[Non-palpable testicular tumors in adults: A management based on imaging? Issue from the French Urologic Association Genital Cancer committee's edit]. / Tumeurs testiculaires non palpables chez l'adulte : vers une prise en charge guidée par l'imagerie ? Une mise au point du Groupe organe génitaux externes du comité de cancérologie de l'Association française d'urologie.

BACKGROUND: Help in management of non-palpable testicular tumors. French Urologic Association Genital cancer committee's Edit. OBJECTIVES: To review their characterization at imaging findings of non-palpable testicular tumors. DOCUMENTARY SOURCES: Literature review (PubMed, Medline) of urological and radiological studies dealing with testicular tumors using keywords: non-palpable/incidental testicular tumors; color Doppler ultrasound; US elastography; magnetic resonance imaging; contrast enhanced sonography; partial surgery. RESULTS: Color Doppler is the basic exam. The size, the presence of microlithts/microlithiasis/macrocalcifications, the vascular architecture are major semiological findings to suggest the benign or the malignant nature of the lesion. Other techniques like multiparametric MRI, contrast-enhanced sonography, sonographic elastography are still in evaluation. The frequency of benign tumors such as Leydig cell tumors lead to preservation management, through improved characterization, monitoring or tumorectomy. LIMITS: Non-randomized study - a very few prospective studies. CONCLUSION: The era of total orchiectomy for any uncertain testicular lesion is over. We try the challenge of characterization, and define management's algorithms based on the suspected nature of the tumors.

[Testicular nodules of infertile men and contrast enhanced ultrasonography: preliminary study]. / Nodules testiculaires de l'homme infertile et échographie de contraste: étude préliminaire.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of testicular nodules discovered during infertility evaluation is increasing. These nodules are suspicious of malignancy. There is no paraclinical examination which allows histological orientation to these nodules. The recommendations propose priority treatment by total orchidectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Through a retrospective cohort study of infertile patients, our goal is to study the enhancement of testicular nodules after injection of ultrasound contrast. The secondary objective is to determine whether CEUS may argue in favor of conservative treatment. From june 2010 to march 2013, 24 patients had underwent ultrasound contrast study of abnormal testicular parenchyma detected prior to infertility evaluation carried ultrasound. The characteristics of ultrasound enhancement were correlated with the pathological findings of surgical patients and proposed treatments (surgery or surveillance). RESULTS: Fifteen patients were followed up, 9 were operated (7 partial orchidectomies, 2 total orchidectomies). Histological analysis found four Leydig cell tumors, 2 Sertoli cell tumors and 3 seminomas. No adverse changes were noted during the follow-up. This study showed a typical semiology of early, intense and homogeneous enhancement with a phenomenon of wash in 100% of Leydig cell tumors. All Leydig cell tumors have been treated by partial orchidectomy. Seminomas have intense enhancement in 100% of cases. There was a phenomenon of wash in 2 out of 3 cases. When a wash in was described, it was always described as heterogeneous. All seminomas were finally treated by total orchidectomy. The sensitivity and positive predictive value of ultrasound intense enhancement for the diagnosis of testicular cancer was 89% (Se) and 80% (PPV). CONCLUSION: There is a semiology of ultrasound enhancement of testicular nodules with features that can guide in favor of a malignant tumor, seminoma or Leydig cell tumor. If a prospective study was undertaken, these arrangements could guide us to treatments promoting preservation of the testicular parenchyma.

[Myocardial perfusion assessment with contrast echocardiography, a promising old technique?] / L'échographie de contraste pour analyse de la perfusion myocardique : une vieille technique pleine d'avenir ?

Myocardial perfusion assessment with contrast echocardiography has been studied for more than 25 years. It is a feasible and safe technique. Rather it has an additional value in pharmacologic stress test remains unclear. However, with adequate settings (using both low and very low mechanical index), perfusion analysis can be very useful for the diagnosis of apical thrombus or tumor, viability assessment, and acute coronary syndrome with non-informative ECG.

[Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound as a Diagnostic Tool in Diseases of the Digestive Tract]. / Möglichkeiten der kontrastunterstützten Ultraschalldiagnostik bei Erkrankungen des Gastrointestinaltrakts.

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound as a Diagnostic Tool in Diseases of the Digestive Tract Abstract. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound is a good diagnostic tool in certain gastrointestinal diseases. Inflammation of the gastric and the bowel wall can often be distinguished from neoplastic alterations. Gastric and duodenal stenosis can be depicted with the use of oral contrast, and after stenting the patency can be documented. Abscesses are perfectly delineated, and after drainage the exact location of the tube and possible complications can be documented. In patients with Crohn's disease inflammatory activity and complications such as abscesses, fistulas and stenotic areas can be depicted. Distinction of fibrotic from inflammatory stenosis may help to look for surgical intervention in due time. Acute ischemic colitis has a typical perfusion pattern, and a control after a few days may show an increased vascularity.

[Testicular tumors: A diagnostic challenge of imaging]. / Tumeurs testiculaires : les enjeux diagnostiques de l'imagerie.

OBJECTIVES: Reviewing the characterization and the follow-up imaging of testicular tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Literature review (PubMed, Medline) of urological and radiological studies dealing with testicular tumors using keywords: Testicular tumors; Color Doppler ultrasound; US elastography; Magnetic resonance imaging; Contrast enhanced sonography. RESULTS: Ultrasound remains the basic exam for the tumor characterization. Among the other techniques, MRI, elastography, contrast enhanced ultrasound, although still in evaluation, will be increasingly used in the future. The frequency of benign Leydig cell tumors justifies a testicular preservation approach, through improvement of characterization, monitoring or tumorectomy. The follow-up of testicular lesions must be indicated on precise indications: follow-up of the contralateral testicle in the case of germi cell tumor, follow-up by of a supposed benign lesion, such as a small Leydig cell tumor in an infertile patient, follow-up when ultra-sound findings are not sufficiently worrying to require immediate diagnosis but which include pejorative criteria. The tumor markers and the extension screening remain systematic. CONCLUSION: The era of total orchiectomy for any uncertain testicular lesion is over. We try the challenge of characterization, and define management's algorithms based on clinical biological data and suspected nature of the tumor at imaging.

[Contribution of contrast enhanced ultrasonography in the characterization of carotid lesions]. / Apport de l'échographie de contraste dans la caractérisation des lésions carotidiennes.

Harmonic mode ultrasound with injection of a contrast enhancement agent allows visualization of mobile microbubbles in the carotid plaque corresponding to neovessels secondary to an inflammation or hypoxia. These neovessels could be considered "precursor" markers of the vulnerable plaque. The aim of this work was to give an update on ultrasound contrast imaging acquisition in the exploration of carotid artery both for atheromatous lesions and for large vessel vasculitis. A precise description of the material to be used, the image acquisition methodology and the environmental conditions is discussed, emphasizing the pitfalls to be avoided as well as proper image interpretation. Microbubbles in a plaque are significantly associated with an increase in cardiovascular events (infarction and acute coronary syndrome) and ipsilateral cerebral ischemic events. Wall irregularities, microfissures and ulcer plaque detection are facilitated by the use of contrast compared to the CT scan. No studies have yet validated contrast enhanced ultrasound in the exploration of asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Contrast enhanced ultrasound also allows to detect vasculitis of the large vessels active phases by the presence of microbubbles in the carotid wall thickening and to monitor the regression under appropriate medical treatment. Future validation studies or even registries are needed to allow better use of this tool in everyday clinical practice.