Project description:PURPOSE:Cavernous transformation of the portal vein can be missed on color Doppler exam or arterial phase cross-sectional imaging due to their slow flow and delayed enhancement. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) offers many advantages over other imaging techniques and can be used to successfully detect cavernous transformations of the portal vein. METHODS:A 10-month-old female was followed for repeat episodes of hematemesis. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance arteriogram (MRA) and portal venography were performed. Color Doppler exam of the portal vein was performed followed by administration of Lumason, a microbubble US contrast agent. RESULTS:Magnetic resonance arteriogram, CTA, and color Doppler exam at the time of initial presentation was unremarkable without obvious vascular malformation within the limits of motion degraded exam. At 8-month follow-up, esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a vascular malformation in the distal esophagus which was sclerosed. At 6 month after sclerosis of the lesion, portal venography revealed occlusion of the portal vein with extensive collateralization. Color Doppler revealed subtle hyperarterialization and periportal collaterals. CEUS following color Doppler exam demonstrated extensive enhancement of periportal collaterals. Repeat color Doppler after contrast administration demonstrated extensive Doppler signal in the collateral vessels, suggestive of cavernous transformation. CONCLUSIONS:We describe a case of cavernous transformation of the portal vein missed on initial color Doppler, CTA and MRA, but detected with contrast-enhanced ultrasound technique.
Project description:BackgroundRecent advances in EUS techniques (real-time EUS elastography and contrast-enhanced EUS) have allowed a better characterization of focal pancreatic masses. Mean strain histograms (SHs) are considered a good parameter for the semi-quantitative evaluation of focal pancreatic masses, alongside complementary contrast-enhanced EUS parameters which can be quantified during both the early arterial and late venous phase.Materials and methodsThe study design was prospective, blinded, and multicentric, assessing real-time EUS elastography and contrast-enhanced EUS results for the characterization of focal pancreatic masses using parametric measurements, in comparison with pathology which is the gold standard. SHs were performed based on the embedded software of the ultrasound system, with the values being reversed as opposed to our initially published data on hue histograms. Consequently, a cutoff of 80 was derived from previous multicentric trials. Contrast-enhanced EUS also allowed the focal masses to be classified as hyper-, iso-, or hypoenhanced in comparison with the normal pancreatic parenchyma. EUS-FNA was then performed for all patients, with a positive cytological diagnosis taken as a final proof of malignancy for the pancreatic masses. The diagnoses obtained by EUS-FNA were verified further either by surgery or during a clinical follow-up of at least 6 months.ResultsA total number of 97 consecutive patients with focal pancreatic masses were included in the study. Based on previously defined cutoffs of 80, the values of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the mean SHs for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer were 100%, 29.63%, 78.65%, 100%, and 80.41%, respectively. Corresponding values for contrast-enhanced EUS (taking into consideration hypoenhencement as a predictive factor of malignancy) were 98.57%, 77.78%, 92%, 95.45%, and 92.78%, respectively. Combining contrast enhancement-EUS (hypoenhencement) and semi-quantitative EUS elastography (SH cutoffs <80), the resulting values corresponding for sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 98.57%, 81.48%, and 93.81%, respectively.ConclusionThe current study using objective parametric tools for both EUS elastography and contrast-enhanced EUS confirmed the results of previous studies and meta-analyses that indicated a complementary role for the differential diagnosis of focal pancreatic masses. Moreover, the best values for the receiver operating curves were obtained using a sequential clinical algorithm based on the initial use of elastography, followed by contrast enhancement.
Project description:Non-invasive diffuse optical tomography (DOT) of the adult brain has recently been shown to improve the spatial resolution for functional brain imaging applications. Here we show that high-resolution (HR) DOT is also advantageous for clinical perfusion imaging using an optical contrast agent. We present the first HR-DOT results with a continuous wave near infrared spectroscopy setup using a dense grid of optical fibers and indocyanine green (ICG) as an exogenic contrast agent. We find an early arrival of the ICG bolus in the intracerebral tissue and a delayed arrival of the bolus in the extracerebral tissue, achieving the separation of both layers. This demonstrates the method's potential for brain perfusion monitoring in neurointensive care patients.
Project description:ImportancePer the World Health Organization 2016 integrative classification, newly diagnosed glioblastomas are separated into isocitrate dehydrogenase gene 1 or 2 (IDH)-wild-type and IDH-mutant subtypes, with median patient survival of 1.2 and 3.6 years, respectively. Although maximal resection of contrast-enhanced (CE) tumor is associated with longer survival, the prognostic importance of maximal resection within molecular subgroups and the potential importance of resection of non-contrast-enhanced (NCE) disease is poorly understood.ObjectiveTo assess the association of resection of CE and NCE tumors in conjunction with molecular and clinical information to develop a new road map for cytoreductive surgery.Design, setting, and participantsThis retrospective, multicenter cohort study included a development cohort from the University of California, San Francisco (761 patients diagnosed from January 1, 1997, through December 31, 2017, with 9.6 years of follow-up) and validation cohorts from the Mayo Clinic (107 patients diagnosed from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2014, with 5.7 years of follow-up) and the Ohio Brain Tumor Study (99 patients with data collected from January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2011, with a median follow-up of 10.9 months). Image accessors were blinded to patient groupings. Eligible patients underwent surgical resection for newly diagnosed glioblastoma and had available survival, molecular, and clinical data and preoperative and postoperative magnetic resonance images. Data were analyzed from November 15, 2018, to March 15, 2019.Main outcomes and measuresOverall survival.ResultsAmong the 761 patients included in the development cohort (468 [61.5%] men; median age, 60 [interquartile range, 51.6-67.7] years), younger patients with IDH-wild-type tumors and aggressive resection of CE and NCE tumors had survival similar to that of patients with IDH-mutant tumors (median overall survival [OS], 37.3 [95% CI, 31.6-70.7] months). Younger patients with IDH-wild-type tumors and reduction of CE tumor but residual NCE tumors fared worse (median OS, 16.5 [95% CI, 14.7-18.3] months). Older patients with IDH-wild-type tumors benefited from reduction of CE tumor (median OS, 12.4 [95% CI, 11.4-14.0] months). The results were validated in the 2 external cohorts. The association between aggressive CE and NCE in patients with IDH-wild-type tumors was not attenuated by the methylation status of the promoter region of the DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase.Conclusions and relevanceThis study confirms an association between maximal resection of CE tumor and OS in patients with glioblastoma across all subgroups. In addition, maximal resection of NCE tumor was associated with longer OS in younger patients, regardless of IDH status, and among patients with IDH-wild-type glioblastoma regardless of the methylation status of the promoter region of the DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase. These conclusions may help reassess surgical strategies for individual patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma.
Project description:A 58-year-old female complained earfullness and otalgia and came to the clinic. Dark gray colored cystic mass obstructing the left ear canal was observed during the endoscopic exam. Contrast enhanced CT image showed an oval shape soft tissue lesion in the mid part of the external auditory canal with a homogenous increased contrast uptake. The mass was removed under microscopic view at outpatient clinic. While dissecting the mass in the ear canal, a pod like structure was visualized. The external organism was densely adherent to the skin and turned out to be an engorged hard tick. Considering the final diagnosis, contrast uptake observed in the CT scan implicates the patient communication of blood between host and parasite. This unique image finding differs from a benign mass lesion in the ear canal was one of the differential diagnosis points for the lesion. This article is reporting the case of tick bite in the ear canal with a rare CT scan finding.
Project description:Contrast-enhanced MRI (CE-MRI) is the most sensitive technique for breast cancer detection. Contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) is emerging as a possible alternative to CE-MRI.PurposeTo evaluate the diagnostic performance of a low radiation dose contrast-enhanced mammography (L-CEM) in women with suspicious findings on conventional imaging compared to CE-MRI of the breast.Study typeProspective, single center.PopulationWomen with suspicious findings on mammography, tomosynthesis, or ultrasound, and no contraindications for L-CEM or CE-MRI. Eighty women were included.Field strength/sequence1.5 and 3T CE-MRI, standard protocol for breast, with dedicated coils, according to international guidelines. L-CEM was performed using a dedicated prototype.AssessmentThree, off-site, blinded readers evaluated the images according to the BI-RADS lexicon in a randomized order, each in two separate reading sessions. Histology served as a gold standard.Statistical testLesion detection rate, sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values (NPV, PPV) were calculated and compared with multivariate statistics.ResultsIncluded were 80 women (mean age, 54.3 years ±11.2 standard deviation) with 93 lesions (32 benign, 61 malignant). The detection rate was significantly higher with CE-MRI (92.5-94.6%; L-CEM 79.6-91.4%, P = 0.014). Sensitivity (L-CEM 65.6-90.2%; CE-MRI 83.6-93.4%, P = 0.086) and NPV (L-CEM 59.6-71.4%; CE-MRI 63.0-76.5%, P = 0.780) did not differ between the modalities. Specificity (L-CEM 46.9-96.9%; CE-MRI 37.5-53.1%, P = 0.001) and PPV (L-CEM 76.4-97.6%; CE-MRI 73.3-77.3%, P = 0.007) were significantly higher with L-CEM. Variations between readers were significant for sensitivity and NPV. The accuracy of L-CEM was as good as CE-MRI (75.3-76.3% vs. 72.0-75.3%, P = 0.514).Data conclusionL-CEM showed a high sensitivity and accuracy in women with suspicious findings on conventional imaging. Compared to CE-MRI, L-CEM has the potential to increase specificity and PPV. L-CEM might help to reduce false-positive biopsies while obtaining sensitivity comparable to that of CE-MRI LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;52:589-595.
Project description:Primary rectal lymphoma is extremely rare, accounting for approximately 0.05% of all primary rectal neoplasms. We present a patient with long-standing ulcerative colitis, who was never treated with immunomodulators or biologic agents, diagnosed with primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the rectosigmoid colon, and achieved remission after chemotherapy. As per current data, incidence of primary colorectal lymphoma has been associated with medications used for inflammatory bowel disease treatment, such as thiopurine, methotrexate, or tumor necrosis factor-α antagonist, and not with the inflammation itself. Given the rarity of this phenomenon, more data should be gathered before determining that no such association exists.