Segmental Liver Stiffness Evaluated with Magnetic Resonance Elastography Is Responsive to Endovascular Intervention in Patients with Budd-Chiari Syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To assess segmental liver stiffness (LS) with MRI before and after endovascular intervention in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients (13 males and 10 females; mean age, 42.6 ± 12.6 years; age range, 31–56 years) with BCS as a primary liver disease were recruited for this study. Two consecutive magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) examinations were performed before the endovascular treatment. Fifteen patients who underwent endovascular intervention treatment also had follow-up MRE scans within three days after the procedure. LS was measured in three liver segments: the right posterior, right anterior, and left medial segments. Inter-reader and inter-exam repeatability were analyzed with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland-Altman analysis. Segmental LS and clinical characteristics before and after the intervention were also compared. RESULTS: Within three days of the endovascular intervention, all three segmental LS values decreased: LS of the right posterior segment = 7.23 ± 0.88 kPa (before) vs. 4.94 ± 0.84 kPa (after), LS of the right anterior segment = 7.30 ± 1.06 kPa (before) vs. 4.77 ± 0.85 kPa (after), and LS of the left medial segment = 7.22 ± 0.87 kPa (before) vs. 4.87 ± 0.72 kPa (after) (all p = 0.001). There was a significant correlation between LS changes and venous pressure gradient changes before and after treatments (r = 0.651, p = 0.009). The clinical manifestations of all 15 patients significantly improved after therapy. The MRE repeatability was excellent, with insignificant variations (inter-reader, ICC = 0.839–0.943: inter-examination, ICC = 0.765–0.869). Bland-Altman analysis confirmed excellent agreement (limits of agreement, 13.4–19.4%). CONCLUSION: Segmental LS measured by MRE is a promising repeatable quantitative biomarker for monitoring the treatment response to minimally invasive endovascular intervention in patients with BCS.

Three-dimensional MRI study on the morphology and lateral asymmetry of Chinese female calcarine sulcus / 解剖学报

ObjectiveTo study the morphology, normal values and lateral asymmetry of Chinese calcarine sulcus on MRI. Methods High-resolution and transverse MRI were obtained from 40 female volunteers. Brainvisa software was used to reconstruct the calcarine sulcus and measure its average length, depth and width automatically. Results The posterior branch of calcarine sulcus showed six types in the median sagittal plane: bifurcation(32.50%), single peak(25.00%), flat (16.25%), S-shaped (15.00%), double peak(7.50%) and other shape (3.75%); its location had three types: inferior(72.50%), middle(21.25%)and superior(6.25%). The depth of left calcarine sulcus was (15.24±2.67)mm, and the right one was (16.97±3.25)mm, which revealed great statistical significance (P＜0.000 1). The width of left calcarine sulcus was (3.14±0.91)mm, and it was (3.19± 0.83)mm in the right side. The bottom length of calcarine sulcus: the left was (86.47±16.85)mm, the right was (83.62±17.10)mm. The top length of calcarine sulcus: the left was (70.52±12.40)mm, the right was (64.90±15.17)mm. There were not statistical significance in width, bottom length and top length between left and right calcarine sulci. More than half of the end part of calcarine sulci turned to the lateral surface of cerebral hemisphere.Totally 63 cases (78.75%) were found with prominent calcar avis. Conclusion Significant difference of depth between left and right calcarine sulcus of female was found. Three-dimensional reconstruction is an effective method to study the anatomy of calcarine sulcus.

Antiinflammatory and Bacteriostasis Pharmacodynamics Effects Research of Sanxiaoyuchuang Ointment / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To observe the effects of Sanxiaoyuchuang ointment on the mice inflammatory model induced by Dimethylbenzene,bacteria strains in vitro and mice pneumococcus pneumonia model.Methods Mice inflammatory model induced by Dimethylbenzene,in vitro bacteria strains model and mice pneumococcus pneumonia model were founded respectively,randomed and controlled methods were used,exposed to different dosages of Sanxiaoyuchuang ointment,the changes of auricle swelling degree,earcapillary vessel permeability,the growth rate of strains and pneumococcus pneumonia mice's mortality were measured.Results 8% dose Sanxiaoyuchuang group had obvious inhibition effects on mice auricle swelling induced by Dimethylbenzene,it had no obvious difference compared with Jingwanhong group.It could also lower the mice earcapillary vessel permeability,inhibit or eradicate the colon bacillus,Staphylococcus aureus,cyanomycosis,Sonne dysetery,typhoid bacillus,and decrease the mortality rate of mice intraperitoneal injected by pneumococcus.Conclusion Sanxiaoyuchuang ointment has good antiinflammatory and bacteriostasis(in vivo and in vitro) pharmacodynamics effects.