Development of a novel rat model of heterogeneous hepatic injury by injection with colchicine via the splenic vein

AIM To develop a novel rat model of heterogeneous hepatic injury.METHODS Seventy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group(n = 10) and a colchicine group(n =60). A 0.25% colchicine solution(0.4 mL/kg) was injected via the splenic vein in the colchicine group to develop a rat model of heterogeneous hepatic injury. An equal volume of normal saline was injected via the splenic vein in the control group. At days 3, 7, and 14 and weeks 4, 8, and 12 after the operation, at least seven rats of the colchicine group were selected randomly for magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) examinations, and then they were euthanized. Ten rats of the control group underwent MRI examinations at the same time points, and then were euthanized at week 12. T2-weighted images(T2 WI) and diffusion weighted imaging(DWI) were used to evaluate the heterogeneous hepatic injury. The heterogeneous injury between the left and right hepatic lobes was assessed on liver sections according to the histological scoring criteria, and correlated with the results of MRI study. RESULTS Obvious pathological changes occurred in the hepatic parenchyma in the colchicine group. Hepatic injury scores were significantly different between the left and right lobes at each time point(P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC) of DWI and liver-to-muscle ratio(LMR) of T2 WI between the left and right lobes of rats in the colchicine group(P < 0.05) at each time point, and similar results were observed between the colchicine and control groups. Besides, there was a significant correlation between hepatic injury scores and ADC values or LMR(r =-0.682, P = 0.000; r =-0.245, P = 0.018).CONCLUSION Injection with colchicine via the splenic vein can be used to successfully develop a rat model of heterogeneous hepatic injury. DWI and T2 WI may help evaluate the heterogeneous injury among liver lobes.

Preoperative prediction of malignant potential of 2-5 cm gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors by computerized tomography-based radiomics

BACKGROUND The use of endoscopic surgery for treating gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GISTs)between 2 and 5 cm remains controversial considering the potential risk of metastasis and recurrence.Also,surgeons are facing great difficulties and challenges in assessing the malignant potential of 2-5 cm gastric GISTs.AIM To develop and evaluate computerized tomography(CT)-based radiomics for predicting the malignant potential of primary 2-5 cm gastric GISTs.METHODS A total of 103 patients with pathologically confirmed gastric GISTs between 2 and 5 cm were enrolled.The malignant potential was categorized into low grade and high grade according to postoperative pathology results.Preoperative CT images were reviewed by two radiologists.A radiological model was constructed by CT findings and clinical characteristics using logistic regression.Radiomic features were extracted from preoperative contrast-enhanced CT images in the arterial phase.The XGboost method was used to construct a radiomics model for the prediction of malignant potential.Nomogram was established by combing the radiomics score with CT findings.All of the models were developed in a training group(n=69)and evaluated in a test group(n=34).RESULTS The area under the curve(AUC)value of the radiological,radiomics,and nomogram models was 0.753(95%confidence interval[CI]:0.597-0.909),0.919(95%CI:0.828-1.000),and 0.916(95%CI:0.801-1.000)in the training group vs 0.642(95%CI:0.379-0.870),0.881(95%CI:0.772-0.990),and 0.894(95%CI:0.773-1.000)in the test group,respectively.The AUC of the nomogram model was significantly larger than that of the radiological model in both the training group(Z=2.795,P=0.0052)and test group(Z=2.785,P=0.0054).The decision curve of analysis showed that the nomogram model produced increased benefit across the entire risk threshold range.CONCLUSION Radiomics may be an effective tool to predict the malignant potential of 2-5 cm gastric GISTs and assist preoperative clinical decision making.