Objective To explore the application of ultrasonography (US) 5-grade system in the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC).Methods A total of 150 patients suspected of having NPC underwent ukrasonography and MR imaging.All the lesions were scored according to the two different methods.Pathological results were made the golden criteria.The diagnosis accuracy of ultrasonography and MR imaging for NPC was evaluated using receiver-operating curve (ROC) analysis by Medcalc software.Results Both ultrasonography and MR imaging exhibited a good diagnostic performance for NPC with area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.958 and 0.987,respectively.The AUC difference of the two methods were statistically significant(Z =2.827,P =0.005).Conclusions Ultrasonography 5-grade system was an initial quantitative criterion for nasopharyngeal carcinoma diagnosis.The diagnosis accuracy was high although lower than MRI.But it could provide an overall economical and convenient complementary technique for clinical diagnosis.

Objective To explore the scanning techniques of piriformis and different ultrasonographic characteristics of normal and abnormal piriformis.Methods A total of 40 cases diagnosed with unilateral piriformis syndrome underwent ultrasonic examination.Then ultrasonic scanning techniques of piriformis were summarized.Contours,thickness and smoothness of epimysium and ultrasonic echo of internal muscle texture of piriformis were compared between the normal and abnormal piriformis.The study was approved by the Third Affiliated Hospital Ethics Committee of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Approval no.ZSLL-JS-2016-18).Results Interruption of ultrasonic echo of ilium could be considered as ultrasonographic signs for locating piriformis quickly and accurately.Abnormal piriformis in suffering side of patients with piriformis syndrome showed obscure contours and being thicker than the other side [x2 =9.899,P =0.002;(25.81 ± 0.30)mm vs (22.29 ± 0.27)mm,t =13.604,P =0.000].Moreover,there were significant differences in comparing smoothness of epimysium and ultrasonic echo of internal muscle texture of piriformis between the two sides(x2 =23.226,P =0.000;x2 =54.848,P =0.000).Conclusions Interruption of ultrasonic echo of ilium may be an important sign for locating piriformis.Ultrasound can display piriformis clearly and distinguish ultrasonographic images of normal piriformis accurately from abnormal piriformis,which can be taken as an basis imaging for clinical diagnosis of piriformis syndrome.

Objective To evaluate the relationship between varicocele (VC) and the prostativenouplexuby coloDoppleflow imaging(CDFI) and to explore the etiology of varicocele .MethodThe innediameterand the hemorrheologiparameterof spermativein and prostativenouplexuwere observed in 135 patientwith lefvaricocele(lefVgroup) ,51 patientwith bilat-eral V(bilateral Vgroup) and the control group(100 cases) by CDFI .The diameteof the prostativenouplexus(PVD) ,peak velocity of reflux flow (RFV) in the Valsalvtesand the peak velocity of antegrade flow (AFV) aresin 3 groupwere statistical-ly analyzed .ResultPVD and RFV in the bilateral Vgroup were greatethan those in the lefVgroup and the control group (P＜0 .01) .PVD and RFV in the lefVgroup had no statistical differencecompared with the control group (P＞0 .05) .AFV had no statistical difference among 3 group(P>0 .05) .PVD ,RFV and AFV in 30 caseof Vhad no statistical differencebe-tween before and afteoperation (P>0 .05) .Conclusion Bilateral Vmay be accompanied with potential systematic vascular abnormalities.

Objective To investigate the feasibility and clinical value of ultrasound elastography in assessment of sternocleidomastoid fibrosis in patients after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma . Methods Forty‐five patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy ( study group) and 52 healthy volunteers ( control group ) underwent ultrasound elastography . Bilateral sternocleidomastoid elasticity score , thickness , width , resistance index ( RI ) , and pulsatility index ( PI ) were analyzed and compared . Results The sternocleidomastoid elastography in study group was mainly blue ,and that in control group was mainly green . The difference of sternocleidomastoid elasticity score ,width ,and thickness was significant between study group and control group ( P <0 .05) ,reseparately . There was no significiant difference in the RI ,PI between study group and control group ( P > 0 .05) . Conclusions Ultrasound elastography could be effectively and noninvasively used for evaluating the sternocleidomastoid fibrosis in patients after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma . It has a potential clinical value in the grading and classification of fibrosis .

Objective To discuss the diagnostic value of ultrasonography in piriformis syndrome . Methods Ultrasonography was performed in thirty‐eight patients with unilateral piriformis syndrome and forty healthy volunteers . The morphological structures and the internal echoes of their bilateral piriformises and sciatic nerves were observed and their thicknesses were measured . These parameters of the patients and voluteers were recorded and compared . Results The ultrasonographic images of piriformis and sciatic nerve of the healthy voluteers showed no abnormal change . The thickness difference of their bilateral piriformises and sciatic nerves had no statistical significance ( P > 0 .05 ) . The ultrasonography image of the morphological structure and the internal echo of the sick side piriformis and sciatic nerve of the patients with piriformis syndrome showed a change ,that the sick side piriformis was significantly thicker than the healthy side piriformis [(25 .74 ± 3 .12) mm vs (22 .48 ± 2 .60) mm , P < 0 .05] . The area under the operator characteristic curve ( AUC ) for the thickness difference of bilateral piriformises in diagnosing piriformis syndrome was 0 .896 ,with the optimal cut‐off value of 2 .15 mm . However ,the thickness difference of their bilateral sciatic nerves had no statistical significance ( P >0 .05) . Conclusions Ultrasonography can show piriformis and sciatic nerve clearly . The ultrasonographic images and the thickness difference of the bilateral piriformises is helpful to diagnose piriformis syndrome ,and can provide more informations for clinic .

ObjectiveTo investigate the methylation status in the promoter region of secreting frizzled related protein 2 (SFRP2) gene in patients with myelodyplastic sydrome (MDS) and to initially explore the relationship between the methylation of this gene and prognosis/survival time.MethodsMSP method was applied to examine the promoter methylation of SFRP2 gene in 43 bone marrow or peripheral blood samples of MDS patients.As controls,70 normal peripheral blood samples from volunteers of general outpatients were examined.Then some of the patients were followed up.ResultsIn 43 patients of MDS,10 samples (23.3 ％)showed SFRP2 gene methylation,and all of them were semi-methylation status.In 70 controls,no sample showed SFRP2 gene methylation.The frequency of SFRP2 gene methylation in MDS patients was significantly higher than that in controls (x2 =17.86,P ＜0.0001).Of the 10 SFRP2 gene methylation samples,5 were bone marrow samples and 5 were peripheral blood samples.In this group of patients,3 patients were diagnosed as RA,1 patient was diagnosed as RAS,2 patients were diagnosed as RCMD,3 patients were diagnosed as RAEB and 1 patient was diagnosed as MDS-U.There was no significant difference between the different sample source (bone marrow or peripheral blood) for the results of the methylation status (x2 =0.912,P ＞0.05).Either no significant difference between the different sex,age,type,chromosome and WPSS score (all P ＞0.05).The progress of disease didn' t influence the methylation rate (P ＞0.05).16 patients accepted follow-up and 11patients died,3 patients went to AML.2 died patients showed SFRP2 gene methylation.The survival analyses showed no relationship between the methylation of this gene and survival time(x2 =0.022, P ＞0.05).ConclusionIn this MDS group,there is a high level of methyl-modification in SFRP2 gene.The methylation of SFRP2 may be one of the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the progress of patients with MDS.The peripheral blood sample maybe a better substitute in detection of SFRP2 with MDS.

Objective To explore ultrasonic image for the normal anatomy of the larynx,and provide the basis of ultrasonic diagnosis in laryngeal diseases.Methods Ultrasound anatomy for the larynx was established by way of comparing the structures of four corpses and ultrasonic imaging of the larynx of normal control group.Results Ultrasonic image for the normal anatomy of the larynx was established by comparing the anatomy tomography of corpses and ultrasonic imaging of the larynx of normal control group.Conclusions Ultrasonography could be applied in the examination of the laryngeal diseases as it could show unambiguous ultrasonic imagings of the larynx,and adding an important complementary technique to clinical medicine.

Objective To explore the feasibility and application value of sonography in the evaluation of oropharynx in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Methods The oropharynx of forty-four patients with OSAHS and forty-four healthy subjects selected as the control group were separately examined by ultrasonography.The parameters including anterior-posterior diameter and the lateral diameter of oropharyngeal airway of the end-deep inspiratory and end-deep expiratory,thickness and wide of tongue base,lingual wide,lingual height,distance from mandibular plane to hyoid bone and distance from tongue base to mandibular plane were obtained for statistical analysis and compared between the two groups.Correlation analysis of above parameters plane with body mass index (BMI) were carried out. Results The anatomy of the oropharynx was well shown on sonography.When compared with the control group,the lateral diameter of oropharyngeal airway,thickness of tongue base,lingual height,lingual wide and distance from mandibular plane to hyoid bone also showed significant statistically differences between the OSAHS patients group and the control group (all P <0.01).The wide of tongue base,thickness of tongue base,lingual wide,lingual height,distance from mandibular plane to hyoid bone,and distance from tongue base to mandibular plane in OSAHS patients group were positively correlated with BMI( r =0.533,0.415, 0.555,0.349,0.378,0.419;all P <0.05).The wide of tongue base and lateral diameter of oropharyngeal airway in the control group were negatively correlated with BMI ( r = -0.324,-0.405,-0.317;all P <0.05).Conclusions Ultrasonography can be used to assist in the assessment of OSAHS,which can provide an important reference for clinical diagnosis and therapeutic effect evaluation of OSAHS.

The residents who had lived for at least 5 years and aged over 20 years old were sampled from urban to rural districts of Jiangsu Province with a stratified cluster sampling technique. B mode ultrasonography and thyroid function determination were carried out in 6 128 persons. The location, diameter, number, boundary, and calcification in thyroid nodules were described by using 7.5 MHz/50 mm transducer of thyroid ultrasonography. TSH was measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay. Free triiodothyronine(FT3)and free thyroxin(FT4)were measured when TSH was abnormal. The crude prevalence of thyroid nodules was 21.12% in total population, 14.55% in male, and 25.24% in female. The standardized prevalence was 15.69%, 11.20%, and 20.40%, respectively. The prevalence was lower in male than in female, and increased with age(P＜0.05). Thyroid nodules in Jiangsu Province were highly prevalent and more attention should be paid to the follow-up, early diagnosis, and treatment.