Uterine junctional zone thickness in infertile women evaluated by MRI.

PURPOSE: To prospectively evaluate and compare the junctional zone (JZ) and outer myometrial thickness in infertile and healthy nulliparous women at different locations in the uterine wall during the menstrual cycle by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed pelvic 1.5T MRI (T2 -weighted turbo spin echo sequences) on 28 infertile women: 5 with infertility of unknown origin, 12 anovulating, and 11 on ovarian stimulation therapy (mean age 28.5, 30.8, and 29.3 years, respectively); and a control group consisting of 18 healthy nulliparous volunteers (mean age 26.4 years). The women with unknown infertility origin and the control group underwent MRI investigations during their follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phase. The JZ and outer myometrial thicknesses were measured at six locations in the uterine wall: anterior and posterior wall of the isthmus, midcorpus, and fundus. RESULTS: The JZ in the anovulating women at the posterior wall of the isthmus (4.2 mm) was significantly thicker compared to the control group (3.2, 3.0, and 2.9 mm, in respectively the three menstrual phases) (P = 0.027). The outer myometrium in the anovulating women was significantly thicker at all measured locations (average 11.5 mm) in comparison to the control group (8.1, 8.0, and 8.5 mm, in respectively the three menstrual phases) (P < 0.050). The infertile women on ovarian stimulation therapy showed a significantly thicker outer myometrium at the anterior wall (isthmus, midcorpus, and fundus) (P < 0.050). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that a thickened JZ, and especially a thickened outer myometrium, might be associated with infertility. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;45:926-936.

Junctional zone thickness in young nulliparous women according to menstrual cycle and hormonal contraception use.

This prospective study aims to determine the optimal menstrual phase and uterine location to detect the thickest junctional zone by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Healthy nulliparous women were subdivided according to their use of hormonal contraception. Each women was investigated three times during their menstrual cycle. Eighteen nulliparous non-users and 29 nulliparous users of hormonal contraception (mean age 26.4 and 25.8 years, respectively) underwent a pelvic MRI (1.5T) examination during the follicular, ovulatory and luteal phase. The junctional zone thickness was measured at six locations in the uterine wall. A significantly thinner junctional zone was observed at the anterior and posterior wall of the midcorpus (P = 0.01 and P = 0.004 respectively) and fundus (P = 0.009 and P = 0.023 respectively), in the contraception users compared with the non-users. No differences in junctional zone thickness were noticed between the menstrual phases and the uterine wall locations. The ratio of junctional zone versus total myometrial thickness was also different between both groups and between the assessed uterine locations. To conclude, any phase in the menstrual cycle and location within the uterine wall was validated to determine the junctional zone thickness on MRI, although the fundal location is preferred.

Extrapelvic Endometriosis Mimicking Peritoneal Surface Malignancy: Case Report and a Review of Literature.

Extrapelvic endometriosis is a rare presentation of endometriosis with atypical clinical symptoms. It can mimic peritoneal surface malignancy, as well as some abdominal infectious diseases. A 29-year-old Moroccan woman presented with abdominal pain, progressive abdominal distention, and an intermittent inflammatory syndrome. Imaging revealed multiple, progressively growing abdominal cysts. She had elevated tumor markers CA125 and CA19.9. Despite thorough investigation, several differential diagnoses persisted for a long time. Definitive pathological diagnosis could only be established after debulking surgery. Literature review on malignant and benign conditions causing multicystic abdominal distention is provided. When definitive diagnosis is not established, but suspicion for peritoneal malignancy remains, a debulking procedure can be undertaken. Organ preservation can be pursued whenever benign disease is still considered. In case of malignancy, short-term (curative) debulking procedure with or without hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) can be proposed.

Breast implant associated EBV-positive Diffuse Large B-cell lymphoma: an underrecognized entity?

Breast-implant associated (BIA) lymphoma is an infrequent type of cancer occurring in the fluid and fibrous capsule around a textured breast implant. Recently, both the 2022 WHO 5th edition classification of Haematological tumours (WHO HAEM5) and 2022 International Consensus Classification of Mature Lymphoid Neoplasms (22ICC), recognized breast implant-associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) as a definitive entity, defined as a mature CD30-positive T-cell lymphoma, confined by a fibrous capsule, in a breast implant setting. Only few B-cell lymphomas have been reported in the literature to be associated with breast implants. Here we report two EBV-positive Diffuse Large B-cell lymphomas (EBV + DLBCL) in relation to a breast implant, both expressing CD30 as well as EBV latency type 3. Both lesions were considered as DLBCL associated with chronic inflammation (CI-DLBCL), but one presented as a 7 cm solid mass, while the other presented as a fibrin-associated DLBCL (FA-DLBCL) in an HIV patient. Clinically, both are in complete remission 6 months or longer after capsulectomy and graft removal, without additional chemotherapy.Such cases, characterized by large CD30-positive cells, can easily be misdiagnosed as BIA-ALCL if the cell of origin is not further established. Therefore, a diagnostic panel including lineage-specific B-and T-cell markers and EBER in situ hybridization is essential to recognize this rare entity, to understand lymphomagenesis, to predict outcome and to define clinical approach.

MRI features of ovarian fibroma and fibrothecoma with histopathologic correlation.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to evaluate MRI features of ovarian fibroma and fibrothecoma with histopathologic correlation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, preoperative MRI examinations of 35 women (mean age, 49 years; range, 24-86 years) with pathologically proven ovarian fibroma (n = 25) or fibrothecoma (n = 10) were reviewed by two radiologists in consensus. MRI features, including visibility of ovaries, presence of capsule, degeneration, T1 and T2 signal, and enhancement pattern, were recorded and correlated with histopathologic features. After administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine, the maximum percentages of enhancement of fibroma or fibrothecoma, myometrium, and, if present, uterine fibroids (11/35 patients) were compared. RESULTS: All fibromas and fibrothecomas appeared well defined, with a mean size of 6.36 × 4.81 cm. Ipsilateral and contralateral ovaries were each seen in 89% (31/35) of patients. Most fibromas and fibrothecomas were isointense to hypointense compared with myometrium on T1-weighted (91% [32/35]) and T2-weighted (77% [27/35]) images. Capsule was noted in 63% (22/35) and degenerative changes were noted in 66% (23/35) of patients. Fibromas and fibrothecomas larger than 6 cm more likely showed capsule (p < 0.0001, Fisher exact probability test), degenerative changes (p = 0.003), peripheral subcapsular cystic areas (p < 0.0001), heterogeneous T2 signal (p = 0.001), and heterogeneous enhancement (p = 0.005). At least four of the above five characteristics were present in 93% (14/15) of fibromas and fibrothecomas larger than 6 cm (p < 0.0001). The maximum percentage of enhancement for fibromas and fibrothecomas (63%) was significantly lower than those for myometrium (131%; p < 0.0001) and fibroids (103%; p < 0.0001), without a statistically significant difference between the maximum percentage enhancement of myometrium and fibroids. A maximum percentage of enhancement less than 75% yielded 92% positive predictive value in differentiating fibromas and fibrothecomas from fibroids. Fibrothecomas had a higher maximum percentage of enhancement than did fibromas (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: MRI features of ovarian fibromas and fibrothecomas depend on size, with capsule and degenerative changes common with fibromas and fibrothecomas larger than 6 cm. Fibromas and fibrothecomas enhance less than myometrium and fibroids do, and less than 75% maximum percentage enhancement can help in differentiating fibromas and fibrothecomas from fibroids.

Diagnostic accuracy of a fast MRI T2-sequence for the diagnosis of internal herniation after Roux-and-Y gastric bypass during pregnancy: A retrospective single center study.

PURPOSE: The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a fast sequence Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) sequence, T2- half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin echo (HASTE) for the diagnosis of internal herniation (IH) in pregnant patients with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). METHODS: Abdominal MRI studies, performed for the clinical suspicion of IH of pregnant patients with a history of RYGB, were analyzed by two abdominal radiologists. Thirty-one cases were included and for each case both readers independently evaluated the T2 HASTE sequence in different planes (axial, coronal and sagittal) to determine the presence or absence of IH. Diagnostic performance of T2 HASTE MRI was evaluated by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy compared to the clinical diagnosis of IH as the gold standard. IH was diagnosed as the presence of herniated bowel through the mesenteric defect at the time of surgical exploration. IH was deemed absent if the surgical exploration showed no herniated bowel or if patients had no subsequent clinical symptoms of IH after 90 days of clinical follow-up. RESULTS: The results in this study, with 16 patients with IH and 15 patients without IH, portray a high accuracy for the detection of IH, ranging from 87.9% to 90.3%. This fast T2 sequence shows a high NPV (86.7% - 100.0% 87.7), sensitivity (88.9% - 100.0%) and specificity (80.0% - 86.7%). This study also portrayed a substantial interobserver agreement (0.741) for the evaluation of IH. CONCLUSION: T2 HASTE MRI shows an excellent sensitivity and NPV for the detection of IH in pregnant patients. The fast acquisition time makes this sequence useful in the emergency setting, and it can be used for the diagnosis or exclusion of IH in pregnant patients.

Peroneal neuropathy after weight loss: a high-resolution ultrasonographic characterization of the common peroneal nerve.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to use in vivo ultrasonographic imaging to analyze the common peroneal nerve in controls and patients who were diagnosed with peroneal neuropathy (PN) due to significant weight loss. We also looked for a relationship between weight loss (magnitude) and the occurrence of PN. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty controls and six patients who were diagnosed with PN after losing a significant amount of weight were examined by means of ultrasonography (US). On the US images, the structure and reflectivity of the nerve were analyzed. Correlations were made between the ultrasonographic measurements and the body mass index (BMI) of controls. In PN patients, these ultrasonographic parameters were compared between the normal and pathological legs. RESULTS: BMI was positively correlated with the transverse cross-sectional area of the nerve and fibular tunnel in controls. In controls with a high BMI, the peroneal nerve appeared thicker and the US reflectivity of the nerve was higher. A lower US reflectivity was observed in the pathological legs of the six patients who developed PN after weight loss. CONCLUSION: The transverse cross-sectional area and reflectivity of the peroneal nerve on the US images could be viable tools in the diagnosis of PN after weight loss.

Management and outcome of heterotopic interstitial pregnancy: Case report and review of literature.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of heterotopic interstitial pregnancy after in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET), presenting with a second trimester uterine rupture. To review the clinical presentations, risk factors, treatment options, and outcome of heterotopic interstitial pregnancies. METHODS: We describe the clinical presentation, management, and outcome of a patient with a heterotopic interstitial pregnancy, diagnosed following second trimester rupture of the interstitial pregnancy. We reviewed all published cases of heterotopic interstitial pregnancies. RESULTS: A 35-year-old pregnant woman with a past history of right adnexectomy and 16 weeks pregnant with dichorionic diamniotic twins following IVF-ET, was admitted to our department with unexplained recurrent abdominal pain and anemia. Further investigation showed a hemoperitoneum and because of hypovolemic shock an emergency laparotomy was performed, with diagnosis of a ruptured heterotopic interstitial pregnancy. The uterine defect was sutured using simple interrupted sutures. The intrauterine pregnancy progressed uneventful afterwards.We found 86 cases in the published literature, reporting on heterotopic interstitial pregnancies. 80.2% (69/86) occurred after IVF-ET. History of uni- or bilateral salpingectomy is a major risk factor, present in 39.5% (34/86). 37.2% (32/86) presented with cornual rupture. Surgery was performed in 53.5% (46/86) of cases. Medical management was possible in case of unruptured, early diagnosed heterotopic interstitial pregnancy (32.6% (28/86)). Watchful waiting was only possible when the interstitial pregnancy miscarried (5.8% (5/86)). The live birth rate of the intrauterine pregnancy, when viable at presentation, was 70.0% (56/80). The live birth rate of the interstitial pregnancy was only 4.7% (4/86). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of cases are diagnosed by detailed ultrasound in the setting of early follow-up after IVF-ET and are asymptomatic at diagnosis. Yet, a substantial number of patients present with cornual rupture. Risk factors are IVF-ET and a history of salpingectomy. Depending on clinical presentation, treatment options include watchful waiting, medical treatment, or surgery. Unfortunately, the interstitial pregnancy is generally lost, and only has a chance of survival in case of presentation at a viable gestational age. The outcome of the coexisting intrauterine pregnancy is generally good.

Incarceration of the gravid uterus: diagnosis and preoperative evaluation by magnetic resonance imaging.

Incarceration of the gravid uterus is a rare obstetric disorder that is often not recognized despite the ready availability of ultrasound. However, detailed imaging of the disturbed uterine and pelvic anatomy - from an obstetric point of view- is the key in reducing the potentially severe complications of this condition and planning its treatment. In this paper, we will describe the specific magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of an incarceration of the gravid uterus and we will discuss the role of magnetic resonance imaging in defining anatomy and in the medical decision whether to operate or not.

Magnetic resonance imaging: value of diffusion-weighted imaging in differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions.

OBJECTIVES: Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has a high sensitivity in the detection of tumours, there is still much discussion about its role in breast cancer detection. MRI is not yet routinely used to further characterize lesions in patients diagnosed with breast cancer. This study investigated the impact of preoperative MRI on the surgical treatment of women with biopsy proven breast cancer. The diagnostic value of preoperative MRI was compared with that of conventional imaging (mammography and ultrasonography), and the diffusion-weighted imaging technique was also evaluated. STUDY DESIGN: 40 women underwent conventional imaging and biopsy as part of the clinical workup. In addition, preoperative MRI was performed in each patient. The kinetics of contrast captation were monitored and apparent diffusion coefficients were calculated. All imaging findings were compared with the histopathologic results, which were used as the gold standard. Differences in tumour extent, as determined by ultrasonography, MRI and histopathology, were evaluated. RESULTS: Contrast captation kinetics curves are mostly aspecific, while apparent diffusion coefficient values seem to correlate much better with tumour malignancy. MRI correlated more accurately with histopathological findings than ultrasonography and even revealed unsuspected multifocal and multicentric breast carcinoma in 20 patients (50%). The surgical plan of seven patients (18%) was changed as a result of the additional information provided by MRI. CONCLUSION: Diffusion-weighted imaging as a complementary tool to contrast captation kinetics and morphologic measurements may increase the specificity of MRI and help in differentiating between benign and malignant breast lesions. In addition, MRI yields more precise information than mammography and ultrasonography about the exact location, the extent, the multifocality or multicentricity of the tumour and can also detect possible additional tumours. Although MRI will never replace mammography (screening) or ultrasonography as a test for breast cancer in women with no high risk (e.g. BRCA 1 or 2 carriers), its use in a preoperative setting may allow more accurate staging of the disease, which in turn could result in a change in the treatment planning.

Recurrent incarceration and/or sacculation of the gravid uterus: a review.

Retroverted uterine incarceration with sacculation of the anterior wall is reported to occur approximately in 1/3000 pregnancies. A literature search identified only one case report of incarceration of an anteflexed gravid uterus and six reported cases of recurrent incarceration and/or sacculation. We present a case of an incarceration of an anteflexed uterus in the first pregnancy, followed by a retroflexed incarceration in the second pregnancy. From this, a review is presented on recurrent uterine incarceration and/or sacculation.