M. Päivänsalo

Preoperative embolization in the management of neck paragangliomas.

Surgery of neck paragangliomas carries inherent risks of excessive blood loss and cranial nerve injury. Preoperative embolization has been used to lessen the morbidity of surgery. We sought to characterize our experience with preoperative embolization by evaluating safety, efficacy, and surgical data. During a period of 22 years (1974 to 1996), 19 consecutive patients with 27 histopathologically confirmed neck paragangliomas were surgically treated at the Oulu University Hospital. All patients underwent preoperative arteriography and 17 patients had cervical ultrasonography (US). Eleven patients with 15 tumors were operated on without embolization and nine patients with 12 tumors were preoperatively embolized with 150‐ to 250‐μm polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles. The mean blood loss during surgery in the nonembolized group was 1374 mL (range, 100 to 4500 mL) and the mean operation time was 4 hours and 48 minutes (range, 1.5 to 9 hours). In the embolized group the mean blood loss was significantly less (588 mL; range, 100 to 1800 mL; P = 0.04) and the mean operation time shorter (3 hours 24 minutes; range, 2 to 5 hours; P = 0.05). No embolic complications were recorded after the embolization. We conclude that preoperative embolization of neck paragangliomas 3 cm or greater in diameter with PVA particles is safe. Embolization to minimize operative bleeding facilitates surgery, shortens the operation time, and lessens the surgical risks.

Treatment of renal cysts with single-session percutaneous drainage and ethanol sclerotherapy: long-term outcome

OBJECTIVESnTo evaluate the safety, efficacy, and long-term outcome of single-session ethanol sclerotherapy for non-neoplastic renal cysts.nnnMETHODSnIn a prospective study, 32 patients with a simple renal cyst were treated with ultrasound-guided percutaneous aspiration, and no more than 100 mL sterile 99% ethanol was injected into the cyst. The procedure was performed under local anesthesia, and the patients were hospitalized overnight. The serum concentrations of alcohol immediately after the sclerotherapy and 1 hour later and the corresponding urine concentrations were measured. The mean follow-up period was 55 months (range 12 to 156). Control checkups were scheduled at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after the sclerotherapy. During the control visits, the patients underwent ultrasound measurement of the size of the cyst. The history concerning renal pain especially was evaluated by the urologist. The patients were asked if they did or did not have pain. The severity of pain was not evaluated.nnnRESULTSnSclerotherapy with ethanol was performed successfully in all 32 patients with a simple renal cyst. The cyst disappeared completely in 7 patients (22%). The mean size of all cysts decreased from 7.8 cm (range 3 to 16) to 1.7 cm (range 0 to 9; P <0.0001). Before the sclerotherapy, 24 patients had symptoms due to the cyst, and 18 of these (75%) were asymptomatic after the ethanol sclerotherapy. In 2 patients the pain decreased, 2 patients were without change, and in 2 patients the pain increased. There was no correlation between the size of the cyst and the intensity of pain. No major complications occurred. The serum concentration of alcohol varied from 0 to 0.30 g/L and that in urine from 0.04 to 0.27 g/L.nnnCONCLUSIONSnPercutaneous aspiration and sclerotherapy with ethanol for simple renal cysts is simple, fast, safe, effective, and inexpensive. The results are comparable to those reported earlier. The treatment is without major complications. We propose sclerotherapy with 99% ethanol as the primary treatment of simple renal cyst. The treatment can be done in an outpatient clinic.

Splenic Abscess: Imaging and intervention

We reviewed the imaging findings of 14 splenic abscesses in 13 patients. All patients underwent chest radiography, 12 ultrasonography (US), 9 CT, 4 plain abdominal radiography, 2 99mTc-HMPAO leukocyte scan and 2 99mTc-HIG scan. Three patients were treated with percutaneous catheter drainage, and 5 with diagnostic or therapeutic fine-needle aspiration (FNA). At US the abscess was hypoechoic (n = 9), anechoic (n = 2), or anechoic with gasbubbles (n = 1), or the entire spleen was inhomogeneous with gasbubbles (n = 1). At CT the abscesses appeared as low density (18–30 HU) lesions with (n = 2) or without (n = 7) gas. In 2 cases 99mTc-HMPAO leukocyte scan, and in one case 99mTc-HIG scan showed an intrasplenic defect, and in one case 99mTc-HIG scan was considered normal. At plain abdominal radiography extraintestinal gas was suggested in 2 patients, and the findings were normal in 2. US-guided FNA confirmed infectious etiology of the lesion in 4 patients, and a necrotic specimen suggested infection in one. One patient was cured with repeated aspirations. Catheter drainage was successful in all 3 patients who underwent the procedure. We conclude that US and CT are accurate in detecting splenic abscesses. Our results in splenic interventions advocate wider use of the procedures.

Ultrasound-Guided Aspiration Cytology of the Spleen

The cytologic results of ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsies (FNB) of the spleen in 42 patients were analyzed retrospectively. A focal lesion was punctured in 28 of them, splenomegaly in 12, and an enlarged accessory spleen in 2. Sufficient material was aspirated for cytologic analysis in 41 (97.6%) cases. A final diagnosis of malignancy was made in 16 (38%), and a benign condition diagnosed in 26 (62%) patients. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the method for differentiating malignancy from benign conditions were 68.8%, 100%, and 88.1%, respectively. No complications occurred. We conclude that ultrasound-guided FNB is a safe, highly specific, but relatively insensitive method of defining splenic pathology.

Percutaneous ultrasound-guided biopsy. Fine needle biopsy, cutting needle biopsy, or both?

The results of 155 US-guided cutting needle biopsies, mainly of abdominal and transthoracic lesions, were reviewed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the method. A fine needle biopsy (FNB) was additionally performed in 99 of the patients. Sufficient material for histologic and cytologic analysis was obtained in 88% (137/155) and 98% (97/99), and a correct benign or malignant diagnosis was made in 87% and 88%, respectively. Among the 99 combined biopsies the corresponding figures were 100% and 97%, respectively. The proportions of inconclusive and false-negative results among histologic samples were 0% and 4% (2/57), in FNBs 7% (7/99) and 5% (3/56), and in combined examinations 3% (3/99) and 0%. One major complication, Streptococcus faecalis sepsis, occurred. The combined use of FNB and histologic biopsy increases the proportion of correct diagnoses about 10% without increasing the complications.

Radiologic Findings in Renal Oncocytoma

The imaging findings of 36 renal oncocytomas in 32 patients were evaluated retrospectively. Twenty-two patients underwent ultrasound (US), 16 CT, 25 angiography, 19 urography, and 6 fine-needle biopsy. At US 8 of the oncocytomas were isoechoic, 7 hyperechoic, and 7 hypoechoic. The structure was homogeneous in 59% and nonhomogeneous in 41 %. At plain CT 12 oncocytomas were homogeneously hypodense, 3 isodense, and one hyperdense. Contrast enhancement was homogeneous in 10 and inhomogeneous in 4 cases. A stellate scar was detected in one case, and in one case a contrast study was not performed. At angiography the oncocytomas were hypervascular in 21, hypovascular in 3 cases, and one was not detected. Nineteen of the tumors were well delineated. A spoke-wheel arterial pattern was detected in 3 tumors. The cytologic diagnosis was benign renal oncocytoma in 4 cases and highly suggestive of oncocytoma in 2 cases. We conclude that the homogeneity of a renal tumor at US and at CT may suggest the possibility of oncocytoma. US-guided fine-needle biopsy is a useful diagnostic tool in patients who need a precise presurgical diagnosis.

Accuracy of Adrenal Biopsy Guided by Ultrasound and CT

We reviewed the results of fine needle biopsy of the adrenal glands guided by ultrasonography or CT in 56 patients. The final diagnoses, obtained at operation, autopsy or follow-up were: metastasis (n = 22), adenoma (n = 21), adrenal cyst (n = 6), hematoma (n = 3), lymphoma (n = 1), pheochromocytoma (n= 1), lymph node (n = 1), and amyloid mass (n= 1). Sufficient cytologic material was obtained in 96.4% (54/56). The overall accuracy to differentiate benign from malignant disease was 85.7% (48/56), 2 were false-negative, one was false-positive. The biopsy was inconclusive (“possibly malignant”) in 3 patients, 2 of whom had an additional cutting needle biopsy yielding a correct positive finding. No complications occurred. We conclude that in disseminated malignant disease with suspected adrenal metastases diagnostic results can be obtained with guided fine needle biopsy. Biopsy in primary adrenal lesions is helpful, especially if the aspirate of the lesion turns out to be composed of something other than adrenal cells.

EMPHYSEMATOUS PYELONEPHRITIS Radiologic and clinical findings in six cases

Six patients (all women, mean age 59.8 years) with emphysematous pyelonephritis, a rare, severe inflammation causing renal parenchymal destruction and affecting diabetics more commonly than non-diabetics, are described. Four of the patients were diabetics. All underwent ultrasound examination (US), and five computed tomography (CT) of the kidneys. CT was the most reliable diagnostic method. Differentiation between gas and calcification was difficult at US in three patients. Conventional tomography was performed in two patients and showed intra-renal gas. All six patients recovered; three patients had nephrectomy, one as an emergency procedure and two as an elective procedure after two weeks of antibiotic treatment. Infection was eradicated in the other three patients by percutaneous drainage, electrolyte correction and antibiotics. It was concluded that while conventional abdominal radiography may permit the diagnosis of emphysematous pyelonephritis by demonstrating intra-renal gas, CT is the most reliable diagnostic examination. Emergency nephrectomy may not be necessary in all cases.

Ultrasound-Guided Aspiration Cytology of Enlarged Lymph Nodes

Cytological results of US-guided fine needle aspiration biopsies of enlarged lymph nodes from 179 patients were analyzed retrospectively. The final diagnoses were benign lymphadenopathy in 90 cases, metastasis in 56, and malignant lymphoma in 33 cases. The material was sufficient for cytological analysis in 174 cases (97.2%). Correct diagnosis of malignant (C IV—V) and benign (C I—II) lymphadenopathy in the whole material was possible in 80 percent of cases. Correct subtyping of lymphoma was possible in 63.6 percent of the cases. There was one (0.6%) false positive (C IV), 6 (8.5%) false negative (C I—II), and 24 (13.8%) suspicious (C III) cytological findings. All but one of the false negative cytological findings were from superficial lymph nodes. No complications occurred. US-guided lymph node aspiration biopsy is safe and accurate in the superficial, anterior mediastinal, abdominal, and retroperitoneal lymphonodal areas. Lymph nodes with a C 0 cytological result should undergo rebiopsy and suspicious (C III) or clinically doubtful cases should be referred for a surgical biopsy.

Acromial shape in asymptomatic subjects: A study of 305 shoulders in different age groups

Background: It has been reported that acromial morphology and age have an independent association with rotator cuff pathology. In a recent study, we found the acromial angle of patients with stage III impingement syndrome (tear in the rotator cuff, according to the Neer classification of shoulder impingement syndrome) to be significantly greater than the acromial angle of their age-matched healthy controls. Purpose: To find out if acromial shape also changes, i.e., becomes more curved with age, in shoulders without any rotator cuff problems or previous shoulder surgery. Material and Methods: Standard supraspinatus outlet view (SOV) was obtained from both shoulders of healthy persons with no shoulder-related problems or previous shoulder surgery (n = 305; 36 SOVs for subjects aged 21–30 years, 60 for 31–40 years, 67 for 41–50 years, 52 for 51–60 years, 48 for 61–70 years, and 42 for over 71 years of age). Acromial angle, tilt, and the type of the acromion were evaluated. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the evaluated morphological parameters between the different age groups. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the shape of the acromion does not change with age in individuals who do not have any rotator cuff pathology. According to our results, the changes in acromial morphology seem to be similar in each age group.