Yaqi Shen

Assessing the Early Response of Advanced Cervical Cancer to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Using Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Pilot Study

Background: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) model has shown promising results for providing both diffusion and perfusion information in cervical cancer; however, its use to predict and monitor the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in cervical cancer is relatively rare. The study aimed to evaluate the use of DWI with IVIM and monoexponential models to predict and monitor the efficacy of NACT in cervical cancer. Methods: Forty-two patients with primary cervical cancer underwent magnetic resonance exams at 3 time points (pre-NACT, 3 weeks after the first NACT cycle, and 3 weeks after the second NACT cycle). The response to treatment was determined according to the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors 3 weeks after the second NACT treatment, and the subjects were classified as two groups: responders and nonresponders groups. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), true diffusion coefficient (D), perfusion-related pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (f) values were determined. The differences in IVIM-derived variables and ADC between the different groups at the different time points were calculated using an independent samples t-test. Results: The D and ADC values were all significantly higher for the responders than for the nonresponders at all 3 time points, but no significant differences were observed in the D* and f values. An analysis of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves indicated that a D value threshold <0.93 × 10−3 mm2/s and an ADC threshold <1.11 × 10−3 mm2/s could differentiate responders from nonresponders at pre-NACT time point, yielding area under the curve (AUC) of which were 0.771 and 0.806, respectively. The ROC indicated that the AUCs of D and ADC at the 3 weeks after the first NACT cycle and 3 weeks after the second NACT cycle were 0.823, 0.763, and 0.787, 0.794, respectively. The AUC values of D and ADC at these 3 time points were not significantly different (P = 0.641, 0.512, and 0.547, respectively). Conclusions: D and ADC values may be useful for predicting and monitoring the efficacy of NACT in cervical cancer. An IVIM model may be equal to monoexponential model in predicting and monitoring the efficacy of NACT in cervical cancer.

Adrenal and nephrogenic hypertension: an image quality study of low tube voltage, low-concentration contrast media combined with adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of using low tube voltage, low‐concentration contrast media and adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) for reducing the radiation and iodine contrast doses in adrenal and nephrogenic hypertension patients.

Did low tube voltage CT combined with low contrast media burden protocols accomplish the goal of "double low" for patients? An overview of applications in vessels and abdominal parenchymal organs over the past 5 years.

Imaging communities have already reached a consensus that the radiation dose of computed tomography (CT) should be reduced as much as reasonably achievable to lower population risks. Increasing attention is being paid to iodinated contrast media (CM) induced nephrotoxicity (CIN); a decrease in the intake of iodinated CM is required by increasingly more radiologists. Theoretically, the radiation dose varies with the tube current time and square of the tube voltage, with higher iodine contrast at low photon energies (Huda et al. [2000] Radiology, 21 7, 430–435).The use of low tube voltage is a promising strategy to reduce both the radiation dose and CM burden. The term ‘double low’ has been coined to describe scanning protocols that reduce radiation dose and iodine intake synchronously. These protocols are becoming increasingly popular in the clinical setting.

Comparison of reduced field-of-view diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and conventional DWI techniques in the assessment of rectal carcinoma at 3.0T: Image quality and histological T staging

To compare image quality (IQ) of reduced field‐of‐view (rFOV) and full FOV (fFOV) diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) sequences at 3T, with histological T staging of rectal cancer as a reference standard.

Comparison of the Diagnostic Value of Monoexponential, Biexponential, and Stretched Exponential Diffusion-weighted MRI in Differentiating Tumor Stage and Histological Grade of Bladder Cancer

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES We aimed to determine the utility of various diffusion parameters obtained from monoexponential, biexponential, and stretched exponential diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) models in differentiating tumor stage and grade of bladder cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-five patients with pathologically confirmed bladder cancer underwent multi-b-value DWI. An apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was calculated from DWI by using a monoexponential model. A true diffusion coefficient (D), perfusion-related pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (f) were calculated from DWI by using a biexponential model. A water molecular diffusion heterogeneity index (α) and distributed diffusion coefficient (DDC) were calculated from DWI by using a stretched exponential model. All parameters were compared between different stages and grades by using the Mann-Whitney U test. Receiver operating characteristic and intrareader correlation coefficient analysis were used for statistical evaluations. RESULTS ADC, D, f, and DDC values were significantly higher in the non-muscle-invasive vs muscle-invasive bladder cancers (P = .000, .000, .002, and .000, respectively) and in low-grade vs high-grade ones (P = .000, .000, .018, and .000, respectively). D* value was significantly lower in the low-grade bladder cancers compared to high-grade ones (P = .012). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of ADC, D, and DDC values were 0.945, 0.912, and 0.946 in staging bladder cancers; 0.866, 0.862, and 0.856 in grading bladder cancers, respectively. CONCLUSION Biexponential and stretched exponential DWI models may provide more parameters in staging and grading bladder cancers and show a slight difference between DDC and ADC values in staging bladder cancers. These two DWI models, as well as the monoexponential models, were very helpful in staging and grading bladder cancers.

Use of pulmonary CT angiography with low tube voltage and low-iodine-concentration contrast agent to diagnose pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary CT angiography (CTPA) is regarded as the preferred imaging method in diagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE). Considering the harm of radiation exposure and the side effect of iodinated contrast agent, CTPA protocol with low tube voltage and low dose of contrast agent became research hotspot in last decade. The present study evaluates the image quality, radiation dose, positive rate of PE and the location of PE with a CTPA protocol using low tube voltage (80 kVp) and low-iodine-concentration contrast agent (270 mg I/ml) in patients suspected of PE compared to a conventional CTPA protocol (120 kVp, 350 mg I/ml). The results showed that 80 kVp CTPA protocol with 40 ml 270 mg I/ml achieved equally subjective image quality and a positive rate for diagnosing PE, though the quantitative image quality was reduced compared to the 120 kVp CTPA protocol with 40 ml 350 mg I/ml administered, with a 63.6% decrease in radiation dose and a 22.9% reduction in iodine content of contrast agent. Our results document that CTPA protocol with low tube voltage and low iodine concentration of contrast agent is satisfied to the clinical application.

Proton-density fat fraction measurement: A viable quantitative biomarker for differentiating adrenal adenomas from nonadenomas

PURPOSE This study aims to compare the accuracy of proton-density fat fraction (PDFF) measurements with chemical shift magnetic resonance imaging (CSI) for quantifying the fat content of adrenal nodules and for differentiating adenomas from nonadenomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS Oil-saline phantom measurements was performed to compare the correlation between PDFF and CSI in detecting and quantifying fat content. 43 consecutive patients who had known adrenal nodules were imaged on a 3.0-T MR scanner. PDFF was measured, and the signal intensity (SI) index (SII), SI adrenal-to-liver ratio (ALR) and SI adrenal-to-spleen ratio (ASR) of the adrenal nodules were calculated. RESULTS In the phantom study, PDFF ranged from 12.6% to 99.1% and the SII was between 0.72 and 1.23. There was good correlation between these two methods (R square=0.972, p<0.0001). The PDFF of adrenal adenoma was significantly increased compared with that of nonadenoma (p<0.001). PDFF was an effective tool for distinguishing adenoma from nonadenoma, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.98. In comparing SII, ALR and ASR the AUC was 0.94, 0.95 and 0.93, respectively. No significant difference was noted between these two methods (p>0.05). CONCLUSION PDFF measurements provide an accurate estimation of fat content in discriminating adenomas from nonadenomas compared with CSI, avoiding complicated data calculations and offering a simpler technique using 3T.

Whole-tumor histogram analysis of non-Gaussian distribution DWI parameters to differentiation of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas

PURPOSE To evaluate the utility of volumetric histogram analysis of monoexponential and non-Gaussian distribution DWI models for discriminating pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and neuroendocrine tumor (pNET). MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 340 patients were retrospectively reviewed. Finally, 62 patients with histopathological confirmed PDAC (n = 42) and pNET (n = 20) were enrolled in the study. All the patients accepted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3 T (including multi-b value DWI, 0-1000 s/mm2). Isotropic apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), true molecular diffusion (Dt), perfusion-related diffusion (Dp), perfusion fraction (f), distributed diffusion coefficient (DDC) and alpha (α) were obtained from different DWI models. Then, mean value, median value, 10th and 90th percentiles were obtained from histogram analysis of each DWI parameter. RESULTS Histogram metrics derived from ADC, Dp, f and DDC were significantly lower in PDAC than pNET group (P < 0.05). In contrast, histogram metrics derived from α were observed significantly higher in the PDAC than pNET group (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found in Dt (P ≥ 0.05) between PDAC and pNET patients. Among all parameters, f-median had the highest diagnostic performance (AUC 0.91, cutoff value 0.188, sensitivity 97.62%, specificity 80%). CONCLUSIONS f-Median derived from IVIM DWI model may be potentially more valuable parameter than ADC, Dp, DDC and α for discriminating PDAC and pNET. Histogram analysis based on the entire tumor was an emerging and valuable tool.

Author Correction: Use of pulmonary CT angiography with low tube voltage and low-iodine-concentration contrast agent to diagnose pulmonary embolism

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.

Volumetric Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Histogram Analysis in Differentiating Intrahepatic Mass-Forming Cholangiocarcinoma From Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Volumetric ADC Differentiates IMCC From HCC

Accurate differentiation between intrahepatic mass‐forming cholangiocarcinoma (IMCC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is needed because treatment and prognosis differ significantly.