1.Phenomics of traditional Chinese medicine 2.0: the integration with digital medicine
Min Xu ; Xinyi Shao ; Donggeng Guo ; Xiaojing Yan ; Lei Wang ; Tao Yang ; Hao LIANG ; Qinghua PENG ; Lingyu Linda Ye ; Haibo Cheng ; Dayue Darrel Duan
Digital Chinese Medicine 2025;8(3):282-299
Abstract
Modern western medicine typically focuses on treating specific symptoms or diseases, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) emphasizes the interconnections of the body’s various systems under external environment and takes a holistic approach to preventing and treating diseases. Phenomics was initially introduced to the field of TCM in 2008 as a new discipline that studies the laws of integrated and dynamic changes of human clinical phenomes under the scope of the theories and practices of TCM based on phenomics. While TCM Phenomics 1.0 has initially established a clinical phenomic system centered on Zhenghou (a TCM definition of clinical phenome), bottlenecks remain in data standardization, mechanistic interpretation, and precision intervention. Here, we systematically elaborates on the theoretical foundations, technical pathways, and future challenges of integrating digital medicine with TCM phenomics under the framework of “TCM phenomics 2.0”, which is supported by digital medicine technologies such as artificial intelligence, wearable devices, medical digital twins, and multi-omics integration. This framework aims to construct a closed-loop system of “Zhenghou–Phenome–Mechanism–Intervention” and to enable the digitization, standardization, and precision of disease diagnosis and treatment. The integration of digital medicine and TCM phenomics not only promotes the modernization and scientific transformation of TCM theory and practice but also offers new paradigms for precision medicine. In practice, digital tools facilitate multi-source clinical data acquisition and standardization, while AI and big data algorithms help reveal the correlations between clinical Zhenghou phenomes and molecular mechanisms, thereby improving scientific rigor in diagnosis, efficacy evaluation, and personalized intervention. Nevertheless, challenges persist, including data quality and standardization issues, shortage of interdisciplinary talents, and insufficiency of ethical and legal regulations. Future development requires establishing national data-sharing platforms, strengthening international collaboration, fostering interdisciplinary professionals, and improving ethical and legal frameworks. Ultimately, this approach seeks to build a new disease identification and classification system centered on phenomes and to achieve the inheritance, innovation, and modernization of TCM diagnostic and therapeutic patterns.
2.Study on anti-depression effect of Suanzaoren Decoction based on liver metabolomics.
Jing LI ; Ya-Nan TONG ; Hong-Tao WANG ; Shao-Hua ZHAO ; Wei-Yan CHEN ; Zhi-Wei LI ; Min-Yan LIU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(1):19-31
To explore the anti-depression effect of Suanzaoren Decoction(SZRD), the regulatory effects on endogenous metabolites in the liver of rats with depression induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS) were analyzed by using LC-MS metabolomics. The rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, low-dose SZRD group, high-dose SZRD group, and positive drug group. The CUMS depression model was replicated by applying a variety of stimuli, such as fasting and water deprivation, ice water swimming, hot water swimming, day and night reversal, tail clamping, and restraint for rats. Modeling and treatment were conducted for 56 days. The behavioral indexes of rats in each group, including body weight, open field test, sucrose preference test, and tail suspension test, were observed. Plasma samples and liver tissue samples were collected, and the contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT), dopamine(DA), and norepinephrine(NE) in plasma were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Meanwhile, the regulatory effects of SZRD on the liver metabolic profile of CUMS model rats were analyzed by the LC-MS metabolomics method. The results show that SZRD can significantly improve the depression-like behavior of CUMS model rats and increase the neurotransmitter levels of 5-HT, DA, and NE in plasma. A total of 24 different metabolites in the rats' liver are identified using the LC-MS metabolomics method, and SZRD can reverse 13 of these metabolites. Metabolic pathway analysis indicates that nine metabolic pathways are found to be significantly associated with depression, and in the low-dose SZRD group, four pathways can be regulated, including pentose phosphate pathway, purine metabolism, inositol phosphate metabolism, and sphingolipid metabolism. In the high-dose SZRD group, two metabolic pathways can be regulated, including sphingolipid metabolism and glycerol glycerophospholipid metabolism. Sphingolipid metabolism is a metabolic pathway that can be regulated by SZRD at different doses, so it is speculated that it may be the primary pathway through which SZRD can alleviate metabolic disturbances in the liver of CUMS model rats.
Animals
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Rats
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
;
Metabolomics
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Depression/metabolism*
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Male
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Liver/drug effects*
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Antidepressive Agents/administration & dosage*
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Serotonin/blood*
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Humans
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Disease Models, Animal
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Behavior, Animal/drug effects*
3.Efficacy and Safety of Yangxue Qingnao Pills Combined with Amlodipine in Treatment of Hypertensive Patients with Blood Deficiency and Gan-Yang Hyperactivity: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial.
Fan WANG ; Hai-Qing GAO ; Zhe LYU ; Xiao-Ming WANG ; Hui HAN ; Yong-Xia WANG ; Feng LU ; Bo DONG ; Jun PU ; Feng LIU ; Xiu-Guang ZU ; Hong-Bin LIU ; Li YANG ; Shao-Ying ZHANG ; Yong-Mei YAN ; Xiao-Li WANG ; Jin-Han CHEN ; Min LIU ; Yun-Mei YANG ; Xiao-Ying LI
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2025;31(3):195-205
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Yangxue Qingnao Pills (YXQNP) combined with amlodipine in treating patients with grade 1 hypertension.
METHODS:
This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study. Adult patients with grade 1 hypertension of blood deficiency and Gan (Liver)-yang hyperactivity syndrome were randomly divided into the treatment or the control groups at a 1:1 ratio. The treatment group received YXQNP and amlodipine besylate, while the control group received YXQNP's placebo and amlodipine besylate. The treatment duration lasted for 180 days. Outcomes assessed included changes in blood pressure, Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome scores, symptoms and target organ functions before and after treatment in both groups. Additionally, adverse events, such as nausea, vomiting, rash, itching, and diarrhea, were recorded in both groups.
RESULTS:
A total of 662 subjects were enrolled, of whom 608 (91.8%) completed the trial (306 in the treatment and 302 in the control groups). After 180 days of treatment, the standard deviations and coefficients of variation of systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were lower in the treatment group compared with the control group. The improvement rates of dizziness, headache, insomnia, and waist soreness were significantly higher in the treatment group compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 30 days of treatment, the overall therapeutic effects on CM clinical syndromes were significantly increased in the treatment group as compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 180 days of treatment, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, ankle brachial index and albumin-to-creatinine ratio were improved in both groups, with no statistically significant differences (P>0.05). No serious treatment-related adverse events occurred during the study period.
CONCLUSIONS
Combination therapy of YXQNP with amlodipine significantly improved symptoms such as dizziness and headache, reduced blood pressure variability, and showed a trend toward lowering urinary microalbumin in hypertensive patients. These findings suggest that this regimen has good clinical efficacy and safety. (Registration No. ChiCTR1900022470).
Humans
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Amlodipine/adverse effects*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects*
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Male
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Female
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Hypertension/complications*
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Middle Aged
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Treatment Outcome
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Drug Therapy, Combination
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Adult
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Blood Pressure/drug effects*
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Double-Blind Method
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Aged
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Antihypertensive Agents/adverse effects*
4.Research advances in hemodynamic numerical simulation for cardiovascular diseases
Shuai YUE ; Jun-Jie SHAO ; Jing-Jing ZHOU ; Hao-Jie YAN ; Shu-Jin SHI ; Min JIANG ; Ran ZHANG
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2025;50(2):232-237
Hemodynamics numerical simulation,a multidisciplinary research approach integrating fluid dynamics,clinical medicine,and computer simulation techniques,offers an objective and quantitative analysis of cardiovascular blood flow dynamics through calculating data such as flow rate,pressure,resistance,and wall stress.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the modeling methods and characteristics of numerical simulations within the cardiovascular system.Additionally,it also summarizes the research advancements and potential clinical applications of numerical simulations in the context of various cardiovascular diseases,including vascular aneurysms,aortic dissection,atherosclerosis,structural heart diseases,heart failure,ventricular assist devices,cardiogenic shock,and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.The goal is to facilitate the deep integration of clinical medicine with engineering technologies,thereby fostering innovative solutions for the precise diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
5.Regulatory effect of neutrophils in microglial polarization after permanent ischemic stroke
Min-Hua HUANG ; Xin-Yan YE ; Si-Yu WU ; Shao-Tong LUO ; Zhi-Shan WU ; Yuan CHEN ; Su-Ning PING
Acta Anatomica Sinica 2025;56(2):136-142
Objective To investigate the effects of peripheral blood neutrophil infiltration on the polarization regulation of cerebral resident microglia under a permanent ischemic stroke model.Methods Fifty-eight C57BL/6 mice were divided into two groups.One group was sham group,and the other group of mice was subjected to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion surgery.Mice were euthanized 48 hours,7 days,14 days,and 30 days after surgery for tissue collection.Western blotting was used to detect expression levels of M1 microglia markers CD 16,M2 microglia marker arginase 1(Arg1),inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 β(IL-1β),and neutrophil marker myeloperoxidase(MPO)in brain tissue.Immunofluorescence histochemical staining was used to assess neutrophil infiltration and M2 microglial distribution around the infarct area in brain sections.In vitro,purified neutrophils were co-cultured with BV2 microglial cells.After lipopolysaccharide stimulation,the phagocytosis of neutrophils by BV2 cells was observed,and the expression levels of CD16 and Arg1 proteins in BV2 cells were detected.Results Western blotting showed that the levels of CD16(P<0.05),IL-1β(P<0.001),and MPO(P<0.05)in brain tissue increased significantly 48 hours and 7 days after surgery,then decreased,with MPO expression returning to normal levels 30 days after surgery.Immunofluorescence showed a significant increase of MPO-positive cells around the infarct area of the mouse cerebral cortex 48 hours after surgery(P<0.001),followed by a decrease(P<0.05).The number of ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1(Iba1)and MPO double-positive cells gradually increased after surgery,and reached their peak at 14 days(P<0.05).Iba1 and Arg1 double-positive cells also increased significantly 7 days(P<0.05)and 14 days(P<0.01)after surgery.In vitro,co-culture experiments showed that after BV2 phagocytosing neutrophils,CD 16(P<0.05)significantly decreased and Arg1 significantly upregulated(P<0.05).Conclusion In a permanent ischemic stroke model,microglia transition from M1 to M2 type after phagocytosing neutrophils,and the injured brain area changes from pro-inflammatory state to anti-inflammatory state.
6.Analysis of clinical phenotypes and genotypic characteristics in children with epilepsy.
Yanli JIANG ; Lulu YAN ; Bin FU ; Dongli CAI ; Min XIE ; Xinhua SHAO ; Changshui CHEN ; Shanshan WU ; Haibo LI
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2025;42(9):1045-1052
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the clinical phenotypes and genetic variant characteristics in children with epilepsy.
METHODS:
A total of 91 children with epilepsy admitted to the Women's and Children's Hospital Affiliated to Ningbo University from July 2021 to October 2022 were selected as the study subjects. Peripheral blood samples were collected from the children for whole exome sequencing. Candidate genetic variants were validated by Sanger sequencing and copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq). The clinical phenotypes and treatment outcomes of the children with epilepsy were followed up, and an analysis of the relationship between genotype and phenotype was conducted. This study was approved by the Women's and Children's Hospital Affiliated to Ningbo University (Ethics No.: EC2020-048).
RESULTS:
Among the 91 children with epilepsy, 21 cases (23.08%, 21/91) were found to carry pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants. Of these, 18 cases had involved single base variant or insertional deletion, while 3 cases involved copy number variations. The gene with the highest detection rate was PRRT2 (38.10%, 8/21). Among the children with genetic variants, 47.62% (10/21) had onset during infancy, with 8 diagnosed with Benign familial infantile epilepsy (BFIE), 8 with Developmental epileptic encephalopathy (DEE), and 3 with Epileptic encephalopathy (EE). One case of Dravet syndrome (DS) and one case of Infantile spasms (IS) were also noted. The clinical manifestations of children were diverse and primarily included generalized tonic-clonic seizures and focal seizures. Among them, 52.38% (11/21) had exhibited cluster seizures, 23.81% (5/21) showed fever sensitivity, and 14.29% (3/21) experienced status epilepticus. After pharmacological treatment, 42.86% (9/21) of children had achieved complete seizure control, while 61.90% (13/21) had intellectual disability and 19.05% (4/21) had co-morbid autism spectrum disorder.
CONCLUSION
Pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants were identified in 23.08% of the pediatric epilepsy cases, with the PRRT2 gene being the most frequently involved. Among children carrying genetic variants, 47.62% had seizure onset during infancy. Genetic factors are an important cause of epilepsy, and early genetic testing may facilitate precise diagnosis, treatment, and prognostic evaluation.
Humans
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Female
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Male
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Epilepsy/genetics*
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Child, Preschool
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Child
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Phenotype
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Genotype
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DNA Copy Number Variations/genetics*
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Infant
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Membrane Proteins/genetics*
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Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics*
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Adolescent
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Exome Sequencing
7.Regulatory Mechanism of Drug-Containing Serum of Jinghou Zengzhi Prescription on GDF9 Expression and Apoptosis of Ovarian Granulosa Cells in Rats with Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation
Zhen YANG ; Xiao-Yan CHEN ; Shao-Ru JIANG ; Shu-Zhu YE ; Xiao-Hong FANG ; Wei-Min DENG ; Xin-Yu GUO
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;41(3):735-741
Objective To observe the regulatory mechanism of drug-containing serum of Jinghou Zengzhi Prescription based on qi and blood replenishing method on the expression of growth and differentiation factor 9(GDF9)and apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells in rats with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation(COH).Methods Serum of COH rats(blank serum)and serum of COH rats gavaged by the Jinghou Zengzhi Prescription were prepared.A COH rat model was established and ovarian granulosa cells were collected.The experiment was divided into 5 groups:blank serum group,drug-containing serum group,drug-containing serum+SB203580[p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p38MAPK)inhibitor]group,drug-containing serum + PDTC[nuclear transcription factor κB(NF-κB)inhibitor]group,drug-containing serum + SB203580 + PDTC group.The mRNA expression levels of p38MAPK,casein kinase 2(CK2),nuclear transcription factor κB inhibitor α(IκBα),NF-κB and GDF9 were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR),and GDF9 protein expression level was detected by Western Blot,and ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis was detected by terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling(TUNEL).Results The drug-containing serum of Jinghou Zengzhi Prescription decreased the mRNA expressions of p38MAPK and NF-κB,elevated the mRNA expressions of CK2 and IκBα,increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of GDF9,and decreased the apoptosis rate of ovarian granulosa cells in COH rats.The addition of p38MAPK inhibitor SB203580 alone and the addition of NF-κB inhibitor PDTC alone both promoted the mRNA and protein expressions of GDF9 and reduced the apoptosis rate of granulosa cells.Conclusion The drug-containing serum of Jinghou Zengzhi Prescription based on qi and blood replenishing method can promote the expression of GDF9 and inhibit the apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells in rats with COH,and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of the expression of genes of the dual signaling pathways of p38MAPK and NF-κB.
8.Clinical effects of probiotics combined with bismuth quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infected patients
Min GUI ; Qiuyun GU ; Yusen HU ; Chenyuan YAN ; Ying SHAO ; Lina XIA ; Jieyi HE ; Peiying WU ; Yiming HONG ; Qiuju DU
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;36(5):482-487
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of probiotics combined with bismuth quadruple therapy (BQT) on clinical efficacy、gastrointestinal adverse reactions and intestinal flora in Helicobacter pylori (HP) positive patients. MethodsThe patients who were positive for HP from May 2023 to July 2023 in the department of gastroenterology of Shanghai first people's hospital were randomly divided into2 groups with 40 people in each group. The probiotic group was given 2 weeks of quadruple therapy with probiotics and standard BQT, followed by 4 weeks of oral probiotics after quadruple discontinuation. The placebo group was given 2 weeks of probiotic placebo and standard BQT, followed by 4 weeks of oral probiotic placebo. 13C urea breath test was used to evaluate the clinical efficacy, gastrointestinal symptoms rating Scale was used to evaluate the gastrointestinal adverse reactions of patients before and after the intervention, and microbial diversity 16S rDNA sequencing technology was used to detect the level of intestinal flora of patients before and after the intervention. ResultsThere was no significant difference in the eradication rate between the two groups (P>0.05). Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in the scores of the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale between the probiotic group and the placebo group. After the intervention, patients in the probiotic group had significantly lower pain scores on acid reflux (1.10±0.30 vs 1.35±0.53, P<0.05) and stomach or abdominal hunger than in the placebo group (1.07±0.26 vs 1.30±0.52, P<0.05). Through the before-and-after comparison of the probiotic group, the scores of abdominal pain (1.24±0.44 vs 1.58±0.71, P<0.05), stomach or abdominal hunger (1.07±0.26 vs 1.27±0.45, P<0.05) and dry and hard stool (1.24±0.49 vs 1.48±0.75,P<0.05) were significantly lower in the probiotic group than before the intervention in the probiotic group. ConclusionProbiotics combined with BQT can improve the gastrointestinal adverse reactions and intestinal flora disorders in the process of quadruple drug therapy, but it does not improve the eradication rate of HP.
9.Clinical trial of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides in the continuation treatment of adults with mild and moderate depression
Shu-Zhe ZHOU ; Zu-Cheng HAN ; Xiu-Zhen WANG ; Yan-Qing CHEN ; Ya-Ling HU ; Xue-Qin YU ; Bin-Hong WANG ; Guo-Zhen FAN ; Hong SANG ; Ying HAI ; Zhi-Jie JIA ; Zhan-Min WANG ; Yan WEI ; Jian-Guo ZHU ; Xue-Qin SONG ; Zhi-Dong LIU ; Li KUANG ; Hong-Ming WANG ; Feng TIAN ; Yu-Xin LI ; Ling ZHANG ; Hai LIN ; Bin WU ; Chao-Ying WANG ; Chang LIU ; Jia-Fan SUN ; Shao-Xiao YAN ; Jun LIU ; Shou-Fu XIE ; Mao-Sheng FANG ; Wei-Feng MI ; Hong-Yan ZHANG
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(6):815-819
Objective To observe the efficacy and safety of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides in the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression.Methods An open,single-arm,multi-center design was adopted in our study.Adult patients with mild and moderate depression who had received acute treatment of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides were enrolled and continue to receive Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules for 24 weeks,the dose remained unchanged during continuation treatment.The remission rate,recurrence rate,recurrence time,and the change from baseline to endpoint of Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD),Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA),Clinical Global Impression-Severity(CGI-S)and Arizona Sexual Experience Scale(ASEX)were evaluated.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was reported.Results The scores of HAMD-17 at baseline and after treatment were 6.60±1.87 and 5.85±4.18,scores of HAMA were 6.36±3.02 and 4.93±3.09,scores of CGI-S were 1.49±0.56 and 1.29±0.81,scores of ASEX were 15.92±4.72 and 15.57±5.26,with significant difference(P<0.05).After continuation treatment,the remission rate was 54.59%(202 cases/370 cases),and the recurrence rate was 6.49%(24 cases/370 cases),the recurrence time was(64.67±42.47)days.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was 15.35%(64 cases/417 cases).Conclusion Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules can be effectively used for the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression,and are well tolerated and safe.
10.Impact study of iterative reconstruction algorithm-based iDream reconstruction technique on CT quantitative analysis of lung functional
Li MA ; Fu-Ling ZHENG ; Shu-Min LYU ; Song SHAO ; Chao LI ; Xiu-Qing WANG ; Yan-Li GUO ; Man WANG
Chinese Medical Equipment Journal 2024;45(9):57-61
Objective To investigate the impacts of different levels(1,3 and 5)of iDream reconstruction on CT quantitative analysis of lung function parameters,providing references for quantitative measurement of emphysema indicators by iDream reconstruction technology.Methods A retrospective study was performed for 50 patients who underwent noncontrast chest CT scan in some hospital from December 2021 to January 2022,and the images were reconstructed using four methods:fittered back projection(FBP)and level 1,3 and 5 iDream techniques.For the four groups of images,the main tracheal CT values and standard deviation(SD)values were measured,the signal to noise ratio(SNR)was calculated and the total lung volume(TLV),emphysema volume(EV),emphysema index(EI),15th percentile of lung attenuation(Perc 15)and pulmonary density 15%(PD15%)were detected with quantitative lung function analysis software.Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 24.0 software.Results The four groups did not have significant differences in the main tracheal CT value and TLV(P>0.05),while did in SD,SNR,EV,EI,PD15%and Perc 15(P<0.05).As the reconstruction level of iDream increased,the main tracheal SD value,EV and EI decreased gradually,and level 3 and 5 iDream reconstruction groups had no significant differences in EV and El(P>0.05);as the reconstruction level of iDream increased,PD15%and Perc 15 rose gradually,and level 3 and 5 iDream reconstruction groups had no significant differences in PD15%and Perc 15(P>0.05).Conclusion Increase of the level of iDream reconstruction algorithm affects the results of CT quantitative analysis of lung function by reducing image noise.Level 3 and 5 iDream reconstruction ensures the stability of EV,EI,PD15%and Perc 15,which are not influenced by the strength of the iterative reconstruction algorithm.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(9):57-61]

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