Velocity vector imaging assessment of early epirubicin-induced myocardial damage / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To assess the left ventricular (LV) longitudinal systolic and diastolic function in patients treated by epirubicin by velocity vector imaging (VVI) and to discuss the important clinical value of VVI in quantitatively evaluating the regional longitudinal function.@*METHODS@#Thirty patients with breast cancer treated with epirubicin chemotherapy and 30 normal controls were included in the study. Dynamic images of apical long axis, four-chamber and two chamber view were obtained in all subjects, and the longitudinal systolic and diatolic parameters were measured in all subjects, including systolic maximum velocity (Vs), systolic maximum strain (SS), systolic maximum strain rate (SSR), diastolic maximum velocity (Vd), and diastolic maximum strain rate (DSR). The parameters were compared between the 2 groups. The conventional echcardiographic parameters were also obtained.@*RESULTS@#There was no significant change in all baseline parameters before the chemotherapy in 30 breast cancer patients compared with the normal controls (P>0.05). After the second chemotherapy cycle, DSR was lower in every segment, Vd was lower in the free wall, mainly the lateral, anterior and inferior wall (P0.05). After the third chemotherapy cycle, Vd, DSR and SSR decreased significantly in all segments (P0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#VVI can monitor the epirubicin cardiotoxicity early and is more sensitive than echocardiograph.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the diagnosis of benign and malignant hepatic tumors / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To determine the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the diagnosis of benign and malignant hepatic tumors.@*METHODS@#A total of 83 patients with 123 focal liver lesions (FLLs) underwent contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) examination. The contrast enhanced characterization of FLLs were compared.@*RESULTS@#All the 103 lesions in hepatocallular carcinoma improved quickly in the arterial phase or portal phase. Altogether 98 lesions (95%) washed out during the late phase but the rest 5 lesions (5%) did not. Of the 69 lesions of hepatocellular carcinoma, 53(77%) enhanced global in the arterial phase or portal phase, and the rest 16 (23%) showed inhomogeneous enhancement but no enhancement in the central area during arterial phase or portal phase. A total of 66(96%) presented wash-out during the late phase, and 3(4%) had no wash-out. Of the 34 lesions of metastatic hepatic carcinoma, 24(71%)presented inhomogeneous enhancement in the arterial phase or portal phase, 10(29%) enhanced globally in the arterial phase or portal phase, 32 (94%) presented wash-out during the late phase, and 2(6%) had no wash-out in the late phase. Of the 20 lesions of benign hepatic tumor, 18(90%) presented inhomogeneous enhancement slowly in the arterial phase or portal phase, 14 (70%) slightly enhanced, and 20 (100%) presented no wash-out in the the late phase.@*CONCLUSION@#CEUS can improve the accuracy of diagnosis of benign and malignant hepatic tumors.