Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of the ballistic-ultrasound-negative pressure three-in-one energy platform (Trilogy) for micro-channel percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mini-PCNL).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 140 patients with upper urinary tract stones treated at Tianjin Medical University Second Hospital from February to October 2024. All patients underwent mini-PCNL and were divided into the holmium laser group and the Trilogy group based on the stone fragmentation equipment used during the procedure. There were 69 patients in the holmium laser group and 71 in the Trilogy group. The two groups had similar mean ages (55.1±10.2 years vs. 53.4±10.8 years), male patient proportions (50 cases, 72.5% vs. 50 cases, 70.4%), body mass indices (25.2±3.6 kg/m 2 vs. 25.3±4.0 kg/m 2), incidence rates of hypertension (29 cases, 42.0% vs. 31 cases, 43.7%), diabetes (15 cases, 21.7% vs. 12 cases, 16.9%), mean cumulative stone lengths (39.2±12.6 mm vs. 35.9±14.8 mm), total stone volumes preoperatively (6 184.3±3 653.5 mm 3 vs. 5 644.9±4 173.8 mm 3), mean CT values for stones (1 138.2±264.3 HU vs. 1 151.3±208.0 HU), stone locations (ureter 14 cases, 20.3% vs. 22 cases, 31.0%; kidney 48 cases, 69.6% vs. 39 cases, 54.9%; both ureter and kidney 7 cases, 10.1% vs. 10 cases, 14.1%), preoperative mean urinary white blood cell counts [9.6(3.6, 31.2) cells/HPF vs. 11.9(3.8, 34.5) cells/HPF], proportions of patients with preoperative urinary white blood cells (+ + + ; 23 cases, 33.3% vs. 25 cases, 35.2%), nitrite positivity rates (4 cases, 5.8% vs. 3 cases, 4.2%), and urine culture positivity rates (12 cases, 17.4% vs. 18 cases, 25.4%) showed no statistically significant differences. The proportion of patients with moderate or higher hydronephrosis in the holmium laser group was lower than that in the Trilogy group (32 cases, 46.4% vs. 47 cases, 66.2%, P=0.018). The holmium laser group utilized holmium laser lithotripsy, where stone fragments were either flushed out with a vortex or retrieved with a stone basket. The Trilogy group employed a three-in-one energy platform to break the stones. This device incorporated pneumatic ballistic, ultrasound, and negative pressure suction capabilities within the same metallic probe, allowing the stone to be fragmented into small pieces while simultaneously performing ultrasonic negative pressure stone clearance. The parameters for the three-in-one energy platform were adjusted based on intraoperative conditions, typically setting negative pressure at 30%-50%, ultrasound power at 80%-100%, ballistic power at 80%, and frequency at 8 Hz. During the stone fragmentation process, the ballistic device fragmented the stones while ultrasound further reduced larger fragments and removed them. Some fragments that were difficult to break could also be flushed out or retrieved with a stone basket. The efficiency of stone clearance (volume of stones cleared per unit time) was compared between the two groups, as well as the stone-free rates on postoperative day 1 and day 30. Stone clearance time was defined as the duration from the start of fragmentation to the placement of the nephrostomy tube. Changes in postoperative white blood cells, hemoglobin, and albumin levels compared to preoperative levels, as well as the incidence of Clavien-Dindo complications, were compared between the two groups. Equipment failure incidents were recorded (fiber fracture in the holmium laser group indicating it could not be used; probe fracture in the Trilogy group). Patients were sub-grouped based on stone CT values into CT ≥ 1 000 HU and CT < 1 000 HU categories to compare stone clearance efficiency between the two devices within each sub-group. In the CT≥1 000 HU sub-group, there were 51 cases in the holmium laser group and 54 in the Trilogy group, there were no significant differences in preoperative total stone volume (6 785.0±3 902.3 mm 3 vs. 5 678.1±4 297.7 mm 3). In the CT < 1 000 HU sub-group, there were 18 cases in the holmium laser group and 17 in the Trilogy group. There were no significant differences between the groups in preoperative total stone volume (4 482.2±2 110.6 mm 3 vs. 5 530.9±3 845.3 mm 3). Results:The overall stone clearance efficiency in the Trilogy group was higher than that in the holmium laser group (87.9±35.7 mm 3/min vs. 77.1±24.3 mm 3/min, P=0.038). There were no significant differences in residual stone volume before discharge [5.5(0, 84.0) mm 3 vs. 5.3(0, 175.0) mm 3], stone clearance time (79.4±43.2 min vs. 66.6±49.7 min), or the proportion of patients using stone baskets during the procedure (33 cases, 47.8% vs. 36 cases, 50.7%). Postoperative changes in white blood cells, hemoglobin, and albumin compared to preoperative levels were not significantly different [(4.1±2.9)×10 9/L vs. (3.3±2.2)×10 9/L; (-2.9±10.5) g/L vs. (-1.6±9.3) g/L; (-2.5±3.6) g/L vs. (-1.8±5.0) g/L] Furthermore, there were no statistically significant differences in equipment failure rates (1 case, 1.4% vs. 4 cases, 5.6%), stone-free rates (postoperative day 1: 43 cases, 62.3% vs. 47 cases, 66.2%; postoperative day 30: 50 cases, 72.5% vs. 53 cases, 74.6%), or Clavien-Dindo complication rates (grade Ⅰ: 11 cases, 15.9% vs. 8 cases, 11.3%; grade Ⅱ: 2 cases, 2.8% vs. 0 cases; grade Ⅲ: 1 case, 1.4% vs. 0 cases). In the CT ≥ 1 000 HU sub-group, the clearance time for the holmium laser was longer than that for Trilogy (93.3±41.0 min vs. 74.6±51.9 min, P=0.044), there were no significant differences in residual stone volume before discharge [6.3(1.6, 173.8) mm 3 vs. 4.5(0, 69.0) mm 3] between the two groups. In the CT < 1 000 HU sub-group, the overall stone clearance efficiency of the Trilogy group exceeded that of the holmium laser group (134.2±38.0 mm 3/min vs. 105.5 ± 7.1 mm 3/min, P=0.004), there were no significant differences between the groups in residual stone volume before discharge [0(0, 51.1) mm 3 vs. 16.3(0, 957.2) mm 3], or stone clearance time (40.2±18.1 min vs. 39.1±27.5 min). Conclusions:In mini-PCNL surgery, the stone fragmentation efficiency of the three-in-one lithotripsy energy platform is superior to that of the holmium laser, while the overall complication rate is comparable to that of the holmium laser.

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of Delphian lymph node (DLN) metastasis (DLNM) in predicting regional lymph node involvement in patients with intrathyroidal papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).Methods:Clinical and pathological data from 345 consecutive patients with pathologically confirmed DLN status, who underwent initial surgical treatment at the Department of Surgical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine between Jan 2020 and Dec 2022, were retrospectively analyzed.Results:DLNM was identified in 61 patients (17.7%). Univariate analysis revealed significant associations between DLNM and male sex, elevated preoperative thyroglobulin levels, larger tumor size, maximum tumor diameter >10 mm, bilateral lesions, multifocality, lymphovascular invasion, and lymph nodes metastases in pretracheal, paratracheal, and lateral cervical(all P ≤0.001). Elevated thyroglobulin antibody levels ( χ2=6.201, P=0.013) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis ( χ2=11.340, P<0.001) were protective factors for DLNM. Multivariate analysis identified male sex, lymphovascular invasion, pretracheal, and paratracheal lymph node metastases ( χ2=6.689, P=0.010; χ2=8.163, P=0.004; χ2=7.605, P=0.006; χ2=8.324, P=0.004) as independent risk indicators for DLNM. Patients with DLNM exhibited significantly higher risks of lymph nodes metastases in pretracheal ( χ2=27.307, P<0.001), paratracheal ( χ2=38.697, P<0.001), and lateral cervical ( χ2=36.459, P<0.001). Conclusion:DLNM demonstrates predictive value for both central compartment and lateral cervical lymph node metastases, warranting particular attention to meticulous dissection of the prelaryngeal region during surgery.

Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of the ballistic-ultrasound-negative pressure three-in-one energy platform (Trilogy) for micro-channel percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mini-PCNL).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 140 patients with upper urinary tract stones treated at Tianjin Medical University Second Hospital from February to October 2024. All patients underwent mini-PCNL and were divided into the holmium laser group and the Trilogy group based on the stone fragmentation equipment used during the procedure. There were 69 patients in the holmium laser group and 71 in the Trilogy group. The two groups had similar mean ages (55.1±10.2 years vs. 53.4±10.8 years), male patient proportions (50 cases, 72.5% vs. 50 cases, 70.4%), body mass indices (25.2±3.6 kg/m 2 vs. 25.3±4.0 kg/m 2), incidence rates of hypertension (29 cases, 42.0% vs. 31 cases, 43.7%), diabetes (15 cases, 21.7% vs. 12 cases, 16.9%), mean cumulative stone lengths (39.2±12.6 mm vs. 35.9±14.8 mm), total stone volumes preoperatively (6 184.3±3 653.5 mm 3 vs. 5 644.9±4 173.8 mm 3), mean CT values for stones (1 138.2±264.3 HU vs. 1 151.3±208.0 HU), stone locations (ureter 14 cases, 20.3% vs. 22 cases, 31.0%; kidney 48 cases, 69.6% vs. 39 cases, 54.9%; both ureter and kidney 7 cases, 10.1% vs. 10 cases, 14.1%), preoperative mean urinary white blood cell counts [9.6(3.6, 31.2) cells/HPF vs. 11.9(3.8, 34.5) cells/HPF], proportions of patients with preoperative urinary white blood cells (+ + + ; 23 cases, 33.3% vs. 25 cases, 35.2%), nitrite positivity rates (4 cases, 5.8% vs. 3 cases, 4.2%), and urine culture positivity rates (12 cases, 17.4% vs. 18 cases, 25.4%) showed no statistically significant differences. The proportion of patients with moderate or higher hydronephrosis in the holmium laser group was lower than that in the Trilogy group (32 cases, 46.4% vs. 47 cases, 66.2%, P=0.018). The holmium laser group utilized holmium laser lithotripsy, where stone fragments were either flushed out with a vortex or retrieved with a stone basket. The Trilogy group employed a three-in-one energy platform to break the stones. This device incorporated pneumatic ballistic, ultrasound, and negative pressure suction capabilities within the same metallic probe, allowing the stone to be fragmented into small pieces while simultaneously performing ultrasonic negative pressure stone clearance. The parameters for the three-in-one energy platform were adjusted based on intraoperative conditions, typically setting negative pressure at 30%-50%, ultrasound power at 80%-100%, ballistic power at 80%, and frequency at 8 Hz. During the stone fragmentation process, the ballistic device fragmented the stones while ultrasound further reduced larger fragments and removed them. Some fragments that were difficult to break could also be flushed out or retrieved with a stone basket. The efficiency of stone clearance (volume of stones cleared per unit time) was compared between the two groups, as well as the stone-free rates on postoperative day 1 and day 30. Stone clearance time was defined as the duration from the start of fragmentation to the placement of the nephrostomy tube. Changes in postoperative white blood cells, hemoglobin, and albumin levels compared to preoperative levels, as well as the incidence of Clavien-Dindo complications, were compared between the two groups. Equipment failure incidents were recorded (fiber fracture in the holmium laser group indicating it could not be used; probe fracture in the Trilogy group). Patients were sub-grouped based on stone CT values into CT ≥ 1 000 HU and CT < 1 000 HU categories to compare stone clearance efficiency between the two devices within each sub-group. In the CT≥1 000 HU sub-group, there were 51 cases in the holmium laser group and 54 in the Trilogy group, there were no significant differences in preoperative total stone volume (6 785.0±3 902.3 mm 3 vs. 5 678.1±4 297.7 mm 3). In the CT < 1 000 HU sub-group, there were 18 cases in the holmium laser group and 17 in the Trilogy group. There were no significant differences between the groups in preoperative total stone volume (4 482.2±2 110.6 mm 3 vs. 5 530.9±3 845.3 mm 3). Results:The overall stone clearance efficiency in the Trilogy group was higher than that in the holmium laser group (87.9±35.7 mm 3/min vs. 77.1±24.3 mm 3/min, P=0.038). There were no significant differences in residual stone volume before discharge [5.5(0, 84.0) mm 3 vs. 5.3(0, 175.0) mm 3], stone clearance time (79.4±43.2 min vs. 66.6±49.7 min), or the proportion of patients using stone baskets during the procedure (33 cases, 47.8% vs. 36 cases, 50.7%). Postoperative changes in white blood cells, hemoglobin, and albumin compared to preoperative levels were not significantly different [(4.1±2.9)×10 9/L vs. (3.3±2.2)×10 9/L; (-2.9±10.5) g/L vs. (-1.6±9.3) g/L; (-2.5±3.6) g/L vs. (-1.8±5.0) g/L] Furthermore, there were no statistically significant differences in equipment failure rates (1 case, 1.4% vs. 4 cases, 5.6%), stone-free rates (postoperative day 1: 43 cases, 62.3% vs. 47 cases, 66.2%; postoperative day 30: 50 cases, 72.5% vs. 53 cases, 74.6%), or Clavien-Dindo complication rates (grade Ⅰ: 11 cases, 15.9% vs. 8 cases, 11.3%; grade Ⅱ: 2 cases, 2.8% vs. 0 cases; grade Ⅲ: 1 case, 1.4% vs. 0 cases). In the CT ≥ 1 000 HU sub-group, the clearance time for the holmium laser was longer than that for Trilogy (93.3±41.0 min vs. 74.6±51.9 min, P=0.044), there were no significant differences in residual stone volume before discharge [6.3(1.6, 173.8) mm 3 vs. 4.5(0, 69.0) mm 3] between the two groups. In the CT < 1 000 HU sub-group, the overall stone clearance efficiency of the Trilogy group exceeded that of the holmium laser group (134.2±38.0 mm 3/min vs. 105.5 ± 7.1 mm 3/min, P=0.004), there were no significant differences between the groups in residual stone volume before discharge [0(0, 51.1) mm 3 vs. 16.3(0, 957.2) mm 3], or stone clearance time (40.2±18.1 min vs. 39.1±27.5 min). Conclusions:In mini-PCNL surgery, the stone fragmentation efficiency of the three-in-one lithotripsy energy platform is superior to that of the holmium laser, while the overall complication rate is comparable to that of the holmium laser.

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of Delphian lymph node (DLN) metastasis (DLNM) in predicting regional lymph node involvement in patients with intrathyroidal papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).Methods:Clinical and pathological data from 345 consecutive patients with pathologically confirmed DLN status, who underwent initial surgical treatment at the Department of Surgical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine between Jan 2020 and Dec 2022, were retrospectively analyzed.Results:DLNM was identified in 61 patients (17.7%). Univariate analysis revealed significant associations between DLNM and male sex, elevated preoperative thyroglobulin levels, larger tumor size, maximum tumor diameter >10 mm, bilateral lesions, multifocality, lymphovascular invasion, and lymph nodes metastases in pretracheal, paratracheal, and lateral cervical(all P ≤0.001). Elevated thyroglobulin antibody levels ( χ2=6.201, P=0.013) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis ( χ2=11.340, P<0.001) were protective factors for DLNM. Multivariate analysis identified male sex, lymphovascular invasion, pretracheal, and paratracheal lymph node metastases ( χ2=6.689, P=0.010; χ2=8.163, P=0.004; χ2=7.605, P=0.006; χ2=8.324, P=0.004) as independent risk indicators for DLNM. Patients with DLNM exhibited significantly higher risks of lymph nodes metastases in pretracheal ( χ2=27.307, P<0.001), paratracheal ( χ2=38.697, P<0.001), and lateral cervical ( χ2=36.459, P<0.001). Conclusion:DLNM demonstrates predictive value for both central compartment and lateral cervical lymph node metastases, warranting particular attention to meticulous dissection of the prelaryngeal region during surgery.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility and safety of a treatment system for stentless discharge after flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy assisted by flexible negative pressure sheath.Methods:The clinical data of 72 patients with upper urinary calculi admitted to the Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from November 2022 to February 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients achieved stentless discharge after flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy assisted by flexible negative pressure sheath. There were 50 males and 22 females. The average age was (54.7±12.1) years. Preoperative urine culture was positive in 14 cases, negative in 3 cases (4.2%)with nitrite positive, and 11 cases were negative for urine culture and nitrites but positive of white blood cells (+ + + ). There were 29 cases of renal calculi, 33 cases of upper ureteral calculi, and 10 cases of upper ureteral calculi combined with renal calculi.The mean stone diameter was 17.0(14.0, 24.0)mm. CT value was (1 049.3±258.6)HU. Twenty-four patients carried ureteral stents before operation. A total of 42 cases used ureteral sheaths with diameters of F11/13, and 30 cases used sheaths with diameters of F12/14.During the operation, an infusion pump was used to provide sufficient irrigation pressure. The negative pressure suction was attached to the distal end of the sheath. The flexible head of the sheath was guided to the target renal calyx, to completely aspirate stone fragments. Stone baskets was used in 11 cases during the procedure. The level of ureteral injury was assessed according to the Traxer grading system at the end of the operation. A ureteral stent with extraction string was retained.On the first day postoperatively, CT scanning was performed to evaluate the residual stone fragments. Patients were discharged on postoperative day 2-3 after the removal of the ureteral stent and catheter. Follow-up was conducted for 30 days postoperatively, during which the Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire (USSQ) was used to assess voiding symptoms and pain. Painkiller usage and emergency revisit situations were recorded. CT scans were performed to evaluate the stone-free rate on postoperative day 30.Results:The average operation time was 30.0 (20.0, 44.5) minutes. A total of 70 cases had no ureteral injuries, and 2 cases had Grade 1 ureteral injuries (minor mucosal damage). Three cases developed fever within 72 hours postoperatively, with no cases of septic shock or fever after stent removal. Eight patients reported waist and abdominal discomfort after discharge and took oral pain medication. Among them, one patient returned to the emergency department for pain treatment. Five patients reported moderate or severe genitourinary symptoms (including voiding frequency, nocturia, urgency/incontinence, dysuria, hematuria, and incomplete emptying) based on subjective evaluation. All patients could work and recovered a normal daily life after discharge and there was no readmission or additional surgical procedures. There were 61 patients achieved immediate stone-free status on the first day after surgery, and 66 patients achieved stone-free status during follow-up at 30 days postoperatively.Conclusions:Stentless discharge after flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy assisted by flexible negative pressure sheath is safe and feasible.

Objective:To investigate the effect of potassium sodium hydrogen citrate in the treatment of renal uric acid calculi with heavy load.Methods:The clinical data of 6 patients with intrarenal high-load uric acid calculi (long diameter >4 cm) treated with potassium sodium hydrogen citrate in our hospital from January 2018 to July 2020 were reviewed. All of the patients were male. Their ages ranged from 42 to 66 years, with an average age of 51.3 years old. The average length to diameter was 6.0(4.1-7.6) cm. The average density of stone was 475 (418-535) HU. The average blood uric acid was 453.3(258.7-570.0)μmol/L, and all patients had a urine pH ≤5.5. The blood uric acid level was higher than normal serum uric acid level before treatment, and 3 cases had a history of gout. Stone composition analysis revealed 100% uric acid stone in two patients before treatment. The remaining patients were more likely to have uric acid calculi before treatment. None of the patients had a history of urinary tract infection. All patients were treated with oral potassium sodium hydrogen citrate. During the treatment, the starting dose was 10g/ day, which was divided into 2.5 g after breakfast, 2.5 g after lunch and 5.0 g after dinner. The dose was adjusted according to the pH value of urine, and the urine pH was maintained between 6.5-7.0. CT plain scan was repeated every 2-3 months during the treatment period to evaluate the treatment effect.Result:After 2.5-8.0 months’ treatment, the stone load of all the patients was reduced to different degrees, and the average length diameter was shortened by 3.2cm, among which two patients’ stones disappeared. CT scan showed the stone edge changed from smooth to rough after the treatment, and there would be worm erosion defect and cavity on the surface and inside of the stone, showing obvious stone dissolution phenomenon.Conclusions:Potassium sodium hydrogen citrate has a good therapeutic effect on renal uric acid calculi with heavy load. Non-infected patients with uric acid calculi should be treated with potassium sodium hydrogen citrate.

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of denosumab in treatment of patients with pelvic giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) during perioperative period. Methods This is a retrospective observational study. Twenty-three patients diagnosed with pelvic GCTB undergoing perioperative denosumab treatment in Musculoskeletal Tumor Center of Peking University People's Hospital from January 2014 to December 2016 were reviewed. The subjective adverse reactions and mandibular X-ray films were used to assess the drug safety. As for efficacy, imaging findings (including X-ray, CT, magnetic resonance imaging) were reviewed. MSTS-93 scoring system was applied in the postoperative functional assessment. Histological response rate, objective response rate, clinical benefit rate and event-free survival rate were all used to deficit the efficacy of denosumab in the treatment of pelvic GCTB combined with surgery. All the results of postoperative were compared statistically with pelvic GCTB patients who underwent surgery in the same hospital from 1999 to 2009. Results All the patients were firstly diagnosed as classic GCTB except for one case which was malignant pelvic GCTB. All patients received denosumab preoperatively and/or postoperatively, and the average number of medications was 8.43. According to the surgical patterns, patients were divided into intralesional surgery group (13 cases) and wide resection group (10 cases). The follow-up was 5-47 months(mean:27.30 months),recurrence was observed in 2 cases in the intralesional surgery group, none in the wide resection group. After drug administration, 13 cases were partial response, 7 cases were stable disease, the objective response rate was 65.0 % (13/20), and the histologically clearance rate of giant cells was 85.0 % (17/20). No case of osteonecrosis of the jaw was observed in this study, and all laboratory indicators were normal. The average postoperative MSTS-93 score was 26.87. Compared with pelvic GCTB patients who underwent surgical treatment from 1999 to 2009, in the intralesional surgery group, there was no significant difference in the recurrence rate [15.4 % (2/13) vs. 30.8 % (4/13), P = 0.514], but the limb function was significantly increased (P= 0.002). Conclusions Denosumab combined with surgery plays an important role in the multidisciplinary treatment of pelvic GCTB. The neoadjuvant strategy can reduce patient's intraoperative blood loss by shrinking the tumor size which makes the intralesional curettage surgery possible, and also diminishing the recurrence rate. But more attention should be paid to secondary malignant GCTB during the use of denousmab.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging in pulmonary sclerosis pneumocytoma (PSP).Methods The clinical and PET/CT data of 16 patients with pathologically proved PSP were retrospectively analyzed.The location,shape,size,internal and external edge of the lesion,as well as the metabolism of the lesions were observed.The mean retention index (RI) was calculated in 6 patients with 18F-FDG PET/CT dual phase imaging.The difference of SUVmax between early and delayed phase were compared.And the correlation between the diameter of lesions and SUVmax were analyzed.Results There were 16 lesions in all 16 patients,including 7 cases located at right lung and 9 located at left lung.The lesions were round with the diameter of (1.97-4-0.61)cm.The uniform density were observed with the CT value of (29.87±4.71)HU.And there was no cystic degeneration and necrosis.Calcification was found in 5 lesions.The edge of 14 lesions was smooth,and the edge of another 2 lesions showed short spicular sign.Two lesions showed visible edges of ground glass opacity.There were 12 lesions with vascular welt sign and 3 lesions with air crescent sign.The SUVmax value of PSP was 2.71 ± 2.13.There was no significant difference between the early SUVmax (2.44±1.57) and delayed SUVmax (2.74±1.83) in patients with dual phase imaging (t=2.09,P＞0.05).RI was (7.23±10.29)％.There was no correlation between PSH diameter and SUVmax(r=0.188,P＞0.05).Conclusion Most of PSP showed solitary pulmonary nodules in PET/CT imaging.The radioactive distribution was mild and moderate increase.The vascular welt sign,air crescent sign and the surrounding ground glass opacity are the references findings of PSP.

Objective To study the microstructural characteristics of white matter fiber tracts of visual pathways using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)in the patients with primary glaucoma.Methods Twenty patients with primary bilateral glaucoma and 30 nor-mal adults were recruited and scanned with visual pathways magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)and DTI,obtaining T1 FLAIR ima-ges and directionally encoded color (DEC)images.On DEC images,ROIs were put in the anterior,middle and posterior part of bi-lateral optic nerve,optic tract and optic radiation,to calculate the average FA and MD value of each region.Results T1 FLAIR and DEC images could clearly show the optic nerve,optic tract and optic radiation.In patients with glaucoma,the FA values of optic nerve,optic tract and optic radiation were:0.372±0.040,0.340±0.036,0.31 5±0.026,while the MD values were:1.760±0.1 1, 1.831±0.09,1.927±0.10.The FA values of optic nerve,optic tract and optic radiation of normal adults were:0.538 ±0.073, 0.460±0.082,0.455±0.083,whilst the MD values were:0.995 ±0.27,1.312 ±0.40,1.347 ±0.37.Compared with the normal controls,FA values of all parts are deceased whereas the MD values of all parts are increased in patients.Conclusion Glaucoma is a central nervous system disease involving the whole visual pathways.Use DTI can evaluate the microstructural characteristics of white matter fiber tracts of visual pathways in the patients with glaucoma.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of somatostatin on chylothorax after congenital heart disease surgery in children.Methods Retrospective analysis was performed in 13 postoperative chylothorax cases from Jan.2003 to Dec.2012,who were divided into control group (n =6) and treatment group (n =7),and there was no significant difference in age,weight,and time of occurrence between the 2 groups.The diagnosis standard for chylothorax was the same.The changes of chylous volume during the treatment were analyzed between 2 groups,and healing time and other data were analyzed too.Results Control group:clinical cure in 3 cases,conservative treatment failed in 3 cases(2 cases recovered after operation and 1 case died).The chyle volume of control group reduced obviously compared with post treatment from beginning [(256.6 ± 124.2) mL/d] to 1 week [(155.5 ± 85.7) mL/d] and 2 weeks [(142.3 ± 110.3) mL/d] later(t =4.623,2.099 ; P =0.002,0.044).But it did not reduce obviously in 3 weeks later[(139.4 ± 113.4) mL/d] (t =1.745,P =0.07).Treatment group:6 cases in treatment group were successful in recovery after conservative treatment and 1 case underwent operation.The chyle volume of treatment group reduced obviously compared with post treatment from beginning to 1 week [(51.2 ± 18.7) mL/d] and 2 weeks [(19.3 ± 7.05) mL/d] later (t =5.549,6.638 ;P =0.001,0.001).Compared with the control group,the difference between 2 groups in post treatment (1 week later,2 weeks hater) was of statistical significance (t =2.900,2.412 ; P =0.014,0.034).The healing time of conservative treatment in 2 groups (only for recovery) had obvious difference [(32.8 ± 1.8) d,(25.2 ± 1.7) d] (t =2.512,P =0.028).Conclusions The use of somatostatin can significantly promote the recovery of chylothorax in children,and it should be actively used in early conservative treatment.