Evaluation of American College of Radiology Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System ultrasound to predict malignancy risk in adnexal lesions.

AIMS: To validate the diagnostic performance of Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System (O-RADS) ultrasound for preoperative adnexal lesions in an external center. The secondary aim was to evaluate the performance of a strategy test including O-RADS ultrasound evaluation and subjective assessment of higher malignant risk lesions. METHODS: One hundred thirty patients with 158 ovarian-adnexal lesions were enrolled in the study. Each lesion was assigned an O-RADS score after real-time ultrasound examination by one experienced radiologist. A second subjective assessment by an expert was performed for O-RADS 4 and O-RADS 5 lesions. The histopathological diagnosis was used as the reference standard. RESULTS: A total of 126 benign and 32 malignant adnexal masses were included in the study. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of O-RADS ultrasound was 0.950, with a cutoff value > O-RADS 3. The sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values were 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.867-1), 83.3% (95% CI, 0.754-0.892), 60.4% (95% CI, 0.460-0.732), and 100% (95% CI, 0.956-1), respectively. For the strategy test, the sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values were 100% (95% CI, 0.867-1), 92.1% (95% CI, 0.855-0.959), 76.2% (95% CI, 0.602-0.874), and 100% (95% CI, 0.960-1), respectively. In comparison with O-RADS ultrasound, the specificity and negative predictive value of the strategy test were slightly higher (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Good diagnostic performance of the O-RADS ultrasound in adnexal lesions can be achieved by experienced radiologists in clinical practice. A second subjective assessment of sonographic findings can be applied to O-RADS 4 and 5 lesions.

A Frequently Missed Pulmonary Infarction: Clinical and 18F-FDG PET/CT Manifestation of Hilar Tumor-Induced Pulmonary Infarction.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to summarize the clinical and 18F-FDG PET/CT manifestations of hilar tumor-induced pulmonary infarction. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with hilar masses who underwent FDG PET/CT scans between July 2015 and January 2021 and had complete clinical data. Pulmonary infarction was confirmed by concurrent chest CT and imaging follow-up or pathology. RESULTS: A total of 58 patients (mean age, 56 [SD, 13] years; 44 males) with 122 infarcts were included in the study. Hilar masses were mostly associated with small cell lung cancer (64%). The most common clinical manifestations were cough (64%) and hemoptysis (36%). Most patients (62%) had multiple pulmonary infarcts. The CT findings of pulmonary infarcts included the "Hampton hump" (48%) and patchy consolidation (52%). The density of infarcts included "bubbly consolidation" (61%) and "homogenous consolidation" (39%). The metabolic activity of 95 infarcts (78%) was higher than lung parenchyma, with the SUVmax of 3.3 (SD, 1.1). The metabolic patterns on PET/CT were "rim sign," "mismatch between PET and CT," and "no metabolism." Pulmonary vein involvement was found in 25 patients (43%), pleural effusion in 22 patients (38%), and the pleural curvilinear sign in 8 patients (14%). CONCLUSIONS: The clinical manifestations of hilar tumor-induced pulmonary infarction are not specific, and 18F-FDG PET/CT could be an effective diagnostic tool.

Delay of initial radioactive iodine therapy beyond 3 months has no effect on clinical responses and overall survival in patients with thyroid carcinoma: A cohort study and a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: More than a third of thyroid carcinoma (TC) patients require treatment with radioactive iodine (RAI), but the timing of initial RAI therapy after thyroidectomy remains controversial. METHODS: We included 1224 differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) patients during 2015-2019, divided them into the early (≤3 months) and the delayed (>3 months) groups based on the interval between surgery and the initial RAI. Clinical outcomes were assessed within 6-8 months of treatment with RAI, including excellent response (ER), indeterminate response (IDR), biochemical incomplete (BIR) and structural incomplete response (SIR). Further transformed them into dichotomous outcomes, we therefore introduced the ordered/binary logistic regression to assess the relation of time interval and quaternary/dichotomous outcomes, respectively. Finally, we conducted a meta-analysis for cohort study to investigate the effect of timing of RAI therapy on the prognosis of TC. RESULTS: Delay RAI therapy beyond 3 months reduced the IR (BIR + SIR) rate in the present cohort study (RR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.49-91). Following meta-analysis including 38,688 DTC patients confirmed these results (RR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.66-0.91), further revealed the duration of treatment does not influence OS (pooled RR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.83-1.33). CONCLUSION: Delayed initial RAI therapy beyond 3 months but no later than 6 months did not impair the prognosis of TC.

Ultrasound Findings to Predict Risk of Recurrence in Pediatric Intussusception After Air Enema Reduction.

OBJECTIVES: Intussusception is one of the most common abdominal emergencies in early children. Intussusception recurs in 8-20% of children after successful nonoperative reduction. The aim of this study was to explore the ultrasound findings to predict risk of recurrence in pediatric intussusception after air enema reduction. METHODS: A total of 336 intussusception children were followed up for 1 year after received successful air enema reduction. They were divided into the recurrent group and the non-recurrent group. The differences of clinical characteristics, ultrasonic features, and laboratory tests were analyzed by univariate analyses and the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: Sixty-five children with recurrent intussusception were identified. There were statistically significances in the diameter of the mass, in the presence or absence of enlarged lymph nodes out of the sleeve, and in the sleeve between recurrent and non-recurrent groups (P < .05). Other ultrasonic features, clinical characteristics, and blood parameters had no differences (P > .05). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard model showed that the diameter of the mass and abdominal lymph nodes may be the risk factors of intussusception recurrence (HR = 1.395, 95% CI: 1.045~1.863 and HR = 2.078, 95% CI: 1.118~3.865, P < .05). The cut-off value of mass diameter was 2.55 cm, above which recurrence is more likely. CONCLUSIONS: Intussusception recurrence was prone with greater mass diameter (>2.55 cm) and enlarged abdominal lymph nodes. Although these ultrasound findings for recurrence do not necessarily reduce the rate of recurrence, it can predict the recurrent possibility, and help the emergency physicians to be more vigilant in these children and better counsel parents upon discharge.

Efficacy and safety of ixazomib maintenance therapy for patients with multiple myeloma: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Multiple myeloma(MM) is a malignant plasma cell disease. Maintenance treatment is beneficial to prolong survival time in patients with MM. Ixazomib was approved for the treatment of relapsed or refractory MM in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone. Here, we carried out a meta-analysis to determine the efficacy and safety of ixazomib maintenance therapy. METHODS: Several databases were searched including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Library, etc. The last search dated back to July, 2020. Three clinical trials with a total of 1440 participants with newly diagnosed MM were included. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The pooled HR of progression-free survival (PFS) was 0.69 (95% CI = 0.59-0.79), which suggested ixazomib maintenance therapy could prolong PFS remarkably. In addition, ixazomib was effective in deepening remission (RR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.26-1.96). But it could not significantly prolong PFS in cytogenetic high-risk patients (HR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.47-1.00). In terms of adverse reactions, our analysis revealed higher incidences of grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia (RR = 7.47, 95% CI = 2.06-27.06), neuropathy (RR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.14-1.92), grade 3-4 infections (RR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.21-2.59) and gastrointestinal disorders (RR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.32-1.66). There was no significant correlation between the use of ixazomib and grade 3-4 neutropenia (RR = 1.46, 95% CI = 0.77-2.78, p = 0.25) or the occurrence of new primary malignant tumor (RR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.53-1.46, p = 0.62). Additionally, more RCTs are needed for better choice of treatment regimen.

Sacral Insufficiency Fracture after Radiotherapy for Cervical Cancer: Appearance and Dynamic Changes on 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography.

Objective: With the increasing application of radiotherapy for cervical cancer, the incidence of sacral insufficiency fracture (SIF) is increasing gradually. Incorrect or untimely treatment caused by misdiagnosis may lead to serious adverse clinical consequences. This study retrospectively analyzed SIF caused by radiotherapy regarding the appearance and dynamic changes in 2-[fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) positive emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) images to improve the understanding of SIF. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively examined cervical cancer patients who underwent pelvic radiotherapy and 18F-FDG PET/CT between January 2014 and January 2021. Comparative analysis of the imaging performance and follow-up data was conducted. In total, 38 patients with ages ranging from 28 to 81 years (mean age 59.2 ± 10.6 y, median age 56 y) participated in the study. The respective characteristics of the 38 patients were summarized, and diagnosis was confirmed by follow-up changes. Results: Twenty-five (65.8%) of the 38 patients suffered from unilateral SIF, and 13 (34.2%) suffered from bilateral SIF. After receiving radiotherapy, SIF first appeared in 3-42 months (median, 13 months). The main 18F-FDG PET/CT manifestations of SIF were increased bone density (35/38, 92.1%), anterior sacral fracture line (28/38, 73.7%), and diffuse or linear uptake patterns parallel to the sacroiliac joint (37/38, 97.3%), with the maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) ranging from 1.8 to 5.9 (average, 3.1). Follow-up lasted 3-59 months (mean, 14 months). The main changes in SIF were increases in the bone density and high-density range and decreases in the FDG uptake intensity and hypermetabolism range. Three patients had secondary sacral or sacroiliac joint infection (3/38, 7.9%), and 3 patients had secondary fracture and/or pelvic deformation (3/38, 7.9%). Conclusions: 18F-FDG PET/CT is an effective technique for diagnosing SIF. A small fracture line in the anterior sacrum and diffuse or linear areas of high density or metabolism parallel to the sacroiliac joint were the characteristic features of SIF. The main changes in SIF were increases in the bone density and high-density range and decreases in the FDG uptake intensity and hypermetabolism range.

Burden of Thyroid Cancer From 1990 to 2019 and Projections of Incidence and Mortality Until 2039 in China: Findings From Global Burden of Disease Study.

Projecting the burden of thyroid cancer (TC) over time provides essential information to effectively plan measures for its management and prevention. This research obtained data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study from between 1990 and 2019 to model how TC will affect China until 2039 by conducting the Bayesian age-period-cohort analysis. The number of new TC cases in China was 10,030 in 1990, 39,080 in 2019, and is projected to be 47,820 in 2039. This corresponds to 3,320, 7,240, and 4,160 deaths, respectively. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) cases increased from 103,490 in 1990 to 187,320 in 2019. The age-standardized rate (ASR) of incidence increased from 1.01 to 2.05 during 1990-2019 and was projected to increase to 3.37 per 100,000 person-years until 2039. The ASR of mortality (ASMR) remained stable during the study period and was projected to have a mild decline from 0.39 to 0.29/100,000 during 2020-2039. Although the ASMR in male patients has maintained increasing at a rate of 2.2% per year over the past 30 years, it is expected to decline at a rate of 1.07% per year in 2019-2039. The most significant increase in crude incidence occurred in people aged 45-65 from 1990 to 2019, however, this will shift into young people aged 10-24 from 2020 to 2039. In addition, the proportion of deaths and DALYs caused by obesity increased from 1990 to 2019 and affected men more than women. In conclusion, a substantial increase in counts of incidence of TC in China is projected over the next two decades, combined with the slightly declining mortality, indicating that rational health policies are needed in the future to cope with the increasing number of TC patients, especially among males and adolescents.

Lymph node metastases >5 and metastatic lymph node ratio >0.30 of differentiated thyroid cancer predict response to radioactive iodine.

PURPOSE: The study was designed to elucidate the predictive value of the number of lymph node metastases (LNMs) and lymph node ratio (LNR) for response to therapy restratification system (RTRS). METHODS: From December 2015 to December 2019, 1228 patients who accepted radioactive iodine (RAI) were collected in the study. After 6-8 months, response to RAI was evaluated as complete response (excellent response) and incomplete response (indeterminate, biochemical, and structural incomplete response). The study developed classification tree to determine the optimum LNMs and LNR that predicted response to RAI. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were further analyzed to find independent factors of response to RAI. RESULT: The mean age of patients was 44 ± 12 and 71.09% (873/1228) were females. The best cutoff value of LNMs to affect RAI treatment response determined by classification tree was 5. Further in 388 patients with LNMs >5, the best cutoff value of LNR to affect RAI treatment response determined by classification tree was 0.30. With multivariate analysis, the study found that LNMs (>5), gender, lymph node dissection, and American Thyroid Association (ATA) risk classification were independent predictors of response to RAI for all 1228 patients; and LNR (>0.30), gender, and ATA risk classification for 388 patients with LNMs >5. The sensitivity analysis indicated that whether patients with LNM or not were included, the multivariate logistic regression model was kept stable. On subgroup analysis, no significant interactions were observed between the effect of LNMs/LNR and gender, N stage, ATA risk classification, lymph node dissection, or T stage. CONCLUSIONS: With classification tree, the study found that LNMs and LNR could predict initial response to RAI, and their optimal cutoff values were 5 and 0.30, separately.

SLC34A2 Up-regulation And SLC4A4 Down-regulation Correlates With Invasion, Metastasis, And The MAPK Signaling Pathway In Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is one of the fastest growing endocrine system malignant carcinomas detected over the past decade. Unfortunately, more than 25% of PTC patients are characterized by their aggressiveness and subsequent metastasis; these characteristics usually indicate poor prognosis. Recently, increasing evidence has suggested that solute carrier (SLC) transporters may play a pivotal role in the initiation, invasion and metastasis of human carcinoma. However, the expression and clinicopathological significance of SLC transporters in patients with PTC remains undetermined. In this study, we aimed to elucidate how the differential expression of SLC transporters affects clinicopathological features, as well as determine the possible regulatory signaling pathways involved. Three differentially expressed SLC transporters were screened from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database using a bioinformatics approach. The results indicated that high SLC34A2 and low SLC4A4 protein expression exhibited a higher percentage of capsular invasion and extra-thyroid metastasis in patients. Logistic regression analysis showed that high SLC34A2 expression in tumors was identified as an independent risk factor for capsular invasion [odds ratio (OR)=11.400, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.733-74.995, P=0.011] and extra-thyroid metastasis (OR=4.920, 95%CI=1.234-19.623, P=0.024), while low SLC4A4 expression in tumors was only identified as independent risk factors for extra-thyroid metastasis (OR=8.568, 95%CI =1.186-61.906, P=0.033). Specifically, for tumors with capsular invasion and extra-thyroid metastasis, the protein expression staining of SLC34A2 was markedly enhanced in the cytoplasm of follicular epithelial cells, contrastingly, SLC4A4 expression was notably weakened in the cytomembrane and nucleus. Intriguingly, both high SLC34A2 and low SLC4A4 protein expression were significantly linked to a high urinary iodine concentration in patients with PTC. Mechanistically, compared with adjacent normal thyroids, p-ERK was significantly up-regulated by 17.8% in the invading tumor; p-ERK, p-JNK, and p-P38 were markedly up-regulated by 29.2%, 67.1%, and 38.9% for metastatic tumors, respectively. Importantly, SLC4A4 negatively correlated with p-JNK (r=-0.696, P= 0.004) and p-P38 (r=-0.534, P=0.049). In conclusion, we suggest that up-regulated SLC34A2 (mainly in the cytoplasm) and down-regulated SLC4A4 (mainly in the cytomembrane and nucleus), which might be attributed to excess iodine intake, were closely linked to extra-thyroid metastasis in PTCs. Furthermore, this effect of SLC4A4 may be through the activation of JNK/P38 MAPK signaling pathway. Future in vivo and in vitro gain- or loss-of-function experiments are needed to verify these findings and further elucidate the deeper molecular mechanisms.

Value of perfusion parameters and histogram analysis of triphasic computed tomography in pre-operative prediction of histological grade of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Pre-operative non-invasive histological evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a challenge. Tumor perfusion is significantly associated with the development and aggressiveness of HCC. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the clinical value of quantitative liver perfusion parameters and corresponding histogram parameters derived from traditional triphasic enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans in predicting histological grade of HCC. METHODS: Totally, 52 patients with HCC were enrolled in this retrospective study and underwent triple-phase enhanced CT imaging. The blood perfusion parameters were derived from triple-phase CT scans. The relationship of liver perfusion parameters and corresponding histogram parameters with the histological grade of HCC was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the optimal ability of the parameters to predict the tumor histological grade. RESULTS: The variance of arterial enhancement fraction (AEF) was significantly higher in HCCs without poorly differentiated components (NP-HCCs) than in HCCs with poorly differentiated components (P-HCCs). The difference in hepatic blood flow (HF) between total tumor and total liver flow (ΔHF = HFtumor - HFliver) and relative flow (rHF = ΔHF/HFliver) were significantly higher in NP-HCCs than in P-HCCs. The difference in portal vein blood supply perfusion (PVP) between tumor and liver tissue (ΔPVP) and the ΔPVP/liver PVP ratio (rPVP) were significantly higher in patients with NP-HCCs than in patients with P-HCCs. The area under ROC (AUC) of ΔPVP and rPVP were both 0.697 with a high sensitivity of 84.2% and specificity of only 56.2%. The ΔHF and rHF had a higher specificity of 87.5% with an AUC of 0.681 and 0.673, respectively. The combination of rHF and rPVP showed the highest AUC of 0.732 with a sensitivity of 57.9% and specificity of 93.8%. The combined parameter of ΔHF and rPVP, rHF and rPVP had the highest positive predictive value of 0.903, and that of rPVP and ΔPVP had the highest negative predictive value of 0.781. CONCLUSION: Liver perfusion parameters and corresponding histogram parameters (including ΔHF, rHF, ΔPVP, rPVP, and AEFvariance) in patients with HCC derived from traditional triphasic CT scans may be helpful to non-invasively and pre-operatively predict the degree of the differentiation of HCC.

Tumor attenuation and quantitative analysis of perfusion parameters derived from tri-phasic CT scans in hepatocellular carcinoma: Relationship with histological grade.

ABSTRACT: The aim of the current study was to explore the value of tumor attenuation and quantitative analysis of perfusion parameters obtained from traditional tri-phasic CT scans in grading hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Totally 39 patients (42 lesion samples) with pathologically confirmed HCC who underwent tri-phasic CT scans were enrolled. HCC lesions were divided into non-poorly differentiated HCC (NP-HCC; n = 31) and poorly differentiated HCC (pHCC; n = 11). All lesions were divided into 5 groups according to the attenuation on different CT enhancement phase. The values of tumor attenuation on different scanning phases were measured. The following parameters were calculated: arterial enhancement fraction (AEF), portal venous supply coefficient (PVC), and hepatic arterial supply coefficient (HAC). The relationship of perfusion parameters with the histological grade of HCC was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated.No significant correlation was observed between the perfusion parameters and tumor grading. Only HAC showed a non-significant trend in different grades of HCC (pHCC < NP-HCC; P = .07). The pHCC cases had significantly decreased values of tumor attenuation on the unenhanced phase (TAu), tumor attenuation on the portal phase portal phase (TAp), and equilibrium phase (TAe) (P < .01). The difference of tumor attenuation between the portal phase and the unenhanced phase (TAp-TAu) of the pHCC cases was decreased than that of the NP-HCC cases (P < .01), whereas the difference of attenuation between the equilibrium phase and portal phase (TAe-TAp) was significantly higher in the pHCC cases than that in the NP-HCC cases (P < .01). TAe-TAp had the highest area under the curve. The number of tumor enhancement pattern in Group 5 of HCCs with a diameter of 3 cm or more was significantly more than that of HCCs with a diameter of less than 3 cm or with other different enhancement patterns (P < .01).Histological HCC grading cannot be predicted by the perfusion parameters derived from traditional tri-phasic CT scans, whereas the tumor attenuation on different phases and the tumor attenuation differences among different phases, especially the mean value of TAe-TAp, might be useful for non-invasive prediction on the degree of HCC differentiation.

Analysis of dermoscopic characteristic for the differential diagnosis of palmoplantar psoriasis and palmoplantar eczema.

ABSTRACT: Dermoscopy is a noninvasive diagnostic technique that is of great value for the differential diagnosis of palmoplantar psoriasis and palmoplantar eczema. Considering the particularity of palmoplantar anatomy, the dermoscopic features of psoriasis and eczema in palm region show fewer differences, compared with those in other parts of the body. Only a few studies have examined the palmoplantar region of psoriasis and eczema patients under a dermoscope.A total of 26 patients with palmoplantar psoriasis and 31 patients with palmoplantar eczema were enrolled in our study. Target palmoplantar areas were observed through general observation and under dermoscope.We found that the presence of white scales and a regular arrangement of dots and globular vessels were significantly indicative of palmoplantar psoriasis, while yellowish scales and an irregular arrangement of atypical vessels were significantly indicative of palmoplantar eczema.

A pre-ablative thyroid-stimulating hormone with 30-70 mIU/L achieves better response to initial radioiodine remnant ablation in differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients.

Our aim was to clarify the optimum pre-ablative thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level for initial radioiodine remnant ablation (RRA) in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). From December 2015 to May 2019, 689 patients undergone RRA at Nuclear Medicine Department, Second Hospital of Shandong University were included in the study. Patients were categorized by their pre-ablative TSH level grouping of < 30, 30-70 and ≥ 70 mIU/L. Response to RRA were evaluated as complete response (including excellent and indeterminate response) and incomplete response (including biochemical and structural incomplete response) after a follow-up of 6-8 months. Multivariable binary logistic regression model was used to explore the optimum pre-ablative TSH level range and independent factors associated with response to RRA. Rates of complete response to RRA were 63.04%, 74.59% and 66.41% in TSH level groups of < 30, 30-70 and ≥ 70 mIU/L, separately. With multivariate analysis, the study found that pre-ablative TSH levels, gender and lymph node dissection were independent predictors of response to RRA. TSH between 30 and 70 mIU/L had a higher rate of complete response compared with TSH < 30 mIU/L, OR 0.451 (95% CI 0.215-0.958, P = 0.036). A pre-ablative TSH level of 30-70 mIU/L was appropriate for patients with DTC to achieve a better response to RRA.

The Diagnostic Value of FDG PET/CT and Thin-Slice High-Resolution Chest CT in Pulmonary Intravascular Metastasis.

OBJECTIVE. Pulmonary intravascular metastasis is a special type of pulmonary metastasis of malignancies; however, few relevant studies have been performed. This study aimed to determine the characteristics of pulmonary intravascular metastasis and improve understanding of the disease by retrospective analysis of FDG PET/CT and thin-layer high-resolution CT (HRCT) imaging of the chest in patients with tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS. We identified all patients who underwent FDG PET/CT at two hospitals between January 2016 and February 2019 and conducted a comparative analysis of HRCT and PET/CT images. In total, 84 patients (38 women and 46 men) ranging in age from 35 to 82 years old (mean age, 54.7 ± 14.5 [SD] years) participated in the study. Patient characteristics were summarized, and diagnosis was confirmed by chest CT or PET/CT follow-up. RESULTS. A total of 260 pulmonary intravascular metastases were found, which were classified as type I (no significant abnormality, n = 5), type II (abrupt and uneven thickening of the pulmonary vessel, n = 118), type III (simultaneous invasion of adjacent pulmonary vessel, n = 121), and type IV (large strip-shaped high-density mass, n = 16). The majority were located in peripheral pulmonary vessels (94.2% [245/260]). FDG up-take was increased in 252 lesions, and the mean SUVmax was 4.6 ± 2.5. CONCLUSION. The combination of PET/CT and chest HRCT is an effective approach for detecting pulmonary intravascular metastasis. The linear pattern of FDG uptake, abnormal pulmonary blood vessel morphology, and location (below the lung segment) are specific indicators for the diagnosis of pulmonary intravascular metastasis and should be recognized by clinicians and radiologists.

Prognosis of pregnancy-associated breast cancer: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) is defined as breast cancer that is diagnosed during pregnancy and/or the postpartum period. Definitions of the duration of the postpartum period have been controversial, and this variability may lead to diverse results regarding prognosis. Moreover, evidence on the dose-response association between the time from the last pregnancy to breast cancer diagnosis and overall mortality has not been synthesized. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for observational studies on the prognosis of PABC published up to June 1, 2019. We estimated summary-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses based on diagnosis time, PABC definition, geographic region, year of publication and estimation procedure for HR were performed. Additionally, dose-response analysis was conducted by using the variance weighted least-squares regression (VWLS) trend estimation. RESULTS: A total of 54 articles (76 studies) were included in our study. PABC was associated with poor prognosis for overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and cause-specific survival (CSS), and the pooled HRs with 95% CIs were 1.45 (1.30-1.63), 1.39 (1.25-1.54) and 1.40 (1.17-1.68), respectively. The corresponding reference category was non-PABC patients. According to subgroup analyses, the varied definition of PABC led to diverse results. The dose-response analysis indicated a nonlinear association between the time from the last delivery to breast cancer diagnosis and the HR of overall mortality (P < 0.001). Compared to nulliparous women, the mortality was almost 60% higher in women with PABC diagnosed at 12 months after the last delivery (HR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.30-1.82), and the mortality was not significantly different at 70 months after the last delivery (HR = 1.14, 95% CI 0.99-1.25). This finding suggests that the definition of PABC should be extended to include patients diagnosed up to approximately 6 years postpartum (70 months after the last delivery) to capture the increased risk. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggests that PABC is associated with poor prognosis, and the definition of PABC should be extended to include patients diagnosed up to approximately 6 years postpartum.

Discriminating Malignancy in Thyroid Nodules: The Nomogram Versus the Kwak and ACR TI-RADS.

OBJECTIVE: To develop an easy-to-use nomogram for discrimination of malignant thyroid nodules and to compare diagnostic efficiency with the Kwak and American College of Radiology (ACR) Thyroid Imaging, Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective diagnostic study. SETTING: The Second Hospital of Shandong University. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: From March 2017 to April 2019, 792 patients with 1940 thyroid nodules were included into the training set; from May 2019 to December 2019, 174 patients with 389 nodules were included into the validation set. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to develop a nomogram for discriminating malignant nodules. To compare the diagnostic performance of the nomogram with the Kwak and ACR TI-RADS, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated. RESULTS: The nomogram consisted of 7 factors: composition, orientation, echogenicity, border, margin, extrathyroidal extension, and calcification. In the training set, for all nodules, the area under the curve (AUC) for the nomogram was 0.844, which was higher than the Kwak TI-RADS (0.826, P = .008) and the ACR TI-RADS (0.810, P < .001). For the 822 nodules >1 cm, the AUC of the nomogram was 0.891, which was higher than the Kwak TI-RADS (0.852, P < .001) and the ACR TI-RADS (0.853, P < .001). In the validation set, the AUC of the nomogram was also higher than the Kwak and ACR TI-RADS (P < .05), each in the whole series and separately for nodules >1 or ≤1 cm. CONCLUSIONS: When compared with the Kwak and ACR TI-RADS, the nomogram had a better performance in discriminating malignant thyroid nodules.

Assessment of risk factors for early childhood caries at different ages in Shandong, China and reflections on oral health education: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The high prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) is widespread around the world, and oral health education (OHE) plays a vital role in preventing ECC. Numerous studies on ECC risk factor assessment have assisted us in enriching the content of OHE. The objective of this study was to further assess independent risk factors for ECC at different ages to provide evidence and insights for OHE. METHODS: Children aged 3-5 years old (N = 1301) in Shandong Province were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Data about oral health status and caregivers' oral health knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) were extracted from the 4th National Oral Health Survey of China. The associations between ECC prevalence and various KAP variables were tested with chi-square tests, bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The ECC prevalence in Shandong Province was 64.6%, and the dmft mean was 3.15. The independent variables with an increased risk for ECC were age, feeding method within 6 months of birth, bedtime sugar frequency, experience of toothache over the past year and dental visits (P < 0.05, chi-square tests). Complete breastfeeding within 6 months of birth primarily contributed to the high ECC risk of the 3-year-old group (OR: 3.39, 95% CI: 1.41-8.17), while high frequency bedtime sweet consumption mainly contributed to that of the 5-year-old group (OR: 3.22, 95% CI: 1.03-10.06; logistic regression analysis). Tooth brushing was not associated with ECC in this study, and some positive knowledge and attitude variables were positively correlated with a high risk of ECC. CONCLUSION: These data provide evidence to suggest that the ECC-related risk factors at different ages are inconsistent, which provides some insights for OHE. We should highlight the effects of feeding methods in the early stages of deciduous dentition and sugar habits in the late stages of deciduous dentition on ECC, as well as encourage preventive dental visit and supplemental training for oral health practices.

Association of Hepatitis B Virus DNA Level and Follow-up Interval With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence.

Importance: Antiviral treatment is important in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) comprehensive therapy. A high HBV DNA level is an independent risk factor for HBV-related HCC, but no quantifiable clinical index is available to date. Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and availability of the novel HBV DNA quantitation-time index (HDQTI), which includes HBV DNA quantitation and follow-up, to predict HBV-related HCC prognosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective prognostic study of patients with HCC from multiple centers in China was performed from January 1, 2002, to December 31, 2016. The median follow-up time was 18 months, and the longest follow-up time was 147 months. Data analysis was performed from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures: Clinical characteristics, antitumor management, antiviral treatment, HDQTI scores, follow-up information, and overall survival were recorded and analyzed. A receiver operating characteristic curve and accompanying area under the curve were calculated for HDQTI. Results: A total of 842 patients (mean [SD] age, 61.80 [9.85] years; 513 [60.9%] male) were included in the study. Of all included patients, 734 received no antiviral therapy before diagnosis (no previous diagnosis of HBV infection), 43 underwent nonstandard antiviral therapy, and 65 received regular antiviral therapy. Compared with the group without antiviral treatment, the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage was earlier (A:B:C, 73.8%:26.2%:0% to 5.7%:65.5%:28.8%, P < .001), the mean (SD) tumor size was smaller (2.89 [1.26] to 7.56 [3.28] cm, P < .001), the ratio of baseline HBV DNA level of more than 105 copies/mL was lower (10.8% to 40.6%, P < .001), and the ratio of the α1-fetoprotein level more than 400 ng/mL was less (21.5% to 78.2%, P < .001) in the standard antiviral treatment group, whereas the nonstandard treatment group was between the 2 groups. Recurrence occurred in 39 of 109 BCLC stage A cases. Patients with HDQTI scores higher than 34 had high risk of recurrence; at this cutoff level, the sensitivity of the HDQTI was 76.9% and the specificity was 92.9%, with an area under curve of 0.928. Patients in various BCLC stages had similar trends in overall survival and HDQTI scores (BCLC stage A: HDQTI score <34, not applicable; HDQTI score ≥34, 44.0 months; 95% CI, 38.3-49.7 months; BCLC stage B: HDQTI score <34, 35.0 months; 95% CI, 33.3-36.7 months; HDQTI score ≥34, 17.0 months; 95% CI, 14.5-19.5 months; P = .002; BCLC stage C: HDQTI score <34, 18.0 months; 95% CI, 16.5-19.6 months; HDQTI scores ≥34, 10.0 months; 95% CI, 8.5-11.5 months; P = .005). Conclusions and Relevance: The findings suggest that the HDQTI can be used as an independent prognostic indicator of recurrence in HBV-related HCC. Shorter follow-up intervals and accurate imaging evaluation are recommended in patients with HDQTI scores of 34 or higher.

Effects of Rex-bypass shunt on the cavernous transformation of the portal vein in children: evaluation by the color Doppler ultrasonography.

BACKGROUND: The study was to investigate the role of color Doppler ultrasonography in the evaluation of the effect of Rex-bypass shunt on the cavernous transformation of the portal vein (CTPV) in children. METHODS: Fifty children with symptomatic extrahepatic portal hypertension who received Rex-bypass shunt were retrospectively reviewed, and they were diagnosed with CTPV by ultrasonography. The clinical characteristics were analyzed before and after operation. RESULTS: Forty-five patients received color Doppler ultrasonography at 6 months after surgery, and good patency in the bypass vessels was displayed. The platelet count significantly increased (P < 0.001) and the esophagogastric varices were improved significantly (p < 0.001). The patency of bypass vessels on color Doppler ultrasonography was consistent with the changes in the platelet count and the degree of esophagogastric varices on gastroscopy before and after operation. The diameter of bypass vessels at 6 months was slightly larger than that at 7 days after operation, and there was no significant difference in blood flow velocity between two time points (P = 0.507). CONCLUSIONS: Color Doppler ultrasonography can display the patency, diameter, and flow velocity of bypass vessels. It plays an important role in evaluating the effect of Rex-bypass shunt on the CTPV.

18F-FDG Positron-Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Findings of Radiographic Lesions Suggesting Old Healed Pulmonary Tuberculosis and High-risk Signs of Predicting Recurrence: A Retrospective Study.

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is a common worldwide infection with high mortality and morbidity, especially in developing countries. This study analyzed PET/CT findings in tumor patients with radiographic lesions suggesting old healed pulmonary tuberculosis (OHPTB) and imaging follow-up to find and verify PET/CT signs that may predict tuberculosis recurrence. A retrospective analysis of the tumor patients was carried out. These patients underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT in our center from 2010 to 2018. Confirmation of tuberculosis recurrence was obtained by follow-up of morphological changes in old lesions by PET/CT or CT. In total, 238 patients with a complete medical history were included in the final study, and 22 patients experienced OHPTB recurrence. We found that the SUVmax of tuberculosis in PET/CT was significantly increased in the recurrence group compared to the non-recurrence group [5.00 (3.40, 7.30) vs. 1.10 (0.80, 1.30), P < 0.001]. The ROC curve showed good discrimination, with an AUC of 0.980, and a cut-off SUVmax value of 2.15 was identified (the sensitivity was 90.5%, the specificity was 97.2%, the positive predictive value was 76.0%, and the negative predictive value was 99.1%). Both the tumor and the anti-tumor treatment can cause the patient to be immunocompromised and might further cause the recurrence of OHPTB. Positive imaging on 18F-FDG PET can predict the recurrence of OHPPT. Although there might be a false positive, 18F-FDG PET can greatly narrow the monitoring range. A negative result on imaging has high reliability for eliminating the possibility of tuberculosis recurrence. PET/CT has important clinical significance in tuberculosis management in patients with concurrent OHPTB.