Percutaneous image-guided needle biopsy of rib lesions: a retrospective study of diagnostic outcome in 51 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic yield and diagnostic accuracy of image-guided percutaneous needle biopsy of rib lesions and to analyse the diagnostic spectrum of rib lesions referred to a tertiary musculoskeletal oncology centre. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients that underwent image-guided rib biopsy and/or excision during the period from 1 January 2003 to 31 July 2011. A total of 51 consecutive subjects were identified and included in this study. Image-guided percutaneous biopsy was performed using either CT (n = 43) or ultrasound (n = 8). RESULTS: There were 28 males and 23 females, with a mean age of 49.9 years (range 10-84 years). Forty-five of the 51 biopsies (88%) yielded a diagnostic sample, and 6 (12%) were non-diagnostic. Thirty-one of 45 (69%) lesions were malignant, and 14 (31%) were benign. The commonest malignant lesions were metastases, 16 of 31 (51.6%), and primary bone or cartilaginous tumours, 15 of 31 (48.4%). The commonest benign lesion was fibrous dysplasia (6 of 14, 43%) followed by infection (5 of 14, 36%). All non-diagnostic samples were from lesions which had no extra-osseous component, and all were subsequently confirmed as benign on rib resection. There was complete agreement between needle and surgical resection in 18 of 19 subjects (96%). CONCLUSION: Image-guided percutaneous rib biopsy has high diagnostic yield and accuracy. Intra-osseous lesions which have no associated extra-osseous component have a lower biopsy success rate.

Active retropharyngeal hemorrhage from an acute thyrocervical artery injury: a rare complication of hyperextension cervical spine injury.

BACKGROUND: Acute vascular injury is uncommon after cervical spine injury. We describe a recent case of active retropharyngeal bleeding from the thyrocervical artery after an acute cervical spine injury. OBJECTIVES: The case illustrates an unusual vascular injury diagnosed by 64-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and managed successfully by emergency transcatheter embolization. CASE REPORT: A 65-year-old woman presented to the Emergency Department after a fall. MDCT scans of the cervical spine revealed a fracture of C5 and a large prevertebral hematoma. Subsequent MDCT carotid angiography revealed active bleeding from a branch of the right thyrocervical trunk. Superselective catheterization into the right thyrocervical trunk confirmed this as the source vessel. A 3-mm coil was deployed without complication. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates an unusual arterial injury in the context of cervical spine trauma and how, as endovascular services become more accessible out of hours, the management of patients with acute arterial injury is increasingly a multidisciplinary team effort. Early recognition by the emergency physician of potential vascular injury and prompt referral for appropriate imaging will expedite treatment and improve clinical outcome.

An audit of Zimbabwean public sector diagnostic ultrasound services.

INTRODUCTION: the provision of basic diagnostic imaging services is pivotal to achieving universal health coverage. An estimated two-thirds of the world's population have no access to basic diagnostic imaging. Accurate data on current imaging equipment resources are required to inform health delivery strategy and policy at national level. This is an audit of Zimbabwean public sector diagnostic ultrasound resources and services. METHODS: utilising the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MHCC) database, sequential interviews were conducted with provincial health authorities and local facility managers. Ultrasound equipment, personnel and services in all hospitals and clinics, nationally were recorded, collated, and analysed for the whole country, and by province. RESULTS: of the 1798 Zimbabwean public sector healthcare facilities, sixty-six (n=66, 3.67%) have ultrasound equipment. Ninety-nine (n=99) ultrasound units are distributed across the sonar facilities, representing a national average of 8 units per million people. More than half the equipment units (n=53, 54%) are in secondary-level healthcare facilities (district and mission hospitals), and approximately one-fifth (n=22, 22%) in the central hospitals (quaternary level). The best-resourced province has twice the resources of the least resourced. One-hundred and forty-two (n=142) healthcare workers, from six different professional groups, provide the public sector ultrasound service. Most facilities with sonar equipment (n=64/66, 97%) provide obstetrics and gynaecology services, while general abdominal scanning is available at one third (n=22, 33%). Two facilities with ultrasound equipment have no capacity to offer a sonography service. CONCLUSION: in order to reach the WHO recommendation of 20 sonar units per million people, an estimated 140 additional sonar units are required nationally. The need is greatest in Masvingo, Midlands and Mashonaland East Provinces. Task-shifting plays a key role in the provision of Zimbabwean sonar services. Consideration should be given to formal training and accreditation of all healthcare workers involved in sonar service delivery.

Maffucci's syndrome in association with giant tubular adenoma of the breast: Case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Maffucci's syndrome is a rare congenital, non-hereditary mesodermal dysplasia characterised by multiple enchondromas and vascular lesions. To our knowledge this is the first report of tubular adenoma of the breast in association with Maffucci's syndrome. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We report a 31-year-old female who presented with a large, ulcerated slow-growing painless breast mass. She had also sustained two pathological fractures during childhood as well as progressive deformity and limb shortening on the right side of the body. Skeletal survey revealed enchondromas exclusively on the right side in association with phleboliths. Excision of the breast mass was performed. Histological examination of the breast lesion revealed a diagnosis of tubular adenoma, core biopsy of the bony lesions confirmed enchondromas and a cutaneous haemangioma was excised from the abdominal wall. DISCUSSION: Tubular adenoma of the breast is a rare benign tumour. When large they may cause ulceration leading to diagnostic and management dilemmas. Patients with Maffucci's Syndrome require lifelong surveillance for the development of malignancy. CONCLUSION: Tubular adenomas of the breast carry no risk of malignancy. However, malignancy remains high on the differential list when the skin is ulcerated. Ulceration can also be caused by pressure necrosis in benign tumours. This diagnostic dilemma can lead to unnecessarily radical surgery.

Morel-Lavallée lesion in a 12-month-old child: A case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: The Morel-Lavallée lesion is an infrequently described, post-traumatic closed de-gloving wound that results from separation of the skin and subcutaneous tissues from the underlying deep fascia as a result of shearing forces that tear perforating vessels and lymphatics. This condition is rare in children and to our knowledge it represents the youngest case of Morel-Lavallée lesion yet reported. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We report on a twelve-month-old girl who presented after a motor vehicle accident with a tender fluctuant mass of the back and buttocks. Computed tomography revealed a large but discrete fluid collection between the subcutaneous fat and the deep fascial planes, extending from the posterior thoracic paraspinal soft tissues to the right gluteal region. A diagnosis of Morel-Lavallée lesion was made. This patient was managed with serial ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage and compression bandages. The patient did well and was subsequently discharged. There was no recurrence of the lesion on follow-up. DISCUSSION: The Morel-Lavallée lesion is a rare consequence of abrupt high impact trauma. There is no accepted management approach and a variety of conservative as well as surgical options exist. Goals of management include drainage, debridement and meticulous dead space management to prevent recurrence. CONCLUSION: The Morel-Lavallée lesion is a rare finding in children involved in high impact trauma and prompt intervention is crucial to prevent complications. Image-guided drainage is a rational management approach with excellent outcomes.

Out of hours multidetector computed tomography pulmonary angiography: are specialist resident reports reliable?

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were to assess the accuracy of trainee radiologists' reports for computed tomographic pulmonary angiographic (CTPA) imaging and to determine agreement or discrepancy with final verified consultant reports. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 100 consecutive out-of-hours CTPA examinations were prospectively analyzed. Fifty-one male and 49 female subjects were included in the study. The mean age of patients scanned was 63.7 years (range, 17-98 years). RESULTS: Eighteen of the 100 subjects (18%) had findings positive for pulmonary embolism. The interobserver agreement for pulmonary embolism between on-call radiology residents and consultant radiologists was almost perfect (κ = 0.932; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-1.0; P < .0001). There was one false-negative CTPA report. Eighty-two CTPA scans (82%) were reported as negative for pulmonary embolism by consultant radiologists. In this group, there was a single false-positive interpretation by the on-call specialist resident. The interobserver agreement for all findings between resident and consultant reports was almost perfect (weighted κ = 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.79-0.96; P < .0001). The overall discrepancy rate, including both false-positive and false-negative findings, between the on-call radiology resident and consultant radiologist was 8% (eight of 100). CONCLUSIONS: CTPA reports by radiology residents can be relied and acted upon without any major discrepancies. There is a relatively much higher proportion of patients with alternative diagnoses, mainly infective consolidation and heart failure presenting with similar symptoms and signs as pulmonary emboli. It is imperative for trainees to be systematic and review all images if observational omissions are to be reduced.

Is There a Role of Double Reporting and CT Pelvis for Lung Cancer Staging?

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world. Staging of lung cancer involves CT of chest and abdomen. Subsequently these are discussed in MDT and if required PET imaging is arranged. We have performed a study to assess double reporting of the initial staging CT would identify in field metastasis and hence decrease the use of PET. METHODS: A refined search from the lung cancer database over 2 years of 980 patients was performed. Metastasis identified on PET (SUV > 2.5) was nominated as the gold standard, 219 patients had both PET and staging CT (chest and abdomen) with 38 patients having metastasis on both PET and CT. CT images were reviewed by two independent radiologist who were blinded to the report. Identified metastases were graded if identified. These were grade as 1- definite, 2- equivocal, 3- normal. Subsequently through a process of arbitration a combined decision about the in field metastasis was achieved. RESULTS: There were 21 metastasis which were within the field of chest and abdomen (in field metastasis). Only a half of these were identified by blinded observers. Following an arbitration there was no significant improvement in the pick up rate. There were 19 out of field metastasis in 15 patients out of this cohort. Majority of these (72%) were in the bony pelvis which would have been reported if a CT pelvis was performed as a part of staging. We estimate that one would have to perform 10 CT pelvises to save one PET-CT. CONCLUSION: Double reading of staging scan would not identify all infield metastasis. The increased contrast in PET images makes it easy to spot metastases. Hence there is no role for double reporting of staging CT in lung cancer management. Inclusion of pelvis in staging of lung cancer may be effective and would improve the detection of out of field metastases hence decreasing the use of PET.

Computed tomography findings in xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis.

BACKGROUND: Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGN) is an uncommon condition characterized by chronic suppurative renal inflammation that leads to progressive parenchymal destruction. PURPOSE: To review the computed tomography (CT) findings of patients diagnosed with XGN. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of CT findings in patients with histologically proven XGN was carried out. RESULTS: Thirteen CT examinations of 11 patients were analyzed. Renal enlargement was demonstrable on the affected side in all patients. Nine patients (82%) had multiple dilated calyces and abnormal parenchyma. Six patients (55%) had a renal pelvis or upper ureteric calculus causing obstruction. Three patients (27%) had focal fat deposits identifiable within the inflamed renal parenchyma. Two patients had renal abscesses. Ten patients (91%) had extrarenal extension of the inflammatory changes. Three patients (27%) demonstrated extensive retroperitoneal inflammation. CONCLUSION: Unilateral renal enlargement and inflammation were the most consistent findings of XGN on CT. Perinephric inflammation and collections or abscess should also alert the radiologist to the possibility of this diagnosis.

Computed tomography-guided coblation and cementoplasty of a painful acetabular metastasis: an effective palliative treatment.

Percutaneous cementoplasty is an effective palliative treatment for acetabular metastases. Potential problems with this technique include inadequate filling and intra-articular cement leakage, leading to increased hip pain. We present a case of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer in which we illustrate how using radiofrequency coblation prior to cement injection creates a well-defined cavity allowing controlled cement injection limiting cement extrusion. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report in which coblation of an acetabular metastasis prior to cement filling has been performed.

MRI findings in herniation of the spinal cord.

Herniation of the spinal cord is a rare condition that causes non specific neurological deficits that are often a diagnostic challenge to clinicians. Despite several reports in the neurosurgical literature, it is only recently that the imaging appearances of this condition have come to be recognised, due mainly to the widespread adoption of spinal MRI. It is important for radiologists to recognise the telltale MRI features of this condition, as several cases have undergone initial misdiagnosis, resulting in delayed treatment We present a case with typical imaging features to familiarise radiologists with this condition, as it is likely that more cases will come to the fore, with more spinal MRIs being performed.

Pre-operative diagnosis of an unusual complication of abdominal aortic aneurysm on multidetector computed tomography: a case report.

Spontaneous fistulation of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) into the inferior vena cava (IVC) is an unusual and infrequently encountered complication in clinical practice. In the majority of cases, it is a diagnosis made on the operating table, during surgical repair of AAA. We report a patient with an aortocaval fistula diagnosed preoperatively on multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). Preoperative diagnosis of this rare complication is important as it allows appropriate anaesthetic and surgical planning thereby reducing morbidity and mortality.