Reporting of coronary artery calcification on chest CT studies in patients with interstitial lung disease.

AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of coronary artery calcification (CAC) on non-contrast computed tomography (CT) of the thorax in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), assess consistency of CAC reporting and assess incidence of subsequent cardiac events. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with known interstitial lung disease who underwent a CT thorax over a 2-year period were retrospectively reviewed. Presence of CAC was assessed using a visual scale for CAC reporting and graded as mild, moderate, or severe by two cardiothoracic radiologists. CT reports were reviewed to determine if presence of CAC had been described. Electronic medical records were reviewed for any subsequent cardiothoracic events from the date of the CT thorax to present. RESULTS: 254 patients were included in the analysis (54.7% men; mean age 59.9 yo). 43.7% had CAC on their CT thorax; however, in 87.3% of those, reports did not comment on its presence. 8 patients had cardiac events; 7 of them had CAC on CT although only in 1 case this was reported. Global CAC and LAD CAC Patients with cardiac events had a significantly higher global CAC (p=0.016) and LAD CAC (p=0.048) when compared to patients without. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated a high prevalence of CAC in ILD patients and its significant association with adverse cardiac events. Unfortunately, CAC on CT thorax is still largely unreported. As per recent BSCI/BSCCT and BSTI guidelines, reporting of CAC should become part of routine practice, as may prompt prevention and impact on patients outcome.

Contemporary interventional management of pulmonary embolism.

Minimally invasive interventional techniques are being utilised more frequently in the management of acute and chronic pulmonary emboli; however, robust clinical evidence is only emerging for the utilisation of these techniques. Hence, there is a need for a robust mechanism of patient selection and careful consideration of the benefits and risks of the interventions. In this review, we discuss the risk stratification mechanisms; the role of the multidisciplinary pulmonary embolism response team to support decision-making; and describe the various commonly used interventional techniques and how these can be integrated into treatment strategies for the benefit of our patients.

Pulmonary ischaemia without pulmonary arterial thrombus in COVID-19 patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a cohort study.

AIM: To evaluate the incidence of pulmonary ischaemia in COVID-19 patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and its correlation with pulmonary artery thrombosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Computed tomography (CT) thorax of all patients receiving ECMO with proven COVID-19 pneumonitis between March and May 2020 were analysed for the presence and extension of pulmonary thromboembolic disease. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients were reviewed. The mean (range) age of 45 (26-66) years; 38/51 (74.5%) were men. All patients had severe COVID-19 pneumonitis, and 18/51 (35.3%) had macroscopic thrombosis (15 with associated ischaemia); however, 13/51 (25.5%) patients had ischaemia without associated thrombus. CONCLUSION: The majority of patients with COVID-19 who received ECMO had areas of ischaemia within consolidated lungs, almost half of these without subtending pulmonary artery thrombosis. Although the prognostic significance of these findings is unclear, they are highly suggestive of lung ischaemia due to isolated microvascular immune thrombosis.

Automated computer-based CT stratification as a predictor of outcome in hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

BACKGROUND: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) has a variable clinical course. Modelling of quantitative CALIPER-derived CT data can identify distinct disease phenotypes. Mortality prediction using CALIPER analysis was compared to the interstitial lung disease gender, age, physiology (ILD-GAP) outcome model. METHODS: CALIPER CT analysis of parenchymal patterns in 98 consecutive HP patients was compared to visual CT scoring by two radiologists. Functional indices including forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco) in univariate and multivariate Cox mortality models. Automated stratification of CALIPER scores was evaluated against outcome models. RESULTS: Univariate predictors of mortality included visual and CALIPER CT fibrotic patterns, and all functional indices. Multivariate analyses identified only two independent predictors of mortality: CALIPER reticular pattern (p = 0.001) and DLco (p < 0.0001). Automated stratification distinguished three distinct HP groups (log-rank test p < 0.0001). Substitution of automated stratified groups for FVC and DLco in the ILD-GAP model demonstrated no loss of model strength (C-Index = 0.73 for both models). Model strength improved when automated stratified groups were combined with the ILD-GAP model (C-Index = 0.77). CONCLUSIONS: CALIPER-derived variables are the strongest CT predictors of mortality in HP. Automated CT stratification is equivalent to functional indices in the ILD-GAP model for predicting outcome in HP. KEY POINTS: • Computer CT analysis better predicts mortality than visual CT analysis in HP. • Quantitative CT analysis is equivalent to functional indices for prognostication in HP. • Prognostication using the ILD-GAP model improves when combined with quantitative CT analysis.

The influence of inspiratory effort and emphysema on pulmonary nodule volumetry reproducibility.

AIM: To evaluate the impact of inspiratory effort and emphysema on reproducibility of pulmonary nodule volumetry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-eight nodules in 24 patients with emphysema were studied retrospectively. All patients had undergone volumetric inspiratory and end-expiratory thoracic computed tomography (CT) for consideration of bronchoscopic lung volume reduction. Inspiratory and expiratory nodule volumes were measured using commercially available software. Local emphysema extent was established by analysing a segmentation area extended circumferentially around each nodule (quantified as percent of lung with density of -950 HU or less). Lung volumes were established using the same software. Differences in inspiratory and expiratory nodule volumes were illustrated using the Bland-Altman test. The influences of percentage reduction in lung volume at expiration, local emphysema extent, and nodule size on nodule volume variability were tested with multiple linear regression. RESULTS: The majority of nodules (59/88 [67%]) showed an increased volume at expiration. Mean difference in nodule volume between expiration and inspiration was +7.5% (95% confidence interval: -24.1, 39.1%). No relationships were demonstrated between nodule volume variability and emphysema extent, degree of expiration, or nodule size. CONCLUSION: Expiration causes a modest increase in volumetry-derived nodule volumes; however, the effect is unpredictable. Local emphysema extent had no significant effect on volume variability in the present cohort.

Hysterectomy for recurrent postmenopausal bleeding revisited: missed sclerosing stromal ovarian tumour.

Sclerosing stromal tumour of the ovary is rare. Patients present with menstrual irregularities, pelvic pain, abdominal distension, and presence of a large pelvic mass during their twenties or thirties. We report a rare case of an ovarian sclerosing stromal tumour with an atypical presentation, in that it gave rise to recurrent postmenopausal bleeding.

Impact of choice of volumetry software and nodule management guidelines on recall rates in lung cancer screening.

PURPOSE: Appropriate lung nodule management is essential to minimizing unnecessary patient recall in lung cancer screening. Two European guidelines provide differing recommendations in that participants with nodules ≥100 mm3 or ≥80 mm3 respectively should be recalled, at baseline. Nodule size estimation is known to vary between volumetry software packages (VSPs). The aim of this study was to examine the impact of choice of VSP on participant recall rates, when applying different European nodule management guidelines. An additional aim was to compare recall rates between 7 VSPs and manual diameter measurements. METHODS: 156 small-sized lung nodules (50-150 mm3) from the UK Lung Screening trial were measured using 7 different VSPs (VSP1-7) and also using manual diameter. The type of VSP used in the NELSON study (VSP1), on which European nodule management guidelines are based, provided the reference standard. Nodule size was compared using Bland Altman, and recall rates by Mcnemar's test. RESULTS: Compared to the reference standard, a 100 mm3 threshold for recall, resulted in no difference in recall rates only for VSP 5 & 7. Using an 80mm3 threshold resulted in no difference in recall rates for VSP2 & 6. Recall rates were significantly higher for VSP 4 regardless of threshold and when using manual diameter measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Appropriate nodule size thresholds for recall in screening depend on the type of volumetry software used. The results highlight the importance of benchmarking of volumetry packages.

Loco-regional staging of malignant pleural mesothelioma by integrated 18F-FDG PET/MRI.

AIM: To examine the performance of 18F-FDG PET/MRI in the loco-regional staging of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). METHODS: Consecutive subjects with MPM undergoing pre-operative staging with 18F-FDG PET/CT who underwent a same day integrated 18F-FDG PET/MRI were prospectively studied. Clinical TNM staging (AJCC 7th edition) was performed separately and in consensus by two readers on the 18F-FDG PET/MRI studies, and compared with staging by 18F-FDG PET/CT, and with final pathological stage, determined by a combination of intra-operative and histological findings. RESULTS: 10 subjects (9 male, mean age 68 years) with biopsy-proven MPM (9 epithelioid tumours, 1 biphasic) were included. One subject underwent neo-adjuvant chemotherapy between imaging and surgery and was excluded from the clinical versus pathological stage analysis. Pathological staging was concordant with staging by 18F-FDG PET/MRI in 67% (n = 6) of subjects, and with 18F-FDG PET/CT staging in 33% (n = 3). Pathological T stage was concordant with 18F-FDG PET/MRI in 78% (n = 7), and with 18F-FDG PET/CT in 33% (n = 3) of subjects. Pathological N stage was concordant with both 18F-FDG PET/MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT in 78% (n = 7) of cases. No subject had metastatic disease. There was good inter-observer agreement for overall PET/MRI staging (weighted kappa 0.63) with moderate inter-reader agreement for T staging (weighted kappa 0.59). All 6 subjects with prior talc pleurodesis demonstrated mismatch between elevated FDG uptake and restricted diffusion in areas of visible talc deposition. CONCLUSION: Clinical MPM staging by 18F-FDG PET/MRI is feasible, and potentially provides more accurate loco-regional staging than PET/CT, particularly in T staging.

Fine-needle aspiration cytology of thyroid nodules--how well are we doing?

OBJECTIVES: To review the accuracy of fine-needle aspiration cytology in diagnosing non-toxic thyroid nodules and determine what factors are predictive of malignancy in patients with indeterminate cytology results. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Regional hospital, Hong Kong. PATIENTS: Patients with non-toxic thyroid nodules undergoing thyroidectomy from December 1999 to December 2003. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of fine-needle aspiration cytology, predictive factors for malignancy in patients with indeterminate fine-needle aspiration cytology results. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of fine-needle aspiration cytology were 54%, 100%, 100%, and 75% respectively. For the 92 patients with fine-needle aspiration cytology reported as 'indeterminate for malignancy', aspiration cytology subgroup (P=0.005) and age (P=0.001) were significant risk factors for diagnosing malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: Fine-needle aspiration cytology has high positive predictive value for thyroid cancer, enabling us to 'rule-in' malignant lesions with confidence. Among those with indeterminate fine-needle aspiration cytology, atypical cell lesions and age greater than 40 years conferred increased risk of malignancy.

Pulmonary pathological features in coronavirus associated severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) became a worldwide outbreak with a mortality of 9.2%. This new human emergent infectious disease is dominated by severe lower respiratory illness and is aetiologically linked to a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV). METHODS: Pulmonary pathology and clinical correlates were investigated in seven patients who died of SARS in whom there was a strong epidemiological link. Investigations include a review of clinical features, morphological assessment, histochemical and immunohistochemical stainings, ultrastructural study, and virological investigations in postmortem tissue. RESULTS: Positive viral culture for coronavirus was detected in most premortem nasopharyngeal aspirate specimens (five of six) and postmortem lung tissues (two of seven). Viral particles, consistent with coronavirus, could be detected in lung pneumocytes in most of the patients. These features suggested that pneumocytes are probably the primary target of infection. The pathological features were dominated by diffuse alveolar damage, with the presence of multinucleated pneumocytes. Fibrogranulation tissue proliferation in small airways and airspaces (bronchiolitis obliterans organising pneumonia-like lesions) in subpleural locations was also seen in some patients. CONCLUSIONS: Viable SARS-CoV could be isolated from postmortem tissues. Postmortem examination allows tissue to be sampled for virological investigations and ultrastructural examination, and when coupled with the appropriate lung morphological changes, is valuable to confirm the diagnosis of SARS-CoV, particularly in clinically unapparent or suspicious but unconfirmed cases.