PurposeTo investigate the potential correlation of dynamiccontrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US) with angiogenesis activity of renalcell carcinoma (RCC).Materials and MethodsPatients with surgery resection andhistopathologically proven RCC lesions were included. B-mode ultrasound(BMUS) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) were performed one weekbefore surgery. SonoVue was injected as the contrast agent. VueBox (Bracco,Italy) was used for the quantitative analysis. According to thehistopathological and immunohistochemical results, patients were classifiedinto two groups: active angiogenesis and inactive angiogenesis. Timeintensity curves (TICs) and quantitative parameters were compared betweentwo groups.ResultsFrom July 2023 to November 2023, a total of 50patients (13 females and 37 males, mean age 61.1±11.1 years) were included.The mean size of the lesions was 39.4±2.7 mm. Patients were classified intothe active angiogenesis group (n=30) and the inactive angiogenesis group(n=20). On BMUS, 68.0% (34/50) of RCCs were visualized as hypoechoic lesionswith ill-defined borders and irregular shapes (P>0.05). During corticalphase of CEUS, 72.6% (23/30) of RCCs with active angiogenesis werevisualized with hyperenhancement (P=0.027). Only 30.0% (9/30) of RCCs withactive angiogenesis showed hypo-enhancement in the parenchymal phase(P>0.05). Compared to the inactive angiogenesis group, TICs of the activeangiogenesis group revealed faster and greater enhancement in the corticalphase, slower decline during the parenchymal phase, and an increased areaunder the curve. Among quantitative parameters, the active angiogenesisgroup showed the higher ratio of wash-in rate and wash-in perfusion index(P<0.05).ConclusionDCE-US analysis has potential value in predictingangiogenesis activity in RCC lesions.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1055/a-2318-6654.].

This study aimed to measure the precise distance from the lowest boundary of a rectal tumor to the anal verge (DTAV) in patients with rectal cancer. A retrospective analysis was performed on clinical data from 70 rectal cancer patients. DTAV measurements were collected using transrectal biplane ultrasound, MRI, and colonoscopy. The difference in DTAV measurements between the mean DTAV value obtained by ultrasound (US mean ) and colonoscopy exhibited a difference of 0.22 cm. In contrast, the difference between US mean and MRI was 0.48 cm, while the difference between MRI and colonoscopy was -0.26 cm. The ICC for DTAV measurements demonstrated excellent agreement, with values of 0.948 between US mean and MRI, 0.942 between US mean and colonoscopy, and 0.943 between MRI and colonoscopy. The minimum DTAV value obtained by ultrasound (US min ) was 5.05 cm, the middle DTAV value obtained by ultrasound (US mid ) was 5.10 cm, and the maximum DTAV value obtained by ultrasound (US max ) was 5.30 cm. Notably, the median values of the differences in DTAV measurements between US max and US min , US max and US mid , as well as US mid and US min , were 0.2 cm, 0.1 cm, and 0.1 cm, respectively. Furthermore, the consistency of DTAV measurements between US min and US mid , US max and US mid , as well as US min and US max was excellent, with all ICC values reaching 0.999. Additionally, the radiologist's reassessment of MRI DTAV data showed excellent consistency with the original results, with an ICC value of 0.985. Transrectal biplane ultrasound utilizing EFOV imaging technology exhibited both accuracy and reproducibility for measuring DTAV. This approach provided a highly efficient and practical clinical tool for DTAV measurement.

Little is known about the benefit and interpretation of fetomaternal Doppler sonography in GDM for the prediction of an adverse perinatal outcome (APO). The aim of this study was to examine the performance of fetomaternal Doppler for APO prediction in pregnancies with GDM at term. This is a retrospective cohort study of singleton, non-anomalous fetuses of women with GDM, who primarily had a vaginal delivery attempt. Study inclusion also required no other major fetomaternal abnormalities that make placental dysfunction likely. Data on fetomaternal Doppler sonography including umbilical artery pulsatility index (PI), middle cerebral artery (MCA) PI, cerebroplacental ratio (CPR), mean uterine artery PI, cerebro-placental-uterine ratio (CPUR) was collected from 37+0 weeks on. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed using maternal characteristics, neonatal characteristics, and Doppler ultrasound parameters as independent variables with CAPO as a binary outcome. A total of n=88 cases were included. Nulliparity (p=0.032) and CPUR (p=0.052) were independent predictors of CAPO. However, CPUR had borderline significance. All other Doppler indices were not independent predictors of CAPO. The ability of CPUR alone (AUC=0.65, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.80) to discriminate between GDM pregnancies with and without CAPO was poor. This study shows that there is no significant clinical relationship between fetomaternal Doppler indices and CAPO among pregnancies with GDM. This raises the question regarding the extent to which fetomaternal Doppler indices, which reflect placental function, can be helpful for CAPO prediction in GDM pregnancies.

Native X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT) are standard methods for determining head-neck offset (HNO) in femoro-acetabular impingement (FAI). Our hypothesis was that sonography-assisted determination of the offset in CAM deformity of the hip is a cheap, radiation-free, and reliable alternative to conventional alpha-angle determination. Patients with hip pain and suspected CAM impingement who underwent anterior-longitudinal hip sonography according to DEGUM standard procedures and MRI were included in this single-center study between January 2015 and December 2019. Offset was determined three times on MRI and sonography by two independent investigators. 285 patients were screened and 110 patients (49 females, 61 males) met the inclusion criteria. The mean age at the time of investigation of 54 left and 56 right hip joints was 54.2 years. 1320 measurements were performed. No significant difference in HNO determination between MRI (6.11 mm+/-2.37) and sonography (5.93 mm+/-2.20) could be identified. The mean difference was 0.32 mm+/-0.32 mm (p>0.05) with a maximum deviation of 2.08 mm (outlier). Sonography-assisted determination of head-neck offset is a reliable and reproducible method and is not inferior to determination with MRI. Sonography can be used initially as an alternative or additional tool for the qualitative determination of CAM deformity of the hip joint.

Background Ultrasound (US) surveillance for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) dysfunction has yet to be standardized, as clear-cut criteria have not been conventionally defined. This study evaluated the role of US-based parameters in detecting hemodynamic TIPS dysfunction (HD). Methods We included consecutive patients treated with TIPS. All patients were scheduled within the first six weeks after the procedure for TIPS revision, comprised of a Doppler US exam and invasive hemodynamic reassessment. Clinical TIPS dysfunction (CD) was defined as symptom recurrence, while HD was defined by a portal pressure gradient (PPG)≥12 mmHg. The predictive capabilities of Doppler US for predicting TIPS dysfunction were tested against the hemodynamic gold standard. Results 86 patients were included. Secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding was the main indication for TIPS in 72 patients (83.7%), while 27 (31.4%) had refractory ascites. HD occurred in 37 cases (43%), of which 25 patients (67.5%) had no CD. Patients with HD had a significantly lower portal vein velocity (PVV): 35 (20-45) cm/s vs. 40.5 (35-50) cm/s, p=0.02. Compared to the immediate post-TIPS assessment, the patients without HD had a ΔPVV of 6.08±19.8 cm/s vs. a decrease of - 8.2±20.2 cm/s in HD (p=0.04). Using a cut-off value of 40.5 cm/s, PVV had an AUROC of 0.705 for predicting HD, while the addition of ΔPVV (cut-off 9.5 cm/s) improved the AUROC to 0.78. Conclusion Despite adequate symptom control, a considerable percentage of patients have a post-TIPS PPG≥12 mmHg. The dynamic assessment of PVV and its temporal dynamics can reliably predict TIPS dysfunction.

Purpose To detect sonographic abnormalities of the supratentorial structures of the brain - future cavum septum pellucidum, cavum velum interpositum, third ventricle, ganglionic eminence and thalamus/hypothalamus - in fetuses with a crown-rump length of 45-84 mm in high-risk pregnancies. Materials and Methods This study presents the retrospective analysis of transvaginally recorded 3D volumes of the fetal brain of 64 fetuses whose mothers consulted our ambulatory department for fetomaternal medicine for organic and/or genetic changes of their fetuses at GW 12-14. For this study we selected fetuses with 3D volume blocks of the fetal brain at best sonographic quality enabling detailed analysis and measurement of the supratentorial brain structures to correlate the results with the results of genetic analysis, ultrasound controls in later weeks of pregnancy, and fetal outcome. Results Of 44 fetuses with genetic changes and 20 fetuses with syndromic changes, structural brain changes were found in 27 fetuses, analyzed by correlating the brain structures with the recently published structures of the brain at gestational week 12-14 in early pregnancy, presenting new details of early pathological brain development - migration disorders, milder variants of holoprosencephaly (lobar, MIH), corpus callosum agenesis, for the first time in early pregnancy. Conclusion Supratentorial defects of the brain can be detected and analyzed in GW 12-14 in detail by direct analysis of sonopathology and visualization of pathological measurements using transvaginal 3D sonography in high quality.