Cardiovascular risk in patients with new gout diagnosis: is monosodium urate volume at ankles and feet on dual-energy computed tomography associated with previous cardiovascular events?

OBJECTIVES: Chronic inflammation associated with hyperuricaemia and urate deposition may contribute to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular (CV) events (CVE) in patients with gout. The aim of this study was to explore whether urate deposition on dual-energy CT (DECT) present at the diagnosis of gout is associated with a history of CVE. METHODS: Patients from a study on clinical value of DECT with mono or oligoarthritis who had gout according the 2015 EULAR/ACR classification criteria were included in this cross-sectional study. Urate volume on DECT was calculated. Patients underwent a structured CV consultation, including assessment of CVE-history and of CV risk factors, scored with the Dutch risk prediction SCORE and the Framingham score. The data were analysed using logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients were included. In the multivariable model, -next to significant associations of age (OR per year 1.1, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.02, p=0.02), HDLc per mmol/l (OR 0.04, 95% CI 0.002 to 0.8, p=0.03), and diabetes yes/no (OR 4, 95% CI 0.8 to 20.9, p=0.09)-, urate volumes at ankles/feet on DECT in the third and fourth quartile with first quartile as reference showed a trend of association (OR 4.8, 95% CI 0.6 to 42, p=0.1 and 6.4, 0.7 to 63, 0.1, respectively) with past CVE events (yes/ no). This association could be bidirectional. Almost two-third of newly classified gout patients had a high or very high CV risk. CONCLUSIONS: CVE history probably is associated with urate volumes already present at the time of diagnosis of gout. Our data corroborate the need of assessing and treating CV risk factors when diagnosing gout.

The performance of dual-energy CT in the classification criteria of gout: a prospective study in subjects with unclassified arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the performance of (subsets of) the 2015 ACR/EULAR gout classification criteria in patients with unclassified arthritis, and to determine the value of dual-energy CT (DECT) herein. Reference was the MSU crystal detection result in SF at polarization microscopy. METHODS: We included subjects with acute, unclassified mono or oligoarthritis, who underwent SF analysis and DECT. Performance was assessed by calculating area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of (i) the clinical criteria subset, (ii) the clinical+serum urate subset and (iii) the full set (including DECT). RESULTS: Of the 89 subjects enrolled, 40 met the clinical+serum urate subset criteria, and 49 (55%) subjects did not. Of these 49, 30 had a negative microscopy result, of whom 15 had positive DECT; of these 15, 14 met the full set criteria only after adding the positive DECT result. For the clinical-only subset, the areas under the curves (AUCs) were 0.68 and 0.69 without and with DECT result, respectively, and for the clinical+serum urate subset without and with DECT, AUCs were 0.81 and 0.81, respectively (results not significant). CONCLUSION: Adding the serum urate results to the clinical subset improves the performance, but adding the DECT result does not, neither does adding the DECT results to the clinical+serum urate subset. However, DECT seems to have an additive value in gout classification, especially when microscopy of SF is negative; 14/89 of patients (16%) only met the classification criteria with the use of DECT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, http://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03038386.

Cardiovascular risk in patients with new gout: should we reclassify the risk?

OBJECTIVES: Chronic inflammation, as seen in gout, may contribute to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular (CV) events (CVE). The aim of the study was to explore the effect of adding gout as a chronic inflammatory disease to the Dutch SCORE, a tool predicting 10-year CV mortality and morbidity. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional substudy including new patients with gout according the 2015 EULAR/ACR classification criteria who had participated in a trial on diagnostic accuracy of DECT with mono or oligoarthritis. Patients underwent a structured CV consultation, including assessment of CVE-history and of CV risk factors with the Dutch risk prediction SCORE. Chi-square test for trends was used to test for significance reclassification of the CV risk before and after adding gout to the Dutch SCORE. RESULTS: Seventy-six gout patients were included. SCORE was applied in 60 patients; 16 patients had experienced a prior CVE. The 10-year risk scores without gout as risk factor were high in 29 patients (48.3%), moderate in 6 (10%) and low in 25 (41.7%); with gout, the risk of 23/60 patients (38.3%) was reclassified from low to moderate in 6 patients (10%), from low to high in 11 (18.3%) and from moderate to high in 6 (10%), p<0.001 for trend. CONCLUSIONS: Adding gout to the risk prediction tools led to significant and clinically relevant reclassification of CV risk in new gout patients. Studies with large follow-up are warranted to validate these findings.

Radiation-Induced Giant Cell Granuloma Mimicking Relapsed Hodgkin Lymphoma at FDG-PET/CT.

A 22-year-old woman was diagnosed with intermediate risk stage II Hodgkin lymphoma and treated with three cycles of adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) followed by involved-field radiation therapy. A complete metabolic remission was achieved after two cycles of ABVD, which was maintained until three years after completion of treatment. Follow-up FDG-PET/CT four years after completion of treatment, however, showed a new FDG-avid (Deauville score of 4) lesion in the right scapula, suggesting relapsed disease. Computer tomography (CT)-guided biopsy of this lesion was performed and subsequent histological examination revealed a radiation-induced giant cell granuloma.

Benign Bone Conditions That May Be FDG-avid and Mimic Malignancy.

Positron emission tomography with the radiotracer 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) plays an important role in the evaluation of bone pathology. However, FDG is not a cancer-specific agent, and knowledge of the differential diagnosis of benign FDG-avid bone alterations that may resemble malignancy is important for correct patient management, including the avoidance of unnecessary additional invasive tests such as bone biopsy. This review summarizes and illustrates the spectrum of benign bone conditions that may be FDG-avid and mimic malignancy, including osteomyelitis, bone lesions due to benign systemic diseases (Brown tumor, Erdheim-Chester disease, Gaucher disease, gout and other types of arthritis, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, and sarcoidosis), benign primary bone lesions (bone cysts, chondroblastoma, chondromyxoid fibroma, desmoplastic fibroma, enchondroma, giant cell tumor and granuloma, hemangioma, nonossifying fibroma, and osteoid osteoma and osteoblastoma), and a group of miscellaneous benign bone conditions (post bone marrow biopsy or harvest status, bone marrow hyperplasia, fibrous dysplasia, fractures, osteonecrosis, Paget disease of bone, particle disease, and Schmorl nodes). Several ancillary clinical and imaging findings may be helpful in discriminating benign from malignant FDG-avid bone lesions. However, this distinction is sometimes difficult or even impossible, and tissue acquisition will be required to establish the final diagnosis.

Where Does Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Relapse?

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the anatomic pattern of disease spread at first disease relapse compared with baseline in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients who were newly diagnosed as having DLBCL between January 2004 and June 2014 who initially achieved complete remission but who eventually developed relapsed disease during follow-up were retrospectively identified. Available histological and imaging data were used to determine which nodal regions and extranodal locations were involved at relapse. RESULTS: A total of 21 patients with relapsed DLBCL were included, of whom 8 (38.1%) presented with disease relapse at previously involved sites only, 7 (33.3%) presented with disease relapse at both previously involved and new sites, and 6 (28.6%) presented with disease relapse at new sites only. A total of 57 nodal stations and 34 extranodal locations were involved in all 21 relapsed DLBCL patients. Of these 57 involved nodal regions, 47 (82.5%) were also involved at baseline, whereas 10 (17.5%) were not involved at baseline. Of the 34 involved extranodal locations, 17 (50.0%) were also involved at baseline, whereas 17 (50.0%) were not involved at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Relapsed DLBCL generally tends to affect previously involved sites, although close to one third of patients seem to have disease recurrence exclusively in previously uninvolved sites. The great majority of involved nodal stations at relapse are also involved at baseline, whereas only one half of involved extranodal locations at relapse are involved at baseline.

Malignancy rate of biopsied suspicious bone lesions identified on FDG PET/CT.

PURPOSE: To determine the malignancy rate of bone lesions identified on FDG PET/CT in patients who have undergone CT-guided biopsy because of the suspicion of malignancy. METHODS: This single-centre retrospective study spanned eight consecutive years and included all patients who underwent both FDG PET/CT and CT-guided bone biopsy because of the suspicion of malignancy. The positive predictive value (PPV) for malignancy was calculated, and different patient and imaging characteristics were compared between malignant and benign bone lesions. RESULTS: Of 102 included patients with bone lesions that all showed FDG uptake exceeding mediastinal uptake, bone biopsy showed a malignant lesion in 91 patients, yielding a PPV for malignancy of 89.2 % (95 % CI 81.7 - 93.9 %). In the 94 patients with bone lesions that showed FDG uptake exceeding liver uptake, bone biopsy showed a malignant lesion in 83 patients, yielding a PPV for malignancy of 88.3 % (95 % CI 80.1 - 93.5 %). Higher age, bone marrow replacement of the lesion seen on CT, expansion of the lesion seen on CT, and presence of multifocal lesions on FDG PET/CT were significantly more frequent in patients with malignant lesions than in those with benign bone lesions (P = 0.044, P = 0.009, P = 0.015, and P = 0.019, respectively). Furthermore, there was a trend towards a higher incidence of cortical destruction (P = 0.056) and surrounding soft tissue mass (P = 0.063) in patients with malignant bone lesions. CONCLUSION: The PPV for malignancy of suspicious bone lesions identified on FDG PET/CT is not sufficiently high to justify changes in patient management without histopathological confirmation. Nevertheless, ancillary patient and imaging characteristics may increase the likelihood of a malignant bone lesion.

Variety in bone marrow 18F-FDG uptake in Hodgkin lymphoma patients without lymphomatous bone marrow involvement: does it have an explanation?

OBJECTIVE: To directly correlate fluorine-18 fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (F-FDG) uptake of the iliac crest, as determined with PET, with both spatially matched histological bone marrow parameters and laboratory markers in Hodgkin lymphoma patients without lymphomatous bone marrow involvement at bone marrow biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 21 patients with newly diagnosed Hodgkin lymphoma who underwent F-FDG-PET and who had a lymphoma-negative bone marrow biopsy of the right posterior iliac crest. F-FDG-PET maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was measured in the right posterior iliac crest and correlated to histological bone marrow parameters (cellularity, myeloid/erythroid ratio, degree of fibrosis, and reactive T- and B-lymphocytes) and laboratory markers (hemoglobin, C-reactive protein lactate dehydrogenase, and leukocyte and thrombocyte counts) using Pearson's correlation coefficient (R) for Gaussian data or Kendall's tau (τ) for non-Gaussian data. RESULTS: There was a significant moderate correlation between F-FDG-PET SUVmax and cellularity of the iliac crest (R=0.519, P=0.016). Furthermore, there was a significant strong inverse correlation between F-FDG-PET SUVmax of the iliac crest and hemoglobin level (R=-0.661, P=0.001) and there was a significant moderate correlation between F-FDG-PET SUVmax of the iliac crest and C-reactive protein level (τ=0.441, P=0.007). All other correlations, including F-FDG-PET SUVmax of the right iliac crest versus reactive T- and B-lymphocytes in the bone marrow, were not significant. CONCLUSION: The observations suggest increased bone marrow F-FDG uptake to be caused by red marrow hyperplasia because of anemia in Hodgkin lymphoma. Increased bone marrow F-FDG uptake is unlikely to be caused by inflammatory bone marrow changes.

Tumor necrosis at FDG-PET is an independent predictor of outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

PURPOSE: To determine the prognostic performance of tumor necrosis at FDG-PET in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 108 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL who underwent FDG-PET before R-CHOP therapy were retrospectively included. Lymphomatous sites at FDG-PET were assessed for the presence of a photopenic area, in keeping with tumor necrosis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to determine the associations of tumor necrosis and National Comprehensive Cancer Network International Prognostic Index (NCCN-IPI) with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: On univariate Cox regression analysis, both tumor necrosis and higher NCCN-IPI risk groups were significantly associated with PFS (P=0.024 and P<0.001, respectively) and OS (P=0.034 and P<0.001, respectively). On multivariate Cox regression analysis, both tumor necrosis and the NCCN-IPI were independent significant predictors for PFS (P=0.007, hazard ratio: 2.723 [95% confidence interval: 1.324-5.597] and P<0.001, hazard ratio: 2.952 [95% confidence interval: 1.876-4.646], respectively) and OS (P=0.009, hazard ratio: 2.794 [95% confidence interval: 1.305-5.985] and P<0.001, hazard ratio: 2.813 [95% confidence interval: 1.724-4.587], respectively). CONCLUSION: Tumor necrosis at FDG-PET is an NCCN-IPI-independent predictor of outcome in DLBCL.

Prognostic Value of Anemia and C-Reactive Protein Levels in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

PURPOSE: To determine the prognostic value of pretreatment anemia, pretreatment elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and 6-month posttreatment anemia in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, Oncovin, and prednisolone (R-CHOP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 104 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL were retrospectively included. Pretreatment hemoglobin and CRP levels and 6-month posttreatment hemoglobin levels were measured. Cox regression analyses were used to determine the associations of laboratory assessments and National Comprehensive Cancer Network International Prognostic Index (NCCN-IPI) risk groups with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Pretreatment anemia, elevated pretreatment CRP levels, and higher risk NCCN-IPI groups were significantly associated with reduced PFS and OS (P = .001 and P = .003 for pretreatment anemia, P = .035 and P = .029 for elevated CRP, and P < .001 and P < .001 for higher risk NCCN-IPI groups). On multivariate Cox regression analysis, only the NCCN-IPI risk group remained as an independent significant predictor for PFS (P < .001) and OS (P < .001). In the subgroup of patients in complete remission 6 months after chemotherapy (n = 80), 6-month posttreatment anemia was significantly associated with reduced PFS (P = .046) but not OS (P = .062), and higher risk NCCN-IPI groups were significantly associated with both reduced PFS (P = .008) and OS (P = .017). On multivariate Cox regression analysis, only the NCCN-IPI group remained an independent significant predictor for PFS (P = .008) and OS (P = .017). CONCLUSION: Pretreatment anemia, pretreatment CRP levels, and 6-month posttreatment anemia are significantly associated with poor outcome, but were not proven to be of additional prognostic value to the current risk stratification index for DLBCL.

Residual Anatomical Disease in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Patients With FDG-PET-Based Complete Response After First-Line R-CHOP Therapy: Does It Have Any Prognostic Value?

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of residual anatomical disease, including its size and reduction relative to baseline, in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients who have F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography-based complete response after first-line R-CHOP therapy. METHODS: This retrospective study included 47 patients. In patients with computed tomography (CT)-based residual disease, the size of the largest residual lesion (Resmax) and the sum of the sizes of all residual lesions (Restotal) were measured, and their reductions relative to baseline (ΔResmax and ΔRestotal) were calculated. RESULTS: Patients with high-risk National Comprehensive Cancer Network International Prognostic Index (NCCN-IPI) scores had significantly lower progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) than patients with low-risk NCCN-IPI scores (P = 0.032 and P = 0.022). In contrast, patients with residual lesions at CT had no significantly lower PFS and OS than those without (P = 0.531 and P = 0.801). In the subpopulation with CT-based residual disease, patients with high Resmax, high Restotal, low ΔResmax, and low ΔRestotal had no significantly different PFS and OS than those with low Resmax, low Restotal, high ΔResmax, and high ΔRestotal (P = 0.980 and P = 0.790, P = 0.423 and P = 0.229, P = 0.923 and P = 0.893, and P = 0.923 and P = 0.893, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The NCCN-IPI retains its prognostic value in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients with F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography-based complete response after first-line R-CHOP therapy. However, the presence of residual anatomical disease, including its size and reduction relative to baseline, has no prognostic value in these patients.

Does the presence of tumor-induced cortical bone destruction at CT have any prognostic value in newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma?

PURPOSE: To determine the prognostic value of tumor-induced cortical bone destruction at computed tomography (CT) in newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 105 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL who had undergone CT and bone marrow biopsy (BMB) before R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, Oncovin, and prednisolone) chemo-immunotherapy. Cox regression analyses were used to determine the associations of cortical bone status at CT (absence vs. presence of tumor-induced cortical bone destruction), BMB findings (negative vs. positive for lymphomatous involvement), and dichotomized National Comprehensive Cancer Network International Prognostic Index (NCCN-IPI) strata (low risk vs. high risk) with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Univariate Cox regression analysis indicated that cortical bone status at CT was no significant predictor of either PFS or OS (p = 0.358 and p = 0.560, respectively), whereas BMB findings (p = 0.002 and p = 0.013, respectively) and dichotomized NCCN-IPI risk strata (p = 0.002 and p = 0.003, respectively) were significant predictors of both PFS and OS. In the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, only the dichotomized NCCN-IPI score was an independent predictive factor of PFS and OS (p = 0.004 and p = 0.003, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of tumor-induced cortical bone destruction at CT was not found to have any prognostic implications in newly diagnosed DLBCL.

Bone marrow biopsy in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: useful or redundant test?

PURPOSE: To determine the additional value of bone marrow biopsy (BMB) in the standard staging work-up of patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), in terms of risk assessment and treatment planning. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 113 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL who had undergone standard pretreatment evaluation, including serum lactate dehydrogenase measurement, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status assessment, computed tomography or (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography, and BMB, were retrospectively included. National Comprehensive Cancer Network International Prognostic Index (NCCN-IPI) score and treatment strategy were determined in each patient, once without and once with taking into account BMB results. Numbers and percentages of BMB-induced changes on NCCN-IPI-based risk stratification (i.e. formation of low, low-intermediate, high-intermediate, and high risk groups) and choice of treatment were calculated, along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: BMB was positive in 18 of 113 patients (15.9%, 95% CI 10.2-23.9 %). BMB-induced changes on NCCI-IPI-based risk stratification occurred in 9 of 113 patients (8.0%, 95% CI 4.1-14.6%). Five patients were upstaged from low-intermediate to high-intermediate risk, and four patients were upstaged from high-intermediate to high risk. BMB findings changed treatment planning in none of the 113 patients (0.0%, 95% CI 0.0-4.0%). CONCLUSION: Although BMB results upstaged the NCCN-IPI-based risk stratification in a small number of cases, this did not have any therapeutic implications in our patient series. These findings support the omission of BMB from routine staging of newly diagnosed DLBCL in the current risk stratification and treatment era.

Prognostic superiority of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network International Prognostic Index over pretreatment whole-body volumetric-metabolic FDG-PET/CT metrics in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of whole-body maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax ), whole-body metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and whole-body total lesion glycolysis (TLG) at pretreatment (18) F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-three patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL who had undergone FDG-PET/CT before rituximab, cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, oncovin, and prednisolone (R-CHOP) immunochemotherapy were retrospectively included. All FDG-avid lesions in each patient were segmented using semi-automated software to calculate whole-body SUVmax , whole-body MTV, and whole-body TLG values. Cox regression analyses were used to determine the associations of whole-body SUVmax , whole-body MTV, whole-body TLG, and dichotomized National Comprehensive Cancer Network International Prognostic Index (NCCN-IPI) risk group (low risk vs. high risk) with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: On univariate Cox regression analysis, only the NCCN-IPI was a significant predictor of PFS (P = 0.024), and only the NCCN-IPI and whole-body MTV were significant predictors of OS (P = 0.039 and P = 0.043, respectively). In the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, only the NCCN-IPI remained an independent predictive factor of PFS (P = 0.024) and OS (P = 0.039). CONCLUSION: Whole-body SUVmax , whole-body MTV, and whole-body TLG do not provide any prognostic information in DLBCL beyond that which can already be obtained by the NCCN-IPI. Therefore, the NCCN-IPI remains the most important prognostic tool in this disease.

Comparison of modern and conventional imaging techniques in establishing multiple myeloma-related bone disease: a systematic review.

This systematic review of studies compared magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), (18) F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), FDG-PET with computerized tomography (PET-CT) and CT with whole body X-Ray (WBXR) or (whole body) CT in order to provide evidence-based diagnostic guidelines in multiple myeloma bone disease. A comprehensive search of 3 bibliographic databases was performed; methodological quality was assessed using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS) criteria (score 1-14). Data from 32 directly comparative studies were extracted. The mean QUADAS score was 7·1 (3-11), with quality hampered mainly by a poor description of selection and execution criteria. All index tests had a higher detection rate when compared to WBXR, with up to 80% more lesions detected by the newer imaging techniques; MRI (1·12-1·82) CT (1·04-1·33), PET (1·00-1·58) and PET-CT (1·27-1·45). However, the modern imaging techniques detected fewer lesions in the skull and ribs. In a direct comparison CT and MRI performed equally with respect to detection rate and sensitivity. This systematic review supports the International Myeloma Working Group guidelines, which recommend that WBCT can replace WBXR. In our opinion, the equal performance of MRI also indicates that it is a valuable alternative. As lesions of the skull and ribs are underdiagnosed by modern imaging techniques we advise additional X-rays of these regions. The consequences of this approach are discussed.

The optimal strategy for proximal mesh fixation during laparoscopic ventral rectopexy for rectal prolapse: an ex vivo study.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic ventral rectopexy (LVR) is an established technique for the treatment of rectal prolapse. Several techniques and devices can be used for proximal mesh fixation on the sacral promontory during this procedure. The aim of this study was to compare the fixation strength of a recently introduced screw for mesh fixation on the promontory during LVR with two other frequently used techniques. METHODS: An ex vivo experimental model using a porcine spinal column was designed to measure the strength of proximal mesh fixation. In a laparoscopic box trainer, a polypropylene mesh was anchored on the spinal column using three different fixation methods, i.e., the Protack 5-mm tacker device, Ethibond Excel 2-0 stitches, and the Karl Storz screw. Subsequently, increasing traction was applied to the mesh. This traction was applied at a standardized angle as determined by measuring the mean angle between the site of distal mesh fixation on the rectum and a line straight through the sacral promontory on 12 random dynamic MR scans of the pelvic floor after the LVR procedure. The applied force was measured at the moment that the fixation broke, using a calibrated electronic Newton meter. All fixation methods were tested ten times. RESULTS: The mean angle, as measured on the MR scans, was 100°. The mean disruption force, which led to a break of the proximal mesh fixation, was 58 N for the three Protack tacks, 55 N for the two stitches, and 70 N for the new screw. The use of a screw therefore led to a significantly stronger fixation compared to the use of stitches (p ≤ 0.05). No significant difference was determined between the tacks and the screw fixation and between the tacks and the stitches fixation. CONCLUSION: The new screw for proximal mesh fixation during LVR procedures offers similar fixation strength when compared to tacks. The use of one screw for proximal mesh fixation is therefore a reasonable alternative to the use of several tacks or sutures.

[A woman with progressive kidney disfunction]. / Een vrouw met een toenemende nierfunctiestoornis.

A 57-year-old woman with a bipolar disorder presented with decreasing renal function caused by lithium-induced nephropathy.