Oxytocin-Augmented and Non-Sedating High-Intensity-Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for Uterine Fibroids Showed Promising Outcome As Compared To HIFU Alone or Uterine Artery Embolization.

The use of a modified energy transmission protocol and oxytocin augmentation is being proposed as a high-intensity-focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment for uterine fibroids, to aim for an effective and well-tolerable treatment to be given as an out-patient procedure without anesthesia or sedation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and treatment effectiveness of this new protocol. The treatment outcomes of 9 consecutive patients (study group) were compared with those of 51 patients (control group) who had been randomized (1:1) to receive HIFU (n = 24) or uterine artery embolization ([UAE] n = 27).

The Risk of Upper Urinary Tract Involvement in Patients With Ketamine-Associated Uropathy.

Purpose: The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of upper tract involvement in ketamine-associated uropathy, and to determine the predictors of hydronephrosis in patients with a history of ketamine abuse.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of a prospective cohort of patients with ketamine-associated uropathy. Data including demographics, pattern of ketamine abuse, pelvic pain and urgency or frequency (PUF) symptom score, uroflowmetry (UFM) parameters, serum renal function, and liver function tests were collected.

Tendon vascularity in overhead athletes with subacromial pain syndrome and its correlation with the resting subacromial space.

Background: Supraspinatus tendinopathy is one of the common causes of subacromial pain syndrome (SAPS) in overhead athletes. Changes in tendon vascularity have been reported in painful tendons; however, the prevalence and distribution have not been investigated in young overhead athletes.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 47 overhead athletes (male, 31; female, 16) aged 18 to 36 years with SAPS for >3 months.

Is decreased diameter of renal pelvis in prone position an indicator of successful pyeloplasty?

Objective: To evaluate patients who had undergone pyeloplasty for pelviureteric junction obstruction, by measuring the anteroposterior diameter (APD) of the renal pelvis in supine and prone positions, and determine whether a decrease in APD in prone position can exclude obstruction in dilated renal system.

Materials And Methods: From January 2012 to December 2013, patients who had undergone pyeloplasty were evaluated by ultrasound in two centers. The difference of APD of the renal pelvis in supine and prone positions was obtained.

One-stop clinic for ketamine-associated uropathy: report on service delivery model, patients' characteristics and non-invasive investigations at baseline by a cross-sectional study in a prospective cohort of 318 teenagers and young adults.

Objective: To describe a service delivery model and report the baseline characteristics of patients investigated by a non-invasive approach for ketamine-associated uropathy.

Patients And Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in a prospective cohort of patients who attended their first visit and underwent non-invasive investigations at a dedicated centre to treat ketamine-associated uropathy in Hong Kong from December 2011 to July 2013. Data on demographics, illicit ketamine use, symptoms scores and voiding function parameters at baseline were prospectively collected.

Quantitative elastography of liver fibrosis and spleen stiffness in chronic hepatitis B carriers: comparison of shear-wave elastography and transient elastography with liver biopsy correlation.

Purpose: To document utility of shear-wave (SW) elastography for assessing liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B and to compare its performance with that of transient elastography.

Materials And Methods: Ethics committee approved the study, and informed consent was obtained. Patients with liver biopsy correlation (n = 226) and healthy patients (n = 171) were analyzed.

Quantitative estimation of muscle shear elastic modulus of the upper trapezius with supersonic shear imaging during arm positioning.

Pain and tenderness of the upper trapezius are the major complaints among people with chronic neck and shoulder disorders. Hyper-activation and increased muscle tension of the upper trapezius during arm elevation will cause imbalance of the scapular muscle force and contribute to neck and shoulder disorders. Assessing the elasticity of the upper trapezius in different arm positions is therefore important for identifying people at risk so as to give preventive programmes or for monitoring the effectiveness of the intervention programmes for these disorders.

Elastic modulus of muscle and tendon with shear wave ultrasound elastography: variations with different technical settings.

Standardization on Shear wave ultrasound elastography (SWUE) technical settings will not only ensure that the results are accurate, but also detect any differences over time that may be attributed to true physiological changes. The present study evaluated the variations of elastic modulus of muscle and tendon using SWUE when different technical aspects were altered. The results of this study indicated that variations of elastic modulus of muscle and tendon were found when different transducer's pressure and region of interest (ROI)'s size were applied.

Improvement in T-staging of rectal carcinoma: using a novel endorectal ultrasonography technique with sterile coupling gel filling the rectum.

Our purpose was to study the accuracy of using endorectal ultrasonography (ERUS) with sterile coupling gels filling the rectum in the preoperative T-staging of rectal carcinoma. A total of 189 patients with confirmed rectal carcinoma were recruited. All underwent ERUS and surgery within the week following sonography.

Ultrasound measurements on acromio-humeral distance and supraspinatus tendon thickness: test-retest reliability and correlations with shoulder rotational strengths.

Objectives: To establish the test-retest reliability of ultrasound measurements on acromio-humeral distance (AHD) and supraspinatus tendon thickness; and to explore their relationships with shoulder rotational strengths.

Design: Test-retest observational study.

Methods: Thirty-seven individuals (age: 21.

Dynamic ultrasound study on urinary bladder in infants with antenatally detected fetal hydronephrosis.

To evaluate bladder function in infants with antenatally diagnosed hydronephrosis (ANH) using dynamic ultrasound protocol. Forty consecutive male infants (mean, 0.25 y) with ANH and 33 age-matched normal controls (mean, 0.

Characteristics of the bladder in infants with urinary tract infections: an ultrasound study.

Background: Patients with urinary tract infection (UTI) are known to have impaired bladder function as demonstrated by urodynamic (UD) studies. UD is rarely performed in infants.

Objective: To evaluate bladder function in infants with UTI using a dynamic US protocol.

Hydronephrosis index: a better physiological reference in antenatal ultrasound for assessment of fetal hydronephrosis.

Objective: To establish a nomogram of fetal hydronephrosis index (HI) (anteroposterior diameter of renal pelvis divided by urinary bladder volume) at different gestational ages, to serve as a new reference for antenatal ultrasound examination, and to avoid overestimation of fetal hydronephrosis due to transient effect of a distended fetal bladder.

Study Design: 504 uncomplicated singleton pregnancies from 20 to 38 weeks' gestation were included. In each fetus, the maximum anteroposterior diameters of both renal pelves were measured on transverse view of fetal kidneys.

Doppler waveforms of the ureteric jet: an overview and implications for the presence of a functional sphincter at the vesicoureteric junction.

This paper is a comprehensive review of the Doppler waveform appearance of ureteric jets. Six jet waveform patterns have been identified: monophasic, biphasic, triphasic, polyphasic, square and continuous. Details of the physical properties of jet patterns and their changes under various physiological conditions are illustrated.

Gender difference in achieving rate of maturity of the vesicoureteric junction.

Background: Our previous study on the Doppler waveform of the urinary jet at the vesicoureteric junction (VUJ) indicates that there is an active sphincteric mechanism in humans. We have also shown that there are immature and mature patterns of the jet, and the VUJ matures around the age of 4 years.

Objective: To determine if there is any gender difference in the time of achieving maturity of the VUJ.

Nomograms of total renal volume, urinary bladder volume and bladder wall thickness index in 3,376 children with a normal urinary tract.

Background: We have previously shown that urinary bladder volume index (BVI = length x width x depth of bladder) and bladder volume wall thickness index (BVWI = BVI at full bladder/average bladder wall thickness) are useful indicators of bladder dysfunction in children with enuresis and urinary tract infection. These indices show a good correlation with urodynamic studies. We have expanded the study to include normal paediatric subjects with a wide age range.

Ureteric jet Doppler waveform and bladder wall thickness in children with nocturnal enuresis.

To test the hypothesis that the presence of nocturnal enuresis is related to increased frequency of immature vesicoureteric function, which is further associated with detrusor overactivity, we compared the incidence of immature monophasic ureteric jet in children with and without nocturnal enuresis. The relationship between monophasic ureteric jet Doppler wave form and bladder wall thickness was further explored in the enuresis group. Ultrasound examinations were performed in 511 children suffering from nocturnal enuresis and 266 normal controls.

Ureteric jet in the anaesthetised child.

We have already suggested that there is an active bimodal sphincteric mechanism in the human vesicoureteral junction (VUJ). This mechanism is affected by immaturity, hormonal effects and surgical ablation. This study set out to investigate the effects of anaesthesia on this mechanism.

Ureteric jet in renal transplantation patient.

We have made a case for an active sphincteric mechanism at the VUJ modifying the ureteric jet Doppler waveform. The transplanted ureter does not have a normal VUJ, but retains inherent peristalsis. This study was to document any difference in the transplanted ureteric jet Doppler pattern.

Doppler waveform of the ureteric jet in pregnancy.

We have shown that the function of the bladder vesicoureteric junction (VUJ) can be studied by the Doppler waveform of the ureteric jet, and this reflects the active sphincteric mechanism of the VUJ. We wished to investigate if the hormonal changes of pregnancy cause any alteration of VUJ function. A total of 107 pregnant women and 375 nonpregnant women were recruited.

Immature ureteric jet doppler patterns and urinary tract infection and vesicoureteric reflux in children.

The Doppler waveform of the ureteric jet is the result of modification of ureteric peristalsis by an active sphincteric mechanism of the vesicoureteric junction (VUJ). The monophasic pattern is associated with immaturity. This study set out to see the correlation between this immature pattern with urinary tract infection (UTI) and vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) in children.

The ureteric jet doppler waveform as an indicator of vesicoureteric sphincter function in adults and children. An observational study.

The nature of the action of the vesicoureteric junction (VUJ) in humans is still controversial. We were interested in the reasons why the jet consists of several peaks. We hypothesised that the modification of the jet into a variable number of peaks is the result of an active sphincter mechanism at the VUJ.