Lesion probability map in cerebral vein thrombosis due to Behçet's disease

AIM

Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystemic inflammatory disease. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is the second most common form of neuro-BD after parenchymal central nervous system involvement. The purpose of this study was to construct flow-void probability maps of patients with CVST with and without BD to visually illustrate the impacted cerebral venous sinuses, to compare the subgroups of patients, and investigate the effect of thrombus localization on clinical findings.

METHODS

Seventeen patients with a diagnosis of BD-related CVST (CVST-BD) and 23 patients with a diagnosis of CVST related to other etiologies (CVST-O) were included. We collected data including gender, age at onset of BD and CVST, presenting symptoms, neurological findings, and the etiology. High-resolution magnetic resonance venographies obtained during CVST were used to mark and digitalize thrombosed areas. Thrombus probability and subtraction maps were created to reveal the differences between the subgroups.

RESULTS

Remarkably, all patients with CVST-BD had thrombosis in the transverse sinus (TS). However, TS was affected in 73.9% of the CVST-O patients (17/17 in CVST-BD vs 17/23 in CVST-O, P = .03). Thrombosis developed mostly in the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) and TS in the CVST-O group (11/23, 47.8% and 17/23, 73.9%, respectively). The frequency of SSS thrombosis tended to be higher in the CVST-O (47.8% vs 23.5%, P = .19).

CONCLUSION

Venous infarction and hemorrhage were less common in patients with CVST-BD. The only clinical symptom in most of the CSVT patients with BD was headache due to elevated intracranial pressure. TS thrombosis was more common in patients with BD.

Application of viewshed analysis and probability mapping for search area determination based on the Moors murders on Saddleworth Moor, the United Kingdom

Geographical Information System (GIS) is underutilized within the forensic discipline, especially concerning the discovery of clandestine graves. GIS, viewshed analysis, and probability maps are being introduced into desk-based research both for archaeology and forensic purposes. This study aims to investigate how useful GIS can be to narrow down large search areas when locating clandestine graves. Combining GIS, viewshed analysis, and probability maps allows for the exploration of potential areas of concealment and diggability on Saddleworth Moor to find the remaining missing Moors victim, Keith Bennett. Methods included viewshed analysis consisting of what is visible and not visible from a certain location while the probability map registers the likelihood of penetrability across the Moors landscape. Using two GIS software programs, QGIS and ArcGIS Pro, maps were constructed examining the A635 on Saddleworth Moor and the potential location of Keith Bennett. This takes into consideration the geology, terrain, water networks, and road systems. Analysis of the GIS maps demonstrated that two possible areas were likely to be able to conceal Keith Bennett's body. It then aids to identify areas for further investigation. This study also indicates that GIS data analysis has the potential to aid in criminal and civil investigations and helps narrow down search areas to manageable sizes. Not only does it aid in cold case criminal investigations but it can also be utilized within everyday desk-based research on recent investigations.

Axillary node status in breast cancer patients prior to surgery by imaging with Tc-99m humanised anti-PEM monoclonal antibody, hHMFG1

In early breast cancer axillary nodes are usually impalpable and over 50% of such patients may have an axillary clearance when no nodes are involved. This work identifies axillary node status by imaging with a Tc-99m radiolabelled anti-Polymorphic Epithelial Mucin, humanised monoclonal antibody (human milk fat globule 1), prior to surgery in 30 patients. Change detection analysis of image data with probability mapping is undertaken. A specificity of 93% and positive predictive value of 92% (both 100% if a second cancer in the axilla with negative nodes is considered) were found. A strategy for combining negative imaging with the sentinel node procedure is presented.