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Results for “Imaging, Three-Dimensional”

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PubMed2023

EMPIAR: the Electron Microscopy Public Image Archive.

Public archiving in structural biology is well established with the Protein Data Bank (PDB; wwPDB.org) catering for atomic models and the Electron Microscopy Data Bank (EMDB; emdb-empiar.org) for 3D reconstructions from cryo-EM experiments. Even before the recent rapid growth in cryo-EM, there was an expressed community need for a public archive of image data from cryo-EM experiments for validation, software development, testing and training. Concomitantly, the proliferation of 3D imaging techniques for cells, tissues and organisms using volume EM (vEM) and X-ray tomography (XT) led to calls from these communities to publicly archive such data as well. EMPIAR (empiar.org) was developed as a public archive for raw cryo-EM image data and for 3D reconstructions from vEM and XT experiments and now comprises over a thousand entries totalling over 2 petabytes of data. EMPIAR resources include a deposition system, entry pages, facilities to search, visualize and download datasets, and a REST API for programmatic access to entry metadata. The success of EMPIAR also poses significant challenges for the future in dealing with the very fast growth in the volume of data and in enhancing its reusability.

Imaging, Three-Dimensional↗

PubMed2009

Nap1-mediated actin remodeling is essential for mammalian myoblast fusion.

Myoblast fusion is crucial for the formation, growth, maintenance and regeneration of healthy skeletal muscle. Unfortunately, the molecular machinery, cell behaviors, and membrane and cytoskeletal remodeling events that govern fusion and myofiber formation remain poorly understood. Using time-lapse imaging approaches on mouse C2C12 myoblasts, we identify discrete and specific molecular events at myoblast membranes during fusion and myotube formation. These events include rearrangement of cell shape from fibroblast to spindle-like morphologies, changes in lamellipodial and filopodial extensions during different periods of differentiation, and changes in membrane alignment and organization during fusion. We find that actin-cytoskeleton remodeling is crucial for these events: pharmacological inhibition of F-actin polymerization leads to decreased lamellipodial and filopodial extensions and to reduced myoblast fusion. Additionally, shRNA-mediated inhibition of Nap1, a member of the WAVE actin-remodeling complex, results in accumulations of F-actin structures at the plasma membrane that are concomitant with a decrease in myoblast fusion. Our data highlight distinct and essential roles for actin cytoskeleton remodeling during mammalian myoblast fusion, provide a platform for cellular and molecular dissection of the fusion process, and suggest a functional conservation of Nap1-regulated actin-cytoskeleton remodeling during myoblast fusion between mammals and Drosophila.

Actins↗

PubMed2025

MaxComp: Predicting single-cell chromatin compartments from 3D chromosome structures.

The genome is organized into distinct chromatin compartments with at least two main classes, a transcriptionally active A and an inactive B compartment, broadly corresponding to euchromatin and heterochromatin. Chromatin regions within the same compartment preferentially interact with each other over regions in the opposite compartment. A/B compartments are traditionally identified from ensemble Hi-C contact frequency matrices using principal component analysis of their covariance matrices. However, defining compartments at the single-cell level from sparse single-cell Hi-C data is challenging, especially since homologous copies are often not resolved. To address this, we present MaxComp, an unsupervised method, for inferring single-cell A/B compartments based on 3D geometric considerations in single-cell chromosome structures-derived either from multiplexed FISH-omics imaging or 3D structure models derived from Hi-C data. By representing each 3D chromosome structure as an undirected graph with edge-weights encoding structural information, MaxComp reformulates compartment prediction as a variant of the Max-cut problem, solved using semidefinite graph programming (SPD) to optimally partition the graph into two structural compartments. Our results show that the population average of MaxComp single-cell compartment annotations closely matches those derived from ensemble Hi-C principal component analysis, demonstrating that compartmentalization can be recovered from geometric principles alone, using only the 3D coordinates and nuclear microenvironment of chromatin regions. Our approach reveals widespread cell-to-cell variability in compartment organization, with substantial heterogeneity across genomic loci. When applied to multiplexed FISH imaging data, MaxComp also uncovers relationships between compartment annotations and transcriptional activity at the single-cell level. In summary, MaxComp offers a new framework for understanding chromatin compartmentalization in single cells, connecting 3D genome architecture, and transcriptional activity with the cell-to-cell variations of chromatin compartments.

Chromatin↗

PubMed2025

tomoseqr: A Bioconductor package for spatial reconstruction and visualization of 3D gene expression patterns based on RNA tomography.

RNA tomography computationally reconstructs 3D spatial gene expression patterns genome-widely from 1D tomo-seq data, generated by RNA sequencing of cryosection samples along three orthogonal axes. We developed tomoseqr, an R package designed for RNA tomography analysis of tomo-seq data, to reconstruct and visualize 3D gene expression patterns through user-friendly graphical interfaces. We show the effectiveness of tomoseqr using simulated and real tomo-seq data, validating its utility for researchers. R package tomoseqr is available on Bioconductor (https://doi.org/doi:10.18129/B9.bioc.tomoseqr) and GitHub (https://github.com/bioinfo-tsukuba/tomoseqr).

Software↗

PubMed2026

Characterizing Riboglow Probes In Vitro as the Basis for Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging In Live Mammalian Cells and Three-Dimensional Cellular Models.

Nearly 80% of the human genome is transcribed into RNA, while less than 2% encode for proteins, indicating that the majority of mammalian transcripts are noncoding and participate in diverse regulatory processes. Therefore, sensing and visualizing RNA molecules in live mammalian cell systems quantitatively are critical to understanding RNA dynamics and interactions, yet remains technically challenging, especially in complex cellular environments. Riboglow is a genetically encoded RNA biosensor in which a short RNA aptamer binds a small-molecule probe, producing a quantifiable fluorescence lifetime turn-on detectable by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). Here, we present a detailed workflow for Riboglow-FLIM, including sample preparation, image acquisition, and quantitative analysis of FLIM datasets. The goal of this protocol is to enable quantitative fluorescence lifetime-based RNA detection using Riboglow in controlled and live-cell environments. The protocol is demonstrated in vitro, where RNA dependent lifetime changes are measured, and in live mammalian cells, where FLIM acquisition, region of interest selection, and subcellular analysis are established. Successful implementation requires careful control of experimental and acquisition parameters. Key considerations for reproducible implementation are highlighted. Together, this protocol serves as a practical reference for implementing Riboglow-FLIM and quantitatively assessing RNA visualization in live cells.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

A STORM-based protocol for nanoscale imaging and quantitative analysis of protein-associated and phospholipid-associated structures in natural rubber.

Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM) enables nanoscale mapping of molecular components beyond the diffraction limit; however, its reproducible implementation in hydrophobic polymer matrices remains challenging because fluorescence-labeling specificity, fluorophore photoswitching, three-dimensional localization, chromatic registration, and quantitative image analysis must be carefully controlled. This protocol presents a standardized experimental workflow for dual-color labeling, astigmatism-based three-dimensional STORM acquisition, and quantitative analysis of protein-associated and phospholipid-associated structures in natural rubber (NR). The workflow covers sample pretreatment, Cy5 NHS ester labeling of protein-associated primary amines, DiI labeling of phospholipid-rich domains, STORM imaging-buffer preparation, three-dimensional single-molecule localization, dual-channel registration, generation of standardized xy projections, aggregate-size analysis, and projected lateral spatial correlation assessment. Reproducibility is supported by defined acquisition and localization criteria, three independent sample preparations with at least five fields of view analyzed per condition, and unlabeled, single-color, dye-only matrix, and processing-associated Cy5 controls. Mean lateral localization precisions of 11.8 ± 2.3 nm for Cy5 and 13.5 ± 2.9 nm for DiI were obtained, while two-dimensional Fourier ring correlation analysis of the xy projections yielded effective lateral image resolutions of approximately 25 and 28 nm, respectively. Image-based particle segmentation and localization-coordinate-based density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) were applied to standardized xy projections as complementary quantitative approaches. Application of the protocol to untreated, centrifuged, and protease-treated NR samples demonstrated treatment-associated changes in the detected abundance and projected size distributions of protein- and phospholipid-associated aggregates, together with a non-monotonic change in their projected lateral spatial correlation. These observations describe alterations in nanoscale organization but do not, by themselves, establish stable protein-phospholipid complex formation. Unlike previous studies that primarily demonstrated the feasibility of STORM imaging in rubber materials, the principal contribution of this work is an end-to-end, step-by-step protocol incorporating defined controls, three-dimensional localization, image-quality metrics, chromatic-registration procedures, and complementary quantitative-analysis pipelines for non-expert users. The workflow may be adaptable to other hydrophobic polymers and soft-material systems after appropriate optimization and validation.

Rubber↗

PubMed2026

A Real-Time Image-Based Co-Culture Assay to Quantify Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte-Mediated Apoptotic Killing of Patient-Derived Tumor Organoids.

Understanding the functional capacity of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) to recognize and eliminate autologous tumor cells is central to advancing personalized immunotherapy. The goal of this method is to provide an image-based, live-cell imaging protocol that measures TIL-mediated, caspase-3-dependent apoptotic killing against patient-derived tumor organoids (PDTOs) in real time. This method integrates established procedures for isolation and expansion of PDTOs and TILs with a standardized three-dimensional co-culture system and automated fluorescence-based apoptosis detection. Tumor organoids are plated in imaging-compatible 96-well plates and labeled with a red tumor marker, while expanded TILs are added at defined effector-to-target ratios in the presence of a caspase-3 activated green fluorescent substrate. Co-cultures are imaged every 4 h using a live-cell analysis system to capture phase-contrast and dual-fluorescence channels. Quantitative image analysis identifies red-positive tumor structures and calculates the proportion of red/green double-positive apoptotic tumor objects over time. Appropriate technical and biological replicates are incorporated, along with baseline, spontaneous apoptosis, negative and positive killing controls to ensure assay rigor. By preserving tumor heterogeneity within the PDTOs' three-dimensional architecture while enabling longitudinal quantification, this protocol provides a physiologically relevant system for functionally profiling patient-specific tumor-TIL interactions and investigating immunomodulatory agents that augment anti-tumor immunity.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Longitudinal In Vivo Imaging at Single-Lesion Resolution Identifies Allele-Associated Response and Resistance Dynamics in EGFR-Mutant Lung Cancer.

Acquired resistance to targeted therapies is inevitable in EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), yet the principles governing its emergence in vivo remain incompletely understood. In particular, how lesion-level response patterns vary across distinct EGFR allele contexts during therapy has not been systematically examined at single-lesion resolution. Here, we establish a longitudinal in vivo imaging platform enabling single-lesion resolution tracking of tumor behavior during therapy in genetically engineered mouse models representing clinically relevant EGFR alleles. Using high-resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and three-dimensional reconstruction, we monitor tumor growth, therapeutic response, and resistance during osimertinib treatment. EGFR genotype is associated with distinct patterns of tumor growth, response kinetics, and resistance timing. Therapeutic response is spatially heterogeneous, with coexisting lesions undergoing complete regression, persistence, or progression within the same lung. During treatment, spatially distinct lesion-level behaviors included persistent growth during therapy and initial regression followed by regrowth. These findings demonstrate the utility of longitudinal micro-CT imaging to investigate allele-associated differences in treatment response and resistance timing at single-lesion resolution in vivo.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Changes in ACL T2* Metrics Over the Course of the Female Menstrual Cycle: A New Biomarker for the ACL Injury Risk?

BACKGROUND: Sex-based disparities in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk may be partly explained by cyclic variations in sex hormones that drive systemic shifts in tissue osmoregulation. Ultrashort echo time (UTE) T2* magnetic resonance imaging provides a noninvasive, quantitative means of evaluating the water content and collagen orientation in tissue. HYPOTHESIS: Eumenorrheic female participants will exhibit significant ACL T2* changes across the cycle, while anovulatory control participants will demonstrate no significant changes over time. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: A total of 25 women with no prior knee injuries were enrolled: 10 premenopausal, eumenorrheic participants and 15 anovulatory control participants (6 postmenopausal and 9 premenopausal using oral contraceptives). Bilateral knee magnetic resonance imaging was performed at 4 time points evenly spaced over 1 month, with the first visit within 24 hours of menses onset. Ovulation status was confirmed using commercially available ovulation predictor kits. Three-dimensional UTE sequences (11 echoes; 0.03-25 ms) were acquired to evaluate bicomponent ACL T2* metrics. Linear mixed-effects models assessed temporal differences in long and short T2* values, and the Cohen d quantified effect size. RESULTS: Eumenorrheic participants demonstrated significantly shorter preovulatory long T2* values compared with postovulatory values (mean difference, 1.0 ms [95% CI, 0.2-1.9 ms]; P = .015; Cohen d = 0.51). No significant temporal differences were observed for any T2* metric in anovulatory controls. CONCLUSION: Eumenorrheic female participants exhibited significant preovulatory to postovulatory changes in ACL T2* metrics, while anovulatory controls demonstrated no significant changes over time. These findings suggest that ACL T2* metrics are sensitive to cyclic fluctuations in female sex hormones across the menstrual cycle.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Evaluation of 3D Spheroids for AAV Transduction Studies.

Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are potent vectors used for gene delivery in gene therapy products. Their development requires in vitro systems that can reliably detect differences in vector design, serotype performance, regulatory element strength, and expression kinetics. These systems must also support applications such as potency assessment and vector optimization. Here, we describe a streamlined three-dimensional spheroid platform optimized for evaluating AAV potency, transgene expression kinetics, and serotype-specific transduction efficacy across diverse cell lines. Uniform spheroids are generated using ultra-low attachment plates and maintained under conditions that support stable architecture and long-term imaging. Following AAV transduction, fluorescent or luminescent readouts are monitored in real time using live-cell imaging systems. This enables quantitative assessment of reporter signal, dose responsiveness, regulatory element activity, and onset time through continuous kinetic imaging. The platform effectively discriminates between potent and weak vector genome designs and among multiple AAV serotypes. This method demonstrates robust performance across both slowly and rapidly dividing cell lines. These results establish its utility as a scalable and physiologically relevant system for preclinical gene therapy evaluation and development.

Dependovirus↗

PubMed2026

Topologically distinct intratumoral heterogeneity scores for predicting high-risk pathological grades in invasive lung adenocarcinoma: A multicenter study across four institutions.

High-risk subtypes of invasive lung adenocarcinoma (IAC), particularly micropapillary- or solid-predominant patterns, are closely associated with poor prognosis. This multicenter retrospective study developed and validated a predictive model for the preoperative identification of these high-risk subtypes using topologically distinct intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH) scores derived from CT images. The study included 1,051 patients with IAC. Two complementary ITH scores were developed: a two-dimensional ITH score, which integrated local radiomics features with global pixel distribution patterns on the largest cross-sectional CT slice, and a three-dimensional ITH score, which extended this quantification across the entire tumor volume. Clinicoradiological features and ITH scores were incorporated as model inputs to construct six base machine learning classifiers and a final stacking ensemble classifier. Model interpretability and robustness were evaluated using SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP)-based ablation analyses. An independent dataset from The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA) was used for external validation to investigate associations between ITH scores and pathological characteristics, genomic features, recurrence-free survival, and overall survival. The stacking ensemble classifier achieved the best predictive performance, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.875, outperforming models based solely on radiomics features (0.834) or clinicoradiological features (0.792). SHAP analysis identified the 3D ITH score as the most influential contributor to model output, and TCIA validation showed that higher 3D ITH scores were associated with more aggressive tumor biology and poorer survival outcomes. The topologically distinct 3D ITH score may provide a clinically meaningful imaging biomarker for preoperative risk stratification in IAC.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2026

Radiographic assessment and orthodontic intervention effects on orthodontically induced root resorption: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.

The relative contribution of radiographic methods and characteristics of the orthodontic intervention to orthodontically induced root resorption (OIRR) remains unknown. The aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to (1) estimate the pooled OIRR effect across orthodontic intervention versus comparator contrasts, (2) compare pooled estimates by radiographic method (2D [two-dimensional] vs. 3D/CBCT [three-dimensional/cone-beam computed tomography]), and (3) explore whether force mechanics (intrusive versus nonintrusive) modified OIRR magnitude. Seven randomized controlled trials and one prospective study (January 2010-October 2025) were included. Only OIRR was the outcome, reported as correlation coefficients (r). The primary analysis combined within-study intervention-versus-comparator estimates. Subgroup analysis of 2D versus 3D/CBCT imaging was prespecified, whereas post-hoc analysis of intrusive versus nonintrusive mechanics was performed. The pooled analysis for the primary outcome showed a small, nonsignificant OIRR effect (r = 0.07; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.12 to 0.27; p = 0.372) with high heterogeneity (I2 = 84.0%). Radiographic method did not change the pooled estimates significantly (p = 0.331). Force-mechanics analysis showed that intrusive mechanics was related to significantly higher root resorption than nonintrusive mechanics (r = 0.40; 95% CI = 0.15 to 0.65 versus r = -0.03; 95% CI = -0.16 to 0.10; p < 0.001). This accounted for 87.1% of the between-study variance. The average orthodontic intervention effect on OIRR was small and not significant; however, the OIRR magnitude was strongly affected by force mechanics, particularly by intrusive forces. There was no significant difference in pooled estimates by radiographic method; however, 3D/CBCT provides superior volumetric quantification and should be used judiciously according ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) principles.

Root Resorption↗

PubMed2026

Stem Cell Differentiation Disperses Transcriptional Clusters via a Conserved Surface-Condensate Trajectory.

Stem cells exhibit exceptionally prominent transcriptional clusters, which dissolve with progressing differentiation. Although these clusters are assigned central roles in embryonic gene regulation, their formation and loss during differentiation remain poorly understood. This study reveals that these prominent clusters disperse along a conserved trajectory in mouse embryonic stem cells, fruit fly testes, and zebrafish embryos. Imaging and lattice simulations show that these clusters form via surface condensation on H3K27ac-marked super-enhancer regions, which act as genomic scaffolds. Upon differentiation, partial loss of these active epigenetic marks and transcription-driven unfolding lead to dispersal of the prominent clusters. The block copolymer-based lattice simulations explain this process as a conserved trajectory through a three-dimensional state space, governed by surface condensation principles that extend beyond canonical liquid-liquid phase separation. This work marks surface condensation as a biophysical mechanism for the dynamic organization of stem cell-specific transcriptional hubs and demonstrates evolutionary conservation in several organisms. By uncovering a conserved biophysical mechanism for transcriptional organization in development, our work illustrates how polymer properties can contribute to the control of cell identity and fate.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Integrative quantum and systems biology of cancer: From molecular fluctuations to ecological outcomes.

This review treats cancer as a multiscale adaptive system, asks what the framework must predict to be worth adopting, and separates at each scale what the evidence establishes from what is proposed. It is an expert narrative synthesis, not a systematic review, and states the limits of that design. Proton transfer and tautomeric shifts contribute to spontaneous mispairing but do not license claims of directed or non-random mutation: replication timing, three-dimensional chromatin organization, sequence context and known mutagenic processes explain most mutational heterogeneity, leaving any quantum contribution as a residual against that baseline. The Waddington quasi-potential is bounded: outside detailed balance the dynamics are not gradient-derivable and require a probability-flux term. Hysteresis, rate-limited bimodality and return to state after perturbation distinguish an attractor from a transcriptomic cluster. Single-cell karyotype and live-imaging evidence supports whole-genome doubling as an unstable intermediate of heterogeneous origin and context-dependent consequence, not a uniform adaptive strategy. Systems and synthetic biology, virtual cells and digital twins are assessed against benchmarks, not promise. Tissue-scale ecology is reported with the spatial measurements now quantifying it, including evidence that stromal niche construction is not uniformly tumor-supporting. RNA modification is a layer in its own right, showing that the interpretation of a regulatory signal, not its magnitude, is biologically decisive. A dedicated section states the framework's commitments, the observable and evidence at each scale, and what would falsify them, asking what this adds to somatic mutation theory with clonal evolution and plasticity.

Neoplasms↗

PubMed2026

Ten quick tips for spatial transcriptomics analysis.

Spatial transcriptomics (ST) enables genome-wide gene expression profiling while retaining spatial context within tissue sections. Since the foundational work by Ståhl et al. in 2016, the field has expanded rapidly, with diverse platforms now spanning sequencing-based (e.g., Visium, Visium HD, Slide-seq, Stereo-seq, and Seq-Scope) and imaging-based (e.g., MERFISH, Xenium, and CosMx SMI) approaches. The breadth of platforms, data structures, and computational tools, however, can be daunting for newcomers. Here, we present ten quick tips spanning the entire ST research workflow: whether ST suits a given biological question, how to select a platform aligned with study objectives, how to understand and process ST data, and which software tools to employ for analysis and visualization. We further discuss interpreting spatial patterns in biological context, integrating complementary modalities such as single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial proteomics, and leveraging public datasets and sharing results. Finally, we highlight current limitations of ST, particularly the challenge of reconstructing three-dimensional tissue architecture from serial tissue sections. This review provides biologists, bioinformaticians, and clinician-scientists with a concise, platform-neutral roadmap for incorporating ST into research, from experimental design to biological discovery.

Spatial Transcriptomics↗

PubMed2023

Mega-Enhancer Bodies Organize Neuronal Long Genes in the Cerebellum.

Dynamic regulation of gene expression plays a key role in establishing the diverse neuronal cell types in the brain. Recent findings in genome biology suggest that three-dimensional (3D) genome organization has important, but mechanistically poorly understood functions in gene transcription. Beyond local genomic interactions between promoters and enhancers, we find that cerebellar granule neurons undergoing differentiation in vivo exhibit striking increases in long-distance genomic interactions between transcriptionally active genomic loci, which are separated by tens of megabases within a chromosome or located on different chromosomes. Among these interactions, we identify a nuclear subcompartment enriched for near-megabase long enhancers and their associated neuronal long genes encoding synaptic or signaling proteins. Neuronal long genes are differentially recruited to this enhancer-dense subcompartment to help shape the transcriptional identities of granule neuron subtypes in the cerebellum. SPRITE analyses of higher-order genomic interactions, together with IGM-based 3D genome modeling and imaging approaches, reveal that the enhancer-dense subcompartment forms prominent nuclear structures, which we term mega-enhancer bodies. These novel nuclear bodies reside in the nuclear periphery, away from other transcriptionally active structures, including nuclear speckles located in the nuclear interior. Together, our findings define additional layers of higher-order 3D genome organization closely linked to neuronal maturation and identity in the brain.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2026

How advances in chromosome conformation capture (3C) methods are reshaping our understanding of gene regulation in hematopoiesis.

The three-dimensional organization of the DNA within the nucleus plays a key role in regulating gene expression. Over the past two decades, advances in chromosome conformation capture (3C) technologies, in tandem with other methods, have shown that the genome forms a complex structure at multiple scales. Early studies identified large-scale structures such as chromosome territories, compartments and topologically associating domains (TADs). As the resolution of 3C techniques has improved, it has become possible to identify contacts between regulatory elements in detail and more recently, it has become possible to define intricate structures within cis-regulatory elements. In this chapter, we review the development of 3C-based methodologies and discuss the strengths and limitations of the different approaches. We examine how these technologies have refined our understanding of genome organization and gene regulation. Recent high-resolution studies reveal that chromatin architecture extends beyond classical domain structures to include nanoscale organization. Integration of 3C data with super-resolution imaging and molecular dynamics simulations supports a model in which genome folding is governed by the biophysical properties of chromatin.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

The Impact of Baseline Negative Emotions on Postoperative Quality of Life in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients: A 2-Year Follow-Up Study.

OBJECTIVE: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a three-dimensional spinal deformity that develops during puberty without a clear etiology. Beyond physical manifestations, AIS severely impacts adolescents' psychological and social well-being, leading to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. While advancements in surgical techniques have enhanced objective outcomes, existing studies on AIS have primarily focused on objective indices, with limited attention to the long-term impact of preoperative negative emotions on patient-reported subjective quality of life. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study. A total of 112 eligible AIS patients who underwent posterior spinal correction surgery between April and August 2023 were enrolled. Inclusion criteria included confirmed AIS, completion of 2-year follow-up, and informed consent; exclusion criteria included missing imaging/questionnaire data, comorbid psychiatric/neurological diseases, or prior spinal surgery. Patients were grouped using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) administered on admission. Quality of life was assessed preoperatively and 2 years postoperatively using the Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22, evaluating self-image, mental health, pain, function, treatment satisfaction) and Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36, assessing 8 physical and mental health dimensions). Statistical analysis was performed via SPSS, using independent t-tests, paired t-tests, Mann-Whitney U test, and chi-square test. p < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics (age, gender, BMI, surgical parameters, scoliosis type, preoperative/postoperative Cobb angles) between the two groups (all p > 0.05). Preoperatively, SRS-22 and SF-36 scores showed no inter-group differences (all p > 0.05). Postoperatively, the Negative Emotion Group had significantly lower scores in SRS-22 mental health (3.9 ± 0.3 vs. 4.5 ± 0.2) and treatment satisfaction (4.0 ± 0.3 vs. 4.6 ± 0.7), as well as SF-36 general health (68.6 ± 6.4 vs. 79.7 ± 13.3), role-emotional (61.3 ± 9.3 vs. 70.8 ± 9.7), and mental health (61.8 ± 14.3 vs. 68.9 ± 10.7) (all p < 0.05); no inter-group differences were observed in physical function-related dimensions. Both groups showed significant improvements in physical function-related dimensions postoperatively. The Non-Negative Emotion Group also exhibited significant improvements in SRS-22 self-image/pain and SF-36 bodily pain (all p < 0.05), while the Negative Emotion Group showed no significant improvements in these dimensions. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative anxiety and depression do not affect the recovery of physical function in AIS patients after spinal correction surgery but significantly impede improvements in subjective quality of life dimensions, including mental health and treatment satisfaction. These findings highlight the need to integrate psychological assessment and targeted interventions into the perioperative management of AIS. Such a patient-centered approach will help optimize both physical and psychological outcomes, ultimately achieving comprehensive rehabilitation for AIS adolescents.

Humans↗