noninvasive vascular imaging

BACKGROUND: Photoacoustic microscopy is expected to have clinical applications as a noninvasive and three-dimensional (3D) method of observing intradermal structures. OBJECTIVE: Investigate the applicability of a photoacoustic microscope equipped with two types of pulsed lasers that can simultaneously recognize hemoglobin and melanin. METHODS: 16 skin lesions including erythema, pigmented lesions, vitiligo and purpura, were analyzed to visualize 3D structure of melanin granule distribution and dermal blood vessels...

Coronary artery disease (CAD) narrows vessel lumens at the sites of atherosclerosis, increasing the risk of myocardial ischemia or infarction. Early and accurate diagnosis of CAD is crucial to significantly improve prognosis and management. CT angiography (CTA) is a noninvasive imaging technique that enables assessment of vascular structure and stenosis with high resolution and contrast. Coronary CTA is useful in the diagnosis of CAD. Recently, the CAD-reporting and data system (CAD-RADS), a diagnostic classification system based on coronary CTA, has been developed to improve intervention efficacy in patients suspected of CAD...

BACKGROUND: Head and neck computed tomography angiography (CTA) technology has become the noninvasive imaging method of choice for the diagnosis and long-term follow-up of vascular lesions of the head and neck. However, issues of radiation safety and contrast nephropathy associated with CTA examinations remain concerns. In recent years, deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) algorithms have been increasingly used in clinical studies, demonstrating their potential for dose optimization...

The combination or sequential use of systemic therapies, such as lenvatinib and locoregional therapies, can improve the curability rate of hepatocellular carcinoma. This is based on the notion that lenvatinib remodels abnormal tumor vessels into normal vessels, potentially enhancing the efficacy of locoregional therapies. In this case report, we achieved noninvasive visualization of tumor blood vessels by applying superb microvascular imaging (SMI) to contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS). A man in his 80s with a borderline resectable hepatocellular carcinoma received preoperative therapy using lenvatinib...

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) targeted therapy serves as an important therapeutic approach for renal cancer, but its clinical effectiveness is unsatisfactory. Moreover, there is a lack of reliable biomarkers for preoperative assessment of tumor VEGF expression. This study aimed to explore the potential for further applications of 177 Lu/89 Zr-labeled aflibercept (Abe), a VEGF-binding agent, in imaging visualization of VEGF expression and therapy for renal cancer. To determine specificity uptake in renal cancer, BALB/c mice with VEGF-expressing Renca tumor were intravenously injected with [89 Zr]Zr-Abe, [177 Lu]Lu-Abe, or Cy5...

May-Thurner syndrome (MTS) is caused by compression of the left common iliac vein by the right common iliac artery against the spinal column. It can range from asymptomatic or present with subtle and unspecific signs and symptoms and rarely exhibit severe complications such as pulmonary embolism (PE). The diagnosis is confirmed by typical imaging findings. Treatment may include conservative measures, anticoagulation, endovascular or even surgical options. We report the case of a 20-year-old female who presented with cardiac arrest caused by an acute massive PE...

Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is associated with poor outcomes. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) is the gold standard for volumetric assessment, and few reports have correlated 6-min walk distance (6MWD) and cMRI parameters in PAH. Cardiac Effort, (the number of heart beats used during 6-min walk test)/(6MWD), incorporates physiologic changes into walk distance and has been associated with stroke volume (SV) measured by nuclear imaging and indirect Fick...

BACKGROUND: Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) are utilized for assessing coronary artery disease (CAD) significance. We aimed to analyze their concordance and prognostic impact. AIMS: We aimed to analyze the concordance between QFR and MPS and their risk stratification. METHODS: Patients with invasive coronary angiography and MPS were categorized as concordant if QFR ≤ 0.80 and summed difference score (SDS) ≥ 4 or if QFR > 0...

The parathyroid cell is a vital regulator of extracellular calcium levels, operating through the secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Despite its importance, the regulation of PTH secretion remains complex and not fully understood, representing a unique interplay between extracellular and intracellular calcium, and hormone secretion. One significant challenge in parathyroid research has been the difficulty in maintaining cells ex vivo for in-depth cellular investigations. To address this issue, we introduce a novel platform for parathyroid cell transplantation and noninvasive in vivo imaging using the anterior chamber of the eye as a transplantation site...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Thresholds for abnormal transcranial Doppler cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) studies are poorly understood, especially for patients with cerebrovascular disease. Using a real-world cohort with cerebral arterial stenosis, we sought to describe a clinically significant threshold for carbon dioxide reactivity (CO2R) and vasomotor range (VMR). METHODS: CVR studies were performed during conditions of breathing room air normally, breathing 8% carbon dioxide air mixture, and hyperventilation...

PURPOSE: Haemodialysis provides various options for vascular access, including native arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), arteriovenous grafts (AVGs), and central intravenous catheters. However, the use of catheters should be avoided due to their association with greater risks when opposed to AVFs or AVGs. AVFs have garnered strong endorsement as the favoured vascular access choice for extended haemodialysis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 200 patients initially diagnosed with AVF/AVG dysfunction were referred to the radiology department across 3 different institutions...

Inflammation plays a key role in the induction of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Inflammatory choroidal neovascularization (iCNV) is a severe but uncommon complication of both infectious and non-infectious uveitides. It is hypothesized that its pathogenesis is similar to that of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and involves hypoxia as well as the release of vascular endothelial growth factor, stromal cell-derived factor 1-alpha, and other mediators. Inflammatory CNV develops when inflammation or infection directly involves the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-Bruch's membrane complex...

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), which is a group of pathological processes affecting cerebral microvessels, leads to functional loss in the elderly population and mostly presents as cognitive impairment and gait decline. CSVD is diagnosed based on brain imaging biomarkers, but blood biomarkers are of great significance for the early diagnosis and progression prediction of CSVD and have become a research focus because of their noninvasiveness and easy accessibility. Notably, many blood biomarkers have been reported to be associated with CSVD in a relatively large population, particularly serum neurofilament light chain (NfL), which has been regarded as a promising biomarker to track the variation trend in WMH and to predict the further status of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and lacunar infarcts...

A 58-year-old man who was an active smoker was admitted twice to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary referral thoracic center for severe hypercapnic acute respiratory failure and persistent bilateral chest radiograph opacities that were unchanged over the course of the two ICU admissions within a 3-month period (Fig 1). He had obesity (body mass index, 36 kg/m2 ), stage 3 vascular chronic renal insufficiency, and hebephrenic schizophrenia treated with haloperidol, carbamazepine, and cyamemazine. He reported chronic dyspnea on exertion, which worsened for 6 months...

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common vascular disease that primarily affects the lower limbs and is defined by the constriction or blockage of peripheral arteries and may involve microvascular dysfunction and tissue injury. Patients with diabetes have more prominent disease of microcirculation and develop peripheral neuropathy, autonomic dysfunction, and medial vascular calcification. Early and accurate diagnosis of PAD and disease characterization are essential for personalized management and therapy planning...

PURPOSE: Vessel-encoded arterial spin labeling (VE-ASL) is able to provide noninvasive information about the contribution of individual arteries to the cerebral perfusion. The aim of this study was to compare VE-ASL to the diagnostic standard digital subtraction angiography (DSA) with respect to its ability to visualize vascular territories. METHODS: In total, 20 VE-ASL and DSA data sets of 17 patients with Moyamoya angiopathy with and without revascularization surgery were retrospectively analyzed...

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive stress testing is commonly used for detection of coronary ischemia but possesses variable accuracy and may result in excessive health care costs. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to derive and validate an artificial intelligence-guided quantitative coronary computed tomography angiography (AI-QCT) model for the diagnosis of coronary ischemia that integrates atherosclerosis and vascular morphology measures (AI-QCTISCHEMIA ) and to evaluate its prognostic utility for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)...

PURPOSE: Vascular distribution is important information for diagnosing diseases and supporting surgery. Photoacoustic imaging is a technology that can image blood vessels noninvasively and with high resolution. In photoacoustic imaging, a hemispherical array sensor is especially suitable for measuring blood vessels running in various directions. However, as a hemispherical array sensor, a sparse array sensor is often used due to technical and cost issues, which causes artifacts in photoacoustic images...

Impaired spinal cord vascular function contributes to numerous neurological pathologies, making it important to be able to noninvasively characterize these changes. Here, we propose a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-based method to map spinal cord vascular reactivity (SCVR). We used a hypercapnic breath-holding task, monitored with end-tidal CO 2 (P ET CO 2 ), to evoke a systemic vasodilatory response during concurrent blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI. SCVR amplitude and hemodynamic delay were mapped at the group level in 27 healthy participants as proof-of-concept of the approach, and then in two highly-sampled participants to probe feasibility/stability of individual SCVR mapping...

INTRODUCTION: Macular neovascularization (MNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is well managed by anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) intravitreal injections. However, outer retinal atrophy represents an unavoidable occurrence detected during follow-up. Several imaging metrics have been proposed as clinically relevant in stratifying the risk of onset of outer retinal atrophy. The main goal of this study is to evaluate the impact of noninvasive imaging metrics on the assessment of outer retinal atrophy onset in a large cohort of eyes with neovascular AMD managed in a real-world setting...