A pilot study of volumetric and density tumor analysis of ACC patients treated with vorinostat in a phase II clinical trial.

Rationale And Objectives: Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare salivary gland cancer. The vast majority of clinical trials evaluating systemic therapy efficacy in solid tumors use the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) to measure response that is limited to 2 dimensional only evaluations, not taking volume or density into account. The indolent behavior ACC represents a challenge toward an appropriate evaluation of therapy response.

Adherence to the algorithmic approach for diagnosis of pulmonary embolism: A teaching hospital experience, Shiraz, Iran.

Background: We evaluated to see if the algorithmic approach of pulmonary embolism (PE) [Wells' score, followed by D-dimer test and computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA)] is appropriately followed in teaching hospitals of Shiraz, Iran.

Methods: From October 2012 to October 2013, we prospectively calculated Wells' score for all patients who underwent CTPA with clinical suspicion to PE; patients with low probability who had not checked the D-dimer or had low level of D-dimer were considered as non-adherent to the guideline and those with high level of D-dimer or high probability of Wells' score were labeled as adherent to the PE guideline. CTPA scans were independently reported by two radiologists.

Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase II Study of Yeast-Brachyury Vaccine (GI-6301) in Combination with Standard-of-Care Radiotherapy in Locally Advanced, Unresectable Chordoma.

Background: Brachyury is a transcription factor overexpressed in chordoma and is associated with chemotherapy resistance and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. GI-6301 is a recombinant, heat-killed Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast-based vaccine targeting brachyury. A previous phase I trial of GI-6301 demonstrated a signal of clinical activity in chordomas.

TCR-engineered T cells targeting E7 for patients with metastatic HPV-associated epithelial cancers.

Genetically engineered T cell therapy can induce remarkable tumor responses in hematologic malignancies. However, it is not known if this type of therapy can be applied effectively to epithelial cancers, which account for 80-90% of human malignancies. We have conducted a first-in-human, phase 1 clinical trial of T cells engineered with a T cell receptor targeting HPV-16 E7 for the treatment of metastatic human papilloma virus-associated epithelial cancers (NCT02858310).

Phase I Study of Cabozantinib and Nivolumab Alone or With Ipilimumab for Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma and Other Genitourinary Tumors.

Purpose: We assessed the safety and efficacy of cabozantinib and nivolumab (CaboNivo) and CaboNivo plus ipilimumab (CaboNivoIpi) in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) and other genitourinary (GU) malignances.

Patients And Methods: Patients received escalating doses of CaboNivo or CaboNivoIpi. The primary objective was to establish a recommended phase II dose (RP2D).

Augmented Radiologist Workflow Improves Report Value and Saves Time: A Potential Model for Implementation of Artificial Intelligence.

Rationale And Objectives: Our primary aim was to improve radiology reports by increasing concordance of target lesion measurements with oncology records using radiology preprocessors (RP). Faster notification of incidental actionable findings to referring clinicians and clinical radiologist exam interpretation time savings with RPs quantifying tumor burden were also assessed.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective quality improvement initiative, RPs annotated lesions before radiologist interpretation of CT exams.

Technical and Clinical Factors Affecting Success Rate of a Deep Learning Method for Pancreas Segmentation on CT.

Purpose: Accurate pancreas segmentation has application in surgical planning, assessment of diabetes, and detection and analysis of pancreatic tumors. Factors that affect pancreas segmentation accuracy have not been previously reported. The purpose of this study is to identify technical and clinical factors that adversely affect the accuracy of pancreas segmentation on CT.

Effect of low-level laser therapy on fracture healing in rabbits.

Background And Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on radial bone fracture gap healing in a rabbit model.

Materials Subjects And Methods: Thirty male white New Zealand rabbits under general anesthesia had a 3mm slice of radial bone surgically removed. Fifteen rabbits were treated by 830 nm laser at 4 J/cm and 15 were used as non-treated controls.

ENABLE (Exportable Notation and Bookmark List Engine): an Interface to Manage Tumor Measurement Data from PACS to Cancer Databases.

Oncologists evaluate therapeutic response in cancer trials based on tumor quantification following selected "target" lesions over time. At our cancer center, a majority of oncologists use Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1 quantifying tumor progression based on lesion measurements on imaging.

Management of epilepsy in resource-limited areas: establishing an epilepsy surgery program in Iran.

Background Of about 40 million people with epilepsy, who live in developing countries, the majority do not receive appropriate treatment. Nonetheless, there are striking disparities among the so-called developing countries, however generally speaking, access to and availability of epilepsy management programs in developing countries are very limited and therefore, the issue of developing epilepsy centers in resource-limited settings in a large scale is very essential. The surgery for epilepsy, including temporal lobotomy, lesionectomy and corpus colostomy, for patients with medically-refractory seizures, defined as failure of adequate trials of two tolerated, appropriately chosen and using antiepileptic drug to achieve sustained freedom, from seizure has been proved to be feasible and cost-effective in developing countries.

Frequency of cholelithiasis in patients with Beta-thalassemia intermedia with and without hydroxyurea.

Background: Recent studies regarding the effect of hydroxyurea (HU) in thalassemia have revealed favorable effects on the reduction of ineffective erythropoiesis.

Objectives: The aim of the current study was to evaluate whether or not HU can have an effect on the gallstone formation rate in patients with beta-thalassemia intermedia (BTI).

Patients And Methods: In this case control cross-sectional study, from a total of 250 transfusion-independent BTI patients, 51 patients who were taking HU, participated in the study.

An effective method for segmentation of MR brain images using the ant colony optimization algorithm.

Since segmentation of magnetic resonance images is one of the most important initial steps in brain magnetic resonance image processing, success in this part has a great influence on the quality of outcomes of subsequent steps. In the past few decades, numerous methods have been introduced for classification of such images, but typically they perform well only on a specific subset of images, do not generalize well to other image sets, and have poor computational performance. In this study, we provided a method for segmentation of magnetic resonance images of the brain that despite its simplicity has a high accuracy.

Artifacts in magnetic resonance imaging after surgical resection of brain tumors.

Background: Since the advent of magnetic resonance imaging, metal artifacts have posed an important diagnostic problem in different fields of medicine. However, this has not been systematically studied in patients undergoing surgery for brain tumors.

Objective: This study was planned to assess whether metal artifacts can occur in patients undergoing brain surgery without metallic implants.

Developing Criteria for Lumbar Spine Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Using RAND Appropriateness Method (RAM).

Background: Studies show that a large proportion of healthcare offered may be inappropriate or unnecessary. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a new and expensive diagnostic technology which has been increasingly used all over the world. Moreover, this trend has been more rapidly increasing in Iran.

Frequency and distribution of asymptomatic brain lesions in patients with β-thalassemia intermedia.

We aimed to determine the frequency of asymptomatic brain lesions in a group of patients with β-thalassemia intermedia (β-TI) and to evaluate correlation of asymptomatic brain lesions with splenectomy, thrombocytosis, blood transfusions, and clinical parameters. Ninety five neurologically intact patients with β-TI were randomly enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Diffusion-weighted imaging brain MRI was performed in every patient to detect cerebral white matter lesions (WML).

Micro and nanoparticle deposition in human nasal passage pre and post virtual maxillary sinus endoscopic surgery.

Realistic 3-D models of the human nasal passages were developed pre and post virtual uncinectomy and Middle Meatal Antrostomy. A 3-D computational domain was constructed by a series of coronal CT scan images from a healthy subject. Then a virtual uncinectomy intervention and maxillary antrostomy were performed on the left nasal passage by removing the uncinate process and exposing the maxillary sinus antrum.

Breast cancer metastasis to pituitary infandibulum.

Metastasis from breast cancer to other parts of the body is very common, but the spread of the tumor to pituitary gland, especially to infandibulum, is a rare presentation. At the time of pituitary metastasis, a majority of the patients have clinical and radiological evidence of the disease. It seems that the posterior area of the gland is the most common site of metastasis, probably due to highly rich blood supply through the hypophyseal artery.

Metallic artifact in MRI after removal of orthopedic implants.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the metallic artifacts in MRI of the orthopedic patients after removal of metallic implants.

Subjects And Methods: From March to August 2009, 40 orthopedic patients operated for removal of orthopedic metallic implants were studied by post-operative MRI from the site of removal of implants. A grading scale of 0-3 was assigned for artifact in MR images whereby 0 was considered no artifact; and I-III were considered mild, moderate, and severe metallic artifacts, respectively.

Pseudolisthesis secondary to small L5.

Rationale And Objective: Small AP diameter of L5 can mimic spondylolisthesis in lumbosacral MRI. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of small L5 mimicking spondylolisthesis in lumbosacral MRI of the patients referred to an imaging center by any symptoms. Association between small anteroposterior diameter of L5 and presence and absence of unilateral or bilateral spondylolysis at L5 were also evaluated.

Using inverted autogenous veins to substitute arteries in a canine model.

Aims: Rapid harvesting of autogenous graft over a wire is an optional way in trauma surgery and it places the inverted conduit so that its adventitial layer is within the lumen of the graft. Our aim of this study was to compare the patency of inverted autogenous graft vs noninverted graft in dogs.

Settings And Design: Experimental animal models.

Effects of Melissa officinalis L. on oxidative status and DNA damage in subjects exposed to long-term low-dose ionizing radiation.

The aim of this study was to determine the capability of Melissa officinalis L. (Lemon balm) infusion on improvement of oxidative stress status in radiology staff that were exposed to persistent low-dose radiation during work. The study was a before-after clinical trial performed on 55 radiology staff.

Cytologic findings in pigmented melanotic schwannoma: a case report.

Background: Psammomatous melanotic schwannoma (PMS) is a rare pigmented neural tumor most commonly occurring in the paraspinal region. This rare tumor can cause diagnostic difficulties in imprint cytology due to cellular details masked by heavy melanin pigments.

Case: A 37-year-old man presented with an 8-month history of lower back pain with no stigmata of Carney's syndrome on physical examination.

Triangular cord sign in detection of biliary atresia: is it a valuable sign?

Background: Early detection of biliary atresia (BA) has a vital role in prevention of liver cirrhosis in these patients. There are some evidences that triangular cord (TC) sign, i.e.