Diagnostic Accuracy of Qualitative and Quantitative Computed Tomography Analysis for Diagnosis of Pathological Grade and Stage in Upper Tract Urothelial Cell Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare grade and stage of upper tract urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) using computed tomography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: With institutional review board approval, 48 patients with 49 UCC (44 high grade and 5 low grade, 26 ≤ T1 and 23 ≥ T2) underwent nephroureterectomy and preoperative computed tomography between 2013 and 2015. Two blinded radiologists assessed for tumor appearance (filling defect/mass or wall thickening/stricture), margin (smooth or spiculated/irregular), texture (homogeneous, heterogeneous), hydronephrosis, and calcification. A third blinded radiologist established consensus. A fourth blinded radiologist measured size and first-order histogram texture features. Comparisons were performed using χ test, multivariable logistic regression, and receiver operator characteristic analysis. RESULTS: There was no difference in size of tumors compared by grade or stage (P = 0.80 and 0.13, respectively).Among subjective variables, only tumor texture was significantly different between low- and high-grade UCC (P = 0.03; κ = 0.45). Tumors characterized as spiculated/irregular margin (P = 0.003; 0.30) and heterogeneous (P < 0.001; κ = 0.45) were associated with T2 disease or higher.Entropy was greater in higher grade (6.23 ± 0.46 vs 5.72 ± 0.28) and T2 disease or higher (6.40 ± 0.33 vs 5.95 ± 0.48), (P = 0.03 and 0.02, respectively) with no differences in Kurtosis or Skewness (P > 0.05). Area under the receiver operator characteristic curve for entropy to diagnose high-grade and T2 tumors or higher was 0.83 (confidence interval, 0.64-1.0) and 0.79 (confidence interval 0.59-0.98), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Heterogeneity, assessed qualitatively and quantitatively, is accurate for diagnosis of higher grade and stage of disease in upper tract UCC. Spiculated/irregular margins are also associated with T2 disease or higher.

A Molecular Method to Detect Wound Cells in Bloodstains Resultant of Sharp Force Injuries for Crime Scene Reconstruction.

Previous research by the authors on an animal model showed that bloodstains can contain additional information about their somatic origin in the form of wound cells. Bloodstains produced by a gunshot wound to the head were distinguished from bloodstains produced by a gunshot wound to the chest by testing the stains for a brain microRNA marker. In this study, the effectiveness of the technique was examined on blood drops shed externally from a stab wound to the liver of rat carcasses. Specifically, investigations were conducted on the liver microRNA marker, rno-mir-122-3p, with the QIAGEN miScript System, and PCR analysis. Between the two stabbing methods used, 67% of the scalpel blades and 57% of the blood drops tested positive for rno-mir-122-3p; however, other samples tested negative giving inconclusive results as to the wound-of-origin. The amount of the liver cells in the bloodstains appeared to be related to the extent of trauma.

Evaluation of T1-Weighted MRI to Detect Intratumoral Hemorrhage Within Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma as a Feature Differentiating From Angiomyolipoma Without Visible Fat.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study is to determine whether hemorrhage within papillary renal cell carcinoma (RCC) can be detected using T1-weighted MRI and to ascertain whether it can be used to differentiate papillary RCC from angiomyolipoma (AML) without visible fat. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective case-control study compared 11 AMLs without visible fat with 58 papillary RCCs smaller than 5 cm that were evaluated using MRI between 2003 and 2015. Two blinded radiologists subjectively evaluated MR images to identify the presence of intratumoral hemorrhage on the basis of a decrease in signal intensity (SI) on in-phase, compared with opposed-phase, chemical-shift MRI and also on the basis of the SI of the lesion compared with that of the renal cortex on fat-suppressed T1-weighted MRI. A third radiologist established consensus and measured the ratio of the SI of the lesion to that of the renal cortex (hereafter referred to as the "SI ratio") on T2-weighted MRI; the SI loss index, as calculated using the equation [(SItumorIP - SItumorOP) / SItumorOP] × 100, where IP denotes the in-phase image and OP denotes the opposed-phase image; and the SI ratio on fat-suppressed T1-weighted MRI. Analyses were performed using tests of association and ROCs. RESULTS: When AMLs without visible fat were compared with papillary RCCs, no statistically significant difference in the T2-weighted SI ratio was noted (p = 0.08). Papillary RCCs had a lower mean (± SD) SI loss index (-3.7% ± 17.3%; range, -51.3% to 31.3%) than did AMLs without visible fat (37.8% ± 76.1%; range, -15.6% to 184.4%) (p < 0.001). A mean SI loss index of less than -16% resulted in an AUC of 0.71 (95% CI, 0.52-0.91), with a sensitivity and specificity of 22.8% and 100%, respectively, for the diagnosis of papillary RCC. After consensus review, none of the AMLs without visible fat and 16 of the 58 papillary RCCs (27.6%) were found to have a decrease in SI on subjective analysis (p = 0.06, κ = 0.60). Between groups, no differences were noted in the SI ratio on fat-suppressed T1-weighted MRI (p = 0.58) or in the SI observed on subjective analysis of fat-suppressed T1-weighted MRI (p = 0.20, κ = 0.48). CONCLUSION: The presence of intratumoral hemorrhage within papillary RCC is a specific feature that differentiates papillary RCCs from AMLs without visible fat. Subjective analysis may be more clinically appropriate than chemical-shift MRI because of limitations in the quantitative measurement of T2* signal with the use of chemical-shift MRI.

Comparison of Contrast-Enhanced Multiphase Renal Protocol CT Versus MRI for Diagnosis of Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare contrast-enhanced (CE) CT with MRI for the diagnosis of papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2006 and 2013, a total of 27 pRCCs were assessed using CECT or CE-MRI. A blinded radiologist placed ROIs that measured attenuation on unenhanced CT; corticomedullary and nephrographic phase CECT images, with an attenuation difference of 20 HU or more denoting enhancing lesions, 10-19 HU indicating indeterminate findings, and less than 10 HU denoting nonenhancing lesions. MRI enhancement ratios were calculated as follows: (signal intensity on gadolinium-enhanced image minus signal intensity) / (signal intensity on unenhanced image × 100) for phase 1 (acquired at 30 s), phase 2 (acquired at 70 s), and phase 3 (acquired at 180 s), where a difference of 15% or more denoted enhancement. Two additional blinded radiologists qualitatively assessed tumor margin, homogeneity, and calcification with the use of CT, and they also assessed enhancement with the use of subtraction MRI. A fourth radiologist established consensus. Twenty consecutive hemorrhagic/proteinaceous cysts served as a control group. Statistical analyses were performed using a chi-square test and multivariate regression. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in patient age (p = 0.22), patient sex (p = 0.36), or tumor size (p = 0.29), when pRCCs were compared with hemorrhagic/proteinaceous cysts. On unenhanced CT, attenuation of pRCCs (mean ± SD, 35.7 ± 12.9 HU; range, 19-66 HU) was similar to that of hemorrhagic/proteinaceous cysts (mean, 38.9 ± 16.9; range, 8-71 HU) (p = 0.48). A total of 51.9% of pRCCs (14/27) had either absent or indeterminate enhancement on corticomedullary phase CECT images (mean attenuation difference, 23.2 ± 20.3 HU; range, 6-105 HU), and 14.8% of pRCCs (4/27) had indeterminate enhancement on nephrographic phase CECT images (mean attenuation difference, 36.4 ± 24.9; range, 10-128 HU). No pRCC was nonenhancing on nephrographic phase CECT. Qualitatively, pRCCs were more heterogeneous (80% vs 45%; p = 0.02; κ = 0.24), irregular (50% vs 5%; p < 0.001; κ = 0.21), and calcified (25% vs 0%; p = 0.004; κ = 0.67), with overlap existing between hemorrhagic/proteinaceous cysts. On CE-MRI, all pRCCs were quantitatively enhanced by phase 2 (95.4 ± 83.1; percentage change in signal intensity ratio, 16-450%) and qualitatively enhanced after consensus review. No hemorrhagic/proteinaceous cyst enhanced on MRI when quantitative or subjective analysis was performed. CONCLUSION: A small number of pRCCs have indeterminate enhancement when renal protocol CT is used. Heterogeneity, irregular margins, and calcification are suggestive diagnostic features; however, quantitative and qualitative CE-MRI can accurately differentiate hemorrhagic/proteinaceous cysts from pRCC.

Effective palliative radiotherapy for symptomatic recurrent or residual ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of radiotherapy (RT) for symptomatic recurrent or residual ovarian cancer. METHODS: A review was conducted on patients (pts) treated with palliative RT for symptomatic ovarian cancer at The Ottawa Hospital Regional Cancer Centre between 1990 and 2003. Patient demographics, tumor factors, treatment variables, and clinical outcome were entered into a database. Symptom response was defined as complete (CR), partial (PR), or none. RESULTS: 62 courses of RT were delivered to 53 pts. The symptoms treated were: bleeding (40%), pain (37%), and "others" (23%). The most common dose fractionation scheme was 30 Gy in 10 fractions (f) (range: 5 Gy/1 f to 52.5 Gy/20 f). The overall response rate was 100%, with 68% achieving a CR. The CR rates were 88, 65, and 36% for the symptoms of bleeding, pain, and "others", respectively (P = 0.003). The median duration of response was 4.8 months (range: 1-71 months). In multivariate analysis, the only factors that were found to be significant positive predictors of symptom control were: the symptom bleeding (P = 0.015) and stage III/IV disease at presentation (P = 0.01). The most commonly reported toxicities were grades 1 and 2 nausea/vomiting and diarrhea. There were no grade 3/4 toxicities reported. CONCLUSIONS: Radiotherapy is highly effective in palliating symptomatic ovarian cancer. Excellent results are achieved for patients presenting with bleeding or pain. Symptomatic patients should be strongly considered for palliative radiotherapy. Higher doses of radiotherapy should be considered for those with symptoms other than bleeding or pain and those with longer life expectancies.