ABSTRACT
Background & objectives: With the ethical concern about the dose of CT scan and wide use of CT in protocol of suspected renal colic, more attention has been paid to low dose CT. The aim of the present study was to make a comparison of unenhanced low-dose spiral CT localization with unenhanced standard-dose spiral CT in patients with upper urinary tract calculi for minimally invasive percutaneous nephrolithotomy (MPCNL) treatment. Methods: Twenty eight patients with ureter and renal calculus, preparing to take MPCNL, underwent both abdominal low-dose CT (25 mAs) and standard-dose CT (100 mAs). Low-dose CT and standard-dose CT were independently evaluated for the characterization of renal/ureteral calculi, perirenal adjacent organs, blood vessels, indirect signs of renal or ureteral calculus (renal enlargement, pyeloureteral dilatation), and the indices of localization (percutaneous puncture angulation and depth) used in the MPCNL procedure. Results: In all 28 patients, low-dose CT was 100 per cent coincidence 100 per cent sensitive and 100 per cent specific for depicting the location of the renal and ureteral calculus, renal enlargement, pyeloureteral dilatation, adjacent organs, and the presumptive puncture point and a 96.3 per cent coincidence 96 per cent sensitivity and 93 per cent specificity for blood vessel signs within the renal sinus, and with an obvious lower radiation exposure for patients when compared to standard-dose CT (P<0.05). The indices of puncture depth, puncture angulation, and maximum calculus transverse diameter on the axial surface showed no significant difference between the two doses of CT scans, with a significant variation in calculus visualization slice numbers (P<0.05). Interpretation & conclusions: Our findings show that unenhanced low-dose CT achieves a sensitivity and accuracy similar to that of standard-dose CT in assessing the localization of renal ureteral calculus and adjacent organs conditions and identifying the maximum calculus transverse diameter on the axial surface, percutaneous puncture depth, and angulation in patients, with a significant lower radiation exposure, who are to be treated by MPCNL, and can be used as an alternative localization method.
ABSTRACT
Objective To synthesize a multiple antigenic peptide(MAP),observe its humoral immune response and evaluate its antifertility potential.Methods Based on fusogenic epitope mimic peptide and synthetic nonnatural Pan DR T Helper Epitope(PADRE),MAP antigenic peptides were designed and synthesized.After suspending with the equivalent Freund's adjuvant,the antigens were used to immunize the female C57BL/6 mice to evalutate their humoral immune response in animals and efficiency of specific antisera on inhibiting syncytial trophoblast fusion.Results The MAP peptide was successfully synthesized.After purified with HPLC,its purity reached 95%.After immunization,the highest level of specific IgG in mice serum was 1:1 024,and the corresponding antigen of human trophoblastic cell could be identified in the antisera.In presence of mice antiserum by 1:10 dilution,forskolin-induced intercellular fusion of BeWo choriocarcinoma cells decreased remarkably(P