"Less is better"-always true?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to try to explain what an overtreatment is and which ones are the possible risks related to an excess of simplification in the medical practice, through the description of an emblematic clinical case. METHODS: In the present article, we report the case of a female patient aged 57 who complained about lower back pain and crural neuralgia and had a lumbar and sacral magnetic resonance imaging performed in the Department of Neuroradiology in Bari showing suspicious repetitive bone lesions; therefore, the patient underwent several medical procedures and laboratory exams which ended with a surgical removal of a left L3-L4 foraminal disc herniation and a bone biopsy. RESULTS: When it was finally possible to exclude any other diseases including thyroid neoplasms, a "reassuring" osteoporosis diagnosis has been made since the lesions were likely to be degenerative and the patient underwent menopause 7 years ago. However, the multiplicity of the lesions of the vertebrae and of the pelvic bones as well as their signal could not be ignored, so that a close magnetic resonance imaging follow-up has been recommended. CONCLUSIONS: The present case is therefore a good example of overtreatment which may lead to delicate questions, investigating any possible mistakes in the diagnosis procedure as well as the role that defensive medicine is playing nowadays on medical procedures and the economic impact that all this can have on our healthcare system. In the end, we may ask ourselves: is "less" better or is "more" always "more?"

MR evaluation of encephalic leukoaraiosis in sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) patients.

Epidemiological evidence suggests a strict correlation between sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) and cerebrovascular disorders. Leukoaraiosis represents a diffuse alteration of the periventricular and subcortical white matter. The aim of our study was to verify if the presence of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) was higher in patients affected by SSNHL compared to controls and evaluate the correlation between WMH and the cardiovascular risk factors, hearing level, and the response to therapy in SSNHL patients. The study group included 36 subjects affected by unilateral SSNHL. Thirty-six age- and sex-matched normal subjects with a negative history of SSNHL were used as controls. All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (1.5 Tesla GE Signa) and the extent of leukoaraiosis was assessed with the Fazekas scale. The results of the present study demonstrate a high prevalence of WMH in SSNHL patients compared to controls confirming the hypothesis of a vascular impairment in SSNHL patients. The higher recovery rate in patients with greater periventricular white matter hyperintensity (PWMH) may suggest a vascular etiology that is still responsive to medical treatment. We aim to expand both the number of patients and the controls to avoid the limitation of the still small number to warrant solid scientific conclusions.

Inoperable Giant Growth Hormone-secreting Pituitary Adenoma: Radiological Aspects, Clinical Management and Pregnancy Outcome.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Giant pituitary adenomas (GPAs) are benign tumours with a diameter ≥ 4 cm [1]. They can cause symptoms and signs due to the possible hyper-secretion of one or more pituitary hormones, and involvement of the surrounding structures whereas the compression of the pituitary itself can lead to hypopituitarism. METHODS: We report on a young woman with acromegaly due to an inoperable giant GH-secreting pituitary adenoma extending to right cavernous sinus, right orbital cavity, ethmoid, right maxillary sinus, sphenoid sinus, clivus and right temporal fossa, in which medical treatment with Octreotide- LAR was able to promptly relieve headache and bilateral hemianopsia due to optic chiasm involvement, improve acromegaly symptoms and, over the time, control tumor expansion, improving fertility and therefore allowing the patient to become pregnant. RESULTS: Octreotide-LAR therapy was withdrawn during pregnancy and the patient did not experience complications and gave birth to a healthy son. On magnetic resonance, the size of the tumor at the end of pregnancy and in the subsequent follow up was not increased. CONCLUSION: The history we report, therefore, confirms previous experiences reporting a possible favourable outcome of pregnancy in patients affected by acromegaly and adds further information about the behaviour of giant pituitary tumors in patients underwent pregnancy.