Honest Ndlovu,
Honest Ndlovu
Institution: NULL
Email:
Kgomotso M.G. Mokoala,
Kgomotso M.G. Mokoala
Institution: NULL
Email:
Ismaheel Lawal,
Ismaheel Lawal
Institution: NULL
Email:
Louise Emmett,
Louise Emmett
Institution: NULL
Email:
Mike M. Sathekge
Mike M. Sathekge
Institution: NULL
Email:
Posted 1 month ago
Wenjie Liu,
Wenjie Liu
Institution: NULL
Email:
Bin Yu,
Bin Yu
Institution: NULL
Email:
Furong Lv,
Furong Lv
Institution: NULL
Email:
Kaiwen Liang,
Kaiwen Liang
Institution: NULL
Email:
Zhibo Xiao
Zhibo Xiao
Institution: NULL
Email:
Background and Objectives: The existing recommendations for female pelvic magnetic susceptibility weighted imaging MRI (FP-SWI) have not been optimized to capture the disease characteristics of the female pelvis. Therefore, it is imperative to explore acquisition parameters before conducting larger-...
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Background and Objectives: The existing recommendations for female pelvic magnetic susceptibility weighted imaging MRI (FP-SWI) have not been optimized to capture the disease characteristics of the female pelvis. Therefore, it is imperative to explore acquisition parameters before conducting larger-scale studies. To establish optimized flip angle (FA) for acquiring FP-SWI to improve the image quality of female pelvic lesion sites. Materials and Methods: To evaluate signal quality and lesion conspicuity, regions of interest (ROIs) were manually drawn within the lesion on SWI sequences. Signal intensity was measured within the ROIs. Additionally, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated for SWI sequences acquired at three FA: 10°, 15°, and 20°. Finally, a qualitative assessment of anatomical detail visualization, geometric distortion extent, artifacts, and lesion clarity was performed using a four-point scale. The Wilcoxon rank sum test was employed to compare the qualitative evaluation parameters. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to determine the consistency of subjective ratings between two observers. Results: FA=10° showed significantly higher SNR than FA=15° and 20° in most anatomical regions (P<0.05), while the CNR was significantly higher than FA=15° and 20° (P<0.05). Compared with FA=15° and 20°, the image quality of FA=10° was significantly higher, with less distortion and ghosting, and better image contrast (P<0.05). Lesions with FA=10° exhibited higher clarity compared to FA=15° and 20° (P<0.05). Conclusions: The image quality of FP-SWI images at FA=10° exceeds that at FA=15° and 20°. We recommend that when conducting SWI examination of the female pelvic cavity, the FA value should be set at 10° to stabilize the SWI sequence and improve image quality.
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Posted 1 month ago
Espen M. Knutsen,
Espen M. Knutsen
Institution: NULL
Email:
Dmitry A. Konovalov
Dmitry A. Konovalov
Institution: NULL
Email:
Recent developments in Deep Learning have opened the possibility for automated segmentation of large and highly detailed CT scan datasets of fossil material. However, previous methodologies have required large amounts of training data to reliably extract complex skeletal structures. Here we present ...
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Recent developments in Deep Learning have opened the possibility for automated segmentation of large and highly detailed CT scan datasets of fossil material. However, previous methodologies have required large amounts of training data to reliably extract complex skeletal structures. Here we present a method for automated Deep Learning segmentation to obtain high-fidelity 3D models of fossils digitally extracted from the surrounding rock, training the model with less than 1%-2% of the total CT dataset. This workflow has the capacity to revolutionise the use of Deep Learning to significantly reduce the processing time of such data and boost the availability of segmented CT-scanned fossil material for future research outputs. Our final Unet segmentation model achieved a validation Dice similarity of 0.96.
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Posted 1 month ago
Amelia Carolina Sparavigna
Amelia Carolina Sparavigna
Institution: Polytechnic University of Turin
Email:
Vivianite is a hydrated iron phosphate mineral (Fe3(PO4)2·8H2O), crystallized in a monoclinic system. It is the endmember of a mineral series known as the vivianite group, where minerals have the general formula A3(XO4)2·8H2O, A is a divalent metal cation and X is phosphorus P or arsenic As. Today...
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Vivianite is a hydrated iron phosphate mineral (Fe3(PO4)2·8H2O), crystallized in a monoclinic system. It is the endmember of a mineral series known as the vivianite group, where minerals have the general formula A3(XO4)2·8H2O, A is a divalent metal cation and X is phosphorus P or arsenic As. Today, vivianite is attracting interest as a promising material for recovering phosphorous from wastewaters. In fact, the presence in wastewater sludges of soluble iron and phosphorus can lead to vivianite formation. As a crystal, it is a naturally occurring Van der Walls material. It can be easily characterized by means of Raman and infrared spectroscopies. Here we will consider the Raman spectroscopy, precisely that related to the hydroxyl-stretching region. We will propose the deconvolutions in q-Gaussian functions of spectra from RRUFF database, comparing the obtained results with those available from literature. Besides vivianite, we will consider also baricite and bobierrite for comparison (baricite and bobierrite are two other members of the vivianite group). About the hydroxyl-stretching region and the use of q-Gaussians, we take the chance to continue a discussion regarding the Raman spectroscopy of water, discussion that we started in March 2024.
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Posted 1 month ago
Stuart S Berr,
Stuart S Berr
Institution: NULL
Email:
Antonio Gonzalez
Antonio Gonzalez
Institution: NULL
Email:
Glioblastoma (GB) is the most common brain cancer and has limited survivability with a mean survival time of 15 months and an overall survival of less than 7 % after 5 years. Impediments to delivery of large molecule (e.g. antibodies) and cell therapeutics to a tumor include the blood–brain barrie...
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Glioblastoma (GB) is the most common brain cancer and has limited survivability with a mean survival time of 15 months and an overall survival of less than 7 % after 5 years. Impediments to delivery of large molecule (e.g. antibodies) and cell therapeutics to a tumor include the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and the blood‐tumor barrier (BTB) which prevent large solutes from crossing from circulating blood into the extracellular fluid of the central nervous system. Recently, methodology has been developed to use focused ultrasound (FUS) in conjunction with microbubbles to temporarily disrupt the BBB/BTB. FUS units have been developed that can be used in the high magnetic fields that are part of a MRI scanners. The MRI is used to locate the brain tumor to determine where FUS energy will be applied to open the BBB/BTB. However, it is difficult using current technologies to determine the optimum relative timing and dosages of drugs/cells and application of FUS. We have previously shown using PET imaging of a [89Zr]‐mCD47 to GB in a mouse model, that antibody binding by a tumor is significantly enhanced if the mCD47 antibody is injected 15 min after BBB/BTB disruption, rather than injection before BBB/BTB disruption.1 However, this study was done using two fixed time points. The animals had to be transported between different scanners which prevented us from a continuous measurement of tumor uptake and washout of antibody. We propose to build a unique trimodal MRI/FUS/PET system that would permit real‐time measurement of influx of radiolabeled therapeutic antibodies or cells and allow us to optimize the timing of FUS relative to injection of therapeutics. It will allow whole‐body mouse imaging so we will be able to measure in vivo biodistribution as well. To the best of our knowledge, no such system exists anywhere. However, our group has previously published simulation studies that show that it is feasible to use a PET insert in conjunction with MRI and FUS in the setting of tumor ablation in the brain
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Posted 1 month ago
Amena Ali Hussain,
Amena Ali Hussain
Institution: NULL
Email:
Eva Forssell-Aronsson,
Eva Forssell-Aronsson
Institution: NULL
Email:
Tobias Rosholm,
Tobias Rosholm
Institution: NULL
Email:
Esmaeil Mehrara
Esmaeil Mehrara
Institution: NULL
Email:
PET/CT and PET/MRI are valuable multimodality imaging techniques for visualizing both functional and anatomical information. The most used PET reconstruction algorithm is Ordered Subset Expectation Maximization (OSEM). In OSEM, the image noise increases with increased number of iterations, and the r...
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PET/CT and PET/MRI are valuable multimodality imaging techniques for visualizing both functional and anatomical information. The most used PET reconstruction algorithm is Ordered Subset Expectation Maximization (OSEM). In OSEM, the image noise increases with increased number of iterations, and the reconstruction needs to be stopped before complete convergence. The Bayesian penalized likelihood (BPL) algorithm, recently introduced, uses a noise penalty factor (β) to achieve full convergence while controlling noise. This study aims to evaluate how reconstruction algorithms and lesion radioactivity levels affect PET image quality and quantitative accuracy across three different PET systems. Materials and Methods: A NEMA phantom was filled with 18F and scanned by one PET/MRI and two PET/CT systems with sphere-to-background concentration ratio (SBR) of 2:1, 4:1, or 10:1. PET images were reconstructed with OSEM or BPL with TOF. The number of iterations and β-values were varied, while the matrix size, number of subsets, and filter size remained constant. Contrast recovery (CR) and background variability (BV) were measured in images. Results: CR increased with increased sphere size and SBR. CR and BV decreased with increased β for the 10mm sphere. Increased number of iterations in OSEM showed increased BV with limited variation in CR. BPL gave higher CR and lower BV values than OSEM. The optimal reconstruction was BPL with β between 150 and 350, where BPL was available, and OSEM with two iterations and 21 subsets for the PET/CT without BPL. Conclusion: BPL outperforms OSEM, and SBR significantly influences tracer uptake quantification in small lesions. Future studies should explore the clinical implications of these findings on diagnosis, staging, prognosis, and treatment follow-up.
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Posted 1 month ago
Ilaria Proietti,
Ilaria Proietti
Institution: Dermatology Unit “Daniele Innocenzi”, “A. Fiorini” Hospital, Via Firenze, 1, 04019 Terracina, Italy
Email:
Chiara Battilotti,
Chiara Battilotti
Institution: Dermatology Unit “Daniele Innocenzi”, “A. Fiorini” Hospital, Via Firenze, 1, 04019 Terracina, Italy
Email:
Francesca Svara,
Francesca Svara
Institution: Dermatology Unit “Daniele Innocenzi”, “A. Fiorini” Hospital, Via Firenze, 1, 04019 Terracina, Italy
Email:
Ersilia Tolino,
Ersilia Tolino
Institution: Dermatology Unit “Daniele Innocenzi”, “A. Fiorini” Hospital, Via Firenze, 1, 04019 Terracina, Italy
Email:
Nicoletta Bernardini,
Nicoletta Bernardini
Institution: Dermatology Unit “Daniele Innocenzi”, “A. Fiorini” Hospital, Via Firenze, 1, 04019 Terracina, Italy
Email:
Nevena Skroza,
Nevena Skroza
Institution: Dermatology Unit “Daniele Innocenzi”, “A. Fiorini” Hospital, Via Firenze, 1, 04019 Terracina, Italy
Email:
Luca Filippi,
Luca Filippi
Institution: Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Oncohaematology, Fondazione PTV Policlinico Tor Vergata University Hospital, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
Email:
Concetta Potenza
Concetta Potenza
Institution: Dermatology Unit “Daniele Innocenzi”, “A. Fiorini” Hospital, Via Firenze, 1, 04019 Terracina, Italy
Email:
The use of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers in oncology patients undergoing PET-CT scans is a topic of debate due to potential interference with imaging accuracy. A 54-year-old female, postmelanoma metastasectomy in the parotid region with subsequent facial nerve palsy (FNP), received HA filler injectio...
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The use of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers in oncology patients undergoing PET-CT scans is a topic of debate due to potential interference with imaging accuracy. A 54-year-old female, postmelanoma metastasectomy in the parotid region with subsequent facial nerve palsy (FNP), received HA filler injections for facial symmetry and functional restoration. Follow-up PET-CT scans showed no interference or artifacts attributable to HA injection, allowing for accurate imaging results. This case suggests that HA fillers administered in oncology patients may not universally pose challenges or disrupt PET-CT imaging interpretation. Due to the possible false positives induced by fillers, the inclusion of aesthetic treatments in patients’ anamnesis is a crucial step to accurately interpret PET-CT images. Although maintaining high level of caution in interpreting PET-CT results after filler injection is essential, our case emphasizes the safety of this procedure in oncology patients undergoing follow-up PET-CT scans.
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Posted 1 month ago
Jianliang Liu,
Jianliang Liu
Institution: E.J. Whitten Prostate Cancer Research Centre, Epworth Healthcare, Melbourne, VIC 3005, Australia
Email:
Thomas P. Cundy,
Thomas P. Cundy
Institution: Discipline of Surgery, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Email:
Dixon T. S. Woon,
Dixon T. S. Woon
Institution: E.J. Whitten Prostate Cancer Research Centre, Epworth Healthcare, Melbourne, VIC 3005, Australia
Email:
Nathan Lawrentschuk
Nathan Lawrentschuk
Institution: E.J. Whitten Prostate Cancer Research Centre, Epworth Healthcare, Melbourne, VIC 3005, Australia
Email:
<jats:p>Early detection of metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) is crucial. Whilst the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET scan has high diagnostic accuracy, it suffers from inter-reader variability, and the time-consuming reporting process. This systematic review was registered on PROSPERO (...
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<jats:p>Early detection of metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) is crucial. Whilst the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET scan has high diagnostic accuracy, it suffers from inter-reader variability, and the time-consuming reporting process. This systematic review was registered on PROSPERO (ID CRD42023456044) and aims to evaluate AI’s ability to enhance reporting, diagnostics, and predictive capabilities for mPCa on PSMA PET scans. Inclusion criteria covered studies using AI to evaluate mPCa on PSMA PET, excluding non-PSMA tracers. A search was conducted on Medline, Embase, and Scopus from inception to July 2023. After screening 249 studies, 11 remained eligible for inclusion. Due to the heterogeneity of studies, meta-analysis was precluded. The prediction model risk of bias assessment tool (PROBAST) indicated a low overall risk of bias in ten studies, though only one incorporated clinical parameters (such as age, and Gleason score). AI demonstrated a high accuracy (98%) in identifying lymph node involvement and metastatic disease, albeit with sensitivity variation (62–97%). Advantages included distinguishing bone lesions, estimating tumour burden, predicting treatment response, and automating tasks accurately. In conclusion, AI showcases promising capabilities in enhancing the diagnostic potential of PSMA PET scans for mPCa, addressing current limitations in efficiency and variability.</jats:p>
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Posted 1 month ago
Tomokazu Konishi
Tomokazu Konishi
Institution: Graduate School of Bioresource Sciences, Akita Prefectural University, Akita City 010-0195, Akita, Japan
Email:
<jats:p>(1) Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly affected the population worldwide, with varying responses implemented to control its spread. This study aimed to compare the epidemic data compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO) to understand the impact o...
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<jats:p>(1) Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly affected the population worldwide, with varying responses implemented to control its spread. This study aimed to compare the epidemic data compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO) to understand the impact of the measures adopted by each country on the mortality rate. (2) Methods: The increase or decrease in the number of confirmed cases was understood in logarithmic terms, for which logarithmic growth rates “K” were used. The mortality rate was calculated as the percentage of deaths from the confirmed cases, which was also used for logarithmic comparison. (3) Results: Countries that effectively detected and isolated patients had a mortality rate 10 times lower than those who did not. Although strict lockdowns were once effective, they could not be implemented on an ongoing basis. After their cancellation, large outbreaks occurred because of medical breakdowns. The virus variants mutated with increased infectivity, which impeded the measures that were once effective, including vaccinations. Although the designs of mRNA vaccines were renewed, they could not keep up with the virus mutation rate. The only effective defence lies in steadily identifying and isolating patients. (4) Conclusions: these findings have crucial implications for the complete containment of the pandemic and future pandemic preparedness.</jats:p>
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Posted 2 months ago
Ronald A. DePinho,
Ronald A. DePinho
Institution: NULL
Guocan Wang,
Guocan Wang
Institution: NULL
Email:
Di Zhao,
Di Zhao
Institution: NULL
Email:
Denise J. Spring,
Denise J. Spring
Institution: NULL
Email:
Ronald A. DePinho
Ronald A. DePinho
Institution: NULL
Email:
<jats:p>Despite the high long-term survival in localized prostate cancer, metastatic prostate cancer remains largely incurable even after intensive multimodal therapy. The lethality of advanced disease is driven by the lack of therapeutic regimens capable of generating durable responses in the setti...
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<jats:p>Despite the high long-term survival in localized prostate cancer, metastatic prostate cancer remains largely incurable even after intensive multimodal therapy. The lethality of advanced disease is driven by the lack of therapeutic regimens capable of generating durable responses in the setting of extreme tumor heterogeneity on the genetic and cell biological levels. Here, we review available prostate cancer model systems, the prostate cancer genome atlas, cellular and functional heterogeneity in the tumor microenvironment, tumor-intrinsic and tumor-extrinsic mechanisms underlying therapeutic resistance, and technological advances focused on disease detection and management. These advances, along with an improved understanding of the adaptive responses to conventional cancer therapies, anti-androgen therapy, and immunotherapy, are catalyzing development of more effective therapeutic strategies for advanced disease. In particular, knowledge of the heterotypic interactions between and coevolution of cancer and host cells in the tumor microenvironment has illuminated novel therapeutic combinations with a strong potential for more durable therapeutic responses and eventual cures for advanced disease. Improved disease management will also benefit from artificial intelligence-based expert decision support systems for proper standard of care, prognostic determinant biomarkers to minimize overtreatment of localized disease, and new standards of care accelerated by next-generation adaptive clinical trials.</jats:p>
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Posted 2 months ago
