Dysfunctional genotype combinations of polymorphic adenosine 5′-triphosphate–binding cassette transporter gene ABCG2/BCRP , which encodes a high-capacity urate secretion transporter in human gut and kidney, are major causes of gout.

A new method for easy detection of functional lymphatic vessels in the superficial layer is reported. In a clinical trial, lymphography using indocyanine green dye for near-infrared fluorescence labeling in lymphaticovenular anastomoses was performed in 5 patients with lymphedema. The technique is simple and enables a minimally invasive operation to be performed. The results indicate that this technique is useful for acceptance as one of the examinations to evaluation of lymphedema.

Lymphedema is known to be caused by many pathologic conditions; however, its diagnostic and therapeutic strategies remain to be unestablished. In this study, we investigated the usefulness of a novel lymphographic method based on fluorometric sensing using indocyanine green (ICG) dye for imaging lymphatic vessels using rat models. The real-time imaging system enabled visualization of superficial lymphatic vessels with a diameter of 0.1 mm in 33 frames/second. In addition, morphologic changes in lymphatic vessels in a radiation-induced lymphedema model were detected even at the latent stage. These results suggest that this imaging technique is acceptable as an evaluation method for the lymphatic system.