COVID-19 in End-stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Close Follow-up of Clinical Findings and Evolutions in Chest CT Imaging: A Retrospective Study

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected millions and caused tens of thousands of casualties. Epidemiologic studies show that specific individuals with pre-existing conditions are prone to severe disease caused by the virus. Thus, it is necessary to determine clinical signs and symptoms and disease progression course in various pre-existing conditions, namely end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing hemodialysis. Methods: The present retrospective study was conducted on 17 ESRD patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. Clinical signs and symptoms were extracted, and laboratory test results and imaging findings were retrieved using the health information systems of the institute where the study was performed. Results: Of 17 patients in the study, six patients were females, and 11 were males. The mean age of the patients was 62.29 ± 15.6 years (22 - 82). The most common pre-existing conditions were hypertension and diabetes. The most common imaging signs were ground-glass opacities. The most common pattern of involvement was peripheral, bilateral, and multifocal involvement, and interestingly, uncommon imaging signs such as crazy-paving, peribronchovascular involvement, and reticulonodular pattern of involvement. The most common laboratory findings were lymphopenia, lymphocytosis, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and positive C reactive protein. Conclusions: ESRD patients undergoing COVID-19 seem to have higher mortalities than the general public and show more significant lung involvement on chest CT imaging. Furthermore, uncommon imaging signs are more common in this group of patients.

TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC ATTACKS: ETIOPATHOGENESIS, CLINIC. (Literature review)

В данной статье представлен обзор литературы по транзиторным ишемическим атакам: эпидемиология, этиология, патогенез, классификация, основные характеристики с учетом факторов риска, визуализационных признаков МРТ и КТ, клинических проявлений и дифференциальной диагностики данного заболевания на основе современных исследований. This article presents a review of the literature on transient ischemic attacks: epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, classification, main characteristics taking into account risk factors, imaging signs of MRI and CT, clinical manifestations and differential diagnosis of this disease based on modern research.

Indirect and atypical imaging signals of endometriosis: A wide range of manifestations

Background: Whilst some imaging signs of endometriosis are common and widely accepted as ‘typical’, a range of ‘subtle’ signs could be present in imaging studies, presenting an opportunity to the radiologist and the surgeon to aid the diagnosis and facilitate preoperative surgical planning. Objective: To summarise and analyse the current information related to indirect and atypical signs of endometriosis by ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: Through the use of PubMed and Google scholar, we conducted a comprehensive review of available articles related to the diagnosis of indirect signs in transvaginal US and MRI. All abstracts were assessed and the studies were finally selected by two authors. Results: Transvaginal US is a real time dynamic exploration, that can reach a sensitivity of 79-94% and specificity of 94%. It allows evaluation of normal sliding between structures in different compartments, searching for adhesions or fibrosis. MRI is an excellent tool that can reach a sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 77% and allows visualisation of the uterus, bowel loop deviation and peritoneal inclusion cysts. It also allows the categorisation and classification of ovarian cysts, rectovaginal and vesicovaginal septum obliteration, and small bowel endometriotic implants. Conclusion: The use of an adequate mapping protocol with systematic evaluation and the reporting of direct and indirect signs of endometriosis is crucial for detailed and safe surgical planning.

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in Stanford Type B Aortic Dissection Is Associated With Multiple Imaging Signs Related to Late Aortic Events

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is highly prevalent in patients with Stanford type B aortic dissection (TBAD). Few studies have evaluated the effects of OSA on vascular changes in TBAD patients. This study aimed to explore the effect of OSA on aortic morphological changes in TBAD patients and its relation to late aortic events (LAEs).Methods: This case-control study included 143 TBAD patients. The diameters of different parts of the aorta were measured based on computed tomography angiography (CTA). According to the apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI), OSA was classified as mild (5 ≤ AHI ≤ 15), moderate (15 < AHI ≤ 30), or severe (AHI > 30). The false lumen (FL) status was evaluated and classified as partially thrombosed, patent, or completely thrombosed.Results: The OSA prevalence in TBAD patients was 64.3%, and image differences related to LAEs between TBAD patients with and without OSA included the maximum aortic diameter at onset (37.3 ± 3.9 vs. 40.3 ± 4.5 mm, p < 0.001), the FL diameter of the proximal descending thoracic aorta (16.0 ± 6.8 vs. 20.3 ± 4.7 mm, p < 0.001), and the proportion of the FL that was partially thrombosed (39.2 vs. 64.1%, p = 0.004). Additionally, in the multivariable analysis of patients with OSA, the risks of an aortic diameter ≥40 mm, a proximal descending aorta FL ≥ 22 mm and a partially thrombosed FL were 4.611 (95% CI: 1.796–11.838, p = 0.001), 2.544 (95% CI: 1.050–6.165, p = 0.039), and 2.565 (95% CI: 1.167–5.637, p = 0.019), respectively, after adjustment for confounding factors. Trend tests showed that the risks of an aortic diameter ≥40 mm and a partially thrombosed FL increased with increasing OSA severity.Conclusions: TBAD patients with moderate to severe OSA have aortic dilatation in different parts of the aorta. OSA is an independent risk factor for multiple imaging signs related to LAEs, suggesting that OSA is an important factor affecting the prognosis of TBAD patients.

Single-center study: evaluation of sonography in Budd-Chiari syndrome

Purpose Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is a rare disease characterized by hepatic venous outflow tract obstruction. The study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of ultrasound in confirming the diagnosis of BCS and to provide an overview of the clinical picture. Materials and method In this retrospective single-center study, patients with an initial diagnosis of BCS were included. The files were analyzed concerning the ultrasound images and compared to computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Main clinical signs of BCS were collected. Results Data of 25 patients were analyzed. Doppler sonography showed the highest sensitivity (78.9%) with the highest specificity 97.4 (%) in confirming the correct diagnosis of BCS. Main imaging signs were obstruction in the hepatic veins (68.0%, 17/25 thrombotic), collaterals (91.7%, 11/12 intrahepatic), inhomogeneous liver parenchyma (7/21), and a hypertrophied lobus caudatus (18/21) (p < 0.01). All imaging signs could be detected with sonography. Hypertrophied lobus caudatus was seen exclusively in BCS. Furthermore, portal hypertension (9/25), liver cirrhosis (9/25), and ascites (19/25) can be diagnosed as non-specific signs of BCS (p < 0.01).The main clinical findings were elevated γ-GT levels in the laboratory (92.0%, 23/25, p < 0.01) and esophageal varices in endoscopy (12/25 p < 0.01). An association with myeloproliferative neoplasia (MPN) was frequently seen (10/25) (p < 0.01). Conclusion The present study demonstrates that sonography is an appropriate tool for the diagnosis of BCS and should be used as the first imaging procedure.

Novel Predictive Markers on Computed Tomography for Predicting Early Epidural Hematoma Growth in Pediatric Patients

Objective Epidural hematoma (EDH), most often caused by rupture of the middle meningeal artery secondary to head trauma with fracture of the temporal bone, is a potentially fatal condition that can lead to elevated intracranial pressure, herniation, and death within hours following the inciting traumatic incident, unless surgical evacuation is accomplished. Several markers have been found to be associated with hematoma expansion in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients, including: the CT Blend Sign, Swirl Sign, and Black Hole Sign. This study aims to examine these markers, along with intradural air close to or in the region of an EDH and/or close to a significant fracture, fractures involving the skull base, and complicated (i.e., comminuted or displaced) fractures for possible associations to EDH growth in the pediatric population. Predicting hematoma growth is a crucial part of patient management, as surgery can be a life-saving intervention. Methods Scans from all pediatric patients with EDH from 2012 to 2019 across two separate health systems were examined and measurements were taken to determine whether these additional factors are of predictive value. Specifications such as length, transverse, and height measurements were taken from CT images. Statistical Analysis The average percent change in the hematoma measurements was used to determine which predictive factors were associated with a “noteworthy increase,” namely, an increase of greater than 25%. Additionally, the average percent change in hematoma size was evaluated for patients whose original imaging showed either all three CT signs or intradural air in all three specified locations. Results Most of the proposed markers were associated with EDH growth in this cohort. The established CT signs were also supported. This is notable, as most of the research on these signs has been in adult populations rather than pediatric. Conclusions Adding these novel imaging signs could aid in the decision to operate on versus observe PEDH patients, thereby preventing unnecessary procedures or preserving brain function quickly when surgery is indicated. This study serves as a starting point for several other investigations into the validity of the proposed markers as well as a reevaluation of the current signs in the pediatric population.

AN INTELLIGENT CBMIR SYSTEM FOR DETECTION AND LOCALIZATION OF LUNG DISEASES

The diagnosis of lung diseases is a complicated and time-consuming task for radiologists. Often radiologists struggle with accurately diagnosing lung diseases, They use Commonly CT imaging signs (CISs) which common appear in CT lung nodules in the diagnosis of lung diseases. Computer-aided diagnosis systems (CAD) can automatically diagnose and detect these signs by analyzing CT scans, which will reduce radiologists workload. The diagnosis and recognition efficiency and accuracy can be improved by using content-based medical image retrieval (CBMIR). This paper proposes a new intelligent CBMIR method to retrieve CISs helping in diagnosing and recognize lung diseases by using deep Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Fine-tuned YOLOv4 (You Only Look Once) object detector model are proposed to fast detect and efficiently localize signs in real-time. The proposed CBMIR system can be applied as a useful and accurate medical instrument for diagnostics. The experimental results show an average detection accuracy of CT signs lung diseases as high as 92% and a mean average precision (MAP) of 0.92 is achieved using the proposed technique. Also, it takes only 0.1 milliseconds for the retrieval process. The proposed system presents high improvement as compared to the other system. It achieved better precision of retrieval results and the fastest run of the retrieval time.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension – a wider spectrum than headaches and blurred vision

Background The purpose of this study was to analyse less known clinical scenarios associated with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Methods The study involved analysis of magnetic resonance imaging signs of idiopathic intracranial hypertension in patients with spontaneous rhinoliquorrhoea ( n = 7), in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and surgically treated antero-inferior temporal lobe meningo-encephaloceles (n = 15), and in patients who developed clinical signs of idiopathic intracranial hypertension following the treatment of spontaneous intracranial hypotension ( n = 7). Results Three of six patients with spontaneous rhinoliquorrhoea and six of 15 operated patients with temporal lobe epilepsy due to temporal lobe meningo-encephaloceles showed magnetic resonance imaging signs of idiopathic intracranial hypertension and had a body mass index >30 kg/m2. Rebound high pressure headaches and sings of idiopathic intracranial hypertension occurred in seven of 44 surgically treated spontaneous intracranial hypotension patients. Conclusions Magnetic resonance imaging findings should guide the clinician to consider (idiopathic) intracranial hypertension when patients develop spontaneous rhinoliquorrhoea, temporal lobe epilepsy secondary to temporal lobe meningoencephaloceles or high pressure headaches in spontaneous intracranial hypotension. Whether idiopathic intracranial hypertension must be regarded as a differential diagnosis or as a cause, or whether there are common pathophysiological pathways that lead to signs of idiopathic intracranial hypertension in this wider spectrum of disease is the focus of further study.

Application of CT images based on the optimal atlas segmentation algorithm in the clinical diagnosis of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Pneumonia in Children

Objective: Use of optimal Atlas segmentation algorithm to study the imaging signs of mycoplasma pneumonia with multi-slice spiral CT (HRCT), and to explore the value of HRCT in the diagnosis and efficacy in evaluation of mycoplasma pneumonia in children. Methods: The study retrospectively analyzed 72 patients diagnosed with mycoplasma pneumonia in our hospital from January 2017 to January 2019. The imaging data and clinical data of 72 patients were collected. The optimal Atlas segmentation algorithm was used to analyze the characteristics of CT examination, and the value of CT in the diagnosis of mycoplasma pneumonia and the evaluation of curative effect was summarized. Results: Among all patients, 37 cases were unilateral lesions, 35 cases were bilateral lesions, 19 cases were in the left upper lobe, 24 cases were in the left lower lobe, 21 cases were in the right upper lobe, 13 cases were in the right middle lobe, 25 The lesion was located in the right lower lobe. The main CT findings of the lesions before treatment were large patchy, spot-shaped shadows, and strip-shaped or ground-glass shadows. After treatment, the main CT findings of the lesions were reduced lesion density and reduced lesion range. Conclusion: CT can clearly show the pulmonary lesions of mycoplasma pneumonia, and its unique imaging signs can improve the clinical diagnosis accuracy. In addition, CT scans can evaluate the treatment effect according to the changes in the characteristics of the lesion, which has important value for the evaluation of the effect for clinical diagnosis and efficacy evaluation of mycoplasma pneumonia. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.6-WIT.4860 How to cite this:Fu X, Yang N, Ji J. Application of CT images based on the optimal atlas segmentation algorithm in the clinical diagnosis of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Pneumonia in Children. Pak J Med Sci. 2021;37(6):1647-1651. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.6-WIT.4860 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Differential Diagnosis of Meningiomas Using ANOVA

This work explored the diagnostic value of different subtypes of meningiomas under T2WI low signal based on analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the expression differences of Ki67, VEGF, and P73 in different subtypes were analyzed. 67 patients with meningioma confirmed surgically and pathologically in hospital were selected as the research subjects, whose pathological classification occurs with obvious low signal on T2WI. First, the age distribution of the subjects and the distribution of different subtypes were counted. Then, ANOVA was adopted to analyze the MRI imaging signs of patients with different subtypes of meningioma. Finally, the differences of Ki67, VEGF, and P73 proteins and mRNA expression levels in different subtypes were detected via immunohistochemical assay and qPCR. The results showed that the proportion of patients with transitional meningioma was the most, which was 43.28%, while the proportion of patients with meningeal melanoma was the least, which was 7.46%. In patients with transitional meningioma, the MRI images showed mixed signals in different layers. Fibrous MRI images showed hyalinosis and calcification of collagen fibers in the tumor, with low T2WI signal. Sand-shape MRI images showed double low signals. MRI images of meningeal melanoma showed high signal on T1-weighted Imaging (T1WI) and low signal on T2WI. The protein expression and mRNA levels of Ki67 and P73 in transitional meningioma were evidently higher in contrast to those in fibrous meningioma ( P < 0.05 ). The expression level of VEGF protein and mRNA in meningeal melanoma were notably higher in contrast to those in fibro meningioma ( P < 0.05 ). It was revealed that the MRI images of the four subtypes of meningiomas under ANOVA-based T2WI low signal were quite different, and the expressions of Ki67, P73, and VEGF in different subtypes had significant differences. This work provided a reference basis for the preoperative diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of meningiomas.