Faculty Profiles - NAKASHIMA Hiroaki

A nationwide multicenter study of the cost effectiveness of fi ve leading drugs for pharmacological management of cervicobrachial symptoms Reviewed

Wakao, N; Furuya, T; Yoshii, T; Arima, H; Yamato, Y; Nakashima, H; Imagama, S; Imajo, Y; Miyamoto, H; Inoue, G; Miyagi, M; Kanbara, S; Iizuka, Y; Chikuda, H; Watanabe, K; Kobayashi, K; Tsushima, M; Miyazaki, M; Yagi, M; Suzuki, S; Takahata, M; Hongo, M; Koda, M; Nagata, K; Mori, K; Suzuki, A; Kaito, T; Murotani, K; Miyakoshi, N; Hashizume, H; Matsuyama, Y; Kawakami, M; Haro, H

JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC SCIENCE Vol. 30 ( 1 ) page： 18 - 24 2025.1

Language：English Publisher：Journal of Orthopaedic Science

Background: Cervicobrachial pain frequently affects the quality of life (QOL) of the general public and has a significant economic impact on the health care systems of various countries. There are a number of treatment options for this disease, including widely-used drug therapy, but the effectiveness of each option is indeterminate, and there have been no published cost-effectiveness analysis studies so far. This prospective observational study aimed to examine the cost-effectiveness of drug treatment for cervicobrachial symptoms. Methods: A 6-month medication regimen for each of five frequently-prescribed drugs for cervicobrachial symptoms was administered to 322 patients at 24 centers in Japan. Outcome measures, including of the EuroQol Group 5D, Short Form-8, and Visual Analog Scale (VAS), were investigated at baseline and every month thereafter. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of the drug cost to quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were calculated. A stratified analysis of patient characteristics was also performed to identify baseline factors potentially affecting cost-effectiveness. Results: The ICER of entire drug treatment for cervicobrachial symptoms was 7,491,640 yen. Compared with the reference willingness-to-pay, the ICER was assumed to not be cost-effective. A certain number of QALYs were gained during the first 3 months after the treatment intervention, but almost no QALYs were gained during the following 3 months. Stratified analysis showed that cost-effectiveness was extremely low for patients with high baseline VAS and high QOL. Conclusions: The available medications for cervicobrachial symptoms did not have excellent cost-effectiveness. Although a certain number of QALYs were gained during the first 3 months after medication, no QALYs were gained in the latter half of the study period, suggesting that it is not advisable to continue the medication needlessly. Level of evidence: II, prospective cohort study.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jos.2023.12.004

Trabecular Bone Remodeling after Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Comparison of the Osseointegration in Three-Dimensional Porous Titanium Cages and Polyether-Ether-Ketone Cages Reviewed

Segi, N; Nakashima, H; Ito, S; Ouchida, J; Oishi, R; Yamauchi, I; Miyairi, Y; Morita, Y; Matsumoto, T; Kanbara, S; Ito, K; Imagama, S

GLOBAL SPINE JOURNAL Vol. 15 ( 1 ) page： 66 - 75 2025.1

Language：English Publisher：Global Spine Journal

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Objectives: Imaging changes in the vertebral body after posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) are determined to be trabecular bone remodeling (TBR). This study aimed to investigate the influence of cage materials on TBR and segment stabilization in PLIF by studying image changes. Methods: This was a retrospective study reviewing 101 cases who underwent one-level PLIF with three-dimensional porous titanium (3DTi) cages (53 patients) or polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) cages (48 patients). Computed tomography images obtained 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively were examined for TBR, vertebral endplate cyst formation as an instability sign, cage subsidence, and clear zone around pedicle screw (CZPS). Results: No significant differences in the TBR-positivity rates were observed between the two cages at 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively. However, all 3DTi cage segments that were TBR-positive at 3 months postoperatively showed no CZPS and fewer final instability segments than the TBR-negative segments (0% vs 9%). In contrast, although the PEEK cage segments that were TBR-positive at 3 months postoperatively were not associated with future segmental stabilization, those that were TBR-positive at 1 year postoperatively had fewer final instability segments than the TBR-negative segments (0% vs 33%). Conclusions: The 3DTi cage segments with TBR 3 months postoperatively showed significant final segmental stabilization, whereas TBR at 1 year rather than 3 months postoperatively was useful in determining final segmental stabilization for the PEEK cage segments. The timing of TBR, a new osseointegration assessment, were associated with the cage material.

DOI： 10.1177/21925682241255686

Characteristics of Poor Recordability of Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring during Metastatic Spinal Tumor Surgery: A Multicenter Study Reviewed

Segi Naoki, Nakashima Hiroaki, Funaba Masahiro, Hashimoto Jun, Kawabata Shigenori, Takahashi Masahito, Yoshida Go, Ushirozako Hiroki, Kurosu Kenta, Shigematsu Hideki, Takatani Tsunenori, Morito Shinji, Yamada Kei, Iwasaki Hiroshi, Fujiwara Yasushi, Yasuda Akimasa, Ando Muneharu, Taniguchi Shinichirou, Wada Kanichiro, Tadokoro Nobuaki, Kobayashi Kazuyoshi, Yamamoto Naoya, Nakanishi Kazuyoshi, Kanchiku Tsukasa, Takeshita Katsushi, Matsuyama Yukihiro, Imagama Shiro

Spine Surgery and Related Research Vol. 9 ( 2 ) page： 164 - 172 2025

Language：English Publisher：The Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research

Introduction: The objective of this study is to investigate the poor recordability characteristics of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) for metastatic spinal tumors, focusing on tumor status or preoperative muscle weakness.Methods: A total of 132 patients (age 65.3±11.8 years; 82 men) with or without preoperative lower extremity muscle weakness were included in this study. The patients' background characteristics, the presence and degree of pre- and postoperative muscle weakness, and the IONM outcome, including the availability of transcranial motor evoked potential (Tc-MEP) recording and the occurrence of Tc-MEP alarms, were investigated. The data between the groups with and without preoperative muscle weakness were compared. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors for unrecordable Tc-MEP.Results: Sixty-seven patients with muscle weakness had significantly more unrecordable Tc-MEP (19% vs. 5%, p=0.009) than the 65 patients without muscle weakness. The highest percentage of recordable Tc-MEP in the group with muscle weakness was noted in the plantar muscle (72%). Multivariate analysis identified manual muscle test (MMT) score of ≤3 (odds ratio [OR] 4.529) and ventral spinal cord compression by metastatic tumor (OR 3.924) as independent significant factors for unrecordable Tc-MEP.Conclusions: IONM for metastatic spinal cord tumors with muscle weakness had a high rate of unrecordable Tc-MEP. Additionally, Tc-MEP may not be detectable in cases of ventral spinal cord compression by a tumor; therefore, preoperative imaging should be thoroughly evaluated.

DOI： 10.22603/ssrr.2024-0260

Does Somatosensory-Evoked Potential Simultaneously Decrease with Transcranial Motor-Evoked Potential Alarm? A Multicenter Study by the Monitoring Committee of the Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research Reviewed

Shigematsu Hideki, Yoshida Go, Ushirozako Hiroki, Kurosu Kenta, Tadokoro Nobuaki, Funaba Masahiro, Kawabata Shigenori, Hashimoto Jun, Ando Muneharu, Taniguchi Shinichirou, Takahashi Masahito, Segi Naoki, Nakashima Hiroaki, Imagama Shiro, Morito Shinji, Yamada Kei, Takatani Tsunenori, Kanchiku Tsukasa, Fujiwara Yasushi, Iwasaki Hiroshi, Wada Kanichiro, Yamamoto Naoya, Kobayashi Kazuyoshi, Yasuda Akimasa, Nakanishi Kazuyoshi, Tanaka Yasuhito, Matsuyama Yukihiro, Takeshita Katsushi

Spine Surgery and Related Research Vol. 9 ( 2 ) page： 173 - 178 2025

Language：English Publisher：The Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research

Introduction: Multimodal intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) -such as monitoring muscle-evoked potentials after transcranial electrical stimulation (Tc-MEP) with somatosensory-evoked potential (SEP) after electrical stimulation of the peripheral nerve-is recommended in spine surgeries to prevent iatrogenic neurological complications. However, the effect of using Tc-MEP with SEP to protect against neurological complications, particularly motor function, remains unknown. In clinical settings, changes due to Tc-MEP meeting the alarm points must be a potential neurological injury. This retrospective study, focusing on true-positive (TP) cases, aimed to clarify the change in the SEP waveform simultaneously with the Tc-MEP alarm.Methods: We included 68 patients with TP who had Tc-MEP changes and new postoperative motor weakness at more than one level of the manual muscle test after surgery. We compared the cases based on the category of spine surgery and paralysis type. We evaluated sex, age at spine surgery (high- or non high-risk), and paralysis type (segmental, long tract, or both). We defined the alarm points as follows: >70% decrease in Tc-MEP wave amplitudes, >50% decrease in wave amplitudes, or 10% extension of SEP latency. Next, we evaluated the SEP wave changes with a Tc-MEP alarm.Results: All patients showed progressive motor weakness after surgery, and 21 patients (31%) showed SEP changes at the same time as the Tc-MEP alarm. There were no statistically significant differences in the ratio of SEP change between the two groups according to the spine surgery category or among the three groups according to the paralysis type.Conclusions: Multimodal IONM is an important tool. However, the SEP changes do not necessarily appear immediately after the Tc-MEP alarm. Spine surgeons should appropriately treat Tc-MEP alarms to preserve motor function, regardless of SEP changes.

DOI： 10.22603/ssrr.2024-0229

Impact of T1 Slope Visibility on Cervical Sagittal Alignment: A Comparative Study of Radiographic Parameters According to T1 Slope Visibility

Nakashima Hiroaki, Matsumoto Akiyuki, Ito Sadayuki, Segi Naoki, Ouchida Jun, Yamauchi Ippei, Morita Yoshinori, Imagama Shiro

Spine Surgery and Related Research Vol. 9 ( 3 ) page： 307 - 312 2025

Language：English Publisher：The Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research

Introduction: Proper cervical sagittal alignment is essential for maintaining overall spinal stability and function. A crucial measure of this alignment is the T1 slope, which is an important indicator. However, lateral cervical spine radiographs often fail to clearly show the T1 slope owing to several factors, such as shoulder anatomy or variations in body shape. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the differences in cervical alignment between individuals with visible and invisible T1 slopes.Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort analysis involving 60 patients diagnosed with cervical spine conditions and evaluated via radiographic imaging. The patients were categorized into two groups based on whether the T1 slope was clearly visible or not. Key radiographic measurements, such as the C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA) and C2-C7 Cobb angles in the neutral, flexion, and extension postures, were recorded and statistically analyzed.Results: Significant differences were observed in the C2-C7 SVA between the groups, particularly among men. Men in the invisible T1 slope group had an average SVA of 28.9 mm, whereas those in the visible group had a mean SVA of 16.0 mm (P<0.05). Although no notable differences were observed in the Cobb angles for the neutral and flexion positions, a substantial reduction in the extension Cobb angle was noted in the invisible than in the visible group (24.4° vs. 37.6°, P<0.05).Conclusions: Male patients with obscured T1 slopes exhibited unique radiographic features, including higher C2-C7 SVA and diminished extension capacity. This suggests that the visibility of the T1 slope plays a pivotal role in the evaluation of cervical alignment. Furthermore, the exclusion of patients with an invisible T1 slope from research studies could lead to biased results.

DOI： 10.22603/ssrr.2024-0253

Preoperative Planning for Cervical Pedicle Screw Placement: Identifying Key Morphological Parameters

Okada Yuya, Nakashima Hiroaki, Ito Sadayuki, Segi Naoki, Ouchida Jun, Urasaki Tetsuya, Imagama Shiro

Spine Surgery and Related Research Vol. 9 ( 3 ) page： 313 - 320 2025

Language：English Publisher：The Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research

Introduction: Cervical pedicle screw (CPS) placement is crucial for posterior cervical fusion surgery due to its strong fixation ability. However, CPS insertion is associated with risks, including screw perforation, which can lead to complications such as vertebral artery injury and neurological deficits. Although previous studies have explored some morphological factors affecting CPS placement, comprehensive data on specific parameters contributing to perforation remains limited. This study aimed to investigate cervical vertebrae features associated with CPS perforation and established threshold values for improved preoperative planning.Methods: A retrospective analysis of 36 patients who underwent posterior cervical fusion surgery with CPS placement was conducted using preoperative computed tomography (CT) -based navigation. Cases with CPS insertion at C1 or C2 were excluded. The key morphological parameters-optimal screw trajectory angle, pedicle diameter, and distance from the entry point to the pedicle isthmus (DEP) -were measured on preoperative CT images. CPS placement accuracy was assessed postoperatively using Neo's classification. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined the cutoff values for predicting CPS perforation.Results: Among the 102 CPSs placed from C3 to C7, the overall perforation rate was 25.5%. C3 had the highest perforation rate (45.5%), whereas C7 had the lowest (3.1%). The vertebrae with CPS perforation exhibited a significantly larger optimal screw trajectory angle (45.5° vs. 38.0°, p<0.001), smaller pedicle diameter (4.2 mm vs. 5.2 mm, p<0.001), and longer DEP (13.2 mm vs. 11.9 mm, p=0.002). The ROC analysis identified the following cutoff values: 44.0° for the optimal angle, 4.35 mm for the pedicle diameter, and 12.7 mm for the DEP. These morphological parameters strongly predicted the risk of CPS perforation.Conclusions: Establishing key morphological thresholds enhances preoperative planning for CPS placement, improves accuracy and patient safety, and minimizes complications.

DOI： 10.22603/ssrr.2024-0243

Impact of Nutritional Risk on Complications and Recovery in the Older People: A Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index-Based Study Reviewed

Ode Yukihito, Segi Naoki, Ito Sadayuki, Ouchida Jun, Yamauchi Ippei, Nagatani Yasuhiro, Okada Yuya, Takeichi Yosuke, Kagami Yujiro, Morishita Kazuaki, Oishi Ryotaro, Miyairi Yuichi, Morita Yoshinori, Tachi Hiroto, Ohshima Kazuma, Oyama Hiroki, Ogura Keisuke, Shinjo Ryuichi, Ohara Tetsuya, Tsuji Taichi, Kanemura Tokumi, Imagama Shiro, Nakashima Hiroaki

Spine Surgery and Related Research Vol. advpub ( 0 ) 2025

Language：English Publisher：The Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research

Introduction: The geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) has emerged as a useful predictor of surgical risk and postoperative outcomes. This study aimed to explore the utility of GNRI as a semiquantitative tool for predicting systemic and local complications after multilevel thoracolumbar fusion surgery in older patients and to evaluate the broader implications of nutritional status on postoperative recovery and independence.Methods: This multicenter study included 249 patients aged 65 years or older who underwent thoracolumbar fusion of at least four vertebrae. The nutrition-related risk grades were defined by the GNRI values, and the patients were divided into four groups: risk absent (GNRI > 98), low risk (GNRI 92 to ≤98), moderate risk (GNRI 82 to <92), and major risk (GNRI < 82). The occurrence of systemic complications, surgical site infection (SSI), length of stay in the hospital, place of discharge, and occurrence of proximal junctional kyphosis or failure (PJK/PJF) within 2 years after surgery were examined.Results: The risk-absent group consisted of 165 patients, the low-risk group of 40, the moderate-risk group of 36, and the major-risk group of eight. The incidence of any systemic complications (p = 0.016), PJK/PJF (p < 0.001), and hospital stay (p = 0.028) significantly increased with worsening GNRI. Furthermore, the number of patients who were discharged home significantly decreased as GNRI worsened (p < 0.001). SSI occurred most frequently in the risk-absent group (4.2%).Conclusions: The GNRI serves as a semiquantitative assessment tool that enables the identification of high-risk patients who may benefit from preoperative nutritional interventions.

DOI： 10.22603/ssrr.2025-0016

Characteristics and Clinical Outcomes of Transition from Conservative Therapy to Surgical Intervention in Older Patients with Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Without Major Bone Injury: A Nationwide Retrospective Study Reviewed

Yokogawa Noriaki, Sasagawa Takeshi, Hayashi Hiroyuki, Demura Satoru, Nakashima Hiroaki, Segi Naoki, Watanabe Kota, Nori Satoshi, Funayama Toru, Eto Fumihiko, Nakajima Hideaki, Furuya Takeo, Yunde Atsushi, Terashima Yoshinori, Hirota Ryosuke, Yamada Tomohiro, Hasegawa Tomohiko, Suzuki Hidenori, Imajo Yasuaki, Kawaguchi Kenichi, Haruta Yohei, Tonomura Hitoshi, Sakata Munehiro, Terai Hidetomi, Tamai Koji, Inoue Gen, Ikegami Shota, Akeda Koji, Nakanishi Kazuo, Uei Hiroshi, Funao Haruki, Oshima Yasushi, Yoshii Toshitaka, Hashimoto Ko, Iizuka Yoichi, Kiyasu Katsuhito, Ishihara Masayuki, Kaito Takashi, Okada Seiji, Imagama Shiro, Kato Satoshi

Spine Surgery and Related Research Vol. advpub ( 0 ) 2025

Language：English Publisher：The Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research

Background: Cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) without major bone injury is increasing among older adults, particularly in aging societies like Japan. The optimal treatment strategies remain unclear, with conservative therapy often preferred, especially for older patients. However, surgery is frequently necessary due to poor improvement or progression of paralysis during conservative treatment. This study investigated the characteristics and outcomes of older patients with CSCI without major bone injury who transitioned from conservative treatment to surgery.Methods: This nationwide, retrospective study examined data from patients aged ≥65 years with CSCI without major bone injury. The patients were categorized into 3 groups: conservative treatment, planned surgery, and those who switched from conservative treatment to surgery. The study aimed to identify the risk factors for conservative therapy failure that necessitate surgical intervention and to compare the outcomes between patients who had planned surgery and those who required surgery after conservative management failed.Results: Among 615 patients, 422 (68.6%) received conservative treatment, 193 (31.4%) had planned surgery, and 116 (18.9%) transitioned from conservative to surgical treatment. Transition to surgery was mainly due to poor improvement or progression of neurological deficits. Significant risk factors for transitioning to surgery included younger age, presence of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, and spinal cord signal changes on magnetic resonance imaging. Comparative analysis showed no significant differences in neurological outcomes between patients who had surgery as planned and those who required surgery after failed conservative treatment.Conclusions: A significant proportion of older patients with CSCI without major bone injury who were initially managed conservatively eventually required surgery due to insufficient neurological improvement. The outcomes of patients who transitioned to surgery were similar to those who had surgery as initially planned, indicating that careful monitoring of conservative treatment followed by surgery, if necessary, may be an effective approach.

DOI： 10.22603/ssrr.2024-0291

Comparison of anterior spinal bridging and sagittal spinal parameters in Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis and Axial Spondylitis: A multicenter study

Takahashi Takuya, Mori Kanji, Kobayashi Shigeto, Inoue Hisashi, Tada Kurisu, Tamura Naoto, Hirai Takashi, Matsukura Yu, Egawa Satoru, Tamura Satoshi, Nagoshi Narihito, Maki Satoshi, Katsumi Keiichi, Koda Masao, Murata Kazuma, Takeuchi Kazuhiro, Nakashima Hiroaki, Imagama Shiro, Kawaguchi Yoshiharu, Yoshii Toshitaka

Spine Surgery and Related Research Vol. advpub ( 0 ) 2025

Language：English Publisher：The Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research

Introduction: To evaluate the differences in anterior spinal bridging and sagittal spinal parameters between patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) using whole-spine computed tomography (CT).Methods: This retrospective study included patients with DISH (n = 111) and AS (n = 27). The number of anterior spinal bridges and sagittal spinal parameters was evaluated. The sagittal vertical axis (SVA) evaluated by whole-spine CT was defined as sup-SVA. Patients were further evaluated by matching their age and sex.Results: Anterior spinal bridging frequently occurred in the thoracic spine in DISH and AS. In AS, bridging occurred in the lumbar spine according to the number of anterior spinal bridges. Sup-SVA and T5-T12 thoracic kyphosis (TK) were significantly greater in AS, and lumbar lordosis (LL) was significantly smaller in AS. TK was greater according to the number of anterior spinal bridges in both DISH and AS. Sup-SVA in DISH was greater according to the number of anterior spinal bridges, especially in the thoracic spine, whereas it was greater according to the lumbar in AS. LL in AS was smaller according to the number of lumbar bridges. Sup-SVA in DISH correlated with TK, whereas it correlated with both TK and LL in AS.Conclusions: In patients with AS, the spine tends to bridge from the lumbar to the thoracic spine, causing kyphosis in the thoracolumbar spine. In patients with DISH, the spine tends to bridge from the thoracic spine, causing kyphosis in the thoracic spine. Thus, sup-SVA is greater in AS than in DISH.

DOI： 10.22603/ssrr.2024-0345

Postoperative Deterioration of Sagittal Balance in Adult Spinal Deformities: Influence of Preoperative Alignment and Pelvic Incidence

Okada Yuya, Nakashima Hiroaki, Ito Sadayuki, Segi Naoki, Ouchida Jun, Yamauchi Ippei, Ode Yukihito, Nagatani Yasuhiro, Takeichi Yosuke, Kagami Yujiro, Shinjo Ryuichi, Ohara Tetsuya, Tsuji Taichi, Kanemura Tokumi, Imagama Shiro

Spine Surgery and Related Research Vol. advpub ( 0 ) 2025

Language：English Publisher：The Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research

Introduction: This study aimed to identify the factors associated with the postoperative deterioration of sagittal balance after surgery for adult spinal deformity (ASD), focusing on preoperative alignment and pelvic incidence (PI).Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 87 patients who underwent corrective surgery for ASD (2017-2020). Sagittal balance was assessed using the sagittal balance classification (SBC). The patients were classified as balanced (maintained SBC grade 1 or 2) or imbalanced (deteriorated to grade 3). Radiographic parameters, clinical outcomes (Japanese Orthopedics Association scores and mechanical complications), and bone mineral density were analyzed.Results: In 15 patients (17.2%), the sagittal balance deteriorated to grade 3 (imbalanced group). Factors significantly associated with postoperative deterioration of sagittal balance included preoperative grade 3 SBC (73.3% vs. 23.6%, p < 0.001), steroid use (26.7% vs. 2.8%, p < 0.01), pelvic fusion (80% vs. 51.4%, p = 0.049), higher preoperative PI, sacral slope, and sagittal vertical axis. At 2 years, the imbalanced group showed a significantly greater corrective loss of the lumbar spine. Receiver operating curve analysis identified preoperative PI ≥52.1° as predictive of postoperative imbalance (sensitivity 86.7%, specificity 66.7%). The clinical outcomes were similar, but the reoperation rates were higher in the imbalanced group (20.0% vs. 2.8%, p = 0.03).Conclusions: High preoperative PI, severe sagittal imbalance, steroid use, and pelvic fusion were predictive of postoperative sagittal balance deterioration, underscoring the need for personalized preoperative planning.

DOI： 10.22603/ssrr.2025-0101

Fast and Accurate Nonlinear Distortion Measurement Using Probability-Maintained Multi-Notch Sequence

Li, JN; Ye, T; Su, XF; Fan, YY; Zhang, K; Shi, SY; Yang, QL; Nakashima, H; Hoshida, T; Tao, ZM; Mori, Y; Hasegawa, H

2025 30TH OPTOELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCE, OECC AND 2025 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PHOTONICS IN SWITCHING AND COMPUTING, PSC 2025

Fast and Accurate Nonlinear Distortion Measurement Using Probability-Maintained Multi-Notch Sequence

Li J., Ye T., Su X., Fan Y., Zhang K., Shi S., Yang Q., Nakashima H., Hoshida T., Tao Z., Mori Y., Hasegawa H.

Opto Electronics and Communications Conference Oecc ( 2025 ) 2025

Multimodal Deep Learning-based Radiomics Approach for Predicting Surgical Outcomes in Patients with Cervical Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament Reviewed

Maki, S; Furuya, T; Katsumi, K; Nakajima, H; Honjoh, K; Watanabe, S; Kaito, T; Takenaka, S; Kanie, Y; Iwasaki, M; Furuya, M; Inoue, G; Miyagi, M; Ikeda, S; Imagama, S; Nakashima, H; Ito, S; Takahashi, H; Kawaguchi, Y; Futakawa, H; Murata, K; Yoshii, T; Hirai, T; Koda, M; Ohtori, S; Yamazaki, M

SPINE Vol. 49 ( 22 ) page： 1561 - 1569 2024.11

Language：English Publisher：Spine

Study Design. A retrospective analysis. Objective. This research sought to develop a predictive model for surgical outcomes in patients with cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) using deep learning and machine learning (ML) techniques. Summary of Background Data. Determining surgical outcomes assists surgeons in communicating prognosis to patients and setting their expectations. Deep learning and ML are computational models that identify patterns from large data sets and make predictions. Methods. Of the 482 patients, 288 patients were included in the analysis. A minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was defined as gain in Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score of 2.5 points or more. The predictive model for MCID achievement at 1 year postsurgery was constructed using patient background, clinical symptoms, and preoperative imaging features (x-ray, CT, MRI) analyzed through LightGBM and deep learning with RadImagenet. Results. The median preoperative JOA score was 11.0 (IQR: 9.0-12.0), which significantly improved to 14.0 (IQR: 12.0-15.0) at 1 year after surgery (P < 0.001, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). The average improvement rate of the JOA score was 44.7%, and 60.1% of patients achieved the MCID. Our model exhibited an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.81 and the accuracy of 71.9% in predicting MCID at 1 year. Preoperative JOA score and certain preoperative imaging features were identified as the most significant factors in the predictive models. Conclusion. A predictive ML and deep learning model for surgical outcomes in OPLL patients is feasible, suggesting promising applications in spinal surgery.

DOI： 10.1097/BRS.0000000000005088

Prospective Registration Study for Establishing Minimal Clinically Important Differences in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Spinal Metastases Reviewed

Hirota, R; Oshigiri, T; Iesato, N; Emori, M; Teramoto, A; Shiratani, Y; Suzuki, A; Terai, H; Shimizu, T; Kakutani, K; Kanda, Y; Tominaga, H; Kawamura, I; Ishihara, M; Paku, M; Takahashi, Y; Funayama, T; Miura, K; Shirasawa, E; Inoue, H; Kimura, A; Iimura, T; Moridaira, H; Nakajima, H; Watanabe, S; Akeda, K; Takegami, N; Nakanishi, K; Sawada, H; Matsumoto, K; Funaba, M; Suzuki, H; Funao, H; Hirai, T; Otsuki, B; Kobayakawa, K; Uotani, K; Manabe, H; Tanishima, S; Hashimoto, K; Iwai, C; Yamabe, D; Hiyama, A; Seki, S; Goto, Y; Miyazaki, M; Watanabe, K; Nakamae, T; Kaito, T; Nakashima, H; Nagoshi, N; Kato, S; Imagama, S; Watanabe, K; Inoue, G; Furuya, T

SPINE Vol. 49 ( 22 ) page： 1539 - 1547 2024.11

Language：English Publisher：Spine

Study Design. Multicenter, prospective registry study. Objective. To clarify minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) for surgical interventions for spinal metastases, thereby enhancing patient care by integrating quality of life assessments with clinical outcomes. Background. Despite its proven usefulness in degenerative spinal diseases and deformities, the MCID remains unexplored regarding surgery for spinal metastases. Patients and Methods. This study included 171 (out of 413) patients from the multicenter "Prospective Registration Study on Surgery for Metastatic Spinal Tumors"by the Japan Association of Spine Surgeons. These were evaluated preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively using the Face Scale, EuroQol-5 Dimensions-5 Levels (EQ-5D-5L), including the Visual Analog Scale, and performance status. The MCIDs were calculated using an anchor-based method, classifying participants into the improved, unchanged, and deteriorated groups based on the Face Scale scores. Focusing on the improved and unchanged groups, the change in the EQ-5D-5L values from before to after treatment was analyzed, and the cutoff value with the highest sensitivity and specificity was determined as the MCID through receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The validity of the MCIDs was evaluated using a distribution-based calculation method for patient-reported outcomes. Results. The improved, unchanged, and deteriorated groups comprised 121, 28, and 22 participants, respectively. The anchor-based MCIDs for the EQ-5D-5L index, EQ-Visual Analog Scale, and domains of mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression were 0.21, 15.50, 1.50, 0.50, 0.50, 0.50, and 0.50, respectively; the corresponding distribution-based MCIDs were 0.17, 15,99, 0.77, 0.80, 0.78, 0.60, and 0.70, respectively. Conclusion. We identified MCIDs for surgical treatment of spinal metastases, providing benchmarks for future clinical research. By retrospectively examining whether the MCIDs are achieved, factors favoring their achievement and risks affecting them can be explored. This could aid in decisions on surgical candidacy and patient counseling.

DOI： 10.1097/BRS.0000000000005062

Safety and feasibility of intravenous administration of a single dose of allogenic-Muse cells to treat human cervical traumatic spinal cord injury: a clinical trial (vol 15, 259, 2024) Reviewed

特集放射線科と人工知能　脊椎・脊髄疾患の画像診断におけるAI利用の現状 Reviewed

伊藤定之, 中島宏彰, 世木直喜, 大内田隼, 小田昌宏, 山内一平, 大出幸史, 長谷康弘, 岡田裕也, 鏡味佑志朗, 森健策, 今釜史郎

臨床放射線 Vol. 69 ( 6 ) page： 787 - 792 2024.11

Koda, M; Imagama, S; Nakashima, H; Ito, S; Segi, N; Ouchida, J; Suda, K; Matsumoto, SH; Komatsu, M; Endo, T; Suzuki, S; Inami, S; Ueda, H; Miyagi, M; Inoue, G; Takaso, M; Nagata, K; Yamada, H; Kamei, N; Nakamae, T; Suzuki, H; Nishida, N; Funaba, M; Kumagai, G; Furuya, T; Yamato, Y; Funayama, T; Takahashi, H; Yamazaki, M

STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY Vol. 15 ( 1 ) page： 402 2024.11

Language：English Publisher：Stem Cell Research and Therapy

The original article contains two errors which the authors wish to address: On line 3 of page 3, the sentence should simply read, ‘B1 and B2, which indicates complete […]’, and the word ‘(Ref)’ should be disregarded. In Fig. 2C, the Y-axis label should instead read as ‘Change in total motor score’, and the word ‘lower’ should be disregarded’.

DOI： 10.1186/s13287-024-04044-0

Circulating miRNA-122 is associated with knee osteoarthritis progression: A 6-year longitudinal cohort study in the Yakumo study Reviewed Open Access

Funahashi, H; Takegami, Y; Osawa, Y; Nakashima, H; Ishizuka, S; Fujii, R; Yamada, H; Suzuki, K; Hasegawa, Y; Imagama, S

JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC SCIENCE Vol. 29 ( 6 ) page： 1411 - 1416 2024.11

Language：English Publisher：Journal of Orthopaedic Science

Objective: The association between knee osteoarthritis (OA) and miRNAs has been widely reported. However, the utility of miRNAs as predictors of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) progression in longitudinal studies has not been reported. We aimed to identify circulating miRNAs (c-miRNAs) associated with KOA progression in the general population and to examine their potential use as predictors of KOA progression. Methods: In 2012 and 2018, 66 participants (128 knees) took part in a resident health check-up in the Yakumo study. If the KL classification progressed two or more levels, the patient was classified as having progressive OA. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to screen 21 c-miRNAs. The expression levels of those c-miRNAs were compared between the progressive OA group and non-progressive OA group using student-t-test. Logistic analysis was performed in c-miRNAs less than p < 0.10 in univariate analysis. Results: The progressive OA group consisted of 78 knees. The results of the comparison between the progressive OA group and the non-progressive OA group showed that six c-miRNAs as follows; let7d (p = 0.030), c-miRNA-122 (p < 0.001), 150 (p = 0.070), 199 (p = 0.078), 21 (p = 0.016) and 320 (p = 0.093) were extracted as factors related to the progression of knee OA. In addition, logistic regression analysis identified c-miRNA-122 as an independent factor involved in the progression of knee osteoarthritis (odds ratio: 1.510, 95% confidence interval: 1.060–2.140, p = 0.023). The ROC curve showed by c-miRNA-122 for the progression of OA risk had an area under the curve of 0.702 (95% CI: 0.609–0.795). The threshold of c-miRNA-122 was −4.609. Conclusion: The expression level of c-miRNA-122 was associated with the risk of KOA progression in community dwelling Japanese people.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jos.2023.10.004

Prevalence and treatment rates of osteoporosis among individuals with rotator cuff tears Reviewed

Kawashima, I; Ishizuka, S; Oba, H; Sakaguchi, T; Nakashima, H; Takegami, Y; Imagama, S

JOURNAL OF SHOULDER AND ELBOW SURGERY Vol. 33 ( 11 ) page： e606 - e609 2024.11

Language：English Publisher：Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery

Background: The relationship between osteoporosis and rotator cuff tears has been reported previously. However, the treatment rate of osteoporosis in individuals with rotator cuff tear is still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and treatment rate of osteoporosis in individuals with rotator cuff tears. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 207 participants. Participants underwent comprehensive assessments, including shoulder ultrasonographic examinations and quantitative ultrasound measurements for bone status evaluation. Osteoporosis diagnosis was predicated on a calcaneus ultrasound bone densitometry, and the cutoff value was set as a T score of −1.455, with reference to a previous report. Results: One hundred fifty-six participants were classified as individuals without rotator cuff tears (group A), and 51 participants were classified as those with (group B). The mean age in group A was significantly lower than that in group B (63 ± 10 vs. 68 ± 9, respectively; P = .003). In terms of the T score examined by quantitative ultrasound, the mean T score in group A was significantly higher than that in group B (−1.4 ± 1.3 vs. −1.9 ± 1.6, respectively; P = .0412). The percentage of subjects with a T score of −1.455 or less in group B was 60.8% (31/51). The proportion of subjects with a T score of −1.455 or less undergoing osteoporosis treatment was 14.5% (12/83) in group A and 12.9% (4/27) in group B, showing no significant difference. Conclusions: Participants with a rotator cuff tear had relatively high prevalence of osteoporosis. Among those with both a rotator cuff tear and osteoporosis, the proportion receiving osteoporosis treatment was l2.9%, a very low rate.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jse.2024.02.026

The prevalence and characteristics of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis in the community-living middle-aged and elderly population: The Yakumo study Reviewed

Ohshima, K; Nakashima, H; Segi, N; Ito, S; Ouchida, J; Takegami, Y; Ishizuka, S; Hasegawa, Y; Imagama, S

JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC SCIENCE Vol. 29 ( 6 ) page： 1346 - 1352 2024.11

Language：English Publisher：Journal of Orthopaedic Science

Background: The incidence of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is increasing with the aging of the population. Asymptomatic DISH can decrease the spinal range of motion (ROM) and cause fractures. However, the prevalence or physical function of patients with DISH before experiencing fractures and other serious conditions is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of DISH in the community residents on the basis of age and sex and characterize their physical function, ROM, and bone fragility. Methods: The subjects were community volunteers who attended a health checkup in 2018 and 2019. Overall, 455 subjects (mean age, 64.2 ± 9.7 years; 177 men) were included for analysis. We performed whole-spine lateral radiography for detecting DISH according to the criteria reported by Resnick. We compared the age, sex, body mass index (BMI), results of muscle strength and walking tests, ROM measured by SpinalMouse®, and quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of calcaneus with and without DISH. Results: DISH was detected in 83 (18.2%) cases. The DISH group was older (69.8 y.o. vs. 63.0 y.o.; p < 0.05) and comprised more men (prevalence: men, 27.7%; women, 12.2%; p < 0.001). BMI was high in the DISH group (24.8 vs. 23.3 kg/m2, p < 0.05). SpinalMouse measurements showed the DISH group had a significantly decreased ROM in the lumbar spine (43.2°, 57.2°, p < 0.05). The DISH group had a significantly lower T-score on the QUS measurement in the calcaneus (−2.0, −1.5, p < 0.05). There were, however, no significant differences between groups in both muscle strength test and walking test. Conclusion: Subjects with DISH had decreased ROM in the lumbar spine and bone mineral density in calcaneal QUS. However, physical functions such as muscle strength and walking ability were similar among subjects with and without DISH without subjective symptoms.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jos.2023.10.005