Modified Bi-Rads Scoring of Breast Imaging Findings Improves Clinical Judgment.

In contrast with the reporting requirements currently mandated under the Federal Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA), we propose a modification of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (Bi-Rads) in which a concluding assessment category is assigned, not to the examination as a whole, but to every potentially malignant abnormality observed. This modification improves communication between the radiologist and the attending clinician, thereby facilitating clinical judgment leading to appropriate management. In patients with breast cancer eligible for breast conserving therapy, application of this modification brings to attention the necessity for such patients to undergo pretreatment biopsies of all secondary, synchronous ipsilateral lesions scored Bi-Rads 3-5. All contralateral secondary lesions scored Bi-Rads 3-5 also require pretreatment biopsies. The application of this modification of the MSQA demonstrates the necessity to alter current recommendations ("short-interval follow-up") for secondary, synchronous Bi-Rads 3 ("probably benign") image-detected abnormalities prior to treatment of the index malignancy.

(18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging of extra-medullary plasmacytoma of the ovary.

Extrameduallary plasmacytoma of ovary is extremely rare. We report a case of involvement of ovary in a treated case of plasmacytoma of 2(nd) part of duodenum, which was initially thought to be physiological luteal activity. However, follow up whole body FDG PET-CT scan shows appearance of metabolically active soft tissue mass in left adnexal region which confirmed to be extra-medullary plasmacytoma of ovary on histopathology.

(18)F-FDG PET/CT imaging of metastatic atypical fibroxanthoma.

We report the F-FDG PET/CT appearance of a metastatic biopsy-proven malignant fibroxanthoma of the ankle. A 41-year-old female patient with a history of scleroderma presented with a fungating mass in the left ankle. Shave biopsy of the overlying skin showed atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX). Staging FDG PET/CT demonstrated a hypermetabolic exophytic soft tissue mass in the left ankle with local extension to bone and widespread metastatic disease including pulmonary parenchyma, nodes, bone marrow, and skeletal muscle. While rare, knowledge of the potential aggressive nature of AFX is important for accurate diagnosis.

Atlas of sodium fluoride PET bone scans: atlas of NaF PET bone scans.

Sodium fluoride (NaF) is a bone-seeking positron-emitting tracer with high sensitivity and specificity for detection of osseous lesions, particularly osteolytic lesions. We believe that NaF positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) scans can provide a more thorough and conclusive evaluation of bone diseases than conventional Technetium-99m-methylene diphosphonate bone scans. Understanding both normal and pathologic patterns is important for the evaluation and interpretation of these studies. Thus, an atlas of NaF positron emission tomography/computed tomography bone scans demonstrating benign, pathologic, and malignant osseous lesions as well as extraosseous lesions will be invaluable in the correct interpretation and diagnosis of osseous lesions.

Malignant transformation of retroperitoneal inflammatory pseudotumor to undifferentiated high-grade pleomorphic sarcoma on FDG PET/CT.

We report FDG PET/CT appearance of malignant transformation of retroperitoneal inflammatory pseudotumor to pleomorphic sarcoma in a 78-year-old woman. The patient was diagnosed with left retroperitoneal pseudotumor in 2007. She subsequently suffered from recurrent disease and chronic osteomyelitis in the L5 vertebral body in July 2008, status post surgical excision. In November 2009, after the patient developed left groin pain, MRI study of lumbosacral spine and whole-body PET/CT study demonstrated 2 hypermetabolic soft-tissue masses originating from the L5 surgical bed. These masses were subsequently resected and were consistent with pleomorphic sarcoma. Malignant transformation of retroperitoneal pseudotumor to pleomorphic sarcoma is extremely rare.