To explore the mechanism for changes in brain microstructure in long-term abstinent from methamphetamine-dependence by using the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).
 Methods: A total of 26 patients with long-term abstinent methamphetamine-dependence, whose abstinence time more than 14 months, and 26 normal controls all underwent cognitive executive function tests and DTI scans. We used voxel-based analysis to compare the fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) to obtain the abnormal brain regions of DTI parameters between the two groups. Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between FA, MD of the brain regions with abnormal parameters and cognitive executive function tests.
 Results: There were no statistical differences in the cognitive executive function tests between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with the normal control group, the long-term abstinent from methamphetamine-dependence group showed the decreased FA in the right precuneus, right superior frontal gyrus, right calcarine, left inferior temporal gyrus and the increased MD in the right triangular part of inferior frontal gyrus, right precuneus, right posterior cingulate, right middle temporal gyrus, bilateral middle occipital gyrus, left superior parietal lobule, and lobule VIII of cerebellar hemisphere. The MD values of the right middle temporal gyrus in the long-term abstinent group were negatively correlated with the number of completions within 60 seconds (r=-0.504) and within 120 seconds (r=-0.464) .
 Conclusion: The DTI parameters in multiple brain regions from the methamphetamine-dependence patients are still abnormal after a long-term abstinence. DTI can provide imaging evidence for brain microstructural abnormalities in long-term abstinent from methamphetamine-dependence.
Amphetamine-Related Disorders ; Anisotropy ; Brain ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging ; Humans ; Methamphetamine

Objective:To explore whether the phospholipidoproteinaceous material deposit within the alveoli by a high-ifeld 3T MRI has signal characters and its application for diagnosing pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.Methods:A total of 11 patients with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis previously diagnosed by ifberoptic bronchoscope lung biopsy underwent 64-slice helical CT scans and 3T MRI scans, and the CT scans and the MRI scans were compared.
Results:hTe phospholipidoproteinaceous material deposit within the alveoli presented longer or equal T1 relaxation time and longer T2 relaxation time, without characters of fatty or deposits of protein-like substance signals and enhancement. The distribution, form, number and size of the lesions at T2WI were almost the same as those at CT, the lesions were irregular in morphology, and there was a clear boundary between the lesions and the adjacent normal lung tissues. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI showed thickened pulmonary arteriolae and venulae in the lesions with more obviously thickened pulmonary venulae, which were in conformity with the pulmonary artery and venule enhancement. CT scan in 1 out of the 11 cases showed lesions in both lungs mainly consisted of stripe-shaped and reticular structures, and no obvious sign of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis residue was found. MRI scan detected alveolar proteinosis that failed to be shown by CT scan.
Conclusion:3T MRI T2WI can easily detect the lesions of long T2 signals formed by the lipoproteinaceous material deposit within the alveoli. In the lesions, geographic appearance was presented, and the crazy paving pattern was dimly visualized. MRI can relfect the morphological characters of PAP like CT and it is slightly better compared with CT in such aspects as evaluating the theraputic effect of lung lavage. As supplement to CT, high-field 3T MRI can serve as an important examination for lung diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in conjunction with MR subtraction in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast tumors at 3 Tesla. METHODS: A total of 78 patients with breast tumors enrolled in this study, including 45 malignant lesions and 33 benign lesions verified by histopathology. Dynamic MR contrast enhanced imaging was done by T1 high resolution isotropic volume excitation sequence. MR subtraction was used to retrospectively analyze the MR dynamic image. A dynamic phase subtraction (DPS) map is a map image with pixel-by-pixel subtraction of an early-phase image from a delayed maximum enhancement phase image obtained in a dynamic study. The sensitivity and specificity were calculated with or without subtraction in the diagnosis of benign and malignant breast tumors. RESULTS: The sensitivity of benign breast masses increased from 0.879 to 0.939, and the specificity increased from 0.818 to 0.909 with reference to the DPS map. There was statistical difference between with or without DPS (Z=2.023, P=0.043). The sensitivity of breast malignant masses increased from 0.889 to 0.933, and the specificity increased from 0.867 to 0.911 with reference to the DPS map, with statistical difference between with or without DPS map (Z=2.294, P=0.021). The pattern of TIC changed from continuous to a plateau in 8 patients, from a plateau to washout in 10, and from continuous to washout in 5. No changes were observed in the other 55 patients. CONCLUSION MR Subtraction is a simple and useful technique to identify breast lesions. It helps to accurately set the location of the ROI TIC and improve the detection rate of benign and malignant breast tumors.
Breast Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Contrast Media ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the multislice spiral computer tomography (MSCT) manifestations and its value in the diagnosis of urachus lesions. METHODS: A total of 26 patients with urachus disease diagnosed by pathological examination in our hospital between October 2007 and May 2011 were included in this study. We retrospectively analyzed MSCT images on the size, location, and shape character of the foci, and the image features of Retzius space. RESULTS: In the group, 12 patients had simple urachal cyst with homogeneous fluid filling the cavity with thin wall in CT scanning; five had infected urachal cyst with thickened and enhanced wall, some patch and strip appearing in Retzius space surrounding the lesion; two had infected urachal sinus, and another 3 had urachus leakage. Four had urachal tumor showing irregular cysticsolid mass over the apex of the bladder with apparent enhancement in contrast imaging, and 2 had calcification. Invasion of the bladder wall was found in 4 patients, extensive invasion of the ileum, rectum, uterus and retroperitoneal lymph nodes was found in 1. CONCLUSION MSCT scan can demonstrate the location, shape, extent of the lesion as well as the relation with adjacent structures, thereby providing valuable information for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of urachus lesions.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infections ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Urachal Cyst ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Urachus ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the value of MR perfusion imaging in early detection of findings following arterial chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma Methods Twenty eight consecutive patients with pathologically-confirmed HCC were evaluated. All patients underwent MR perfusion imaging at pre-TACE and 3 to 10 days after TACE. The negative enhancement integral (NEI) ,the time to peak(TTP) ,the maximum slope of decrease (MSD) , the signal enhance ratio (SER) were acquired from MRI software FuncTool 2. 5.36a Version. Statistical analysis using SPSS 14, least significant difference test (t test) were utilized. Results The time intensive curve of tumor was observed to descend rapidly to reach the peak at pre-TACE studies, whereas it descended slowly to reach the peak on post TACE studies. The Value of TTP and SER prior to TACE were(51.2 ± 10. 3) s, 60. 6 ± 36. 3 respectively, and post TACE (43.7 ± 12. 0)s, 41.2 ±27. 5 respectively. The values of TTP and SER post TACE were lower than those prior to TACE (P ＜ 0. 05). The value of NEI prior to TACE was 108.7 ± 58.9, and after TACE 149. 6 ±80. 1 and there was statistically significant difference (P ＜0. 05). The Value of MSD post TACE were lower than those prior to TACE, but there was no statistical significance (P ＞ 0. 05). Conclusion PWI is a very sensitive imaging technique that can be used to monitor early dynamic changes of HCC following TACE.

Objective To examine the differences in the structure of brain white matter among deficit schizophrenia, nondeficit schizophrenia and healthy controls by using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Methods Ten deficit schizophrenic patients, eleven nondeficit patients and fifteen healthy comparison subjects participated in the study. All the subjects were scanned by GE Twin Speed 1.5T MRI system. Whole brain, voxel-wise analyses of regional white matter volume were conducted by the VBM toolbox on the Matlab7.6 and SPM5. t -test was then used for the comparison between groups. Results Compared to the healthy controls, nondeficit schizophrenic patients significantly decreased the density of gray matter in the frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital lobe and basal ganglia , while the deficit patients showed the characteristically broad and significant decreasion in the frontal lobe, including left medial frontal gyrus, bilateral inferior frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, and left orbital gyrus (Cluster ≥ 30 mm3, P<0.01). Moreover, deficit patients showed the decreasion in the temporal cortex and the limbic lobe (right insula). Relative to the nondeficit schizophrenic patients, deficit patients had significant regional gray matter decreases in the left medial frontal gyrus, bilateral inferior frontal gyrus, right precentral gyrus, and right superior temporal gyrus (Cluster ≥ 30 mm3, P<0.01). Conclusion Structural heterogeneity in schizophrenia may relate to specific patterns of gray matter density reductions in deficit and nondeficit patient. However the two subtype of schizophremia patients share a common prefrontal-temperal pattern of structural brain alterations.

Objective To observe the change of MR perfusion value in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) before and after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Methods A total of 22 patients with HCC underwent MR perfusion weighted imaging (MR PWI) before TACE and 3-10 days after TACE. The mean time to enhance (MTE), negative enhancement integral (NEI), time to peak (TTP) and maximum slope of decrease (MSD) before and after TACE were acquired and compared. Results The time intension curve (TIC) of HCC region was observed to descend rapidly before TACE, while descended slowly after TACE. The value of MTE and TTP after TACE were lower than those before TACE (P<0.05), and the value of NEI after TACE was higher than that before TACE (P<0.05). The value of MSD after TACE were lower than that before TACE, but no statistical significance was found (P>0.05). Conclusion MR PWI is a very sensitive imaging technique that be used to monitor blood flow changes of HCC before and after TACE and evaluate efficacy of TACE.

Objective To explore the improvement effect of SLOT Scan technology (narrow seam exposure capture technology) and the radiography techniques on the quality of the scoliosis X-ray films in teenagers. Methods The Sonialvision Satire Ⅱ equipment of Shimadzu corporation and SLOT Scan were applied to take the radiography for 60 patients taller than 1.50 metres. All the data were collected through a continual exposure, and the images were sewn up through a seamless connec-tion software. Results Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar and sacral segments could clearly present at the same time on one X-ray film by seamless splicing, and the quality of one time radiograph was as good as one film. Conclusion As a new radiology technique, SLOT Scan can wipe off splitting arti-fact effectively and make the whole spine seamless present on one X-ray film. It helps the spinal sur-geons to observe, calculate and measure accurately. It is useful to choose the operation mode and judge the curative effect.

Objective To discuss a new temporal bone tomography radiographic technique for the assessment of cochlear implantation and its clinic value. Methods Plane radiographs of both the temporal bone tomography and cochlear position tomography were taken on 10 children after cochlear implantation. The numbers of inserted electrodes of both techniques were compared. Results The inserted electrodes were shown clearly in both techniques. There was no difference in the data be-tween the 2 methods and between the operation and radiography outcomes (P>0.05). Conclusion Temporal bone tomography is a new method to evaluate cochlear implants in postoperative patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of dual-energy subtraction radiography (DESR) in the detection of rib bone lesions. METHODS: The images of DESR and digital radiography (DR) in 66 patients with 118 rib bone lesions were reviewed. The detectability of DESR and DR in the rib bone lesions was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) method, and their detection rates were compared in different thoracic regions such as those overlaid with the diaphragm and the mediastinum, located in the region of midaxillary line,and the rest. RESULTS: In the detection of rib bone lesions, the area under ROC curve in the DESR group (Az=0.946) was significantly larger than that in the DR group (Az=0.755). In different regions of the rib lesions, the detection rates of DESR were significantly larger than those of DR (P<0.05). CONCLUSION DESR can improve the detection of rib bone lesions, and is a useful supplement to DR.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography, Dual-Energy Scanned Projection ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Rib Fractures ; diagnostic imaging ; Ribs ; diagnostic imaging ; Young Adult