Objective To evaluate the influence of integrated-CT artifacts on attenuation-corrected (AC) images of SPECT bone imaging. Methods Imaging documents of 78 patients who underwent SPECT/CT bone imaging were retrospectively analyzed, and the artifacts on CT images and CT attenuation maps were visually studied. Compared with the non-attenuation corrected (NC) images, the coefficient of variation (CV) and percentage difference (PD) of radioactive count of regional bone influenced by CT artifacts were calculated and statistically analyzed to estimate the influence of CT artifacts on AC images of SPECT bone imaging. Results The integrated-CT artifacts were found in 38 patients of 78, and appeared the same image findings as those on CT attenuation maps respectively, including truncation artifact, thoraco-abdominal gas artifact, photon starvation artifact, etc. On all the AC images with integrated-CT artifacts, regional bones were influenced not only on uniformity (CVAC 17.62%±4.13%, CVNC 11.19%±3.81%;t=2.13, P<0.05), but also by the distribution (PDAC 16.98%±3.31%, PDNC 9.84%±1.62%;t=2.46, P<0.05) of radioactive count. Conclusion Artifacts on integrated-CT images can induce false AC information on CT attenuation maps, therefore, a comparative analysis with NC images is recommended if necessary.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of brain default mode network of patients with Parkinson disease (PD) in resting state with functional MRI. Methods Fourteen PD patients and 14 matched controls were selected and posterior cingulate cortex was regardes as region of interest. Results Compared with control group, brain default mode network of PD patients in resting state was abnormal, including decreased functional connectivity and increased functional connectivity. The brain areas with decreased functional connectivity included left inferior parietal lobule, right precuneus, medial prefrontal and left superior temporal gyrus. The brain area of increased functional connectivity included left cerebellar tonsil, left postcentral gurus, left superior parietal lobule, left precuneus, right inferior temporal gyrus, right cuneus, right lingual gyrus and left middle temporal gurus. Conclusion The brain default mode network of PD patients is abnormal in resting state.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic efficiency of 64-slice CT coronary angiography (CTCA) to myocardial ischemia of coronary stenosis. Methods ~(99m) Tc-MIBI myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and 64-slice CTCA were performed in 30 patients with myocardial ischemia of coronary stenosis. Three coronary arteries were divided in to 12 segments in each patient, the diagnostic efficiency of CTCA to myocardial ischemia of coronary stenosis were eveluated taking MPI as diagnostic standard, and stenoses ≥50% and ≥75% as the cutoff value. Results In 9 patients, perfusion defected were found (6 reversible, 3 fixed) on MPI. A total of 327 coronary arteries' segments were analyzed, quantitative CTCA revealed stenoses ≥50% in 25 segments (7.65%) and stenoses ≥75% in 12 segments (3.67%). When the cut-off was ≥50%, the sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive value (NPV, PPV) and accuracy of CTCA by the abnormal images of MPI as diagnostic standard to observe abnormal arteries was 68.42%, 96.14%, 99.01%, 52.00% and 95.41%, respectively; and 66.67%, 99.04%, 98.73%, 66.67% and 97.55%, respectively, when cut-off at ≥75%. Taking abnormal MPI as diagnostic standard to observe the patients, the sensitivity, specificity, NPV, PPV and accuracy of CTCA was 66.67%, 57.14%, 80.00%, 40.00% and 60.00% respectively, with the cut-off at ≥50%; and was 55.56%, 85.71%, 81.82%, 62.50% and 76.67%, respectively, with the cut-off at ≥75%.Conclusion Sixty-four-slice CTCA is a reliable tool to rule out functionally relevant myocardial ischemia of coronary artery disease. However, further examination is necessory for patients with abnormal CTCA.

Objective To evaluate Meta-analysis in assessing the overall diagnostic value of adenosine stress echocardiography (ASE) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods Relevant English and Chinese articles about ASE for assessing diagnostic accuracy of CHD were collected from the literatures published from 1994 to 2007 in China and abroad. Meta-analysis was conducted with the method recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration. Results Twelve papers were included. The reported sensitivity of ASE for the diagnosis of CHD ranged from 0.69 to 0.94, and the specificity ranged from 0.71 to 1.00. The pooled weighted sensitivity and specificity was 0.81 (95%CI 0.77-0.85) and 0.83 (95%CI 0.78-0.87), respectively;and the pooled positive and negative likelihood ratio was 4.81 (95%CI 3.65-6.33) and 0.22 (95%CI 0.18-0.28), respectively. The area under the curve of the summary receiver operating characteristic was 0.8968±0.0151. Conclusion ASE is medium to highly accurate in the diagnosis of CHD.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of thin image and multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) for preoperative T staging on different regions and various pathological staging of colorectal cancer. Methods A total of 163 colorectal cancer patients underwent 64-slice CT examination, then cross section image with thickness of 5 mm (5 mm interval) and 0.5 mm (0.4 mm interval) were reconstructed. The lesions were evaluated and T staged with 5 mm, 0.5 mm and MPR image, respectively. Patients were divided according to the region of lesions: groupⅠ: the anterior wall of lower rectal or near dentate line; groupⅡ: the posterior or lateral wall of lower rectal; group Ⅲ: upper middle rectal or clone. Patients in group Ⅲ were divided into 4 subgroups according to postoperative pathological staging: group A: Tis and T1; group B: T2 (B1: T2a; B2: T2b); group C: T3; group D: T4. The accurate diagnostic rates of different regions, different imaging techniques and different pathological staging were analyzed compared with postoperative pathological results. Results CT accurate T staging diagnostic rate for group Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ was 44.44%, 61.54% and 66.67% respectively with 5 mm; 51.85%, 61.54% and 69.92% respectively with 0.5 mm; 51.85%, 76.92% and 78.86% with MPR. There was significant difference of CT accurate diagnostic rates only between group Ⅰ and group Ⅲ (5 mm P=0.031, MPR P=0.004). MRP was better then 5 mm and 0.5 mm only in group Ⅲ (P=0.008, P=0.019). The sensibility of diagnostic T staging of A, B, C and D subgroup in group Ⅲ was as follows: 53.85%, 30.00%(B1: 57.14%, B2: 6.25%), 84.00% and 60.00% with 5 mm; 76.92%, 33.33%(B1: 76.92%, B2: 18.75%),84.00% and 60.00% with 0.5 mm; 92.31%, 53.33%(B1: 78.57%, B2: 31.25%), 86.67% and 80.00% with MPR. CT accurate T staging diagnostic rate of subgroup B2 was significantly lower than those of other groups, and most of the errors were over valuated. Conclusion CT has good sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for diagnostic T staging for early colorectal cancer. MPR can raise the accurate diagnostic rate of upper middle rectal and colon tumor. CT diagnostic value for T staging of lesions at the anterior wall of lower rectal or near dentate line tumor is limited, and the primary cause is over diagnosis of T2b lesions.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of color Doppler ultrasonography in congenital muscular torticollis (CMT). Methods The sonographic characteristics of 62 children with CMT confirmed clinically were retrospectively analyzed. Results Abnormal ultrasound features could be visualized in all of 62 children with CMT. According to the sonogram features, 62 children were divided into 2 types: mass-forming (32/62, 51.61%) and diffuse type (30/62, 48.39%). Arterial flow signals were detected in 18 children (18/62, 29.03%); RI was 0.73-0.88. Conclusion Ultrasonography has specific value for the diagnosis of CMT.

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effects and pathologic changes of VX2 liver tumor in rabbits treated with CT-guided percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) with different concentration. Methods Thirty-two New Zealand rabbits with VX2 liver tumor were randomly divided into 4 groups (each n=8), i.e. anhydrous ethanol, 75% ethanol, 50% ethanol and control group (administrated physiological saline). Tumor size, imaging and pothologic changes were observed 7 d, 14 d, 21 d and 60 d after PEI. Results The volume was (4.68±5.05) cm~3 in anhydrous ethanol group, (6.33±6.59) cm~3 in 75% ethanol group, (17.54±5.06) cm~3 in 50% ethanol group and (16.87±5.27) cm~3 in control group 21 d after PEI. Tumor size in control group was larger than that in 75% ethanol group (t=6.32, P＜0.05) and anhydrous ethanol group (t=6.74, P＜0.05), in 50% ethanol group was larger than that in 75% ethanol group (t=4.99, P＜0.05) and anhydrous ethanol group (t=12.77, P＜0.05). No difference of tumor size was found between 50% ethanol group and control group, nor between 75% ethanol group and anhydrous ethanol group. ALT and AST both increased in all groups 1 d after PEI and returned to normal 7 d later except anhydrous ethanol group. ALT and AST in anhydrous ethanol group were higher than those in other groups (t=4.10, 4.49, 3.06, 5.79, 5.91, 4.11, all P＜0.05), and no difference of ALT and AST was detected between other groups. Area of coagulation necrosis enlarged with the increase of ethanol concentration. Conclusion Anhydrous ethanol and 75% ethanol both have obvious inhibition function to the rabbit VX2 tumor, while 75% ethanol has little damage to the liver function and is suitable for PEI.

Objective To assess the value of two-dimentional strain/strain rate (2D-S/SR) imaging compared with endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) in detecting acute rejection (AR) reaction after heart transplantation (HT). Methods Twenty-five patients who required HT underwent echocardiography within 12 h after EMB. Ten patients of grade 0 AR were regarded as group A, 8 patients with grades Ⅰa-Ⅰb were considered as group B, 7 patients with grades ≥Ⅱa were considered as group C. Thirty age-matched normal controls were considered as group D. The longitudinal, radial and circumferential stain and strain rate of different ventricular wall in systolic were measured and compared among groups. Results Compared with the group D, longitudinal stain (LS) of basal-septum, circumferential strain rate (CSR) of ant-septum at the level of mitral valve, radial strain (RS) of all segments at the level of mitral valve reduced in groups A, B and C. Conclusion The RS of 2D-S/SR is an effective and sensitive technique for the detection of acute rejection, and longitudinal stain can be used as an early index of AR for grade ≥Ⅱ after HT.

Objective To observe the characteristics of the two-dimensional global strain index in patients with different degrees heart failure with speckle tracking echocardiography. Methods Totally 35 myocardial infarction patients with heart failure and 28 healthy subjects (control group) were enrolled in the study. The patients were divided into mild (n=14), moderate (n=13), and severe heart failure subgroup (n=8) according to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The systolic longitudinal strain (LS), radial strain (RS) and circumferential strain (CS) were measured of left ventricular with two-dimensional speckle tracking technique. The average value of left ventricular 18 segmental LS, RS and CS was calculated as the global longitudinal strain (GLS), the global radial strain (GRS) and the global circumference strain (GCS), respectively. LVEF and left ventricular end diastolic volume (LVEDV) were also measured with conventional two-dimensional echocardiography. The global two-dimensional strain and heart function between two groups were compared. The change of GLS, GRS and GCS of different heart failure and the relationship between them and LVEF were analyzed. Results Compared with control group, GLS, GRS and GCS reduced in heart failure groups (P<0.01). In heart failure groups, GLS significantly decreased with the decrease of LVEF, the difference of GLS was significant (P<0.05). GCS in severe heart failure subgroup was lower significantly than that in mild and moderate heart failure subgroups (P<0.05). No significant difference was found in GCS between mild and moderate heart failure subgroups (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in GRS among heart failure subgroups (P>0.05). GLS was closely correlated to LVEF (r=-0.65, P<0.01), GCS was also correlated to LVEF (r=-0.55, P<0.01). Conclusion The changes of GLS, GRS and GCS is different in different degrees of heart failure. GLS is closely correlated to the change of LVEF. The change of GLS, GRS and GCS may reflect degrees of myocardial injury.

Objective To observe the CT features of mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. Methods CT features of 40 adult patients with serologically proven mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia were retrospectively reviewed. Results The most common CT findings of mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia were ground-glass opacity (34/40, 85.00%) and consolidation (28/40, 70.00%). The other findings included nodules (18/40, 45.00%), thickening of the bronchovascular bundles (6/40, 15.00%), interlobular septal thickening (6/40, 15.00%), mediastinal lymphadenopathy (6/40, 15.00%) and pleural effusion (4/40, 10.00%). Most of the ground-glass opacity and consolidation showed tendency of lobular distribution and involving the lower lobes. In some patients, the absorption of the lesions was slower than the relief of symptoms. Conclusion CT findings of mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia have some features, and can provide help for the diagnosis of mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia.