Objective To realize the format conversion from DICOM images to common images with simple and convenient meth-ods. Methods Parsing the DICOM files adopting the object-oriented idea, the DICOM images were changed over on the basis of DCMTK toolkit. Results The VC++ project was built with the DICOM toolkit and the conversion of image formats was achieved. Conclusion This method conveniently achieves the conversion among kinds of image formats. The converted images are completely accord with the practicable standards;moreover, it's greatly convenient for the following processing and manipulations.

Objective To analyze the possible risk factors of esophageal stenosis after endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). Methods From January 2008 to December 2009, a total of 219 procedures of esophageal EMR were performed to resect early esophageal squamous carcinoma and its precancerous lesions,and esophageal stenosis was observed in 9 cases. Data of these 9 patients ( stenosis group) were collected and compared with those of patients without stenosis ( control group, n = 202, 8 patients were excluded because of being diagnosed as squamous carcinoma with submucosal infiltration after EMR and being transfered to surgery). Results There was no significant difference between two groups in regard of gender, age, location of the lesion, length of the lesion or pathological diagnosis after EMR, while the rate of patients with mucosal defect larger than 3/4 circumference in stenosis group ( 8/9, 88.9% ) was significantly higher than that in control group (9/202, 4. 5%, P ＜ 0. 01 ). Conclusion In EMR for early esophageal squamous carcinoma and its precancerous lesions, post-EMR mucosal defect larger than 3/4 circumference is a risk factor for esophageal stenosis.

Objective To explore changes of gray matter volume in patients with obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD) in Chinese Han population using optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) ,and investigate its relationship with clinical symptoms. Methods Twenty patients with OCD and 20 age,sex and handedness matched healthy controls were scanned using 3D-T1 images on a 3.0 T MR system. The high resolution T1WI was preprocessed according to the optimized VBM protocol in Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM5). Two-sample t test was performed to characterize the differences of the gray matter volume (GMV) between the OCD patients and healthy controls, and the correlations between the GMV and symptom severity and cumulative illness duration were examined using Pearson correlation in SPSS 16. 0, respectively.Results Compared to controls, OCD patients demonstrated increased GMV in left thalamus, right thalamus and left cerebellum after false discovery rate (FDR) correction. No areas of significantly decreased GMV was observed in OCD patients in relative to healthy controls. The mean eigenvalue ranged from 0. 5782 to 0. 889 representing the left thalamus volume of OCD patients was 0. 6813 ± 0. 0718, and that ranged from 0. 5546 to 0. 9062 was 0. 6869 ± 0. 0808 tor right thalamus. The mean eigenvalues were positively correlated in bilateral thalamus (r = 0. 94, P ＜ 0. 01). Conclusion Using optimized VBM, the current research indicates that the pathophysiology of OCD is associated with GMV abnormalities not only in corticostriato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuit, but also in the cerebellum.

ObjectiveTo prospectively assess the efficacy and safety of endoscopic ultrasoundguided celiac plexus neurolysis (EUS-CPN) in the management of pain caused by pancreatic carcinoma.MethodsPatients with confirmed un-resectable pancreatic malignancy were treated with EUS-CPN once or twice.The data including age,gender,pain duration,opioid consumption,tumor location,pain scores before and after the procedure,number of treatment,duration of pain relief and survival time were collected.ResultsA total of 27 cases with cancerous abdominal pain were recruited.The median pain scores were significantly lower after EUS-CPN,and pain relief was obtained in 81.5％ (95％ CI,66.8％ -96.1％ ) patients with a median duration of 56.0 days (95％ CI,17.1-94.9),whose confidence interval was comparable to that of survival time (97.0 days,95 ％ CI,82.7-111.3 ).No clinical factors could predict post-procedure duration of pain relief (x2 =6.757,P =0.239).Procedure-related transient diarrhea and fever were noted only in 1 patient.No major complications occurred.ConclusionEUS-guided CPN is safe and effective in alleviating abdominal pain associated with pancreatic cancer,even at the late stage.Moreover,no clinical factor could predict post-procedure degree or duration of pain relief.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for precancerous lesions and early cancer at gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) by comparing endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) with ESD.MethodsData of patients with GEJ precancerous lesions or early cancer,who received EMR ( n =51 ) or ESD ( n =28) were reviewed to compared the en bloc resection rate,R0 resection rate,operation time,complication and recurrence rate between 2 methods.ResultsEn blcc resection and R0 resection rates of ESD group (92.9％,78.6％ respectively) were significantly higher than those of EMR group (45.1％,43.1％ respectively).Local recurrence rate in ESD group (3.6％,1/28) was significantly lower than that of EMR group ( 19.6％ ).Complications including perforation,delayed hemorrhage,stricture were not significantly different between EMR and ESD groups.Mean operation time of ESD group (64.3 ±27.1 min) was significantly longer than that of EMR group (27.6 ± 14.1 min)(P ＜0.05).ConclusionESD,with a higher cure rate and en bloc rate and a lower local recurrence rate,is superior to EMR for precancerous lesions and early cancer at GEJ.

Objective To investigate the effects of ulinastatin pretreatment on oxidative stress response and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) after hepatectomy in rats.Methods One hundred and twelve pathogen-free male Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 3 months,weighing 230-280 g,were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=56 each): group hepatectomy (group H) and group ulinastatin pretreatment (group U).Left and median lobe resection was performed and then liver ischemia was induced by blood flow occlusion of right and caudate lobes for 30 min,followed by perfusion in both groups.Ulinastatin 50 000 U/kg was injected intravenously at 5 min before occlusion in group U.Eight rats in each group were chosen and the blood samples were taken from the inferior vena cava for measurement of serum ALT and AST activities and HGF concentration before ischemia and at 1,6,12,24and 48 h of reperfusion.Then the right lobe were removed for determination of apoptosis,SOD and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities,MDA content,expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and liver regeneration.Apoptotic index was calculated.Another 8 rats in each group were chosen and the 7 day survival rate was recorded.Results Compared with group H,the levels of ALT,AST,MPO aud MDA and apoptotic index were significantly decreased,and the levels of HGF and SOD,PCNA expression and liver regeneration were significantly increased at different time points in group U (P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference in 7 day survival rate between group H and group U (P＞ 0.05).Conclusion Ulinastatin pretreatment can strengthen liver regeneration after hepatectomy in rats,the underlying mechanism may be related to inhibition of oxidative stress response and increase in HGF production.

Objective To investigate the clinical,pathologic and endoscopic ultrasound characteristics of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs).Methods Clinical data of 24 consecutive patients of PNETs who were admitted between January 2002 and January 2011 were reviewed.Results Among these 24 patients,19 were diagnosed to have insulinomas,1 was malignant insulinoma,2 were gastrinomas,and 2 were glucagonomas.Eighteen (75％) cases of PNETs were functional PNETs,and 6 (25％) were nonfunctional PNETs.The mean age of the patients was (42 ± 14) years old ranging from 19 ～ 64 years old,and the percentage of male patient was 33.3％.The main symptoms of insulinomas were intermittent abdominal pain or discomfort,and the main manifestations of glucagonomas were weight loss,skin migratory erythema; and the main symptoms of gastrinomas were diarrhea,vomiting with large amounts of water-like liquid.The detection rate of CT was 86.7％ (13/15),and the detection rate of EUS was 100％ (15/15),but PET-CT detected only 40％ of tumors (2/5).The endoscopic ultrasound characteristics of PNETs were circular or oval hypoechoic mass,and the volume was small with clear boundary and homogeneous echo.There was no enlarged lymph node,and liquid was detected in big tumor.Twenty-two patients received operation and 2 patients did not.PNETs expressed CgA and Syn protein.All patients of PNETs were alive with 7 to 80 months follow-up.Conclusions The clinical characteristics of PNETs were unique.EUS has a high accuracy for detecting and localizing PNETs.The surgical method is similar to that of pancreatic cancer,and the prognosis is relatively good.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of endoscopic resection of giant gastric stromal tumors without explicit evidence of metastases.Methods A total of 12 giant gastric stromal tumors with no evidence of metastases diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and computed tomography (CT) scan were managed by endoscopic resection.Operation time,blood loss and the incidence rate of perforation were recorded respectively.The diagnoses of tissue specimens were made by pathological examination and immunohistochemistry.In order to assess local recurrence and distant metastases,endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound follow-up examinations were performed routinely at 2,6 and 12 months,and the whole abdominal CT scan was also performed at 12 months after operation.Results Endoscopic resections were successfully performed in 10 of 12 cases (83.3％),among which,6 underwent endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE) without unexpected perforation and 4 endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFR)with intentional perforation.The rate of intentional perforation was 33.3％ (4/12),and all the perforations could be sealed by endoscopic methods.The blood losses were all more than 100 ml,which could be controlled by argon plasma coagulation,electrocoagulation or hemostatic clips.In the 10 encapsulated tumors,8 could be smoothly removed from esophagus,whose long diameter of the minimum cross section was less than 3.5 cm,however,2 tumors whose diameters were larger than 3.5 cm were taken out after segmentation.In the 10 tissue samples,9 were confirmed as low risk GIST,1 larger than 5 cm was pathologically confirmed as high risk GIST.During 1-year follow-up,no local recurrence or peritoneal metastasis was found.2 tumors,larger than 5.0 cm,could not be removed by endoscopic methods due to uncontrolled bleeding.The rate of uncontrolled bleeding was 16.7％ (2/12).The patients were transferred to surgery,and pathologically confirmed as having high risk GIST.Conclusion For low-risk giant gastric stromal tumors whose diameters were less than 5cm without evidence of metastases,endoscopic resection is considered as a safe and effective procedure.Tumors with long diameter of the minimum cross section less than 3.5 cm are more suitable for endoscopic resection,which can be smoothly taken out through cardia.However,for high-risk GIST larger than 5.0 cm,the rate of uncontrolled bleeding is high,so endoscopic resection should be adopted with discretion.

Objective To investigate the brain perfusion changes in patients with refractory depressive disorder (RDD) and non-refractory depressive disorder (NDD) using arterial spin labeling (ASL).Methods Present study included 12 patients with RDD, 37 patients with NDD and 42 controls,and their age, sex and handedness were matched among the three groups.FAIR sequences were performed using a 3 T MR imaging system with an 8 channel phase array head coiL The labelled and controled images were subtracted and then averaged to obtain perfusion-weighted images.The first 2 images were excluded to avoid T, equilibrium effects and then voxel based analysis was performed using SPM2. One way ANOVA analysis using age as covariance ( thresholded at P ＜ 0.01 uncorrected) was performed.Results Patients with NDD showed regional alteration of the brain perfusion, mainly involved in two frontal subcortical circuits, i.e. significantly decreased perfusion in the left frontal and thalamus (the limbic thalamo-cortical circuit) whereas significantly increased perfusion in bilateral hippocampi, fight lentiform and left anterior cingulated gyros (the limbic-striatal-pallidal-thalamic circuit).In contrast, patients with RDD presented significantly decreased perfusion involving bilateral frontal areas (the limbic-thalamo-cortieal circuit) whereby no significantly increased perfusion areas were observed.Conclusion In addition to the reported experimental evidences, our results suggest that the RDD is associated with inactivity of bilateral frontal areas, while the NDD is associated with inactivity of left frontal areas and overactivity of bilateral limbic system.