Nonbrain metastases seen on magnetic resonance imaging during metastatic brain tumor screening.

Although metastases found during head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are not limited to metastatic brain tumors, the MRI is a very common method for "brain metastasis screening," a modality that is being increasingly performed. In this review, we describe MRI findings of nonbrain metastases and discuss ways to avoid missing these lesions. Metastatic cranial bone tumors are among the most common nonbrain metastatic lesions found on head MRI, followed by leptomeningeal carcinomatosis. The other less-frequent metastatic lesions include those in the ventricle/choroid plexus, the pituitary gland and stalk, and the pineal gland. Metastases in the head and neck area, as well as cranial and intracranial lesions, should be carefully evaluated. Furthermore, direct geographical invasion, perineural spread, and double cancers should also be considered. While it is important to recognize these metastatic lesions on MRI, because they may necessitate a change in treatment strategy that could lead to an improvement in prognosis due to early introduction of therapy, nonbrain lesions should also be given greater attention, given the increasing survival of patients with cancer and advances in MRI technology, such as contrast-enhanced-3D T1-weighted imaging.

Local Efficacy and Safety of Transarterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Epirubicin-Loaded DC Beads vs. Epirubicin-Lipiodol Emulsion with Gelatin Sponge (cTACE).

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety between epirubicin-loaded DC Beads (DCB-TACE) and conventional TACE (cTACE) used in transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 64 patients (mean age, 73.3 years; 44 men, 20 women) who underwent initial DCB-TACE between 2014 and 2015, and 66 patients (mean age, 71.3 years; 38 men, 28 women) who underwent initial cTACE between 2011 and 2013 as historical controls. Treatment effects on the target lesions at 3 months after TACE, the period until re-treatment of the target lesion, and adverse events after TACE were compared between the groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were also performed to estimate the factors influencing the treatment effects. Results: Based on the Response Evaluation Criteria in Cancer of the Liver version 2015, treatment response of the target lesions equivalent to a complete response and termed as TE4, was 51.0% (53/104) in the DCB-TACE group and 74.4% (64/86) in the cTACE group (p<0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that the TACE procedure, Child-Pugh score, serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level, alpha fetoprotein level, and tumor size were independent significant predictors of TE4. The frequencies of elevated serum AST and alanine transaminase levels after TACE were significantly lower in patients in the DCB-TACE group (p<0.001 each). No significant difference in biliary/liver damage was evident between the groups. Conclusion: The local efficacy of cTACE was higher than that of DCB-TACE. Adverse events were milder after DCB-TACE than after cTACE.

Efficacy of prophylactic selective arterial embolization for renal angiomyolipomas: identifying predictors of 50% volume reduction.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) has been widely performed for renal angiomyolipomas (AMLs) as prophylaxis or emergency treatment. On the other hand, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors have recently been used for tuberous sclerosis (TSC)-related AMLs, and no comparison between the effectiveness of mTOR inhibitors versus prophylactic selective TAE has yet been performed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of TAE for AML tumor volume reduction and predictors of tumor volume decrease over 50%, with reference to the EXIST-2 trial. METHODS: A total of 44 patients who underwent 48 prophylactic embolization procedures for 50 AMLs in a single institution between 2004 and 2018 were included. Indications for TAE of AMLs were tumor size ≥4 cm or aneurysm ≥5 mm in diameter on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). Microspheres, ethanol, and micro-coils were used as embolic agents. The percentage volume reduction from before TAE to the minimum volume during follow-up after TAE was calculated, and predictors for 50% volume reduction were identified by univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The technical success rate was 100% (50 of 50). No severe acute complications related to the procedure were encountered. Tumor volume reduction of ≥50% was observed in 35/50 AMLs. There was a significant difference in the rate of tumor volume reduction of 50% between the presence and absence of an aneurysm ≥5 mm and between tumor diameter ≥ 70 mm and < 70 mm on univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis, tumor diameter < 70 mm was the only independent predictor of significant tumor volume reduction after TAE. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic selective TAE for AMLs has good tumor-reduction effects, especially for AMLs with tumor diameter < 70 mm.

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy caused by prostate carcinoma.

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is a fatal malignancy-related condition that involves rapidly progressing hypoxia and pulmonary hypertension. We report a case of PTTM caused by prostate carcinoma, which was diagnosed before autopsy in an 81-year-old man. Computed tomography showed diffuse ground-glass opacities, consolidation, and small nodules in the peripheral regions of the lung. Autopsy showed adenocarcinoma cells embolizing small pulmonary arteries with fibrocellular intimal proliferation, which was consistent with PTTM caused by prostate carcinoma.