Objective To evaluate low-dose CT coronary angiography with prospective electrocardiogram (ECG)-triggering using dual-source CT scanner.Methods Sixty-eight patients who underwent coronary CT angiography using a dual-source CT scanner were divided into 2 groups: group A (38 cases) and group B (30 cases).Prospective ECG-triggering sequence scan mode was employed for group A.Inclusion criteria included: heart rate <70 bpm, sinus rhythm, and heart rate fluctuation less than 10 bpm.Data acquisition was set at 70% of the RR-interval.Retrospective ECG-gating helical scan was performed for group B.Inclusion criteria included heart rates < 70 bpm and sinus rhythm.The exclusion criteria included heart failure and serious arrhythmias.In both groups, patients with a BMI≥24 kg/m2 were examined with a tube voltage of 120 kV, whereas patients with a BMI <24 kg/m2 were examined with a tube voltage of 100 kV.All images were transferred to a workstation for further processing and analysis.The imaging quality was evaluated.The imaging quality of coronary artery segments were compared with rank sum test between the two groups, and the radiation dose were compared with t test.Results A total of 476 coronary artery segments were evaluated in group A and 372 segments were evaluated in group B.The mean score of imaging quality for coronary artery segments in group A was 3.48±0.59 and that in group B was 3.53±0.58.There was no statistical difference in imaging quality between the two groups (Z=-1.432, P=0.187).The effective dose was on average (2.51±0.54) mSv (range 1.3--3.3 mSv) in group A, whereas on average (14.55±3.54) rosy (range 7.1--20.2 mSv) in group B.There was a statistical difference between the two groups (t=18.484, P=0.000).Conclusions Low-dose prospective ECG-triggering sequence scan in dual-source CT coronary angiography is feasible in patients with low heart rate and regular cardiac rhythm.This scan mode can substantially reduce radiation doses while preserving good diagnostic image quality.

Objective To prospectively evaluate the feasibility and reliablity of low kilovoltage contrast-enhanced multi-slice CT(MSCT)to detect the myocardial viability in chronic myocardial infarcetion.with comparison to magnetic resonance(MR)myocardial perfusion and viability imaging.Methods Thirty-two patients with clinical diagnosed chronic myocardial infarction underwent the first pass and delayenhanced myocardial imaging with 64-slice MSCT and MR Left ventricle was divided into 16 segments.MSCT and MR images of all the patients were blindly analyzed.The size and extent of hypoenhanced regions in first pass phase and hyperenhanced regions in delayed phase were define.The Kappa test was used to assess the ability of identifying the viable myocardium between the two methods.Results In 32 patients with chronic myocardial infarction,MSCT showed hypoenhanced regions in 41 segments and normal in 471 segments during the first phase,while MRI revealed hypoenhanced regions in 47 segments and normal regions in 465 segments.The Kappa value was 0.650 and the concordance rate of the two techniques was 94.5%(484/512).MSCT showed 135 hyperenhanced regions which were non-transmural in 50 segments and transmural in 85 segments.And the other 377 normal segments showed no enhancement in the delayed phase.MRI revealed 120 hyperenhanced regions which were non-transmural in 56 segments and transmural in 64 segments.And the other 392 normal segments showed no enhancement in the delayed phase.The Kappa value of the two techniques was 0.609 and the concordance rate of the two techniques was 80.7% (413/512).Conclusion The study showed that low kilovolrage CE MSCT has a good concordance with MRI and has high feasibility and reliability in evaluating the myocardial viability in chronic myocardial infarction.The radiation dose is still the important aspect of MSCT application.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expressions of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and CX chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR-4) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HC) and liver cirrhosis.

METHODSPeripheral blood and/or ascites fluid were collected from 39 hepatocellular carcinoma patients, 16 patients with liver cirrhosis, 12 with hepatitis and 12 healthy donors. The SDF-1 expression was assayed by ELISA and CXCR-4 was measured by immunohistochemical methods.

RESULTSThe level of SDF-1 expression in the carcinoma patients was higher than that of the liver cirrhosis, hepatitis patients and healthy donors, but there was no significant difference between those of the healthy donors and hepatitis patients or liver cirrhosis patients. The levels of CXCR-4 expression were closely related to the tumor differentiation.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of SDF-1 in the peripheral blood and the CXCR4 expression in the HCC tissues of the HC patients may be regarded as markers of HC and they may have a positive relationship with the differentiation and metastasis of HC.

Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; metabolism ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Staging ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the correlation between brain edema, elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) and cell apoptosis in traumatic brain injury (TBI).

METHODSIn this study, totally 42 rabbits in 7 groups were studied. Six of the animals were identified as a control group, and the remaining 36 animals were equally divided into 6 TBI groups. TBI models were produced by the modified method of Feeney. After the impact, ICP of each subject was recorded continuously by an ICP monitor until the animal was sacrificed at scheduled time. The apoptotic brain cells were detected by an terminal deoxynucleotide-transferase-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Cerebral water content (CWC) was measured with a drying method and calculated according to the Elliott formula. Then, an analysis was conducted to determine the correlation between the count of apoptotic cells and the clinical pathological changes of the brain.

RESULTSApoptotic cell count began to increase 2 h after the impact, and reached its maximum about 3 days after the impact. The peak value of CWC and ICP appeared 1 day and 3 days after the impact, respectively. Apoptotic cell count had a positive correlation with CWC and ICP.

CONCLUSIONSIn TBI, occurrence of brain edema and ICP increase might lead to apoptosis of brain cells. Any therapy which can relieve brain edema and/or decrease ICP would be able to reduce neuron apoptosis, thereby to attenuate the secondary brain damage.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Brain Edema ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Brain Injuries ; complications ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Cell Count ; Disease Models, Animal ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Intracranial Hypertension ; etiology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Necrosis ; genetics ; pathology ; Rabbits ; Reference Values ; Telencephalon ; metabolism ; Water ; metabolism

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Humans ; Male ; Manipulation, Orthopedic ; Middle Aged ; Tibial Fractures ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo study the indoor environmental factors associated with the prevalence of asthma and related allergies among school children.

METHODSA cluster sampling method was used and the ISAAC questionnaire was conducted. A total of 4612 elementary students under Grade Five of 7 schools were enrolled in the survey for the impact of indoor environmental factors on the prevalence of asthma and related allergies in several urban and suburban schools of Beijing.

RESULTSA total of 4060 sample were finally analyzed including 1992 urban and 2068 suburban. The prevalence of wheeze, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and atopic eczema in the past 12 months was 3.1% (61/1992), 5.3% (106/1992), 1.1% (22/1992) among urban children while 1.3% (27/2068), 3.1% (65/2068), 1.0% (22/2068) among suburban children respectively. The prevalence of wheeze and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis of the past 12 months in urban were both significantly higher than that in suburban (χ(2) = 14.77, 11.93, P < 0.01). The incidences of having asthma and eczema ever among urban children (5.3% (105/1992), 29.4% (586/1992)) were significantly (χ(2) = 39.03, 147.22, P < 0.01) higher than that among suburban (1.7% (35/2068), 13.8% (285/2068)). Although the distributions of indoor environmental factors were similar in both areas, passive smoking and interior decoration had different influence on the prevalence of asthma and related allergies among school children in the two areas. The significant impact of passive smoking on having asthma ever among suburban children was observed (OR = 2.70, 95%CI = 1.17 - 6.23) while no significant result in urban (OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 0.71 - 1.58); the percentage of interior decoration was 84.0% (1673/1992) among urban children and 80.0% (1655/2068) among suburban children, there was significant impact of interior decoration on the prevalence of having eczema ever among urban children (OR = 1.57, 95%CI = 1.17 - 2.10) but no significant results were found in suburban sample (OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 0.76 - 1.48).

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of asthma and related allergies among school children is much higher in urban areas than that in suburban areas and the indoor environmental factors such as passive smoking and interior decoration may differently explain the prevalence of asthma and related allergies in the two areas.

Adolescent ; Air Pollution, Indoor ; analysis ; Asthma ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Cities ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Male ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Students ; Suburban Population ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Urban Population