ObjectiveTo observe the morphologic characteristics of color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and blood stream in patients with retinopathy of prematurity, and provide the new clinical diagnostic gist.MethodsCDFI was performed on 78 patients (156 eyes) with ROP at Ⅳ and Ⅴ stage, who had the diseases history such as prematurity and low birthweight which had been diagnosed by indirect ophthalmoscope, underwent the examination of CDFI. Morphologic characteristics of the results of CDFI and features of blood flow of the pathological changes were observed. ResultsIn the patients with ROP at the Ⅳ stage, a weak zonal echo originated from one side of peripheral wall of eye ball in the vitreous body, and extended to the echo of post pole and wall of eye ball and joined the echo of optic disc. In the patients with ROP at the V stage, lumplike echo connected closely with echo of lens and the circumambience was surrounded; the focus looked like lotus when combined with retinal detachment: the swelled “corona” wrapped and tightly connected with the lens, and the thin “caulis” showed weak zonal echo which attached to the optic disc. The features of blood flow showed the signal of blood stream connected with central retinal artery at the “caulis”, which was analyzed by Doppler spectrum as the bloodflow spectrum of artery and vein in the same direction which was the same as the central retinal artery and vein.ConclusionsIn patients with ROP at the IV and V stage, the results of CDFI mainly shows zonal or lumplike echo, in which the bloodflow signal extended with central retinal artery could be seen. The morphological changes of CDFI and the features of blood flow are useful in diagnosis of ROP. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2005,21:282-284)
Objective To detect the value of three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound diagnosis in common ocular fundus diseases. Methods Two-dimensional (2D) images of 38 patients with common ocular fundus diseases were three-dimensionally reconstructed via 3D ultrasound workstation. The 3D images reflecting the ocular diseases were analyzed. Result In 38 patients with common ocular fundus diseases, there was vitreous hemorrhage in 16 patients, retinal detachment in 12, choroidal detachment in 5, and intraocular space occupying lesion in 5. Compared with the 2D images, 3D reconstructed images reflect the lesions more intuitionistically, displayed the relationship between the lesions and the peripheral tissues more clearly, and revealed the blood flow more specifically. During a scanning examination, 3D reconstructed technology provided the diagnostic information of section of X, Y and Z axises simultaneously which shortened the time of examination; the condition of any point of lesions and the relation between the lesion and the peripheral tissues could be gotten by the tools like cut and chop provided by 3D imaging software itself, which avoided detecting the same lesion with different angles and lays and proved the diagnostic efficacy. Conclusions 3D ultrasound diagnosis is better than 2D in diagnosis of vitreous, retina, choroid, and intraocular space occupying lesion. 3D ultrasound diagnosis is a complementarity for the 2D one, and the Z axis changes the former observational angles which may provide the new way of precise diagnosis. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2005, 21: 381-383)
ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between aberrant promoter CpG islands methylation status of E-cadherin gene and hepatocarcinogenesis, and to assess its significance in clinical early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MethodsSurgically resected specimens, among which cancerous and corresponding noncancerous liver tissues from 34 HCC patients, 10 liver cirrhosis from patients without HCC and normal liver tissues from 4 accidental deaths, were collected in West China Hospital. Breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-435 with promoter CpG islands hypermethylation of E-cadherin as positive control was gained from the Cell Bank of Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai. The methylation status of promoter CpG island of E-cadherin gene was detected by nested methylationspecific polymerase chain reaction (nested-MSP). ResultsE-cadherin gene promoter CpG islands hypermethylation was found in 61.76% (21/34) of cancerous tissues, in 29.41% (10/34) of noncancereous tissues from the 34 HCC patients and in 50.00% (5/10) liver cirrhosis from patients without HCC. None of the 4 normal liver samples were detected E-cadherin mehylation positive. Moreover, the methylation of E-cadherin gene was significantly more frequent in 34 cancerous than that in corresponding noncancerous liver tissues (Plt;0.05), which had no significant difference between the 10 cirrhotic samples and cancerous or non-cancerous liver tissues (Pgt;0.05). In 34 cancerous samples, with the combination of both biomarkers of E-cadherin methylation and AFP400 (serum AFP level at a cutoff of 400 μg/L), the diagnostic sensitivity of HCC increased to 82.35%. ConclusionsThe aberrant promoter methylation of E-cadherin gene may play a vital role in the development and progression of HCC. Moreover, it might be an early event in hepatocarcinogensis. It is of high value to make further study to confirm the significance of E-cadherin gene methylation in clinical diagnosis and therapy.