[Using Artificial Intelligence Software for Diagnosing Emphysema and Interstitial Lung Disease].

Researchers have developed various algorithms utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically and objectively diagnose patterns and extent of pulmonary emphysema or interstitial lung diseases on chest CT scans. Studies show that AI-based quantification of emphysema on chest CT scans reveals a connection between an increase in the relative percentage of emphysema and a decline in lung function. Notably, quantifying centrilobular emphysema has proven helpful in predicting clinical symptoms or mortality rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Carbon Nanotube Field Emitters Synthesized on Metal Alloy Substrate by PECVD for Customized Compact Field Emission Devices to Be Used in X-Ray Source Applications.

In this study, a simple, efficient, and economical process is reported for the direct synthesis of carbon nanotube (CNT) field emitters on metal alloy. Given that CNT field emitters can be customized with ease for compact and cold field emission devices, they are promising replacements for thermionic emitters in widely accessible X-ray source electron guns. High performance CNT emitter samples were prepared in optimized plasma conditions through the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process and subsequently characterized by using a scanning electron microscope, tunneling electron microscope, and Raman spectroscopy.

LOGIS (LOcalization of Ground-glass-opacity and pulmonary lesions for mInimal Surgery) registry: Design and Rationale.

Background And Purpose: An optimal pulmonary localization technique for video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) of small lung nodules has not yet been established. The LOcalization of Ground-glass-opacity and pulmonary lesions for mInimal Surgery (LOGIS) registry aims to establish a multicenter database and investigate the usefulness and safety of localization techniques for small pulmonary lesions in individuals undergoing VATS.

Methods/design: The LOGIS registry is a large-scale, multicenter cohort study, aiming to enroll 825 patients at 10 institutions.

Prognostic value of baseline carcinoembryonic antigen and cytokeratin 19 fragment levels in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) levels are prognostic predictors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, even in patients with the same stage of cancer, the serum levels of those markers often vary.

Objective: We investigated the association between the initial biomarker levels and prognosis.

Direct Synthesis of Carbon Nanotube Field Emitters on Metal Substrate for Open-Type X-ray Source in Medical Imaging.

We report the design, fabrication and characterization of a carbon nanotube enabled open-type X-ray system for medical imaging. We directly grew the carbon nanotubes used as electron emitter for electron gun on a non-polished raw metallic rectangular-rounded substrate with an area of 0.1377 cm² through a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system.

Primary Pleural Synovial Sarcoma with Metastatic Cardiac Involvement: A Case Report.

Primary pleuropulmonary synovial sarcomas are rare soft tissue malignancies; combined metastatic involvement of the heart is extremely rare. In this case report, a 17-year-old female presented with a history of chest pain. Chest radiographs revealed a round mass in the left upper hemithorax, and computed tomography (CT) showed a well-defined heterogeneous enhancing mass abutting the pleura.

Impact of a vendor-specific motion-correction algorithm on image quality, interpretability, and diagnostic performance of daily routine coronary CT angiography: influence of heart rate on the effect of motion-correction.

To investigate the impact of a vendor-specific motion-correction algorithm on morphological assessment of coronary arteries using coronary CT angiography (cCTA) and to evaluate the influence of heart rate (HR) on the motion-correction effect of this algorithm. Eighty-four patients (mean age 56.3 ± 11.

Quantitative analysis of lungs and airways with CT in subjects with the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) candidate FAM13A gene: case control study for CT quantification in COPD risk gene.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) candidate gene, based on a genomewide association study, and computed tomographic (CT) quantitative analysis; and to find a phenotype in the COPD candidate FAM13A gene.

Materials And Methods: This study was conducted in subclinical male smokers between 2 groups with matched age and smoking status; 162 subjects (mean age, 58 years) with risk (CTGA, n = 85) and reference (TCAG, n = 77) diplotypes replicated through genomewide association study underwent chest CT for quantitative analysis of lungs and airways. We analyzed the measures in both the risk and reference groups using a 2-sample t test.

A Quantitative Study of Airway Changes on Micro-CT in a Mouse Asthma Model: Comparison With Histopathological Findings.

Purpose: To evaluate airway changes in ovalbumin-induced asthmatic mice in terms of postmortem micro-CT images and pathological findings.

Methods: Asthma was induced in mice by intraperitoneal injection and nasal instillation of ovalbumin aluminium hydroxide into mice (experimental group, n=6), and another group of mice received intraperitoneal injection and nasal instillation of distilled phosphate-buffered saline (control group, n=6). Bronchial lumen area was measured in the main bronchial lumen of the distal third bronchial branch level (6 parts per each mouse) on axial scans of Micro-CT, using a Lucion's smart pen (semi-automated) and a curve pen (manual).

CT signs of right ventricular dysfunction correlated with echocardiography-derived pulmonary arterial systolic pressure: incremental value of the pulmonary arterial diameter index.

To investigate and compare the potential of right to left ventricular volume (RVV/LVV) and diameter ratios (RVD/LVD) for the prediction of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PH) over 40 mmHg, and then to evaluate the incremental value of the pulmonary artery diameter index (PADi; PAD/body surface area) in the prediction of PH over 40 mHg. We correlated the followings on chest CT with same-day echocardiography-derived pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) in 139 patients (64.8 ± 15.

Treatment of a recurrent chest wall desmoid tumor using a CT-guided steroid injection.

We report on a 41-year-old woman with a chest wall desmoid tumour who was successfully treated with a computed tomography (CT)-guided steroid injection. She presented with a palpable mass in the right upper chest wall and was treated by surgical excision and postoperative radiation therapy due to recurrence of the mass at the surgical site. At 20 months after the second operation, a recurrent mass was again detected in the anterosuperior portion of the previous surgical site on CT.

Practical application of iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation (IDEAL) imaging in minimizing metallic artifacts.

Iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and the least-squares estimation (IDEAL) is a recently developed method for robust separation of fat and water with very high signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) efficiency. In contrast to conventional fat-saturation methods, IDEAL is insensitive to magnetic field (B0 and B1) inhomogeneity. The aim of this study was to illustrate the practical application of the IDEAL technique in reducing metallic artifacts in postoperative patients with metallic hardware.

The bright rim sign on MRI for anterior talofibular ligament injury with arthroscopic correlation.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to determine whether bright rim lesions on MRI are a marker for anterior talofibular ligament injury.

Materials And Methods: The study included 34 patients who had an ankle injury and underwent arthroscopic surgery. All patients underwent 3-T MRI for the diagnosis of anterior talofibular ligament injury.

Successful treatment of malignant superior vena cava syndrome using a stent-graft.

We report successful outcomes after endovascular placement of a stent graft in a 74- and a 77-year-old men, both of whom had malignant superior vena cava syndrome caused by squamous cell carcinoma. In each patient, successful palliation of the malignant superior vena cava syndrome was achieved by placement of a stent graft. No procedure-related complications were observed.

Apical-sparing variant of stress cardiomyopathy: Integrative analysis with multidetector row cardiac computed tomography in dual-energy mode.

Stress cardiomyopathy is a unique reversible cardiac syndrome that is frequently precipitated by a physical or emotionally stressful event and has a clinical presentation that is indistinguishable from a myocardial infarction. We describe the case of a patient with apical sparing variant of stress cardiomyopathy in whom dual energy cardiac CT identified characteristic regional wall motion abnormality without concomitant coronary artery disease and myocardial perfusion defects.

Role of neutrophils in persistent airway obstruction due to refractory asthma.

Background And Objective: One of the clinical manifestations of refractory asthma (RA) in a certain group of patients is persistent airway obstruction (PAO), despite treatment with high doses of inhaled and/or systemic corticosteroids. Airway neutrophilic inflammation is frequently observed in RA; however, the relationship between neutrophilic inflammation and PAO has not been evaluated in this group of patients. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical parameters and patterns of inflammatory cells between patients with or without PAO due to RA, and to identify the factors associated with PAO.

Utility of postmortem autopsy via whole-body imaging: initial observations comparing MDCT and 3.0 T MRI findings with autopsy findings.

Objective: We prospectively compared whole-body multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and 3.0 T magnetic resonance (MR) images with autopsy findings.

Materials And Methods: Five cadavers were subjected to whole-body, 16-channel MDCT and 3.

Primary pulmonary T-cell lymphoma: a case report.

Primary pulmonary T-cell lymphoma is an extremely rare malady, and we diagnosed this in a 52-year-old male who was admitted to our hospital with cough for the previous two weeks. The chest CT demonstrated multiple variable sized mass-like consolidations with low density central necrosis in the peripheral portion of both the upper and lower lobes. Positron emission tomography (PET) showed multiple areas of hypermetabolic fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in both lungs with central metabolic defects, which correlated with central necrosis seen on CT.

Interleukin-13 and its receptors in idiopathic interstitial pneumonia: clinical implications for lung function.

Idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) is characterized by varying degrees of interstitial fibrosis. IL-13 and IL-4 are strong inducers of tissue fibrosis, whereas IFN-gamma has antifibrotic potential. However, the roles of these substances in IIP remain unknown.

Comparison of high-resolution ultrasonography and computed tomography in the diagnosis of nasal fractures.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the value of high-resolution ultrasonography (HRUS) and computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of nasal fractures.

Methods: Facial CT and HRUS examinations performed on 140 consecutive patients (103 male and 37 female; age range, 2-74 years; mean, 26 years) with nasal trauma between October 2004 and April 2007 were retrospectively evaluated. Sonograms were obtained with a hockey stick probe (15-7 MHz linear array transducer).

Digital tomosynthesis of the chest for lung nodule detection: interim sensitivity results from an ongoing NIH-sponsored trial.

The authors report interim clinical results from an ongoing NIH-sponsored trial to evaluate digital chest tomosynthesis for improving detectability of small lung nodules. Twenty-one patients undergoing computed tomography (CT) to follow up lung nodules were consented and enrolled to receive an additional digital PA chest radiograph and digital tomosynthesis exam. Tomosynthesis was performed with a commercial CsI/a-Si flat-panel detector and a custom-built tube mover.

High-resolution sonography for nasal fracture in children.

Objective: We describe the sonographic findings of nasal fracture in children, and we evaluate the diagnostic value of sonography as compared with conventional radiography and clinical findings to determine whether sonography can be a primary technique for evaluating nasal fracture in children.

Materials And Methods: Conventional radiographs and sonographic scans were obtained in 26 consecutive children with nasal trauma who were seen at our hospital from March 2003 to March 2005. There were five girls and 21 boys, and their ages ranged from 1 year 9 months to 15 years 11 months (mean age, 9.

Primary pulmonary primitive neuroectodermal tumor: CT and skeletal scintigraphic image features with pathologic correlation (2006: 6b).

We describe a rare case of a primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) originating in the lung of a 28-year-old woman. A lung mass was detected incidentally on a chest radiograph taken before a Caesarian delivery. The chest P-A view showed a well-defined, lobulated mass in the right lower lobe with a small pleural effusion on the right.