Liver fibrosis by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and its functional correlates in fontan patients.

OBJECTIVES: The evaluation of Fontan-associated liver disease is often challenging. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging can detect hepatic fibrosis from capillary perfusion and diffusion abnormalities from extracellular matrix accumulation. This study investigated its role for evaluation of liver disease in Fontan patients and explored possible diagnostic method for early detection of advanced liver fibrosis. METHODS: Stable adult Fontan patients who could safely receive magnetic resonance examination were enrolled and blood biomarkers, transient elastography were also examined. RESULTS: Forty-six patients received diffusion weighted imaging and 58.7% were with advanced liver fibrosis (severe liver fibrosis 37.0%, and cirrhosis 21.7%). Two parameters of hepatic dysfunction, platelet counts (Spearman's ρ: -0.456, p = 0.001) and cholesterol levels (Spearman's ρ: -0.383, p = 0.009), decreased with increasing severities of fibrosis. Using transient elastography, a cutoff value 14.2 kPa predicted presence of advanced liver fibrosis, but with a low positive predictive value. When we included platelet count, cholesterol, post-Fontan years and TE values as a composite, the prediction capability of advanced liver fibrosis was the most satisfactory (c statistic 0.817 ± 0.071, p < 0.001). A cutoff value of 5.0 revealed a sensitivity of 78% and a specificity of 82%. CONCLUSIONS: In Fontan patients, diffusion-weighted imaging is helpful in detection of liver fibrosis that was correlated with hepatic dysfunction. A simple score was proposed for long-term surveillance and early detection of advanced liver disease in adult Fontan patients. For adult Fontan patients with calculated score > 5.0, we may consider timely diffusion-weight imaging and early management for liver complications.

Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (dMRI) and Cochlear Implant Outcomes in Axonal Auditory Neuropathy: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Progressive auditory dysfunction is common in patients with generalized neurodegenerative conditions, but clinicians currently lack the diagnostic tools to determine the location/degree of the pathology and, hence, to provide appropriate intervention. In this study, we present the white-matter microstructure measurements derived from a novel diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) technique in a patient with axonal auditory neuropathy and consider the findings in relation to the auditory intervention outcomes. METHODS: We tracked the hearing changes in an adolescent with Riboflavin Transporter Deficiency (Type 2), evaluating the sound detection/discrimination, auditory evoked potentials, and both structural- and diffusion-weighted MRI findings over a 3-year period. In addition, we explored the effect of bilateral cochlear implantation in this individual. RESULTS: Between the ages of 15 years and 18 years, the patient showed a complete loss of functional hearing ability. The auditory brainstem response testing indicated an auditory neuropathy with evidence of normal cochlear function but disrupted auditory neural activity. While three structural MRI assessments across this period showed a clinically normal cochleovestibular anatomy, the dMRI evaluation revealed a significant loss of fiber density consistent with axonopathy. The subsequent cochlear implant function was affected with the high levels of current required to elicit auditory sensations and concomitant vestibular and facial nerve stimulation issues. CONCLUSIONS: The case study demonstrates the ability of dMRI technologies to identify the subtle white-matter microstructure changes in the auditory pathway, which may disrupt the neural function in patients with auditory axonopathy.

Calculation of intravoxel incoherent motion parameter maps using a kernelized total difference-based method.

Quantitative analysis of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) has been explored for many clinical applications since its development. In particular, the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) model for DW-MRI has been commonly utilized in various organs. However, because of the presence of excessive noise, the IVIM parameter maps obtained from pixel-wise fitting are often unreliable. In this study, we propose a kernelized total difference-based curve-fitting method to estimate the IVIM parameters. Simulated DW-MRI data at five signal-to-noise ratios (i.e., 10, 20, 30, 50, and 100) and real abdominal DW-MRI data acquired on a 1.5-T MRI scanner with nine b-values (i.e., 0, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 s/mm2) and six diffusion-encoding gradient directions were used to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. The results were compared with those obtained by three existing methods: trust-region reflective (TRR) algorithm, Bayesian probability (BP), and deep neural network (DNN). Our simulation results showed that the proposed method outperformed the other three comparing methods in terms of root-mean-square error. Moreover, the proposed method could preserve small details in the estimated IVIM parameter maps. The experimental results showed that, compared with the TRR method, the proposed method as well as the BP (and DNN) method could reduce the overestimation of the pseudodiffusion coefficient and improve the quality of IVIM parameter maps. For all studied abdominal organs except the pancreas, both the proposed method and the BP method could provide IVIM parameter estimates close to the reference values; the former had higher precision. The kernelized total difference-based curve-fitting method has the potential to improve the reliability of IVIM parametric imaging.

Non-contrast Breast MR Imaging.

Considering the high cost of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging and various contraindications and health concerns related to administration of intravenous gadolinium-based contrast agents, there is emerging interest in non-contrast-enhanced breast MR imaging. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) is a fast, unenhanced technique that has wide clinical applications in breast cancer detection, characterization, prognosis, and predicting treatment response. It also has the potential to serve as a non-contrast MR imaging screening method. Standardized protocols and interpretation strategies can help to enhance the clinical utility of breast DWI. A variety of other promising non-contrast MR imaging techniques are in development, but currently, DWI is closest to clinical integration, while others are still mostly used in the research setting.

Diagnostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT versus diffusion-weighted MRI in detection of residual or recurrent tumors after definitive (chemo) radiotherapy for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: A prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in treatment, residual or recurrent tumors after definitive (chemo) radiotherapy for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remain a challenge in clinical management and require accurate and timely detection for optimal salvage therapy. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic value of Fluorine 18 (18F) fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) in detecting residual or recurrent tumors after definitive (chemo) radiotherapy for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal SCC. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on 30 patients who presented with new symptoms after definitive (chemo) radiotherapy for laryngeal (n = 21) and hypopharyngeal (n = 9) carcinoma. Both 18F-FDG PET/CT and DW-MRI were performed and histopathologic analysis served as the standard of reference. RESULTS: Histopathology showed 20 patients as positive and 10 as negative for tumors. 18F-FDG PET/CT detected all tumors correctly but was falsely positive in one case. DW-MRI detected tumors in 18 out of 20 positive patients and correctly excluded tumors in all negative patients. The sensitivity and specificity of 18F-FDG PET/CT were 100% and 90%, respectively, while the values for DW-MRI were 90% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The study concludes that 18F-FDG PET/CT is slightly superior to DW-MRI in detecting residual or recurrent tumors after definitive (chemo) radiotherapy for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal SCC. The combined use of 18F-FDG PET/CT and DW-MRI can potentially improve specificity in therapy response evaluation.

Value of turbo spin echo-based diffusion-weighted imaging in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant solitary pulmonary lesions.

To quantitatively assess the diagnostic efficacy of multiple parameters derived from multi-b-value diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) using turbo spin echo (TSE)-based acquisition techniques in patients with solitary pulmonary lesions (SPLs). A total of 105 patients with SPLs underwent lung DWI using single-shot TSE-based acquisition techniques and multiple b values. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) parameters, and lesion-to-spinal cord signal intensity ratio (LSR), were analyzed to compare the benign and malignant groups using the Mann-Whitney U test and receiver operating characteristic analysis. The Dstar values observed in lung cancer were slightly lower than those observed in pulmonary benign lesions (28.164 ± 31.950 versus 32.917 ± 34.184; Z = -2.239, p = 0.025). The LSR values were significantly higher in lung cancer than in benign lesions (1.137 ± 0.581 versus 0.614 ± 0.442; Z = - 4.522, p < 0.001). Additionally, the ADC800, ADCtotal, and D values were all significantly lower in lung cancer than in the benign lesions (Z = - 5.054, -5.370, and -6.047, respectively, all p < 0.001), whereas the f values did not exhibit any statistically significant difference between the two groups. D had the highest area under the curve (AUC = 0.887), followed by ADCtotal (AUC = 0.844), ADC800 (AUC = 0.824), and LSR (AUC = 0.789). The LSR, ADC800, ADCtotal, and D values did not differ statistically significantly in diagnostic effectiveness. Lung DWI using TSE is feasible for differentiating SPLs. The LSR method, conventional DWI, and IVIM have comparable diagnostic efficacy for assessing SPLs.

Apparent Diffusion Coefficient on Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Predict the Prognosis of Patients with Endometrial Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.

Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) derived from diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) may help diagnose endometrial cancer (EC). However, the association between ADC and the recurrence and survival of EC remains unknown. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate whether pretreatment ADC on DWI could predict the prognosis of women with EC. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane's Library were searched for relevant cohort studies comparing the clinical outcomes between women with EC having low versus high ADC on pretreatment DWI. Two authors independently conducted data collection, literature searching, and statistical analysis. Using a heterogeneity-incorporating random-effects model, we analyzed the results. In the meta-analysis, 1358 women with EC were included from eight cohort studies and followed for a median duration of 40 months. Pooled results showed that a low pretreatment ADC on DWI was associated with poor disease-free survival (DFS, hazard ratio [HR]: 3.29, 95% CI: 2.04 to 5.31, p < 0.001; I2 = 41%). Subgroup analysis according to study design, tumor stage, MRI Tesla strength, ADC cutoff, follow-up duration, and study quality score showed consistent results (p for subgroup analysis all > 0.05). The predictive value of low ADC for poor DFS in women with EC decreased in multivariate studies compared to univariate studies (HR: 2.59 versus 32.57, p = 0.002). Further studies showed that a low ADC was also associated with poor overall survival (HR: 3.36, 95% CI: 1.33 to 8.50, p = 0.01, I2 = 0). In conclusion, a low ADC on pretreatment DWI examination may predict disease recurrence and survival in women with EC.

Affinity of structural white matter tracts between infant and adult pig.

BACKGROUND: The piglet brain has been increasingly used as an excellent surrogate for investigation of pediatric neurodevelopment, nutrition, and traumatic brain injuries. This study intends to establish a piglet brain's structural connectivity model and compare it with the adult pig, enhancing its application for structurally guided functional analysis. METHODS: In this study, diffusion-weighted (DW)-MRI data from piglets (n=11, 3-week-old) was used to establish piglet model and compare with adult pigs. We employed a data-driven independent component analysis (ICA) method to derive piglet-specific tracts. Pearson correlations and Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergences was employed to identify common tracts and unique tracts for piglet. Common tracts were then used in a blueprint connectome study to highlight differences in regions of interest (ROI). RESULTS: The data-driven approach applied to piglet brains revealed 17 common tracts, showing high similarity with adult pigs' white matter (WM) tracts, and identified 3 tracts unique to piglets and 10 negative marker tracts. Additionally, the study highlighted notable differences in 3 ROIs associated with blueprint connectome. COMPARING WITH EXISTING METHODS: This study marks a significant shift from surface-based to voxel-based methodologies in analyzing pig brain structural connectivity and generating connectome blueprints. Additionally, it sheds light on the use of the piglet model for developmental studies, offering new perspectives in this area. CONCLUSION: This study established a piglet brain tract model and conducts a comparative analysis of adult pig's and piglet's structural connectivity. These findings underscore the potential use of the piglet brain model in employing piglet model for developmental studies.

A comparative study of mono-exponential and advanced diffusion-weighted imaging in differentiating stage IA endometrial carcinoma from benign endometrial lesions.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the current investigation is to compare the efficacy of different diffusion models and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in differentiating stage IA endometrial carcinoma (IAEC) from benign endometrial lesions (BELs). METHODS: Patients with IAEC, endometrial hyperplasia (EH), or a thickened endometrium confirmed between May 2016 and August 2022 were retrospectively enrolled. All of the patients underwent a preoperative pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) from the mono-exponential model, pure diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), perfusion fraction (f) from the bi-exponential model, distributed diffusion coefficient (DDC), water molecular diffusion heterogeneity index from the stretched-exponential model, diffusion coefficient (Dk) and diffusion kurtosis (K) from the DKI model were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency. RESULTS: A total of 90 patients with IAEC and 91 patients with BELs were enrolled. The values of ADC, D, DDC and Dk were significantly lower and D* and K were significantly higher in cases of IAEC (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that K was the only predictor. The area under the ROC curve of K was 0.864, significantly higher compared with the ADC (0.601), D (0.811), D* (0.638), DDC (0.743) and Dk (0.675). The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of K were 78.89%, 85.71% and 80.66%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Advanced diffusion-weighted imaging models have good performance for differentiating IAEC from EH and endometrial thickening. Among all of the diffusion parameters, K showed the best performance and was the only independent predictor. Diffusion kurtosis imaging was defined as the most valuable model in the current context.

Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging combined with Texture Analysis in Predicting the Histological Grades of Rectal Adenocarcinoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the predictive value of 3.0T MRI Intravoxel Incoherent motion diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (IVIM-DWI) combined with texture analysis (TA) in the histological grade of rectal adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Seventy-one patients with rectal adenocarcinoma confirmed by pathology after surgical resection were collected retrospectively. According to pathology, they were divided into a poorly differentiated group (n=23) and a moderately differentiated group (n=48). The IVIM-DWI parameters and TA characteristics of the two groups were compared, and a prediction model was constructed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. ROC curves were plotted for each individual and combined parameter. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in D and D* values between the two groups (P < 0.05). The three texture parameters SmallAreaEmphasis, Median, and Maximum had statistically significant differences between groups (P = 0.01, 0.004, 0.009, respectively). The logistic regression prediction model showed that D*, the median, and the maximum value were significant independent predictors, and the AUC of the regression prediction model was 0.860, which was significantly higher than other single parameters. CONCLUSION: 3.0T MRI IVIM-DWI parameters combined with TA can provide valuable information for predicting the histological grades of rectal adenocarcinoma one week before the operation.

Microstructural White Matter Abnormalities in Children and Adolescents With Narcolepsy Type 1.

BACKGROUND: In 2010, the H1N1 Pandemrix vaccination campaign was followed by a sudden increase in narcolepsy type 1 (NT1). We investigated the brain white matter microstructure in children with onset of NT1 within two years after the Pandemrix vaccination. METHODS: We performed diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on 19 children and adolescents with NT1 and 19 healthy controls. Imaging was performed at a median of 4 years after the diagnosis at a median age of 16 years. For the MRI, we used whole-brain tractography and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). We compared these results with medical records and questionnaire data. RESULTS: Narcoleptic children showed a global decrease in mean, axial, and radial diffusivity and an increase in planarity coefficient in the white matter TBSS skeleton and tractography. These differences were widespread, and there was an increased asymmetry of the mean diffusivity in children with NT1. The global microstructural metrics were reflected in behavior, and especially the axial diffusion levels correlated with anxiety and depression symptoms and social and behavioral problems. CONCLUSIONS: In pediatric patients with Pandemrix-associated NT1, several global changes in the brain white matter network skeleton were observed within five years after the onset of NT1. The degree of changes correlates with behavioral problems.

Assessment of glymphatic dysfunction in pediatric idiopathic intracranial hypertension: insights from quantitative diffusivity and perivascular spaces analysis-a case-control study.

Background: The impaired drainage of cerebrospinal fluid through the glymphatic system is thought to play a role in the idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) pathophysiology. Limited data exist regarding the glymphatic system's involvement in pediatric patients with IIH. Therefore, the study's objective was to quantitatively evaluate alterations in parenchymal diffusivity and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-visible dilated perivascular spaces (PVS) as imaging indicators of glymphatic dysfunction in pediatric patients with IIH. Methods: Patients diagnosed with IIH in 2017-2022 in a single tertiary center (Sheba Medical Center, Israel) were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-four pediatric patients were enrolled. All patients underwent clinical 3-T brain MRI. The control group included 24 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects with a normal-appearing brain on imaging. We used automatic atlas-based diffusion-weighted imaging analysis to determine regional diffusivity of the thalamus, caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, hippocampus, amygdala, and brain stem. PVS were evaluated using a semi-quantitative rating scale on T2-weighted images. Variables were compared using the Mann-Whitney test. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to test for differences between controls and IIH patients. Results: No significant differences in regional brain diffusivity were observed between individuals with IIH and healthy controls (P=0.14-0.91 for various brain regions). The number of visible PVS was comparable between patients with IIH and the control group across all evaluated sites (P=0.12-0.74 for various brain regions). Conclusions: Pediatric IIH patients exhibited similar patterns of parenchymal diffusivity and PVS compared to age-matched controls. These findings do not support the hypothesis that the glymphatic system may play a role in the pathophysiology of pediatric IIH, although previously postulated. However, employing more sophisticated magnetic resonance (MR) techniques could enhance the sensitivity in uncovering underlying glymphatic dysfunction. Further research is warranted to validate and explore this association in larger cohorts and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved in IIH.

Diagnostic efficacy of combining diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging with serum Mucin 1, Mucin 13, and Mucin 16 in distinguishing borderline from malignant epithelial ovarian tumors.

AIMS: To enhance ovarian tumor diagnosis beyond conventional methods, this study explored combining diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI-MRI) and serum biomarkers (Mucin 1 [MUC1], MUC13, and MUC16) for distinguishing borderline from malignant epithelial ovarian tumors. METHODS: A total of 126 patients, including 71 diagnosed with borderline (BEOTs) and 55 with malignant epithelial ovarian tumors (MEOTs), underwent preoperative DWI-MRI. Region of interest (ROI) was manually drawn along the solid component's boundary of the largest tumor, focusing on areas with potentially the lowest apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). For entirely cystic tumors, a free-form ROI enclosed the maximum number of septa while targeting the lowest ADC. Serum biomarkers were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Basic morphological traits proved inadequate for malignancy diagnosis, warranting this investigation. BEOTs had an ADC mean of (1.670 ± 0.250) × 103 mm2 /s, while MEOTs had a lower ADC mean of (1.332 ± 0.481) × 103 mm2 /s, with a sensitivity of 63.6% and specificity of 90.1%. Median MUC1 (167.0 U/mL vs. 87.3 U/mL), MUC13 (12.44 ng/mL vs. 7.77 ng/mL), and MUC16 (180.6 U/mL vs. 36.1 U/mL) levels were higher in MEOTs patients. The biomarker performance was: MUC1, sensitivity 50.9%, specificity 100%; MUC13, sensitivity 56.4%, specificity 78.9%; MUC16, sensitivity 83.64%, specificity 100%. Combining serum biomarkers and ADC mean resulted in a sensitivity of 96.4% and specificity of 100%. CONCLUSION: The integration of DWI-MRI with serum biomarkers (MUC1, MUC13, and MUC16) achieves exceptional diagnostic accuracy, offering a powerful tool for the precise differentiation between borderline and malignant epithelial ovarian tumors.

Diffusion-weighted, intravoxel incoherent motion, and diffusion kurtosis tensor MR imaging in chronic kidney diseases: Correlations with histology.

OBJECTIVES: To probe the correlations of parameters derived from standard DWI and its extending models including intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) with the pathological and functional alterations in CKD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy-nine CKD patients with renal biopsy and 10 volunteers were performed with DWI, IVIM, diffusion kurtosis tensor imaging (DKTI) scanning. Correlations between imaging results and the pathological damage [glomerulosclerosis index (GSI) and tubulointerstitial fibrosis index (TBI)], as well as eGFR, 24 h urinary protein and Scr) were evaluated.CKD patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1: both GSI and TBI scores <2 points (61 cases); group 2: both GSI and TBI scores ≥2 points (18 cases). RESULTS: There were significant difference in cortical and medullary MD, and cortical D among 3 groups and between group 1 and 2. Cortical and medullary MD, cortical D, and medullary FA were negatively correlated with GSI score (r = -0.322 to -0.386, P < 0.05). Cortical and medullary MD and D, medullary FA were also negatively correlated with TBI score (r = -0.257 to -0.395, P < 0.05). These parameters were all correlated with eGFR and Scr. Cortical MD and D showed the highest AUC of 0.790 and 0.745 in discriminating mild and moderate-severe glomerulosclerosis and tubular interstitial fibrosis, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The corrected diffusion-related indices, including cortical and medullary D and MD, as well as medullary FA were superior to ADC, perfusion-related and kurtosis indices for evaluating the severity of renal pathology and function in CKD patients.

A case of odontogenic keratocyst in the buccal space: characterization by multimodality imaging including computed tomography, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonography.

Odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) is a relatively common non-inflammatory jaw lesion. OKC is known to occur most often in the mandibular angle and mandibular ramus, but rarely outside the bone. In this report, we describe characteristic multimodality imaging of OKC in the buccal space, especially diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping, extra-oral and intra-oral ultrasonography. On clinical examination, an approximately 20 mm in diameter mass with elastic hardness was found the left side of the buccal area. Contrast-enhanced CT showed areas of internal non-contrast lesions in the left buccal space. On T1-weighted image, the mass showed multilocular high signal intensity, and homogeneous internal. T2-weighted images revealed high signal at the marginal part and slightly median signal in the internal part. STIR images revealed a heterogeneous high signal in the interior. Furthermore, DWI and ADC map showed high signal and moderate-to-low signal intensity, respectively. ADC value of the lesion was 1.55 × 10-3 mm2 s-1. On extra-oral ultrasonography, the tumor showed clear boundary, hypoechoic, homogeneous internal architecture and vascular signals, and heterogeneous hard of the lesion. On intra-oral ultrasonography also showed clear boundary, hypoechoic, homogeneous internal architecture, heterogeneous hard of the tumor, and back echo enhance. The histopathologic diagnosis based on a full excisional specimen was odontogenic keratocyst. This case suggests that multimodality imaging, especially MR imaging with ADC and DWI, and extra and intra-oral ultrasonography with color Doppler imaging and elastography, could be effective for evaluating buccal lesions.

The magnetic resonance imaging and age-adjusted matrix metalloproteinase-7 assist the diagnosis of biliary atresia.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the utilities of the liver-to-psoas apparent diffusion coefficient ratios (LTPAR) yielded by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWMRI) and the age-adjusted serum matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) for the diagnosis of biliary atresia (BA) in cholestatic infants. METHODS: In total, 170 cholestatic infants were recruited, of whom 50 (29.41%) were diagnosed with BA after cholestatic workups. The LTPAR and MMP7 levels were assessed. RESULTS: The LTPAR was significantly lower in BA infants, and the age-adjusted MMP7 ratio was significantly higher, compared to other cholestatic infants (both p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis yielded a cutoff > 0.1 ng/mL.day for the age-adjusted MMP-7 ratio, and an LTPAR < 1.01 for the optimal prediction of BA (both p < 0.001). Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that both an age-adjusted MMP-7 ratio > 0.1 ng/mL.day and an LTPAR < 1.01 were significant predictors of BA among cholestatic infants (odds ratio = 30.98 and 13.28; p < 0.001 and < 0.001, respectively). The significance of the age-adjusted MMP-7 ratio and the LTPAR persisted on multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjusting for sex and the serum gamma-glutamyl transferase level (p < 0.001 and < 0.001, respectively). The negative predictive values (NPVs) for BA were 91.49% and 94.17%, respectively, for the LTPAR and age-adjusted MMP-7 ratio. CONCLUSION: The age-adjusted MMP-7 ratio and the LTPAR are both significant non-invasive predictors of BA. The consideration of both serum and imaging parameters may enhance BA diagnostic performance in cholestatic infants.

Impact of high-power short-duration atrial fibrillation ablation technique on the incidence of silent cerebral embolism: a prospective randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: High-power short-duration (HPSD) ablation strategy has emerged as a popular approach for treating atrial fibrillation (AF), with shorter ablation time. The utilized Smart Touch Surround Flow (STSF) catheter, with 56 holes around the electrode, lowers electrode-tissue temperature and thrombus risk. Thus, we conducted this prospective, randomized study to investigate if the HPSD strategy with STSF catheter in AF ablation procedures reduces the silent cerebral embolism (SCE) risk compared to the conventional approach with the Smart Touch (ST) catheter. METHODS: From June 2020 to September 2021, 100 AF patients were randomized 1:1 to the HPSD group using the STSF catheter (power set at 50 W) or the conventional group using the ST catheter (power set at 30 to 35 W). Pulmonary vein isolation was performed in all patients, with additional lesions at operator's discretion. High-resolution cerebral diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (hDWI) with slice thickness of 1 mm was performed before and 24-72 h after ablation. The incidence of new periprocedural SCE was defined as the primary outcome. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test. RESULTS: All enrolled AF patients (median age 63, 60% male, 59% paroxysmal AF) underwent successful ablation. Post-procedural hDWI identified 106 lesions in 42 enrolled patients (42%), with 55 lesions in 22 patients (44%) in the HPSD group and 51 lesions in 20 patients (40%) in the conventional group (p = 0.685). No significant differences were observed between two groups regarding the average number of lesions (p = 0.751), maximum lesion diameter (p = 0.405), and total lesion volume per patient (p = 0.669). Persistent AF and CHA2DS2-VASc score were identified as SCE determinants during AF ablation procedure by multivariable regression analysis. No significant differences in MoCA scores were observed between patients with SCE and those without, both immediately post-procedure (p = 0.572) and at the 3-month follow-up (p = 0.743). CONCLUSIONS: Involving a small sample size of 100 AF patients, this study reveals a similar incidence of SCE in AF ablation procedures, comparing the HPSD strategy using the STSF catheter to the conventional approach with the ST catheter. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04408716. AF = Atrial fibrillation, DWI = Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, HPSD = High-power short-duration, ST = Smart Touch, STSF = Smart Touch Surround Flow.

Advanced Diffusion-Weighted MRI for Cancer Microstructure Assessment in Body Imaging, and Its Relationship With Histology.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) aims to disentangle multiple biological signal sources in each imaging voxel, enabling the computation of innovative maps of tissue microstructure. DW-MRI model development has been dominated by brain applications. More recently, advanced methods with high fidelity to histology are gaining momentum in other contexts, for example, in oncological applications of body imaging, where new biomarkers are urgently needed. The objective of this article is to review the state-of-the-art of DW-MRI in body imaging (ie, not including the nervous system) in oncology, and to analyze its value as compared to reference colocalized histology measurements, given that demonstrating the histological validity of any new DW-MRI method is essential. In this article, we review the current landscape of DW-MRI techniques that extend standard apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), describing their acquisition protocols, signal models, fitting settings, microstructural parameters, and relationship with histology. Preclinical, clinical, and in/ex vivo studies were included. The most used techniques were intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM; 36.3% of used techniques), diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI; 16.7%), vascular, extracellular, and restricted diffusion for cytometry in tumors (VERDICT; 13.3%), and imaging microstructural parameters using limited spectrally edited diffusion (IMPULSED; 11.7%). Another notable category of techniques relates to innovative b-tensor diffusion encoding or joint diffusion-relaxometry. The reviewed approaches provide histologically meaningful indices of cancer microstructure (eg, vascularization/cellularity) which, while not necessarily accurate numerically, may still provide useful sensitivity to microscopic pathological processes. Future work of the community should focus on improving the inter-/intra-scanner robustness, and on assessing histological validity in broader contexts. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Changes in the superior longitudinal fasciculus and anterior thalamic radiation in the left brain are associated with developmental dyscalculia.

Developmental dyscalculia is a neurodevelopmental disorder specific to arithmetic learning even with normal intelligence and age-appropriate education. Difficulties often persist from childhood through adulthood lowering the individual's quality of life. However, the neural correlates of developmental dyscalculia are poorly understood. This study aimed to identify brain structural connectivity alterations in developmental dyscalculia. All participants were recruited from a large scale, non-referred population sample in a longitudinal design. We studied 10 children with developmental dyscalculia (11.3 ± 0.7 years) and 16 typically developing peers (11.2 ± 0.6 years) using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. We assessed white matter microstructure with tract-based spatial statistics in regions-of-interest tracts that had previously been related to math ability in children. Then we used global probabilistic tractography for the first time to measure and compare tract length between developmental dyscalculia and typically developing groups. The high angular resolution diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and crossing-fiber probabilistic tractography allowed us to evaluate the length of the pathways compared to previous studies. The major findings of our study were reduced white matter coherence and shorter tract length of the left superior longitudinal/arcuate fasciculus and left anterior thalamic radiation in the developmental dyscalculia group. Furthermore, the lower white matter coherence and shorter pathways tended to be associated with the lower math performance. These results from the regional analyses indicate that learning, memory and language-related pathways in the left hemisphere might be related to developmental dyscalculia in children.

Plasma neurofilament light admission levels and development of axonal pathology in mild traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND: It is known that blood levels of neurofilament light (NF-L) and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) are both associated with outcome of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Here, we sought to examine the association between admission levels of plasma NF-L and white matter (WM) integrity in post-acute stage DW-MRI in patients with mTBI. METHODS: Ninety-three patients with mTBI (GCS ≥ 13), blood sample for NF-L within 24 h of admission, and DW-MRI ≥ 90 days post-injury (median = 229) were included. Mean fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) were calculated from the skeletonized WM tracts of the whole brain. Outcome was assessed using the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) at the time of imaging. Patients were divided into CT-positive and -negative, and complete (GOSE = 8) and incomplete recovery (GOSE < 8) groups. RESULTS: The levels of NF-L and FA correlated negatively in the whole cohort (p = 0.002), in CT-positive patients (p = 0.016), and in those with incomplete recovery (p = 0.005). The same groups showed a positive correlation with mean MD, AD, and RD (p < 0.001-p = 0.011). In CT-negative patients or in patients with full recovery, significant correlations were not found. CONCLUSION: In patients with mTBI, the significant correlation between NF-L levels at admission and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measurements of diffuse axonal injury (DAI) over more than 3 months suggests that the early levels of plasma NF-L may associate with the presence of DAI at a later phase of TBI.