ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the feasibility and accuracy of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) using DynaCT angiographic reconstruction guidance. METHODS: Thirty-four BPAs (23 CTEPH patients) targeting 175 pulmonary arteries were included. Eleven BPAs (2D group) were guided by DSA two-dimensional angiography. Another twenty-three BPAs (3D group) were guided using DynaCT angiographic reconstruction. The volume rendering (VR) method was used to obtain a three-dimensional image of the blood vessels. This image was used as a reference to continue BPA treatment under the guidance of vascular three-dimensional reconstruction technology. Procedure durations and radiation exposure data were compared between the two groups using Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Using the DynaCT angiographic reconstruction technique, more target vessels were treated in a single BPA procedure (5.83 ± 2.33 vs 3.73 ± 1.10 vessels per BPA, p = 0.008) in a shorter operation time (3.58 ± 0.61 vs 4.49 ± 0.91 h, p = 0.002). Overall, the dose area product (DAP) was significantly higher for the 2D group than for the 3D group (13,901.82 ± 5549.69 vs 4682.82 ± 1950.64, p < 0.001). The use of the DynaCT angiographic reconstruction technique to guide BPA required a lower dose of contrast agent (225.22 ± 48.70 vs 292.73 ± 76.82 mL, p = 0.013) and less radiation exposure. CONCLUSIONS: The use of DynaCT angiographic reconstruction guidance in patients undergoing BPA is feasible and accurate. Images of DynaCT angiographic reconstruction may be beneficial for optimizing the operative process in BPA with reduced radiation exposure. KEY POINTS: ⢠BPA guidance by DynaCT angiographic reconstruction is feasible and accurate. ⢠DynaCT angiographic reconstruction may be beneficial for optimizing the operative process. ⢠DynaCT angiographic reconstruction can reduce patient radiation dose due to multi-times of BPA sessions.
Subject(s)
Angioplasty, Balloon , Computed Tomography Angiography , Pulmonary Artery/diagnostic imaging , Aged , Contrast Media , Female , Humans , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods , Imaging, Three-Dimensional , Lung , Male , Middle Aged , Pulmonary Embolism/therapy , Reproducibility of Results , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the change of intestinal flora in subjects receiving oral vaccination with inactivated whole-cell/recombinant B subunit (WC/rBS) O139 cholera vaccine made in China. METHODS: The fecal smears of 5 groups of subjects receiving the vaccine were collected before and 2 and 3 months after the vaccination to examine the distribution of the intestinal flora. RESULTS: In the 458 specimens examined, the total amount of bacteria and percentages of G+b, G+c and G-c were decreased whereas the amount of G-b significantly increased after vaccination. Compared with the placebo control group, the vaccinated groups exhibited significant changes in G+b and G-c, which also varied significantly between the group receiving 3 doses of WC/rBS vaccine and the other vaccinated groups. The vaccination produced distinct changes in the percentage of the intestinal flora at different time points, showing the most obvious effect on G-b. Oral vaccination was shown to affect the percentage of the intestinal flora very likely through its effect on the amount of G-b. The percentages of G+b, G-b and G-c varied significantly between male and female subjects after vaccination. CONCLUSION: Oral vaccination with WC/rBS affects the intestinal flora in human, and the mechanism as well as the implications needs to be further explored.
