Prognostic significance of peripheral consolidations at chest x-ray in severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

To evaluate the possible prognostic significance of the development of peripheral consolidations at chest x-ray in COVID-19 pneumonia, we retrospectively studied 92 patients with severe respiratory failure (PaO2/FiO2 ratio < 200 mmHg) that underwent at least two chest x-ray examinations (baseline and within 10 days of admission). Patients were divided in two groups based on the evolution of chest x-ray toward the appearance of peripheral consolidations or toward a greater extension of the lung abnormalities but without peripheral consolidations. Patients who developed lung abnormalities without peripheral consolidations as well as patients who developed peripheral consolidations showed, at follow-up, a significant worsening of the PaO2/FiO2 ratio but a significantly lower mortality and intubation rate was observed in patients with peripheral consolidations at chest x-ray. The progression of chest x-ray toward peripheral consolidations is an independent prognostic factor associated with lower intubation rate and mortality.

Primary melanoma of the bladder: Case report and review of the literature.

Skin melanoma represents one of the most common and lethal solid tumor. It usually develops on the skin but it can occur in any tissues with melanine- containing-cells (extracutaneous malignant melanoma). Only 4-5% of malignant melanomas originate in extracutaneous tissues, and they have an extremely lethal behavior (1). These non-skin malignant melanomas are rare but extremely aggressive. Primary melanoma of the genitourinary tract accounts for less than 0.2% of all melanomas. To date only 28 cases of primary bladder melanoma (PMM) are described. We report a rare case of PMM of the bladder in a 72 years old man treated with radical cystectomy and immunotherapy with Nivolumab.

Role of respiratory-triggered diffusion-weighted MRI in the assessment of pleural disease.

OBJECTIVE:: To evaluate the correlation between apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and histopathological features in a cohort of patients with suspected malignant pleural disease. METHODS:: We evaluated 56 consecutive patients undergoing a chest MRI examination for clinical suspicion of malignant pleural disease; all patients underwent thoracoscopic biopsy for histological assessment. All MRI examinations were performed with a 1.5-T scanner using a dedicated protocol, including a respiratory-triggered diffusion-weighted sequence with three b-values (0, 100 and 750). The ADC values were calculated, and a statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS:: The average ADC value in non-neoplastic pleural disease (NNPD) resulted in 1.84 ± 0.37 × 10-3 mm2 s-1, whereas we obtained an average value of 0.96 ± 0.19 × 10-3 mm2 s-1 in epitheliod, of 0.76 ± 0.33 × 10-3 mm2 s-1 in biphasic and of 0.67 ± 0.2 × 10-3 mm2 s-1 in sarcomatoid pleural mesotheliomas. Histology revealed the presence of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in 44 patients, chronic pleuritis in 8 patients and atypical mesothelial hyperplasia in 4 patients. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between NNPD and MPM (p < 0.001) and between epithelioid and sarcomatoid MPM subtypes (p = 0.0004), whereas biphasic MPMs showed a wide range of overlapping with the other groups. CONCLUSION:: We observed a statistically significant difference between NNPD, epitheliod and sarcomatoid subtypes of MPM regarding ADC values. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE:: Our study confirmed previous data regarding distribution of ADC values in pleural disease using a respiratory-triggered diffusion-weighted technique that allowed us to minimize motion artefacts and to reduct acquisition time.

Role of preoperative breast MRI in ductal carcinoma in situ for prediction of the presence and assessment of the extent of occult invasive component.

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a common neoplasm that may be associated with focal invasive breast cancer lesions. The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in determining occult invasive presence and disease extent in patients with preoperative diagnosis of pure DCIS. We analyzed 125 patients with postoperative pure DCIS (n = 91) and DCIS plus invasive component (n = 34). Diagnostic mammography (MRX) showed a size underestimation rate of 30.4% while MRI showed an overestimation rate of 28.6%. Comparing the mean absolute error between preoperative MRI and MRX evaluations and final disease extent, MRI showed an improved accuracy of 51.2%. In our analysis preoperative breast MRI showed a better accuracy in predicting postoperative pathologic extent of disease, adding strength to the growing evidences that preoperative MRI can lead to a more appropriate management of DCIS patients.

Flat epithelial atypia: comparison between 9-gauge and 11-gauge devices.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to establish if women with a diagnosis of flat epithelial atypia (FEA) without residual microcalcifications at stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB) could be managed with mammographic follow-up (FU) instead of surgery and to compare 9-gauge and 11-gauge devices. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From October 2003 to January 2011, 2382 VABB procedures were performed (1373 with 11-gauge and 1009 with 9-gauge). We found 121 cases of pure FEA that were surgically treated: 57 with a 9-gauge device (group 1) and 64 with an 11-gauge device (group 2). The underestimation rate (UR) of malignancy for patients without and those with residual microcalcifications for each VABB device was calculated. Differences between groups were analyzed with the Fischer exact test. RESULTS: The overall UR of FEA was 4% (2 of 57) with the 9-gauge device and 8% (5 of 64) with the 11-gauge device. With a 9-gauge device, the UR for patients without residual microcalcifications was 0% (0 of 46), and the UR for patients with residual microcalcifications was 18% (2 of 11). With an 11-gauge device, the UR for patients without residual microcalcifications was 0% (0 of 39), the UR for patients with residual microcalcifications at post-biopsy mammograms was 16% (5 of 25). With a 9-gauge device, 80% (46 of 57) of patients did not have residual microcalcifications after VABB. With an 11-gauge device, 60% (39 of 64) of patients had no residual microcalcifications after VABB. Differences between the 9-gauge and 11-gauge devices were statistically significant (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Women with FEA without residual microcalcifications after VABB can be managed conservatively. Nine-gauge VABB is associated with a lower percentage of residual microcalcifications compared with an 11-gauge device, but it is safe to follow patients with FEA if all calcifications are removed with the core biopsy.

Atypical ductal hyperplasia diagnosed at 11-gauge vacuum-assisted breast biopsy performed on suspicious clustered microcalcifications: could patients without residual microcalcifications be managed conservatively?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to establish whether it might be safe for women with a diagnosis of atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) at stereotactically guided vacuum-assisted breast biopsy without any residual microcalcification after the procedure to undergo mammographic follow-up instead of surgical biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October 2003 to January 2009, 1173 consecutive 11-gauge vacuum-assisted breast biopsy procedures were performed. ADH was found in the specimens of 114 patients who underwent vacuum-assisted breast biopsy for a single cluster of suspicious microcalcifications smaller than 15 mm; 49 had residual microcalcifications, and 65 had microcalcifications completely removed by the procedure. Of 49 patients with residual microcalcifications, 41 underwent surgical biopsy. Of 65 patients without residual microcalcifications, 26 underwent surgical biopsy, 35 were not surgically treated and were managed conservatively with mammographic follow-up, and 4 had follow-up of less than 24 months. RESULTS: In 41 patients with residual microcalcifications who underwent surgical biopsy, 8 malignant lesions were found at surgery. The underestimation rate was 20% (8/41). In 26 patients without residual microcalcifications who underwent surgical biopsy, no malignant lesions were found. One malignant lesion was found in the 35 patients managed conservatively at follow-up. The underestimation rate in patients without residual microcalcifications using surgical biopsy or mammographic follow-up as the reference standard was 1.6% (1/61). CONCLUSION: Patients without residual microcalcifications after vacuum-assisted breast biopsy could possibly be managed in a conservative way with mammographic follow-up.

Mammographic density estimation: comparison among BI-RADS categories, a semi-automated software and a fully automated one.

Although breast density is considered a strong predictor of breast cancer risk, its quantitative assessment is difficult. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that breast density assessment with a fully automated software is feasible and correlates with the semi-automated evaluation and the quantitative BI-RADS standards. A data set of 160 mammograms was evaluated by three blinded radiologists. Intra-observer (reader 1: k=0.71; reader 2: k=0.76; reader 3: k=0.62) and inter-observer (reader 1 vs reader 2: k=0.72; reader 2 vs reader 3: k=0.80; reader 3 vs reader 1: k=0.72) variability for the semi-automated software were good on a four-grade scale (D1/D2/D3/D4) and correlated with BI-RADS evaluation made by other two blinded radiologists (r=0.65, p<0.01). Inter-observer (reader 1 vs reader 2: k=0.85; reader 2 vs reader 3: k=0.91; reader 3 vs reader 1: k=0.85) variability for the semi-automated software was very good on a two-grade scale (D1-D2/D3-D4). The use of the fully automated software eliminated intra- and inter-observer differences, correlated with BI-RADS categories (r=0.62, p<0.01) and can replace the semi-automated one (Bland-Altman statistics). Our study demonstrates that automated estimation of breast density is feasible and eliminates subjectivity. Furthermore both the semi-automated and the fully automated density estimation are more accurate than BI-RADS quantitative evaluation and could also be used in the daily clinical practice.