Comparison between the ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT criteria of 2011 and 2018 for Usual Interstitial Pneumonia on HRCT: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the revised 2018 ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT radiological criteria for usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) provide better diagnostic agreement compared to the 2011 guidelines. METHODS: Cohort for this cross-sectional study (single center, nonacademic) was recruited from a multidisciplinary team discussion (MDD) from July 2010 until November 2018, with clinical suspicion of fibrosing interstitial lung disease (n= 325). Exclusion criteria were technical HRCT issues, known connective tissue disease (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, poly-or dermatomyositis), exposure to pulmonary toxins or lack of working diagnosis after MDD. Four readers with varying degrees in HRCT interpretation independently categorized 192 HRCTs, according to both the previous and current ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT radiological criteria. An inter-rater variability analysis (Gwet's second-order agreement coefficient, AC2) was performed. RESULTS: The resulting Gwet's AC2 for the 2011 and 2018 ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT radiological criteria is 0.62 (±0.05) and 0.65 (±0.05), respectively. We report only minor differences in agreement level among the readers. Distribution according to the 2011 guidelines is as follows: 57.3% 'UIP pattern', 24% 'possible UIP pattern', 18.8% 'inconsistent with UIP pattern' and for the 2018 guidelines: 59.6% 'UIP', 14.5% 'probable UIP', 15.9% 'indeterminate for UIP' and 10% 'alternative diagnosis'. CONCLUSIONS: No statistically significant higher degree of diagnostic agreement is observed when applying the revised 2018 ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT radiological criteria for UIP compared to those of 2011. The inter-rater variability for categorizing the HRCT patterns is moderate for both classification systems, independent of experience in HRCT interpretation. The major advantage of the current guidelines is the better subdivision in the categories with a lower diagnostic certainty for UIP. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: - In 2018, a revision of the 2011 ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT radiological criteria for UIP was published, part of diagnostic guidelines for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.- The inter-rater agreement among radiologist is moderate for both classification systems, without a significantly higher degree of agreement when applying the revised radiological criteria.

Sarcomatous degeneration in fibrous dysplasia of the rib cage.

Malignant degeneration in fibrous dysplasia is a rare occurrence. Most cases are reported in polyostotic fibrous dysplasia with predisposition of the femur, tibia, maxilla, and mandible. The most commonly observed malignant tumors are osteosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, and chondrosarcoma. We describe a case of a low-grade osteosarcoma occurring in polyostotic fibrous dysplasia of the rib cage in a 50-year-old man.

Case report: inadvertent intrathecal placement of a pulmonary artery catheter introducer.

We present a case of unintended intrathecal cannulation by a pulmonary artery catheter introducer in a patient scheduled for coronary surgery. This complication was likely due to multiple attempts of placing the guidewire. Switching to the straight tip of the guidewire may have created a false route, facilitating entrance in the subarachnoid space. A lumbar intrathecal catheter was placed to maintain a low pressure at the cervical dural puncture site by draining 10 mL cerebrospinal fluid per hour. After removal of the lumbar drain, the patient experienced symptoms consistent with postdural puncture headache. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine could not reveal the location of the possible leak. A lumbar epidural blood patch alleviated all complaints. One month later the patient underwent surgery successfully. We hypothesize that ultrasound imaging may have prevented this complication.

Appendicitis in an obturator hernia.

We present a case of a 79-year-old female with a history of pain at the right groin for 9 days. Computer tomography of the pelvis showed herniation of the appendix through the obturator canal with a huge abscess surrounding the right hip joint. Laparotomy was performed and histopathology confirmed a perforated necrotic tip of the herniated appendix. An obturator hernia is a rare hernia of the pelvic floor. It is most common in old, emaciated, multiparous women and can cause groin pain with extension to the medial aspect of the thigh. In case of incarceration of bowel, patients also present with obstruction. Isolated incarceration of the appendix, however, does not cause obstruction. The diagnosis of an obturator hernia is often delayed, due to a non-specific clinical presentation. CT scan may offer the clue to the correct diagnosis and should be performed in case of a possible obturator hernia.

Ultrasound demonstration of Struthers' ligament.

The supracondylar process is a bony spur at the anteromedial surface of the distal humerus. It is associated with the Struthers' ligament, running from its apex to the medial epicondyle. Symptoms may occur due to fracture and entrapment of nerves (most frequently the median nerve) and/or blood vessels underneath the structures. We report a case in which we used MRI and high-frequency ultrasound to investigate the supracondylar process, the Struthers' ligament, and its surrounding structures. Ultrasound is a useful alternative to MRI during the workup of potential entrapment syndromes.