Luigi Camera

Oral contrast-enhanced sonography for the diagnosis and grading of postsurgical recurrence of Crohn's disease.

Background: Postsurgical recurrence (PSR) is very common in patients with Crohns disease (CD) and previous surgery. Endoscopy is crucial for the diagnosis of PSR, also showing high prognostic value. Bowel sonography (BS) with or without oral contrast enhancement (OCBS) is accurate for CD diagnosis but its role in PSR detection and grading is poorly investigated. The aim was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of BS and OCBS for PSR compared to the endoscopical Rutgeertss grading system. Methods: We prospectively performed endoscopy, BS, and OCBS in 40 CD patients with previous bowel resection to provide evidence of possible PSR. Endoscopy, BS, and OCBS were executed 1 year after surgery, with PSR diagnosis and grading made in accordance with Rutgeerts. BS and OCBS were considered suggestive for PSR in the presence of bowel wall thickness (BWT) >3 mm. OCBS was performed after ingestion of 750 mL of polyethylene glycol (PEG). Also, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed in order to define the best cutoff of BWT to discriminate mild from severe PSR (grade 0–2 versus 3–4 of Rutgeerts) for both BS and OCBS. Results: In all, 22 out of the 40 CD showed an endoscopic evidence of PSR (55%). A severe PSR was present in 14 patients (64%). Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 77%, 94%, 93%, and 80% for BS, and 82%, 94%, 93%, and 84% for OCBS. On the ROC curve a BWT >5 mm showed sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 93%, 96%, 88%, and 97% for the diagnosis of severe PSR at BS, while a BWT >4 mm was the best cutoff differentiating the mild from the severe CD recurrence for OCBS, with a sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 86%, 96%, 97%, and 79%, respectively. Conclusions: Both BS and OCBS show good sensitivity and high specificity for the diagnosis of PSR in CD, with a BWT >5 mm for BS and BWT >4 mm for OCBS strongly indicative of severe endoscopic PSR. Accordingly, these techniques could replace endoscopy for the diagnosis and grading of PSR in many cases.

Noninvasive diagnosis of small bowel Crohn's disease: direct comparison of bowel sonography and magnetic resonance enterography.

Background:The diagnosis of small bowel Crohn’s disease (CD) is performed by ileocolonoscopy, whereas the assessment of its extension can be achieved by radiologic studies or, noninvasively, by magnetic resonance (MR) enterography and bowel sonography (BS). However, few comparative studies exist directly comparing the diagnostic accuracy of BS and MRI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of BS and MRI for the diagnosis of small bowel CD. Methods:We prospectively performed a noninferiority diagnostic study including 234 consecutive subjects with suspected small bowel CD. All patients underwent IC (used as gold standard for diagnosis), BS, and MR enterography performed in random order by physicians who were blinded about the results. Results:The diagnosis of small bowel CD was made in 120 of 249 subjects (48%). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for CD diagnosis were 94%, 97%, 97%, and 94% for BS and 96%, 94%, 94%, and 96% for MR enterography, respectively. BS was less accurate than MR enterography in defining CD extension (r = 0.69), whereas the concordance in terms of CD location between the 2 procedures was high (k = 0.81). Also, MRI showed a fair concordance with BS about strictures (k = 0.82) and abscesses (k = 0.88), with better detection of enteroenteric fistulas (k = 0.67). Conclusions:BS and MR enterography are 2 accurate procedures for the diagnosis of small bowel CD, although MR seems to be more sensitive in defining its extension. BS could be used to select the patients for subsequent MRI examination.

Andrenocortical Carcinomas: Twelve-year Prospective Experience

Adrenocortical carcinoma (AC) is a rare tumor with poor prognosis. Twenty-two patients (14 F, 8 M; age 22 to 59 years; median, 43 years) with AC were evaluated prospectively in a single center: tumor stage was I–II in 12 cases and III–IV in 10. The overall survival in our cohort was 41.6 ± 42 months; 16 subjects are still alive. Curative surgery was followed by longer survival than debulking or no surgery (p < 0.0001). The first relapse was highly predictive for further recurrences. Recurrent ACs were progressively more aggressive, and they occurred with variable but ever shorter intervals. At diagnosis, 14 patients (63.5%) presented with features of clear adrenocortical hyperactivity. Despite the absence of clinical signs of hormonal excess, all other patients presented some abnormalities of steroid secretion. The most common clinical finding was a recent diagnosis of moderate-to-severe hypertension (68%), poorly controlled by pharmacological treatment, often associated with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. High mitotic rate and undifferentiated polymorph cellular pattern were associated with worse prognosis. Response to treatments other than surgery (mitotane chemotherapy) was better in patients treated early after the first surgery. In conclusion, curative surgery was the most effective treatment. Monitoring arterial pressure, endocrine parameters, and metabolic parameters can be helpful for the early detection of AC recurrences.

Sorafenib in advanced iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer: efficacy, safety and exploratory analysis of role of serum thyroglobulin and FDG-PET

Radioactive iodine is a crucial tool for treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). In 5% of cases, DTCs lose I‐131 avidity and assume an aggressive behaviour. Treatment options for iodine‐refractory DTC are limited. We report the experience of off‐label use of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor sorafenib for treatment of advanced iodine‐refractory DTC.

Noninvasive diagnosis of small bowel Crohn's disease: Combined use of bowel sonography and Tc-99m-hmpao leukocyte scintigraphy

Background: Crohns disease (CD) is frequently localized in the small bowel, with the diagnosis of disease and the assessment of its extension made by ileo‐colonoscopy (IC) and small bowel enteroclysis (SBE). Transabdominal bowel sonography (BS) and Tc‐99m‐HMPAO leukocyte scintigraphy (LS) are increasingly used for the diagnosis of CD because of their minimal invasiveness, reproducibility, and acceptable costs. Methods: From March 2000 to July 2003, we performed IC, SBE, BS, and LS in 84 patients with either suspected or known small bowel CD. Results: Small bowel CD was present in 50 patients, whereas the other 34 patients received a different diagnosis. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and diagnostic accuracy were, respectively, 98%, 97%, 98%, 97%, and 0.97 for SBE; 92%, 97%, 98%, 88%, and 0.94 for BS; and 90%, 93%, 96%, 85%, and 0.92 for LS. In addition, the combined use of BS and LS led to overall sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and diagnostic accuracy of 100%, 93%, 96%, 100%, and 0.97, respectively. BS showed a fair concordance with SBE in terms of location (k = 0.71) and a correlation with the extension of the disease (r = 0.67, P < 0.001). LS showed a concordance with SBE with regard to location in about one‐half the population (k = 0.54), whereas it was less effective than SBE in defining disease extension. Conclusions: BS and LS are 2 accurate techniques for the diagnosis of small bowel CD, and their combined use can be recommended as an early diagnostic approach to patients in which the disease is suspected. SBE remains the best procedure for the definition of the location and extension of the disease.

Shortened interval of long-acting octreotide administration is effective in patients with well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas in progression on standard doses

Background: In patients with well-differentiated (WD) neuroendocrine tumors (NET), long-acting octreotide (LAR), conventionally administered at a dose of 30 mg every 28 days, has well-documented anti-secretive but limited antiproliferative effects. Aim: The objective of this study was to evaluate a different schedule of LAR treatment consistent with a shorter interval between administrations (21 days) in WD-NET patients with progressive disease at standard-dose interval. Subjects and methods: Twenty-eight patients followed for diagnosis and therapy of WDNET who had tumor progression during therapy with LAR 30 mg every 28 days were enrolled. Clinical, biological, and objective tumor response was evaluated after LAR 30 mg every 21 days. Time to progression was also evaluated after LAR 30 mg every 21 days and compared to LAR 30 mg every 28 days. Results: The treatment with LAR 30 mg every 21 days resulted in complete and partial control of clinical symptoms in 40% and 60% of cases, respectively. Circulating neuroendocrine markers were significantly decreased in 30% of cases. A stabilization of disease was obtained in 93% and objective response in 7%. The median time to progression was significantly longer by using the shortened interval of LAR administration as compared to the standard one (30 vs 9 months, p<0.0001). The treatment was safe and well tolerated. Conclusions: The shortened schedule of LAR administration was able to re-institute control of clinical symptoms, to decrease level of circulating neuroendocrine markers and to increase time to progression in patients previously escaping from a standard schedule treatment.

Comparison between multislice CT and MR imaging in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with pancreatic masses

PurposeThis study compared the results of multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnostic evaluation of pancreatic masses.Materials and methodsForty patients with clinical and ultrasonographic evidence of pancreatic masses underwent MSCT and MRI. The majority of patients (31/40, 78%) had proven malignant pancreatic tumours (24 ductal adenocarcinoma, six mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, one intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma), whereas the remaining patients (9/40, 22%) were found to have benign lesions (eight chronic pancreatitis, one serous cystadenoma). Results of the imaging studies were compared with biopsy (n=33) and/or histology (n=7) findings to calculate sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive value for correct identification of tumours and evaluation of resectability of malignancies.ResultsBoth for tumour identification and resectability, MSCT and MRI had comparable diagnostic accuracy, with no statistically significant differences between them. Tumour identification CT/MRI: accuracy 98/98%, sensitivity 100/100%, specificity 88/88%, PPV 97/97%, NPV 100/100%; tumour resectability CT/MRI: accuracy 94/90%, sensitivity 92/88%, specificity 100/100%, PPV 100/100%, NPV 78/70%.ConclusionsMRI represents a valid diagnostic alternative to CT in the evaluation of patients with pancreatic masses, both for correct identification and characterisation of primary lesions and to establish resectability in the case of malignancies. New high-field MRI equipment allows optimal imaging quality with good contrast resolution in evaluating the upper abdomen.RiassuntoObiettivoScopo del nostro studio è stato effettuare un confronto dei risultati della tomografia computerizzata (TC) multistrato e della risonanza magnetica (RM) ad alto campo nella valutazione diagnostica di pazienti con masse pancreatiche.Materiali e metodiSono stati studiati 40 pazienti con evidenza clinico-ecografica di masse pancreatiche, di cui la maggioranza (78%; n=31) con tumori pancreatici maligni di diverso tipo istologico (adenocarcinoma duttale=24, cistoadenocarcinoma mucinoso=6, carcinoma mucinoso papillifero intraduttale=1); nei restanti 9 pazienti (22%) sono state dimostrate lesioni espansive di tipo benigno da pancreatite cronica (n=8) o da cistoadenoma sieroso (n=1); tutti i pazienti sono stati sottoposti a TC ed RM; i risultati degli esami di imaging sono stati confrontati con i dati bioptici (n=33) e/o istologici (n=7) ai fini del calcolo dei valori diagnostici di sensibilità, specificità, accuratezza, valori predittivi positivo (VPP) e negativo (VPN) per la corretta identificazione dei tumori maligni e la valutazione dell’eventuale resecabilità chirurgica delle lesioni.RisultatiSia per l’identificazione delle lesioni neoplastiche che per la valutazione della resecabilità chirurgica, la TC e la RM hanno mostrato valori di accuratezza diagnostica comparabili senza differenze statisticamente significative; identificazione del tumore TC/RM: accuratezza=98%/98%, sensibilità=100%/100%, specificità=88%/88%, VPP=97%/97%, VPN=100%/100%; resecabilità del tumore TC/RM: accuratezza=94%/90%, sensibilità=92%/88%, specificità=100%/100%, VPP=100%/100%, VPN=78%/70%.ConclusioniLa RM rappresenta una valida alternativa diagnostica all’esame TC nei pazienti con lesioni espansive del pancreas; in particolare, la RM consente sia la corretta identificazione e caratterizzazione delle masse pancreatiche che la valutazione dell’eventuale resecabilità chirurgica in caso di malignità; l’alto campo magnetico delle nuove apparecchiature permette di ottenere un’ottima qualità delle immagini RM che mostrano un’elevata risoluzione di contrasto nello studio dell’addome superiore.

Dosimetric predictors of asymptomatic heart valvular dysfunction following mediastinal irradiation for Hodgkin’s lymphoma

PURPOSE To identify dose-heart-volume constraints that correlate with the risk of developing asymptomatic valvular defects (VD) in Hodgkins lymphoma (HL) patients treated with three-dimensional radiotherapy (RT). PATIENTS AND METHODS Fifty-six patients undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy (CHT) and involved-field radiation treatment for HL were retrospectively analyzed. Electro-echocardiography was performed before CHT, after CHT, and after RT. For the entire heart, for right and left ventricle (RV, LV), right and left atrium (RA, LA) percentage of volume exceeding 5-30Gy in increment of 5Gy (V(x)), and dosimetric parameters were calculated using 1.6Gy fraction as reference. To evaluate clinical and dosimetric factors possibly associated with VD, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS At a median follow up of 70.5 months, 32.1% of patients developed VD (regurgitation and/or stenosis): 25.0% developed mitral, 5.4% developed aortic, and 14.3% tricuspid VD. In particular the percentage of LA exceeding 25Gy (LA-V(25)) and the percentage of LV exceeding 30Gy (LV-V(30)) correlated with mitral and aortic VD with an odds ratio (OR) of 5.7 (LA-V(25)>63.0% vs. LA-V(25)≤63.0%) and OR of 4.4 (LV-V(30)>25% vs. LV-V(30)≤25%), respectively. RV-V(30) correlated with tricuspid VD (OR=7.2, RV-V(30)>65% vs. RV-V(30)≤65%). CONCLUSION LA-V(25), LV- and RV-V(30) prove to be predictors of asymptomatic alteration of valve functionality.

Radiotherapy of large target volumes in Hodgkin's lymphoma: normal tissue sparing capability of forward IMRT versus conventional techniques

BackgroundThis paper analyses normal tissue sparing capability of radiation treatment techniques in Hodgkins lymphoma with large treatment volume.Methods10 patients with supradiaphragmatic Hodgkins lymphoma and planning target volume (PTV) larger than 900 cm3 were evaluated. Two plans were simulated for each patient using 6 MV X-rays: a conventional multi-leaf (MLC) parallel-opposed (AP-PA) plan, and the same plan with additional MLC shaped segments (forward planned intensity modulated radiation therapy, FPIMRT). In order to compare plans, dose-volume histograms (DVHs) of PTV, lungs, heart, spinal cord, breast, and thyroid were analyzed. The Inhomogeneity Coefficient (IC), the PTV receiving 95% of the prescription dose (V95), the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) and dose-volume parameters for the OARs were determined.Resultsthe PTV coverage was improved (mean V95AP-PA = 95.9 and ICAP-PA = 0.4 vs. V95FPIMRT = 96.8 and ICFPIMRT = 0.31, p ≤ 0.05) by the FPIMRT technique compared to the conventional one. At the same time, NTCPs of lung, spinal cord and thyroid, and the volume of lung and thyroid receiving ≥ 30 Gy resulted significantly reduced when using the FPIMRT technique.ConclusionsThe FPIMRT technique can represent a very useful and, at the same time, simple method for improving PTV conformity while saving critical organs when large fields are needed as in Hodgkins lymphoma.

Multifocal, multicentric and contralateral breast cancers: breast MR imaging in the preoperative evaluation of patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer

PurposeThis study was done to verify the usefulness of preoperative breast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer.Materials and methodsA retrospective analysis of 291 patients with invasive breast cancer newly diagnosed with conventional breast imaging (mammography and ultrasound) was performed. All patients underwent MR imaging prior to surgery. The MR imaging detection rate of additional malignant cancers occult to mammography and ultrasound was calculated. Data were analysed with Fisher’s exact test (p<0.05) according to the following parameters: histopathological features of the index tumour (histological type and size) and mammographic density [according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) classification from 1 fatty to 4 dense). The gold standard was the histological examination on the surgical specimen.ResultsMR imaging identified 40 mammographically and sonographically occult malignant lesions other than the index cancer in 27/291 patients (9%). These additional cancers were located in the same quadrant as the index cancer in 13 women (4%), in a different quadrant in 12 (4%) and in the contralateral breast in the remaining two (1%). The cancer detection rate in the subgroup of index cancers with lobular histological type was 25%, significantly higher (p=0.03) than the detection rate of 11% recorded in the subgroup of ductal cancers. The cancer detection rate in the subgroup of index cancers >2 cm was 27%, significantly higher (p=0.001) than the rate of 8% found in the subgroup of index cancers <2 cm. Mammographic density was not correlated (p=0.48) with MR detection of additional cancer, with 14% of additional malignancies being detected in both dense and fatty breasts.ConclusionsIn patients with newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer, preoperative MR imaging is useful for detecting additional synchronous malignancies that are not detected on conventional breast imaging. The cancer detection rate is 9%. The use of preoperative MR imaging as an adjunct to conventional breast imaging in women with an infiltrating lobular index cancer and an index cancer >2 cm is especially beneficial.RiassuntoObiettivoVerificare l’utilità dell’esecuzione della risonanza magnetica (RM) mammaria preoperatoria in pazienti con carcinoma invasivo della mammella.Materiali e metodiSono state analizzate retrospettivamente 291 pazienti con carcinoma invasivo della mammella sottoposte a mammografia, ecografia e RM prima di intervento chirurgico. È stato calcolato il tasso diagnostico aggiuntivo di lesioni maligne sincrone rispetto al tumore principale identificate dalla sola RM, occulte alla mammografia e all’ecografia. I dati sono stati analizzati con il test esatto di Fisher (p<0,05) secondo i seguenti parametri: caratteri istologici della lesione principale (istotipo tumorale e dimensione), densità mammografica (classificazione Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System [BI-RADS] in categorie da 1=adiposa a 4=densa). Il gold standard è stato l’esame istologico del pezzo operatorio.RisultatiL’indagine RM ha diagnosticato 40 lesioni maligne sincrone in 27/291 Pazienti (tasso diagnostico: 9%). Le lesioni maligne identificate dalla RM erano nello stesso quadrante rispetto alla lesione principale in 13 pazienti (4%), interessavano un altro quadrante in 12 pazienti (4%) e la mammella controlaterale nei rimanenti 2 pazienti (1%). Una correlazione significativa positiva (p=0,03) è emersa tra il tasso di identificazione RM di lesione maligna e istotipo lobulare del carcinoma principale (lesioni maligne sincrone sono state rilevate nel 25% dei tumori lobulari vs 11% dei tumori duttali). Una correlazione significativa (p=0,001) è stata osservata tra identificazione RM di lesione maligne e dimensione della lesione principale superiore a 2 cm (lesioni maligne sincrone sono state diagnosticate dalla RM nel 27% dei tumori superiori a 2 cm vs 8% dei tumori inferiori a 2 cm). L’aspetto radiologico della densità mammaria non è risultato correlato (p=0,48) con l’incidenza di malignità, in quanto lesioni maligne sincrone sono state trovate nel 14% dei casi sia con seno denso che adiposo.ConclusioniIn pazienti con neoplasia mammaria infiltrante, l’indagine RM preoperatoria è utile nella ricerca di lesioni occulte e identifica foci multipli sincroni alla lesione principale nel 9% delle Pazienti. Il tasso diagnostico è superiore quando la neoplasia principale ha istotipo lobulare e dimensioni >2 cm.