Application of transabdominal ultrasound- and laparoscopy-guided percutaneous microwave ablation for treating uterine fibroids: 24-month follow-up outcomes.

Purpose: To determine the ablation efficacy of transabdominal ultrasound- and laparoscopy-guided percutaneous microwave ablation (PMWA), to investigate whether the risk of damage to adjacent organs and endometrium due to this technique can be reduced or even avoided. We also evaluated the clinical efficacy of this technique in the treatment of uterine fibroids of different sizes and at different locations over a 24-month follow-up period.

Methods: This study included 50 patients with uterine fibroids who underwent transabdominal ultrasound- and laparoscopy-guided PMWA from August 2018 to July 2020.

The Value of Shadowing and the Twinkling Artifact in the Diagnosis of Ureteral Stones: A Single-center Study.

Objective: To determine and evaluate the value of shadowing and the twinkling artifact (TA) for the diagnosis of ureteral stones.

Materials And Methods: Related ultrasound images from 117 patients with suspected ureteral stones were consecutively collected with optimized machine settings, confirmed by computed tomography and then retrospectively reviewed by 12 physicians who were classified into 3 groups according to their experience levels: elementary, intermediate, and advanced. The shadowing/TA grades were separately evaluated by all the participating physicians in a blinded manner, and the consistency was verified using Kendall's coefficient of concordance (Kendall's W).