DKI detects changes in the cerebral white matter of PD patients more sensitively than conventional DTI. In addition, DKI is useful for evaluating crossing fibers. By providing a sensitive index of brain pathology in PD, DKI may enable improved monitoring of disease progression.

AscAo, Ascending aorta; CA, coronary artery; LV, left ventricle; descAo, descending aorta. *Documentation: The sites where air was detected by CT. †A chest CT indicated pneumothorax of the right lung.

No abstract

Laparoscopic splenectomy is a safe technique for the treatment of hypersplenism and contributes to postoperative increases in platelet counts. Postoperative increases in platelet count seem to depend on platelet-associated immunoglobulin level and spleen weight, which may be valuable prognosticators.

• Ultra-fast dynamic MRI effectively differentiates benign from malignant breast lesions. • Ultra-fast dynamic MRI contributes to BI-RADS categorisation in non-mass enhancement. • Management of non-mass breast lesions becomes more appropriate.

Bevacizumab exerts anti-angiogenic effects in cancer patients by inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). However, its use is still limited due to the development of resistance to the treatment. Such resistance can be regulated by various factors, although the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here we show that bone marrow-derived fibrocyte-like cells, defined as alpha-1 type I collagen-positive and CXCR4-positive cells, contribute to the acquired resistance to bevacizumab. In mouse models of malignant pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer, fibrocyte-like cells mediate the resistance to bevacizumab as the main producer of fibroblast growth factor 2. In clinical specimens of lung cancer, the number of fibrocyte-like cells is significantly increased in bevacizumab-treated tumours, and correlates with the number of treatment cycles, as well as CD31-positive vessels. Our results identify fibrocyte-like cells as a promising cell biomarker and a potential therapeutic target to overcome resistance to anti-VEGF therapy.

DKI may be a new sensitive indicator for detecting tissue damage in MS patients in addition to conventional diffusional evaluations, for example diffusion tensor imaging.

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Transbronchial biopsy is a safe diagnostic approach for patients with peripheral pulmonary lesions; however, the diagnostic yield is low. <b><i>Objectives:</i></b> This study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic yield of transbronchial biopsy using the combination of an ultrathin bronchoscope, virtual bronchoscopic navigation (VBN), and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Patients with peripheral pulmonary lesions, no &#x3e;30 mm, with the responsible bronchus, were prospectively included. An ultrathin bronchoscope and biopsy forceps were advanced to the target bronchus under VBN, 2D-fluoroscopy, and CBCT. We categorized the CBCT findings before biopsy into 3 types according to positions of the target lesion and forceps (CBCT target-forceps sign). In type A, the forceps reached the inside of the target lesion. In type C, the forceps could not reach the lesion. When the CBCT findings could not be categorized into either type A or C, the sign was categorized as type B. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Although the target lesions were invisible by conventional C-arm fluoroscopy in 29 patients, CBCT visualized all 40 lesions. The overall diagnostic yield was 90.0%, and diagnostic yields for malignant and benign lesions were 92.0 and 86.7%, respectively. Diagnostic yields for CBCT target-forceps sign types A, B, and C were 100, 75.0, and 0%, respectively. Four undiagnosed patients proceeded to other diagnostic procedures based on the CBCT target-forceps sign (type B: <i>n</i> = 2, type C: <i>n</i> = 2) and were correctly diagnosed without delay. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Transbronchial biopsy using an ultrathin bronchoscope guided by CBCT and VBN showed a very high yield in the diagnosis of pulmonary nodules.