Davide Leni

Quantitative evaluation of CT-perfusion map as indicator of tumor response to transarterial chemoembolization and radiofrequency ablation in HCC patients.

PURPOSE To assess if radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) may influence the evaluation of perfusion parameters obtained with CT-perfusion (CT-p) in HCC treated patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty-three consecutive cirrhotic patients with biopsy-proven diagnosis of HCC lesions and candidates to TACE or RFA were included. The CT-p study of hepatic parenchyma and of treated lesions was performed about 1 month after treatment on 16 multidetector CT after injection of 50mL of non ionic contrast agent (350mg I/mL) at a flow rate of 6mL/s acquiring 40 dynamic scans. A dedicated perfusion software which generated a quantitative map of arterial and portal perfusion by means of colour scale was employed.The following perfusion parameters were assessed before and after RFA or TACE treatment: hepatic perfusion (HP), arterial perfusion (AP), blood volume (BV), time to peak (TTP), hepatic perfusion index (HPI). RESULTS A complete treatment was obtained in 16 cases and incomplete treatment in the 17 remaining cases. The perfusion data of completely treated lesions were: HP 10.2±6.3; AP 10.4±7; BV 4.05±4.8; TTP 38.9±4.2; HPI 9.9±9.2, whereas in partially treated lesions were: HP 43.2±15.1mL/s/100g; AP 38.7±8.8mL/min; BV 20.7±9.5mL/100mg; TTP 24±3.7s; HPI 61.7±7.5%. In adjacent cirrhotic parenchyma, the parameters of all evaluated patients were: HP 13.2±4; AP 12.3±3.4; BV 11.8±2.8; TTP 43.9±2.9; and HPI 17.1±9.8. A significant difference (P<0.001) was found for all parameters between residual viable tumor tissue (P<0.001) compared to successfully treated lesion due to the presence of residual arterial vascular structure in viable portion of treated HCC. CONCLUSION According to our results, CT-p evaluation is not influenced by TACE or RFA treatments, thus representing a feasible technique that allows a reproducible quantitative evaluation of treatment response in HCC patients.

Percutaneous Repair of Radial Artery Pseudoaneurysm in a Hemodialysis Patient Using Sonographically Guided Thrombin Injection

We report a case of a radial artery pseudoaneurysm complicating an incorrect puncture of a Brescia-Cimino hemodialysis fistula that was treated with percutaneous ultrasound-guided thrombin injection. The pseudoaneurysm recurred after the initial successful thrombin injection. With a second injection we obtained permanent pseudoaneurysm occlusion. Our case illustrates that this procedure is an effective treatment in this type of arteriovenous fistula complication. We compare this case with the only similar one we could find in the literature.

Use of “Time-Out” checklist in interventional radiology procedures as a tool to enhance patient safety

PurposeThis study was done to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of adopting a safety checklist (SC) in the angiography suite during interventional radiology (IR) procedures to enhance patient safety.Materials and methodsSurgical SC was successfully introduced in 2009 with the aim of drastically reducing the morbidity and mortality caused by human error on patients during their stay in the operating room. Even CIRSE, the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe, recently published its own SC recommending its use in IR suites. Since January 2012, in our routine practice in the angiographic unit, we have used a 20-item checklist named “Time-Out” derived from the CIRSE SC. The main items are: in the Time-Out phase, active verbal communication within the team; correct identification of the patient and of the procedure site and side. Additionally, during the preprocedure (Sign-In) and postprocedure (Sign-Out) stages a series of clinical data are collected such as administration of prophylaxis against contrast allergy or contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), when needed informed consent, discontinuation of anticoagulation therapy, fasting, correct labelling of biological samples, etc.ResultsPreliminary educational sessions were held to sensitise all the staff involved in the Time-Out project (physicians, nurses, radiographers) and ensure satisfactory compliance from the outset in consideration of the increased time and paperwork that checklist implementation would involve.ConclusionsThe use of a checklist in IR, named “Time-Out” in our experience was feasible and effective allowing elimination of adverse events in the first year of use and promoting significant involvement and awareness of patient safety among the health-care team. The level of implementation, completeness and acceptability of the SC within the team increased after adequate training had been provided.

Pseudoaneurysm After Spontaneous Rupture of Renal Angiomyolipoma in Tuberous Sclerosis: Successful Treatment with Percutaneous Thrombin Injection

We report a case of a large perinephric pseudoaneurysm due to spontaneous rupture of renal angiomyolipoma, occluded by percutaneous thrombin injection under ultrasound guidance in a young woman affected by tuberous sclerosis.

Tumour-related neoangiogenesis: Functional dynamic perfusion computed tomography for diagnosis and treatment efficacy assessment in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Aim of the study was to determine the value of perfusion computed tomography in the quantitative assessment of tumour-related neoangiogenesis for the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma lesions. METHODS Overall, 47 consecutive patients with cirrhotic liver disease, with a high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, and undergoing standard surveillance (six-month intervals) were eligible for inclusion in this prospective study; based on Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer guidelines, 27 patients were enrolled. Perfusion computed tomography was performed in 29 biopsy-proven hepatocellular carcinoma lesions before and after treatment with transarterial chemoembolization or radiofrequency ablation. The dynamic study was performed with a 256-slice multidetector-computed tomography scanner; the following parameters were measured: hepatic perfusion, arterial perfusion, blood volume, hepatic perfusion index, and time-to-peak in all patients. RESULTS Hepatocellular carcinoma lesions had the following median perfusion values: perfusion 46.3mL/min/100g; blood volume 20.4mL/100mg; arterial perfusion 42.9mL/min; hepatic perfusion index 92.5%; time to peak 18.7s. Significantly lower perfusion values were obtained in correctly treated lesions or surrounding parenchyma than in viable hepatocellular carcinoma tissue. CONCLUSIONS In hepatocellular carcinoma, perfusion computed tomography could contribute to a non-invasive quantification of tumour blood supply related to the formation of new arterial structures, and enable the assessment of therapeutic response.

C-arm Cone-beam Ct-guided Transthoracic Lung Core Needle Biopsy as a Standard Diagnostic Tool: An Observational Study

AbstractC-arm cone-beam computed tomography (CT)-guided transthoracic lung core needle biopsy (CNB) is a safe and accurate procedure for the evaluation of patients with pulmonary nodules. This article will focus on the clinical features related to CNB in terms of diagnostic performance and complication rate. Moreover, the concept of categorizing pathological diagnosis into 4 categories, which could be used for clinical management, follow-up, and quality assurance is also introduced.We retrospectively collected data regarding 375 C-arm cone-beam CT-guided CNBs from January 2010 and June 2014. Clinical and radiological variables were evaluated in terms of success or failure rate. Pathological reports were inserted in 4 homogenous groups (nondiagnostic-L1, benign-L2, malignant not otherwise specified-L3, and malignant with specific histotype-L4), defining for each category a hierarchy of suggested actions.The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value and accuracy for patients subjected to CNBs were of 96.8%, 100%, 100%, 100%, and 97.2%, respectively. Roughly 75% of our samples were diagnosed as malignant, with 60% lung adenocarcinoma diagnoses. Molecular analyses were performed on 85 malignant samples to verify applicability of targeted therapy. The rate of “nondiagnostic” samples was 12%.C-arm cone-beam CT-guided transthoracic lung CNB can represent the gold standard for the diagnostic evaluation of pulmonary nodules. A clinical and pathological multidisciplinary evaluation of CNBs was needed in terms of integration of radiological, histological, and oncological data. This approach provided exceptional performances in terms of specificity, positive and negative predictive values; sensitivity in our series was lower compared with other large studies, probably due to the application of strong criteria of adequacy for CNBs (L1 class rate). The satisfactory rate of collected material was evaluated not only in terms of merely diagnostic performances but also for predictive results by molecular analysis.

Contrast enhanced computer tomography of two cases of bilateral acute cortical necrosis, one of which related to amphetamine abuse.

Acute cortical necrosis (ACN) is a rare cause of acute renal failure characterized by necrosis of the renal cortex, including the columns of Bertin, with sparing of the medulla and of a thin layer of subcapsular cortex. Bilateral acute cortical necrosis (BACN) accounts for less than 1% of cases of acute renal failure in Western countries [1, 2]. The disease is frequently associated with obstetric complications of the third trimester (placenta abrupta) [3]. Although renal biopsy has long been considered essential for confident diagnosis, biopsy may be controindicated in some critically ill patient (e.g. shock or diffuse intravascular coagulation). It has been suggested that a history of prolonged oliguria plus progressive renal cortical calcifications allow the diagnosis of BACN even without a renal biopsy [4]. However, renal cortical calcifications are a late finding not observed in all cases [4]. Renal angiography shows absent opacification of interlobular arteries and absent or poorly depicted renal cortical nephrogram [5]. Contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) is a valid tool to diagnose BACN. On CECT the findings of ACN are(1). Lack of renal cortical enhancement, enhancement of a thin layer of subcapsular cortex, enhancement of the medulla, and lack of contrast medium in the renal. (2). Collecting system [6–9]. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings are quite similar to those of CECT, but because of the critical condition of many BACN patients and of the difficulties in closely monitoring during the procedure, it may be unsuitable [10, 11]. We report two cases of drug related BACN, correctly diagnosed by CECT, one of which, as far as we know, is the first amphetamine related BACN case. Both cases were confirmed by autopsy.

Update on: proteome analysis in thyroid pathology – part II: overview of technical and clinical enhancement of proteomic investigation of the thyroid lesions

ABSTRACT Introduction: An accurate diagnostic classification of thyroid lesions remains an important clinical aspect that needs to be addressed in order to avoid ‘diagnostic’ thyroidectomies. Among the several ‘omics’ techniques, proteomics is playing a pivotal role in the search for diagnostic markers. In recent years, different approaches have been used, taking advantage of the technical improvements related to mass spectrometry that have occurred. Areas covered: The review provides an update of the recent findings in diagnostic classification, in genetic definition and in the investigation of thyroid lesions based on different proteomics approaches and on different type of specimens: cytological, surgical and biofluid samples. A brief section will discuss how these findings can be integrated with those obtained by metabolomics investigations. Expert commentary: Among the several proteomics approaches able to deepen our knowledge of the molecular alterations of the different thyroid lesions, MALDI-MSI is strongly emerging above all. In fact, MS-imaging has also been demonstrated to be capable of distinguishing thyroid lesions, based on their different molecular signatures, using cytological specimens. The possibility to use the material obtained by the fine needle aspiration makes MALDI-MSI a highly promising technology that could be implemented into the clinical and pathological units.

Safe ECMO femoral decannulation by placement of inferior vena cava filter via internal jugular vein.

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a lifesaving treatment in patients with cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest caused by massive pulmonary embolism. In these patients, positioning an inferior vena cava filter is often advisable, especially if deep venous thrombosis is not resolved at the time of the ECMO suspension. Moreover, in ECMO patients, a high incidence of deep venous thrombosis at the site of venous cannulation has been reported, and massive pulmonary embolism following ECMO decannulation has been described. Nonetheless, an inferior vena cava filter cannot be positioned as long as an ECMO cannula is inside the inferior vena cava. Thus, we developed a strategy to allow placement of an inferior vena cava filter through the internal jugular concurrently with the removal of the femoral venous ECMO cannula. In two women supported by veno-arterial ECMO for cardiac arrest secondary to pulmonary embolism, this novel approach allowed for safe ECMO decannulation.