ABSTRACT
This study aims to investigate the feasibility of using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) to distinguish malignant breast tissue from adjacent healthy tissue, and to evaluate if an extended-wavelength range (450-1550 nm) has an advantage over the standard wavelength range (450-900 nm). Multivariate statistics and machine learning algorithms, either linear discriminant analysis (LDA) or support vector machine (SVM) are used to distinguish the two tissue types in breast specimens (total or partial mastectomy) from 23 female patients with primary breast cancer. EW-DRS has a sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 91% as compared to a sensitivity of 40% and specificity of 71% using the standard wavelength range. The results suggest that DRS can discriminate between malignant and healthy breast tissue, with improved outcomes using an extended wavelength. It is also possible to construct a simple analytical model to improve the diagnostic performance of the DRS technique.
ABSTRACT
We report the case of a 69-year-old man, who presented in the UK with a short history of deteriorating vision and clinical features of bilateral atypical retinochoroiditis, after travelling to South America. Vitreous samples demonstrated Toxoplasma gondii DNA by PCR. Serology tests demonstrated recent acquired Toxoplasma gondii infection with IgM antibodies. He responded well to treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, azithromycin and oral steroids.This case is a reminder of the global importance of Toxoplasma related eye disease, and its uncommon bilateral severe presentation in a returning traveller, where the risk factors were age and the route of infection likely to be a virulent parasite oocyst from vegetables or water rather than undercooked meat or direct contact with cats.
Subject(s)
Toxoplasmosis, Ocular/diagnosis , Travel-Related Illness , Age Factors , Aged , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Azithromycin/therapeutic use , Fundus Oculi , Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use , Humans , Male , South America , Tomography, Optical Coherence , Toxoplasmosis, Ocular/drug therapy , Toxoplasmosis, Ocular/pathology , Toxoplasmosis, Ocular/transmission , Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination/therapeutic use , United KingdomABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To determine whether corneal tomography can help predict the risk of progression of keratoconus in children. METHODS: The medical records of pediatric patients with keratoconus presenting to a large tertiary institution in the UK from 2009 to 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients underwent serial clinical examination and corneal tomography. The minimum follow-up period was 5 months. Patients with a history of eye surgery including corneal crosslinking were excluded. The following tomographic parameters were analyzed: thinnest corneal thickness (TCT), average central corneal keratometry (Km), and maximum central posterior elevation (MCPE). The rate of progressive corneal thinning, in µm/month, was calculated as the difference between TCT on presentation and at the most recent visit divided by the time in months. RESULTS: A total of 36 eyes of 19 patients (10-16 years of age) were included. Mean follow-up was 19 months (range, 5-30 months). Six eyes (17%) developed corneal scarring and 1 eye (3%) developed acute hydrops. Of the 29 eyes that did not develop corneal scarring or hydrops, 24 (83%) demonstrated progressive corneal thinning over the period of the study. Eyes with TCT of <450 µm, Km above 50 D, and MCPE above 50 µm at presentation demonstrated the highest rates of progressive corneal thinning over the study period. CONCLUSIONS: In pediatric keratoconus, lower TCT, higher Km, and higher MCPE on corneal tomography seem to be risk factors for faster rates of progressive corneal thinning.
Subject(s)
Cornea/pathology , Corneal Topography , Keratoconus/pathology , Child , Collagen , Disease Progression , Female , Humans , Male , Photosensitizing Agents , Retrospective Studies , Risk FactorsSubject(s)
Acrylamides/adverse effects , Aquaculture , Cnidarian Venoms/adverse effects , Keratitis/chemically induced , Occupational Diseases/chemically induced , Animals , Anthozoa , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Drug Therapy, Combination , Female , Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use , Humans , Keratitis/diagnosis , Keratitis/drug therapy , Middle Aged , Occupational Diseases/diagnosis , Occupational Diseases/drug therapy , Ofloxacin/therapeutic use , Prednisolone/therapeutic useSubject(s)
Corneal Diseases/etiology , Epithelium, Corneal/pathology , Eyelashes/transplantation , Hair Follicle/transplantation , Organ Transplantation/adverse effects , Trichiasis/etiology , Adult , Alopecia/surgery , Corneal Diseases/diagnosis , Corneal Diseases/surgery , Female , Hair Removal , Humans , Transplantation, Autologous , Trichiasis/diagnosis , Trichiasis/surgeryABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Despite the increasing use of antivascular endothelial growth factors (anti-VEGF), photodynamic therapy (PDT) with Verteporfin is still considered the gold standard treatment of subfoveal and juxtafoveal classic choroidal neovascularization (CNV). METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: The authors report a case of a 72-year-old man who developed choroidal nonperfusion and significant subretinal fluid formation with associated severe visual loss following PDT of predominantly classic juxtafoveal CNV. CONCLUSIONS: Although reported separately, these two complications have not been previously reported to occur in association after PDT treatment of classic CNV and may represent exaggeration of normal events occurring after PDT.
