Influence of Radiation Dose, Photon Energy, and Reconstruction Kernel on rho/z Analysis in Spectral Computer Tomography: A Phantom Study

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Influence of Radiation Dose, Photon Energy, and Reconstruction Kernel on rho/z Analysis in Spectral Computer Tomography: A Phantom Study Via In vivo (Athens, Greece) In Vivo. 2022 Mar-Apr;36(2):678-686. doi: 10.21873/invivo.12753. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND/AIM: The effective atomic number (Zeff) and electron density relative to water (ρe or Rho) of elements can be derived in dual-energy computed tomography (DECT). The aim of this phantom study was to investigate the effect of different photon energies, radiation doses, and reconstruction kernels on Zeff and Rho measured in DECT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An anthropomorphic head phantom including five probes of known composition was scanned under three tube-voltage combinations in DECT: Sn140/100 kV, 140/80 kV and Sn140/80 kV with incremented radiation doses. Raw data were reconstructed with four reconstruction kernels (I30, I40, I50, and I70). Rho and Zeff were measured for each probe for all possible combinations of scan and reconstruction parameters. RESULTS: DECT-based Rho and Zeff close ly approached the reference values with a mean and maximum error of 1.7% and 6.8%, respectively. Rho was lower for 140/80 kV compared with Sn140/100 kV and Sn140/80 kV with differences being 0.009. Zeff differed among all tube voltages with the most prominent difference being 0.28 between 140/80 kV and Sn140/100 kV. Zeff was lower in I70 compared with those of I30 and I40 with a difference of 0.07. Varying radiation dose yielded a variation of 0.0002 in Rho and 0.03 in Z, both considered negligible in practice. CONCLUSION: DECT comprises a feasible method for the extraction of material-specific information. Slight variations should be taken into account when different radiation doses, photon energies, and kernels are applied; however, they are considered small and in practice not crucial for an effective tissue differentiation. PMID:35241522 | DOI:10.21873/invivo.12753 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Safety of Insertion of Percutaneous Totally Implantable Central Venous Access Devices by Surgical Residents

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Safety of Insertion of Percutaneous Totally Implantable Central Venous Access Devices by Surgical Residents Via In vivo (Athens, Greece) In Vivo. 2022 Mar-Apr;36(2):985-993. doi: 10.21873/invivo.12791. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND/AIM: To compare the outcomes of totally implantable central venous access device (TIVAD) insertions by surgical residents (SRs) with those by experienced surgeons (ESs) and establish the safety of percutaneous TIVAD insertion by SRs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 700 insertions were successfully performed between January 2015 and December 2019 in our Department. The puncture site conversion and complication rates were compared, and risk factors related to complications were analysed. RESULTS: In total, 84 and 616 insertions were performed in the SR and ES groups, respectively. SRs mainly punctured the internal jugular vein (IJV), and ESs punctured the subclavian vein (SV). The conversion rate from the IJV to SV was similar, whereas that from the SV to IJV was higher by SRs than ESs. Overall, early, and delayed complications were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous TIVAD inserted into the IJV by an SR was demonstrated to be safe. PMID:35241560 | DOI:10.21873/invivo.12791 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Investigation of the Mechanism of Impaired Skin Barrier Function in Dogs With Malignant Tumors

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Investigation of the Mechanism of Impaired Skin Barrier Function in Dogs With Malignant Tumors Via In vivo (Athens, Greece) In Vivo. 2022 Mar-Apr;36(2):743-752. doi: 10.21873/invivo.12761. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND/AIM: No study has investigated skin barrier dysfunction with systemic diseases in veterinary medicine. We investigated the mechanism of disturbed skin barrier function in dogs with internal diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Healthy controls and dogs with systemic diseases were enrolled in three different disease groups: malignant tumor, hyperadrenocorticism and kidney disease. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), serum levels of five selective pro-inflammatory cytokines and claudin-1, and complete blood count were measured. RESULTS: TEWL was significantly increased in the malignant tumor group while serum claudin-1 concentrations were significantly lower compared to controls. Tumor necrosis factor-α was also significantly increased in the cancer group. In addition, the malignant tumor group showed significantly higher monocyte chemotactic prot ein-1 after chemotherapy, but lower interleukin-6 levels, compared to dogs with no chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Skin barrier function was decreased in dogs with malignant tumors compared to dogs with other systemic diseases by oxidative stress and a reduction in tight junction proteins. PMID:35241530 | DOI:10.21873/invivo.12761 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Clinical Influence of the Lymph Node Ratio on Lymph Node Metastasis-positive Gastric Cancer Patients Who Receive Curative Treatment

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Clinical Influence of the Lymph Node Ratio on Lymph Node Metastasis-positive Gastric Cancer Patients Who Receive Curative Treatment Via In vivo (Athens, Greece) In Vivo. 2022 Mar-Apr;36(2):994-1000. doi: 10.21873/invivo.12792. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND/AIM: The present study investigated the clinical impact of the lymph node ratio (LNR) on overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in cancer patients with lymph node metastasis who received curative treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty-six patients who received curative surgery for gastric cancer between 2000 and 2015, and in whom lymph node metastasis was pathologically confirmed, were included in this study. The LNR was defined as the ratio of the number of metastatic lymph nodes to the total number of harvested lymph nodes. RESULTS: A lymph node ratio of 0.23 was considered the optimal cutoff point for classification according to OS. Statistically significant differences were observed in the 3- and 5-year OS rates and 3- and 5-year RFS rates. The 3-year and 5-year OS rates in the LNR <0.23 group were 57.6% and 57.6% , respectively, whereas those in the LNR ≥0.23 group were 33.0% and 0% (p<0.001). The 3-year and 5-year RFS rates in the LNR <0.23 group were 45.9% and 43.6%, respectively, whereas those in the LNR >0.23 group were 25.2% and 0% (p=0.002). Regarding the site of first relapse, the incidence rates of peritoneal and lymph node metastasis in the LNR >0.23 group were significantly different in comparison to the LNR <0.23 group. CONCLUSION: A high LNR was associated with significantly worse OS and RFS in patients who received curative treatment for gastric cancer. The lymph node metastasis status should be utilized in the development of treatment strategies for gastric cancer. PMID:35241561 | DOI:10.21873/invivo.12792 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Long-term Outcome of Triple Stapling Resection and J Pouch Anal Stapling Anastomosis for Ulcerative Colitis

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Long-term Outcome of Triple Stapling Resection and J Pouch Anal Stapling Anastomosis for Ulcerative Colitis Via In vivo (Athens, Greece) In Vivo. 2022 Mar-Apr;36(2):1018-1020. doi: 10.21873/invivo.12796. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: We previously reported laparoscopic total proctocolectomy with J pouch anal anastomosis, which was created at the dentate line by our original procedure using staplers, Triple Stapling Resection and J pouch Anal Stapling Anastomosis (TSRJASA), for ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. UC patients have undergone TSRJASA since it was introduced in our institution. However, the long-term outcome of TSRJASA for UC patients has not been elucidated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 2014 to December 2018, fourteen patients with ulcerative colitis, including three cases of concomitant cancer, who underwent TSRJASA were enrolled in this study. Anal manometry was performed using the Pock Monitor GMMS-100 system (STAR MEDICAL, INC., Tokyo, Japan) one and two years after surgery. Maximum resting pressure, maximum squeeze pressure, and the length of the high -pressure zone were measured. Fecal incontinence was evaluated using the Wexner incontinence questionnaire. RESULTS: J pouch anal anastomosis was created at the dentate line in all patients. In a manometric examination two years after surgery, maximum resting pressure was 75.3 (54-88) mm Hg, maximum squeeze pressure was 125.0 (90-160) mm Hg, and the length of the high-pressure zone was 39.6 (35-42) mm. Wexner score was 2.8 (1-4). CONCLUSION: TSRJASA is a useful procedure for UC patients given its acceptable defecation function. PMID:35241565 | DOI:10.21873/invivo.12796 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Recurrent Metastatic Parotid Acinic Cell Carcinoma Responsive to Pembrolizumab

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader A Case of Recurrent Metastatic Parotid Acinic Cell Carcinoma Responsive to Pembrolizumab Via In vivo (Athens, Greece) In Vivo. 2022 Mar-Apr;36(2):1047-1051. doi: 10.21873/invivo.12801. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: No clear chemotherapy regimen for recurrent or metastatic parotid cancer exists. We describe our experience with pembrolizumab to treat recurrent or metastatic parotid cancer. CASE REPORT: A 73-year-old woman with swelling in the lower part of the right ear for 10 years before surgery was diagnosed with right parotid cancer, underwent total right parotidectomy, and reported recurrence. She requested treatment due to diminished quality of life caused by neurological symptoms. Tissue was collected from the recurrent lesion and its combined positive score was >20; pembrolizumab was started 9 years postoperatively. RESULTS: To date, the patient has received 14 cycles of pembrolizumab. Evaluation by computed tomography showed a partial response to treatment. The only immune-related adverse event was grade 1 pneumonia in both lungs. C ONCLUSION: Significant response to pembrolizumab in recurrent or metastatic parotid cancer is rarely reported, making this a remarkable case. We plan to continue pembrolizumab administration. PMID:35241570 | DOI:10.21873/invivo.12801 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Sequential Loss of Mandibular Permanent Incisors in Noonan Syndrome

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Sequential Loss of Mandibular Permanent Incisors in Noonan Syndrome Via In vivo (Athens, Greece) In Vivo. 2022 Mar-Apr;36(2):1021-1029. doi: 10.21873/invivo.12797. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Noonan syndrome (NS) is a multigenic disorder with a highly variable phenotype. Cardiac disorders and a predisposition to neoplasm often require early medical attention. Central giant central lesions (CGCLs) of the jaws are part of the phenotype. CASE REPORT: In a patient with genetically confirmed NS and multiple teeth loss presumably caused by CGCL, careful review of the medical history and radiographic findings made it probable that the cause of tooth loss was cervical root resorption (CRR) of the teeth following long-term orthodontic therapy. CONCLUSION: CRR is a rare dental disease of unknown origin. However, association with prior orthodontic therapy is well documented. In NS, mandibular lesions can occur which, at first glance, might lead the examiner to assume that it is a CGCL, but on closer analysis, obviously are of non-tumoro us origin and should be assessed as coincidental. The report adds relevant information to orthodontic treatment of NS patients. PMID:35241566 | DOI:10.21873/invivo.12797 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index Predicts Tolerability of Lenvatinib in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index Predicts Tolerability of Lenvatinib in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Via In vivo (Athens, Greece) In Vivo. 2022 Mar-Apr;36(2):865-873. doi: 10.21873/invivo.12775. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND/AIM: We aimed to investigate the association between The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) and the tolerability of lenvatinib in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 61 HCC patients treated with lenvatinib and compared those with low GNRI (≤98, n=26) to those with high GNRI (>98, n=35). RESULTS: The discontinuation of lenvatinib due to adverse events was more frequent in the low GNRI group (46.2%) than in the high GNRI group (17.1%) (p=0.014). Multivariate analysis revealed that low GNRI (p=0.014), hypothyroidism (model 1 p=0.021, model 2 p=0.013), and advanced age (p=0.026) were independently associated with the discontinuation of lenvatinib. The progression-free survival in the low GNRI group was significantly shorter than that in the high GNRI group (p=0.047). C ONCLUSION: The GNRI might be independently associated with the tolerability of lenvatinib in patients with HCC. PMID:35241544 | DOI:10.21873/invivo.12775 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

A Deep Learning Framework for Real‐Time 3D Model Registration in Robot‐Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader A Deep Learning Framework for Real‐Time 3D Model Registration in Robot‐Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery Via The International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery Abstract Introduction The current study presents a Deep Learning framework to determine, in real-time, position and rotation of a target organ from an endoscopic video. These inferred data are used to overlay the 3D model of patient's organ over its real counterpart. The resulting augmented video flow is streamed back to the surgeon as a support during laparoscopic Robot-Assisted procedures. Methods This framework exploits semantic segmentation and, thereafter, two techniques, based on Convolutional Neural Networks and motion analysis, were used to infer the rotation. Results The segmentation shows optimal accuracies, with a mean IoU score greater than 80% in all tests. Different performance levels are obtained for rotation, depending on the surgical procedure. Discussion Even if the presented methodology has various degrees of precision depending on the testing scenario, this work sets the first step for the adoption of Deep Learning and Augmented Reality to generalize the automatic registration process. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

IL-6 serum level and olfactory dysfunction severity in COVID-19: correspondence

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader IL-6 serum level and olfactory dysfunction severity in COVID-19: correspondence Via http://link.springer.com/journal/405,European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology,The European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2022 Mar 4. doi: 10.1007/s00405-022-07296-9. Online ahead of print. NO ABSTRACT PMID:35246750 | DOI:10.1007/s00405-022-07296-9 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Endonasal Acoustic Doppler Sonography in Predicting the Survival of Nasoseptal Flap Following Previous Irradiation

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Endonasal Acoustic Doppler Sonography in Predicting the Survival of Nasoseptal Flap Following Previous Irradiation Via The Laryngoscope Objective Blood supply to the nasoseptal flap may be compromised in patients who had previous irradiation to the head and neck region, hence, affecting its viability. Here, we evaluate the role of an endonasal acoustic Doppler sonography in predicting the survival of the nasoseptal flap in this group of patients. Study Design Retrospective cohort. Methods Retrospective review of patients with previous irradiation to the head and neck region who had undergone endoscopic endonasal surgeries requiring nasoseptal flap as reconstruction. Survival rates of nasoseptal flap were compared between groups where endonasal Doppler was used. Results A total of 28 patients were identified with previous irradiation to the head and neck region who had undergone endoscopic endonasal surgeries requiring nasoseptal flap as reconstruction. The overall survival rate of nasoseptal flap is 67.8% (19 out of 28). Endonasal acoustic Doppler was used in 17 of these patients, of which 13 patients had a positive signal. The flap survival rate in the Doppler-positive group compared to the non-Doppler group was significantly better at 100% vs 45.4% (P = .003). Among those where the endonasal Doppler was used, the flap survival rate with a negative doppler signal was significantly worse at 25%, compared with 100% flap survival in those with positive doppler signal (P = .006). The positive predictive value of a positive endonasal Doppler signal with flap survival is 100%. Conclusion The use of endonasal acoustic Doppler may be useful in predicting the viability of nasoseptal flap in postirradiated patients who need a local mucosal flap coverage. Level of Evidence Level 3 Laryngoscope, 2022 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.