A Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Cine-Based Deep Learning Model for Predicting the Response of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma to Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy Combined With Systemic Therapies.

Recently, a hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC)-associated combination therapeutic regimen, comprising HAIC and systemic therapies (molecular targeted therapy plus immunotherapy), referred to as HAIC combination therapy, has demonstrated promising anticancer effects. Identifying individuals who may potentially benefit from HAIC combination therapy could contribute to improved treatment decision-making for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This dual-center study was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data with advanced HCC patients who underwent HAIC combination therapy and pretreatment contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) evaluations from March 2019 to March 2023.

The role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the radiological classification of liver observations identified by CT and MRI.

Background & Aims: Timely and accurate diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is essential for improving patient outcomes and guiding treatment. This multicenter study aimed to optimize the diagnostic workflow for HCC through a step-wise combination of CT/MRI and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS).

Methods: This was a multicenter, retrospective analysis of prospectively recruited high-risk HCC participants with liver observations from 4 institutions, between January 2017 and December 2021.

Autonomous robotic ultrasound scanning system: a key to enhancing image analysis reproducibility and observer consistency in ultrasound imaging.

Purpose: This study aims to develop an autonomous robotic ultrasound scanning system (auto-RUSS) pipeline, comparing its reproducibility and observer consistency in image analysis with physicians of varying levels of expertise.

Design/methodology/approach: An auto-RUSS was engineered using a 7-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, with real-time regulation based on force control and ultrasound visual servoing. Two phantoms were employed for the human-machine comparative experiment, involving three groups: auto-RUSS, non-expert (4 junior physicians), and expert (4 senior physicians).

RNA binding protein ILF3 increases CEP55 mRNA stability to enhance malignant potential of breast cancer cells and suppress ferroptosis.

Background: Ferroptosis has emerged as a promising therapeutic target in cancer treatment. CEP55, a key regulator of cell mitosis, plays a significant role in the tumorigenesis of many malignancies. In this study, we elucidated the function of CEP55 in the ferroptosis of breast cancer (BC).

Ultrasomics differentiation of malignant and benign focal liver lesions based on contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

Objectives: To establish a nomogram for differentiating malignant and benign focal liver lesions (FLLs) using ultrasomics features derived from contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).

Methods: 527 patients were retrospectively enrolled. On the training cohort, ultrasomics features were extracted from CEUS and b-mode ultrasound (BUS).

US-based Sequential Algorithm Integrating an AI Model for Advanced Liver Fibrosis Screening.

Background Noninvasive tests can be used to screen patients with chronic liver disease for advanced liver fibrosis; however, the use of single tests may not be adequate. Purpose To construct sequential clinical algorithms that include a US deep learning (DL) model and compare their ability to predict advanced liver fibrosis with that of other noninvasive tests. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included adult patients with a history of chronic liver disease or unexplained abnormal liver function test results who underwent B-mode US of the liver between January 2014 and September 2022 at three health care facilities.

Complementary Role of CEUS and CT/MR LI-RADS for Diagnosis of Recurrent HCC.

Purpose: We retrospectively compared the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) and contrast-enhanced computer tomography-magnetic resonance imaging (CT/MRI) for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after curative treatment.

Materials And Methods: After curative treatment with 421 ultrasound (US) detected lesions, 303 HCC patients underwent both CEUS and CT/MRI. Each lesion was assigned a Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) category according to CEUS and CT/MRI LI-RADS.

A Two-stage Diagnostic Framework for Post-ablation Treatment Response Assessment in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) video plays an important role in post-ablation treatment response assessment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the assessment of treatment response using CEUS video is challenging due to issues such as high inter-frame data repeatability, small ablation area and poor imaging quality of CEUS video. To address these issues, we propose a two-stage diagnostic framework for post-ablation treatment response assessment in patients with HCC using CEUS video.

Feasibility and Measurement Value of Pancreatic 2-D Shear Wave Elastography in Healthy Adults: Evaluation, Influencing Factors, Reference Range, Measurement Stability and Reproducibility.

Objective: The present study was aimed at assessing the success rate and measurement value, determining the influencing factors and reference range and examining the intra-operator stability and inter-operator reproducibility of pancreatic 2-D shear wave elastography (SWE) measurement in healthy adults.

Methods: In 2022, 387 healthy adults were prospectively recruited. Logistic regression and linear regression analyses were used to explore the factors influencing the success rate and the measurement value of pancreatic 2-D SWE measurement, respectively.

US LI-RADS in surveillance for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after curative treatment.

Objectives: To investigate the performance of US LI-RADS in surveillance for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (RHCC) after curative treatment.

Materials And Methods: This study enrolled 644 patients between January 2018 and August 2018 as a derivation cohort, and 397 patients from September 2018 to December 2018 as a validation cohort. The US surveillance after HCC curative treatment was performed.

Surveillance for malignant progression of LI-RADS version 2017 category 3/4 nodules using contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

Objectives: To identify the risk factors for predicting the malignant progression of LR-3/4 observations on the baseline and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).

Methods: In total, 245 liver nodules assigned to LR-3/4 in 192 patients from January 2010 to December 2016 were followed up by baseline US and CEUS. The differences in the rate and time of progression to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among subcategories (defined as P1-P7) of LR-3/4 in CEUS Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) were analyzed.

Integration of Artificial Intelligence Decision Aids to Reduce Workload and Enhance Efficiency in Thyroid Nodule Management.

Importance: To optimize the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) decision aids and reduce workload in thyroid nodule management, it is critical to incorporate personalized AI into the decision-making processes of radiologists with varying levels of expertise.

Objective: To develop an optimized integration of AI decision aids for reducing radiologists' workload while maintaining diagnostic performance compared with traditional AI-assisted strategy.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this diagnostic study, a retrospective set of 1754 ultrasonographic images of 1048 patients with 1754 thyroid nodules from July 1, 2018, to July 31, 2019, was used to build an optimized strategy based on how 16 junior and senior radiologists incorporated AI-assisted diagnosis results with different image features.

Shear-wave elastography combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound algorithm for noninvasive characterization of focal liver lesions.

Purpose: To establish shear-wave elastography (SWE) combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) algorithm (SCCA) and improve the diagnostic performance in differentiating focal liver lesions (FLLs).

Material And Methods: We retrospectively selected patients with FLLs between January 2018 and December 2019 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. Histopathology was used as a standard criterion except for hemangiomas and focal nodular hyperplasia.

Prevalence of breast fibroadenoma in healthy physical examination population in Guangdong province of China: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: To provide an accurate assessment of the prevalence of breast fibroadenoma in a large population and to confirm the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound for fibroadenoma.

Design: This was a cross-sectional survey.

Setting: This research was conducted at Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

Application of the CT/MRI LI-RADS Treatment Response Algorithm to Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound: A Feasibility Study.

Purpose: The contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) treatment response algorithm (TRA) is still in development. The aim of this study was to explore whether the CT/MRI LI-RADS TRA features were applicable to CEUS in evaluating the liver locoregional therapy (LRT) response.

Patients And Methods: This study was a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing ablation between July 2017 and December 2018.

Cardiovascular risk factors and breast cancer incidence in a large middle-aged cohort study.

Background: Several studies have demonstrated that cardiovascular risk factors play a role in the etiology of breast cancer. However, the combined effect of cardiovascular risk factors on the risk of breast cancer is still uncertain.

Methods: Data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, a prospective cohort of middle-aged women, were used to investigate the association of individual and combined cardiovascular risk factors with breast cancer.

Reproducibility of radiomics features from ultrasound images: influence of image acquisition and processing.

Objectives: To systematically assess the reproducibility of radiomics features from ultrasound (US) images during image acquisition and processing.

Materials And Methods: A standardized phantom was scanned to obtain US images. Reproducibility of radiomics features from US images, also known as ultrasomics features, was explored via (a) intra-US machine: changing the US acquisition parameters including gain, focus, and frequency; (b) inter-US machine: comparing three different scanners; (c) changing segmentation locations; and (d) inter-platform: comparing features extracted by the Ultrasomics and PyRadiomics algorithm platforms.

An assessment of liver lesions using a combination of CEUS LI-RADS and AFP.

Purpose: To improve noninvasive diagnosis of HCC using a combination of CE US LI-RADS and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP).

Methods: 757 solitary liver nodules from 757 patients at risk of HCC with CE US and serum AFP test were categorized as LR-1 to LR-5 through LR-M according to CE US LI-RADS version 2017. In LR-3, LR-4, and LR-M nodules, those with AFP > 200 ng/ml were reclassified as mLR-5.

Can monodisperse microbubble-based three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound reduce quantitative heterogeneity? An in vitro study.

Background: Heterogeneity within the tumor may cause large heterogeneity in quantitative perfusion parameters. Three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound (3D-CEUS) can show the spatial relationship of vascular structure after post-acquisition reconstruction and monodisperse bubbles can resonate the ultrasound pulse, resulting in the increase in sensitivity of CEUS imaging.

Objectives: To evaluate whether the combination of 3D-CEUS and monodisperse microbubbles could reduce the heterogeneity of quantitative CEUS.

Contrast-enhanced US diagnostic algorithm of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with occult hepatitis B.

Purpose: To assess the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced (CE) US Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) version 2017 and propose a diagnostic algorithm in diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with occult HBV infection (OBI).

Methods: 251 OBI patients with 251 newly diagnosed focal liver lesions were retrospectively enrolled. Each nodule was evaluated according to CEUS LI-RADS.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound-based ultrasomics score: a potential biomarker for predicting early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after resection or ablation.

Objectives: This study aimed to construct a prediction model based on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) ultrasomics features and investigate its efficacy in predicting early recurrence (ER) of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after resection or ablation.

Methods: This study retrospectively included 215 patients with primary HCC, who were divided into a developmental cohort ( = 139) and a test cohort ( = 76). Four representative images-grayscale ultrasound, arterial phase, portal venous phase and delayed phase-were extracted from each CEUS video.

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound-Based Nomogram: A Potential Predictor of Individually Postoperative Early Recurrence for Patients With Combined Hepatocellular-Cholangiocarcinoma.

Purposes: To evaluate the postsurgical prognostic implication of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (CHC). To build a CEUS-based early recurrence prediction classifier for CHC, in comparison with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging.

Methods: The CEUS features and clinicopathological findings of each case were analyzed, and the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System categories were assigned.

RGB Three-Channel SWE-Based Ultrasomics Model: Improving the Efficiency in Differentiating Focal Liver Lesions.

Objective: To explore a new method for color image analysis of ultrasomics and investigate the efficiency in differentiating focal liver lesions (FLLs) by Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) three-channel SWE-based ultrasomics model.

Methods: One hundred thirty FLLs were randomly divided into training set (n = 65) and validation set (n = 65). The RGB three-channel and direct conversion methods were applied to the same color SWE images.

MAPK4 silencing together with a PARP1 inhibitor as a combination therapy in triple‑negative breast cancer cells.

Triple‑negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most common type of cancer among females worldwide and is associated with poor prognosis. Poly ADP‑ribose polymerase‑1 (PARP1) inhibitors are effective against TNBC with mutations in the breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein (BRCA1) and/or BRCA2 genes; however, the development of resistance to PARP1 inhibitors limits their use. Thus, identifying strategies to overcome this resistance is urgently required.