3,283 research outputs found
Liver involvement in patients with COVID-19 infection: A comprehensive overview of diagnostic imaging features
During the first wave of the pandemic, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has been considered mainly as a pulmonary infection. However, different clinical and radiological manifestations were observed over time, including involvement of abdominal organs. Nowadays, the liver is considered one of the main affected abdominal organs. Hepatic involvement may be caused by either a direct damage by the virus or an indirect damage related to COVID-19 induced thrombosis or to the use of different drugs. After clinical assessment, radiology plays a key role in the evaluation of liver involvement. Ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used to evaluate liver involvement. US is widely available and it is considered the first-line technique to assess liver involvement in COVID-19 infection, in particular liver steatosis and portal-vein thrombosis. CT and MRI are used as second- and third-line techniques, respectively, considering their higher sensitivity and specificity compared to US for assessment of both parenchyma and vascularization. This review aims to the spectrum of COVID-19 liver involvement and the most common imaging features of COVID-19 liver damage
Active Learning on Medical Image
The development of medical science greatly depends on the increased
utilization of machine learning algorithms. By incorporating machine learning,
the medical imaging field can significantly improve in terms of the speed and
accuracy of the diagnostic process. Computed tomography (CT), magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray imaging, ultrasound imaging, and positron
emission tomography (PET) are the most commonly used types of imaging data in
the diagnosis process, and machine learning can aid in detecting diseases at an
early stage. However, training machine learning models with limited annotated
medical image data poses a challenge. The majority of medical image datasets
have limited data, which can impede the pattern-learning process of
machine-learning algorithms. Additionally, the lack of labeled data is another
critical issue for machine learning. In this context, active learning
techniques can be employed to address the challenge of limited annotated
medical image data. Active learning involves iteratively selecting the most
informative samples from a large pool of unlabeled data for annotation by
experts. By actively selecting the most relevant and informative samples,
active learning reduces the reliance on large amounts of labeled data and
maximizes the model's learning capacity with minimal human labeling effort. By
incorporating active learning into the training process, medical imaging
machine learning models can make more efficient use of the available labeled
data, improving their accuracy and performance. This approach allows medical
professionals to focus their efforts on annotating the most critical cases,
while the machine learning model actively learns from these annotated samples
to improve its diagnostic capabilities.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures; Acceptance of the chapter for the Springer book
"Data-driven approaches to medical imaging
Current diagnostic aspects on acute and chronic pulmonary embolism : MRI in acute pulmonary embolism, CT in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and what the radiologists actually know
Background: Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is a potentially severe medical condition
with blood clots obstructing the pulmonary arterial vasculature. In most cases the APE
resolves without any sequelae after anticoagulation therapy. In some patients, however, the
emboli do not resolve upon treatment and the remnants cause increased vascular resistance, a
condition known as chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Both APE
and CTEPH have a non-specific clinical presentation and imaging is an important part of the
diagnosis. In APE computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) is the diagnostic
gold standard, although the method is not suitable for all patients. CTPA has a high
specificity for CTEPH, but the sensitivity remains under debate. At present CTPA is not
recommended as a first line test among patients with a clinical suspicion of CTEPH.
Purpose: To investigate unestablished imaging modalities in the diagnosis of APE (Study I)
and CTEPH (Study III) including learning aspects (Study II) and knowledge (Study IV) of
theses among radiologists. Regarding APE we studied magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
and in CTEPH we studied CTPA.
Material and methods: Studies I-II were based on a prospective collection of 70 unenhanced
MRI exams with CTPA as the gold standard. In Studies III-IV we used a retrospective
material based on 43 CTPA exams from patients with confirmed CTEPH referred for presurgical
assessment at a specialist centre, with a matched control with suspected APE.
Results: All MRI exams were of diagnostic quality. Specificity was 100% for both readers
and sensitivity 90% and 93% respectively with a nearly perfect inter-reader agreement (kappa
0.97) (Study I). Residents interpreting the MRI exams within the training program reached a
clinically acceptable level after approximately 50 examinations and review time was halved
during the training program (Study II). The sensitivity for CTEPH on CTPA reviewed by two
experts was 100% and the specificity 100% (Study III), while the sensitivity based on the
original reports from the same cases was 26% (Study IV).
Conclusions: Unenhanced MRI has a high sensitivity and specificity for APE (Study I) and
residents can learn to interpret such exams by using a self-directed training program (Study
II). Enhanced CTPA has a high sensitivity when reviewed by experienced radiologists (Study
III), but among radiologists in general the sensitivity is low (Study IV)
Focal Spot, Winter 2008/2009
https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/focal_spot_archives/1110/thumbnail.jp
Quantification of atherosclerotic plaque in the elderly with positron emission tomography/computed tomography
L'athérosclérose est une maladie cardiovasculaire inflammatoire qui est devenue la première cause de morbidité et de mortalité dans les pays développés et parmi les principales causes d’invalidité au monde. Elle se caractérise par l’épaississement de la paroi vasculaire artérielle suite à l'accumulation de lipides et le dépôt d'autres substances au niveau de l’intima (endothélium) pour former la plaque d’athérome. Avec l'âge, cette plaque peut grossir, se calcifier et ainsi rétrécir le calibre de l'artère pour diminuer son débit et à un stade avancé de la maladie, elle peut se rompre et obstruer les petites artères dans n'importe quelle partie du corps causant des complications aigues, y compris la mort soudaine.
L'objectif de cette thèse est de pouvoir détecter l'inflammation de la plaque athérosclérotique quantitativement avec la TEP/TDM dans le but de prévenir son détachement. Les mesures avec la TDM et la TEP avec le 18F-FDG ont été acquises chez des sujets humains âgés de 65 à 85 ans. Des analyses quantitatives ont été conduites sur les images de TDM en fonction de l'intensité et des étendues des calcifications, et sur les images de la TEP pour évaluer le métabolisme des plaques. L'effet des traitements par les statines a aussi été étudié. Au-delà la couverture de cette étude de façon détaillée au niveau physiologique en corrélant différents paramètres des plaques, et au niveau méthodologique en utilisant de nouvelles approches pour l'analyse pharmacocinétique, il en ressort principalement la suggestion de la détection de la vulnérabilité de la plaque artérielle par la TDM, plus disponible et moins coûteuse, en remplacement des analyses biochimiques, surtout la protéine C-réactive (CRP) considérée être la méthode standard.Abstract : Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory cardiovascular disease considered the leading cause
of morbidity and mortality in developed countries and among the leading causes of disability
worldwide. It is characterized by the thickening of the arterial vascular wall due to the
accumulation of lipids and the deposition of other substances in the intima (endothelium) to
form atheroma plaque. With age, this plaque can grow larger, calcify and thus narrow the
size of the artery to decrease blood flow and at an advanced stage of the disease, it can
rupture, be transported by blood and block the small arteries in any part of the body causing
acute complications, including sudden death.
The objective of this thesis was to be able to detect the inflammation of the atherosclerotic
plaque quantitatively with PET/CT in order to prevent its detachment. Measurements with
CT and PET with 18F-FDG were acquired in human subjects aged 65 to 85 years.
Quantitative analyzes were performed on CT images based on the intensity and extent of
calcifications, and on PET images to assess plaque metabolism. The effect of statin
treatments has also been studied. Beyond the coverage of this study in a detailed manner at
the physiological level by correlating different parameters of the plaques, and at the
methodological level by using new approaches for pharmacokinetic analysis, it mainly
emerges the suggestion for the detection of the vulnerability of the arterial plaque by CT
alone, more available and less expensive, replacing biochemical analyzes, especially Creactive protein (CRP) considered to be the standard method
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