Purpose To investigate the imaging characteristics and accuracy of diagnosing pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) with perfusion weighted imaging (PWI), diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), magnetic resonance sprectroscopy, susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) and diffusion tensor imaging. Material and Methods MRI imaging of 11 patients with PA was retrospectively analyzed for functional imaging features. Results In 11 patients with PA, there were 9 mixed cystic and solid lesions, 1 case of cystic lesion and 1 case with solid lesion. Ten lesions showed mixed hypointensity on T1WI, and mixed hyperintensity on T2WI and FLAIR. One case was hypointense on T1WI, and hyperintense on T2WI and FLAIR. Prominent contrast enhancement was seen in the solid portion, capsular wall and mural nodules. On SWI 3 cases showed patchy low signal, 2 cases of dot-like low signal and 2 cases without low signal, with average intratumoral susceptibility signal intensity classification of 1.57. PWI findings were characterized by high perfusion with relative cerebral blood volume averaging 2.64±1.22. There was elevated choline component in the solid portion with significantly decreased NAA with average Cho/NAA ratio of 5.13±4.72 (1.46-15.26). Lactate peak was increased in 5 cases. On DWI there was limited diffusion in 1 case. 7 cases did not demonstrate limited diffusion with average relative apparent diffusion coefficient of 1.60±0.58. Conclusion Most MRI features of pilocystic astrocytoma are consistent with low grade glioma. There are characteristic functional imaging findings with higher perfusion than other gliomas. Functional MRI can evaluate tumor metabolism and prognosis.

Adult ; Brain Neoplasms ; pathology ; Glioblastoma ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Pineal Gland ; pathology

Adenoma ; pathology ; Brain Neoplasms ; secondary ; Chromogranin A ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Reoperation ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism ; Temporal Lobe ; pathology

Objective To assess the MR characterization of coronary microembolization (CME)in an animal model as well as the evolution using MR cardiac cine,first-pass perfusion,and delay enhancement imaging.Methods Coronary microembolization models were established through intracoronary infusion of 120 000 microspheres (42 μm)into the left anterior descending artery in 1 1 pigs. Coronary angiography was performed at baseline and immediately after the injection of microspheres.MR imaging was carried out at baseline,6 hours,and 1 week after microembolization.Then,postmortem evaluation was performed using NBT and HE staining.Re-sults Coronary angiography after the injection of microspheres showed normal-appearing epicardial arteries in all animals.Coronary microembolization caused a significant decline in systolic wall thickening of the microembolized myocardial segments on cine MR ima-ges [from (42.6±2.0)% at baseline to (20.3±2.3)% at 6 hours and (31.5±2.1)% at 1 week after CME;P < 0.001 for both]. First-pass perfusion deficit was visualized at 6 hours after microembolization,and was less pronounced at 1 week.Hyperenhanced myocardium was found on delay enhancement MRI at 6 hours after microembolization in microembolized segments,but was not shown at 1 week. The microinfarcts were detectable microscopically through HE staining but invisible for the naked eye on gross NBT specimen.Con-clusion Coronary microembolization may cause a persistent decline in myocardial contraction and its MR characterization may vary with different stages.A combined use of different cardiac MRI techniques and follow-up examinations may be helpful for evaluating myocardial impairment due to coronary microembolization.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and recent curative effect of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) after conventional treatment.Methods Clinical data of 15 MCL patients admitted in the Affiliated Hospital of Academy of Military Medical Sciences between August 2004 and October 2013 were retrospectively analyzed.Results The median age of those patients was 59 and the male to female ratio was 1.5∶1.Fourteen(93%)cases were in Ann-Arbor stages Ⅲ -Ⅳ, 15 cases (100%)primarily with lymph node involvement,7 cases (47%)with bone marrow involvement,4 cases (27%)with gastrointestinal involvement,and 3 cases (20%)with orbit involvement.Less than 40% expression of Ki-67 was observed in 9 cases (60%),while 6 cases were with more than 40% (40%).One case was blastic variant.First-line therapy was CHOP-like regimens,which were combined with rituximab in 8 of the 15 cases.In this study,the median survival time was 12 months (3 -64),and the overal response rate was 80%after induction chemotherapy.The current survival of 7 /9 cases with less than 40% expression of Ki-67 was 8 -64 months,2 /6 cases with more than 40% expression of Ki-67 was 8 and 9 months,respectively.Conclusion MCL mostly occurs in older males.Extranodal invasion is common in MCL as an aggressive tumor.The efficacy of traditional chemotherapy is currently limited.Blastic variant or high expression of Ki-67 is an adverse prognostic indicator.

OBJECTIVETo study the therapeutic effect of chitosan-coated basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) slow-releasing microspheres on the knee osteoarthritis in the rabbit.

METHODSFrom November 2008 to July 2009, 54 New Zealand rabbits were divided into 6 groups at random, which were the control group, the model group, the PBS-M group, the bFGF-S group, the 10-bFGF-M group and the 100-bFGF-M group, respectively. The model of knee osteoarthritis was induced by the injection of papain in the rabbit. Except the control and model groups, all the experimental groups were implanted 1 ml intervention solution at the third and sixth weeks, including the PBS microspheres, bFGF solution, 10 µg bFGF microspheres and 100 µg bFGF microspheres, respectively. The rabbits were sacrificed at the ninth week after operation, and then articular cartilage was conducted the morphological and histopathological evaluation.

RESULTSThe damage of articular cartilage in the model group was more serious than that in the control group, with statistical differences according to the Ink score (t = 8.22, P = 0.00) and Mankin score (t = 17.20, P = 0.00). The damage of articular cartilage in the PBS-M and bFGF-S groups were similar with that in the model group, according to the Ink score (t = 0.26, P = 0.79; t = 0.80, P = 0.45) and Mankin score (t = 1.51, P = 0.17; t = 0.56, P = 0.60). The Ink and Mankin scores in the 10-bFGF-M and 100-bFGF-M groups were better than that in the model group (Ink score: t = 3.58, P = 0.01; t = 6.82, P = 0.00; Mankin score: t = 3.41, P = 0.01; t = 5.00, P = 0.00), with the 100-bFGF-M group much better (t = 5.29, P = 0.00; t = 2.80, P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONSThe bFGF slow-releasing microsphere can keep its effective intra-articular concentration, which may accelerate the synthesis of proteoglycan and inhibit its decomposition to reverse the damage of articular cartilage.

Animals ; Drug Carriers ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Microspheres ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; therapy ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathologic features, treatment response and prognosis of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA).

METHODSAmongst a total of 6 287 patients with central nervous system tumors encountered in Nanjing General Hospital of PLA during the period from 1980 to 2004, 15 cases of PXA were found. Two additional cases of PXA were also retrieved from the authors' consultation files. The clinicopathologic features of the 17 cases were studied. Follow-up information was available in 10 patients.

RESULTSThe age of the patients ranged from 12 to 55 years (mean = 30.8 years). The male-to-female ratio was 6:11. Commonest clinical symptoms included seizures, headaches and dizziness. The tumors in 16 patients were located in the superficial cerebral cortex (94.1%). Seven cases (41.2%) involved the temporal lobe. The size of the tumors varied from 2 to 7 cm (mean = 4.3 cm). Cystic degeneration was noted in 9 cases. For those in-house cases, total tumor excision was performed in 12 patients and subtotal tumor excision was performed in 3 patients. Amongst the 10 patients with follow-up information available, 8 were alive. The post-operative survival ranged from 10 months to more than 13 years (mean survival = 6 years). Classic histopathologic features included an admixture of mononuclear cells, bizarre multinucleated giant cells, spindled cells and lipid-rich vacuolated cells. The tumor cells were associated with abundant lymphocytes and reticulin fibers. They showed little tumor necrosis or mitotic activity. Immunohistochemical study demonstrated diffuse positive staining for glial fibrillary acidic protein, vimentin and S-100 protein. Seventy-seven percent of the cases also showed positive staining for CD34. One case had anaplastic transformation, with increased mitotic activity (mitotic count >or= 5 per 10 high power fields). The tumor cells infiltrated the underlying cerebral cortex with extension into perivascular spaces in 2 cases. Radiologic examination revealed tumor recurrence with diffuse leptomeningeal spread in 1 case.

CONCLUSIONSPXA is low-grade glial tumor, corresponding to WHO grade II. Cases with typical pathologic features and total tumor excision carry favorable prognosis. Local recurrence or anaplastic transformation may occur in rare examples. Histologically, PXA can be mistaken as WHO grade IV giant cell glioblastoma, as both entities possess tumor giant cells. PXA however harbors lipiodized astrocytes and lacks coagulative tumor necrosis and high mitotic activity. Frequent expression of CD34 in PXA is also helpful in differential diagnosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Brain Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; analysis ; Glioblastoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Middle Aged ; S100 Proteins ; analysis ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo construct a novel baculovirus vector which is capable of promoting the high-yield expression of foreign gene in mammalian cells and to express by this vector the nucleoprotein (NP) gene of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) Chinese isolate (Xinjiang hemorrhagic fever virus, XHFV) BA88166 in insect and Vero cells.

METHODSHuman cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate early (IE) promoter was ligated to the baculovirus vector pFastBac1 downstream of the polyhedrin promoter to give rise to the novel vector pCB1. XHFV NP gene was cloned to this vector and was well expressed in COS-7 cells and Vero cells by means of recombinant plasmid transfection and baculovirus infection.

RESULTSThe XHFV NP gene in vector pCB1 could be well expressed in mammalian cells. Vero cells infected with recombinant baculovirus harboring NP gene could be employed as antigens to detect XHF serum specimens whose results were in good correlation with those of ELISA and in parallel with clinical diagnoses.

CONCLUSIONSThis novel baculovirus vector is able to express the foreign gene efficiently in both insect and mammalian cells, which provides not only the convenient diagnostic antigens but also the potential for developing recombinant virus vaccines and gene therapies.

Animals ; Baculoviridae ; genetics ; Cells, Cultured ; Cloning, Molecular ; Gene Expression ; Genes, Viral ; genetics ; Genetic Vectors ; Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo ; genetics ; Transfection ; Viral Core Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVE: To assess magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of coronary microembolization in a swine model induced by small-sized microemboli, which may cause microinfarcts invisible to the naked eye. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven pigs underwent intracoronary injection of small-sized microspheres (42 microm) and catheter coronary angiography was obtained before and after microembolization. Cardiac MRI and measurement of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) were performed at baseline, 6 hours, and 1 week after microembolization. Postmortem evaluation was performed after completion of the imaging studies. RESULTS: Coronary angiography pre- and post-microembolization revealed normal epicardial coronary arteries. Systolic wall thickening of the microembolized regions decreased significantly from 42.6 +/- 2.0% at baseline to 20.3 +/- 2.3% at 6 hours and 31.5 +/- 2.1% at 1 week after coronary microembolization (p < 0.001 for both). First-pass perfusion defect was visualized at 6 hours but the extent was largely decreased at 1 week. Delayed contrast enhancement MRI (DE-MRI) demonstrated hyperenhancement within the target area at 6 hours but not at 1 week. The microinfarcts on gross specimen stained with nitrobluetetrazolium chloride were invisible to the naked eye and only detectable microscopically. Increased cTnT was observed at 6 hours and 1 week after microembolization. CONCLUSION: Coronary microembolization induced by a certain load of small-sized microemboli may result in microinfarcts invisible to the naked eye with normal epicardial coronary arteries. MRI features of myocardial impairment secondary to such microembolization include the decline in left ventricular function and myocardial perfusion at cine and first-pass perfusion imaging, and transient hyperenhancement at DE-MRI.
Animals ; Coronary Angiography/*methods ; Coronary Vessels/*pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Embolism/*pathology ; Female ; Heart/radiography ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods ; Microspheres ; Myocardial Contraction/physiology ; Myocardial Infarction/*pathology ; Myocardium/pathology ; Nitroblue Tetrazolium ; Staining and Labeling ; Swine ; Troponin T/blood ; Ventricular Function, Left

BACKGROUNDDetection of coronary microembolization is of clinical importance for patient management and prediction of long-term outcome. However, there are few studies of the changes of magnetic resonance imaging after coronary microembolization. This study was designed to investigate the imaging of the left ventricle using delayed contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging as well as the left ventricular ejection fraction after coronary microembolization in animal models.

METHODSEight miniswine, of either sex (body weight 21-25 kg), were used to make the coronary microembolization model. After coronary angiography, a 2.8F infusion catheter was placed in the left anterior descending artery with the tip located between the second and third diagonal branches. Microspheres with the diameter of 42 microm and mean dosage of 1.2 x 10(5) were selectively infused into the left anterior descending artery. First pass and stressed first pass perfusion scan were performed after cine images were acquired. Then a second bolus of 0.15 mmol/kg gadolinium DTPA was given at a rate of 2 ml/s. Ten minutes later, delayed contrast enhanced magnetic resonance images of the left ventricular wall were evaluated. Serum changes of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSHypoenhancement was not observed at first pass perfusion at the anterior wall of the left ventricle. Hyperenhancements of the anterior-septal and anterior wall of the left ventricle was in evidence on delayed enhancement images 6 hours after microembolization and disappeared one week later. The characteristic change of coronary microembolization on delayed contrast enhanced magnetic imaging was non-enhanced regions within the hyperenhancement zone. Left ventricular ejection fraction measured by magnetic resonance imaging decreased significantly from 0.451 +/- 0.063 at baseline to 0.362 +/- 0.070 at the sixth hour (P < 0.01), and recovered to 0.431 +/- 0.053 one week later (P < 0.01 vs 6th hour). Compared with baseline values, the left ventricular end systolic volume enlarged significantly at 6th hour and at one week after microembolization (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 respectively). Serum TNF-alpha increased significantly at 6th hour (22.62 +/- 6.96) pg/ml compared with baseline (16.83 +/- 3.45) pg/ml (P < 0.05) and it further increased to (27.44 +/- 3.97) pg/ml at one week after coronary microembolization and was significantly higher than that at baseline (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSOn delayed contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, hyperenhancement of the anterior-septal and anterior wall of the left ventricle show at 6th hour but not at one week after coronary microembolization. This might represent the characteristic imaging after coronary microembolization. The left ventricular ejection fraction decreased at 6th hour and recovered one week later after coronary microembolization. Although impairment of left ventricular function could be recovered at 1 week after coronary microembolization, the left ventricular remodeling process still continued in concert with continuously elevation of serum TNF-alpha.

Animals ; Contrast Media ; Coronary Angiography ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; methods ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Swine ; Ventricular Function, Left