Hepatocellular lesions with increased iron uptake on superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis: comparison of four magnetic resonance sequences for lesion conspicuity

Purpose

The aim of this study was to determine the adequate MR sequence for the lesion conspicuity of hepatocellular lesions with increased iron uptake on superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-enhanced MRI.

Materials and Methods

SPIO-enhanced MRI was performed using a 1.5-T system. Among 25 patients with hypovascular hepatocellular nodules on contrast-enhanced dynamic CT (no early enhancement at arterial phase and hypoattenuation at equilibrium phase), 39 lesions with increased iron uptake on SPIO-enhanced MRI were evaluated. SPIO-enhanced MRI included (1) T1-weighted in-phase gradient recalled echo (GRE) images, (2) T2-weighted fast spin echo (FSE) images, (3) T2*-weighted GRE with moderate TE (7 ms) and (4) long TE (12 ms). The lesion-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratios of the hepatocellular nodule and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the hepatic parenchyma were calculated by one radiologist for a quantitative assessment. MR images were reviewed retrospectively by two independent radiologists to compare the subjective lesion conspicuity in each image set based on a four-point rating scale.

Result

The mean lesion-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratios with T2*-weighted GRE with moderate TE (7 ms) was highest (5.79±3.71) and was significantly higher than those with T1-weighted, in-phase images (3.79±3.23, P<.01), T2-weighted images (2.72±1.52, P<.001) and T2*-weighted GRE with long TE (12 ms) (3.93±2.69, P<.05). The subjective rating of lesion conspicuity was best on the T2*-weighted GRE with moderate TE (7 ms), followed by that on the T2*-weighted GRE with moderate TE (7 ms; P<.05).

Conclusion

T2*-weighted GRE sequence with moderate TE (7 ms) showed high lesion-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratios in hepatocellular lesions with increased iron uptake on SPIO-enhanced MRI, indicating better lesion conspicuity of hypointense hepatocellular nodules in cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis.     

Thyroid nodule classification using ultrasound elastography via linear discriminant analysis

The non-surgical diagnosis of thyroid nodules is currently made via a fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy. It is estimated that somewhere between 250,000 and 300,000 thyroid FNA biopsies are performed in the United States annually. However, a large percentage (approximately 70%) of these biopsies turn out to be benign. Since the aggressive FNA management of thyroid nodules is costly, quantitative risk assessment and stratification of a nodule’s malignancy is of value in triage and more appropriate healthcare resources utilization. In this paper, we introduce a new method for classifying the thyroid nodules based on the ultrasound (US) elastography features. Unlike approaches to assess the stiffness of a thyroid nodule by visually inspecting the pseudo-color pattern in the strain image, we use a classification algorithm to stratify the nodule by using the power spectrum of strain rate waveform extracted from the US elastography image sequence. Pulsation from the carotid artery was used to compress the thyroid nodules. Ultrasound data previously acquired from 98 thyroid nodules were used in this retrospective study to evaluate our classification algorithm. A classifier was developed based on the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and used to differentiate the thyroid nodules into two types: (I) no FNA (observation-only) and (II) FNA. Using our method, 62 nodules were classified as type I, all of which were benign, while 36 nodules were classified as Type-II, 16 malignant and 20 benign, resulting in a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 75.6% in detecting malignant thyroid nodules. This indicates that our triage method based on US elastography has the potential to substantially reduce the number of FNA biopsies (63.3%) by detecting benign nodules and managing them via follow-up observations rather than an FNA biopsy.     

利用Cramér-Rao理论研究相位差法的最佳离焦量

针对光子数足够多的情况,利用Cramér-Rao理论研究了在选取离焦作为附加像差时,不同的待测波前和目标对最佳离焦量选取的影响。结果表明:在点目标情况下,像差的大小和空间频率对最佳离焦量的影响不大;而在扩展目标情况下,最佳离焦量虽然与待测像差的空间频率关系不明显,但随着待测像差峰谷值的增大而增大。最佳离焦量与目标的结构有关而与其扩展程度关系不大,成像时目标上各点的干扰越大,最佳离焦量越大。     

基于改进U-Net++的CT影像肺结节分割算法

卷积神经网络的语义分割模型未有效利用特征权重信息,导致在医学图像复杂场景中分割边界出现欠分割现象。针对该问题,基于融合自适应加权聚合策略提出一种改进的U-Net++网络,并将其应用于电子计算机断层扫描影像肺结节分割。该模型首先在卷积神经网络中提取出不同深度特征语义级别的信息,再结合权重聚合模块,自适应地学习各层特征的权重,然后将学习得到的权重加载到各个特征层上采样得到的分割图以得到最终的分割结果。在LIDC数据集和重庆大学附属肿瘤医院肺部电子计算机断层扫描数据集上进行了分割实验,所提方法的交叉比在两个数据集上分别可达到80.59%和87.40%、骰子系数分别可达到88.23%和90.83%。相比U-Net和U-Net++方法,该算法有效提升了图像分割性能。本文方法能在肿瘤微小细节上实现精确分割,较好地解决了肺结节向周围浸润性生长时出现欠分割的问题。     

锰结核中硅,铝,铁,镁,磷,钾,锰,钛的XRFA

本文叙述了用XRF分析锰结核中Si、Al、Fe、Mg、P、K、Mn和Ti的方法。按照通常锰结核的主次成分制备6个人工合成标准,根据Sherman方程计算了已知成分(二元系统)的相对强度。用L-T方求得了互致元素校正的理论α系数(基本的、混合的、修正的),用DATAFLEX151B计算机以BASIC语言汇了“PRA,APU”计算机程序。然后进行非线性回归分析了锰结核样品得到了满意的结果。     

The frequency of hard glottal attacks in patients with muscle tension dysphonia, unilateral benign masses and bilateral benign masses

Hard or abrupt glottal attack (HGA) is one of the vocal behaviors often associated with benign lesion of the vocal folds. This study was designed to determine whether the frequency of HGA was different in hyperfunctional voice patients with and without vocal fold masses. One hundred and forty-seven subjects were studied. All subjects received a complete otolaryngological evaluation including strobovideolaryngoscopy, objective voice measures, and evaluation by a speech-language pathologist. Thirty-two patients were diagnosed with muscle tension dysphonia (19 male, 13 female) without vocal fold masses. Fifty-seven patients were diagnosed with unilateral vocal fold masses (29 male, 28 female), most of which were cysts. Fifty-eight patients were diagnosed with bilateral vocal fold masses (13 male, 45 female). Of the 45 females with bilateral vocal fold masses. 26 had a vocal cyst and reactive nodule and 19 had bilateral vocal fold nodules. The control group was balanced and matched based on sex and on percentage of singers and nonsingers. It consisted of 49 subjects with no vocal fold pathology (20 male, 29 female). The group was composed of professional speakers, singers, and nonprofessional speakers. All voice disordered groups demonstrated higher frequencies of HGA than the control group. Differences were found between the male and female subjects in this study. No differences were found between the various disorders. Differences were also found between the subgroups of bilateral masses, where the bilateral nodules group presented a higher frequency of HGA than the cyst and contralateral reactive nodule.     

Guided-Wave Two-Dimensional Acousto-Optic Scanner Using Proton-Exchanged Lithium Niobate Waveguide

Two-dimensional scanning of a 0.6328 mum guided-light beam has been realized using noncolinear acousto-optic (AO) coplanar Bragg diffraction together with colinear AO guided-mode to substrate radiation-mode conversion in a Z-cut Xpropagation LiNbO3 proton-exchanged (PE) waveguide. The two surface acoustic (SAW) waves utilized are at the center frequencies of 500 and 200 MHz, propagating in the Y and X axes, respectively. Two-dimensional scanning of approximately 720 resolvable light beam spots, namely, 18 40 (horizontal vertical) scanning, has been demonstrated using a light beam of 1.0 mm aperture. The total number of resolvable beam spots can be greatly increased from 720 by simply utilizing SAW transducers of larger bandwidth and a light beam of greater aperture. It should also be possible to significantly increase the diffraction efficiency from 3 % by optimizing the parameters of the PE waveguide and the SAWs.     

Hybrid Wavelength and Code Division Multiple Access in Optical Networks

A review of schemes for multiple access in fiber optic networks shows that a hybrid of wavelength and code division multiple access (WCDMA) combines the best features of both. In particular, the hybrid scheme retains the large information carrying capacity of wavelength division multiple access (WDMA) and flexibility of code division multiple access (CDMA). In this paper WDMA, optical CDMA (OCDMA), and WCDMA networks are discussed. In OCDMA networks, concept of incoherent and coherent coding including inverse decoding and matched filter is introduced. The delay performance of both WDMA and WCDMA networks, under the simple suboptimum access protocols based on cyclic search, is computed. It has been shown quantitatively that tuning delay significantly affects the delay performance of both WDMA and WCDMA networks. Futhermore, delay performance of WCDMA networks is always better than the WDMA networks for the same tuning delay, load, and number of users.     

Femtosecond Transform-Limited Pulse Generation by Compensating for the Linear Chirp of SPM Spectra in Dispersion Shifted Fibers

A simple technique of pulse compression, based on the linear chirp compensation of self-phase modulation (SPM) spectra in dispersion shifted fibers, is demonstrated. The optimization procedure is carried out, for a short span of a single-mode fiber, using a parabolic law, which describes the behavior of the squared output pulse width versus the pump peak power in the case of Gaussian pulses. The experimental results give a minimum pulse duration of 233 fs, which is in good agreement with the model. Shorter and coherent pulses, down to 90 fs, have been obtained by inserting an interference filter at the optical output.     

Effect ofγ-radiation on the spectral luminescence characteristics of impure cadmium tungstate crystals

Results of a study of the effect of γ-radiation on the spectral luminescence properties of cadmium tungstate crystals doped with silver, bismuth, and molybdenum cations are presented. Spectral characteristics of the nondnnnoped crystals are briefly described. Absorption and photo and X-ray luminescence spectra of the crystals taken before and after exposure to γ-radiation (5.5·10⁴ Gy) are compared. It is found that the spectral characteristics of the crystals doped with silver, bismuth, and molybdenum cations do not change markedly after the exposure. The relation between the type of impurity-induced defects, individual characteristics of the impurity cations, and the character of the effect of γ-radiation on the spectral luminescence properties of impure crystals is analyzed (preliminarily). Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 1, pp. 55–60, January–February, 1997.     

Research on beamforming method for dual-line array with space mismatch between the two line arrays

The performance of port/starboard discrimination of dual-line array will be seriously degraded when the space between the two line arrays of the dual-line array is mismatched. The directivity function of the delay-sum and delay-subtract beamforming is deduced and the port/starboard discrimination of the delay-sum and delay-subtract beamforming is also studied both under the ideal status and the status under which the space between the two line arrays of the dual-line array is mismatched. Analysis results show the delay-subtract beamforming has better performance of port/starboard discrimination. At last, the sea trial results demonstrate the theoretical results.     

Sorting of bending magnets for the SSRF booster

The Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility(SSRF)booster ring,a full energy injector for the storage ring,is deigned to accelerate the electron beam energy from 150MeV to 3.5GeV that demands high extraction efficiency at the extraction energy with low beam loss rate when electrons are ramping.Closed orbit distortion(COD)caused by bending magnet field uniformity errors which affects the machine performance harmfully could be effectively reduced by bending magnet location sorting.Considering the affections of random errors in measurement,both ideal sorting and realistic sorting are studied based on measured bending magnet field uniformity errors and one reasonable combination of bending magnets which can reduce the horizontal COD by a factor of 5is given as the final installation sequence of the booster bending magnets in this paper.     

Retrieval of ultraviolet skylight radiances and O3 slant column densities from balloon-borne limb spectrometer

With a novel light-weight and absolutely calibrated ultraviolet （UV） spectrometer, UV skylight radiances and O3 slant column densities are measured by balloon-borne limb measurements in Xinjiang area, China. UV skylight radiances measured at the height of 31 km are compared with the results from Modtran in the wavelength range from 290 to 420 nm. O3 slant column densities are derived from radiance spectra in the Huggins bands （320 - 335 nm） using differential optical absorption spectroscopy method. And the parameter exhibits a good correlation with the same value simulated by radiative transfer model （Tracy）. The O3 profile simultaneously measured by an O3 sonde is used as input in Tracy calculations. The O3 sonde is launched on the same balloon.     

Design optimization of highly sensitive LSPR enhanced surface plasmon resonance biosensors with nanoholes

For breaking through the sensitivity limitation of conventional surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors, novel highly sensitive SPR biosensors with Au nanoparticles and nanogratings enhancement have been proposed recently.But in practice, these structures have obvious disadvantages.In this study, a nanohole based sensitivity enhancement SPR biosensor is proposed and the influence of different structural parameters on the performance is investigated by using rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA).Electromagnetic field distributions around the nanohole are also given out to directly explain the performance difference for various structural parameters.The results indicate that significant sensitivity increase is associated with localized surface plasmons (LSPs) excitation mediated by nanoholes.Except to outcome the weakness of other LSP based biosensors, larger resonance angle shift, reflectance amplitude, and sharper SPR curves' width are obtained simultaneously under optimized structural parameters.     

Polymer gratings based on photopolymerization for low-order distributed feedback polymer lasers

Novel polymer distributed feedback(DFB)gratings are fabricated based on photopolymerization to reduce lasing threshold of polymer lasers.A photopolymer formulation sensitive to 355-nm ultraviolet(UV)light is proposed for the fabrication of polymer gratings and it can be used to form polymer films by spin-coating process.A very low surface-relief depth ranging from 12.5 to about 1.0 nm has been demonstrated with a refractive-index modulation of about 0.012.The experimental results indicate that such polymer gratings have promising potentials for the fabrication of low-order DFB organic semiconductor lasers.     

A novel methodology for photometric compensation of projection display on patterned screen

We propose a novel methodology based on the projector-camera (ProCam) system to address the photometric compensation issue for the projection display on the patterned screen.The patterned screen is treated as the combination of a perfect white screen and a color modulator.The perfect white screen is used to automatically and accurately characterize the ProCam system offline using the polynomial model,and the parameters of the color modulator can be efficiently recovered by employing only two gray images based on the linear reflectance model.The experimental results show that the color artifacts of the display image can be greatly improved with this methodology,which demonstrates its feasibility and validity in the photometric compensation.     

Direction-of-arrival estimation using matrix spatial prefiltering approach

An approach to direction-of-arrival （DOA） estimation for multiple narrowband farfield signals is proposed. The technique uses a novel matrix spatial prefiltering approach. Specifically, a matrix filter is designed to spatially filter the incoming data snapshots. The un-wanted components arriving from the stopband angular sectors are attenuated and the desired components from the angular sector of interest pass with minimal distortion. The matrix filter spatially filters the element-space data and the output reserves the element-space data property, which makes it very useful by passing sensor data through a spatial prefilter prior to applying many other array processors to attenuate interferences and improve system performance. Several examples of DOA estimation problem are presented to illustrate the performance of the proposed spatial prefiltering approach. Results of simulation and real data show that the pre-filter can efficiently attenuate the spatial interferences and significantly improve the estimation and resolution capability of DOA estimators at low signal-to-noise ratios for the sources located inside the passband sector. In addition, the use of spatial prefilter makes it possible to estimate DOAs for multiple sources more than the number of the elements of an array.     

Quantum efficiency calibration of opto-electronic detector by means of correlated photons method

A new calibration method of detectors can be realized by using correlated photons generated in spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) effect of nonlinear crystal.An absolute calibration system of detector quantum efficiency is performed.And its principle and experimental setup are introduced.A continuouswave (CW) ultraviolet (351 nm),diode-pumped,frequency-doubled,and solid-state laser is used to pump BBO crystal.The quantum efficiencies of the photomultiplier at 633,702,and 789 nm are measured respectively.The coincidence peaks are observed using coincidence circuit.Some measurement factors including the filter bandwidth of trigger channel,the detector position alignment and polarization of the pump light are analyzed.The uncertainties of this calibration method are also analyzed,and the relative uncertainties of total calibration are less than 5.8%.The accuracy of this method could be improved in the future.