Objective To explore the optimal dose-effect relationship of gene transfer according to the expression of pEGFP in tumor cells under different parameters mediated by microbubble contrast agent and ultrasound in vivo.Methods C57BL/6J mice were inoculated subcutaneously in the middle of the right flank with hepal-6 tumor cells.The mixture of SonoVue and enhanced green fluorescent protein(EGFP)plasmid was injected into the tail vein of each mouse, groups were randomly established according to different output intensity( 1 W/cm2, 2 W/cm2, 3 W/cm2 ), exposure time ( 1 min, 5 min, 10 min) and volume of SonoVue(30 μl,60 μl,90 μl), the expression of EGFP in tumor cells under different parameter was examined by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy.Results The expression of pEGFP in tumor cells was significantly higher with the increase of exposure time,output intensity and volume of SonoVue (1 min vs 5 min, P＜0.05; 1 W/cm2 vs 2 W/cm2, P＜0.05 ; 30/μl vs 60 μl, P＜0.05).However, the transfection efficiency of EGFP can not be enhanced continuously with the increasing exposure time,output intensity and volume of SonoVue (5 min vs 10 min, P＞0.05; 2 W/cm2 vs 3 W/cm2, P＞0.05; 60 μl vs 90 μl, P＞0.05).The highest transfection effieieney was achieved under intensities was 2 W/cm2 [(21.02±1.45)%]with 5 min[(23.22±1.91)%] exposed to ultrasound, and 60 /μl SonoVue [ (21.02±1.45) % ].Conclusions Gene transfeetion efficiency changded with the difference parameters.2 W/cm2,5 min and 60 μl SonoVue led to the optimum dose-effect relationship of gene transfer in vivo .

Objective To investigate the usefulness of parametric imaging of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS) in evaluating hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC) and focal nodular hyperplasia(FNH). Methods Thirty clinically or pathologically proven HCCs and 30 pathologically proven FNHs that had undergone CEUS were randomly included. SonoLiver CAP software were used to quantitatively anlalyze the CEUS and reconstruct DVP parametric images. Results The rise time, time to peak and mean transit time in HCC and FNH were (16. 7 ± 11. 1)s and (21.9±9. 0)s (P = 0. 052) ,(29. 9 ± 14. l)s and (33. 2 ±11.1)s ( P =0. 322), (115. 0±90. 9)s and (271. 5 ± 147. 6)s ( P = 0. 000),respectively. The perfusion index was 90. 4 + 102. 5 in HCC and 42. 6 + 37. 1 in FNH( P = 0. 022). DVP curve and DVP parametric image could both be divided into three types: washout, non-washout and cystic type. In DVP curve, the percentages of which were 76. 7% (23/30),20. 0% (6/30),3. 3% (1/30) in HCC, and 43. 3% (13/30) , 53. 3% (16/30) , 3. 3%(l/30) in FNH,respectively ( P = 0. 023). In DVP parametric image, the percentages of which were 66. 7%(20/30) ,30. 0%(9/30) ,3. 3%(l/30) in HCC,and 33. 3%(10/30) ,60. 0%(18/30) ,6. 7%(2/30) in FNH,respectively ( P = 0. 033). 30. 0% (9/30) of FNH had a clear spoke-wheel pattern in DVP parametric image. Conclusions In parametric imaging of CEUS, the mean transit time of HCC was shorter than that of FNH,and the perfusion index of HCC was higher than that of FNH. The DVP parametric image can display the rapid change and detail of the enhancement clearly.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of percutaneous ultrasound (US)-guided thermal ablation of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Methods 14 patients (19 nodules) with histolog-ically proven intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) were treated with percutaneous US-guided thermal ablation from Oct. 1998 to Aug. 2009 in our hospital. The local treatment response, complication and survival were retrospectively analyzed. Results 18 (18/19, 94.7%) nodules had complete necrosis, and 1 (1/19, 5.3%) nodule had residual tumor after ablation. There was no mortality associated with thermal ablation. Only 1 (1/14, 7.1%) patient developed portal vein thrombosis. The follow-up ranged from 1.3 to 72.9 months (mean, 19.0±15.1 months; median, 7.25 months), 10 (10/14,71.4%) patients survived less than 1 year, 2 (2/14,14.3%) survived 1-5 years, and 2 (2/14,14.3%) survived more than 5 years. Of the 14 patients, 9 (9/14, 64.3%) had died and 5 (5/14,35.7%) were alive. The causes of death included tumor progression (8/9, 88.9%) and liver failure (1/9, 11.1%). 9 (9/14,64.3%) patients developed recurrence on follow-up. The disease-free survival ranged from 1.1 to 72. 9 months (mean 16.6±26. 3 months; median 4.1 months). Conclusion Percutaneous US-guided thermal ablation therapy using microwave ablation (MWA) or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a safe and effective therapy for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

0.05 ). 3DUS was superior to 2DUS in displaying the expanded tips (P 0.05 ) in the ablation modality. 3DUS enhanced the confidence level significantly in judging the position relationship between applicators and lesions in both modalities (both P

Objective To assess the characterization and usefulness of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)to diagnose solid focal lesions of pancreas(s-FLPs)in comparison to contrast enhanced computed tomography(CECT).Methods Forty-nine s-FLPs with final diagnosis were studied with low mechanical index CEUS and CECT.The enhanced patterns and diagnostic capability of CEUS were analyzed,and these results were compared with those from CECT.Results ①In CEUS,the perfusion of capillary could be detected in vascular phase.②The concordance of dual-phases enhanced patterns between CEUS and CECT was 73.5%(36/49).The concordance of enhanced level between early parenchymatous perfusion phase in CEUS and pancreatic phase in CECT could achieve 87.8%(43/49).Hypo/hypo enhancement was the most common enhanced pattern of pancreatic carcinoma in CEUS and CECT.③There was no statistical significance between CEUS and CECT in the differential diagnostic.Conclusions The concordance of enhanted patterns between CEUS and CECT is satisfactory.CEUS is similar to CECT in the differential diagnosis of s-FLPs.CEUS would become an important non-invasive diagnostic method for s-FLPs.

Objective To evaluate the accuracy and utility of percutaneous ultrasonic cholangiography in Bismuth staging of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Methods Thirty patients who underwent surgery and obtained pathologic diagnosis of hilar cholangiocarcincoma were perspectively ruled in this study. All patients with hilar obstruction underwent baseline ultrasound (BUS), percutaneous ultrasonic cholangiography (PUSC) and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography(PTC) respectively. Taking operative findings as reference standard,the accuracy of the three imaging modalities in staging of hilar cholangiocarcinoma was compared. Results Among 30 patients, the accuracy of classification among BUS, PUSC and PTC was 23.3 % (7/30), 73.3 % ( 22/30 ), 73.3 % (22/30), respectively. There was statistically significant difference between BUS and PUSC, but the difference between PUSC and PTC was not statistically significant.Conclusions As a new technique for cholangiography, PUSC expands the application of ultrasound in evaluating hilar cholangiocarcinoma and is comparable to PTC in classifying hilar cholangiocarcinoma by Bismuth classification.

Objective To prepare targeted micorbubble with low immunogenicity. Methods The microbubbles were produced with different phospholipids and identified by the fluorescent method. Detect the level of C3a after reaction with human serum in vitro with enzyme-linked immunosorboent assay (ELISA) method and the number of microbubble binding with the streptavidin packed on the dish by using the parallel plate flow chamber. Results The level of C3a was (1.037±0.047)ng/ml in MBb group,(1. 326 ± 0. 042)ng/ml in MBe group and ( 1.004 ± 0.031 ) ng/ml in MBc group. The level of C3a in MBb group was significantly lower than that in MBe group( P ＜0.05),and there was no significantly difference between MBb group and MBc group ( P ＞ 0. 05). The parallel plate flow experiments showed that the number of MBb(15.2 ± 11.3) in each field of view binding with the streptavidin packed on the dish was significantly fewer than that of MBe ( 103.2 ± 28.3) ( P＜0.05 ), and there was no significantly difference between MBb and MBc(17.8 ± 11.9) ( P ＞0.05). Conclusions The targeted microbubble with low immunogenicity has been prepared successfully,which can be used for further experiment in vivo.

Objective To evaluate ultrasound-guided percutaneous ablation for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods In this study, 141 patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (628 lesions) were treated by percutaneous ablation therapies, including microwave, radiofrequency, ethanol injection and hot distilled water ablation.Results The complete ablation rate was 92.0% (578/628) in this group, and was 96.3% ( 105/109 )? 92.9%(119/128)? 91.5% (311/340) and 84.3% (43/51), respectively, for microwave, radiofrequency, ethanol and hot distilled water ablation subgroups.The local recurrence rate was 13.5% ( 78/578 ), and was 11.4% (12/105)? 13.4% (16/119)? 11.9% (37/311) and 30.2% (13/43), respectively, for microwave, radiofrequency, ethanol and hot distilled water ablation subgroups.After a follow-up period of 2-66 months, liver function remained unchanged in 117 patients (81%) after ablation therapies.Patients were followed-up for 2-66 months, the 1, 3 and 5-year survival rate was 75%, 53% and 26%, respectively.Conclusion Ultrasound-guided percutaneous ablation therapies for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma are safe and effective, while incuring minimal damage to liver function and improving long-term survival.

Objective To prospectively validate the feasibility and usefulness of the thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TI-RADS) suggested by Kwak. Methods According to the TI-RADS published in Radiology by Kwak et al in 2011, the TI-RADS score of 810 thyroid nodules in 415 patients whose pathologic diagnoses were available were categorized . According to TI-RADS and pathologic results, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted, and the probability of malignancy in each category was calculated. Results Eight hundred and ten pathologically proven thyroid nodules included 649 benign and 161 malignant lesions. Among them, 11 nodules were categorized as TI-RADS 2 (all benign nodules);370 nodules were categorized as TI-RADS 3 (368 benign nodules and 2 malignant nodules);150 nodules were categorized as TI-RADS 4a (143 benign nodules and 7 malignant nodules);116 nodules were categorized as TI-RADS 4b (87 benign nodules and 29 malignant nodules); 146 nodules were categorized as TI-RADS 4c (39 benign nodules and 107 malignant nodules);17 nodules were categorized as TI-RADS 5 (1 benign nodules and 16 malignant nodules). The area under the curve of TI-RADS was 0.89, and the probability of malignancy in nodules with a classiifcation of TI-RADS 2, 3, 4a, 4b, 4c and 5 was 0, 0.5%, 4.6%, 25.0%, 73.0%and 94.0%, respectively. Conclusions The TI-RADS suggested by Kwak has great diagnostic value in diagnosing thyroid nodules. The actual probability of malignancy conforms with the theoretical risk of malignancy.

Objective To compare contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)and contrast-enhaneed computed tomography(CECT)on the diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma(RCC). Methods CEUS and CECT were performed on 117 patients(87 men and 30 women)with 124 renal lesions(single nodule in 110 and two nodules in 7)from 2004 to 2008.Among them,there were 63 patients with 65 lesions diagnosed as RCC confirmed by pathology.The tumor enhancement pattern,extent,and dynamic change of CEUS and CECT were compared.The diagnostic efficacy of CEUS and the agreement of CECT and CEUS in diagnosing RCC were analyzed. Results The rate of displaying hypervascular performance on cortical phase,and pseudocapsule enhancement of the RCC lesions by CEUS and CECT were 87.7%(57/65)and 63.1%(41/65),89.2%(58/65)and 69.2%(45/65)(P<0.05).The rate of displaying heterogeneous enhancement were 72.3%(47/65)and 56.9%(37/65)(P>0.05)Using the diagnosis of CECT as reference diagnostic criteria,the sensitivity,specificity,positive predietive value,negative predictive value,and accuracy of CEUS in diagnosing RCC were 89.1%(57/64),91.7%(55/60),91.9%(57/62),88.7%(55/62)and 90.3%(112/124).The agreement of CECT and CEUS in diagnosing RCC was high(κ=0.806). Conclusions CEUS and CECT have the coordinate efficacy in diagnosing RCC.