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Objective:To investigate the predictive value of perfusion defect gradient features of early breast cancer using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 147 patients with single early breast cancer confirmed by surgery and pathology in the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University from January 2017 to December 2022, which were divided into SLN positive group (78 cases) and SLN negative group (69 cases) according to whether there are positive lesions in the biopsy SLN. The quantitative characteristics of CEUS in the perfusion defect and marginal high perfusion area of breast cancer in the two groups were analyzed. The differential gradient features between them were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression and ROC curves.Results:The univariate analysis revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups for peak-arrival time gradient (ΔTTP), peak intensity gradient (ΔPI), ascending branch slope gradient (ΔRS) and area gradient under the curve (ΔAUC) (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that ΔTTP, ΔPI and ΔAUC were independent predictors of SLN status in early breast cancer (all P<0.05). The sensitivity (74.57%), specificity (84.42%) and area under the curve (0.789) of that combination of the three indexes for predicting SLN status were higher than the prediction efficiency of a single index.In addition, ΔTTP ( r=-0.578, P<0.05) was negatively correlated with average positive rate of SLN, and ΔPI ( r=0.629, P<0.05) and ΔAUC ( r=0.703, P<0.05) were positively correlated with average positive rate of SLN. Conclusions:The perfusion defect gradient features of early breast cancer are closely related to the SLN status and can effectively predict whether SLN metastasis occurrs.
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Objective To analyze the pulmonary perfusion defect index (PPDI) of dual-energy computed tomography (CT) and pulmonary artery obstruction index (PAOI) of conventional CT angiography, and to investigate the clinical application value of dual-energy CT perfusion imaging in the examination of patients with acute pulmonary embolism. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 21 patients diagnosed with acute pulmonary embolism in Weifang People's Hospital from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022. PPDI, PAOI, and maximum plasma D-dimer concentration (mg/L) were calculated. According to the 2019 ESC Guidelines, the patients were divided into low-risk group (n = 8) and medium-risk group (n = 12). The Mann-Whitney U test was used for between-group comparisons. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlations between PAOI, PPDI, and plasma D-dimer concentration. Results The PPDI, PAOI, and D-dimer values in the low-risk group were 3.33 (2.09, 4.58), 5.00 (3.13, 5.00), and 0.67 (0.52, 0.79), respectively. The PPDI, PAOI, and D-dimer values in the middle-risk group were 8.34 (5.42, 12.50), 12.50 (8.13, 15.00), and 1.18 (0.86, 2.87), respectively. The Z-values of comparison between the two groups were −3.092, −3.650, and −3.318, respectively (all P < 0.05). There were significant differences in PPDI, PAOI, and D-dimer between the low-risk and middle-risk groups (P < 0.05). Positive correlations were observed between PPDI and PAOI, between PPDI and D-dimer, and between PAOI and D-dimer (rs = 0.869, 0.918, 0.909, all P < 0.05). Conclusion Both PPDI and PAOI can be used for the clinical examination of patients with acute pulmonary embolism and evaluation of the severity of the disease. Compared with conventional CT, dual-energy CT perfusion imaging is more efficient in the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism, and facilitates accurate clinical treatment.
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Objective:To investigate the value of pulmonary perfusion defect index (PPDI), pulmonary artery obstruction index (PAOI) and right heart function parameters in the evaluation of severity of pulmonary embolism.Methods:The clinical data of 108 patients with pulmonary embolism who received treatment in The Second Hospital of Jiaxing from January 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were divided into high-risk ( n = 25), moderate-risk ( n = 32), and low-risk ( n = 51) groups according to the severity of pulmonary embolism. PAOI, PPDI, right ventricular short axis maximum diameter (RV), left ventricular short axis maximum diameter (LV), ratio of right/left right ventricular short axis maximum diameter (RV/LV) were determined in each group. PPDI, PAOI and right ventricular function parameters were correlated with the severity of pulmonary embolism. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, specificity and severity of PPDI, PAOI, RV, LV, RV/LV used alone and in combination to predict the severity of pulmonary embolism were analyzed. Results:PPDI, PAOI, RV, and RV/LV in the high-risk group were (32.52 ± 10.85)%, (45.01 ± 15.02)%, (50.32 ± 12.32) mm, (1.42 ± 0.45), respectively, which were significantly lower than (5.32 ± 1.85)%, (12.52 ± 3.25)%, (37.25 ± 8.52) mm, (0.96 ± 0.21) in the low-risk group, and LV was significantly lower in the high-risk group than that in the low-risk group [(35.14 ± 10.52) mm vs. (44.02 ± 15.21) mm, t = 13.95, 11.91, 2.62, 6.09, 5.44, all P < 0.05]. PPDI, PAOI, RV, and RV/LV in the moderate-risk group were (18.62 ± 6.02)%, (28.65 ± 8.65)%, (45.85 ± 10.02) mm, and (1.20 ± 0.32), respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the low-risk group ( t = 14.75, 12.06, 4.18, 4.13, all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in LV between moderate-risk and low-risk groups ( t = 1.51, P > 0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that PPDI, PAOI, RV, RV/LV were positively correlated with the severity of pulmonary embolism ( r = 0.87, 0.84, 0.45, 0.41, all P < 0.001). LV was negatively correlated with the severity of pulmonary embolism ( r = -0.27, P < 0.001). The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) showed that the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of PPDI, PAOI, RV, LV, RV/LV used alone or in combination to predict the severity of pulmonary embolism were 0.941, 0.911, 0.721, 0.693, 0.726, and 0.951, respectively (all P < 0.001). Conclusion:PPDI, PAOI and right heart function parameters can be used as effective indexes to dynamically monitor the severity of pulmonary embolism.
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Objective To analyze the causes and manifestations of non-pulmonary embolism induced perfusion defects (PDs) on dual-energy perfusion imaging (DEPI) using dual source CT.Methods Consecutive 208 patients without pulmonary embolism who underwent DEPI were reviewed retrospectively.The causes of PDs were analyzed by two radiologists, the pulmonary segment numbers, the proportion and the perfusion patterns of each case were recorded and analyzed respectively.Results 1 118 of 3 716 pulmonary segments showed the PDs.Among them, 752(67.26%), 36(3.22%), 308(27.55%) and 22(1.97%) pulmonary segments had PDs due to intra-pulmonary lesions, vascular diseases, artifacts and unidentifiable causes, respectively.In PDs resulted from intra-pulmonary lesions, vascular diseases and unidentifiable causes, three patterns (wedge-shaped, heterogeneous and regionally homogeneous) were identified,and most of those PDs were heterogeneous and regionally homogeneous, which were largely in accordance with the lesions showed on non-contrast enhanced scans.Artifacts included the beam hardening artifacts and artifacts caused by heart beat or diaphragmatic movement.The PDs caused by artifacts usually had particular locations and shapes.Conclusion Understanding of the manifestations and causes of PDs in patients without pulmonary embolism can improve the diagnosis accuracy of pulmonary embolism on DEPI.
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PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the incidence and aspects of myocardial perfusion defects in patients who were subjected to either two-dimensional or three-dimensional simulation techniques for early left-sided breast cancer. The myocardial perfusion defects were determined from using single photon emitted computerized tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2002 and August 2003, 32 patients were enrolled in this study. The patients were diagnosed as having early (AJCC stage T1-T2N0M0) left-sided breast cancer and were treated with tangential irradiation after breast-conserving surgery and systemic chemotherapy. The patients were divided into two groups according to the type of simulation received: two-dimensional simulation using an X-ray fluoroscope simulator or three-dimensional simulation with a CT simulator. All patients underwent technetium- 99m-sestamibi gated perfusion SPECT at least 3 years after radiotherapy. The incidence and area of myocardial perfusion defects were evaluated and were compared in the two groups, and at the same time left ventricular ejection fraction and cardiac wall motion were also analyzed. The cardiac volume included in the radiation fields was calculated and evaluated to check for a correlation between the amount of irradiated cardiac volume and aspects of myocardial perfusion defects. RESULTS: A myocardial perfusion defect was detected in 11 of 32 patients (34.4%). There were 7 (46.7%) perfusion defect cases in 15 patients who underwent the two-dimensional simulation technique and 4 (23.5%) patients with perfusion defects in the three-dimensional simulation group (p=0.0312). In 10 of 11 patients who had myocardial perfusion changes, the perfusion defects were observed in the cardiac apex. The left ventricular ejection fraction was within the normal range and cardiac wall motion was normal in all patients. The irradiated cardiac volume of patients in the three-dimensional simulation group was less than that of patients who received the two-dimensional simulation technique, but there was no statistical significance as compared to the incidence of perfusion defects. CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy with a CT simulator (three-dimensional simulation technique) for early left-sided breast cancer may reduce the size of the irradiated cardiac volume and the incidence of myocardial perfusion defects. Further investigation and a longer follow-up duration are needed to analyze the relationship between myocardial perfusion defects and clinical ischemic heart disease.