Objective:To explore the application value of transcranial ultrasound(TCS)in evaluating the third ventricle in cognitive impairment associated with Parkinson's disease(PD).Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted.A total of 100 patients with PD, hospitalized and diagnosed in the Department of Neurology at Beijing Hospital from January 2021 to May 2024, were included in the study.Due to limitations related to the temporal window, the third ventricle could not be visualized in 2 patients(2%).Consequently, a total of 98 PD patients underwent TCS and cranial magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)examinations.Based on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MoCA)score, the PD patients were classified into three groups: normal cognitive function(18 cases), mild to moderate cognitive impairment(62 cases), and severe cognitive impairment(18 cases).The clinical manifestations and ultrasonic image characteristics of patients in each group were compared.Results:TCS and MRI demonstrate strong consistency in measuring the width of the third ventricle, with an intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC)of 0.783.Patients with severe cognitive impairment exhibit a wider third ventricle compared to those with normal cognitive function( P=0.002), and the width in patients with severe cognitive impairment is also greater than that in patients with moderate cognitive impairment( P=0.016).Additionally, the width of the third ventricle in individuals with PD shows a positive correlation with age( P<0.001), but it does not correlate with disease duration, the area of substantia nigra hyperecho, midbrain area, MoCA scores, Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)scores, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale(HAMA)scores, or Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HAMD)scores( P>0.05).No statistically significant difference was found in the area of bilateral substantia nigra hyperecho among the three groups( P>0.05).Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that disease duration, third ventricle width, midbrain area, HAMD, and HAMA do not affect MoCA( P>0.05), while MMSE scores have a statistically significant impact on MoCA( P<0.001). Conclusions:The measurement of the third ventricle using TCS is valuable for evaluating cognitive decline.In patients with PD who exhibit severe cognitive impairment, the third ventricle is often widened; however, the width of the third ventricle does not correlate with cognitive performance.

Objective To observe the value of intratumoral and peritumoral ROI-based CT radiomics combined with clinical and imaging features for preoperatively predicting renal capsule invasion of clear cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC).Methods Totally 105 ccRCC patients were retrospectively collected and divided into invasion group(n=70)and non-invasion group(n=35)according to post operation pathology,also divided into training set(n=84,including 56 cases of invasion group and 28 of non-invasion group)and test set(n=21,including 14 cases of invasion group and 7 of non-invasion group)at a ratio of 8∶2.A clinical-imaging model was constructed based on clinical and CT features being significantly different between groups.Radiomics features related to renal capsule invasion were extracted and selected from intratumoral and of 1-6 mm peritumoral ROI on unenhanced phase(UP),corticomedullary phase(CMP)and nephrographic phase(NP)CT images,respectively.The optimal algorithm was selected among 6 machine learning algorisms based on CMP intratumoral ROI.With the optimal and selected features,single intratumoral or peritumoral models,combined intratumoral and peritumoral models within the same phase and combined pairwise models within the same range across different phases images were established.The best performing radiomics model was chosen and integrated with clinical and imaging features to form a combined model.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were drawn,the area under the curve(AUC)was calculated to evaluate the efficacy of model for predicting renal capsule invasion of ccRCC,which were compared using DeLong's test.Results Hypertension,presence of clinical symptoms and high enhancement degree on CMP images were all independent predicting factors for renal capsule invasion of ccRCC,which were used to establish clinical-imaging model.Support vector machine(SVM)was the optimal algorithm.CMP peritumoral 3 mm model,CMP intratumoral model,NP peritumoral 4 mm model,NP intratumoral+peritumoral 4 mm model and CMP peritumoral 3 mm+NP peritumoral 3 mm model showed higher performance than the others,with AUC being not significantly different(all P＞0.05).CMP peritumoral 3 mm model was the optimal radiomics model,with the highest AUC(0.898)in test set.The combined model demonstrated superior AUC(0.979)in training set compared to both clinical-imaging model and the optimal radiomics model alone(both P＜0.05),while in test set(AUC 0.918)showed comparable performance with the latter two(both P＞0.05).Conclusion CT-based peritumoral radiomics models were equally effective for preoperatively predicting renal capsule invasion of ccRCC.Combining with clinical and imaging features might further enhance diagnostic performance.

Objective To investigate the value of MRI of the sternal end of clavicle in bone age assessment in Chinese population,especially its applicability in the determination of criminal responsible age.Methods A total of 431 patients aged from 10.00 to 29.99 years with neck or chest MRI were retrospectively collected.According to the Schmeling grading method,the epiphyseal development of the clavicle MRI was divided into five grades.The consistency of methods was evaluated.The correlation and general descriptive analysis between MRI grades and age was analyzed.The sex difference was analyzed.Curve fitting was used to establish a nonlinear model between age and grades.Results The grades of clavicle MRI showed a significant age-related trend(Figure 2),and the correlation was 0.861(0.887 in males and 0.840 in females).Except for grade 1,there was no significant difference between males and females in other grades.The minimum age of male grade 3 was greater than 14 years old,and the minimum age of female grade 3 was greater than 16 years old.The minimum age in grade 4 and grade 5 was over 18 years old in both sexes.The best curve fitting model was cubic model for both sexes(R2=0.805 for men and 0.722 for women).Conclusion Clavicle MRI can be used for the assessment of bone age in Chinese population.Complete epiphyseal plate closure can be used as a reliable indicator for the determination of age at 18 years old,and it is expected to achieve radiation-free forensic bone age assessment.

Objective To observe the value of intratumoral and peritumoral ROI-based CT radiomics combined with clinical and imaging features for preoperatively predicting renal capsule invasion of clear cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC).Methods Totally 105 ccRCC patients were retrospectively collected and divided into invasion group(n=70)and non-invasion group(n=35)according to post operation pathology,also divided into training set(n=84,including 56 cases of invasion group and 28 of non-invasion group)and test set(n=21,including 14 cases of invasion group and 7 of non-invasion group)at a ratio of 8∶2.A clinical-imaging model was constructed based on clinical and CT features being significantly different between groups.Radiomics features related to renal capsule invasion were extracted and selected from intratumoral and of 1-6 mm peritumoral ROI on unenhanced phase(UP),corticomedullary phase(CMP)and nephrographic phase(NP)CT images,respectively.The optimal algorithm was selected among 6 machine learning algorisms based on CMP intratumoral ROI.With the optimal and selected features,single intratumoral or peritumoral models,combined intratumoral and peritumoral models within the same phase and combined pairwise models within the same range across different phases images were established.The best performing radiomics model was chosen and integrated with clinical and imaging features to form a combined model.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were drawn,the area under the curve(AUC)was calculated to evaluate the efficacy of model for predicting renal capsule invasion of ccRCC,which were compared using DeLong's test.Results Hypertension,presence of clinical symptoms and high enhancement degree on CMP images were all independent predicting factors for renal capsule invasion of ccRCC,which were used to establish clinical-imaging model.Support vector machine(SVM)was the optimal algorithm.CMP peritumoral 3 mm model,CMP intratumoral model,NP peritumoral 4 mm model,NP intratumoral+peritumoral 4 mm model and CMP peritumoral 3 mm+NP peritumoral 3 mm model showed higher performance than the others,with AUC being not significantly different(all P＞0.05).CMP peritumoral 3 mm model was the optimal radiomics model,with the highest AUC(0.898)in test set.The combined model demonstrated superior AUC(0.979)in training set compared to both clinical-imaging model and the optimal radiomics model alone(both P＜0.05),while in test set(AUC 0.918)showed comparable performance with the latter two(both P＞0.05).Conclusion CT-based peritumoral radiomics models were equally effective for preoperatively predicting renal capsule invasion of ccRCC.Combining with clinical and imaging features might further enhance diagnostic performance.

Objective To investigate the value of MRI of the sternal end of clavicle in bone age assessment in Chinese population,especially its applicability in the determination of criminal responsible age.Methods A total of 431 patients aged from 10.00 to 29.99 years with neck or chest MRI were retrospectively collected.According to the Schmeling grading method,the epiphyseal development of the clavicle MRI was divided into five grades.The consistency of methods was evaluated.The correlation and general descriptive analysis between MRI grades and age was analyzed.The sex difference was analyzed.Curve fitting was used to establish a nonlinear model between age and grades.Results The grades of clavicle MRI showed a significant age-related trend(Figure 2),and the correlation was 0.861(0.887 in males and 0.840 in females).Except for grade 1,there was no significant difference between males and females in other grades.The minimum age of male grade 3 was greater than 14 years old,and the minimum age of female grade 3 was greater than 16 years old.The minimum age in grade 4 and grade 5 was over 18 years old in both sexes.The best curve fitting model was cubic model for both sexes(R2=0.805 for men and 0.722 for women).Conclusion Clavicle MRI can be used for the assessment of bone age in Chinese population.Complete epiphyseal plate closure can be used as a reliable indicator for the determination of age at 18 years old,and it is expected to achieve radiation-free forensic bone age assessment.

Objective:To explore the application value of transcranial ultrasound(TCS)in evaluating the third ventricle in cognitive impairment associated with Parkinson's disease(PD).Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted.A total of 100 patients with PD, hospitalized and diagnosed in the Department of Neurology at Beijing Hospital from January 2021 to May 2024, were included in the study.Due to limitations related to the temporal window, the third ventricle could not be visualized in 2 patients(2%).Consequently, a total of 98 PD patients underwent TCS and cranial magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)examinations.Based on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MoCA)score, the PD patients were classified into three groups: normal cognitive function(18 cases), mild to moderate cognitive impairment(62 cases), and severe cognitive impairment(18 cases).The clinical manifestations and ultrasonic image characteristics of patients in each group were compared.Results:TCS and MRI demonstrate strong consistency in measuring the width of the third ventricle, with an intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC)of 0.783.Patients with severe cognitive impairment exhibit a wider third ventricle compared to those with normal cognitive function( P=0.002), and the width in patients with severe cognitive impairment is also greater than that in patients with moderate cognitive impairment( P=0.016).Additionally, the width of the third ventricle in individuals with PD shows a positive correlation with age( P<0.001), but it does not correlate with disease duration, the area of substantia nigra hyperecho, midbrain area, MoCA scores, Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)scores, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale(HAMA)scores, or Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HAMD)scores( P>0.05).No statistically significant difference was found in the area of bilateral substantia nigra hyperecho among the three groups( P>0.05).Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that disease duration, third ventricle width, midbrain area, HAMD, and HAMA do not affect MoCA( P>0.05), while MMSE scores have a statistically significant impact on MoCA( P<0.001). Conclusions:The measurement of the third ventricle using TCS is valuable for evaluating cognitive decline.In patients with PD who exhibit severe cognitive impairment, the third ventricle is often widened; however, the width of the third ventricle does not correlate with cognitive performance.

With the increasing prevalence of chronic kidney disease(CKD)among the elderly, early detection and accurate assessment of kidney damage are crucial for slowing CKD progression and enhancing the quality of life in elderly patients.Renal cortical blood perfusion changes play a significant role in the onset, progression, and prognosis of CKD.Contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)enables real-time and dynamic monitoring of renal cortical blood perfusion, offering high clinical utility for early kidney injury diagnosis, precise CKD classification, and treatment efficacy evaluation.The 2024 edition of the Chinese Expert Consensus on Standardized Evaluation Methodology for Renal Cortical Blood Perfusion Using Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound presents 12 recommendations addressing issues such as lack of standardized operational protocols, contrast media usage, and variability in machine parameters and analysis software during CEUS application for renal cortical blood perfusion assessment.This initiative aims to encourage widespread adoption of CEUS technology for renal cortical blood perfusion evaluation, establishing guidelines that offer a safe, non-invasive, kidney-friendly, and effective imaging modality for elderly individuals.

Objective:To compare the clinical and ultrasonic features of elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis(EORA)and young-onset rheumatoid arthritis(YORA).Methods:A total of 104 patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis were categorized into two groups based on their age of onset: the EORA group, consisting of 70 patients, and the YORA group, consisting of 34 patients.A comparative analysis was conducted on the clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and ultrasonic images of patients in these two groups.Results:The male ratio in the EORA group was significantly higher than that in the YORA group(24.3% vs.8.8%, P=0.048).There were no statistical differences in the course of disease, DAS28, ESR, CRP, RF, and anti-CCP antibody positive rates between the two groups( P>0.05)when compared with the YORA group.The incidence of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis in the EORA group was significantly higher than that in the YORA group( P=0.018, P=0.011).Ultrasonic results revealed a significantly higher incidence of phalangeal bone erosion in the EORA group compared to the YORA group(14.9% vs.4.3%, P<0.01).Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that different age groups, disease duration, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis did not have an effect on the ultrasonic changes of synovial hyperplasia, tendonitis, tenosynovitis, and bone erosion in RA patients. Conclusions:There is no significant difference in the clinical disease activity and disease progression between EORA group and YORA group.Additionally, the pattern of joint inflammation involvement is similar in both groups.Ultrasound examinations revealed a higher incidence of bone erosion in finger joints of EORA patients compared to YORA patients.

This paper reviews the concepts, status, influencing factors and interventions of home self-management of diabetic foot ulcers patients, with a view to providing reference for establishing and improving the home self-management model of diabetic foot ulcers patients suitable for China.

Triangle chronic disease stratified management model, as an effective chronic disease management model, can divide patients into different levels according to the stratified disease assessment criteria, enhance intervention effectiveness, improve management efficiency, and reduce costs by implementing targeted and personalized nursing measures. This article summarizes the overview of the Triangle chronic disease stratified management model, research progress at home and abroad, and the current application status in transitional care for chronic disease patients in order to provide a reference for medical staff to carry out transitional care for chronic disease patients.