The effects of reference selection methods on PROPELLER MRI.

PROPELLER MRI has been shown effective for rigid motion compensation, while the performance of existing PROPELLER reconstruction methods critically depend on selecting a proper reference blade. In this work, we proposed a robust implementation for PROPELLER reconstruction, which was incorporated with different reference selection methods, including single blade reference (SBR), combined blades reference (CBR), grouped blades reference (GBR) and Pipe et al.'s revised method, which requires no blade reference (NBR).

Machine Learning Model Based on Radiomics for Preoperative Differentiation of Jaw Cystic Lesions.

Objective: This study aims to use machine learning techniques together with radiomics methods to build a preoperative predictive diagnostic model from spiral computed tomography (CT) images. The model is intended for the differential diagnosis of common jaw cystic lesions.

Study Design: Retrospective, case-control study.

Detecting lesion-specific ischemia in patients with coronary artery disease with computed tomography fractional flow reserve measured at different sites.

Objectives: Whether a stenosis can cause hemodynamic lesion-specific ischemia is critical for the treatment decision in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Based on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), CT fractional flow reserve (FFR) can be used to assess lesion-specific ischemia. The selection of an appropriate site along the coronary artery tree is vital for measuring FFR.

The value of quantitative plaque analysis based on coronary computed tomography angiography in predicting the percutaneous coronary intervention outcome of chronic total occlusion lesions.

Background: Due to the uncertainty of the success of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the complexity of selecting suitable treatment cases, the interventional outcome of coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) remains challenging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of quantitative plaque analysis based on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in predicting the CTO-PCI outcome.

Methods: We retrospectively included 78 patients with CTO (80 lesions) confirmed by invasive coronary angiography from July 2016 to December 2018.

The Value of Myocardial Fibrosis Parameters Derived from Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Risk Stratification for Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Rationale And Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine whether myocardial fibrosis parameters of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has added value in the risk stratification of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study, 108 patients with HCM (mean age ± standard deviation, 55.5 ± 13.

Radiomics based on magnetic resonance imaging for preoperative prediction of lymph node metastasis in head and neck cancer: Machine learning study.

Background: In this study, we use machine learning techniques to develop an efficient preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics approach for evaluation of cervical lymph node (CLN) status.

Methods: After collecting all patients' MRI images, we used CLN radiomic features, the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) from diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and lymph node short diameter of the CLN to build MRI model to predict the status of the CLN.

Results: One hundred and twenty cases met inclusion criteria.

Association of latent class analysis-derived subphenotypes of acute kidney injury with mortality in critically ill patients with cardiovascular disease: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: To explore the potential heterogeneity of acute kidney injury (AKI) and evaluate the prognostic differences among AKI subphenotypes in critically ill patients with cardiovascular diseases.

Methods: Data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-III database. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to explore the potential subphenotypes of AKI in critically ill patients with cardiovascular diseases.

Quantification of pancreatic iron overload and fat infiltration and their correlation with glucose disturbance in pediatric thalassemia major patients.

Background: Diabetes mellitus affects more than a quarter of patients with thalassemia major (TM) worldwide, and increases the risk for cardiac complications, contributing to significant morbidity. Pancreatic iron overload (IO) and fat infiltration have been correlated with this endocrinal complication in adult TM patients. It has been shown that in adult TM patients, iron accumulation and fat infiltration are found to be heterogeneous in the pancreatic head, body, and tail region.

Effectiveness of diffusion-weighted imaging in predicting cervical lymph node metastasis in head and neck malignancies.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in predicting cervical lymph node metastasis in head and neck malignancies.

Study Design: Of the 67 patients with head and neck malignancies included in the study, 36 patients (the DWI group) underwent DWI examination with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical lymph nodes, and 31 patients (the conventional MRI group) underwent MRI only. Radiologists classified the lymph nodes as "metastatic" or "benign" in the DWI group by using MRI features and the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) calculated from DWI, and in the conventional MRI group with MRI only.

Using sternal angle as anatomic landmark for right internal jugular vein catheterization in pediatrics.

Background: Many formulas based on the patient's height, weight and/or age exist to determine central venous catheter (CVC) depth in children. However, this information is unavailable in some emergency conditions. Therefore, direct methods should be developed to guide catheter position in children.

Interleukin-22 receptor 1 upregulation and activation in hypoxic endothelial cells improves perfusion recovery in experimental peripheral arterial disease.

Objective: Inflammation induced by muscle ischemia is involved in tissue repair and perfusion recovery in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients. Interleukin (IL)-22 is an inflammatory cytokine discovered in recent years and shows versatile functions; however, its role in PAD remains unknown. Here, we test whether IL-22 and its receptors are involved in angiogenesis in experimental PAD.

3D-MRI combined with signal-to-noise ratio measurement can improve the diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity in evaluating meniscal healing status after meniscal repair.

Purpose: This study compared the diagnostic accuracy of second-look arthroscopy, clinical assessment, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluating meniscal healing following repair. To explore the application of 3D-MRI sequences with signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measurements and the analysis of sensitivity and accuracy in evaluating meniscal healing status after meniscal repair.

Methods: This study included 75 patients (75 menisci; mean age, 25.

Risk assessment of high-lying innominate artery with neck surgery.

Conclusion: A high-lying innominate artery (the upper edge of the innominate artery across the anterior midline of the trachea located 2 cm above the suprasternal notch), a rare situation, may produce disturbance to related anterior cervical tracheal surgery and even cause serious complications.

Objectives: High-lying innominate artery is a high risk factor in anterior cervical tracheal surgery. Pre-operative assessment via imaging technique can help to familiarize the artery and reduce the related disturbance to the surgery.

Comparison of T2, T1rho, and diffusion metrics in assessment of liver fibrosis in rats.

Purpose: To evaluate the value of T , T rho, and diffusion metrics in assessment of liver fibrosis in rats.

Materials And Methods: Liver fibrosis in a rat model (n = 72) was induced by injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl ) at 3T. T , T rho, and diffusion parameters (apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), D ) via spin echo (SE) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM) DWI with three diffusion times (DT: 80, 106, 186 msec) were obtained in surviving rats with hepatic fibrosis (n = 52) and controls (n = 8).

Intravoxel incoherent motion MRI in differentiation between recurrent carcinoma and postchemoradiation fibrosis of the skull base in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Purpose: To determine the capacity of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in differential diagnosis between recurrent carcinoma and postchemoradiation fibrosis of skull base in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Materials And Methods: Eleven patients with recurrent NPC and 21 patients with postchemoradiation fibrosis in the skull base were enrolled. All the diagnoses were proved by endoscopic biopsy or imaging follow-up.

Comparison of multislice breath-hold and 3D respiratory triggered T1 ρ imaging of liver in healthy volunteers and liver cirrhosis patients in 3.0 T MRI.

Purpose: To compare visual quality and quantitative measurements of multislice (MS) breath-hold and 3D respiratory-triggered T1 ρ sequences.

Materials And Methods: T1 ρ scans including MS BLOCK T1 ρ, MS HS8 T1 ρ, and 3D BLOCK T1 ρ were performed on 40 healthy volunteers and 17 liver cirrhosis patients on 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

MRI assessment of excess cardiac iron in thalassemia major: When to initiate?

Background: To determine optimal initial age of cardiac iron screening with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2* in patients with thalassemia major (TM).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed black blood cardiac T2* assessments from 102 TM patients from the ages of 3 to 32 years. Cases of patients under and above 7 years old with detectable cardiac iron overload were analyzed separately.

Berberine attenuates spontaneous action potentials in sinoatrial node cells and the currents of human HCN4 channels expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

The present study investigated the electropharmacological effects of a traditional Chinese herbal drug, berberine, on the spontaneous activity of sinoatrial nodes (SANs) of the rabbit heart and on human hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated 4 (hHCN4) channels, which are heterologously expressed in xenopus oocytes, and which contribute to pacemaker currents (Ifs). A standard microelectrode technique and standard two‑electrode voltage‑clamp recordings were employed to examine the properties of transmembrane potentials and cloned hHCN4 subunit currents, respectively, under control conditions and berberine administration. Berberine decreased the rate of pacemaker firing and the rate of diastolic depolarization, and modified the action potential parameters.

[An automatic subregion delineation method for T2 measurement of articular cartilage in the knee].

Objective: To propose a new method for automatic segmentation of manually determined knee articular cartilage into 9 subregions for T2 measurement.

Methods: The middle line and normal line were automatically obtained based on the outline of articular cartilage manually drawn by experienced radiologists. The region of articular cartilage was then equidistantly divided into 3 layers along the direction of the normal line, and each layer was further equidistantly divided into 3 segments along the direction of the middle line.