EASL and mRECIST responses are independent prognostic factors for survival in hepatocellular cancer patients treated with transarterial embolization.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Standard RECIST criteria may not be the optimal method to assess response to loco-regional therapy for hepatocellular cancer (HCC). EASL and mRECIST, which measure changes in arterialized tumor, have been proposed. Here we compare the three criteria and their associations with survival. METHODS: Response was determined using RECIST 1.1, EASL, and mRECIST criteria in 83 consecutive patients with HCC undergoing palliative therapy with transarterial (chemo) embolization. Results were compared at the first assessment after therapy. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were used to explore differences in overall survival between the responders and non-responders defined by each method. RESULTS: There was a good correlation between EASL and mRECIST with overall response rates; 58% and 57%, and target lesion responses; 74% and 73%, respectively. There was a poor correlation with RECIST 1.1 with overall and target response rates of 7%. Overall and target lesion progression rates were similar for all three assessments; 27% and 2% for both EASL and mRECIST and 28% and 6% for RECIST 1.1. There was a significant association between survival and overall EASL and mRECIST responses, which was retained in multivariate analysis. EASL response was associated with a 44% risk reduction and mRECIST with a 42% reduction. There was no significant association between survival for RECIST 1.1 responses or target EASL and mRECIST responses. CONCLUSIONS: When measured at a single, early time point post-therapy, EASL and mRECIST overall response rates are associated with survival and should be used in preference to RECIST 1.1 or target responses.

Complications of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is used to treat end-stage renal failure in an increasing number of patients. CAPD has an advantage over hemodialysis in that it allows patients greater freedom to perform daily activities; it also provides other clinical benefits. However, the long-term effectiveness of CAPD is limited by complications, which have various causes. Complications with an infectious cause include bacterial peritonitis, tuberculous peritonitis, and infections of the catheter exit site and tunnel. Noninfectious complications include catheter dysfunction, dialysate leakage, hernias, and sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis. Many imaging modalities-radiography, ultrasonography, peritoneal scintigraphy, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-are useful for characterizing these complications. CT peritoneography and MR peritoneography are techniques specifically suited to this purpose. Imaging plays a critical role in ensuring that complications are detected early and managed appropriately.

Diagnostic accuracy of whole-body MRI versus standard imaging pathways for metastatic disease in newly diagnosed colorectal cancer: the prospective Streamline C trial.

BACKGROUND: Whole-body MRI (WB-MRI) could be an alternative to multimodality staging of colorectal cancer, but its diagnostic accuracy, effect on staging times, number of tests needed, cost, and effect on treatment decisions are unknown. We aimed to prospectively compare the diagnostic accuracy and efficiency of WB-MRI-based staging pathways with standard pathways in colorectal cancer. METHODS: The Streamline C trial was a prospective, multicentre trial done in 16 hospitals in England. Eligible patients were 18 years or older, with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer. Exclusion criteria were severe systemic disease, pregnancy, contraindications to MRI, or polyp cancer. Patients underwent WB-MRI, the result of which was withheld until standard staging investigations were complete and the first treatment decision made. The multidisciplinary team recorded its treatment decision based on standard investigations, then on the WB-MRI staging pathway (WB-MRI plus additional tests generated), and finally on all tests. The primary outcome was difference in per-patient sensitivity for metastases between standard and WB-MRI staging pathways against a consensus reference standard at 12 months, in the per-protocol population. Secondary outcomes were difference in per-patient specificity for metastatic disease detection between standard and WB-MRI staging pathways, differences in treatment decisions, staging efficiency (time taken, test number, and costs), and per-organ sensitivity and specificity for metastases and per-patient agreement for local T and N stage. This trial is registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial registry, number ISRCTN43958015, and is complete. FINDINGS: Between March 26, 2013, and Aug 19, 2016, 1020 patients were screened for eligibility. 370 patients were recruited, 299 of whom completed the trial; 68 (23%) had metastasis at baseline. Pathway sensitivity was 67% (95% CI 56 to 78) for WB-MRI and 63% (51 to 74) for standard pathways, a difference in sensitivity of 4% (-5 to 13, p=0·51). No adverse events related to imaging were reported. Specificity did not differ between WB-MRI (95% [95% CI 92-97]) and standard pathways (93% [90-96], p=0·48). Agreement with the multidisciplinary team's final treatment decision was 96% for WB-MRI and 95% for the standard pathway. Time to complete staging was shorter for WB-MRI (median, 8 days [IQR 6-9]) than for the standard pathway (13 days [11-15]); a 5-day (3-7) difference. WB-MRI required fewer tests (median, one [95% CI 1 to 1]) than did standard pathways (two [2 to 2]), a difference of one (1 to 1). Mean per-patient staging costs were £216 (95% CI 211-221) for WB-MRI and £285 (260-310) for standard pathways. INTERPRETATION: WB-MRI staging pathways have similar accuracy to standard pathways and reduce the number of tests needed, staging time, and cost. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research.

Diagnostic accuracy of whole-body MRI versus standard imaging pathways for metastatic disease in newly diagnosed non-small-cell lung cancer: the prospective Streamline L trial.

BACKGROUND: Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) could be an alternative to multi-modality staging of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but its diagnostic accuracy, effect on staging times, number of tests needed, cost, and effect on treatment decisions are unknown. We aimed to prospectively compare the diagnostic accuracy and efficiency of WB-MRI-based staging pathways with standard pathways in NSCLC. METHODS: The Streamline L trial was a prospective, multicentre trial done in 16 hospitals in England. Eligible patients were 18 years or older, with newly diagnosed NSCLC that was potentially radically treatable on diagnostic chest CT (defined as stage IIIb or less). Exclusion criteria were severe systemic disease, pregnancy, contraindications to MRI, or histologies other than NSCLC. Patients underwent WB-MRI, the result of which was withheld until standard staging investigations were complete and the first treatment decision made. The multidisciplinary team recorded its treatment decision based on standard investigations, then on the WB-MRI staging pathway (WB-MRI plus additional tests generated), and finally on all tests. The primary outcome was difference in per-patient sensitivity for metastases between standard and WB-MRI staging pathways against a consensus reference standard at 12 months, in the per-protocol population. Secondary outcomes were difference in per-patient specificity for metastatic disease detection between standard and WB-MRI staging pathways, differences in treatment decisions, staging efficiency (time taken, test number, and costs) and per-organ sensitivity and specificity for metastases and per-patient agreement for local T and N stage. This trial is registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial registry, number ISRCTN50436483, and is complete. FINDINGS: Between Feb 26, 2013, and Sept 5, 2016, 976 patients were screened for eligibility. 353 patients were recruited, 187 of whom completed the trial; 52 (28%) had metastasis at baseline. Pathway sensitivity was 50% (95% CI 37-63) for WB-MRI and 54% (41-67) for standard pathways, a difference of 4% (-7 to 15, p=0·73). No adverse events related to imaging were reported. Specificity did not differ between WB-MRI (93% [88-96]) and standard pathways (95% [91-98], p=0·45). Agreement with the multidisciplinary team's final treatment decision was 98% for WB-MRI and 99% for the standard pathway. Time to complete staging was shorter for WB-MRI (13 days [12-14]) than for the standard pathway (19 days [17-21]); a 6-day (4-8) difference. The number of tests required was similar WB-MRI (one [1-1]) and standard pathways (one [1-2]). Mean per-patient costs were £317 (273-361) for WBI-MRI and £620 (574-666) for standard pathways. INTERPRETATION: WB-MRI staging pathways have similar accuracy to standard pathways, and reduce the staging time and costs. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research.

Atypical 18F-FDG PET-CT uptake in the head and neck; a case-based pictorial review.

Positron emission tomography - computed tomography (PET-CT) with fluorine-18-fluorodeoxy-d-glucose (18F-FDG) has an increasing role in head and neck imaging. Interpretation of 18F-FDG-tracer uptake in the head and neck requires an understanding of normal physiological patterns of tracer uptake, as well as knowledge of potential pitfalls and atypical patterns. This article presents a select series of unusual patterns of 18F-FDG uptake on PET-CT imaging of the head and neck.

Diffusion-weighted imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in assessing response and recurrent disease in gynaecological malignancies.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has an established role in imaging pelvic gynaecological malignancies. It is routinely used in staging endometrial and cervical cancer, characterizing adnexal masses, selecting optimal treatment, monitoring treatment and detecting recurrent disease. MRI has also been shown to have an excellent performance and an evolving role in surveillance of patients after chemoradiotherapy in cervical cancer, post-trachelectomy, detecting early recurrence and planning exenterative surgery in isolated central recurrences in both cervical and endometrial cancer and in young patients on surveillance for medically managed endometrial cancer. However, conventional MRI still has limitations when the morphological appearance of early recurrent or residual disease overlaps with normal pelvic anatomy or treatment effects in the pelvis. In particular, after chemoradiotherapy for cervical cancer, distinguishing between radiotherapy changes and residual or early recurrent disease within the cervix or the vaginal vault can be challenging on conventional MRI alone. Therefore, there is an emerging need for functional imaging to overcome these limitations. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the emerging functional MRI techniques and their applications in predicting treatment response, detecting residual disease and early recurrent disease to optimize the treatment options available using diffusion-weighted imaging and dynamic contrast enhancement particularly in cervical and endometrial cancer.