Diagnostic performance of two-dimensional shear wave elastography and attenuation imaging for fibrosis and steatosis assessment in chronic liver disease.

Purpose: We investigated the diagnostic performance of two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) and attenuation imaging (ATI) in detecting fibrosis and steatosis in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD), comparing them with established methods.

Methods: In 190 patients with CLD, 2D-SWE and vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) were used for liver stiffness measurement (LSM), and ATI and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) were used for steatosis quantification. The correlations between these new and established methods were analyzed.

Development of novel deep multimodal representation learning-based model for the differentiation of liver tumors on B-mode ultrasound images.

Background And Aim: Recently, multimodal representation learning for images and other information such as numbers or language has gained much attention. The aim of the current study was to analyze the diagnostic performance of deep multimodal representation model-based integration of tumor image, patient background, and blood biomarkers for the differentiation of liver tumors observed using B-mode ultrasonography (US).

Method: First, we applied supervised learning with a convolutional neural network (CNN) to 972 liver nodules in the training and development sets to develop a predictive model using segmented B-mode tumor images.

A Novel Non-invasive Method for Predicting Liver Fibrosis by Quantifying the Hepatic Vein Waveform.

The hepatic vein (HV) waveform by Doppler ultrasound reflects the severity of liver fibrosis. We conducted a proof-of-concept study of a new method for quantifying the HV waveform. We calculated the coefficient of variation (CV) of the HV flow velocity and created a new index "q-HV" (quantified HV) and analyzed its performance for predicting histologic liver fibrosis in 114 patients with chronic liver disease.

Liver stiffness measurements in chronic hepatitis C: Treatment evaluation and risk assessment.

Background And Aim: Liver stiffness (LS), measured by transient elastography, has been validated as a non-invasive surrogate for liver fibrosis.

Methods: We investigated the long-term predictive ability of LS for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and overall survival in 1146 patients with chronic hepatitis C by using LS value at enrollment. We also investigated chronological changes in LS based on antiviral therapy and its outcome in 752 patients.

Eradication of hepatitis C virus is associated with the attenuation of steatosis as evaluated using a controlled attenuation parameter.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was shown to cause hepatic steatosis or suppression of serum lipid levels. However, little is known about the changes in hepatic steatosis following HCV eradication. We aimed to evaluate this issue using the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), which was recently shown to provide a standardized non-invasive measure of hepatic steatosis.

Ultrasound evaluation of liver stiffness: accuracy of ultrasound imaging for the prediction of liver cirrhosis as evaluated using a liver stiffness measurement.

Background And Aims: Because of the low penetration rate of transient elastography (TE) or its limitations in patients with obesity, narrow intercostal spaces, or ascites, the physical appearance of the liver as visualized using ultrasonography (US) is still thought to provide important information for the prediction of liver fibrosis. We examined the accuracy of various US signs when assessing the presence of liver cirrhosis, compared with TE.

Methods: We enrolled 189 patients who had undergone both conventional US and TE examinations.

Pancreatic cysts in general population on ultrasonography: Prevalence and development of risk score.

Background: Pancreatic cysts are related to the presence of ductal adenocarcinomas elsewhere in the pancreas, and are also associated with an increased risk of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in the future. Most of the previous studies that investigated the prevalence of pancreatic cysts focused on patients within a hospital or out-patient setting, which may not be representative of the general population. We investigated the prevalence and predictive factors for the presence of pancreatic cysts within a large number of subjects via general health examination.

Potential associations between perihepatic lymph node enlargement and liver fibrosis, hepatocellular injury or hepatocarcinogenesis in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Aim: Although perihepatic lymph node enlargement (PLNE) is frequently observed in chronic liver disease, little is known about PLNE in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. We aimed to evaluate this issue.

Methods: We originally enrolled a consecutive 502 patients with chronic HBV infection.

Perihepatic lymph node enlargement is a negative predictor for sustained responses to pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin therapy for Japanese patients infected with hepatitis C virus genotype 1.

Aim: Although perihepatic lymph node enlargement (PLNE) is reportedly associated with the negative outcome of interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C, there were limitations in that the results were obtained in patients with various genotypes, viral loads and treatment regimens. We aimed to precisely clarify the significance of PLNE in interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

Methods: Between December 2004 and June 2005, 112 patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 and HCV RNA of more than 100 KIU/mL were enrolled, who underwent pegylated interferon-α plus ribavirin therapy thereafter.

Perihepatic lymph node enlargement observed at a general health examination: A cross-sectional study.

Aim: Although perihepatic lymph node enlargement (PLNE) is known as a common finding in chronic liver disease, it can be found occasionally at a general health examination. We aimed to clarify the clinical significance of PLNE in general.

Methods: Between January 2008 and December 2011, 4234 subjects were enrolled, who underwent a general health examination at the University of Tokyo Hospital.

Perihepatic lymph node enlargement is a negative predictor of liver cancer development in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Background: Perihepatic lymph node enlargement (PLNE) is a common ultrasound finding in chronic hepatitis C patients. Although PLNE is considered to reflect the inflammatory response to hepatitis C virus (HCV), its clinical significance remains unclear.

Methods: Between December 2004 and June 2005, we enrolled 846 chronic hepatitis C patients in whom adequate ultrasound examinations had been performed.

Autotaxin as a novel serum marker of liver fibrosis.

Background: The clinical significance of autotaxin (ATX), a key enzyme for the production of the bioactive lysophospholipid lysophosphatidic acid remains unknown. Serum ATX enzymatic activity reportedly increases in parallel with liver fibrosis and exhibits a gender difference.

Methods: Serum ATX antigen level, measured easier than the activity, was evaluated as a marker of liver fibrosis in 2 cohorts of chronic liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus.

Thrombocytopenia is more severe in patients with advanced chronic hepatitis C than B with the same grade of liver stiffness and splenomegaly.

Background And Aim: The mechanism responsible for thrombocytopenia in chronic liver diseases (CLD) is not yet fully understood. The prevalence of thrombocytopenia has been reported to be higher in patients with hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (CLD-C) than in those with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (CDC-B). We have examined the potential difference in thrombocytopenia between patients with CLD-B and those with CLD-C in terms of liver fibrosis adjustment and splenomegaly.

Ultrastructural localization of alpha-galactose-containing glycoconjugates in the rat vomeronasal organ.

Binding sites of Griffonia simplicifolia I-B4 isolectin (GS-I-B4), which recognizes terminal alpha-galactose residues of glycoconjugates, were examined in the juxtaluminal region of the rat vomeronasal sensory epithelium and its associated glands of the vomeronasal organ, using a lectin cytochemical technique. Lowicryl K4M-embedded ultra-thin sections, which were treated successively with biotinylated GS-I-B4 and streptavidin-conjugated 10 nm colloidal gold particles, were observed under a transmission electron microscope. Colloidal gold particles, which reflect the presence of terminal alpha-galactose-containing glycoconjugates, were present in vomeronasal receptor neurons in the sensory epithelium and secretory granules of acinar cells of associated glands of the epithelium.