Objective Carotid artery stenosis is closely related not only with the cognitive function impairment, but also can cause patients to physical fatigue and a series of consequences.The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between carotid artery stenting for carotid artery stenosis in patients with cognitive function improvement effect and fatigue and cognitive function in this paper. Methods One hundred cases of clinical data of patients with carotid artery stenosis of carotid artery stentingwere analyze pro-spectively.The cognitive scales of mini mental state examination (mini mental scale state examination, MMSE), Montreal cognitive as-sessment(Montreal cognitive, assessment, MoCA), activities of daily living scale (activities of dailyliving, ADL), fast vocabulary test ( verbal fluency) , Webster's count test, digit span test( working memory) , Digit Symbol Substitution Test ( speed) and the the fatigue scales of fatigue assessment scale-14 ( Fatigue Scale-14, FS-14) , fatigue severity scale ( FatigueSeverity Scale, FSS-9) were observed before and 3, 6 months after surgery.The correlation between fatigue and cognitive impairment was also analyzed Results Operation was successful in all patients, and no serious complications occurred after surgery.Patients'clinical symptoms were significantly im-proved compared with those on admission.MMSE, MoCA, ADL, verbal fluency test, Wechsler arithmetic, digit span and digit symbol substitution test results showed that, the scores were significantly improved compared with those on admission( P<0.05) , and with the time prolonging, cognitive function improved more obviously( P<0.001) .Compared with before operation,FS-14 score [ ( 7.11±1.37) vs (4.38±0.97)] and FSS-9 scores were significantly decreased6 months after operation, [(52.45±6.77) vs (43.29±7.21)](P<0.05). The correlation coefficient of FS-14 and MMSE, FFS 9 and MMSE were -0.357, -0.311 6 months after surgery, and the correlation coefficientof FSS-14 and MoCA, FSS-9 and MoCA were -0.547,-0.351, which showed a significant negative correlation (P<0.05). Conclusion Carotid artery stenting therapy can improve cognitive function and fatigue in patients with carotid artery stenosis, and the effect was more significant with the time prolonging, and there was a certain correlation between fatigue and cognitive impairment.

Objective To compare magnetization transfer and diffusion characteristics of multiple sclerosis(MS)lesions,normal-appearing white matter(NAWM)from patients,and normal white matter from control subjects,and to investigate the correlation between the magnetization transfer ratio(MTR)and mean diffusivity(MD)in MS patients.Methods Conventional MRI,magnetization transfer imaging(MTI)and diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)were performed in 24 relapsing remitting MS patients and 24 healthy volunteers.Based on these images,the MTR,MD and fractional anisotropy(FA)maps were obtained.Then the MTR,MD and FA values were measured in lesions and NAWM from patients,and in the relevant white matter regions from volunteers.Results Average MTR in lesions(23.49%?5.16%)from MS patients was lower than those both in NAWM(29.49%?3.38%)and in the counterparts of the controls(32.78%?3.42%,F=101.44,P

Objective To investigate the feature brain damage and clinical manifestations in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) patients; To investigate the relationship between serum NMO-IgG antibody and NMO brain damage. Methods Clinical data of 37 NMO patients and their head and spinal cord MRI by 1.5T superconducting MR scanner, were analyzed; serum NMO-IgG antibody were measured by immunofluorescence. Results 17 cases were found to have abnormal signals on MRI, which were mainly in the white matter, pons, medulla, ventricle, aqueduct, and around the corpus callosum; According to pathological changes, brain damage can be divided into scattered irregularity (13 cases), fusion (3 cases),multiple sclerosis-like (1 case) ,with scattered irregularity more common,5 cases had clinical manifestations of brain damage: somnolence, vomiting, diplopia, visual rotation, 11 cases patients with brainstem damage show positive serum NMO-IgG antibodies. Conclusions Brain damage can be seen in half of NMO patients, they often located in the high expression area of AQP4: brain white matter, periventricular,brainstem and so on. Clinical symptoms has nothing to do with the size of lesions but the location, they often occur when brainstem was involved. Serum NMO-IgG is helpful in differentiating NMO with brain damage and MS.

Objective To investigate whether abnormalities can be detected in normal-appearing white matter(NAWM)and normal-appearing white matter(NAGM)in patients with clinically isolated syndrome(CIS)and comparing them to the abnormalities in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis(RRMS)by using diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)histogram.To detect the potential relationship between DTI indices of NAWM,NAGM and patient's clinical condition.Methods Nineteen patients with CIS,19 clinically diagnosed RRMS patients and 19 sex-and age-matched healthy volunteers were included in this study.Conventional MRI and DTI images were obtained using Siemens 1.5 T Magnetom sonata scanner.DTI histograms of NAWM and NAGM were obtained after post-processing.The mean value,peak height,peak location of the histogram were used for analysis.All data was statistically processed with SPSS for Windows.Results NAWM average MD was higher and FA was lower in RRMS[MD(0.83±0.04)×10-3mm2/s,FA 0.36±0.03]when compared to CIS[MD(0.79±0.02)×10-3mm2/s,FA 0.40±0.02]and control[MD(0.78±0.02)×10-3mm2/s,FA 0.41±0.01](P＜0.01).But no statistically significant difference was found between CIS and control.The peak height of NAWM average MD histogram was significantly lower in CIS than control(P＜0.05),while the peak location of average FA histogram shifted to the left(P＜0.01).Patients with CIS[(1.08±0.06)×10-3mm2/s]showed significantly higher NAGM average MD than control[(1.03±0.05)×10-3mm2/s](P＜0.05),but,lower than RRMS[(1.18±0.12)×10-3mm2/s](P＞0.01).There were no correlation between DTI indices and EDSS scores in patients with CIS.Moderate correlation between NAGM average MD(r=0.568,P＜0.05)and EDSS scores were found in patient with RRMS.Conclusion NAWM and NAGM abnormalities do occur in CIS which can be detected by DTI.The underlying pathological changes in NAWM and NAGM in CIS may be milder than RRMS as demonstrated by DTI histogram.

Objective To investigate the feature of regional grey matter volume changes in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients by voxel-based morphometry ( VBM) and presume the possible pathophysiological basis.Methods Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and T1-weighted three-dimensional MRI were obtained from 32 RRMS and 32 sex- and age-matched normal controls.The comparison of grey matter volume between the two groups was analyzed by statistical analysis software SPM5 and VBM.A Pearson correlational analysis was used to assess correlation between gre matter loss and disease duration,expanded disability status scale (EDSS) and visible brain lesion volume.Results Compared with normal controls,RRMS patients had extensive bilateral grey matter atrophy in thalami (left 2031 and right 1711),caudate (left 815 and right 1031) and parahippocampal gyrus (left 313 and right 467),as well as several cortical regions in frontal,temporal,parietal,and occipital lobes (t value were between 8.853 and 11.163,all P ＜ 0.01).Regional grey matter loss in bilateral thalami ( r value were - 0.596 on left and were - 0.694 on right) and right caudate ( r = - 0.409 ) were strongly negatively correlated with visible brain lesion volume in RRMS (all P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions By means of VBM,extensive grey matter atrophy are found in RRMS patients,especially in deep grey matter.Axonal degeneration secondary to visible brain lesions may be a key pathogenesis of grey matter atrophy in RRMS.

Objective To investigate the effect of multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment including ex-utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure to improve the prenatal survival rate of fetus with neck mass.Methods Multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment model were carried out in four pregnancy women with fetal neck mass from September 2007 to February 2010.The model included prenatal assessment and monitoring,EXIT procedure during cesarean section,neonatal reassessment and surgical treatment by the cooperation of obstetricians,neonatologists,children surgeons,sonographers and anesthetists.Results All patients underwent cesarean section after 37gestational weeks.Mean delivery time was 37+4 weeks (37-38+3 weeks); mean birth weight was 2972 g (2600-3250 g); mean operation time was 4 min (2-7 min).The gestational age of primary diagnosis of fetal neck mass was 24-34 gestational weeks.After delivery,the size of neck mass was from 3.0 cm × 2.0 cm × 1.0 cm to 6.2 cm× 5.8 cm × 6.8 cm.The tracheal compression and displacement were found by color doppler ultrasound scan and magnetic resonance imaging in all cases.Two of them were completed with polyhydramnios and the others with normal volume of amniotic fluid.EXIT procedure was successfully carried out during cesarean section.Neonatal reassessment showed the trachea of three infants were obviously compressed and lapsed by enhanced CT; the infants relied on mechanical ventilation after birth and underwent operation on day 6 to 8.Tracheal impression was not presented in one infant and trachea cannula was removed on the second day,operation was not performed.All of those infants had good outcomes.Conclusions The multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment model,including EXIT procedure,is a safe,efficient and feasible strategy,which is necessary for fetus with neck mass.

Objective To detect changes of regional grey matter and white matter volume in patients of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) by voxel-based morphometry (VBM),and investigate its relationship with clinical variables.Methods Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and structural threedimensional MRI were obtained from 20 NMO and 20 sex-and age-matched healthy volunteers.The comparison of grey matter and white matter volume between the two groups was analyzed by VBM tools of statistical parametric mapping (SPM) 5.Pearson correlational analysis was used to assess correlations between regional volume decrease and disease duration and expanded disability status scale (EDSS) scores in NMO patients.Results Compared with normal controls,NMO patients had grey matter atrophy in several cortical regions,such as right inferior frontal gyrus (cluster size 514),left superior temporal gyrus (282),right middle temporal gyvus (229) and right insula (211) (t =3.58-5.11,AlphaSim corrected,P ＜0.05).White matter atrophy was found in several subcortical regions in NMO patients,such as right precentral and postcentral gyrus (cluster size 457,110),left middle frontal gyrus (285),and right inferior parietal lobule (231) (t =2.90-4.25,AlphaSim corrected,P ＜ 0.05).Grey matter and white matter volume loss were not significantly correlated with clinical duration or EDSS score in NMO.Conclusion By means of VBM,regional atrophy of grey matter and white matter is found in NMO patients,which may provide evidence for brain structural abnormality in NMO.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of angioplasty for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. Methods Eighty-two patients with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis whom underwent angioplasty after the failure of standard medical therapy were enrolled from Nan-jing Stroke Registry Program from September 2010 to June 2013.Nine of them underwent routine balloon angioplasty alone and 73 underwent intracranial stenting.The median time from onset to surgery was 24.5 days.The occurrence of endpoint events (any stroke ≤30 d after procedure,death and ischemic stroke >30 d in guilty vessels or original stenosis had restenosis and needed to be treated again)was assessed. The incidence of restenosis was followed up with imaging (CTA or DSA). Results (1)In the 82 patients, the success rate of operation was 92.7%(n=72 ),and 78 (95.1%)received follow-up,4 were lost to follow-up.The median follow-up time was 22.5 months (range 9 to 29 months ).Ten patients had an endpoint event,7 of them were ischemic stroke,1 was cerebral hemorrhage,and two were severe asymptomatic restenosis who underwent stenting again.The endpoint events of 3 patients occurred at day 30 after procedure (at ≤24 h after procedure).Kaplan-Meier curves showed that the incidences of cumulative endpoint events at 1,6,12,and 24 months were 3.7%,8.6%,11%,and 13%,respectively.(2)60 patients (73.2%)received imaging examination (11 CTA and 49 DSA ).Restenosis occurred in 17 patients (28.3%),among them the incidence of symptomatic restenosis was 5%(n =3 ),and asymptomatic restenosis was 23.3%(n=14). Conclusion After a comprehensive assessment and a rigorous screening, the safety is high and the mid- and long-term efficacy are satisfactory in patients with symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis who are treated with angioplasty when their medical treatment is invalid.

Objective:To develop an intervention program for symptom clusters in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) during the consolidation and reinforcement phase based on symptom management theory from a sociopsychological perspective.Methods:An initial draft of the intervention program for symptom clusters in children with ALL during the consolidation and reinforcement phase was prepared through literature review and group discussions. Purposeful sampling was used to select 20 experts as respondents for a Delphi method consultation. After two rounds of expert consultations, adjustments and improvements were made to the relevant indicators, resulting in the final version of the intervention program.Results:The effective response rates for the two rounds of expert consultations were 80% (16/20) and 100% (20/20), respectively. The authority coefficients for the experts were 0.816 and 0.838, while the Kendall's coordination coefficients were 0.207 and 0.397 ( P<0.01 for both rounds). The final intervention program comprised 3 primary items, 7 secondary items, and 27 tertiary items. Conclusions:The intervention program for symptom clusters in children with ALL during the consolidation and reinforcement phase, developed from a sociopsychological perspective, demonstrates scientific validity, reliability, and feasibility. It can offer guidance and reference for symptom management in children with ALL.

The molecular pathological indicators play a key role in diagnosis and treatment of diffuse glioma(DG).Rapidly developed artificial intelligence(AI)technology had provided an objective and non-invasive tool for predicting molecular pathology and prognosis of DG.The research progresses of MRI combined with AI technology for predicting important molecular pathology of DG were reviewed in this article.