Usefulness of diffusion-weighted imaging for diagnosis of adrenal ischemia during pregnancy: a preliminary report.

This case report aims to illustrate the clinical usefulness of diffusion-weighted imaging for diagnosis of bilateral adrenal ischemia during pregnancy. We also provide a retrospective analysis of adrenal gland diffusion data in a control group of 12 pregnant women with no adrenal dysfunction, to assess the normal range of apparent diffusion coefficient of adrenal gland during pregnancy.

Venous thromboembolism and occult malignancy: simultaneous detection during pulmonary CT angiography with CT venography.

OBJECTIVE: We explored the potential for patients with proven venous thromboembolism or pulmonary embolism (PE) to have occult malignancies detected during the same CT examination. To verify this, we compared the presence of occult malignancies identified on pulmonary artery CT angiography (CTA) and CT venography (CTV) when venous thromboembolism (VTE) was present. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Pulmonary artery CTA combined with CTV was performed on a 16-MDCT scanner on 186 adult patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism without any known malignancies. CTV was performed from the diaphragm to the knee 180 seconds after CTA. Two radiologists evaluated the presence of VTE, that is PE or deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and tumor lesions on both examinations in consensus. The malignant nature of the possibly identified tumors was confirmed by pathologic examination. RESULTS: VTE was found in 49 patients (26%). Malignant tumors were detected in 24 patients (13%). Eleven patients with malignant tumors had VTE (46% of patients with malignant tumors; 22% with VTE and 6% of all patients). There was correlation with presence of malignancies between both and DVT and DVT associated with PE but not between presence of malignancies and PE only. Patients with DVT and those with DVT associated with PE had a risk ratio of 3.2 and 3.3, respectively, for having a malignant tumor discovered simultaneously. CONCLUSION: A high number of malignant tumors can be incidentally discovered on pulmonary artery CTA, even more so with additional CTV. Radiologists should scrutinize scans to pick up unknown malignancies, especially in patients with identified VTE.

Surgical management of a De Garengeot's hernia using a biologic mesh: A case report and review of literature.

INTRODUCTION: A De Garengeot hernia is a rare form of femoral hernia, where the appendix is found in the herniated sac. This feature is important to report, as both the diagnosis and the treatment are quite challenging in this particular condition. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We report the case of a 77-year-old female presenting with a femoral hernia, containing an incarcerated necrotic vermiform appendix (De Garengeot hernia). A laparoscopic appendectomy was performed and the herniated defect was repaired according to Rives technique, using a biological mesh. DISCUSSION: The De Garengeot hernia is often unexpected and diagnosed intra-operatively. A pre-operative diagnosis is quite difficult, as it often presents clinically as a strangled femoral hernia. In patients without peritoneal signs, a contrast-enhanced Computed Tomography (CT) of the abdomen is useful for the diagnosis. Many surgical techniques have been discussed in literature, but there is no consensus. We show the feasibility and safety of the hernia repair according to Rives technique, through an inguinotomy with a biologic mesh. A laparoscopic approach was used to remove the necrotic appendix. CONCLUSION: The De Garengeot hernia is an uncommon differential diagnosis for patients presenting with clinical signs of strangled femoral hernia. Although hernia repairs with a synthetic mesh in the presence of appendicitis have been reported, we describe a case of femoral hernia repair using a biologic mesh, in a patient with a De Garengot hernia.

Clinical practice guidelines from the French College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (CNGOF): benign breast tumors - short text.

Screening with breast ultrasound in combination with mammography is needed to investigate a clinical breast mass (Grade B), colored single-pore breast nipple discharge (Grade C), or mastitis (Grade C). The BI-RADS system is recommended for describing and classifying abnormal breast imaging findings. For a breast abscess, a percutaneous biopsy is recommended in the case of a mass or persistent symptoms (Grade C). For mastalgia, when breast imaging is normal, no MRI or breast biopsy is recommended (Grade C). Percutaneous biopsy is recommended for a BI-RADS category 4-5 mass (Grade B). For persistent erythematous nipple or atypical eczema lesions, a nipple biopsy is recommended (Grade C). For distortion and asymmetry, a vacuum core-needle biopsy is recommended due to the risk of underestimation by simple core-needle biopsy (Grade C). For BI-RADS category 4-5 microcalcifications without any ultrasound signal, a minimum 11-G vacuum core-needle biopsy is recommended (Grade B). In the absence of microcalcifications on radiography cores additional samples are recommended (Grade B). For atypical ductal hyperplasia, atypical lobular hyperplasia, lobular carcinoma in situ, flat epithelial atypia, radial scar and mucocele with atypia, surgical excision is commonly recommended (Grade C). Expectant management is feasible after multidisciplinary consensus. For these lesions, when excision margins are not clear, no new excision is recommended except for LCIS characterized as pleomorphic or with necrosis (Grade C). For grade 1 phyllodes tumor, surgical resection with clear margins is recommended. For grade 2 phyllodes tumor, 10mm margins are recommended (Grade C). For papillary breast lesions without atypia, complete disappearance of the radiological signal is recommended (Grade C). For papillary breast lesions with atypia, complete surgical excision is recommended (Grade C).

Intracystic papillary carcinoma of the breast: a diagnostic challenge with major clinical impact.

BACKGROUND: Intracystic papillary carcinoma (IPC) is a ductal carcinoma of papillary variety that develops in a cystic space surrounded by a fibrous capsule. It is a rare clinicopathological entity, the in situ or invasive character of which is difficult to establish, particularly on biopsy. The treatment is surgical and breast conservation depends on the tumor size. Lymph node exploration is still debated. The diagnosis of IPC is a challenge for the pathologist: the negativity of the basement membrane markers and of myoepithelial cells carries a risk of over-diagnosis on biopsy that can lead to over-treatment. CASE REPORT: To illustrate this risk, we report the case of a breast mass of 8 cm; its biopsy evoked invasive papillary carcinoma (no hormone receptors and overexpression of Human Epidermal Receptor-2 (HER-2) and for which neoadjuvant chemotherapy associated with trastuzumab was firstly proposed. RESULTS: The analysis of all anatomical radio-clinical data in a multidisciplinary context, however, allowed suspecting IPC, thus leading to first-line surgery (mastectomy with negative sentinel lymph nodes). With this diagnosis being confirmed on surgical specimen, no systemic treatment was then necessary. After 48 months, the patient is in complete remission.

Terminal ileum neuroendocrine incidentaloma in a patient with sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma: findings from 18F-FDOPA PET/CT investigation.

An incidentaloma is a mass lesion incidentally found, of uncertain significance, and clinically inert. Although incidentaloma is commonly referred to designate an adrenal lesion, it can denote any incidental lesion of other organs. We describe the unexpected finding of an ileum neuroendocrine incidentaloma detected by 6-L-(18F)-fluorodihydroxyphenylalanine (FDOPA) PET/CT performed in an asymptomatic patient with history of sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma and biochemical suspicion of recurrent disease. This report underlines the high FDOPA PET/CT sensitivity for neuroendocrine tumor detection and the need of complementary diagnostic investigations elucidating the significance of extraphysiological FDOPA intestinal uptake, even in patients with unrelated primary cancer.

Complicated sigmoid diverticulitis.

In medical practice, the colonic diverticulitis diagnosis is easy, based especially on a barium enema and an inferior digestive endoscopy, but the diverticulitis complications, especially metastatic infections, raise serious positive and differential diagnosis problems. We present the case of a 51 year old male who comes with hepatomegaly and multiple hepatic formations, in deteriorating clinical condition, context suggestive of secondary metastasis, but after investigation it was demonstrated they were of infectious nature, from a sigmoidian diverticulitic abscess. In this case, the hepatic biopsy was appropriate and it represented an important moment in the management of the patient.