Three-Dimensional Quantitative Assessment of Uterine Fibroid Response after Uterine Artery Embolization Using Contrast-Enhanced MR Imaging.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of three-dimensional (3D) quantitative magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for the assessment of total lesion volume (TLV) and enhancing lesion volume (ELV) before and after uterine artery embolization (UAE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 25 patients with uterine fibroids who underwent UAE and received contrast-enhanced MR imaging before and after the procedure. TLV was calculated using a semiautomated 3D segmentation of the dominant lesion on contrast-enhanced MR imaging, and ELV was defined as voxels within TLV where the enhancement exceeded the value of a region of interest placed in hypoenhancing soft tissue (left psoas muscle). ELV was expressed in relative (% of TLV) and absolute (in cm(3)) metrics. Results were compared with manual measurements and correlated with symptomatic outcome using a linear regression model. RESULTS: Although 3D quantitative measurements of TLV demonstrated a strong correlation with the manual technique (R(2) = 0.93), measurements of ELV after UAE showed significant disagreement between techniques (R(2) = 0.72; residual standard error, 15.8). Six patients (24%) remained symptomatic and were classified as nonresponders. When stratified according to response, no difference in % ELV between responders and nonresponders was observed. When assessed using cm(3) ELV, responders showed a significantly lower mean ELV compared with nonresponders (4.1 cm(3) [range, 0.3-19.8 cm(3)] vs 77 cm(3) [range, 11.91-296 cm(3)]; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: The use of segmentation-based 3D quantification of lesion enhancement is feasible and diagnostically accurate and could be considered as an MR imaging response marker for clinical outcome after UAE.

Review of venous anatomy for venographic interpretation in chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency.

Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) represents a recently described condition that may potentially contribute to the symptoms experienced by patients with multiple sclerosis. The evaluation of a prospective patient for CCSVI often involves an invasive evaluation with venography of the internal jugular and azygos veins. The purpose of this article is to review the normal anatomy of the internal jugular, vertebral, and azygos veins, as an understanding of these veins is necessary for appropriate interpretation of the venograms obtained to evaluate patients for CCSVI.

Neoadjuvant Transarterial Chemoembolization Improves Survival After Liver Transplant in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Our aims were to determine whether transarterial chemoembolization before liver transplant for hepatocellular carcinoma improves posttransplant survival and whether patients downstaged by transarterial chemoembolization within Milan criteria have a posttransplant survival benefit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data, survival rates of 87 patients treated with and 68 patients not treated with transarterial chemoembolization before liver transplant were compared using 2-sample t tests and multivariate Cox regression. We also compared posttransplant survival of patients within Milan criteria versus those downstaged after transarterial chemoembolization. We controlled for disease severity by assessing, among other variables, tumor diameter before and at transplant and alpha-fetoprotein levels before transplant and transarterial chemoembolization. RESULTS: Overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 84%, 71%, and 63%, respectively. These rates were 91%, 78%, and 73% for patients who received and 76%, 63%, and 54% for patients who did not receive transarterial chemoembolization. Hazard ratios were 0.56 for having versus not having transarterial chemoembolization (P = .04), 1.06 for total tumor diameter on explantation (P = .01), 1.5 for largest tumor > 3 cm (P = .15), and 2.9 for pretransplant alpha-fetoprotein > 659 ng/mL (P = .006). A higher end-stage liver disease score correlated with poorer overall survival (hazard ratio = 1.53; P < .001). Laboratory values, lipiodol uptake, imaging response, and downstaging into Milan criteria were not correlated with survival. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who were treated with neoadjuvant transarterial chemoembolization had better survival rates posttransplant than those not treated with transarterial chemoembolization. A high pretransplant alpha-fetoprotein level was negatively correlated with survival. Patients downstaged to Milan criteria after transarterial chemoembolization fared equally well versus those who met Milan criteria initially. Pretreatment with transarterial chemoembolization was positively correlated with survival posttransplant, with patients having a 44% reduction in posttransplant mortality.

Single 15-Min Protocol Yields the Same Cryoablation Size and Margin as the Conventional 10-8-10-Min Protocol: Results of Kidney and Liver Swine Experiment.

INTRODUCTION: The objective was to determine the ablation size of a single 15-min freeze and compare it with the conventional 10-min freeze-8-min thaw-10-min freeze protocol. Secondary objectives were to determine the ablation margin and to ascertain whether islands of viable tissue remain within the ablation zone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five adult swine under general anesthesia were used. After surgical abdominal exposure, two ablations were performed in liver and two in kidney. One ablation utilized the 15-min and the second the 10-8-10-min protocol. At maximum ice-ball, tissue ink was infused via an angiographic catheter in hepatic or renal artery to stain the non-frozen tissue. Animals were euthanized and organs examined macro- and microscopically. RESULTS: Three histological regions were observed: (A) a viable/stained region representing the tissue outside the ice-ball, (B) a central necrotic area representing the ablated region within the ice-ball and (C) an unstained but viable margin representing the non-lethal margin within ice-ball. Ablation size did not vary with protocol but did for tissue type. Renal ablation was approximately 5 × 4 cm with both protocols, whereas liver ablation was approximately 6.7 × 4.4 cm. Ablation margin was measured at 1 mm irrespective of ablation protocol or tissue. No islands of viable tissue were identified within the ablation zone. DISCUSSION: Fifteen-minute cryoablation yielded an ablation size and margin identical to that of the conventional 10-8-10-min protocol. Within the ablated region, cell death was uniform. The only difference was a larger cryoablation zone in hepatic tissue compared to renal tissue, likely attributable to differences in blood perfusion.