BACKGROUND: Patients with mass-forming pancreatitis (MFP) or pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) presented similar clinical symptoms, but required different treatment approaches and had different survival outcomes. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) in differentiating MFP from PDAC. METHODS: A literature search was performed in the PubMed, EMBASE (Ovid), Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Weipu (VIP), and WanFang databases to identify original studies published from inception to August 20, 2021. Studies reporting the diagnostic performances of CEUS and CECT for differentiating MFP from PDAC were included. The meta-analysis was performed with Stata 15.0 software. The outcomes included the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (+LR), negative likelihood ratio (-LR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves of CEUS and CECT. Meta-regression was conducted to investigate heterogeneity. Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted to indirectly compare the overall diagnostic performance. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies with 2115 pancreatic masses were included. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for MFP were 82% (95% confidence interval [CI], 73%-88%; I2  = 0.00%) and 95% (95% CI, 90%-97%; I2  = 63.44%), respectively; the overall +LR, -LR, and DOR values were 15.12 (95% CI, 7.61-30.01), 0.19 (95% CI, 0.13-0.29), and 78.91 (95% CI, 30.94-201.27), respectively; and the area under the SROC curve (AUC) was 0.90 (95% CI, 0.87-92). However, the overall sensitivity and specificity of CECT were 81% (95% CI, 75-85%; I2  = 66.37%) and 94% (95% CI, 90-96%; I2  = 74.87%); the overall +LR, -LR, and DOR values were 12.91 (95% CI, 7.86-21.20), 0.21 (95% CI, 0.16-0.27), and 62.53 (95% CI, 34.45-113.51), respectively; and, the SROC AUC was 0.92 (95% CI, 0.90-0.94). The overall diagnostic accuracy of CEUS was comparable to that of CECT for the differential diagnosis of MFP and PDAC (relative DOR 1.26, 95% CI [0.42-3.83], P  > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS CEUS and CECT have comparable diagnostic performance for differentiating MFP from PDAC, and should be considered as mutually complementary diagnostic tools for suspected focal pancreatic lesions.
Humans ; Contrast Media ; Bayes Theorem ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods* ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/diagnostic imaging* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Pancreatitis/diagnostic imaging* ; Ultrasonography/methods*

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the potential of non-contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging as an imaging surveillance tool for detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in at-risk patients and to compare the performance of non-contrast MR imaging with ultrasonography (US) as a screening modality for the same. METHODS: In this retrospective study, patients diagnosed with HCC between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2015 were selected from our institution's cancer registry. Patients who underwent MR imaging and had US performed within three months of the MR imaging were included. For each MR imaging, two non-contrast MR imaging sequences - T2-weighted fat-saturated (T2-W FS) sequence and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) - were reviewed for the presence of suspicious lesions. A non-contrast MR image was considered positive if the lesion was seen on both sequences. The performance of non-contrast MR imaging was compared to that of hepatobiliary US for the detection of HCC. RESULTS: A total of 73 patients with 108 HCCs were evaluated. Sensitivity of non-contrast MR imaging for the detection of HCC using T2-W FS and DWI was 93.2%, which was significantly higher than that of US, which was 79.5% (p = 0.02). In a subgroup of 55 patients with imaging features of liver cirrhosis, the sensitivity of non-contrast MR imaging was 90.9%, which was also significantly higher than that of US, which was 74.5% (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION Our pilot study showed that non-contrast MR imaging, using a combination of T2-W FS and DWI, is a potential alternative to US as a screening tool for surveillance of patients at risk for HCC.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology* ; Contrast Media ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Pilot Projects ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a new form of ultrasound (US) that can dynamically display microvessels in a highly sensitive manner. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of CEUS for characterizing testicular lesions in comparison with conventional US. Forty-seven patients with testicular lesions were enrolled. The histopathology results revealed that 31 cases were neoplastic (11 cases of seminomas, 8 nonseminomatous germ cell tumors, 8 lymphomas, 2 Leydig cell tumors, and 2 nonspecific tumors), and 16 cases were nonneoplastic (8 cases of infarctions, 3 epidermoid cysts, and 5 inflammation). The indicators of shallow lobulated morphology and cystic-solid echogenicity on conventional US were suggestive of germ cell tumors. More indicators on CEUS were found to be useful for characterizing testicular lesions. All the neoplastic lesions showed hyperenhancement on CEUS. Moreover, germ cell tumors presented with heterogeneous enhancement (73.7%, 14/19), a twisted blood vessel pattern, rapid wash-in and wash-out, and peripheral rim hyperenhancement signs. Lymphoma was characterized by nonbranching linear vessel patterns (87.5%, 7/8), rapid wash-in and slow wash-out. In nonneoplastic lesions, infarction and epidermoid cysts showed no enhancement, and abscesses were observed with marginal irregular enhancement. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of CEUS for differentiating between neoplastic and nonneoplastic lesions were 100%, 93.8%, and 97.9%, respectively, and these values were higher than those for conventional US (90.3%, 62.5%, and 80.9%, respectively). CEUS can sensitively reflect the microvascular perfusion in testicular lesions and offers high accuracy for characterizing them.
Contrast Media ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epidermal Cyst ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; Male ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal/diagnostic imaging* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Testicular Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Ultrasonography/methods*

Objective: To compare the visual performance and patient-reported outcomes of three types of monofocal intraocular lenses (IOL) with different asphericities. Methods: This cross-sectional, comparative study comprised of 62 pseudophakic eyes divided into three groups corresponding to the IOL that they were previously implanted with (Tecnis ZCB00 negative aspheric IOL, EnVista MX60 neutral aspheric IOL and Akreos Adapt spheric IOL). Mean refractive spherical equivalent (MRSE), best-corrected far visual acuity (BCVA), spherical aberration (SA), contrast sensitivity (SC), halo and starburst, and responses to a qualitative questionnaire (NEI-RQL) were measured. Results: There was no significant difference in MRSE (P=0.74) and BCVA (P=0.52) among the three groups. There was a statistically significant difference (P=0.00) in mean internal (lens) SA, measured through a 5mm pupil, among Tecnis (-0.150 μm), EnVista (+0.022 μm) and Akreos Adapt (+0.094 μm). Compared to the Akreos Adapt, the Tecnis and EnVista groups had significantly better CS at 6 CPD and 12 CPD under mesopic testing without glare (P= 0.01) and at 6 CPD mesopic testing with glare (P=0.04). Halo scores were insignificant among the three groups. However, starburst scores were significantly worse in the Akreos Adapt IOL than the Tecnis and EnVista (P=0.01). There was no difference in questionnaire responses among the three groups. Conclusion The negative aspheric and neutral aspheric lenses showed significantly lower SA resulting in better CS in mesopic conditions and better starburst scores. MRSE, BCVA and subjective satisfaction were statistically similar regardless of the type of monofocal intraocular lens
Contrast Sensitivity

BACKGROUND: Pre-operative non-invasive histological evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a challenge. Tumor perfusion is significantly associated with the development and aggressiveness of HCC. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the clinical value of quantitative liver perfusion parameters and corresponding histogram parameters derived from traditional triphasic enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans in predicting histological grade of HCC. METHODS: Totally, 52 patients with HCC were enrolled in this retrospective study and underwent triple-phase enhanced CT imaging. The blood perfusion parameters were derived from triple-phase CT scans. The relationship of liver perfusion parameters and corresponding histogram parameters with the histological grade of HCC was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the optimal ability of the parameters to predict the tumor histological grade. RESULTS: The variance of arterial enhancement fraction (AEF) was significantly higher in HCCs without poorly differentiated components (NP-HCCs) than in HCCs with poorly differentiated components (P-HCCs). The difference in hepatic blood flow (HF) between total tumor and total liver flow (ΔHF = HFtumor - HFliver) and relative flow (rHF = ΔHF/HFliver) were significantly higher in NP-HCCs than in P-HCCs. The difference in portal vein blood supply perfusion (PVP) between tumor and liver tissue (ΔPVP) and the ΔPVP/liver PVP ratio (rPVP) were significantly higher in patients with NP-HCCs than in patients with P-HCCs. The area under ROC (AUC) of ΔPVP and rPVP were both 0.697 with a high sensitivity of 84.2% and specificity of only 56.2%. The ΔHF and rHF had a higher specificity of 87.5% with an AUC of 0.681 and 0.673, respectively. The combination of rHF and rPVP showed the highest AUC of 0.732 with a sensitivity of 57.9% and specificity of 93.8%. The combined parameter of ΔHF and rPVP, rHF and rPVP had the highest positive predictive value of 0.903, and that of rPVP and ΔPVP had the highest negative predictive value of 0.781. CONCLUSION Liver perfusion parameters and corresponding histogram parameters (including ΔHF, rHF, ΔPVP, rPVP, and AEFvariance) in patients with HCC derived from traditional triphasic CT scans may be helpful to non-invasively and pre-operatively predict the degree of the differentiation of HCC.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/diagnostic imaging* ; Contrast Media ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Perfusion ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective To explore the roles of conventional ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound in distinguishing between benign and malignant thyroid nodules with calcification. Methods A total of 102 solid thyroid nodules with calcification in 76 patients were evaluated by conventional ultrasound alone and conventional ultrasound combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound.The features obtained through conventional ultrasound alone and that combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound were scored,and the diagnostic performance of the two methods was analyzed based on the final pathological results. Results The distribution of microcalcification(
Calcinosis/diagnostic imaging* ; Contrast Media ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroid Nodule/diagnostic imaging* ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVES: The high prevalence and high fatality rate of coronary heart disease seriously endanger the safety of human life. The key to its treatment is to restore the perfusion of the narrowed coronary arteries as soon as possible. Two-dimensional echocardiography is limited for assessment of postoperative myocardial function. Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) and 2-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D-STI) possess good value in assessing myocardial perfusion and systolic function. We used MCE and 2D-STI to explore the changes of myocardial perfusion and systolic function after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with coronary heart disease, and to evaluate the clinical value of MCE and 2D-STI. METHODS: Twenty patients with coronary heart disease undergoing PCI were selected. MCE was performed before and one day after PCI, and 2D-STI and conventional ultrasound were performed before and a month after PCI. The recovery of left ventricular wall motion was used as a standard to evaluate the ability of MCE semi-quantitative analysis and to predict the recovery of myocardial segment motion. RESULTS: The quantitative value of MCE (signal intensity of contrast medium in plateau phase, slope of curve, and their product) one day after PCI and the contractile function of one month after PCI were significantly improved (all CONCLUSIONS MCE and 2D-STI can evaluate the improvement of myocardial perfusion and systolic function in patients with coronary heart disease after PCI, and MCE semi-quantitative analysis can effectively predict the ability of ventricular wall recovery.
Contrast Media ; Coronary Circulation ; Coronary Disease/diagnostic imaging* ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Perfusion ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Sensitivity and Specificity

PURPOSE: To evaluate contrast sensitivity in patients with Behçet's disease (BD) without ocular involvement. METHODS: The study group was composed of 47 BD patients (20 to 50 years of age) who did not have ocular involvement. The control group was composed of 47 normal volunteers who were similar to the study group in terms of age and gender. No participants in this study had any ocular or systemic pathologies except for BD. The contrast sensitivity measurements were performed using the Functional Acuity Contrast Test under photopic conditions, and the results were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The mean age of the BD patients and control subjects was 34.5 ± 9.7 and 33.2 ± 7.6 years, respectively. The mean disease duration of the BD patients was 5.5 ± 6.4 years. There was a statistically significant decrease at five spatial frequencies (A, 1.5; B, 3; C, 6; D, 2; and E, 18 cycles per degree) in patients with BD compared with control subjects (p < 0.001, p = 0.004, p = 0.002, p < 0.001, and p = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The contrast sensitivity of BD patients without ocular involvement was lower than that of the control group. Further studies seem mandatory to confirm our results.
Behcet Syndrome ; Contrast Sensitivity ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Pathology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) could be improved with modified criteria to diagnose significant hepatic artery occlusion (HAO) and to determine the role of CEUS in patients with a tardus-parvus hepatic artery (HA) pattern on Doppler US. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among 2679 adult liver transplantations performed over 7 years, HAO was suspected in 288 recipients, based on Doppler ultrasound. Among them, 130 patients underwent CEUS. After excluding two technical failures, 128 CEUS images were retrospectively reviewed to search for abnormal findings, such as no HA enhancement, abnormal HA enhancement (delayed, faint, and discontinuous enhancement), and perfusion defect in the liver parenchyma. The performance CEUS abnormalities were assessed in the patients overall and in subgroups based on Doppler ultrasound abnormality (group A, no flow; group B, tardus-parvus pattern) and were compared based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). RESULTS: HAO were diagnosed in 41 patients by surgery, angiography, or follow-up abnormality. By using the conventional criterion (no HA enhancement) to diagnose HAO in patients overall, the sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were 58.5%, 100%, and 0.793, respectively. Modified criteria for HAO (no HA enhancement, abnormal enhancement, or parenchymal perfusion defect) showed statistically significantly increased sensitivity (97.6%, 40/41) and AUC (0.959) (p < 0.001), although the specificity (95.4%, 83/87) was slightly decreased. The sensitivity and specificity of the modified criteria in Groups A and B were 97.1% (33/34) and 95.7% (22/23), and 100% (7/7) and 95.3% (61/64), respectively. CONCLUSION: Modified criteria could improve diagnostic performance of CEUS for HAO, particularly by increasing sensitivity. CEUS could be useful for diagnosing HAO even in patients with a tardus-parvus HA pattern on Doppler US, using modified criteria.
Adult ; Angiography ; Area Under Curve ; Contrast Media ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; Liver ; Perfusion ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of bifocal versus trifocal diffractive intraocular lens (IOL) implantation on visual quality after phacoemulsification in patients with cataracts. METHODS: Eighty-eight eyes from 63 patients were analyzed. Trifocal (AT LISA tri 839MP), bifocal (AcrySof IQ ReSTOR) and bifocal (Tecnis MF ZLB00) IOLs were implanted into 53, 18, and 17 eyes, respectively. Uncorrected distance, intermediate and near visual acuity, refractive errors, contrast sensitivity, and patient satisfaction were measured at 1 week and 1 month after surgery. Refractive error was converted to a spherical equivalent and compared to predicted refraction calculated by IOL calculation formulas. RESULTS: Uncorrected distance, intermediate, and near visual acuity did not differ significantly between groups. One month after surgery, the mean refractive errors were −0.07 diopters (D) in the AT LISA tri 839MP group, +0.18 D in the AcrySof IQ ReSTOR group, and +0.31 D in the Tecnis MF ZLB00 group (p < 0.001). The predictive accuracy of IOL calculation formulas did not differ between groups. Contrast sensitivity, satisfaction, and spectacle independence in the trifocal group were comparable with those of the two bifocal groups. CONCLUSIONS: Trifocal IOL and two different types of bifocal IOL implantation were all effective for improving visual quality, although refractive error in patients with trifocal IOL shows myopic tendencies.
Cataract ; Contrast Sensitivity ; Humans ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Patient Satisfaction ; Phacoemulsification ; Presbyopia ; Refractive Errors ; Visual Acuity