FDA-approved CAR T-cell Therapy: A Decade of Progress and Challenges.

CAR T-cell therapy is a promising approach for cancer treatment, utilizing a patient's own T-cells (autologous cell) or T-cells from a healthy donor (allogeneic cell) to target and destroy cancer cells. Over the last decade, significant advancements have been made in this field, including the development of novel CAR constructs, improved understanding of biology and mechanisms of action, and expanded clinical applications for treating a wider range of cancers. In this review, we provide an overview of the steps involved in the production of CAR T-cells and their mechanism of action.

Long-Term Neurodevelopmental Impairment among Very Preterm Infants with Sepsis, Meningitis, and Intraventricular Hemorrhage.

Introduction: Sepsis and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) are associated with poorer long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in very preterm infants (VPIs), but less is known about the long-term effect of meningitis and the combined impact of both meningitis and IVH. Our objective was to examine the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of VPIs with late onset sepsis and meningitis, with and without IVH, in Canada.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all infants <29 weeks GA who were admitted to 26 tertiary-level neonatal intensive care units in the Canadian Neonatal Network (CNN) and Canadian Neonatal Follow-Up Network (CNFUN) databases, from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2016.

Investigation of stillbirths in Brazil: A systematic scoping review of the causes and related reporting processes in the past decade.

Background: Recognizing the causes of stillbirths and their associated conditions is essential to reduce its occurrence.

Objective: To describe information on stillbirths in Brazil during the past decade.

Search Strategy: A literature search was performed from January 2010 to December 2020.

Decreasing Trend in Incidence of Late Onset Culture Positive Bloodstream Infections but Not Late Onset Meningitis in Preterm Infants <33 Weeks Gestation in Canadian Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Introduction: Recent studies reported decreased incidence of late onset sepsis in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), but it is unclear whether this is also true for late onset meningitis. Recent reports that both meningitis and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) are associated with systemic inflammation also raise questions about an association between the 2.

Methods: All preterm infants <33 weeks gestational age admitted to CNN NICUs from 2010 to 2018 were included.

Perceptions of risk and influences of choice in pregnant women with obesity. An evidence synthesis of qualitative research.

Background: Between 7-35% of the maternity population are obese in high income countries and 1-40% in lower or middle-income countries. Women with obesity are traditionally limited by the choices available to them during pregnancy and birth because of the higher risk of complications. This evidence synthesis set out to summarise how women with obesity's perceptions of pregnancy and birth risk influence the care choices that they make.

Familial hypertriglyceridaemia and type 2 diabetes in pregnancy: prevention of acute pancreatitis with diet control and omega-3 fatty acids.

Acute pancreatitis in pregnancy is rare and can be caused by hypertriglyceridaemia. The management of hypertriglyceridaemia in pregnancy is complex and challenging as many lipid-lowering medications have been found to be unsafe in pregnancy. Patients who present with hypertriglyceridaemia commonly have multiple risk factors such as, diabetes, alcohol excess and hypothyroidism which pose a greater challenge to the management of these patients.

Detection of Calcified Aortic Plaques in an Apolipoprotein E Animal Model Using a Human Computed Tomography System for Ultra-High-resolution Imaging: A Feasibility Study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the feasibility of detecting calcified aortic plaques in apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE-KO) mice using a state-of-the-art human computed tomography (CT) system.

Materials And Methods: Eleven ApoE-KO and 9 wild-type mice, all male, were examined in this study. After intraperitoneal injection of 6.

Image Quality Assessment of 2D 3D T2WI and Evaluation of Ultra-high b-Value (b=2,000 mm/s) DWI for Response Assessment in Rectal Cancer.

Aim: The purpose of this IRB-approved, retrospective study was to compare image quality between 2D and high-resolution 3D, T2-weighted (T2WI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences and to investigate the additional value of ultra-high b-value diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI; b=2,000 mm/s) for both rectal cancer staging and evaluating treatment response.

Materials And Methods: From 12 February to 24 August 2016, 26 consecutive patients (22 males, four females; mean age: 61.9±14.

Imaging of Patients with Complex Hemodialysis Arterio-Venous Fistulas using Time-Resolved Dynamic CT Angiography: Comparison with Duplex Ultrasound.

To evaluate the feasibility and potential on therapy management of time-resolved dynamic computed tomography angiography (dCTA) in patients with forearm arterio-venous fistula (AVF)/arterio-venous grafts (AVG). Thirty-five patients with complex failing forearm AVF/AVGs were examined with ultrasound and a dCTA protocol. Diagnosis and therapy management was evaluated versus duplex ultrasound (DUS) in three different readouts: 1.

Hypermucoviscosity, rmpA, and aerobactin are associated with community-acquired Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremic isolates causing liver abscess in Singapore.

Introduction: This retrospective study investigated the clinical etiology of community-acquired bacteremic Klebsiella pneumoniae infections, and characterized laboratory and genetic markers which may be associated with primary liver abscess (PLA).

Methods: Community-onset K. pneumoniae bacteremic episodes from 2010 to 2011 were identified from the laboratory information system.

Sodium MRI of T1 High Signal Intensity in the Dentate Nucleus due to Gadolinium Deposition in Multiple Sclerosis.

Background And Purpose: Recently, several studies reported increased signal intensity (SI) of the dentate nucleus (DN) on unenhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a possible consequence of multiple applications of gadolinium-based contrast agents. The aim of this study was to investigate with sodium ( Na) MRI possible tissue abnormalities of the DN in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

Methods: Sodium and conventional MRI were performed on a clinical 3T scanner.

Rapid Cartesian versus radial acquisition: comparison of two sequences for hepatobiliary phase MRI at 3 tesla in patients with impaired breath-hold capabilities.

Background: Hepatocyte-specific gadolinium based contrast agents (HSCA) provide substantial information for the classification of liver lesions in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, breathing artifacts which reduce image quality and diagnostic confidence of hepatobiliary phase acquisitions are regularly observed in clinical routine. The aim of this study was to evaluate two approaches to reduce breathing artifacts for hepatobiliary phase imaging.

Comparison of five cluster validity indices performance in brain [ F]FET-PET image segmentation using k-means.

Purpose: Dynamic [ F]fluoro-ethyl-L-tyrosine positron emission tomography ([ F]FET-PET) is used to identify tumor lesions for radiotherapy treatment planning, to differentiate glioma recurrence from radiation necrosis and to classify gliomas grading. To segment different regions in the brain k-means cluster analysis can be used. The main disadvantage of k-means is that the number of clusters must be pre-defined.

Radiation Dose Levels of Retrospectively ECG-Gated Coronary CT Angiography Using 70-kVp Tube Voltage in Patients with High or Irregular Heart Rates.

Rationale And Objectives: Despite ongoing technical refinements, coronary computed tomography angiography (cCTA) remains challenging in its diagnostic value by electrocardiographic (ECG) misregistration and motion artifacts, which commonly occur in patients with atrial fibrillation and high or irregular heart rates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiation dose and the number of inconclusive coronary segments at cCTA using retrospective ECG gating at 100 and 70 kV.

Materials And Methods: With institutional review board approval, 154 patients (median age 54 years, 98 men) with high or irregular heart rate prospectively underwent retrospectively ECG-gated cCTA without tube current modulation on a third-generation dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) system at 70 kV (n = 103) or on a second-generation DSCT system at 100 kV (n = 51).

mMRI at 3.0 T as an Evaluation Tool of Therapeutic Response to Neoadjuvant CRT in Patients with Advanced-stage Rectal Cancer.

Aim: To assess whether multiparametric MRI (mMRI) can serve as a tool for evaluating response to chemoradiation therapy (CRT) in advanced-stage rectal cancer.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-one patients underwent a mMRI protocol at 3T before and after CRT. Two experienced radiologists evaluated the MRI measurements and inter-reader correlation was assessed.

Lack of increased signal intensity in the dentate nucleus after repeated administration of a macrocyclic contrast agent in multiple sclerosis: An observational study.

Recently, several studies reported increased signal intensity (SI) in the dentate nucleus (DN) after repeated application of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs), suggesting a deposition of gadolinium in this location. Patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) frequently show increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier as part of the inflammatory process in the brain parenchyma, which theoretically might increase the risk of gadolinium deposition. In this retrospective study, we investigated a possible increasing SI in the DN after repeated administrations of the macrocyclic contrast agent gadoterate meglumine.

Renal Denervation in Patients with Resistant Hypertension-Assessment by 3T Renal 23Na-MRI: Preliminary Results.

Background/aim: Renal denervation (RDN) has been considered a promising therapy option for patients suffering from therapy-resistant hypertension. Besides, in blood-pressure regularization, the kidneys play a fundamental role in sodium ((23)Na) homeostasis. This study assesses the effect of RDN on renal (23)Na concentration using (23)Na magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Where do we stand? Functional imaging in acute and chronic pulmonary embolism with state-of-the-art CT.

Nowadays, CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) is the diagnostic imaging modality of choice for acute and chronic pulmonary embolism (PE) in order to assess vascular anatomy and parenchymal morphology. Over the past decade, several prognostic CTPA markers associated with an increased risk of adverse clinical events and in-hospital mortality have been evaluated, namely cardiac chamber dimensions, obstruction scores, and visualization of iodinated contrast material in the lung parenchyma by dual-energy (DE) CTPA. This article reviews the current status and potential prognostic advantages of CTPA or DE CTPA with its recent developments for accessing right ventricular dysfunction and the assessment of first pass lung perfusion with DE CTPA in the diagnosis of acute and chronic PE.

Fifty Years of Technological Innovation: Potential and Limitations of Current Technologies in Abdominal Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an important modality for the diagnosis of intra-abdominal pathology. Hardware and pulse sequence developments have made it possible to derive not only morphologic but also functional information related to organ perfusion (dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI), oxygen saturation (blood oxygen level dependent), tissue cellularity (diffusion-weighted imaging), and tissue composition (spectroscopy). These techniques enable a more specific assessment of pathologic lesions and organ functionality.

²³Na-MRI of recurrent glioblastoma multiforme after intraoperative radiotherapy: technical note.

Introduction: We report the first case of an intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) in a patient with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) who was followed up with a novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method-(23)Na-MRI-in comparison to a standard contrast-enhanced (1)H-MRI and (18)F-FET-PET.

Methods: A 56-year-old female patient with diagnosed GBM in July 2012 underwent tumor resection, radiochemotherapy, and three cycles of chemotherapy. After a relapse, 6 months after the initial diagnosis, an IORT was recommended which was performed in March 2013 using the INTRABEAM system (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Germany) with a 3-cm applicator and a surface dose of 20 Gy.

CAIPIRINHA-Dixon-TWIST (CDT)-volume-interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) for dynamic liver imaging: comparison of gadoterate meglumine, gadobutrol and gadoxetic acid.

Purpose: CAIPIRINHA-Dixon-TWIST (CDT)-VIBE is a robust method for abdominal magnetic resonance imaging providing both high spatial and high temporal resolution. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of different gadolinium based contrast agents (GBCA) on image quality (IQ) with CDT-VIBE.

Materials And Methods: In this IRB-approved, retrospective, inter-individual comparison study, 86 patients scanned at 3T were included.

23Na-magnetic resonance imaging of the human lumbar vertebral discs: in vivo measurements at 3.0 T in healthy volunteers and patients with low back pain.

Background Context: 1H magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine can rule out common causes of low back pain (LBP), such as disc protrusions or nerve root compression; however, no significant causal relation exists between morphology and the extent of symptoms. Functional MRI techniques, such as 23Na, may provide additional information, allowing indirect assessment of vertebral glycosaminoglycan concentrations, decreases in which are associated with early degenerative changes.

Purpose: To evaluate 23Na-MRI of asymptomatic healthy volunteers and symptomatic patients with LPB and correlate the results to the Pfirrmann classification of MRI disc morphology.

Performance characteristics and clinical predictive value of the string test for detection of hepato-virulent Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from blood cultures.

This study evaluated the phenotypic string test for identifying Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteraemic isolates associated with primary liver abscess. Test reproducibility and repeatability exceeded 95%, with varying sensitivity (66-90%) and specificity (64-67%) depending on cut-off values. The positive predictive value of a positive string test for identifying hepato-virulent isolates was <35%.

Steady state vascular imaging with extracellular gadobutrol: evaluation of the additional diagnostic benefit in patients who have undergone a peripheral magnetic resonance angiography protocol.

Background: To evaluate the feasibility and additional diagnostic benefit of a high-resolution steady state 3D-volume interpolated breath-hold exam (VIBE) sequence between a continuous table movement (CTM) MR angiography of the entire runoff vasculature and a time-resolved (TWIST) MRA of the calves.

Methods: In this retrospective IRB approved study 224 patients (72 women, 152 men, mean age 67.29 ± 13.