Alfredo Siani

Capsule Endoscopy Versus Enteroclysis in the Detection of Small-Bowel Involvement in Crohn’s Disease: A Prospective Trial

BACKGROUND & AIMS The aim of this study was to prospectively compare the diagnostic yield of wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) and enteroclysis in evaluating the extent of small-bowel involvement in Crohns disease (CD). METHODS Thirty-one patients (20 men; mean age, 43 y) with endoscopically and histologically proven CD underwent enteroclysis as their initial examination, followed by WCE. The radiologist who performed the small-bowel enema was blinded to the results of standard index endoscopy, which included retrograde ileoscopy. Gastroenterologists were blinded to the results of enteroclysis at the time of interpretation of the WCE video. RESULTS Abnormal findings were documented in 8 of 31 patients by using enteroclysis and in 22 of 31 patients by using WCE (25.8% vs. 71%, P < .001). In 16 patients with known involvement of the terminal ileum, the diagnostic yield of WCE vs enteroclysis was significantly superior (89% vs 37%, P < .001). In 15 patients without lesions in the terminal ileum, abnormal findings in the proximal small bowel were detected in 7 (46%) patients by WCE and only in 2 (13%) patients by enteroclysis (P < .001). The capsule detected all but 2 lesions diagnosed by enteroclysis. WCE detected additional lesions that were not detected by enteroclysis in 45% of cases. CONCLUSIONS WCE is superior to enteroclysis in estimating the presence and extent of small-bowel CD. WCE may be a new gold standard for diagnosing ileal involvement in patients with CD without strictures and fistulae.

Active abdominal bleeding: contrast-enhanced sonography

Active contrast medium extravasation is a recognized and important angiographic and computed tomographic (CT) sign of bleeding. It is an indicator of active, ongoing, and potentially life-threatening hemorrhage and, hence, of the need for an immediate surgical or interventional treatment. Sonography (US) is frequently used as the first imaging option for screening patients with traumatic and nontraumatic abdominal emergencies. Owing to the current possibilities of low-mechanical index, real-time, contrast-specific systems, it is now possible to detect a contrast leakage by using US. This finding opens new possibilities in the assessment and management of several abdominal emergencies, including trauma (initial workup and monitoring), spontaneous hematomas, and rupture of aneurysms or masses. This article describes the technique, findings, possibilities, and limitations of contrast-enhanced US in the evaluation of active abdominal bleeding.

Splenic trauma: Evaluation with contrast-specific sonography and a second-generation contrast medium: Preliminary experience

Objective. To report our experience in the assessment of splenic trauma with contrast‐coded sonography and a second‐generation contrast medium. Methods. From January to May 2002, 120 patients were studied with sonography for suspected splenic trauma. Twenty‐five were selected for further imaging because of sonographic findings positive for splenic injury, findings positive for peritoneal fluid only, indeterminate findings, and negative findings with high clinical or laboratory suspicion. These patients underwent contrast‐enhanced harmonic sonography and contrast‐enhanced helical computed tomography. Results. Among the 25 patients studied, 6 had no spleen trauma at initial and follow‐up evaluation. One patient had a hypoperfused spleen without parenchymal damage, and 18 had splenic injuries; these 19 patients were considered positive. Hemoperitoneum was identified by sonography, contrast‐enhanced sonography, and contrast‐enhanced computed tomography in 74% of the 19 positive cases. Perisplenic clots were recognized in 58% of the cases by computed tomography and in 42% by baseline and enhanced sonography. Splenic infarctions were found in 11% of cases by contrast‐enhanced sonography and computed tomography; none was found by unenhanced sonography. Parenchymal traumatic lesions were identified in 12 of 18 patients with splenic injuries by unenhanced sonography, in 17 cases by contrast‐enhanced sonography, and in all 18 cases by contrast‐enhanced computed tomography. A minimal splenic lesion was found in the single patient with a false‐negative contrast‐enhanced sonographic finding. Contrast‐enhanced sonography correlated appreciably better than unenhanced sonography in detecting injuries and in estimating their extent. Findings undetectable on unenhanced sonography were also noted: splenic hypoperfusion in 11% of positive cases on both contrast‐enhanced sonography and contrast‐enhanced computed tomography, contrast medium pooling in 21% of cases on both contrast‐enhanced sonography and computed tomography, and contrast extravasation in 11% of cases on computed tomography and 5% on contrast‐enhanced sonography. Conclusions. Contrast‐enhanced sonography is a promising tool in the assessment of splenic trauma. In institutions where sonography is used as the initial procedure, this technique may increase its effectiveness.

Contrast-enhanced sonography of the kidney

Contrast-enhanced sonography (CEUS) is a recently introduced, promising technique in the evaluation of the kidney. CEUS allows real-time assessment of normal and abnormal renal perfusions. As a consequence of the macrocirculation analysis allowed by Doppler techniques, it is possible to obtain real-time information about microcirculation. US contrast media are not nephrotoxic and can be employed safely, even in subjects with impaired renal function. There are several clinical scenarios where CEUS may play the role of a low-cost, scarcely invasive tool, including renal tumors (with special reference to small, indeterminate masses, i.e., differentiation between carcinoma and angiomyolipoma), renal atypical cystic masses (i.e., differentiation of malignant from benign cysts and follow-up of cystic lesions managed conservatively), renal infarction, renal infections, and renal injuries. In addition, CEUS can be useful in the assessment of renal pseudotumors (including any case with possible renal mass on conventional US imaging) and has been employed in radiofrequency ablation guidance. This pictorial review illustrates the CEUS findings recognizable in a wide spectrum of renal disorders and discusses the strengths and limitations of renal imaging with CEUS.

Blunt Hepatic Trauma: Evaluation With Contrast-Enhanced Sonography Sonographic Findings and Clinical Application

The purpose of this study was to report our initial experience in the assessment of liver trauma with real‐time contrast‐enhanced sonography (CES).

Hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after percutaneous ablation therapy: helical CT patterns.

AbstractBackground: To categorize the helical computed tomographic (CT) intrahepatic recurrence patterns of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after treatment with percutaneous ablation procedures. Methods: Double-phase helical CT studies of 67 patients with HCC recurrence were reviewed. The study population had undergone percutaneous ablation therapy procedures (multisession or single-session ethanol injection therapy, radiofrequency thermal ablation therapy, and interstitial laser photocoagulation therapy) for 120 HCC nodules. Results: Four patterns were defined. (A) Enhancing tissue within the edge of the ablated nodule on arterial phase images (ingrowth): this pattern was seen in five treated lesions (4.2% of all treated nodules) in five patients (7.5% of all patients with recurrence) 3–7 months after treatment (mean = 4 months). (B) Enhancing tissue around the treated nodule but continuously to its border on arterial-phase images (outgrowth): this pattern was found in 12 (10%) treated lesions in 12 patients (18%) 3–6 months after ablation (mean = 4 months)

Cutaneous Melanoma: Role of Ultrasound in the Assessment of Locoregional Spread

This article illustrates the various aspects of locoregional spread of cutaneous melanoma, as imaged with grayscale ultrasound (US) and Doppler techniques. High-resolution US allows recognition of small, clinically occult melanomatous foci within the skin and lymph nodes. Consequently, it plays a major role in locoregional staging and follow-up of patients with cutaneous melanoma. We discuss the possibilities and limitations of US in the initial staging (primary melanoma, satellite metastasis, in-transit metastasis, and lymphadenopathy), selection for sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure, patient follow-up, detection of recurrence, and US-guided intervention.

Locoregional Spread of Cutaneous Melanoma: Sonography Findings

OBJECTIVE This article reviews various aspects of locoregional spread of malignant cutaneous melanoma, as imaged with gray-scale sonography and Doppler techniques. The scenarios illustrated include disease staging (primary melanoma, satellite metastasis, in-transit metastasis, and lymphadenopathies), sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure, patient follow-up, recurrence detection, cutaneous metastasis, and sonographically guided intervention. CONCLUSION High-resolution sonography allows recognition of small, clinically-occult melanomatous foci. It plays a major role in locoregional staging and follow-up of patients with cutaneous melanoma.

Combined ethanol injection therapy and radiofrequency ablation therapy in percutaneous treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma larger than 4 cm.

BackgroundOptimal treatment of large-sized hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still debated, because percutaneous ablation therapies alone do not always achieve complete necrosis.ObjectiveTo report our experience in the treatment of patients with HCC larger than 4 cm in diameter by combined percutaneous ethanol injection and radiofrequency thermal ablation.MethodsIn a 5-year period there were 40 consecutive patients meeting the inclusion criteria (24 men and 16 women; age range 41–72 years, mean 58 years). These subjects had a single HCC larger than 4 cm. Twelve subjects also had one or two additional nodules smaller than 4 cm (mean 1.2 nodules per patient). Patients were submitted to one to three sessions consisting of ethanol injection at two opposite tumor poles (mean 12 ml) and then of radiofrequency application through one or two electrodes placed at the tumor center (mean treatment duration 30 min).ResultsComplete necrosis was obtained in all cases with one to three sessions (mean 1.3 sessions per patient). All patients experienced pain and fever but one only subject had a major complication requiring treatment (abscess development and fistulization). Overall follow-up was 7–69 months. Two patients showed local recurrence and 9 developed new etherotopic HCC nodules. Seven subjects died during follow-up while 33 were free from recurrence 8–69 months after treatment.ConclusionA combination of ethanol injection and radiofrequency ablation is effective in the treatment of large HCC.

Hepatocellular carcinoma: Spectrum of contrast-enhanced gray-scale harmonic sonography findings

Sonography (US) is the most commonly used tool in the assessment of patients with chronic liver disease. Nevertheless, small nodules can be overlooked. Moreover, even if the lesion is readily recognizable, difficulty persists in differentiating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from pre-tumoral, dysplastic stages of nodule evolution. In addition, US is the main tool in guiding percutaneous ablation therapies for HCC and in evaluating patients after treatment, but changes are not specific and difficulties persist in recognizing residual tumor during and after the ablation procedure. Contrast-enhanced, gray-scale, harmonic US offers new possibilities in the imaging of liver tumors. The real-time, low-mechanical index technique employed in our institution allows a true dynamic assessment of the tumor during the various phases of contrast medium circulation. This pictorial essay focuses on typical and atypical appearances of HCC when imaged with contrast-specific, real-time US. Findings useful for lesion detection, differential diagnosis, posttreatment assessment, and follow-up especially are illustrated. The potential role of contrast-enhanced US in various clinical settings is emphasized.