CT Patterns of Interstitial Lung Disease in Patients with Plaque Psoriasis: A Retrospective Case Series Study.

Background and Objectives: Recently published articles reported an association between psoriasis and interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). The aim of this study is to evaluate the differences in ILD computed tomography (CT) patterns between smoker and never smoker plaque psoriasis (PP) patients under topical treatment without psoriatic arthritis (PA), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or connective tissue diseases (CTDs). Matherials and Methods: Two radiologists evaluated chest CT examinations of 65 patients (33 smokers, 32 never smokers) with PP. Results: Usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern was diagnosed in 36 patients, nonspecific interstitial pneumonia pattern in 19, hypersensitivity pneumonitis in 7 and pleuropulmonary fibroelastosis (PPFE) in 3 patients. UIP pattern showed a statistically significant higher frequency in smoker patients (p = 0.0351). Respiratory symptoms were reported in 80% of patients. Conclusions: ILDs seems to represent a new comorbidity associated with psoriasis. Moreover, a statistically significant association between smokers and UIP pattern in PP patients is found. Respiratory symptoms should be evaluated in PP patients, in collaboration with a radiologist and a pneumologist. However, further studies are required to better understand the epidemiology of ILDs in PP patients.

Cardiac Masses and Pseudomasses: An Overview about Diagnostic Imaging and Clinical Background.

A cardiac lesion detected at ultrasonography might turn out to be a normal structure, a benign tumor or rarely a malignancy, and lesion characterization is very important to appropriately manage the lesion itself. The exact relationship of the mass with coronary arteries and the knowledge of possible concomitant coronary artery disease are necessary preoperative information. Moreover, the increasingly performed coronary CT angiography to evaluate non-invasively coronary artery disease leads to a rising number of incidental findings. Therefore, CT and MRI are frequently performed imaging modalities when echocardiography is deemed insufficient to evaluate a lesion. A brief comprehensive overview about diagnostic radiological imaging and the clinical background of cardiac masses and pseudomasses is reported.

Crohn's Disease and Jejunal Artery Aneurysms: A Report of the First Case and a Review of the Literature.

Background and Objectives: Jejunal artery (JA) and ileal artery (IA) aneurysms constitute less than 3% of all visceral artery aneurysms (VAAs), carrying a risk of rupture as high as 30%, and a mortality of 20%. Though many etiologies have been reported in the literature, no mention exists on a causal association between these aneurysms and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). We present the first case of a JA aneurysm related to Crohn's Disease (CD) together with a review of the literature. Materials and Methods: A 74-year-old male presenting with CD intestinal relapse and an incidental finding at the computed tomography enterography (CTE) of a 53 × 47 × 25mm apparently intact JA pseudoaneurysm, arising from the first and second jejunal branches, underwent coil embolization followed by small bowel resection, with an uneventful outcome. We also included the review of literature on JA and IA aneurysms, analyzing all reports published in PubMed and Scopus from 1943 to July 2022. Results: 60 manuscripts with 103 cases of JA and IA aneurysms in 100 patients were identified. Among cases with available data, 34 (33.0%) presented acutely with rupture, 45 (43.7%) were described as non-ruptured. 83 (80.6%), and 14 (13.6%) were JA and IA aneurysms, respectively, having a median size of 15 (range:3.5-52) mm. Atherosclerosis (16.5%), infections (10.7%), and vasculitides/connective tissue disorders (9.7%) represented the main causes mentioned. Mean age was 53.6 (±19.2) years, male patients being 59.4%. One third of patients (32.4%) were asymptomatic. Overall, treatment was indicated in 63% of patients, with surgery and endovascular procedures performed in 61.9% and 38.1% cases, respectively. The technical success rate of endovascular treatment (EVT) was 95.8%. The mortality rate was 11.8%, being higher (21.2%) in the rupture group. Conclusions: The prompt treatment accomplished in our case granted a successful outcome. JA and IA aneurysms should be included among local complications of IBD. Considering their high potential for rupture, regardless of size, a low threshold for endovascular or surgical treatment should be applied.

Pancreatic ablation: minimally invasive treatment options.

Despite the significant improvement of knowledge and technologies in tumor treatments, pancreatic tumor remains a complex disease still characterized by a poor prognosis. The increasing role of minimally invasive techniques started to drive the effort of scientific medicine to evaluate the possibilities of application of these techniques to pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this paper is to present a brief summary of the different ablative techniques available and proposed for pancreatic tumor treatment considering invasive, noninvasive, thermal and non-thermal techniques.

Ceritinib compassionate use for patients with crizotinib-refractory, anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

AIM: Ceritinib was evaluated within a compassionate use program of Italian patients. PATIENTS & METHODS: 70 patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive crizotinib-refractory advanced non-small-cell lung cancer received ceritinib. RESULTS: Overall response was 40.6%, median progression-free survival was 8.2 months and median survival was 15.5 months. Dose reduction due to treatment-related adverse events occurred in 50.8% of patients starting at 750 mg/day. No significantly different progression-free survival was observed between patients who underwent any time dose reduction (n = 38) versus those who remained on the recommended dose of 750 mg/day (n = 32; p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: The efficacy of ceritinib compassionate use program resembled that of clinical trials. Dose reductions and adjustments did not appear to negatively affect clinical outcome.

Polymer Embolization and Anaphylactic Reaction during Implantation of an Ovation Stent Graft for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Exclusion.

During implantation of an Ovation endograft for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) correction, a patient experienced anaphylactic reaction after polymer leakage outside the device circuit. Procedure was completed after hemodynamic stabilization. Since postoperative day 2, patient complained of loss of legs strength. Medullar injury was excluded by electromyography test, and the clinical signs attributed to muscular necrosis and peripheral nerve involvement after arterial embolization. Furthermore, immediately after surgery, a wide erythematous area appeared in the lumbar region. During the next few days, the lesion developed from extensive blisters and necrosis to deep loss of substance. The wound needed to be medicated 2 or 3 times per week. One year after surgery, the patient still needs crutches for deambulation, and the back injury is currently under treatment. In conclusion, surgeons performing aortic endovascular repair with the Ovation endograft, as well as anesthesiologists participating in the procedure, should be aware of the possibility of embolization and ready to promptly treat possible complications.

Early post-procedural patients compliance and VAS after UAE through transradial versus transfemoral approach: preliminary results.

PURPOSE: The aim of our study is to verify VAS and patient compliance in the immediate post-procedural time, in patients undergoing UAE through radial approach versus femoral procedure. METHODS: Between January and September 2017, 30 consecutive patients (age range 28-47, average 32 years) were enrolled for the study. UAE was performed by two interventional radiologists with more than 10 years of experience and more than 100 cases of UAE done. Patients were divided into two groups: transfemoral approach (group a, n = 15 patients) and transradial approach (group b, n = 15 patients). After procedure, patients were questioned about the compliance using the questionnaire at 24 h and VAS rating at 6, 12, 18 and 24 h. RESULTS: The average of VAS in group b was lower than in group a in each evaluation at 6 h (p < 0.20), 12 h (p < 0.07), 18 h (p < 0.02) and 24 h (p < 0.22) on the basis of Mann-Whitney U test, however, without a clear scientific evidence. Also the compliance score at 24 h had better results in the group b (average 14.0, range 13.0-16.0) in comparison with group a (average 18.0, range 17.0-21.4) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Transradial approach improves the compliance and VAS of patients undergone to UAE.

Endovascular management of massive post-partum haemorrhage in abnormal placental implantation deliveries.

OBJECTIVES: To retrospectively evaluate safety and efficacy of pelvic artery embolisation (PAE) in post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) in abnormal placental implantation (API) deliveries. METHODS: From January 2009 to November 2013, 12 patients with API and intractable intraoperative PPH underwent PAE after caesarean delivery to control a haemorrhage (in four of these cases after hysterectomy). Arterial access was obtained prior to the delivery; PAE was performed in the obstetrics operating room by an interventional radiologist that was present with an interventional radiology (IR) team during the delivery. RESULTS: PAE was successful in preventing bleeding and avoid hysterectomy in four cases (group A). Uterine atony and disseminated intravascular coagulation caused failure of PAE requiring hysterectomy in four patients (group B). PAE prevented bleeding post-hysterectomy in the remaining four cases (group C). Technical success (cessation of contrast extravasation on angiography or occlusion of the selected artery) was 100 %. Maternal and foetal mortality and morbidity were 0 %. CONCLUSIONS: PAE is a minimal invasive technique that may help to prevent hysterectomy and control PPH in API pregnancies without complications. Embolisation should be performed on an emergency basis. For such cases, an IR team on standby in the obstetrics theatre may be useful to prevent hysterectomy, blood loss and limit morbidity. KEY POINTS: • Endovascular treatment is a validated technique in post-partum haemorrhage. • Abnormal placental implantation is a risk factor for post-partum haemorrhage. • We propose an interventional radiologist standby in the delivery room.

Bilateral Staged Computed Tomography-Guided Gluteal Artery Puncture for Internal Iliac Embolization in a Patient with Type II Endoleak.

Repair of isolated iliac aneurysm with stent-graft implantation and internal iliac coverage may induce significant type II endoleak from patent internal iliac refilling leading to ongoing aneurysm growth. Subsequent treatment of such complication can be challenging especially in case of bilateral iliac involvement. Open repair is technically demanding and often a high risk procedure, while embolization via transfemoral approach is unviable due to the stent-graft coverage precluding direct antegrade access between the common and the internal iliac lumen. Percutaneous retrograde embolization from superior gluteal artery is a feasible technique in case of impossible access through the origin of internal iliac artery.

Embolization of the periprostatic venous plexus for erectile dysfunction resulting from venous leakage.

PURPOSE: To evaluate retrospectively the safety and efficacy of anterograde embolization of the periprostatic venous plexus (AEPV) via percutaneous access of the deep dorsal vein of the penis for erectile dysfunction (ED) resulting from veno-occlusive dysfunction (VOD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From September 2009 through December 2012, 18 patients with moderate to severe ED secondary to insufficiency of physiologic venous occlusion as diagnosed by color Doppler evaluation of the penis after direct pharmacologic stimulation were treated. Preliminary diagnoses were also confirmed with dynamic cavernosography. Selective AEPV was achieved using a combination of N-butyl cyanoacrylate and endovascular coils. Follow-up consisted of collecting International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire (IIEF-6) scores and repeated color Doppler evaluation. RESULTS: Immediate technical success was achieved in 16 of 18 patients (88.8%). Follow-up data were obtained at a mean of 13.3 months ± 7.5. In 12 of the patients with technical success, the mean IIEF-6 score improved from 10.5 ± 5.2 to 20.6 ± 8.4 after the procedure (P = .0069). At 3-month short-term follow-up, clinical success defined by an end-diastolic velocity of < 5 cm/s on color Doppler was noted in 81% (13 of 16 patients). Of these 13 patients, 7 patients had continued erectile function at the end of follow-up, and the other 6 patients reported progressive diminishment in the benefit over time. No major complications and two minor complications were encountered. CONCLUSIONS: AEPV for ED secondary to VOD is a safe alternative to surgical treatment that demonstrates promising short-term and midterm efficacy.

Wide-neck renal artery aneurysm: parenchymal sparing endovascular treatment with a new device.

BACKGROUND: Renal artery aneurysm is a rare disorder with a high mortality rate in the event of rupture, the most frequent complication, which can also occur in lesions smaller than those indicated for treatment by current criteria. Surgery is still the first-line treatment, although a growing trend toward endovascular management of visceral artery aneurysms has emerged because of the high efficacy and low invasiveness that has been demonstrated by several authors. Treatment of wide-necked aneurysms and, depending on location, those at renal artery bifurcations or distal branches is more complex and may require invasive surgical techniques, such as bench surgery. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe the successful use of a new neurointerventional coil to treat an enlarging wide-necked segmental-branch renal aneurysm in an elderly woman who was not a candidate for surgery because of several comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: The technique described allowed safe, successful treatment of a wide-necked aneurysm in an unfavorable vascular territory, reducing the risk of downstream artery embolization and consequent parenchymal damage and decreased renal function. In similar cases, other endovascular devices have often proven to be ineffective at nephron sparing. To validate the safety and efficacy of this system, more cases treated in this manner should be studied.

[Small renal cell carcinoma (≤ 4 cm): enhancement patterns on triphasic spiral CT]. / Carcinoma renale di piccole dimensioni (≤4 cm): pattern di enhancement con TC spirale multistrato trifasica.

The aim of this study was to define enhancement patterns of small renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (≤4 cm) by triphasic spiral CT. In 24 patients with RCC, hypervascularity and hypovascularity were identified in 12 and 12 RO, respectively, in the cortico-medullary phase (CMP). Hypervascular RCC showed increased density in the CMP (170,7±46,3 UH) and a gradual wash-out in the nephrographic phase (NP) (152,5±41 UH) and pielographic phase (PF) (99,2±38 UH). Hypovascular RCC showed increased density in the CMP (52,9±24,7 UH) and a gradual wash-out in NP (64,5±16,9 UH) and PP phases (55,0±17,3 UH).

[Small renal oncocytoma (≤ 4 cm): enhancement patterns on triphasic spiral computed tomography]. / Oncocitoma renale di piccole dimensioni (≤4 cm): pattern di enhancement quali-quantitativi alla TC spirale trifasica.

In 18 patients with 19 RO, 9 hypervascularity and hypovascularity was identified in 9 and 10 RO, respectively, in the cortico-medullary phase (CMP). Hypervascular RO showed increased density in the CMP (151.4±38.5 HU) and a gradual wash-out in the nephrographic phase (133.8±34.6 HU) and excretory phase (79±23 HU). Hypovascular RO showed increased density in the CMP (87.8±20.1 UH) and a gradual wash-out in the nephrographic phase (100.3±33 UH) and excretory phase (20.9±86.9 UH).

[Role of CT in the preoperative diagnosis of a giant benign solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura]. / Ruolo della TC nella diagnosi preoperatoria del tumore solitario fibroso gigante della pleura.

The authors emphasize the role of CT in the preoperative diagnosis of a giant benign solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura. CT can provide evidence of complete resection of the lesion, showing a pedunculated stalk. Aspiration cytology is not a reliable diagnostic approach.

Transarterial chemoembolization alone or followed by bevacizumab for treatment of colorectal liver metastases.

AIMS: Bevacizumab (B) in association with systemic chemotherapy is commonly used for the treatment of colorectal cancer liver metastases. The aim of this study was to monitor tumor response, overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) + B compared with TACE alone and to correlate the results with KRAS mutational status. PATIENTS & METHODS: This was an observational multicentric case-control study (NCT03732235) on the efficacy and safety of B administered after TACE. RESULTS: The disease control rate was significantly higher for the TACE + B than the TACE alone group (p < 0.001). KRAS wild-type patients had a significantly better disease control rate than those with KRAS mutations in the TACE + B group. Median OS and PFS were similar for the TACE + B and TACE groups, whereas median time to progression was significantly higher for the TACE + B group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The combination of TACE with B may improve tumor response and delay disease progression.

Post-Traumatic Intraparenchymal Renal Hemorrhages: Correlation between CT and DSA Vascular Findings for Superselective Embolization Procedures.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the correlation between computed tomography (CT) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) findings in patients affected by acute post-traumatic intraparenchymal renal hemorrhages and evaluate their conservative management with superselective embolization. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter analysis focuses on patients affected by renal bleedings detected by contrast-enhanced CT and treated with superselective endovascular embolization. CT findings were compared to DSA. Embolization procedural data were analyzed and renal function was evaluated before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were retrospectively evaluated in one year. Compared to DSA, CT showed 96.3% diagnostic accuracy in terms of hemorrhage recognition; concerning the type of vascular lesion, there was discrepancy between CT and DSA in five cases. The technical success rate of embolization was 100%, while primary clinical success was 88.9%. The inferior parenchymal third was the most frequent site of renal injury. Microcoils were the most adopted embolics. Renal function did not change significantly before and after embolization. CONCLUSIONS: CT has elevated diagnostic accuracy in detecting post-traumatic intraparenchymal renal hemorrhages; in a small percentage, the type of vascular lesion may differ from the findings observed at DSA. In this scenario, superselective embolization presents high clinical success with a low complication rate.

Hemorrhoids Embolization: State of the Art and Future Directions.

Hemorrhoidal disease is a frustrating problem that has a relevant impact on patients' psychological, social, and physical well-being. Recently, endovascular embolization of hemorrhoids has emerged as a promising mini-invasive solution with respect to surgical treatment. The purpose of this article is to review the indications, technical aspects, clinical outcomes, and future prospective of endovascular embolization of symptomatic hemorrhoid patients.

Chemoembolization Alone or Associated With Bevacizumab for Therapy of Colorectal Cancer Metastases: Preliminary Results of a Randomized Study.

AIM: to assess efficacy and safety of chemoembolization alone (TACE) and followed by bevacizumab (TACE-B) in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRC-LM) (NCT03732235). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 30 consecutive patients with CRC-LM. They were informed about the types of treatment available: TACE with irinotecan loaded into polythylene glycol embolics alone or followed by bevacizumab therapy. Each patient underwent self-randomization and 17 chose TACE, whereas 13 chose TACE-B. RESULTS: Tumor response at 3 months was complete response in one (6%) and four (31%) patients, and partial response in two (13%) and six (46%) patients, after TACE and TACE-B, respectively. No complications were observed during TACE. Most TACE-related adverse events were correlated with post-embolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: The preliminary results of the study showed that the TACE-B is feasible and tolerable. This study will be continued in order accrue a larger number of patients and longer follow-up.

Successful recovery from COVID-19 pneumonia after receiving baricitinib, tocilizumab, and remdesivir. A case report: Review of treatments and clinical role of computed tomography analysis.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a pandemic, threatening global public health. In the current paper, we describe our successful treatment of one COVID-19 pneumonia patient case with high mortality risk factors. Our experience underlines the importance of the use of a multidisciplinary therapeutic approach in order to achieve a favorable clinical outcome. Further, enhancing the capability of the COVID-19 diagnosis with the use of the chest imaging modalities is discussed.