Sadik Bilgic

The effect of intrathecal sodium nitroprusside on severe chronic vasospasm

The efficacy of sodium nitroprusside in resolving cerebral vasospasm was evaluated with multicisternal injections. Twelve animals received fresh, unheparinized arterial blood via three injections (15 ml total) into the cisterna magna. Selective vertebral arteriography was performed on Day 0, and blood injections were performed on the second and third days after the first injection. On the seventh day selective arteriography was performed to evaluate the diameter of the basilar artery. In the sodium nitroprusside group, intrathecal injections of the drug were started on Day 4 and continued for two days (25 micrograms/kg/day). The diameter of the basilar artery was reduced 72.98 +/- 11.07% in control experiments. For the animals treated with intrathecal sodium nitroprusside, the mean diameter of the basilar artery was reduced 29.25 +/- 4.54%. The effect of intrathecal sodium nitroprusside on intracranial pressure (ICP), blood pressure (BP) and electrocardiogram (ECG) was also evaluated in 14 animals. There were no prominent changes in ICP, BP, or ECG when sodium nitroprusside was given intrathecally, but BP decreased and ICP and heart rate increased with intravenous doses of sodium nitroprusside. These results support the hypothesis that sodium nitroprusside administered intrathecally is an effective treatment for cerebral vasospasm.

Radioembolization with yttrium-90 resin microspheres for neuroendocrine tumor liver metastases

PURPOSE We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of radioembolization with yttrium-90 (90Y) microspheres in cases with unresectable neuroendocrine tumor liver metastases (NETLMs). METHODS Thirty patients (mean age, 55 years) underwent resin-based 90Y radioembolization for unresectable NETLM at a single institution between April 2008 and June 2013. Post-treatment tumor response was assessed by cross-sectional imaging using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). Prognostic variables that affected survival were determined. RESULTS The mean follow-up was 23.0±19.4 months and the median overall survival was 39 months (95% CI, 12.6-65.4 months), with one- and two-year survival rates of 71% and 45%, respectively. Imaging follow-up using RECIST at three-month intervals demonstrated partial response in 43%, complete remission in 3%, stable disease in 37%, and progressive disease in 17% of patients. Extent of tumor involvement was found to have a statistically significant influence on overall survival (P = 0.03). The existence of extrahepatic disease at the time of radioembolization, radiographic response, age, and primary neuroendocrine tumor site were not significant prognostic factors. CONCLUSION The current study demonstrates the effectiveness and safety of radioembolization for the treatment of unresectable NETLMs. We identified that the extent of tumor involvement has a significant effect on overall survival. The use of imaging methods reflecting metabolic activity or cellularity such as scintigraphy or diffusion-weighted MRI would be more appropriate, for the response evaluation of liver metastases after radioembolization.

Variations of Patient Doses in Interventional Examinations at Different Angiographic Units

PurposeWe analyzed doses for various angiographic procedures using different X-ray systems in order to assess dose variations.MethodsDose-area product (DAP), skin doses from thermoluminescent dosimeters and air kerma measurements of 308 patients (239 diagnostic and 69 interventional) were assessed for five different angiographic units. All fluoroscopic and radiographic exposure parameters were recorded online for single and multiprojection studies. Radiation outputs of each X-ray system were also measured for all the modes of exposure using standard protocols for such measurements.ResultsIn general, the complexity of the angiographic procedure was found to be the most important reason for high radiation doses. Skill of the radiologist, management of the exposure parameters and calibration of the system are the other factors to be considered. Lateral cerebral interventional studies carry the highest risk for deterministic effects on the lens of the eye. Effective doses were calculated from DAP measurements and maximum fatal cancer risk factors were found for carotid studies.ConclusionsInterventional radiologists should measure patient doses for their examinations. If there is a lack of necessary instrumentation for this purpose, then published dose reports should be used in order to predict the dose levels from some of the exposure parameters. Patient dose information should include not only the measured quantity but also the measured radiation output of the X-ray unit and exposure parameters used during radiographic and fluoroscopic exposures.

Embolization of Uterine Artery in Terminal Stage Cervical Cancers

Ligation of the hypogastric artery has been a standard and effective procedure in controlling massive bleeding in advanced cervical carcinoma. The authors wanted to demonstrate the selective use of embolization of hypogastric or uterine artery to achieve the same end result—the stoppage of vaginal bleeding. In a number of cases, surgical approach may not be appropriate either because of the critically ill patient or because of the highly deformed pelvic anatomy due to radiotherapy or to the recurrence of cancerous tissue. As an alternative therapy, we used selective embolization of the uterine artery in eight patients. In all the patients, embolization served to control bleeding. As the bleeding was brought under control, a gradual recovery of the patient was generally observed. The most common side-effect was temporary severe pain related to ischemia of tumoral tissue. Embolization may be regarded as an effective procedure, which can be used to control massive bleeding in selected cervical cancer patients.

The prognostic value of quantitative parameters of 18f-fdg Pet/ct in the evaluation of response to internal radiation therapy with yttrium-90 in patients with liver metastases of colorectal cancer

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to evaluate tumor response using fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients who received yttrium-90 selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) for colorectal liver metastases. The initial and sixth-week tumor lesion glycolysis values were calculated to evaluate the success of the treatment and compare it with patient survival. Materials and methodsThirty-five patients (15 female, 20 male, mean age: 61.9±9.0 years, range: 33–76 years) who received SIRT treatment for unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases in our hospital between June 2008 and May 2011 were included in the study. All patients included in the study had liver-only or liver-dominant disease. The treatment response was evaluated by 18F-FDG PET/CT in the sixth week after treatment. Response was evaluated according to the change in total lesion glycolysis (&Dgr;TLG). The &Dgr;TLG was calculated using the following formula: &Dgr;TLG=100×[standardized uptake value (SUV)mean1×total functional tumor volumes (FTVs)1−SUVmean2×FTV2]/SUVmean1×FTV1. ResultsMean FTV1 and FTV2 values were calculated to be 235.7±203 and 107.3±67 mm3, respectively (P=0.04). The mean &Dgr;TLG was 43±35 (range: 0–100). Mean overall survival time was 12.7±8.0 months (range: 3–31 months). The cutoff value of &Dgr;TLG was calculated to be 26.5 using receiver operating characteristic analysis (sensitivity 64%; specificity 85%; AUC=0.717±0.087, P=0.034). Patients were allocated into those having values greater than the cutoff value (group 1) and those having values lower than the cutoff value (group 2) in order to calculate the effect of &Dgr;TLG on survival. Survival was 11.32±1.18 (95% CI 9.02–13.62) months in group 2 and 20.76±2.71 (95% CI 15.46–26.06) months in group 1 (P=0.016). &Dgr;TLG was found to be a significant factor in univariate analysis (P=0.01). ConclusionAn 18F-FDG PET/CT scan with calculation of &Dgr;SUVmax, &Dgr;FTV, and &Dgr;TLG before and at the sixth week after SIRT may play an important role in evaluating early tumor response and survival expectancy in these patients and help decide whether these patients should be referred to other treatment modalities or to follow-up.

Endovascular Stent-Graft Treatment of a Traumatic Vertebral Artery Pseudoaneurysm and Vertebrojugular Fistula

An endovascular intervention is a feasible alternative to the technically challenging conventional surgery for the treatment of traumatic vertebral arterial lesions. This report describes a rare case involving a 22-year-old patient with a traumatic vertebral arterial pseudoaneurysm and multiple arteriovenous fistulas which were successfully sealed using the endovascular stent-graft technique.

Comparison of survival, safety, and efficacy after transarterial chemoembolization and radioembolization of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B-C hepatocellular cancer patients.

AimThis study aimed to compare the overall survival (OS) times, long-term complications, and recurrence rates of chemoembolization and radioembolization for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B-C hepatocellular cancer patients. Materials and methodsThis retrospective study included 80 BCLC stage B-C hepatocellular cancer patients who received chemoembolization (group 1) or radioembolization (group 2). The OS times, long-term complications, and disease recurrence rates of the two groups were compared. The prognostic role of sex, age, presence of underlying chronic liver disease, BCLC stage, dimension and number of liver lesions, tumor load, and presence of extrahepatic disease were also analyzed for each group. ResultsEach group included 40 (67 men, 13 women, mean age: 41.9±21.9 years) patients. During the follow-up period, 22 patients died in group 2 and 30 patients died in group 1. The overall mean survival of the entire patient group was calculated to be 37.31±3.94 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 30.46–44.1 months], with 30.63±3.68 months (95% CI, 23.42–37.84 months) for group 1 and 39.24±4.62 months (95% CI, 30.18–48.29 months) for group 2 (P=0.014). The 1- and 2-year survival rates were 72 versus 74% and 47 versus 59% for groups 2 and 1, respectively. There was no significant difference between the chronic complication (P=0.32) and disease recurrence (P=0.65) rates of the groups. Whereas the dimension of the largest lesion was the most significant predictor (P=0.01) in group 2, female sex (P=0.008), dimension of the largest lesion (P=0.03), and BCLC stage (P=0.01) were significant in group 1. ConclusionAlthough chemoembolization and radioembolization for BCLC Stage B-C patients have similar levels of safety and efficacy, they differ in OS. In this retrospective study, patients undergoing radioembolization had a longer survival rate.

Prognostic importance of 18F-FDG uptake pattern of hepatocellular cancer patients who received SIRT.

Purpose The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of 18F-FDG uptake pattern of liver lesions to treatment response of patients who received yttrium-90 (Y-90) selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) for hepatocellular cancer (HCC). Patients and Methods Nineteen patients (5F, 14M, mean age: 64.5 ± 14.7 years old, range: 57–73 years) who received SIRT treatment in our department for HCC between June 2008 and May 2011 were included in the study. All patients underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT before SIRT for evaluation of disease stage and metabolic activity of liver lesions. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to FDG uptake patterns of primary liver lesions (hypoactive, nonhomogenous, and focal intense). Progression-free survival (PFS) times of each group and patients with hepatic only and hepatic with extrahepatic disease were analyzed. Disease progression criteria were increase in tumor volume, progressive elevation of serum alpha-fetoprotein levels, and detection of extrahepatic metastases. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used for comparison of PFS times. Results The mean treatment dose was calculated as 1.4 ± 1.0 GBq. While liver lesions of 4 patients were hypoactive in pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT, liver lesions of 6 and 9 patients had nonhomogenous and intense FDG uptake, respectively. Mean PFS time of patients who had hypoactive liver lesions was 5.25 ± 1.52 months. In patients who had liver lesions with nonhomogenous uptake, mean PFS time was 12.3 ± 2.6 months. Lastly, in patients with intense uptake in liver lesions, PFS time was calculated as 19.8 ± 5.0 months. Difference between each group was statistically significant (P = 0.017). There was no significant difference in the PFS of the patients with limited hepatic disease and patients with extrahepatic involvement. Conclusion In patients with unresectable HCC, higher SUVmax lesions unexpectedly had better PFS rates after SIRT, suggesting SIRT has a treatment advantage over other therapeutic options in these patients.

Intra-arterial treatment with 90yttrium microspheres in treatment-refractory and unresectable liver metastases of neuroendocrine tumors and the use of 111in-octreotide scintigraphy in the evaluation of treatment response.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of intra-arterial (90)Yttrium treatment in the management of unresectable hepatic neuroendocrine tumors (NET) metastases unresponsive to treatment and the role of (111)In-octreotide scintigraphy in the evaluation of treatment response. METHODS Thirteen (13) patients with a mean age of 53.3 years not eligible for surgical treatment were included. Before the procedure, routine tests for renal/hepatic functions and bilirubin levels as well as (99m)Tc-macroaggregated albumin test to detect any leakage to the lungs were done. Treatment doses were calculated using body surface area method and all patients received (90)Y resin microspheres through hepatic artery catheter. Abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) and (111)In-octreotide scintigraphy were done before and after treatment. Patients were divided into two groups based on their treatment response as assessed by either (111)In-octreotide scintigraphy or CT: group 1, responders; group 2, nonresponders. RESULTS For all patients, 1-year survival rate and overall survival was 84.7% and 20 months, respectively. Based on (111)In-octreotide scintigraphy findings, 1-year survival rate was 90% and 66.7% for responders and nonresponders, respectively, whereas corresponding overall survival was 21.3 months and 15.3 months. Survival data based on CT findings were as follows: 1-year survival rate, responders, 80%; nonresponders, 100%; overall survival, responders, 20.4 months, nonresponders, 18.5 months. CONCLUSIONS Intra-arterial treatment with (90)Y has survival benefits in treatment-refractory liver metastases from NETs and it could be used in these patients. Since it is a functional imaging method, (111)In-octreotide scintigraphy may be better discriminates patients responding to treatment from patients not responding.

A case of conservative management of cervical pregnancy using selective angiographic embolization

Cervical pregnancy is a rare condition that frequently leads to hysterectomy as a life-saving procedure. Several techniques such as methotrexate application (1), ligation of the cervical branch of the uterine arteries (2, 3), use of a Foley catheter balloon for compression (3), and embolization of the uterine artery under angiographic control (1, 2, 4, 5), have been proposed as conservative management to preserve fertility. In this report, we aim to illustrate a stepwise conservative approach in a case of cervical pregnancy and angiographic embolization in the management of pelvic hemorrhage.