The British journal of radiology
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Tumour heterogeneity has, in recent times, come to play a vital role in how we understand and treat cancers; however, the clinical translation of this has lagged behind advances in research. Although significant advancements in oncological management have been made, personalized care remains an elusive goal. Inter- and intratumour heterogeneity, particularly in the clinical setting, has been difficult to quantify and therefore to treat. ⋯ The ability to examine not just the whole tumour but also all the molecular variations of metastatic disease in a patient is obviously difficult with current histological techniques. Advances in imaging techniques and novel applications, alongside our understanding of tumour heterogeneity, have opened up a plethora of non-invasive biomarker potential to examine tumours, their heterogeneity and the clinical translation. This review will focus on how various imaging methods that allow for quantification of metastatic tumour heterogeneity, along with the potential of developing imaging, integrated with other in vitro diagnostic approaches such as genomics and exosome analyses, have the potential role as a non-invasive biomarker for guiding the treatment algorithm.
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Identifying morphological changes that occur in microvessels under both normal and ischaemic conditions is crucial for understanding and treating stroke. However, conventional imaging techniques are not able to detect microvessels on a micron or sub-micron scale without angiography. In the present study, synchrotron radiation (SR)-based X-ray in-line phase contrast imaging (ILPCI) was used to acquire high-resolution and high-contrast images of rat brain tissues in both normal and ischaemic states. ⋯ In the absence of contrast agent, the 3D morphologies of the brain microvasculature in normal and stroke rats were obtained using SR-based ILPCI. SR imaging is a sensitive and promising method which can be used to explore primary brain function.
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Epipericardial fat necrosis (EFN) is an uncommon benign and self-limited condition that leads patients to the emergency department (ED) owing to the onset of acute pleuritic chest pain. The aim of this study was to describe the cases of this disease in our institution and to illustrate the associated clinical and radiological findings. ⋯ The article adds clinically and radiologically useful information about the condition and displays the importance of making the correct diagnosis to avoid unnecessary examinations.