Endophytic to total tumour volume ratio: An added variable to patients with T1b/T2 renal tumours undergoing partial nephrectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Partial nephrectomy is the standard of care to patients with small renal masses. It is still encouraged to larger tumours whenever feasible. The aim of this study is to look for the endophytic to total tumour volume ratio as an added variable to study the complexity of partial nephrectomy to patients with T1b/ T2 renal tumours. METHODS: Retrospective data collection of patients that had partial nephrectomy for T1b/T2 renal tumours by a single surgeon was done. Radiological re-assessment for the CT images to measure the endophytic to total tumour volume ratio was done. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 63 years. The study included 25 males and 11 females. All cases were managed by open surgery using retroperitoneal transverse lateral lumbotomy and warm ischemia was used in all patients. The mean tumour volume was 74 cc, the mean endophytic tumour volume was 29 cc. The mean percentage of endophytic to total tumour volume was 42%. CONCLUSIONS: Partial nephrectomy is safe for most of the patients with good performance status, having large renal masses. More complex surgery can be predicted in patients with endophytic to total tumour volume greater than 42%.

Partial Nephrectomy for T1b/T2 Renal Mass: An Added Shift from Radical Nephrectomy.

The aim of our study was to show our short-term experience in managing large renal masses (cT1b/T2) through partial nephrectomy (PN) over the last 3 years. Retrospective data collection for all patients managed by PN for renal masses larger than 4 cm over the last 3 years. Epidemiological data were collected. Surgical data including surgical and ischemic times as well as intra and postoperative complications were collected. Pre- and postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) data were collected and correlated as well as postoperative complications and recurrence. We could identify 47 patients managed by PN for radiologically confirmed >4 cm renal masses. The mean age of the patients was 55.7 ± 13.4, including 29 males and 18 females. Masses were T1b and T2 in 40 and 7 patients, respectively. The mean tumor size was 6.2 ± 1.5 cm. Using renal nephrometry score; 8, 28, and 11 had low, moderate, and high complexity, respectively. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) was identified in 42 patients. Five patients out of 42 cancerous cases (12%) had pathological T3 RCC. The mean preoperative and postoperative eGFR were 89.09 ± 12.41 and 88.50 ± 10.50, respectively (P 0.2). The median follow-up was 14 months and within that short time, no patient had evidence for cancer recurrence. PN for large renal masses is safe in experienced hands and should be attempted in a higher percentage of patients, regardless of the tumor complexity. No cancer recurrence or deterioration of renal function was observed within our short-term follow-up.

Predictors of bleeding complications following percutaneous image-guided liver biopsy: a scoping review.

PURPOSE: Percutaneous tissue biopsy is a mainstay of diagnostic and interventional radiology, providing a minimally invasive method for diagnosing malignant and benign disease. The purpose of this review was to collect and summarize the best available evidence regarding the risk factors associated with bleeding complications in image-guided liver biopsy. METHODS: A literature review was performed, searching Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology in Health (CADTH) databases for any studies evaluating bleeding complications in image-guided liver biopsy. A total of 68 articles, published between January 1994 and April 2015, were reviewed in full, with 34 ultimately eligible for inclusion in the review. RESULTS: Bleeding of any kind occurred in up to 10.9% of image-guided liver biopsies, with major bleeding episodes ranging from 0.1% to 4.6% and minor bleeding events occurring in up to 10.9% of biopsies. The overall rate of bleeding was, however, found to be less than 2%. Several risk factors (patient, operator, and procedure-related) were identified as potentially indicative of an increased risk of post-biopsy bleeding. Patient-related risk factors included patient age (>50 years or <2 years), inpatient status (8/12 vs. 4/12, P < 0.001), comorbidities and/or concurrent diagnoses and coagulation status (rate of bleeding was 3.3% for international normalized ratio [INR] 1.2-1.5 vs. 7.1% for INR >1.5, P < 0.001). There was no consensus on impact of operator experience (>200 biopsies/year vs. <50/year) on post-biopsy bleeding rate. Procedure-related risk factors included needle size (cutting biopsy vs. fine needle aspiration, P < 0.001) and the presence of a patent track on post-biopsy ultrasound (P < 0.001). Lastly there was no difference found between targeted vs. nontargeted biopsies and number of needle passes. CONCLUSION: Reported rate of post-biopsy bleeding ranges between 0% and 10.9%, although the vast majority of studies reported bleeding rates under 2%. Several patient, operator, and procedure-related risk factors are associated with a higher risk of bleeding following liver biopsy.

Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria are superior to European Association for Study of the Liver (EASL) criteria at 1 month follow-up for predicting long-term survival in patients treated with transarterial chemoembolization before liver transplantation for hepatocellular cancer.

PURPOSE: To determine whether response to transarterial chemoembolization can predict survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who are candidates for orthotopic liver transplantation (LT) and if either European Association for Study of the Liver (EASL) criteria or Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria are more accurate for this purpose. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients who underwent LT after transarterial chemoembolization between January 2005 and June 2011 was performed. Follow-up imaging with multiphasic computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging was performed 1 month after transarterial chemoembolization and every 3 months thereafter until LT. Treatment response was evaluated at each imaging time point using RECIST criteria and EASL criteria. The relationship between survival and objective response (OR), time to response (TTR), time to progression (TTP), and time interval between transarterial chemoembolization and LT was assessed. RESULTS: A median of one transarterial chemoembolization procedure was performed before LT in 58 patients (52 men, 6 women; mean age, 57 y). OR was shown by 28 (48%) patients and 51 (88%) patients at 1 month by EASL criteria and RECIST criteria, respectively. OR at 1-month follow-up using RECIST criteria was associated with increased survival compared with patients with no response (NR) (P = .03). Using RECIST criteria, 5-year survival in the OR group was 66.7% versus 0% in the NR group (P = .015). There was no significant difference in survival in patients who showed OR at 1 month using EASL criteria. There was poor agreement between RECIST and EASL response assessments (κ = 0.23). There was no significant association between survival and TTR, TTP, or time interval between transarterial chemoembolization and LT. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with objective response to transarterial chemoembolization at 1 month using RECIST criteria showed improved survival over nonresponders. RECIST criteria demonstrated better accuracy compared with EASL criteria for predicting survival in patients after LT who had transarterial chemoembolization as a "bridge."

Pituitary abscess: an unexpected diagnosis.

The pituitary gland can demonstrate a variety of pathologies with different clinical presentations. Amongst them, pituitary abscess is a rare infectious disease for which contrast-enhanced MRI aids the diagnostic pathway. We present a 16-year-old girl with imaging and surgical findings consistent with primary pituitary abscess.