Construction of a Multi-Parametric Ultrasonographic Nomogram for Precise Assessment of Papillary Breast Lesions.

Purpose: To analyze the multi-parametric ultrasonographic (MpUS) features of atypical/malignant papillary lesions of the breast with clinical information, identify independent risk factors, and construct a nomogram to improve the diagnostic accuracy.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed consecutively hospitalized patients diagnosed with pathologically confirmed papillary breast lesions from January 2017 to June 2023. Preoperative sonographic exams, including gray-scale ultrasound (G-US), color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI), and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), were conducted.

Correlation of sonographic features with prognostic factors in ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast: an exploratory study using ultrasound and shear wave elastography.

Objective: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast has a wide disease spectrum with risks of progression to invasive cancer linked to pathological factors. High-grade histology, large tumor volume, and comedonecrosis are adverse prognostic factors. This study explores the correlation between conventional ultrasound (Con-US) and shears wave elastography (SWE) features with DCIS prognostic factors and evaluates their predictive efficacy.

Analysis of factors influencing bronchiectasis patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and development of a nomogram prediction model.

Background: To identify the risk factors for bronchiectasis patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (APTB) and to develop a predictive nomogram model for estimating the risk of APTB in bronchiectasis patients.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 16,750 bronchiectasis patients hospitalized at the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University between January 2019 and December 2023. The 390 patients with APTB were classified as the case group, while 818 patients were randomly sampled by computer at a 1:20 ratio from the 16,360 patients with other infections to serve as the control group.

Central artery pulse pressure, not central arterial stiffness impact on all-cause mortality in patients with viral pneumonia infection.

Objectives: COVID-19 viral pneumonia can result in increased arterial stiffness, along with cardiac and systemic inflammatory responses. This study aimed to investigate the association between arterial stiffness, inflammation severity, and all-cause mortality in patients with COVID-19.

Methods: In this study, anthropometric data, pneumonia infection severity, and blood tests were analyzed.

Association between myocardial layer-specific strain and high 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in hypertension-findings from the China-PAR project study.

Objectives: Myocardial layer-specific strain is a sensitive tool for detecting myocardial dysfunction. The objective of this study was to assess changes in the left ventricle (LV) function using myocardial layer-specific strain and its association with 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk (10Y-ASCVDR) in individuals with hypertension (HP).

Methods: The parameters of LV structure, including layer-specific global longitudinal strain (GLS, GLS, GLS, GLS) and layer-specific global circumferential strain (GCS, GCS, GCS, GCS), were analyzed by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography in 239 hypertensive patients and 124 control subjects.

Unraveling Changes of Brachial Artery Residual Stress and Its Relationship to Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors.

Background: Arterial pressure volume index (API) offers a non-invasive measurement of brachial artery residual stress. This study investigated API distribution characteristics and correlations with cardiovascular disease risk (CVD) factors in a large Chinese population sample.

Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed a total of 7620 participants.

A Novel Index System for Assessing Ventricular-Vascular Coupling.

Background: To explore the value of a novel ventricular-vascular coupling index (VVI) system in relation to age, gender and body mass index (BMI).

Methods: A total of 239 volunteers with single-center and cross-sectional health screening were enrolled in the study. Subjects were divided according to age (young [18-44 years], middle-age [45-59 years], old [60-80 years]), gender (male, female), and BMI (overweight/obese [BMI 24], control [BMI 24]).

Relation of myocardial dysfunction to biomarkers, COVID-19 severity and all-cause mortality.

Aims: The COVID-19 infection has been described as affecting myocardial injury. However, the relation between left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS) and global radial strain (GRS), disease severity and all-cause mortality in COVID-19 is unclear.

Methods And Results: The study consisted of 220 patients with COVID-19, including 127 (57.

Prospective study of AI-assisted prediction of breast malignancies in physical health examinations: role of off-the-shelf AI software and comparison to radiologist performance.

Objective: In physical health examinations, breast sonography is a commonly used imaging method, but it can lead to repeated exams and unnecessary biopsy due to discrepancies among radiologists and health centers. This study explores the role of off-the-shelf artificial intelligence (AI) software in assisting radiologists to classify incidentally found breast masses in two health centers.

Methods: Female patients undergoing breast ultrasound examinations with incidentally discovered breast masses were categorized according to the 5 edition of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS), with categories 3 to 5 included in this study.

Development of a Multi-Parametric ultrasonography nomogram for prediction of invasiveness in ductal carcinoma in situ.

Objective: To investigate the independent risk variables associated with the potential invasiveness of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) on multi-parametric ultrasonography, and further construct a nomogram for risk assessment.

Methods: Consecutive patients from January 2017 to December 2022 who were suspected of having ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) based on magnetic resonance imaging or mammography were prospectively enrolled. Histopathological findings after surgical resection served as the gold standard.

Predictive value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and ultrasound elastography for management of BI-RADS category 4 nonpalpable breast masses.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the independent risk factors and associated predictive values of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), shear wave elastography (SWE), and strain elastography (SE) for high-risk lesions (HRL) and malignant tumors (MT) among nonpalpable breast masses classified as BI-RADS category 4 on conventional ultrasound.

Methods: This prospective study involved consecutively admitted patients with breast tumors from January 2018, aiming to explore the management of BI-RADS category 4 breast tumors using CEUS and elastography. We conducted a retrospective review of patient data, focusing on those with a history of a nonpalpable mass as the primary complaint.

Predicting axillary metastasis in breast cancer using lymphatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of one lymph node.

Objectives: Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is a microinvasive method to diagnose lymph nodes. This study aims to determine the capability of lymphatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (LCEUS)-guided FNA in predicting the axillary metastasis with the target of one lymph node (LN) in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: LCEUS was prospectively performed in 105 patients with breast cancer.

Sequence and directivity in cardiac muscle injury of COVID-19 patients: an observational study.

Objective: To compare cardiac function indicators between mild and moderate to severe COVID-19 patients and to try to identify the sequence and directivity in cardiac muscle injury of COVID-19 patients.

Methods: From December 2022 to January 2023, all patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in Shanghai General Hospital Jiading Branch were enrolled. The clinical classification was stratified into mild, moderate, or severe groups.

Uncoupling of the center-to-periphery arterial stiffness gradient and pulse pressure amplification in viral pneumonia infection.

Objectives: Arterial stiffness is a common manifestation of viral pneumonia infections, including COVID-19. Nevertheless, the relationship between the center-to-periphery arterial stiffness gradient and pulse pressure amplification (PPA) in infectious diseases remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate this relationship utilizing arterial pressure volume index (API) and arterial velocity pulse index (AVI) ratio.

The kinetic quantitative characteristics of non-mass breast lesions with contrast-enhanced ultrasound: a prospective study.

Objective: To characterize non-mass breast lesions (NML) quantitatively by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and to evaluate its additional diagnostic value based on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) categories.

Methods: A prospective study was performed among consecutive patients with NMLs. All lesions were examined by grayscale ultrasound and CEUS and diagnosed on pathology.

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography for Transabdominal and Transrectal Ultrasound in Staging Cervical Cancer: A Reliability Study.

Objective: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the consistency of transrectal contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (TR-CEUS) with post-operative pathology and the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in staging surgically treated cervical cancer when combined with conventional ultrasonography (US).

Methods: From October 2020 to March 2023, hospitalized patients with stage IB and II cervical cancer confirmed by total hysterectomy were consecutively enrolled. The standard images of US and CEUS by transabdominal (TA-US/CEUS) and transrectal (TR-US/CEUS) approaches and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were acquired, on which the size and stage of the tumors were evaluated, and the consistency of results with the pathological specimen was analyzed.

Value of an expanded range of lesions on contrast-enhanced ultrasound for the diagnosis of hypervascular breast masses.

Background: Breast cancer lesions show an expanded range on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Here, we quantitatively analyze this index to explore its effective cutoff value for distinguishing benign and malignant lesions and the corresponding diagnostic performance and investigate its role in prognostic assessment of malignant lesions.

Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent CEUS for breast lesions during the period from September 2017 to June 2019 were included.

The predictive models based on multimodality ultrasonography for the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules smaller than 10 mm.

Objective: The objective of this study was to establish a multimodality ultrasound prediction model based on conventional ultrasound (Con-US), shear wave elastography (SWE), and strain elastography (SE) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and to explore their diagnostic values for thyroid nodules ≤ 10 mm.

Methods: This retrospective study included 198 thyroid nodules (maximum diameter≤10 mm) in 198 thyroid surgery patients who were examined preoperatively with above-mentioned methods. The pathological findings of the thyroid nodules were used as the gold standard, and there were 72 benign nodules and 126 malignant nodules.

Relative contributions of arterial stiffness to cardiovascular disease risk score in Chinese women in framingham and China-PAR model.

Background: Arterial stiffness played an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. The aim of this study was to verify the relative importance of arterial stiffness for different CVD risk scores in a large sample of Chinese women.

Methods: We measured arterial velocity pulse index (AVI) and CVD risk scores in 2220 female participants (mean age 57 years).

Can pre-operative ultrasound elastography predict aggressive features of solitary papillary thyroid carcinoma?

Objective: To investigate whether pre-operative ultrasound elastography (USE) can be used to predict aggressive features of solitary papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs).

Methods: Clinical and USE indices were retrospectively analyzed in 487 patients with surgically confirmed solitary PTCs. The patients were grouped per aggressive features on pathologic testing.

Arterial Stiffness, Body Mass Index and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Chinese Females at Various Ages.

Background: This study investigated the correlation in parameters of arterial stiffness and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk on age and body mass index (BMI) in Chinese females.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 2220 females. Arterial stiffness was assessed by the measurement of arterial velocity pulse index (AVI) and arterial pressure volume index (API).

Preoperative strain ultrasound elastography can predict occult central cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid cancer: a single-center retrospective study.

Objective: To determine whether preoperative ultrasound elastography can predict occult central cervical lymph node metastasis (CCLNM) in patients with papillary thyroid cancer.

Methods: This retrospective study included 541 papillary thyroid cancer patients with clinically negative lymph nodes prior to surgery between July 2019 and December 2021. Based on whether CCLNM was present on postoperative pathology, patients were categorized as CCLNM (+) or CCLNM (-).

Nomogram incorporating preoperative clinical and ultrasound indicators to predict aggressiveness of solitary papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Objective: To construct a nomogram based on preoperative clinical and ultrasound indicators to predict aggressiveness of solitary papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Methods: Preoperative clinical and ultrasound data from 709 patients diagnosed with solitary PTC between January 2017 and December 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with PTC aggressiveness, and these factors were used to construct a predictive nomogram.

UTMD inhibits pancreatic cancer growth and metastasis by inducing macrophage polarization and vessel normalization.

Pancreatic cancer (PaCa) is a hypovascular type of tumor and is not very responsive to conventional chemotherapy due to the problem of low drug accumulation. Recent advancements in ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) have improved drug delivery into target tissues. UTMD operates via microbubble interaction with vascular endothelial cells; however, the molecular mechanism and interrelationship in the PaCa microenvironment remain enigmatic.