A prospective diagnostic accuracy study of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography, multidetector row computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging in primary diagnosis and staging of pancreatic cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively compare the accuracy of combined positron emission tomography/computed tomography using F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET/CT), multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of patients with suspected pancreatic malignancy. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: FDG-PET/CT imaging is increasingly used for staging of pancreatic cancer. Preliminary data suggest a significant influence of FDG-PET/CT on treatment planning, although its role is still evolving. METHODS: Thirty-eight consecutive patients with suspicion of pancreatic malignancy were enrolled. Patients underwent a protocol including FDG-PET/CT, MDCT, and MRI combined with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, all of which were blindly evaluated. The findings were confirmed macroscopically at operation and/or by histopathologic analysis (n = 29) or follow-up (n = 9). Results of TNM classification of different imaging methods were compared with clinical TNM classification. RESULTS: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma was diagnosed in 17 patients, neuroendocrine tumor in 3, mass-forming pancreatitis in 4, cystic lesion in 6, and fibrosis in 2. Six patients had a finding of a normal pancreas. The diagnostic accuracy of FDG-PET/CT for pancreatic malignancy was 89%, compared with 76% and 79% for MDCT and MRI, respectively. In the differential diagnosis of suspected malignant biliary stricture at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography (n = 21), FDG-PET/CT had a positive predictive value of 92%. In 17 patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma, FDG-PET/CT had a sensitivity of 30% for N- and 88% for M-staging. Both MDCT and MRI had sensitivities of 30% for N- and 38% for M-staging. Furthermore, the clinical management of 10 patients (26%) was altered after FDG-PET/CT. CONCLUSION: FDG-PET/CT was more sensitive than conventional imaging in the diagnosis of both primary pancreatic adenocarcinoma and associated distant metastases. In contrast, the sensitivity of FDG-PET/CT was poor in detecting local lymph node metastasis, which would have been important for an assessment of resectability. We recommend the use of FDG-PET/CT in the evaluation of diagnostically challenging cases, especially in patients with biliary strictures without evidence of malignancy in conventional imaging.

Late subjective results and symptomatic outcome after laparoscopic fundoplication.

Laparoscopic fundoplication is generally accepted as a routine surgical approach in the treatment of moderate or severe gastro-esophageal reflux disease. However, there are few reports on the long-term results after this procedure. Between 1996 and 2001, 468 patients underwent laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication of which 464 patients were available for follow-up. The follow-up data were collected both from the hospital records and by a structured questionnaire, which were completed by 441 patients (95%). Eighty-nine percent (n=394) of the patients regarded the result of their surgery excellent, good, or satisfactory at a median follow-up of 51 months. With the benefit of hindsight 83% of the patients would again choose surgical treatment. Eighty-seven percent of the patients had no significant reflux symptoms. Bloating or increased flatulence were the most common side-effects. One hundred thirty-two patients (30%) had started to use antireflux medications postoperatively, but only 51 of them used it daily. Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication provides a good and effective alternative to a life-long use of antireflux medication.

Comparison of long-term outcome of laparoscopic and conventional nissen fundoplication: a prospective randomized study with an 11-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the long-term objective and subjective outcomes of laparoscopic and open Nissen fundoplication in a randomized clinical trial with an 11-year follow-up. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication has become the method of choice in antireflux surgery, replacing its open counterpart despite the lack of long-term results from controlled clinical studies. METHODS: Between April 1992 and June 1995, 110 consecutive patients were randomized to either laparoscopic (LAP) or conventional (open) Nissen fundoplication. The objective long-term follow-up consisted of an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and a clinical assessment; the subjective long-term outcome was investigated by personal interviews using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients in the LAP group and 37 patients in the open group were available for evaluation. Late subjective results, including postoperative symptoms and evaluation of the surgical result, were similar in both groups. With the benefit of hindsight, 73.7% of the patients in the open group and 81.8% in the LAP group would again choose surgical treatment (P = 0.3042). In the LAP group, there were 5 (13.2%) partially or totally disrupted plications compared with the 14 (40.0%) disrupted plications in the open group (P = 0.0152). There were 10 incisional hernias in the open group compared with none in the LAP group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: At long-term follow-up, the open and LAP approaches for the Nissen fundoplication have similar long-term subjective symptomatic outcome despite the significantly higher incidence of incisional hernias and defective fundic wraps at endoscopy in the open group defining laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication as the procedure of choice in surgical management of gastroesophageal reflux disease.