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To investigate the factors affecting the efficacy of ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous microwave ablation (PMWA) for adenomyosis with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB-A). Baseline data of patients with AUB-A who underwent US-guided PMWA treatment between October 2020 and October 2021, including demography characteristics, laboratory and imaging examination results were retrospectively analyzed. 3D reconstruction of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was applied to quantitatively assess the local treatment responses, including ratio of non-perfusion volume to adenomyosis volume (NPVr), ablation rate of the endometrial-myometrial junction (EMJ), and surface area (SA) of the ablated part of the EMJ. Patients were followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment, and divided into two groups: group with complete relief (CR), and group with partial relief (PR) or no relief (NR). Data were compared between them. Thirty-one patients were analyzed with a mean age of 38.7 ± 6.8 years (range: 24–48): 48.4% (15/31), 63.3% (19/30), and 65.5% (19/29) achieved CR at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. In univariate analysis, compared with the PR/NR group, serum CA125 levels were significantly lower in CR group at 3 months, while ablation rates of EMJ and SA of the ablated part of the EMJ were significantly higher at the three time points. Other baseline characteristics and NPVr did not differ between the two groups. Baseline CA125 and ablation rate of the EMJ and SA of the ablated part of the EMJ are associated with the outcome of AUB-A patients after US-guided PMWA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the value of transrectal sonourethrography in the diagnosis of dysuria after bipolar transurethral plasmakinetic prostatectomy (TUPKP). Seventy-seven male patients with dysuria after TUPKP underwent transrectal sonourethrography. The clinical data were then compared with the surgical outcomes. The following pathologies were diagnosed: Bladder neck atresia (17/77), bladder orifice strictures (15/77), membranous urethral strictures (21/77), pa cavernosa urethral stricture (12/77), residual prostate gland (5/77), external urethral orifice stricture (2/77), calculi in th prostatic urethra (2/77), flap in the internal urethral orifice (2/77), and postoperative dysfunction of the bladder detrusor muscle (1/77). Transrectal sonourethrography is a reliable diagnostic method for numerous pathologies that occur in patients with dysuria after TUPKP and is a clinically useful tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of anti-angiogenic gene therapy for hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC) treated by microbubble-enhanced ultrasound exposure. Methods: Forty C57BL/6J female mice were inoculated s.c. with Hepa1-6 tumor cell line. Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase under the control of kinase domain-containing receptor (KDR, angiogenic growth factor's corresponding receptor) promoter was used. Plasmid DNA with or without microbubble contrast agent of SonoVue™ was i.v. injected. Ultrasound (1 MHz, 2 W/cm2, 5 min) was delivered to hepatic carcinomas in mice. The KDR-tk gene transfer was followed by ganciclovir (GCV) injection for 10 days and then the diameters of tumors were measured every 4 days till 28 days. The survivals of tumor-bearing mice were observed. PCR analysis and immunohistochemistry measurements revealed expression of the transfected gene. Transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling staining was used to detect apoptotic cells. Results: Compared with the group treated by ultrasound alone, KDR-tk gene treatment treated by ultrasound combined with SonoVue restrained tumor growth and increased survival time of tumor-bearing mice; microvessel density in group mediated by ultrasound and SonoVue was significantly lower than that in group ultrasound alone (12.3 ± 1.4 vs. 27.4 ± 3.2, P < 0.05). An apoptosis index increased in the group treated by ultrasound and SonoVue compared with the group treated by ultrasound alone (25 ± 3.6 vs. 36 ± 3.8, P < 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference between group mediated by SonoVue alone and group phosphate-buffered saline alone (17 ± 1.8 vs. 14 ± 1.2, P>0.05). Conclusions: Gene therapy mediated by ultrasound exposure enhanced by a microbubble contrast agent may become a new treatment option for persistent HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]