Chih-Feng Tan

Diagnostic sensitivity of ultrasound-guided needle biopsy in soft tissue masses about superficial bone lesions.

We evaluated the value of ultrasound‐guided needle biopsy in 20 soft tissues masses about superficial bone lesions in 20 oncology patients. Sonographically guided needle biopsies were performed without an on‐site pathologist. A diagnostic sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 100% in separating a benign or a malignant lesion was obtained. Fine needle aspiration cytology allowed the specific cell type of malignancy to be diagnosed in 80% of cases, while core needle biopsy allowed it in 91%. Real‐time ultrasonographic guidance permits precise needle placement into the targets, avoidance of hypervascular areas, and flexibility of patient positioning so that needle biopsy can be performed quickly and safely on soft tissue masses about superficial bone lesions.

CT findings of bronchial transection

A case of right bronchial rupture demonstrated by computed tomography (CT) is reported. Chest radiographs of a 55-year-old man who sustained blunt chest trauma showed bilateral pneumomediastinum, hydropneumothorax, and subcutaneous emphysema with fracture of the left 3rd and 4th ribs. CT showed wall defect over the right main bronchus with the air in airway contiguous to that in the mediastinum. Bronchoscopy and thoracostomy confirmed the CT findings and the patient was treated by bronchorrhaphy with end-to-end anastomosis. The airway should be meticulously evaluated in cases of mediastinal and subcutaneous emphysema, especially after trauma.

Hepatic inflammatory mass secondary to toothpick perforation of the stomach: triphasic CT appearances.

Unintentional ingestion of foreign bodies is common in daily life. The unintentional ingestion of sharp foreign bodies such as toothpicks, fish bones and chicken bones carries a significant risk of perforation of the gastrointestinal tract. Herein, we report a case of hepatic inflammatory mass complicated by the perforation of an ingested toothpick that had a distinctive enhancement pattern on dynamic computed tomograms (CT). Understanding the phenomenon of enhancement in triphasic CT study is the basis in differentiating liver neoplasms.

Dynamic CT features of mediastinal hemangioma: more information for evaluation

Dynamic enhancing feature in mediastinal hemangioma was rarely reported. Slow, gradually increasing and prolonged contrast stains are the diagnostic hints in our case that avoid the hemorrhagic catastrophe from transthoracic core needle biopsy. A rare finding of an aberrant vessel entering into the tumor was valuable for operative planning. Dynamic computed tomography (CT) can provide more information for evaluation in such cases.

Lymphangiectasia within angiomyolipoma in a tuberous sclerosis patient

This is a presentation of a case of tuberous sclerosis with multifocal hamartomas in the retroperitoneum, both kidneys, and the liver. Lymphangiectasia and numerous ectatic lymphatic channels penetrating through the retroperitoneal angiomyolipoma were demonstrated by lymphography and computed tomography. The findings in our study may document the presence of degenerative change in the lymphatic system--not just in elastic vessels--an association which has not yet been reported in the radiological literature.