Objective To investigate the hepatic hemodynamic characteristics of cirrhotic patients with splenectomy using iodine map of dual-source computed tomography(DSCT).Methods Twenty-four cirrhotic patients with splenectomy were selected as a study group,41 cirrhotic patients without splenectomy as a cirrhosis group and other 32 patients with normal liver as a control group.The iodine concentration(IC)in hepatic arterial and venous phases was measured on the iodine map,and the arterial iodine fraction(AIF)and portal venous iodine concentration(PVIC)were calculated.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted and the area under the curve(AUC)was recorded to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of each parameter using the DeLong test.Results IC in arterial phase and AIF were significantly higher,and IC in venous phase and PVIC were significantly lower in study group(P<0.05).The AUC values of the four parameters between study group and cirrhosis group were 0.735,0.992,0.943,and 0.994,respectively.Conclusion DSCT iodine map is helpful for clinical quantitative assessment of hepatic hemodynamic characteristics in cirrhotic patients with splenectomy,and the PVIC has optimal independent diagnostic performance.

Objective To observe the expression of autophagy-related genes and proteins in the smooth bladder muscle of rats after spinal cord injury (SPI).Methods Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly and evenly divided into a model group and a control group.The model group had SPI induced using the modified Allen's method,while the control group was only given laminectomy.Six hours after the operation,the Basso Beattle Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scale was used to evaluate the rats' hindlimb locomotor function.Nissl staining was used to observe the morphological changes in their spinal cords,while Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining were employed to assess the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and protein 62 (P62).The expression of autography gene Beclin1 mRNA was determined using a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Results The average BBB score in the model group was significantly lower than in the control group.After Nissl's staining,a decreased number of neurons and Nissl bodies was observed.Western blotting showed that the expression of LC3-Ⅱ had increased significantly and that of P62 had decreased significantly in the model group compared with the control group.The immunofluorescence staining showed LC3 and P62 dots in the bladders' smooth muscle cells.RT-PCR detected significantly higher LC3 and Beclinl mRNA levels in the model group than in the control group;in contrast the average P62 mRNA level was significantly lower.Conclusions Autophagy was activated in rats' bladder muscles after SPI.That may be related to the pathogenesis of a neurogenic bladder after spinal cord injury.

Objectives To investigate the diagnostic value of thoracic CT combined with tumor markers of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA),neuron-specific enolase (NSE),cyfra21-1,and squamous cell carcinoma-antigen(SCC-Ag) in the elderly patients with early lung cancer.Methods Two hundreds and twelve elderly subjects were divided into 3 groups:a lung cancer group(stageⅠa-Ⅲ a,n =60)diagnosed by pathological findings of puncture-or postsurgical-tissue,a benign group (n =84)with pathology-diagnosed benign lesions and a normal control group(n=68)with normal health examination.The chest CT signs and levels of serum tumor markers of the 212 individuals were retrospectively analyzed.Results The serum levels of CEA,NSE,cyfra21-1,and SCC-Ag were higher in the lung cancer group than in the benign group and the normal group(P=0.0247,0.0319,019,0.0384,respectively).The positive rate of tumor marker was increased along with the increased lung cancer diameter.The lung cancer diameter ＜ 1 cm,1-1.9 cm,2-2.9 cm,＞3 cm of four groups showed that the positive rate[case(％)]of tumor marker was 1(16.7),5(38.5),11(64.7),23(95.8),respectively,with a significantly difference in total 4 groups(x2 =81.09,P=0.00125) and between diameter 2-2.9 cm and ＞3 cm groups(x2 =6.810,P=0.00784).The sensitivity of chest CT in diagnosis of lung cancer was 85.0％,specificity 55.9％,positive predictive value 43.2％,and negative predictive value 90.4％.A higher sensitivity of chest CT combined with tumor markers in diagnosis of lung cancer was 95.0％,a higher specificity 86.8％,and a higher negative predictive value 97.8％.Conclusions The detection of chest CT combined with serum tumor markers is helpful to improve the accuracy of diagnosis in elderly patients with early lung cancer,especially when the diameter of tumor is ＞ 3 cm.

Objective Retrospectively analyze of urate crystal deposition using dual-source CT in asymptomatic hyperuricaemia and symptomatic gout patients.Methods Sixty patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia (uric acid ≥540 μmol/L) and 48 patients with gout (without any change in the appearance of the limbs and obvious gout nodules) were selected.All patients underwent dual-energy CT imaging.The location number and size were analyzed using CT gout software.Results Eighteen patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia with urate crystal deposition in limb joints (13 in foot and ankle, 7 in the hand and wrist, 2 in knee), the average size of crystal was (0.12±0.04) cm3.Forty-eight gout patients (28 cases of early gout and 20 cases of late gout and 20 gout cases) had urate crystal deposition (48 in foot and ankle, 39 in hand and wrist, 27 in knee), the average size of crystal was (1.7±0.7) cm3.The number and size of urate crystals deposited in the joints, tendons and ligaments was higher in patients with gout than asymptomatic hyperuricemia (x2=52.076, P＜0.001;t=44.834, P＜0.001).There was no difference between the early gout and late gout in the size of urate crystals (t=0.163, P＞0.05).Conclusion Urate crystals can deposite in asymptomatic hyperuricemia.However, more and larger urate crystals appear in gout patients, there is no difference in size and number of urate crystals between the course duration of gout.

PurposeTo evaluate the value of dual-source CT angiography (DSCTA) in the diagnosis of carotid atherosclerosis, and to explore the relationship between carotid atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus (DM).Materials and Methods 145 patients with ischemic stroke were divided into DM group (n=80) and non-DM group (n=65). All patients underwent DSCTA. The location and characteristic of carotid atherosclerosis were analyzed using curve planE reconstruction (CPR), maximum intensity projection (MIP), multi-plane reformation (MPR) and volume rendering (VR). The differences between two groups were analyzed.Results Compared with non-DM group, the body mass index and high blood cholesterol were higher in DM group (t=6.197,P<0.05;χ2=8.372,P<0.01). The incidence of carotid atherosclerosis and vulnerable plaques were also higher in DM group than non-DM group (χ2=11.617 and 9.388,P<0.01). There was no significant difference between DM group and non-DM group in the location of carotid atherosclerosis (χ2=0.160, 0.509, 0.419 and 0.016,P>0.05). Carotid atherosclerosis was more common in carotid bifurcation and carotid artery siphon.Conclusion DSCTA can demonstrate the location and characteristics of carotid atherosclerosis in ischemic stroke patients with diabetes mellitus. Diabetes is a risk factor for the formation of carotid atherosclerosis, especially vulnerable plaques.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of dual-source CT angiography (DSCTA) for vertebrobasilar atherosclerosis in patients with transient ischemia attack (TIA).Methods 80 TIA patients underwent DSCTA.Common data were collected.Vertebrobasilar plaques and stenosis degree were analyzed by using CT reconstruction.Results 152 plaques were found in 69 patients(86.2％,69/80),59 plaques(38.9％,59/152)in unilateral vertebral artery in 31 patients,83 plaques (54.6％,83/152) inbilateral vertebral artery in 28 cases,10 plaques (6.6％,10/152) in basilar artery in 10 patients,among which 51(33.6％,51/152)plaques were hard,69(45.3％,69/ 152)plaques were soft,32(21.1％,32/152)plaques were mixed.There were 31 cases (44.9％,31/ 69) with mild stenosis,27 cases (39.1％,27/69) with moderate stenosis,7 cases (10.1％,7/69) with severe stenosis,and 4 cases (5.8％,4/69) had vascular occlusion.Conclusions Vertebrobasilar atherosclerosis is a common cause of TIA.DSCTA can be used to analyze the vertebrobasilar plaques and stenosis degree.Soft plaques and severe stenosis promote TIA.

Objective To compare the sensitivity and specificity of venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) test versus several other laboratory tests in the diagnosis of neurosyphilis. Methods Lumber puncture was conducted to obtain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from untreated outpatients with latent syphilis (LS) or serofast outpatients with LS. Then, VDRL test, rapid plasma regain (RPR) test, Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) assay, fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption (FTA-ABS) test and protein quantification were performed on these CSF samples. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were compared between VDRL test and four other laboratory tests in the diagnosis of neurosyphilis. Results Totally, 61 cases of latent syphilis were included in this study. The sensitivity, specificity,positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 93.44% (57/61), 99.32%(293/295), 96.61%(57/59), 98.65% (293/297)for CSF-RPR, respectively, 91.80% (56/61), 82.71% (244/295), 52.34% (56/107),97.99 (244/249) for CSF-TPPA, respectively, 93.44% (57/61), 82.71% (244/295), 52.78%(57/108), 98.39%(244/248) for CSF-FTA-ABS, respectively, and 49.18%(30/61), 97.29% (287/295), 78.95% (30/38),90.25% (287/318) for CSF protein quantification, respectively. Conclusions CSF-VDRL cannot be replaced by CSF-RPR, -TPPA, -FTA-ABS, or CSF protein quantification in the diagnosis of neurosyphilis. CSF-RPR shows a high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of neurosyphilis, with an increased diagnostic capability (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) compared with CSF-TPPA, CSF-FTA-ABS or CSF protein quantification.

Objective To evaluate the parallactic unsharpness caused by flat panel detector in digital radiography using different incident angle of central ray. Methods R-1 square-wave phantom was exposed by Kodak DR3000 system with X-ray tube angled 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, and 40° respectively. Then,presampled modulation transfer function (MTF) was calculated for each case above. Subsequently,experimental data were processed and Wilcoxon signed ranks test were performed by statistic software SPSS 10. 0, in which P ＜ 0. 05 was considered as statistically significant difference. Results The presampled MTF curves of incident angle of 0°-40° degree, were presented orderly from top to bottom, especially the incident angle of 40° was obviously the lowest. The incident angle of 0° was considered as a control group and other groups were compared against it. There was no statistically significant difference for MTF of incident angle of 10°( Z = - 1. 893 ,P = 0. 058 ), while there were significant difference for MTF of incident angle of 20°, 30°, and 40° ( Z = - 2. 547, - 2. 666, - 2. 666, P ＜ 0. 05 ). Conclusions For flat panel detector in digital radiography, the bigger the incident angle of central ray, the larger the parallactic unsharpness. In addition, this effect has less influence on structures of low spatial frequency than those of high spatial frequency.

Objective To investigate the effects of citicoline combined with rehabilitative training on motor function after focal cerebral ischemia. Methods One hundred and twenty male adult Sprague-Dawley rats ( 3 months old) were subjected to left middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) by suturing. Ninety-six of them were randomly divided into four groups of 24: a control group, a drug group, a rehabilitative training group, and a drug combined with rehabilitative training group. The rats in the control group did not receive any treatment. Three days after reperfusion, those in the drug group received 500 mg/kg of citicoline daily; those in the rehabilitative training group received motor training including balancing, grasping, rotating and walking exercises; those in the combined group received both citicoline and the motor training program. Behavioral tests were administered at the 7th, 14th and 21st days after MCAO. At the same time points, immunohistochemistry was used to detect calcium-binding protein S100 and β-tubulin expression in the peri-ischemia region of the cortex. Results ①As compared with the control group, the drug group at the 7th, 14th and 21st day after MCAO and the other two groups at the 7th day after MCAO showed no significant difference in average behavior scores. But at the 14th and 21st day the rehabilitative training group as well as the drug combined with rehabilitative training group had average behavior scores significantly superior to those of the control group, especially in the drug combined with rehabilitative training group. ②As compared with the control group, the expression of S100 and β-tubulin in the drug and rehabilitative training groups at the 7th day after MCAO showed no significant difference. In the drug combined with rehabilitative training group the average score was significantly higher than in the other groups at the 7th day after MCAO. All the other groups had average scores significantly higher than that of the controls at the 14th and 21st day after MCAO, especially the drug combined with rehabilitative training group. Conclusions Citicoline combined with rehabilitative training can significantly improve motor function recovery in rats. The effect of the combined modalities was more obvious, and the functional enhancement might be partially attributable to the up-regulation of S100 and β-tubulin in the cortex.

Objective To observe the effect of ultrashortwave therapy on the expression of BMP-2 in steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head(SANFH). Methods Thirty New-Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into two groups:a normal group(4 rabbits)and an intervention group(26 rabbits).An animal model of steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head was induced through the intravenous injection of horse blood serum and the intraperitoneal injection of methylprednisolone in the intervention group.X-ray examination confirmed the successful induction of SANFH in 20 of the rabbits,who were then subdivided at random into an uhrashortwave therapy group(1 0 rabbits)and a model group(1 0 rabbits).The rabbits in the ultrashortwave group were treated with ultrashortwave therapy in two 1 5-day courses,with a 5-day interval between them. Non-thermal ultrashortwave therapy was given in the first course,then mild thermal uhrashortwave therapy was given in the second.Those in the model group were reared without ultrashortwave therapy.All the animals were sacrificed immediately after the end of the last treatment,and their femoral heads were sampled to observe the expression of BMP-2 using real time fluorescent quantitative PCR. Results The expression of BMP-2 mRNA in the intervention group was only one fifth of that observed in the normal group.It was 2.7 to 10 times that observed in the model group.Both differences were significant at the 1% confidence level. Conclusion Ultrashortwave therapy can promote the expression of BMP-2 and improve reactivation in avascular necrosis of the femoral head.