Objective To investigate the value of combination of B-flow imaging and spatio-temporal image correlation in prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart diseases. Methods Volume images of 50 normal fetuses and 14 fetuses with congenital heart diseases were recruited in the study. Surface mode was used to reconstruct the volume images. Results Sixty-three and twenty-six qualified volume images were obtained in 50 normal fetuses and 14 fetuses with congenital heart diseases respectively. All volume images were reconstructed successfully and showed the spacial relationship of cardiac blood vessel directly. Conclusions The combination of B-flow imaging and spatio-temporal image correlation was feasible and useful in prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart diseases.

Objectives To construct reference range of fetal optic tract mean diameter and to report the measured optic tract mean diameter in fetuses with agenesis of the septum pellucidum (SP).Methods Three-dimensional volumes of the optic chiasm were acquired in 254 normal fetuses during routine sonographic examination at 21 ～ 40 weeks' gestation and the diameters of posterior left and right optic tracts were measured offline.A polynomial regression approach was used to calculate reference charts for the fetal optic tract mean diameter.In addition,16 three-dimensional volumes were acquired in fetuses with SP agenesis for offline measurement of optic tract diameter.The complete follow-up data were obtained in 7 of these 16 cases.Results In normal fetuses,the optic tract diameter increased linearly throughout gestation.Normal charts and equations were constructed.Among 7 fetuses with SP agenesis and complete follow-up,one had postnatal normal vision,two had hypoplastic optic tract,and four underwent termination of pregnancy.Three cases of normal childbirth were tested after the baby was born as a bundle of apparent dysplasia,including 1 case of neonatal characterized by lack of vision at the one year old and 2 cases of impaired vision.Four cases of termination of pregnancy included 1 case with tracking pathological confirmation of optic nerve hypoplasia,and the other 3 cases without tracking the pathological results.Conclusions We present new reference charts for fetal optic tract mean diameter.In fetuses with agenesis of the SP,sonography of the optic tract might be a useful tool to assess its development and may help prenatal counseling.

Objective To investigate the differences in myocardial deformation between donor and recipient in twin-twin transfusion syndrome(TTTS) using vector velocity imaging( VVI). Methods Digital dynamic two-dimensional four chamber views were interrogated off-line using VVI software. Global longitudinal strain(S) , systolic strain rate(SRs) and diastolic strain rate(SRd) were measured in the left ventricles(LV) and right ventricles (RV) of 30 fetal pairs with TTTS and compared to 30 gestational age-matched normal controls. Results Donor LV-SRs was higher, while donor RV-SRd was significantly lower than controls. Recipient S, SRs and SRd were significantly lower for both LV and RV in comparison to controls. Conclusions In TTTS,donor LV systolic function is hyperdynamic while the RV diastolic function is low. Recipient RV and LV are both globally depressed with systolic and diastolic dysfunction.

Objective:To evaluate the CT value in diagnosing the fracture of paranasal sinuses.Methods:The CT and clinical findings of 300 cases with fracture of paranasal sinuses were analysed retrospectively.Results:Of 300 cases,49 cases were fracture of single sinus wall,96 cases were fractures of multiple wall in single sinus and 155 cases were fracture of multiple wall in sinuses."Teardrop sign",accumulatioun of blood at sinus cavity and changes of extraoculer muscles were found.Conclusion:Sinonasal fracture can be diagnosed by CT comprehensively and accurately,that is very important in choosing the treatment methods for sinonasal fracture.

Objective To characterize the regular and the dynamic contrast enhancement MR imaging in choroidal hemangioma.Methods MR imaging findings of 30 cases (31eyes, 32 lesions) with choroidal hemangioma confirmed by follow-up results were retrospectively analyzed.Among them, postcontrasted T1-weighted imaging was performed in 30 patients and dynamic contrast enhancement scanning was performed in 26 cases.MRI findings and the time-intensity curve of dynamic contrast enhancement were analyzed.Results Among the 32 choroidal hemangiomas, 26 of them were at the temporal side of optic disc and 28 lesions were fusiform.Before enhancement, 23 lesions showed isointense T1-weighted signal and 31 lesions were isointense on T2-weighted imaging.All the lesions showed strong enhancement on postcontrast T1-weighted imaging, including 31 homogenously enhanced lesions and one heterogeneously enhanced lesion.Retinal detachments were found in 18 eyes.Fill-in sign were observed in 12 lesions during dynamic contrast enhancement.The time-intensity curve of dynamic contrast enhancement in 28 lesions suggested a pattern with rapid enhancement and slow washout, time to peak (91.00±25.27) s, slope ratio 3.03±1.13, the median of washout ratio 17.06%, enhancement ratio 2.87±0.79.Conclusion MRI showed a few features of the location, shape, signal characteristics, and enhancement pattern in choroidal hemangioma, which may contribut to diagnosis and treatment plan of this disease.

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of velocity vector imaging(VVI)in evaluating the left ventricular(LV)segmental longitudinal systolic function in patients with coronary artery disease(CAD).Methods In 25 patients with myocardial ischemia,28 patients with myocardial infarction,26 patients with coronary lumen stenosis＜50%,according to coronary arteriography and electrocardiogram,the myocardial segments of LV were divided into 4 groups:ischemic segments group,infarcted segments group,non-ischemic segments group and normal segments group.Twenty-eight healthy subjects were selected as control group.Dynamic imaging of all subjects were collected,the systolic peak strain(Smax)and strain rate(SRmax),the time to peak strain(PTs)and the time to peak strain rate(PTsr)were measured respectively.Results Smax and SRmax of the ischemic segments and infracted segments were significantly lower than those of the control group respectively,PTs and PTsr of the ischemic segments and infracted segments were significantly longer than those of the control group respectively.Smax and SRmax of infarcted segments were significantly lower than those of the ischemic segments,there were no differences of PTs and PTsr between ischemic segments and infracted segments.Smax and SRmax cutoff of -14.08%,-0.83 s-1 for detecting ischemic segments and cutoff of -6.65%,-0.38 s-1 for detecting infracted segments,respectively,gave an optimal sensitivity and specificity.Conclusions VVI is a kind of novel noninvasive-tool to quantitatively assess LV regional systolic function in CAD patients.It is competent to differentiate between the ischemic segments and infarcted segments.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of VVI assessment normal fetal segmental myocardial performance and to establish a nomogram of normal fetus.Methods Digital dynamic fourchamber imaging of 151 healthy fetus(divided 5 groups according to gestation)were collected,then the longitudinal velocity,strain and strain rate of interventricular septal and left lateral wall were measured in systolic and diastolic period respectively.Results Normal systolic and diastolic values for tissue velocitv.strain,and strain rate were established.Tissue velocity was age dependent,whereas strain and strain rate were stable throughout gestation(P＞0.05).Tissue velocity was gradually decreased from the base segment to the apical segment(P＜0.01),whereas strain and strain rate were stable among all segments in every group(P＞0.05).Conclusions Fetal myocardial velocity,strain,and strain rate measuraments are easy to obtain and reproducible,VVI is a novel noninvasive tool to assess quantitatively and objectivelv regional systolic and diastolic function in fetal heart,it is providing another useful modality for evaluating cardiac function.

Objective To assess the characteristic of left ventricular(LV) twist changed from infancy to the elder,in order to determine the normal value of LV twist in different age group.Methods After acquired basal and apical LV short-axis images in 293 healthy volunteers (aged 15 days to 72 years) by 2-dimensional echocardiography, speckle tracking echocardiography was used to analysis LV twist motion offline.The peak apical rotation (PAr), peak basal rotation (PBr), peak LV twist (Ptw), peak LV twist normalized by LV length ( PtwN), peak untwisting velocity ( PutwV), isovolumic untwisting% ( Iutw% ) in different group were compared.Results Reliable LV twist measurements were obtained in 274 volunteers.Different LV twist values were noted according to age.Ptw increased gradually with advancing age, when normalized by LV length, PtwN showed higher values before 3 years old and 25 to 45 years old.PutwV increased with aging from infancy to 25 years old, and leveled off from 25 to 45 years old, then decreased with advancing age.Iutw% was lowest before 3 years old,and increased gradually from 25 to 45 years old,then decreased with aging.Conclusions speckle tracking echocardiography can be used to noninvasively and exactly assess LV twist with high feasibility.The effect of aging on LV twist may reflect the process of maturational and adaptive modulation of LV torsional biomechanics from infancy to the elder.

AIM: To construct prokaryotic expression vector of human angiogenesis inhibitor arresten gene and express recombinant arresten in Escherichia coli. METHODS: Human arresten gene was amplified from recombinant plasmid pGEM-Arr with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and then cloned into prokaryotic expression vector pRSET by means of recombinant gene technology. The recombinant plasmid pRSET-Arr was transformed into E.coli BL21(DE3), and recombinant arresten was expressed in the bacteria under induction of IPTG. The expressed products were detected by SDS-PAGE analysis. RESULTS: Restriction analysis indicated that the arresten gene was successfully inserted into the expression vector, and DNA sequencing verified that the reading frame of the recombinant vector was correct. Recombinant arresten was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli; its molecular weight was about 26 kD and its amount was approximately 30% of total bacterial proteins.CONCLUSION: The successful construction of prokaryotic expression vector containing human arresten gene and the effective expression of recombinant arresten in Escherichia coli laid the foundation for further study on its biological functions.

Objective To construct Z-score models for normal fetal heart size measurements derived from fetal echocardiography.Methods Fetal echocardiography were performed in 910 normal singleton fetuses from 14th to 40th gestational weeks.Fetal transverse heart diameter (HD),heart length (HL),heart circumference (HC) and heart area (HA) were derived from a standard four-chamber view during end diastole.Using fetal somatic sizes as independent variables and heart sizes as dependent variables,the regression analyses of the mean (M) and the standard deviation (SD) for each parameter were calculated separately.A group of fetal heart diseases were assessed using these models.Results Strong correlations were found between fetal heart sizes and somatic sizes.Linear-cubic regression equations were each fitted to the models of the means of the heart sizes,whereas linear-quadratic equations were fitted to the models of the SDs.HD (r =0.984-0.986) was a dependent variable that provided the highest correlation coefficient with all of the fetal sizes,followed by HL (r =0.981-0.984),HC (r =0.981-0.982) and HA (r =0.978-0.979).All fetuses with Ebstein' s anomaly and most with homozygous α thalassemia-1 demonstrated Z scores reflective of increased heart sizes.Conclusions The fetal heart sizes Z-scores models had been constructed.The calculation of Z-scores for heart sizes as a function of fetal somatic size is feasible and simple.They might be useful for quantitative assessment of some cardiac diseases and used as new predictive indicators for homozygous α-thalassemia-1 particularly.