Ultrasound and clinical factors predicting central lymph node metastases in patients with unilateral multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Objective: This retrospective study involving a large dataset of unilateral multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma (UM-PTC) sought to identify factors that predict central lymph node metastases (CLNM) in patients.

Methods: We identified a cohort of 158 patients who underwent cervical ultrasonography followed by UM-PTC diagnosis based on postoperative pathology. The relationship between CLNM and UM-PTC clinical ultrasound features was evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound evaluation of renal perfusion before angioplasty and its predictive value for hypertension.

Background: Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) is a common disease in the elderly population.

Objective: The aim was to develop a contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)-based model for predicting post-angioplasty improvement in hypertension in patients with severe ARAS.

Methods: Thirty-five patients with severe ARAS (⩾ 70%) were included in this study, and 42 renal arteries received percutaneous transluminal renal arterial stenting.

Evaluation of the median nerve by shear wave elastography in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A.

Aims: Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) is characterized by enlargement and stiffness of peripheral nerves due to edema with large numbers of "onion bulbs" in the endoneurium. Ultrasound elastography seems to be an ideal method to detect this condition. The aim of this study was to analyze the shear wave elastography (SWE) features of peripheral nerves in patients with CMT1A.

Comparison of the diagnostic performance and clinical role of different ultrasound-based thyroid malignancy risk stratification systems for medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: This study sought to investigate the applicability of different ultrasound (US) thyroid risk stratification systems in diagnosing medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and determining the need for biopsy.

Methods: In total, 34 MTC nodules, 54 papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) nodules, and 62 benign thyroid nodules were examined in this study. All the diagnoses were histopathologically confirmed postoperatively.

Development and validation of a transformer-based CAD model for improving the consistency of BI-RADS category 3-5 nodule classification among radiologists: a multiple center study.

Background: Significant differences exist in the classification outcomes for radiologists using ultrasonography-based Breast Imaging Reporting and Data Systems for diagnosing category 3-5 (BI-RADS 3-5) breast nodules, due to a lack of clear and distinguishing image features. Consequently, this retrospective study investigated the improvement of BI-RADS 3-5 classification consistency using a transformer-based computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) model.

Methods: Independently, 5 radiologists performed BI-RADS annotations on 21,332 breast ultrasonographic images collected from 3,978 female patients from 20 clinical centers in China.

Value of High-Frequency Ultrasonography in the Qualitative and Semi-Quantitative Assessment of Immunoglobulin G4-Related Submandibular Sialadenitis.

Objective: To assess the value of high-frequency ultrasonography in the evaluation of immunoglobulin G4-related submandibular sialadenitis (IgG4-SS).

Methods: Thirty-four submandibular glands in 17 patients with IgG4-SS were retrospectively enrolled, as well as 34 submandibular glands in 17 healthy control subjects. Qualitative ultrasonic features including submandibular gland size, border, echogenicity, and vascularity were reviewed.

Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma and liver metastases adjacent to the gallbladder.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver metastases adjacent to the gallbladder (GB).

Materials And Methods: A total of 113 patients with 118 liver lesions (63 HCC lesions and 55 liver metastases) adjacent to the gallbladder underwent RFA between March 2011 and June 2019. Gallbladder-related complications and technique effectiveness rates were evaluated based on the classification of liver tumors and the distance between the lesion and the gallbladder.

Ultrasound-guided interlaminar approach for nusinersen administration in patients with spinal muscular atrophy with spinal fusion or severe scoliosis.

Background: Intrathecal injection of medications can be challenging in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients with severe scoliosis or after spine surgery. Here we report our experience with real-time ultrasound (US)-guided intrathecal administration of nusinersen in patients with SMA.

Methods: Seven patients (six children and one adult) with either spinal fusion or severe scoliosis were enrolled.

Microbubble contrast agent SonoVue: An efficient medium for the preoperative lymphatic mapping of thyroid carcinoma.

To assess the value of microbubble contrast agent SonoVue in the thorough preoperative lymphatic mapping of patients with thyroid carcinoma, including the lymphatic drainage region, the detection of sentinel lymph node (SLN), and the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis (LNM). 55 patients with 62 thyroid malignancies proved by surgical pathology (59 papillary thyroid carcinomas and three medullary thyroid carcinomas) who underwent preoperative lymphatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (LCEUS) with microbubble contrast agent SonoVue were enrolled. All LNM were confirmed by pathology.

Evaluating renal microcirculation in patients with acute kidney injury by contrast-enhanced ultrasonography: a protocol for an observational cohort study.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients has poor renal outcome with high mortality. Changes in intra-renal microcirculation and tissue oxygenation are currently considered essential pathophysiological mechanisms to the development and progression of AKI. This study aims to investigate the characteristics of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) derived parameters in biopsy-proven AKI patients, and examine the predictive value of these markers for renal outcome.

Role of echogenic foci in ultrasonographic risk stratification of thyroid nodules: Echogenic focus scoring in the American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System.

Background: Although echogenic foci may raise malignancy rates in thyroid nodules, the association between peripheral calcification or macrocalcification and thyroid carcinoma is controversial. We evaluated the malignancy probability of various echogenic foci and explored whether the method of determining a thyroid nodule's point score in the echogenic focus category of the American College of Radiology (ACR) Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) is reasonable.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 819 patients with 852 nodules.

Diagnostic Value of Ultrasound Elastography in the Differentiation of Breast Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and Ductal Carcinoma .

Background: Ultrasound elastography (US-E) has been shown superior to the conventional US in diagnosing benign and malignant breast lesions. In contrast, the role of US-E in the differentiation of breast invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has been poorly described.

Objective: This study was designed to examine the diagnostic value of US-E in the differentiation of IDC and DCIS.

Factors Associated With Alzheimer's Disease Patients' Caregiving Status and Family Caregiving Burden in China.

Background: The increasing prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has emerged as a major challenge worldwide. China as the most populous country in the globe is amid rapid aging of its population, highlighting the need for appropriate social and medical policies to meet the challenge. The current multicenter cross-sectional observational study aims to provide understanding of the current status of caring given to AD patients in China and investigate the factors that influence the family burden as well as the choice of care given to AD patients.

The value of ultrasound elastography combined with multi-parameters in the diagnosis of BI-RADS 4 breast lesions.

Background: Female breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer, with an estimated 2.3 million new cases (11.7%) in the global cancer statistics 2020.

Value of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in the Preoperative Evaluation of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Invasiveness.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of preoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the detection of extracapsular extension (ECE) and cervical lymph node metastasis (LNM) of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and the added value of CEUS in the evaluation of PTC invasiveness to conventional ultrasound (US).

Materials And Methods: A total of 62 patients were enrolled retrospectively, including 30 patients with invasive PTCs (Group A, ECE or LNM present) and 32 patients with non-invasive PTCs (Group B). All patients underwent US and CEUS examinations before surgery.

Impact of Increased Hemoglobin on Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Background: Studies of the impact of increased hemoglobin on spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are limited. The present study aimed to explore the effect of increased hemoglobin on ICH.

Methods: A retrospective single-center study using medical records from a database processed by univariate and multivariate analyses was performed in the People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region in Lhasa, Tibet, China.

Comparison of the Efficacy and Safety of the American Thyroid Association Guidelines and American College of Radiology TI-RADS.

Objective: To evaluate the 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines and 2017 American College of Radiology (ACR) Thyroid Imaging, Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) for their efficacy in predicting malignant thyroid nodules and safety in recommending fine needle aspiration (FNA).

Methods: We reviewed data of 970 thyroid nodules from 908 patients with core needle biopsy pathology. We calculated the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for each guideline to predict malignancies.

Predicting Brain Regions Related to Alzheimer's Disease Based on Global Feature.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that commonly affects the elderly; early diagnosis and timely treatment are very important to delay the course of the disease. In the past, most brain regions related to AD were identified based on imaging methods, and only some atrophic brain regions could be identified. In this work, the authors used mathematical models to identify the potential brain regions related to AD.

Soft elastic hydrogel couplants for ultrasonography.

Couplants play significant roles in ultrasonography. To ensure imaging quality, it is critical to maintain conformal contact of the couplant with both the skin surface and the ultrasound probe in clinical applications. In addition, either the probe or the couplant should not deform the skin surface significantly, which will result in an overestimated modulus of the tissue for elastography imaging.

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Evaluation of Renal Blood Perfusion Changes After Percutaneous Transluminal Renal Angioplasty and Stenting for Severe Atherosclerotic Renal Artery Stenosis.

This study used contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to evaluate changes in renal cortical blood perfusion after percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty and stenting (PTRAS) for severe renal artery stenosis (RAS) (≥70%). CEUS was performed in 21 patients with 24 severe RASs that underwent PTRAS. Renal cortical perfusion was quantitatively evaluated by comparing time intensity curve (TIC) parameters for SonoVue (Bracco, Milan, Italy) contrast enhancement, including peak intensity (PI), time to peak (TTP), mean transmit time (MTT), curve ascending slope (S), area under the curve (AUC), AUC-wash-in and AUC-wash-out.

Value of Qualitative and Quantitative Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Analysis in Preoperative Diagnosis of Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis From Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Objectives: To investigate the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in assessing cervical lymph node metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and to evaluate its value in the preoperative diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis from PTC.

Methods: A total of 55 lymph nodes in 46 patients were enrolled retrospectively, including 29 metastases from PTC and 26 normal/reactive ones. All lymph nodes were evaluated by conventional ultrasound (US) and CEUS before biopsy or surgery.

The Association Among Quantitative Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography Features, Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System and BRAF V600E Mutation Status in Patients With Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma.

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the association among the thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TI-RADS), quantitative parameters obtained from contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS), and BRAF V600E mutation status in patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

Patients: From November 2016 to June 2017, 54 patients who had undergone thyroid CEUS and BRAF V600E mutation analysis for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma were enrolled in our study. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on mutation status.

Ultrasound Shear Wave Elastography: Variations of Liver Fibrosis Assessment as a Function of Depth, Force and Distance from Central Axis of the Transducer with a Comparison of Different Systems.

We evaluated variation in fibrosis staging caused by depth, pre-load force and measurement off-axis distance on different ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) systems prospectively in 20 patients with diffuse liver disease. Shear wave speed (SWS) was measured with transient elastography, acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) and 2-D shear wave elastography (SWE). ARFI and 2-D-SWE measurements were obtained at different depths (3, 5 and 7 cm), with different pre-load forces (4, 7 and 10N and variable) and at 0, 2 and 4cm off the central axis of the transducer.