Journal of Medical Ultrasonics最新文献

Purpose: Some patients who undergo anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction experience abnormal mechanical stress in the meniscus. Medial meniscal extrusion (MME) is reflected in the pathological condition of the meniscus, which expands owing to repetitive mechanical stress. Thus, the effect of the reconstructed ACL on increasing MME under weight-bearing conditions remains unclear. This study investigated the effect of ACL reconstruction on meniscal extrusion under non-weight-bearing and weight-bearing conditions.

Methods: Seventeen patients who underwent unilateral ACL reconstruction (ACL group) and 20 age-matched healthy volunteers (control group) were enrolled. Ultrasonography was performed in the supine, standing, and walking positions in preoperative and postoperative ACL patients. MME during walking was evaluated based on the dynamic behavior of extrusion, and kinetic and kinematic data were synchronously obtained. Moreover, the ACL group underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation at two points: preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively, and the ultrasound findings were compared.

Results: MME in the supine position measured using both ultrasonography and MRI was not significantly different preoperatively and postoperatively in the ACL group. However, postoperative MME and dynamic behavior of extrusion under standing and walking conditions were significantly higher than those in the preoperative state (dynamic behavior: 0.9 ± 0.4 mm preoperatively, 1.2 ± 0.4 mm postoperatively). Moreover, the deficits in knee extension during walking persisted postoperatively and were significantly higher than those in the control group.

Conclusion: MME in patients with ACL reconstruction including meniscus repair was different under mechanical stress compared to the non-weight bearing condition.

Purpose: This study aimed to establish criteria for defining "large" subchorionic hematoma (SCH) and assess its association with pregnancy complications.

Method: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at our institution between 2019 and 2020. We compared the size of SCH between the pregnancy-related complication and non-complication groups, using two measurement methods. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined cutoff values. Additionally, we compared the occurrence of pregnancy complications among three groups: large SCH group (above the cutoff value), non-large SCH group (below the cutoff value), and non-SCH group.

Results: Of 1305 singleton pregnancies managed during the study, 80 cases were diagnosed with SCH. Pregnancy complications occurred in 15 patients. The patients with pregnancy complications had significantly larger SCH sizes with both measurement methods. For each method, the cutoff values calculated from the ROC curve analysis were as follows: Method 1, 25% (area under the ROC curve [AUC], 0.662); Method 2, 30% (AUC, 0.624). In Method 1, we found a significantly higher occurrence of preterm delivery in the large SCH group (24.1%) than in the non-large SCH (4.2%) and non-SCH groups (5.3%; all p < 0.01). In Method 2, there was a significantly higher occurrence of preterm delivery in the large SCH group (33.3%) than in the non-large SCH (6.5%) and non-SCH groups (5.3%; all p < 0.01).

Conclusion: Large SCHs may indicate a high risk of pregnancy-related complications. Among these, recognizing and managing cases that exceed the aforementioned cutoff value as high-risk cases may be beneficial for reducing pregnancy complications.

Advances in various imaging modalities for breast lesions have improved diagnostic capabilities not only for tumors but also for non-tumorous lesions. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) plays a crucial role not only in the differential diagnosis of breast lesions, identification of sentinel lymph nodes, and diagnosis of lymph node metastasis but also in assessing the therapeutic effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). In CEUS, two image interpretation approaches, i.e., qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis, are employed and applied in various clinical settings. In this paper, we review CEUS for breast lesions, including its various applications.

This narrative review aims to describe the current status of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in characterizing renal cystic lesion. The imaging techniques usually performed for their evaluation are ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with different criteria of application based on the individual case and the purpose of the examination. Generally, US, as a non-ionizing examination, is the first imaging modality performed and therefore the one that incidentally detects cystic lesions. CT is the most performed imaging modality for cystic lesion assessment before MRI evaluation. It provides better characterization and management and has been introduced into the Bosniak classification. In this context, CEUS is making its way for its characteristics and represents the emerging technique in this field. With these premises, the authors analyze the role of CEUS in the evaluation of renal cysts, starting with an explanation of the technique, describe its main advantages and limitations, and end with a discussion of its application in the Bosniak classification and management, following the current major guidelines.