Objective To evaluate the value of transrectal real-time tissue elastography (RTE) targeted prostate biopsy in the peripheral zone combined with peak strain index.Methods One hundred and forty-one patients with suspicious prostate lesions in the peripheral zone were evaluated from February 2011 to February 2014.All the patients underwent RTE with a mean age of 71.6 years,PSA of 30 ng/ml,prostate volume of 50.3 ml and measured peak strain index (PSI).The diagnostic value of PSI was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Two-core RTE combined with PSI targeted prostate biopsy was taken and subsequently a 10-core systematic biopsy was taken.The value of RTE was evaluated.The data of targeted biopsy and systematic biopsy in prostate were both reviewed and statistically compared.Results Cancer was detected in 72 of 141 patients (PSI,mean 24.79),and 69 patients had benign prostate disease (PSI,mean 3.02).PSI value of prostate cancer was significantly higher than that of the benign lesions (P ＜ 0.05).Prostate cancer could be predicted with the highest sensitivity (87.5％) and specificity (88.6％) using the cutoff value of PSI ≥ 5.97 with an area under the curve of 0.95.RTE targeted biopsy combined with PSI could detect 95.6％ of moderate or high risk prostate cancer.One hundred and fifty-nine suspicious areas detected by RTE in 141 patients were biopsied with 2 cores for each area.The positive incidence of prostate cancer in RTE-targeted biopsy cores was 44％ and in systematic biopsy was 30.2％ (P ＜ 0.05).Among the 72 prostate cancer patients,63 cases (87.5％) were detected by RTE-targeted biopsy,62 cases (86.1％) by systematic biopsy (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions RTE combined PSI can improve the detection rate of prostate cancer in the peripheral zone and likewise guide targeted biopsy combined with svstematic biopsy to detect more moderate or high risk prostate cancer.

Objective To discuss the neuroimaging characteristics of transcranial ultrasound in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with or without depression.Methods Transcranial sonography (TCS) was performed in PD patients with depression (PDD +,n =50),PD patients without depression (PDD-,n =50),depression patients (D,n =50) and healthy controls (n =50),who were enrolled in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from September 2010 to July 2016.The differences of the neuroimaging characteristics of TCS in brainstem raphe (BR) and substantia nigra (SN) in four groups were analyzed.According to the degree of depression,PDD + and D groups were divided into three subgroups:mild,moderate and severe depression,and the differences of echo characteristics in BR were analyzed among the subgroups.Results The rate of abnormal BR echogenicity was significantly higher in PDD + (78.0％,39/50) and D (82.0％,41/50) groups than that in PDD-(18.0％,9/50) and healthy control (10.0％,5/50) groups (x2 =87.80,P ＜0.01),and there was no statistically significant difference among the subgroups (PDD + group,P =0.98;D group,P =0.57).The rate of SN hyperechogenicity was significantly higher in PDD + (80.0％,40/50) and PDD-(86.0％,43/50) groups than that in D (8.0％,4/50) and healthy control (10.0％,5/50) groups (x2 =110.07,P＜ 0.01).Conclusion The echogenicity changes of BR and SN on TCS could provide some useful neuroimaging information for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of PDD-from PDD +.

Objective To assess the features of transcranial sonography (TCS) in Parkinson disease (PD) and Alzheimer disease (AD).Methods Totally 38 PD patients (PD group),28 AD patients (AD group) and 26 controls (control group)underwent TCS.The echogenicity of the substantia nigra,widths of third ventricle and parameters of middle cerebral artery among the three groups were analyzed.Results The ratio of hyperechogenicity of substantia nigra in PD group (31/38,81.58％) were higher than those in AD group (8/28,28.57％) and control group (3/26,11.54％;x2 =18.74,30.41,both P＜0.001),and there was no significant difference in hyperechogenicity of substantia nigra between AD group and control group (x2 =2.41,P=0.120).The widths of third ventricle in AD group ([0.82±0.14]cm) were wider than those in PD group ([0.63±±0.16]cm) and control group ([0.56±0.16]cm,both P＜0.001),and there was no significant difference in widths of third ventricle between PD group and control group (P=0.098).The mean velocities in bilateral middle cerebral artery in AD group were lower than that of in PD group and in control group (all P＜0.05).The pulsatility index in right middle cerebral artery in AD group were greater than that in PD group and control group (both P＜0.05).Conclusion According to the changes of echogenicity of substantia nigra,widths of third ventricle and parameters of middle cerebral artery,TCS may provide some useful information for diagnosis of PD and AD.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical value of musculoskeletal ultrasound in the diagnosis of sarcopenia by measuring the muscle mass and hardness of medial head of gastrocnemius.Methods:According to the diagnostic criteria of Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia(AWGS), 60 patients with sarcopenia were selected as the case group and 24 normal elderly people with matched age as the control group.Two dimensional gray-scale ultrasound was used to measure the muscle thickness, pinnate angle and fascicle length of the right gastrocnemius muscle, and the shear wave elastography was used to measure the Young's modulus(the dynamic stiffness)of the muscle in the states of relaxation and contraction, respectively.The differences of various ultrasound parameters between the two groups were compared, and the relativity of muscle thickness of the medial head of the right gastrocnemius muscle, the feather horn, fascicle length in the case group with sarcopenia was analyzed.The value of the ultrasound measurements in predicting sarcopenia was analyzed by ROC curve.Results:The muscle thickness(10.0±2.1)mm, pinnate angle(16.9±3.2)°, fascicle length(30.5±3.2)mm and Young's modulus[(11.5±2.2)kPa in relaxation state, (23.2±4.0)kPa in contraction state]of the right gastrocnemius muscle were lower in the sarcopenia group than in the control group with matched age[(14.8±1.2)mm, (21.7±2.5)°, (34.2±1.6)mm, (15.0±1.5)kPa, (30.6±2.8)kPa, respectively, t=10.454, 3.612, 5.631, 6.922, 8.173, all P<0.05]. The Young's modulus value was lower in relaxed state than in the contraction state.Pearson correlation analyses showed the muscle thickness and Young modulus were negatively correlated with the age( r=-0.307, -0.285, P<0.05), and the muscle thickness was positively correlated with the limb skeletal muscle mass index( r=0.838, 0.761, P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed the muscle thickness and Young's modulus were significantly correlated with sarcopenia( OR=4.576, 3.867). ROC analysis revealed that the threshold values of ultrasound examination of the right gastrocnemius muscle medial head for diagnosis of sarcopenia were as follows: muscle thickness of 11 mm, pinnate angle of 17 degrees, fascicle length of 32 mm, Young modulus at the relaxation state of 12.4 kPa.The sensitivity and specificity of muscle thickness for diagnosis of sarcopenia were the best(86.7% and 100%, respectively)as compared with other measurements. Conclusions:The measurement of muscle mass and muscle hardness of the medial head of gastrocnemius by ultrasound can reflect the decrease of muscle mass and muscle hardness quantitatively, and provide imaging indicators for the prediction of sarcopenia.

Objective To observe transrectal CEUS characteristics of granulomatous prostatitis (GP).Methods Ultrasonic data of 5 GP patients proved pathologically were analyzed retrospectively.The conventional ultrasound and the transrectal CEUS characteristics,as well as pathological results were observed.Results All the nodules of 5 patients were hypoechoic,locating at peripheral gland,among which 4 nodules were proved nonspecific granulomatous prostatitis (NSGP) showing great peak intensity and a short time to enhance,and 1 lesion manifesting no-enhancement area on CEUS was proved specific granulomatous prostatitis (SGP).Conclusion SGP and NSGP had no obvious specific performances on CEUS.

Objective To analyze the multimodal imaging findings of nonspecific granulomatous prostatitis (NSGP)and improve our understanding of the disease.Methods 1 427 patients underwent transrectal ultrasoundGguided prostate biopsies in our department,then 1 3 nodules in 11 patients were proven NSGP by pathology,of which 3 nodules were in inner gland and 10 were in outer gland.The characteristics of these nodules on MRI,transrectal ultrasound elastography (TRE)and contrastGenhanced ultrasonography (CEUS)were retrospectively analyzed. Results MRI:All of the nodules showed similar performances:hypointensity on T1 WI and T2 WI,low ADC and high signal on DWI (highGbGvalue),early enhancement and faded fast or slow,depressed citrate (Cit)and relatively elevated choline (Cho)peak.TRE:The cutGoff point of strain ratio (SR)was determined as 5.97 to diagnose prostate cancer and the SRs of 8 nodules were greater than 5.9 7.CEUS:1 1 nodules showed early enhancement and great intensity,but the rest of nodules showed same performance with normal tissue.Conclusion The multimodal imaging helps to improve the understanding of NSGP and plays a positive role in guiding targeted biopsy.Moreover,the operators could lessen the number of needle punctures properly according to the multimodal imaging findings, which would reduce the risk of puncture complications on patients.

Objective To discuss the neuroimaging characteristics of transcranial ultrasound in end‐stage renal disease ( ESRD ) with restless legs syndrome . Methods T ranscranial sonography ( TCS ) was performed in ESRD with restless legs syndrome ( RLS + group , n ＝ 41 ) ,ESRD without restless legs syndrome ( RLS － group , n ＝57) and control group ( n ＝47) ,w ho were enrolled in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2017 to December 2018 . T he differences of the neuroimaging characteristics of TCS in substantia nigra ( SN ) ,brainstem raphe ( BR) and red nucleus ( RN ) among the three groups were analyzed . Results T he rate of SN hypoechogenicity was significantly higher in RLS +group ( 36 .6% ,15/41) than that in RLS － group ( 19 .3% ,11/57) and control group( 8 .5% ,4/47) ( χ2 ＝10 .6 ,P＜0 .05) . T he rate of abnormal BR echogenicity was significantly higher in RLS + group ( 34 .1% , 14/41) and RLS － group ( 29 .8% ,17/57) than that in control group( 10 .6% ,5/47) ( χ2 ＝7 .7 , P ＜0 .05) . T he rate of RN hyperechogenicity was significantly higher in RLS + group ( 51 .2% ,21/41 ) than that in RLS － group ( 21 .1% ,12/57) and control group ( 10 .6% ,5/47) ( χ2 ＝19 .8 , P ＜0 .05 ) . Between RLS+and RLS － groups ,when SN ,BR and RN were all of positive performance ,the accuracy of diagnosing RLS+ reached 70% ( 7/10 ) . Conclusions The echogenicity changes of SN ,BR and RN on TCS could provide valuable neuroimaging information for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of ESRD with restless legs syndrome .

Objective:To explore the adjunctive diagnostic value of transcranial sonography (TCS) combined with olfactory test in early Parkinson′s disease (PD) and the clinical value of both in the cognitive function of PD patients.Methods:TCS and olfactory test were performed in 157 early PD patients(PD group) and 157 healthy controls(control group) in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2018 to January 2022. The differences in clinical characteristics, TCS, and olfactory test results between the two groups were analyzed. The values of TCS, olfactory test, and their combination in diagnosing early PD were evaluated using clinical diagnosis as the gold standard. The correlations of the midbrain area, the midbrain substantia nigra hyperechoic area, and the third ventricle width in TCS examination with the cognitive score were analyzed in the PD group. According to the olfactory test scores, 157 patients with early PD were divided into two groups: 110 cases of PD with olfactory dysfunction (PD-OD) and 47 cases of PD without olfactory dysfunction (PD-NOD). The differences in clinical scores and TCS results between the two groups were compared.Results:The midbrain substantia nigra hyperechoic area, substantia nigra hyperechoic positivity rate, third ventricle width, and olfactory dysfunction rate were higher in the PD group compared to the control group, while the midbrain area and olfactory test scores were lower than those in the control group (all P<0.001). The sensitivity and the coincidence rate of TCS combined with the olfactory test for early PD diagnosis (90.0%, 77.1%) were higher than those of TCS alone (60.0%, 71.3%) and olfactory test alone (70.1%, 72.3%), but the specificity (63.7%) was lower than that of both alone (82.8% for TCS and 75.2% for olfactory test), (all P<0.001). MoCA score, visual space and executive ability, memory, attention, and language were positively correlated with the area of the midbrain ( rs=0.38, 0.32, 0.27, 0.25, 0.23; all P<0.05) and negatively correlated with the width of the third ventricle ( rs=-0.39, -0.22, -0.39, -0.22, -0.32; all P<0.05), and orientation was negatively correlated only with the width of the third ventricle ( rs=-0.24, P<0.05). The MoCA score of PD-OD group[22(18, 25)] was lower than that of PD-NOD group[24(20, 26)]( P=0.040). Conclusions:The combination of TCS and olfactory test can enhance the sensitivity and diagnostic agreement rate for early PD diagnosis, providing some auxiliary value. The cognitive function of PD patients is positively correlated with the midbrain area and negatively correlated with the width of the third ventricle. The cognitive function of PD patients with olfactory dysfunction is lower than that of PD patients without olfactory dysfunction. TCS and olfactory test may help assess cognitive function in PD patients.

Objective:To determine the clinical application value of transcranial sonography (TCS) in the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.Methods:A total of 50 children aged 6-12 years diagnosed with ADHD (ADHD group) and 45 age-matched healthy children (control group) who presented to Suzhou Municipal Hospital and Children′s Hospital of Soochow University from August 2021 to August 2022 were prospectively enrolled for TCS examination. ADHD was diagnosed in accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-Ⅴ) criteria established by the American Psychiatric Association.Based on clinical symptom characteristics, ADHD was further classified into 3 subtypes, including 14 cases of predominantly inattentive, 3 cases of predominantly hyperactive/impulsive, and 33 cases of combined presentation. The substantia nigra(SN) hyperechoic area and the ratio of SN hyperechoic area to midbrain area (S/M) were measured and compared between the two groups. The examination of the correlation was performed between SN hyperechoic area, S/M ratio, and DSM-Ⅴ scores within the ADHD group.Results:Semi-quantitative analysis: the proportion of the SN grade Ⅲ or more in ADHD group was significantly higher than that in control group [96.00%(48/50) vs 13.3%(6/45), P<0.05]. Quantitative analysis: the area of SN hyperechogenicity and the ratio of S/M were significantly larger in ADHD group than in control group [0.32(0.22, 0.38)cm 2 vs 0.00(0.00, 0.00)cm 2, 7.08(5.11, 8.75)% vs 0.00(0.00, 0.00)%, all P<0.05]. Correlation analysis: The SN hyperechoic area and S/M ratio showed no significant correlations with DSM-Ⅴ scores in the ADHD group ( r=0.144, 0.142, all P>0.05). Conclusions:TCS can detect the SN echo enhancement of ADHD children, and the proportion of SN echo enhancement, SN hyperechoic area and S/M ratio are significantly higher than those of normal children, but the SN hyperecho area and S/M ratio are not significantly correlated with DSM-Ⅴ scores.

Objective:To explore the pathological mechanism of SN hyperechogenicity by investigating the characteristics of substantia nigra (SN) hyperechogenicity on transcranial sonography (TCS) and serum iron metabolism parameters in the postural instability gait difficulty and tremor dominant subtypes of Parkinson′s disease (PD), and the correlation between them.Methods:A total of 155 PD patients recruited in Parkinson′s Disease Specialty in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2019 to December 2021 were divided into postural instability gait difficulty group( n=95) and tremor dominant group( n=60). Meanwhile, 49 healthy gender- and age-matched healthy individuals who sought for physical examination during the same period were included as the control group. All subjects underwent TCS and blood test, and the echo of SN between the postural instability gait difficulty group and tremor dominant group, serum iron metabolism parameters among the three groups were compared. The postural instability gait difficulty group and tremor dominant group were subdivided into with SN hyperechogenicity (SN+ )subgroup and without SN hyperechogenicity (SN-) subgroup respectively according to TCS results, and the differences in serum iron metabolism parameters between the subgroups were further compared. The association between SN hyperechogenicity and serum iron metabolism parameters of the postural instability gait difficulty group and tremor dominant group were further analyzed. Results:The total area of bilateral SN+ , the area of SN+ on the larger side, and the ratio of the total area of SN+ to the midbrain area (S/M) in postural instability gait difficulty group were larger than those in tremor dominant group (all P<0.001). The value of serum ceruloplasmin and transferrin in both postural instability gait difficulty group and tremor dominant group were lower than those in control group (all P<0.001), and compared with tremor dominant group and control group, the postural instability gait difficulty group had lower serum ferritin(all P<0.01). In both postural instability gait difficulty group and tremor dominant group, serum ceruloplasmin in SN+ subgroup was lower than that in SN-subgroup ( P=0.001, 0.032). Moreover, there was a negative correlation between serum transferrin and the area of SN hyperechogenicity in two subgroups(postural instability gait difficulty group: rs=-0.454, P<0.001; tremor dominant group: rs=-0.494, P<0.001). Conclusions:Compared with the tremor dominant patients, the postural instability gait difficulty patients have larger area of SN hyperechogenicity and lower serum ferritin level. The area of SN hyperechogenicity is significantly negatively correlated with serum transferrin level, indicating that the production of this imaging characteristics is related to iron metabolism.