1.Feasibility study on diagnosis of pulmonary embolism using deep learning reconstruction algorithm in ultra-low radiation dose CT pulmonary angiography
Jinjuan LU ; Leilei SHEN ; Zhenghong BI ; Chun ZHOU ; Yijing GUO ; Weijian XU ; Xiaodan YE ; Mengsu ZENG ; Mingliang WANG
Chinese Journal of Radiology 2025;59(8):886-893
Objective:To investigate the feasibility of ultra-low dose (ULD) CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) combined with deep learning reconstruction (DLR) in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE).Methods:This cross-sectional study prospectively enrolled 100 patients with suspected PE who underwent CTPA examination in Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, and Shanghai Geriatric Medical Center from April to July 2024, and were randomly divided into the routine dose (RD) group and ULD group according to block randomization. Effective dose (ED) were calculated. The noise index of RD group and ULD group was set to 10 and 20, respectively. Other scanning parameters and contrast agent injection protocol were the same. The CT images of RD group were reconstructed using hybrid iterative reconstruction (HIR), while ULD images were reconstructed with HIR and DLR (ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup). The image quality of the three groups of images was subjectively evaluated (overall image noise, pulmonary artery display) and objectively evaluated [signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the images] respectively. Finally, the diagnostic results of PE by the expert committee composed of three chief physicians were taken as the gold standard, and one physician with lower qualifications independently evaluated the diagnostic rate of PE in the three groups of images. Objective image quality parameters across the three groups were compared using ANOVA, with LSD post hoc test was used for multiple comparisons. Subjective scores among the three groups were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis H test, with Bonferroni corrected pairwise post hoc test was applied for multiple pairwise comparisons. Results:The ED in the RD group and ULD group were (2.7±0.5) mSv and (0.7±0.2) mSv, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant ( t=26.42, P<0.001). The overall differences in CT values of pulmonary arteries at all levels in the images of the RD group, the ULD-HIR subgroup, and the ULD-DLR subgroup were not statistically significant ( P>0.05).The RD group, ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup overall differences in SNR and CNR at all levels pulmonary arteries were statistically significant ( P<0.001), in which except for the differences in CNR and SNR values of the left pulmonary arterial trunk in the RD group and the ULD-HIR subgroup, and SNR values of basal segment pulmonary artery of the lower lobe of the left lung, which were not statistically significant ( P>0.05), the differences of the rest of the indexes in the pairwise comparisons between the groups were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The overall differences in the subjective scores of image pulmonary vascular display and image noise in the RD group, ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup were statistically significant ( P<0.001), except that the differences in the subjective scores of image pulmonary vascular display in the ULD-DLR subgroup were not statistically significant when compared with that of the RD group ( P>0.05) and that of the rest of the metrics in the between-groups two-by-two comparisons were all statistically significant ( P<0.05). The difference in diagnostic rates of PE in the pulmonary artery trunk, lobe and segmental levels in the images of the RD group, ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). Conclusions:DLR can significantly reduce the radiation dose of CTPA examination. Even at ultra-low radiation dose, its image quality is still better than HIR reconstruction at conventional doses and preserve diagnostic accuracy of PE at the lobe level and segment level.
2.Flexible subtraction CE-Boost technique combined with low dosage contrast agents for CT pulmonary angiography
Weijian XU ; Zhenghong BI ; Yijing GUO ; Leilei SHEN ; Jinjuan LU ; Zicheng ZHAO ; Mengsu ZENG ; Mingliang WANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2025;41(7):1150-1153
Objective To investigate the value of flexible subtraction CE-Boost technique combined with low dosage contrast agents for CT pulmonary angiography(CTPA).Methods A total of 68 patients who would undergo CTPA examination due to suspected pulmonary embolism(PE)were prospectively enrolled and randomly divided into study group(n=34)and control group(n=34)using block randomization method.After injecting 25 ml contrast agents at a flow rate of 2.5 ml/s in study group or 50 ml contrast agents at a flow rate of 3.5 ml/s in control group,CTPA scanning were performed with identical parameters.For images in study group,hybrid iterative reconstruction was performed,followed by flexible subtraction CE-Boost post-processing to obtain CE-Boost CTPA.For images in control group,conventional CTPA was obtained with hybrid iterative reconstruction.Subjective and objective evaluations of image quality were compared between groups.Taken the final clinical diagnosis as standard,the accuracy rate of diagnosing PE were compared between groups.Results There were 7 cases of pulmonary artery main trunk PE and 15 cases of pulmonary lobe-level PE in study group,while in control group there were 8 cases and 17 cases.No statistical difference of subjective scores of CTPA was found between groups(P>0.05).CT values of the main pulmonary artery,bilateral pulmonary artery trunks and lower lobes of both lungs,signal-to-noise ratio or contrast-to-noise ratio in CTPA were not significantly different between groups(all P>0.05),while no significant difference of the accuracy rate of CTPA for diagnosing PE of pulmonary artery main trunk(100%[7/7]vs.100%[8/8])nor pulmonary lobe-level PE(86.67%[13/15]vs.88.24%[15/17])was detected between groups(all P>0.05).Conclusion Flexible subtraction CE-Boost technique combined with low dosage contrast agents for CTPA could reduce contrast agent dosage without affecting image quality.
3.Yinzhihuang Oral Liquid Alleviates Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy: Integrated Bioinformatics and Experimental Mechanistic Insight
Ting LIU ; Xinrun ZHUANG ; Wei GU ; Wei LIU ; Jin ZHANG ; Weijian ZENG
Maternal-Fetal Medicine 2025;07(3):131-144
Objective::To systematically study the mechanisms by which Yinzhihuang (YZH), a traditional Chinese medicine, ameliorates intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), a liver disorder associated with significant maternal and fetal complications.Methods::This experimental study was conducted from January 2024 to August 2024, utilizing data from public databases (Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology, GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, DisGeNET, Proteome Xchange) alongside in vitro cell culture experiments. Network pharmacology identified active components of YZH and potential therapeutic targets for ICP. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry characterized YZH oral liquid, and its effective doses were evaluated in taurocholic acid (TCA)-induced HTR-8/SVneo cells, an in vitro ICP model. ICP-related targets were gathered from multiple databases, and hub genes were selected through bioinformatics and previously identified differentially expressed proteins. Functional annotation and pathway enrichment analyses were conducted, with validation in TCA-induced cells treated with various YZH concentrations (0.1%–5.0%) compared to controls. Molecular docking confirmed predicted interactions.Results::Using network pharmacology, 104 active compounds and 241 potential targets of YZH were identified. Integration of multiple databases yielded 1897 YZH-related therapeutic targets and 3783 ICP-associated genes. Proteomic analysis identified 227 differentially expressed proteins, from which 10 hub genes were selected; among these, APOA2, COL1A1, and ADIPOQ were significantly upregulated in ICP samples. UPLC-ESI-MS/MS detected 2022 compounds, predominantly flavonoids (25.07%, 507/2022) and phenolic acids (14.44%, 292/2022). Molecular docking demonstrated strong binding affinities between several active compounds and the hub genes. In TCA-induced HTR-8/SVneo cells, 0.5% YZH treatment significantly enhanced cell viability and modulated hub gene expression, supporting a potential multi-target mechanism.Conclusion::This study systematically explored the active components and potential targets of YZH in ICP through network pharmacology, proteomics, and in vitro validation. The findings suggest that YZH may act via the PPAR signaling pathway by modulating genes such as PPARA, PPARG, ADIPOQ, and APOA2.
4.Yinzhihuang Oral Liquid Alleviates Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy: Integrated Bioinformatics and Experimental Mechanistic Insight
Ting LIU ; Xinrun ZHUANG ; Wei GU ; Wei LIU ; Jin ZHANG ; Weijian ZENG
Maternal-Fetal Medicine 2025;07(3):131-144
Objective::To systematically study the mechanisms by which Yinzhihuang (YZH), a traditional Chinese medicine, ameliorates intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), a liver disorder associated with significant maternal and fetal complications.Methods::This experimental study was conducted from January 2024 to August 2024, utilizing data from public databases (Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology, GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, DisGeNET, Proteome Xchange) alongside in vitro cell culture experiments. Network pharmacology identified active components of YZH and potential therapeutic targets for ICP. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry characterized YZH oral liquid, and its effective doses were evaluated in taurocholic acid (TCA)-induced HTR-8/SVneo cells, an in vitro ICP model. ICP-related targets were gathered from multiple databases, and hub genes were selected through bioinformatics and previously identified differentially expressed proteins. Functional annotation and pathway enrichment analyses were conducted, with validation in TCA-induced cells treated with various YZH concentrations (0.1%–5.0%) compared to controls. Molecular docking confirmed predicted interactions.Results::Using network pharmacology, 104 active compounds and 241 potential targets of YZH were identified. Integration of multiple databases yielded 1897 YZH-related therapeutic targets and 3783 ICP-associated genes. Proteomic analysis identified 227 differentially expressed proteins, from which 10 hub genes were selected; among these, APOA2, COL1A1, and ADIPOQ were significantly upregulated in ICP samples. UPLC-ESI-MS/MS detected 2022 compounds, predominantly flavonoids (25.07%, 507/2022) and phenolic acids (14.44%, 292/2022). Molecular docking demonstrated strong binding affinities between several active compounds and the hub genes. In TCA-induced HTR-8/SVneo cells, 0.5% YZH treatment significantly enhanced cell viability and modulated hub gene expression, supporting a potential multi-target mechanism.Conclusion::This study systematically explored the active components and potential targets of YZH in ICP through network pharmacology, proteomics, and in vitro validation. The findings suggest that YZH may act via the PPAR signaling pathway by modulating genes such as PPARA, PPARG, ADIPOQ, and APOA2.
5.Feasibility study on diagnosis of pulmonary embolism using deep learning reconstruction algorithm in ultra-low radiation dose CT pulmonary angiography
Jinjuan LU ; Leilei SHEN ; Zhenghong BI ; Chun ZHOU ; Yijing GUO ; Weijian XU ; Xiaodan YE ; Mengsu ZENG ; Mingliang WANG
Chinese Journal of Radiology 2025;59(8):886-893
Objective:To investigate the feasibility of ultra-low dose (ULD) CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) combined with deep learning reconstruction (DLR) in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE).Methods:This cross-sectional study prospectively enrolled 100 patients with suspected PE who underwent CTPA examination in Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, and Shanghai Geriatric Medical Center from April to July 2024, and were randomly divided into the routine dose (RD) group and ULD group according to block randomization. Effective dose (ED) were calculated. The noise index of RD group and ULD group was set to 10 and 20, respectively. Other scanning parameters and contrast agent injection protocol were the same. The CT images of RD group were reconstructed using hybrid iterative reconstruction (HIR), while ULD images were reconstructed with HIR and DLR (ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup). The image quality of the three groups of images was subjectively evaluated (overall image noise, pulmonary artery display) and objectively evaluated [signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the images] respectively. Finally, the diagnostic results of PE by the expert committee composed of three chief physicians were taken as the gold standard, and one physician with lower qualifications independently evaluated the diagnostic rate of PE in the three groups of images. Objective image quality parameters across the three groups were compared using ANOVA, with LSD post hoc test was used for multiple comparisons. Subjective scores among the three groups were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis H test, with Bonferroni corrected pairwise post hoc test was applied for multiple pairwise comparisons. Results:The ED in the RD group and ULD group were (2.7±0.5) mSv and (0.7±0.2) mSv, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant ( t=26.42, P<0.001). The overall differences in CT values of pulmonary arteries at all levels in the images of the RD group, the ULD-HIR subgroup, and the ULD-DLR subgroup were not statistically significant ( P>0.05).The RD group, ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup overall differences in SNR and CNR at all levels pulmonary arteries were statistically significant ( P<0.001), in which except for the differences in CNR and SNR values of the left pulmonary arterial trunk in the RD group and the ULD-HIR subgroup, and SNR values of basal segment pulmonary artery of the lower lobe of the left lung, which were not statistically significant ( P>0.05), the differences of the rest of the indexes in the pairwise comparisons between the groups were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The overall differences in the subjective scores of image pulmonary vascular display and image noise in the RD group, ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup were statistically significant ( P<0.001), except that the differences in the subjective scores of image pulmonary vascular display in the ULD-DLR subgroup were not statistically significant when compared with that of the RD group ( P>0.05) and that of the rest of the metrics in the between-groups two-by-two comparisons were all statistically significant ( P<0.05). The difference in diagnostic rates of PE in the pulmonary artery trunk, lobe and segmental levels in the images of the RD group, ULD-HIR subgroup and ULD-DLR subgroup was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). Conclusions:DLR can significantly reduce the radiation dose of CTPA examination. Even at ultra-low radiation dose, its image quality is still better than HIR reconstruction at conventional doses and preserve diagnostic accuracy of PE at the lobe level and segment level.
6.Flexible subtraction CE-Boost technique combined with low dosage contrast agents for CT pulmonary angiography
Weijian XU ; Zhenghong BI ; Yijing GUO ; Leilei SHEN ; Jinjuan LU ; Zicheng ZHAO ; Mengsu ZENG ; Mingliang WANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2025;41(7):1150-1153
Objective To investigate the value of flexible subtraction CE-Boost technique combined with low dosage contrast agents for CT pulmonary angiography(CTPA).Methods A total of 68 patients who would undergo CTPA examination due to suspected pulmonary embolism(PE)were prospectively enrolled and randomly divided into study group(n=34)and control group(n=34)using block randomization method.After injecting 25 ml contrast agents at a flow rate of 2.5 ml/s in study group or 50 ml contrast agents at a flow rate of 3.5 ml/s in control group,CTPA scanning were performed with identical parameters.For images in study group,hybrid iterative reconstruction was performed,followed by flexible subtraction CE-Boost post-processing to obtain CE-Boost CTPA.For images in control group,conventional CTPA was obtained with hybrid iterative reconstruction.Subjective and objective evaluations of image quality were compared between groups.Taken the final clinical diagnosis as standard,the accuracy rate of diagnosing PE were compared between groups.Results There were 7 cases of pulmonary artery main trunk PE and 15 cases of pulmonary lobe-level PE in study group,while in control group there were 8 cases and 17 cases.No statistical difference of subjective scores of CTPA was found between groups(P>0.05).CT values of the main pulmonary artery,bilateral pulmonary artery trunks and lower lobes of both lungs,signal-to-noise ratio or contrast-to-noise ratio in CTPA were not significantly different between groups(all P>0.05),while no significant difference of the accuracy rate of CTPA for diagnosing PE of pulmonary artery main trunk(100%[7/7]vs.100%[8/8])nor pulmonary lobe-level PE(86.67%[13/15]vs.88.24%[15/17])was detected between groups(all P>0.05).Conclusion Flexible subtraction CE-Boost technique combined with low dosage contrast agents for CTPA could reduce contrast agent dosage without affecting image quality.
7.Study on the effect of fisetin on alleviating cognitive impairment after sepsis by inhibiting the activation of microglial NLPR3 inflammasome
Zhong LIAO ; Weijian LIAO ; Guoli LAI ; Yin WEN ; Zhiwei SU ; Juhao ZENG ; Hongguang DING
Tianjin Medical Journal 2024;52(10):1025-1030
Objective To investigate the mechanism of fisetin inhibiting the activation of microglia NOD-like receptor family protein 3(NLRP3)inflammasome in microglia and alleviating cognitive impairment after sepsis.Methods C57BL/6 mice were used to establish the sepsis model by cecal ligation and puncture.Mice were divided into four groups:the sham group,the sepsis group,the sepsis+caspase-1 knockout group(sepsis+Cas-1-/-group)and the sepsis+fisetin group.Evans blue was used to detect the permeability of blood-brain barrier(BBB).Morris water maze was used to evaluate the cognitive function of mice.Western blot assay and immunofluorescence double staining were used to detect the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins including caspase-1,N-terminal fragment of the GSDMD(GSDMD-N),interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-18 and mitophagy-related proteins(Pink1,Parkin and LC3-Ⅱ)in brain tissue and microglia.Results Compared with the sham group,expression levels of caspase-1,GSDMD-N,IL-1β and IL-18 were significantly increased in the sepsis group(P<0.05).Compared with the sepsis group,expression levels of caspase-1,GSDMD-N,IL-1β and IL-18 were significantly decreased in the sepsis+Cas-1-/-group(P<0.05).The expression levels of Pink1,Parkin and LC3-Ⅱ were significantly higher in the sepsis+fisetin group than those of the sepsis group(P<0.05),and expression levels of caspase-1,GSDMD-N,IL-1β and IL-18 were significantly lower(P<0.05).After fisetin intervention,the permeability of BBB was decreased and the cognitive impairment(decreased escape latency and increased frequencies of crossing the platform)was alleviated in the sepsis+fisetin group compared with those of the sepsis group(P<0.05).Conclusion Fisetin may alleviate central inflammation and cognitive impairment after sepsis by inhibiting the activation of microglial NLRP3 inflammasome through activating mitophagy.
8.Application of distal arc-shaped incision of lunula combined with nail template replantation in the treatment of subungual glomus tumor
Weijian CHEN ; Bin LIU ; Liang LU ; Jianxue ZENG ; Duoyu LI
Chinese Journal of Plastic Surgery 2023;39(3):266-272
Objective:To investigate the feasibility and efficacy of distal arc-shaped incision of lunula combined with nail template replantation for the treatment of subungual glomus tumor.Methods:The clinical data with subungual glomus tumor treated in the Department of Orthopedics of First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China from March 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Each patient removed the nail, the nail bed was cut into by a distal arc-shaped incision of the lunula. After the tumor was exposed, the tumor was resected completely, the nail bed flap was reduced in situ without suturing. The nail template was made by using the 5 ml syringe barrel or the original nail and poked the drainage holes in it, then the nail template was covered on the nail bed surface, three-point suturing and pressurized fixation, routine dressing change, and the nail template was removed 3 weeks after the procedure. The visual analogue scale (VAS) of pain was recorded preoperative and one month after the operation, and nail bed healing, pain improvement, nail growth, and tumor recurrence were observed. VAS scores before and after surgery were expressed as M( Q1, Q3), and analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test, P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:A total of 37 patients were enrolled, including 5 males and 32 females. The age ranged from 18 to 67 years old, with an average of 39 years old. All patients were confirmed as subungual glomus tumors by postoperative pathology, they were followed up for 6 to 36 months, with an average of 22 months. All of the patients had no obvious pain during the dressing change, after removing the nail template, the nail bed was flat and dry, and no obvious scar formation was found. All postoperative incisions were healed in one stage, the new nail recovered smoothly with a satisfactory appearance, the pain symptoms disappeared completely, and also no recurrence occurred during follow-up. The preoperative VAS score was 5.0 (4.5, 6.0), the VAS score one month after the operation was 0.0 (0.0, 0.0), and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-7.57, P<0.001). Conclusion:The distal arc-shaped incision of the lunula for the treatment of subungual glomus tumor can effectively protect the germinal matrix of the nail bed, with sufficient tumor exposure, complete resection, and low recurrence rate. At the same time, combined with nail template replantation can significantly reduce nail bed scar formation and effectively prevent postoperative nail deformity. The method is simple, easy to operate, and has significant clinical efficacy.
9.Application of distal arc-shaped incision of lunula combined with nail template replantation in the treatment of subungual glomus tumor
Weijian CHEN ; Bin LIU ; Liang LU ; Jianxue ZENG ; Duoyu LI
Chinese Journal of Plastic Surgery 2023;39(3):266-272
Objective:To investigate the feasibility and efficacy of distal arc-shaped incision of lunula combined with nail template replantation for the treatment of subungual glomus tumor.Methods:The clinical data with subungual glomus tumor treated in the Department of Orthopedics of First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China from March 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Each patient removed the nail, the nail bed was cut into by a distal arc-shaped incision of the lunula. After the tumor was exposed, the tumor was resected completely, the nail bed flap was reduced in situ without suturing. The nail template was made by using the 5 ml syringe barrel or the original nail and poked the drainage holes in it, then the nail template was covered on the nail bed surface, three-point suturing and pressurized fixation, routine dressing change, and the nail template was removed 3 weeks after the procedure. The visual analogue scale (VAS) of pain was recorded preoperative and one month after the operation, and nail bed healing, pain improvement, nail growth, and tumor recurrence were observed. VAS scores before and after surgery were expressed as M( Q1, Q3), and analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test, P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:A total of 37 patients were enrolled, including 5 males and 32 females. The age ranged from 18 to 67 years old, with an average of 39 years old. All patients were confirmed as subungual glomus tumors by postoperative pathology, they were followed up for 6 to 36 months, with an average of 22 months. All of the patients had no obvious pain during the dressing change, after removing the nail template, the nail bed was flat and dry, and no obvious scar formation was found. All postoperative incisions were healed in one stage, the new nail recovered smoothly with a satisfactory appearance, the pain symptoms disappeared completely, and also no recurrence occurred during follow-up. The preoperative VAS score was 5.0 (4.5, 6.0), the VAS score one month after the operation was 0.0 (0.0, 0.0), and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-7.57, P<0.001). Conclusion:The distal arc-shaped incision of the lunula for the treatment of subungual glomus tumor can effectively protect the germinal matrix of the nail bed, with sufficient tumor exposure, complete resection, and low recurrence rate. At the same time, combined with nail template replantation can significantly reduce nail bed scar formation and effectively prevent postoperative nail deformity. The method is simple, easy to operate, and has significant clinical efficacy.
10. The efficacy of gradeⅡ glioma with postoperative intensity modulated radiotherapy
Shan LI ; Xuezheng WANG ; Yanbin CHEN ; Zanyi WU ; Hairong ZHANG ; Jiang ZENG ; Chuanshu CAI ; Weijian ZHANG ; Li SU ; Jinsheng HONG
Chinese Journal of Radiological Medicine and Protection 2020;40(2):112-115
Objective:
To retrospectively analyze the efficacy and prognostic factors of postoperative intensity modulated radiotherapy for grade Ⅱ gliomas.
Methods:
Retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with postoperative grade Ⅱ glioma in our hospital from Jan. 2010 to Dec. 2018. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival, and the secondary endpoint was overall survival. Correlative analyses of prognosis by age, gender, initial resection status, the maximum diameter of the lesions, bi-hemisphere, astrocytoma, chemoradiation, adjuvant chemotherapy were conducted.
Results:
A total of 109 cases with grade Ⅱ glioma were enrolled. The follow-up rate was 91.75%, including 10 cases dead and 27 relapsed. There were 24 cases (88.9%) of in-field failure, and 3 cases (11.1%) of out-field failure. 14 cases of recurrence occurred in 81 cases of total resection group, accounting for 17.3%, and 13 in 28 cases of subtotal resection group, accounting for 46.4%. The recurrence rate in the subtotal resection group was significantly higher than that in the total resection group (

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