CT and MR imaging of primary biliary cholangitis: a pictorial review.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a rare chronic autoimmune-mediated cholestatic liver disease involving medium and small bile ducts that can lead to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. To date, the pathogenesis of PBC remains elusive, and there is currently no curative medical treatment. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, as common technical tools that allow non-invasive monitoring of liver tissue in vivo, play crucial roles in the diagnosis, staging, and prognosis prediction in PBC by enabling assessment of abnormalities in liver morphology and parenchyma, irregular configuration of bile ducts, lymphadenopathy, portal hypertension, and complications of cirrhosis.

Prognostic MRI features to predict postresection survivals for very early to intermediate stage hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objectives: Contrast-enhanced MRI can provide individualized prognostic information for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to investigate the value of MRI features to predict early (≤ 2 years)/late (> 2 years) recurrence-free survival (E-RFS and L-RFS, respectively) and overall survival (OS).

Materials And Methods: Consecutive adult patients at a tertiary academic center who received curative-intent liver resection for very early to intermediate stage HCC and underwent preoperative contrast-enhanced MRI were retrospectively enrolled from March 2011 to April 2021.

Single-cell transcriptomic analysis reveals a systemic immune dysregulation in COVID-19-associated pediatric encephalopathy.

Unraveling the molecular mechanisms for COVID-19-associated encephalopathy and its immunopathology is crucial for developing effective treatments. Here, we utilized single-cell transcriptomic analysis and integrated clinical observations and laboratory examination to dissect the host immune responses and reveal pathological mechanisms in COVID-19-associated pediatric encephalopathy. We found that lymphopenia was a prominent characteristic of immune perturbation in COVID-19 patients with encephalopathy, especially those with acute necrotizing encephalopathy (AE).

The Era of Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: The New Mission and Challenges of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

In recent years, significant advancements in immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have shown the potential to further improve the prognosis of patients with advanced HCC. However, in clinical practice, there is still a lack of effective biomarkers for identifying the patient who would benefit from immunotherapy and predicting the tumor response to immunotherapy. The immune microenvironment of HCC plays a crucial role in tumor development and drug responses.

A nomogram for preoperative differentiation of tumor deposits from lymph node metastasis in rectal cancer: A retrospective study.

The objective is to develop and validate a combined model for noninvasive preoperative differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with rectal cancer (RC). A total of 204 patients were enrolled and randomly divided into 2 sets (training and validation set) at a ratio of 8:2. Radiomics features of tumor and peritumor fat were extracted by using Pyradiomics software from the axial T2-weighted imaging of MRI.

Diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging and contrast-enhanced ultrasound in differentiating intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma from hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic ability between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in distinguishing intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Original studies reporting the diagnostic accuracy of MRI and CEUS in differentiating ICC from HCC were identified in PubMed and EMBASE databases. Histopathological examination was used as the reference standard for tumor diagnosis.

The value of MRI in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma with cytokeratin 19 expression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: To evaluate the overall diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), different image features, and different image analysis methods in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with cytokeratin 19 (CK19) expression.

Materials And Methods: A systematic literature search was performed to identify studies using MRI to predict HCC with CK19 expression between 2012 and 2023. Data were extracted to calculate the pooled sensitivity and specificity.

Serodiagnosis of Abdominal Abscess Caused by : Case Report and Literature Review.

, the causative agent of melioidosis can be responsible for a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations and heterogeneous prognoses, with a high mortality in the acute onset. We report a case of a deep abdominal abscess with sepsis secondary to melioidosis in a young farmer from a non-high-risk population. Emergency medical treatment was administered according to the detection of serum antibodies against Hcp1, the results of which provided etiological evidence of infection for the timely and properly antimicrobial therapy in the absence of direct evidence of melioidosis.

Noninvasive prediction of insufficient biochemical response after ursodeoxycholic acid treatment in patients with primary biliary cholangitis based on pretreatment nonenhanced MRI.

Objectives: To explore the feasibility of pretreatment nonenhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in predicting insufficient biochemical response to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).

Methods: From January 2009 to April 2022, consecutive PBC patients who were treated with UDCA and underwent nonenhanced MRI within 30 days before treatment were retrospectively enrolled. All MR images were independently evaluated by two blinded radiologists.

[Analysis of fast-growing culturable bacteria and pathogenic bacteria in the surface water of the northeast coast of Hainan Island in China].

To obtain the diversity and abundance of fast-growing bacteria in the surface water of the northeast coast of Hainan Island in China, different cultivation methods were employed. This study also aims to provide a reference for isolating bacterial samples from seawater sources and preventing marine-derived pathogens. Based on the principles of taxonomic design, surface seawater samples were collected from six locations along the northeast coast of Hainan Island in China in March, June, October, and December 2021.

Myocardial tissue remodeling in early adult obesity and its association with regional adipose tissue distribution and ectopic fat deposits: a prospective study.

Objectives: To evaluate the left ventricular (LV) myocardial tissue characteristics in early adult obesity and its association with regional adipose tissue and ectopic fat deposition.

Methods: Forty-nine obese adults (mean body mass index: 29.9 ± 2.

Effect of statins on pulmonary function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease, and its treatment is still controversial. Statins have been proven to have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, but their effectiveness in the treatment of COPD is still unclear. We conducted this meta-analysis to more accurately evaluate the therapeutic effect of statins on COPD patients.

Ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for intra-articular targeting of cartilage in early osteoarthritis.

Early diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA) is critical for effective cartilage repair. However, lack of blood vessels in articular cartilage poses a barrier to contrast agent delivery and subsequent diagnostic imaging. To address this challenge, we proposed to develop ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs, 4 nm) that can penetrate into the matrix of articular cartilage, and further modified with the peptide ligand WYRGRL (particle size, 5.

Rare adult neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis associated with gene mutations: A case report.

Background: Adult neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (ANCL) can be caused by compound heterozygous recessive mutations in . The main clinical features of the disease are neurodegeneration, progressive motor dysfunction, seizures, cognitive decline, ataxia, vision loss and premature death.

Case Summary: A 37-year-old female presented to our clinic with a 3-year history of limb weakness and gradually experiencing unstable walking.

Photon Counting CT: Technical Principles, Clinical Applications, and Future Prospects.

Photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) is a new technique that utilizes photon-counting detectors to convert individual X-ray photons directly into an electrical signal, which can achieve higher spatial resolution, improved iodine signal, radiation dose reduction, artifact reduction, and multienergy imaging. This review introduces the technical principles of PCCT, and summarizes its first-in-human experience and current applications in clinical settings, and discusses the future prospects of PCCT.

Abdominal Diffusion-Weighted MRI With Simultaneous Multi-Slice Acquisition: Agreement and Reproducibility of Apparent Diffusion Coefficients Measurements.

Background: Simultaneous multi-slice diffusion-weighted imaging (SMS-DWI) can shorten acquisition time in abdominal imaging.

Purpose: To investigate the agreement and reproducibility of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) from abdominal SMS-DWI acquired with different vendors and different breathing schemes.

Study Type: Prospective.

Kinetically inert manganese (II)-based hybrid micellar complexes for magnetic resonance imaging of lymph node metastasis.

The localization and differential diagnosis of the sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) are particularly important for tumor staging, surgical planning and prognosis. In this work, kinetically inert manganese (II)-based hybrid micellar complexes (MnCs) for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were developed using an amphiphilic manganese-based chelate (C18-PhDTA-Mn) with reliable kinetic stability and self-assembled with a series of amphiphilic PEG-C18 polymers of different molecular weights (C18En,  = 10, 20, 50). Among them, the probes composed by 1:10 mass ratio of manganese chelate/C18En had slightly different hydrodynamic particle sizes with similar surface charges as well as considerable relaxivities (∼13 mM s at 1.

Preoperative MRI-based multiparametric model for survival prediction in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with portal vein tumor thrombus following hepatectomy.

Purpose: To develop a predictive model integrating clinical and MRI features for postoperative survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT).

Method: Between January 2008 and May 2021, consecutive HCC patients with PVTT who underwent preoperative contrast-enhanced MRI and surgical resection at a tertiary hospital were retrospectively enrolled. The MR images were independently reviewed by two blinded radiologists.

Tracking the first SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5.1.3 outbreak in China.

The SARS-CoV-2 is still undergoing rapid evolution, resulting in the emergence of several variants of concern, especially the Omicron variants (B.1.1.

Development and validation of the OSASH score to predict overall survival of hepatocellular carcinoma after surgical resection: a dual-institutional study.

Objective: To develop and validate a risk score based on preoperative clinical-radiological parameters for predicting overall survival (OS) in patients undergoing surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: From July 2010 to December 2021, consecutive patients with surgically-proven HCC who underwent preoperative contrast-enhanced MRI were retrospectively enrolled. A preoperative OS risk score was constructed in the training cohort using a Cox regression model and validated in a propensity score-matched internal validation cohort and an external validation cohort.

Magnetic resonance imaging for treatment response evaluation and prognostication of hepatocellular carcinoma after thermal ablation.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for the vast majority of primary liver cancer and constitutes a major global health challenge. Tumor ablation with either radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or microwave ablation (MWA) is recommended as a curative-intent treatment for early-stage HCC. Given the widespread use of thermal ablation in routine clinical practice, accurate evaluation of treatment response and patient outcomes has become crucial in optimizing individualized management strategies.

Association of abdominal adiposity, hepatic shear stiffness with subclinical left-ventricular remodeling evaluated by magnetic resonance in adults free of overt cardiovascular diseases: a prospective study.

Background: Abdominal ectopic fat deposition and excess visceral fat depots in obesity may be related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) as both are involved in the metabolic syndrome (MetS). The awareness of the link between abdominal adiposity and subclinical cardiac remodeling would help improve treatment and outcome. Besides, liver fibrosis has also shown a potential relationship with cardiac dysfunction.

[Diagnosis and treatment of finger flexion contracture caused by forearm flexor disease].

Objective: To summarize the clinical characteristics, differential diagnosis, and treatment methods of finger flexion contracture caused by three kinds of forearm flexor diseases.

Methods: Between December 2008 and August 2021, 17 patients with finger flexion contracture were treated, including 8 males and 9 females, aged 5-42 years, with a median of 16 years. The disease duration ranged from 1.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for COPD in an Urbanizing Rural Area in Western China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a rural area in western China with severe air pollution.

Patients And Methods: 10% of local residents aged 40 years and above were included using a convenience sampling method. This was a cross-sectional study.

Self-supervised contrastive learning using CT images for PD-1/PD-L1 expression prediction in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Purpose: Programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death-ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression status, determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) of specimens, can discriminate patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who can derive the most benefits from immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. A non-invasive method of measuring PD-1/PD-L1 expression is urgently needed for clinical decision support.

Materials And Methods: We included a cohort of 87 patients with HCC from the West China Hospital and analyzed 3094 CT images to develop and validate our prediction model.