BackgroundAfter successful utilization of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in detecting brain pathologies, it is now being examined for use in the detection of peripheral neuropathies. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the diagnostic potentials of DTI in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).Material/MethodsThe literature search was performed in multiple electronic databases using a keyword search and final selection of the studies was based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. We performed a meta-analyses of mean differences in fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) between CTS patient and healthy subjects. Publication bias detection was done with Begg’s test and sensitivity analyses were performed to explore the source/s of higher heterogeneity and the authenticity of results.ResultsFA was significantly lower in CTS patients in comparison with healthy subjects (mean and the difference [95% confidence interval] was −0.06 [−0.10, −0.02] (p=0.003). The ADC was significantly higher in CTS patients (mean difference [95% CI] was 0.10 [0.02, 0.18], p=0.02). Overall sensitivity of FA-based diagnosis was 82.82%, with 77.83% specificity.ConclusionsDTI can be a valuable tool in diagnosing CTS.

Objective: This paper aims to discuss the diagnostic value of quantitative DTI on AIDS patients with brain tuberculosis or toxoplasmosis. Materials and methods: 22 subjects (12 with brain tuberculosis and 10 with toxoplasmosis) were recruited, who underwent routine MRI, T1WI-CE and DTI imaging sequence. The morphological characteristics of lesions were observed, and FA and ADC values of the solid areas, edematous areas and the contralateral normal areas of the lesions were calculated. Results were compared by one-way ANOVA and independent sample t-test. The TB diagnosis efficiency of these two values was analyzed by ROC curve. Results: ADC and FA values were detected with significant differences among the three regions between subjects with brain tuberculosis and subjects with toxoplasmosis (P < 0.05). Statistically significant difference was recorded between solid and edematous areas and contralateral areas in ADC and FA values (P < 0.05). And so was between the solid areas and edema areas in either group. Moreover, the FA values of the solid areas between two groups also presented statistically significant difference (P < 0.01). ROC curve of TB showed the AUC of FA value was larger than that of ADC value (0.914 vs. 0.715, respectively, P < 0.05). DTT imaging showed infiltrative changes of white matter fibers in the lesion areas. Conclusions: Quantitative DTI is valuable for diagnosis and differential diagnosis of patients with AIDS-associated infections, and also could provide references for clinical physicians for proper medications. The quantitative FA value could help better reveal different changes of microstructural integrity between different opportunistic infections.

Objective: The objective of this research is to explore the diagnostic value of imaging plus tumor markers in the early detection of lung cancer.Methods: Sixty patients with lung cancer treated in our hospital from January 2018 to January 2019 were selected as group A. They were matched with 60 patients with benign lung disease as group B and 60 healthy subjects examined in our hospital as group C. The carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), CYFRA21-1, and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were assessed, and the diagnostic value of tumor markers plus imaging in lung cancer diagnosis was explored.Results: The CEA, CYFRA21-1, and NSE in group A were evidently superior to those in groups B and C, and those in group B were superior to those in group C (all P &lt; 0.001). CEA had the highest sensitivity (56.7%), and NSE had the highest specificity (93.3%). The tumor markers plus imaging had the highest sensitivity for different types of lung cancer, and the sensitivity to early lung cancer (90%) was superior to other diagnostic methods (P &lt; 0.05).Conclusion: The tumor markers plus imaging is of great significance in early lung cancer diagnosis and provides a reference for judging the pathological classification.

We aim to monitor vascularization of early bone perfusion following rabbit lumbar intertransverse bone graft fusion surgery using magnetic resonance imaging assessment. Correlation with graft survival status was evaluated by histological method. Experimental animals were randomly divided into three groups and the model was established by operating bilateral lumbar intertransverse bone graft with different types of bone graft substitute material. The lumbar intertransverse area of three groups of rabbits was scanned via MRI. In addition, histological examinations were performed at the 6 th week after surgery and the quantitative analysis of the osteogenesis in different grafted area was carried out by an image analysis system. The MRI technique can be used for early postoperative evaluation of vascularized bone graft perfusion after transplantation of different bone materials, whereas histological examination allows direct visualization of the osteogenesis process.