Comparison of Volumetric and Diametric Analysis in Endovascular Repair of Descending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm

Objective analysis of the effectiveness of facial massage using breakthrough computed tomographic technology: A preliminary pilot study

BACKGROUND

Facial massage is empirically known to be associated with morphological changes, such as improvements in facial sagging. However, quantified objective evaluations of massage-induced changes have not been performed to date. This preliminary pilot study aimed to verify the effectiveness of facial massages by using breakthrough computed tomographic technology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Five healthy adult volunteers (three women and two men; age, 29-37 years) were enrolled, and computed tomography (CT) examinations using a 320 detectors-spiral CT system known as 320-multidetector-row CT (MDCT) were performed before and after facial massages. Each participant performed a self-massage twice daily for 2 weeks. Massage-induced changes in the cheeks and the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) were analyzed by two radiologists on a workstation with a high-accuracy imaging analysis system.

RESULTS

After facial massage, the malar top became thinner by -0.8% ± 0.45% and shifted cranially and horizontally over a distance of 3.9 ± 1.94 mm. The SMAS-height, defined as the highest vertical distance of the SMAS, increased by 2.6% ± 2.6%. The change rate in cheek thickness and SMAS-height showed a significant correlation (r = -0.63; P < 0.05). These changes were attributed to the lifting and tightening effects of facial massage.

CONCLUSION

We conducted a detailed analysis of the effects of facial massages by using the breakthrough CT technology. Our results provide useful information for beauty treatments and could contribute to the collection of objective scientific evidence for facial massages.

Automated Quantification of Diseased Thoracic Aortic Longitudinal Centerline and Surface Curvatures

Precise description of vascular morphometry is crucial to support medical device manufacturers and clinicians for improving device development and interventional outcomes. A compact and intuitive method is presented to automatically characterize the surface geometry of tubular anatomic structures and quantify surface curvatures starting from generic stereolithographic (STL) surfaces. The method was validated with software phantoms and used to quantify the longitudinal surface curvatures of 37 human thoracic aortas with aneurysm or dissection. The quantification of surface curvatures showed good agreement with analytic solutions from the software phantoms, and demonstrated better agreement as compared to estimation methods using only centerline geometry and cross-sectional radii. For the human thoracic aortas, longitudinal inner surface curvature was significantly higher than centerline curvature (0.33 ± 0.06 versus 0.16 ± 0.02 cm-1 for mean; 1.38 ± 0.48 versus 0.45 ± 0.11 cm-1 for peak; both p < 0.001). These findings show the importance of quantifying surface curvatures in order to better describe the geometry and biomechanical behavior of the thoracic aorta, which can assist in treatment planning and supplying device manufactures with more precise boundary conditions for mechanical evaluation.

A Lagrangian cylindrical coordinate system for characterizing dynamic surface geometry of tubular anatomic structures

Vascular morphology characterization is useful for disease diagnosis, risk stratification, treatment planning, and prediction of treatment durability. To quantify the dynamic surface geometry of tubular-shaped anatomic structures, we propose a simple, rigorous Lagrangian cylindrical coordinate system to monitor well-defined surface points. Specifically, the proposed system enables quantification of surface curvature and cross-sectional eccentricity. Using idealized software phantom examples, we validate the method's ability to accurately quantify longitudinal and circumferential surface curvature, as well as eccentricity and orientation of eccentricity. We then apply the method to several medical imaging data sets of human vascular structures to exemplify the utility of this coordinate system for analyzing morphology and dynamic geometric changes in blood vessels throughout the body. Graphical abstract Pointwise longitudinal curvature of a thoracic aortic endograft surface for systole and diastole, with their absolute difference.

Volumetric analysis demonstrates that true and false lumen remodeling persists for 12 months after thoracic endovascular aortic repair

A 62-year-old man underwent an elephant trunk procedure followed by thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Computed tomography angiography-based models were built to quantify volume of the whole aorta and true and false lumens preoperatively, before TEVAR, after TEVAR, and at follow-up at 3, 6, and 12 months. With TEVAR, descending aortic true lumen volume increased by 54%, then increased additionally by 60% during 12 months. The descending aortic false lumen volume regressed continuously for 12 months following TEVAR, with the most rapid rate from 6 to 12 months at 16 cm3/month. TEVAR immediately increased true lumen volume and continued to remodel the true and false lumens throughout the following 12 months.