The aim of the present study was to analyze and improve the understanding of computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET)/CT imaging and the pathological features of solitary thin-walled cavity lung cancer. A total of 16 patients with pathologically confirmed solitary thin-walled cavity lung cancer were included in the present study. All of the patients received CT scans. Among these, two patients underwent an additional PET/CT examination. The CT and PET/CT images were analyzed and a cross-check analysis of the pathological results was conducted. In total, 16 cases of lesions demonstrated thin-walled cavities on the CT images. Among these cases, three presented with an uneven thickening of the cavity walls, 10 cases exhibited wall nodules and three cases presented with compartments in the cavity. The standard uptake value (SUV) of the cavity wall increased in two patients who underwent PET/CT examinations. The 16 cases of lesions were pathologically confirmed as adenocarcinomas. Light microscopy revealed that the tumor cells, which were observed in 12 cases of lesions, had diffused along the inner cavity wall and the tumor cells of four cases had invaded the bronchial wall. Images of the chest that demonstrated a single thin-walled cavity accompanied by uneven thickening of the cavity wall or wall nodules, in addition to an increase in the SUV and compartments in the cavity, indicated potential lung cancer. Valves formed as a result of bronchial wall damage may have led to the cavity.

ADI measurements on MDCT linearly decrease with increasing age, and these are not affected by gender in adult patients. Different reference values might be used at different ages when diagnosing atlantoaxial anterior dislocation or subluxation.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the early changes in the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the salivary glands during radiotherapy (RT) and their association with the degree of xerostomia at 6 months after RT in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Materials and MethodsWe enrolled 26 patients with NPC who underwent RT. Each patient underwent diffusion-weighted MRI of the salivary glands at rest and with gustatory stimulation within 1 week before RT and 2 weeks after the beginning of RT. The ADC at rest (ADCR) and increase and increase rate with stimulation (ADCI, ADCIR) of the submandibular and parotid glands were calculated. The differences in the variables' values between 2 weeks after the beginning of RT and baseline (ΔADCR, ΔADCI, and ΔADCIR) were compared to the degree of xerostomia at 6 months after RT.ResultsThe ADCR of the submandibular and parotid glands were both significantly higher at 2 weeks after the beginning of RT than found at baseline (both p < 0.01). The ADCI and ADCIR for the parotid glands were both significantly lower at 2 weeks after the beginning of RT than found at baseline (both p < 0.01). ΔADCI and ΔADCIR of the parotid glands were associated with the degree of xerostomia at 6 months after RT (r = −0.61 and −0.72, both p < 0.01).ConclusionThe ADCs of the salivary glands change early during RT. The differences in the ADC increase and increase rate of the parotid glands between 2 weeks after the beginning of RT and baseline were associated with the degree of xerostomia at 6 months after RT.

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Background: Pulmonary nodular mucinous adenocarcinoma (PNMA) tends to be easily misdiagnosed as tuberculoma in practice. In this study, we aimed to discriminate PNMA from tuberculoma with dynamic computed tomography (CT).Methods: In this study, 38 consecutive pathologically confirmed cases of PNMA and 23 cases of tuberculoma from January 2015 to December 2019 were retrospectively collected. The mean CT attenuations of each lesion were examined. The values on the plain scan, the venous scan, and the enhanced values (CT attenuation of lesion of venous scan minus that of the plain scan) were tested with an independent t-test pair-wisely. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to test the differential diagnosis values. The presence of satellite lesions was determined with the chi-square test. Results:The mean CT attenuation of tuberculoma shown on the plain scan was significantly higher than that of PNMA (35.15±16.00 vs. 24.00±12.67 HU; P<0.01). The enhanced value of tuberculoma on venous scan was significantly lower than that of PNMA (13.44±13.40 vs. 22.52±14.00 HU; P=0.02). The optimum CT attenuation of the plain scan and the enhanced value for differential diagnosis were 28.80 and 14.25 HU [area under the curve (AUC) =0.72, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.58-0.86; and AUC =0.70, 95% CI: 0.59-0.84], with sensitivity (78.3% vs. 71.1%) and specificity (63.8% vs. 69.6%) respectively. The satellite lesions were more often observed in the tuberculoma group (P<0.01). Conclusions:The CT attenuation of the plain scan, the enhanced value after enhancement, and the presence of satellite lesions might be useful in differentiating PNMA from tuberculoma.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between computed tomography (CT) images and the pathological observations of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients with peritoneal, omental and mesenteric involvement. In total, 26 patients suffering from an NHL with peritoneal, omental or mesenteric involvement were reviewed retrospectively, and the observed CT scan characteristics were analyzed. In addition, associations among the CT scan characteristics and the NHL subtypes, including diffuse large B-cell, mantle cell, follicular cell and T-cell lymphoma, were evaluated. The CT scan characteristics of the NHLs with peritoneal, omental and mesenteric involvement included peritoneal cord-like thickening, peritoneal omental nodular and swelling thickening, omental cake-like thickening and mesenteric mass. The probability of peritoneal linear, omental nodular and swelling thickening was found to be higher in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cases compared with cases of other NHL subtypes (P<0.05). However, the probability of omental cake-like thickening and mesenteric mass was not found to be significantly different among the NHL subtypes (P>0.05). Signs of peritoneal, omental and mesenteric involvement were observed in the CT scans of all the NHL subtypes, particularly in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cases. Therefore, linear, omental nodular and swelling thickening were characteristic of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, while omental cake-like thickening and mesenteric mass were observed in all NHL subtypes.

No abstract

Background: The frequency and arrangement of the subsegmental branches of the third portion of the vertebral artery (V3) have been assessed in small samples by autopsy, but they have not been assessed by computed tomography angiography (CTA). To determine the frequency and arrangement of subsegmental branches of V3 by CTA and to analyze the interrelationships among frequency, arrangement, sex, and side-to-side.Methods: First, the radiology records of 668 consecutive patients who underwent cervical or craniocervical CTA scans from October 1, 2017 to October 31, 2019 were retrospectively retrieved. Second, the four demarcation points were ascertained to define the three subsegments by reviewing the resource images, namely, the vertical portion of V3(V3v), horizontal portion of V3(V3h), and extradural portion of V3(V3e).Then, the numerical value and the location of the bifurcating branch in each subsegment of V3 were recorded. Third, the frequency and arrangement of the branches was assessed, and the relationships between sex, laterality and frequency and arrangement were analyzed as well as the interobserver performance.Results: On the left, 25%, 20.21%, and 6.59% were the frequencies of one branch in the V3v, V3h, and V3e, and 1.05%, 0.00%, and 0.45% were the frequencies of two branches, respectively. On the right, 25.04%, 17.07%, and 6.44% were the frequencies of one branch in the V3v, V3h, and V3e, and 1.04%, 0.3%, and 0.15% were the frequencies of two branches, respectively. There were no differences between the side-to-side and numerical values of the branches according to the t-test (P=0.4341, P=0.7968), and there were no differences between the side-to-side variable, sex variable and number of branches according to the t-test (P=0.4474, P=0.3593). There were no differences between the side-to-side and eight arrangements (permutation of 000; 100; 110; 111; 010; 011; 001; 101) by using the two-sample KS test (P=0.942), and there were no differences between sex and the eight arrangements according to the two-sample KS test (P=0.9973, P=0.8519). The interobserver reliability was excellent (Spearman's ranked correlation: 0.9927). Conclusions:The frequency and arrangement of V3 subsegmental branches could be displayed by source imaging with CTA, and there were no significant differences according to the sex or side of the individual. It was imperative to acquaint the subsegmental branches before the operation involving V3 in the craniocervical junction to determine the surgical approach and reduce bleeding during the surgical procedures.