Effect of oviductus ranae and oviductus ranae eggs on bone metabolism and osteoporosis / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the roles or effects of oviductus ranae (OR) or oviductus ranae eggs (ORE) in preventing and treating postmenopausal osteoporosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In vivo experiment: Sixty female adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 12. To provide an osteoporosis model 4 groups of rats were ovariectomized (OVX), with the 5th being sham operated. Medication commenced 7 days after the operation and lasted continuously for 12 weeks. Sham operated and OVX groups were given equivalent volumes of 5% Tween-80. The other three groups intragastrically received conjugated estrogens (CE), OR or ORE of the corresponding doses. At the 12th week, serum estrogen, bone gla protein (BGP), serum calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were assayed; bone mineral densities (BMD) were measured and bone scanning was conducted; uteri were weighed, and weight, volume and length of the femoral bones were determined; and cortical thickness of femoral heads and area of bone trabecula were measured by image analyzer. In vitro experiment: Eighty 10-month old SD rats, with equal numbers of males and females, were randomly divided into 8 groups. Osteoblasts were isolated from neonatal rat calvariae, and the cells were exposed to various concentrations of serum from OR and ORE groups to study the impact of these sera on osteoblastic proliferation, ALP activity and mineralization. Osteoclastic numbers were determined using tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In vivo experiment: The body weight of the four OVX groups increased significantly (P<0.01). Uterine weight of the CE group was the highest (P<0.01); Compared with the model group, estrogen level, BMD, bone scanning/bone imaging index weight of the femoral bones, cortical thickness of femoral heads in the OR and ORE groups increased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01); femoral volume in the ORE group increased significantly (P<0.05); and the content of osteocalcin, phosphorus, and ALP in serum decreased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01). In vitro experiment: Sera from OR and ORE groups had notable effects on the proliferation of osteoblasts (P<0.05 and P<0.01, repsectively) and stimulated the formation of calcium nodes (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the enhancement of ALP activity in osteoblasts was significant (P<0.05, P<0.01). The number of TRAP-positive cells was significantly reduced as well (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>OR and its eggs could effectively suppress OVX-induced osteoporosis in rats, and increase bone turnover possibly by both an increase in osteoblastic activity and a decrease in osteoclastic activity. The present study provides evidence that OR and its eggs could be considered a complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.</p>

Reproducibility and accuracy of quantitative assessment of articular cartilage volume measurements with 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) of articular cartilage represents a powerful tool in osteoarthritis research, but has so far been confined to a field strength of 1.5 T. The aim of the study was to determine the reproducibility and accuracy of qMRI assessments of the knee cartilage volume by comparing quantitative swine cartilage volumes of the sagittal (sag) multi echo data imagine combination water-excitation (MEDICwe) sequence and the fast low-angle shoot water-excitation (FLASHwe) sequence at 3.0-T MRI to directly measured volumes (DMV) of the surgically removed articular cartilage.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Test-retest MRI was acquired in 20 swine knees. Two sag FLASHwe sequences and two sag MEDICwe sequences (spatial resolution 0.4 mm × 0.4 mm × 1.0 mm of 3-dimension (3D) were acquired at 3-T MRI in a knee. Articular cartilage volume was calculated from 3D reformations of the MRI by using a manual program. Calculated volumes were compared with DMV of the surgically removed articular cartilage. Knee joint cartilage plates were quantified paired in order.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the knee joint of swine, reproducibility errors (paired analysis) for cartilage volume were 2.5% to 3.2% with sag FLASHwe, and 1.6% to 3.0% with sag MEDICwe. Correlation coefficients between results obtained with qMRI and DMV ranged from 0.90 to 0.98 for cartilage volume. Systematic pairwise difference between results obtained with qMRI and DMV ranged from -1.1% to 2.8%. Random pairwise differences between results obtained with qMRI and DMV ranged from (2.9 ± 2.4)% to (6.8 ± 4.5)%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>FLASHwe and MEDICwe sequences permit highly accurate and reproducible analysis of cartilage volume in the knee joints of swine at 3-T MRI. Cartilage volume reproducibility for the MEDICwe data is slightly higher than the FLASHwe data.</p>

Relative apparent diffusion coefficient: a promising tool to differentiate metastatic from benign lymph nodes in animal models / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Diffusion-weighted imaging has been widely used to differentiate the character of lymphadenopathy. But there are significant differences between prior studies. The aim of the study was to compare the benefit of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and rADC in the differentiation of metastatic and benign lymph nodes in a rabbit model.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two observers independently measured ADCs in quadriceps of every rabbit on diffusion-weighted images with different sizes of regions of interest (ROI). The appropriate ROI for rADC was determined using the interobserver coefficient. rADC was calculated by ADC(lesion)/ADC(reference site). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was performed to compare the diagnostic value of the ADC values and rADC values in differentiating metastatic from benign lymph nodes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>When the ROIs included five pixels, the ICC was 0.816, indicating a good interobserver agreement. The differences of ADC and rADC values between metastatic and benign lymph nodes were both statistically significant. The area under the ROC curve was greater for the rADC than for the ADC. With the rADC criteria of 0.640, the sensitivity and specificity for differentiating metastatic from benign lymph nodes were 93% and 90%, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>As a reference site, muscles reveal a good repeatability using a small ROI and the rADC may improve diagnostic accuracy for detecting metastatic nodes in animal models.</p>

In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the value of in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) in the assessment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>1H MRS was performed in normal volunteers and in patients with pathologically confirmed HCC and cholangiocarcinomas using a whole-body 1.5-T scanner. The choline-to-lipid ratios were measured by dividing the peak area of choline at 3.2 ppm and lipid at 1.3 ppm.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The ratio of choline-to-lipid for normal liver, cholangiocarcinomas, and HCC were 0.07 +/- 0.04, 0.11 +/- 0.06, and 0.52 +/- 0.15, respectively. The ratio of choline-to-lipid was significantly higher in HCC compared than those in cholangiocarcinomas or normal livers (P < 0.05). However, it was not significantly different between cholangiocarcinomas and normal livers (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In vivo 1H MRS can reflect the pathological changes of HCC and cholangiocarcinomas at metabolic level and thus is useful in the diagnosis of these two cancers.</p>

Screening for consecutive patient population with suspected CAD by 64-slice CT coronary angiography / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the screening for consecutive patient population with suspected Coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CAD) by noninvasive 64-slice computed tomographic coronary angiography.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>2082 consecutive symptomatic subjects (1218 males, 868 female, with, mean age of 58.2 years old) with suspected CAD underwent MSCT studies. And 218 patients underwent coronary angiography within 7 days. Invasive coronary angiography was taken as golden standard for calculations of diagnostic accuracy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of 2082 subjects, 2063 (99.1%) were assessable, the mean examination duration was 4 minutes. Compared with CAG, the sensitivity of CTA to diagnose significant stenosis was 97.4%, specificity 90.1%, positive predictive value (PPV) 91.8% and negative predictive value (NPV) 96.8%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Sixty-four-MSCT is accurate, convenient, noninvasive, safe means to coronary angiography with economic benefit. Thus, it can be considered as a valuable noninvasive screening technique.</p>

CT guided percutaneous drainage in treatment of solitary retroperitoneai abscess / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of percutaneous drainage of solitary retroperitoneal abscess under CT guidance.Methods A retrospective analysis was made for percutaneous drainage of solitary retroperitoneal abscess with CT guidance in 13 patients including 4 at the tail of pancreas, 3 nearby the head of pancreas,3 in perirenal space,2 in posterior renal space and 1 case was by the side of psoas muscle.The maximum diameters of retroperitoneal abscess were between 3.5cm and 8cm.Results Out of 13 patients,8 with one time drainage,3 with twice drainages and 2 with thrice drainages.The mean duration of drainage was 16 days with no recurrence or residual lesions during clinical follow up.Conclusion CT guided percutaneous drainage of solitary retroperitoneal abscess is effective and minimally invasive.(J Intervent Radiol,2007,16:828-830)

Experimental research of CT-guided thermochemotherapy for pig's healthy pancreas / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To investigate the influence of CT-guided thermochemotherapy for pig's healthy pancreas and in turn to discuss the feasibility and efficacy on pancreatic tumors.Methods 9 healthy pigs were undergone CT-guided 80℃themochemotherapy with 18 G fine meedle injecting individually of 5-Fu 750mg(10 ml)into the pancreatic tail within 2min.CT,MRI and serum analyses test were carried out as the follow up study at 1h,3rd,7th and 14th day after the procedure;since the 3rd day,3 pigs were sacrificed right after every follow up and together with comparative study between diagnostic imagings and pathologic changes. Results The pig pancreatic tail necrotic lesions appeared to be most conspicuous at the 3rd day after thermochemotherapy and shrank gradually from 7th day to 14th day.Serum amylase level reached the highest at 3rd day after the treatment and lowered down at 7th day;and near approximately normal at 14th day.The outcomings of diagnostic imagings and macroscopic pathology were in accordance.Obvious pancreatitis occurred only in one pig and all others were nearly uneventful without serious complications of pancreatitis,intestinal adhesion and mortaligy.Conclusion CT-guided themochemotherapy can induce pancreatic,focal necrosis in healthy pig but with no serious complications;and these can further more establish the foundation for clinical practiee.(J Intervent Radiol,2007,16:844-846)

Natural history of small hepatocellular carcinoma: studied by MRI / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study natural history of small hepatocellular carcinoma (sHCC) and value of MRI in this research.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From 1999 to 2002, serial MR imagings were performed in 192 patients with cirrhosis no less than twice in order to detect sHCC focus. Characteristic MRI findings of focus were analysed. Diameters of focus (D) were measured. Tumorigenesis detected time (T) was counted; T and D were analysed by statistics and tumor volume doubling time (T(d)) was calculated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Fifty-eight new tumor foci in 33 patients were found, including 31 foci in 23 patients developed on the basis of cirrhosis, with a 12.0% cumulative tumorigenic rate of three years. The tumorigenesis detected time (T) was 386.9 +/- 256.4 days and the maximum diameter (D) was 2.258 +/- 1.074 cm. T was statistical correlated with D(3) (P < 0.01) and regressive formulas were established: D(3) = -2.69 + 0.058T (P = 0.0007), D(3) = -72.13 + 16.04lnT (P = 0.0064). Tumor volume doubling time was 20 approximately 279 days (mean: 104 days).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The percentage of tumorigenesis is high in patients with cirrhosis. Regular MRI examinations are necessary to detect sHCC early. The optimal interval time is 3 approximately 6 months.</p>

Pilot study on clinical application of hepatic perfusion with multi-slice spiral CT / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To research the value of hepatic perfusion with multi-slice spiral CT in the diagnosis of liver diseases.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Among the 48 patients undergone dynamic CT of the liver, 20 were volunteers without hepatic disorder, 17 with cirrhosis, 11 suffered from hepatic cancer. The perfusion indexes were calculated and compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Compared with the control group, HPP (ml/min/ml), PPI and HPP/HAP of patients with cirrhosis were significant lower (HPP: 0.49+/-0.19 vs 0.60+/-0.16, P=0.038; PPI: 0.58+/-0.14 vs 0.67+/-0.06, P=0.015; HPP/HAP: 1.63+/-0.87 vs 2.12+/-0.65, P=0.04), whereas HPI was higher (0.42+/-0.14 vs 0.33+/-0.06, P= 0.015), which indicated the decrease of portal inflow and the increase of arterial inflow in cirrhosis patients. (2) Patients with hepatic cancer got a significant higher average HAP than that in volunteers and cirrhosis patients (F=11.71, P<0.001), while their HPP and HPP/HAP showed significant declining (F=22.84, P=0.0001; F=20.67, P<0.0001, respectively), which implied that hepatic cancer was mainly supplied by artery.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Hepatic perfusion with multi-slice spiral CT is an non-invasive technique to evaluate the arterial and portal inflow separately, which can inflect the hemodynamic change of the lesion by the perfusion indexes, and identify the condition of the tissue round the lesion prior to morphologic change. This method shows important value of diagnosis and differential diagnosis in hepatic diseases.</p>

Effect of ginsenoside Rg2 on chemical myocardial ischemia in rats / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the protective effect of Ginsenoside Rg2 on Chemical myocardial ischemia.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The models of myocardial ischemia were built in rats with isoproterenol, sodium nitrite,pituitrin. Ginsenoside Rg2 (iv 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 mg x kg(-1)) were intravenously administered.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Ginsenoside Rg2 could improve the abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG), reduce the arca of myocardial ischemia and improve the abnormal zymologic value of myocardial.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ginsenoside Rg2 has inhibitory function on myocardialischemia.</p>

Three-dimensional contrast-enhanced MR angiography in diagnosis of cerebral arteriovenous malformation / 中华放射学杂志

Objective To evaluate the value of three-dimensional contrast-enhanced angiography (3D CE MRA) and MRI in the diagnosis and delineation of cerebral arteriovenous malformation(AVM). Methods Twenty-two cases of cerebral AVM examined by MRI and 3D CE,MRA.DSA was performed in 17 cases.A three-dimensional fast low angle shot (3D FLASH) was used for 3D CE MRA with Gd-DTPA dosage of 0.2 mmol per kilogram for body weight.The source images were subtracted from mask images and transferred to computer workstation using three-dimensional reconstruction.Results Among 22 cases, 19 showed typical AVM“flow void”signal on MR images.3D CE MRA clearly displayed the nidus,feeding artery and draining vein.All of the foci were above the cerebellum tentorium.13 located within one lobe, 3 exceeded one lobe and 3 situated in the deep of cerebrum.Feeding arteries were derived from single artery in 9 cases,and mixed supply in 10 cases.Draining veins diverted to sagittal sinus and/or sigmoid sinus in 6,deep cerebral veins in 8 and mixed in 5.In the 14 cases examined by both DSA and 3D CE MRA,3D CE MRA was superior to DSA in three-dimensional demonstration of the nidus,but inferior to DSA in demonstration of some details.3D CE MRA depicted 78.4% feeding arteries and 84.0% draining veins in addition,tiny pathologic blood vessels smaller than 1 centimeter were detected by DSA,but could not be found by 3D CE MRA and were only shown as hemorrhage lesions on MR images in 3 cases.Conclusion As a non-invasive technique,3D CE MRA combined with MRI is accurate in diagnosis and localization of cerebral AVM,and should be used as the first choice for those clinically suspected of AVM.But DSA remains needed for demonstration of details and tiny AVM.

Clinical value of multislice CT in diagnosis and preoperative TNM-staging of gastric carcinoma / 第二军医大学学报

Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of multislice CT (MSCT) in the diagnosis and preoperative TNM staging of gastric carcinoma. Methods: Fifty patients with advanced gastric carcinoma were examined by MSCT, gastrointestinal series (GI), fiberoptic gastroscopy (FG) and transabdominal ultrasonography (US). The results of the 4 methods were compared with postoperative pathological results. Forty patients, who were diagnosed as having advanced gastric carcinoma by both MSCT and US, had their TNM staging evaluated and the results were compared with postoperative pathological TNM evaluation. Results: The detection rates of MSCT, FG, GI and US for advanced gastric carcinoma were 98%, 100%, 88% and 80%, respectively. The detection rate of MSCT was not significantly different with that of FG, but was obviously higher than that of GI (P=0.027) and US (P=0.004). The accuracy of MSCT in preoperative TNM staging was significantly higher than that of US(92.5% vs 72.5%). Conclusion: MSCT, with two-phase thin slice incremental scanning image, multiplaner reformats (MPR) and three-dimension (3D) image, is more advantaged in detecting the gross type, size, location, invasion and metastasis of advanced gastric carcinoma, thus greatly improving the detection rate and preoperative TNM staging of advanced gastric carcinoma.

CT-guided percutaneous ethanol injection in treatment of metastatic adrenal tumors / 第二军医大学学报

Objective:To validate the therapeutic value of CT-guided percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) in the treatment of metastatic adrenal tumors. Methods: Thirty-one foci (diameter ranging from 1.5 cm to 7.2 cm) in 25 patients with metastatic adrenal tumors were treated with CT-guided PEI for more than twice. Plain and enhanced CT scans were performed 1-2 months after PEI to observe the size and necrosis of the tumors. Results: Post-PEI enhanced CT scan showed that 18 of the 20 foci with diameters less than 3 cm completely necrotized; 11 foci with diameters between 3 cm and 7.2 cm necrotized partially, and 2 foci completely necrotized after another 2-3 courses of PEI treatment. Conclusion: CT-guided PEI is a simple and minimally invasive means for treatment of metastatic adrenal tumors, and the therapeutic effect is satisfactory.

Clinical application of CT-guided curve-needle percutaneous ethanol injection for celiac plexus block analgesia / 第二军医大学学报

Objective:To validate the clinical value of CT-guided curve-needle percutaneous ethanol injection (CNPEI) for celiac plexus block analgesia. Methods: Thirty-two patients with end-stage cancer, including 13 complicated with extensive retroperitoneal lymph node enlargement and fusion, were enrolled in this study. All patients complained of refractory upper abdominal pain and had received narcotic analgesics and radiotherapy, but the analgesic effect was not good. CT-guided CNPEI was therefore prescribed. Results: The effective rates of CT-guided CNPEI were 100%, 100%, 96.9%, 90.6%, 87.5%, and 84.4% immediately,and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks after treatment, respectively. All enlarged lymph nodes had obvious necrosis and became shrunk. Conclusion: Combined application of bilateral anterior and posterior diaphragmatic crura block and trans-lymph node block can produce good analgesic effects, and curve-needle puncture make the above technique simpler.

Clinical application of 64-slice spiral CT pulmonary angiography in diagnosis of pulmonary embolism / 第二军医大学学报

Objective:To evaluate the clinical application of 64-slice spiral computer tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA)in diagnosis of pulmonary embolism(PE).Methods:Sixty-two patients suspected of PE were examined by 64-slice spiral CTPA.The image findings combined with their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Twenty-four of the 62 patients were confirmed to have PE by clinical data,laboratory examination and follow-up examination.64-slice spiral CTPA discovered 152 involved branches in the 24 PE patients,including 4 branches in left and right pulmonary trunk,52 in lobar pulmonary arteries,82 in segmental pulmonary arteries,and 14 in subsegmental arteries.Four types of PE were detected in our group,including eccentric filling defect in 58 branches,central filling defect in 49 branches,total occlusion of the pulmonary arteries in 21 branches,and mural embolism of host artery in 24 branches.The diagnosis accuracy of 64-slice spiral CTPA in the present group of patients was 100%,with no missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis.Besides,64-slice spiral CTPA could reflect the location,morphology,involvement and degrees of PE.Conclusion:64-slice spiral CTPA is a rapid,accurate and non-invasive diagnostic approach for PE.It is the first choice in clinical screening of PE and may serve as a gold standard for diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.