Role of breast imaging in predicting outcome of lesions of uncertain malignant potential (B3) diagnosed at core needle biopsy.

AIMS: To elucidate whether breast imaging can predict final histologic diagnosis of lesions of uncertain malignant potential diagnosed at ultrasound core needle biopsy (CNB). METHODS: The imaging characteristics (mammography, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) of lesions of uncertain malignant potential in the breast that were obtained by ultrasound CNB were retrospectively analyzed in 87 women. Radiologic characteristics of lesions were compared to definitive histopathologic findings. RESULTS: Out of 87 breast lesions of uncertain malignant potential, 27 (31%) were diagnosed as papillary lesions, 24 (28%) atypical ductal hyperplasia, 19 (22%) lobular intraepithelial neoplasia, 9 (10%) phyllodes tumors, 3 (3%) radial sclerosing lesions, and 5 (6%) unspecified lesions of uncertain malignant potential. The underestimation rate of malignancy at CNB based on the total number of lesions on final follow-up was 22%. Using multivariate logistic regression, Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) score (odds ratio [OR] = 12.29, p = 0.027) and Göttingen MRI scoring system (OR = 8.1, p = 0.008) were found to be independent predictors of malignancy. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that Göttingen MRI score >3 provides a plausibly good cutoff value with sensitivity of 100 (95% confidence interval [CI] 74%-100%) and specificity of 76% (95% CI 61%-88%). CONCLUSIONS: Lesions of uncertain malignant potential classified as BI-RADS 5 and Göttingen score 4 or higher are at significantly higher risk of harboring malignancy and therefore should be recommended for surgical excision.

Should we use CT or MRI for detection and characterization of benign adrenal lesions?

OBJECTIVES: Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the main imaging modalities used for analysis of adrenal lesions. We compared the ability of CT and MRI to detect and characterize benign adrenal lesions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Unenhanced abdominal CT and MRI were performed in 16 patients (age range 39-77), and reviewed by a radiologist with 6years of experience in abdominal imaging. The presence, number, size and structure of each mass were analyzed and compared between the two modalities. RESULTS: There were 18 adrenal masses in 11 patients, four patients had adrenal hyperplasia (AH), whereas one patient had left-sided AH and right-sided adenoma. Ten masses were≥2cm in diameter, and were perfectly depicted using CT and all MRI techniques. There were nine masses with diameter<2cm detected by CT, three of them were missed using MRI. AH was detected in five patients using CT, but its mild form was missed in one patient using MRI. Four masses with attenuation values of>10Hounsfield units could not be characterized using unenhanced CT, but three of them were characterized using MRI. CONCLUSION: CT has higher sensitivity for detection of small adrenal tumours and adrenal hyperplasia than MRI. MRI is an important tool in characterization of adrenal masses that could not be characterized using unenhanced CT.

Consensus statement on screening, diagnosis, classification and treatment of endemic (Balkan) nephropathy.

Currently used diagnostic criteria in different endemic (Balkan) nephropathy (EN) centers involve different combinations of parameters, various cut-off values and many of them are not in agreement with proposed international guidelines. Leaders of EN centers began to address these problems at scientific meetings, and this paper is the outgrowth of those discussions. The main aim is to provide recommendations for clinical work on current knowledge and expertise. This document is developed for use by general physicians, nephrologists, urologist, public health experts and epidemiologist, and it is hoped that it will be adopted by responsible institutions in countries harboring EN. National medical providers should cover costs of screening and diagnostic procedures and treatment of EN patients with or without upper urothelial cancers.

Aortic coarctation associated with aortic valve stenosis and mitral regurgitation in an adult patient: a two-stage approach using a large-diameter stent graft.

We report a case of a staged surgical and endovascular management in a 62-year-old woman with aortic coarctation associated with aortic valve stenosis and mitral regurgitation. The patient was admitted for severe aortic valve stenosis and mitral valve incompetence. During hospitalization and preoperative imaging, a previously undiagnosed aortic coarctation was discovered. The patient underwent a 2-stage approach that combined a Bentall procedure and mitral valve replacement in the first stage, followed by correction of the aortic coarctation by percutaneous placement of an Advanta V12 large-diameter stent graft (Atrium, Mijdrecht, The Netherlands) which to our knowledge has not been used in an adult patient with this combination of additional cardiac comorbidities. A staged approach combining surgical treatment first and endovascular placement of an Advanta V12 stent graft in the second stage can be effective and safe in adult patients with coarctation of the aorta and additional cardiac comorbidities.

Resistance index in mural arteries of thickened bowel wall: predictive value for Crohn disease activity assessment in pediatric patients.

OBJECTIVE: To define reliable Doppler parameters in mural arteries of affected bowel loops for quantitative assessment of Crohn disease (CD) activity in pediatric population and compare Doppler parameters with Pediatric Crohn Disease Activity Index (PCDAI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-four pediatric patients (7 with inactive, 27 with active disease of different severity; 13 male and 21 female; mean age 13; range 7-18) with CD were prospectively evaluated by Doppler ultrasound (DUS) of affected bowel segments. Using semiquantitative color and power Doppler assessment of vascularization of thickened bowel wall and mesentery, patients were divided in four grades. Spectral measurements (peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), resistance index (RI)) of mural arteries were compared with PCDAI. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in distribution of semiquantitative color values between inactive and active group. PSV and EDV values showed no significant difference between inactive and active group, while mean RI was significantly higher in the inactive group. RI was also significantly negatively correlated with PCDAI. CONCLUSION: Intensity of color and power Doppler signals and RI measurement of mural arteries in thickened bowel wall is linked to CD activity and therefore might be of use in pediatric patients.

Leptomeningeal and intramedullary metastases of glioblastoma multiforme in a patient reoperated during adjuvant radiochemotherapy.

Despite huge advances in medicine, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remains a highly lethal, fast-growing tumour that cannot be cured by currently available therapies. However, extracranial and extraneural dissemination of GBM is extremely rare, but is being recognised in different imaging studies. To date, the cause of the GBM metastatic spread still remains under discussion. It probably develops at the time of intracranial progression following a surgical procedure. According to other hypothesis, the metastases are a consequence of spontaneous tumour transdural extension or haematogenous dissemination. We present a case of a 59-year-old woman with symptomatic leptomeningeal and intramedullary metastases of GBM who has been previously surgically treated with primary subtotal resection and underwent a repeated surgery during adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy with temozolomide. Today, the main goal of surgery and chemoradiotherapy is to prevent neurologic deterioration and improve health-related quality of life. With this paper, we want to present this rare entity and emphasise the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, a key function in the management of brain tumour patients. The prognosis is still very poor although prolongation of survival can be obtained. Finally, although rare, our case strongly suggests that clinicians should be familiar with the possibility of the extracranial spread of GBM because as treatment improvements provide better control of the primary tumour and improving survival, metastatic disease will be increasingly encountered.

Symptomatic cardiac metastases of breast cancer 27 years after mastectomy: a case report with literature review--pathophysiology of molecular mechanisms and metastatic pathways, clinical aspects, diagnostic procedures and treatment modalities.

Metastases to the heart and pericardium are rare but more common than primary cardiac tumours and are generally associated with a rather poor prognosis. Most cases are clinically silent and are undiagnosed in vivo until the autopsy. We present a female patient with a 27-year-old history of an operated primary breast cancer who was presented with dyspnoea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea and orthopnoea. The clinical signs and symptoms aroused suspicion of congestive heart failure. However, the cardiac metastases were detected during a routine cardiologic evaluation and confirmed with computed tomography imaging. Additionally, this paper outlines the pathophysiology of molecular and clinical mechanisms involved in the metastatic spreading, clinical presentation, diagnostic procedures and treatment of heart metastases. The present case demonstrates that a complete surgical resection and systemic chemotherapy may result in a favourable outcome for many years. However, a lifelong medical follow-up, with the purpose of a detection of metastases, is highly recommended. We strongly call the attention of clinicians to the fact that during the follow-up of all cancer patients, such heart failure may be a harbinger of the secondary heart involvement.

[Ultrasound guided breast biopsy--a retrospective study and literature review]. / Biopsija dojke pod kontrolom ultrazvuka--retrospektivna studija i pregled literature.

AIM: The purpose of this study is to determine the accuracy and clinical usefulness of ultrasound guided core biopsy for diagnosing suspicious radiologically detected breast lesions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the results of percutaneous core biopsy with 14-gauge needles performed over a period of 14 months on 229 suspicious lesions detectable on mammography and/or ultrasound exam (BI-RADS 4 or 5). The imaging-histological concordance was ascertained for each lesion. In cases of discordance, repeat biopsy or surgical excision was performed. Six-month ultrasound control was recommended in cases of benign lesions. For borderline and malignant lesions a surgical excision was done. Concordance between biopsy results and subsequent examinations (surgical excision or follow-up) was also evaluated. RESULTS: Histological analysis of core biopsy samples showed 143 (62.4%) benign lesions, 21 (9.2%) borderline lesions and 65 (28.4%) malignant lesions. Follow-up, repeated biopsy, or surgical excision showed four false negative cases. Accuracy of ultrasound guided core biopsy was 98.3%. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound guided core biopsy is a safe and reliable method for diagnosing suspicious breast lesions without any significant complications as was reported in previous studies.

Low back pain as the presenting sign in a patient with primary extradural melanoma of the thoracic spine--a metastatic disease 17 years after complete surgical resection.

Primary spinal melanomas are extremely rare lesions. In 1906, Hirschberg reported the first primary spinal melanoma, and since then only 40 new cases have been reported. A 47-year-old man was admitted suffering from low back pain, fatigue and loss of body weight persisting for three months. He had a 17-year-old history of an operated primary spinal melanoma from T7-T9, which had remained stable for these 17 years. Routine laboratory findings and clinical symptoms aroused suspicion of a metastatic disease. Multislice computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed stage-IV melanoma with thoracic, abdominal and skeletal metastases without the recurrence of the primary process. Transiliac crest core bone biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of metastatic melanoma. It is important to know that in all cases of back ore skeletal pain and unexplained weight loss, malignancy must always be considered in the differential diagnosis, especially in the subjects with a positive medical history. Patients who have back, skeletal, or joint pain that is unresponsive to a few weeks of conservative treatment or have known risk factors with or without serious etiology, are candidates for imaging studies. The present case demonstrates that complete surgical resection alone may result in a favourable outcome, but regular medical follow-up for an extended period, with the purpose of an early detection of a metastatic disease, is highly recommended.

[Consensus guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors]. / Prijedlog postupnika za dijagnostiku, lijecenje i pracénje oboljelih od gastrointestinalnih stromalnih tumora.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are the most common mesenchymal tumors in gastrointestinal tract. They are often asymptomatic and discovered incidentally during endoscopic or barium studies. About 80% GISTs have a KIT (CD 117 antigen) gene mutation. Most affect exon 11, less commonly exon 9,13 or 17, that results in uncontrolled KIT signaling. This led to effective systemic therapies in the form of small molecule inhibitors of the receptor tyrosine kinase such as imatinib mesylat. With the purpose of providing standardized approach to rational and effective diagnostic and treatment algorithm in Croatia, a multidisciplinary session was organized. Results of the session are given in the form of Consensus guidelines.

Combined surgical and angioplasty management of coronary artery aneurysms including the giant form.

Coronary artery aneurysms are a rare form of coronary artery disease. Due to the rarity of these aneurysms, particularly of the giant form, it is difficult to establish a standardized treatment. We report the case of a 65-year-old man who presented with symptoms of an acute coronary syndrome. A posterobasal myocardial infarction was diagnosed with a giant right coronary artery aneurysm as the underlying pathology. Two aneurysms of the left anterior descending artery were also revealed. The management strategy included ligation of the giant aneurysm coupled with distal coronary artery bypass grafting of the right coronary artery. This was complemented with a delayed percutaneous coronary intervention of the left anterior descending artery aneurysms.

Malposition of central venous dialysis catheter in the right internal mammary vein in uremic patient: case report.

A 68-year-old Caucasian woman was admitted to the Department for construction of vascular access for dialysis after thrombosis of arteriovenous fistula. Temporary dialysis catheter was inserted in the left internal jugular vein while she had permanent pacemaker implanted on the right thoracic side. The patient signalized pain in the left breast. Postprocedural chest x-ray revealed that the catheter was malpositioned in the right internal mammary vein. The catheter was immediately pulled out and temporary catheter was inserted in the left femoral vein. Malposition of central venous catheter into small tributaries of central vein is a rare complication which can be hazardous and needs to be quickly recognized.

Hemangioma of the interatrial septum: CT and MRI features.

Hemangioma of the heart is a rare primary benign tumor mainly appearing as enhancing, homogenous, well-circumscribed mass. We report a case of a 61-year-old asymptomatic woman, whose echocardiography showed a cardiac mass, which was described as the atypical myxoma of the right atrium. For further imaging, contrast-enhanced computed tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging were undertaken, which showed a tumor located in the interatrial septum with imaging characteristics of hemangioma. In the literature, cardiac hemangioma is usually described as an intensely enhancing mass. In our opinion, early peripheral puddling of contrast material with filling in on delayed images is a typical pattern of its enhancement. This characteristic, in addition to high signal intensity on T2-weighted images, allows differentiation of a hemangioma from other benign and malignant tumors.

Surgical treatment of aortic dissection in a patient with metastatic prostate cancer.

Acute aortic dissection bears all the stigmata of a true clinical emergency. The natural history of this acute aortic syndrome warrants prompt surgical intervention, with only a few absolute contraindications to this line of treatment. We present a 74-year-old man with documented metastatic prostate cancer who underwent emergent surgery for acute Stanford A aortic dissection. Having acknowledged the relatively favorable evolution of our patient's malignant disease, we were not deterred by its presence from pursuing surgical treatment of his aortic dissection.

[Consensus guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors]. / Postupnik za dijagnostiku, lijecenje i pracenje oboljelih od neuroendokrinih tumora gusterace.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PETs) are increasingly recognized. In order to assure an optimal treatment of patients and to propose an efficient diagnostic algorithm we were prompted to organize meetings, with participating experts, specialists in different fields of expertise. The idea for the meetings was to try to give a standardized approach, which would in future help in stratification of PET patients. Results of meetings are given in a form of Consensus guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

[Management of adrenal incidentaloma: the position statement of the Croatian referral center for adrenal gland disorders]. / Dijagnostika i lijecenje incidentaloma nadbubrezne zlijezde: preporuke referentnog centra ministarstva zdravstva za bolesti nadbubrezne zlijezde.

Adrenal incidentalomas are tumours of adrenal glands discovered during diagnostic workup for other clinical condition unrelated to adrenal glands. Improvement in imaging techniques and their widespread use in everyday practice have increased detection of adrenal incidentalomas making their management one of the most important challenges of modern endocrinology. Based on the relevant medical literature and guidelines of other international societies a panel of Croatian leading experts in adrenal gland disorders provide practical recommendations for the diagnostics and treatment of adrenal incidentaloma.

Ureteral metastasis as the first and sole manifestation of gastric cancer dissemination.

BACKGROUND: Isolated ureteral metastasis from gastric cancer is extremely rare. CASE REPORT: We describe a 50 year old man with a history of subtotal gastrectomy who presented 4 years later with an ureteral metastasis. He was asymptomatic and diagnostic tests were performed due to the elevated creatinine level disclosed incidentally. The partial resection of distal right ureter as well as the resection of the right ureterovesical junction was performed with the implantation of double J stent. Histopathology revealed a metastasis of the adenocarcinoma that matched perfectly a tumour specimen from the gastric cancer surgery. It was first and isolated manifestation of gastric cancer dissemination. CONCLUSIONS: Although rare, the ureteral metastasis from gastric cancer can be the first, sole and asymptomatic manifestation of gastric cancer dissemination after a period of time.