Chinese guidelines for ultrasound-guided thermal ablation of thyroid nodules (2024 Edition).

The Chinese Guidelines for Ultrasound-guided Thermal Ablation of Thyroid Nodules (2024 edition) were jointly initiated by the Ultrasound Committee of Chinese Medical Association, the Interventional Ultrasound Committee of Chinese Association of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, the Ultrasonic Intervention Committee of Chinese Colleges of Interventionalists, the Oncological Intervention Committee of Chinese Research Hospital Association, 37 multidisciplinary experts in interventional ultrasound, ultrasound medicine, endocrinology and thyroid surgery participated in the compilation of this guide, which expanded the depth and breadth of the perspective and enhanced the authority of the guide. Based on the systematic review of literatures related to ultrasound-guided thermal ablation of thyroid nodules and the professional opinions of experts, the guidelines define the indications and contraindications of thermal ablation, including pre-ablation evaluation and preparation, thermal ablation techniques and operational procedures, post-ablation follow-up, therapeutic effect evaluation, complications prevention and treatment, and the writing of medical documents for ablation. According to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE), a total of 17 objective and comprehensive recommendations were given.

Safety and effectiveness of balloon catheter-assisted ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation in difficult-site liver cancer.

Background: Balloon catheter isolation is a promising auxiliary method for thermal ablation treatment of liver cancer. We aimed to explore the safety and effectiveness of balloon catheter isolation-assisted ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) in treating liver cancer in difficult anatomical locations.

Methods: Data of 132 patients with 145 difficult-site liver cancer treated with ultrasound-guided percutaneous MWA were retrospectively analyzed.

Percutaneous microwave ablation versus sclerotherapy for large hepatic hemangioma: a multi-center cohort study.

Objective: The study aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) and percutaneous sclerotherapy (PS) for the treatment of large hepatic hemangioma (LHH).

Methods: This retrospective study included 96 patients who underwent MWA ( = 54) and PS ( = 42) as first-line treatment for LHH in three tertiary hospitals from January 2016 to December 2021. Primary outcomes were technique efficacy rate (volume reduction rate [VRR] > 50% at 12 months), symptom relief rate at 12 months and local tumor progression (LTP).

A dinoflagellate bloom caused by multiple species of Kareniaceae in the coastal waters of Fujian in June 2022 and its adverse impacts on Brachionus plicatilis and Artemia salina.

Recently, dinoflagellate blooms have frequently occurred in the coastal waters of Fujian, East China Sea. In June 2022, a fish-killing bloom of Kareniaceae species occurred in this region. In this study, four species of Kareniaceae, namely, Karenia longicanalis, K.

Major complications after ultrasound-guided liver biopsy: An annual audit of a Chinese tertiary-care teaching hospital.

Background: As ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver biopsy (PLB) has become a standard and important method in the management of liver disease in our country, a periodical audit of the major complications is needed.

Aim: To determine the annual incidence of major complications following ultrasound-guided PLB and to identify variables that are significantly associated with an increased risk of major complications.

Methods: A total of 1857 consecutive cases of PLB were included in our hospital from January 2021 to December 2021.

Application value of double-layer spectral detector CT in differentiating central lung cancer from atelectasis.

Background: Central lung cancer with obstructive atelectasis is very common in clinical practice. Determination of the tumor borderline is important. Conventional computed tomography (CT) alone may not be sufficiently accurate to distinguish central lung cancer from obstructive atelectasis.

Percutaneous ultrasound and endoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy of solid pancreatic lesions: An analysis of 1074 lesions.

Backgrounds: Percutaneous ultrasound (US) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided pancreatic biopsies are widely accepted in the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases. Studies comparing the diagnostic performance of US- and EUS-guided pancreatic biopsies are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the diagnostic yields of US- and EUS-guided pancreatic biopsies and identify the risk factors for inconclusive biopsies.

Prediction of early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after resection based on Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced magnetic resonance imaging: a preliminary study.

Background: Early recurrence (ER) after radical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) affects the prognosis of patients. Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can improve the detection rate of small HCC. This study innovatively introduces a new quantitative index combined with qualitative index to compare the differences in clinical and imaging characteristics between ER and non-ER groups and evaluate the feasibility of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI in predicting ER.

Usefulness of new shear wave elastography in early predicting the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with breast cancer: where and when to measure is optimal?

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnosis performance of new shear wave elastography (sound touch elastography, STE) in the prediction of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) response at an early stage in breast cancer patients and to determine the optimal measurement locations around the lesion in different ranges.

Methods: One hundred and eight patients were analyzed in this prospective study from November 2018 to December 2020. All patients completed NAC treatment and underwent STE examination at three time points [the day before NAC (t0); the day before the second course (t1); the day before third course (t2)].

Esophageal wall thickness on CT scans: can it predict the T stage of primary thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma?

Background: CT is the most commonly used method to stage esophageal cancer (EC). However, the reported CT T-staging criteria for EC are controversial.

Purpose: To determine and validate the optimal esophageal wall thickness (EWT) threshold on CT to distinguish lesions with different T stages in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients.

Fusion imaging-guided radiofrequency ablation for residual hepatocellular carcinoma invisible on ultrasound after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the technical efficiency and therapeutic response of fusion imaging (considered as virtual navigation) between contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and contrast-enhanced computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (CECT/CEMRI) for the guidance of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with residual hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE).

Methods: For this prospective study, 98 patients with residual HCC lesions after TACE treatment were enrolled between June 2017 and December 2020. All the lesions were invisible on conventional ultrasound scans.

Virtual navigation-guided radiofrequency ablation for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma invisible on ultrasound after hepatic resection.

Background: No reports are available on the technical efficiency and therapeutic response of virtual navigation (VN)-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after hepatic resection. The aim of this study was to investigate the overall technical performance and outcome of VN-guided RFA in recurrent HCC patients. In addition, a nomogram model was developed to predict the factors influencing the overall survival (OS).

Pre-operative Detection of Liver Fibrosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Using 2D Shear Wave Elastography: Where to Measure?

The aim of this study was to pre-operatively investigate the diagnostic performance of 2D shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) for staging liver fibrosis and inflammation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who then undergo surgery and to determine the optimal locations for measurement. In total, 106 patients were enrolled in this prospective study from March 2017 to May 2018. Two-dimensional SWE was used to measure liver stiffness (LS) in each patient 0-1, 1-2 and 2-5 cm from the tumor border (groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively).

Endoscopic Ultrasonography-Guided Versus Percutaneous Drainage for the Recurrent Pancreatic Fluid Collections.

BACKGROUND Ultrasonography-guided percutaneous drainage for pancreatic fluid collections is associated with a high recurrence rate and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided drainage is a valuable approach. Our aim was to compare the efficacy and safety of percutaneous and EUS-guided drainage for the recurrent pancreatic fluid collections. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective analysis of percutaneous-guided and EUS-guided procedures for pancreatic fluid collections drainages at a single tertiary care center between February 2017 and May 2018 was performed.

[Clinical and imaging features of cerebral infarction in children].

Objective: To summarize and analyze the etiology, clinical manifestations and imaging features of children with cerebral infarction.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 54 children with cerebral infarction, including etiology, clinical manifestations, distribution of infarcts, type of infarcts and clinical outcome.

Results: Of the 54 children, 93% had a clear cause, among whom 46% had the coexistence of multiple factors, and the top three causes were infection (54%), vascular disease (40%) and trauma (26%).

Balloon dilator controls massive bleeding during endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage for pancreatic pseudocyst: A case report and review of literature.

Pancreatic pseudocyst (PPC), a common sequela of acute or chronic pancreatitis, was defined by the revised Atlanta classification as "a collection." Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided drainage is often considered a standard first-line therapy for patients with symptomatic PPC. This effective approach exhibits 90%-100% technical success and 85%-98% clinical success.

Value of Two-Dimensional Shear Wave Elastography for Assessing Acute Liver Congestion in a Bama Mini-Pig Model.

Background: To date, liver congestion is one of the most significant clinical diseases. However, few studies have profoundly investigated the development, pathology, and prognosis of the important problems associated with acute hepatic congestion.

Aims: To explore the value of noninvasive two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) for assessing acute liver congestion in an animal model.

Quantitative and noninvasive assessment of chronic liver diseases using two-dimensional shear wave elastography.

Two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) is a rapid, simple and novel noninvasive method that has been proposed for assessing hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases (CLDs) based on measurements of liver stiffness. 2D-SWE can be performed easily at the bedside or in an outpatient clinic and yields immediate results with good reproducibility. Furthermore, 2D-SWE was an efficient method for evaluating liver fibrosis in small to moderately sized clinical trials.

Efficacy and safety of endoscopic ultrasonography-guided interventional treatment for refractory malignant left-sided liver tumors: a case series of 26 patients.

This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of EUS-guided ethanol injection and I seed brachytherapy for malignant left-sided liver tumors which were difficult for trans-abdominal intervention. The study protocol was registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02816944).

Differentiation of branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms from serous cystadenomas of the pancreas using contrast-enhanced sonography.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether contrast-enhanced sonography can improve the ability to differentiate branch duct intraductal mucinous neoplasms from serous cystadenomas of the pancreas compared to conventional (unenhanced) sonography alone.

Methods: Between March 2008 and May 2012, there were 20 patients with branch duct intraductal mucinous neoplasms and 25 with serous cystadenomas in our institute, for whom preoperative conventional and contrast-enhanced sonographic results were available. The final diagnosis was obtained by histopathology.

[Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in diagnosis of inflammatory pseudotumor of liver].

Objective: To evaluate the application of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in diagnosis of inflammatory pseudotumor of liver (IPL).

Methods: The contrast-enhanced untrasonography was performed in 32 cases of IPL and the results were retrospectively analyzed.

Result: Among total 32 cases, 21 had absent contrast enhancement (type I); 6 had rimlike or stringlike enhancement during arterial phase and presented hypoechoic lesions during the late phase (type II); 2 had diffuse and homogeneous enhancement during early arterial phase,persisting hyperechoic during the late phase (type III); 3 had enhancement during arterial phases and washed out more quickly than liver parenchymal (type IV).

Percutaneous biopsy of anterior mediastinal mass guided by real-time US fused with CT.

We report a case of successful fused CT-sonographic imaging-guided percutaneous biopsy of an anterior mediastinal mass, which was visualized poorly with conventional sonography. Real-time sonography fused with CT can be useful for biopsy of anterior mediastinal masses that are not well visualized on conventional sonography.