W. He’s research while affiliated with Capital Medical University and other places

Objective: To evaluate the impact of a available computer-aided detection (CAD) system with an interactive lung nodules analysis software on detecting the pulmonary nodules on digital chest radiograph with image processing. Methods: Totally 248 normal subjects and 30 patients with pulmonary nodules confirmed by chest CT were enrolled. Philips UNIQUE software was used to process these images in high-frequency and low frequency. Two experienced chest radiologists (10+ years of experience) read these imaging pictures combined with the relating CT images to mark the location of all nodules with consensus, then stored the diagnostic reports of the marked nodules as golden standard in the CAD. Then CAD system read these images. Two radiologists evaluated the false-positive and sensitivity detection of lung nodules of CAD system on the multiscale processing. Results: There were 715, 585 and 286 false-positive nodules respectively on 248 subjects in low frequency, routine frequency and high frequency imagings with an average of 2.88, 2.36 and 1.15 false-positives area (P<0.05). There were 38 lung nodules in 30 digital chest radiographies, the CAD system detected 33, 30 and 28 nodules respectively in low-pass images, standard images and high-pass images, the detection sensitivity was 86.84%, 78.95% and 73.68%, respectively, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.722, 0.670 and 0.618, respectively. Conclusion: The prophase experimental results indicate the image multiscale processing of digital chest radiograph does not impact the detectivity of this CAD system, but there are a tendency to increase gradually in detection with false-positive in low-frequency, routine-frequency and high-frequency, and there is a tendency to descend gradually in the detection sensitivity with three multiscale processing images. Copyright © 2015 by the Press of Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging and Technology.

Objective: To discuss the safety and feasibility of uterine artery chemoembolization (UACE) combined with curettage in treating cesarean section scar pregnancy (CSP). Methods: Totally 33 CSP patients underwent bilateral UACE with MTX and gelfoam particles. Then curettage was carried out 24-48 h after UACE. The therapeutic results were observed and analyzed. Results: UACE was successfully performed in all the patients. The blood loss during curettage was (24.62±12.53)ml. No serious complications occurred. Conclusion: UACE combined with curettage is minimally-invasive, safe and effective in treatment of CSP, is able to avoid uterectomy and preserve the fertility of patients. Copyright©2013 by the Press of Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology.

Objective: To investigate the features of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) on magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). Methods: Clinical and imaging data of 18 PSC patients (PSC group) were retrospectively analyzed, and 20 healthy volunteers were selected as control group. Results: There were 9 (9/18, 50.00%) of intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile duct mixed type PSC, 6 (6/18, 33.33%) of intrahepatic bile duct type and 3 (3/18, 16.67%) of extrahepatic bile duct type PSC. On MRCP, 5 cases manifested as beaded bile ducts (5/18, 27.78%) and 5 manifested as pruning signs (5/18, 27.78%), while intrahepatic bile ducts above grade 4 were displayed in 8 cases (8/18, 44.44%) and peripheral intrahepatic bile ducts reached the liver edge in 4 cases (4/18, 22.22%). There was no dilatation of common bile duct, nor of common hepatic duct. Igrade intrahepatic bile ducts were found moderately dilated in 2 cases (2/18, 11.11%), and II and above II grade intrahepatic bile duct dilation were observed in 12 cases (12/18, 66.67%), mild in 9, moderate in 1 and severe in 2 cases. The diameters of peripheral intrahepatic bile ducts were greater than central intrahepatic bile ducts in 15 cases (15/18, 83.33%). Compared with control group, the maximum diameters of common hepatic ducts as well as II and above II grade intrahepatic bile ducts in PSC patients were statistically greater (t=-3.245, 5.068; P=0.003, <0.001), while there was no statistical difference in the maximum diameter of common bile ducts, left and right hepatic ducts between the two groups (P=0.128, 0.721, 0.759). Conclusion: MRCP can display morphological characteristics of bile ducts and make preliminary diagnosis for PSC, therefore having great value in clinical application. Copyright © 2013 by the Press of Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology.

Objective: To investigate the optimized MSCT coronary imaging scan delay time and contrast agent injection program of 64-row CT coronary. Methods: Totally 100 patients with coronary heart disease were enrolled and equally divided into 2 groups. Group A: Delay time of coronary imaging was the sum of the time of contrast agent imaging in the aorta and the time of contrast injection minus scanning time during the test scan. Group B: Delay time of coronary imaging was assessed as the aortic peak time plus 4 s. The data were reconstructed using 75% phase of coronary images, and then CT value of descending aorta were measured in different levels of cardiac cycles. According to the descending trends of time-density curve (TDC) of aorta, the accuracy of coronary angiography of different data collection phases was evaluated. Results: In Group A, there were 34 patients whosé coronary artery imaging acquisition phase matching the peak time, while TDC of 10 patients present as rising type, of 6 cases as failing type. In Group B, there were 10 cases whose' coronary artery imaging acquisition phase matching the peak time, while TDC of 38 patients present as rising type, of 2 cases as failing type. Group A was more likely to get best scanning phase than group B (P<0.01). Conclusion: Under conditions of Group A, it is more likely to get best scanning phase during 64-row CT coronary.

To characterize normal pancreas metabolites using in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) at 3T under conditions of breath-holding and free-breathing. The pancreases of 32 healthy volunteers were examined using (1)H MRS during breath-holding and free-breathing acquisitions in a single-voxel point-resolved selective spectroscopy sequence (PRESS) technique using a 3T MRI system. Resonances were compared between paired spectra of the two breathing modes. Furthermore, correlations between lipid (Lip) content and age, body-mass index (BMI), as well as choline (Cho) peak visibility of the normal pancreas were analysed during breath-holding. Twenty-nine pairs of spectra were successfully obtained showing three major resonances, Lip, Cho, cholesterol and the unsaturated parts of the olefinic region of fatty acids (Chol+Unsat). Breath-hold spectra were generally better, with higher signal-to-noise ratios (SNR; Z=-2.646, p=0.008) and Cho peak visible status (Z=-2.449, p=0.014). Correlations were significant between spectra acquired by the two breathing modes, especially for Lip height, Lip area, and the area of other peaks at 1.9-4.1ppm. However, the Lip resonance was significantly different between the spectra of the two breathing modes (p<0.05). In the breath-holding spectra, there were significant positive correlations between Lip peak height, area, and age (r=0.491 and 0.521, p=0.007 and 0.004), but not between Lip peak area and BMI. There was no statistical difference in Cho resonances between males and females. The Lip peak height and area were significantly higher in the Cho peak invisible group than in the Cho peak visible group (t=2.661 and 2.353, p=0.030 and 0.043). In vivo(1)H MRS of the normal pancreas at 3T is technically feasible and can characterize several metabolites. (1)H MRS during breath-holding acquisition is superior to that during free-breathing acquisition.

Objective To evaluate the effect of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) to decrease CT image noise in the low-dose chest screening. Methods Totally 180 patients who underwent chest screening scan using HDCT with automatic tube current (mA) modulation were categorized randomly into 3 groups. The noise index (NI) for group 1, 2 and 3 was set to 20, 30 and 40, respectively. Images ASIR in each group were reconstructed 0, 30%, 50% and 80%. CT dose index volumes (CTDI vol) and dose length product (DLP) were recorded, while effective dose (ED) was estimated. Image quality was assessed by two radiologists on a 5-points scale. The degree of interobservers concordance was evaluated using Kappa test. Results The images of each group had acceptable image quality, and there was interobserver agreement in diagnosis acceptability (Kappa value was 0.485). The average CTDI vol for Group 1, 2 and 3 was (3.41 ± 1.28), (1.40 ± 0.58) and (0.76 ± 0.46) mGy, respectively. ED in Group 3 decreased to (0.35 ± 0.20) mSv. There was no statistical difference of image noise between group 2 at ASIR 50 and group 3 at ASIR 80. Conclusion ASIR helps to reduce low-dose chest CT image noise, and acceptable image quality can be obtained with ED reduced to 0.35 mSv.

Objective To compare the correlation and consistency between hepatic arterial fraction (AIF) calculated from gemstone spectral imaging scan and hepatic arterial index (HAI) measured with perfusion CT. Methods Totally 15 Japanese white rabbits were enrolled. HAI was obtained from perfusion CT, then AIF was got from spectral CT. AIF and HAI were compared with correlation test and Bland-Altman Plot. Results The mean HAI was 0.26 ± 0.02, and the AIF was 0.25 ± 0.02. There was strong positive correlation between HAI and AIF (r=0.979, P < 0.05), and measurement consistency between the two parameters was high. Conclusion AIF obtained from spectral CT examination correlates strongly with HAI obtained from liver perfusion CT, which can be regarded as a new parameter for evaluating liver hemodynamics.

Objective To compare the effect of premium view (PV) and tissue equalization (TE) in full-field digital mammography (FFDM) on breast lesions detection accuracy. Methods Two radiologists read images in the post-processing modes of PV, TE image and RAW which accorded inclusion criteria and then recorded the results. Sixty-two lesions detected from 49 patients undergoing FFDM and confirmed by pathology were selected. All observations were evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results The mean area under the ROC curve (Az) values of PV, TE and RAW groups was 0.770 ± 0.031, 0.684 ± 0.033 and 0.709 ± 0.032, respectively. Among 3 groups, Az value and sensitivity of PV group was the highest. RAW group had the highest false negative rate, and the false positive rate of the TE group was highest. PV group made better diagnostic ability than TE and RAW group for malignant lesions. There was no significant difference between TE and RAW group. However, significant difference among all 3 groups was found (P < 0.05). Overall groups had no significant difference in benign lesions. Conclusion It can be improved that FFDM display capability for particular type lesions after using appropriate image post-processing method.compared with TE, PV provides better diagnostic ability on breast lesions in FFDM. PV is better for detection of malignant lesions than TE.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of shift-and-add (SAA) and filtered back projection (FBP) in digital tomosynthesis on pulmonary nodules detection accuracy. Methods: Fifty patients with small nodules confirmed by chest CT were selected. Digital tomosynthesis images were obtained and processed with SAA and FBP. Three radiologists of different experiences independently reviewed and recorded the results of pulmonary nodules. Totally 102 nodules confirmed with CT were devided into 3 groups: Group of nodules <5 mm, 5-10 mm and >10 mm, respectively, and 2 groups according to the density: Group of solid density nodules and ground-glass density. The results of SAA and FBP were analyzed statistically. Results: SAA detected 52 pulmonary nodules, while FBP found 86 (P<0.001). For nodules with diameter <5 mm and 5-10 mm, FBP displayed more nodules than SAA (P=0.001, 0.005), while no difference was found between two Methods: for >10 mm group (P=0.317). For solid density and ground-glass density nodules, FBP showed more nodules than SAA (both P<0.05). Conclusion: FBP is superior to SAA in detection of nodules with diameter ≤10 mm, small pulmonary nodules with solid density and ground-glass density.