ObjectiveTo summarize the status and progress of imaging studies of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs).MethodThe relevant literatures published recently at domestic and abroad about the imaging of pNENs were collected and reviewed.ResultsDue to poor visibility of pancreatic body and tail, the application of ultrasound (US) was limited. Compared with US, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) could improve the detection rate of pNENs. The ability of plain CT scans to differentiate pathological grades was still controversial, but the value of enhanced scan was higher. CT texture analysis was feasible in the discrimination of nonhypervascular pNENs and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Teta2 was the parameter with the highest diagnostic performance. The enhanced features of MRI were similar to CT. Combined with the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value, the diagnostic and classification capabilities of MRI were improved, and the sensitivity and specificity of different ADC thresholds were also different. 68Ga-tetraazacyclododecane tetraacetic acid (68Ga-DOTA) peptide PET-CT had good preliminary diagnostic value for well-differentiated pNENs, and 18Fluoro-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET-CT had limited diagnostic value.ConclusionsSomatostatin receptor imaging is of high diagnostic value and can guide clinical treatment and predict prognosis, but it has not been widely used in China. Conventional morphological images have advantages in the diagnosis and classification of pNENs. Therefore, it is important to choose a proper image inspection method.
ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility of animal model of the reconstruction of right ventricular outflow tract in rats.MethodsA total of 15 female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats underwent right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction surgery. Before the operation, the collagen scaffolds were treated with g 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride chemistry (EDC), and seeded with human bone marrow stem cells (h-MSCs). Three days after the surgery, 3 rats were randomly sacrificed to evaluate the transmural resection of right ventricular outflow tract. One or 3 months later, other 3 rats at each timepoint were sacrificed, stained with Masson’s Trichrome to observe the degradation of scaffold. Furthermore, 4 weeks after the surgery, 4 rats were sacrificed and the hearts were sliced. Anti-human mitochondria staining was used to identify the survival of seeding cells.ResultsThe transmural resection of right ventricular outflow tract was feasible in rats at an acceptable mortality (13.3%). After EDC treatment, the degradation rate of collagen scaffold was extended greatly. The seeding cells were detected by anti-mitochandria immunofluorescent staining in all patches 4 weeks after the operation.ConclusionRat model of right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction could be a stable, reliable and economical screening model for engineered heart tissue research.