Liposarcoma is the most common primary retroperitoneal sarcoma in adults. We report the case of an 86-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with frequent falls and unexplained weight loss that was found to have a cystic retroperitoneal dedifferentiated liposarcoma. Initial computed tomography revealed a large heterogeneous complex cystic hypoenhancing lesion in the left retroperitoneum. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging demonstrates a multilocular cystic mass with microscopic lipid content, diffusion restriction, and enhancing nodular soft-tissue components. Histologic examination of the tissue sample following biopsy is consistent with cystic retroperitoneal dedifferentiated liposarcoma. Further management was not pursued due to the patient's advanced age and frailty.
Dual-energy computed tomography (CT) systems have undergone significant evolution and advancements in technology since they came into clinical practice in 2006. The basic principle of dual-energy is comparing the attenuation of different materials when exposed to high and low energy levels. In this article, we provide a brief overview of the basics of dual-energy CT systems, a pictorial review of commonly encountered abdominal conditions, and its role as a trouble-shooter in various diagnostic difficulties.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the value of magnetic resonance perfusion (MR perfusion) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MR spectroscopy) in 3.0-Tesla magnetic resonanceimaging (MRI) for differential diagnosis of glioblastoma (GBM) and solitary brain metastasis (SBM).
Material and methods: This retrospective study involved 36 patients, including 24 cases of GBM and 12 of SBM diagnosed using histopathology. All patients underwent a 3.0-Tesla MRI examination with pre-operative MR perfusion and MR spectroscopy. We assessed the differences in age, sex, cerebral blood volume (CBV), relative CBV (rCBV), and the metabolite ratios of choline/N-acetylaspartate (Cho/NAA) and Cho/creatine between the GBM and SBM groups using the Mann-Whitney U-test and Chi-square test. The cutoff value, area under the curve, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the significantly different parameters between these two groups were determined using the receiver operating characteristic curve.
Results: In MR perfusion, the CBV of the peritumoral region (pCBV) had the highest preoperative predictive value in discriminating GBM from SBM (cutoff: 1.41; sensitivity: 70.83%; and specificity: 83.33%), followed by the ratio of CBV of the solid tumor component to CBV of normal white matter (rCBVt/n) and the ratio of CBV of the pCBV to CBV of normal white matter (rCBVp/n). In MR spectroscopy, the Cho/NAA ratio of the pCBV (pCho/NAA; cutoff: 1.02; sensitivity: 87.50%; and specificity: 75%) and the Cho/NAA ratio of the solid tumor component (tCho/NAA; cutoff: 2.11; sensitivity: 87.50%; and specificity: 66.67%) were significantly different between groups. Moreover, combining these remarkably different parameters increased their diagnostic utility for distinguishing between GBM and SBM.
Conclusion: pCBV, rCBVt/n, rCBVp/n, pCho/NAA, and tCho/NAA are useful indices for differentiating between GBM and SBM. Combining these indices can improve diagnostic performance in distinguishing between these two tumors.
Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorder is one of the most dangerous conditions that can affect pregnancy and its incidence is increasing secondary to rising cesarean section rates worldwide. The standard treatment is frequently elective hysterectomy at the time of cesarean delivery; however, uterine and fertility preserving surgery is becoming more common. In the pursuit of a reduction in blood loss and associated maternal morbidity, occlusive vascular balloons are increasingly used at the time of surgery, usually placed with fluoroscopic guidance. Occlusive balloons placed in the infrarenal aorta have been shown in the literature to be superior in terms of blood loss and hysterectomy rates than those placed more distally, such as within iliac or uterine arteries. We present the first five cases performed in Europe of ultrasound-guided infrarenal aortic balloon placement before cesarean for PAS disorder, and describe the technique we used, which provided reduced blood loss, a clearer operating field and avoided fetal and maternal exposure to radiation and intravenous contrast.
Objectives: In the last decade, the incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been rising, with the greatest increase observed for solid tumors. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols and algorithms have recently been available for classifying RCC subtypes and benign subtypes. The objective of this study was to prospectively validate the MRI algorithm presented by Cornelis et al. for RCC classification.
Material and methods: Over a 7-month period, 38 patients with 44 renal tumors were prospectively included in the study and received an MRI examination in addition to the conventional investigation program. The MRI sequences were: T2-weighted, dual chemical shift MRI, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted in wash-in and wash-out phases. The images were evaluated according to the algorithm by two experienced, blinded radiologists, and the histopathological diagnosis served as the gold standard.
Results: Of 44 tumors in 38 patients, only 8 tumors (18.2%) received the same MRI diagnosis according to the algorithm as the histopathological diagnosis. MRI diagnosed 16 angiomyolipoma, 14 clear cell RCC (ccRCC), 12 chromophobe RCC (chRCC), and two papillary RCC (pRCC), while histopathological examination diagnosed 24 ccRCC, four pRCC, one chRCC, and one mixed tumor of both pRCC and chRCC. Malignant tumors were statistically significantly larger than the benign (3.16 ± 1.34 cm vs. 2.00 ± 1.04 cm, P = 0.006).
Conclusion: This prospective study could not reproduce Cornelis et al.'s results and does not support differentiating renal masses using multiparametric MRI without percutaneous biopsy in the future. The MRI algorithm showed few promising results to categorize renal tumors, indicating histopathology for clinical decisions and follow-up regimes of renal masses are still required.
Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD), also known as sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy, is an uncommon benign disorder characterized by the accumulation of activated histiocytes in affected tissues. While RDD typically involves lymph nodes, it may manifest as extranodal involvement. Breast involvement is an exceedingly rare presentation of this condition with <100 reported cases worldwide. This report presents a case of RDD in a 58-year-old male patient who presented with a palpable breast mass. Mammography and ultrasound imaging studies raised concerns for malignancy, prompting a breast biopsy. Histopathological examination revealed S100-positive pale histiocytes exhibiting emperipolesis, consistent with RDD. The management of extranodal RDD is individualized, as no standardized guidelines are currently available. However, surgical excision is recommended for unicentric breast lesions, which was performed in our case, resulting in complete remission. The patient has remained disease-free under surveillance with computed tomography scans. Our case underscores the importance of considering RDD in the differential diagnoses of breast masses and highlights the utility of surgical excision as an effective treatment option, especially for unicentric breast lesions of RDD.
To evaluate the feasibility of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in children with portal hypertensive complications, PubMed and Cochrane Library were queried to identify clinical studies evaluating TIPS in patients <18 years old. Baseline clinical characteristics, laboratory values, and clinical outcomes were extracted. Eleven observational studies totaling 198 subjects were included in the study. The pooled technical success rate and hemodynamic success rate were 94% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 86-99%) and 91% (95% CI: 82-97%), respectively; ongoing variceal bleeding resolved in 99.5% (95% CI: 97-100%); refractory ascites was improved in 96% (95% CI: 69-100%); post-TIPS bleeding rate was 14% (95% CI: 1-33%); 88% of patients were alive or successfully received liver transplant (95% CI: 79-96%); and shunt dysfunction rate was 27% (95% CI: 17-38%). Hepatic encephalopathy occurred in 10.6% (21/198), though 85.7% (18/21) resolved with medical management only. In conclusion, based on moderate levels of evidence, TIPS is a safe and effective intervention that should be considered in pediatric patients with portal hypertensive complications. Future comparative studies are warranted.
Nearly, 20% of renal allografts fail after 5 years resulting in a return to hemodialysis. These patients subsequently undergo withdrawal of immunosuppressant therapy, and the failed allograft is left in situ. However, many patients (40%) develop graft intolerance syndrome, characterized by fever, pain, and hematuria. Conventionally, this is managed with low-dose maintenance immunosuppressant therapy, however, that is not without notable adverse risk. In refractory patients, transplant nephrectomy is the treatment of choice; however, this caries significant morbidity and mortality. Interventional radiology plays a substantial role of treating graft intolerance syndrome while delivering improved patient outcomes.
Objectives: This study compared the diagnostic value of 3D T1-weighted (T1W) gradient-echo (GRE) and 2D T1W in-phase and out-of-phase GRE sequences for appendicitis diagnosis in pregnant women.
Material and methods: This retrospective study included 25 pregnant patients with suspected appendicitis who underwent 1.5 Tesla abdominal magnetic resonance imaging and had definitive diagnoses. Four doctors approached four separate imaging groups: A (only T2-weighted image [T2WI] sequences), B (T2WI and 3D T1W GRE sequences), C (T2WI and T1W in-phase and out-of-phase GRE sequences), and D (T2WI, 3D T1W GRE, and T1W in-phase and out-of-phase GRE sequences). The kappa (κ) index was used to compare the appendicitis diagnostic results between groups. The diagnostic value of these sequences in the diagnosis of pregnancy appendicitis was also evaluated.
Results: Groups A and C had average consistency with definitive diagnosis (κ = 0.6), lower than Groups B and D (κ = 0.865), indicating a high definite diagnosis consistency. Groups B and D had similarly high sensitivity (80%), specificity (100%), positive predictive value (100%), negative predictive value (95.2%), and accuracy (ACC) (96%), higher than Groups A and C (60%, 95%, 75%, 90.5%, and 88%, respectively).
Conclusion: 3D T1W-GRE sequences improve appendicitis diagnosis in pregnancy compared to T2W sequences alone. Adding in and out phase GRE sequences do not increase diagnostic ACC.