Objective To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of three-dimensional (3D) printed left atrial appendage (LAA) models based on 3D transesophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE) data and the application value for treating special anatomic LAA.Methods Data of 18 patients of atrial fibrillation who were underwent LAA occlusion were retrospectively analyzed,including 3D-TEE and CT volume data of the patients.The 3D-TEE data of the LAA were post-processed and a flexible material was used to print the LAA model by 3D printer.The morphological classification and lobulated classifications of LAAs were assessed by the 3D printed models.The measurements of long axis,short axis and depth of LAAs were also performed.And the measurement and classification results were compared with those based on 3D-TEE and CT volume images.A occluder release test was performed on the 3D printed models for patients with challenging LAA morphology.Results For all 18 patients,3D-TEE full volume data of the LAA were successfully reprocessed and printed as 3D LAA models.The consistency of morphological classifications and lobulated classifications of LAAs based on 3D printed models and cardiac CT were 0.92 and 0.83,respectively.No significant differences of LAA ostium dimensions (long axis and short axis) and depth were found between the measurement results based on 3D printed models and 3D-TEE (all P＞0.05).A simulation of LAA occlusion rehearsal was successfully performed on 3D models of two challenging cases.Conclusion The echocardiographic 3D printing technique has high feasibility and accuracy,and can be promising for personalized planning in cases of transcatheter special morphological LAA occlusion.

Objective To create an left atrial appendage(LAA) occlusion preoperative simulation system by three dimensional transesophageal echocardiography(3DTEE) and three dimensional printing (3DP),and simulate the process of LAA occlusion including the selection and deployment of devices,leaks around devices and the compression rate of the devices in vitro.Methods Fifteen cases of LAA occlusion in patients with atrial fibrillation were selected in this study. Preoperative and intraoperative TEE was performed to acquire the volume data of LAA.Replicas of LAAs were created by 3DP.Then the simulation system was created by 3DTEE and the models.The models were scanned by 3DTEE to evaluate the accuracy of models,leaks around devices and the compression rate of the devices.The results were compared with intraoperative measurements.Results 3DP models of 15 patients were created based on the 3DTEE data.There was no significant difference in the values of measurements between models and cases in vivo by 3DTEE and there were agreements between these two methods.The compression rate of devices was higher in models than in case(P =0.04).Compression rate in models correlated with that in cases (r =0.949, P < 0.01).Four cases were observed with leaks in 3DP models and 6 cases were observed with leaks intraoperatively,the Kappa value of agreement was 0.706. Conclusions Preoperative exercise and evaluation of LAA occlusion can be acquired by the preoperative simulation system based on 3DTEE and 3DP,which can be an important supplement for preoperative preparation.

Objective To explore the prognostic value of speckle tracking imaging (STI) for left ventricular remodeling(LVR) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with the analysis of the relation between regional wall motion abnormality after AMI and LVR by STI in association with wall motion score index (WMSI).Methods Eighty-three patients with first onset AMI were enrolled from January 2012 to May 2015 and underwent echocardiography within 24 h of the onset and at 6-month follow-up.LVR was defined as more than 20％ of the percentage change of left ventricular end-diastolic volume (△LVEDV％) from baseline to 6-month follow-up (divided as LVR and non-LVR group).Standard long-axis and shortaxis views were stored and analyzed for longitudinal (LS),radial (RS) and circumferential (CS) strain of STI metrics as well as scores of WMSI.Segments of WMSI≥2 were selected and calculated for the mean values of LS (LS_WMSI),RS (RS_WMSI) and CS (CS_WMSI).Results LVR occurred in twenty-seven AMI patients at 6-month follow-up.No difference has shown for demographics,electrocardiogram,lab tests,coronary angiography as well as the measurements of two-dimensional echocardiography between the two groups from baseline,while all STI metrics had statistical difference when the comparisons (P ＜0.05,all),especially the WMSI selected STI metrics (P ＜0.001,all).Linear regression analysis demonstrated that CS_WMSI (r =0.716,P ＜0.001) was best correlated to △LVEDV％ among all STI metrics and also the best predictor of LVR by receive operator curve analysis (sensitivity of 92.6％,specificity of 87.5 ％ and area under the curve of 0.9563).Conclusions Baseline STI metrics can precisely predict LVR at 6-month follow-up.Among the STI metrics,CS_WMSI has shown preferable predictive and diagnostic value,which indicates that the impairment of segmental circumferential wall motion is closely correlated to LVR after myocardial infarction.

Objective To acquire volume rendered images of left atrial appendage ( LAA ) chambers by three dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3DTEE) using a novel image mode of grey values inverted imaging ( GVI) . Methods Forty patients with atrial fibrillation were performed with TEE and cardiac CT examination before intervention treatment . Three‐dimensional transesophageal echocardiography images were acquired and displayed as a gray values inverted mode . Threshold segmentation and interactive segmentation were used to 3D digital replicas of LAA chambers . Morphology information including morphology type of LAAs and number of lobes and measurements of LAAs were recorded and compared with CT volume reconstruction(CT‐VR) images .Results Morphology information and measurements were successfully acquired by CT and 3DTEE‐GVI images in all 40 cases . The consistence of LAA morphology type by 3D‐GVI and CT was 97 .5% . The consistence of number of LAA lobes by 3D‐GVI and CT was 92 .5% . The measurements of long axis ,short axis ,area of ostiums of LAAs ,and depth of LAAs by CT were larger than those by 3D‐GVI ( P < 0 .01 ) . There were agreements between two methods of measurement . Conclusions LAA chambers can be reconstructed by 3D TEE‐GVI ,which can achieve similar effect to CT‐VR . 3DTEE‐GVI promises to be one of the most effective methods in assessment of LAAs′morphology information for planning of LAA occlusion .

Objective:To evaluate the feasibility and the application values of quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) for the assessment of meniscal injury and in distinguishing meniscus degeneration and tears.Methods:The clinical and imaging data of 70 patients suspected of meniscus injury and scheduled for arthroscopy in Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University from November 2019 to June 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Thirty age-and sex-matched healthy subjects were also examined as controls. All subjects received knee joint QSM and routine MR imaging. According to the results of arthroscopy, the patients was divided into meniscus degeneration and meniscus tear groups, respectively. The conventional MR was evaluated by two radiologists. The meniscus injury area was delineated on the original QSM magnitude images (the central area of the posterior corner of the lateral meniscus was selected in the healthy controls) and mapped to the corresponding QSM maps, and the magnetic susceptibility values were measured. Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to analyze the magnetic sensitivity values of meniscal degeneration, meniscal tear and healthy control groups; and Bonferroni was used to correct the pairwise comparison. ROC curve was established to evaluate the threshold and efficacy of magnetic susceptibility value in the diagnosis of meniscal tear. The results were compared with those of conventional MRI. Results:The magnetic susceptibility values of meniscus of healthy controls, meniscal degeneration and meniscal tear groups were (0.035±0.016)ppm, -0.031(-0.040,-0.005)ppm, and(-0.122±0.115)ppm, respectively, with significant difference found among the three groups (χ2=44.419, P<0.05). The magnetic susceptibility values of meniscus of healthy controls was significantly higher than those of meniscus degeneration patients and meniscus tear patients (χ2=-23.843, -48.253, P<0.05). The magnetic susceptibility values of meniscus of meniscus tear group was significant lower than those of meniscus degeneration group (χ2=-24.410, P<0.05). Taking magnetic susceptibility values of -0.062 5 ppm as threshold, the area under the ROC curve for the diagnosis of meniscal tears was 0.949, with the sensitivity as 87% and the specificity as 100%. The sensitivity and specificity of conventional MRI in the diagnosis of meniscal tears were 86.8% and 87.5%, respectively. Conclusion:QSM can quantitatively evaluate meniscus injury and can be used as an effective supplement method to conventional MRI, which is helpful to improve the diagnosis of meniscus tear.

Objective To investigate the consistency of the anatomical parameters of left atrial appendage (LAA) based on three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE) and CT of 3D print datasource by the post-processing of DICOM data.Methods Sixty-three patients with atrial fibrillation in our hospital who underwent 3D-TEE and cardiac CT examination were selected and the original DICOM data of the LAA were obtained.The volume images of LAA were acquired by the postprocessing of Mimics software.After measuring and evaluating the anatomical parameters,the differences of parameters between TEE and CT were compared and the consistency of the two methods was evaluated.Results The data of 63 patients with atrial fibrillation obtained by 3D-TEE and CT were successfully post-treated and the detailed anatomical parameters of LAA were obtained.Morphological parameters:the Kappa values of the anatomical shape and opening shape of the LAA based on the 3D-TEE and CT data were 91.0%,69.3%,respectively.Measurement parameters:the area,perimeter,long axis,short axis of ostiums of LAA,and depth of LAA by CT were larger than those by 3D-TEE(all P<0.05).The post-processing results showed that 57 patients (90.5%) had significant bending of LAA′s main lobe in the 3D-TEE group and CT group,the difference in the measurements of the angle of the first bend and the distance from the first bend of the LAA to the orifice of the 57 cases between by 3D-TEE and CT were no statistical significance (P>0.05).LAA′measurements of 3D-TEE was concordant well with CT′s by Bland-Altman analysis.Conclusions In agreement with CT,3D-TEE can also be used as a datasource for 3D printing by evaluating spatial morphology of the LAA.

Objective To evaluate the left ventricular diastolic function in patients with uremia by two-dimensional speckle tracking technology ( 2D-STI ) . Methods Ninety-three patients with uremia ( serum creatinine value≥ 700 μmol/l) and 29 controls were included . Uremia patients were divided into group with decreased LVEF ( LVEF < 50％ ,group C ,19 cases) and group with normal LVEF ( LVEF≥50％ ) . The latter were divided into group with normal diastolic function ( group A ,31 cases) and group with diastolic dysfunction ( group B ,23 cases) according to the diastolic function;pulsed wave tissue Dopper imaging datas included:diastolic velocity e1′,a1′ and e2′,a2′ at septal or lateral sites of mitral annulus , average E/e′and e′/a′. 2D-STI strain and strain rate parameters included:the longitudinal peak systolic strain ( GLS) ,the longitudinal peak systolic strain rate ( LSRs) ,longitudinal peak strain rate in early diastole (LSRe)andE/LSRe.Results ①Systolicfunctionparameters:comparedwithcontrolgroup,LVEF decreased significantly only in group C( P <0 .05) ,while there was no significant difference among group A ,B and control group ( P> 0 .05 ) ;GLS in group A ,B and C decreased significantly and showed a decreasing trend among these three groups( P <0 .05) ;LSRs in group B and C decreased significantly ,while there was no significant difference between group A and control group( P > 0 .05) . ② Diastolic function parameters:compared with control group ,the average E/e′decreased significantly in group B and C( P <0 .05) ,while group A showed no significant difference( P > 0 .05) . Compared with group A ,the average E/e′increased significantly in group B and C ( P < 0 .05) . Compared with control group ,LSRe in three uremia groups decreased significantly ,which showed a decreasing trend among these three groups ( P <0 .05) ;however ,E/LSRe in three uremia groups increased significantly and showed an increasing trend among these three groups ( P < 0 .05 ) . ③ The correlation analysis showed that there were positive correlations between average e′ and LSRe and between average E/e′ and E/LSRe in uremic patients . Conclusions In patients with uremia ,left ventricular systolic and diastolic function impaired in the early phase . Strain rate parameters in diastole especially E/LSRe obtained by 2D-STI can be used as sensitive , early parameter for evaluation of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction .

Objective To evaluate the value of locating and defining severe stenosis of left anterior descending (LAD) with area strain imaging diastolic indexes (ASI-DI) derived from three dimensional speckle tracking imaging (3D-STI).Methods A total of 92 suspected coronary heart disease patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 50％ and without regional wall motion abnormality,who underwent echocardiography before coronary angiography in our department from July 2012 to April 2014,were included in this retrospective study.Patients were divided into three groups by the level of LAD stenosis:severe stenosis group (≥75％,n =36),mild to moderate stenosis group (1％-74％,n =22) and control group (without coronary artery stenosis,n =34).Global peak systolic area strain (GPSAS),global ASI-DI (GASI-DI),and ASI-DI of the regional myocardial segments with blood supplied by LAD were measured.Receiver operating curves (ROC) were obtained between ASI-DI and stenosis level of LAD to locate and to find out the optimal segment and cutoff values.Results There was no significant difference of GPSAS among serious stenosis group,mild and moderate stenosis group and control group ((-25.2 ± 6.2)％ vs.(-20.3 ±6.6)％ vs.(-21.3 ±8.6)％,P =0.159).GASI-DI was significantly lower in severe stenosis group than in mild to moderate stenosis group and control group ((-34.3 ± 14.7) vs.(-48.1±13.3)％ vs.(-59.4 ± 12.2)％,both P＜0.01).GASI-DI was similar between mild to moderate stenosis group and control group (P =0.217).The optimal cutoff values of ASI-DI were 40.3％ and area under the curve (AUC) were 0.829 in the base anterior segment for detecting proximal severe stenosis of LAD (sensitivity 0.967,specificity 0.651),38.3％ and 0.843 in the middle anteroseptum for detecting mid-distal sever stenosis of LAD (sensitivity 0.967,specificity 0.651).Conclusions Patients with severe LAD stenosis can be screened by ASI-DI among patients with LVEF≥50％ and without regional wall motion abnormality.The ASI-DI of base anterior segment and middle anteroseptum can be used to locate the proximal and mid-distal sever stenosis of LAD.

Objective To discuss the correlation between gastrointestinal symptoms concomitant with chronic migraine and sleep disorders,anxiety and depression.Methods Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS),Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS),Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) were adopted to conduct comparative analysis on gastrointestinal symptoms,anxiety,depression,sleep disorders,and related risk factors in 151 chronic migraine patients who conformed to International Headache Society International Classification of Headache Diseases-Ⅱ diagnostic code and 151 healthy controls in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical University from January 2015 to December 2017.Results PSQI scores (8.46±2.54 vs 4.53±1.95,t=2.913,P＜0.05),SAS scores (53.24± 11.66 vs 39.58±8.63,t=3.112,P＜0.05),SDS scores (51.09±8.80 vs 36.11±5.74,t=3.520,P＜0.05),and GSRS scores (4.53 (3.74,5.32) vs 1.29 (0.73,1.31),Z=30.804,P＜0.05) were all higher in migraine patients than that in healthy controls,and the differences were all statistically significant.In chronic migraine patients,139 (92.05％) had one gastrointestinal symptom at least,and the overall incidence of each gastrointestinal symptom was abdominal distension (60 cases,39.74％),exhaust increase (51 cases,33.77％),and endless defecation (43 cases,28.48％),etc.,in turn.Multiple regression analysis showed that headache degree,frequency,PSQI scores,SAS scores,and SDS scores were the main risk factors of gastrointestinal symptoms concomitant with chronic migraine.GSRS scores of chronic migraine patients presented positive correlation with PSQI scores (r=0.65,P=0.000),SAS scores (r=0.42,P=0.000),and SDS scores (r=0.48,P=0.000),respectively.Conclusion Chronic migraine patients are easy to be accompanied with gastrointestinal symptoms,and headache degree and frequency,sleep disorders,depression and anxiety are the main risk factors of concomitant gastrointestinal symptoms.

Objective:To evaluate alterations of periventricular pseudocysts (PVPC) on MRI before and after birth, and to assess the prognosis.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed the data of 67 cases that were diagnosed with PVPC on prenatal MRI, of which 24 cases were lost to follow-up, 2 died after birth. A total of 41 surviving fetuses were included in this prognosis study. The gestational ages in this group were between 23 and 39 weeks, with an average of (33±3) weeks.All the subjects underwent brain MRI examinations and Gesell Developmental Scale (GDS) testing between 0-3 years of age. According to the location of cysts and with or without other intracranial and extracranial malformations (dilated ventricles orcerebella medulla, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, TORCH virus infection, corporal hypoplasia, chromosomal malformations and nodular sclerosis) , the patients were divided into four groups: isolated connatal cysts, connatal cysts with additional findings,isolated subependymal pseudocysts, and subependymal pseudocysts with additional findings.The MR images were independently reviewed by two radiologists blinded to the clinical information. Intraclass correlation efficient (ICC) was used to analyze the consistency between the two reviewers.Chi-square test was used to compare the location of cysts (single/bilateral), the number of cyst cavities (single/multi-chamber), and other abnormalities in the connatal cyst group and subependymal cyst group. The mean anteroposterior diameter and mean height of cysts between the connatal cyst group and subependymal cyst group were compared by independent sample t-test.The ANOVA test was used to compare the differences in GDS outcomes among the groups. Multiple comparisons were conducted using the LSD test. Results:Inter-observer agreements between the two radiologists were good for the collected data (all ICC>0.75). Eleven isolated connatal cysts and 7 connatal cysts with additional findings became smaller or disappeared, and all had good prognosis. Of the 14 isolated subependymal cysts, 12 became smaller or disappeared, 2 had no change in size, and 13 had good prognosis. The subependymal cysts with additional findings group included 9 cases: 6 became smaller or disappeared, only 3 showed no apparent changes, and 7 had an abnormal outcome. Subependymal cysts with additional findings were significantly reduced and patients demonstrated significant differences compared with the those with isolated subependymal cysts in the development quotients (DQ) of adaptability, large movements, fine movements, personal social interaction, and language DQ ( P all<0.05). DQ between patients with isolated connatal cysts and isolated subependymal cysts was comparable ( P all>0.05). When associated with additional findings, connatal cysts and subependymal cysts could induce significant different DQ outcome ( P all<0.05). Conclusions:Isolated PVPC usually become smaller or disappeared and have a benign presentation after birth, whereas patients with subependymal cysts with additional findings usually have a poor prognosis. Connatal cysts usually have a good prognosis.