Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is widely used in dentistry, surgery, radiotherapy and other medical fields. However, repeated CBCT scans expose patients to additional radiation doses, increasing the risk of secondary malignant tumors. Low-dose CBCT image reconstruction technology, which employs advanced algorithms to reduce radiation dose while enhancing image quality, has emerged as a focal point of recent research. This review systematically examined deep learning-based methods for low-dose CBCT reconstruction. It compared different network architectures in terms of noise reduction, artifact removal, detail preservation, and computational efficiency, covering three approaches: image-domain, projection-domain, and dual-domain techniques. The review also explored how emerging technologies like multimodal fusion and self-supervised learning could enhance these methods. By summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of current approaches, this work provides insights to optimize low-dose CBCT algorithms and support their clinical adoption.
Cone-Beam Computed Tomography/methods* ; Deep Learning ; Humans ; Algorithms ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Radiation Dosage ; Artifacts

Objective:To analyze the expression of heat shock protein 90α (HSP90α) in pancreatic cancer tissues and its potential diagnostic value for pancreatic cancer.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on surgical specimens and clinical data from 99 patients with pancreatic cancer who were treated at Qingdao Municipal Hospital from January 2018 to May 2023, including 58 males and 41 females, with the age of (63.5±23.5) years. Among them, 44 patients (44.4%) were used for pathological examination and prognostic analysis, while 55 patients (55.6%) were tested for plasma HSP90α levels to evaluate its diagnostic efficacy for pancreatic cancer. Blood samples from 119 healthy individuals undergoing routine physical examinations at the same hospital during the same period were collected, including 74 males and 45 females, with the age of (50.5±25.5) years, and plasma HSP90α levels were measured. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to detect the expression of HSP90α in cancerous and adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the diagnostic performance of HSP90α, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) for pancreatic cancer. Survival analysis was conducted using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used to compare survival rates. The correlation between HSP90α positive expression in cancer tissues and mutant p53 positive expression was analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis.Results:Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the positive expression rate of HSP90α in pancreatic cancer tissues was 81.8%(36/44), higher than that in adjacent non-cancerous tissues 13.6%(6/44)( χ2=19.82, P<0.01). HSP90α positive expression in pancreatic cancer tissues was positively correlated with mutant p53 positive expression (correlation coefficient was 0.57, P<0.001). The median plasma HSP90α level in the pancreatic cancer group ( n=55) was 83.30 (48.30, 212.00) μg/L, which was significantly higher than that in the normal control group ( n=119), with a median of 37.00 (29.20, 43.50) μg/L, showing a statistically significant difference ( Z=-7.34, P<0.001). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for plasma HSP90α in diagnosing pancreatic cancer was 0.85 (95% CI: 0.77-0.92), with an optimal cutoff value of 53.52 μg/L, yielding a sensitivity of 69.1% (38/55) and a specificity of 98.3% (117/119). The AUC for HSP90α in diagnosing pancreatic cancer was higher than that of CEA, CA19-9, and CA125. In the immunohistochemical analysis of cancer tissues, the one-year cumulative survival rate of the HSP90α-negative group ( n=8) was 87.5%, which was significantly higher than that of the HSP90α-positive group ( n=36), which was 18.8%( χ2=12.74, P<0.001). Conclusions:HSP90α is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissues, which is positively correlated with mutant p53 positive expression. Patients with positive HSP90α expression have a poorer prognosis. HSP90α demonstrates good diagnostic performance for pancreatic cancer and holds potential for clinical application.

Objective To investigate the association between gut microbiota metabolite,trimethy-lamine-N-oxide(TMAO),and total imaging burden in diabetic patients with cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD).Methods A prospective study was conducted on 112 elderly diabetic patients with CSVD admitted in our hospital from June 2022 to May 2024.According to the total imaging burden score,they were divided into a high burden group(burden score≥2,57 cases)and a low burden group(burden score＜2,55 cases).High-performance liquid chromatography with online electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry was applied to detect the plasma level of TMAO.Then based on the tertile of plasma TMAO level,the patients were also assigned into low(＜2.44 μmol/L,38 cases),median(2.44 μmol/L≤TMAO＜5.18 μmol/L,37 cases)and high TMAO(≥5.18 μmol/L,37 cases)groups.ROC curve analysis was used to assess the predictive value of plasma TMAO level for high imaging burden in diabetic patients with CSVD.Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to analyze the correlation between plasma TMAO level and high imaging burden.Results The high burden group exhibited significantly higher plasma TMAO level than the low burden group(P=0.002).The AUC value of plasma TMAO level in predicting high imaging burden was 0.669(95％CI:0.569-0.769,P=0.002).The percentage of high imaging burden was 34.2％,54.1％and 64.9％,respectively among the low,median and high TMAO groups,with significant differences among them(Chi-square=7.270,P=0.026).Binary logistic regression analysis indicated the correlation between TMAO and high imaging burden(OR=1.178,95％CI:1.019-1.364,P=0.027).Conclusion In elderly diabetic patients with CSVD,plasma TMAO level is closely associated with high imaging burden,with higher TMAO level,higher risk for high imaging burden.

Objective To investigate the association between gut microbiota metabolite,trimethy-lamine-N-oxide(TMAO),and total imaging burden in diabetic patients with cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD).Methods A prospective study was conducted on 112 elderly diabetic patients with CSVD admitted in our hospital from June 2022 to May 2024.According to the total imaging burden score,they were divided into a high burden group(burden score≥2,57 cases)and a low burden group(burden score＜2,55 cases).High-performance liquid chromatography with online electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry was applied to detect the plasma level of TMAO.Then based on the tertile of plasma TMAO level,the patients were also assigned into low(＜2.44 μmol/L,38 cases),median(2.44 μmol/L≤TMAO＜5.18 μmol/L,37 cases)and high TMAO(≥5.18 μmol/L,37 cases)groups.ROC curve analysis was used to assess the predictive value of plasma TMAO level for high imaging burden in diabetic patients with CSVD.Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to analyze the correlation between plasma TMAO level and high imaging burden.Results The high burden group exhibited significantly higher plasma TMAO level than the low burden group(P=0.002).The AUC value of plasma TMAO level in predicting high imaging burden was 0.669(95％CI:0.569-0.769,P=0.002).The percentage of high imaging burden was 34.2％,54.1％and 64.9％,respectively among the low,median and high TMAO groups,with significant differences among them(Chi-square=7.270,P=0.026).Binary logistic regression analysis indicated the correlation between TMAO and high imaging burden(OR=1.178,95％CI:1.019-1.364,P=0.027).Conclusion In elderly diabetic patients with CSVD,plasma TMAO level is closely associated with high imaging burden,with higher TMAO level,higher risk for high imaging burden.

Objective:To analyze the expression of heat shock protein 90α (HSP90α) in pancreatic cancer tissues and its potential diagnostic value for pancreatic cancer.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on surgical specimens and clinical data from 99 patients with pancreatic cancer who were treated at Qingdao Municipal Hospital from January 2018 to May 2023, including 58 males and 41 females, with the age of (63.5±23.5) years. Among them, 44 patients (44.4%) were used for pathological examination and prognostic analysis, while 55 patients (55.6%) were tested for plasma HSP90α levels to evaluate its diagnostic efficacy for pancreatic cancer. Blood samples from 119 healthy individuals undergoing routine physical examinations at the same hospital during the same period were collected, including 74 males and 45 females, with the age of (50.5±25.5) years, and plasma HSP90α levels were measured. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to detect the expression of HSP90α in cancerous and adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the diagnostic performance of HSP90α, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) for pancreatic cancer. Survival analysis was conducted using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used to compare survival rates. The correlation between HSP90α positive expression in cancer tissues and mutant p53 positive expression was analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis.Results:Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the positive expression rate of HSP90α in pancreatic cancer tissues was 81.8%(36/44), higher than that in adjacent non-cancerous tissues 13.6%(6/44)( χ2=19.82, P<0.01). HSP90α positive expression in pancreatic cancer tissues was positively correlated with mutant p53 positive expression (correlation coefficient was 0.57, P<0.001). The median plasma HSP90α level in the pancreatic cancer group ( n=55) was 83.30 (48.30, 212.00) μg/L, which was significantly higher than that in the normal control group ( n=119), with a median of 37.00 (29.20, 43.50) μg/L, showing a statistically significant difference ( Z=-7.34, P<0.001). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for plasma HSP90α in diagnosing pancreatic cancer was 0.85 (95% CI: 0.77-0.92), with an optimal cutoff value of 53.52 μg/L, yielding a sensitivity of 69.1% (38/55) and a specificity of 98.3% (117/119). The AUC for HSP90α in diagnosing pancreatic cancer was higher than that of CEA, CA19-9, and CA125. In the immunohistochemical analysis of cancer tissues, the one-year cumulative survival rate of the HSP90α-negative group ( n=8) was 87.5%, which was significantly higher than that of the HSP90α-positive group ( n=36), which was 18.8%( χ2=12.74, P<0.001). Conclusions:HSP90α is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissues, which is positively correlated with mutant p53 positive expression. Patients with positive HSP90α expression have a poorer prognosis. HSP90α demonstrates good diagnostic performance for pancreatic cancer and holds potential for clinical application.

Objective:To analyze the expression of tubulin-tyrosine ligase-like 12 (TTLL12) in hilar cholangiocarcinoma and its adjacent tissues, and to explore the relationship between TTLL12 and clinicopathological features and prognosis of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.Methods:The carcinoma tissues and paracancerous tissues of 45 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma who had been operated in Qingdao Municipal Hospital from January 2016 to December 2020 were collected to prepare paraffin sections, including 27 males and 18 females, aged (58.8±8.5) years. The expression of TTLL12 and Ki-67 was detected by immunohistochemical staining. According to TTLL12 expression in cancer tissues, 45 patients were divided into negative group ( n=15) and positive group ( n=30). The relationship between TTLL12 positive expression and clinicopathological features such as lymph node metastasis and tumor differentiation was analyzed. The correlation between TTLL12 and Ki-67 expression in cancer tissues was analyze by Spearman correlation analysis. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and log-rank test was used to compare the survival rate. Results:Immunohistochemical staining showed that the expression of TTLL12 and Ki-67 in 45 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma was significantly higher than that in paracancerous tissues. The expression of TTLL12 in hilar cholangiocarcinoma was positively correlated with that of Ki-67 (correlation coefficient was 0.601, P<0.001). The positive expression rates of TTLL12 and Ki-67 in 45 cases of hilar cholangiocarcinoma were 66.7% (30/45) and 77.8% (35/45), respectively, which were higher than those in adjacent tissues 11.1% (5/45) and 15.6% (7/45), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=11.25, 29.01, both P<0.001). The positive expression of TTLL12 and Ki-67 in hilar cholangiocarcinoma was correlated with lymph node metastasis and tumor differentiation (all P<0.05). The median overall survival time was 44 months in TTLL12 negative group and 21 months in TTLL12 positive group. The 5-year survival rate of TTLL12 carcinoma tissue negative expression group was 33.1%, which was better than that of TTLL12 carcinoma tissue expression positive group (18.3%), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=6.12, P=0.013). Conclusions:The expression of TTLL12 in hilar cholangiocarcinoma was higher than that in paracancerous tissues, and there was a positive correlation between TTLL12 and Ki-67 in carcinoma tissues. The positive expression of TTLL12 is closely related to tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis of patients. TTLL12 may be a marker for predicting the prognosis of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Objective:To investigate the influence of trimethylamine N-oxide(TMAO)on the development of early neurological deterioration(END)in diabetic patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods:In this cross-sectional study, 108 type 2 diabetes patients with acute ischemic stroke treated at the Department of Neurology in the Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between October 2019 and November 2020 were consecutively recruited.END was defined as an increase in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)≥ 2 points and exclusion of intracranial hemorrhage or bleeding transformation in cranial imaging evaluation within 5 days of initial deterioration of neurological dysfunction.The patients were divided into 2 groups, an END(n=36)group and a non-END group(n=72). Fasting plasma TMAO was measured using isotope dilution liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry.Results:Of the 108 patients, 36(33.3%)were diagnosed with END, and their plasma TMAO levels were significantly higher compared with patients without END( Z=-3.500, P<0.001). For prediction of END, the area under the ROC curve for plasma TMAO levels was 0.707(95% CI: 0.603-0.811, P<0.001). The frequencies of END in subjects grouped via tertiles of TMAO were 22.2%, 19.4% and 58.3%, respectively, with significant differences between the 3 groups( χ2=14.979, P=0.001). Univariate analysis showed that elevated TMAO( OR=1.160, 95% CI: 1.050-1.282, P=0.004)was associated with END.A multivariate logistic regression model further confirmed the association between TMAO and END( OR=1.145, 95% CI: 1.033-1.269, P=0.010). Conclusions:Increased plasma TMAO levels are associated with END in diabetic patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Purpose/Significance To clarify the construction mode and key factors of data sharing in Chinese medical alliances,and to provide references for promoting data sharing in medical alliances.Method/Process Taking children's medical alliance of Yangtze River Delta as an example,Delphi method and qualitative interview method are used to explore the key contents and effect evaluation of specialty alliance construction,and the key factors of specialty alliance data sharing are defined based on the technology-organization-environment framework;SWOT analysis model is used to propose development strategies.Result/Conclusion Member hospitals are less satisfied with the construction effect of information interconnection.Key factors for realizing data sharing in specialty alliances include:support from government administrative departments,uniform and systematic compatibility of information standards,information security emergency response,patient privacy protection and informed consent,willingness of department directors to share,and internal communi-cation and compensation mechanism of alliances.

Objective:To study the efficacy of three-dimensional (3D) CT reconstruction combined with 3D color printing compared with traditional imaging technology in treatment of complex hepatobiliary calculi treated with laparoscopy and choledochoscopy.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on 128 patients with complex hepatobiliary calculi who underwent hepatobiliary surgery at the Qingdao Chengyang People’s Hospital, Qingdao Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University and Qingdao University Affiliated Hospital from January 2019 to December 2019. A comparison was made between patients who underwent three-dimensional CT reconstruction combined with 3D color printing (the study group, n=62) and the traditional imaging technology group (the control group, n=66) on operation time, intraoperative blood loss, liver blood flow occlusion time, stone clearance rate, postoperative complication rate, and recurrence of calculi after operation. Results:The study group was significantly better than the control group in operation time, intraoperative blood loss, porta hepatis occlusion time, hospital stay and treatment cost (all P<0.05). The stone clearance rate of the study group was 96.8% (60/62), which was significantly higher than that of the control group (86.4%, 57/66) ( P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications in the study group was 3.2% (2/62), which was significantly lower than that in the control group (18.2%, 12/66) ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the stone recurrence rate between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion:Three-dimensional CT reconstruction combined with 3D color printing contributed significantly to the surgical treatment of complex intrahepatic bile duct stones as these imaging technologies significantly improved surgical accuracy, improved stone clearance and reduced postoperative complication rates, and reduced surgical treatment costs.

Objective:To evaluate the gastric emptying of orally administered enzyme-hydrolyzed rice flour solution before surgery in the patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy and effect on insulin resistance.Methods:One hundred patients, of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ or Ⅱ, aged 18-64 yr, with body mass index of 19-30 kg/m 2, scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia, were divided into 2 groups ( n=50 each) using a random number table method: water group (group C) and enzyme-hydrolyzed rice flour group (group M). Routine fasting and water deprivation were executed at 1 day before operation in two groups, and 300 ml water in group C or 300 ml enzyme-hydrolyzed rice flour solution in group M were taken orally at 2-3 h before induction on the day of surgery.Bedside antrum ultrasonography was used to calculate the gastric volume (GV) before oral administration (V 0), immediately after oral administration (V 1), and before induction (V 2), and then the ΔGV (GV 1-GV 0) was calculated.Fasting plasma glucose and insulin CONCENTRATIONS were measured on admission to hospital (T 1) and on an empty stomach on 1st morning after surgery (T 2), and then the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated according to HOMA steady-state model formula.Visual analog scale (VAS) scores for subjective comfort (thirst, hunger, fatigue and anxiety) and grip strength were assessed before anesthesia (T 3) and before leaving PACU (T 4). Reflux and aspiration during induction, nausea and vomiting within 24 h after surgery, and anal exhaust time after surgery were recorded. Results:There was no significant difference in GV at V 0, V 1 and V 2 between the two groups ( P>0.05). Compared with the baseline at V 0, no significant was found in the GV at V 2 in both groups ( P>0.05). The fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations and HOMA-IR were significantly increased at T 2 than at T 1 in both groups ( P<0.05 or 0.01). Compared with group C, the fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations and HOMA-IR were significantly decreased at T 2, VAS scores for hunger, fatigue and anxiety were decreased at T 3, 4, grip strength was increased at T 3, 4, the postoperative anal exhaust time was shortened, and the incidence of nausea was reduced in group M ( P<0.05). No reflux and aspiration happened during induction in either group. Conclusion:The gastric emptying of 300 ml enzyme-hydrolyzed rice flour solution orally administered at 2 h before surgery is normal in the patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which does not increase the risk of reflux and aspiration during anesthesia induction, reduces postoperative insulin resistance, and increases patient′s subjective comfort, and enhances the postoperative recovery of intestinal function.