Clinical imaging study and meta-analysis of ossification of the ligamentum flavum

Objective To study the clinical epidemiology of ossification of ligamentum flavum(OLF)and evaluate its characteristics of prevalence, morphology, and distribution in a common population.Some factors associated with its occurrence were analyzed

The relationship between orthopedic clinical imaging and bone strength prediction

Pathologic fracture is caused by bone diseases,which is common in middle-aged and elderly adults.Compromised bone strength is the leading contributor to this type of fracture.Therefore,accurately quantifying bone strength could help clinicians assess individualized fracture risk and develop therapeutic interventions.Orthopedic clinical imaging including dual X-ray absorptiometry(DXA),computed tomography(CT),and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)has been an important tool to obtain radiology images of bone,which could be further used for noninvasive assessment of bone strength and related fracture risk.With the development of biomechanics and computer technology,the combination of finite element analysis with orthopedic imaging is the most advanced method for noninvasive prediction of bone strength in clinics.In this review,an overview is provided for the commonly noninvasive methods based on the radiology images(i.e.,DXA,CT,and MRI)to predict bone strength,which may improve the understanding of the relationship between orthopedic clinical imaging and biomechanics.

Pancreatic imaging:Current status of clinical practices and small animal studies

Different causative factors acting on the pancreas can result in diseases such as pancreatitis, diabetes and pancreatic tumors. The high incidence and mortality of pancreatic diseases have placed diagnostic imaging in a crucial position in daily clinical practice. In this minireview article different pancreatic imaging techniques are discussed, from the standard clinical imaging modalities and state of the art clinical magnetic resonance imaging techniques to current situations in pre-clinical pancreatic imaging studies. In particular, the challenges of pre-clinical rodent pancreatic imaging are addressed, with both the image acquisition techniques and the post-processing methods for rodent pancreatic imaging elaborated.

Clinical forensic imaging and fundamental rights in Austria

Clinical forensic imaging encompasses the diverse application of imaging procedures that serve the same purpose:to enable the analysis and investigation of criminal activities and consequences of a crime.All kinds of imaging techniques and their corresponding images can be subsumed under“forensigraphy”,a more comprehensive term for forensic imaging created by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Clinical Forensic Imaging in Graz,Austria.As the word forensigraphy suggests,criminal imaging material should be of use in forensic investigations.Ideally,this can lead to new findings that would not have been revealed without the application of imaging techniques and are moreover admissible as evidence in criminal proceedings.However,the admissibility of evidence can only be facilitated through the implementation of clinical forensic imaging techniques into the forensic routine case work,which requires a precise pre-analysis of the corresponding legal framework.Because taking and displaying internal images of a person’s body touches upon various aspects of one’s physical and psychological integrity,imaging methods in general and clinical forensic imaging methods especially have a strong impact on and interfere regularly with the fundamental rights of the concerned person.Particularly with regard to a possible medical context,certain legal regulations have to be taken into account.Therefore,this paper examines forensic imaging in the field of radiological forensigraphy,specifically its in vivo(i.e.clinical)application.It is designed to enlighten readers as to the great significance of legal barriers that emerge from fundamental rights,as laid down in the European Convention on Human Rights(ECHR),when dealing with clinical forensic imaging.As a result,the legal framework of clinical forensic imaging procedures are comprehensively described,the relevant fundamental rights,especially the right to respect for private and family life,the right to data protection and certain procedural guarantees,are concisely presented to further raise awareness regarding the importance of fundamental rights.

Supplementary motor area deactivation impacts the recovery of hand function from severe peripheral nerve injury

Although some patients have successful peripheral nerve regeneration,a poor recovery of hand function often occurs after peripheral nerve injury.It is believed that the capability of brain plasticity is crucial for the recovery of hand function.The supplementary motor area may play a key role in brain remodeling after peripheral nerve injury.In this study,we explored the activation mode of the supplementary motor area during a motor imagery task.We investigated the plasticity of the central nervous system after brachial plexus injury,using the motor imagery task.Results from functional magnetic resonance imaging showed that after brachial plexus injury,the motor imagery task for the affected limbs of the patients triggered no obvious activation of bilateral supplementary motor areas.This result indicates that it is difficult to excite the supplementary motor areas of brachial plexus injury patients during a motor imagery task,thereby impacting brain remodeling.Deactivation of the supplementary motor area is likely to be a serious problem for brachial plexus injury patients in terms of preparing,initiating and executing certain movements,which may be partly responsible for the unsatisfactory clinical recovery of hand function.

The clinical and imaging features of 118 patients with spontaneous cerebral arterial dissections presenting with ischemic stroke

Objective To investigate the clinical and radiologic features of patients with spontaneous cerebral arterial dissections(CADs)presenting with ischemic stroke and to explore the effect of gender and age on those features.Methods Patients admitted to our stroke center diagnosed as ischemic stroke secondary to CADs from August 2008to April 2015 were prospectively registered.

Biomarkers for Parkinson's Disease:Recent Advancement

As a multi-factorial degenerative disease, Parkinson＇s disease （PD） leads to tremor, gait rigidity, and hypokinesia, thus hampering normal living. As this disease is usually detected in the later stages when neurons have degenerated completely, cure is on hold, ultimately leading to death due to the lack of early diagnostic techniques. Thus, biomarkers are required to detect the disease in the early stages when prevention is possible. Various biomarkers providing early diagnosis of the disease include those of imaging, cerebrospinal fluid, oxidative stress, neuroprotection, and inflammation. Also, biomarkers, alone or in combination, are used in the diagnosis and evolution of PD. This review encompasses various biomarkers available for PD and discusses recent advances in their development.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome associated disseminated Penicillium Marneffei infection: report of 8 cases

Penicillinosis Marneffei （PSM） is a rare fungal disease caused by systemic infection of Penicillium Mameffei （PM）. Disseminated PSM is one of the most common opportunistic infections in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome （AIDS） living in Southeastern region during the endstage of disease. Sporadic and individual cases have been reported recently in China and there appeared a tendency of increase of PM infections because of the increase of AIDS cases. To improve our understanding of this disease, we report here 8 cases of AIDS associated PSM.