potential reference point4or measurement of signal intensity of bone marrow.