Inter-reader agreement of breast magnetic resonance imaging and contrast-enhanced mammography in breast cancer diagnosis: a multi-reader retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) are nowadays used in breast imaging but studies about their inter-reader agreement are lacking. Therefore, we compared the inter-reader agreement of CEM and MRI in breast cancer diagnosis in the same patients. METHODS: Breast MRI and CEM exams performed in a single center (09/2020-09/2021) for an IRB-approved study were retrospectively and independently evaluated by four radiologists of two different centers with different levels of experience who were blinded to the clinical and other imaging data. The reference standard was the histological diagnosis or at least 1-year negative imaging follow-up. Inter-reader agreement was examined using Cohen's and Fleiss' kappa (κ) statistics and compared with the Wald test. RESULTS: Of the 750 patients, 395 met inclusion criteria (44.5 ± 14 years old), with 752 breasts available for CEM and MRI. Overall agreement was moderate (κ = 0.60) for MRI and substantial (κ = 0.74) for CEM. For expert readers, the agreement was substantial (κ = 0.77) for MRI and almost perfect (κ = 0.82) for CEM; for non-expert readers was fair (κ = 0.39); and for MRI and moderate (κ = 0.57) for CEM. Pairwise agreement between expert readers and non-expert readers was moderate (κ = 0.50) for breast MRI and substantial (κ = 0.74) for CEM and it showed a statistically superior agreement of the expert over the non-expert readers only for MRI (p = 0.011) and not for CEM (p = 0.062). CONCLUSIONS: The agreement of CEM was superior to that of MRI (p = 0.012), including for both expert (p = 0.031) and non-expert readers (p = 0.005).

Feasibility, Reproducibility, and Clinical Validity of a Quantitative Chest X-Ray Assessment for COVID-19.

Chest X-ray (CXR) is an essential first-line tool in COVID-19 pneumonia diagnosis and management. Our study aimed at assessing 1) CXR manifestations, frequency, and distribution; 2) the feasibility and repeatability of a CXR severity score; and 3) the correlation between the CXR severity score and clinical and laboratory parameters. We reviewed baseline CXRs and clinical data of consecutive patients who presented to our emergency department and resulted positive at SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase-PCR oropharyngeal swab test from March 1, 2020 to April 6, 2020. Lung abnormalities and their distribution were analyzed. A score of CXR severity was assigned by two radiologists, independently, according to the extent of lung involvement, with a maximum score of 8 for CXR. Correlations between the CXR score and the clinical data were assessed. One hundred fifty-five patients were included; 143/155 (92%) were positive at baseline CXR. Ground-glass opacity was the most common finding (141/143, 99%). Involvement was mainly bilateral (96/143, 67%), with peripheral distribution (79/143, 55%). The mean CXR severity score was 3.3 (±2); interobserver agreement was excellent, with a Cohen's K correlation coefficient of 0.901. The CXR score showed a significant positive correlation with C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, and fever duration, and a negative correlation with oxygen saturation. Chest X-ray findings are in line with those reported by computed tomography studies. The use of a visual CXR score, easy to assess and highly reproducible, can reflect the clinical severity and help the patients' management.

Chest computed tomography findings of COVID-19 pneumonia: pictorial essay with literature review.

Available information on chest Computed Tomography (CT) findings of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is constantly evolving. Ground glass opacities and consolidation with bilateral and peripheral distribution were reported as the most common CT findings, but also less typical features could be identified. All radiologists should be aware of the imaging spectrum of the COVID-19 pneumonia and imaging changes in the course of the disease. Our aim is to display the chest CT findings at first assessment and follow-up through a pictorial essay, to help in the recognition of these features for an accurate diagnosis.

How to Reorganize the Radiology Departments to Face the 2019 Coronavirus Disease Outbreak.

Radiology departments have been directly involved from the beginning of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emergency to provide imaging lung assessment of suspected and positive patients while ensuring the execution of other routine and emergency examinations for non-COVID-19 patients. To limit the risk of the infection spread, radiology departments should be reconfigured. We propose the example of the reorganization of the Radiology Department of our hospital, in the center of Milan, in Northern Italy, which consisted of the creation of 2 completely distinct pathways and distinct radiological machines for COVID-19 positive or suspected positive and for non-COVID-19 patients.

MRI of acute optic neuritis (ON) at the first episode: Can we predict the visual outcome and the development of multiple sclerosis (MS)?

AIM: Our aim was to assess MRI findings in the acute phase of ON and their correlation with visual acuity at presentation, visual outcome (VO) and MS development, to analyze a possible correlation between lesions number and diagnosis, and to assess correlation between orbits MRI and OCT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied 37 patients, who presented to our Emergency Department with an ON first episode from January 2015 to January 2017. Patients underwent immediately a complete neuro-ophthalmological evaluation, blood test, CSF analysis. MRI of brain, orbits, cervical spine was executed within 7 days from ON onset. Brain MRI was classified as: normal, non-specific, suspected demyelination, lesions with dissemination in space and time. Optic nerves findings were localized in three sites (intra-orbital, canalicular and chiasmal) and classified as: normal, STIR- alteration, altered contrast enhancement. Patients underwent neuro-ophthalmological follow-up and MRI at 6 months to assess VO (complete recovery, partial recovery, deficit persistence). Another follow-up at 1 year was performed to identify MS or clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). RESULTS: 64.8% patients received a diagnosis of MS; 35% of CIS. Lesions of the optic nerve were found in 65.8%. We observed statistically significant correlation between brain MRI pattern and diagnosis and between lesions number and diagnosis. We observed a statistically significant correlation between orbital MRI pattern and optical coherence tomography (OCT) results. MRI brain findings correlate with development of MS. MRI brain features and lesions number can predict the risk of MS conversion.

Unusual primary central nervous system lymphoma location involving the fourth ventricle and hypothalamus.

A previously healthy 65-year-old man presented with a two-week history of weight loss, headaches, blurred vision, asthenia and quickly worsening walking impairment. He denied photophobia, neck stiffness, fever, nausea or vomiting.Neurological examination showed global motor slowing, tendency to fall asleep during the clinical examination, generalized weakness against resistance to head and limbs, and osteotendon reflexes present in the upper limbs, but not evoked in the lower limbs. No sensitive deficit or focal neurologic sign was recognizable.Non-contrast multislice computed tomography (MSCT) of the head was performed in the emergency department, showing diffuse periventricular white matter and thalamic mild hyperdensity.Lumbar puncture, blood tests, including serology for HIV and other infections, were negative.On the third day the patient, showing decreased consciousness, underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with contrast medium injection. MRI revealed the presence of multiple pseudonodular avidly enhancing lesions, supra and infratentorial, crossing the midline, involving the ventricular system, including the fourth ventricle, with extension into the surrounding white matter, the corpus callosum, the thalamus and the hypothamalus.A stereotactic biopsy led to a diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, primarily located in the central nervous system (PCNSL).After the completion of the first phase of treatment (immunotherapy with intravenous Rituximab and corticosteroid), the MRI showed a marked regression of tumor masses.

Drug-eluting stent patency at 6 months in the pedal artery of a patient with polyarteritis nodosa: a case report.

Drug-eluting stents are largely used in coronary arteries and more recently in tibial arteries owing to their potentially better outcomes compared with bare metal stents. A patient with polyarteritis nodosa and critical limb ischemia and a dorsal foot ulcer was previously unsuccessfully treated with multiple angioplasties and subsequently underwent implantation of a drug-eluting stent in the pedal artery. At 6 months, stent patency on color Doppler ultrasound and complete healing of the foot ulcer were observed.

Transarterial chemoembolization with drug-eluting beads preloaded with irinotecan as a first-line approach in uveal melanoma liver metastases: tumor response and predictive value of diffusion-weighted MR imaging in five patients.

Five patients with uveal melanoma metastatic to the liver (two to five lesions per patient) were prospectively enrolled and treated with transarterial chemoembolization with drug-eluting beads preloaded with irinotecan as a first-line therapy. An overall response rate of 80% was obtained per Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors. All patients were alive after mean follow-up durations of 10.6 months and 16.3 months, respectively, after the first treatment and the diagnosis of liver metastasis. The apparent diffusion coefficient values obtained by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging were significantly lower in lesions that showed a response. These findings are very promising and can constitute the background for further studies involving larger cohorts of patients.