Purpose To explore the methods of selectively visualizing hepatic portal vein by using three-dimensional fast imaging employing steady state acquisition combined with in-flow inversion recovery labeling pulse at 3.0 Tesla. Materials and Methods Ten healthy volunteers were examined under different TI (1200, 1400, 1600, 1800 ms), and the vessel-to-liver contrast ratio of the main portal vein, right portal vein, and left portal vein were measured. Results Non-contrast-enhanced MRA images of portal vein were obtained successfully in all ten volunteers. The signal intensity of peripheral portal branches gradually increased when TI increased from 1200 ms to 1600 ms, and the highest vessel-to-liver contrast ratio occurred when TI was 1400 ms. Conclusion Non-contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography of the hepatic portal vein can be successfully achieved at 3.0T high field MRI. A fixed TI of 1400 ms is preferable.

Objective To explore the value of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)of MRI diffusion-weighted (DW)in diag-nosing pathologic stage and histologic grade of bladder cancer.Methods 42 patients with confirmed bladder cancer underwent pelvic MRI examination including T2 WI and diffusion-weighted imaging (b values of 0 and 1 000 s/mm2 )Based on pathologic results,42 cases of bladder cancer were divided into three groups of Ta-T1 stage (non-muscle invasive),T2 stage (muscle invasive)and T3-T4 stage (around the bladder and other organizations invasive).Of 42 bladder cancers,36 urothelial carcinomas were divided into papillary urothelial neoplasm with low malignant potential (PUNLMP),low grade urothelial carcinoma and high grade urothelial carcinoma group.Tumor diameter and ADC were measured on DW imaging,and compared among different groups.Results The mean size of high grade tumors (4.52 ± 1.61)cm was significantly larger than that of PUNLMP (2.28 ± 0.51)cm and low grade tumors (1.69 ± 0.53)cm.The mean ADC of high grade tumors (0.83 ± 0.27)×10-3 mm2/s was significantly lower than that of PUNLMP (1.46 ± 0.30)×10-3 mm2/s and low grade tumors (1.17±0.11)×10-3 mm2/s (P<0.01).T3-T4 stage tumors showed significantly lower ADC (0.82±0.21)×10-3 mm2/s than T2 (1.01 ± 0.09)×10 -3 mm2/s and Ta-T1 stage tumors (1.24 ± 0.13)×10 -3 mm2/s (P <0.01).Conclusion DW ima-ging combined with conventional MR sequences is useful for displaying morphology of bladder cancer.DW imaging and ADC are use-ful in evaluation of pathologic stage and histologic grade of bladder cancer.

Objective:To explore the value of the static and dynamic pelvic floor MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in evaluating the morphology and function of urethra in patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI).Methods:From July 2020 to February 2021, a total of 28 patients with SUI and 45 age-matched healthy controls were prospectively collected at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. The static and dynamic pelvic floor MRI and DTI were performed for all subjects. The thickness of internal and external sphincter of middle urethra were measured on static MRI images. The functional urethral length (FUL) was measured both on static and maximal strain phase of dynamic MRI images, then the difference of FUL was calculated. The presence of bladder neck funneling and urethra opening were observed on static and dynamic MRI. The muscle fiber bundle image of urethral sphincter complex was obtained by post-processing of DTI original images. The anisotropy fraction (FA), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and three eigenvalues (λ1, λ2, λ3) of annular sphincter and central longitudinal muscle in middle urethra were measured. The independent sample t test and chi-square test were used to analyse the difference of measured parameters in MRI, parameters of DTI and imaging signs between the two groups. Results:Compared with healthy controls, the SUI patients showed that the thickness of external sphincter in middle urethral and FUL in static status and maximal strain phase were significantly decreased ( t=-3.95, -5.72, -8.41, all P<0.001), the difference of FUL between static status and maximal strain phase was significantly increased ( t=4.41, P<0.001). The positive rate of bladder neck funneling in static status and maximal strain phase, urethral opening in maximal strain phase of SUI group increased significantly (χ2=23.09 , 22.25, 26.59, all P<0.001). In SUI group, the FA value of middle urethral annular sphincter decreased significantly ( t=-3.48, P=0.001), while the ADC, λ2 and λ3 values increased significantly ( t=3.19, 2.15 , 2.06, and P=0.002, 0.038 , 0.046, respectively). There was no significant difference in DTI parameters of middle urethral longitudinal muscle between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Static and dynamic MRI and DTI techniques can objectively evaluate the changes of urethral morphology and function of SUI patients. The thinning of the external sphincter in the middle urethra, shortening of the FUL and the destruction of the microstructure of the annular sphincter fiber bundle were the main alterations of SUI patients.

Objective To evaluate the effect of interleukin (IL)-10 on donor lung function after ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) in rats of cardiac death. Methods Twenty adult male SD rats were randomly divided into the simple perfusion group (group A, n=10) and modified perfusion group (group B, n=10). Perfusate A (without IL-10) and perfusate B (supplemented with IL-10) was administered in group A and B, respectively. The EVLP rat models of cardiac death were established. The appearance of donor lung, dry-to-wet (D/W) ratio of donor lung tissues, the function and metabolism of donor lung, the morphology of donor lung and the levels of inflammatory markers of donor lung were statistically compared between two groups. Results After perfusion, evident edema of the whole donor lung, poor compliance and a large amount of edema fluid discharged from the airway were observed in group A, whereas no obvious edema and good compliance were found in group B. Compared with group A, the D/W ratio of lung tissues in group B was higher (P < 0.05). In both groups, the pulmonary vein partial pressure of oxygen reached the peak at 2 h after perfusion, which did not significantly differ between two groups (P > 0.05). In group B, the pulmonary artery pressure was increased at a lower speed and significantly lower after perfusion, and the lactic acid level in the perfusate was significantly lower than those in group A (all P < 0.05). In group A, the alveolar structure was largely destroyed and the cells was rare. In group B, the alveolar structure was relatively normal without evident cell edema. The incidence of cell apoptosis of donor lung was high in group A, whereas no obvious cell apoptosis of donor lung was noted in group B. After perfusion for 4 h, the levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and IL-6 were significantly increased, the IL-4 levels were remarkably decreased (all P < 0.05), but the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-1α and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) did not significantly change in both groups (all P > 0.05). Conclusions IL-10 may improve the function of donor lung after EVLP in rat of cardiac death by reducing cell apoptosis.