Journal of Medical Ultrasonics最新文献

{"title":"Right atrial infective endocarditis originating from superior vena cava thrombophlebitis related to a dialysis catheter monitored using transthoracic echocardiography.","authors":"Kenichiro Yambe, Takahiro Ohara, Kentaro Yano, Takehumi Mori, Katsutoshi Furukawa","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01643-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-026-01643-7","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147984315","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":"Clinical significance of acoustic shadowing without high-echo signal in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.","authors":"Yuna Omori, Mitsuyoshi Hirokawa, Miyoko Higuchi, Maki Oshita, Hiroyuki Yamaoka, Makoto Fujishima, Akira Miyauchi, Takashi Akamizu","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01644-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-026-01644-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) with acoustic shadowing without a high-echo signal is occasionally encountered in clinical practice. However, the pathophysiology underlying such findings has not been investigated. We aimed to elucidate the clinical significance of acoustic shadowing without a high-echo signal in PTMC.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Nine PTMC nodules with acoustic shadowing but no high-echo signal and 76 PTMC nodules without acoustic shadowing or high-echo signal were included. Nodules were analyzed using ultrasound, aspiration cytology, and histological examination.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Punctate echogenic foci were not observed in PTMC nodules with acoustic shadowing but no high-echo signals. The frequency (11.1%) of psammoma bodies in PTMC nodules with acoustic shadowing was lower than that in nodules without acoustic shadowing (31.6%); however, the difference was not significant. Extensive hyalinization was observed in 66.7% and 3.9% of PTMC nodules with and without acoustic shadowing, respectively (p < 0.001). The distributions of acoustic shadowing and hyalinized stroma were correlated.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Acoustic shadowing without a high-echo signal is caused not by calcification but rather by extensive hyalinization. Our results may help refine the sonographic criteria for PTMC and provide a novel imaging marker for identifying indolent tumors, thereby supporting active surveillance strategies and potentially reducing overtreatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147976978","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":"Risk stratification of preterm birth using the uterocervical angle and its rate of change in mid- and late-pregnancy: a single-center retrospective study.","authors":"Naofumi Yamane, Yusuke Matoba, Takuto Uyama, Yuka Enokizono, Kousuke Nakamoto, Yuko Teraoka, Yuriko Oomori, Katsuyuki Tomono, Tomomi Yamazaki, Yurika Mukai, Kouji Banno, Ken Yamaguchi","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01634-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-026-01634-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Mid-pregnancy cervical length (CL) has limited predictive performance for spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) in the normal range. The uterocervical angle (UCA) is a promising marker, but evidence regarding late-pregnancy UCA and its longitudinal change is limited. We evaluated UCA in mid- and late-pregnancy and the % change (ΔUCA) as predictors of sPTB, and developed a pragmatic risk-stratification scheme using these parameters.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In a single-center retrospective study, 163 singleton pregnancies were analyzed. UCA was measured on transvaginal ultrasound at 16-24 weeks (mid-pregnancy) and 25-33 weeks (late-pregnancy). ΔUCA was calculated as the % change from mid to late-pregnancy. Predictive performance for sPTB (< 37 weeks) was assessed using logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A mid-pregnancy UCA ≥ 105° had a sensitivity of 85.4%, specificity of 76.9%, and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.858 (95% CI 0.768-0.948) for prediction of sPTB. In contrast, CL < 25 mm had a sensitivity of 8.3% (mid-pregnancy) and 17.9% (late-pregnancy). A late-pregnancy UCA ≥ 112° had a sensitivity of 81.8%, specificity of 56.7%, and AUC of 0.728 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.623-0.833), and ΔUCA ≥  + 12% predicted sPTB with a sensitivity of 81.2%, specificity of 66.7%, and AUC of 0.742 (95% CI 0.579-0.905). Using three criteria (mid-pregnancy UCA ≥ 105°, late-pregnancy UCA ≥ 112°, ΔUCA ≥  + 12%), preterm birth rates were 1.4% (low-risk: 0 points) vs. 46.2% (high-risk: 3 points) (p < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>UCA in mid- and late-pregnancy and ΔUCA predict sPTB with higher sensitivity than CL shortening alone, offering a noninvasive complement to current screening. In particular, a mid-pregnancy UCA ≥ 105° and ΔUCA ≥  + 12% may identify clinically important high-risk cases.</p>","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147965333","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":"Pancoast tumor detected on ultrasound through supraclavicular fossa.","authors":"Yuki Ohnishi, Yasuhiro Suyama","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01647-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-026-01647-3","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147864728","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":"Embryonic reference values for nuchal translucency thickness and ductus venosus blood flow at 8-10 + 6 gestational weeks.","authors":"Toshiyuki Hata, Miyu Konishi, Aya Koyanagi, Yasunari Miyagi, Takahito Miyake, Nobuhiko Hayashi","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01645-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-026-01645-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To measure embryonic nuchal translucency (NT) thickness and ductus venosus (DV) blood flow indices using transvaginal two-dimensional sonography and Doppler ultrasound at 8-10 + 6 weeks.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Transvaginal scans were performed for 149 normal and three abnormal embryos (trisomy 18 with ventricular septal defect (VSD), tricuspid insufficiency (TR), and intrauterine fetal death with trisomy 21) at 8-10 + 6 weeks. NT thickness, S wave (cm/s), D wave (cm/s), \"a\" wave (cm/s), S/a, pulsatility index (PI), and resistance index (RI) of DV were measured, and reference values for each parameter were determined.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>NT, S, D, S/a, PI, and RI increased linearly with advancing gestation (p < 0.01). The 'a' (mean, 5.55 cm/s; SD, 1.8 cm/s) value was constant at 8-10 + 6 weeks of gestation. There were significant linear correlations between NT, S, D, S/a, PI, and RI, and crown-rump length (CRL) (p < 0.01). The \"a\" value remained unchanged with increasing CRL during this period. NT thickness (2.8 mm) in the trisomy 18 patient with VSD was high at 10 + 6 weeks, and reversed \"a\" wave was evident in the patient with TR at 10 + 1 weeks. In a fetus with intrauterine fetal death with trisomy 21 at 11 weeks and 6 days, NT thickness was 2.1 mm, and reversed DV flow was noted at 9 weeks and 6 days.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results provide reference values for NT thickness and DV flow parameters, which may advance our understanding of embryonic growth and promote earlier prenatal diagnosis of chromosome abnormalities and/or cardiac anomalies before 11 weeks.</p>","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147845385","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":"The past and future of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment.","authors":"Shin Yoshizawa","doi":"10.1007/s10396-026-01639-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10396-026-01639-3","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":"127-128"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147640361","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":"A novel technique of ultrasound-guided nerve root block: anterior compression lateral approach.","authors":"Naofumi Hashiguchi, Yasushi Fujiwara, Nanoha Sato, Akiko Matsumoto, Yasushi Murakami, Shinji Kotaka, Ryo Ota, Nobuo Adachi","doi":"10.1007/s10396-025-01588-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10396-025-01588-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Conventional posterior ultrasound-guided selective cervical nerve root block (SNRB) often fails to deliver injectate reliably into the neural foramen, while fluoroscopic guidance involves radiation exposure and specialized equipment. We developed a novel anterior compression lateral (ACL) ultrasound-guided approach to provide radiation-free, real-time visualization with improved intraforaminal delivery. This study compared ACL with conventional ultrasound (US) and fluoroscopy (FL) in terms of needle placement accuracy and injectate distribution.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective single-center cohort study measured needle tip distance from the lateral mass on anteroposterior radiographs. Contrast distribution was classified as foraminal, junctional, or extraforaminal on radiographs and confirmed with axial CT in the US and ACL subgroups. Craniocaudal spread distance was also quantified.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 114 patients with cervical radiculopathy underwent SNRB using FL (n = 56), US (n = 25), or ACL (n = 33). Radiographic intraforaminal distribution occurred in 76.8% of FL, 72.7% of ACL, and 16.0% of US injections (P < 0.0001). Needle tips in US and ACL were positioned more lateral than FL (mean offsets 4.3 ± 6.8 mm and 2.5 ± 3.9 mm vs - 3.5 ± 2.6 mm, respectively). Injectate spread was greater with US (30.8 ± 9.6 mm) and ACL (25.9 ± 15.1 mm) than FL (15.9 ± 10.7 mm) (P < 0.0001). On CT, ACL achieved higher intraforaminal contrast than US (72.7% vs 16.0%, P < 0.0001). No major complications occurred.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The ACL ultrasound-guided approach delivers intraforaminal injectate with accuracy comparable to fluoroscopy while eliminating radiation exposure. It outperforms conventional posterior ultrasound in targeting consistency and offers a precise, accessible option for outpatient cervical SNRB.</p>","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":"217-225"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13092517/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145314163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reply to comment on RE: Restricted morphological changes in infrapatellar fat pad during walking is revealed as a dynamics feature in symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.","authors":"Yosuke Ishii, Miharu Sugimoto, Akinori Nekomoto, Atsuo Nakamae, Kexin Zhu, Takato Hashizume, Kohei Matsumura, Yuko Nakashima, Makoto Takahashi, Nobuo Adachi","doi":"10.1007/s10396-025-01605-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10396-025-01605-5","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":"253-254"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145758187","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":"Comparing reference points in strain elastography for predicting autoimmune thyroiditis.","authors":"Yi-Chen Ho, Chi-Yu Kuo, Ming-Nan Chien, Shih-Ping Cheng","doi":"10.1007/s10396-025-01593-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10396-025-01593-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis shows increased stiffness on elastography. The sternocleidomastoid (SCM) or strap muscles have been used as references in strain elastography in prior studies. We aimed to compare the effects of different reference points in strain elastography on its diagnostic performance.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients referred for thyroidectomy underwent strain elastography assessment of the non-tumor-bearing thyroid parenchyma. The strain ratio was determined using either the adjacent SCM muscle or the trachea at the same depth as reference points. Final pathological results served as the standard.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 174 patients were analyzed, with 39 (22%) diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis. Multivariate logistic regression identified thyroid peroxidase antibodies, thyroglobulin antibodies, and the strain ratio using the trachea as a reference as independent predictors of thyroiditis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was significantly higher with the trachea as the reference compared to the SCM (0.854 vs. 0.611). Sensitivity analyses indicated that diagnostic performance was not affected by patient age or body habitus.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Different reference points in strain elastography significantly influence the predictability of autoimmune thyroiditis, and using the trachea as a reference improves diagnostic performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":"139-146"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145497398","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":"Reliability of liver stiffness measurements using shear wave elastography: impact of skin-to-capsule distance and subcutaneous tissue structure.","authors":"Keisuke Osakabe, Keiko Sugimoto, Hiroji Takai, Yusuke Sano, Keisuke Maeda, Koji Suzuki, Naohiro Ichino","doi":"10.1007/s10396-025-01582-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10396-025-01582-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Shear wave velocity (Vs) measurements can be unstable in individuals with obesity or with a skin-capsule distance (SCD) of ≥ 20 mm. However, instability of Vs has also been observed in cases where SCD is not markedly increased; therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the factors contributing to reduced VsN (net amount of effective shear wave velocity), an index that reflects the reliability of individual Vs measurements.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In total, 317 individuals who underwent community-based health screening were included in this study. We investigated the relationship between VsN and physical findings, laboratory data, SCD, and structure of the SCD (single vs. multilayered) to identify factors associated with decreased VsN.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Multiple regression analysis revealed that body fat percentage (β = - 0.135, p = 0.011), SCD (β = - 0.347, p < 0.0001), and the structure of the SC region (β = - 0.295, p < 0.0001) were independently associated with decreased VsN. In cases where the SCD exceeded 20 mm, the VsN within the SCD was significantly lower in the multilayer structural type [52 (28-75)] than in the single-layer structural type [95 (77-99)] (p = 0.004). Furthermore, even when the SCD was 20 mm or less, the VsN within the SCD was significantly lower in the multilayer structure type [80 (68-89)] than in the single-layer structure type [99 (92-100)] (p < 0.0001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results show that, in addition to SCD thickness, its internal structure reduces the VsN and contributes to Vs measurement instability.</p>","PeriodicalId":50130,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Ultrasonics","volume":" ","pages":"147-156"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145226339","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}