This article reports a quantitative analysis software system for myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE). It can measure the signal intensity of grayscale images and power Doppler images, draw the time-intensity curves of variations on the intensity of microbubbles scattering in subendocardial layer and subepicardial layer with the pulsing intervals, and estimate the hemodynamic parameters by nonlinear regression analysis. This system has been applied to a study on 20 healthy volunteers, and the results suggest that the software has the capacity for bringing the quantitative analysis of MCE to success. The MCE software system conforms to the DICOM standard and can be integrated into PACS.
Adult ; Contrast Media ; Echocardiography ; methods ; Endocardium ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Male ; Microbubbles ; Software Design

Objective:To explore the accuracy and repeatability of the smartphone scoliosis screening APP developed by our team in the measurement of the Cobb angle of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).Methods:Clinical data of 60 patients with AIS admitted to Department of Spine and Spinal Surgery, Henan Province People′s Hospital from August 2020 to February 2021 were analyzed retrospectively.Three surveyors measured the coronal main curvature Cobb angle, sagittal thoracic kyphosis (TK) angle, thoracolumbar kyphosis (TLK) angle and lumbar kyphosis (LL) angle on whole-spine lateral X-ray films of 60 patients with AIS by means of the protractor, scoliosis screening APP and computerized Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). The time and results of each measurement were recorded.The measurement was repeated once after 2 weeks.Paired t-test was used to compare the measurement time of the APP method and the protractor method.Taking the Cobb angle measurement results of the PACS system as the reference standard, the accuracy of Cobb angle measurement by the APP method was analyzed by paired t-test.The repeatability of the surveyor and the consistency between the surveyors was compared by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results:Among the 60 patients with AIS, there were 17 males and 43 females, aged from 10 to 16 years [(12.2±2.4) years]. The main bends were thoracic curvature (Lenke Ⅰ) in 23 cases, Lenke Ⅱ in 18 cases and thoracolumbar curvature/lumbar curvature (Lenke V) in 19 cases.The APP method took significantly less time to measure the Cobb angle than the protractor method ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the Cobb angle measured by the APP method and PACS method ( P>0.05). The results of the coronal main curvature Cobb angle, TK angle, TLK angle and LL angle measured by 3 surveyors through the APP method were all in good agreement (ICC=0.990, 0.988, 0.986, 0.987). The repeatability (ICC 0.973-0.982) of the coronal main curvature Cobb angle, TK, TLK and LL measured twice before and after the APP method were both better that of the protractor method (ICC 0.933-0.954). Conclusions:Compared with the traditional protractor, the smartphone scoliosis screening APP has the advantages of short measurement time, high efficiency, excellent accuracy and good repeatability in measuring the Cobb angle of AIS.

Objective:To explore the clinical effect of the 3D printing pre-installed screw channel model in assisting screw placement of single complete segmented congenital hemivertebrectomy.Methods:Clinical data of 13 children treated with single complete segmented congenital hemivertebrectomy in the Department of Spine and Spinal Surgery of Henan Provincial People′s Hospital from August 2016 to January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.Among them, there were 5 males and 8 females with the mean age of 9.9 (5-14) years.Categorized by the lesion location, 3 cases were located at T 9, 2 cases at T 10, 5 cases at T 11, 1 case at T 12, and 2 cases at L 1.During the operation, the 3D printing pre-installed screw channel model was used to assist the placement of pedicle screws.The accuracy of screw placement was assessed by the postoperative CT.All children were routinely examined by full-length anterior and lateral X-ray of spine in the standing position before and after surgery to measure the Cobb angles at the coronal and sagittal view.Furthermore, the correction rate of scoliosis and kyphosis after surgery and during follow-up was also calculated.The One-Way repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the Cobb angle of scoliosis and kyphosis before surgery, after surgery and during follow-up. Results:A total of 85 pedicle screws were placed in 13 children, with the accuracy rate of screw placement of 95.3%.The mean surgery time and intraoperative blood loss were (216.9±28.3) min, and (478.5±132.6) mL, respectively.Scoliosis Cobb was corrected from (57.1±12.7)° to (12.7±4.7)° with a correction rate of (78.4±5.9)%, which was (14.2±7.0)° at the last follow-up.Kyphosis angle was corrected from (46.2±8.4)° to (13.2±4.4)° with a correction rate of (72.6±7.0)%, which was (14.0±3.4)° at the last follow-up.None of the children had serious complications like vascular and nerve damage.The mean postoperative follow-up was 12.3 (6-18) months.No significant loss of angle was detected during the follow-up period.There were significant differences in the lateral and kyphotic angles after surgery and during follow-up compared with preoperative ones (all P<0.05). No significant difference was detected between the postoperative lateral and kyphotic angles and those at the last follow-up (all P>0.05). Conclusion:The 3D printing pre-installed screw channel model used to assist screw placement of single complete segmented congenital hemivertebrectomy can improve the precision of screw placement and the orthopedic effect on lateral kyphosis.

Objective: To investigate the diagnosis and treatment for enterocutaneous fistula (ECF) in China, and to explore the prognostic factors of ECF. Methods: A multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted based on the Registration System of Chinese Gastrointestinal Fistula and Intra-Abdominal Infections to collect the clinical data of ECF patients from 54 medical centers in 22 provinces/municipalities from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018. The clinical data included patient gender, age, length of hospital stay, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, underlying diseases, primary diseases, direct causes of ECF, location and type of ECF, complications, treatment and outcomes. All medical records were carefully filled in by the attending physicians, and then re-examined by more than two specialists. The diagnosis of ECF was based on the clinical manifestations, laboratory/imaging findings and intraoperative exploration. Results: A total of 1521 patients with ECF were enrolled, including 1099 males and 422 females, with a median age of 55 years. The top three primary diseases of ECF were malignant tumors in 626 cases (41.2%, including 540 gastrointestinal tumors, accounting for 86.3% of malignant tumors), gastrointestinal ulcers and perforations in 202 cases (13.3%), and trauma in 157 cases (10.3%). The direct causes of ECF were mainly surgical operation in 1194 cases (78.5%), followed by trauma in 156 (10.3%), spontaneous fistula due to Crohn′s disease in 92 (6.0%), radiation intestinal injury in 41 (2.7%), severe pancreatitis in 20 (1.3%), endoscopic treatment in 13 (0.9%) and 5 cases (0.3%) of unknown reasons. All the patients were divided into three groups: 1350 cases (88.7%) with simple ECF, 150 (9.9%) with multiple ECF, and 21 (1.4%) with combined internal fistula. Among the patients with simple ECF, 438 cases (28.8%) were jejuno-ileal fistula, 313 (20.6%) colon fistula, 170 (11.2%) rectal fistula, 111 (7.3%) duodenal fistula, 76 (5.0%) ileocecal fistula, 65 (4.3%) ileocolic anastomotic fistula, 55 (3.6%) duodenal stump fistula, 36 (2.4%) gastrointestinal anastomotic fistula, 36 (2.4%) esophagogastric/esophagojejunal anastomotic fistula, 29 (1.9%) gastric fistula and 21 (1.4%) cholangiopancreatiointestinal. Among all the simple ECF patients, 991 were tubular fistula and 359 were labial fistula. A total of 1146 patients finished the treatment, of whom 1061 (92.6%) were healed (586 by surgery and 475 self-healing) and 85 (7.4%) died. A total of 1043 patients (91.0%) received nutritional support therapy, and 77 (6.7%) received fistuloclysis. Infectious source control procedures were applied to 1042 patients, including 711 (62.0%) with active lavage and drainage and 331 (28.9%) with passive drainage. Among them, 841 patients (73.4%) underwent minimally invasive procedures of infectious source control (replacement of drainage tube through sinus tract, puncture drainage, etc.), 201 (17.5%) underwent laparotomy drainage, while 104 (9.1%) did not undergo any drainage measures. A total of 610 patients (53.2%) received definitive operation, 24 patients died within postoperative 30-day with mortality of 3.9% (24/610), 69 (11.3%) developed surgical site infection (SSI), and 24 (3.9%) had a relapse of fistula. The highest cure rate was achieved in ileocecal fistula (100%), followed by rectal fistula (96.2%, 128/133) and duodenal stump fistula (95.7%,44/46). The highest mortality was found in combined internal fistula (3/12) and no death in ileocecal fistula. Univariate prognostic analysis showed that primary diseases as Crohn′s disease (χ²=6.570, P=0.010) and appendicitis/appendiceal abscess (P=0.012), intestinal fistula combining with internal fistula (χ²=5.460, P=0.019), multiple ECF (χ²=7.135, P=0.008), esophagogastric / esophagojejunal anastomotic fistula (χ²=9.501, P=0.002), ECF at ileocecal junction (P=0.012), non-drainage/passive drainage before the diagnosis of intestinal fistula (χ²=9.688, P=0.008), non-drainage/passive drainage after the diagnosis of intestinal fistula (χ²=9.711, P=0.008), complicating with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) (χ²=179.699, P<0.001), sepsis (χ²=211.851, P<0.001), hemorrhage (χ²=85.300, P<0.001), pulmonary infection (χ²=60.096, P<0.001), catheter-associated infection (χ²=10.617, P=0.001) and malnutrition (χ²=21.199, P<0.001) were associated with mortality. Multivariate prognostic analysis cofirmed that sepsis (OR=7.103, 95%CI:3.694-13.657, P<0.001), complicating with MODS (OR=5.018, 95%CI:2.170-11.604, P<0.001), and hemorrhage (OR=4.703, 95%CI: 2.300-9.618, P<0.001) were independent risk factors of the death for ECF patients. Meanwhile, active lavage and drainage after the definite ECF diagnosis was the protective factor (OR=0.223, 95%CI: 0.067-0.745, P=0.015). Conclusions The overall mortality of ECF is still high. Surgical operation is the most common cause of ECF. Complications e.g. sepsis, MODS, hemorrhage, and catheter-associated infection, are the main causes of death. Active lavage and drainage is important to improve the prognosis of ECF.