The Role of Echocardiography in the Diagnosis of Cardiac Involvement in a Rare Systemic Condition: The Carcinoid Heart Disease: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Carcinoid heart disease is a rare presentation of the carcinoid syndrome, which is caused by excessive tumoral hormone production and the abundant release of vasoactive substances with systemic expressions. A 62-year-old woman presented with flushing, diarrhea, weight loss, and right-sided heart failure symptoms. Specific carcinoid heart disease features were identified using transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography at the tricuspid and pulmonic valves. Biomarkers, 99mTc-Tektrotyd scintigraphy, SPECT-CT, and a biopsy later confirmed the diagnosis, and the patient began treatment for the underlying condition.

Percutaneous ultrasound guided radiofrequency and microwave ablation in the treatment of hepatic metastases. A monocentric initial experience.

AIM: Percutaneous radiofrequency (RFA) and microwave ablation (MWA) are currently the best treatment options forpatients with liver metastases (LM) who cannot undergo a liver resection procedure. Presently, few studies have evaluated theefficacy of tumor ablation in beginner's hands but none at all in hepatic metastasis. Our aim was to report the initial experiencewith ultrasound as a tool to guide tumor ablation in a low volume center with no experience in tumor ablation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study, on a series of 61 patients who had undergone percutaneous US-guided ablations for 82 LM between 2010 and 2015. Long term outcome predictors were assessed using univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Complete ablation was achieved in 86.9% of cases (53/61). All MWA sessions (20/20) attained ablation margins >5mm, compared to 79% (49/62) for RFA sessions (p=0.031). Ablation time was significantly shorter for MWA, with a median duration of 10 minutes (range: 6-12) vs. 14 minutes (range: 10-19.5, p=0.003). There was no statistically significant difference in local tumor progression (LTP)-free survival rates between MWA and RFA (p=0.154). On univariate analysis, significant predictors for local recurrence were multiple metastases (p=0.013) and ablation margins <5 mm (p<.001), both retaining significance on multivariate analysis. Significant predictors for distant recurrence on both univariate and multivariate analysis were multiple metastases (p<0.001) and non-colorectal cancer metastases (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: A larger than 5 mm ablation size is critical for local tumor control. We favor the use of MWA due to its ability to achieve ablation in significantlyshorter times with less incomplete ablations.

Real-Time Contrast-Enhanced-Guided Biopsy Compared with Conventional Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Hepatic Tumors on a Background of Advanced Chronic Liver Disease: A Prospective, Randomized, Clinical Trial.

We aimed to compare contrast-enhanced-guided liver biopsy (CEUSLB) and ultrasound-guided liver biopsy (USLB) in the diagnosis of focal liver lesions (FLLs) developed on a background of advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD). Between 2011 and 2019, patients diagnosed with liver tumors on a background of ACLD were evaluated for inclusion in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to the CEUSLB or USLB group. In total, 144 patients were randomly assigned to either CEUSLB (n = 79) or USLB (n = 65). Overall, in the CEUSLB group, the sensitivity was significantly better (94.74% vs. 74.6%, respectively; p = 0.001). Both the fragment length of the biopsy specimen and the single puncture success rate were statistically higher in the CEUSLB group (p = 0.022 and p = 0.0006, respectively). There was no difference in terms of major or minor complications (p = 0.682). CEUSLB is a feasible technique that increases the diagnostic sensitivity for liver tumors developed in ACLD.

Gallbladder carcinoma. Surgical management of gallblad-der carcinoma. An analysis of 37 cases.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Gallbladder carcinoma is a rare yet very aggressive cancer. In this study we evaluate the presentation, staging, procedures, complications and survival of patients with gallbladder carcinoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data at presentation, operative findings, postoperative evolution, complications and survival data were analyzed for 37 patients with gallbladder carcinoma (as cohort study) confirmed at histopathology between January 2005 and December 2011 in Surgical Department of Regional Institute of Gastroenterology And Hepatology "Octavian Fodor" Cluj-Napoca, Romania. RESULTS: In 12 cases we had the suspicion of GBC (gallbladder carcinoma) before surgery, in 6 cases GBC was suspected intraoperatory and in 19 cases only after the histopathology exam. Radical cholecystectomy was considered in 9 cases (24.32%): 4 cases with cholecystectomy alone (patients with Tis-T1) and in 5 cases liver resection was associated. CONCLUSION: The GBC has a low incidence (0.35% out of all cholecystectomies), the females being more affected (F:B=4.3:1). GBC was associated with low resecability rate (24.32%) and having a bad prognosis (survival under a year in stages T3 and T4). In most cases the diagnosis was hidden by an acute inflammatory process (acute cholecystitis) and the diagnosis was made after surgical intervention, therefore, the histopathology is crucial in these situations. KEY WORDS: Gallbladder carcinoma, Jaundice, Palliative treatment, Resection, Survival.

Non-Invasive Assessment of Inflammation and Treatment Response in Patients with Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis using Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography Quantification.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Novel biological therapies in Crohn's disease (CD) or Ulcerative colitis (UC) require a proper follow-up for the assessment of bowel inflammation. While endoscopy is the standard method, the imaging techniques using contrast, particularly contrast enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS), are better tolerated by the patients and can be used more frequently. Our aim was to find the usefulness of dynamic CEUS quantification as compared to endoscopy in the assessment of disease activity and in the follow-up under therapy of the patients suffering from either CD or UC. METHOD: We have prospectively evaluated 67 patients with UC and 46 with CD, diagnosed by ileo-colonoscopy and biopsy, comparing the endoscopic scores with clinical scores, C reactive protein (CRP), intestinal wall thickness, layer scores after CEUS and TIC parameters (using SonoLiver® software - Imax, RT, TTP, mTT and AUC). For 25 patients with UC and 13 with CD we performed comparisons of the parameters before and after 3 months of treatment and correlated them with the changes in the endoscopic scores. RESULTS: For UC, time-intensity curves (TIC) volume parameters (AUC) correlated better with endoscopy (ρ=0.64) than the clinical score (ρ =0.62). Other parameters such as CRP and thickness showed significant but less strong correlation, while TIC flow parameters (RT, TTP and mTT) did not show a significant correlation. Results were similar for CD (ρ=0.64 for Imax vs ρ=0.58 for CDAI). The best predictor for endoscopic improvement in both UC and CD was ln(AUC), with a Wilcoxon Z score of 3.76 and 2.61, respectively. There was also a good correlation between the difference of its values and the difference in endoscopic scores before and after the treatment (rho is 0.68 in UC and 0.73 in CD).

2D ultrasonography and contrast enhanced ultrasound for the evaluation of cavitating mesenteric lymph node syndrome in a patient with refractory celiac disease and enteropathy T cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: The cavitating mesenteric lymph node syndrome (CMLNS) is a rare manifestation of celiac disease, with an estimated mortality rate of 50%. Specific infections and malignant lymphoma may complicate its clinical course and contribute to its poor prognosis. Diagnosing the underlying cause of CMLNS can be challenging. This is the first report on contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) findings in enteropathy associated T-cell lymphoma (EATL) complicating CMLNS in a gluten-free compliant patient with persistent symptoms and poor outcome. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 51-year old Caucasian male patient, diagnosed with celiac disease and CMLNS. Despite his compliance to the gluten-free diet the symptoms persisted and we eventually considered the possible development of malignancy. No mucosal changes suggestive of lymphoma were identified with capsule endoscopy. Low attenuation mesenteric lymphadenopathy, without enlarged small bowel segments were seen on computed tomography. CEUS revealed arterial rim enhancement around the necrotic mesenteric lymph nodes, without venous wash-out. No malignant cells were identified on laparoscopic mesenteric lymph nodes biopsies. The patient died due to fulminant liver failure 14 months later; the histopathological examination revealed CD3/CD30-positive atypical T-cell lymphocytes in the liver, mesenteric tissue, spleen, gastric wall, kidney, lung and bone marrow samples; no malignant cells were present in the small bowel samples. CONCLUSIONS: CEUS findings in EATL complicating CMLNS include arterial rim enhancement of the mesenteric tissue around the cavitating lymph nodes, without venous wash-out. This vascular pattern is not suggestive for neoangiogenesis, as arteriovenous shunts from malignant tissues are responsible for rapid venous wash-out of the contrast agent. CEUS failed to provide a diagnosis in this case.

Abdominal tumor characterization and recognition using superior-order cooccurrence matrices, based on ultrasound images.

The noninvasive diagnosis of the malignant tumors is an important issue in research nowadays. Our purpose is to elaborate computerized, texture-based methods for performing computer-aided characterization and automatic diagnosis of these tumors, using only the information from ultrasound images. In this paper, we considered some of the most frequent abdominal malignant tumors: the hepatocellular carcinoma and the colonic tumors. We compared these structures with the benign tumors and with other visually similar diseases. Besides the textural features that proved in our previous research to be useful in the characterization and recognition of the malignant tumors, we improved our method by using the grey level cooccurrence matrix and the edge orientation cooccurrence matrix of superior order. As resulted from our experiments, the new textural features increased the malignant tumor classification performance, also revealing visual and physical properties of these structures that emphasized the complex, chaotic structure of the corresponding tissue.

Contrast ultrasonography--a necessary procedure for a better characterization of digestive tract pathology.

The pathology of the digestive tract, extremely popular, with equal sex distribution, can have a clinical history of chronic illness or emergency. Diagnosis is based on endoscopy (identifies the lesion, permits histological sample under visual control, and minimally invasive treatment for polypoid benign tumors). Ultrasonography, being non-invasive and very accessible, is often used as the initial imaging procedure to detect or exclude digestive pathology with similar symptoms. Understanding digestive ultrasound is conditioned by the image quality which can be achieved by removing air and food debris. Even so, the characteristics of the inflammatory diseases and the detection of tumors, particularly those with endoluminal development, can be difficult. In recent years transabdominal ultrasound examination of the digestive tract was supplemented with more precise methods of investigation of the lumen and circulation of the intestinal wall. These methods are represented by the administration of oral or ano-rectal homogenous substances (hydrosonography) and the by intravenous administration of agents containing stabilized microbubbles (CEUS). With these methods useful information are being obtained, high in sensitivity and specificity of lesions characterization. Judicious selection of the cases and of the examination technique remains the key to a successful diagnosis in all situations.

Rapid recovery of a rectovaginal fistula with infliximab in a patient with Crohn's disease.

We present the case of a female patient diagnosed with colonic Crohn's disease, having a clinical evolution with many recurrences and in whom conventional therapy had failed. The patient was admitted in our department 4 years after the onset of the disease, with an altered general state, diarrhea, malnutrition, fever and fecaloid vaginal discharge. Investigations classified the patient in a severe activity flare of Crohn's disease (CDAI 329), complicated with a rectovaginal fistula. Infliximab therapy was initiated. The evolution was rapidly favorable and the fistula closed after 4 weeks of therapy.

Applicability of abdominal ultrasonography in inflammatory bowel diseases.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic diseases of the digestive system, comprising ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Diagnosis is based on the endoscopic, contrast radiological and histopathological examinations. Ultrasonography is a noninvasive, repetitive, low cost imaging method and at present it is considered that its use can be a first intention examination in patients with symptoms of IBD, having the role to direct to subsequent investigations. The method has many advantages: it can evaluate the affected intestinal segment, it can indicate the structural details useful for the diagnosis such as: dehaustration, presence of inflammatory pseudopolyps and mucosal ulcerations, and the extension of the intestinal lesions. It can also give useful ultrasonographical elements which, connected to other investigations, can be used for the differential diagnosis between these two entities. Using the Doppler ultrasonography at the level of the superior and inferior mesenteric arteries and at the inflamed intestinal wall, we can assess the activity of the inflammatory process and also the evolution under treatment. Abdominal ultrasound is a complementary investigation and it cannot replace the conventional methods of diagnosis.

Whipple's disease. Case report.

The paper reports the clinical case of a 58 -year-old male patient admitted for diarrhea (6-7 stools/day, diffuse abdominal pain, borborygma, weight loss (20 kgs in two years), asthenia and fatigue. Physical examination evidenced a poor nutritional state (body mass index 19 kg/m2). The abdomen was slightly distended. Biological tests evidenced moderate/severe anemia, hypoproteinemia and hypoalbuminemia. Endoscopic examination evidenced oedematous duodenal mucosa with white-yellowish deposits. Histology (HE stain) revealed the presence of foamy cells and the PAS-staining of the duodenal mucosa evidenced PAS-positive macrophages and numerous intracellular bacilli. Penicillin therapy 2 x 1 million U/day for 14 days, followed by tetracycline 4 x 250 mg/day improved the clinical picture, the patient had only one stool per day and gained weight. After 7 months of treatment the general condition was good and the patient had gained 17 kgs, the duodenal mucosa was normal. HE staining did not evidence foamy cells and no PAS-positive macrophages could be found.