Hadas Moshonov

Diagnostic Performance of Quantitative Shear Wave Elastography in the Evaluation of Solid Breast Masses: Determination of the Most Discriminatory Parameter

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article is to assess the diagnostic performance of quantitative shear wave elastography in the evaluation of solid breast masses and to determine the most discriminatory parameter. SUBJECTS AND METHODS B-mode ultrasound and shear wave elastography were performed before core biopsy of 123 masses in 112 women. The diagnostic performance of ultrasound and quantitative shear wave elastography parameters (mean elasticity, maximum elasticity, and elasticity ratio) were compared. The added effect of shear wave elastography on the performance of ultrasound was determined. RESULTS The mean elasticity, maximum elasticity, and elasticity ratio were 24.8 kPa, 30.3 kPa, and 1.90, respectively, for 79 benign masses and 130.7 kPa, 154.9 kPa, and 11.52, respectively, for 44 malignant masses (p < 0.001). The optimal cutoff value for each parameter was determined to be 42.5 kPa, 46.7 kPa, and 3.56, respectively. The AUC of each shear wave elastography parameter was higher than that of ultrasound (p < 0.001); the AUC value for the elasticity ratio (0.943) was the highest. By adding shear wave elastography parameters to the evaluation of BI-RADS category 4a masses, about 90% of masses could be downgraded to BI-RADS category 3. The numbers of downgraded masses were 40 of 44 (91%) for mean elasticity, 39 of 44 (89%) for maximum elasticity, and 42 of 44 (95%) for elasticity ratio. The numbers of correctly downgraded masses were 39 of 40 (98%) for mean elasticity, 38 of 39 (97%) for maximum elasticity, and 41 of 42 (98%) for elasticity ratio. There was improvement in the diagnostic performance of ultrasound of mass assessment with shear wave elastography parameters added to BI-RADS category 4a masses compared with ultrasound alone. Combined ultrasound and elasticity ratio had the highest improvement, from 35.44% to 87.34% for specificity, from 45.74% to 80.77% for positive predictive value, and from 57.72% to 90.24% for accuracy (p < 0.0001). The AUC of combined ultrasound and elasticity ratio (0.914) was the highest compared with the other combined parameters. CONCLUSION There was a statistically significant difference in the values of the quantitative shear wave elastography parameters of benign and malignant solid breast masses. By adding shear wave elastography parameters to BI-RADS category 4a masses, we found that about 90% of them could be correctly downgraded to BI-RADS category 3, thereby avoiding biopsy. Elasticity ratio (cutoff, 3.56) appeared to be the most discriminatory parameter.

Cystic renal cell carcinomas: do they grow, metastasize, or recur?

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to evaluate the interval growth, tumor recurrence, and metastatic disease occurrence of cystic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS Pre-and posttreatment imaging of 47 histologically proven cystic RCCs, with at least 6 months of pretreatment imaging monitoring or at least 2 years of posttreatment imaging follow-up, or both, was retrospectively reviewed. Tumor morphologic features, preoperative growth, histologic typing and grading, and the incidence of tumor recurrence or metastasis were evaluated. Growth rate of tumors were compared among various histologic subtypes and Fuhrman grades. RESULTS Of 47 tumors, 27 (57.5%) were clear cell RCCs, 12 (25.5%) were multilocular RCCs, and eight (17%) were papillary cystic RCCs. Overall, 26 (55.3%) tumors were graded as Fuhrman grade 2, 17 (36.1%) were Fuhrman grade 1, and one tumor was Fuhrman grade 3. Of the 26 tumors with a minimum of 6 months of pretreatment imaging monitoring, 19 (73%) did not show a significant increase in tumor size. The differences in mean growth among the Fuhrman grades and different subtypes were not statistically significant. The average duration of posttreatment follow-up was 51 months. There were no local recurrences among the 43 patients who underwent posttreatment imaging, except for one patient who had metastasis at preoperative clinical presentation. CONCLUSION Cystic RCCs exhibit slow indolent growth, if any, and show no significant metastatic or recurrence potential, with excellent clinical outcomes. We raise the need for revisiting current imaging protocols that may involve frequent pre-and posttreatment imaging in cystic RCCs.

Deep Basal inferoseptal crypts Occur More commonly in Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy Due to Disease- causing Myofilament Mutations

PURPOSE To determine the relationship between deep basal inferoseptal crypts and disease-causing gene mutations in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). MATERIALS AND METHODS Institutional research and ethics board approval was obtained for this retrospective study, and the requirement to obtain informed consent was waived. Two readers, who were blinded to genetic status, independently assessed cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) images obtained in 300 consecutive unrelated genetically tested patients with HCM. Readers documented the morphologic phenotype, the presence of deep basal inferoseptal crypts, and the imaging plane in which crypts were first convincingly visualized. The Student t test, the Fisher exact test, and multivariate logistic regression were used for comparisons and to evaluate the relationship between these crypts and the detection of disease-causing mutations. RESULTS The frequency of deep basal inferoseptal crypts was significantly higher in patients with disease-causing mutations than in those without disease-causing mutations (36% and 4%, respectively; P < .001). The presence of crypts was a stronger predictor of disease-causing mutations than was reverse septal curvature (P = .025). Patients with these crypts had a higher likelihood of having disease-causing mutations than non-disease-causing mutations (P < .001). Thirty-one of the 34 patients with both deep basal inferoseptal crypts and reverse septal curvature (91%) had disease-causing mutations (sensitivity, 26%; specificity, 98%). The presence of deep basal inferoseptal crypts (odds ratio: 6.64; 95% confidence interval: 2.631, 16.755; P < .001) and reverse septal curvature (odds ratio: 4.8; 95% confidence interval: 2.552, 9.083; P < .001) were predictive of disease-causing mutations. Both observers required additional imaging planes to identify approximately half of all crypts. CONCLUSION Deep basal inferoseptal crypts occur more commonly in patients with HCM with disease-causing mutations than in those with genotype-negative HCM.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings predict major adverse events in apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Materials and Methods: Cardiac MRI studies of 93 consecutive patients with apical HCM were retrospectively evaluated. Quantification of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was determined and expressed as a percentage of total left ventricular (LV) myocardial mass (%LGE). Morphologic features including presence of apical aneurysm, right ventricular hypertrophy, and LV thrombus were also assessed. Clinical data were collected during follow-up to assess for occurrence of major adverse events, defined as: heart failure, stroke, appropriate automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator discharge, sustained ventricular tachycardia, aborted sudden cardiac death, and/or all-cause death. Results: The mean age of the patients was 54.9±13.8 years, and 72.0% (n=67) were male. LGE, right ventricular hypertrophy, apical aneurysm, and LV thrombus were identified in 69.4%, 25.8%, 18.3%, and 4.3%, respectively. Mean %LGE was 10.8%±11.1%. Over 2.4±1.7 years of follow-up, 14 subjects (15.1%) experienced a major adverse event (event rate, 6.3%/y): heart failure (6.5%), stroke (6.5%), appropriate automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator discharge (2.2%), sustained ventricular tachycardia (2.2%), aborted sudden cardiac death (1.1%), and all-cause death (0.0%). Presence of apical aneurysm and extent of LGE were significant predictors of major adverse events [odds ratio (OR) 4.6, P=0.015; and OR 1.4/5% LGE, P=0.030, respectively]. Patients with both apical aneurysm and >5% LGE were at highest risk for major adverse events (OR 6.7, P=0.004) and had shortest event-free survival (P=0.001). Conclusions: Within our population of apical HCM patients, the extent of LGE and the presence of an apical aneurysm identified by cardiac MRI were both significant predictors of major adverse clinical events.

Blood oxygen level-dependent liver MRI: Can It predict microvascular invasion in HCC?

To assess Blood Oxygen Level‐Dependent (BOLD) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for noninvasive preoperative prediction of Microvascular Invasion (MVI) in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC).

Accuracy of Contrast-enhanced US for Differentiating Benign from Malignant Solid Small Renal Masses

PURPOSE To test the hypothesis that qualitative and quantitative features of contrast material-enhanced ultrasonography (US) can be used to differentiate benign from malignant small renal masses. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is an institutional review board approved, HIPAA-compliant prospective study with written informed consent. Patients with histologically characterized solid small renal masses, excluding lipid-rich angiomyolipomas, underwent qualitative contrast-enhanced US with a combination of three different US machines. A subgroup of patients underwent quantitative contrast-enhanced US. Patients received a bolus injection of 0.2 mL of contrast material for qualitative and quantitative evaluations and were followed for 3 minutes. Two radiologists independently reviewed videotaped qualitative contrast-enhanced US examinations and were blinded to the final diagnoses. Features that were evaluated included lesion vascularity relative to the adjacent cortex in the arterial phase, the presence of a capsule, homogeneity, the pattern of vascularity, and washout. One radiologist separately reviewed a subset of contrast-enhanced US examinations that were performed with all three machines. Parameters of a first-pass time intensity curve were calculated for quantitative analysis. The Mann-Whitney test was used for quantitative parameters, the χ(2) or Fisher exact test was used for qualitative parameters, and κ statistics and Fleiss methodology were used to determine interobserver and intermachine agreement. RESULTS The study population consisted of 91 patients (35 women and 56 men) with 94 lesions. The mean age was 62 years ± 14 (range, 21-91). Three patients had two lesions each, which were evaluated at two different sessions. There were 26 benign small renal masses (including 18 oncocytomas, seven lipid-poor angiomyolipomas, and one hemangioblastoma) and 68 malignant masses (including 41 clear cell, 20 papillary, and seven chromophobe renal cell carcinomas [RCCs[) that were 1.1-4.0 cm in diameter (mean, 2.7 cm ± 0.9). All patients underwent contrast-enhanced US on the same one machine, and 68 patients were imaged on all three machines. Vascularity was present in all lesions (n = 94) at contrast-enhanced US. Lesion hypovascularity relative to the adjacent cortex in the arterial phase was seen in only malignant lesions by both reviewers; reviewer 1 saw hypovascularity in 24 of 94 lesions (P = .0001), and reviewer 2 saw hypovascularity in 21 of 94 lesions (P = .0006), for a specificity of 100% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 84, 100). This feature had κ values of 0.91 (95%CI: 0.82, 1.00) between the two reviewers and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.99) between the three machines. Eighteen of 20 papillary RCCs were hypovascular. Quantitative parameters of area under the receiver operating characteristics curve, peak intensity, wash-in slope of 10%-90% and 5%-45%, and washout slope of 100%-10% and 50%-10% were significantly higher in malignant renal masses (P = .018, P = .002, P = .036, P = .016, P = .001, and P = .005, respectively) than in benign lesions. CONCLUSION Excluding lipid-rich angiomyolipoma, hypovascularity-which has high interobserver and intermachine agreement-of solid small renal masses relative to the cortex in the arterial phase has 100% specificity (95% CI: 84, 100) for detecting malignancy, most often papillary RCC.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging predictors of pregnancy outcomes in women with coarctation of the aorta

AIMS The aim of this study was to determine associations between aortic morphometry evaluated by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and pregnancy outcomes in women with aortic coarctation (CoA). METHODS Consecutive women with CoA seen with CMR within 2 years of delivery were reviewed. Aortic dimensions were measured on CMR angiography. Adverse outcomes (cardiovascular, obstetric, and foetal/neonatal) were documented. RESULTS We identified 28 women (4 with native and 24 with repaired CoA) who had 30 pregnancies. There were 29 live births (1 stillbirth) at mean gestation 38 ± 2 weeks. Mean maternal ages at first cardiac intervention and pregnancy were 6 ± 8 and 29 ± 6 years, respectively. There were nine cardiovascular events (hypertensive complications in five; stroke in two and arrhythmia in two) occurring in seven pregnancies. Minimum aortic dimensions were smaller in women with cardiovascular events (12.1 vs. 14.3 mm, P = 0.001), specifically in those with hypertensive complications (11.6 vs. 14.4 mm, P < 0.001). From receiver operator curve analysis, optimal discrimination for the development of adverse cardiovascular events occurred at the 12 mm diameter threshold [sensitivity 78%, specificity 91%, area under the curve 0.86 (95% CI: 0.685-1)]. All hypertensive events occurred in conjunction with a minimum aortic diameter of 12 mm (7mm/m(2)) or less. No adverse outcomes occurred if minimum diameter exceeded 15 mm. CONCLUSION Smaller aortic dimensions relate to increased risk of hypertensive events in pregnant women with CoA. CMR can aid in stratification of risk for women with CoA who are considering pregnancy.

Endovascular first strategy for de novo TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus C and D femoro-popliteal disease: Mid-term outcomes from a single tertiary referral center

Purpose: Describe outcomes after endovascular intervention of TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus C and D femoro-popliteal disease. Materials and methods: Retrospective cohort study. Patient demographics, ankle-brachial indices, and lesion details were analyzed from a prospectively maintained database. In all, 980 limbs treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty ± stenting of the femoro-popliteal segment between 2005 and 2012 were reviewed. Seventy-six patients representing 83 limbs with de novo TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus C and D lesions measuring ≥15 cm continuously were identified (mean age 71.3 ± 12.1 years, 62% male). Results: Twenty-five (30.1%) limbs were treated for severe claudication and 58 (69.9%) for critical limb ischemia. The mean pre-procedural ankle-brachial index was 0.47 ± 0.19. The mean lesion length was 22.9 ± 4.82 cm. Seventy patients representing 77 limbs were available for a mean follow-up length of 19.5 months (range 0–79). The mean post-procedural ankle-brachial index was 0.71 ± 0.28. Primary, assisted-primary, and secondary patency rates were 68.1%, 72.7%, and 83.3% at 6 months, 55.3%, 63.6%, and 58.3% at 12 months, and 38.2%, unavailable, and 10.4% at 24 months, respectively. Conclusions: Angioplasty-first strategy for TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus C and D lesions of the femoro-popliteal artery can be safely performed. However, patency drastically decreases after 12 months suggesting further improvements are required to achieve longer-term clinical benefit.

Impact of Acquisition Method and Region of Interest Placement on Inter-observer Agreement and Measurement of Tumor Response to Targeted Therapy Using Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound.

This study evaluated the impact of different acquisition methods, user-directed region of interest placement and post-processing steps on the quantification of dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound measurements of blood volume in 29 patients with renal cancer, pre- and post-treatment. Specifically, we compared tumor quantification using multiple planes versus a single plane, breathhold versus free breathing and large region of interest versus a region targeting the area of highest vascularity. Performance was evaluated using area under the receiver operating characteristic curves to identify the method that best predicts progression-free survival. The intra-class correlation coefficient was also used to investigate how the same parameters affect inter-observer agreement. Of the different methods used to quantify blood volume in this study, the combination that had the highest level of inter-observer agreement (intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.8-0.97) and was the best predictor of progression-free survival was the change in blood volume measured (area under receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.77, p = 0.04) by a multiplane average, acquired during quiet breathing, quantified using a region of interest that encompassed the entire tumor.

Breast Background Parenchymal Enhancement on Screening Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Women Who Received Chest Radiotherapy for Childhood Hodgkin's Lymphoma

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is recommended for the screening of women with a history of chest radiotherapy and consequent increased breast cancer risk. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of prior chest radiotherapy on breast tissue background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) at screening breast MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS A departmental database was reviewed to identify asymptomatic women with either a history of chest radiotherapy for Hodgkins lymphoma or age-matched controls who underwent screening breast MRI between 2009 and 2013. MRI studies were analyzed on an automated breast MRI viewing platform to calculate breast BPE and breast density. RESULTS A total of 61 cases (mean age 41.6 ± 6.75 years) and 61 controls (mean age 40.8 ± 6.99 years) were included. The age of patients at the time of chest radiotherapy was 22.6 ± 8.17 years. Screening MRI was performed 19.0 ± 7.43 years after chest radiotherapy. BPE was significantly higher in patients who received chest radiotherapy (50% vs. 37%, P <0.01). A weak to moderate positive correlation (r > 0.3; P < 0.03) was found between BPE and number of years post radiotherapy. There was a trend toward significant difference between the two groups in the correlation of BPE and age (P = 0.05). Breast density was not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS BPE is significantly greater in women who receive chest radiotherapy for childhood Hodgkins lymphoma, and unexpectedly, it positively correlates with the number of years passed after radiation therapy. Long-term biological effects of radiation therapy on breast parenchyma need further research.