Magnetic resonance (MR) images can be used to detect lesions in the brains of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). An automatic method is presented for segmentation of MS lesions using multispectral MR images in this paper. Firstly, a Pd-w image is subtracted from its corresponding T1-w images to get an image in which the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) is enhanced. Secondly, based on kernel fuzzy c-means clustering (KFCM) algorithm, the enhanced image and the corresponding T2-w image are segmented respectively to extract the CSF region and the CSF-MS lesions combinatoin region. A raw MS lesions image is obtained by subtracting the CSF region from CSF-MS region. Thirdly, based on applying median filter and thresholding to the raw image, the MS lesions were detected finally. Results were tested on BrainWeb images and evaluated with Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), sensitivity (Sens), specificity (Spec) and accuracy (Acc). The testing results were satisfactory.
ObjectiveTo analyze the incidence of heart disease, its clinical manifestations and risk factors in patients with polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM). MethodWe collected the clinical data of 138 PM (n=78) and DM (n=60) patients treated between January 2008 and March 2014, among whom there were 64 males and 74 females with an average age of (48.5±19.6) years old, and an average disease course of (84.5±6.9) months. We analyzed their incidence of heart disease, its clinical manifestations and the risk factors. Subsequently, we adopted single-factor analysis to analyze such factors as age, gender, disease course, kinds of disease, creatine kinase (CK), CK-MB, CK-MB/CK, troponin T, antinuclear antibodies, anti-SSA antibody, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, disease activity score, muscle force, pulmonary interstitial lesions and pulmonary artery hypertension. ResultsThere were 59 (42.7%) patients with heart disease, 48 (34.8%) with abnormal electrocardiogram, and 52 (37.7%) with abnormal color Doppler ultrasound results. Logistics multiple factors regression analysis found that the course of the disease (OR=1.669, P=0.010), myositis disease activity score (OR=7.456, P<0.001), pulmonary interstitial lesions (OR=4.568, P=0.014) were risk factor for heart disease in PM/DM patients. ConclusionsLong disease course duration, high myositis activity score and pulmonary interstitial lesions are strong predictors for heart damage in PM/DM patients.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of glucocorticoids (GC) monotherapy and GC combined with tacrolimus (TAC) therapy in patients with anti-synthetase syndrome-associated interstitial lung disease (ASS-ILD). Methods Through retrospective analysis and propensity score matching (PSM) analysis, the 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) and related side effects of ASS-ILD patients in TAC+GC group and GC monotherapy group were compared. Predictors associated with PFS were analyzed with COX. Results The 2-year PFS rate of TAC+GC group was better than that of GC group [P=0.0163; hazard ratio (HR) 0.347]; Univariate and multivariate analysis of the COX regression model for 2-year PFS in the two groups suggested that creatine kinase level (P=0.0019, HR 1.002) and initial treatment selection [(TAC+GC) vs. GC, P=0.0197, HR 0.207] were independent predictors of PFS; PSM analysis showed that the 2-year PFS rate of TAC+GC group (54.5%) was higher than that of GC group (18.2%) (P=0.0157, HR 0.275). In terms of adverse effect, there was no significant increase in GC+TAC group compared with GC group. Conclusion Compared with GC monotherapy, initial TAC+GC treatment significantly prolonged PFS in ASS-ILD patients and did not increase the incidence of drug-related complications.
目的:多发性骨髓瘤(Multiple Myeloma,MM)患者约有80%伴有贫血,临床上多数患者以输血方式纠正贫血。重组人促红细胞生成素(recombinant human erythropoietin, rHuEPO)用于治疗MM患者的贫血尽管有效,但以何等剂量、应用多长时间疗效较佳尚无定论。目的: 观察持续使用大剂量rHuEPO对MM患者贫血的纠正作用及效果。方法:87例诊断明确的多发性骨髓瘤伴有贫血的患者,开始连续每天使用重组人促红细胞生成素4万单位,皮下注射,共5d;以后每周使用一次,每次4万单位皮下注射,间断补充铁剂。对照组90例选自同期住院的诊断明确的多发性骨髓瘤患者,当其贫血症状明显时或血红蛋白水平低于60 g/L时,给予输血纠正其贫血,使多数患者血红蛋白水平维持在80 g/L~100 g/L以上。两组患者化疗方案不做特殊规定,整过研究观察期6月。结果: rHuEPO组在使用rHuEPO后2周其血红蛋白开始上升,中位反应时间16d;1月半至2月血红蛋白可升至正常水平,达正常血红蛋白水平的中位时间51d。进入研究后3月和6月时,rHuEPO组生活幸福感指数(INLH)明显优于输血组,分别为6927±318(Plt;005)和7216±283(Plt;001)与5835±289和5776±324。6月后,rHuEPO组平均每例直接费用成本1075440元,明显低于输血组需要达到同样效果所需的每例2070420元。结论:大剂量rHuEPO治疗MM相关性贫血优于输血,其起效快、疗效好,患者生活幸福感改善明显,费用成本低,安全性较好。
The widespread use of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in lung cancer screening has enabled more and more lung nodules to get identified of which more than 20% are multiple pulmonary nodules. At present, there is no guideline or consensus for multiple pulmonary nodules whose management is based primarily on the pulmonary imaging characteristics and associated risk factors. Herein, this review covers the imaging methods, CT appearances and management of multiple pulmonary nodules.