1.Role and mechanism of platelet-derived growth factor BB in repair of growth plate injury
Hongcheng PENG ; Guoxuan PENG ; Anyi LEI ; Yuan LIN ; Hong SUN ; Xu NING ; Xianwen SHANG ; Jin DENG ; Mingzhi HUANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(7):1497-1503
BACKGROUND:In the initial stage of growth plate injury inflammation,platelet-derived growth factor BB promotes the repair of growth plate injury by promoting mesenchymal progenitor cell infiltration,chondrogenesis,osteogenic response,and regulating bone remodeling. OBJECTIVE:To elucidate the action mechanism of platelet-derived growth factor BB after growth plate injury. METHODS:PubMed,VIP,WanFang,and CNKI databases were used as the literature sources.The search terms were"growth plate injury,bone bridge,platelet-derived growth factor BB,repair"in English and Chinese.Finally,66 articles were screened for this review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Growth plate injury experienced early inflammation,vascular reconstruction,fibroossification,structural remodeling and other pathological processes,accompanied by the crosstalk of chondrocytes,vascular endothelial cells,stem cells,osteoblasts,osteoclasts and other cells.Platelet-derived growth factor BB,as an important factor in the early inflammatory response of injury,regulates the injury repair process by mediating a variety of cellular inflammatory responses.Targeting the inflammatory stimulation mediated by platelet-derived growth factor BB may delay the bone bridge formation process by improving the functional activities of osteoclasts,osteoblasts,and chondrocytes,so as to achieve the injury repair of growth plate.Platelet-derived growth factor BB plays an important role in angiogenesis and bone repair tissue formation at the injured site of growth plate and intrachondral bone lengthening function of uninjured growth plate.Inhibition of the coupling effect between angiogenesis initiated by platelet-derived growth factor BB and intrachondral bone formation may achieve the repair of growth plate injury.
2.Theoretical Exploration of Same "Etiology-Mechanism-Syndrome-Treatment-Prevention" in Insomnia and Skin Aging
Bo XU ; Miao ZHU ; Kang SUN ; Yuan PENG ; Ping WANG ; Li YANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(10):72-78
Sleep, skin, and health are closely interconnected. Clinically, insomnia has a high incidence and is often accompanied by or secondary to skin aging. The two conditions exhibit "different diseases with the same syndrome", significantly affecting the physical and mental health of the Chinese population. Preventing and treating skin aging by improving insomnia is an important strategy, with the principle of "treating different diseases with the same approach" serving as a crucial therapeutic guideline. However, effective clinical prevention and treatment methods for both conditions remain lacking. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a profound theoretical foundation and notable efficacy in the concurrent treatment of insomnia and skin aging, yet there are few reports on the etiology, pathogenesis, therapeutic principles, and treatment methods of their shared treatment, warranting further exploration. Based on holistic view and syndrome differentiation and treatment in TCM, this study systematically investigates the theoretical origins of the shared manifestations of insomnia and skin aging from multiple dimensions, including etiology, pathological location, pathogenesis, disease nature, and prevention and treatment strategies. As early as Huangdi's Internal Classic (Huangdi Neijing), it was recognized that mental clarity during the day, sound sleep at night, and firm, healthy skin are key indicators of external health, whereas daytime lethargy, poor sleep quality, and dry, withered skin are prominent signs of aging. Maintaining mental clarity during the day and restful sleep at night is essential for skin integrity and healthy aging. Later medical scholars proposed that the common etiology of insomnia and skin aging lies in "internal-external interactions", with the pathological location involving "the five organ systems". The primary pathogenesis includes "deficiency, fire, stagnation, phlegm, and blood stasis", while the disease nature is often characterized by "a combination of deficiency and excess". Treatment should be guided by syndrome differentiation, following the principle of balancing Yin and Yang. This theoretical exploration enriches and advances TCM understanding of disease onset and prevention, providing theoretical guidance for the clinical prevention and treatment of insomnia-associated skin aging and contributing to the realization of the "Healthy China" initiative.
3.Association between ambient ozone exposure during pregnancy and risk of preterm birth in Guangdong Province
Peng HU ; Shanshan RAN ; Qingmei LIN ; Yin YANG ; Zilong ZHANG ; Xiaoling GUO ; Yonggui GAO ; Jinde ZHAO ; Hualiang LIN
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(4):379-384
Background Air pollution exposure has a significant impact on maternal and child health. However, the research on the association between ambient ozone (O3) exposure during pregnancy and the risk of premature birth in newborns is limited, and the conclusions are inconsistent. Objective To investigate the association of ambient O3 exposure during pregnancy with the risk of preterm birth in Guangdong Province. Methods Data of pregnant women in Guangzhou from 2013 to 2019 and Foshan from 2018 to 2023 were collected, and O3 concentrations during different trimesters were assessed according to maternal residential addresses. Bilinear interpolation was used to evaluate the concentrations of air pollution. A cohort study design was adopted in our study. Restricted cubic spline curves were used to evaluate the exposure-response relationship between O3 exposure and preterm birth risk and explore potential exposure threshold of O3. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association of O3 exposure with preterm birth. Results A total of 702 924 pregnant women were included in this study, of whom 43 051 (6.12%) were preterm. The average O3 exposure concentrations of pregnant women during the first, second, third, and whole trimesters were 95.51, 97.51, 100.60, and 97.87 μg·m−3, respectively. We observed J-shaped associations between O3 exposure and preterm birth risk during the second, third, and whole trimesters of pregnancy using restricted cubic spline curves. This study found that there were threshold concentrations between O3 exposure and preterm birth risk during different gestational periods, and the threshold concentrations in the first, second, third, and whole trimesters were 112.32, 99.83, 111.74, and 112.46 μg·m−3, respectively. During the second, third, and whole trimesters of pregnancy, after adjusting for maternal age, baby sex, pre-pregnancy body mass index, mode of delivery, baby birth weight, gestational diabetes, and gestational hypertension, the odds ratios (OR) of preterm birth were 1.02 (95%CI: 1.01, 1.04), 1.02 (95%CI: 1.00, 1.03), and 1.17 (95%CI: 1.13, 1.21) for each 10 μg·m−3 increase in O3 concentration above the O3 threshold. No significant association was found between O3 exposure and the risk of preterm birth during the first trimester. Conclusion There is a nonlinear association between the risk of preterm birth and O3 exposure during pregnancy, and higher concentrations of O3 exposure during pregnancy are associated with the risk of preterm birth. Above the O3 threshold concentration during pregnancy, especially during the second, third, and whole trimesters, the risk of preterm birth elevates with the increase of O3 exposure concentrations.
4.Molecular Mechanism of Treating Different Diseases with Same Treatment of Gypenoside L Affecting Oxidative Damage HUVEC and OVCAR-3 Through EGFR/STAT3/Glycolytic Pathway
Ying YANG ; Jiao ZHAO ; Xiaofei SUN ; Jiaxin WANG ; Peng CUI ; Nan SONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(11):125-134
ObjectiveWith the epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)/Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription(STAT3)/Hexokinase 2(HK2) signaling pathway in atherosclerosis (AS) and ovarian cancer (OC) as the entry point, this paper discusses the molecular mechanism of Gypenoside L (Gyp-L) treating AS and OC with different diseases, provides a new perspective and theoretical basis for TCM treating AS and OC with EGFR-STAT3-HK2 pathway, and enriches the scientific connotation of the theory of "cytoskeleton in the heart". MethodsCCK-8 was used to detect the proliferation of HUVEC and OVCAR-3 cells, in order to determine the intervention concentration for subsequent experiments. The colorimetric method was used to detect the NO content in HUVEC and the contents of pyruvate and LDH in two cell lines. Cell cloning experiments and scratch experiments reflect the proliferation and migration ability of OVCAR-3 cells. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of relevant proteins. Furthermore, two cell models overexpressing EGFR were constructed and co treated with Gyp-L. HUVEC cells were divided into control, ox-LDL, OE-NC, OE-EGFR, OE-NC+Gyp-L, and OE-EGFR+Gyp-L group. OVCAR-3 cells were divided into control, OE-NC, OE-EGFR , OE-NC+Gyp-L, and OE-EGFR+Gyp-L group. The colorimetric method was used to detect the NO content in HUVEC and the contents of pyruvate and LDH in two cell lines. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of EGFR-STAT3-HK2 pathway related proteins. Cell cloning experiments and scratch experiments reflect the proliferation and migration ability of OVCAR-3 cells. ResultsGyp-L can significantly reduce the NO content of HUVEC and the pyruvate and LDH content of two cell lines (P<0.05); Inhibit the proliferation and migration ability of OVCAR-3 cells; Reduce the expression levels of EGFR/STAT3/HK2 pathway related proteins in HUVEC and OVCAR-3 cell lines (P<0.05), and inhibit the glycolysis pathway. ConclusionGyp-L can inhibit glycolysis in HUVEC and OVCAR-3 cells through the EGFR/STAT3/HK2 pathway,thereby suppressing the occurrence and development of AS and OC.
5.Molecular Mechanism of Treating Different Diseases with Same Treatment of Gypenoside L Affecting Oxidative Damage HUVEC and OVCAR-3 Through EGFR/STAT3/Glycolytic Pathway
Ying YANG ; Jiao ZHAO ; Xiaofei SUN ; Jiaxin WANG ; Peng CUI ; Nan SONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(11):125-134
ObjectiveWith the epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)/Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription(STAT3)/Hexokinase 2(HK2) signaling pathway in atherosclerosis (AS) and ovarian cancer (OC) as the entry point, this paper discusses the molecular mechanism of Gypenoside L (Gyp-L) treating AS and OC with different diseases, provides a new perspective and theoretical basis for TCM treating AS and OC with EGFR-STAT3-HK2 pathway, and enriches the scientific connotation of the theory of "cytoskeleton in the heart". MethodsCCK-8 was used to detect the proliferation of HUVEC and OVCAR-3 cells, in order to determine the intervention concentration for subsequent experiments. The colorimetric method was used to detect the NO content in HUVEC and the contents of pyruvate and LDH in two cell lines. Cell cloning experiments and scratch experiments reflect the proliferation and migration ability of OVCAR-3 cells. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of relevant proteins. Furthermore, two cell models overexpressing EGFR were constructed and co treated with Gyp-L. HUVEC cells were divided into control, ox-LDL, OE-NC, OE-EGFR, OE-NC+Gyp-L, and OE-EGFR+Gyp-L group. OVCAR-3 cells were divided into control, OE-NC, OE-EGFR , OE-NC+Gyp-L, and OE-EGFR+Gyp-L group. The colorimetric method was used to detect the NO content in HUVEC and the contents of pyruvate and LDH in two cell lines. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of EGFR-STAT3-HK2 pathway related proteins. Cell cloning experiments and scratch experiments reflect the proliferation and migration ability of OVCAR-3 cells. ResultsGyp-L can significantly reduce the NO content of HUVEC and the pyruvate and LDH content of two cell lines (P<0.05); Inhibit the proliferation and migration ability of OVCAR-3 cells; Reduce the expression levels of EGFR/STAT3/HK2 pathway related proteins in HUVEC and OVCAR-3 cell lines (P<0.05), and inhibit the glycolysis pathway. ConclusionGyp-L can inhibit glycolysis in HUVEC and OVCAR-3 cells through the EGFR/STAT3/HK2 pathway,thereby suppressing the occurrence and development of AS and OC.
6.Sulodexide alleviates renal fibrosis following prolonged ischemia-reperfusion injury by protecting vascular endothelial glycocalyx
Chaoyu HU ; Peng ZHANG ; Chao SUN ; Shuyong MO ; Yanfeng WANG
Organ Transplantation 2025;16(3):404-415
Objective To investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of sulodexide on renal fibrosis induced by prolonged warm ischemia. Methods An in vivo ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) model was established in rats, which were randomly divided into Sham group, IRI 60 min group (IRI group), and IRI 60 min + sulodexide group (IRI+SDX group), with 20 rats in each group. Pathological examination was used to evaluate renal tissue injury and fibrosis levels in each group. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression levels of kidney injury molecule (KIM)-1, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, von Willebrand factor (vWF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, α-smooth muscle actin (SMA), and type I collagen (COL-1). Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect CD31 expression. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was employed to measure the expression of KIM-1, ICAM-1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 in renal tissues. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the structure of the renal glycocalyx. Evans blue dye was injected to assess renal vascular permeability. Rat survival was recorded, and serum levels of syndecan (SDC)-1, heparan sulfate (HS) and serum creatinine were measured. An ex vivo perfusion model was also established, with rats randomly assigned to either the hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion (HOPE) group or the HOPE+SDX group (five rats per group). Perfusion parameters were recorded after 2 hours of ex vivo perfusion. Results One day after reperfusion, compared with the Sham group, the IRI group exhibited more severe renal tissue injury, higher tubular injury scores, increased expression of KIM-1, ICAM-1 and vWF, decreased CD31 expression, elevated serum levels of SDC-1 and HS, increased vascular permeability, and higher expression of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. Compared with the IRI group, the IRI+SDX group showed reduced renal tissue injury, lower tubular injury scores, decreased expression of KIM-1, ICAM-1 and vWF, increased CD31 expression, lower serum levels of SDC-1 and HS, decreased vascular permeability, and reduced expression of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 (all P < 0.05). Ten days after reperfusion, renal tissue injury was further alleviated in the IRI+SDX group. Twenty-five days after reperfusion, the IRI+SDX group exhibited decreased expression of TGF-β, α-SMA, and COL-1, as well as reduced collagen deposition area (all P < 0.05). Compared with the HOPE group, the HOPE+SDX group showed increased renal perfusion flow and decreased intrarenal vascular resistance (both P < 0.01). Conclusions Sulodexide may alleviates renal IRI and fibrosis caused by prolonged warm ischemia by inhibiting inflammatory responses and protecting vascular endothelial glycocalyx.
7.Dynamics of eosinophil infiltration and microglia activation in brain tissues of mice infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis
Fanna WEI ; Renjie ZHANG ; Yahong HU ; Xiaoyu QIN ; Yunhai GUO ; Xiaojin MO ; Yan LU ; Jiahui SUN ; Yan ZHOU ; Jiatian GUO ; Peng SONG ; Yanhong CHU ; Bin XU ; Ting ZHANG ; Yuchun CAI ; Muxin CHEN
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2025;37(2):163-175
Objective To investigate the changes in eosinophil counts and the activation of microglial cells in the brain tissues of mice at different stages of Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection, and to examine the role of microglia in regulating the progression of angiostrongyliasis and unravel the possible molecular mechanisms. Methods Fifty BALB/c mice were randomly divided into the control group and the 7-d, 14-d, 21-day and 25-d infection groups, of 10 mice in each group. All mice in infection groups were infected with 30 stage III A. cantonensis larvae by gavage, and animals in the control group was given an equal amount of physiological saline. Five mice were collected from each of infection groups on days 7, 14, 21 d and 25 d post-infection, and 5 mice were collected from the control group on the day of oral gavage. The general and focal functional impairment was scored using the Clark scoring method to assess the degree of mouse neurological impairment. Five mice from each of infection groups were sacrificed on days 7, 14, 21 d and 25 d post-infection, and 5 mice from the control group were sacrificed on the day of oral gavage. Mouse brain tissues were sampled, and the pathological changes of brain tissues were dynamically observed using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Immunofluorescence staining with eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1) was used to assess the degree of eosinophil infiltration and the counts of microglial cells in mouse brain tissues in each group, and the morphological parameters of microglial cells (skeleton analysis and fractal analysis) were quantified by using Image J software to determine the morphological changes of microglial cells. In addition, the expression of M1 microglia markers Fcγ receptor III (Fcgr3), Fcγ receptor IIb (Fcgr2b) and CD86 antigen (Cd86), M2 microglia markers Arginase 1 (Arg1), macrophage mannose receptor C-type 1 (Mrc1), chitinase-like 3 (Chil3), and phagocytosis genes myeloid cell triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (Trem2), CD68 antigen (Cd68), and apolipoprotein E (Apoe) was quantified using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) assay in the mouse cerebral cortex of mice post-infection. Results A large number of A. cantonensis larvae were seen on the mouse meninges surface post-infection, and many neuronal nuclei were crumpled and deeply stained, with a large number of bleeding points in the meninges. The median Clark scores of mouse general functional impairment were 0 (interquartile range, 0), 0 (interquartile range, 0.5), 6 (interquartile range, 1.0), 14 (interquartile range, 8.5) points and 20 (interquartile range, 9.0) points in the control group and the 7-d, 14-d, 21-d and 25-d groups, respectively (H = 22.45, P < 0.01), and the median Clark scores of mouse focal functional impairment were 0 (interquartile range, 0), 2 (interquartile range, 2.5), 7 (interquartile range, 3.0), 18 (interquartile range, 5.0) points and 25 (interquartile range, 6.5) points in the control group and the 7-d, 14-d, 21-d and 25-d groups, respectively (H = 22.72, P < 0.01). The mean scores of mice general and focal functional impairment were all higher in the infection groups than in the control group (all P values < 0.05). Immunofluorescence staining showed a significant difference in the eosinophil counts in mouse brain tissues among the five groups (F = 40.05, P < 0.000 1), and the eosinophil counts were significantly higher in mouse brain tissues in the 14-d (3.08 ± 0.78) and 21-d infection groups (5.97 ± 1.37) than in the control group (1.00 ± 0.28) (both P values < 0.05). Semi-quantitative analysis of microglia immunofluorescence showed a significant difference in the counts of microglial cells among the five groups (F = 17.66, P < 0.000 1), and higher Iba1 levels were detected in mouse brain tissues in 14-d (5.75 ± 1.28), 21-d (6.23 ± 1.89) and 25-d infection groups (3.70 ± 1.30) than in the control group (1.00 ± 0.30) (all P values < 0.05). Skeleton and fractal analyses showed that the branch length [(162.04 ± 34.10) μm vs. (395.37 ± 64.11) μm; t = 5.566, P < 0.05] and fractal dimension of microglial cells (1.30 ± 0.01 vs. 1.41 ± 0.03; t = 5.266, P < 0.05) were reduced in mouse brain tissues in the 21-d infection group relative to the control group. In addition, there were significant differences among the 5 groups in terms of M1 and M2 microglia markers Fcgr3 (F = 48.34, P < 0.05), Fcgr2b (F = 55.46, P < 0.05), Cd86 (F = 24.44, P < 0.05), Arg1 (F = 31.18, P < 0.05), Mrc1 (F = 15.42, P < 0.05) and Chil3 (F = 24.41, P < 0.05), as well as phagocytosis markers Trem2 (F = 21.19, P < 0.05), Cd68 (F = 43.95, P < 0.05) and Apoe (F = 7.12, P < 0.05) in mice brain tissues. Conclusions A. cantonensis infections may induce severe pathological injuries in mouse brain tissues that are characterized by massive eosinophil infiltration and persistent activation of microglia cells, thereby resulting in progressive deterioration of neurological functions.
8.Health literacy of infectious disease and its influencing factors for school doctors and health teachers in Beijing primary and secondary schools, 2023
XU Wenjie, BAI Chengxu, CHEN Dongni, WU Shuangsheng, SUN Bingjie, YANG Peng
Chinese Journal of School Health 2025;46(5):672-675
Objective:
To investigate the levels of knowledge and skills in infectious diseases among school doctors and health teachers in Beijing s primary and secondary schools in 2023, and analyze the influencing factors, so as to provide a reference basis for enhancing the professional competencies of school doctors and health teachers.
Methods:
From October to November 2023, a census method was used to conduct a questionnaire survey among all school doctors and health teachers in 16 districts of Beijing. Chi-square tests and multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used perform statistical analysis.
Results:
The awareness rate of infectious diseaserelated knowledge among school doctors and health teachers in primary and secondary schools in Beijing in 2023 ranged from 34.44 % to 98.57%, while the behavior formation rate ranged from 65.90% to 98.64%. The proportions of those with literacy in infectious disease knowledge and behavior among school doctors and health teachers were 82.76% and 85.70%, respectively. Multivariate Logistics regression analysis showed that being a full-time employee, having a bachelor s degree or above, and holding a senior professional title were positively correlated with having literacy in infectious disease knowledge ( OR =1.76, 2.57, 1.42 , P <0.01). Compared to medical professionals, those in education and other professions were negatively correlated with having literacy in infectious disease knowledge ( OR =0.37, 0.55, P <0.01). Being a full-time employee, being female, and age were positively correlated with having literacy in infectious disease behavior ( OR =1.66, 2.18, 1.02, P <0.01).
Conclusions
The level of health literacy for infectious diseases among school doctors in Beijing primary and secondary schools is relatively high. Targeted training on key professional knowledge and skills should be prioritized for individuals with deficiencies in infectious disease prevention and control.
9.Multiparametric MRI to Predict Gleason Score Upgrading and Downgrading at Radical Prostatectomy Compared to Presurgical Biopsy
Jiahui ZHANG ; Lili XU ; Gumuyang ZHANG ; Daming ZHANG ; Xiaoxiao ZHANG ; Xin BAI ; Li CHEN ; Qianyu PENG ; Zhengyu JIN ; Hao SUN
Korean Journal of Radiology 2025;26(5):422-434
Objective:
This study investigated the value of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) in predicting Gleason score (GS) upgrading and downgrading in radical prostatectomy (RP) compared with presurgical biopsy.
Materials and Methods:
Clinical and mpMRI data were retrospectively collected from 219 patients with prostate disease between January 2015 and December 2021. All patients underwent systematic prostate biopsy followed by RP. MpMRI included conventional diffusion-weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the factors associated with GS upgrading and downgrading after RP. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to estimate the area under the curve (AUC) to indicate the performance of the multivariable logistic regression models in predicting GS upgrade and downgrade after RP.
Results:
The GS after RP was upgraded, downgraded, and unchanged in 92, 43, and 84 patients, respectively. The AUCs of the clinical (percentage of positive biopsy cores [PBCs], time from biopsy to RP) and mpMRI models (prostate cancer [PCa] location, Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System [PI-RADS] v2.1 score) for predicting GS upgrading after RP were 0.714 and 0.749, respectively. The AUC of the combined diagnostic model (age, percentage of PBCs, tPSA, PCa location, and PIRADS v2.1 score) was 0.816, which was larger than that of the clinical factors alone (P < 0.001). The AUCs of the clinical (age, percentage of PBCs, ratio of free/total PSA [F/T]) and mpMRI models (PCa diameter, PCa location, and PI-RADS v2.1 score) for predicting GS downgrading after RP were 0.749 and 0.835, respectively. The AUC of the combined diagnostic model (age, percentage of PBCs, F/T, PCa diameter, PCa location, and PI-RADS v2.1 score) was 0.883, which was larger than that of the clinical factors alone (P < 0.001).
Conclusion
Combining clinical factors and mpMRI findings can predict GS upgrade and downgrade after RP more accurately than using clinical factors alone.
10.Discriminating Tumor Deposits From Metastatic Lymph Nodes in Rectal Cancer: A Pilot Study Utilizing Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI
Xue-han WU ; Yu-tao QUE ; Xin-yue YANG ; Zi-qiang WEN ; Yu-ru MA ; Zhi-wen ZHANG ; Quan-meng LIU ; Wen-jie FAN ; Li DING ; Yue-jiao LANG ; Yun-zhu WU ; Jian-peng YUAN ; Shen-ping YU ; Yi-yan LIU ; Yan CHEN
Korean Journal of Radiology 2025;26(5):400-410
Objective:
To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer.
Materials and Methods:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs.
Results:
All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027).
Conclusion
The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.


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