Diagnostic efficacy and safety of gadoteridol compared to gadobutrol and gadoteric acid in a large sample of CNS MRI studies at 1.5T.

PURPOSE: To evaluate safety and diagnostic accuracy of gadoteridol vs. other macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) in a large cohort of consecutive and non-selected patients referred for CE-MRI of the CNS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between November 2017 and March 2018, we prospectively enrolled a consecutive cohort of patients referred for neuroradiological CE-MRI (1.5T MRI). Image quality and adverse events were assessed. Diagnostic performance was determined for a subgroup of patients with truth standard findings available. Comparison was made between patients receiving gadoteridol and patients receiving other macrocyclic GBCAs. Inter-reader agreement (kappa) between two expert neuroradiologists was calculated for the diagnosis of malignancy. RESULTS: Overall, 460 patients (220M/240F; mean age 54±16 years) were enrolled of which 230 received gadoteridol (Group 1) and 230 either gadoteric acid or gadobutrol [n=83 (36.1%) and n=147 (63.9%), respectively; Group 2]. Image quality was rated as good or excellent in both groups. The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy for determination of malignancy was 88.2%, 96.5% and 95.4%, respectively, for Group 1 and 93.7%, 97.4% and 96.9%, respectively, for Group 2, with no significant differences between groups (P>0.75) for any determination. Inter-reader agreement for the identification of malignancy was excellent [K=0.877 (95%CI: 0.758-0.995) and K=0.818 (95%CI: 0.663-0.972) for groups 1 and 2, respectively; P=0.0913]. Adverse events occurred in 5 of 460 (1.09%) patients overall, with no significant difference (P=0.972) between groups. CONCLUSION: Gadoteridol was safe and guaranteed good image quality without significant differences when compared to gadobutrol and gadoteric acid in a wide range of CNS pathologies.

Cerebral abscesses imaging: A practical approach.

Brain abscesses (BAs) are focal infections of the central nervous system (CNS) that start as a localised area of weakening of the brain parenchyma (cerebritis) and develops into a collection of pus surrounded by a capsule. Pyogenic (bacterial) BAs represent the majority of all BAs; in some cases, the diagnostic and therapeutic management can be challenging. Imaging has a primary role in differentiating BAs from other lesions. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) is essential for the identification of the lesion, its localisation and its morphological features. However, cMRI does not allow to reliably differentiate BAs from other intracranial mass lesions such as necrotic tumours. Advanced sequences, such as diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) and proton MR spectroscopy (1H-MRS) are very useful in the differential diagnosis from other brain lesions, such as non-pyogenic abscesses or necrotic tumours, and provide essential information on structural, vascular and metabolic characteristics allowing greater neuroradiological confidence. The aim of this pictorial review is to provide a practical approach showing the added value of more advanced MRI techniques in their diagnostic management.

A training program for primary care physicians improves the effectiveness of ultrasound surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cirrhosis is the main risk factor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but only a minority of cirrhotic patients are referred to the hepatologist by primary care physicians (PCP) and receive regular ultrasound surveillance. The aim of this study was to determine whether a training program targeted to PCP could enhance the effectiveness of surveillance in a real-life setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 120 PCP in an Italian area with a high incidence of HCC were trained to identify cirrhotic patients, to refer them to the Hepatology Centers of the area, and to start regular ultrasound surveillance. Clinical characteristics, outcome of treatments, and survival of 190 consecutive HCC patients in the same centers after training were compared with 244 HCC referred from the same area before training, and to 232 HCC referred by untrained PCP from other areas. RESULTS: Trained PCP referred significantly more HCC patients detected under surveillance and at an early stage (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer-A), suitable for radical treatments. In the intervention area, the 3 and 5-year survival of HCC patients increased after training from 35 to 48% and from 20 to 40%, respectively (P<0.05). In contrast, survival was unchanged in the other areas. At multivariate analysis, independent predictors adversely affecting survival were Child-Pugh B-C, α-fetoprotein more than 10 ng/dl, nonviral etiology, intermediate/advanced Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage, and referral by an untrained PCP. CONCLUSION: Specific training of PCP aimed at the identification and referral of cirrhotic patients efficiently improves HCC survival.

Head-to-head comparison of transient elastography (TE), real-time tissue elastography (RTE), and acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Real-time tissue elastography (RTE), acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging, and transient elastography (TE) are new technologies that are used for liver stiffness evaluation. The aim of this study was to compare these methods in the same population and to determine their diagnostic accuracy in the prediction of liver fibrosis. METHODS: Forty-five consecutive, previously biopsied, patients with chronic liver disease and 27 normal subjects underwent TE, RTE, and ARFI on the right liver lobe. Correlation coefficients between measurements, Metavir fibrosis stage, and histological necro-inflammatory activity (adjusted for fibrosis stage) were evaluated via Spearman's rank order correlation coefficients. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROCs) were calculated to predict each fibrosis stage. RESULTS: Failure or inconsistent results occurred in 12.5% of the attempts at TE, but in none of the attempts at RTE and ARFI. The three methods showed high correlation with fibrosis and poor correlation with necro-inflammatory activity. TE and ARFI exhibited high diagnostic accuracy (AUROCs ≥0.9) in diagnosing cirrhosis (F4 Metavir). All three methods presented fair (AUROCs >0.7) to good (AUROCs >0.8) diagnostic accuracy in diagnosing fibrosis (F1-4 Metavir) and significant fibrosis (F2-4 Metavir), with TE showing the best performance (AUROCs were 0.878 for fibrosis and 0.897 for significant fibrosis). CONCLUSIONS: TE and ARFI provide high diagnostic accuracy in the diagnosis of cirrhosis. When feasible, TE may perform better than RTE and ARFI in predicting fibrosis and significant fibrosis, but larger studies are needed.