Journal of Medical Ultrasonics最新文献

{"title":"One-transmission harmonic imaging with high spatial resolutions using probe consisting of two piezoelectric layer elements.","authors":"Ryo Nagaoka, Shin-Ichiro Umemura, Masaaki Omura, Hideyuki Hasegawa","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01661-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-026-01661-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Pulse inversion (PI) harmonic imaging has been commonly used because of its contrast and spatial resolution superior to conventional fundamental imaging. However, it requires two transmissions with opposite phases, which reduces the imaging frame rate by half. This study aimed to solve this problem METHOD: An ultrasonic array probe consisting of piezoelectric elements with two polarization-inverted layers, which requires only one transmission to extract the second harmonic components, was developed. Its characteristics, such as electric impedance and its phase, were predicted by solving piezoelectric as well as wave equations, and then compared with measurement. The acoustic pressures produced from the developed probe, when excited at the lower and higher resonant frequencies, were measured using a hydrophone. Finally, imaging of wires in water and phantoms containing wires and a cyst model were performed using the developed probe RESULT: The spatial resolution, especially in the axial direction, was significantly improved with the developed probe consisting of the two piezoelectric layer elements in comparison with the conventional second harmonic imaging (HI) using a band pass filter. It was almost comparable to that of conventional PI imaging despite only one transmission being required CONCLUSION: A probe consisting of two piezoelectric layer elements enabling one-transmission HI was developed. The spatial resolution obtained using the developed probe was slightly worse but almost comparable to that of conventional PI imaging even with only one transmission.</p>","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148340930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamic anatomical ultrasound assessment for breast lesions: a prospective study of diagnostic performance.","authors":"Ayumi Izumori, Yumi Kokubu, Takehiko Sakai, Futoshi Akiyama, Takuji Iwase, Woo Kyung Moon, Takayuki Ueno","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01657-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10396-026-01657-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To determine whether a dynamic ultrasound approach, termed anatomical scanning and interpretation, improves diagnostic performance in differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions compared with conventional static-image BI-RADS assessment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This prospective study evaluated 102 breast lesions (33 masses, 41 non-masses, and 28 distortions) classified as BI-RADS 3, 4a, or 4b. Fourteen ultrasound technologists underwent dedicated training in dynamic anatomical scanning and interpretation. Each lesion was evaluated using real-time video clips and independently categorized as requiring follow-up or biopsy. A subsequent physician-technologist consensus was performed. With histopathology as the reference standard, performance was assessed using ROC analysis, with AUC comparisons performed using the DeLong test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 102 lesions (58 benign, 44 malignant), individual technologist interpretation with dynamic imaging significantly improved diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.748, p = 0.0191) over static BI-RADS assessment (AUC = 0.619). Physician-technologist consensus showed further significant improvement (AUC = 0.865, p < 0.0001). In subgroup analysis, dynamic interpretation outperformed static assessment for masses (AUC = 0.849, p = 0.0036), but not for non-mass lesions (AUC = 0.794) or distortions (AUC = 0.618). In contrast, physician-technologist consensus interpretation demonstrated superior performance compared with static assessment across all lesion types: masses (AUC = 0.879, p < 0.0001), non-mass lesions (AUC = 0.910, p = 0.0005), and distortions (AUC = 0.838, p = 0.0432).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Dynamic anatomical scanning and interpretation significantly improve diagnostic performance over conventional static BI-RADS assessment. For non-mass lesions and architectural distortions, anatomical interpretation based on consensus between the physician and the technologist is considered essential to achieve optimal diagnostic accuracy.</p>","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148340960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cervicovaginal fistula with fetal membrane prolapse following McDonald cerclage: a case report.","authors":"Hitoshi Isohata, Takeshi Hirata, Yu Yamazaki, Hiroyuki Goto, Kyoko Hattori, Daigo Ochiai","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01668-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-026-01668-y","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148334249","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Attenuation imaging and hepatorenal index composite score for the noninvasive assessment of hepatic steatosis in chronic liver disease: a prospective multicenter study.","authors":"Tamami Abe, Hidekatsu Kuroda, Takashi Nishimura, Masahiro Yoshida, Shunya Kuroiwa, Yudai Fujiwara, Hirohisa Yano, Takayuki Matsumoto, Hiroko Iijima","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01655-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-026-01655-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The increasing prevalence of steatotic liver disease (SLD) underscores the need for reliable, noninvasive tools to assess hepatic steatosis. Existing methods, such as the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) under ultrasound, have limitations in accuracy. This study aimed to examine whether combining attenuation imaging (AI) and hepatorenal index (HRI) measurements improves discrimination of steatosis in participants with chronic liver disease (CLD).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This multicenter prospective cohort study enrolled 121 participants with CLD from two centers during 2022-2023. All participants underwent liver biopsy and ultrasound examinations, including AI and HRI measurements using a Philips EPIQ system, and CAP assessment. An AI-HRI composite score was developed using logistic regression and evaluated against individual variables through receive operating characteristic analysis, category-free net reclassification improvement (cf-NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). Internal validation was performed using bootstrap sampling.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The area under the curve values for discrimination for the AI-HRI composite score, AI, HRI, and CAP were 0.91, 0.87, 0.86, and 0.80, respectively. At a cutoff of -0.083, the sensitivity and specificity were 84.1% and 90.0%, respectively. The cf-NRI and IDI analyses demonstrated improved discrimination compared to other variables (p < 0.01). Bootstrap analysis confirmed the internal validity of the score (C-index: 0.90).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The AI-HRI composite score provides superior discrimination of steatosis in participants with CLD, potentially offering a more accurate and reliable tool for clinical assessment. These findings could facilitate improved management and early intervention in SLD.</p>","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148303824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fetal decapitation with live birth in the first trimester: a rare case report.","authors":"Zuo-Jian Yang, Jian Pang, Shuihua Yang","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01660-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-026-01660-6","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148229026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reference values for Japanese fetal penile length.","authors":"Toshiyuki Hata, Yume Takahashi, Miyu Konishi, Aya Koyanagi, Yasunari Miyagi, Takahito Miyake","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01651-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-026-01651-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To determine reference values for Japanese fetal penile length using ultrasonography at 18-21 + 6 as well as 28-31 + 5 weeks of gestation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Three hundred and five pregnant women were enrolled in the study, and fetal penile length was measured at both 18-21 + 6 and 28-31 + 5 weeks of gestation. All 305 fetuses were successfully measured. Outer penile length (OPL) of the male fetus was measured, and OPL reference values were determined. Intra- and inter-observer agreements regarding OPL were also assessed with Bland-Altman plots and intra- and inter-correlation coefficients.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>OPL showed an increasing trend with advancing gestation at 18-21 + 6 (r = 0.2757, p < 0.001) and 28-31 + 5 (r = 0.2306, p < 0.001) weeks. Intra- and inter-reproducibilities of OPL were excellent. Intra- and inter-correlation coefficients of OPL were 0.982287 and 0.885602, respectively, at 18-21 + 6 weeks, and 0.994104 and 0.97343, respectively, at 28-31 + 5 weeks.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results provide reference values for Japanese fetal penile length, which may promote accurate prenatal diagnoses of hypospadias, micropenis, and buried penis in Japan.</p>","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148165474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of ultrasonography for the detection of prostate cancer.","authors":"Satoshi Kuroda, Soichiro Yuzuriha, Kumpei Takahashi, Jun Naruse, Nobuyuki Nakajima, Sunao Shoji","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01652-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-026-01652-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an essential tool for localizing intraprostatic tumors and detecting clinically significant prostate cancer (csPC). However, limitations related to cost, availability, and the presence of MRI-invisible lesions have driven interest in alternative imaging modalities. Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), routinely performed by urologists, has evolved substantially with the development of advanced ultrasound technologies. Conventional gray-scale TRUS enables real-time assessment of prostate morphology and provides guidance for biopsy; however, its sensitivity for detecting csPC remains limited. Recent advances, including 29-MHz micro-ultrasound, color and power Doppler imaging, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, superb microvascular imaging (SMI), and elastography, have significantly expanded the diagnostic capability of ultrasound. Micro-ultrasound offers high-resolution visualization of ductal architecture and lesion morphology, and it has demonstrated diagnostic performance comparable to multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) in several prospective studies. Doppler-based techniques and SMI enable assessment of tumor-associated vascularity, while elastography provides quantitative assessment of tissue stiffness, which correlates with tumor aggressiveness. The integration of multiple ultrasound modalities, known as multiparametric ultrasound (mpUS), has shown promising diagnostic accuracy for csPC detection. Recent studies suggest that mpUS can identify clinically significant cancers missed by mpMRI and may serve as a complementary or alternative imaging strategy, particularly when MRI is unavailable or impractical.</p>","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148165510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temporal changes in the talofibular distance during ultrasound-guided anterior drawer testing in grade III lateral ankle sprains: a retrospective observational study.","authors":"Yuto Uchida, Masashi Kawabata, Yusuke Kumazawa, Akira Ogawa, Kazuya Takagi, Kazuma Miyatake, Takumi Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Tomonori Kenmoku, Naonobu Takahira","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01653-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-026-01653-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Grade III lateral ankle sprains feature complete anterior talofibular ligament rupture and severe mechanical instability. Although conservative care is standard, the time course of anterior displacement remains unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This single-center retrospective case series included eight consecutive patients (≥ 12 years old) with Grade III lateral ankle sprains confirmed by radiography and ultrasound (April 2021-December 2023). Patients underwent ultrasound-guided reverse anterior drawer testing at four time points: initial consultation and weeks 1, 3, and 5. The primary outcome was change in talofibular distance (max-min during testing). All measurements were obtained by one examiner using automated length measurement system software. Patients were immobilized for up to 2 weeks, then used a functional brace until week 8. Early weight-bearing was allowed. Rehabilitation began after immobilization, with jogging and sport-specific drills at week 3, with return to sport targeted for week 8.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mean change in talofibular distance (mm) was 2.99 ± 1.06 at baseline, 2.73 ± 1.08 at week 1, 1.02 ± 0.97 at week 3, and 1.32 ± 0.96 at week 5; unaffected side 1.23 ± 0.23. Significant improvement was seen between weeks 1 and 3 (p = 0.007) and relative to baseline at weeks 3 (p < 0.001) and 5 (p = 0.020).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In this small, single-center retrospective series, anterior displacement decreased most prominently by week 3 after injury. These findings are hypothesis-generating and require confirmation in larger prospective studies before informing treatment protocols or return-to-sport decisions.</p>","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148044357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of ulnar nerve displacement at different shoulder abduction angles in high school baseball players.","authors":"Sohei Shimizu, Masashi Kawabata, Yuto Sano, Koji Saito, Yudai Nagano, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Naonobu Takahira","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01650-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-026-01650-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Ulnar neuropathy is a common condition among athletes who perform repetitive throwing motions. Dynamic displacement of the ulnar nerve during elbow flexion may contribute to medial elbow pain and impaired finger function. However, the reported prevalence of ulnar nerve displacement varies considerably, and differences in postural evaluation may contribute to these discrepancies. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether shoulder abduction angle influences the prevalence of dynamic ulnar nerve displacement observed during ultrasonographic assessment in high school baseball players.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional study included 51 male high school baseball players from a single team. Dynamic ultrasonographic assessment of both elbows was performed at shoulder abduction angles of 30° and 100° to evaluate ulnar nerve displacement. Displacement during elbow flexion was classified into three categories: non-dislocation, subluxation, and dislocation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>At 30° shoulder abduction, ulnar nerve displacement occurred in 35/50 (70.0%) throwing-side elbows and 26/50 (52.0%) non-throwing-side elbows. At 100° shoulder abduction, it occurred in 38/50 (76.0%) throwing-side elbows and 27/50 (54.0%) non-throwing-side elbows. The incidence rates were significantly higher on the throwing side than on the non-throwing side under both conditions (p = 0.001). Increasing shoulder abduction from 30° to 100° resulted in only a slight increase in the prevalence of ulnar nerve displacement, from 70.0% to 76.0% on the throwing side and from 52.0% to 54.0% on the non-throwing side; however, neither change was statistically significant (p = 0.69).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In high school baseball players, the prevalence of ulnar nerve displacement did not differ significantly between 30° and 100° of shoulder abduction. This finding suggests that shoulder abduction alone may have a limited influence on ulnar nerve dynamics.</p>","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148037189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ultrasound-guided biopsy for thoracic lesions: diagnostic performance, safety, and potential role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound.","authors":"Masato Saito, Hiroki Okuda, Akemi Ohtani, Hiroki Sato, Kenichiro Nitta, Kisara Koike, Masanori Someya","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01648-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-026-01648-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To retrospectively evaluate the diagnostic performance and safety of ultrasound (US)-guided biopsy for thoracic lesions, exploring the potential role of contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) for tissue sampling accuracy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This single-center retrospective study included 14 consecutive cases that underwent US-guided biopsy for thoracic lesions. The mean age was 68 ± 12 years (8 males, 6 females). Lesions were located in the lung (n = 3), mediastinum (n = 4), chest wall (n = 3), and rib (n = 4). Biopsies were performed using an 18- or 20-gauge core needle under B-mode and color Doppler guidance. CEUS using Sonazoid^® was employed in three cases: two with suspected necrosis and one with renal impairment. The primary outcome measures were technical and clinical success, diagnostic accuracy, and complications.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Technical and clinical success rates were both 100% (14/14). Diagnostic accuracy was 92.8% (13/14) with a false-negative rate of 9.1% (1/11 malignant cases). Median biopsies: 2 (range: 1-4); mean procedure time: 24.0 ± 12.5 min. Diagnoses included three benign and 11 malignant lesions. One complication (7.1%) occurred: mild pneumothorax managed conservatively. This case required four biopsies due to necrotic tissue sampling. CEUS-guided cases achieved diagnosis within three biopsies without complications, with successful identification of viable tissue in all cases.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>US-guided biopsy for thoracic lesions demonstrates high success rates and safety comparable to those in the literature. In this limited series, CEUS showed potential for identifying viable tissue in cases with suspected necrosis and enabled lesion evaluation while minimizing iodinated contrast exposure in patients with renal impairment. Validation in larger studies is needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148007214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}