Identification of fibrosis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a radiomic study on cardiac magnetic resonance cine imaging.

OBJECTIVES: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) often requires repeated enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging to detect fibrosis. We aimed to develop a practical model based on cine imaging to help identify patients with high risk of fibrosis and screen out patients without fibrosis to avoid unnecessary injection of contrast. METHODS: A total of 273 patients with HCM were divided into training and test sets at a ratio of 7:3. Logistic regression analysis was used to find predictive image features to construct CMR model. Radiomic features were derived from the maximal wall thickness (MWT) slice and entire left ventricular (LV) myocardium. Extreme gradient boosting was used to build radiomic models. Integrated models were established by fusing image features and radiomic models. The model performance was validated in the test set and assessed by ROC and calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: We established five prediction models, including CMR, R1 (based on the MWT slice), R2 (based on the entire LV myocardium), and two integrated models (ICMR+R1 and ICMR+R2). In the test set, ICMR+R2 model had an excellent AUC value (0.898), diagnostic accuracy (89.02%), sensitivity (92.54%), and F1 score (93.23%) in identifying patients with positive late gadolinium enhancement. The calibration plots and DCA indicated that ICMR+R2 model was well-calibrated and presented a better net benefit than other models. CONCLUSIONS: A predictive model that fused image and radiomic features from the entire LV myocardium had good diagnostic performance, robustness, and clinical utility. KEY POINTS: • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is prone to fibrosis, requiring patients to undergo repeated enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to detect fibrosis over their lifetime follow-up. • A predictive model based on the entire left ventricular myocardium outperformed a model based on a slice of the maximal wall thickness. • A predictive model that fused image and radiomic features from the entire left ventricular myocardium had excellent diagnostic performance, robustness, and clinical utility.

Features of non-stenotic carotid plaque on computed tomographic angiography in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source.

Purpose: Embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) is a subset of cryptogenic stroke constituting a large proportion of acute ischemic strokes. This study aimed to assess the features of non-stenotic carotid plaque (<50%) on computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and to evaluate the association between non-stenotic carotid plaque and ESUS. Methods: From January 1 to December 31, 2019, a total of 60 consecutive patients with primary unilateral ESUS and <50% carotid artery stenosis, as determined using screening ultrasonography, were hospitalized in the Department of Neurology of our hospital. All enrolled patients underwent CTA to determine the composition and morphological features of non-stenotic carotid plaques using consecutive sections in both carotid arteries. The features of these plaques with and without ipsilateral stroke in patients with ESUS were compared. Results: Sixty ESUS images were included in the study, with 85 plaques. Forty-five (52.9%) of these plaques were ipsilateral and 40 (47.1%) were contralateral to the stroke. Compared to that of the contralateral plaque group, the maximum carotid plaque thickness and plaque length of the ipsilateral group were greater (2.1 mm vs. 1.5 mm, p = 0.03; 20.8 mm vs. 12.1 mm, p = 0.02); however, there were no significant differences in the degree of luminal stenosis, presence of soft plaque and calcified plaque, and the number of ulcers on the plaque surface between the two groups. Similarly, the number of plaques with thickness >3 mm in the ipsilateral group was greater than in the contralateral group (30 vs. 13, p = 0.01). A lipid core was more common in individuals with ipsilateral strokes than in those with contralateral strokes (19 vs. 7, p = 0.02). Regression analysis showed that plaque lipid core area was an independent risk factor for ESUS (odds ratio, 1.92; 95% confidence interval, 1.22-3.04; p = 0.03). Conclusions: Non-stenotic carotid plaques could be an etiology of acute ischemic strokes classified as ESUS. The presence of a lipid core was a risk factor in individuals with non-stenotic carotid plaques.

The interplay between small vessel disease and Parkinson disease pathology: A longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) related brain changes have been found associated with various clinical symptoms of Parkinson disease (PD). On the other hand, PD pathology and treatment may also accelerate SVD progression. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to explore the interplay between SVD and PD pathology using longitudinal dataset. METHODS: We screened 66 healthy controls (HCs) and 114 patients from the Parkinson Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) database. The peak width of skeletonized mean diffusivity (PSMD) was quantified from diffusion tensor images to reflect vascular pathologies at baseline and 24 months follow-up, and dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging data was used to represent the extent of dopaminergic neuronal degeneration at the same point time. We compared the PSMD between PD patients and HCs, and analyzed whether PSMD and DAT availability could predict each other's progression using multiple regression analyses in PD patients. RESULTS: PSMD at baseline had no significant difference between the HCs and patients with PD (P = 0.169). Higher baseline PSMD was associated with less DAT reduction in the caudate (ß = 0.216, P = 0.029), but not the putamen (ß = 0.058, P = 0.552) in PD patients. Baseline caudate and putamen DAT availability had no significant association with PSMD progression (ß = -0.006, P = 0.950; ß = 0.017, P = 0.860, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Mild SVD might slow down PD pathology progression, while the effect of PD pathology on the progression of SVD was not significant.

Management of Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Pancreas: A Case Report.

Introduction: Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the pancreas (SCCP) is a rare malignant tumor that has been reported in individual case reports only. The clinical data on primary SCCP treatment are limited. Therefore, the appropriate management strategy for this disease should be standardized. Case Presentation: We present the case of a 63-year-old man admitted to our hospital for upper left abdominal pain for 2 months without weight loss or jaundice. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen revealed a mixed solid and cystic lesion in the pancreatic tail, measuring 35 × 37 mm in maximum diameter with enhancement. The patient was diagnosed with primary SCCP without metastasis, based on radiological and pathological findings. He did not receive neoadjuvant therapy postoperatively and was followed up by CT and MRI for 18 months without recurrence or metastasis. Result: Complete resection is the most effective treatment for early stage primary SCCP. Abdominal MRI is an effective imaging tool for preoperative evaluation and postoperative follow-up of primary SCCP. The need for neoadjuvant therapy depends on various factors. Conclusion: Primary SCCP is a tumor with poor prognosis. Risk factor control, early accurate radiologic evaluation, and individualized treatment strategies improve the quality of life and prolong the overall survival period of patients.

Global Circumferential Strain by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Tissue Tracking Associated With Ventricular Arrhythmias in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Patients.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is prone to myocardial heterogeneity and fibrosis, which are the substrates of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). Cardiac magnetic resonance tissue tracking (CMR-TT) can quantitatively reflect global and regional left ventricular strain from different directions. It is uncertain whether the change of myocardial strain detected by CMR-TT is associated with VAs. The aim of the study is to explore the differential diagnostic value of VAs in HCM by CMR-TT. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively included 93 HCM patients (38 with VAs and 55 without VAs) and 30 healthy cases. Left ventricular function, myocardial strain parameters and percentage of late gadolinium enhancement (%LGE) were evaluated. Results: Global circumferential strain (GCS) and %LGE correlated moderately (r = 0.51, P < 0.001). HCM patients with VAs had lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), global radial strain (GRS), GCS, and global longitudinal strain (GLS), but increased %LGE compared with those without VAs (P < 0.01 for all). %LGE and GCS were indicators of VAs in HCM patients by multivariate logistic regression analysis. HCM patients with %LGE >5.35% (AUC 0.81, 95% CI 0.70-0.91, P < 0.001) or GCS >-14.73% (AUC 0.79, 95% CI 0.70-0.89, P < 0.001) on CMR more frequently had VAs. %LGE + GCS were able to better identify HCM patients with VAs (AUC 0.87, 95% CI 0.79-0.95, P < 0.001). Conclusion: GCS and %LGE were independent risk indicators of VAs in HCM. GCS is expected to be a good potential predictor in identifying HCM patients with VAs, which may provide important values to improve risk stratification in HCM in clinical practice.

Study on the dynamic change law and correlation between CT imaging manifestations and cellular immunity of 2019 novel coronavirus disease.

PURPOSE: To explore the dynamic changes and correlation between CT imaging manifestations and cellular immunity of COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective review analyzed 23 patients with COVID-19, including 13 males and 10 females aged 27-70 years, with an average age of 48 years. Patients were divided into two groups: group A with 11 critical-severe patients, and group B with 12 common-mild patients. Clinical, laboratory, and radiological data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: LYM, LYM (%), CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ decreased, while NEU (%), CRP, and CT scores increased in all patients, WBC in group A increased. In group A, on day 10-12 after disease onset, CT scores and CRP reached the highest point, and day 13-15 LYM, LYM (%) reached the lowest but NEU (%) and WBC reached the highest, CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ were at the lowest on day 10-15. In group B, on day 7-9, CT scores, NEU (%) and CRP reached the peak, but LYM, LYM (%), CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ reached the lowest. In all patients, CT scores had a significantly negative correlation with CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, LYM (%), and LYM (p = 0.001, r = - 0.797; p = 0.008, r = - 0.698; p = 0.002, r = - 0.775; p < 0.001, r = - 0.785; p = 0.021, r = - 0.571, respectively), and a significantly positive correlation with WBC and NEU (%) (p < 0.001, r = 0.785; p = 0.003, r = 0.691, respectively). CONCLUSION: Dynamic changes of CT manifestations and cellular immunity of patients with COVID-19 were regular and correlation was high between these two parameters.

The "extracapsular cystic" sign in pancreatic serous cystic neoplasms: A clinicopathologic study of 177 patients with cystic pancreatic lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To assess a new imaging feature that we have named the extracapsular cystic sign which can make a constructive contribution towards differentiating serous cystic neoplasms (SCNs) from other pancreatic cystic lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 177 CTs/MRIs of patients who underwent pancreatic resection of cystic lesions at two institutions from January 2011/2013, to September 2017. For each patient, demographic information, clinical presentation, especially imaging features were carefully investigated by two experienced abdominal radiologists, retrospectively. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS V.23.0. RESULTS: Twenty-one lesions had extracapsular cystic signs which were newly discovered, 17 (28.3%) of 60 SCNs and 4 (3.4%) (mucinous cystic neoplasm = 1, walled-off necrosis = 2, retention cyst = 1) of 117 Non-SCNs were included, from which indicating that the extracapsular cystic sign was more often detected on SCNs. As for 21 lesions, 86% (n = 18) were females, and mean age at diagnosis was 51.2 years. 71% (n = 15) located in the pancreatic body and tail. Average size was 27.2 mm (23.7-53.4), mean (SD) ratio of biggest daughter cyst to mother cyst was 0.51[0.14] (p = 0.99), average (SD) angle between two of them was 105.5° [14.9] (p = 0.84). The average time interval between last imaging examination and surgery was 8.4 days. CONCLUSIONS: The new sign named the extracapsular cystic sign in SCNs may help differentiate SCNs from other pancreatic cystic lesions. Furthermore, this study supports an original diagnosis for SCNs when the sign of extracapsular cyst appears.