Objective To observe the pathological changes of branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods Twenty-six eyes of 26 patients with BRAO diagnosed in our Center from December 2002 to June 2005 were examined by OCT. The intervals of disease onsets and OCT examinations in all patients were within 2 weeks. The OCT scan modes were horizontal or vertical lines, and the locations of OCT scanning were macular area and the posterior pole of retina. The retinal thicknesses of macular foveola were measured and the macular thicknesses in different obstructive locations were compared using ANOVA analysis. The correlations of visual acuity and retinal thickness were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. Results Among the 26 eyes with BRAO, 9 eyes with temporosuperior artery occlusion, 8 eyes with temporoinferior artery occlusion, 7 eyes with arteriole occlusion and 2 eyes with retinal ciliary artery occlusion were observed. The pathological characteristics of OCT images of BRAO were increased retinal thickness and reflectivity in the obstructive locations, and widened dark area of photoreceptors (edema), while there was no obvious foveal edema were observed. The retinal images in other locations were normal. The average macular foveal thickness in the groups of temporosuperior artery occlusion, temporoinferior artery occlusion and retina arteriole occlusion were (161.11plusmn;17.66) mu;m, (148.38plusmn;18.48) mu;m and (136.29plusmn;14.94) mu;m, respectively (F=4.137,P=0.031,Pgt;0.01). There was no correlation of visual acuity with retinal thickness in 24 eyes (r＝0.285，P＝0.176，Pgt;0.01). Conclusion OCT could display the pathological changes of retinal tissue of BRAO in vivo. The increases of macular foveal thicknesses in BRAO eyes are not so obvious, and no correlations could be seen between visual acuity and macular foveal thickness. OCT is indicated on the old patients and the patients with systemic diseases for whom FFA is contraindicated. The unique characteristics of pathological changes of BRAO indicated by OCT images supply the objective signs for the instant clinical diagnosis. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2007, 23: 173-176)
ObjectiveTo explore the effects of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) on the reverse differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells into liver cancer stem cells, and the maintenance of malignant biological behavior in hypoxic environment.MethodsCD133-negative cells in HepG2 cells were separated by immunomagnetic beads and divided into two groups. The cells of siRNA group were transfected with siRNA-HIF-1α to silence the expression of HIF-1α gene, while cells of the blank control group did not transfect any siRNA fragments. The two groups of cells were cultured under normal and hypoxic conditions respectively. MTT, cloning and Transwell chamber experiments were used to detect the proliferation and invasion ability of cells. Western blot and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) were used to detect the expressions of HIF-1α, CD133, CD90, and CD44 protein and mRNA in cells.ResultsMTT results showed that the cell proliferation rate increased with the prolongation of hypoxia in four groups. Compared with the blank control group at 24, 32, 40, and 48 hours, the cell proliferation rate decreased significantly after siRNA-HIF-1a transfection, on both two kinds of cultured conditions (P<0.05). The results of plate cloning experiment showed that the number of cell-forming clones increased significantly after hypoxic culture (there were significant differences between the transfected normoxic group and transfected hypoxic group, blank control normoxic group and blank control hypoxic group, P<0.05); and the formation of transfected hypoxic condition group at the same time of hypoxia was also significant (P<0.05). The number of clones were significantly less than that of the blank control group at the hypoxic condition (P<0.05). Transwell lab experiment showed that after hypoxic culture, the number of cells migrated to the inferior chamber in the transfection group was significantly reduced compared with that of the blank control group (P<0.05). Western blot and RT-PCR results showed that the expression levels of HIF-1α protein and tumor stem cell markers (CD133, CD90, and CD44 protein) in the blank control hypoxic condition group were significantly higher than those in the other three groups (P<0.05); after siRNA-HIF-1a transfection, HIF-1α mRNA and tumor stem cell markers mRNA (CD133, CD90, and CD44 mRNA) in the transfected hypoxic condition group were significantly lower than those in the transfected normal condition group and the blank control normal condition group (P<0.05).ConclusionsIn hypoxia environment, HIF-1α can promote hepatocellular carcinoma cells to differentiate into liver cancer stem cells and enhance their malignant biological behavior.
Objective To compare the macular imaging and measurements of patients with idiopathic epiretinal membranes (ERM) by stratus optical coherence tomography (OCT) and two different types of spectral-domain OCT. Methods Forty-six consecutive patients (46 eyes) diagnosed as idiopathic ERM in the period of August 2008 to October 2008 were enrolled in this study. The patients included 11 males and 35 females, with a mean age of (61.04plusmn;10.13) years. Twenty-one age- and sex- matched normal subjects (21 eyes) were enrolled in this study as control group. All the subjects underwent stratus OCT, cirrus OCT and 3D OCT-1000 examinations. The macular area was divided into three concentric circles which including central region with 1 mm diameter, inner area with ＞1 mm but le;3 mm diameter, and outer ring area with ＞3 mm but le;6 mm diameter. The inner area and outer ring area were divided into superior, nasal, inferior and temporal quadrants by two radioactive rays. The characteristics of OCT images and the quantitative measurements were compared among these three machines. The macular thickness of ERM group and control group was also compared. And the correlation of visual acuity and the macular thickness in idiopathic ERM patients was evaluated. Results The increased macular retinal thickness, disorder structure of inner retina, uneven surface and proliferative inner and outer plexiform layer were observed in ERM group by stratus and spectral-domain OCT. But the minor pathological changes on inner retina structure and internal surface proliferation could be observed more clearly by spectral-domain OCT than those by stratus OCT.The macular thicknesses of all the subjects measured by Cirrus OCT and 3D OCT-1000 were thicker than those measured by Stratus OCT (t=7.445-11.253,P=0.000). The correlations of measurements between three OCTs were good (r＞0.9). The flatted or disappeared fovea of ERM patient group was observed by all three OCTs. The macular thicknesses on different subfields of patients in ERM group were thicker than those in control group, especially in the 1-3 mm inner ring (t=2.477-10.139,P＜0.05). Moderate negative correlations were shown on the macular thickness and visual acuity in ERM group (r=-0.216-0.517). Conclusions Spectral domain OCT yields better visualization of the intraretinal layers than time domain OCT. The images in spectral domain OCT are more clear and fine compared to stratus OCT. Stratus OCT correlates with spectral domain OCT, but they are different, and cannot be replaced by each other.
Objective To compare difference of the cross-sectional pathological imaging and quantitative measurement of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) between time- and fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods Consecutive 26 patients (26 eyes) with unilaterial CSC were subsumed. Bilateral eyes of all the patients underwent time- and fourier-domain OCT. Horizontal and vertical line scanning and radial six-line scanning protocols were used for timedomain OCT examination; horizontal and vertical high resolution five-line scanning and macular cube scanning protocols were used for fourier-domain OCT examination. The characteristics of OCT images, retinal segmentation and the quantitative measurement were compared between these two methods. Results Fourier-domain OCT could yield the three-dimensional images of surface of inner limiting membrane (ILM) and RPE. The band of external limiting membrane (ELM) of normal subjects and CSC patients, and the inner segment and outer segment (IS/OS) of normal subjects could be clearly shown by fourier-domain OCT. However, the band of IS/OS disappeared in 65.4% of the CSC patients. The outer boundary of retina was defined in front of the retinal pigmental epithelia (RPE) by fourier-domain OCT. The foveal thickness of normal subjects and CSC patients was (180.50plusmn;12.69) and (158.41plusmn;34.20) mu;m, respevtively. The height of detachment of neural epithelial layer was (245.84plusmn;154.61) mu;m measured by fourier-domain OCT. The band of IS/OS of normal subjects could be clearly shown by time-domain OCT. However, the band of IS/OS disappeared in 73.4% of the CSC patients, which showed no difference with fourier-domain OCT (Z=-0.108, P=0.914). The outer boundary of retina was defined in front of the IS/OS band by OCT. The foveal thickness of normal subjects was (141.16plusmn;12.75) mu;m, which was thinner than that measured by fourier-domain OCT (t=20.671，P=0.000). The foveal thickness and the height of detachment of neural epithelial layer was (146.40plusmn;36.28) mu;m and (240.32plusmn;156.82) mu;m measured by time-domain OCT, respectively, which showed no significant difference with which measured by fourier-domain OCT (t value was from 0.026 to 1.517, P value was from 0.144 to 0.980). Conclusions Fourier-domain OCT yields better visualization of intraretinal layers and more accurate definition of outer boundary of retina than time-domain OCT. Thus the measurements by fourier-domain OCT were more accurate. Moreover, three-dimensional images of CSC shown by fourier-domain OCT enable the comprehensive observation of pathological morphology and location.
Objective To observe the features of the images of optical coherence tomograpy (OCT) in patients with traumatic macular hole (TMH), and detect the clinical significance of OCT. Methods Consecutive 74 patients (74 eyes) diagnosed with TMH by examinations of visual acuity, slit lamp, and direct or indirect ophthalmoscopy underwent optical coherence tomography (OCT). The analysis software of OCT was used to make the quantitative measurements of TMH. And the TMH were classified according to the morphological characteristics of the images of OCT. 50deg;color fundus photography was performed on the patients after OCT. The relationship of TMH with the average visual acuity, disease duration, average neuroepithelial thickness on the margin of hole, and the base diameter and the apex diameter of macular hole were retrospectively analyzed. Results The characterisctics of the images of 74 cases (74 eyes) of TMH were classified into 5 types: macular holes with symmetric edema of the neurosensory retina at the margin in 27 eyes (36.5%), macular holes with asymmetric edema of the neurosensory retina at the margin in 12 eyes (16.2%), macular hole with full-thickness defect of neurosensory retina without edema or detachment at the margin in 14 eyes (18.9%), macular hole with localized detachment of the neurosensory retina at the margin without edema in 17 eyes (23.0%), and macular hole with thinning neurosensory retina in 4 eyes ( 5.4%). There was no significant difference of visual acuity among different types of TMH (F=1.574, P=0.191). The visual acuity was positively related with the marginal retinal thickness (r=0.342, P=0.003), but not related to age, diameter of macular hole or the disease duration (r value was from －0.022 to －0.134，P value was from 0.863 to 0.261）. The disease duration of Type IV TMH was shorter than that of other TMH types. In the patients with the disease duration over 90 days, Type I TMH was predominant. The average retinal thicknesses at the margin of the hole showed significant differences among different TMH types (F=13.921, P=0.000). Conclusions TMH could be divided into 5 types according to the characteristics of images of OCT; the clinical characteristics of different types of TMH varies.
ObjectiveTo analyze the results and rationality of the lesion-focused strategy with subsegment as the pulmonary anatomical unit for pulmonary nodules with a diameter of ≤2 cm which require surgery. MethodsClinical data of 246 patients with pulmonary nodules who underwent surgery in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2017 to October 2018 were retrospectively analyzed, including 76 males and 170 females, with an average age of 53.30±11.82 years. The patients were divided into four groups, a single segmentectomy group, a segmentectomy combined with adjacent subsegmentectomy group, a single subsegmentectomy group and a combined subsegmentectomy group, according to the different surgical approaches, to compare preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative related data. ResultsThere was no perioperative death. Among the four groups, there was no statistical difference in gender (P=0.163), age (P=0.691), diameter of the nodule (P=0.743), longitudinal position of the nodule (depth ratio, P=0.831), postoperative pulmonary leakage (P=0.752), intraoperative blood loss (P=0.135), pathological type (P=0.951) or TNM stage (P=0.995); there were statistical differences in transverse position of the nodule (P<0.001) and number of subsegments involved (P<0.001). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that compared with combined subsegmentectomy, the odds ratio (OR) of the lung nodule in segmentectomy combined with adjacent subsegmentectomy as intersegment nodules was 5.759 (95%CI 1.162 to 28.539, P=0.032).Conclusion The surgical strategy of lesion focused and subsegment as anatomical unit is safe and feasible for surgical treatment of pulmonary nodules with diameter ≤2 cm. The transverse position of the nodules is an important factor affecting the choice of surgical method for the middle and lateral nodules with a diameter of ≤2 cm, and the longitudinal location of the nodule is not an influencing factor. For nodules in inner zone, the diameter also is one of the factors influencing the choice of surgical method.
ObjectiveTo analyze the incidence and drainage pattern of the specific collateral vein (VL) located between several adjacent segments of the bilateral upper lung, and its clinical significance in the surgical treatment of early lung cancer. MethodsThe preoperative three-dimensional computed tomography bronchography and angiography (3D CTBA) data of 1 515 patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from 2017 to 2020 were analyzed retrospectively, including 524 males and 991 females, with an average age of 54.27±11.43 years. There were 712 patients of right upper lung and 803 patients of left upper lung. The incidence and drainage pattern of VL in bilateral upper lungs were analyzed. Furthermore, the imaging data and medical records of 113 patients in the left upper lung were reviewed to investigate the influence of the relative position relationship between nodules and VL on the selection of operation. ResultsThe overall incidence of VL was 72.7% (1102/1 515) in the bilateral upper lungs, including 68.0% (484/712) in the right upper lung, and 77.0% (618/803) in the left upper lung. The incidence of VL in the left side was significantly higher than that in the right side (P＜0. 05). VL mainly drained into V2a+b (327/484, 67.6%) in the right upper lung and into V1+2b+c (389/618, 62.9%) in the left upper lung. When the spherical simulative cutting margin of 2 cm of the nodule did not involve VL, it was more feasible to undergo sublobectomy than those whose simulative cutting margin of 2 cm involved VL, and the difference was statistically significant (91.9% vs. 61.5%, P＜0.05). When the spherical simulative cutting margin of 2 cm of nodule involved VL, the lesion located in the middle or inner zone was more feasible to undergo lobectomy than that in the outer zone, but the difference was not statistically significant (43.8% vs. 34.8%, P＞0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that diameter of the lesion, whether the spherical simulative margin of 2 cm involving VL and the depth ratio of the lesion were independent risk factors affecting the surgical options (P<0.05). ConclusionThe incidence of the specific collateral vein in bilateral upper lungs is high, and the drainage pattern is diverse, which has important guiding significance for preoperative planning and intraoperative manipulation. For deep nodules adjacent to VL, lobectomy or resection of left upper division is often performed to ensure a safe margin.