Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of artificial intelligence (AI)-based noise reduction algorithm on aorta computed tomography angiography (CTA) image quality (IQ) at 80 kVp tube voltage and 40 mL contrast medium (CM).
Materials and Methods:
After obtaining institutional review board approval and 8 written informed consents, 60 patients (35 men, 25 women; age range: 18 to 85 y) referred for aorta CTA examination were assigned to 2 groups at random. Group A underwent an 80 kVp protocol with 40 mL CM (320 mg I/mL). Group A reconstructed with iterative reconstruction was named as group A1 and further AI-based noise reduction was named as group A2. Group B was scanned with standard 120 kVp, 80 mL CM, and iterative reconstruction algorithm. The quantitative assessment of IQ included aorta CT attenuation, noise, signal-to-noise ratio, and contrast-to-noise ratio. A 5-point scale (5—excellent, 1—poor) was used by 2 radiologists independently for qualitative IQ analysis.
Results:
The image noise significantly decreased while signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio significantly increased in the order of group A1, B, and A2 (all P<0.05). Compared with group B, the subjective IQ score of group A1 was significantly lower (P<0.05), while that of group A2 had no significant difference (P>0.05). The effective dose and CM volume of group A were reduced by 79.18% and 50%, respectively, than that of group B.
Conclusions:
The AI-based noise reduction could improve the IQ of aorta CTA with low kV and reduced CM, which achieved the potential of radiation dose and contrast media reduction compared with conventional aorta CTA protocol.
Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of CT in differentiating adrenal adenomas from malignant tumors. Methods: 124 patients with 147 adrenal adenomas and malignant tumors were analyzed. Tumor size, margin, internal structure and the relation of the tumor to the adrenal gland were investigated with CT. Both precontrast and postcontrast CT attenuation values of the tumor were measured and the enhanced degree was calculated respectively. CT pixel mapping of the tumor was done in 20 patients. Results were analyzed by using ROC curve. Results: The area under the ROC curve for precontrast CT attenuation values (0.91i-0.05) was significantly larger than that for postcontrast CT attenuation values (0.83i-0.04), enhanced degree (0.745.-0.08) or tumor sizes (0.82i-0.04). With a threshold of tumor sizef~3.0 cm, homogenous density, precontrast CT attenuation value<20 HU, postcontrast CT attenuation value_~35 HU or enhanced degree<20 HU, the sensitive for characterizing adenomas were 86%, 85%, 88%, 76% and 74%, and the specificity were 73%, 72%, 91%, 78 % and 61% respectively. Connection with normal adrenal gland (68%), precontrast CT attenuation value<0 HU (17%), and area of slightly negative CT attenuation value on CT pixel mapping were only seen in adrenal adenomas, whereas poorly defined margin and/or invasion of surrounding structures (30%), irregular thick rim enhancement (22%) were characteristic of malignant tumors. The overall correspondence rate with final diagnosis was 92.7% in our group. Conclusion: Most of the adrenal adenomas and malignant tumors can be distinguished by comprehensive Biography: WANG Dong (1965-), associate professor, master of medicine, Air Force General Hospital of PLA, majors in image diagnosis.analysis of CT features.
Embryo implantation, a critical step during the mammalian reproductive process, requires normal developing blastocysts and a receptive endometrium. Endometriosis, a common pathologically benign gynecological condition, is associated with decreased fertility and reduced endometrial receptivity. The oncoprotein, Gankyrin, has been associated with endometriosis and endometrial cancer. Here, we examined the role of Gankyrin during the process of embryo implantation. We found that Gankyrin expression levels were significantly increased during the mid-secretory phase, but unaffected during the proliferative phase in the human endometrium. Using an in vitro cell adhesion assay to examine the cell adhesion rate of BeWo trophoblast spheroids to Gankyrin-knockdown or overexpressing human endometrial carcinoma RL95-2 cells, we demonstrated that the adhesion rate was significantly reduced in Gankyrin-knockdown RL95-2 cells, while overexpression of Gankyrin promoted cell adhesion. Furthermore, we found that downregulation of Gankyrin inhibited STAT3 activation and subsequent matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) expression, while overexpression led to STAT3 activation and MMP2 expression. In vivo, we found that Gankyrin expression was increased in the endometrium after conception, but decreased with the prolongation of gestation time in female mice. siRNA-mediated knockdown of Gankyrin in the uterine horn led to a significant reduction in the number of implanted embryos nine days post-gestation, which was associated with a decrease in p-STAT3 expression and MMP2 transcription. Taken together, our findings indicate that Gankryin has a potential role in embryo implantation via STAT3 activation.
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