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Purpose The purpose of this study was to use shear-wave elastography (SWE) to assess testicular stiffness changes during the Valsalva maneuver in adolescents and young adults with varicocele, to compare these changes according to clinical severity, and to evaluate the role of SWE in the diagnosis of varicocele. Methods This study included patients undergoing testicular ultrasonography for the diagnosis of varicocele or for post-varicocelectomy follow-up between June 2016 and February 2017. Fifty-four testicles of 27 consecutive patients (mean age, 15.9 years) were classified by clinical grade (grade 0-3). Using SWE, mean testicular stiffness (Emean) was measured at rest and during the Valsalva maneuver. The correlations between multiple ultrasonographic parameters (volume asymmetry, Emean at rest, and absolute and percentage changes in Emean during the Valsalva maneuver) and clinical grade were assessed using the Spearman correlation test. Results The Emean at rest was similar across clinical grades. During the Valsalva maneuver, increased testicular stiffness was frequently observed in patients with grade 2 or 3 varicocele but rarely observed in those with grade 0 or 1 varicocele. The changes in Emean were positively correlated with the clinical grade (all P0.05). Conclusion A transient, reversible increase in testicular stiffness during the Valsalva maneuver was observed in adolescents with high-grade varicocele, and the degree of stiffness change was correlated with the clinical grade. Stiffness change identified using SWE during the Valsalva maneuver is a potential surrogate indicator of venous congestion.

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate impact of 3-dimensional cranial ultrasonography (3DUS) on reinterpretation of cranial ultrasonography images in neonates in comparison with 2-dimensional cranial ultrasonography (2DUS). Methods We retrospectively enrolled 50 young infants who simultaneously underwent both 2DUS and 3DUS scanning from February to March 2015. Two pediatric radiologists independently reviewed both scans for overall image quality on a 5-point scale. Five features were evaluated in both scans: the presence of germinal matrix hemorrhage (GMH), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), ventriculomegaly (VM), abnormality of periventricular echogenicity (PVE), and focal parenchymal lesions (FL). The concordance rate between the two scanning modes was calculated. The confidence level for each finding on a 3-point scale and the scanning time were compared between the two scanning modes. Interobserver agreement was evaluated using kappa statistics. Results Both scans demonstrated similar overall image quality in terms of reinterpretation (mean scores for 2DUS and 3DUS, 4.0±0.5 and 4.0±0.7 in reviewer 1, 3.9±0.6 and 4.0±0.8 in reviewer 2, respectively). GMH, IVH, VM, and FL showed perfect concordance, while PVE showed a concordance rate of 91.4% between the two modes by both reviewers. 3DUS was associated with a higher diagnostic confidence in the evaluation of GMH, IVH, and FL than 2DUS (P