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Biomedicines
Special Issues
Applications of Imaging Technology in Human Diseases
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Applications of Imaging Technology in Human Diseases

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomedical Engineering and Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2024 | Viewed by 2657

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Giulio Distefano

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Guest Editor
Institute of Nephrology and Dialysis-Nephrological, Vascular and Internal Medicine Diagnostic Ultrasound Service, Maggiore Hospital of Modica, ASP Ragusa, 97100 Ragusa, Italy
Interests: ultrasound; vascular access; EcoColorDoppler; vascular; interventional radiology
Prof. Dr. Antonio Granata

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Guest Editor
Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, “Cannizzaro” Emergency Hospital, Catania, Italy
Interests: doppler ultrasound; contrast enhanced ultrasound; vascular access; renovascular hypertension; chronic kidney disease; nutcracker syndrome; kidney transplantation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is dedicated to the innovative applications of biomedical imaging techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases. It aims to celebrate the progress made in this field, which has led to the development of increasingly precise and reliable imaging-based diagnostic and therapeutic tools, in line with the evolution of diagnostics toward minimally invasive and non-invasive approaches.

From advanced radiological techniques to parametric ultrasonography and molecular imaging techniques, diagnostic imaging allows for the precise identification of the causes of a disease, monitoring its progression and evaluating the efficacy of treatment.

In this Special Issue, readers will find the following content:

  • Review articles that illustrate the latest innovations in biomedical imaging, focusing on applications in various medical areas;
  • Original research presenting new clinical and preclinical studies on the use of innovative imaging techniques for diagnosis, monitoring and treatment in various application areas.

This Special Issue aims to pay tribute to the important role that biomedical imaging techniques play in modern medicine, contributing to improving the health and quality of life of patients.

Dr. Giulio Distefano
Prof. Dr. Antonio Granata
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomedicines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • medical imaging
  • advanced radiological techniques
  • artificial intelligence
  • molecular imaging
  • computed tomography (CT)
  • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • ultrasound
  • fluoroscopy
  • optical imaging
  • liquid biopsy

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 1942 KiB  
Article
Reproducibility of Thermography for Measuring Skin Temperature of Upper Limbs in Breast Cancer Survivors
by Vanessa Maria da Silva Alves Gomes, Naiany Tenório, Ana Rafaela Cardozo da Silva, Laura Raynelle Patriota Oliveira, Ana Claúdia Souza da Silva, Juliana Netto Maia, Marcos Leal Brioschi and Diego Dantas
Biomedicines 2024, 12(11), 2465; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12112465 - 27 Oct 2024
Viewed by 542
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a chronic condition that has early diagnosis as a critical component for proper treatment. Thermography, a non-invasive imaging method, is considered a promising complementary tool for the diagnosis and monitoring of BCRL, especially in subclinical stages. The [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a chronic condition that has early diagnosis as a critical component for proper treatment. Thermography, a non-invasive imaging method, is considered a promising complementary tool for the diagnosis and monitoring of BCRL, especially in subclinical stages. The present study aimed to evaluate the intra- and inter-examiner reproducibility of thermography for measuring the skin temperature of the upper limbs (UL) of women with and without BCRL. Methods: This study, conducted with women who underwent a unilateral mastectomy, assessed BCRL using indirect volumetry. Maximum, minimum, and mean skin temperatures were measured in five regions of interest (ROI) of each UL (C1, C2, C3, C4, and Cup) in four different postures. Reproducibility measures were assessed using an intraclass correlation coefficient, 95% confidence interval, and coefficient of variation. Results: The sample comprised 30 women; 14 were diagnosed with BCRL. A total of 120 thermograms were recorded in different postures, and 3600 ROI were analyzed in the UL with and without BRCL. The intraclass correlation coefficient of the analyses indicated intra- and inter-examiner reproducibility from good to excellent (0.82 to 1.00) for all skin temperatures evaluated (maximum, minimum, and mean). The coefficient of variation for all measures was below 10%, indicating low variability. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that thermography shows good-to-excellent reproducibility across multiple postures and regions of interest, reinforcing its potential as a non-invasive and reliable method for assessing lymphedema in breast cancer survivors. This study establishes a foundation for incorporating thermography into clinical practice for early BCRL detection, particularly in subclinical stages, thus improving patient management and outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Imaging Technology in Human Diseases)
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13 pages, 1874 KiB  
Article
Ultrasound-Guided Venous Puncture Reduces Groin Complications in Electrophysiological Procedures
by Yannick Teumer, Daniel Eckart, Lyuboslav Katov, Markus Graf, Carlo Bothner, Wolfgang Rottbauer and Karolina Weinmann-Emhardt
Biomedicines 2024, 12(10), 2375; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12102375 - 17 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 786
Abstract
Background: In electrophysiological procedures, multiple punctures on the femoral vein can be necessary depending on the number of catheters required. The femoral vein is typically located indirectly by using its anatomical relationship to the artery as a reference. However, this conventional approach [...] Read more.
Background: In electrophysiological procedures, multiple punctures on the femoral vein can be necessary depending on the number of catheters required. The femoral vein is typically located indirectly by using its anatomical relationship to the artery as a reference. However, this conventional approach can lead to significant complications, including bleeding, peri-interventional transfusion, pseudoaneurysms, or arteriovenous fistulas. Despite these risks, there is limited evidence comparing the safety of ultrasound-guided venipuncture versus the conventional technique in electrophysiological procedures. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of ultrasound-guided venipuncture on vascular access complications in electrophysiological procedures and to identify associated risk factors. Methods: In this single-center trial, patients scheduled for electrophysiological procedures at Ulm University Heart Center, Germany, were enrolled between November 2021 and October 2023. Venipuncture in the groin was performed using either the conventional or an ultrasound-guided approach. The primary composite endpoint was defined as peri-interventional major vascular access complications (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) ≥2 bleeding, pseudoaneurysms, arteriovenous fistulas, and peri-interventional transfusion) and minor complications (BARC 1). Results: A total of 1370 patients were included: 749 in the conventional group and 621 in the ultrasound group. The primary endpoint was achieved in 19.2% of the conventional group and 12.1% of the ultrasound group (p < 0.001). An increased sheath diameter and a higher number of venous accesses were identified as risk factors for the primary endpoint. Conclusions: Ultrasound guidance for venous groin puncture in electrophysiological procedures reduces access-related complications, supporting its use with careful attention to sheath size and number. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Imaging Technology in Human Diseases)
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16 pages, 2819 KiB  
Article
Segmentation-Free Estimation of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Using 3D CNN Is Reliable and Improves as Multiple Cardiac MRI Cine Orientations Are Combined
by Philippe Germain, Aissam Labani, Armine Vardazaryan, Nicolas Padoy, Catherine Roy and Soraya El Ghannudi
Biomedicines 2024, 12(10), 2324; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12102324 - 12 Oct 2024
Viewed by 726
Abstract
Objectives: We aimed to study classical, publicly available convolutional neural networks (3D-CNNs) using a combination of several cine-MR orientation planes for the estimation of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) without contour tracing. Methods: Cine-MR examinations carried out on 1082 patients from our institution [...] Read more.
Objectives: We aimed to study classical, publicly available convolutional neural networks (3D-CNNs) using a combination of several cine-MR orientation planes for the estimation of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) without contour tracing. Methods: Cine-MR examinations carried out on 1082 patients from our institution were analysed by comparing the LVEF provided by the CVI42 software (V5.9.3) with the estimation resulting from different 3D-CNN models and various combinations of long- and short-axis orientation planes. Results: The 3D-Resnet18 architecture appeared to be the most favourable, and the results gradually and significantly improved as several long-axis and short-axis planes were combined. Simply pasting multiple orientation views into composite frames increased performance. Optimal results were obtained by pasting two long-axis views and six short-axis views. The best configuration provided an R2 = 0.83, a mean absolute error (MAE) = 4.97, and a root mean square error (RMSE) = 6.29; the area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the classification of LVEF < 40% was 0.99, and for the classification of LVEF > 60%, the AUC was 0.97. Internal validation performed on 149 additional patients after model training provided very similar results (MAE 4.98). External validation carried out on 62 patients from another institution showed an MAE of 6.59. Our results in this area are among the most promising obtained to date using CNNs with cardiac magnetic resonance. Conclusion: (1) The use of traditional 3D-CNNs and a combination of multiple orientation planes is capable of estimating LVEF from cine-MRI data without segmenting ventricular contours, with a reliability similar to that of traditional methods. (2) Performance significantly improves as the number of orientation planes increases, providing a more complete view of the left ventricle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Imaging Technology in Human Diseases)
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Review

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12 pages, 5768 KiB  
Review
Advancements in Elastography for Evaluating Fibrosis in Renal Transplants: Current Perspectives
by Giulio Distefano, Salvatore Granata, Walter Morale and Antonio Granata
Biomedicines 2024, 12(12), 2671; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12122671 (registering DOI) - 23 Nov 2024
Abstract
Renal fibrosis is a leading cause of chronic allograft nephropathy. While renal biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosing fibrosis, it is an invasive procedure with potential for severe complications. Elastography, an emerging ultrasound imaging technique, appears to be a valuable tool for [...] Read more.
Renal fibrosis is a leading cause of chronic allograft nephropathy. While renal biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosing fibrosis, it is an invasive procedure with potential for severe complications. Elastography, an emerging ultrasound imaging technique, appears to be a valuable tool for quantifying tissue stiffness, which correlates with fibrosis. Indeed, numerous studies have demonstrated a strong correlation between increased tissue stiffness, measured by elastography, and the degree of fibrosis detected in biopsy. Over the past few years, various elastography techniques have been evaluated, including strain elastography, shear wave elastography, and acoustic radiation force impulse. However, challenges such as operator dependence, tissue heterogeneity, and the lack of standardized protocols persist. Despite these limitations, elastography presents itself as a valuable tool for the non-invasive monitoring of renal transplant function and could facilitate the early detection of fibrosis, allowing for timely interventions. Future research should focus on standardizing acquisition protocols, establishing robust reference values, and exploring the clinical utility of elastography in guiding therapeutic decisions. The aim of this review is to explore the current state of elastography in the assessment of fibrosis in renal transplantation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Imaging Technology in Human Diseases)
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