ABSTRACT
Objective@#To prospectively evaluate the efficacy of lauromacrogol injection for ablation (LIA) of benign predominantly cystic thyroid nodules and its related factors. @*Materials and Methods@#A total of 142 benign predominantly cystic thyroid nodules (median volume, 12.5 mL; range, 0.4– 156 mL) in 137 patients (male:female sex ratio, 36:101; mean age ± standard deviation [SD], 49 ± 13 years) were treated with LIA after being confirmed as benign via cytology. The volume reduction rate (VRR) of the nodules and cosmetic score were evaluated during follow-up at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment and every 6 months thereafter. A VRR of ≥ 50% at the 12-month follow-up was considered to indicate effective treatment. The associations between the clinical factors and nodular ultrasound features, including the initial nodule volume, proportion of solid components, vascularity grade and ineffective treatment (VRR of < 50% at the 12-month follow-up), and regrowth were analyzed. @*Results@#All patients completed follow-up for at least 12 months. The average ± SD follow-up period was 32 ± 11 months (range, 12–54 months). The effective treatment rate was 73.2% (104/142), while the regrowth rate was 12.0% (17/142) at the last follow-up. Grade 2–3 intranodular vascularity in the solid components of the nodules was the only independent factor associated with ineffective treatment, with an odds ratio (reference category, grade 0–1) of 3.054 (95% confidence interval, 1.148–8.127) (p = 0.025). @*Conclusion@#LIA is an effective treatment for predominantly cystic thyroid nodules. Grade 2–3 intranodular vascularity in the solid components of nodules is the only independent risk factor for ineffective LIA.
ABSTRACT
The changes of blood perfusion of contralateral testis after unilateral testicular torsion remain controversial. In this study, 28 New Zealand white male rabbits were randomly divided into five groups. Group A (n = 8), the control group, underwent a sham operation on the unilateral testis without inducing testicular torsion. In groups B, C, and D (n = 5 each), unilateral testicular torsion was induced, and, after 3, 6 or 24 h, respectively, detorsion was performed. In group E (n = 5), permanent unilateral testicular torsion was applied. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound was used to observe the blood perfusion of the contralateral testis at the following stages: pre-torsion (preopration), immediately post-torsion (postopration), pre-detorsion, immediately post-detorsion, and late-stage post-detorsion (6-12 h post-detorsion in groups B-D) or at a similar time point (15-21 h post-torsion in group E). Time-intensity curves were generated, and the following parameters were derived and analyzed: arrival time, time to peak intensity, peak intensity, and half-time of the descending peak intensity. The analysis revealed that blood perfusion of the contralateral testis increased immediately after testicular torsion on the opposite side (P < 0.05), which increased with prolonged testicular torsion of the other testis. This research demonstrated that contrast-enhanced ultrasound was valuable in evaluating blood perfusion of the contralateral testis after unilateral testicular torsion.