1.Compact Fundus Imaging System Using Shack-Hartmann Wavefront Sensing for High-speed Auto-focus
Zhe-Kai LIN ; Long CHEN ; Geng-Yong ZHENG ; Jin-Tian HUANG ; Jia-Xin DONG ; Shang-Pan YANG ; Wen-Zheng DING ; Ding-An HAN ; Xue-Hua WANG ; Ya-Guang ZENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(4):1076-1086
ObjectiveThe widespread adoption of portable fundus cameras for primary care and community screening is hindered by limitations in current autofocus(AF) technologies. Image-based methods relying on sharpness evaluation require iterative searches, resulting in slow convergence, while projection-based techniques are susceptible to optical artifacts and calibration errors. To address these challenges, this study introduces a novel AF system based on direct wavefront sensing, designed to deliver simultaneous high speed, high precision, and operational robustness within the compact form factor essential for portable ophthalmic devices. MethodsOur approach fundamentally reimagines the AF process by directly measuring the ocular wavefront aberration. We developed a custom portable fundus camera integrating a miniaturized Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWS) into the optical path. An 850 nm laser diode projects a point source onto the retina via oblique illumination to minimize corneal reflections. Light scattered from this spot carries the eye’s refractive error through the imaging optics and is directed to the SHWS, positioned at a plane optically conjugate to the primary color CMOS imaging sensor. A microlens array within the SHWS samples the incident wavefront, generating a pattern of focal spots on a CCD. Real-time centroid analysis of these spots provides a map of local wavefront slopes. These measurements are processed through a singular value decomposition (SVD) algorithm to fit a Zernike polynomial basis set, enabling real-time reconstruction of the wavefront phase. The defocus component (S) is extracted from the second-order Zernike coefficients, providing a direct, quantitative measure of the refractive error in diopters. This value serves as a precise error signal in a closed-loop control system, which commands a voice-coil actuated focusing lens to its null position in a single, deterministic step, eliminating the need for iterative search algorithms. ResultsComprehensive evaluation demonstrated the system’s high performance. Testing on a calibrated model eye (OEMI-7) established a highly linear relationship between the computed defocus S and the focusing lens position across a ±20 Diopter (D) compensation range, achievable within a 5 mm mechanical travel. The system achieved a focusing precision of 0.08 D, corresponding to an 18-fold improvement over a conventional projection spot-size method tested under identical conditions. The total focus acquisition time, encompassing wavefront measurement, computation, and lens actuation, averaged under 0.5 s. Clinical validation with 25 human volunteers (50 eyes, refractive range -15 D to +10 D) confirmed practical efficacy. The wavefront-sensing AF succeeded in 92% of attempts with a mean time of 0.5 s, substantially outperforming a projection-based benchmark which achieved only a 32% success rate with an average time of 4.25 s. The system provided instantaneous directional guidance and maintained stability during minor ocular movements. Objective assessment of image quality, via amplitude contrast of retinal vasculature, showed consistent and significant enhancement following AF correction across the entire tested diopter range. ConclusionThis work successfully implements and validates a direct wavefront-sensing autofocus paradigm for portable fundus cameras. By directly quantifying and compensating for the optical defocus aberration, this method bypasses the fundamental limitations of image-processing and projection-based techniques, enabling rapid, precise, and deterministic diopter compensation. The developed system delivers an exceptional combination of a wide operational range (±20 D), high accuracy (0.08 D), fast convergence (0.5 s), and a compact physical footprint. This technology provides a practical and high-performance focusing solution capable of enhancing the reliability, throughput, and diagnostic utility of portable retinal imaging in large-scale screening applications. Future efforts will be directed towards system cost optimization and performance adaptation for diverse ocular conditions.
2.Evaluation of the Immediate Effectiveness and Safety of Four Intranasal Localization Methods of Neiyingxiang (EX-HN 9) Acupuncture for Allergic Rhinitis
Xiaolong DING ; Zhe XU ; Hanzhong DUAN
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(15):1634-1639
ObjectiveTo evaluate the immediate effectiveness and safety of four intranasal acupuncture methods based on different intranasal localizations of Neiyingxiang (EX-HN 9) for improving nasal ventilation in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). MethodsA total of 120 patients with AR were randomly divided into four groups with 30 cases in each group, the agger nasi group, the inferior turbinate-alar junction group, the inferior turbinate top group, and the nasal septum group. All patients received one 20-minute session of intranasal acupuncture. The agger nasi group received acupuncture at the agger nasi site, the inferior turbinate-alar junction group at the junction of the inferior turbinate and alar cartilage, the inferior turbinate top group at the top of the inferior turbinate directly facing the nostril, and the nasal septum group at Little's area of the nasal septum. Before acupuncture and within 5 min after treatment, the assessments and measurements were performed including nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) scale used to evaluate the severity of nasal obstruction before and after acupuncture, a nasal resistance/nasal flow analyzer applied to detect nasal airway resistance (NAR) and nasal respiration volume (NS), the visual analogue scale (VAS) adopted to assess pain intensity. The incidence of nasal bleeding and other adverse events were recorded, and patients' willingness to receive repeat treatment was statistically analyzed. ResultsCompared with baseline within group, all four groups showed decreased NOSE scores and NAR as well as elevated NS after treatment (all P<0.05). Compared with the agger nasi group and the inferior turbinate-alar junction group, the inferior turbinate top group had higher NOSE scores and lower NS; the nasal septum group presented higher NOSE scores and NAR alongside lower NS (P<0.05). The nasal septum group yielded significantly higher VAS scores than the other three groups (P<0.05), with 11 cases (36.67%) of massive nasal bleeding observed, while no severe nasal hemorrhage occurred in the remaining groups. The proportions of patients willing to receive repeated intranasal acupuncture treatment were 70.00% (21/30) in the agger nasi group, 76.67% (23/30) in the inferior turbinate-alar junction group, 43.33% (13/30) in the inferior turbinate top group, and 3.33% (1/30) in the nasal septum group, respectively, with statistical significant difference among groups (χ² = 39.91, P<0.001). ConclusionAll four intranasal acupuncture methods can immediately improve nasal ventilation in patients with AR. The agger nasi group and inferior turbinate-alar cartilage junction group achieved superior therapeutic improvement compared with the inferior turbinate top group and nasal septum group, accompanied by better safety and higher patient acceptability.
3.Evaluation of the Immediate Effectiveness and Safety of Four Intranasal Localization Methods of Neiyingxiang (EX-HN 9) Acupuncture for Allergic Rhinitis
Xiaolong DING ; Zhe XU ; Hanzhong DUAN
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(15):1634-1639
ObjectiveTo evaluate the immediate effectiveness and safety of four intranasal acupuncture methods based on different intranasal localizations of Neiyingxiang (EX-HN 9) for improving nasal ventilation in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). MethodsA total of 120 patients with AR were randomly divided into four groups with 30 cases in each group, the agger nasi group, the inferior turbinate-alar junction group, the inferior turbinate top group, and the nasal septum group. All patients received one 20-minute session of intranasal acupuncture. The agger nasi group received acupuncture at the agger nasi site, the inferior turbinate-alar junction group at the junction of the inferior turbinate and alar cartilage, the inferior turbinate top group at the top of the inferior turbinate directly facing the nostril, and the nasal septum group at Little's area of the nasal septum. Before acupuncture and within 5 min after treatment, the assessments and measurements were performed including nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) scale used to evaluate the severity of nasal obstruction before and after acupuncture, a nasal resistance/nasal flow analyzer applied to detect nasal airway resistance (NAR) and nasal respiration volume (NS), the visual analogue scale (VAS) adopted to assess pain intensity. The incidence of nasal bleeding and other adverse events were recorded, and patients' willingness to receive repeat treatment was statistically analyzed. ResultsCompared with baseline within group, all four groups showed decreased NOSE scores and NAR as well as elevated NS after treatment (all P<0.05). Compared with the agger nasi group and the inferior turbinate-alar junction group, the inferior turbinate top group had higher NOSE scores and lower NS; the nasal septum group presented higher NOSE scores and NAR alongside lower NS (P<0.05). The nasal septum group yielded significantly higher VAS scores than the other three groups (P<0.05), with 11 cases (36.67%) of massive nasal bleeding observed, while no severe nasal hemorrhage occurred in the remaining groups. The proportions of patients willing to receive repeated intranasal acupuncture treatment were 70.00% (21/30) in the agger nasi group, 76.67% (23/30) in the inferior turbinate-alar junction group, 43.33% (13/30) in the inferior turbinate top group, and 3.33% (1/30) in the nasal septum group, respectively, with statistical significant difference among groups (χ² = 39.91, P<0.001). ConclusionAll four intranasal acupuncture methods can immediately improve nasal ventilation in patients with AR. The agger nasi group and inferior turbinate-alar cartilage junction group achieved superior therapeutic improvement compared with the inferior turbinate top group and nasal septum group, accompanied by better safety and higher patient acceptability.
4.A time-stratified case-crossover study on effects of heatwaves on daily outpatient visits for skin diseases in Urumqi from 2016 to 2024
Ying ZHANG ; Zhe LIU ; Chunyu XU ; Na LI ; Jingyi LIU ; Haofeng YANG ; Li DING ; Jingxiu HAN
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(8):967-971
Background Against the background of global warming, frequent heatwaves pose a major threat to public health. Objective To investigate the effects of heatwaves on outpatient visits for skin diseases in Urumqi, characterize the exposure–response relationship, identify the critical temperature threshold, and provide scientific evidence for targeted prevention and control of heat-related skin diseases. Methods Data on meteorological conditions, air quality, and dermatological outpatient visits from 10 hospitals in Urumqi were collected from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2024. A time-stratified case-crossover design combined with a distributed lag model was adopted to construct a conditional logistic regression model, with adjustment for potential confounders, including relative humidity, air pollutants, and COVID-19 lockdown measures. With a maximum lag of 14 d, single-lag and cumulative-lag effects of heatwaves were examined, and the exposure–response relationship between temperature and the risk of dermatological outpatient visit was fitted. Results A total of 385 heatwave days were identified in Urumqi from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2024. These days were concentrated between June and September and showed an increasing annual trend. The median daily number of dermatological outpatient visits during heatwave periods (165 cases) was significantly higher than that during control periods (114 cases) (Z=−5.108, P<0.001). After adjusting for confounders, the odds of dermatological outpatient visits during heatwaves were 1.088 times higher than those of the control period (OR=1.088, 95%CI: 1.069, 1.107). Single-lag effects were statistically significant from lag0 to lag11 (P<0.05), peaking at lag0 (OR=1.088, 95%CI: 1.069, 1.107), showing an acute and immediate effect. Cumulative-lag effects were statistically significant from 1 to 14 d (P<0.05), peaking at lag04 (OR=1.117, 95%CI: 1.099, 1.136). The exposure–response relationship indicated that the OR values increased steeply with increasing temperature when the daily mean temperature exceeded 24.2 ℃, peaking at approximately 28.1 ℃ (OR=1.400, 95%CI: 1.189, 1.649). Conclusions Heatwave exposure is significantly associated with an increased risk of dermatological outpatient visits among residents in Urumqi. The impact of high temperature on skin diseases is predominantly acute, with peak risks observed on the day of exposure and within the subsequent 4 d. A daily mean temperature of 24.2 ℃ can serve as the critical threshold for heightened dermatological consultation risk. Strengthened health education and early warning systems are recommended to mitigate heatwave-related adverse dermatological outcomes.
5.Development and application of single person teaching system for breast surgery
Yue WANG ; Bo TANG ; Shi-bo PANG ; Hong-bo YANG ; Zhe ZHANG ; Bo-wen CHEN ; Na-na ZHANG ; Feng MA ; Yi LYU ; Ding-hui DONG
Chinese Medical Equipment Journal 2025;46(7):34-38
Objective To develop a single-person breast surgery teaching system to improve the teaching efficiency of breast surgery.Methods The single-person breast surgery teaching system consisted of a magnetic suspension and retraction device and a breast model.The magnetic suspension and retraction device was composed of a magnetic suspension component and a magnetic retraction component,of which,the magnetic suspension component included a bracket,an outer magnet and an inner magnet and the magnetic retraction component comprised a magnetic base and an elastic grasping forceps.The breast model was established with porcine abdominal tissue obtained from slaughterhouses.Twelve surgical trainees were randomized into an experimental group(n=6)and a control group(n=6),and the 2 groups performed flap release operations on the breast model with skin-preserving mastectomy as the target procedure.The operation was carried out with the developed system in the experimental group and with the traditional procedure in the control group.Results The two groups had the flap-free operation on the breast model finished successufully,which had no significant differences in the length of incision(P>0.05);the experimental group gained advantages over the control group in the number of assistants required,operation time,times of skin flap injuries,times of glandular injuries and effect of exposure,with the differences being statistically significant(all P<0.05).Conclusion The single-person breast surgery teaching system enhances the effect of exposure efficiently,meets the reequirements for single-person training and improves the teaching efficiency.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(7):34-38]
6.Clinical characteristics and prognosis of acute pancreatitis with different etiologies
Yuanxu QU ; Feng CAO ; Yixuan DING ; Jiongdi LU ; Zhe WANG ; Ang LI ; Jia LI ; Fei LI
Chinese Journal of Digestive Surgery 2025;24(5):623-629
Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of acute pancreatitis (AP) with different etiologies.Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinical data of 702 patients with AP who were admitted to Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University from January 2018 to December 2022 were collected. There were 451 males and 251 females,aged (52±17)years. Observation indicators: (1) clinical characteristics of AP patients with different etiologies; (2) complications and prognosis of AP patients with different etiologies; (3) complications and prognosis of moderately severe and severe AP patients with different etiologies. Comparison of measurement data with normal distribution among multiple groups was conducted using the one-way analysis of variance. Comparison of measurement data with skewed distribution among multiple groups was conducted using the Kruskal-Wallis H test. Comparison of count data among multiple groups was conducted using the chi-square test. Results:(1) Clinical characteris-tics of AP patients with different etiologies. Of the 702 AP patients, 434 cases were biliary AP, 199 cases were hypertriglyceridemic-induced AP,29 cases were alcoholic AP, and 40 cases were idiopathic AP. There were significant differences in gender,age,body mass index,combined cardiovascular disease,combined diabetes,combined nephrosis,disease severity and modified computed tomography severity index among AP patients with different etiologies ( χ2=24.61, F=48.65, 12.24, χ2=13.67, 12.90, 14.12, 15.56, H=17.62, P<0.05). (2) Complications and prognosis of AP patients with different etiologies. There was no significant difference in infectious pancreatic necrosis,duration of intensive care unit stay,total duration of hospital stay, and death of patients during hospitalization among AP patients with different etiologies ( P>0.05). (3) Complications and prognosis of moderately severe and severe AP patients with different etiologies. Of the 395 patients with moderately severe and severe AP, 217 cases were biliary AP, 128 cases were hypertriglyceridemic-induced AP, 19 cases were alcoholic AP, and 31 cases were idiopathic AP. There were significant differences in renal injury, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and walled-off necrosis among moderately severe and severe AP patients with different etiologies ( χ2=12.62, 8.25, 14.33, P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in infectious pancreatic necrosis, lung injury, circulation system injury, duration of intensive care unit stay, total duration of hospital stay, or death of patients during hospitalization among moderately severe and severe AP patients with different etiologies ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The clinical charac-teristics vary among AP patients with different etiologies. The risk of complications varies among moderately severe and severe AP patients with different etiologies.
7.Clinical study of intracranial hypotension targeted body posture combined with pharmacotherapy in the treatment of chronic subdural hematoma
Jiayu CHEN ; Zhe WANG ; Di ZANG ; Ruizhe ZHENG ; Xiangru YE ; Zengxin QI ; Zeyu XU ; Zhiqiang LI ; Chengfeng SUN ; Liangjun SHEN ; Luoping SHENG ; Fulin XU ; Ruyong YE ; Kaiyu ZHOU ; Weijun TANG ; Yueqing HU ; Dapeng SHI ; Yuquan WANG ; Xizhen WU ; Ying WANG ; Qilin ZHANG ; Feili LIU ; Guo YU ; Yiping LU ; Yirui SUN ; Ning ZHANG ; Feng HUANG ; Xialong GU ; Han ZHANG ; Jian DING ; Yongyan BI ; Haolan DU ; Jing ZHANG ; Hailong JI ; Ding DING ; Wei ZHANG ; Xuehai WU
Chinese Journal of Surgery 2025;63(3):212-218
Objective:To compare the efficacy of body posture combined with pharmacotherapy and pharmacotherapy alone in the treatment of chronic subdural hematoma(CSDH).Methods:Firstly, retrospective case series study was conducted. Thirty cases of CSDH that had received body posture combined with pharmacotherapy at Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University from December 2016 to October 2020 were studied retrospectively. Twenty-seven patients were male, and 3 patients were female. The age of patients ( M(IQR)) was 66(16) years (range:28 to 84). Nineteen patients had unilateral hematoma, and 11 patients had bilateral hematoma. All patients received pharmacotherapy and body posture therapy that was to raise their lower limbs 20 to 30 cm with leg lift pad and get abdominal compressed with customized abdominal belt in supine position. Patients were required to maintain the body posture as much as possible, with the maximum to 16 to 18 hours per day. Patients with unilateral hematoma should tilt the head to the affected side and avoid tilting it to the opposite side. For patients with bilateral hematoma, there was no need for head lateralization. Patient were treated with oral dexamethasone and atorvastatin simultaneously. The preliminary efficacy of body posture combined with pharmacotherapy was determined by hematoma improvement rate which was analyzed by Clopper-Pearson method. Then, the multi-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial had carried out in 9 medical centers from August 2020 to November 2021. The stratified block randomization method was adopted. Patients were randomized in a ratio of 1∶1 to either receive pharmacotherapy alone(the control group) or body posture combined with pharmacotherapy(the experiment group) for 3 months and followed up for 6 months. Effective treatment was defined as complete absorption of hematoma, or the hematoma volume decreased by more than 10 ml and Markwalder grading scale score had improved by more than 1 point compared to the baseline. The efficacy rate and surgery conversion rate at 3 months and recurrence at 6 months were observed. Comparison between groups was performed with paired sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test, corrected χ2 test, or Fisher exact probability method. Logistic regression was used to compare the effective rate and operation rate between the two groups. Results:In the respective study, 30 patients completed follow-up 13 to 353 days after treatment. At the last follow-up, the incidence of almost complete absorption or significantly absorption of hematoma (hematoma volume was significantly reduced accompanied by symptom improvement) was 93.3%. The 95% CI for the incidence that analyzed by the Clopper-Pearson method was 77.9% to 99.2%. One hundred and six patients were enrolled in the multicenter study. Fifty-five patients underwent body posture combined with pharmacotherapy. The age was 74(17) years (range:26 to 92). Thirty-nine patients were males and 16 were females. Fifty-one patients underwent pharmacotherapy alone. The age was 69(12) years (range:48 to 84). Thirty-seven patients were males and 14 were females. The length of body posture recorded in diary card was (15.7±2.3) hours(range:7.6 to 19.3 hours). The efficacy rate in the body posture combined with pharmacotherapy group and pharmacotherapy alone group were 83.6% (46/55) and 56.9% (29/51), respectively at 3 months. The result of the logistic regression analysis showed that the efficacy of body posture combined with pharmacotherapy group was better than that of pharmacotherapy alone group ( OR=3.88,95% CI:1.57 to 9.58, P=0.003). Surgery rate in the body posture combined with pharmacotherapy group and pharmacotherapy alone group were 5.5% (3/55) and 21.6% (11/51) respectively. The result of Logistic regression showed that the pharmacotherapy alone group was more likely to be converted to surgery ( OR=0.21,95% CI:0.05 to 0.80, P=0.023). At the 6 months, no recurrence of cases was found in the body posture combined with pharmacotherapy group. However, the recurrence rate of pharmacotherapy alone group was 6.3% (3/48), there was no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The effect of body posture combined with pharmacotherapy for chronic subdural hematoma is better than that of pharmacotherapy alone.
8.The effectiveness of the peripheral arterial calcification scoring system based on CT angiography in assessing renal function in patients with peripheral arterial disease
Yuling CUI ; Ningning DING ; Li ZHOU ; Yan MENG ; Yaqing HAN ; Cuilin YIN ; Zhe LIU ; Jian YANG
Journal of Practical Radiology 2025;41(4):589-593
Objective To explore the effectiveness of the peripheral arterial calcification scoring system(PACSS)based on computed tomography angiography(CTA)in assessing renal function in patients with peripheral arterial disease(PAD).Methods The clinical data,CTA imaging data,and laboratory results from PAD patients who underwent lower limb artery CTA examination were retrospectively collected.The PACSS was utilized to score the calcification in both lower limb arteries.Participants were categorized into three groups based on their estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)(normal group:eGFR≥90 mL/min;mild renal dysfunction group:eGFR 60-89 mL/min,and moderate to severe renal dysfunction group:eGFR<60 mL/min).The demographic data,clinical symptoms,and comorbidities among the three groups were compared by analysis of variance(ANOVA).The Spearman correlation coefficient was employed to evaluate the relationship between eGFR,cystatin C,and PACSS score.Results The age(P<0.001)and PACSS score(P<0.05)of patients with renal dysfunction were significantly higher than those of patients with normal renal function.However,there were no significant differences in gender,prevalence of diabetes,hypertension,or severe limb ischemia.Spearman correlation analysis showed that eGFR was negatively correlated with PACSS score(r=-0.18 in the right lower limb,P=0.037,r=-0.24 in the left lower limb,P=0.006).In contrast,cystatin C was positively correlated with PACSS score(r=0.26 in the right lower limb,P<0.001,r=0.22 in the left lower limb,P=0.002).Conclusion The PACSS score of lower limb artery in PAD patients is corre-lated with the severity of renal dysfunction.This finding may facilitate early warning and clinical intervention for PAD patients with renal dysfunction.
9.Evaluation of stent effect display in lower extremity arterial occlusive disease based on energy spectrum CTA
Xin HUANG ; Ningning DING ; Li ZHOU ; Wenzhe ZHAO ; Daliang LI ; Zhe LIU ; Jian YANG ; Chao JIN
Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University(Medical Sciences) 2025;46(1):178-183
Objective To explore the clinical value of energy-spectrum CT single-energy imaging in enhancing the image quality and stent display of stent placement CT angiography(CTA)in lower extremity atherosclerotic occlusive disease.Methods Twenty patients[mean(65.61±9.65)years;male/female,16/4]who underwent stenting for chronic occlusive disease of the lower extremity arteries by lower extremity arterial energetic spectral CTA were retrospectively recruited at our hospital.The original images were reconstructed into seven sets of single energy(40-100 keV),120 kVp,virtual unenhanced images(VUE)and metal artifact reduction(MAR)technique images.Images were debossed and then scaffolded for display with volumetric reconstruction(VR),maximum density projection(MIP)and curve planar reconstruction(CPR),and were objectively and subjectively assessed and compared using one-way analysis of variance(ANOVA).Results The 80 keV and MAR images had the highest scores compared to the other reconstruction group images(P<0.01).Conclusion 80 keV single-energy imaging and de-metallization artifacts MAR improve the image quality of lower extremity arterial stent lumen and structure display;therefore,they have higher diagnostic value for clinicians.
10.Biparametric MRI-based peritumoral radiomics for preoperative prediction of extracapsular extension in prostate cancer
Honghao XU ; Qicong DU ; Yuanhao MA ; Xueyi NING ; Baichuan LIU ; Xu BAI ; Di CHEN ; Yun ZHANG ; Zhe DONG ; Chuang JIA ; Xiaojing ZHANG ; Xiaohui DING ; Baojun WANG ; Aitao GUO ; Jian XUE ; Xuetao MU ; Huiyi YE ; Haiyi WANG
Chinese Journal of Radiology 2025;59(9):1055-1062
Objective:To investigate the value of biparametric-MRI (bpMRI) based peritumoral radiomics for preoperative prediction of extraprostatic extension (EPE) in prostate cancer (PCa).Methods:In this cross-sectional study, consecutive bpMRI of patients undergoing prostatectomy for PCa were retrospectively collected from the First Medical Center (center 1) and the Third Medical Center (center 2) of Chinese PLA General Hospital. A total of 274 patients were finally enrolled. Patients at center 1 from January 2020 to December 2022 were randomly divided into a training set (149 cases) and an internal validation set (63 cases) by stratified random sampling. Patients at center 2 from January 2023 to March 2024 were assigned to the external test set (62 cases). Patients were categorized into EPE-positive group and EPE-negative group according to pathological assessment postoperatively. In the training set, there were 49 cases in EPE-positive group and 100 cases in EPE-negative group. In the internal validation set, there were 26 cases in EPE-positive group and 37 cases in EPE-negative group. In the external test set, there were 22 cases in EPE-positive group and 40 cases in EPE-negative group. Axial T 2WI and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) images were manually annotated to obtain index lesion regions of interest (ROIs), with the peritumoral ROIs subsequently delineated by semi-automatic segmentation technique. Radiomics features were extracted from intra-tumoral, peri-tumoral, and intra-tumoral plus peri-tumoral ROIs. The training set data was employed to select and optimize features to build the radiomics models. The logistic regression analysis was used to develop radiomics, clinical, and integrated models. The predictive performance was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) in the external test set, and compared by the DeLong test. The sensitivity and specificity were compared by the exact McNemar test. Results:In the external test set, the peri-tumoral radiomics model based on bpMRI showed the highest performance in evaluating EPE, with an AUC of 0.739 (95% CI 0.611-0.842), which was identified as the optimal radiomics model. EPE grade ( OR=6.151, 95% CI 3.371-11.226, P<0.001) was incorporated into the clinical model, with an AUC of 0.780 (95% CI 0.657-0.875) in the external test set. The integrated model had an AUC of 0.817 (95% CI 0.698-0.904) in the external test set. There was no statistically significant difference in comparisons of AUCs among the three models (all P>0.05). The sensitivity of the integrated model (68.2%) showed no significant difference from those of the clinical model and the optimal radiomics model (77.3% and 86.4%, respectively; P=0.500 and P=0.289). However, the specificity of the integrated model (85.0%) was significantly higher than those of the clinical model (67.5%, P=0.016) and the optimal radiomics model (50.0%, P<0.001). Conclusion:A bpMRI-based peritumoral radiomics integrating clinical model demonstrates high performance for preoperative prediction of EPE in PCa.

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