Tool For Noninvasive Assessment Research Articles

Diagnostic accuracy of transcranial ultrasonography for detecting stenosis in patients with acute ischaemic stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Transcranial ultrasonography, including transcranial doppler (TCD) and transcranial colour-coded duplex/sonography (TCCD/TCCS), offers potential benefits in the evaluation of cerebrovascular patency, but its accuracy remains under scrutiny. Hence, this study aims to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of transcranial ultrasonography for detecting stenosis in acute ischaemic stroke patients. We systematically reviewed the databases such as CINAHL, SCOPUS, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect from inception till June 2023. Studies were eligible if they compared the diagnostic role of transcranial ultrasonography with established techniques, and reported accuracy parameters such as sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios. Subgroup analysis was performed for TCD and TCCD/TCCS. Seventeen studies involving 1496 participants were included. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of transcranial ultrasonography were 90% and 95% respectively. For TCD, the sensitivity and specificity were 87% and 93% respectively. TCCD/TCCS showed sensitivity 98% and specificity 97%. High clinical value was evident in both TCD and TCCD/TCCS, with heterogeneity across studies but no observable publication bias. Transcranial ultrasonography, including both TCD and TCCD/TCCS, demonstrates high diagnostic accuracy in detecting stenosis in patients with acute ischaemic stroke. These findings support the utility of these methods as reliable, non-invasive tools for cerebrovascular assessment.

Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation capacity in skeletal muscle measured by ultrafast Z-spectroscopy (UFZ) MRI at 3T.

To investigate the feasibility of rapid CEST MRI acquisition for evaluating oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in human skeletal muscle at 3T, utilizing ultrafast Z-spectroscopy (UFZ) combined with MRI and the Polynomial and Lorentzian line-shape Fitting (PLOF) technique. UFZ MRI on muscle was evaluated with turbo spin echo (TSE) and 3D EPI readouts. Five healthy subjects performed in-magnet plantar flexion exercise (PFE) and subsequent changes of amide, PCr, and partial PCr mixed Cr (Cr+) CEST dynamic signals post-exercise were enabled by PLOF fitting. PCr/Cr CEST signal was further refined through pH correction by using the ratios between PCr/Cr and amide signals, named PCAR/CAR, respectively. UFZ MRI with TSE readout significantly reduces acquisition time, achieving a temporal resolution of <50 s for collecting high-resolution Z-spectra. Following PFE, the recovery/decay times (τ) for both PCr and Cr in the gastrocnemius muscle of the calf were notably longer when determined using PCr/Cr CEST compared to those after pH correction with amideCEST, namely = 87.1 ± 15.8 s and = 98.1 ± 20.4 s versus = 32.9 ± 19.7 s and = 43.0 ± 13.0 s, respectively. obtained via 31P MRS ( = 50.3 ± 6.2 s) closely resemble those obtained from pH-corrected PCr/Cr CEST signals. The outcomes suggest potential of UFZ MRI as a robust tool for non-invasive assessment of mitochondrial function in skeletal muscles. pH correction is critical for the reliable OXPHOS measurement by CEST.

Development and Validation of a Portable EIT System for Real-Time Respiratory Monitoring.

This work contributes to the improvement of novel medical technologies for the prevention and treatment of diseases. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has gained attention as a valuable tool for non-invasive monitoring providing real-time insights. The purpose of this work is to develop and validate a novel portable EIT system with a small form factor for respiratory monitoring. The device uses a 16-electrode architecture with adjacent stimulation and measurement patterns, an integrated circuit current source and a single high-speed ADC operating with multiplexers to stimulate and measure across all electrodes. Tests were conducted on 25 healthy subjects who performed a pulmonary function test with a flowmeter while using the EIT device. The results showed a good performance of the device, which was able to recognize all respirations correctly, and from the EIT signals and images, correlations of 96.7% were obtained for instantaneous respiratory rate and 96.1% for tidal volume prediction. These results validate the preliminary technical feasibility of the EIT system and demonstrates its potential as a reliable tool for non-invasive respiratory assessment. The significance of this work lies in its potential to democratize advanced respiratory monitoring technologies, making them accessible to a wider population, including those in remote or underserved areas.

Phonocardiogram (PCG) Murmur Detection Based on the Mean Teacher Method.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are among the primary causes of mortality globally, highlighting the critical need for early detection to mitigate their impact. Phonocardiograms (PCGs), which record heart sounds, are essential for the non-invasive assessment of cardiac function, enabling the early identification of abnormalities such as murmurs. Particularly in underprivileged regions with high birth rates, the absence of early diagnosis poses a significant public health challenge. In pediatric populations, the analysis of PCG signals is invaluable for detecting abnormal sound waves indicative of congenital and acquired heart diseases, such as septal defects and defective cardiac valves. In the PhysioNet 2022 challenge, the murmur score is a weighted accuracy metric that reflects detection accuracy based on clinical significance. In our research, we proposed a mean teacher method tailored for murmur detection, making full use of the Phyionet2022 and Phyionet2016 PCG datasets, achieving the SOTA (State of Art) performance with a murmur score of 0.82 and an AUC score of 0.90, providing an accessible and high accuracy non-invasive early stage CVD assessment tool, especially for low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

State-of-the-Art in Skin Fluorescent Photography for Cosmetic and Skincare Research: From Molecular Spectra to AI Image Analysis.

Autofluorescence is a remarkable property of human skin. It can be excited by UV and observed in the dark using special detection systems. The method of fluorescence photography (FP) is an effective non-invasive tool for skin assessment. It involves image capturing by a camera the emission of light quanta from fluorophore molecules in the skin. It serves as a useful tool for cosmetic and skincare research, especially for the detection of pathological skin states, like acne, psoriasis, etc. To the best of our knowledge, there is currently no comprehensive review that fully describes the application and physical principles of FP over the past five years. The current review covers various aspects of the skin FP method from its biophysical basis and the main fluorescent molecules of the skin to its potential applications and the principles of FP recording and analysis. We pay particular attention to recently reported works on the automatic analysis of FP based on artificial intelligence (AI). Thus, we argue that FP is a rapidly evolving technology with a wide range of potential applications. We propose potential directions of the development of this method, including new AI algorithms for the analysis and expanding the range of applications.

Transabdominal Ultrasound Imaging of Pelvic Floor Muscle Activity in Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence

Abstract Background Several methods are used in assessment of pelvic floor muscles (PFM) in female patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Transabdominal ultrasound (TAU) is an easy, inexpensive, and non-invasive assessment tool that has been used to evaluate aspects of PFM function. Bladder base displacement, which is detected by TAU, is considered a marker for PFM activity. Objective Detection of the role of transabdominal ultra sound in evaluating pelvic floor muscle activity in women with stress urinary incontinence. Patients and Methods A total of 42 female volunteers (half patients were volunteers from friends, neighbors, colleges and relatives with no stress urinary incontinence, the another half was clinically diagnosed as stress urinary incontinence considering age matching between volunteers and patients with stress urinary incontinence. The medical charts of ultrasound of forty two consecutive females were analyzed. The US examinations were performed using adapted equipment with high-resolution curvilinear transducers. The difference in bladder base displacement (as the dependent variable) between the resting position and the end of each maneuver was measured in millimeters. Three tasks were performed in random order; PFM contraction, Valsalva maneuver, and abdominal curl. Supervisors and experts interpreted the images of the examinations. Results Higher mean values of bladder base decent were reported during Valsalva maneuver, PFM contraction and abdominal curl among cases women with stress urinary incontinence compared with control cases. There was no difference between study groups regarding age, parity and mode of delivery. Conclusion PFM performance is decreased in women with urinary incontinence. Transabdominal ultrasound is safe, accurate, noninvasive and safe tool in evaluating pelvic floor muscle activity in women with stress urinary incontinence.

Non-invasive screening tools for fibrosis assessment in obese individuals

Non-invasive screening tools for fibrosis assessment in obese individuals

Association between left ventricular hypertrophy and the peak times of the R and P waves in hypertensive patients

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), assessed by echocardiographic left ventricular mass index (LVMI), and electrocardiographically evaluated R wave peak time (RWPT) and P wave peak time (PWPT) in hypertensive patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 100 hypertensive patients, excluding those with specific medical conditions. Clinical and demographic data were collected, and electrocardiographic and echocardiographic examinations were performed. RWPT and PWPT were assessed along with other parameters. Results: LVH was present in 33 out of 100 patients. Patients with LVH exhibited significantly higher RWPT (45.6 ± 4.9 vs. 35.0 ± 5.5) and PWPT (55.5 ± 15.8 vs. 49.1 ± 12.5) compared to those without LVH. Additionally, LVH patients showed increased left atrium anteroposterior diameter, and prolonged deceleration time. QRS fragmentation was more common in the LVH group. Conclusion: The study highlights the association between electrocardiographic parameters (RWPT and PWPT) and LVH in hypertensive patients. These findings underscore the potential utility of electrocardiogram as a non-invasive tool for LVH assessment in clinical practice in hypertensive patients, aiding in risk stratification and therapeutic decision-making.

Type 2 Diabetes Subtypes and Their Role in Metabolic Liver Disease and Fibrosis Progression.

BACKGROUND The relationship between different subgroups of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and the progression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and liver fibrosis has not been thoroughly studied. This study aims to determine the association between T2D subgroups and the risk of developing advanced liver fibrosis using the Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, a non-invasive marker for assessing liver fibrosis risk. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 1205 patients with T2D were categorized into 4 distinct subgroups: severe insulin-deficient diabetes (SIDD), severe insulin-resistant diabetes (SIRD), mild obesity-related diabetes (MOD), and mild age-related diabetes (MARD). The FIB-4 index was calculated for each patient to estimate the degree of liver fibrosis, with the following cutoff points: <1.3 indicating no or mild fibrosis, 1.3-2.67 suggesting moderate fibrosis, and >2.67 indicating advanced fibrosis (F3-F4). Logistic regression was used to compare the odds of advanced fibrosis across these subgroups. RESULTS The SIRD subgroup exhibited significantly higher odds of advanced liver fibrosis (F3-F4), compared with the other subgroups, as indicated by elevated FIB-4 scores (P<0.05). In contrast, the SIDD and MOD subgroups had lower odds of advanced fibrosis, while the MARD subgroup showed an intermediate association. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that the FIB-4 index, as a noninvasive assessment tool, effectively stratifies liver fibrosis risk among different T2D subgroups. This stratification can inform more personalized management strategies for patients with MASLD, underscoring the importance of accounting for the heterogeneity within T2D in clinical assessments of liver fibrosis risk.

Comparison of Ticagrelor with Clopidogrel on Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction Following Acute Myocardial Infarction Using Angiography-Derived Index of Microcirculatory Resistance.

This research aimed to assess the impact of ticagrelor and clopidogrel on coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) and prognosis following acute myocardial infarction (AMI), using the angiography-derived index of microcirculatory resistance (angio-IMR) as a non-invasive assessment tool. In this retrospective study, angio-IMR was performed to evaluate CMD before and after dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with either ticagrelor (90mg twice daily, n = 184) or clopidogrel (75mg once daily, n = 72). The primary endpoint is the improvement of CMD evaluated by angio-IMR (delta angio-IMR) following DAPT. Secondary endpoints included myocardial reinfarction and readmission for heart failure during 2-year follow-up. Compared with clopidogrel, ticagrelor exhibited a significantly higher delta angio-IMR [- 3.09 (5.14) versus - 1.99 (1.91), P = 0.008], indicating a superior improvement of CMD with ticagrelor treatment. Multivariate Cox regression indicated that ticagrelor treatment was related to a reduced risk of readmission for heart failure [8 (4.3) versus 9 (12.5), adjusted HR = 0.329; 95% CI = 0.116-0.934; P = 0.018] and myocardial reinfarction [7 (3.8) versus 8 (11.1), adjusted HR = 0.349; 95% CI = 0.125-0.975; P = 0.026]. Furthermore, ticagrelor treatment serves as an independent predictor of readmission for heart failure (HR = 0.322; 95% CI = 0.110-0.943; P = 0.039). The results of this study indicate a potential association between ticagrelor treatment and improved CMD, as well as a reduced risk of cardiovascular events, including myocardial reinfarction and readmission for heart failure in AMI patients. Further randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm the potential benefits of ticagrelor on CMD and cardiovascular prognosis. This clinical trial was registered in www. gov (NCT05978726).

A cross-sectional assessment of diabetes risk among adults in a limited-resource urban primary care setting in West Bengal, India

INTRODUCTION: India faces a burgeoning burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus, projected to reach 87 million by 2030, with alarmingly high undiagnosed cases. Early identification remains crucial for targeted health interventions. This study employed a validated risk assessment tool to identify high-risk individuals and explore associations with diabetes risk factors. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted for 3 months among nondiabetic consenting adults (above 18 years) attending a limited-resource urban primary health center in the field practice area of a teaching hospital in Uttar Dinajpur, West Bengal. A predesigned, pretested schedule containing domains on sociodemographics, dietary, medical history, and validated risk assessment tool - the Indian Diabetes Risk Score (IDRS) was used to collect data from an estimated sample of 112 adults. RESULTS: Of all the participants who underwent diabetes risk assessment, the majority (67.9%) were females and residents (71.4%) of adjacent rural areas. Findings showed that the majority of participants were in the moderate-high risk category of developing diabetes, of which 16.07% had high, 57.14% had moderate, and 26.78% had low risk with an overall mean (standard deviation) risk score of 39.11 (18.63). Bivariate analysis showed a statistically significant relationship (P &lt; 0.05) between diabetes risk score with age, education, hypertension, physical activity, dietary salt intake, and family history of diabetes. CONCLUSION: Simple, noninvasive diabetes risk assessment tools like IDRS provide cost-effective solutions in identifying at-risk individuals in primary care settings; therefore, it should be implemented in limited resource settings for early risk identification and management of diabetes, consequently decreasing the disease burden.

Simultaneous Multiparameter Mapping of the Liver in a Single Breath-Hold or Respiratory-Triggered Acquisition Using Multi-Inversion Spin and Gradient Echo MRI.

Quantitative parametric mapping is an increasingly important tool for noninvasive assessment of chronic liver disease. Conventional parametric mapping techniques require multiple breath-held acquisitions and provide limited anatomic coverage. To investigate a multi-inversion spin and gradient echo (MI-SAGE) technique for simultaneous estimation of T1, T2, and T2* of the liver. Prospective. Sixteen research participants, both adult and pediatric (age 17.5 ± 4.6 years, eight male), with and without known liver disease (seven asymptomatic healthy controls, two fibrotic liver disease, five steatotic liver disease, and two fibrotic and steatotic liver disease). 1.5 T, single breath-hold and respiratory triggered MI-SAGE, breath-hold modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI, T1 mapping), breath-hold gradient and spin echo (GRASE, T2 mapping), and multiple gradient echo (mGRE, T2* mapping) sequences. Agreement between hepatic T1, T2, and T2* estimated using MI-SAGE and conventional parametric mapping sequences was evaluated. Repeatability and reproducibility of MI-SAGE were evaluated using a same-session acquisition and second-session acquisition. Bland-Altman analysis with bias assessment and limits of agreement (LOA) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Hepatic T1, T2, and T2* estimates obtained using the MI-SAGE technique had mean biases of 72 (LOA: -22 to 166) msec, -3 (LOA: -10 to 5) msec, and 2 (LOA: -5 to 8) msec (single breath-hold) and 36 (LOA: -43 to 120) msec, -3 (LOA: -17 to 11) msec, and 4 (LOA: -3 to 11) msec (respiratory triggered), respectively, in comparison to conventional acquisitions using MOLLI, GRASE, and mGRE. All MI-SAGE estimates had strong repeatability and reproducibility (ICC > 0.72). Hepatic T1, T2, and T2* estimates obtained using an MI-SAGE technique were comparable to conventional methods, although there was a 12%/6% for breath-hold/respiratory triggered underestimation of T1 values compared to MOLLI. Both respiratory triggered and breath-hold MI-SAGE parameter maps demonstrated strong repeatability and reproducibility. 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Unraveling Changes of Brachial Artery Residual Stress and Its Relationship to Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors.

Arterial pressure volume index (API) offers a non-invasive measurement of brachial artery residual stress. This study investigated API distribution characteristics and correlations with cardiovascular disease risk (CVD) factors in a large Chinese population sample. This cross-sectional study surveyed a total of 7620 participants. We analyzed the relationships between API and factors influencing CVD, using regression-based stepwise backward selection and restrictive cubic spline models to express relationships as standardized beta values. Multiple linear regression analysis identified many independent factors influencing API including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), pulse pressure (PP), heart rate (HR), hemoglobin, uric acid (UA), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), triglyceride (TC), and a history of hypertension. Notably, API values increased at 33 and escalated with advancing age. Increases in API were associated with rises in PP and UA increases, particularly when PP reached 60 mmHg and the UA reached 525 units. Conversely, API was found to decrease with elevated HR and eGFR. Furthermore, there was a significant inverted U-shaped relationship between API and BMI. This study was the first to describe API distribution characteristics in a large sample of the Chinese population, providing references for evaluating API changes in the assessment of residual stress variations in diverse diseases. Notably, API displayed a U-shaped relationship with age and was closely related to traditional CVD risk factors, underscoring its potential as a non-invasive tool for risk assessment in vascular health. This research was registered with the China Clinical Trial Registration Center (Registration Number: ChiCTR2000035937).

Multi-dimensional comparison of abdominal obesity indices and insulin resistance indicators for assessing NAFLD

BackgroundThe prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) keeps increasing annually worldwide. Non-invasive assessment tools for evaluating the risk and severity of the disease are still limited. Insulin resistance (IR) and abdominal obesity (ABO) are closely related to NAFLD.MethodsA retrospective large-scale, population-based study was conducted based on the data from the 2017–2018 cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Three ABO indices, namely lipid accumulation product (LAP), visceral obesity index (VAI), waist circumference-triglyceride index (WTI), and three IR indices, including triglyceride glucose index (TyG), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR), were analyzed and compared for their relationships with NAFLD based on weighted multivariable logistic regression, spearman correlation heatmap, smooth curve fittings. The area under the curve (AUC) of receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic capability of these indices for NAFLD. Differences among the AUCs were calculated and compared by Delong test.ResultsIn total, 3095 participants were included in our study among which 1368 adults were diagnosed with NAFLD. All six indices presented positive associations with NAFLD. There was a claw-shaped curve between HOMA-IR, VAI, LAP and NAFLD while a smooth semi-bell curve was observed in TyG, METS-IR and WTI. LAP and HOMA-IR had the best diagnostic capability for NAFLD (LAP: AUC = 0.8, Youden index = 0.48; HOMA-IR: AUC = 0.798, Youden index = 0.472) while VAI (AUC = 0.728, Youden index = 0.361) showed the lowest predictive value. The correlation heat map indicated positive correlations between all six indices and liver function, hepatic steatosis and fibrosis severity. In the NAFLD group, IR indicators presented a stronger association with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) compared with ABO indices.ConclusionsAll six indices can screen NAFLD withLAP and HOMA-IR being possibly optimal predictors. IR indices may be more sensitive to identify acute hepatic injury in NAFLD patients than ABO indices.

Bone turnover markers in the preoperative assessment of bone quality - A prospective investigation of bone microstructure and advanced glycation endproducts in lumbar fusion patients.

Effective tools to evaluate bone quality preoperatively are scarce and the standard method to determine bone quality requires an invasive biopsy. A non-invasive, and preoperatively available method for bone quality assessment would be of clinical value. The purpose of this study is to investigate the associations of bone formation marker, serum bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), and bone resorption marker, urine collagen cross-linked N-telopeptide (uNTX) to volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), fluorescent advanced glycation endproducts (fAGEs) and bone microstructure. A cross-secional analysis using prospective data of patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion was performed. BAP and uNTX were preoperatively collected. Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) was performed at the lumbar spine (vBMD ≤ 120mg/cm3 osteopenic/osteoporotic). Bone biopsies from the posterior superior iliac spine were obtained and evaluated with multiphoton fluorescence microscopy for fAGEs and microcomputed tomography (µCT) for bone microarchitecture. Correlations between BAP/uNTX to vBMD, fAGEs and µCT parameters were assessed with Spearman's ρ. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis evaluated BAP and uNTX as predictors for osteopenia/osteoporosis. Multivariable linear regression models adjusting for age, sex, BMI, race and diabetes mellitus determined associations between BAP/uNTX and fAGEs. 127 prospectively enrolled patients (50.4% female, 62.5 years, BMI 28.7kg/m2) were analyzed. uNTX (ρ=-0.331,p < 0.005) and BAP (ρ=-0.245,p < 0.025) decreased with cortical fAGEs, and uNTX (ρ=-0.380,p < 0.001) decreased with trabecular fAGEs. BAP and uNTX revealed no significant correlation with vBMD. ROC analysis for BAP and uNTX discriminated osteopenia/osteoporosis with AUC of 0.477 and 0.561, respectively. In the multivariable analysis, uNTX decreased with increasing trabecular fAGEs after adjusting for covariates (β = 0.923;p = 0.031). This study demonstrated an inverse association of bone turnover markers and fAGEs. Both uNTX and BAP could not predict osteopenia/osteoporosis in the spine. uNTX reflects collagen characteristics and might have a complementary role to vBMD, as a non-invasive tool for bone quality assessment in spine surgery.

Assessment of endometrial and subendometrial three-dimensional power Doppler angiography evaluated by the VOCAL method in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles on hormone replacement therapy

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of in vitro fertilization cycles / frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles depends on a number of factors, the endometrial one being of great importance. Adequate endometrial and subendometrial blood supply is considered necessary for successful implantation. Currently, the possibilities of non-invasive assessment of the implantation properties of the endometrium are limited to the use of ultrasound. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the performance of endometrial and subendometrial three-dimensional power Doppler angiography combined with the Virtual Organ Computer-aided Analysis (VOCAL) method in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles on hormone replacement therapy and compare the obtained data among the women examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 20 women. Doppler measurements were carried out three times — on the day of progesterone initiation, the day before embryo transfer and on the day of embryo transfer. The VOCAL software assessed the endometrial and subendometrial volume and blood flow indices such as vascularization index, flow index, and vascularization flow index. Patients were divided into two study groups depending on the onset of clinical pregnancy. RESULTS: On the day of progesterone initiation among patients who got pregnant, we observed higher vascularization (3.52 ± 1.99 vs. 1.05 ± 1.36; p = 0.03) and vascularization flow (1.54 ± 0.98 vs. 0.63 ± 0.55; p = 0.03) indices compared to women with a negative result. Moreover, endometrial vascularization index on the day of progesterone initiation was positively correlated with the estrogen dose among both pregnant (r = 0.61; p = 0.04) and non-pregnant (r = 0.9; p = 0.0008) women. No differences in subendometrial blood flow indices depending on the onset of pregnancy were obtained, just as endometrial blood flow indices the day before embryo transfer and on the day of embryo transfer were comparable between women in the both study groups. CONCLUSIONS: Three-dimensional power Doppler angiography evaluated by the Virtual Organ Computer-aided Analysis (VOCAL) method is a promising tool for non-invasive assessment of endometrial receptivity in frozen-thawed embryo transfer programs. However, further studies are required on a larger patient sample to form conclusions that are more accurate.

Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy toward In Vivo Assessment of the Adipose Tissue in Cardiometabolic Pathologies.

Spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) enhanced the capabilities of Raman spectroscopy for the depth-resolved analysis of biological and diffusely scattering samples. This technique offers selective probing of subsurface layers, providing molecular insights without invasive procedures. While SORS has found application in biomedical research, up to now, studies have focused mainly on the detection of mineralization of bones and tissues. Herein, for the first time, SORS is used to assess the soft, organic tissue beneath the skin's surface. In this study, we demonstrate the diagnostic utility of a hand-held SORS device for evaluating the chemical composition of the adipose tissue. We compared perigonadal white adipose tissue (gWAT) in a murine model of atherosclerosis, heart failure, and high-fat diet (HFD) induced obesity. Our results reveal distinct chemical differences in gWAT between HFD-fed and control mice, showcasing the potential of SORS for intravital adipose tissue phenotype characterization. Furthermore, our findings underscore the effectiveness of SORS as a valuable tool for noninvasive assessment of the adipose tissue composition, holding potential diagnostic significance for metabolic disorders.

Subclinical effects of botulinum toxin A and microwave thermolysis for axillary hyperhidrosis: A descriptive study with line-field confocal optical coherence tomography and histology.

Botulinum toxin A (BTX) and microwave thermolysis (MWT) are standard axillary hyperhidrosis treatments, but comparison of their subclinical effects is lacking. Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) is a promising non-invasive imaging tool for visualizing tissue-interactions. This study aimed to describe subclinical effects of BTX and MWT for axillary hyperhidrosis with LC-OCT-imaging compared to histology. This study derived from an intra-individual, randomized, controlled trial, treating axillary hyperhidrosis with BTX versus MWT. Subclinical effects based on LC-OCT images from baseline and 6-month follow-up (n = 8 patients) were evaluated and compared to corresponding histological samples. At baseline, LC-OCT visualized eccrine pores at the skin surface and ducts in the upper dermis (500 μm), but not deeper-lying sweat glands. Histology identified entire sweat glands. Six months post-treatment, LC-OCT revealed no detectable morphology changes in any BTX-treated axillae (100%), while recognizing obstructed eccrine pores and atrophy of eccrine ducts in most MWT-treated axillae (75%). Histology corroborated LC-OCT findings, while also showing substantial changes to entire sweat glands. LC-OCT enabled visualization of subclinical alterations of superficial eccrine ducts after MWT and unchanged morphology after BTX. LC-OCT is a promising tool for non-invasive assessment of treatment-specific tissue-interactions that can be complementary to histology.

Noninvasive assessment of human microvascular function in health and disease using incident dark-field microscopy.

Reduced peripheral microvascular reactivity is associated with an increased risk for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). Tools for noninvasive assessment of peripheral microvascular function are limited, and existing technology is poorly validated in both healthy populations and patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Here, we used a handheld incident dark-field imaging tool (CytoCam) to test the hypothesis that, compared with healthy individuals (no risk factors for CVD), subjects formally diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD) or those with ≥2 risk factors for CAD (at risk) would exhibit impaired peripheral microvascular reactivity. A total of 17 participants (11 healthy, 6 at risk) were included in this pilot study. CytoCam was used to measure sublingual microvascular total vessel density (TVD), perfused vessel density (PVD), and microvascular flow index (MFI) in response to the topical application of acetylcholine (ACh) and sublingual administration of nitroglycerin (NTG). Baseline MFI and PVD were significantly reduced in the at-risk cohort compared with healthy individuals. Surprisingly, following the application of acetylcholine and nitroglycerin, both groups showed a significant improvement in all three microvascular perfusion parameters. These results suggest that, despite baseline reductions in both microvascular density and perfusion, human in vivo peripheral microvascular reactivity to both endothelial-dependent and -independent vasoactive agents remains intact in individuals with CAD or multiple risk factors for disease.NEW & NOTEWORTHY To our knowledge, this is the first study to comprehensively characterize in vivo sublingual microvascular structure and function (endothelium-dependent and -independent) in healthy patients and those with CVD. Importantly, we used an easy-to-use handheld device that can be easily translated to clinical settings. Our results indicate that baseline microvascular impairments in structure and function can be detected using the CytoCam technology, although reactivity to acetylcholine may be maintained even during disease in the peripheral microcirculation.

A multi-institutional meningioma MRI dataset for automated multi-sequence image segmentation

Meningiomas are the most common primary intracranial tumors and can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Radiologists, neurosurgeons, neuro-oncologists, and radiation oncologists rely on brain MRI for diagnosis, treatment planning, and longitudinal treatment monitoring. However, automated, objective, and quantitative tools for non-invasive assessment of meningiomas on multi-sequence MR images are not available. Here we present the BraTS Pre-operative Meningioma Dataset, as the largest multi-institutional expert annotated multilabel meningioma multi-sequence MR image dataset to date. This dataset includes 1,141 multi-sequence MR images from six sites, each with four structural MRI sequences (T2-, T2/FLAIR-, pre-contrast T1-, and post-contrast T1-weighted) accompanied by expert manually refined segmentations of three distinct meningioma sub-compartments: enhancing tumor, non-enhancing tumor, and surrounding non-enhancing T2/FLAIR hyperintensity. Basic demographic data are provided including age at time of initial imaging, sex, and CNS WHO grade. The goal of releasing this dataset is to facilitate the development of automated computational methods for meningioma segmentation and expedite their incorporation into clinical practice, ultimately targeting improvement in the care of meningioma patients.