Effect of evolocumab on carotid plaque composition in asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (EVOCAR-1) using magnetic resonance imaging.

Background And Aims: To determine the effect of evolocumab treatment in patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis ≥50% on carotid plaque morphology and composition, as determined by magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods: We conducted a double-blind randomized controlled trial in patients with asymptomatic carotid artery plaque with ≥50% stenosis and low-density lipoprotein-associated cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥1.8 mmol/L, despite standard lipid-lowering therapy, with 12 months of evolocumab or placebo injection every two weeks.

Perioperative research into memory (PRiMe), part 2: Adult burns intensive care patients show altered structure and function of the default mode network.

Background: Long-term cognitive impairment (LTCI) is experienced by up to two thirds of patients discharged from burns intensive care units (BICUs), however little is known about its neurobiological basis. This study investigated if patients previously admitted to BICU showed structural and functional MRI changes of the Default Mode Network (DMN).

Methods: Fifteen patients previously admitted to BICU with a significant burns injury, and 15 matched volunteers, underwent structural and functional MRI scans.

Semi-quantitative and quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI parameters as prostate cancer imaging biomarkers for biologically targeted radiation therapy.

Background: Biologically targeted radiation therapy treatment planning requires voxel-wise characterisation of tumours. Dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) DCE MRI has shown promise in defining voxel-level biological characteristics. In this study we consider the relative value of qualitative, semi-quantitative and quantitative assessment of DCE MRI compared with diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and T2-weighted (T2w) imaging to detect prostate cancer at the voxel level.

Temperature dependence, accuracy, and repeatability of T and T relaxation times for the ISMRM/NIST system phantom measured using MR fingerprinting.

Purpose: Before MR fingerprinting (MRF) can be adopted clinically, the derived quantitative values must be proven accurate and repeatable over a range of T and T values and temperatures. Correct assessment of accuracy and precision as well as comparison between measurements can only be performed when temperature is either controlled or corrected for. The purpose of this study was to investigate the temperature dependence of T and T MRF values and evaluate the accuracy and repeatability of temperature-corrected relaxation values derived from a B -corrected MRF-fast imaging with steady-state precession implementation using 2 different dictionary sizes.

Understanding lower limb muscle volume adaptations to amputation.

Amputation of a major limb, and the subsequent return to movement with a prosthesis, requires the development of compensatory strategies to account for the loss. Such strategies, over time, lead to regional muscle atrophy and hypertrophy through chronic under or overuse of muscles compared to uninjured individuals. The aim of this study was to quantify the lower limb muscle parameters of persons with transtibial and transfemoral amputations using high resolution MRI to ascertain muscle volume and to determine regression equations for predicting muscle volume using femur- and tibia-length, pelvic-width, height, and mass.

Automatic stratification of prostate tumour aggressiveness using multiparametric MRI: a horizontal comparison of texture features.

Previous studies have identified apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) from diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can stratify prostate cancer into high- and low-grade disease (HG and LG, respectively). In this study, we consider the improvement of incorporating texture features (TFs) from T2-weighted (T2w) multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) relative to mpMRI alone to predict HG and LG disease. mpMRI was acquired from 30 patients prior to radical prostatectomy.

Synchrotron XRF imaging of Alzheimer's disease basal ganglia reveals linear dependence of high-field magnetic resonance microscopy on tissue iron concentration.

Background: Chemical imaging of the human brain has great potential for diagnostic and monitoring purposes. The heterogeneity of human brain iron distribution, and alterations to this distribution in Alzheimer's disease, indicate iron as a potential endogenous marker. The influence of iron on certain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters increases with magnetic field, but is under-explored in human brain tissues above 7 T.

Multiparametric MRI and radiomics in prostate cancer: a review.

Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) is an imaging modality that combines anatomical MR imaging with one or more functional MRI sequences. It has become a versatile tool for detecting and characterising prostate cancer (PCa). The traditional role of mpMRI was confined to PCa staging, but due to the advanced imaging techniques, its role has expanded to various stages in clinical practises including tumour detection, disease monitor during active surveillance and sequential imaging for patient follow-up.

Diffusion weighted and dynamic contrast enhanced MRI as an imaging biomarker for stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) of primary renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: To explore the utility of diffusion and perfusion changes in primary renal cell carcinoma (RCC) after stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) as an early biomarker of treatment response, using diffusion weighted (DWI) and dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI.

Methods: Patients enrolled in a prospective pilot clinical trial received SABR for primary RCC, and had DWI and DCE MRI scheduled at baseline, 14 days and 70 days after SABR. Tumours <5cm diameter received a single fraction of 26 Gy and larger tumours received three fractions of 14 Gy.

Voxel-wise prostate cell density prediction using multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and machine learning.

Background: There are currently no methods to estimate cell density in the prostate. This study aimed to develop predictive models to estimate prostate cell density from multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) data at a voxel level using machine learning techniques.

Material And Methods: In vivo mpMRI data were collected from 30 patients before radical prostatectomy.

Predicting prostate tumour location from multiparametric MRI using Gaussian kernel support vector machines: a preliminary study.

The performance of a support vector machine (SVM) algorithm was investigated to predict prostate tumour location using multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI) data. The purpose was to obtain information of prostate tumour location for the implementation of bio-focused radiotherapy. In vivo mpMRI data were collected from 16 patients prior to radical prostatectomy.

Iron deficiency in parkinsonism: region-specific iron dysregulation in Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy.

Alpha synuclein pathology is widespread and found in diverse cell types in multiple system atrophy (MSA) as compared to Parkinson's disease (PD). The reason for this differential distribution is unknown. Regional differences in the distribution of iron are associated with neurodegenerative diseases, and here we characterize the relationship between iron homeostasis proteins and regional concentration, distribution and form of iron in MSA and PD.

Concentration of various trace elements in the rat retina and their distribution in different structures.

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to quantify the total amount of trace elements in retina from adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 6). Concentration of trace elements within individual retinal areas in frozen sections of the fellow eye was established with the use of two methodologies: (1) particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) in combination with 3D depth profiling with Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and (2) synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SXRF) microscopy. The most abundant metal in the retina was zinc, followed by iron and copper.

A comparative in vitro study of two denture cleaning techniques as an effective strategy for inhibiting Candida albicans biofilms on denture surfaces and reducing inflammation.

Purpose:  Candida albicans is the predominant oral yeast associated with denture-induced stomatitis, and with an increasing population of denture wearers its incidence is increasing. Maintaining good oral and denture hygiene, through chemical and/or mechanical intervention, is essential to reducing this disease. The aim of this study, using a robust adherent C.

Modest amyloid deposition is associated with iron dysregulation, microglial activation, and oxidative stress.

There is a well-established literature indicating a relationship between iron in brain tissue and Alzheimer's disease (AD). More recently, it has become clear that AD is associated with neuroinflammatory and oxidative changes which probably result from microglial activation. In this study, we investigated the correlative changes in microglial activation, oxidative stress, and iron dysregulation in a mouse model of AD which exhibits early-stage amyloid deposition.

High field magnetic resonance microscopy of the human hippocampus in Alzheimer's disease: quantitative imaging and correlation with iron.

We report R(2) and R(2) in human hippocampus from five unfixed post-mortem Alzheimer's disease (AD) and three age-matched control cases. Formalin-fixed tissues from opposing hemispheres in a matched AD and control were included for comparison. Imaging was performed in a 600MHz (14T) vertical bore magnet at MR microscopy resolution to obtain R(2) and R(2) (62 μm×62 μm in-plane, 80 μm slice thickness), and R(1) at 250 μm isotropic resolution.

Use of diagnostic tests by dermatologists, podiatrists and family practitioners in the United States: pilot data from a cross-sectional survey.

Before treating onychomycosis, it is important to exclude other conditions such as lichen planus and psoriasis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate physician preferences and uses of diagnostic tests for toenail onychomycosis (TO) by surveying dermatologists (D), podiatrists (P) and family practitioners (FP) in the United States. Surveys were mailed to approximately 1000 randomly sampled physicians from each of the three specialities.