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Purpose: To evaluate radiographic lacrimal gland (LG) volume and dimensions in Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV)- versus trabeculectomy-treated eyes and contralateral non-treated eyes., Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 1616 medical records acquired between 2010 and 2020 were examined. In AGV-treated (group 1) eyes, there were 19 patients with records sufficient for radiological LG evaluation, and in trabeculectomy-treated (group 2) eyes, there were 18. The hospital workstation software was used to assess high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans conducted under standard protocol using a 128 SL Optima CT 660 scanner. The software (Vitrea™) was used to perform semi-quantitative volumetric measurements. LG dimensions were obtained in the axial and reformatted coronal planes on each side, and four measures were generated using the widest LG tip-to-tip diameters in two planes: coronal length, coronal width (CW), axial length (AL), and axial width., Results: The time interval between surgery and HRCT imaging was 50.97 ± 26.25 months. Group 1 had significantly lower LG volume than group 2 (594.11 ± 259.45 vs. 933.67 ± 294.09 mm 3 , P = 0.001). When compared to non-treated eyes, AGV-treated eyes had lower LG volume (P = 0.065) while trabeculectomy-treated eyes had higher LG volume (P = 0.031). Further, group 1 had decreased length and width in both the axial and coronal planes as compared to group 2, with AL and CW being significantly different (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: AGV and trabeculectomy had varied impacts on LG volume and dimensions despite being conducted in the same quadrant. HRCT appears to be effective in analysing AGV position, which may be related to LG volumetric and dimensional issues., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: The goals of neuroimaging in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) are the exclusion of mimickers and effective management of disease. In recent studies, several imaging markers have been identified as potential predictors of IIH., Purpose: To investigate the predictive roles of novel radiological markers as the Meckel's cave area, alongside classical radiologic markers in identifying IIH such as the empty sella., Material and Methods: The patients were classified according to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) opening pressure as the IIH group and control group. The observational, case-control study included 22 patients with IIH and 22 controls. Groups were compared for presence of empty sella, Meckel's cave area, fat area of posterior neck, fat thickness of scalp, presence of transverse sinus stenosis, and ophthalmic markers, such as increase of optic nerve (ON) sheath diameter., Results: In the IHH group, higher occurrences of increased ON sheath diameter, ON tortuosity, flattening of the scleral surface, and transverse sinus stenosis were observed ( P  < 0.001, P  < 0.001, P  = 0.046, and P  = 0.021, respectively). Meckel's cave area and fat area of posterior neck were similar in both groups ( P  = 0.444 and P  = 0.794)., Conclusion: Ophthalmic markers and transverse sinus stenosis could be utilized as radiologic features supporting early and precise diagnosis of IIH. However, enlargement of Meckel's cave area and measurements of fatty area of posterior neck are not helpful for diagnosis of IIH., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss is a disabling condition that lowers the quality of life specifically in older adults living alone. It is crucial to determine the outcome of the disease and to offer early treatment to prevent isolation caused by hearing impairment in this population. The objective of our study was to investigate whether the initial cochlear nerve thickness may predict the outcome of hearing recovery in older adults with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss., Methods: The study population was composed of older adults that were referred with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss in 1 ear. Long-term audiological data of the cohort were analyzed according to Siegel's criteria on hearing recovery and were grouped according to complete recovery or treatment failure. Cochlear nerve diameters of the diseased and safe ears of each group, measured on reformatted images on magnetic resonance imaging, at the fundus, in the mid-internal acoustic canal, and at the entry point into the Pons were compared in each group and between groups., Results: Mean cochlear nerve diameter was significantly larger in the recovered older adults (1.11 ± 0.27 mm) than in the non-recovered adults (0.94 ± 0.21 mm) at the mid-internal acoustic canal (Student's t-test, P < .05). Cochlear nerve thickness at mid-internal acoustic canal (≤0.8 mm) sensitivity for recovery failure was 89% and displayed an odds ratio 5.333, 95% CI (1.000-28.435)., Conclusion: Cochlear nerve thickness in mid-internal acoustic canal in non-recovered older adults with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss is significantly thinner than the completely recovered group. Older adults with mid-internal acoustic canal cochlear nerve greatest diameter cutoff level of ≤0.8 mm are 5.33 times more exposed to recovery failure.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between androgens and the retinal thickness by comparing the macular thickness (MT), retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness of female-to-male transgender men (TGM), women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and cisgender women (CW)., Methods: Thirty-four eyes of 34 TGM, 34 eyes of 34 women with PCOS, and 45 eyes of 45 CW were evaluated by optical coherence tomography. One-way analysis of variance and body mass index (BMI)-adjusted one-way analysis of covariance were conducted to test the differences between groups for statistical evaluation., Results: The parafoveal MT in TGM was significantly higher than women with PCOS and CW ( p <0.001 and p =0.022, respectively). After adjusting for BMI, the perifoveal MT in TGM was significantly higher than women with PCOS and CW ( p =0.041 and p =0.021, respectively). The nasal RNFL thickness in TGM was significantly higher than women with PCOS and CW ( p =0.021 and p =0.009, respectively). The means of average and inferior RNFL, fovea, and the mean of all GCC values were higher in the TGM group than women with PCOS and CW, but these results were not statistically significant., Conclusions: In this study, there was a significant difference between the TGM group and the CW group for the thickness of the nasal RNFL and parafoveal and perifoveal macular area. Androgens may have the potential to increase retinal thickness in TGM; however, there is a need for validation in larger study groups. Clinical Trial Registration Number: HNEAH-KAEK 2021/4., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright 2023, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.)

Objective: To evaluate the effects of testosterone on carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and serum inflammatory markers compared within transgender males (TGM-Former called female-to-male) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: The prospective observational study included 30 TGM, 30 patients with PCOS, and 30 healthy women. Groups were compared for CIMT and hematologic inflammatory markers white blood cell (WBC), lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and mean platelet volume (MPV). Results: The CIMT of the TGM group was 0.48 ± 0.09 mm was significantly higher than PCOS (0.41 ± 0.09 mm, p  = .005) and the control group (0.38 ± 0.7 mm, p  = .001). The mean NLR, LMR, and MPV values were similar ( p  > .05). TGM had higher WBC levels compared to control women ( p  = .029). TGM had significantly lower PLR compared to PCOS and the control group ( p  = .001). CIMT were related to age ( r  = .390, p  = .04) and body mass index (BMI) ( r  = .392, p  = .03) in TGM. Conclusion: Increased CIMT in TGM individuals is not associated with inflammation; it seems to be a deleterious effect of exogenous testosterone exposure. Since increased CIMT may be a sign of serious cardiovascular problems developing in the future, it is suggested that it will be beneficial for these individuals should undergo clinical and radiological evaluation at regular intervals.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the impact of smoking history on the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 radiologic findings. Therefore, we compared the computed tomography severity scores of smoking coronavirus disease 2019 patients with those of non-smoking coronavirus disease 2019 patients., Material and Methods: A total of 121 patients were included in our study group. We retrospectively reviewed 121 patients who underwent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction sampling and computed tomography examination in our hospital between April 1, 2020, and July 30, 2020. All computed tomography images were independently reviewed by 2 radiologists., Results: There were 15 (12.4%) active smokers, 38 (31.4%) former smokers, and 68 (56.2%) never-smokers in this study. Among the 85 patients with evidence of pneumonia in thorax computed tomography, mean computed tomography severity scores were 8.02 and standard deviation 5.812. Computed tomography severity scores for patients with pathological computed tomography scans (n = 85) were performed for evaluating smoking status (never-smokers and smokers). We found a statistically significant relationship between computed tomography severity scores of never-smokers (n = 39) and smokers (n = 46) (Z = 2.243, P = .025). The computed tomography severity scores threshold for differentiating smokers in our study group was 8, with a sensitivity of 52.2% and a specificity of 79.5%. Among the 121 patients, 34 (28.1%) were in the asymptomatic group, 36 (29.75%) were in the mild group, 28 (23.14%) were in the common group, and 23 (19.0%) were in the severe group with severe pneumonia and respiratory distress. Five (1.47%), 16 (44.44%), 14 (50%), and 18 (78.26%) of the patients in these groups were smoking, respectively., Conclusion: Among coronavirus disease 2019 patients, smoking is associated with the progression of the disease and increased adverse effects. In our study, smoking status was significantly correlated with thorax computed tomography findings on admission. Computed tomography severity scores assessment helps to evaluate the disease extent in coronavirus disease 2019 patients.

Purpose: To compare the effects of testosterone on intraocular pressure (IOP), thicknesses of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell complex (GCC), macula and on ocular blood flow between female-to-male transgender (FMT) persons who use testosterone and healthy women and healthy men., Method: The study included 39 eyes of 20 FMT(Group 1), 40 eyes of 20 healthy women (Group 2), and 42 eyes of 21 healthy men (Group 3). In all subjects, RNFL, GCC and, macular thicknesses (MT) were measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Ocular blood flow was measured by Color Doppler Ultrasonography in all subjects., Results: IOP levels in FMT were significantly higher than men (p = 0.025). Superior (Sup), inferior (Inf) thicknesses of parafovea, and nasal thickness of perifovea in FMT were significantly higher than the Group 2 (p = 0.024, p = 0.037, p = 0.018). Sup thickness of perifovea in FMT was significantly higher than Group 3 (p = 0.011). Inf thickness of perifovea in FMT was significantly higher than Group 2 and 3 (p = 0.038, p = 0.002). Mean thickness of RNFL Inf in FMT was significantly higher than the Group 2 and 3 (p = 0.039, p = 0.032). Avg and Inf thicknesses of GCC in FMT were significantly higher than group 2 (p = 0.02, p = 0.005). In correlation test, systole/diastole ratio(S/D) in ophthalmic artery (OA) (r = 0.504, p = 0.028) and Inf thickness of perifovea (r = 0.485, p = 0.035) were positively correlated with the serum levels of testosterone in FMT., Conclusions: We found that the use of supraphysiologic testosterone dose increased IOP and the thicknesses of macula, RNFL, and GCC in FMT. Serum testosterone level was positively correlated with S/D ratio in the OA., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Purpose: To report the predictability of ossicular chain (OC) fixation on preoperative temporal bone computed tomography (TBCT) in chronic otitis media (COM) with tympanosclerosis (TS)., Methods: Fifty-six patients who had surgery for COM in our ear, nose and throat clinic between 2015 and 2017 were included in this retrospective case-control study. The patients were equally divided into two groups as those with TS and without TS. The complaint of preoperative otorrhea, values of incudostapedial joint (ISJ) angulation on preoperative TBCT scans, postoperative long-term hearing results, and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups., Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the ISJ angulations of the operated and healthy sides in the COM group with TS (102.27 ± 7.92 and 91.90 ± 5.59 degrees, respectively, p < 0.001). However, no statistically significant difference was observed between the ISJ angulation of the operated and healthy sides in the COM group without TS (95.04 ± 4.86 and 94.35 ± 4.57 degrees, respectively, p > 0.05). In addition, when the ISJ angulations of the operated sides of the two groups were compared, it was statistically significantly higher for the TS group compared to the non-TS group (102.27 ± 7.92 and 95.04 ± 4.86 degrees, respectively, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Increased ISJ angulation may indicate OC fixation. COM cases with TS can be predicted by the measurement of ISJ angulation on preoperative TBCT.

Purpose: Progression of liver fibrosis to end-stage disease can potentially be prevented with antiviral treatment. Thus, diagnosis of fibrosis is important in determining treatment protocols. This study aims first, to determine the sensitivity of a novel Doppler method, superb microvascular imaging (SMI), in detecting small vascular structures of the liver compared with other Doppler methods; and second, to choose the best method among these Doppler applications to determine the morphologic changes that occur due to chronic fibrosis. By doing so, the study would be able to provide an ultrasound grading that might differentiate and predict mild and severe liver fibrosis, thus giving rise to a possible alternative to biopsy., Methods: A total of 43 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis and scheduled for liver biopsy were included. Color Doppler, power Doppler, advanced dynamic flow (ADF) Doppler, color SMI (cSMI) and monochrome SMI (mSMI) Doppler were performed in subcapsular areas of right anterior lobe. Depth from the capsule of the most peripherally located detectable vessel was measured for each Doppler subgroup. Appearance of the vascular tree was categorized into four groups and correlated with pathology results. ROC curve analysis was used to determine if this Doppler classification was statistically significant in differentiating mild and severe forms of fibrosis. Finally, multiple regression analysis was used to determine which Doppler parameter can significantly predict severity., Results: mSMI and cSMI were found to be superior to other Doppler techniques in detecting the most superficially located vessels of the liver, 4.4 mm and 3.3 mm deep from the capsule, respectively (P < 0.001). Among the changes identified in the vascular tree, small vessel blunting was the most prevalent finding in predicting the presence of severe fibrosis (multiple regression test, t=5.969, P < 0.0001). ROC analysis identified that the presence of at least two pathologic findings in the vascular tree was highly predictive of severe fibrosis (AUC=0.881, sensitivity 86.67%, specificity 89.29%, positive and negative predictive values 8.09 and 0.15, respectively)., Conclusion: Our study proves that SMI is superior to other Doppler techniques in detecting the smallest vessels visible to ultrasound. Using this method, it is possible to determine the vascular changes in terms of blunting and tortuosity and thus predict the severity of fibrosis. This method might be a practical alternative to biopsy.