Impact of Interventional Oncology Therapies on Tumor Microenvironment and Strategies to Enhance Their Efficacy.

OBJECTIVE: We provide a brief review of the tumor microenvironment, the impact of six interventional radiology treatments on the tumor microenvironment, and potential methods to improve treatment efficacy. CONCLUSION: Interventional oncology plays a unique role in cancer therapy, contributing to both antitumorigenic and protumorigenic effects.

Proposal of a New Adverse Event Classification by the Society of Interventional Radiology Standards of Practice Committee.

PURPOSE: To develop a new adverse event (AE) classification for the interventional radiology (IR) procedures and evaluate its clinical, research, and educational value compared with the existing Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) classification via an SIR member survey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A new AE classification was developed by members of the Standards of Practice Committee of the SIR. Subsequently, a survey was created by a group of 18 members from the SIR Standards of Practice Committee and Service Lines. Twelve clinical AE case scenarios were generated that encompassed a broad spectrum of IR procedures and potential AEs. Survey questions were designed to evaluate the following domains: educational and research values, accountability for intraprocedural challenges, consistency of AE reporting, unambiguity, and potential for incorporation into existing quality-assurance framework. For each AE scenario, the survey participants were instructed to answer questions about the proposed and existing SIR classifications. SIR members were invited via online survey links, and 68 members participated among 140 surveyed. Answers on new and existing classifications were evaluated and compared statistically. Overall comparison between the two surveys was performed by generalized linear modeling. RESULTS: The proposed AE classification received superior evaluations in terms of consistency of reporting (P < .05) and potential for incorporation into existing quality-assurance framework (P < .05). Respondents gave a higher overall rating to the educational and research value of the new compared with the existing classification (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: This study proposed an AE classification system that outperformed the existing SIR classification in the studied domains.

Safety and Short-Term Complication Rates Using Single-Puncture T-Fastener Gastropexy.

PURPOSE: To report a single operator's experience using a modified single-puncture gastrostomy technique deploying up to three nonabsorbable gastropexy anchors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of 69 consecutive patients undergoing gastrostomy, gastrojejunostomy, or jejunostomy tube insertion between March 2012 and January 2014 was performed. Technical success and 30-day local, major, and minor complication rates were assessed according to the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) Standards of Practice for Gastrointestinal Access. Procedure time was also recorded. RESULTS: Primary technical success of the procedure was 98.6% (68/69). In one patient, the procedure was aborted because the stomach could not be safely accessed. Major complications occurred in one of 69 (1.4%) patients, minor complications occurred in 10 of 69 (13%) patients, and local complications occurred in three of 69 (4.3%) patients. Local complications consisted of redness and mild tenderness at the enteric access site. Mean procedure time was 5 minutes (range, 3.1-36 min). CONCLUSIONS: Single-puncture, multianchor gastrostomy is a feasible technique for radiologically guided enteric access tube insertion with technical success and complication rates similar to conventional gastrostomy techniques. This technique could be considered when expeditious performance of a procedure is required.

The Utility of Peripheral Nerve Blocks in Interventional Radiology.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to provide an overview of peripheral nerve blocks, the use of peripheral nerve block within and outside interventional radiology, and the complications of peripheral nerve block. CONCLUSION: Interventional radiologists are often responsible for sedation and pain management in the majority of interventional radiology procedures. Peripheral nerve block is increasingly being used in interventional radiology.

Risk factors for pneumothorax complicating radiofrequency ablation for lung malignancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To assess the potential risk factors for pneumothorax secondary to pulmonary radiofrequency (RF) ablation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six electronic databases were searched from inception to February 2014 for studies assessing potential patient-related, tumor-related, or treatment-related risk factors for pneumothorax during pulmonary RF ablation. Study selection, data collection, and quality assessment were done by three independent reviewers. RESULTS: Among 771 studies identified in the search, 10 retrospective cohort studies met inclusion criteria. There were 981 patients (61.5% male) with a mean age of 64.2 years included (259 primary lung tumors, 722 metastatic tumors). The prevalence of pneumothorax was 37% (95% confidence interval [CI], 29%-46%) in 1,916 RF ablation sessions. The potential patient-related and tumor-related risk factors for pneumothorax were increased age (mean difference [MD], 2.09; 95% CI [0.11-4.06]; I(2) = 0%), male gender (unadjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.20; 95% CI [1.49-3.27]; I(2) = 0%), no history of lung surgery (unadjusted OR, 0.29; 95% CI [0.19-0.44]; I(2) = 0%), and a greater number of tumors ablated (MD, 0.50; 95% CI [0.27-0.73]; I(2) = 0%). CONCLUSION: Based on available observational studies, the results suggest risk factors for pneumothorax secondary to pulmonary RF ablation may include increased age, male gender, no history of lung surgery, number of tumors ablated, and increased length of the aerated lung traversed by the electrode. The findings from this systematic review should be interpreted with caution because of the inherent limitations of the retrospective observational design.

Pelvic congestion syndrome: etiology of pain, diagnosis, and clinical management.

Pelvic congestion syndrome is associated with pelvic varicosities that result in chronic pelvic pain, especially in the setting of prolonged standing, coitus, menstruation, and pregnancy. Although the underlying pathophysiology of pelvic congestion syndrome is unclear, it probably results from a combination of dysfunctional venous valves, retrograde blood flow, venous hypertension, and dilatation. Asymptomatic women may also have pelvic varicosities, making pelvic congestion syndrome difficult to diagnose. This article explores the etiologies of pain, use of imaging techniques, and clinical management of pelvic congestion syndrome. Possible explanations for the spectrum of pain among women with pelvic varicosities are also discussed.

Image-guided intervention in management of complications of portal hypertension: more than TIPS for success.

Management of clinically important sequelae of portal hypertension, such as variceal bleeding and ascites, may involve a combination of medical, endoscopic, surgical, and interventional approaches and procedures. Although clinically significant esophageal and rectal varices are typically visible endoscopically, ectopic varices may require multiplanar portal venous phase computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosis. A detailed understanding of individual vascular anatomy, flow dynamics, and patient-related factors such as cardiac and hepatic status is necessary for appropriate treatment selection in patients with complicated portal hypertension. The hepatic venous pressure gradient is the key indirect measurement of portal venous pressure. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement is regarded as the archetypal intervention for treating complicated portal hypertension by reducing portal pressure. Various modifications, such as direct portocaval shunt, may be used in patients with challenging vascular anatomy. A subset of patients with obstructed hepatic venous outflow or portal venous inflow should be considered for recanalization. Splenic artery embolization may be considered for reduction of portal pressure in selected patients, particularly when hypersplenism or splenic vein occlusion is a prominent feature. Gastric and ectopic varices may bleed even when the portal pressure is low, and balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) in such patients may lead to equal or improved outcome compared with TIPS placement. BRTO is not limited by poor hepatic reserve or encephalopathy; however, it does not reduce portal pressure and may aggravate esophageal varices. Interventional radiology plays an important role in maintaining the patency of surgically created portosystemic shunts, and it remains at the forefront of new approaches in shunt design and placement. Supplemental material available at http://radiographics.rsna.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1148/rg.335125166/-/DC1.