Search

This study aimed to explore the clinical utility of [68Ga]Ga-labeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitor ([68Ga]Ga-FAPI) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) relative to [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) PET/CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for primary staging and recurrence detection in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This retrospective analysis utilized a sub-cohort of patients from a previously acquired database. Patients with NPC who underwent [18F]FDG and [68Ga]Ga-FAPI PET/CT between October 2019 and November 2020 were included. The radiotracer uptake and clinical staging/restaging performances of [18F]FDG and [68Ga]Ga-FAPI PET/CT were compared. Forty-five participants (39 for initial assessment, 6 for recurrence detection) were included. In treatment-naive participants, [68Ga]Ga-FAPI PET/CT showed higher radiotracer uptake than [18F]FDG PET/CT in primary tumors (16.18 vs. 10.11, P

This study aimed to explore the clinical utility of [This retrospective analysis utilized a sub-cohort of patients from a previously acquired database. Patients with NPC who underwent [Forty-five participants (39 for initial assessment, 6 for recurrence detection) were included. In treatment-naïve participants, [[

The bioadhesive drug delivery systems, chitosan modified nanoparticles, can efficiently adhere to mucosal surface of gastrointestinal tract and prolong residence time but a deeper understanding about its cellular uptake and transport is still lack. Hence, the present study was designed to compare the process of uptake and transport between chitosan modified and unmodified PLGA nanoparticles. Chitosan modified nanoparticles were formulated by classic and chemical methods. The morphology and modification potency were characterized by zeta potential, FTIR, DSC, XPS and TEM. Coumarin-6 load chitosan modified nanoparticles were incubated with Caco-2 cells to study the process of uptake and transport. The kinetic of cellular uptake for chitosan modified and unmodified nanoparticles was time- and concentration-dependent endocytosis but the cellular uptake efficiency of modified nanoparticles was significantly higher than that of unmodified one within the high concentration range (25.0–100.0 μg/mL). The modified nanoparticles underwent clathrin-mediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis but unmodified nanoparticles occurred a clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Both types of nanoparticles can increase caulophine with low solubility and poor stability transmembrane transport and the modified nanoparticles exhibited a better transcellular permeability. Therefore, the chitosan modified nanoparticles showed significantly improved cellular uptake and transcellular transport and a potential improvement in the efficacy of oral drug delivery.

The purpose of this study was to determine the difference in discrimination between high- and low-grade supratentorial nonenhancing gliomas (HGGs and LGGs, respectively) when using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values with high or standard b-value. Thirty-nine patients underwent conventional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with standard and high b-values (b = 1000 and 3000 s/mm2, respectively). Minimum, maximum, and mean ADC values (ADCMIN, ADCMAX, and ADCMEAN, respectively) were measured from ADC maps with both b-values. Receiver operating curve analysis was used to determine the cutoff ADC values for distinguishing between nonenhancing HGGs and LGGs. ADCMIN, ADCMAX, and ADCMEAN values for the nonenhancing HGGs were lower than those for LGGs. These differences were much larger when a high b-value was used (all P < 0.0001) than when a standard b-value was used (P = 0.0001

To determine whether apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values obtained using a b-value of 3000 s/mm(2) can be used to differentiate high-grade glioma (HGG) from solitary metastases (SM).Forty patients underwent conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and standard and high b-value diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Minimum, maximum, and mean ADC values (ADCMIN , ADCMAX , and ADCMEAN , respectively) were measured from ADC maps obtained for the two b-values for each subject. ADC ratios were also measured. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the cutoff ADC value for distinguishing between HGG and SM.All ADC values for the peritumoral region of the HGGs examined were lower than those for the SM. Furthermore, a larger statistical difference was observed for ADCMIN , ADCMAX , and ADCMEAN values at a b-value of 3000 s/mm(2) versus 1000 s/mm(2) (P 0.0001, P = 0.0010, and P = 0.0001 versus P = 0.0001, 0.0030, and 0.0002, respectively). A discriminant analysis identified the greatest log likelihood for the ADCMIN values obtained at a b-value of 3000 s/mm(2) , and the cutoff value for differentiating HGG and SM was 0.890 × 10(-3) mm/s(2) .ADC values from DWI using a high b-value were found to distinguish HGG and SM. The lowest degree of overlap was obtained when an ADCMIN value was obtained at a b-value of 3000 s/mm(2) .

Objectives 1) To deduce T2, the inverse of the transverse relaxation rate (R2), in the hippocampus of healthy adults; 2) to investigate the brain iron deposition in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients and age-matched healthy controls using T2-values. Methods T2-weighted data from the bilateral-hippocampi of ten AD patients and sixty healthy controls were collected at six echo time points using multi-slice multi-echo turbo spin echo (MSME-TSE) imaging on a 3.0 T MR-scanner, followed by the neuropsychological testing. The correlations between T2-values and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores were investigated on group-wise basis (covariates in the group-wise analyses: gender, age, side and healthy/AD). Results There were no significant differences in hippocampal T2-values on intra-gender and inter-gender basis (P > 0.05). Hippocampal T2-values of both sides were similar (right: 85.2±2.4 milliseconds; left: 85.3±2.5 milliseconds). The bilateral hippocampal T2 values correlated moderately with age (right: r = -0.59; left: -0.58; P < 0.001). The AD-group had significantly lower T2-values in the hippocampus when compared to normal controls (P < 0.001) and such low T2-values had a strong positive correlation with the MMSE score (R2 = 0.97; P < 0.05). Conclusion Patients with AD showed significantly lower T2 values, which can be attributed to the increased iron depositions in the hippocampus. A positive correlation between T2-values and cognition scores suggests that quantitative T2 can be used in the early diagnosis of AD and in the monitoring of the treatment response.

To investigate the utility of diffusion-weighted (DW) MRI using high b-value vs standard b-value for patients with medulloblastoma (MB). Minimum apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCMIN) values were also compared with tumour cellularity.High and standard b-value DW images were obtained for 17 patients with MB. The number and location of the lesions, signal intensities (SIs), signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), contrast-to-noise ratios, contrast ratios (CRs) and ADCs of the lesions were compared. Tumour cellularity was also measured and compared with ADCMIN values.All 20 lesions were hyperintense on the DW MR images with high and standard b-values. Four additional lesions were revealed on high b-value, and all 24 lesions were more conspicuous at high b-value. SI, SNR and ADC values for the lesions were lower in the high b-value images than in the standard b-value images. The ADCMIN value at b = 3000 s mm(-2) was more significantly associated with tumour cellularity than that at b = 1000 s mm(-2). CR values were significantly higher in the high b-value images than in the standard b-value images.DW imaging using high b-value may be beneficial for detecting additional, less prominent lesions and may improve the contrast between MB lesions and normal tissue. A stronger inverse correlation with tumour cellularity was identified using the ADCMIN values at high b-value.This study demonstrates the superiority of high b-value DW imaging compared with standard b-value imaging for the detection of MB lesions, especially those with subtle foci.