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Background and objectives: Accurate classification of lymphadenopathy is essential for determining the pathological nature of lymph nodes (LNs), which plays a crucial role in treatment selection. The biopsy method is invasive and carries the risk of sampling failure, while the utilization of non-invasive approaches such as ultrasound can minimize the probability of iatrogenic injury and infection. With the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, the diagnostic efficiency of LNs is further enhanced. This study evaluates the performance of ultrasound-based AI applications in the classification of benign and malignant LNs. Methods: The literature research was conducted using the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases as of June 2024. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the QUADAS-2 tool. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were calculated to assess the diagnostic efficacy of ultrasound-based AI in classifying benign and malignant LNs. Subgroup analyses were also conducted to identify potential sources of heterogeneity. Results: A total of 1,355 studies were identified and reviewed. Among these studies, 19 studies met the inclusion criteria, and 2,354 cases were included in the analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and DOR of ultrasound-based machine learning in classifying benign and malignant LNs were 0.836 (95% CI [0.805, 0.863]), 0.850 (95% CI [0.805, 0.886]), and 33.331 (95% CI [22.873, 48.57]), respectively, indicating no publication bias (p = 0.12). Subgroup analyses may suggest that the location of lymph nodes, validation methods, and type of primary tumor are the sources of heterogeneity. Conclusion: AI can accurately differentiate benign from malignant LNs. Given the widespread use of ultrasonography in diagnosing malignant LNs in cancer patients, there is significant potential for integrating AI-based decision support systems into clinical practice to enhance the diagnostic accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early and accurate stratification of intracranial cerebral artery stenosis (ICAS) is critical to inform treatment management and enhance the prognostic outcomes in patients with cerebrovascular disease (CVD). Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is an invasive and expensive procedure but is the gold standard for the diagnosis of ICAS. Over recent years, transcranial color-coded Doppler ultrasound (TCCD) has been suggested to be a useful imaging method for accurately diagnosing ICAS. However, the diagnostic accuracy of TCCD in stratifying ICASs among patients with CVD remains unclear. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of TCCD in the stratification of intracranial steno-occlusions among CVD patients. A total of six databases—Embase, CINAHL, Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science (core collection)—were searched for studies that assessed the diagnostic accuracy of TCCD in stratifying ICASs. The meta-analysis was performed using Meta-DiSc 1.4. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool version 2 (QUADAS-2) assessed the risk of bias. Eighteen studies met all of the eligibility criteria. TCCD exhibited a high pooled diagnostic accuracy in stratifying intracranial steno-occlusions in patients presenting with CVD when compared to DSA as a reference standard (sensitivity = 90%; specificity = 87%; AUC = 97%). Additionally, the ultrasound parameters peak systolic velocity (PSV) and mean flow velocity (MFV) yielded a comparable diagnostic accuracy of "AUC = 0.96". In conclusion, TCCD could be a noble, safe, and accurate alternative imaging technique to DSA that can provide useful diagnostic information in stratifying intracranial steno-occlusions in patients presenting with CVD. TCCD should be considered in clinical cases where access to DSA is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) poses a major public health and socio-economic burden worldwide due to its high morbidity and mortality rates. Accurate assessment of cerebral arteries' haemodynamic plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and treatment management of CVD. The study compared a non-imaging transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) and transcranial color-coded Doppler ultrasound (with (cTCCD) and without (ncTCCD)) angle correction in quantifying middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) haemodynamic parameters. A cross-sectional study involving 50 healthy adults aged ≥ 18 years was conducted. The bilateral MCAs were insonated via three trans-temporal windows (TTWs—anterior, middle, and posterior) using TCD, cTCCD, and ncTCCD techniques. The MCA peak systolic velocity (PSV) and mean flow velocity (MFV) were recorded at proximal and distal imaging depths that could be visualised on TCCD with a detectable spectral waveform. A total of 152 measurements were recorded in 41 (82%) subjects with at least one-sided open TTW across the three techniques. The mean PSVs measured using TCD, ncTCCD, and cTCCD were 83 ± 18 cm/s, 81 ± 19 cm/s, and 93 ± 21 cm/s, respectively. There was no significant difference in PSV between TCD and ncTCCD (bias = 2 cm/s, p = 1.000), whereas cTCCD yielded a significantly higher PSV than TCD and ncTCCD (bias = −10 cm/s, p < 0.001; bias = −12 cm/s, p ≤ 0.001, respectively). The bias in MFV between TCD and ncTCCD techniques was (bias = −0.5 cm/s; p = 1.000), whereas cTCCD demonstrated a higher MFV compared to TCD and ncTCCD (bias = −8 cm/s, p < 0.001; bias = −8 cm/s, p ≤ 0.001, respectively). TCCD is a practically applicable imaging technique in assessing MCA blood flow velocities. cTCCD is more accurate and tends to give higher MCA blood flow velocities than non-imaging TCD and ncTCCD techniques. ncTCCD is comparable to non-imaging TCD and should be considered in clinical cases where using both TCD and TCCD measurements is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Renal fibrosis is a final common pathological hallmark in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Non-invasive evaluation of renal fibrosis by mapping renal stiffness obtained by shear wave elastography (SWE) may facilitate the clinical therapeutic regimen for CKD patients. Methods A cohort of 162 patients diagnosed with CKD, who underwent renal biopsy, was prospectively and consecutively recruited between April 2019 and December 2021. The assessment of renal cortex stiffness was performed using SWE imaging. The patients were classified into different groups based on pathological renal fibrosis (mild group: n  = 74; moderate-to-severe group: n  = 88). Binary logistic regression model and generalized additive model were conducted to investigate the association of renal elasticity with renal fibrosis. Results Compared with the mildly impaired group, the moderate-to-severe group showed a significant decline in renal elasticity (P  <  .001). In the fully adjusted model, each 10 kPa drop in renal elasticity was associated with a 3.5-fold increment in the risk of moderate-to-severe renal fibrosis (fully adjusted odds ratio, 4.54; 95% CI, 2.41-8.57). Particularly, participants in the lowest elasticity group (≤29.92 kPa) had a 20-fold increased chance of moderate-to-severe renal fibrosis than those in the group with highest elasticity (≥37.93 kPa). An inverse linear association was observed between renal elasticity increment and moderate-to-severe renal fibrosis risk. Conclusion There is a negative linear association between increased renal elasticity and moderate-to-severe renal fibrosis risk among CKD patients. Patients with diminished renal stiffness have a higher risk of moderate-to-severe renal fibrosis. Advances in knowledge CKD patients with reduced renal stiffness have a higher likelihood of moderate-to-severe renal fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Carotid vessel wall volume (VWV) measurement on three-dimensional ultrasonography (3DUS) outperforms conventional two-dimensional ultrasonography for carotid atherosclerosis evaluation. Although time-saving semi-automated algorithms have been introduced, their clinical availability remains limited due to a lack of validation, particularly an extensive reliability analysis. This study compared inter-observer and intra-observer reliability between manual segmentation and semi-automated segmentation for carotid VWV measurements on 3DUS. Methods: Thirty-one 3DUS volume datasets were prospectively acquired from 20 healthy subjects, aged >18 years, without previous stroke, transient ischemic attack, or cardiovascular disease. Five observers segmented all volume datasets both manually and semi-automatically. The process was repeated five times. Reliability was expressed by the intraclass correlation coefficient, supplemented by the coefficient of variation. Results: Carotid VWV measurements using the common carotid artery (CCA) were more reliable than those using the internal carotid artery (ICA) or external carotid artery (ECA) for both manual and semiautomated segmentation (manual segmentation, CCA: inter-observer, 0.935; intra-observer, 0.934 to 0.966; ICA: inter-observer, 0.784; intra-observer, 0.756 to 0.878; ECA: inter-observer, 0.732; intraobserver, 0.919 to 0.962; semi-automated segmentation, CCA: inter-observer, 0.986; intra-observer, 0.954 to 0.993; ICA: inter-observer, 0.977; intra-observer, 0.958 to 0.978; ECA: inter-observer, 0.966; intra-observer, 0.884 to 0.937). Total carotid VWV measurements by manual (inter-observer, 0.922; intra-observer, 0.927 to 0.961) and semi-automated segmentation (inter-observer, 0.987; intra-observer, 0.968 to 0.989) were highly reliable. Semi-automated segmentation showed higher reliability than manual segmentation for both individual and total carotid VWV measurements. Conclusion: 3DUS carotid VWV measurements of the CCA are more reliable than measurements of the ICA and ECA. Total carotid VWV measurements are highly reliable. Semi-automated segmentation has higher reliability than manual segmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early diagnosis of biliary atresia (BA) in cholestatic infants is critical to the success of the treatment. Intraoperative cholangiography (IOC), an invasive imaging technique, is the current strategy for the diagnosis of BA. Ultrasonography has advanced over recent years and emerging techniques such as shear wave elastography (SWE) have the potential to improve BA diagnosis. This review sought to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of advanced ultrasonography techniques in the diagnosis of BA. Six databases (CINAHL, Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science (core collection), and Embase) were searched for studies assessing the diagnostic performance of advanced ultrasonography techniques in differentiating BA from non-BA causes of infantile cholestasis. The meta-analysis was performed using Meta-DiSc 1.4 and Comprehensive Meta-analysis v3 software. Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool version 2 (QUADAS-2) assessed the risk of bias. Fifteen studies consisting of 2185 patients (BA = 1105; non-BA = 1080) met the inclusion criteria. SWE was the only advanced ultrasonography technique reported and had a good pooled diagnostic performance (sensitivity = 83%; specificity = 77%; AUC = 0.896). Liver stiffness indicators were significantly higher in BA compared to non-BA patients (p < 0.000). SWE could be a useful tool in differentiating BA from non-BA causes of infantile cholestasis. Future studies to assess the utility of other advanced ultrasonography techniques are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Assessing renal fibrosis non-invasively in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains a considerable clinical challenge. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic efficacy of different approaches that combine shear wave elastography (SWE) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in distinguishing between mild fibrosis and moderate-to-severe fibrosis in CKD patients., Methods: In this prospective study, 162 patients underwent renal SWE examinations and renal biopsies. Using SWE, the right renal cortex stiffness was measured, and the corresponding SWE value was recorded. Four diagnostic patterns were used to combine eGFR and SWE value: in isolation, in series, in parallel, and in integration. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was established, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated to quantify diagnostic performance. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were computed., Results: The eGFR demonstrated sensitivity of 68.2% and specificity of 83.8%, whereas the SWE value displayed sensitivity of 84.1% and specificity of 62.2%, yielding a similar AUC (78.2% and 77.8%, respectively). Combining in series improved specificity to 97.3%, superior to other diagnostic patterns (all P values <0.01), but compromised sensitivity to 58.0%. When combined in parallel, the sensitivity increased to 94.3%, exceeding any other strategies (all P values <0.05), but the specificity dropped to 48.7%. The integrated strategy, incorporating eGFR with SWE value via the logistic regression algorithm, exhibited an AUC of 85.8%, outperforming all existing approaches (all P values <0.01), with balanced sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 86.4%, 74.3%, and 80.9%, respectively., Conclusions: Using an integrated strategy to combine eGFR and SWE value could improve diagnostic performance in distinguishing between mild renal fibrosis and moderate-to-severe renal fibrosis in patients with CKD, thereby helping clinicians perform a more accurate clinical diagnosis., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://qims.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/qims-23-962/coif). Y.W. is affiliated with EDAN Instruments, Inc. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024 Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery. All rights reserved.)