Contribution of Imagery in the Diagnosis of Multisystemic Sarcoidosis in the Service Radiology Department of the Mother and Child Hospital “Le Luxembourg” in Bamako: A Case Report

The aim of this study was to report a case of multi-visceral sarcoidosis at the Mother-Child Hospital Center (CHME) “Le Luxembourg” in Bamako, Mali. Observation: This is a patient aged 62 at the time of consultation, a housewife, residing in the Banconi district, who was referred to us for thoracic-abdominopelvic imaging for chronic liver disease. After several diagnostic errors, the thoracic-abdominopelvic CT scan and liver MRI performed in our center showed, at the thoracoabdominal level, bilateral diffuse pulmonary micronodules and bilateral mediastinal-hilar lymphadenopathy;on the abdominal level, a dysmorphic liver with plaques of steatosis and a granular appearance of the liver parenchyma without periportal fibrosis. These imaging data combined with those from the liver nodule biopsy and biology confirmed the diagnosis of sarcoidosis type II. Treatment with corticosteroids gave satisfactory results and the patient recovered after 18 months. Clinical and CT monitoring 2 years from the start of the disease and 2 months from the end of treatment showed complete resolution of the lesions. Conclusion: The multi-visceral location of sarcoidosis is an entity whose diagnosis remains difficult;diagnostic and interventional imaging has an important place in its management.

Profile of Radiological Examinations in the Radiology and Medical Imaging Department of the Medical Clinic “KALALE” in Mali

Introduction: Radiology and medical imaging examinations bring together the means of acquiring and restoring images of the human body from different physical phenomena such as the absorption of X-rays, nuclear magnetic resonance, reflection of ultrasound waves or radioactivity, with which we sometimes associate optical imaging techniques such as endoscopy. The objective of our study was to study the profile of radiological examinations in the radiology and medical imaging department of the “KALALE” medical clinic. Methodology: This was a descriptive, prospective study that took place over a period of six (6) months in the radiology and medical imaging department of the “KALALE” medical clinic and the centers of health of communes III and IV of Bamako in Mali. Data collection was carried out on a survey form. The parameters studied were sociodemographic data, clinical data, radiological data. Results: We recorded 6030 radiology examinations of which 19% of the examination frequency cases came from the “KALALE” medical clinic and 81% of the cases were referrals from the reference health centers of communes III and IV. There were 1500 X-rays or 24.9% of cases including 54% cases of bone X-rays;5% of cases of skull and face X-rays;5% of cases of Intravenous Urography (IVU);4% of cases of Hysterosalpingography (HSG);3% of cases of Retrograde Ureterocystography (UCR) and 1% of cases of X-ray of the Abdomen without preparation (ASP). We found 4530 ultrasounds or 75.1% of cases. Conclusion: Medical imaging has become essential in the study of the human body and now constitutes an essential tool for the detection and treatment of most pathologies, from simple fractures to the most serious tumors.

Interdepartmental miscommunication regarding radiology:Addressing chronic challenges and exploring solutions

Effective communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals are crucial for delivering high-quality patient care.Interdepartmental miscommunication poses a significant challenge to healthcare systems,potentially undermining the quality of healthcare services provided.In the same manner,communication barriers between referring physicians and radiologists can specifically affect radiology services and patient outcomes.This article attempts to put the spotlight on the ever-present chronic challenges of this issue and prompt readers to recognize the relevant potential pitfalls in their daily clinical practice.Practical solutions are explored and proposed,which should be tailored to the specific needs and issues that each individual institution may face.

Primary gastroduodenal tuberculosis presenting as gastric outlet obstruction:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Mycobacterium tuberculosis(TB)is the causative agent of TB,a chronic granulo-matous illness.This disease is prevalent in low-income countries,posing a significant global health challenge.Gastrointestinal TB is one of the three forms.The disease can mimic other intra-abdominal conditions,leading to delayed diagnosis owing to the absence of specific symptoms.While gastric outlet obs-truction(GOO)remains a frequent complication,its incidence has declined with the advent of proton pump inhibitors and Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy.Gastroduodenal TB can cause upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage,obstruction,and malignancy-like tumors.CASE SUMMARY A 23-year-old male presented with recurrent epigastric pain,distension,nausea,vomiting,and weight loss,prompting a referral to a gastroenterologist clinic.Endoscopic examination revealed distorted gastric mucosa and signs of chronic inflammation.However,treatment was interrupted,possibly owing to vomiting or comorbidities such as human immunodeficiency virus infection or diabetes.Subsequent surgical intervention revealed a dilated stomach and diffuse thickening of the duodenal wall.Resection revealed gastric wall effacement with TB.CONCLUSION Primary gastric TB is rare,frequently leading to GOO.Given its rarity,suspicions should be promptly raised when encountering relevant symptoms,often requiring surgical intervention for diagnosis and treatment.

Evaluating the influence of sarcopenia and myosteatosis on clinical outcomes in gastric cancer patients undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitor

BACKGROUND The development and progression of gastric cancer(GC)are closely linked to the nutritional status of patients.Although immunotherapy has been demonstrated to be clinically effective,the relationships of sarcopenia and myosteatosis with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)in patients with gastric cancer remain to be characterized.METHODS We performed a retrospective study of patients who were undergoing immuno-therapy for GC.For the evaluation of sarcopenia,the optimal cut-off value for the skeletal muscle index was established using receiver operating characteristic analysis of data obtained from pre-treatment computed tomography images at the L3 vertebral level.Myosteatosis was defined using the mean skeletal muscle density(SMD),with a threshold value of<41 Hounsfield units(HU)for patients with a body mass index(BMI)<25 kg/m^(2)and<33 HU for those with a BMI≥25 kg/m^(2).The log-rank test was used to compare progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS),and a Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify prognostic factors.Nomograms were developed to predict the PFS and OS of patients on the basis of the results of multivariate analyses.RESULTS We studied 115 patients who were undergoing ICI therapy for GC,of whom 27.4%had sarcopenia and 29.8%had myosteatosis.Patients with sarcopenia or myosteatosis had significantly shorter PFS and OS than those without these conditions.Furthermore,both sarcopenia and myosteatosis were found to be independent predictors of PFS and OS in patients with GC administering an ICI.The prediction models created for PFS and OS were associated with C-indexes of 0.758 and 0.781,respectively.CONCLUSION The presence of sarcopenia or myosteatosis is a reliable predictor of the clinical outcomes of patients with GC who are undergoing treatment with an ICI.

Neural stem cell-derived exosomes promote mitochondrial biogenesis and restore abnormal protein distribution in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.We previously showed that neural stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles improved mitochondrial function in the cortex of AP P/PS1 mice.Because Alzheimer’s disease affects the entire brain,further research is needed to elucidate alterations in mitochondrial metabolism in the brain as a whole.Here,we investigated the expression of several important mitochondrial biogenesis-related cytokines in multiple brain regions after treatment with neural stem cell-derived exosomes and used a combination of whole brain clearing,immunostaining,and lightsheet imaging to clarify their spatial distribution.Additionally,to clarify whether the sirtuin 1(SIRT1)-related pathway plays a regulatory role in neural stem cell-de rived exosomes interfering with mitochondrial functional changes,we generated a novel nervous system-SIRT1 conditional knoc kout AP P/PS1mouse model.Our findings demonstrate that neural stem cell-de rived exosomes significantly increase SIRT1 levels,enhance the production of mitochondrial biogenesis-related fa ctors,and inhibit astrocyte activation,but do not suppress amyloid-βproduction.Thus,neural stem cell-derived exosomes may be a useful therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease that activates the SIRT1-PGC1αsignaling pathway and increases NRF1 and COXIV synthesis to improve mitochondrial biogenesis.In addition,we showed that the spatial distribution of mitochondrial biogenesis-related factors is disrupted in Alzheimer’s disease,and that neural stem cell-derived exosome treatment can reverse this effect,indicating that neural stem cell-derived exosomes promote mitochondrial biogenesis.

Importance of establishing radiation protection culture in Radiology Department

The increased use of ionization radiation for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, the rapid advances in computed tomography as well as the high radiation doses delivered by interventional procedures have raised serious safety and health concerns for both patients and medical staff and have necessitated the establishment of a radiation protection culture(RPC) in every Radiology Department. RPC is a newly introduced concept. The term culture describes the combination of attitudes, beliefs, practices and rules among the professionals, staff and patients regarding to radiation protection. Most of the time, the challenge is to improve rather than to build a RPC. The establishment of a RPC requires continuing education of the staff and professional, effective communication among stakeholders of all levels and implementation of quality assurance programs. The RPC creation is being driven from the highest level. Leadership, professionals and associate societies are recognized to play a vital role in the embedding and promotion of RPC in a Medical Unit. The establishment of a RPC enables the reduction of the radiation dose, enhances radiation risk awareness, minimizes unsafe practices, and improves the quality of a radiation protection program. The purpose of this review paper is to describe the role and highlight the importance of establishing a strong RPC in Radiology Departments with an emphasis on promoting RPC in the Interventional Radiology environment.

Value of multiple models of diffusion-weighted imaging to predict hepatic lymph node metastases in colorectal liver metastases patients

BACKGROUND About 10%-31% of colorectal liver metastases(CRLM)patients would concomitantly show hepatic lymph node metastases(LNM),which was considered as sign of poor biological behavior and a relative contraindication for liver resection.Up to now,there’s still lack of reliable preoperative methods to assess the status of hepatic lymph nodes in patients with CRLM,except for pathology examination of lymph node after resection.AIM To compare the ability of mono-exponential,bi-exponential,and stretchedexponential diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI)models in distinguishing between benign and malignant hepatic lymph nodes in patients with CRLM who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to surgery.METHODS In this retrospective study,97 CRLM patients with pathologically confirmed hepatic lymph node status underwent magnetic resonance imaging,including DWI with ten b values before and after chemotherapy.Various parameters,such as the apparent diffusion coefficient from the mono-exponential model,and the true diffusion coefficient,the pseudo-diffusion coefficient,and the perfusion fraction derived from the intravoxel incoherent motion model,along with distributed diffusion coefficient(DDC)andαfrom the stretched-exponential model(SEM),were measured.The parameters before and after chemotherapy were compared between positive and negative hepatic lymph node groups.A nomogram was constructed to predict the hepatic lymph node status.The reliability and agreement of the measurements were assessed using the coefficient of variation and intraclass correlation coefficient.RESULTS Multivariate analysis revealed that the pre-treatment DDC value and the short diameter of the largest lymph node after treatment were independent predictors of metastatic hepatic lymph nodes.A nomogram combining these two factors demonstrated excellent performance in distinguishing between benign and malignant lymph nodes in CRLM patients,with an area under the curve of 0.873.Furthermore,parameters from SEM showed substantial repeatability.CONCLUSION The developed nomogram,incorporating the pre-treatment DDC and the short axis of the largest lymph node,can be used to predict the presence of hepatic LNM in CRLM patients undergoing chemotherapy before surgery.This nomogram was proven to be more valuable,exhibiting superior diagnostic performance compared to quantitative parameters derived from multiple b values of DWI.The nomogram can serve as a preoperative assessment tool for determining the status of hepatic lymph nodes and aiding in the decision-making process for surgical treatment in CRLM patients.

Diagnostic challenges and individualized treatment of cervical adenocarcinoma metastases to the breast:A case report

BACKGROUND Cervical cancer is a rare primary tumor resulting in metastases to the breast with few cases reported in literature.Breast metastases are associated with poor prognosis.The following case highlights the diagnostic challenges associated with metastatic cervical cancer to the breast along with individualized treatment.CASE SUMMARY A 44-year-old G7P5025 with no significant past medical or surgical history presented with heavy vaginal to an outside emergency department where an exam and a pelvic magnetic resonance imaging showed a 4.5 cm heterogenous lobulated cervical mass involving upper two thirds of vagina,parametria and lymph node metastases.Cervical biopsies confirmed high grade adenocarcinoma with mucinous features.A positron emission tomography/computed tomography(PET/CT)did not show evidence of metastatic disease.She received concurrent cisplatin with external beam radiation therapy.Follow up PET/CT scan three months later showed no suspicious fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the cervix and no evidence of metastatic disease.Patient was lost to follow up for six months.She was re-imaged on re-presentation and found to have widely metastatic disease including breast disease.Breast biopsy confirmed programmed death-ligand 1 positive metastatic cervical cancer.The patient received six cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel with pembrolizumab.Restaging imaging demonstrated response.Patient continued on pembrolizumab with disease control.CONCLUSION Metastatic cervical cancer to the breast is uncommon with nonspecific clinical findings that can make diagnosis challenging.Clinical history and immunohistochemical evaluation of breast lesion,and comparison to primary tumor can support diagnosis of metastatic cervical cancer to the breast.Overall,the prognosis is poor,but immunotherapy can be considered in select patients and may result in good disease response.

Magnetic resonance imaging of extraocular rectus muscles abnormalities in acute acquired concomitant esotropia

AIM:To investigate the difference of medial rectus(MR)and lateral rectus(LR)between acute acquired concomitant esotropia(AACE)and the healthy controls(HCs)detected by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI).METHODS:A case-control study.Eighteen subjects with AACE and eighteen HCs were enrolled.MRI scanning data were conducted in target-controlled central gaze with a 3-Tesla magnetic resonance scanner.Extraocular muscles(EOMs)were scanned in contiguous image planes 2-mm thick spanning the EOM origins to the globe equator.To form posterior partial volumes(PPVs),the LR and MR cross-sections in the image planes 8,10,12,and 14 mm posterior to the globe were summed and multiplied by the 2-mm slice thickness.The data were classified according to the right eye,left eye,dominant eye,and non-dominant eye,and the differences in mean cross-sectional area,maximum cross-sectional area,and PPVs of the MR and LR muscle in the AACE group and HCs group were compared under the above classifications respectively.RESULTS:There were no significant differences between the two groups of demographic characteristics.The mean cross-sectional area of the LR muscle was significantly greater in the AACE group than that in the HCs group in the non-dominant eyes(P=0.028).The maximum cross-sectional area of the LR muscle both in the dominant and non-dominant eye of the AACE group was significantly greater than the HCs group(P=0.009,P=0.016).For the dominant eye,the PPVs of the LR muscle were significantly greater in the AACE than that in the HCs group(P=0.013),but not in the MR muscle(P=0.698).CONCLUSION:The size and volume of muscles dominant eyes of AACE subjects change significantly to overcome binocular diplopia.The LR muscle become larger to compensate for the enhanced convergence in the AACE.

The MORC2 p.S87L mutation reduces proliferation of pluripotent stem cells derived from a patient with the spinal muscular atrophy-like phenotype by inhibiting proliferation-related signaling pathways

Mutations in the microrchidia CW-type zinc finger protein 2(MORC2)gene are the causative agent of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2Z(CMT2Z),and the hotspot mutation p.S87L is associated with a more seve re spinal muscular atrophy-like clinical phenotype.The aims of this study were to determine the mechanism of the severe phenotype caused by the MORC2 p.S87L mutation and to explore potential treatment strategies.Epithelial cells were isolated from urine samples from a spinal muscular atrophy(SMA)-like patient[MORC2 p.S87L),a CMT2Z patient[MORC2 p.Q400R),and a healthy control and induced to generate pluripotent stem cells,which were then differentiated into motor neuron precursor cells.Next-generation RNA sequencing followed by KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes involved in the PI3K/Akt and MAP K/ERK signaling pathways were enriched in the p.S87L SMA-like patient group and were significantly downregulated in induced pluripotent stem cells.Reduced proliferation was observed in the induced pluripotent stem cells and motor neuron precursor cells derived from the p.S87L SMA-like patient group compared with the CMT2Z patient group and the healthy control.G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest was observed in induced pluripotent stem cells derived from the p.S87L SMA-like patient.MORC2 p.S87Lspecific antisense oligonucleotides(p.S87L-ASO-targeting)showed significant efficacy in improving cell prolife ration and activating the PI3K/Akt and MAP K/ERK pathways in induced pluripotent stem cells.Howeve r,p.S87L-ASO-ta rgeting did not rescue prolife ration of motor neuron precursor cells.These findings suggest that downregulation of the PI3K/Akt and MAP K/ERK signaling pathways leading to reduced cell proliferation and G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest in induced pluripotent stem cells might be the underlying mechanism of the severe p.S87L SMA-like phenotype.p.S87L-ASO-targeting treatment can alleviate disordered cell proliferation in the early stage of pluripotent stem cell induction.

National guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma

A consensus meeting of national experts from all major national hepatobiliary centres in the country was held on May 26,2023,at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute&Research Centre(PKLI&RC)after initial consultations with the experts.The Pakistan Society for the Study of Liver Diseases(PSSLD)and PKLI&RC jointly organised this meeting.This effort was based on a comprehensive literature review to establish national practice guidelines for hilar cholangiocarcinoma(hCCA).The consensus was that hCCA is a complex disease and requires a multidisciplinary team approach to best manage these patients.This coordinated effort can minimise delays and give patients a chance for curative treatment and effective palliation.The diagnostic and staging workup includes high-quality computed tomography,magnetic resonance imaging,and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreato-graphy.Brush cytology or biopsy utilizing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is a mainstay for diagnosis.However,histopathologic confirmation is not always required before resection.Endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration of regional lymph nodes and positron emission tomography scan are valuable adjuncts for staging.The only curative treatment is the surgical resection of the biliary tree based on the Bismuth-Corlette classification.Selected patients with unresectable hCCA can be considered for liver transplantation.Adjuvant chemotherapy should be offered to patients with a high risk of recurrence.The use of preoperative biliary drainage and the need for portal vein embolisation should be based on local multidisciplinary discussions.Patients with acute cholangitis can be drained with endoscopic or percutaneous biliary drainage.Palliative chemotherapy with cisplatin and gemcitabine has shown improved survival in patients with irresectable and recurrent hCCA.

In Situ Deposition of Drug and Gene Nanoparticles on a Patterned Supramolecular Hydrogel to Construct a Directionally Osteochondral Plug

The integrated repair of bone and cartilage boasts advantages for osteochondral restoration such as a long-term repair effect and less deterioration compared to repairing cartilage alone.Constructing multifactorial,spatially oriented scaffolds to stimulate osteochondral regeneration,has immense significance.Herein,targeted drugs,namely kartogenin@polydopamine(KGN@PDA)nanoparticles for cartilage repair and miRNA@calcium phosphate(miRNA@CaP)NPs for bone regeneration,were in situ deposited on a patterned supramolecular-assembled 2-ureido-4[lH]-pyrimidinone(UPy)modified gelation hydrogel film,facilitated by the dynamic and responsive coordination and complexation of metal ions and their ligands.This hydrogel film can be rolled into a cylindrical plug,mimicking the Haversian canal structure of natural bone.The resultant hydrogel demonstrates stable mechanical properties,a self-healing ability,a high capability for reactive oxygen species capture,and controlled release of KGN and miR-26a.In vitro,KGN@PDA and miRNA@CaP promote chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells via the JNK/RUNX1 and GSK-3β/β-catenin pathways,respectively.In vivo,the osteochondral plug exhibits optimal subchondral bone and cartilage regeneration,evidenced by a significant increase in glycosaminoglycan and collagen accumulation in specific zones,along with the successful integration of neocartilage with subchondral bone.This biomaterial delivery approach represents a significant toward improved osteochondral repair.

Conversion therapy of a giant hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein thrombus and inferior vena cava thrombus:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)combined with portal and hepatic vein cancerous thrombosis is poor,for unresectable patients the combination of targeted therapy and immune therapy was the first-line recommended treatment for advanced HCC,with a median survival time of only about 2.7-6 months.In this case report,we present the case of a patient with portal and hepatic vein cancerous thrombosis who achieved pathologic complete response after conversion therapy.CASE SUMMARY In our center,a patient with giant HCC combined with portal vein tumor thrombus and hepatic vein tumor thrombus was treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE),radiotherapy,targeted therapy and immunotherapy,and was continuously given icaritin soft capsules for oral regulation.After 7 months of conversion therapy,the patient's tumor shrank and the tumor thrombus subsided significantly.The pathology of surgical resection was in complete remission,and there was no progression in the postoperative follow-up for 7 months,which provided a basis for the future strategy of combined conversion therapy.CONCLUSION In this case,atezolizumab,bevacizumab,icaritin soft capsules combined with radiotherapy and TACE had a good effect.For patients with hepatocellular carcinoma combined with hepatic vein/inferior vena cava tumor thrombus,adopting a high-intensity,multimodal proactive strategy under the guidance of multidisciplinary team(MDT)is an important attempt to break through the current treatment dilemma.

Double contrast-enhanced ultrasonography improves diagnostic accuracy of T staging compared with multi-detector computed tomography in gastric cancer patients

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer(GC)is the most common malignant tumor and ranks third for cancer-related deaths among the worldwide.The disease poses a serious public health problem in China,ranking fifth for incidence and third for mortality.Knowledge of the invasive depth of the tumor is vital to treatment decisions.AIM To evaluate the diagnostic performance of double contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(DCEUS)for preoperative T staging in patients with GC by comparing with multi-detector computed tomography(MDCT).METHODS This single prospective study enrolled patients with GC confirmed by preoperative gastroscopy from July 2021 to March 2023.Patients underwent DCEUS,including ultrasonography(US)and intravenous contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(CEUS),and MDCT examinations for the assessment of preoperative T staging.Features of GC were identified on DCEUS and criteria developed to evaluate T staging according to the 8th edition of AJCC cancer staging manual.The diagnostic performance of DCEUS was evaluated by comparing it with that of MDCT and surgical-pathological findings were considered as the gold standard.RESULTS A total of 229 patients with GC(80 T1,33 T2,59 T3 and 57 T4)were included.Overall accuracies were 86.9%for DCEUS and 61.1%for MDCT(P<0.001).DCEUS was superior to MDCT for T1(92.5%vs 70.0%,P<0.001),T2(72.7%vs 51.5%,P=0.041),T3(86.4%vs 45.8%,P<0.001)and T4(87.7%vs 70.2%,P=0.022)staging of GC.CONCLUSION DCEUS improved the diagnostic accuracy of preoperative T staging in patients with GC compared with MDCT,and constitutes a promising imaging modality for preoperative evaluation of GC to aid individualized treatment decision-making.

Management and Reconfiguration of a Radiology Department under the Threat of Coronavirus Disease 2019:Experience from Wuhan

Summary:The corona virus disease 2019(COVID-19)is an emerging respiratory infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2,which first occurred in December 2019 in Wuhan,China.These days,in China,chest CT is used for diagnosis of COVID-19,as an important complement to the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)test.Because of contacting with a large number of suspected or probable cases closely during chest CT examination,radiographers are easily infected with COVID-19.This article included the rearrangement of CT examination room in fever clinic,the rearrangement of human resources in radiology department,and the drafting of new operating procedures for radiologists who carry out CT examination on COVID-19 patients.This article also introduced the emergency management procedures of the department of radiology during the outbreak,and the experience of infection prevention for the staff of the department of radiology.

Structural and functional connectivity of the whole brain and subnetworks in individuals with mild traumatic brain injury:predictors of patient prognosis

Patients with mild traumatic brain injury have a diverse clinical presentation,and the underlying pathophysiology remains poorly understood.Magnetic resonance imaging is a non-invasive technique that has been widely utilized to investigate neuro biological markers after mild traumatic brain injury.This approach has emerged as a promising tool for investigating the pathogenesis of mild traumatic brain injury.G raph theory is a quantitative method of analyzing complex networks that has been widely used to study changes in brain structure and function.However,most previous mild traumatic brain injury studies using graph theory have focused on specific populations,with limited exploration of simultaneous abnormalities in structural and functional connectivity.Given that mild traumatic brain injury is the most common type of traumatic brain injury encounte red in clinical practice,further investigation of the patient characteristics and evolution of structural and functional connectivity is critical.In the present study,we explored whether abnormal structural and functional connectivity in the acute phase could serve as indicators of longitudinal changes in imaging data and cognitive function in patients with mild traumatic brain injury.In this longitudinal study,we enrolled 46 patients with mild traumatic brain injury who were assessed within 2 wee ks of injury,as well as 36 healthy controls.Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging data were acquired for graph theoretical network analysis.In the acute phase,patients with mild traumatic brain injury demonstrated reduced structural connectivity in the dorsal attention network.More than 3 months of followup data revealed signs of recovery in structural and functional connectivity,as well as cognitive function,in 22 out of the 46 patients.Furthermore,better cognitive function was associated with more efficient networks.Finally,our data indicated that small-worldness in the acute stage could serve as a predictor of longitudinal changes in connectivity in patients with mild traumatic brain injury.These findings highlight the importance of integrating structural and functional connectivity in unde rstanding the occurrence and evolution of mild traumatic brain injury.Additionally,exploratory analysis based on subnetworks could serve a predictive function in the prognosis of patients with mild traumatic brain injury.

Diagnostic Reference Levels of Adults CT-Scan Imaging in Cameroon: A Pilot Study of Four Commonest CT-Protocols in Five Radiology Departments

CT-scan is the most irradiating tool in diagnostic radiology. For 5% - 10% of diagnostic X-ray procedures, it is responsible for 34% of irradiation according to UNSCEAR. Patients radiation protection must therefore be increased during CT-scan procedures. This requires the rigorous application of optimization principle which imposes to have “diagnostic reference levels”. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) of the four most frequent CT-scans examinations of adults in Cameroon. Material and Method: It was a cross-sectional pilot study carried out from April to September 2015 in five health facilities using CT-scan in Cameroon. The studied variables were: patients age and sex, type of CT-scan examination (cerebral, chest, abdomino-pelvic, lumbar spine), Used of IV contrast (IV﹣/ IV+), acquisition length, time of tube rotation, voltage (kV), mAs, pitch, thickness of slices, CTDIvol and DLP. For each type of examination, at least 30 patients were included per center, consecutively on the randomly predetermined days. The DRL for each type of examination was defined as the 75th percentile of its PDL and CTDIvol. Results: Of the 696 examinations, 41.2% were cerebral, 26.9% abdomino-pelvic, 17.7% lumbar spine and 14.2% chest. The mean age of patients was 52 ± 15 years [20 - 90 years], 58.9% were 50 years and older. The sex-ratio was 1.26 (55.9% males). The CT machines were 4, 8 and 16 multidetectors. The 75th percentile of DLP or DRLs [standard deviation] was: [1150 ± 278 mGy·cm], [770 ± 477 mGy·cm], [720 ± 170 mGy·cm] and [715 ± 187 mGy·cm] respectively for cerebral, lumbar spine, abdominopelvic and chest CT-scans. Taking in consideration the number of detectors, the 75th percentile of the Dose-Length product decreased with the increase number of detectors for cerebral examinations but was the highest with 16 MDCT for the abdominopelvic, lumbar spine and chest CT-scans. For the chest and lumbar spine examinations, there was a significant increase in patient-dose with the increase in the number of detectors. Conclusion: Our DRLs values lie between the norms of some European countries and those of some African countries. There is remarquable variation in dose for the commonest CT-scans examinations in Cameroon, requiring then an optimization process from these determined DRLs and establishment of national DRLs. Special attention to optimization should be paid when using 16 MDCT.

Complementary comments on diagnosis,severity and prognosis prediction of acute pancreatitis

The radiological differential diagnosis of acute pancreatitis includes diffuse pancreatic lymphoma,diffuse autoimmune pancreatitis and groove located mass lesions that may mimic groove pancreatitis.Dual energy computed tomography and diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging are useful in the early diagnosis of acute pancreatitis,and dual energy computed tomography is also useful in severity assessment and prognosis prediction.Walled off necrosis is an important complication in terms of prognosis,and it is important to know its radiological findings and distinguish it from pseudocyst.

Preoperative prediction of perineural invasion of rectal cancer based on a magnetic resonance imaging radiomics model:A dual-center study

BACKGROUND Perineural invasion(PNI)has been used as an important pathological indicator and independent prognostic factor for patients with rectal cancer(RC).Preoperative prediction of PNI status is helpful for individualized treatment of RC.Recently,several radiomics studies have been used to predict the PNI status in RC,demonstrating a good predictive effect,but the results lacked generalizability.The preoperative prediction of PNI status is still challenging and needs further study.AIM To establish and validate an optimal radiomics model for predicting PNI status preoperatively in RC patients.METHODS This retrospective study enrolled 244 postoperative patients with pathologically confirmed RC from two independent centers.The patients underwent preoperative high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)between May 2019 and August 2022.Quantitative radiomics features were extracted and selected from oblique axial T2-weighted imaging(T2WI)and contrast-enhanced T1WI(T1CE)sequences.The radiomics signatures were constructed using logistic regression analysis and the predictive potential of various sequences was compared(T2WI,T1CE and T2WI+T1CE fusion sequences).A clinical-radiomics(CR)model was established by combining the radiomics features and clinical risk factors.The internal and external validation groups were used to validate the proposed models.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC),DeLong test,net reclassification improvement(NRI),integrated discrimination improvement(IDI),calibration curve,and decision curve analysis(DCA)were used to evaluate the model performance.RESULTS Among the radiomics models,the T2WI+T1CE fusion sequences model showed the best predictive performance,in the training and internal validation groups,the AUCs of the fusion sequence model were 0.839[95%confidence interval(CI):0.757-0.921]and 0.787(95%CI:0.650-0.923),which were higher than those of the T2WI and T1CE sequence models.The CR model constructed by combining clinical risk factors had the best predictive performance.In the training and internal and external validation groups,the AUCs of the CR model were 0.889(95%CI:0.824-0.954),0.889(95%CI:0.803-0.976)and 0.894(95%CI:0.814-0.974).Delong test,NRI,and IDI showed that the CR model had significant differences from other models(P<0.05).Calibration curves demonstrated good agreement,and DCA revealed significant benefits of the CR model.CONCLUSION The CR model based on preoperative MRI radiomics features and clinical risk factors can preoperatively predict the PNI status of RC noninvasively,which facilitates individualized treatment of RC patients.