Objective:To observe the effects of acupuncture at Houxi(SI3)and Huantiao(GB30)on the expression levels of nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB),inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS),and nitric oxide(NO)of NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway in L5 spinal nerve root of lumbar disc herniation(LDH)model rats and explore the mechanism of acupuncture in LDH treatment.Methods:Forty specific-pathogen-free healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group,a model group,acupuncture group 1,and acupuncture group 2,with 10 rats in each group.The non-compression nucleus protrusion model was made by puncturing L4-L5 spinous process space and injecting autologous nucleus suspension.Acupuncture at bilateral Shenshu(BL23),Dachangshu(BL25),and Weizhong(BL40)was carried out in acupuncture group 1,and acupuncture at bilateral Houxi(SI3)and Huantiao(GB30)in acupuncture group 2.All rats were treated with balanced reinforcing and reducing needling manipulations,and the needles were retained for 30 min/time with one episode of needling manipulation every 10 min,once a day,14 times in total.The threshold value of paw withdrawal pain was measured by a thermal stimulation pain instrument;the serum NF-κB,iNOS,and NO levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The pathomorphological changes of spinal nerve roots were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining;quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect iNOS mRNA expression in spinal nerve roots;the NF-κB and iNOS protein expression in spinal nerve roots was detected by the immunofluorescence method.Results:Compared with the sham operation group,the threshold of paw withdrawal pain in the model group was decreased,and the expression levels of serum NF-κB,iNOS,and NO were increased;HE staining showed many degenerated and dissolved Schwann cells in spinal nerve roots with vacuolar changes;meanwhile,the expression levels of NF-κB and iNOS proteins,and the iNOS mRNA in spinal nerve roots were increased.Compared with the model group,the paw withdrawal pain thresholds in acupuncture group 1 and acupuncture group 2 were increased,and the increase in acupuncture group 2 was greater(P<0.05);the expression levels of serum NF-κB,iNOS,and NO in acupuncture group 1 and acupuncture group 2 were decreased,especially in acupuncture group 2(P<0.01);the vacuolar changes of spinal nerve roots,and the degeneration and lysis of Schwann cells in acupuncture group 1 and acupuncture group 2 were decreased,which were more obvious in acupuncture group 2;the NF-κB and iNOS protein expression and the iNOS mRNA expression levels in spinal nerve roots of acupuncture group 1 and acupuncture group 2 were decreased,especially in acupuncture group 2(P<0.01).Conclusion:Acupuncture at Houxi(SI3)and Huantiao(GB30)can improve the morphology of spinal nerve roots,inhibit the NF-κB and iNOS protein expression levels in spinal nerve roots and the serum NO level,and relieve the pain caused by inflammation of spinal nerve roots,which may be one of the mechanisms of acupuncture in LDH treatment.

Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of nonablative 1 565-nm Er:Glass fractional laser in the treatment of striae gravidarum.Methods The left and right sides of the abdomens of 30 subjects with striae gravidarum were divided into 2 groups by simple randomization:treatment group treated with nonablative 1 565-nm Er:Glass fractional laser every 4 weeks for 3 sessions,and control group receiving no treatment.These subjects were followed up at the baseline,4th,8th and 12th week.At the same time,photos were taken,the skin flexibility was evaluated,and the width of striae was measured.Four weeks after the final treatment,clinical improvement was evaluated by 2 doctors,who were blind to the therapeutic protocol,according to clinical photos and three-dimensional (3D) images,and satisfaction scores were also evaluated.Skin biopsies were taken from the left and right sides of the abdomens of 3 subjects,and subjected to histopathological examination.Four months after the final treatment,all the subjects were telephoned for evaluation of adverse reactions and recurrence.Results A total of 27 subjects completed the whole trial.Four weeks after the final treatment,25 (92.6％) of the 27 subjects were considered to achieve an improvement by doctors.However,21 (77.8％) of the 27 subjects considered themselves to achieve an improvement.After 3 sessions of treatment,the treatment group showed a significant decrease in the largest width of striae from 4.852 mm to 3.296 mm (P ＜ 0.001) and a significant increase in skin flexibility from 0.803 to 0.878 (P ＜ 0.001).Histopathologically,the control group showed obviously atrophic epidermis and decreased collagen and elastin in the dermis,while the treatment group showed thickened epidermis and dermis,extended rete ridges,and increased collagen and elastic fibers which arranged more regularly.Immediate adverse reactions during the treatment included erythema and edema,and other adverse reactions included mild crust,itching and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).PIH was improved at 4 months after the final treatment compared with that at 4 weeks after the final treatment.Conclusion The nonablative 1 565-nm Er:Glass fractional laser can markedly improve the width and appearance of striae gravidarum,and increase skin flexibility in the treatment region.

Objective:To explore the diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/MR imaging for liver metastasis. Methods:A retrospective analysis of 75 cases (46 males, 29 females; age (58.9±14.3) years) with suspected liver metastases from January 2020 to October 2020 in Ruijin Hospital were performed. All patients underwent PET/MR and enhanced upper abdominal CT scans. Diagnostic efficacies of enhanced CT, PET, MR and PET/MR for liver metastases (based on lesions and patients respectively) were calculated and compared (McNemar test).Results:A total of 306 liver lesions were detected in 75 patients, of which 179 lesions in 45 patients were confirmed as liver metastases through follow-up or pathology. In lesion-based analysis, the sensitivities of enhanced CT, PET, MR and PET/MR were 74.9%(134/179), 60.3%(108/179), 98.9%(177/179) and 100%(179/179), with specificities of 96.9%(123/127), 100%(127/127), 92.9%(118/127) and 92.1%(117/127), respectively. The diagnostic efficacy of PET/MR was significantly higher than that of enhanced CT and PET ( χ2 values: 51.000 and 81.000, both P<0.001), but there was no statistical difference between PET/MR and MR ( χ2=2.000, P=0.368). In patient-based analysis, the sensitivities of enhanced CT, PET, MR and PET/MR were 82.2%(37/45), 84.4%(38/45), 95.6%(43/45) and 100%(45/45), with specificities of 86.7%(26/30), 100%(30/30), 70.0%(21/30) and 70.0%(21/30), respectively. The diagnostic efficacies of enhanced CT and PET were statistically different from PET/MR ( χ2 values: 13.000 and 16.000, both P<0.05), but there was no statistical difference between MR and PET/MR ( χ2=2.000, P=0.368). Conclusions:Compared with enhanced CT, PET and MR, 18F-FDG PET/MR has a higher detective rate for liver metastases. The overall diagnostic efficacy of 18F-FDG PET/MR is better than enhanced CT and PET alone, but similar to MR.

Objective:To explore the added value of T 1-weighted stack-of-stars volumetric interpolated body examination (StarVIBE) sequence on PET/MR image quality. Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 60 patients (42 males, 18 females; age 11-86 (58±12) years) who underwent 18F-FDG PET/MR examination and with positive PET results in Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from April 2020 to April 2021. All patients completed StarVIBE sequence collection, and volumetric interpolated body examination (VIBE) sequence was used as control. StarVIBE and VIBE sequence images were evaluated independently using five-point method by two physicians. The evaluation was carried out from six aspects: lesion display, lesion boundary display, vascular around lesions display, fusion level with PET image, image artifact and overall image quality. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare the image quality of the two sequences, and Kappa test was performed to assess the consistency of the image quality scores between the two physicians. Results:There were 26 cases with cervical lesions, 14 cases with chest lesions, 7 cases with abdomen lesions and 13 cases with pelvic lesions. The scores of lesion display (4.0(3.8, 4.5) vs 3.5(3.0, 4.0)), lesion boundary display (4.0(4.0, 4.0) vs 3.0(3.0, 3.5)), vascular around lesions display (5.0(4.0, 5.0) vs 4.0(3.5, 4.5)), fusion level with PET image (5.0(5.0, 5.0) vs 4.5(4.0, 5.0)), image artifact (4.5(4.0, 5.0) vs 4.5(4.0, 5.0)) and overall image quality (5.0(4.0, 5.0) vs 4.0(4.0, 4.0)) of StarVIBE sequences were better than those of VIBE sequences ( z values: 3.77-6.54, all P<0.001). On the vascular around the lesions display, the scores of StarVIBE were significantly better than those of VIBE sequence in the neck (5.0(4.5, 5.0) vs 3.0(2.7, 3.5); z=4.49, P<0.001) and chest (4.5(4.3, 4.7) vs 4.0(3.6, 4.3); z=3.10, P=0.002). As for image quality, the scores of StarVIBE were also significantly better than those of VIBE in neck (5.0(4.5, 5.0) vs 4.0(3.7, 4.5); z=4.36, P<0.001) and chest (5.0(5.0, 5.0) vs 4.0(4.0, 4.5); z=3.02, P=0.003). In abdominal lesions, the score of StarVIBE was higher than that of VIBE in blood vessels (4.5(3.5, 5.0) vs 4.0(3.5, 4.5); z=2.07, P=0.038), and there was no difference between score of overall image quality (4.0(3.7, 4.5) vs 4.0(3.5, 4.5); z=0.27, P=0.785). The score of overall image quality of pelvic StarVIBE sequence was better than that of VIBE sequence (5.0(4.5, 5.0) vs 4.0(4.0, 4.5); z=2.12, P=0.034). Kappa value of image quality score between two physicians was 0.554, indicating moderate consistency. Conclusion:In whole-body PET/MR imaging, StarVIBE sequence can significantly improve the image quality of cervical, thoracic and pelvic lesions when comparing with VIBE sequence.

Objective:To analyze the clinical value of 18F-FDG PET/MR for precise localization of epileptogenic foci in patients with refractory epilepsy. Methods:From February 2019 to December 2021, 81 patients (52 males, 29 females; age (30.0±10.9) years) with refractory epilepsy confirmed in Ruijin Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine were retrospectively enrolled. All patients underwent preoperative PET/MR exam, and the possible position of the epileptogenic foci were determined by PET/MR imaging and pre-surgical evaluation, then the stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) electrodes were implanted. Surgery was performed, and outcome was assessed by using a modified Engel classification two years after surgery. χ2 test was used to compare the detection rates of MRI and PET/MR fusion imaging in localizing epileptogenic foci and the detection rates of epileptogenic foci in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and extratemporal lobe epilepsy (ETLE) by PET/MR. Results:MRI correctly localized seizure foci in 38 patients, with the detection rate of 46.91%(38/81), while PET/MR detected seizure foci in 73 patients, with the detection rate of 90.12%(73/81; χ2=35.05, P<0.001). There were 63 TLE and 18 ETLE patients. The detection rate of PET/MR in localizing seizure foci in TLE patients was 95.24%(60/63), which was significantly higher than that in ETLE patients (13/18; χ2=5.94, P=0.015). After 2 years follow-up, the postoperative efficacy rate of TLE patients with Engel grades Ⅰ-Ⅱ was 76.19%(48/63), which was 13/18 of ETLE patients ( χ2=0.12, P=0.731). Conclusion:Hybrid PET/MR imaging can accurately locate epileptogenic foci, especially for MRI negative lesions, which provides precision imaging information for surgical planning and improves surgical success rate.