Correlation between contrast enhancement in dynamic magnetic resonance imaging of the breast and tumor angiogenesis.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE: The authors determined the relation between tumor angiogenesis in small invasive breast carcinoma and contrast enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after gadolinium injection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging was performed before surgery in a prospective study of 20 patients who had a small palpable lump. Spin-echo sequences after injection of gadolinium were studied by factor analysis of medical image sequences and were compared with a histologic quantification of tumor angiogenesis after immunocytochemical staining. RESULTS: In nine cases, there was good correlation between the MRI and the histologic plane. In four patients, an early factor was found on MRI. This factor was related to a high concentration of arterioles located in the stroma or, in one patient, to the intratumor repair process. CONCLUSION: Early enhancement correlated well with the number of vessels determined histologically.

[Diagnostic quality control of hepatobiliary echography by autopsy correlation]. / Contrôle de la qualité diagnostique de l'échographie hépato-biliaire par corrélation autopsique.

A methodology to evaluate routine ultrasonography performed in liver pathology is described. The results of 62 autopsies, undoubtedly the most accurate anatomical reference, were compared to those of sonographic examination of the liver performed two months before death at the most. Discordance was found in 23 cases. False negative results in the detection of metastasis and thrombosis of hepatic veins or inferior vena cava were the major pitfalls. The reasons and the consequences of each error were determined for each case.

[Intra-corporeal shockwave lithotripsy in the treatment of complex lithiasis of the bile ducts. Comparison of endoscopic techniques and long-term results]. / Lithotritie intra-corporelle par ondes de choc dans le traitement des lithiases complexes des voies biliaires. Comparaison des techniques endoscopiques et résultat à distance.

OBJECTIVES: About 2% of common bile duct stones and most intra-hepatic stones cannot be removed by conventional endoscopy. Intra-corporeal lithotripsy is an alternative technique for these patients. Contact lithotripsy can be obtained by a pulsed dye laser or by electro-hydraulic shockwaves. We compared and assessed the results of these two methods. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients (79 +/- 9.8 years, 25 women and 12 men) underwent laser lithotripsy (n = 21), electro-hydraulic lithotripsy (n = 9) or both methods consecutively (n = 7) for common bile duct stones (n = 31), intra-hepatic stones (n = 3) or diffuse lithiasis (n = 3). The mean diameter of the largest stone was 23 +/- 12 mm. Lithotripsy was performed by a retrograde approach in 35 cases and a combined, retrograde and transhepatic approach in 2 cases. RESULTS: The mean number of lithotripsy sessions was 1.5 +/- 0.65. The overall success rate (free bile ducts with patent drainage) was 95%. In 2 patients, stones were not fully extracted: one underwent surgery, the other one was treated conservatively with antibiotics. The duration of the hospital stay was 9.3 +/- 4.5 days. Morbidity at 30 days was 27% and only one case of major morbidity (hemorrhage after sphincterotomy, 2.7%) was observed. There were no procedure-related mortality. Electro-hydraulic and laser groups did not differ significantly for success rate, morbidity and time spent at hospital. Follow-up information was obtained in 34 patients (91.8%) a median of 17 months after lithotripsy (range: 4.52 months). Ten patients died of non-biliary diseases. Two patients (5.8%) developed biliary symptoms 24 and 34 months after lithotripsy, one after unsuccessful lithotripsy. CONCLUSION: Intra-corporeal lithotripsy is a valuable tool for the most complex cases of duct stones, and with an acceptable morbidity. The results of the two techniques are similar. Late biliary complications after intra-corporeal lithotripsy appear to be rare.

[Adrenal pseudocyst. One case report]. / Pseudo-kyste de la surrénale. A propos d'un cas.

We report the case of a large left hypochondriac mass discovered incidentally in a 69 year old patient. Pathologic studies demonstrated it to be an adrenal pseudocyst which was vascular in nature. With the wider application of computed tomographic imaging, more adrenal masses will be detected incidentally. The size of the mass, results of many cyst puncture, biochemical assessment and age of patient may determine which patients should undergo surgery.

[Subperiosteal metastasis of esophageal adenocarcinoma]. / Métastase sous-périostée d'un adénocarcinome oesophagien.

The authors report an observation of a tibial subperiosteal metastasis of an esophageal cancer. Subperiosteal metastases are rare, appearing on plain radiography as a cortical lysis of a long bone with a "saucer" aspect. They were considered specific of a bronchogenic carcinoma. To the best of our knowledge this is the second observation of subperiosteal metastasis, whose primary tumor is not a broncho-pulmonary cancer.

[X-ray computed tomographic aspects of mesenteric panniculitis]. / Aspect tomodensitométrique de la panniculite mésentérique.

Mesenteric panniculitis also known as lipodystrophy is an inflammatory condition of adipose tissue. A case of a 55 year old, female who presented a weight loss and a tender palpable mass located in the left flank is reported. CT patterns were not specific but might suggest the diagnosis: fatty mass, with a higher density than subcutaneous fat, located in the root of the mesentery and surrounding mesenteric vessels without distoting them. Intestinal loops were only pulled in periphery. This signs are not always present and even in this typical pattern mesenteric panniculitis could not be differentiated from liposarcoma. Thus an histological proof was needed. The evolution was good, with resolution of the abdominal pain. The knowledge of this rare Radioclinical syndrome should prevent any aggressive therapy.

[Tuberculous tenosynovitis of the wrist: ultrasonographic diagnosis and contribution of MRI]. / Ténosynovite tuberculeuse du poignet: diagnostic échographique et apport de l'IRM.

Chronic tenosynovitis of the hand due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis has become rare. In the two cases presented here, the final diagnosis was obtained by isolation of the organism in the intercarpal fluid (1 case), or by a synovial biopsy (1 case). Ultrasonography showed a hypoechoic thickening of one or several tendon sheaths. MR enabled better differentiation between the thickening of the synovium itself and a fluid effusion. The criteria permitting to differentiate tuberculous from non-infectious tenosynovitis are: young age, male sex, specific epidemiological factors, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, marked local swelling, association with other foci of tuberculosis, unusual exudation and synovial thickening, and association with osteitis.

Laser lithotripsy of difficult biliary stones.

From June 1991 to September 1992, 16 patients (mean age, 72 +/- 5 years) were treated with intra-corporeal laser lithotripsy (ICL). Thirteen patients had choledocholithiasis with at least one stone larger than 20 mm; 3 patients had intra-hepatic lithiasis. All other methods, including mechanical lithotripsy, extra-corporeal lithotripsy (1 case), and intra-corporeal electrohydraulic lithotripsy (1 case), had failed to clear the bile ducts. Approaches for ICL were choledochoscopy with a "baby" endoscope via an existing sphincterotomy (8 cases), retrograde cholangioscopy with a gastroscope through a choledochoduodenal anastomosis or a sphincterotomy in patients with a gastrojejunal anastomosis (5 cases), and trans-hepatic cholangioscopy with a fibercholangioscope (3 cases, in 1 of which retrograde and trans-hepatic approaches were combined). Free bile ducts were obtained in 14/16 (87.5%) patients after a mean of 1.66 ICL sessions per patient. Mortality and laser-related morbidity did not occur; endoscopy-related morbidity was 12.5% for minor complications (1 transitory fever, 1 mild and transitory hemobilia) and 6.25% for major complications (1 post-sphincterotomy hemorrhage). Mean length of hospital stay was 11.5 +/- 2.5 days. We conclude that although it is rarely indicated and is expensive, ICL does offer a limited treatment option in selected patients. It allows the complete relief of complex biliary lithiasis. Morbidity is related to maneuvers preceding ICL, not to ICL itself.

The role of magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of Ewing sarcoma. A report of 27 cases.

The experience with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 27 patients with Ewing sarcoma is reported and compared with computed tomography (CT) and plain films. Plain radiography proved to be the best imaging method to asses probable histological diagnosis in all cases (n = 6). For the evaluation of chemotherapeutic response (n = 4), CT and MRI gave the same information about the variation in size of the tumor. In this small series, the high signal in T2 weighted images was not altered significantly by therapy. In preoperative evaluation (n = 14), MRI gave better information than CT of soft tissue involvement and extension within the bone marrow in two cases each. The ability of MRI to accurately define extension through the epiphyseal plate in two cases permitted limb salvage which otherwise would not have been possible. In the long-term follow-up (n = 12), three patients without recurrence one year after therapy showed a low signal in the surgical area in T2 weighted images. Nine patients had a high signal in T2 weighted images: four were reactive lesions, two had obvious recurrence, and one was a hematoma. In the two remaining cases plain films and CT were normal, in the presence of both active tumor and reactive lesions. It was not possible with MRI to differentiate active tumor from reactive change, even after Gd-DTPA infusion.

Mammographic lesions suggestive of radial scars: microscopic findings in 40 cases.

PURPOSE: To analyze the histologic appearance of mammographically detected lesions suspected of being radial scars. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mammographic and pathologic findings in 40 patients with a preoperative diagnosis of radial scar were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Pathologic examination revealed 20 pure radial scars, 12 pure carcinomas, and eight malignant lesions (seven tubular carcinomas and one infiltrating ductal carcinoma) associated with a radial scar. At mammography, no difference was noted between benign and malignant lesions according to size and shape of the spicule, size of the central core, and the presence of calcifications. CONCLUSION: Because of the association of radial scars with borderline and malignant lesions, a spiculated lesion suggestive of a radial scar found at mammography must always be surgically removed. The surgeon and pathologist must be aware of the mammographic aspects of radial scar, however, to avert excessive surgery, because all cancers in this study had a good prognosis.

Polyhedral microcalcifications at mammography: histologic correlation with calcium oxalate.

Pathologists have associated calcium oxalate dihydrate (weddellite) in breast biopsy specimens with benign or borderline lesions and rarely with malignancy. These microcalcifications may have a polyhedral shape in histologic specimens owing to their crystalline structure. A retrospective radiologic-histologic correlation study was performed on 300 clusters of microcalcifications to determine if microcalcifications with a polyhedral shape could be found at mammography. In 19 cases (6.3%), polyhedral microcalcifications (PMs) were detected by two radiologists. In 12 of these 19 cases, weddellite crystals were found in the histologic specimen under polarized light; in seven cases, no calcification was found. Although rare, PMs can be found at mammography by radiologists aware of their existence. They are due to weddellite crystals and in this series were associated with benign disease in 89% of cases. Prospective studies are required to determine the frequency of PMs on screening mammograms and to evaluate their negative predictive value.

Cholangiographic features in fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver. Radiological-pathological correlation.

The cholangiographic features of intrahepatic bile ducts associated with cirrhosis or fibrosis are not well known. In order to achieve a radiological-pathological correlation, we studied nine livers with fibrosis or cirrhosis excised at autopsy. Cholangiograms were obtained within 24 hr after death from the nonfixed liver and multiple tissues samples were taken for histologic examination. Radiological data were interpreted by two independent investigators blinded to the clinical and histological findings. Cirrhosis (alcoholic in 4, posthepatitis in two) was observed in six livers, fibrosis (alcoholic in 2, posthepatitis in one) in three. No liver with fibrosis had cholangiographic abnormalities. In contrast, cholangiography of all livers with cirrhosis was abnormal. Abnormalities were a diminished arborization, a decrease of the distal opacification, an irregularity of caliber, and a tortuous course of the bile ducts. Histological study showed that the irregular and tortuous course were due to compression of the bile ducts by regenerative nodules. Furthermore, a thick fibrosis was organized around the bile ducts. In conclusion, fibrosis alone was not associated with cholangiographic abnormalities. In cirrhotic livers, intrahepatic bile ducts showed an irregular and tortuous course, a diminished arborization and a decrease of the distal opacification. These abnormalities were secondary to the presence of regenerative nodules and fibrosis organized around the bile ducts.

[Subclinical identification of cancer of the breast. Radiologic progress, proposition for treatment]. / Reconnaissance infraclinique du cancer du sein. Progrès radiologiques, proposition de traitement.

In the case of breast cancer with no clinical signs, radiological signs are the decisive factors to indicate surgery, histological studies or treatment. Foci of microcalcifications currently are the feature to identify as a rule. However, they reveal canalicular carcinoma in only 1 case out of 3. We propose a radiological technique allowing the selection of the microcalcifications to be operated by means of the digitization of a mammographic film and of a software-controlled morphometric analysis. 10,000 microcalcifications have been studied in this way. The most reliable of the 12 parameters that were distinguished is compacity. 100 files were studied with conventional mammography and a morphometric and histological analysis. Any microcalcification less compact than 0.35 is highly suspicious, since this parameter is the only one having a significant difference, with a confidence interval of 95%. The patients are now selected in this way. Differences in the age of the lesions, multiple foci and sometimes lesions with multiple centers lead us to automatically propose the exeresis of the gland, followed by immediate reconstruction of its shape and volume. According to a retrospective study we carried out on 111 subclinical intracanalicular carcinomas after a 5 to 20-year time interval, recurrence is observe in only 4.5% of all cases.

Mammographic pattern due to residual Lipiodol after galactography.

The purpose of this pictorial essay is to describe the different mammographic aspects of residual Lipiodol ultra fluid (LUF) after galactography, and to define some specific patterns, because it may in some cases mimic microcalcifications and give diagnostic problems. The mammograms of 14 patients, aged 32-63 years, presenting LUF residues related to previous galactography, were analyzed retrospectively. In 12 cases the diagnosis was easy because the patients presented a typical pattern on mammography and came with their initial galactography. In 2 cases the diagnosis was more difficult because the patients did not remember the previous injection and the progressive resorption mimicked perfectly intraductal calcification. Benign duct ectasia with inflammatory reaction to foreign bodies were found in 3 cases in which surgery was performed. Lipiodol ultra fluid is no longer used for galactography, but it may persist in breast ducts or cysts for years and seems to still be used in some countries. There are in most cases specific signs enabling the diagnosis.