ABSTRACT
Hepatic echinococcosis is a chronic parasitic disease, which is caused by the larvae of Echinococcus multilocularis. It has a high risk of disability and mortality, which is also known as "parasite cancer". In clinical practice, hepatic echinococcosis can be divided into hepatic alveolar echinococcosis and hepatic cystic echinococcosis. Hepatic echinococcosis is widely prevalent worldwide. It mainly occurs in the populations residing agricultural and pastoral areas in western China, posing significant threats to the quality of life of local residents. At present, surgery is the main treatment for hepatic echinococcosis in clinical settings. With rapid development of surgical diagnosis and treatment technology and deepening understanding of hepatic echinococcosis, diagnosis and treatment regimens have also been constantly improved. In this article, research progresses on the diagnosis and treatment of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis were reviewed, aiming to provide reference for clinicians, deliver early diagnosis and treatment, mitigate adverse effects of this disease upon patients and improve clinical prognosis.
ABSTRACT
Lung transplantation is the only effective therapeutic option for end-stage lung diseases, and postoperative rejection is the main factor affecting clinical prognosis of the recipients. Imaging examination can be utilized as a noninvasive tool to assist other examinations in monitoring rejection after lung transplantation. At present, multiple imaging examination methods have been reported. The advantages and disadvantages of various imaging examinations have been clarified, which may promote early diagnosis of rejection, deliver timely treatment for lung transplant recipients and improve the quality of life and clinical prognosis. In this article, the advantages, disadvantages and research progress upon different imaging examinations for rejection after lung transplantation were reviewed, aiming to provide reference for identifying the optimal noninvasive examination approach for rejection after lung transplantation and enhance the long-term survival of the recipients.
ABSTRACT
@#Objective: To investigate the relationship between PET/CT metabolic parameters and pathological features and prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients with intramural gastric metastasis (IGM). Methods: Totally 86 cases of ESCC IGM patients treated in Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University from January 2008 to December 2014 were selected for this study. The patients received the imaging examination by positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT). The metabolic parameters including maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), PET tumor length (PTL) and mean standard uptake value (SUVmean) were examined to calculate the total lesion glycolysis (TLG). The survival of the patients during 5-year follow-up was recorded, and the relationship between metabolic parameters and clinical pathological features and prognosis was analyzed. Results: SUVmax and SUVmean of IGM patients were related to the diameter of the primary tumor (all P<0.05); MTV was associated with the tumor diameter, lymph node metastasis, and TNM staging (all P<0.05); TLG was associated with the tumor diameter, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and tissue differentiation (all P<0.05). During the 5-year follow-up, 6 patients were lost to follow-up, 36 patients died and 44 patients survived; SUVmax, MTV, TLG, PTL, SUVmean, and TNM staging were predictors for patients’prognosis (all P<0.05); MTV, TLG, PTL, SUVmean, and TNM staging were risk factors for prognosis (all P< 0.05). Conclusion: The metabolic parameters including SUVmax, MTV, TLG, PTL and SUVmean in ESCC patients with IGM are related to the pathological characteristics of patients; moreover, MTV, TLG, PTL, SUVmean and TNM staging are risk factors for prognosis; so, PET/CT examination has certain clinical value for the prognosis assessment in ESCC patients with IGM.