ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the value of superb microvacular imaging ( SMI) technology in differentiating thyroid microcarcinomas from benign micronodules comparing with contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) . Methods A total of 195 thyroid micronodules ( ≤1 .0 cm) from 172 patients were examined using CEUS and SMI ,and the findings were reviewed and evaluated in comparison to the pathological results . Results Of all the 195 thyroid nodules ,pathologic findings revealed that 140 (71 .8% ) were malignant and 55 (28 .2% ) were benign ,CEUS diagnosed that 127 (65 .1% ) were malignant and 68 (34 .9% ) were benign ,and SMI diagnosed that 129 (66 .2% ) were malignant and 66 (33 .8% ) were benign . There were no differences between the SMI and CEUS in terms of sensitivity ( 90 .0% vs 87 .9% ) , specificity ( 94 .5% vs 92 .7% ) ,accuracy ( 91 .3% vs 89 .2% ) ,positive predictive value ( 97 .7% vs 96 .9% ) and negative predictive value ( 92 .9% vs 87 .9% ) ( P > 0 .05 for all) . Conclusions SMI can effectively observe the perforating blood vessels of thyroid micronodules , which plays an important role in differentiating of benign and malignant thyroid micronodules .
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate whether the presence of infection in a case series with coma would predict sepsis associated encephalopathy(SAE).Methods From Jan 2013 to Oct 2014,we used the criteria of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)positive sepsis with encephalopathy and retrospective diagnosed a comatose case series with infection and from a tertiary teaching hospital intensive care unit (ICU).Results Among 6 comatose patients with evidence of infection,3 cases were secondary infection after hemorrhagic stroke,1 case was secondary infection after trauma,and the other 2 cases were primary infection.All patients met the diagnosis of SIRS -positive sepsis with encephalopathy.Among them,the presence of SIRS 3 criteria was in 2 cases,four criteria in 4 cases. All patients with severe brain failure (100%),in addition to 5 cases with acute respiratory failure caused by lung injury,one case with acute liver failure.Brain imaging confirmed that the delayed vasogenic edema was in two cases (33.3%),the cerebral ischemic lesions in four cases(66.7%).The ischemic lesion included 1 patient with minor infarcts and 1 case with mild white matter lesions,and with a good prognosis.The other two ischemic cases included multifocal leukoencephalopathy with central pontine myelinolysis in 1 case and extensive white matter lesions in 1 case,eventually with a poor prognosis.Conclusion SAE is a common critically illness,the use of the new classifi-cation criteria of sepsis is helpful in the diagnosis of sepsis associated encephalopathy.