Application of deep learning reconstruction in abdominal magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography for image quality improvement and acquisition time reduction.

PURPOSE: To compare deep learning (DL)-based and conventional reconstruction through subjective and objective analysis and ascertain whether DL-based reconstruction improves the quality and acquisition speed of clinical abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: The 124 patients who underwent abdominal MRI between January and July 2021 were retrospectively studied. For each patient, two-dimensional axial T2-weighted single-shot fast spin-echo MRI images with or without fat saturation were reconstructed using DL-based and conventional methods. The subjective image quality scores and objective metrics, including signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) of the images were analysed. An explorative analysis was performed to compare 20 patients' MRI images with site routine settings, high-resolution settings and high-speed settings. Paired t tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used for subjective and objective comparisons. RESULTS: A total of 144 patients were evaluated (mean age, 62.2 ± 14.1 years; 83 men). The MRI images reconstructed using DL-based methods had higher SNRs and CNRs than did those reconstructed using conventional methods (all p < 0.01). The subjective scores of the images reconstructed using DL-based methods were higher than those of the images reconstructed using conventional methods (p < 0.01), with significantly lower variation (p < 0.01). Exploratory analysis revealed that the DL-based reconstructions with thin slice thickness and higher temporal resolution had the highest image quality and were associated with the shortest scan times. CONCLUSIONS: DL-based reconstruction methods can be used to improve the quality with higher stability and accelerate the acquisition of abdominal MRI.

Comparison of the clinicoradiological features and outcomes of lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinoma and conventional intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinoma (LELCC) is a rare variant of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). We aim to analyze the differences in the clinical and radiological features of LELCC and ICC. METHODS: Between January 2003 and December 2019, a total of 21 patients diagnosed with LELCC were retrospectively enrolled, and 84 patients with ICC were selected through propensity score matching by sex, age, and initial cancer stage. The clinical characteristics, pathological findings, and radiological features were analyzed. The differences in overall survival (OS) between LELCC and ICC were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: The serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) level was higher in the ICC group than in the LELCC group (77.9 vs 30.0 U/mL, p = 0.004). Non-rim arterial phase hyperenhancement (47.1% vs 13.7%, p = 0.005) and portovenous washout (35.3% vs 4.1%, p = 0.001) were more frequently observed in the LELCC group than in the ICC group. Intrahepatic duct dilatation was a distinct feature of the ICC group. The 5-year OS rates in the LELCC and ICC groups were 69.3% and 58.2%, respectively (p = 0.047). The 5-year OS of patients with stages I and II LELCC between ICC were not significantly different (90.0% vs 83.4%, p = 0.464). However, the 5-year OS of patients with stages III and IV LELCC was more favorable than that of patients with ICC (29.2% vs 23.0%, p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: LELCC had a favorable outcome and several different clinicoradiological features compared with ICC.

Clinical outcomes of different types of metallic stents in malignant distal duodenum stenosis: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Endoscopic stenting at malignant distal duodenum stenosis (MDDS) is challenging because of the duodenal C-loop configuration, the acute angle of the duodenojejunal junction, and the limited length of the endoscope. Few studies have investigated the clinical outcomes of stenting at the distal duodenum. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes of treating MDDS with different types of metallic stents. METHODS: From January 2012 to December 2020, fifty-six patients with MDDS who underwent duodenal stenting were enrolled for analysis. Thirty-five patients received uncovered self-expandable metallic stents (UC-SEMS), and twenty-one patients received partially covered self-expandable metallic stents (PC-SEMS). All patients were followed up till death or for 18 months. The clinical success rate, stent dysfunction rate, and stent patency were compared between the groups. Multivariate analysis was conducted to identify factors related to stent dysfunction. RESULTS: The clinical success rates were 85.7 % in both the UC-SEMS and PC-SEMS groups. Stent dysfunction rates (UC-SEMS: 34.3 %, PC-SEMS: 38.1 %, p = 0.773) and the average stent patency (UC-SEMS: 117.2 days, PC-SEMS: 100.0 days, p = 0.576) were not statistically different between the groups. Multivariate analysis disclosed the age ≥65 years was significantly related to stent dysfunction (odds ratio: 4.78, p = 0.031). CONCLUSION: Both UC-SEMS and PC-SEMS are safe and effective treatment options for MDDS. However, stent dysfunction remains a significant issue to overcome, particularly in the elderly. Further research is needed to explore novel strategies that can improve the effectiveness of stent placement and reduce the risk of stent dysfunction.

Pancreatic Cancer Detection on CT Scans with Deep Learning: A Nationwide Population-based Study.

Background Approximately 40% of pancreatic tumors smaller than 2 cm are missed at abdominal CT. Purpose To develop and to validate a deep learning (DL)-based tool able to detect pancreatic cancer at CT. Materials and Methods Retrospectively collected contrast-enhanced CT studies in patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer between January 2006 and July 2018 were compared with CT studies of individuals with a normal pancreas (control group) obtained between January 2004 and December 2019. An end-to-end tool comprising a segmentation convolutional neural network (CNN) and a classifier ensembling five CNNs was developed and validated in the internal test set and a nationwide real-world validation set. The sensitivities of the computer-aided detection (CAD) tool and radiologist interpretation were compared using the McNemar test. Results A total of 546 patients with pancreatic cancer (mean age, 65 years ± 12 [SD], 297 men) and 733 control subjects were randomly divided into training, validation, and test sets. In the internal test set, the DL tool achieved 89.9% (98 of 109; 95% CI: 82.7, 94.9) sensitivity and 95.9% (141 of 147; 95% CI: 91.3, 98.5) specificity (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.96; 95% CI: 0.94, 0.99), without a significant difference (P = .11) in sensitivity compared with the original radiologist report (96.1% [98 of 102]; 95% CI: 90.3, 98.9). In a test set of 1473 real-world CT studies (669 malignant, 804 control) from institutions throughout Taiwan, the DL tool distinguished between CT malignant and control studies with 89.7% (600 of 669; 95% CI: 87.1, 91.9) sensitivity and 92.8% specificity (746 of 804; 95% CI: 90.8, 94.5) (AUC, 0.95; 95% CI: 0.94, 0.96), with 74.7% (68 of 91; 95% CI: 64.5, 83.3) sensitivity for malignancies smaller than 2 cm. Conclusion The deep learning-based tool enabled accurate detection of pancreatic cancer on CT scans, with reasonable sensitivity for tumors smaller than 2 cm. © RSNA, 2022 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Aisen and Rodrigues in this issue.

Detection of pancreatic cancer with two- and three-dimensional radiomic analysis in a nationwide population-based real-world dataset.

BACKGROUND: CT is the major detection tool for pancreatic cancer (PC). However, approximately 40% of PCs < 2 cm are missed on CT, underscoring a pressing need for tools to supplement radiologist interpretation. METHODS: Contrast-enhanced CT studies of 546 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma diagnosed by histology/cytology between January 2005 and December 2019 and 733 CT studies of controls with normal pancreas obtained between the same period in a tertiary referral center were retrospectively collected for developing an automatic end-to-end computer-aided detection (CAD) tool for PC using two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) radiomic analysis with machine learning. The CAD tool was tested in a nationwide dataset comprising 1,477 CT studies (671 PCs, 806 controls) obtained from institutions throughout Taiwan. RESULTS: The CAD tool achieved 0.918 (95% CI, 0.895-0.938) sensitivity and 0.822 (95% CI, 0.794-0.848) specificity in differentiating between studies with and without PC (area under curve 0.947, 95% CI, 0.936-0.958), with 0.707 (95% CI, 0.602-0.797) sensitivity for tumors < 2 cm. The positive and negative likelihood ratios of PC were 5.17 (95% CI, 4.45-6.01) and 0.10 (95% CI, 0.08-0.13), respectively. Where high specificity is needed, using 2D and 3D analyses in series yielded 0.952 (95% CI, 0.934-0.965) specificity with a sensitivity of 0.742 (95% CI, 0.707-0.775), whereas using 2D and 3D analyses in parallel to maximize sensitivity yielded 0.915 (95% CI, 0.891-0.935) sensitivity at a specificity of 0.791 (95% CI, 0.762-0.819). CONCLUSIONS: The high accuracy and robustness of the CAD tool supported its potential for enhancing the detection of PC.

Unilateral adrenalectomy in bilateral adrenal hyperplasia with primary aldosteronism.

PURPOSE: Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists are the first-line treatment for bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (BAH) with primary aldosteronism (PA), while unilateral adrenalectomy is the standard treatment for aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA). In this study, we investigated the outcomes of patients with BAH after unilateral adrenalectomy and compared them with those of patients with APA. METHODS: From January 2010 to November 2018, 102 patients with a diagnosis of PA confirmed by adrenal vein sampling (AVS) and available NP-59 scans were enrolled. All patients underwent unilateral adrenalectomy based on the lateralization test results. We prospectively collected the clinical parameters over 12 months and compared the outcomes of BAH and APA. RESULTS: A total of 102 patients were enrolled in this study: 20 (19.6%) had BAH and 82 (80.4%) had APA. Significant improvements in serum aldosterone-renin ratio (ARR), potassium level, and reduction of antihypertensive drugs were observed in both groups at 12 months after surgery (all p < 0.05). Patients with APA showed a significant decrease in blood pressure after surgery (p < 0.001) than those with BAH. Additionally, multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that APA was associated with biochemical success (odds ratio: 4.32, p = 0.024) compared to BAH. CONCLUSION: Patients with BAH had a higher failure rate in clinical outcomes, and APA was associated with biochemical success after unilateral adrenalectomy. However, significant improvements in ARR, hypokalemia, and a decreased use of antihypertensive drugs were noted in patients with BAH after surgery. Unilateral adrenalectomy is feasible and beneficial in selected patients, and could potentially serve as a treatment option.

Clinical Outcomes of Metastatic Breast Cancer in Patients Having Imaging Liver Pseudocirrhosis with or without Evident Varices.

BACKGROUND: Pseudocirrhosis is an imaging finding of malignancies with liver metastasis with or without clinical liver cirrhosis-related portal hypertension (pHTN). This study defined evident pHTN by the presence of esophageal or gastric varices and compared patients' outcomes of metastatic breast cancer with imaging-diagnosed pseudocirrhosis with or without varices. METHODS: The medical records from patients with metastatic breast cancer and pseudocirrhosis between 2005 and 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Survival outcomes were compared based on endoscopic evidence of esophageal or gastric varices. RESULTS: Among 106 patients with pseudocirrhosis, 33 (31%) had de novo stage IV disease, and 66 (62%) had hormone receptor (HR)-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer. Eighty-one (76%) had initial metastases in both hepatic lobes, and 32 (30%) had esophageal or gastric varices. The median overall survival (OS) was 5 and 13 months in patients with and without varices (P = .002). The median OS in patients with HER2-positive, HR-positive/HER2-negative, and triple-negative subtype was 16, 9, and 2 months, respectively (P = .001). Patients with varices usually had cirrhotic complications, including gastrointestinal bleeding, hyperbilirubinemia, hyperammonemia, and coagulopathy. Despite their challenging clinical conditions, 7 patients with varices had OS exceeding 1 year. In multivariate analysis, evident varices (P = .007) and triple-negative subtype (P = .013) were associated with poor OS. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with pseudocirrhosis and evident varices had a significantly shorter median OS, and were usually associated with clinical cirrhosis-related complications. To maximize OS, early identification and meticulous supportive care are warranted.

Factors associated with renal function change after unilateral adrenalectomy in patients with primary aldosteronism.

OBJECTIVES: Decreased glomerular filtration rate has been reported in patients with primary aldosteronism after unilateral adrenalectomy. Glomerular hyperfiltration has been assumed to mask the preoperative subtle renal impairment. In this study, we investigated predictors for decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate after adrenalectomy in patients with primary aldosteronism. METHODS: From January 2006 through September 2018, 328 patients with confirmatory diagnoses of primary aldosteronism received unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy and subsequent follow-up for 12 months. We prospectively collected related parameters of the clinical outcomes and renal function to identify predictors of renal function impairment at 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: Patients were stratified into three groups by preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate level: 144 (43.9%) with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥90, 130 (39.6%) with estimated glomerular filtration rate within 60-89.9, and 54 (16.5%) with estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 . The estimated glomerular filtration rate decreased significantly at the 6th month and remained stable at the 12th month, postoperatively. Patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥90 had better clinical outcome with 59.6% success rate (P = 0.006) among three groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (odds ratio 1.012, P = 0.02) and hypokalemia (odds ratio 2.018, P = 0.024) were associated with renal impairment at 12th month after adrenalectomy. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed high preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (ß = 0.261, P < 0.001), high preoperative systolic blood pressure (ß = 0.168, P = 0.003), high level of microalbuminuria (ß = 0.024, P = 0.001), and low level of serum potassium (ß = -4.883, P = 0.007) were associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate percentage decline at 12th month after adrenalectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Estimated glomerular filtration rate declined significantly after adrenalectomy in patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥90. The study provided important information to identify primary aldosteronism patients with higher risk of estimated glomerular filtration rate decline after adrenalectomy and might help to adopt early interventions to improve the outcomes.

The "rail sign": an ultrasound finding in placenta accreta spectrum indicating deep villous invasion and adverse outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound has demonstrated a high accuracy in the prenatal diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum. However, it is not known whether ultrasound findings can pinpoint the depths of villous invasion, recommend surgical strategies, and predict clinical outcomes. OBJECTIVE: We described an ultrasound descriptor for the placenta accreta spectrum and investigated whether it can predict the severity of villous invasion and clinical outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: The patients with placenta accreta spectrum in this retrospective cross-sectional study were diagnosed and managed in our hospital from 2002 to 2017. The placenta, with overlying myometrium and bladder, was mapped with color Doppler sonography while the patient's bladder was full. A "rail sign" was defined as 2 parallel neovascularizations depicted by color Doppler sonography over the uterovesical junction and bladder mucosa, with interconnecting bridging vessels perpendicular to both. The patients received serial ultrasound examinations and surgery at our hospital. An unpaired t test and Pearson chi-square test compared the pathology subtypes, surgical strategies, and clinical outcomes in patients with or without a rail sign. RESULTS: We enrolled 133 consecutive cases of placenta accreta spectrum confirmed either by surgical inspection or pathology examination. Patients with a rail sign had a significantly higher risk of an abnormally invasive placenta (placenta increta or placenta percreta) than those patients without a rail sign (83.3% [60 of 72] vs 27.9% [17 of 61]; odds ratio, 12.94; P<.001). In addition, patients with a rail sign had a higher probability of perioperative approaches, including preoperative vascular control (58.3% [42 of 72] vs 21.3% [13 of 61]; odds ratio, 5.17; P<.001) and uterine artery embolization (34.7% [25 of 72] vs 11.5% [7 of 61]; odds ratio, 4.1; P=.0002]. Furthermore, patients with a rail sign carried a higher risk of adverse clinical outcomes than patients without a rail sign, such as blood transfusion (80.6% [58 of 72] vs 36.1% [22 of 61]; odds ratio, 7.34; P<.001], admission to the intensive care unit (33.3% [24 of 72] vs 16.4% [10 of 61]; odds ratio, 2.55; P=.026), hysterectomy (75% [54 of 72] vs 24.6% [15 of 61]; odds ratio, 9.2; P<.001), and bladder invasion (16.7% [12 of 72] vs 4.9% [3 of 61]; odds ratio, 3.86; P=.033). Notably, the negative predictive value of bladder invasion was 95.1%, indicating a high confidence to reject bladder invasion while the rail sign was negative. When the rail sign was used as a screening test, the positive likelihood ratio of predicting deep villous invasion was 3.64 and correlated with an increased probability of 20% to 25%. Patients with a rail sign also had a greater blood loss (2944±2748 mL vs 1530±1895 mL; P<.001) and a longer hospital stay (11.9±10.9 days vs 8.6±7.1 days; P=.036) than patients without a rail sign. CONCLUSION: A "rail sign" depicted by color Doppler sonography correlates with deeper villous invasion, additional perioperative approaches, and more adverse outcomes.

Revisiting Hepatic Artery Infusion Chemotherapy in the Treatment of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) is a well-established and common treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly in East Asia. However, HAIC is not recognized internationally. Although several trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of HAIC, evidence corroborating its overall survival (OS) benefits compared with standard treatments is insufficient. Nevertheless, HAIC may provide prominent benefits in selected patients such as patients with portal vein thrombosis or high intrahepatic tumor burden. Moreover, HAIC has been combined with several therapeutic agents and modalities, including interferon-alpha, multikinase inhibitors, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy, to augment its treatment efficacy. Most of these combinations appeared to increase overall response rates compared with HAIC alone, but results regarding OS are inconclusive. Two prospective randomized controlled trials comparing HAIC plus sorafenib with sorafenib alone have reported conflicting results, necessitating further research. As immunotherapy-based combinations became the mainstream treatments for advanced HCC, HAIC plus immunotherapy-based treatments also showed encouraging preliminary results. The trials of HAIC were heterogeneous in terms of patient selection, chemotherapy regimens and doses, HAIC combination agent selections, and HAIC technical protocols. These heterogeneities may contribute to differences in treatment efficacy, thus increasing the difficulty of interpreting trial results. We propose that future trials of HAIC standardize these key factors to reveal the clinical value of HAIC-based treatments for HCC.

Hepatocellular adenoma in Taiwan: Distinct ensemble of male predominance, overweight/obesity, and inflammatory subtype.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The clinicopathologic features of hepatocellular adenoma in Asian populations have been poorly defined. The study aimed to characterize this rare entity in a single institution in Taiwan. METHODS: In total, 45 hepatocellular adenomas from 1995 to 2018 were included and sent for pathologic review and molecular subtyping. RESULTS: The numbers of patients with hepatocellular adenoma has doubled in the recent decade. Surprisingly, men outnumbered women in our cohort (n = 26, 58% vs N = 19, 42%). A collection of clinical information revealed that overweight/obesity accounts for most of the associated conditions of hepatocellular adenoma. Only three women took oral contraceptives. There were 34 inflammatory (75%), three LFABP-negative (7%), four ß-catenin activated (9%), and four unclassified (9%) hepatocellular adenomas. Ten inflammatory hepatocellular adenomas demonstrated strong and homogeneous glutamine synthetase staining and were thus also ß-catenin activated. Notably, overweight and obesity were significantly associated with inflammatory hepatocellular adenoma than other subtypes (P = .029 and .056, respectively) and were strongly correlated with steatosis in background liver (P = .028 and.007, respectively). Malignant transformation (four borderline tumors and two hepatocellular carcinomas) was identified in six adenomas (two women and four men). All six hepatocellular adenomas with malignancy were ß-catenin activated; ß-catenin activation could serve as a biomarker for malignant progression. CONCLUSIONS: The clinicopathologic features of hepatocellular adenoma in Taiwan are distinct from those reported in Western countries. Rare oral contraceptive usage and an emerging epidemic of overweight/obesity in Taiwan provides new insights into the pathogenesis of hepatocellular adenoma.

Percutaneous embolization for a subacute gastric fistula following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: The management for subacute or chronic fistula after bariatric surgery is very complicated and with no standard protocol yet. It is also an Achilles' heel of all bariatric surgery. The aim of this case report is to describe our experience in managing this complication by percutaneous embolization, a less commonly used method. CASE PRESENTATION: A 23-year-old woman with a body mass index of 35.7 kg/m2 presented with delayed gastric leak 7 days after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) for weight reduction. Persistent leak was still noted under the status of nil per os, nasogastric decompression, and parenteral nutrition for 1 month; therefore, endoscopic glue injection was performed. The fistula tract did not seal off, and the size of pseudocavity enlarged after gas inflation during endoscopic intervention. Subsequently, we successfully managed this subacute gastric fistula via percutaneous fistula tract embolization (PFTE) with removal of the external drain 2 months after LSG. CONCLUSIONS: PFTE can serve as one of the non-invasive methods to treat subacute gastric fistula after LSG. The usage of fluoroscopy-visible glue for embolization can seal the fistula tract precisely and avoid the negative impact from gas inflation during endoscopic intervention.

Fluoroscopic-guided nasogastric tube placement in patients with advanced head and neck cancers.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Enteral feeding, mainly by using a nasogastric tube (NGT), is generally favored over parenteral supplementation in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients with dysphagia. However, the placement of a NGT, either blindly or by endoscopy, is technically challenging in these patients due to the obstructive mass and the altered regional anatomy. The aim of this retrospective study was to estimate the clinical feasibility and safety of fluoroscopic-guided NGT placement in patients with advanced HNC. METHODS: Between January 2010 and June 2018, a total of 572 fluoroscopic-guided NGT placements were performed on 231 patients. Technical success was defined as successful insertion of the NGT into the stomach with proper positioning, which was verified by air injection into the NGT. Complications, including aspiration pneumonia, and the ones requiring intensive care, or procedure-related death, were recorded. RESULTS: Technical success was obtained in 558 (97.6%) procedures, and the other 14 (2.4%) procedures failed because of patient intolerance (n = 1) and high-grade obstruction (n = 13). Of the high-grade obstruction patients, eight (61.5%) were shifted to percutaneous radiological gastrostomy, two (15.4%) to surgical feeding jejunostomy, one (7.6%) to endoscopic balloon dilatation, and two (15.4%) to orogastric tube insertion. The average procedure time and fluoroscopy time were 11.7 ± 7.4 min and 3.1 ± 3.1 min, respectively. There were no major complications. CONCLUSION: Our results show that fluoroscopic-guided NGT placement is a highly safe and effective procedure for patients with advanced HNC requiring enteral feeding.

Preoperative non-stimulated adrenal venous sampling index for predicting outcomes of adrenalectomy for unilateral primary aldosteronism.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to predict outcomes of adrenalectomy for unilateral primary aldosteronism (PA) using non-stimulated adrenal venous sampling (AVS) indices and the standardized Primary Aldosteronism Surgical Outcome (PASO) criteria. METHODS: Patients with unilateral PA who underwent adrenalectomy based on non-stimulated AVS and had follow-up data regarding surgical outcomes between 2011 and 2016 were enrolled. Demographic data and non-stimulated AVS indices, including lateralization index (LI) and contralateral suppression, were collected for analysis. RESULTS: This study included 54 patients who underwent adrenalectomy. Clinical and biochemical outcomes were evaluated in all patients and in 52 (96.3%) patients, respectively. Complete clinical and biochemical success was achieved in 31 (57.4%) of 54 patients and 42 (80.8%) of 52 patients, respectively. An LI > 4 was significantly associated with complete clinical and biochemical success (OR = 4.30, 95% CI 1.18-15.68, p = 0.03, and OR = 7.55, 95% CI 1.28-44.47, p = 0.03, respectively). Contralateral suppression was an independent predictor of complete biochemical success (OR = 17.27, 95% CI 1.95-153.21, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Non-stimulated AVS indices including LI and contralateral suppression are reliable preoperative determinants for predicting the outcomes of adrenalectomy in patients with unilateral PA. Our findings provide more evidence and confidence to clinicians when applying non-stimulated AVS to determine PA treatment.

Comparison of single and tandem ureteral stenting for malignant ureteral obstruction: a prospective study of 104 patients.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare single and tandem ureteral stenting in the management of malignant ureteral obstruction (MUO). METHODS: Our hospital's institutional review board approved this prospective study. Between November 2014 and June 2017, single ureteral stenting was performed in 56 patients (94 renal units) and tandem ureteral stenting in 48 patients (63 renal units) for MUO. A comparative analysis of the technical success rate, patient survival, stent patency, and complications was performed. RESULTS: Similar demographic data were observed in patients receiving either single or tandem ureteral stenting. The technical success rate was 93.6% (88/94) for single ureteral stenting and 95.2% (60/63) for tandem ureteral stenting. There was no difference in overall survival between patients receiving single or tandem ureteral stenting (p = 0.41), but the duration of stent patency in tandem ureteral stenting was significantly longer (p = 0.022). The mean patency time was 176.7 ± 21.3 days for single ureteral stenting, and 214.7 ± 21.0 days for tandem ureteral stenting. The complications of ureteral stenting were urinary tract infection (n = 18), lower urinary tract symptoms (n = 5), haematuria (n = 3), and stent migration (n = 1). CONCLUSIONS: Tandem ureteral stenting is a safe and feasible treatment for MUO, and had better efficacy compared to single ureteral stenting. KEY POINTS: • Ureteral stenting is an established treatment for the management of malignant ureteral obstruction (MUO) • Prospective single-centre study showed that tandem ureteral stenting is a safe and feasible treatment for MUO • Tandem ureteral stenting provides longer stent patency compared to single ureteral stenting in patient with MUO.

Early percutaneous cholecystostomy versus antibiotic treatment for mild and moderate acute cholecystitis: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) is an effective treatment for severe acute cholecystitis (AC). Guidelines recommend PC as rescue therapy for patients with mild or moderate AC who do not receive emergent cholecystectomy. This study aims to investigate whether PC could be a first-line treatment for these patients. METHODS: Adult patients admitted through the emergency department between October 2004 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with mild or moderate AC who did not undergo emergent cholecystectomy were included. Early PC was defined as a PC tube inserted within 24 h of diagnosis. The outcomes were compared between patients who received antibiotics plus early PC (early PC group) and those who received antibiotic treatment alone (antibiotic group). RESULTS: A total of 698 patients were included. The mean age was 63.4 years. There were 171 patients in the early PC group and 527 patients in the antibiotic group. Multivariable logistic regression analyses indicated that early PC was significantly associated with a decreased rate of prolonged fever (odds ratio [OR], 0.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.16-0.57; p < 0.001). Early PC also correlated with both increased short-term (OR, 15.95; 95% CI, 5.73-44.38; p < 0.001) and long-term treatment success (OR, 4.27; 95% CI, 2.55-7.15; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: For patients with mild/moderate AC without emergent cholecystectomy, early PC might expedite sepsis resolution and improve the treatment success rate compared with antibiotic treatment alone. This result should be deemed as hypothesis-generating and should be examined in a randomized controlled trial.

Etiologies and clinical characteristics of non-obstructive dysphagia in a Taiwanese population: A prospective study based on high-resolution impedance manometry.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal motility disorders are the major cause of non-obstructive dysphagia (NOD), but may be underdiagnosed. In this high-resolution impedance manometry (HRIM)-based study, we aimed to clarify the etiologies and clinical characteristics of patients presenting with NOD in a Taiwanese population. METHODS: From October 2014 to July 2017, consecutive patients with the chief complaint of dysphagia were prospectively enrolled in the study at a tertiary medical center. All subjects underwent a comprehensive diagnostic work-up, which included validated symptom questionnaires, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, timed barium esophagogram, and HRIM. Those with obstructive esophageal lesions were excluded. Esophageal motility disorders were diagnosed using the updated Chicago Classification v3.0. We categorized all patients based on the HRIM results, and compared the clinical characteristics and parameters between groups. RESULTS: A total of 120 patients (55 men; mean age [range], 52 [13-87] years) were analyzed. Achalasia was the most common diagnosis by HRIM (n = 66, 55%), followed by ineffective esophageal motility (n = 15, 12.5%), and absent contractility (n = 6, 5%). Patients with achalasia experienced increased vomiting (62.1% vs. 31.5%, p = 0.001), significant weight loss (22.7% vs. 7.4%, p = 0.025), delayed esophageal emptying (90.9% vs. 12.9%, p < 0.001), and abnormal bolus transit (100% vs. 25.9%, p < 0.001) compared with non-achalasia patients. CONCLUSION: Based on HRIM and the updated Chicago Classification, achalasia was the most common diagnosis of NOD in a Taiwanese population. HRIM allows for a more detailed assessment and may assist in the tailoring of further treatment plans.

PET/MRI for evaluating subclinical inflammation of ulcerative colitis.

PURPOSE: To explore the utility of integrated positron emission tomography (PET) / magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for evaluating subclinical inflammation in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study was approved by the Institutional Review Board and informed consent was obtained. Between November 2015 and April 2016, 19 consecutive patients with UC in clinical remission were enrolled. These patients underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/MRI (3T) and colonoscopy. Serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and fecal calprotectin (FC) levels were also obtained. The findings of colonoscopy were graded using the Mayo endoscopic subscore. Quantitative (minimum apparent diffusion coefficient [ADCmin ] and maximum standardized uptake value [SUVmax ]), semiquantitative, and qualitative parameters of PET/MRI were evaluated and correlated with colonoscopic findings. RESULTS: In per-segment analysis, ADCmin was significantly lower and SUVmax and ratio of SUVmax to ADCmin were significantly higher in the colonic segments with active inflammation (Mayo endoscopic subscore ≥2) (P < 0.05). Qualitative MRI score, PET activity grade, and PET/MRI score were also significantly higher in the colonic segments with active inflammation (P < 0.05). Among these parameters, the ratio of SUVmax to ADCmin exhibited the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) (0.763). In per-patient analysis, the AUC of PET activity grade was 0.778, higher than those of hs-CRP (0.589) and FC (0.722). Using a combined index of FC and PET, an even higher AUC (0.867) was achieved. CONCLUSION: PET/MRI is a potentially useful tool in identifying subclinical inflammation in patients with UC. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:737-745.

Muscular thickness of lower esophageal sphincter and therapeutic outcomes in achalasia: A prospective study using high-frequency endoscopic ultrasound.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Patients with achalasia typically have thicker lower esophageal sphincter muscles, which can affect the distensibility of the esophagogastric junction. We aimed to assess whether these muscular features, measured using high-frequency endoscopic ultrasound, affect treatment outcomes. METHODS: Consecutive adult patients with suspected achalasia were enrolled prospectively. They underwent a comprehensive diagnostic workup, including endoscopic ultrasound. The thickness of the lower esophageal sphincter, including the internal circular and outer longitudinal muscles, was measured using a 12-MHz ultrasonic miniprobe. Follow-up was performed at 1 month and then at 6-month intervals, after treatment. Treatment response was defined as a reduction in Eckardt score to ≤3 or an improvement in the height of the timed barium esophagogram of ≥50%. RESULTS: Of the 29 patients who received pneumatic dilatation, all but one (96.6%) exhibited a good short-term treatment response. At an average follow-up time of 18.5 (12-55.5) months, patients who had a mid-term recurrence after pneumatic dilatation had a significantly thicker outer longitudinal muscle (1.8 [1.5-1.8] vs 0.9 [0.8-1.7] mm, P = 0.036), but not internal circular muscle (2.0 [1.9-2.5] vs 2.1 [1.2-2.7] mm, P = 0.874) or total lower esophageal sphincter (3.7 [3.5-4.4] vs 3.6 [2.0-4.1] mm, P = 0.362). Patients with an outer longitudinal muscle ≥1.3 mm thick had a significantly lower mid-term remission rate than others (36.3% vs 100%, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Thickening of the outer longitudinal muscle at the lower esophageal sphincter is associated with poor mid-term treatment outcomes for achalasia patients treated with pneumatic dilatation.