Ennio Biscaldi

Multislice CT enteroclysis in the diagnosis of bowel endometriosis

This prospective study aims to evaluate the efficacy of multislice computed tomography combined with colon distension by water enteroclysis (MSCTe) in determining the presence and depth of bowel endometriotic lesions. Ninety-eight women with symptoms suggestive of colorectal endometriosis underwent MSCTe; locations, number of nodule/s, size of the nodule/s and depth of bowel wall infiltration were determined. Independently from the findings of MSCTe, all women underwent laparoscopy. MSCTe findings were compared with surgical and histological results. Abnormal findings suggestive of bowel endometriotic nodules were detected by MSCTe in 75 of the 76 patients with bowel endometriosis. MSCTe identified 110 (94.8%) of the 116 bowel endometriotic nodules removed at surgery; 6 nodules missed at MSCTe were located on the rectum. MSCTe correctly determined the degree of infiltration of the bowel wall in all of the 34 serosal bowel nodules identified at MSCTe. In six nodules reaching the submucosa, the depth of infiltration was underestimated by MSCTe. MSCTe had a sensitivity of 98.7%, a specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 95.7% in identifying women with bowel endometriosis. MSCTe is effective in determining the presence and depth of bowel endometriotic lesions.

Norethisterone acetate in the treatment of colorectal endometriosis: a pilot study

BACKGROUND This pilot study evaluates the efficacy of norethisterone acetate in treating pain and gastrointestinal symptoms of women with colorectal endometriosis. METHODS This prospective study included 40 women with colorectal endometriosis, who had pain and gastrointestinal symptoms. Patients received norethisterone acetate (2.5 mg/day) for 12 months; in case of breakthrough bleeding, the dose of norethisterone acetate was increased by 2.5 mg/day. The degree of patient satisfaction with treatment (primary end-point) and the changes in symptoms (secondary end-point) were evaluated. Side effects of treatment were recorded. RESULTS Norethisterone acetate determined a significant improvement in the intensity of chronic pelvic pain, deep dyspareunia, dyschezia. Treatment determined the disappearance of symptoms related to the menstrual cycle (dysmenorrhea, constipation during the menstrual cycle, diarrhoea during the menstrual cycle and cyclical rectal bleeding). The severity of diarrhoea, intestinal cramping and passage of mucus significantly improved during treatment. On the contrary, the administration of norethisterone acetate did not determine a significant effect on constipation, abdominal bloating and feeling of incomplete evacuation after bowel movements. At the completion of treatment, 57% of the patients with diarrhoea or diarrhoea during the menstrual cycle continued the treatment with norethisterone acetate compared with 17% of the patients with constipation or constipation during the menstrual cycle. CONCLUSIONS In some patients with bowel endometriosis, the administration of norethisterone acetate may determine a relief of pain and gastrointestinal symptoms. This therapy has greater benefits in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms related to the menstrual cycle, diarrhoea and intestinal cramping.

Bowel endometriosis: CT-enteroclysis

Although several radiological techniques have been used for the diagnosis of bowel endometriosis, no gold standard is currently established. We used multislice computerized tomography (CT) combined with the distention of the colon by rectal enteroclysis (MSCTe) for the diagnosis of bowel endometriosis. Following bowel preparation, pharmacological hypotonicity, retrograde colonic distention by water enteroclysis, and intravenous injection of iodinated contrast medium, a single volumetric acquisition of the abdomen is performed. MSCTe findings suggestive of bowel endometriosis are the presence of solid nodules with positive enhancement, contiguous or penetrating the colonic wall. When endometriotic lesions are detected, the degree of infiltration of the intestinal wall can be estimated; however, the depth infiltrated by nodules reaching the submucosa may be underestimated. MSCTe is well tolerated by the patients. The strength of MSCT consists in the high spatial resolution; volumetric data acquired by using thin slices provide isotropic voxels and multiplanar reconstructions have a quality comparable with that of the original axial scans. The potential of MSCTe for the diagnosis of bowel endometriosis relies on the fact that the serosal, muscular, and mucosal layers of the bowel wall can be evaluated.

Letrozole and norethisterone acetate in colorectal endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE Up to now limited attention has been given to the medical treatment of bowel endometriosis. This study evaluates the efficacy of aromatase inhibitors and norethisterone acetate in treating pain and gastrointestinal symptoms caused by bowel endometriosis. STUDY DESIGN This prospective pilot study included six women with colorectal endometriosis; all women had intestinal nodules infiltrating at least the muscularis propria of the bowel and did not have a stenosis of the bowel lumen >60%; the patients suffered from pain and intestinal symptoms. The study subjects received letrozole (2.5 mg/day) and norethisterone acetate (2.5 mg/day) continuously for 6 months. The presence and intensity of symptoms were evaluated before starting the treatment, and after 3 and 6 months of treatment. RESULTS The double-drug regimen improved pain, non-menstrual pelvic pain, deep dyspareunia, dyschezia, symptoms mimicking diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome, intestinal cramping, abdominal bloating and passage of mucus in the stools, and 67% of the patients declared that the treatment improved their gastrointestinal symptoms. CONCLUSIONS The administration of letrozole and norethisterone acetate reduces pain and gastrointestinal symptoms of women with colorectal endometriosis, particularly when patients suffer from symptoms mimicking diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

Value of Fused 18F-Choline-PET/MRI to Evaluate Prostate Cancer Relapse in Patients Showing Biochemical Recurrence after EBRT: Preliminary Results

Purpose. We compared the accuracy of 18F-Choline-PET/MRI with that of multiparametric MRI (mMRI), 18F-Choline-PET/CT, 18F-Fluoride-PET/CT, and contrast-enhanced CT (CeCT) in detecting relapse in patients with suspected relapse of prostate cancer (PC) after external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). We assessed the association between standard uptake value (SUV) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Methods. We evaluated 21 patients with biochemical relapse after EBRT. Patients underwent 18F-Choline-PET/contrast-enhanced (Ce)CT, 18F-Fluoride-PET/CT, and mMRI. Imaging coregistration of PET and mMRI was performed. Results. 18F-Choline-PET/MRI was positive in 18/21 patients, with a detection rate (DR) of 86%. DRs of 18F-Choline-PET/CT, CeCT, and mMRI were 76%, 43%, and 81%, respectively. In terms of DR the only significant difference was between 18F-Choline-PET/MRI and CeCT. On lesion-based analysis, the accuracy of 18F-Choline-PET/MRI, 18F-Choline-PET/CT, CeCT, and mMRI was 99%, 95%, 70%, and 85%, respectively. Accuracy, sensitivity, and NPV of 18F-Choline-PET/MRI were significantly higher than those of both mMRI and CeCT. On whole-body assessment of bone metastases, the sensitivity of 18F-Choline-PET/CT and 18F-Fluoride-PET/CT was significantly higher than that of CeCT. Regarding local and lymph node relapse, we found a significant inverse correlation between ADC and SUV-max. Conclusion. 18F-Choline-PET/MRI is a promising technique in detecting PC relapse.

Crohn's disease: prevalence of intestinal and extraintestinal manifestations detected by computed tomography enterography with water enema.

BackgroundComputed tomography enterography (CTE) may detect the presence, severity, and extent of bowel inflammation in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). The aim of our study was to assess, among a cohort of 22 histologically proven CD patients, the prevalence of disease distribution, behavior, anastomotic recurrence and extraintestinal manifestations detected by an original CTE technique.MethodsTwo radiologists reviewed 221 CTEs performed providing both small and large bowel distension by oral administration of neutral contrast material and trans-rectal introduction of a water enema (CTE-WE).ResultsIleal CD was detected in 116 CTE-WEs (52.4%), including 71/116 (61.2%) non-stricturing/non-penetrating, 17/116 (14.6%) stricturing, and 28/116 (24.1%) penetrating forms. Colonic CD was appreciable in 35 (15.8%) patients, including 18/35 (51.4%) non-stricturing/non-penetrating, 6/35 (17.1%) stricturing, and 11/35 (31.4%) penetrating forms. Ileocolic CD was present in 52 (23.5%) CTE-WEs, including 30/52 (57.7%) non-stricturing/ non-penetrating; 3/52 (5.7%) stricturing, and 19/52 (36.5%) penetrating forms. In 10/221 patients (4.5%), upper gastrointestinal involvement (UGI) was present. Perianal disease was observed in 17/221 patients (7.7%). Fistulas were present in 52 (23.5%) and abscesses in 24 (10.8%) CTE-WEs, respectively. Among 57/221 (25.8%) patients who had undergone a disease-related intestinal resection, in 30/57 cases (52.6%) CD recurrence at the anastomosis was present. 4/221 patients (1.8%) with a histologically confirmed intestinal neoplastic stenosis were observed. Sacroiliitis (24%) was found to be prevalent over hepatic steatosis (10.8%), cholelithiasis (8.6%), and nephrolithiasis (4%).ConclusionsCTE-WE represents a comprehensive imaging technique which may demonstrate bowel inflammation and CD extraintestinal manifestations. A peculiar prevalence of UGI involvement and neoplastic strictures were observed. In our study the prevalence of sacroiliitis resulted higher than previously reported.

Multidetector computerized tomography enteroclysis vs. rectal water contrast transvaginal ultrasonography in determining the presence and extent of bowel endometriosis

To compare the accuracy of multidetector computerized tomography enteroclysis (MDCT‐e) and rectal water contrast transvaginal ultrasonography (RWC‐TVS) in determining the presence and extent of bowel endometriosis.

Aromatase inhibitors in the treatment of bladder endometriosis

Background. Aromatase inhibitors have recently been proposed for the treatment of endometriosis; however, no previous study examined the effects of these agents on pain and urinary symptoms of premenopausal women with bladder endometriosis. Case. Two premenopausal patients with bladder endometriosis were treated with letrozole (2.5 mg/day), norethisterone acetate (2.5 mg/day), elemental calcium and vitamin D3 for 6 months. The double-drug regimen quickly improved pain and urinary symptoms in both patients. One patient had no significant adverse effect and continued the therapy for 14 months. The other patient developed myalgia and severe arthralgia; pain and urinary symptoms recurred few months after the interruption of the 6-month treatment and the patient underwent laparoscopic partial cystectomy. Conclusion. Aromatase inhibitors improve pain and urinary symptoms in patients with bladder endometriosis; however, severe side effects of treatment may occur. These agents should be administered only to patients who refuse surgery and fail to respond to other therapies.

Rectosigmoid endometriosis with unusual presentation at magnetic resonance imaging.

We report on a patient with a bowel endometriotic nodule that was hypointense on both T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); histologic examination revealed that the MRI appearance of the nodule was due to the presence of extensive fibrosis. Bowel endometriotic nodules with extensive fibrosis and limited endometrial tissue have a signal intensity similar to that of the muscle on both T1- and T2-weighted images. In these patients, additional techniques such as multislice computed tomography enteroclysis may be used for adequate diagnosis before surgery.

Detection of metastatic bone lesions in breast cancer patients: Fused 18F-Fluoride-PET/MDCT has higher accuracy than MDCT. Preliminary experience

PURPOSE So far, no studies comparing (18)F-Fluoride-PET/CT and MDCT for the detection of bone metastases are available. We compared the accuracy of (18)F-Fluoride-PET/CT (MDCT: 3.75 mm thickness-image-reconstruction), whole-body Multi-Detector-CT (MDCT: 1.25 mm thickness-image-reconstruction) and (18)F-Fluoride-PET/MDCT (MDCT: 1.25 mm thickness-image-reconstruction) in identifying bone metastases in breast cancer patients. METHODS We studied 39 breast cancer patients for bone metastases. Imaging was performed on an integrated PET/MDCT-system; CT images were reconstructed at 3.75 mm and 1.25 mm thickness. Two nuclear medicine physicians and one radiologist interpreted blindly (18)F-Fluoride-PET/CT, (18)F-Fluoride-PET/MDCT and MDCT. MDCT at 12 months served as the standard of reference. RESULTS Overall, 662 bone lesions were detected in our analysis. Of these, 542 were malignant and 120 were benign according to the standard of reference. (18)F-Fluoride-PET/CT detected 491 bone metastases, 114 (23%) of which displayed no clear morphological changes on MDCT, whereas MDCT detected 416 bone metastases, 39 (9.3%) of which showed no (18)F-Fluoride-PET uptake. Overall sensitivity and specificity were: 91% and 91%, respectively, for (18)F-Fluoride-PET/CT, and 77% and 93% for MDCT. The integrated assessment of (18)F-Fluoride-PET/MDCT yielded sensitivity and specificity values of 98% and 93%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS (18)F-Fluoride-PET/MDCT has higher diagnostic accuracy than (18)F-Fluoride-PET/CT and MDCT for the evaluation of bone metastases in breast cancer.