RESUMO
Background: Sexual dysfunction, namely, erectile dysfunction (ED) and premature ejaculation (PE), has been found to be associated with abnormal structural connectivity in the brain. Previous studies have mainly focused on a single disorder, however, convergent and divergent structural connectivity patterns of the brain network between ED and PE remain poorly understood. Methods: T1-weighted structural data and diffusion tensor imaging data of 28 patients with psychological ED, 28 patients with lifelong PE (LPE), and 28 healthy controls (HCs) were obtained to map the white matter (WM) brain networks. Then, the graph-theoretical method was applied to investigate the differences of network properties (small-world measures) of the WM network between patients with ED and LPE. Furthermore, nodal segregative and integrative parameters (nodal clustering coefficient and characteristic path length) were also explored between these patients. Results: Small-world architecture of the brain networks were identified for both psychological ED and LPE groups. However, patients with ED exhibited increased average characteristic path length of the brain network when compared with patients with LPE and HCs. No significant difference was found in the average characteristic path length between patients with LPE and HCs. Moreover, increased nodal characteristic path length was found in the right middle frontal gyrus (orbital part) of patients with ED and LPE when compared with HCs. In addition, patients with ED had increased nodal characteristic path length in the right middle frontal gyrus (orbital part) when compared with patients with LPE. Conclusion: Together, our results demonstrated that decreased integration of the right middle frontal gyrus (orbital part) might be a convergent neuropathological basis for both psychological ED and LPE. In addition, patients with ED also exhibited decreased integration in the whole WM brain network, which was not found in patients with LPE. Therefore, altered integration of the whole brain network might be the divergent structural connectivity patterns for psychological ED and LPE.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of CT and MRI in differentiating mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma (MTSCC) and papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC). METHODS: 23 patients with MTSCC and 38 patients with PRCC were studied retrospectively. CT and MRI were undertaken to investigate differences in tumour characteristics. RESULTS: 23 patients with MTSCC and 38 patients with PRCC (included 15 cases Type 1,and 23 cases Type 2), tumours (mean diameter 3.7 ± 1.6 cm vs 4.6 ± 1.7 cm, p < 0.05), cystic components (5 vs 32, p < 0.01), calcifications (3 vs 11, p > 0.05), haemorrhage (1 vs 22, p < 0.01), tumour boundaries (1 vs 37, p < 0.01), and homogeneous enhancement (20 vs 11, p < 0.01). The density of MTSCC was lower than that of PRCC, normal renal cortex (p < 0.05), except for the medulla(p > 0.05). MTSCC and PRCC tumour enhancement were lower than that for normal cortex and medulla during all enhanced phases (p < 0.05). Enhancement was higher with PRCC than with MTSCC tumours during all phases (p < 0.05). On MRI, nine cases of MTSCC and 19 cases of PRCC, tumour showed homogeneous (9 vs 3, p < 0.01), heterogeneous (0 vs 16, p < 0.01), hyperintense on T1WI (0 vs 15, p < 0.01), slightly hyperintense on T2WI (9 vs 1, p < 0.01), hypointense on T2WI (0 vs 15, p < 0.05) , relatively high signal intensity was seen on DWI (9 vs 15, p > 0.05), respectively. CONCLUSION: CT imaging features of MTSCC include isodense or hypodense mass on unenhanced CT, with unclear boundaries; however, PRCC showed mild hyperdensity, easily have cystic components. The degree enhancement of MTSCC is lower than that for PRCC. On MR, MTSCC was slightly hyperintense on T2WI, whereas PRCC was hypointense. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: 1.CT imaging features of MTSCC include isodense or hypodense mass on unenhanced CT, with unclear boundaries.2. CT imaging features of PRCC include mild hyperdensity on unenhanced CT, easily have cystic components.3. On enhanced CT, the degree enhancement of MTSCC is lower than that for PRCC. On MR, MTSCC was slightly hyperintense on T2WI whereas PRCC was heterogeneously hypointense on T2WI.
