Ultrasound elastography and characterization of soft tissue mimicking phantoms

Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are a family of rare malignant tumors encompassing more than 80 histologies. Current therapies for metastatic STS, a condition that affects roughly half of patients, have limited efficacy, making innovative therapeutic strategies urgently needed. From a molecular point of view, STSs can be classified as translocation-related and those with a heavily rearranged genotype. Although only the latter display an increased mutational burden, molecular profiles suggestive of an “immune hot” tumor microenvironment are observed across STS histologies, and response to immunotherapy has been reported in both translocation-related and genetic complex STSs. These data reinforce the notion that immunity in STSs is multifaceted and influenced by both genetic and epigenetic determinants. Cumulative evidence indicates that a fine characterization of STSs at different levels is required to identify biomarkers predictive of immunotherapy response and to discover targetable pathways to switch on the immune sensitivity of “immune cold” tumors. In this review, we will summarize recent findings on the interplay between genetic landscape, molecular profiling and immunity in STSs. Immunological and molecular features will be discussed for their prognostic value in selected STS histologies. Finally, the local and systemic immunomodulatory effects of the targeted drugs imatinib and sunitinib will be discussed.

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Molecular characterization of soft tissue tumors

Current Oncology Reports ◽

10.1007/s11912-002-0062-7 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 4 (6) ◽

pp. 497-498 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ernest C. Borden ◽

John R. Goldblum

Keyword(s):

Soft Tissue ◽

Molecular Characterization ◽

Soft Tissue Tumors

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A NEW PARAMETER ESTIMATION METHOD FOR ONLINE SOFT TISSUE CHARACTERIZATION

Journal of Mechanics in Medicine and Biology ◽

10.1142/s0219519416400194 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 16 (08) ◽

pp. 1640019 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

JAEHYUN SHIN ◽

YONGMIN ZHONG ◽

JULIAN SMITH ◽

CHENGFAN GU

Keyword(s):

Soft Tissue ◽

Linear Regression ◽

Tissue Characterization ◽

Soft Tissues ◽

Unscented Kalman Filter ◽

Estimation Method ◽

Regression Method ◽

Linear Regression Method ◽

Non Linear

Dynamic soft tissue characterization is of importance to robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery. The traditional linear regression method is unsuited to handle the non-linear Hunt–Crossley (HC) model and its linearization process involves a linearization error. This paper presents a new non-linear estimation method for dynamic characterization of mechanical properties of soft tissues. In order to deal with non-linear and dynamic conditions involved in soft tissue characterization, this method improves the non-linearity and dynamics of the HC model by treating parameter [Formula: see text] as independent variable. Based on this, an unscented Kalman filter is developed for online estimation of soft tissue parameters. Simulations and comparison analysis demonstrate that the proposed method is able to estimate mechanical parameters for both homogeneous tissues and heterogeneous and multi-layer tissues, and the achieved performance is much better than that of the linear regression method.

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Imaging of rare appendicular non-acral soft-tissue chondromas in adults with histopathologic correlation

Acta Radiologica ◽

10.1177/0284185117732100 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 59 (6) ◽

pp. 700-708

Author(s):

Mohamed Ragab Nouh ◽

Hanan Abd El-Aziz Amr ◽

Rola H Ali

Keyword(s):

Soft Tissue ◽

Signal Intensity ◽

Tissue Reaction ◽

High Signal ◽

Diagnostic Challenge ◽

Post Contrast ◽

Intensity Matrix ◽

Tissue Edema ◽

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Mri

Background Soft-tissue chondroma (STC) is a rare benign soft tissue tumor that arises primarily in acral extra-skeletal locations. Occasionally, STCs may arise in more proximal non-acral locations, accompanied by non-classic features that label them as indeterminate lesions and pose diagnostic challenge for both radiologists and pathologists alike. Purpose To explicate the potential of diagnostic imaging in the identification and characterization of appendicular non-acral STCs with emphasis on their morphologic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enhancement. Material and Methods Our clinical database records were searched for patients with histologically proven primary soft-tissue chondroid lesions over a five-year period. Two musculoskeletal (MSK) trained radiologists evaluated the imaging studies and an MSK pathologist revised the pathological findings. Results The study included six cases of appendicular non-acral STCs (mean age = 40.5 years). The mean size of the tumors was 5.6 cm, with four localized to the knee region, one in the thigh, and one in the sternoclavicular region. All cases showed high signal intensity matrix with low-signal intensity septa on T2-weighted MRI and post-contrast marginal/septal enhancement. The lesions were lobulated and lacked host tissue reaction except for one showing subjacent mild soft-tissue edema. Histologically, the cases lacked overt features of malignancy although one was originally misdiagnosed as chondrosarcoma. Conclusion Non-acral STCs are benign cartilaginous tumors that may pose a diagnostic challenge, both radiologically and pathologically. Collaborative imaging and pathologic workup is needed for better characterization of non-aggression of these lesions, and to avoid diagnostic pitfalls and unnecessary radical resections.

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Concentrations, ratios, and sinking fluxes of major bioelements at Ocean Station Papa

Elem Sci Anth ◽

10.1525/elementa.2020.00166 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Montserrat Roca-Martí ◽

Claudia R. Benitez-Nelson ◽

Blaire P. Umhau ◽

Abigale M. Wyatt ◽

Samantha J. Clevenger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soft Tissue ◽

Late Summer ◽

Euphotic Zone ◽

Particulate Phosphorus ◽

Particulate Nitrogen ◽

Sinking Particles ◽

Ocean Station Papa ◽

Particle Size Classes

Fluxes of major bioelements associated with sinking particles were quantified in late summer 2018 as part of the EXport Processes in the Ocean from RemoTe Sensing (EXPORTS) field campaign near Ocean Station Papa in the subarctic northeast Pacific. The thorium-234 method was used in conjunction with size-fractionated (1–5, 5–51, and >51 μm) concentrations of particulate nitrogen (PN), total particulate phosphorus (TPP), biogenic silica (bSi), and particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) collected using large volume filtration via in situ pumps. We build upon recent work quantifying POC fluxes during EXPORTS. Similar remineralization length scales were observed for both POC and PN across all particle size classes from depths of 50–500 m. Unlike bSi and PIC, the soft tissue–associated POC, PN, and TPP fluxes strongly attenuated from 50 m to the base of the euphotic zone (approximately 120 m). Cruise-average thorium-234-derived fluxes (mmol m–2 d–1) at 120 m were 1.7 ± 0.6 for POC, 0.22 ± 0.07 for PN, 0.019 ± 0.007 for TPP, 0.69 ± 0.26 for bSi, and 0.055 ± 0.022 for PIC. These bioelement fluxes were similar to previous observations at this site, with the exception of PIC, which was 1 to 2 orders of magnitude lower. Transfer efficiencies within the upper twilight zone (flux 220 m/flux 120 m) were highest for PIC (84%) and bSi (79%), followed by POC (61%), PN (58%), and TPP (49%). These differences indicate preferential remineralization of TPP relative to POC or PN and larger losses of soft tissue relative to biominerals in sinking particles below the euphotic zone. Comprehensive characterization of the particulate bioelement fluxes obtained here will support future efforts linking phytoplankton community composition and food-web dynamics to the composition, magnitude, and attenuation of material that sinks to deeper waters.

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