ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical value of high frequency ultrasonography with E-flow imaging in the evaluation of fingertip's microcirculation changes in patients with systemic sclerosis(SSc).Methods Twenty-four SSc patients and 29 healthy subjects were involved.High frequency ultrasonography with E-flow imaging was used to observe the configuration and distribution of digital arteries in the last segment of left and right middle finger.Peak systolic velocity (PSV),end diastolic velocity (EDV),mean velocity(MV),vascular resistance index (RI) and pulsatility index(PI) of digital palmar propria arteries,nail bed arteries and finger ventral arteries were measured.Results In control group,rich blood supply was revealed within the fingertips.Digital palmar propria arteries,nail bed arteries and finger ventral arteries and their small branches were displayed clearly and continuously by E-flow imaging.While in SSc patients,the definition and continuity of fingertip's small vascular flow images were not as good as that in the control group,with the distribution of blood flow markedly reduced.compared with the control group,PSV,EDV and MV of digital palmar propria arteries,nail bed arteries,finger ventral arteries were decreased in SSc group(P＜0.01),but both RI and PI were increased(P＜0.05).There were no statistically significant differences between left and right fingertip's arteries index in normal control group (P＞0.05).But PSV,EDV and MV of left digital palmar propria arteries in SSc group were higher than that of the right(P＜0.05),whose differences bear statistic significance.Conclusions High frequency ultrasonography with E-flow imaging is sensitive and reliable to reflect fingertip's microcirculation changes and provide a new method to assess microvascular changes in SSc patients.
ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the effect of E-Flow imaging on the radiotherapy of cervical lymph nodes metastasized from nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Methods A total of 52 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with 94 invasion neck lymph nodes were treated with conventional radiotherapy. Lymph node size, hemodynamic parameters, and blood supply were detected by E-Flow imaging and two-dimensional ultrasound before and after the radiotherapy. The relationship between those examinations and radiotherapy effect was analyzed.Results Of the 94 metastatic cervical lymph nodes from nasopharyngeal carcinoma before the radiotherapy, 40 disappeared, 52 reduced, and 2 maintained the original size after the radiotherapy. Blood flow in all residual lymph nodes decreased or disappearaed. Artery flow spectrum in the lymph node was changed from the high-speed high impedance to low-speed low resistance. The size of cervical lymph node and blood flow before the radiotherapy were associated with clinical efficacy (P<0.05). Conclusion E-Flow imaging plays an important role in assessing the efficacy of radiation therapy by changing the blood supply of cervical lymph node and its size before and after the radiotherapy.