Ashish Gupta

Bio: Ashish Gupta is an academic researcher from Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. The author has contributed to research in topics: Biopsy & Lung cancer. The author has an hindex of 9, co-authored 11 publications receiving 455 citations. Previous affiliations of Ashish Gupta include Queen's University.

Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 3D printing Special Interest Group (SIG): guidelines for medical 3D printing and appropriateness for clinical scenarios

Abstract: Medical three-dimensional (3D) printing has expanded dramatically over the past three decades with growth in both facility adoption and the variety of medical applications. Consideration for each step required to create accurate 3D printed models from medical imaging data impacts patient care and management. In this paper, a writing group representing the Radiological Society of North America Special Interest Group on 3D Printing (SIG) provides recommendations that have been vetted and voted on by the SIG active membership. This body of work includes appropriate clinical use of anatomic models 3D printed for diagnostic use in the care of patients with specific medical conditions. The recommendations provide guidance for approaches and tools in medical 3D printing, from image acquisition, segmentation of the desired anatomy intended for 3D printing, creation of a 3D-printable model, and post-processing of 3D printed anatomic models for patient care.

Quantitative CT texture and shape analysis: can it differentiate benign and malignant mediastinal lymph nodes in patients with primary lung cancer?

Abstract: Objective To assess the accuracy of CT texture and shape analysis in the differentiation of benign and malignant mediastinal nodes in lung cancer.

Role of quantitative computed tomography texture analysis in the differentiation of primary lung cancer and granulomatous nodules

Abstract: Background: Texture analysis is a computer tool that enables quantification of gray-level patterns, pixel interrelationships, and spectral properties of an image. It can enhance visual methods of image analysis. Primary lung cancer and granulomatous nodules have identical CT imaging features. The purpose of this study was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of CT texture analysis in differentiating lung cancer and granulomas. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 55 patients with primary lung cancer and granulomatous nodules who had contrast-enhanced (CE) and/or non-contrast-enhanced (NCE) CT within 3 months of biopsy. Textural features were extracted from 61 nodules. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare values for nodules. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed and the area under the curve (AUC) calculated with histopathology as outcome. Combinations of features were entered as predictors in logistic regression models and optimal threshold criteria were used to estimate sensitivity and specificity. Results: The model generated by sum of squares, sum difference, and sum entropy features for NCE CT yielded 88% sensitivity and 92% specificity (AUC =0.90±0.06, P Conclusions: Quantitative CT texture analysis has the potential to differentiate primary lung cancer and granulomatous lesions.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Abstract: malignant pleural mesothelioma is a relatively uncommon disease associated with asbestos exposure. its incidence increased markedly following the widespread mining and use of asbestos in many industries. the legal aspects regarding compensation cases for those who have developed this disease has raised its profile in the media, but also compounds the stress of diagnosis for patients. it has an insidious onset and may clinically and pathologically mimic other benign or malignant processes, complicating diagnosis. radical surgery may be used for a highly selected population of malignant pleural mesothelioma patients in the context of multimodality treatment in an experienced thoracic surgical centre, but there is no randomised evidence to support its benefit. in most cases surgery is used to treat symptoms or obtain tissue for diagnosis. Combination of a platinum agent and pemetrexed is now widely used and shown to prolong life. other treatments including radiotherapy, analgesics and supportive interventions are an integral part of the treatment of this disease. Further research is being undertaken on promising novel therapies for use in this disease, which will be discussed in this review. malignant pleural mesothelioma (mpm) is a neoplasm originating from mesothelial cells, which form the membranes surrounding the lung cavities. it is currently a disease mainly of the industrialised world, closely linked to asbestos exposure.1 seldom diagnosed prior to the advent of widespread asbestos mining in the early to mid twentieth century, it has risen in incidence over the last five decades.2, 3 according to the most recent australian institute of health and Welfare data, in 2009 there were 666 cases of malignant mesothelioma diagnosed in australia.4 this review will provide a brief overview of the diagnosis, current treatment modalities and some novel systemic treatment strategies that have been explored in mpm. Asbestos and malignant mesothelioma mpm is a disease with particular relevance to australia. Asbestos was first mined in Australia in the 1880s near Jones Creek, a town in nsW.5 it was not until the late 1940s when the insulating properties of asbestos rendered it a useful product in the building industry during the post war building boom, and subsequent demand for asbestos saw mining production rise exponentially in mines in nsW, tasmania, south australia and Western australia.5 there has also been widespread exposure within the building and transport industries in which asbestos was broadly utilised.6 Asbestos mining ended in Australia in 1983, and it is expected that malignant mesothelioma related to occupational exposure will plateau in the coming decade. in a Western Australian study, however, a significant increase was noted in the number of people being diagnosed with malignant meosthelioma whose only exposure to asbestos must have occurred in a non-occupational setting (most likely during home maintenance and renovation). Between 2005 and 2008, 8% of males and 5% of females diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma in this series reported non-occupational exposure as their only exposure to asbestos.6 these observations ask for confirmation in a case-controlled epidemiological study.

Can Quantitative CT Texture Analysis be Used to Differentiate Fat-poor Renal Angiomyolipoma from Renal Cell Carcinoma on Unenhanced CT Images?

Abstract: Our results show that quantitative CT texture analysis can be used to accurately differentiate fat-poor angiomyolipoma from renal cell carcinoma on unenhanced CT images and is superior to the subjective assessment of radiologists.

Molecular pathogenesis of malignant mesothelioma.

Abstract: Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an aggressive tumor arising primarily from the pleural or peritoneal cavities. It develops by asbestos exposure after a long latency, which is characterized by insidious growth and clinical presentation at an advanced stage of disease. MM is highly refractory to conventional therapies even with a combination of aggressive surgical intervention and multimodality strategies, with cure remaining elusive. Molecular genetic analysis has revealed several key genetic alterations, which are responsible for the development and progression of MM. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A/alternative reading frame (CDKN2A/ARF), neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and BRCA1-associated protein-1 (BAP1) genes are the most frequently mutated tumor suppressor genes detected in MM cells; the alterations of the latter two are relatively characteristic of MM. Merlin, which is encoded by NF2, regulates multiple cell signaling cascades including the Hippo and mammalian target of rapamycin pathways, which regulate cell proliferation and growth. BAP1 is involved in histone modification and its inactivation induces the disturbance of global gene expression profiling. The discovery of a new familial cancer syndrome with germline mutation of BAP1 also indicates the importance of genetic factors in MM susceptibility. Meanwhile, although frequent expression and functional activations of oncogene products such as receptor tyrosine kinases are observed in MM cells, activating mutations of these genes are rare. With further comprehensive genome analyses, new genetic and epigenetic alterations in MM cells are expected to be revealed more precisely, and the new knowledge based on them will be applied for developing new diagnostic tools and new target therapies against MMs.