Association of imaging and pathological findings of breast cancer in very young women: Report of a twenty-year retrospective study.

PURPOSE: In this study, we aimed to assess the new trends in characteristics, molecular subtypes, and imaging findings of breast cancer in very young women. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the database of a primary breast cancer referral center in southern Iran in 342 cases of 30-year-old or younger women from 2001 to 2020. Pathologic data, including nuclear subtype and grade, tumor stage, presence of in situ cancer, imaging data including lesion type in mammogram and ultrasound, and treatment data were recorded. Descriptive statistics were applied. Differences between categorical values between groups were compared using Pearson's Chi-square test. RESULTS: The mean age was 27.89 years. The tumor type was invasive ductal carcinoma in 82 % of cases. Fourteen patients (4.4 %) had only in situ cancer, and 170 patients had in situ components (49.7 %). Molecular subtypes were available in 278 patients, including 117 (42.1 %) Luminal A, 64 (23.0 %) Luminal B, 58 (20.9 %) triple negative, and 39 (14 %) HER2 Enriched. In those with mammograms available, 63 (30.1 %) had no findings, 53 (25.3 %) had mass, 27 (12.9 %) had asymmetry, whether focal or global, 21 (10 %) had microcalcifications solely, and 45 (21.5 %) had more than one finding. Microcalcifications were significantly more common in Luminal cancers than HER2 and triple-negative cancers (p = 0.041). CONCLUSION: Our study shows the most common subtype to be Luminal A cancer, with 74 % of the tumors being larger than 2 cm at the time of diagnosis. Irregular masses with non-circumscribed margins were the most common imaging findings.

A case of aqueductal obstruction by web with no sign except a headache.

Aqueductal stenosis can be a silent disease that can present in a patient for years without any signs and symptoms. This silence can occur due to CSF flow dynamics compensation, and it can continue until the increase in CSF production so that the symptoms may appear during adolescence or even later. In this study, we report an aqueduct obstruction by web, who had no symptoms except a headache and was referred for MRI in his early thirty. The patient was referred to find the cause of his episodes of headaches. If he did not follow up on his headache, he might never know about his disorder.

A Randomized Trial of Sitagliptin and Spironolactone With Combination Therapy in Hospitalized Adults With COVID-19.

Context: COVID-19 may cause respiratory distress syndrome and death. Treatment of COVID-19 to prevent complications remains a priority. Objective: Our investigation sought to determine whether combination of spironolactone and sitagliptin could reduce mortality for inpatients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This single-blind, 4-arm, prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted at Shiraz and Bushehr University of Medical Sciences hospitals between December 2020 and April 2021. We randomized hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia into 4 groups: control, combination therapy, sitagliptin add-on, or spironolactone add-on. The primary outcome was the clinical improvement of the patients in the hospital as measured on an 8-point numerical scale. The secondary outcomes included intubation, ICU admission, end organ damages, CT findings, and paraclinical information. Results: A total of 263 admitted patients were randomly assigned to control group (87 patients), combination group (60 patients), sitagliptin group (66 patients), and spironolactone group (50 patients). There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics, except for higher age in control group. The intervention groups, especially combination therapy, had better clinical outcomes (clinical score on fifth day of admission: 3.11 ± 2.45 for controls, 1.33 ± 0.50 for combination, 1.68 ± 1.02 for sitagliptin, and 1.64 ± 0.81 for spironolactone; P = 0.004). However, the mortality rate was lower in patients who received spironolactone (21.84% control, 13.33% combination, 13.64% sitagliptin, 10.00% spironolactone; P = 0.275). Our intervention reduced lung infiltration but not the area of involvement in lungs. Conclusion: Sitagliptin and spironolactone can potentially improve clinical outcomes of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Can shear wave elastography be utilized as an additional tool for the assessment of non-mass breast lesions?

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to describe shear wave elastography parameters of non-mass lesions of the breast and to assess the measures of diagnostic accuracy of shear wave elastography in the differentiation of non-mass lesions compared with conventional ultrasound, using histopathologic results as the reference standard. METHODS: This retrospective study included breast ultrasound-detected non-mass lesions with a confirmed pathologic diagnosis during a two-year study period. B-mode ultrasound and shear wave elastography were performed for all lesions before biopsy. Ultrasound features, shear wave elastography parameters (mean elasticity and maximum stiffness color), as well as Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System categories were recorded for each lesion. Measures of diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound and ultrasound + shear wave elastography were also assessed. RESULTS: From a total of 567 breast lesions requiring core-needle biopsy, 49 (8.6%) were considered as non-mass lesions. Based on histopathologic reports, 32 patients (65.3%) had non-high-risk benign lesions, five (10.2%) had high-risk benign lesions, five (10.2%) had ductal carcinoma in situ, and seven (14.3%) had invasive carcinoma. There was no significant difference in patients' age and palpability between benign and malignant lesions (p = 0.16 and p = 0.12, respectively). Mean elasticity values and Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System categories were significantly higher among malignant lesions compared with benign non-mass lesions (both p < 0.001). Furthermore, the addition of shear wave elastography to grayscale ultrasound increased the specificity, positive predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSION: The complementary use of shear wave elastography with conventional ultrasound might help in the differentiation of non-mass breast lesions and has the potential to decrease the frequency of unnecessary biopsies performed for benign non-mass lesions.

Evaluation of Chest CT Scan as a Screening and Diagnostic Tool in Trauma Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The lack of enough medical evidence about COVID-19 regarding optimal prevention, diagnosis, and treatment contributes negatively to the rapid increase in the number of cases globally. A chest computerized tomography (CT) scan has been introduced as the most sensitive diagnostic method. Therefore, this research aimed to examine and evaluate the chest CT scan as a screening measure of COVID-19 in trauma patients. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Rajaee Hospital in Shiraz from February to May 2020. All patients underwent unenhanced CT with a 16-slice CT scanner. The CT scans were evaluated in a blinded manner, and the main CT scan features were described and classified into four groups according to RSNA recommendation. Subsequently, the first two Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) categories with the highest probability of COVID-19 pneumonia (i.e., typical and indeterminate) were merged into the "positive CT scan group" and those with radiologic features with the least probability of COVID-19 pneumonia into "negative CT scan group." RESULTS: Chest CT scan had a sensitivity of 68%, specificity of 56%, positive predictive value of 34.8%, negative predictive value of 83.7%, and accuracy of 59.3% in detecting COVID-19 among trauma patients. Moreover, for the diagnosis of COVID-19 by CT scan in asymptomatic individuals, a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 66.7%, and negative predictive value of 100% were obtained (p value: 0.05). CONCLUSION: Findings of the study indicated that the CT scan's sensitivity and specificity is less effective in diagnosing trauma patients with COVID-19 compared with nontraumatic people.

Differentiation of Chest CT Findings Between Influenza Pneumonia and COVID-19: Interobserver Agreement Between Radiologists.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the chest CT and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 pneumonia and H1N1 influenza, and explore the radiologist diagnosis differences between COVID-19 and influenza. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included a total of 43 COVID-19-confirmed patients (24 men and 19 women, 49.90 ± 18.70 years) and 41 influenza-confirmed patients (17 men and 24 women, 61.53 ± 19.50 years). Afterwards, the chest CT findings were recorded and 3 radiologists recorded their diagnoses of COVID-19 or of H1N1 influenza based on the CT findings. RESULTS: The most frequent clinical symptom in patients with COVID-19 and H1N1 pneumonia were dyspnea (96.6%) and cough (62.5%), respectively. The CT findings showed that the COVID-19 group was characterized by GGO (88.1%), while the influenza group had features such as GGO (68.4%) and consolidation (66.7%). Compared to the influenza group, the COVID-19 group was more likely to have GGO (88.1% vs. 68.4%, p = 0.032), subpleural sparing (69.0% vs. 7.7%, p <0.001) and subpleural band (50.0% vs. 20.5%, p = 0.006), but less likely to have pleural effusion (4.8% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.001). The agreement rate between the 3 radiologists was 65.8%. CONCLUSION: Considering similarities of respiratory infections especially H1N1 and COVID-19, it is essential to introduce some clinical and para clinical modalities to help differentiating them. In our study we extracted some lung CT scan findings from patients suspected to COVID-19 as a newly diagnosed infection comparing with influenza pneumonia patients.

Resuming Breast Imaging Services in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Safety and Beyond.

As the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic begins to stabilize, different medical imaging facilities not directly involved in the COVID-19 epidemic face the dilemma of how to return to regular operation. We hereby discuss various fields of concern in resuming breast imaging services. We examine the concerns for resuming functions of breast imaging services in 2 broad categories, including safety aspects of operating a breast clinic and addressing potential modifications needed in managing common clinical scenarios in the COVID-19 aftermath. Using a stepwise approach in harmony with the relative states of the epidemic, health care system capacity, and the current state of performing breast surgeries (and in compliance with the recommended surgical guidelines) can ensure avoiding pointless procedures and ensure a smooth transition to a fully operational breast imaging facility.

Challenges of diagnosis of COVID-19 in trauma patients: A case series.

Background: Diagnosis of COVID-19 can be challenging in trauma patients, especially those with chest trauma and lung contusion. Methods: We present a case series of patients from February and March 2020 who were admitted to our trauma center at Rajaee Hospital Trauma Center, in Shiraz, Iran and had positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test or chest CT scan suggestive of COVID-19 and were admitted to the specific ICU for COVID-19. Results: Eight COVID-19 patients (6 male) with mean age of 40 (SD = 16.3) years old, were presented. All patients were cases of trauma injuries, with multiple injuries including chest trauma and lung contusion, admitted to our trauma center for management of their injuries, but they were diagnosed with COVID-19 as well. Two of them had coinfection of influenza type-B and SARS-CoV-2. All patients were treated for COVID-19 and three of them died; the rest were discharged from hospital. Conclusion: Since PCR for SARS-CoV-2 is not always sensitive enough to confirm the cause of pneumonia, chest CT manifestations can be helpful, though, they are not always differentiable from lung contusion. Therefore, both the CT scan and the clinical and paraclinical presentation and course of improvement can be beneficial in diagnosing COVID-19 in the trauma setting.

Fetal MRI in Prenatal Diagnosis of Encephalocele.

BACKGROUND: Encephalocele, a rare congenital brain malformation, is herniation of brain tissue with or without meninges through a cranial fossa defect. It is classified by location and is usually associated with other congenital anomalies. CASE: A 29-year-old G2, P1, 36-week pregnant woman was referred for fetal ultrasound delivery planning. Sonographic abnormalities led to fetal magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed a large sac of cerebrospinal fluid herniating through the anterior cranial fossa defect with strands of neurogenic tissue in direct contact with the tongue in the absence of the palate. Agenesis of the corpus callosum and the classic "Viking helmet" appearance of the frontal horns of the lateral ventricles were clearly visible. CONCLUSION: Prenatal diagnosis of encephalocele is rarely reported. Unfortunately, the infant in this case report died at 3 months of age despite intensive medical therapy.

Correlation of serum ferritin levels with hepatic MRI T2 and liver iron concentration in nontransfusion beta-thalassemia intermediate patients: A contemporary issue.

BACKGROUND: Beta-thalassemia intermediate is a genetic disease that is milder than beta-thalassemia major. The T2* magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique is currently the gold standard for iron load detection. However, it is expensive and needs an expert radiologist to report findings. Therefore, we conducted this study to determine an optimal cut-off value of ferritin in proportion to T2 MRI of liver and measurement of liver iron concentration for early detection of hepatic iron overload in Beta-thalassemia intermediate patients. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 108 patients with Beta-thalassemia intermediate who referred to tertiary hospital, Shiraz, Iran. Serum ferritin, hepatic T2 MRI, and liver iron concentration were assessed. Receiver operator characteristic was used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of cut-off value. RESULTS: Serum ferritin levels showed a statistically significant negative correlation with T2 hepatic MRI (r = -0.290, p value =.003) and positive correlation with liver iron concentration (r = 0.426, p value <.001) in the patients with Beta-thalassemia intermediate. According to the receiver operator characteristic, the best cut-off value for ferritin to show early diagnosis of liver iron overload was 412 ng/mL. Calculated sensitivities and specificities were 0.78 and 0.82 for T2 MRI and 0.76 and 0.86 for liver iron concentration, respectively. CONCLUSION: Serum ferritin levels of around 450 ng/mL might be considered as a cut-off point to evaluate hepatic iron overload before using expensive, not readily available T2 MRI. This level of serum ferritin could be considered for starting iron chelation therapy in patients with Beta-thalassemia intermediate in areas where T2 MRI is not available.

A Useful Gadget to Reduce the Radiation Dose of Interventionist's Hands.

Increased demand for interventional radiology techniques has interventionists performing a large number of these procedures. Measurements and calculations have shown that the radiation doses received by these specialists can exceed the threshold of radiation-induced deterministic effects unless radiation protection procedures and devices are used. Proper usage of radiation protection devices can protect them from radiation-induced effects, even with a high workload. Occupational radiation protection entails proper training of interventionists to increase their awareness about available appropriate protection tools and equipment, and devices that can be used to minimize exposure, such as needle holders, tubing extensions, and injectors. This study introduces a device that can be used to fix the catheter to prevent the physician from holding the catheter by hand. The authors, also, discuss the importance of radiation protection training along with the training on new medical equipment, which can be applied to reduce the radiation dose.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of diffusion-weighted imaging of gestational trophoblastic disease: Can it predict progression of molar pregnancy to persistent form of disease?

PURPOSE: To describe the diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) appearance of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) and to determine its apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. To evaluate the feasibility of DWI to predict progression of hydatidiform mole (HM) to persistent disease. METHODS: During a period of 6 months, women with preliminary diagnosis of GTD, based on ultrasound and ßhCG levels, underwent 1.5T MRI (T2 high-resolution and DWI; b values 50, 400, 800; sagittal and perpendicular to the endometrium; and T1, T2 Turbo Spin Echo [TSE] axial images). Patients were followed for 6-12 months to monitor progression to persistent form of the disease. ADC values and image characteristics were compared between HM and persistent neoplasia and between GTD and non-molar pregnancy using Mann-Whitney U and Fisher's exact tests, respectively. RESULTS: Among the 23 studied patients, 19 (83%) were classified as molar and 4 (17%) as non-molar, based on pathology reports. After 6-12 months of follow-up, 5 (26%) cases progressed to persistent disease and 14 (74%) cases were benign HM. There was no significant difference between ADC values for HM (1.93±0.33×10-3mm2/s) and persistent neoplasia (2.03±0.28×10-3mm2/s) (P=0.69). The ADC of non-molar pregnancies was (0.96±0.46×10-3mm2/s), which was significantly different from GTD (1.96 ±0.32×10-3mm2/s) (P=0.001). Heterogeneous snowstorm appearance, focal intratumoral hemorrhage, myometrial contraction, and prominent myometrial vascularity were more common in GTD compared to non-molar pregnancy (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Heterogeneous snowstorm appearance, focal intratumoral hemorrhage, myometrial contraction, and prominent myometrial vascularity are among the imaging characteristics of GTD. We cannot use ADC values to predict progression to persistent disease.

Fetal Central Nervous System Anomalies Detected by Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Two-Year Experience.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is gradually becoming more common for thorough visualization of the fetus than ultrasound (US), especially for neurological anomalies, which are the most common indications for fetal MRI and are a matter of concern for both families and society. OBJECTIVES: We investigated fetal MRIs carried out in our center for frequency of central nervous system anomalies. This is the first such report in southern Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and seven (107) pregnant women with suspicious fetal anomalies in prenatal ultrasound entered a cross-sectional retrospective study from 2011 to 2013. A 1.5 T Siemens Avanto scanner was employed for sequences, including T2 HASTE and Trufisp images in axial, coronal, and sagittal planes to mother's body, T2 HASTE and Trufisp relative to the specific fetal body part being evaluated, and T1 flash images in at least one plane based on clinical indication. We investigated any abnormality in the central nervous system and performed descriptive analysis to achieve index of frequency. RESULTS: Mean gestational age ± standard deviation (SD) for fetuses was 25.54 ± 5.22 weeks, and mean maternal age ± SD was 28.38 ± 5.80 years Eighty out of 107 (74.7%) patients who were referred with initial impression of borderline ventriculomegaly. A total of 18 out of 107 (16.82%) patients were found to have fetuses with CNS anomalies and the remainder were neurologically normal. Detected anomalies were as follow: 3 (16.6%) fetuses each had the Dandy-Walker variant and Arnold-Chiari II (with myelomeningocele). Complete agenesis of corpus callosum, partial agenesis of corpus callosum, and aqueductal stenosis were each seen in 2 (11.1%) fetuses. Arnold-Chiari II without myelomeningocele, anterior spina bifida associated with neurenteric cyst, arachnoid cyst, lissencephaly, and isolated enlarged cisterna magna each presented in one (5.5%) fetus. One fetus had concomitant schizencephaly and complete agenesis of the corpus callosum. CONCLUSIONS: MRI is superior to ultrasound and physical exam of live births in detection of CNS anomalies. In this investigation within a single referral center in southern Iran, anomalies included Dandy-Walker variant and Arnold-Chiari II as the most common findings. Other findings with lower incidence were complete and partial agenesis of corpus callosum, aqueductal stenosis, anterior spina bifida, schizencephaly, arachnoid cyst, lissencephaly, and isolated enlarged cisterna magna.

Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)-based Assessment of the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) Course in Iran.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of advance trauma life support (ATLS®) training on general surgery residents clinical reasoning skills using the national boards-style objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). METHODS: This cross-sectional single-center study was conducted in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences including 51 surgery residents that participated in a mandatory national board style OSCE between May 2014 and May 2015. OSCE scores of two groups of general surgery residents including 23 ATLS® trained and 28 non-ATLS® trained were compared using Mann-Whitney U test. The exam was graded out of 20 points and the passing score was ≥14 including 40% trauma cases. RESULTS: There were 8(15.7%) women and 43(84.3%) men among the participants with mean age of 31.12 ± 2.69 and 33.67 ± 4.39 years in women and men respectively. Overall 7 (87.5%) women and 34 (79.07%) men passed the OSCE. The trauma section OSCE score was significantly higher in the ATLS® trained participants when compared to non-ATLS®(7.79 ± 0.81vs.6.90 ± 1.00; p=0.001). In addition, the total score was also significantly higher in ATLS® trained residents (16.07 ± 1.41 vs. 14.60 ± 1.40; p=0.001). There was no association between gender and ATLS® score (p=0.245) or passing the OSCE (p=0.503). CONCLUSION: ATLS® training is associated with improved overall OSCE scores of general surgery residents completing the board examinations suggesting a positive transfer of ATLS learned skills to management of simulated surgical patients including trauma cases.