Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the potential role of diŠusion-weighted imaging (DWI) using low and high b-values to detect rectal cancer.Methods: The subjects were 15 patients diagnosed endoscopically with rectal cancer (m in 1 patient, sm in 0, mp in 3, ss in 7, se in 1, a in 3) and 20 patients diagnosed endoscopically with colon cancer and no other lesions (control group). Magnetic resonance imaging was performed using a 1.5T system. DWI was performed in the axial plane using echo planar imaging sequence (repetition time W echo time 1200 W 66,ˆeld of view 306×350 mm, reconstruction matrix 156×256, pixel size 2.0×1.4×8.0 mm) and acquired with 2 b-values (50 and 800 s W mm 2 ). Low and high b-value DW images were analyzed visually. A lesion was positive by detection of a focal area of high signal in the rectum in high b-value images. The apparent diŠusion coe‹cient (ADC) values of areas of high signal in high b-value images were calculated from the low and high b-value images.Results: High b-value images enabled visualization of all 15 rectal cancers. In the control group, 13 cases were classiˆed as negative and 7 cases as positive for rectal cancer. Sensitivity for detection of rectal cancer was 100z (15 W 15), and speciˆcity was 65z (13 W 20). The mean ADC values in 7 patients with false-positive lesions and in 15 patients with rectal cancer were 1.374×10 -3 mm 2 W s (standard deviation [SD]: 0.157) and 1.194×10 -3 mm 2 W s (SD: 0.152), respectively (P＝0.026).Conclusion: DWI with low and high b-values may be used to screen for rectal cancer.

Background: Although oxidative stress by accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in diabetes has become evident, it remains unclear what genes, involved in redox balance, would determine susceptibility for development of atherosclerosis in diabetes. This study evaluated the effect of genetic polymorphism of enzymes producing or responsible for reducing ROS on coronary artery calcification in type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Favorable comparison of CT and echocardiography in detecting vegetations and perivalvular complications in patients diagnosed with IE suggested potential for expansion in the use of CT for evaluating organic lesions in patients suspected or diagnosed with IE.

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