Calculation of accurate T1 relaxivity (r1) values for gadolinium-based magnetic resonance contrast agents (GBCAs) is a complex process. As such, often referenced r1 values for the GBCAs at 1.5 T, 3 T, and 7 T are based on measurements obtained in media that are not clinically relevant, derived from only a small number of concentrations, or available for only a limited number of GBCAs. This study derives the r1 values of the 8 commercially available GBCAs in human whole blood at 1.5 T, 3 T, and 7 T. Eight GBCAs were serially diluted in human whole blood, at 7 concentrations from 0.0625 to 4 mM. A custom-built phantom held the dilutions in air-tight cylindrical tubes maintained at 37 ± 0.5°C by a heat-circulating system. Images were acquired using inversion recovery sequences with inversion times from 30 milliseconds to 10 seconds at 1.5 T and 3 T as well as 60 milliseconds to 5 seconds at 7 T. A custom MATLAB program was used to automate signal intensity measurements from the images acquired of the phantom. SigmaPlot was used to calculate T1 relaxation times and, finally, r1. Measured r1 values in units of s⁻¹·mM⁻¹ at 1.5 T (3 T/7 T) were 3.9 ± 0.2 (3.4 ± 0.4/2.8 ± 0.4) for Gd-DOTA, 4.6 ± 0.2 (4.5 ± 0.3/4.2 ± 0.3) for Gd-DO3A-butrol, 4.3 ± 0.4 (3.8 ± 0.2/3.1 ± 0.4) for Gd-DTPA, 6.2 ± 0.5 (5.4 ± 0.3/4.7 ± 0.1) for Gd-BOPTA, 4.5 ± 0.1 (3.9 ± 0.2/3.7 ± 0.2) for Gd-DTPA-BMA, 4.4 ± 0.2 (4.2 ± 0.2/4.3 ± 0.2) for Gd-DTPA-BMEA, 7.2 ± 0.2 (5.5 ± 0.3/4.9 ± 0.1) for Gd-EOB-DTPA, and 4.4 ± 0.6 (3.5 ± 0.6/3.4 ± 0.1) for Gd-HP-DO3A. The agents can be stratified by relaxivity, with a significant additional dependency on field strength. This report quantifies, for the first time, T1 relaxivity for all 8 gadolinium chelates in common clinical use worldwide, at current relevant field strengths, in human whole blood at physiological temperature (37°C). The measured r1 values differ to a small degree from previously published values, where such comparisons exist, with the current r1 measurements being that most relevant to clinical practice. The macrocyclic agents, with the exception of Gd-DO3A-butrol, have slightly lower r1 values when compared with the 2 much less stable linear agents, Gd-DTPA-BMA and Gd-DTPA-BMEA. The 2 agents with hepatobiliary excretion, Gd-EOB-DTPA and Gd-BOPTA, have, at 1.5 and 3 T, substantially higher r1 values than all other agents.

Background: To explore the application value of computed tomography (CT) texture analysis in differentiating atypical pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET) from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC). Materials and methods: This single‐center retrospective study was approved by local institutional review board, and the requirement for informed consent was waived. We retrospectively analyzed 127 patients with 50 PDACs and 77 pNETs in pathology database between January 2012 and May 2017.These patients successfully finished preoperative contrast‐enhanced CT test. Texture parameters (mean, median, 5th, 10th, 25th, 75th, 90th percentiles, skewness, kurtosis and entropy) were extracted from portal images and compared between PDAC and 77 pNET groups using proper statistical method. The optimal parameters for differentiating PDACs and atypical pNETs were gained through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: On the basis of arterial enhancement, 52 pNETs (67%, 52/77) were typical hypervascular and 25 pNETs (32%, 25/77) were atypical hypovascular. Compared with PDACs, atypical pNETs had statistically higher mean, median, 5th, 10th, and 25th percentiles ( P  =   0.006, 0.024, 0.000, 0.001, 0.021, respectively) and statistically lower skewness ( P  =   0.017). However, there were no difference for 75th, 90th percentiles, kurtosis and entropy between these two tumors ( P =  0.232, 0.415, 0.143, 0.291, respectively). For differentiating PDACs and atypical pNETs, 5th percentile and 5th+skewness were optimal parameters for alone and combined diagnosis, respectively. Conclusion: Volumetric CT texture features, especially combined diagnosis of 5th+skewness can be used as a quantitative tool to distinguish atypical pNETs from PDACs.

Objective: To classify adult intestinal malrotation by CT. Methods: This retrospective study enrolled adults diagnosed with intestinal malrotation who underwent abdominal CT at our institution between June 1, 2013, and August 30, 2020. All patients’ clinical information was recorded. Patients were divided into groups undergoing surgical and conservative management. The duodenum (nonrotation, partial rotation, and malrotation), jejunum, cecum, and the superior mesenteric artery/superior mesenteric vein relationship were reviewed on the CT images of each patient, and classification criteria developed based on the first three items. For each patient, each item was assessed separately by three radiologists. Consensus was required from at least two of them. Results: A total of 332 eligible patients (218 men and 114 women; mean age 51.0 ± 15.3 years) were ultimately included and classified into ten types of malrotation. Duodenal partial rotation was present in most (73.2%, 243/332) with only 25% (83/332) demonstrating nonrotation. The jejunum was located in the right abdomen in 98.2% (326/332) of cases, and an ectopic cecum was found in only 12% (40/332, 29 cases with a left cecum, 7 pelvic, and 4 at midline). Asymptomatic patients comprised 56.6% (188/332) of cases, much higher than that in previous studies (17%, n = 82, p < .001), comprised mainly of patients with duodenal partial rotation (80.3%, 151/188). In 91 patients with detailed clinical data available (12 managed surgically and 79 conservatively), a significant difference in malrotation CT categorization was identified (p = .016). Conclusions: CT enables greater detection of asymptomatic intestinal malrotation, enabling classification into multiple potentially clinically relevant subtypes.

Background: Conventional chemotherapy has poor efficacy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) which is highly heterogeneous and aggressive. Imaging-guided therapy is usually combined with diverse treatment modalities, could realize the integration of diagnosis and treatments. Therefore, the primary challenge for combinational therapy is designing proper delivery systems to accomplish multiple synergistic effects.Results: Herein, a facile nanoplatform was manufactured to fulfill the all-in-one approaches for TNBC combinational therapy. Fe³⁺-based metal-phenolic networks (MPNs) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) modification served as drug delivery carriers to encapsulate bleomycin (BLM), forming BFE@BSA NPs. The self-assembly mechanism, pH-responsive drug release behavior, and other physicochemical properties of this system were characterized. The potential of BFE@BSA NPs as photothermal transduction agents and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents was explored. The synergistic anti-tumor effects consisting of BLM-induced chemotherapy, Fenton reactions-mediated chemodynamic therapy, and photothermal therapy-induced apoptosis were studied both in vitro and in vivo. Once internalized into tumor cells, released BLM could cause DNA damage, while Fenton reactions were initiated to produce highly toxic •OH. Upon laser irradiation, BFE@BSA NPs could convert light into heat to achieve synergistic effects. After intravenous administration, BFE@BSA NPs exhibited great therapeutic effects in 4T1 tumor xenograft model. Moreover, as T₁-weighted MRI contrast agents, BFE@BSA NPs could provide diagnosis and treatment monitoring for individualized precise therapy.Conclusions: A nano-system that integrated imaging and combinational therapy (chemotherapy, chemodynamic therapy and photothermal therapy) were developed to kill the tumor and monitor therapeutic efficacy. This strategy provided an all-in-one theranostic nanoplatform for MRI-guided combinational therapy against TNBC.Graphical