Comparison of Perinatal Outcomes According to the Majority of Physicians: Obstetrics Versus Endocrinology

Purpose@#To compare the perinatal outcomes among the majority of physicians who manage pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), particularly those who require insulin treatment. @*Methods@#We conducted a retrospective study involving 206 singleton pregnant women diagnosed with GDM between January 2017 and September 2022. The study participants were divided into 2 groups according to the majority of physicians (obstetrics vs. endocrinology). We compared the maternal characteristics and perinatal outcomes between the 2 groups and performed a subgroup analysis of preterm birth cases. @*Results@#During the study period, 206 pregnant women were diagnosed with GDM and 36.9% (76 of 206) required insulin treatment. Among the GDM A2 pregnancies, 26 patients visited or consulted endocrinologists, and 50 patients were managed by obstetricians. There were no significant differences in maternal characteristics and perinatal outcomes between the two groups. Eighteen infants were delivered before 37 weeks of gestation (12 in the obstetrician group and 6 in the endocrinologist group). In preterm-delivered patients, the birth weight was heavier in the endocrinology group (median [range], 2.66 [1.98–3.77] vs. 3.71 [2.48–4.17], p=0.025) despite similar gestational age at delivery (median [range], 35.5 [33.1–36.5] vs. 36.0 [34.2–36.6], p=0.511). However, there were no significant differences in perinatal outcomes, including the rate of neonatal hypoglycemia, oxygen treatment and the duration of neonatal intensive care unit admission. @*Conclusion@#Our data show that GDM can be managed by obstetricians even in cases requiring insulin treatment.

Primary Diffuse B-cell Lymphoma of Uterine Cervix: A Case Report

Primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) of the female genital tract is a rare case. It is hard to diagnose DLBCL of the uterine cervix before surgery because it is often misdiagnosed as cervical myoma or cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Here, we report a case of cervical DLBCL misdiagnosed as a cervical myoma. A 48-year-old premenopausal woman was referred to the gynecology department due to abnormal uterine bleeding with a normal Papanicolaou smear. The initial diagnosis according to ultrasound and computed tomography was a cervical myoma. She had undergone a hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy. The final diagnosis was cervical DLBCL and she was referred to the department of hematology for treatment with Rituximab combined chemotherapy. After six courses of chemotherapy, complete remission was reached. At a 2-year follow-up, the patient is alive without interval change.

Multimodal photoacoustic imaging as a tool for sentinel lymph node identification and biopsy guidance

As a minimally invasive method, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in conjunction with guidance methods is the standard method to determine cancer metastasis in breast. The desired guidance methods for SLNB should be capable of precise SLN localization for accurate diagnosis of micro-metastases at an early stage of cancer progression and thus facilitate reducing the number of SLN biopsies for minimal surgical complications. For this, high sensitivity to the administered dyes, high spatial and contrast resolutions, deep imaging depth, and real-time imaging capability are pivotal requirements. Currently, various methods have been used for SLNB guidance, each with their own advantages and disadvantages, but no methods meet the requirements. In this review, we discuss the conventional SLNB guidance methods in this perspective. In addition, we focus on the role of the PA imaging modality on real-time SLN identification and biopsy guidance. In particular, PA-based hybrid imaging methods for precise SLN identification and efficient biopsy guidance are introduced, and their unique features, advantages, and disadvantages are discussed.

Microbubbles used for contrast enhanced ultrasound and theragnosis: a review of principles to applications

Ultrasound was developed several decades ago as a useful imaging modality, and it became the second most popular diagnostic tool due to its non-invasiveness, real-time capabilities, and safety. Additionally, ultrasound has been used as a therapeutic tool with several therapeutic agents and in nanomedicine. Ultrasound imaging is often used to diagnose many types of cancers, including breast, stomach, and thyroid cancers. In addition, ultrasound-mediated therapy is used in cases of joint inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis. Microbubbles, when used as ultrasound contrast agents, can act as echo-enhancers and therapeutic agents, and they can play an essential role in ultrasound imaging and ultrasound-mediated therapy. Recently, various types of ultrasound contrast agents made of lipid, polymer, and protein shells have been used. Air, nitrogen, and perfluorocarbon are usually included in the core of the microbubbles to enhance ultrasound imaging, and therapeutic drugs are conjugated and loaded onto the surface or into the core of the microbubbles, depending on the purpose and properties of the substance. Many research groups have utilized ultrasound contrast agents to enhance the imaging signal in blood vessels or tissues and to overcome the blood–brain barrier or blood-retina barrier. These agents are also used to help treat diseases in various regions or systems of the body, such as the cardiovascular system, or as a cancer treatment. In addition, with the introduction of targeted moiety and multiple functional groups, ultrasound contrast agents are expected to have a potential future in ultrasound imaging and therapy. In this paper, we briefly review the principles of ultrasound and introduce the underlying theory, applications, limitations, and future perspectives of ultrasound contrast agents.