MRI of the Kidney

MRI provides comprehensive information on the full range of kidney diseases, including benign and malignant processes and diffuse renal parenchymal disease. This unit presents a set protocols incorporating various types of sequences including transverse, coronal and sagittal data acquisition, and the routine use of intravenous gadolinium.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145420/1/cpmia1601.pd

Computerized assessment of vessel morphological changes during treatment of glioblastoma multiforme: Report of a case imaged serially by MRA over four years

A patient with glioblastoma mutliforme underwent serial computerized analysis of tumor-associated vasculature defined from magnetic resonance angiographic (MRA) scans obtained over almost a four year period. The clinical course included tumor resection with subsequent radiation therapy, a long symptom-free interval, emergence of a new malignant focus, resection of that focus, a stroke, and treatment with chemotherapy and anti-angiogenic therapy. Image analysis methods included segmentation of vessels from each MRA and statistical comparison of vessel morphology over 4 regions of interest (the initial tumor site, the second tumor site, a distant control region, and the entire brain) to the same 4 regions of interest in 50 healthy volunteers (26 females and 24 males; mean age 39 years). Results suggested that following completion of focal radiation therapy (RT) vessel shape abnormalities, if elevated at the time of RT completion, may progressively normalize for months in focal regions, that progressively severe vessel shape abnormalities can precede the emergence of a gadolinium enhancing lesion by months, that lesion resection can produce a dramatic but highly transient drop in abnormal vessel tortuosity both focally and globally, and that treatment with anti-angiogenic agents does not necessarily normalize vessel shape. Quantitative measurements of vessel morphology as defined from MRA may provide useful insights into tumor development and response to therapy

Development of an Animal Model for Radiofrequency Ablation of Primary, Virally Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Woodchuck

To develop a consistent and reproducible method in an animal model for studies of radiofrequency ablation of primary HCC

Effect of Abuse History on Pain Reports and Brain Responses to Aversive Visceral Stimulation: An fMRI Study

Abuse history is common in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and is associated with greater pain reporting, psychologic distress, and poorer health outcome. These effects may be mediated by enhanced responses to aversive visceral stimuli. We investigated the effects of IBS and abuse history on pain reporting and brain activation in response to rectal distentions. Ten female patients with IBS and 10 controls were included. Half of patients in each group reported a history of abuse. Brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) images and pain ratings were obtained during rectal distentions. Statistical parametric mapping identified activation in subregions of the dorsal cingulate cortex and covariation with rated pain. (1) Distention-elicited pain correlated with anxiety and activation of the posterior (PCC) and middle (MCC) dorsal cingulate subregions. (2) Subjects with a history of abuse showed greater activation in the left MCC ( = .022; t = 5.61) and PCC ( = .033; t = 5.00) than subjects without abuse. (3) Those with IBS and abuse reported greater pain than all others ( = .004), had more activity in the left MCC ( = .021; t = 5.29) and PCC ( = .049; t = 4.81), and had less activity in the left supragenual anterior cingulate (sACC) ( = .01; t = 4.86). Pain ratings during rectal distention are associated with activation of dorsal cingulate regions implicated in homeostatic afferent processing, and prior abuse enhances this activation. Patients with IBS and abuse report more pain, greater MCC/PCC activation, and reduced activity of a region implicated in pain inhibition and arousal (sACC). These findings suggest a possible explanation for the clinical observation of greater pain reporting and poorer outcome in IBS patients with a history of abuse

Characteristics of magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers in a natural history study of golden retriever muscular dystrophy

AbstractThe goal of this study was to assess whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers can quantify disease progression in golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD) via a natural history study. The proximal pelvic limbs of ten GRMD and eight normal dogs were scanned at 3, 6, and 9–12months of age. Several MRI imaging and texture analysis biomarkers were quantified in seven muscles. Almost all MRI biomarkers readily distinguished GRMD from control dogs; however, only selected biomarkers tracked with longitudinal disease progression. The biomarkers that performed best were full-length muscle volume and a texture analysis biomarker, termed heterogeneity index. The biceps femoris, semitendinosus and cranial sartorius muscles showed differential progression in GRMD versus control dogs. MRI features in GRMD dogs showed dynamic progression that was most pronounced over the 3- to 6-month period. Volumetric biomarkers and water map values correlated with histopathological features of necrosis/regeneration at 6-months. In conclusion, selected MRI biomarkers (volume and heterogeneity index) in particular muscles (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and cranial sartorius) adjusted for age effect allow distinction of differential longitudinal progression in GRMD dogs. These biomarkers may be used as surrogate outcome measures in preclinical GRMD trials

The state of the Martian climate

60°N was +2.0°C, relative to the 1981–2010 average value (Fig. 5.1). This marks a new high for the record. The average annual surface air temperature (SAT) anomaly for 2016 for land stations north of starting in 1900, and is a significant increase over the previous highest value of +1.2°C, which was observed in 2007, 2011, and 2015. Average global annual temperatures also showed record values in 2015 and 2016. Currently, the Arctic is warming at more than twice the rate of lower latitudes

Single nucleotide variant in Nucleoporin 107 may be predictive of sensitivity to chemotherapy in patients with ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Alterations in nuclear pore complex (NPC) genes have been previously associated with response to chemotherapy. Using agnostic exome sequencing, we envisioned that new alleles in NPC genes, predictive of sensitivity to platinum treatment, could be discovered. METHODS: Twenty-two platinum-sensitive and six platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients were tested. Platinum sensitivity was defined as disease-free survival greater than 6 months. Next-generation sequencing of exomes was used to compare platinum-sensitive and platinum-resistant patients. Single nucleotide variants (SNVs) associated with platinum sensitivity in NPC genes (n=30 genes) were identified. RESULTS: SNVs in three NPC genes were associated with response to platinum on univariate analysis. SNV rs79419059 (10T\u3eC) in Nucleoporin 107 (Nup107) was associated with platinum resistance (P=0.0061), whereas rs2302811 (3662-4A\u3eG) in Nucleoporin 188 (Nup188) and rs77246077 (3420-67T\u3eA) in Nucleoporin 214 (Nup214) were associated with platinum sensitivity (P=0.0483 and 0.0091, respectively). Controlling for other confounders, multivariate age-adjusted Cox proportional hazard analysis showed rs79419059 to be significantly associated with platinum resistance (odds ratio: 4.519, 95% confidence interval: 1.317-15.501, P=0.0457). CONCLUSION: We identified a variant in the 3\u27-UTR region Nup107 unique to sensitivity to platinum in ovarian cancer. With validation of this variant, it is possible that a new marker predictive of patient response may be identified