Search

Objective: To explore the feasibility of the postoperative diagnostic 131I whole-body planar scans (Dx-WBS) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients, and to clarify its value for accurate staging, risk stratification, and postoperative radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment management. Design: Retrospective study from 2015 to 2021. Setting: A total of 1294 PTC patients in the tertiary referral hospital. Participants: Patients with differentiated thyroid cancer who underwent total/subtotal thyroidectomy were included. Patients with non-PTC pathological type, non-first RAI treatment, and incomplete data such as Dx-WBS and postablation WBS (Rx-WBS) were excluded. Methods: The diagnostic efficacy of Dx-WBS was calculated with Rx-WBS as the reference. All patients were initially staged by the 8th edition of TNM staging, and risk stratification was performed based on clinical and pathological information. After Dx-WBS, the risk stratification was re-evaluated, and management was reconfirmed. Results: The detection rates of Dx-WBS for residual thyroid, cervical lymph nodes, upper mediastinal lymph nodes, lung, and bone distant metastasis were 97.6%, 78.3%, 82.1%, 66.7%, and 61.2%, respectively. The risk stratification of 113 patients (8.7%) changed after Dx-WBS, of which 107 patients changed from low to intermediate risk, 2 from low to high risk, and 4 from medium to high risk. A total of 241 patients (18.6%) adjusted the RAI regimen after Dx-WBS. Conclusion: This study confirms the diagnostic efficacy of the postoperative Dx-WBS in PTC patients and the value of Dx-WBS in accurately assessing risk stratification, as well as assisting in determining RAI treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning networks have recently demonstrated yielded impressive progress for multi-exposure image fusion. However, how to restore realistic texture details while correcting color distortion is still a challenging problem to be solved. To alleviate the aforementioned issues, in this paper, we propose an attention-guided global-local adversarial learning network for fusing extreme exposure images in a coarse-to-fine manner. Firstly, the coarse fusion result is generated under the guidance of attention weight maps, which acquires the essential region of interest from both sides. Secondly, we formulate an edge loss function, along with a spatial feature transform layer, for refining the fusion process. So that it can take full use of the edge information to deal with blurry edges. Moreover, by incorporating global-local learning, our method can balance pixel intensity distribution and correct the color distortion on spatially varying source images from both image/patch perspectives. Such a global-local discriminator ensures all the local patches of the fused images align with realistic normal-exposure ones. Extensive experimental results on two publicly available datasets show that our method drastically outperforms state-of-the-art methods in visual inspection and objective analysis. Furthermore, sufficient ablation experiments prove that our method has significant advantages in generating high-quality fused results with appealing details, clear targets, and faithful color. Source code will be available at https://github.com/JinyuanLiu-CV/AGAL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Standardized uptake value (SUV) normalized by lean body mass ([LBM] SUL) is recommended as metric by PERCIST 1.0. The James predictive equation (PE) is a frequently used formula for LBM estimation, but may cause substantial error for an individual. The purpose of this study was to introduce a novel and reliable method for estimating LBM by limited-coverage (LC) CT images from PET/CT examinations and test its validity, then to analyse whether SUV normalised by LC-based LBM could change the PERCIST 1.0 response classifications, based on LBM estimated by the James PE. Methods: First, 199 patients who received whole-body PET/CT examinations were retrospectively retrieved. A patient-specific LBM equation was developed based on the relationship between LC fat volumes (FVLC) and whole-body fat mass (FMWB). This equation was cross-validated with an independent sample of 97 patients who also received whole-body PET/CT examinations. Its results were compared with the measurement of LBM from whole-body CT (reference standard) and the results of the James PE. Then, 241 patients with solid tumours who underwent PET/CT examinations before and after treatment were retrospectively retrieved. The treatment responses were evaluated according to the PE-based and LC-based PERCIST 1.0. Concordance between them was assessed using Cohen's κ coefficient and Wilcoxon's signed-ranks test. The impact of differing LBM algorithms on PERCIST 1.0 classification was evaluated. Results: The FVLC were significantly correlated with the FMWB (r=0.977). Furthermore, the results of LBM measurement evaluated with LC images were much closer to the reference standard than those obtained by the James PE. The PE-based and LC-based PERCIST 1.0 classifications were discordant in 27 patients (11.2%; κ = 0.823, P=0.837). These discordant patients' percentage changes of peak SUL (SULpeak) were all in the interval above or below 10% from the threshold (±30%), accounting for 43.5% (27/62) of total patients in this region. The degree of variability is related to changes in LBM before and after treatment. Conclusions: LBM algorithm-dependent variability in PERCIST 1.0 classification is a notable issue. SUV normalised by LC-based LBM could change PERCIST 1.0 response classifications based on LBM estimated by the James PE, especially for patients with a percentage variation of SULpeak close to the threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is becoming a recognized cardiovascular (CV) risk factor. This study aimed to evaluate body composition, especially VAT, in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to explore the association between VAT and SLE disease-related factors. Method: Ninety-eight inpatients with SLE and 108 age- and body mass index (BMI)–matched healthy controls were included. Demographic and clinical parameters were recorded. The VAT was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Result: The mean age and disease duration of patients were 46.4 ± 13.0 years and 8.0 ± 7.0 years, respectively. Patients with SLE had higher VAT volume (p = 0.0015) and mass (p = 0.0017) than controls, especially in premenopausal and postmenopausal groups. The subanalysis of subjects with BMI less than 25 kg/m2 indicated that patients had lower lean mass (p = 0.0005), fat-free mass (p = 0.0005), and fat-free mass index (p = 0.0001), but increased adiposity distribution than controls, including VAT volume and mass. However, overweight/obese patients had similar body composition with controls. The VAT volume correlated with BMI, age, menopausal status, hypertension, uric acid, creatinine, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride in both groups. In the patient group, the VAT volume correlated with disease duration, Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SLICC/ACR-DI), and low serum complement, but not with SLEDAI and glucocorticoid dose. Conclusion: This study suggested that SLE patients had some traditional CV risk factors such as altered body composition and increased VAT. The higher VAT in patients with SLE was associated with traditional cardiometabolic risks, which may contribute to CV events in SLE populations. Key Points • Patients with SLE had increased VAT volume and mass than controls. • The VAT volume correlated with traditional cardiometabolic risk factors. • In SLE patient group, the VAT volume correlated with disease duration, SLICC/ACR-DI, and low serum complementC3/C4, but not with SLEDAI and glucocorticoid dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. To develop predictive equations of lean body mass (LBM) suitable for healthy southern Chinese adults with a large sample. LBM measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) are considered as the standard ones. Methods. Retrospective analysis was conducted on the consecutive people who did total body measurement with DXA from July 2005 to October 2015. People with diseases that might affect LBM were excluded and overall 12,194 subjects were included in this study. Information about the 10,683 subjects (2,987 males and 7,696 females) from July 2005 to November 2014 was used to establish equations. These subjects were grouped by sex and then subdivided according to their body mass index (BMI). The female group was divided into another two subgroups: the premenopausal and postmenopausal subgroups. Equations were developed through stepwise multilinear regression analysis of height, weight, age, and BMI. Information about the 1,511 subjects (395 males and 1116 females) from December 2014 to October 2015 was used to verify the established equations. Results. BMI, height, weight, and age were introduced into the equations as independent variables in the male group, while age was proved to have no influence on LBM in the female group. Regrouping according to BMI or menopause did not increase the predictive ability of equations. Good agreement between LBM evaluated by equation (LBM_PE) and LBM measured by DXA (LBM_DXA) was observed in both the male and female groups. Conclusion. Predictive equations of LBM suitable for healthy southern Chinese adults are established with a large sample. BMI was related to LBM content; however, there is no need for further group based on BMI or menopause while developing LBM questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) criteria and the Positron Emission Tomography Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (PERCIST) 1.0 using PET volume computer-assisted reading (PET VCAR) for response evaluation in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with chemotherapy. Methods: A total of 35 patients with NSCLC were included in this prospective study. All patients received standard chemotherapy and underwent F-FDG PET/CT scans before and after treatment. With the assistance of PET VCAR, the chemotherapeutic responses were evaluated according to the RECIST 1.1, EORTC criteria and PERCIST 1.0. Concordance among these protocols was assessed using Cohen's κ coefficient and Wilcoxon's signed-ranks test. Progression-free survival (PFS) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier test. Results: RECIST 1.1 and EORTC response classifications were discordant in 20 patients (57.1 %; κ = 0.194, P < 0.05), and RECIST 1.1 and PERCIST 1.0 classifications were discordant in 22 patients (62.9 %; κ = 0.139, P < 0.05). EORTC and PERCIST 1.0 classifications were discordant in only 4 patients (11.4 %), resulting in better concordance ( κ = 0.804, P > 0.05). Patients with a partial remission according to RECIST 1.1 had significantly longer PFS ( P < 0.001) than patients with progressive disease, but not significantly longer than patients with stable disease ( P = 0.855). According to both the EORTC criteria and PERCIST 1.0, patients with a partial metabolic response had a significantly longer PFS than those with stable metabolic disease and those with progressive metabolic disease ( P = 0.020 and P < 0.001, respectively, for EORTC; both P < 0.001 for PERCIST 1.0). Conclusion: EORTC criteria and PERCIST 1.0 are more sensitive and accurate than RECIST 1.1 for the detection of an early therapeutic response to chemotherapy in patients with NSCLC. Although EORTC criteria and PERCIST 1.0 showed similar results, PERCIST 1.0 is preferred because detailed and unambiguous definitions are given. We also found that response evaluations with PERCIST 1.0 using a single lesion and multiple lesions gave similar response classifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Being overweight or obese has become a serious public health concern, and accurate assessment of body composition is particularly important. More precise indicators of body fat composition include visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass and total body fat percentage (TBF%). Study objectives included examining the relationships between abdominal fat mass, measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and the whole-body and regional fat masses, measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), as well as to derive equations for the prediction of TBF% using data obtained from multiple QCT slices. Methods: Whole-body and regional fat percentage were quantified using DXA in Chinese males (n = 68) and females (n = 71) between the ages of 24 and 88. All the participants also underwent abdominal QCT measurement, and their VAT mass and visceral fat volume (VFV) were assessed using QCT and DXA, respectively. Results: DXA-derived TBF% closely correlated with QCT abdominal fat percentage (r = 0.89–0.93 in men and 0.76–0.88 in women). Stepwise regression showed that single-slice QCT data were the best predictors of DXA-derived TBF%, DXA android fat percentage and DXA gynoid fat percentage. Cross-validation analysis showed that TBF% and android fat percentage could be accurately predicted using QCT data in both sexes. There were close correlations between QCT-derived and DXA-derived VFV (r = 0.97 in men and 0.93 in women). Conclusion: Clinicians can assess the TBF% and android and gynoid fat percentages of Chinese women and men by analysing existing abdominal CT-derived data using the QCT technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel method has been established for the construction of C–S bonds using redox-active esters with disulfides in the presence of Ru-photoredox catalyst. This method exhibits remarkable functional group tolerance across a wide scope of substrates. Under mild conditions, a structurally diverse array of aryl alkyl sulfides is successfully and efficiently obtained through decarboxylative cross-coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the effect of adding radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy to total thyroidectomy (TT) on overall survival (OS) in patients presenting with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and cervical pathologically proven LN metastases (pN1).Methods and Materials: We identified a cohort of patients with PTC and nodal metastases treated with TT alone or TT plus RAI in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database between 2004 and 2013. Propensity score 1-to-1 matching was used to balance baseline characteristics. Cox proportional hazards regression models and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to test the relationship between RAI and OS.Results: In all, 15,953 patients were identified. After propensity score matching, 12,128 patients remained in each group. Based on multivariate Cox analysis, patients treated with TT + RAI had a statistically significant improvement in OS compared with those treated with TT alone [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.54, P < 0.001)], and significance persisted in the matched cohort (HR = 0.41, P < 0.001). In a subgroup analysis, the survival benefit was observed among patients ≥55 years but not among those <55 years (age < 55: HR = 1.06, P = 0.72; age ≥ 55: HR = 0.33, P < 0.001). Patients with stage T4 benefited most from RAI treatment (HR = 0.29, P < 0.001).Conclusion: This propensity-matched analysis suggests that RAI therapy after TT was associated with improved OS in PTC patients with pN1 disease. Adjuvant RAI therapy needs to be considered in this patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aims of the study were to develop sex- and age-specific percentiles for lean mass index (LMI), appendicular LMI (aLMI), fat mass index (FMI), and body fat distribution indices in Chinese adults using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and to compare those indices with those of other ethnicities using the US NHANES data. Methods: Whole-body and regional lean mass and fat mass (FM) were measured using DXA in 5688 healthy males ( n = 1693) and females ( n = 3995) aged 20-90 years. Body fat distribution indices were expressed as % fat trunk/% fat legs, trunk/appendicular FM ratio (FMR), and android/gynoid FMR. Percentile curves of LMI, aLMI, FMI, and body fat distribution indices were obtained by the Lambda-Mu-Sigma method. Results: The aLMI and LMI were negatively associated with age, decreasing from the fifth decade for males, but were not associated with age in females. Females had more total FM than males, whereas males had greater central adiposity (% fat trunk/% fat legs ratio, trunk/appendicular FMR, and android/gynoid FMR) than females. Moreover, FMI and body fat distribution indices consistently increased with age in both sexes, especially in women. In comparison with white, black, and Mexican populations in the USA, Chinese adults had lower total FM, but had greater central adiposity (% fat trunk/% fat legs ratio and trunk/appendicular FMR). Additionally, older white and Mexican populations showed greater decreases for aLMI and LMI than their Chinese counterparts. Conclusions: We present the sex- and age-specific percentiles for aLMI, LMI, FMI, and body fat distribution indices by DXA in Chinese adults, which may refine the individual assessment of the nutritional status of Chinese adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze the relationships between the lean mass index (LMI) and bone outcomes in Chinese children and adolescents using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and to establish sex-specific reference percentile curves for the assessment of muscle status. A total of 1541 Chinese children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 19 years were recruited from southern China. Body composition was measured by DXA (Lunar Prodigy) to acquire total body and total body less head (TBLH) measures. LMI was calculated as the LM (kg) divided by the height in meters squared. Strong sex gaps were observed after age 14 in total body LMI and appendicular LMI (p < 0.001). LM and LMI values continued to increase for boys up to age 14 compared to girls who plateaued after age 12. For each sex group, total body bone mineral content (BMC) and TBLH BMC were highly correlated with total body LMI and appendicular LMI (r = 0.856-0.916 in boys, and r = 0.651-0.804 in girls, p < 0.001). The appendicular LMI was more strongly associated with total body BMC and TBLH BMC than was total body LMI. The correlations between the BMC values and the LM measures were stronger than the fat mass results. We also present sex-specific percentile curves for LM-age and LMI-age relationships, which could be useful for identifying the LM deficits in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated age-related changes in estimated bone strength and cross-sectional structure of the femoral neck (FN) in mainland Chinese men and women (according to age and sex) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). A total of 3855 healthy adults (2713 women, 1142 men; ages 25–91 years) were analyzed by FN bone mineral density (BMD) assessment and hip structural/strength analysis (HSA), including cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI), cross-sectional area (CSA), section modulus (Z), periosteal diameter (PD), endocortical diameter (ED), and cortical thickness (CT) using DXA. HSA differences between age and sex groups were adjusted for body weight, height and FN BMD. Trends according to age were estimated by linear regression analysis. There was no inverse correlation between HSA parameters and age in young adults. Some HSA parameters (CSMI, CSA, Z, CT) decreased significantly with age, whereas PD and ED increased significantly. Older adults had less estimated bone strength and CT and higher PD and ED ( p < 0.05) than young adults. Men had greater increases in PD and ED than women across all ages. FN strength decreases with age in both sexes, caused by FN cross-sectional structural deterioration. Indirect comparison of our data with those from other populations showed less age-related FN periosteal apposition in Chinese than Caucasian men, but similar amounts in women. This may partly explain different male/female hip fracture rates among ethnic groups. Chinese men have more structural disadvantages regarding FN geometry during aging than Caucasian men, possibly conferring added susceptibility to hip fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) have evident value in evaluating skeletal and muscular status in growing children and adolescents. This study aimed to generate age-related trends for body composition in Chinese children and adolescents, and to establish gender-specific reference percentile curves for the assessment of muscle-bone status. A total of 1541 Chinese children and adolescents aged from 5 to 19 years were recruited from southern China. Bone mineral content (BMC), lean mass (LM) and fat mass (FM) were measured for total body and total body less head (TBLH). After 14 years, total body LM was significantly higher in boys than girls ( p < 0.001). However, total body FM was significantly higher in girls than boys in age groups 13-19 years ( p < 0.01). Both LM and FM were consistent independent predictors of total body and subcranial bone mass in both sexes, even after adjustment for the well-known predictors of BMC. The results of multiple linear regression identified LM as the stronger predictor of total body and subcranial skeleton BMC while the fat mass contributed less. For all the subjects, significant positive correlations were observed between total body LM, height, total body BMC and subcranial BMC ( p < 0.01). Subcranial BMC had a better correlation with LM than total body BMC. We have also presented gender-specific percentile curves for LM-for-height and BMC-for-LM which could be used to evaluate and follow various pediatric disorders with skeletal manifestations in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• New radiosynthetic route to a 11C-labeled AMPA ligand. • High radiochemical yield and high molar activity. • Pharmacokinetic profile established for further optimization. The α -amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPARs) belong to the family of ionotropic transmembrane receptors for glutamate (iGluRs) that are implicated in the pathology of neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Inspired by a recently developed positive allosteric modulator of AMPARs, 4-cyclopropyl-7-(3-methoxyphenoxy)-3,4-dihydro-2 H -benzo[ e ][1,2,4]thiadiazine 1,1-dioxide (16 ; EC 50 = 2.0 nM), we designed a new synthetic route for N -protected phenolic precursor 13 and efficiently radiolabeled a PET ligand [11C] AMPA-1905 ([11C] 16) using a modified one-pot two-step strategy in high radiochemical yield and high molar activity. Preliminary in vivo evaluation was carried out to investigate the suitability of [11C] 16 as a potential PET probe for AMPAR imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a non-invasive imaging tool for the evaluation of brain function and neuronal activity in normal and diseased conditions with high sensitivity. The macaque monkey serves as a valuable model system in the field of translational medicine, for its phylogenetic proximity to man. To translation of non-human primate neuro-PET studies, an effective and objective data analysis platform for neuro-PET studies is needed. A set of stereotaxic templates of macaque brain, namely the Institute of High Energy Physics & Jinan University Macaque Template (HJT), was constructed by iteratively registration and averaging, based on 30 healthy rhesus monkeys. A brain atlas image was created in HJT space by combining sub-anatomical regions and defining new 88 bilateral functional regions, in which a unique integer was assigned for each sub-anatomical region. The HJT comprised a structural MRI T1 weighted image (T1WI) template image, a functional FDG-PET template image, intracranial tissue segmentations accompanied with a digital macaque brain atlas image. It is compatible with various commercially available software tools, such as SPM and PMOD. Data analysis was performed on a stroke model compared with a group of healthy controls to demonstrate the usage of HJT. We have constructed a stereotaxic template set of macaque brain named HJT, which standardizes macaque neuroimaging data analysis, supports novel radiotracer development and facilitates translational neuro-disorders research. • Developing a population stereotaxic PET template, named HJT, for the macaque brain. • Identifying 88 bilateral functional regions in HJT. • Performance of HJT on the platform of commercially available software such as SPM and PMOD. • Application of HJT in voxel-wised analysis of stroke macaque model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]