An study of ultrasonic monitoring imaging of microwave ablation based on Nakagami statistic parameter / 生物医学工程学杂志

This paper explored the feasibility of using ultrasonic Nakagami statistic parameter imaging to evaluate the thermal lesion induced by microwave ablation (MWA) in porcine models. In this paper, thermal lesions were induced in livers and kidneys in 5 swines using a clinical MWA system. During this treatment progress, ultrasonic radiofrequency (RF) data were collected. The dynamic changes of Nakagami parameter in the thermal lesion were calculated, and the ultrasonic B-mode images and Nakagami images were reconstructed simultaneously. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between the thermal lesion and the surrounding normal tissue was calculated over the MWA procedure. After MWA, a bright hyperechoic region appeared in the ultrasonic Nakagami image as an indicator of the thermal lesion and this bright spot enlarged with lesion development during MWA exposure. The mean value of Nakagami parameter in the liver and kidney increased from 0.78 and 0.79 before treatment to 0.91 and 0.92 after treatment, respectively. During MWA exposure, the mean values of CNR calculated from the Nakagami parameter increased from 0.49 to 1.13 in the porcine liver and increased from 0.51 to 0.85 in the kidney, which were both higher than those calculated from the B-mode images. This study on porcine models suggested that the ultrasonic Nakagami imaging may provide an alternative modality for monitoring MWA treatment.

<b>NAKAGAMI Kinkei's (中神琴渓) Remedy and His Philosophy of Medicine</b> / 日本東洋医学雑誌

NAKAGAMI Kinkei 中神琴渓 is one of the greatest practitioners in the Edo 江戸 era Japan. His remedy and his philosophy of medicine on which his remedy is based is a treasured part in the history of Japanese Kampo 漢方 medicine. However I can hardly find any researches on this point.<br>Then in this paper, I enrolled these Kinkei's works <i>Seiseidozakki</i>, <i>Seiseidoyoseiron</i>, etc., and took an overview on them philologically first to clarify his remedy practically, then I considered his philosophy of medicine.<br>After that, I can show that Kinkei's remedies were delivered in various fields:(1)acupuncture (hemospasia/phlebotomy), (2)bathing, (3)moxibustion/moxa cautery, (4)galenical/medication. Kinkei, taking over his mentors' ideas and remedies, but established his own modality of remedy based on his innovative philosophy of medicine, which actually is derived from his accurate and unrestricted diagnoses.<br>As we have come this far, we can assert that Kinkei's remedy is always unrestricted assortments of various methods. That is what he described “unfettered remedy” and he described that he “unfetters himself away from the fixed rule”<規則を離れる>.