CT findings of pulmonary cysts.

Pulmonary cysts are thin-walled radiolucent lesions that may appear in a variety of uncommon disorders known as diffuse cystic lung diseases (DCLD) that essentially includes lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP), Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PJP), and Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHDS). Moreover, they have been reported in several cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The purpose of this review is to provide a practical approach for evaluating lung cysts when encountered on CT. We describe the imaging findings of DLCD emphasising their differences in terms of shape and distribution of the cysts, as well as their association with other findings such as nodules or ground-glass opacities, which may help in making a confident diagnosis. We also discuss the link between pulmonary cysts and COVID-19.

Demonstration of a bronchobiliary fistula using magnetic resonance image with hepatospecific contrast agent. / Demostración de fístula biliobronquial mediante resonancia magnética con contraste hepatoespecífico.

Bronchobiliary fistulas are a rare entity of difficult diagnosis. The utility of magnetic resonance image (MRI) with hepatospecific contrast agents to demonstrate such condition is seldom described in the literature. This case reports a patient with pulmonary infection with a past history of hepatic surgery for hydatid disease in whom the presence of bile in the sputum rose the suspicious of a bronchobiliary fistula. MRI with hepatospecific contrast agents showed the communication between the biliary and bronchial tree and provided anatomic data to allow a therapeutic approach.

Magnetic resonance imaging for staging and treatment planning in cervical cancer. / Imagen por resonancia magnética en la estadificación y planificación del tratamiento del cáncer de cérvix.

OBJECTIVE: To review the key points that are essential for the correct staging of cervical cancer by magnetic resonance imaging. CONCLUSION: Magnetic resonance imaging is the method of choice for locoregional staging of cervical cancer. Thorough evaluation of prognostic factors such as tumor size, invasion of adjacent structures, and the presence of lymph node metastases is fundamental for planning appropriate treatment.

Usefulness of 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy in human testes: preliminary study.

AIM: To identify and quantify the metabolites detected on proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) in human testes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The institutional review board approved the study, and all patients provided informed consent. A total of 27 patients consulting the Urology Department underwent single-voxel (1)H-MRS (4000 ms repetition time [RT], 31 ms echo time [TE], 128 averages for each TE) at 1.5 T. Spectroscopy was not evaluable in one patient, and four patients had only one testis; thus, 48 testes were studied. Choline-containing compounds (Cho) and methylene lipid (Lip) values were measured and the Cho/Lip ratio was calculated. Testes were classified as normal or abnormal based on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used for correlated data and bootstrapping to compare mean Cho/Lip ratios between normal and abnormal testes, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated. RESULTS: Thirty testes were classified as normal and 18 as abnormal. The mean Cho/Lip ratio was 1.02±0.46 in normal testes and 0.45±0.36 in abnormal testes (Mann-Whitney U, p=0.001; bootstrapping mean difference, 0.57; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.32-0.82; AUC=0.833). CONCLUSION: (1)H-MRS could be useful in routine clinical practice to identify the major metabolites in the testes and help discriminate between normal and abnormal testes.

[Intraductal biliary metastases from colorectal cancer: a report of two cases]. / Metástasis biliares intraductales de carcinoma colorrectal: a propósito de 2 casos.

Intrabiliary metastases are rare, and their imaging characteristics make them easy to confuse with primary biliary tumors, especially with cholangiocarcinoma. We present two cases of patients with histories of colorectal cancer who presented with obstructive jaundice secondary to intraductal metastases. We describe the imaging findings and emphasize the key radiologic manifestations for the differential diagnosis between intrabiliary metastases and primary biliary tumors.

Intestinal intussusception in adults: Location, causes, symptoms, and therapeutic management.

OBJECTIVE: Intestinal intussusception is difficult to diagnose in adults because the symptoms are nonspecific. However, most have structural causes that require surgical treatment. This paper reviews the epidemiologic characteristics, imaging findings, and therapeutic management of intussusception in adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study identified patients diagnosed with intestinal intussusception who required admission to our hospital between 2016 and 2020. Of the 73 cases identified, 6 were excluded due to coding errors and 46 were excluded because the patients were aged <16 years. Thus, 21 cases in adults (mean age, 57 years) were analyzed. RESULTS: The most common clinical manifestation was abdominal pain, reported in 8 (38%) cases. In CT studies, the target sign yielded 100% sensitivity. The most common site of intussusception was the ileocecal region, reported in 8 (38%) patients. A structural cause was identified in 18 (85.7%) patients, and 17 (81%) patients required surgery. The pathology findings were concordant with the CT findings in 94.1% of cases; tumours were the most frequent cause (6 (35.3%) benign and 9 (64.7%) malignant). CONCLUSIONS: CT is the first-choice test for the diagnosis of intussusception and plays a crucial role in determining its aetiology and therapeutic management.

[Prognostic factors and functional imaging in rectal cancer]. / Factores pronósticos e imagen funcional del cáncer de recto.

The outcome of treatment for rectal cancer in recent years has been improved by diverse advances in the field of surgery and in neoadjuvant oncologic therapies. Heald's introduction of the concept of the mesorectum as an anatomical unit (total mesorectal excision) in 1982 and the generalization of preoperative radiochemotherapy have improved the prognosis in a significant number of patients. Owing to these advances, it has become necessary for imaging studies to define a series of prognostic factors for tumors, both before and after neoadjuvant treatment, to make it possible to tailor treatment for individual patients with rectal tumors. On the other hand, the advent of functional and molecular imaging techniques has provided a way to study a series of distinctive tumor characteristics in vivo, including the angiogenesis, metabolism, or cellularity of rectal tumors, and these techniques are making a growing contribution to the prognosis, staging, treatment planning, and evaluation of the response to therapy in patients with rectal cancer.

Imaging acute pancreatitis. / Pancreatitis aguda en imágenes.

OBJECTIVES: Acute pancreatitis is common; the clinical course of this potentially severe condition varies widely. This paper aims to review the role of different imaging techniques in the management of acute pancreatitis, describe the main imaging findings for this entity, and explain the terms and criteria used to classify them. CONCLUSIONS: Imaging techniques play a key role in the management of acute pancreatitis, from diagnosis and staging to identifying and treating complications, as well as in determining the underlying causes of the condition. For these reasons, radiologists should know the advantages and limitations of each imaging technique in the evaluation of acute pancreatitis, be familiar with the wide spectrum of imaging findings associated with it, and how to use the specific terminology derived from the Atlanta classification to ensure the standardization and quality of reports.

Intestinal intussusception in adults: location, causes, symptoms, and therapeutic management. / Invaginaciones intestinales en el adulto: localización, etiología, sintomatología y manejo terapéutico.

OBJECTIVE: Intestinal intussusception is difficult to diagnose in adults because the symptoms are nonspecific. However, most have structural causes that require surgical treatment. This paper reviews the epidemiologic characteristics, imaging findings, and therapeutic management of intussusception in adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study identified patients diagnosed with intestinal intussusception who required admission to our hospital between 2016 and 2020. Of the 73 cases identified, 6 were excluded due to coding errors and 46 were excluded because the patients were aged<16 years. Thus, 21 cases in adults (mean age, 57 y) were analyzed. RESULTS: The most common clinical manifestation was abdominal pain, reported in 8 (38%) cases. In CT studies, the target sign yielded 100% sensitivity. The most common site of intussusception was the ileocecal region, reported in 8 (38%) patients. A structural cause was identified in 18 (85.7%) patients, and 17 (81%) patients required surgery. The pathology findings were concordant with the CT findings in 94.1% of cases; tumors were the most frequent cause (6 (35.3%) benign and 9 (64.7%) malignant). CONCLUSIONS: CT is the first-choice test for the diagnosis of intussusception and plays a crucial role in determining its etiology and therapeutic management.

A multidisciplinary consensus on the morphological and functional responses to immunotherapy treatment.

The implementation of immunotherapy has radically changed the treatment of oncological patients. Currently, immunotherapy is indicated in the treatment of patients with head and neck tumors, melanoma, lung cancer, bladder tumors, colon cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma, liver cancer, leukemia and lymphomas. However, its efficacy is restricted to a limited number of cases. The challenge is, therefore, to identify which subset of patients would benefit from immunotherapy. To this end, the establishment of immunotherapy response criteria and predictive and prognostic biomarkers is of paramount interest. In this report, a group of experts of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), the Spanish Society of Medical Radiology (SERAM), and Spanish Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SEMNIM) provide an up-to-date review and a consensus guide on these issues.

[Usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging in prostate cancer]. / Utilidad de la resonancia magnética en el cáncer de próstata.

In the last decade, technical advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have made it the technique of choice in the overall management of patients with suspected or confirmed prostate cancer. MR makes it possible to acquire information about morphology and function in the same examination by using techniques like spectroscopy, diffusion, and dynamic sequences with intravenous contrast material administration. Moreover, MRI enables both focused study of the prostate gland and of regional and/or whole-body involvement, depending on the clinical indications, in less than an hour. The main clinical indications for MRI of the prostate are a) staging local, regional, and/or remote disease; b) detecting prostate cancer or guiding prostate biopsy in cases of clinical suspicion or negative findings in previous biopsy specimens; and c) monitoring the response to treatment. It is important to know the different protocols with specific MRI sequences for the prostate, depending on the different clinical indications, to ensure that they are performed and interpreted correctly. This article provides up-to-date information about the use of MRI for the study of the prostate to show how the morphological and functional information can be used in clinical practice.

Functional imaging in pancreatic disease. / Imagen funcional de la patología pancreática.

In addition to the classical morphological evaluation of pancreatic disease, the constant technological advances in imaging techniques based fundamentally on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging have enabled the quantitative functional and molecular evaluation of this organ. In many cases, this imaging-based information results in substantial changes to patient management and can be a fundamental tool for the development of biomarkers. The aim of this article is to review the role of emerging functional and molecular techniques based on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of pancreatic disease.

Using the modified Dixon technique to evaluate incidental adrenal lesions on 3T MRI. / Valoración mediante Dixon modificado de las lesiones suprarrenales incidentales en RM 3T.

OBJECTIVES: To use the mDIXON-Quant sequence to quantify the fat fraction of adrenal lesions discovered incidentally on CT studies. To analyze the relation between the signal loss between in-phase and out-of-phase T1-weighted sequences and the fat fraction in mDIXON-Quant. To compare the sensitivity and specificity of the two methods for characterizing adrenal lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective descriptive study included 31 patients with incidentally discovered adrenal lesions evaluated with 3T MRI using in-phase and out-of-phase T1-weighted sequences and mDIXON-Quant; the fat fraction of the adrenal lesions was measured by mDIXON-Quant and by calculating the percentage of signal loss between in-phase and out-of-phase T1-weighted sequences. RESULTS: The percentage of signal loss was significantly higher in the group of patients with adenoma (61.3% ± 20.4% vs. 5.1% ± 5.8% in the group without adenoma, p<0.005). The mean fat fraction measured by mDIXON-Quant was also higher for the adenomas (26.9% ±10.8% vs. 3.4% ± 3.0%, p<0.005).The area under the ROC curve was 0.99 (0.96 - 1.00) for the percentage of signal loss and 0.98 (0.94 - 1.00) for the fat fraction measured by mDIXON-Quant. The cutoffs obtained were 24.42% for the percentage of signal loss and 9.2% for the fat fraction measured by mDIXON-Quant. The two techniques had the same values for diagnostic accuracy: sensitivity 96% (79.6 - 99.9), specificity 100% (39.8 - 100.0), positive predictive value 100% (85.8 - 100.0), and negative predictive value 80% (28.4 - 99.5). CONCLUSION: The fat fraction measured by the modified Dixon technique can differentiate between adenomas and other adrenal lesions with the same sensitivity and specificity as the percentage of signal loss between in-phase and out-of-phase T1-weighted sequences.

Consensus document on the progression and treatment response criteria in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

PURPOSE: Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are a heterogeneous group of low incidence neoplasms characterized by a low proliferative activity and slow growth. Their response to targeted therapies is heterogeneous and often does not lead to tumor shrinkage. Thus, evaluation of the therapeutic response should differ from other kind of tumors. METHODS: To answer relevant questions about which techniques are best in the assessment of progression or treatment response a RAND/UCLA-based consensus process was implemented. Relevant clinical questions were listed followed by a systematic search of the literature. The expert panel answered all questions with recommendations, combining available evidence and expert opinion. Recommendations were validated through a questionnaire and a participatory meeting. RESULTS: Expert recommendations regarding imaging tools for tumor assessment and evaluation of progression were agreed upon. Available imaging techniques were reviewed and recommendations for best patient monitoring practice and the best way to evaluate treatment response were formulated.

SEOM-SERAM-SEMNIM guidelines on the use of functional and molecular imaging techniques in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Imaging in oncology is an essential tool for patient management but its potential is being profoundly underutilized. Each of the techniques used in the diagnostic process also conveys functional information that can be relevant in treatment decision-making. New imaging algorithms and techniques enhance our knowledge about the phenotype of the tumor and its potential response to different therapies. Functional imaging can be defined as the one that provides information beyond the purely morphological data, and include all the techniques that make it possible to measure specific physiological functions of the tumor, whereas molecular imaging would include techniques that allow us to measure metabolic changes. Functional and molecular techniques included in this document are based on multi-detector computed tomography (CT), 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and hybrid equipments, integrating PET with CT (PET/CT) or MRI (PET-MRI). Lung cancer is one of the most frequent and deadly tumors although survival is increasing thanks to advances in diagnostic methods and new treatments. This increased survival poises challenges in terms of proper follow-up and definitions of response and progression, as exemplified by immune therapy-related pseudoprogression. In this consensus document, the use of functional and molecular imaging techniques will be addressed to exploit their current potential and explore future applications in the diagnosis, evaluation of response and detection of recurrence of advanced NSCLC.

SEOM-SERAM-SEMNIM guidelines on the use of functional and molecular imaging techniques in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. / Guía SEOM-SERAM-SEMNIM sobre el empleo de las técnicas de imagen funcional y molecular en el cáncer de pulmón no microcítico avanzado.

Imaging in oncology is an essential tool for patient management but its potential is being profoundly underutilized. Each of the techniques used in the diagnostic process also conveys functional information that can be relevant in treatment decision making. New imaging algorithms and techniques enhance our knowledge about the phenotype of the tumor and its potential response to different therapies. Functional imaging can be defined as the one that provides information beyond the purely morphological data, and include all the techniques that make it possible to measure specific physiological functions of the tumor, whereas molecular imaging would include techniques that allow us to measure metabolic changes. Functional and molecular techniques included in this document are based on multi-detector computed tomography (CT), 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and hybrid equipments, integrating PET with CT (PET/CT) or MRI (PET-MRI). Lung cancer is one of the most frequent and deadly tumors although survival is increasing thanks to advances in diagnostic methods and new treatments. This increased survival poises challenges in terms of proper follow-up and definitions of response and progression, as exemplified by immune therapy-related pseudoprogression. In this consensus document, the use of functional and molecular imaging techniques will be addressed to exploit their current potential and explore future applications in the diagnosis, evaluation of response and detection of recurrence of advanced NSCLC.