In this study, we have reported a correlation between structural brain changes and electroencephalography (EEG) in response to tactile stimulation in ten comatose patients after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Structural morphometry showed a decrease in whole-brain cortical thickness, cortical gray matter volume, and subcortical structures in ten comatose patients compared to fifteen healthy controls. The observed decrease in gray matter volume indicated brain atrophy in coma patients induced by TBI. In resting-state EEG, the power of slow-wave activity was significantly higher (2–6 Hz), and the power of alpha and beta rhythms was lower in coma patients than in controls. During tactile stimulation, coma patients’ theta rhythm power significantly decreased compared to that in the resting state. This decrease was not observed in the control group and correlated positively with better coma outcome and the volume of whole-brain gray matter, the right putamen, and the insula. It correlated negatively with the volume of damaged brain tissue. During tactile stimulation, an increase in beta rhythm power correlated with the thickness of patients’ somatosensory cortex. Our results showed that slow-wave desynchronization, as a nonspecific response to tactile stimulation, may serve as a sensitive index of coma outcome and morphometric changes after brain injury.

The concept of “contrast-induced acute renal injury” (CI-AKI) is an increase in the level of plasma creatinine, recorded within 48 hours after contrast drug administration. This condition is the third most common cause of chronic renal failure occurring in a hospital. Despite the rather frequent occurrence of this phenomenon, it is not completely clear whether all such cases can really be explained by the exceptionally wide spread of procedures with contrast agent administration, because a decrease in kidney function is often found in inpatient patients. Since there is no treatment for CI-AKI, many groups of scientists have attempted to develop a prevention regimen. However, such measures are fraught with a number of difficulties: possible consequences for patients, logistical difficulties in a medical institution, costs of funds. The effectiveness of these measures has also not been unequivocally proven. In particular, in the course of a large AMACING study, it was shown that hydration does not reduce the likelihood of developing CI-AKI, but significantly increases the patient's treatment costs and can cause specific complications. In addition, there is a lot of literature evidence in favor of the fact that the hydration technique is effective for preventing a decrease in kidney function only in patients who have undergone intra-arterial administration of a contrast agent. Thus, the need for drug prevention of CI-AKI is currently being questioned, research in this area is actively continuing.

Aim To compare assessments of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volumes obtained with a semi-automatic, physician-performed analysis and an automatic analysis using a machine-learning algorithm by data of low-dose (LDCT) and standard computed tomography (CT) of chest organs. Material and methods        This analytical, retrospective, transversal study randomly included 100 patients from a database of a united radiological informational service (URIS). The patients underwent LDCT as a part of the project “Low-dose chest computed tomography as a screening method for detection of lung cancer and other diseases of chest organs” (n=50) and chest CT according to a standard protocol (n=50) in outpatient clinics of Moscow. Each image was read by two radiologists on a Syngo. via VB20 workstation. In addition, each image was evaluated with a developed machine-learning algorithm, which provides a completely automatic measurement of EAT. Results   Comparison of EAT volumes obtained with chest LDCT and CT showed highly consistent results both for the expert-performed semi-automatic analyses (correlation coefficient >98 %) and between the expert layout and the machine-learning algorithm (correlation coefficient >95 %). Time of performing segmentation and volumetry on one image with the machine-learning algorithm was not longer than 40 sec, which was 30 times faster than the quantitative analysis performed by an expert and potentially facilitated quantification of the EAT volume in the clinical conditions. Conclusion            The proposed method of automatic volumetry will expedite the analysis of EAT for predicting the risk of ischemic heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Several COVID-19 patients are subjected to multiple imaging examinations during hospitalization, the cumulative effect of which can significantly increase the total dose of radiation received. The effective radiation dose can be reduced by lowering the current and voltage of the X-ray tube, but this reduces image quality. One possible solution is to use adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction technology on the raw CT data. Recently, data on the efficacy of low-dose CT (LDCT) in the diagnosis of COVID-19 have appeared in the literature. AIM: To analyze the quality and diagnostic value of LDCT images of the lungs after applying an iterative processing algorithm and to assess the possibility of reducing the radiation load on the patient when diagnosing COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients from the Infectious Diseases Department of the Moscow State University Hospital participated in the prospective study. CT examinations were performed at the time of patient admission and discharge and were repeated as needed during hospitalization. In the first study, a standard CT protocol with a tube voltage of 120 kV and automatic current modulation in the range of 200400 mA was used; in repeated CT scans, the LDKT protocol was used with reduced tube voltage parameters (100 or 110 kV) and automatic current modulation in the range of 40120 mA. To assess the diagnostic value of LDCT in comparison with standard CT, a survey was conducted among doctors from the Department of Radiation Diagnostics at Moscow State University Hospital. The questionnaire included a comparison of the two methods for identifying the following pathological processes: ground-glass opacities, compaction of the lung tissue with reticular changes, areas of lung tissue consolidation, and lymphadenopathy. RESULTS: The study included 151 patients. The average age was 5814.2 years, with men accounting for 53.6% of the population. During LDCT the radiation load was reduced by 2.96 times on average, CTDI by 2.6 times, DLP by 3.1 times, the current on the tube by 1.83 times, and the voltage on the tube by 1.2 times. The results indicate that the effectiveness of detecting the main signs of viral pneumonia and assessing the dynamics of the patients condition does not differ significantly from CT performed according to the standard protocol. CONCLUSIONS: The results of a comparison of standard and low-dose CT show that there is no significant loss of diagnostic information and image quality as the radiation load is reduced. Thus, chest LDCT can be used to successfully diagnose COVID-19 in routine practice.

In recent years, the frequency of contrast-enhanced radiological studies has increased significantly, and the issues of their selection and rational use do not lose their relevance. These methodological recommendations represent a complete up-to-date guide for using contrast agents (CA) in radiology. Types of currently used CA in computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound examinations are described. Safety rules for injection of each CA type are systematized, the principles of dosing and possible side effects are explained. In addition, it is important to highlight the issues of interactions between CA and other drugs that patient might take, in particular, the possible deterioration of renal function when using CA in diabetes mellitus patients taking metformin. It should be noted that these recommendations have undergone significant changes in recent years. Also questionnaire templates for patients prior to the contrast-enhanced study are given in the supplements. The methodological guidelines are based on current publications of international experts on CA use in radiology as well as on the data of two major guidelines: American College of Radiologists (ACR) Guidelines (2023) and European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR) Safety Recommendations (2018, version 10). Thus, the information presented is validated, which provides grounds for its application in real clinical practice. The guidelines will be actualized as new scientific evidence becomes available, but to date they appear to be the most relevant.

Coronavirus infection is still a topic of interest in the medical community today. Among the heterogeneous clinical manifestations of this disease, lesions of cardiac structures often occur. They are mainly inflammatory in nature and can be acute or delayed. Aside from myocarditis, coronavirus infection can induce cardiac injuries, including acute coronary syndrome, thromboembolic events, heart failure, and heart rhythm disturbances. It is well known that the prognosis for patients with cardiac lesions significantly worsens; timely diagnosis and treatment initiation play an important role in preventing severe complications. This review presents the most recent literature data on the pathogenesis of cardiac lesions in COVID-19 patients and discusses the rational diagnosis of this pathology using modern techniques, such as laboratory, functional imaging (cardiac magnetic resonance is the most important of these), and invasive ones. It is now established that diagnosing myocarditis caused by coronavirus infection differs fundamentally from diagnosing other types of myocarditis. Furthermore, the main aspects of inflammatory heart lesions associated with COVID-19 vaccination are discussed, as this complication occurs more frequently than is commonly believed. It is often used as a rationale for refusing vaccination; however, this decision may severely affect the individual and the population.