Quantitative prenatal growth of the cervical sympathetic trunk components in sheep (Ovis arise) during the foetal period

BACKGROUND

Six liner measurements of constant cranial cervical ganglion (CCG), three inconstant main, first, second middle cervical ganglia (MG, MG1, MG2), and interganglionic branch (IGB) were taken to determine normal foetal growth rates and patterns of cervical sympathetic trunk (CST) components in different gestational ages.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty sheep foetuses of both sexes aged from 60 to 140 days were divided into four groups and 80 sides of foetuses were examined under a stereomicroscope using a digital calliper.

RESULTS

Following findings were obtained: 1) There was no significant difference for the values between sex and body side among all age groups, although sex and laterality differences in CST length and laterality differences in IGB total length and MG1 width were found regardless of age groups. 2) Correlations between dimensions of CST components and crown-rump length (CRL) were always positive during foetal period and decreased with increasing foetal age. 3) The highest growth rate in CST components in foetal sheep took place in the youngest age group because of rapid growth rates in lengths of IGB and CCG.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on these detailed findings, comparative prenatal growth rates and patterns of animal organs and body, embryological and histological data as well as neurovertebral relationships among cervical parts of sympathetic trunk, spinal cord, and vertebral column were discussed and compared with previous studies. Although allometric growth of CST in relation to CRL was constant between foetal sheep and pig, there were specific characteristics in prenatal growth of CST components in foetal sheep which were different from those of foetal pig. It seems that only growth pattern in length of CST in sheep during foetal period follows the same growth pattern of CRL, body weight, and length of cervical parts of spinal cord and vertebral column.

Volume and landmark analysis: comparison of MRI measurements obtained with an endorectal coil and with a phased-array coil

AIM

To compare prostate volumes and distances between anatomical landmarks on MRI images obtained with a phased-array coil (PAC) only and with a PAC and an endorectal coil (ERC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Informed consent was waived for this Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant study. Fifty-nine men underwent PAC-MRI and ERC-MRI at 1.5 (n = 3) or 3 T (n = 56). On MRI images, two radiologists independently measured prostate volume and distances between the anterior rectal wall (ARW) and symphysis pubis at the level of the verumontanum; ARW and symphysis pubis at the level of the mid-symphysis pubis; and bladder neck and mid-symphysis pubis. Differences between measurements from PAC-MRI and ERC-MRI were assessed with the Wilcoxon RANK SUM test. Inter-reader agreement was assessed using the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC).

RESULTS

Differences in prostate volume between PAC-MRI and ERC-MRI [median: -0.75 mm(3) (p = 0.10) and median: -0.84 mm(3) (p = 0.06) for readers 1 and 2, respectively] were not significant. For readers 1 and 2, median differences between distances were as follows: -10.20 and -12.75 mm, respectively, ARW to symphysis pubis at the level of the verumontanum; -6.60 and -6.08 mm, respectively, ARW to symphysis pubis at the level of the mid-symphysis pubis; -3 and -3 mm respectively, bladder neck to mid-symphysis pubis. All differences in distance were significant for both readers (p ≤ 0.0005). Distances were larger on PAC-MRI (p ≤ 0.0005). Inter-reader agreement regarding prostate volume was almost perfect on PAC-MRI (CCC: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.98-1.00) and ERC-MRI (CCC: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.99-1.00); inter-reader agreement for distance measurements varied (CCCs: 0.54-0.86).

CONCLUSION

Measurements of distances between anatomical landmarks differed significantly between ERC-MRI and PAC-MRI, although prostate volume measurements did not.

Role of endorectal prostate MRI in patients with initial suspicion of prostate cancer

PURPOSE

To evaluate the role of conventional endorectal prostate MRI in patients with initial suspicion of prostate cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ethics board approval was received for this retrospective study of 87 men who underwent 1.5-Tesla conventional prostate MRI with a combination of endorectal and body phased-array coils for suspected prostate cancer before their first systematic 12-core TRUS-guided biopsy. Three radiologists independently analyzed the images, dividing the prostate into 12 regions corresponding to the biopsy scheme and scoring each region for the presence of prostate cancer on a 5-point scale. Results were analyzed by prostate region. ROC analysis was done and descriptive statistics were calculated. The negative predictive value, specificity, sensitivity and positive predictive value were calculated using dichotomized scores (benign tissue = scores of 1 and 2; malignant tissues = scores of 3, 4, and 5).

RESULTS

Biopsy revealed cancer in 47/87 patients (26 low-grade [Gleason score 6]; 21 high-grade [Gleason score ≥ 3 + 4]), and 184/1044 cores (77 low-grade and 107 high-grade) with a median of 3 positive cores per cancer patient (range 1 – 12). The areas under ROC curves were 0.65 – 0.67 for cancer detection by region overall and 0.75 – 0.76 for the detection of high-grade cancer by region. Statistic figures for the detection of all cancers/high-grade cancers by region were as follows: negative predictive value, 87.4 – 88.2 %/92.6 – 93.1 %; specificity, 72.3 – 79.4 %/71.5 – 79.8 %; sensitivity, 49.5 – 54.8 %/62.6 – 69.2 %; and positive predictive value, 29.3 – 34.0 %/29.4 – 34.7 %.

CONCLUSION

In patients with suspected prostate cancer, negative MRI findings indicate the absence of high-grade prostate cancer on subsequent TRUS-guided 12-core biopsy with high probability. However, agreement between conventional 1.5-T endorectal prostate MRI and systematic 12-core TRUS-guided biopsy for the detection of prostate cancer appears to be moderate.

Role of endorectal prostate MRI in patients with initial suspicion of prostate cancer

PURPOSE

To evaluate the role of conventional endorectal prostate MRI in patients with initial suspicion of prostate cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ethics board approval was received for this retrospective study of 87 men who underwent 1.5-Tesla conventional prostate MRI with a combination of endorectal and body phased-array coils for suspected prostate cancer before their first systematic 12-core TRUS-guided biopsy. Three radiologists independently analyzed the images, dividing the prostate into 12 regions corresponding to the biopsy scheme and scoring each region for the presence of prostate cancer on a 5-point scale. Results were analyzed by prostate region. ROC analysis was done and descriptive statistics were calculated. The negative predictive value, specificity, sensitivity and positive predictive value were calculated using dichotomized scores (benign tissue = scores of 1 and 2; malignant tissues = scores of 3, 4, and 5).

RESULTS

Biopsy revealed cancer in 47/87 patients (26 low-grade [Gleason score 6]; 21 high-grade [Gleason score ≥ 3 + 4]), and 184/1044 cores (77 low-grade and 107 high-grade) with a median of 3 positive cores per cancer patient (range 1 - 12). The areas under ROC curves were 0.65 - 0.67 for cancer detection by region overall and 0.75 - 0.76 for the detection of high-grade cancer by region. Statistic figures for the detection of all cancers/high-grade cancers by region were as follows: negative predictive value, 87.4 - 88.2 %/92.6 - 93.1 %; specificity, 72.3 - 79.4 %/71.5 - 79.8 %; sensitivity, 49.5 - 54.8 %/62.6 - 69.2 %; and positive predictive value, 29.3 - 34.0 %/29.4 - 34.7 %.

CONCLUSION

In patients with suspected prostate cancer, negative MRI findings indicate the absence of high-grade prostate cancer on subsequent TRUS-guided 12-core biopsy with high probability. However, agreement between conventional 1.5-T endorectal prostate MRI and systematic 12-core TRUS-guided biopsy for the detection of prostate cancer appears to be moderate.

Cleft palate in a male water buffalo calf

Congenital palatal defects are common in animals but there is only one report of water buffalo has been recorded in Iran. One died male water buffalo calf was examined after hysterotomy operation. At necropsy findings, brachygnathia, palate cleft and small lungs were diagnosed. It is the second report of water buffalo cleft palate in Iran.

3D time-resolved contrast-enhanced MR DSA: advantages and tradeoffs

The 3D TRICKS method for contrast-enhanced, time-resolved MR DSA has been recently described. In this paper, computer simulations are used to investigate the relative frame rate, temporal window, artery-vein temporal separation, contrast-to-noise ratio, and spatial resolution of TRICKS and conventional scans for breath-hold and non-breath-hold applications. For non-breath-hold applications, TRICKS can be configured to provide increased CNR or spatial resolution at an increased frame rate, but with a longer temporal window when compared with a series of conventional scans in which the central portion of k-space is sampled at the same rate as for the TRICKS scans. For breath-hold applications, TRICKS typically provides three images with 75% of the conventional single acquisition spatial resolution and is more tolerant of variations in contrast curve shape within the field of view.

Effect of and correction for in-plane myocardial motion on estimates of coronary-volume flow rates

The sensitivities of phase-difference (PD) and complex-difference (CD) processing strategies to in-plane motion were examined theoretically and experimentally. Errors in velocity and volume flow rate (VFR) estimates were attributed to (a) motion between different velocity encodings and, in the case of segmented k-space acquisition strategies, (b) motion over the segment duration. PD estimates were found to be insensitive to in-plane motion between velocity encodings, whereas CD VFR estimates were found to be sensitive to this motion. PD estimates, however, were affected by partial volume effects. A corrected CD (CD') scheme was developed that minimizes both partial-volume and in-plane motion effects. Segmented k-space acquisitions with sequential offset and sequential interleaved offset (or centric) phase-encoding schemes were studied. Images obtained using these techniques were found to include both blurring and replication artifacts. The amount of artifact generally increased with the number of views per segment (vps) and the in-plane velocity. PD, CD, and CD' VFR estimates were found to be degraded by these artifacts. The sequential offset phase-encoding scheme generally had acceptable VFR errors (at 4 vps. a CD' VFR error of 7.0%) when averaged over the physiologic range of myocardial motion (> 12 cm second-1); however, larger errors were observed outside this range. VFR estimates obtained using the sequential interleaved phase-encoding scheme at 4 vps were unacceptable. More accurate VFR measurements were obtained using a revised segmented PC strategy, which reversed the order in which the velocity and phase encodings were interleaved. The weighted average CD' VFR error obtained using the revised strategy was 24.5% (for 4 vps). Using displacement information obtained from the two velocity-encoded images, an estimate of the in-plane velocity was obtained and used to correct the acquired data. This decreased the VFR error (weighted average CD' error at 4 vps decreased from 24.5% to -6.3%); however, the implemented correction algorithm could potentially introduced other artifacts in the images.