Diagnostic Characteristics of Urinary Red Blood Cell Distribution Incorporated in UF-5000 for Differentiation of Glomerular and Non-Glomerular Hematuria.

BACKGROUND: Automated urine sediment analysis has been developed to address the limitations of microscopic examination of dysmorphic red blood cells (RBCs). We evaluated the urinary RBC distribution (URD) parameter of a recently launched automated urinary flow cytometry analyzer, UF-5000 (Sysmex, Kobe, Japan), to differentiate glomerular hematuria (GH) from non-GH (NGH). METHODS: Samples submitted for urine sediment analysis from patients with hematuria (>20 RBCs/µL) were divided into derivation (N=156; 101 GH, 55 NGH) and validation cohorts (N=107; 60 GH, 47 NGH). The clinical diagnosis of GH or NGH was established based on clinical data review. Differences in UF-5000 parameters (URD, small RBC, lysed RBC, RBC-P70FSC, RBC-SF-FSC-W, mean forward-scattered light, and mean side-scattered light) between GH and NGH, and areas under the ROC curves (AUC) were analyzed in the derivation cohort. The derived ideal cut-off value was evaluated in the validation cohort. We applied the Kitasato criteria to compare the diagnostic performance. RESULTS: URD (%), differed significantly between GH and NGH (P<0.001) in the two cohorts. The AUC of URD was 0.814 and 0.806 in the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. Using a cut-off of >20.1%, the sensitivity was 99.0%/89.4% and the specificity was 50.9%/63.3% in the derivation/validation cohort. When the Kitasato criteria were applied, the sensitivity and specificity were 80.2% and 52.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: URD is a rapid, objective, and quantitative measure that can be used to differentiate GH and NGH.

Effects of bismuth breast shielding on iodine quantification in dual-energy computed tomography: an experimental phantom study.

BACKGROUND: Although the bismuth breast shield can reduce radiation exposure to the breast during dual-energy computed tomography (DECT), it can potentially affect material quantification on DECT due to artifacts. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of bismuth breast shielding on iodine quantification and radiation exposure in DECT. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Small balloons were made with 0.2%, 0.6% and 1.0% blended iodinated contrast (370 mg/mL of iodine) with water. The balloons were located at both anterior and posterior lungs in an adult anthropomorphic chest phantom. DECT was performed with and without breast shielding. Afterwards, iodine concentration values were measured for each balloon on the iodine maps. Absorbed radiation doses in the breast were measured with the optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter. RESULTS: After shielding, we obtained significantly decreased iodine quantification for all three concentrations with 0.78 ± 0.13 to 0.46 ± 0.13 mg/mL, 2.31 ± 0.17 to 1.68 ± 0.19 mg/mL, and 3.82 ± 0.10 to 2.84 ± 0.20 mg/mL at the anterior location, and 0.72 ± 0.11 to 0.48 ± 0.09 mg/mL, 2.24 ± 0.13 to 1.87 ± 0.21 mg/mL, and 3.75 ± 0.16 to 3.15 ± 0.14 mg/mL at the posterior location for the 0.2%, 0.6%, and 1.0% balloons, respectively ( P = 0.001 for all). After shielding, absorbed radiation doses to the breast significantly decreased by 14.8% (4.32 ± 0.33 to 3.68 ± 0.30 mGy; P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Although using the bismuth breast shield may decrease radiation exposure to the breast on DECT, it may also significantly affect iodine quantification.

Risk factors for stent graft-induced new entry after thoracic endovascular aortic repair for Stanford type B aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVE: Stent graft-induced new entry (SINE) has been increasingly observed after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for Stanford type B aortic dissection. SINE is often life threatening, and reintervention is required. This study investigated risk factors for SINE after TEVAR. METHODS: From July 2001 to June 2013, we retrospectively analyzed data from 79 patients who underwent TEVAR for Stanford type B aortic dissection. TEVAR was performed in 17 patients ≤2 weeks (acute) after the diagnosis of aortic dissection and in the remaining 62 patients >2 weeks (chronic) after diagnosis. Forty-two of the patients underwent TEVAR with modified stent graft with an "inwardly bent" margin, and the remaining 37 underwent TEVAR with a conventional stent graft. The maximal diameter, minimal diameter, mean diameter, circumference, and area of the true lumen were analyzed. Taper ratio and oversizing ratio were evaluated and compared between the SINE and non-SINE groups, and cutoff values of taper ratio and oversizing ratio for prediction of SINE were determined using receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis. The cumulative incidence of SINE was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method. The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify independent predictive variables for SINE. RESULTS: SINE occurred in 21 patients (26.5%) and occurred more frequently in patients with chronic dissection than in those with acute dissection (32.3% vs 5.9%; P = .032). The Kaplan-Meier curves were significantly different (P = .016) between these groups. The incidence of SINE events was not significantly different between the modified stent group and nonmodified stent group (23.8% vs 36.0%; P = .284). The taper ratio and oversizing ratio by maximal diameter, mean diameter, circumference, and area were significantly higher in the SINE group than in the non-SINE group, and Kaplan-Meier curves were significantly different between groups above and below optimal cutoff value (P < .0005 to .003). According to multivariate analysis, the hazard ratios of chronic aortic dissection were 6.30 (95% confidence interval, 0.83-47.74; P = .075) to 7.80 (95% confidence interval, 1.03-59.07; P = .047). The taper ratio and oversizing ratio calculated by maximal diameter, mean diameter, circumference, and area were independent predictors of the development of SINE. CONCLUSIONS: Distal oversizing of the stent graft was an independent predictor of the development of SINE. Appropriate size selection of stent graft without distal oversizing might reduce the risk of late SINE events.

Hyalinizing trabecular tumor of the thyroid: diagnosis of a rare tumor using ultrasonography, cytology, and intraoperative frozen sections.

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological and imaging features of thyroid nodules surgically diagnosed as hyaline trabecular tumor (HTT), and to assess the role of cytology and frozen sections (FS) in the diagnosis of HTT. METHODS: This study included 21 thyroid nodules in 21 patients treated from August 2005 to March 2015 (mean age, 53.3 years) who were either diagnosed as HTT or had HTT suggested as a possible diagnosis based on cytology, FS, or the final pathology report. Patients' medical records were retrospectively reviewed for cytopathologic results and outcomes during the course of follow-up. Sonograms were reviewed and categorized. RESULTS: Twelve nodules from 12 patients were surgically confirmed as HTT. Ultrasonography (US)-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) was performed on 11 nodules, of which six (54.5%) were papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) or suspicious for PTC and three (27.3%) were HTT or suspicious for HTT. Intraoperative FS suggested the possibility of HTT in seven nodules, of which four (57.1%) were confirmed as HTT. US-FNA suggested the diagnosis of HTT in 10 nodules, of which three (30.0%) were confirmed as HTT. Common US features of the 12 pathologically confirmed cases of HTT were hypoechogenicity or marked hypoechogenicity (83.4%), absence of calcifications (91.7%), parallel shape (100.0%), presence of vascularity (75.0%), and probable benignity (58.3%). CONCLUSION: HTT should be included in the differential diagnosis of solid tumors with hypoechogenicity or marked hypoechogenicity and otherwise benign US features that have been diagnosed as PTC through cytology.

Severe hemolytic disease of the newborn due to anti-Di b treated with phototherapy and intravenous immunoglobulin.

The Di(b) antigen usually occurs with high incidence, except in certain Asian and South American Indian populations. In general, hemolysis caused by anti-Di(b) is not severe and its clinical course is benign. We report a Korean neonate with severe hemolytic disease of the newborn caused by anti-Di(b). The phenotype and genotype of the Diego blood group system of the patient and his mother were Di(a+b+) and Di(a+b-), respectively. The mother's serum and eluate from the neonate's erythrocytes contained anti-Di(b). This case was successfully managed with phototherapy and high dose iv immunoglobulin. Since most commercial antibody detection panels do not contain Di(b-) red cells, it is important to consider anti-Di(b) in cases of hemolytic disease of the newborn caused by an antibody against a high frequency antigen.