Effects of blackcurrant extract on indole and ammonia productions in an in vitro human fecal culture model.

Blackcurrant is available as a traditional medicine in Europe. However, the detailed effects of blackcurrant on the human gut microbiota remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the prebiotic effects of a blackcurrant extract using a human fecal culture model in six healthy subjects. Feces were individually inoculated into a medium with or without the blackcurrant extract and then fermented for 48 hr under anaerobic conditions. The results obtained from analysis of samples from the fermented medium demonstrated that after 48 hr of fermentation, the pH of the medium with the blackcurrant extract was significantly decreased (control, 6.62 ± 0.20; blackcurrant extract, 6.41 ± 0.33; p=0.0312). A 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis of the microbiota of the fermented medium showed a significant increase in the relative abundance of Bifidobacteriaceae. In measuring the concentrations of putrefactive components in the fermented medium, we found that the blackcurrant extract significantly reduced ammonia levels and displayed a tendency toward reduced indole levels. Our results suggest that blackcurrant extract could be a potential ingredient for relief of putrefactive components in the gut.

Cellulose nanofiber dispersion as a new submucosal injection material for endoscopic treatment: preliminary experimental study.

Background and aims Although various solutions have been tested for submucosal injections during endoscopic treatment, the ideal solution has not been established. We investigated the suitability of a cellulose nanofiber (CNF) dispersion with high viscosity and thixotropy as a potential submucosal injection material for endoscopic treatment. Methods We evaluated the catheter injectability and mucosa-elevating capacity of CNF dispersion compared with sodium hyaluronate (SH) solution, which has been reported to be a promising submucosal injection solution. The catheter injectability of CNF dispersion was examined under conditions equivalent to those used clinically in endoscopic treatment. The mucosa-elevating capacity of CNF dispersion was examined in porcine stomachs. Results There was no significant difference between the catheter injectability of 0.4 % CNF dispersion and 0.4 % SH solutions; however, 0.4 % CNF dispersion maintained significantly higher and longer elevation of the submucosal layer than 0.4 % SH solution. A clear separation of the mucosal layer from the underlying muscle layer was achieved by injecting 0.4 % CNF dispersion. Conclusion This preliminary study suggests that CNF dispersion could be an ideal submucosal injection material for endoscopic treatment because of its unique high thixotropy index.

Machine learning methods can more efficiently predict prostate cancer compared with prostate-specific antigen density and prostate-specific antigen velocity.

BACKGROUND: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening for prostate cancer has been widely performed, but its accuracy is unsatisfactory. To improve accuracy, building an effective statistical model using machine learning methods (MLMs) is a promising approach. METHODS: Data on continuous changes in the PSA level over the past 2 years were accumulated from 512 patients who underwent prostate biopsy after PSA screening. The age of the patients, PSA level, prostate volumes, and white blood cell count in urinalysis were used as input data for the MLMs. As MLMs, we evaluated the efficacy of three different techniques: artificial neural networks (ANNs), random forest, and support vector machine. Model performance was evaluated using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and compared with the PSA level and the conventional PSA-based parameters: PSA density and PSA velocity. RESULTS: When using two annual PSA testing, all receiver operating characteristic curves of the three MLMs were above the curve for the PSA level, PSA density, and PSA velocity. The AUCs of ANNs, random forest, and support vector machine were 0.69, 0.64, and 0.63, respectively. Those values were higher than the AUCs of the PSA level, PSA density, and PSA velocity, 0.53, 0.41, and 0.55, respectively. The accuracies of the MLMs (71.6% to 72.1%) were also superior to those of the PSA level (39.1%), PSA density (49.7%), and PSA velocity (54.9%). Among the MLMs, ANNs showed the most favorable AUC. The MLMs showed higher sensitivity and specificity than conventional PSA-based parameters. The model performance did not improve when using three annual PSA testing. CONCLUSION: The present retrospective study results indicate that machine learning techniques can predict prostate cancer with significantly better AUCs than those of PSA density and PSA velocity.

Hitomi X-ray studies of Giant Radio Pulses from the Crab pulsar.

To search for giant X-ray pulses correlated with the giant radio pulses (GRPs) from the Crab pulsar, we performed a simultaneous observation of the Crab pulsar with the X-ray satellite Hitomi in the 2 - 300 keV band and the Kashima NICT radio observatory in the 1.4 - 1.7 GHz band with a net exposure of about 2 ks on 25 March 2016, just before the loss of the Hitomi mission. The timing performance of the Hitomi instruments was confirmed to meet the timing requirement and about 1,000 and 100 GRPs were simultaneously observed at the main and inter-pulse phases, respectively, and we found no apparent correlation between the giant radio pulses and the X-ray emission in either the main or inter-pulse phases. All variations are within the 2 sigma fluctuations of the X-ray fluxes at the pulse peaks, and the 3 sigma upper limits of variations of main- or inter-pulse GRPs are 22% or 80% of the peak flux in a 0.20 phase width, respectively, in the 2 - 300 keV band. The values become 25% or 110% for main or inter-pulse GRPs, respectively, when the phase width is restricted into the 0.03 phase. Among the upper limits from the Hitomi satellite, those in the 4.5-10 keV and the 70-300 keV are obtained for the first time, and those in other bands are consistent with previous reports. Numerically, the upper limits of main- and inter-pulse GRPs in the 0.20 phase width are about (2.4 and 9.3) ×10-11 erg cm-2, respectively. No significant variability in pulse profiles implies that the GRPs originated from a local place within the magnetosphere and the number of photon-emitting particles temporally increases. However, the results do not statistically rule out variations correlated with the GRPs, because the possible X-ray enhancement may appear due to a > 0.02% brightening of the pulse-peak flux under such conditions.

Atomic scattering factor of the ASTRO-H (Hitomi) SXT reflector around the gold's L edges.

The atomic scattering factor in the energy range of 11.2-15.4 keV for the ASTRO-H Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) is reported. The large effective area of the SXT makes use of photon spectra above 10 keV viable, unlike most other X-ray satellites with total-reflection mirror optics. Presence of gold's L-edges in the energy band is a major issue, as it complicates the function of the effective area. In order to model the area, the reflectivity measurements in the 11.2-15.4 keV band with the energy pitch of 0.4 - 0.7 eV were made in the synchrotron beam-line Spring-8 BL01B1. We obtained atomic scattering factors f1 and f2 by the curve fitting to the reflectivities of our witness sample. The edges associated with the L-I, II, and III transitions are identified, of which the depths are found to be roughly 60% shallower than those expected from the Henke's atomic scattering factor.

Hard x-ray telescopes to be onboard ASTRO-H.

The new Japanese x-ray astronomy satellite, ASTRO-H, will carry two identical hard x-ray telescopes (HXTs), which cover the energy range of 5 to 80 keV. The HXT mirrors employ tightly nested, conically approximated thin-foil Wolter-I optics, and the mirror surfaces are coated with Pt/C depth-graded multilayers to enhance the hard x-ray effective area by means of Bragg reflection. The HXT comprises foils 120-450 mm in diameter and 200 mm in length, with a focal length of 12 m. To obtain a large effective area, 213 aluminum foils 0.2 mm in thickness are tightly nested confocally. The requirements for HXT are a total effective area of >300 cm2 at 30 keV and an angular resolution of <1.7' in half-power diameter (HPD). Fabrication of two HXTs has been completed, and the x-ray performance of each HXT was measured at a synchrotron radiation facility, SPring-8 BL20B2 in Japan. Angular resolutions (HPD) of 1.9' and 1.8' at 30 keV were obtained for the full telescopes of HXT-1 and HXT-2, respectively. The total effective area of the two HXTs at 30 keV is 349 cm2.

Evaluation of a near-infrared-type contrast medium extravasation detection system using a swine model.

PURPOSE: To refine the development and evaluate the near-infrared (NIR) extravasation detection system and its ability to detect extravasation during a contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) examination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The NIR extravasation detection system projects the NIR light through the surface of the human skin then, using its sensory system, will monitor the changes in the amount of NIR that reflected, which varies based on absorption properties.Seven female pigs were used to evaluate the contrast media extravasation detection system, using a 20-gauge intravenous catheter, when injected at a rate of 1 mL/s into 4 different locations just under the skin in the thigh section. Using 3-dimensional CT images, we evaluated the extravasations between time and volume, depth and volume, and finally depth and time to detect. RESULTS: We confirmed that the NIR light, 950-nm wavelength, used by the extravasation detection system is well absorbed by contrast media, making changes easy to detect. The average time to detect an extravasation was 2.05 seconds at a depth of 2.0 mm below the skin with a volume of 1.3 mL, 2.57 seconds at a depth between 2.1 and 5 mm below the skin and a volume of 3.47 mL, 10.5 seconds for depths greater than 5.1 mm and a volume of 11.1 mL. The detection accuracy was significantly deteriorated when the depth exceeded 5.0 mm (Tukey-Kramer, P < 0.05) CONCLUSIONS: The extravasation system detection system that is using NIR has a high level of detection sensitivity. The sensitivity enables the system to detect extravasation at depths less than 2 mm with a volume of 1.5 mL and at depths less than 5 mm with a volume of 3.5 mL. The extravasation detection system could be suitable for use during examinations.

Fatty acyl-AMP ligase involvement in the production of alkylresorcylic acid by a Myxococcus xanthus type III polyketide synthase.

Fatty acyl-AMP ligases (FAALs) activate fatty acids as acyladenylates, and subsequently catalyze their transfer onto the acyl carrier proteins (ACPs) of polyketide synthases (PKSs) or nonribosomal peptide synthetases to produce lipidic metabolites. Myxococcus xanthus contains a polyketide biosynthesis gene cluster in which putative FAAL (FtpD) and ACP (FtpC) genes are located close to a type III PKS (FtpA) gene. Here we describe the characterization of these three proteins in vitro. FtpD adenylated stearic acid and produced stearoyl-FtpC. The stearoyl moiety was then transferred to FtpA. When extender substrates (malonyl-CoA and methylmalonyl-CoA) were added to the reaction, the alkylresorcinol 5-heptadecyl-4-methyl-benzene-1,3-diol was synthesized. Further in vitro analysis indicated that FtpA produces an alkylresorcylic acid as the direct product, and that this decarboxylates to alkylresorcinol nonenzymatically. This is the first report of a FAAL supplying a long-chain fatty acyl-ACP starter substrate to a type III PKS.

Bone repair using a hybrid scaffold of self-assembling peptide PuraMatrix and polyetheretherketone cage in rats.

Self-assembling peptide scaffold (SAPS) is well known to have very good bone conduction properties. However, the intensity of SAPS is too weak to actually use it for a clinical bone regeneration. Therefore, we have produced a hybrid scaffold system that involves fabricating a cage from polyetheretherketone (PEEK) that has high intensity, filling the interior of this cage with SAPS, and then transplanted this hybrid scaffold to bone defects in rat femurs. After 28 days, soft X-ray radiographs and histological assessment revealed that good new bone formation was clearly observed in the defects transplanted the PEEK cage with SAPS, but not in the PEEK cage only. The PEEK cage maintained a form and osteoconduction ability of internal SAPS, and SAPS promoted bone formation inside the PEEK; therefore, each was in charge of intensity and bone regeneration separately. The present study suggests that hybrid scaffolds made from PEEK cages and SAPS can be useful tools for the regeneration of load-bearing bones, based on the idea that it should be possible to develop ideal bone filler materials by combining the strength of artificial bone with the bone regeneration and bone conduction properties of SAPS.

Evaluation of the soft x-ray reflectivity of micropore optics using anisotropic wet etching of silicon wafers.

The x-ray reflectivity of an ultralightweight and low-cost x-ray optic using anisotropic wet etching of Si (110) wafers is evaluated at two energies, C K(alpha)0.28 keV and Al K(alpha)1.49 keV. The obtained reflectivities at both energies are not represented by a simple planar mirror model considering surface roughness. Hence, an geometrical occultation effect due to step structures upon the etched mirror surface is taken into account. Then, the reflectivities are represented by the theoretical model. The estimated surface roughness at C K(alpha) (approximately 6 nm rms) is significantly larger than approximately 1 nm at Al K(alpha). This can be explained by different coherent lengths at two energies.

Clinical significance of performing 18F-FDG PET on patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors: a summary of a Japanese multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical significance of performing (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET) on patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). METHODS: The patient samples for this study were provided by seven PET institutions in Japan. Forty-one patients with pathologically proved GISTs, 24 men and 17 women (mean age 60.3 years, range 26-81 years) were enrolled in this study. Final diagnosis was based on the follow-up imaging at least 3 months after the PET scan or histopathological examinations. RESULTS: There were eight preoperative cases and 33 follow-up cases in our series. Preoperative cases showed that the sites of primary tumor were the stomach (5 cases, 62.5%), and small intestine (3 cases, 37.5%). One stomach lesion and one small intestine lesion showed negative findings. In follow-up cases, there were 18 PET-negative cases. Among them, two cases were considered as false negative by follow-up imaging. On the other hand, 15 cases showed positive findings at 23 lesions. Most PET-positive cases were considered as true positive except for one false-positive case, who later received surgery and was diagnosed as leiomyoma histopathologically. In 14 cases, PET findings were considered to provide additional information to conventional imaging. In eight cases among them, PET findings were considered to have influenced the decision-making of therapeutic plans. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that FDG PET has an incremental value over conventional imaging for the diagnostic and therapeutic management of patients with GISTs in Japan as reported worldwide, and supports its introduction as a routine diagnostic tool for patients with GISTs.

Proliferative effects of bovine and porcine thyroglobulins on thyroid epithelial cells.

Thyroglobulin is the precursor of the thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine and thyroxine. Because the molecular size of thyroglobulin is relatively large (660 kDa), it could have other additional functions besides serving as the precursor of the thyroid hormones. In this report, we examined the proliferative effects of thyroglobulins purified from bovine and porcine thyroid tissues on the growth of a rat thyroid follicular cell line, FRTL-5, as well as the primary culture of porcine thyroid epithelial cells. Bovine and porcine thyroglobulins stimulated the proliferation of not only FRTL-5 cells but also porcine thyroid epithelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. The proliferative effect of thyroglobulin was neutralized by an anti-thyroglobulin monoclonal antibody but not by two different anti-fibroblast growth factor antibodies. The stimulatory signal of thyroglobulin was transmitted via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway. Also, removal of the N-linked oligosaccharides on thyroglobulin reduced the proliferative activity of porcine thyroglobulin, suggesting that the proliferative effect of thyroglobulin is in part exerted by its carbohydrate moiety. Taken together, we have demonstrated for the first time that thyroglobulin possesses proliferative effect on thyroid epithelial cells in addition to being the precursor of the thyroid hormones.

Intracerebroventricular fluvoxamine administration inhibited pain behavior but increased Fos expression in affective pain pathways.

Anti-nociceptive effects of fluvoxamine, administered by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection, include inhibited pain behavior in both formalin-induced acute pain (p<0.05-0.01) and sciatic nerve ligation-allodynia (p<0.03). A 5-HT1 receptor antagonist (WAY-100635) and a 5-HT2 receptor antagonist (ketanserin), injected i.c.v., induced hyperalgesia and inhibited fluvoxamine's anti-nociceptive effects. We also investigated how fluvoxamine affects neural activities in brain areas involved in affectional pain using Fos-like protein immunohistochemistry. The acute pain and allodynia increased Fos-positive cells in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), basolateral nucleus (BL) and central nucleus of the amygdala (Ce), indicating that these areas are involved in pain processing. Fluvoxamine did not block the Fos expression, though it did produce anti-nociception. Moreover, fluvoxamine alone increased Fos in the BL and PFC. Ketanserin did not decrease the Fos expression induced by fluvoxamine. The results indicated that 5-HT2 receptor activities participate minimally in Fos induction by fluvoxamine in the PFC and BL. In contrast, WAY-100635 affected the Fos expression produced by fluvoxamine. In the portion of the brain with affectional pain pathways, 5-HT1 receptor activities induced anti-nociceptive effects and decreased Fos expression with fluvoxamine, while 5-HT2 receptor activation affected to anti-nociceptive effects but did not induce Fos expression.

Three-dimensional perfusion imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma using 256-slice multidetector-row computed tomography.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical capability of three-dimensional (3D) perfusion imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by performing dynamic scanning using a 256-slice multidetector-row CT (MDCT) scanner. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two patients with HCC were examined in this study. They were scheduled to undergo transcatheter arterial infusion therapy using an arterial infusion reservoir system. The CT system used was a newly developed prototype scanner of 256-slice MDCT. Dynamic CT scanning was performed with intraarterial injection via the reservoir route, and perfusion analysis was done based on the 3D data. RESULTS: The blood flow volume per unit volume in the tumors was significantly increased compared with that in normal hepatic parenchyma. Using a 3D workstation, 3D perfusion images could be displayed by fusing CT images with perfusion images about blood flow volume. CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional perfusion images, which enable 3D evaluation of perfusion in HCCs, can be generated using 256-slice MDCT.

Transarterial chemoembolization using cisplatin powder in a rabbit model of liver cancer.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the pharmacological advantages of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with cisplatin powder for hypervascular hepatic tumors in animal experiments. VX2 tumors were transplanted to the livers of nine rabbits. Cisplatin (1 mg/kg) was infused into the proper hepatic artery. In the cisplatin-HAI group, cisplatin solution was infused. In the cisplatin-GS-TACE group, after infusion of cisplatin solution, gelatin sponge particles were used for embolization. In the cisplatin-Lp-TACE group, after infusion of a cisplatin powder and lipiodol (10 mg/ml) suspension, gelatin sponge particles were used for embolization. Before and after administration, platinum concentrations in plasma were measured. Using liver specimens that were excised 60 min after infusion, platinum concentrations in tumorous and nontumorous liver tissues were measured. The mean platinum concentration in tumorous tissue was 0.88 microg/ml for the cisplatin-HAI group, 1.23 microg/ml for the cisplatin-GS-TACE group, and 12.65 microg/ml for the cisplatin-Lp-TACE group. The platinum concentration for the cisplatin-Lp-TACE group was significantly higher than that for the cisplatin-HAI group (p = 0.004) and the cisplatin-GS-TAE group (p = 0.004). The mean platinum concentration in nontumorous liver tissue was 0.98 microg/ml for the cisplatin-HAI group, 1.13 microg/ml for the cisplatin-GS-TACE group, and 1.09 microg/ml for the cisplatin-Lp-TACE group; no significant differences were seen. At both 5 and 10 min after infusion, the platinum concentrations for the cisplatin-Lp-TACE group were lower than those for the other two groups. The present results suggest that TACE using cisplatin powder/lipiodol suspension and gelatin sponge for hypervascular hepatic tumors has a number of pharmacological advantages.

Radiologic removal and replacement of port-catheter systems for hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to retrospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of radiologic removal and replacement of port-catheter systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1999 and December 2004, 532 patients with unresectable advanced liver cancer underwent radiologic placement of port-catheter systems at our institution. Of these, 18 patients (nine men and nine women; age range, 32-83 years; mean age, 53.8 years) underwent removal of an implanted port-catheter system via the right femoral artery and radiographically guided replacement with a new system to allow continuous hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy; we retrospectively reviewed these 18 cases. The reasons for removal of the previously implanted systems were as follows: catheter dislodgement (n = 15), catheter obstruction (n = 1), infection related to the implanted port (n = 1), and hemodynamic change (n = 1). Digital subtraction angiography and CT were performed, usually during injection of contrast medium through the implanted port-catheter system, within a few days after the replacement procedure and every 3 months thereafter. RESULTS: We successfully performed radiologic removal and replacement of the portcatheter system while the patient was under local anesthesia in all 18 patients without complications requiring treatment. The cumulative patency rates of the hepatic artery after removal of the old port-catheter system and replacement with a new port-catheter system were 87.8% and 64.1% at 6 months and 1 year, respectively. Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy after replacement was performed 0-68 times (median, 19 times). CONCLUSION: When an implanted port-catheter system can no longer be used but the patency of the hepatic artery is confirmed and continuous hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy is required, removal and replacement of the port-catheter system are recommended.

Intracerebroventricular injection of trazodone produces 5-HT receptor subtype mediated anti-nociception at the supraspinal and spinal levels.

Serotonin (5-HT) mediated anti-nociceptive effects induced by an anti-depressant, trazodone, are related to 5-HT(1A) receptor activities at the supraspinal level. 5-HT(3) receptor activation via the descending anti-nociceptive pathways may contribute to the trazodone mediated anti-nociception at the spinal level. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of trazodone dose-dependently impaired nociceptive responses in the formalin test in mice. Six and 15 microg of trazodone inhibited the early (P<0.05 or 0.01) and the late phases of the formalin test (P<0.05 or 0.01), while 3 microg had no effect. We examined the effects of a selective 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist, WAY-100635, a single injection of which induced hyperalgesia (P<0.05), and blocked the anti-nociceptive effects of trazodone (P<0.01) when the two were simultaneously injected i.c.v. Intrathecal (i.t.) injection of a selective 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist, 3-tropanylindole-3-carboxylate hydrochloride, blocked the anti-nociceptive effects of i.c.v. trazodone (P<0.01), while WAY-100635 (i.t.) did not impair trazodone mediated anti-nociception. Trazodone mediated anti-nocicepton is related to serotonergic activity at both the supraspinal and the spinal level.

Thymic MALT lymphoma: MR imaging findings and their correlation with histopathological findings on four cases.

There has been no report on the MRI findings of primary thymic MALT lymphoma. We report the correlation between MRI findings and histopathology in four cases of this entity. While primary thymic MALT lymphomas exhibited diverse characteristics, the cystic components inside, which were clearly depicted on T2-weighted images, were considered to be pathognomonic. Primary thymic MALT lymphoma should be considered as one of the differential diagnoses of anterior mediastinal tumors having multilocular cysts that arise in patients with immunological abnormalities.

Volume reduction surgery for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of reductive surgery on the survival of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Eligible patients had a main tumor greater than 10 cm in diameter with multiple intrahepatic metastases (>5 nodules), and good liver function (Child-Pugh class A), but no tumor thrombus in the main portal vein. The main tumor was surgically removed but the metastases were not removed and were treated with repeated transcatheter hepatic arterial chemo-embolization (TAE). RESULTS: From Jun 1997 to May 2003, 13 patients (median age 61 years, range: 48-74) were prospectively enrolled. The median diameter of the main tumor was 14 cm (range 11.5-18.0). No major surgical complications were observed and the median hospital stay was 12 days (range 7-20). The first TAE was performed 1 month after hepatectomy in all patients and was repeated for median of 5 (range: 1 to 16) times. Complete remission was observed in two patients. One patient had recurrence afterwards but another patient survived 41 months without recurrence. Three patients survived more than 3 years. The overall 1-, 3-, and 4-year survival rates of the 13 patients were 67.7%, 40.6%, and 40.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Volume reduction surgery followed by TAE might prolong the survival of patients with a large HCC and intrahepatic metastases, especially those with a main tumor on the right side.

[Evaluation of pancreatic cancer extent using balanced turbo field echo (bTFE)].

PURPOSE: Recent advances in MR system technology have allowed for the development of new imaging techniques. Balanced turbo field echo (bTFE) is one such example. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of bTFE for evaluating pancreatic cancer extent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 45 patients with pathologically proven pancreatic cancer were examined with bTFE. The images obtained were evaluated by the consensus of two radiologists, from the following viewpoints: tumor detection and vascular invasion, e.g., celiac axis (CA); superior mesenteric artery (SMA); portal vein (PV); and splenic artery (SA). The results of vascular evaluation were compared with those of dynamic CT. RESULTS: All tumors were demonstrated on bTFE images, however, tumors in the pancreatic head were less clear than those in the pancreatic body. Vascular evaluation on bTFE images was in good agreement with that on dynamic CT scan. CONCLUSION: bTFE is a useful method for evaluating pancreatic cancer extent. Because image quality does not show overt changes in this sequence as time passes, unlike so-called dynamic study, not only are divided scans or respiration-trigered scans available, but repeated scans and multi-directional image acquisition can be performed as well.