جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « imaging » در نشریات گروه « پزشکی »

 Clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings characteristic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection have already been investigated and identified; however, data on pregnant women infected with COVID-19 are limited. This study aims to examine the clinical, radiological, and laboratory characteristics of pregnant women compared to non-pregnant women with COVID-19 disease. 

 This hospital-based retrospective age-matched case-control study included two groups, pregnant and non-pregnant women, each consisting of 51 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Bushehr, Iran.  Demographic, clinical, and laboratory information was extracted from medical records using a predefined checklist. 

 Except for cough, there were no statistically significant differences in clinical signs and symptoms between pregnant and non-pregnant women. Although hemoglobin oxygen saturations are statistically significant among the two groups, this difference is not clinically significant (95% vs 93%). There were no statistically significant differences between pregnant and non-pregnant women in the pattern of pulmonary involvement in chest CT findings. Laboratory factors such as serum hemoglobin, red blood cell count, absolute lymphocyte count, prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time, serum creatinine, serum potassium, and lactate dehydrogenase had statistically significant differences between the two groups. However, these differences were not clinically significant. 

 In a few aspects, the clinical characteristics and laboratory test results of COVID-19 in pregnant patients seem to be distinctive from their nonpregnant controls. We believe our findings can guide the prenatal and postnatal considerations for COVID-19 pregnant patients.

Fibroblast Activation Protein (FAP)-targeted nanoparticles (NPs) are designed to accumulate in cancerous stroma. These NPs hold promise for imaging applications in cancer therapy.

This systematic review aimed to comprehensively explore the use of FAP-targeting NPs for cancer diagnosis through different imaging modalities.

This systematic review followed the framework proposed by O’Malley and Arksey. Peer-reviewed studies were searched in the Scopus, Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. Eligible studies were selected, and data were extracted to investigate the FAP-targeting NPs in imaging. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was also utilized to present the results.

Five studies met the specified inclusion criteria and were finally selected for analysis. The extracted data was classified into two categories: general and specific data. The general group indicated that most studies have been conducted in Mexico and have increased since 2022, and the specific group showed that colorectal cancer and Nude mice have received the most research attention. Furthermore, FAP-targeted NPs have demonstrated superior diagnostic imaging capabilities, even compared to specific methods for each cancer type. Also, they have been safe, with no toxicity. 

FAP-targeted NPs using different ligands, such as Fibroblast Activation Protein Inhibitor (FAPI), can accurately detect tumors and metastases, and outperform specific cancer peptides like PSMA in cancer diagnosis. They are also non-toxic and do not cause radiation damage to tissues. Therefore, FAP-targeted NPs have the potential to serve as a viable alternative to FAP-targeted radionuclides for cancer diagnosis.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC), the spread of cancer cells in the peritoneum, is a significant concern in advanced gastrointestinal and gynecological cancers. This case series includes findings on the appearance and pattern of PC on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (18F-FDG PET/CT). The primary sources of peritoneal dissemination are direct invasion from abdominal or pelvic tumors and metastatic spread from distant tumors. The accurate preoperative diagnosis and quantification of PC play a vital role in determining the appropriate treatment approach, with a particular emphasis on surgical planning. Several imaging modalities have been employed in preoperative evaluation, such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 18F-FDG PET/CT. Among these modalities, 18F-FDG PET/CT has demonstrated improved anatomical localization and accurate information about the nature of pathological findings. The case series showcases four cases that illustrate the imaging characteristics of PC on FDG PET/CT. FDG PET/CT plays a vital role in diagnosing and assessing PC, aiding in its detection, staging, and treatment planning. It surpasses conventional imaging techniques in identifying and characterizing lesions and detecting the primary tumor site in cases where its location is unknown. Furthermore, FDG PET/CT additionally assists in evaluating treatment response and monitoring disease progression, providing insights into treatment effectiveness and guiding patient management decisions.

Chest computed tomography (CT) scans are the gold standard for identifying pulmonary involvement in pneumonia-like COVID-19 cases, albeit with certain drawbacks such as radiation exposure and high costs. This research aims to evaluate the diagnostic precision of a 12-point lung ultrasound (LUS) against a lowdose chest CT scan in identifying lung lesions associated with COVID-19.

The study incorporated 100 consecutive patients, aged over 18 years, exhibiting suspected clinical symptoms of COVID-19 or inpatients requiring a low-dose chest CT scan for diagnosing asymptomatic COVID- 19 lung lesions. All participants underwent a 12-point LUS, followed by a low-dose chest CT scan. Data analysis was conducted using STATA-16, with descriptive results presented asmean and standard deviation.

The study comprised 60 males and 40 females, with an average age of 43.0±16.9 years. The mean distribution of the patients’ clinical features was calculated. The LUS demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 97.5%, 86.4%, 83.3%, and 98%, respectively.

The 12-point LUS exhibited high sensitivity and specificity in assessing pulmonary involvement in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, lung ultrasound results, combined with medical history and clinical examination, can serve as an effective triage tool for COVID-19 patients. The LUS, a swift, safe, and effective ionization tool, can potentially replace chest CT scans in scenarios such as CT scan unavailability, intensive care management, and patient follow-up.

Huntington’s Disease (HD) is a fully penetrant neurodegenerative disease leading to cognitive and motor disturbances. The retina may serve as a structural and functional extension of the central nervous system to identify biomarkers of HD using noninvasive imaging technology such as optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and dark adaptometry.

This case–control study included 12 HD participants (24 eyes) recruited from the Huntington’s Disease Society of America Center of Excellence at Washington University in St. Louis along with 16 control participants (31 eyes). Disease-positive participants underwent imaging testing of retinal capillary density and foveal avascular zone utilizing OCTA along with dark adaptometry testing. Data were collected from November 2020 to February 2022.

Individuals with HD had a lower mean age-adjusted superficial foveal capillary density and a higher mean deep foveal capillary density compared to control subjects. There was no significant difference in the mean foveal avascular zone or in dark adaptometry testing between the two groups.

This study suggests that changes in retinal biomarkers may exist in patients with HD and that additional investigations using multimodal techniques are warranted.

 This study assessed anxiety and depression scores based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire, inpatients recalled after mammography.

 In this cohort study, women referred for mammography completed the HADS questionnaire. In 2019, 84 patients who required recall based on the results of their previous mammogram were selected and then completed the HADS questionnaire for the second stage. The HADS questionnaire was used to examine psychological problems. SPSS was used to analyze the collected data.

 In this study, 86 women who were screened with mammography were evaluated. The mean age was 47.2±8.3 years. Based on the HADS questionnaire, the mean anxiety score before mammography was 10.2±4.8, and after the recall was 13.2±4.2, which was statistically significant (P<0.001). Also, the depression score in these patients before mammography was 10.7±3.8, and after the recall was 12.6±3.6 (P<0.001).

 Recalling patients after mammography can increase their anxiety and depression, which can decrease patients’ desire for follow-ups.

Diagnosis and management of precocious puberty are challenging. The two main classes of precocious puberty are Central Precocious Puberty (CPP) and Peripheral Precocious Puberty (PPP), which should be differentiated from normal pubertal variants. Radiology plays an essential role in the diagnosis and management of precocious puberty. We reviewed available studies in the case of different radiology modalities to find the role of these methods in precocious puberty assessment. We found that bone age assessment can be the initial step in the diagnosis of precocious puberty; however, a normal bone age cannot rule out precocious puberty in a deterministic manner. The use of pelvic ultrasound can further help the approach to precocious puberty. Moreover, suspected female and male cases of congenital adrenal hyperplasia should be evaluated with adrenal sonography. Testis and mammary ultrasound assessments are usually conducted in asymmetrical changes. Still, breast ultrasound staging may be helpful in even the diagnosis of precocious puberty. Brain magnetic resonance imaging is another modality used in CPP cases. The role of artificial intelligence is a neglected part, which is partly covered by BoneXpert software. Future studies should focus on scoring methods based on bone age as well as breast and pelvic (ovary and uterus) ultrasound assessments in diagnosing female precocious puberty cases and distinguishing the patients from normal pubertal variants.

Since severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) first appeared in China in December 2019, the globe has been dealing with an everincreasing incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In addition to respiratory disorders, 40% of patients present with gastrointestinal (GI) involvement. Abdominal pain is the most common indication for computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography. After GI tract involvement, solid visceral organ infarction is the most prevalent abdominal abnormality in COVID-19. This review aims to gather the available data in the literature about imaging features of solid abdominal organs in patients with COVID-19. Gallbladder wall thickening and distension, cholelithiasis, hyperdense biliary sludge, acalculous cholecystitis, periportal edema, heterogeneous liver enhancement, and liver hypodensity and infarction are among hepatobiliary imaging findings in CT, particularly in patients admitted to ICU. Pancreatic involvement can develop as a result of direct SARS-CoV2 invasion with signs of acute pancreatitis in abdominal CT, such as edema and inflammation of the pancreas. Infarction was the most prevalent renal and splenic involvement in patients with COVID-19 who underwent abdominal CT presenting with areas of parenchymal hypodensity. In conclusion, although solid abdominal organs are rarely affected by COVID-19, clinicians must be familiar with the manifestations since they are associated with the disease severity and poor outcome.

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a rare type of stroke and usually occurs in young people. The most common early clinical sign is a headache and the most common finding on clinical examination is bilateral papillary edema.

Herewith, we have reported the frequency of clinical features, and imaging findings of cerebral venous thrombosis patients. A total of 17 patients with cerebral venous thrombosis with symptoms of stroke were evaluated, 64.7% of patients were female. The Mean±SD age of the patients was 40.41±12.08 years and the Mean±SD number of hospitalization days was 11.76±3.71 days. The most location of thrombosis and neurological symptoms were sigmoid headaches and blurred vision, respectively.

Based on our study, we found that the most common clinical manifestation of CVT is a headache. Papilledema and seizure are also very common, and the most common site of thrombosis in these patients is the sigmoid sinus.

In this case report, a man presenting with a rare symptom of appendix cancer is dis- cussed. Hematuria, which was the key diagnostic feature in this patient, has never been re- ported as a presenting feature of appendix cancer which may explain why this patient has been experiencing this symptom for months and yet have not get the proper di- agnosis. As we discussed in the case report, although appendiceal cancer is a potentially life-threatening issue, it is frequently missed in patients. Therefore, we believe report- ing this key symptom in this journal would help physicians to make a more accurate diagnosis in this matter.

Radiotherapy plays a major role in the treatment of the cervical cancer. Dosimetric comparison of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) in cervical cancer treatment was performed by modifying the beams arrangements to achieve better organ at risk (OAR) sparing. The analytical evaluation study was made by modifying the IMRT plan, subtracting the rectal volume from planning target volume (PTV), and applying the field-in-field technique in 3DCRT. Eight patients in various cervical cancer stages, from I‒III, were inducted for this investigation. The prescribed dose was 5000 cGy in 25 fractions. For all cases, both IMRT and 3DCRT plans were generated. For PTV and OARs, dose volume histogram (DVH) comparative analysis was carried out. For safety checks and quality control, pre-treatment verification of all the plans was performed using an indigenously developed pelvic phantom (for IMRT and 3DCRT) and gamma analysis with Delta4 phantom (for IMRT). This study indicated that IMRT can treat cervical cancer more efficiently with less damage to OARs as compare to 3DCRT.  In this study, we observe that the IMRT plans with subtracting rectal volume achieve better OAR sparing.

Since COVID-19 has spread worldwide, the role of imaging for early detection of the disease has become more prominent. Abdominal symptoms in COVID-19 are common in addition to respiratory manifestations. This review collected the available data about abdominal computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography indications in hollow abdominal organs in patients with COVID-19 and their findings. Since abdominal imaging is less frequently used in COVID-19, there is limited information about the gastrointestinal findings. The most common indications for abdominal CT in patients with COVID-19 were abdominal pain and sepsis. Bowel wall thickening and fluid-filled colon were the most common findings in abdominal imaging. Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) was one of the COVID-19 presentations secondary to coagulation dysfunction. AMI manifests with sudden abdominal pain associated with high morbidity and mortality in admitted patients; therefore, CT angiography should be considered for early diagnosis of AMI. Ultrasonography is a practical modality because of its availability, safety, rapidity, and ability to be used at the bedside. Clinicians and radiologists should be alert to indications and findings of abdominal imaging modalities in COVID-19 to diagnose the disease and its potentially serious complications promptly.

 Sex determination is one of the most important criteria in cadaver identification so if it determines accurately, half of the population can be statistically excluded. The aim of this study was to determine the sex according to diagnostic factors in a 3D CT scan of the mandible.

 In this cross-sectional study, we selected 197 3D CT scans files of mandible available at PACS of hospitals affiliated with the Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS). In this study, we measured mandibular or gonial angle (G angle), ramus length, minimum ramus breadth, maximum ramus breadth, coronoid height, mandibular length, bigonial breadth, bicondylar breadth, symphyseal height, symphyseal height to mandibular length ratio, symphyseal height to ramus length ratio, symphyseal height to bicondylar breadth ratio, symphyseal height to bigonial breadth ratio, ramus length to bigonial breadth ratio, ramus length to bicondylar breadth ratio, bigonial breadth to bicondylar breadth ratio and ramus length to mandibular length ratio. The ROC curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of each indicator.

 There was a significant difference between males and females in all indicators except symphyseal height to mandibular length ratio, symphyseal height to bicondylar breadth ratio, symphyseal height to bigonial breadth ratio and bigonial breadth to bicondylar breadth ratio. The highest AUC, sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy were related to ramus length, symphyseal height to ramus length ratio, bicondylar breadth and ramus length respectively.

 Mandible bone 3D CT scan indicators could be used alone to determine sex in the Iranian population.

Considering the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we aimed to report the clinical features of 427 patients with COVID-19 and the outcomes after one-month admission to major teaching hospitals in the northeast of Iran. Data of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 from 20 February 2020 to 20 April 2020 was analyzed using the R software. The cases and their outcomes were monitored up to one month following their admission. Among 427 patients with a median age of 53 years (50.8% male), 81 (19%) were directly admitted to the ICU ward, and 68 (16%) died during the study. The mean (SD) lengths of hospital stay were significantly higher in the non-survivors (6 (9) days) than survivors (4 (5) days) (P = 0.018). Ventilation need was reported in 67.6% of the non-survivors and 0.8% of the survivors (P < 0.001). Cough (72.8%), fever (69.3%), and dyspnea (64.0%) were the most common symptoms. There were more comorbidities in the severe cases (73.5%) and non-survivor (77.5%). Liver and kidney damage were significantly more common in non-survivors. Ninety percent of the patients had at least one abnormal chest CT scan finding, including crazy paving and consolidation patterns (27.1%), followed by the ground-glass opacity (24.7%). Results showed that the patients’ age, underlying comorbidities, levels of SpO2, and laboratory findings at the time of admission may predict the progress of the disease and can be considered mortality-related factors.

We aim to determine the prevalence of renal anomalies in patients with congenital vas deferens agenesisreferred for infertility assessment. This cross-sectional study was carried out on eligible infertile men from 2016 to 2019.Infertile men who were suspected of obstructive azoospermia were referred to the Ultrasound ward and they wereexamined by abdominal ultrasound for detecting the genital and kidney anomalies. An informed consent form wasfilled out by patients. Data was entered into SPSS software 21. Patients were divided into two groups in termsof congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens (CBAVD) or congenital unilateral absence of the vas deferens(CUAVD). Using the Chi-square test kidney anomalies between groups were compared. The P<0.05 was consideredsignificant. The mean age of participants was 33.05 ± 6.35. The frequency of CBAVD was 66 and the frequency of leftside VD and right side VD were 23 and 21, respectively. The percentage of other comorbidities was calculated. Outof 110 cases, 12 (11%) men had coexistence of vas deferens and kidney agenesis. Other studies are in agreement withour findings. Although the percentage of CBAVD and CUAVD were 9.1% and 1.8% respectively, the difference wasnot significant (P=0.07). Considering the fact that kidney agenesis is a remarkable congenital anomaly that coexists with themajority of vas deferens agenesis cases and could not be detected by routine laboratory tests or transrectal ultrasoundexamination, it should be ruled out with transabdominal ultrasound examination after detection of vas deferensagenesis.

Numerous efforts have been made over the past century. Various innovation techniques are increasingly gaining attention and gradually establishing the foundation of recent significant developments in the world of neurosurgery, among which varied stereotactic neuro-navigation designs and other novel emerging systems are being developed every day. This narrative review aims to describe basic concepts in frameless stereotaxy and summarize the primary principles of neuronavigation and clarify basic characteristics, such as the accuracy of this technique (frameless navigation), and emphasize the importance of designing phantom.

Methods and Materials/Patients

 The application of brain images to steer the surgeon to a target in the brain by utilizing the stereotactic principle of co-registration of the patient with an imaging study that permits brain surgery to be fulfilled with greater safety and smaller incisions by providing precise surgical guidance of the location of intracranial pathology is highly noticeable. General uses of frameless stereotaxy are explained and common benefits
are highlighted. It is genuinely inevitable to estimate the accuracy of these systems and discover sources of error.

The findings have provided considerable insight into recent findings on principles of frameless stereotactic surgery and novel developments for image-guidance systems.

The unprecedented development of image guidance has been much discussed. As a concluding note, several determinants, including updated imaging/registration, ease of use, robotic instruments, automated registration of increased accuracy, and the program’s potential for expansion to other disciplines, are all under development for image guidance.

This case describes a female with long-term primary infertility, labelled with polycystic ovarian syndrome, who showed no response to the given treatments. Hysterosalpingography, performed as part of the in vitro Fertilisation (IVF) preparation, showed Asherman syndrome and calcified lymph nodes. Subsequently, further evaluations confirmed tuberculosis. The case highlights the necessity and importance of the proper assessment of the patients presenting with infertility for early detection of genital TB to prevent end-stage disease.

Cystic meningioma is an unusual shape of meningioma, and the imaging manifestations and site of the solid/cystic components of the mass increase our difficulties in making a diagnosis.

We report a case of a 78-year-old right-handed woman who presented with right-sided hemiparesis, urinary incontinency, and Broca aphasia. A large left-sided frontal region cystic extra-axial mass with a suspicious small solid nodule and adjacent bony erosion was detected on non-contrast CT of the brain. Brain Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with gadolinium depicted the cystic and solid components exactly. A probable diagnosis of cystic meningioma was made and subsequently confirmed by histological study after surgical resection of the tumor. To confirm the category and subtypes of the tumor, a histopathological examination of the tumor cells should be done.

Cystic or solid cystic intracranial lesions have several differential diagnoses making the final diagnosis difficult in some cases. There are four types of cystic meningiomas according to the Nauta classification that was revised by Jung et al. Determination of the type of cystic meningioma is crucial for surgical planning. To confirm the category and subtypes of the tumor, a histopathological examination of the tumor cells should be done. Our case was a type IV cystic meningioma with a small mural enhancing solid nodule but an associated adjacent bony invasion.