ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the value of three dimensional proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (3D 1H-MRS) with body coil at 3T in the differential diagnosis of prostate cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty patients suspected of prostate cancer underwent MRI and MRS examinations, and then transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy for pathological diagnosis. The MRI and MRS features of benign prostate hyperplasia, prostate cancer and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) were analyzed in comparison with the pathological reports, and the receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn for the diagnosis of cancer from peripheral zones.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The examinations were accomplished for all the patients. The mean ratios of (Cho + Cre)/Cit in the interstitial and glandular hyperplasia tissues, the cancer tissue of the central and peripheral glands, the healthy peripheral gland and PIN were 0.75 +/- 0.23, 0.59 +/- 0.14, 1.79 +/- 0.90, 1.18 +/- 0.95, 0.46 +/- 0.18, and 0.97 +/- 0.10, respectively, with statistically significant differences between the cancer and normal prostate tissues (P < 0.01). The optimum threshold for the diagnosis of prostate cancer in the peripheral zone was 0.68 with a sensitivity of 88.6% and a specificity of 88.7%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The 3D 1H-MRS with body coil at 3T has a high sensitivity and specificity in the differential diagnosis of prostate cancer, and can provide valuable information for the diagnosis of PIN.</p>
Subject(s)
Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Diagnosis, Differential , Imaging, Three-Dimensional , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Methods , Prostatic Neoplasms , Diagnosis , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
Objetcive To analyze the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)features in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) of different size and to discuss the diagnostic value of CEUS in CCRCCs. Methods The contrast-enhanced and conventional US features of 80 CCRCCs confirmed pathologically were retrospectively analyzed. Samples were divided into three groups by diameters: small CCRCCs (≤30 mm), medium CCRCCs(＞30 mm) and large CCRCCs(＞50 mm). The tumoral vascularity, lesion homogeneity and presence of an anechoic rim were observed on conventional US. The enhancement of echogenicity, homogeneity and pseudocapsule were evaluated on CEUS. Results Among the 80 renal masses, 32 were small CCRCCs, 28 were medium CCRCCs while the large CCRCCs were 20. On conventional US, 18.8%(6/32) of small CCRCCs, 71.4%(20/28) of medium CCRCCs and 95%(19/20) of large CCRCCs demonstrated as heterogeneous and the differences were highly statistically significant, whereas there were no differences in the tumoral vascularity and the presence of pseudocapsule sign among the three groups. On CEUS, 28.1%(9/32) of small CCRCCs, 85.7%(24/28) of medium CCRCCs and 100%(20/20) of large CCRCCs showed a homogeneous enhancement. The incidence of pseudocapsule sign in medium tumors was higher than small and large groups(71.4%,50% and 25%,respectively). There were statistically significant differences among the three groups in the enhanced homogeneity and the presence of pseudocapsule sign. However, all the three groups revealed mainly isoechoic and hyperechoic and there were no differences among them. Compared with conventional US, CEUS depicted significantly the increased tumoral vascularity (51.3% vs. 87.5%) and pseudocapsule sign(22.5% vs. 51.3%). Eight lesions demonstrated heterogeneous contrast enhancement on CEUS while homogeneous on conventional US, but there were no differences in lesion homogeneity between conventional US and CEUS findings. Conclusions Different sizes of CCRCC showed distinct CEUS features in the enhanced homogeneity and the presence of pseudocapsule sign. CEUS is more effective on improving the sonographic characteristics of tumoral visualization and may provide important information of US findings for the diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma.
ABSTRACT
Forty type 2 diabetic patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) were assigned to two groups and treated respectively with?-lipoic acid or mecobalamin for 2 weeks.The results suggested that?-lipoic acid could accelerate the nerve conduction velocity and decrease the plasma level of endothelin and C reactive protein as well as microalbuminceria with a effect similar to mecobalamin therapy on DPN.