Visceral obesity with and without metabolic syndrome: incidence and clinical impact in esophageal adenocarcinoma treated with curative intent.

Visceral obesity (VO) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are risk factors for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC); however, their impact on operative and oncological outcomes is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of VO and MetS among patients with EAC, and to assess their independent impact on operative and oncological outcomes. A total of 454 consecutive patients undergoing treatment with curative intent were studied. Total, subcutaneous, visceral fat area (VFA), and lean body mass (LBM) were measured by computed tomography pretreatment, with VO defined as VFA >163.8cm2 for men and 80.1cm2 for women. MetS was defined per the ATPIII definition. Multivariable logistic and Cox proportional hazards regression were utilized to determine independent predictors of oncologic and operative outcomes. A total of 227 patients (50.0%) had VO. A total of 134 (30%) overall had MetS, 44% in the VO cohort. VO was associated with Barrett's esophagus (P = 0.002) and lower cT (P = 0.006) and cN stage (P = 0.011), and improved disease-specific (P = 0.021) and overall survival (P = 0.012). No survival benefit existed for patients with VO who also had MetS. For operative complications, neither VO nor MetS increased the severity of complications, or mortality. However, VO was significantly (P = 0.035) associated with anastomotic leak and pneumonia (P = 0.037). MetS alone did not increase complication risk. VO increases specific major operative complications with no increase in mortality. VO improved survival, mainly relating to earlier stage disease; however, co-existent MetS abrogated this benefit. These seemingly paradoxical outcomes highlight manageable and potentially targetable perioperative challenges in the context of an overall favorable oncologic vista.

Accuracy of Opportunistic Bone Mineral Density Assessment on Staging Computed Tomography for Gynaecological Cancers.

Background and Objectives: Women with gynecological cancers constitute a high-risk cohort for loss of bone density. International guidance stipulates women undergoing cancer treatments associated with bone loss should have a quantitative assessment of bone density. Access to Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) is limited. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of opportunistic bone density measurement on staging computed tomography (CT) scans for gynaecological malignancies, in comparison to the gold standard DXA. Materials and Methods: Women with a staging CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis for a new diagnosis of gynecological cancer were recruited. DXA was performed within 6 weeks of treatment for gynaecological cancer. Lumbar bone density was measured by CT attenuation values, in Hounsfield units (HU), of the anterior trabecular region. Correlations between CT and DXA parameters were analysed. Receiver Operating Characteristic(ROC) curves for diagnosis of low bone density and osteoporosis were analysed. Results: Final cohort included 48 of 50 women recruited. There was good diagnostic accuracy for abnormal bone density and osteoporosis, with areas under the ROC curve at L1 of 0.77 (p = 0.002) and 0.80 (p = 0.020) respectively. CT-HU of 170-190 yielded sensitivities of 87-90%, positive predictive values of 75-84% and negative predictive values of 71-75% for the diagnosis of low bone mineral density. CT-HU of 90-110 yielded specificities of 85-93% for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Moderate correlations were found between CT-HU and both DXA T-scores and diagnostic categories. Conclusions: This is the first study to assess the opportunistic application of CT in the assessment of bone health in women with gynaecological cancer, a cohort at high-risk of osteoporosis. The correlation between bone density assessment in CT-HU and DXA, and strong AUC values for the diagnosis of low bone density (0.77) and osteoporosis (0.80) support this pragmatic solution in resolving the care-gap in cancer treatment-induced bone loss, often associated with poor access to DXA.

CT-guided Lung Biopsy: Effect of Biopsy-side Down Position on Pneumothorax and Chest Tube Placement.

Background Supine or prone positioning of the patient on the gantry table is the current standard of care for CT-guided lung biopsy; positioning biopsy side down was hypothesized to be associated with lower pneumothorax rate. Purpose To assess the effect of positioning patients biopsy side down during CT-guided lung biopsy on the incidence of pneumothorax, chest drain placement, and hemoptysis. Materials and Methods This retrospective study was performed between January 2013 and December 2016 in a tertiary referral oncology center. Patients undergoing CT-guided lung biopsy were either positioned in (a) the standard prone or supine position or (b) the lateral decubitus position with the biopsy side down. The relationship between patient position and pneumothorax, drain placement, and hemoptysis was assessed by using multivariable logistic regression models. Results A total of 373 consecutive patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 68 years ± 10), including 196 women and 177 men, were included in the study. Among these patients, 184 were positioned either prone or supine depending on the most direct path to the lesion and 189 were positioned biopsy side down. Pneumothorax occurred in 50 of 184 (27.2%) patients who were positioned either prone or supine and in 20 of 189 (10.6%) patients who were positioned biopsy side down (P < .001). Drain placement was required in 10 of 184 (5.4%) patients who were positioned either prone or supine and in eight of 189 (4.2%) patients who were positioned biopsy side down (P = .54). Hemoptysis occurred in 19 of 184 (10.3%) patients who were positioned prone or supine and in 10 of 189 (5.3%) patients who were positioned biopsy side down (P = .07). Prone or supine patient position (P = .001, odds ratio [OR] = 2.7 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.4, 4.9]), emphysema along the needle path (P = .02, OR = 2.1 [95% CI: 1.1, 4.0]), and lesion size (P = .02, OR = 1.0 [95% CI: 0.9, 1.0]) were independent risk factors for developing pneumothorax. Conclusion Positioning a patient biopsy side down for percutaneous CT-guided lung biopsy reduced the incidence of pneumothorax compared with the supine or prone position. © RSNA, 2019.

Sarcopenia: Prevalence, and Impact on Operative and Oncologic Outcomes in the Multimodal Management of Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article was to study the prevalence and significance of sarcopenia in the multimodal management of locally advanced esophageal cancer (LAEC), and to assess its independent impact on operative and oncologic outcomes. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Sarcopenia in cancer may confer negative outcomes, but its prevalence and impact on modern multimodal regimens for LAEC have not been systematically studied. METHODS: Two hundred fifty-two consecutive patients were studied. Lean body mass (LBM), skeletal muscle index (SMI), and fat mass (FM) were determined pre-treatment, preoperatively, and 1 year postoperatively. Sarcopenia was defined by computed tomography (CT) at L3 as SMI < 52.4 cm/m for males and SMI < 38.5 cm/m for females. All complications were recorded prospectively, including comprehensive complications index (CCI), Clavien-Dindo complication (CDC), and pulmonary complications (PPCs). Multivariable linear, logistic, and Cox regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: In-hospital mortality was 1%, and CCI was 21 ±â€Š19. Sarcopenia increased (P = 0.02) from 16% at diagnosis to 31% post-neoadjuvant therapy, with loss of LBM (-3.0 ±â€Š5.4 kg, P < 0.0001), but not FM (-0.3 ±â€Š2.7 kg, P= 0.31) during treatment. On multivariable analysis, preoperative sarcopenia was associated with CCI (P = 0.043), and CDC ≥IIIb (P = 0.003). PPCs occurred in 36% nonsarcopenic versus 55% sarcopenic patients (P = 0.01). Sarcopenia did not impact disease-specific (P = 0.14) or overall survival (P = 0.11) after resection. At 1 year, 35% had sarcopenia, significantly associated with pre-treatment BMI (P = 0.013) but not complications (P = 0.20). CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia increases through multimodal therapy, is associated with an increased risk of major postoperative complications, and is prevalent in survivorship. These data highlight a potentially modifiable marker of risk that should be assessed and targeted in modern multimodal care pathways.

Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration of thyroid nodules: factors affecting diagnostic outcomes and confounding variables.

Background The incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing in men and women. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is an accepted technique to assess thyroid nodules but is associated with a high rate of non-diagnostic sampling. Purpose To assess the diagnostic performance of ultrasound-guided FNA of thyroid nodules and identify factors associated with non-diagnostic sampling. Material and Methods A retrospective review of thyroid FNAs was performed between 2006 and 2013. Patient demographics, nodule characteristics, procedural technique, cytology, and complications were recorded. Cytology was categorized THY1-5 based on the British Thyroid Association guidelines. Descriptive and multivariable analysis were conducted to identify factors associated with non-diagnostic sampling. Results A total of 724 procedures were identified with 597 (82.5%) in women, and an overall mean age of 40 years (age range, 17-87 years). Factors associated with a non-diagnostic outcome in the multivariable regression analysis included increasing lesion depth (OR, 1.05 per mm; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.007-1.10), age (OR, 1.012 per year; 95% CI, 1.0-1.025) and number of FNA passes (1 vs. 4+; OR, 6.07; 95% CI, 2.27-16.21). The complication rate was 1.1% related to perilesional hematomas and vaso-vagal episodes. Conclusion Thyroid FNA is a safe and reliable procedure for cytological assessment of thyroid nodules. Deeper nodules and older patients are more likely to have non-diagnostic samples.

Delayed Growth in Incidental Pancreatic Cysts: Are the Current American College of Radiology Recommendations for Follow-up Appropriate?

PURPOSE: To evaluate growth kinetics of asymptomatic small (<2 cm) incidental pancreatic cysts and to assess potential implications of these in the context of current American College of Radiology recommendations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This institutional review board-approved HIPAA-compliant retrospective study with waiver of informed consent included patients with asymptomatic small incidental pancreatic cysts (diameter, 5-20 mm) with two or more magnetic resonance (MR) examinations performed at least 6 months apart at a tertiary institution. The largest cyst dimension was measured on T2-weighted single-shot fast spin-echo images by one of six radiologists (1-3 years of experience) who were trained to measure pancreatic cysts in a similar manner. All analysis was conducted at the patient level by choosing the cyst that exhibited the greatest growth over the follow-up period in each patient. Fisher exact, χ(2), and Kruskal-Wallis tests and analysis of variance were used to test correlation between cyst characteristics and growth. RESULTS: A total of 259 patients (mean age, 65 years ± 11 [standard deviation], male-to-female ratio, 42:58) with 370 asymptomatic small incidental pancreatic cysts were included. At presentation, median cyst size was 9.4 mm (interquartile range [IQR], 7.0-12.2 mm), and 64 patients (25%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 20, 30) had septations. The median imaging follow-up period was 2.2 years (IQR, 1.2-3.9 years; range, 0.5-11.0 years), with a median of three MR examinations (IQR, two to four examinations) per patient. In 171 (66%; 95% CI: 60, 72) of the 259 patients, cysts remained stable; in 18 (7%; 95% CI: 4, 11), cysts shrank; and in 70 (27%; 95% CI: 22, 33), cysts grew (median total growth and median annual growth of 4.8 mm and 2.3 mm/y, respectively). Age, cyst size, and cyst septation at presentation were not predictive of growth. Overall, 29 (11%), 16 (6%), and four (1.5%) of the cysts increased in size after 1, 2, and 3 years of initial stability, respectively. Of the 18 patients who underwent pancreatic surgery, only one patient with an intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm had high-grade dysplasia. One patient developed pancreatic adenocarcinoma remotely at the location of the pancreatic cyst diagnosed 11 months prior. CONCLUSION: In the majority of patients, asymptomatic small incidental pancreatic cysts remained stable during a median follow-up period of 2.2 years; however, in 27% of patients, cysts increased in size over time, with 11% growing after an initial 1-year period of stability. Current American College of Radiology recommendations to discontinue imaging follow-up after 1 year of stability may need to be reevaluated.

Towards 24/7 MRI: the effect of routine weekend inpatient MRI scanning on patient waiting times.

BACKGROUND: Demand for inpatient MRI outstrips capacity which results in long waiting lists. The hospital commenced a routine weekend MRI service in January 2023. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a limited routine weekend MRI service on MRI turnaround times. METHODS: Waiting times for inpatient MRI scans performed before and after the introduction of weekend MRI from January 1 to August 31, 2022, and January 1 to August 31, 2023, were obtained. The turnaround time (TAT) and request category for each study were calculated. Category 1 requests were required immediately, category 2 requests were urgent and category 3 requests were routine. RESULTS: There was a 6% (n = 128) increase in MRI inpatient scanning activity in 2023 (n = 2449) compared to 2022 (n = 2322). There was a significant improvement in overall mean TAT for inpatient MRIs (p < .001) in 2023 (mean 65.2 h, range 0-555 h) compared to 2022 (mean 98.3 h, range 0-816 h). There was no significant difference in the mean waiting time for category 1 MRIs between 2022 and 2023. There was a significant improvement (p < .001) in mean waiting time in 2023 (mean 37.2 h, range 0-555) compared to 2022 (mean 55.4 h, range 0-816) for category 2 MRI. The mean waiting time for category 3 studies also significantly improved (p < .001) in 2023 (mean 93.4 h, range 1-2663) when compared to 2022 (mean 154.8, range 1-1706). CONCLUSION: Routine weekend inpatient MRI significantly shortens inpatient waiting times.

MRI evaluation of acute appendicitis in pregnancy.

In recent years, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become a valuable diagnostic tool for evaluation of acute abdominal pain in pregnancy. MRI offers an opportunity to identify the normal or inflamed appendix as well as a variety of other pathologic conditions that can masquerade clinically as acute appendicitis in pregnant women. Visualization of the normal appendix by MRI virtually excludes the diagnosis of acute appendicitis and may help reduce the negative laparotomy rate in this patient population. Here we discuss a comprehensive MRI protocol for evaluation of pregnant women with abdominal pain, focusing on the appearance and location of the normal and diseased appendix, and we describe an approach to diagnosing acute appendicitis and other conditions with MRI.

Post-endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy bleeding: an interventional radiology approach.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic sphincterotomy is an integral component of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Post-sphincterotomy hemorrhage is a recognized complication. First line treatment involves a variety of endoscopic techniques performed at the time of sphincterotomy. If these are not successful, transcatheter arterial embolization or open surgical vessel ligation are therapeutic considerations. PURPOSE: To evaluate the technical and clinical success of transcatheter arterial embolization via micro coils in the management of bleeding post-endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES). MATERIAL AND METHODS: An 8-year retrospective review of all patients referred for transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for management of post-ES bleeding not controlled by endoscopy was performed. We analyzed the findings at endoscopy, angiography, interventional procedure, and the technical and clinical success. RESULTS: Twelve embolization procedures were performed in 11 patients. Technical success was achieved in 11 of 12 procedures. Branches embolized included the gastroduodenal artery (GDA) in 11 cases, the superior pancreaticoduodenal artery (SPDA) in one case, and the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery (IPDA) in four cases. Clinical success was achieved in 10 of 11 patients. One patient was referred for surgical intervention due to rebleeding from the IPDA. CONCLUSION: Our experience demonstrates that TAE can effectively control bleeding post-ES avoiding the need for invasive surgery in most patients.

Evaluation of depth of myometrial invasion and overall staging in endometrial cancer: comparison of diffusion-weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging.

PURPOSE: To compare the diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with that of dynamic contrast material-enhanced (DCE) MR imaging in evaluating the depth of myometrial invasion and overall stage in patients with endometrial cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The institutional review board approved this retrospective study; patient consent was not required. From May 2008 to February 2010, 48 women with endometrial cancer underwent preoperative MR imaging, including T1- and T2-weighted imaging, DW MR imaging (b=0 and 800 sec/mm2) and DCE MR imaging. Two radiologists independently interpreted the depth of myometrial invasion, overall stage, and presence of pitfalls associated with inaccurate assessment of myometrial invasion at T1- and T2-weighted imaging, DW MR imaging, and DCE MR imaging. Myometrial invasion and overall stage were compared by using the McNemar test, and κ statistics were used for reader agreement. RESULTS: For assessing the depth of myometrial invasion, diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, respectively, were as follows: DW MR imaging-reader 1, 90%, 84%, and 100%; reader 2, 85%, 84%, and 88%; DCE MR imaging-reader 1, 71%, 61%, and 88%; reader 2, 79%, 77%, and 82%. The improvement in diagnostic accuracy for reader 1 was significant (P=.035). For myometrial invasion, κ values were 0.75 with DW MR imaging and 0.26 with DCE MR imaging. There was no association between inaccurate assessment of myometrial invasion and standard pitfalls with DW MR imaging. Readers 1 and 2 correctly staged more patients by using DW MR imaging (39 and 38 patients, respectively) than by using DCE MR imaging (29 and 30 patients, respectively) (P<.05). For overall stage, κ values were 0.74 with DW MR imaging and 0.22 with DCE MR imaging. CONCLUSION: DW MR imaging has superior diagnostic accuracy in the assessment of myometrial invasion and significantly higher staging accuracy compared with DCE MR imaging.

FIGO staging system for endometrial cancer: added benefits of MR imaging.

Endometrial cancer is the most commonly diagnosed gynecologic malignancy in the United States. This pathologic condition is staged with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) system. The FIGO staging system recently underwent significant revision, which has important implications for radiologists. Key changes incorporated into the 2009 FIGO staging system include simplification of stage I disease and removal of cervical mucosal invasion as a distinct stage. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is essential for the preoperative staging of endometrial cancer because it can accurately depict the depth of myometrial invasion, which is the most important morphologic prognostic factor and correlates with tumor grade, presence of lymph node metastases, and overall patient survival. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging and dynamic contrast medium-enhanced MR imaging are useful adjuncts to standard morphologic imaging and may improve overall staging accuracy.

Evolution of CT pulmonary angiography: referral patterns and diagnostic yield in 2009 compared with 2006.

BACKGROUND: CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) is an increasingly popular imaging test for assessing patients with acute chest pain. PURPOSE: To evaluate the number of CTPA performed in 2009 compared with 2006 and assess the frequency of pulmonary embolus (PE) versus alternative diagnoses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Numbers of CTPA and V/Q scans performed in a six-month period of 2006 and 2009 were established by review of the hospital radiology information system. CTPAs were evaluated by two radiologists in consensus and the incidence of pulmonary embolism and alternative diagnoses in 2006 and 2009 were recorded. RESULTS: The final study groups were 99 patients who underwent CTPA in 2006 and 149 patients in 2009. There was a significant fall in the incidence of PE identified on CTPA in 2009 compared to 2006 (11% versus 21%, P = 0.04). There was a non-significant rise in the incidence of alternative diagnoses in 2009 compared to 2006 (45% versus 40%, P = 0.48). Nine types of alternative radiological diagnoses were made on CTPA, the most common of which was pneumonia in both time periods (17% and 12%). Eighty-seven V/Q scans were performed in the study period in 2006, compared to 109 in 2009. The incidence of PE identified on V/Q scanning remained stable (8% in 2009 versus 12% in 2006, P = 0.44). CONCLUSION: The numbers of CTPAs being performed has increased in three years. The incidence of PE identified has fallen and there has been a modest increase in the number of alternative diagnoses.

Differential Effects of Dietary versus Exercise Intervention on Intrahepatic MAIT Cells and Histological Features of NAFLD.

BACKGROUND: Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells promote inflammation in obesity and are implicated in the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, as the intrahepatic MAIT cell response to lifestyle intervention in NAFLD has not been investigated, this work aimed to examine circulating and intrahepatic MAIT cell populations in patients with NAFLD, after either 12 weeks of dietary intervention (DI) or aerobic exercise intervention (EI). METHODS: Multicolour flow cytometry was used to immunophenotype circulating and intrahepatic MAIT cells and measure MAIT cell expression (median fluorescence intensity, MFI) of the activation marker CD69 and apoptotic marker CD95. Liver histology, clinical parameters, and MAIT cell populations were assessed at baseline (T0) and following completion (T1) of DI or EI. RESULTS: Forty-five patients completed the study. DI participants showed decreased median (interquartile range) expression of the activation marker CD69 on circulating MAIT cells (T0: 104 (134) versus T1 27 (114) MFI; p = 0.0353) and improvements in histological steatosis grade post-intervention. EI participants showed increased expression of the apoptotic marker CD95, both in circulating (T0: 1549 (888) versus T1: 2563 (1371) MFI; p = 0.0043) and intrahepatic MAIT cells (T0: 2724 (862) versus T1: 3117 (1622) MFI; p = 0.0269). Moreover, the percentage of intrahepatic MAIT cells significantly decreased after EI (T0: 11.1 (14.4) versus T1: 5.3 (9.3)%; p = 0.0029), in conjunction with significant improvements in fibrosis stage and hepatocyte ballooning. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate independent benefits from dietary and exercise intervention and suggest a role for intrahepatic MAIT cells in the observed histological improvements in NAFLD.

T1-weighted fat-suppressed imaging of the pelvis with a dual-echo Dixon technique: initial clinical experience.

PURPOSE: To compare the image quality of water-only images generated from a dual-echo Dixon technique with that of standard fast spin-echo T1-weighted chemical shift fat-suppressed images obtained in patients evaluated for pelvic pain with a 1.5-T magnetic resonance (MR) system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ethics board granted approval for this retrospective study; patient consent was not required. Twenty-five women underwent both standard axial T1-weighted fast spin-echo chemical shift fat-suppressed imaging and dual-echo Dixon imaging of the pelvis. Two readers independently scored the acquisitions for image quality, fat suppression quality, and artifact. On the basis of signal intensity measurements, the uniformity of fat suppression, the contrast between fat-suppressed and non-fat-suppressed tissue, and the contrast between pathologic lesions and suppressed fat were calculated. Values obtained with the T1-weighted fat-suppressed and dual-echo Dixon techniques were compared by using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULTS: The images generated with the dual-echo Dixon technique were of higher quality, had better fat suppression, and had less artifact (qualitative scores: 4.4, 4.6, and 4.0, respectively) compared with the standard T1-weighted fat-suppressed images (qualitative scores: 3.4, 3.3, and 3.6, respectively; P < .01). Contrast between fat-suppressed and non-fat-suppressed tissue (contrast ratio: 0.86 for dual-echo Dixon technique vs 0.42 for T1-weighted fat-suppressed technique, P < .001) and between pathologic lesions and suppressed fat (contrast ratio: 0.88 for dual-echo Dixon technique vs 0.57 for T1-weighted fat-suppressed technique, P =.012) was significantly improved with the dual-echo Dixon technique. Twelve pathologic lesions were identified with dual-echo Dixon imaging versus eight that were identified with T1-weighted fat-suppressed imaging. CONCLUSION: Compared with standard T1-weighted fat-suppressed imaging, dual-echo Dixon imaging facilitates improved image quality of fat-suppressed images of the pelvis, enabling better delineation of pathologic lesions.

Role of MRI in intracavitary brachytherapy for cervical cancer: what the radiologist needs to know.

OBJECTIVE: Intracavitary brachytherapy has an important role in treating cervical cancer. MRI is the optimal imaging technique to visualize the intracavitary brachytherapy probes and MRI-guided intracavitary brachytherapy is expected to increase significantly over the next 5 years. The purpose of this article is to review what a radiologist needs to know about imaging brachytherapy probes including the MR technique, correct positioning of the probes, and associated complications. CONCLUSION: MRI-guided intracavitary brachytherapy is an increasingly used therapy for the treatment of cervical cancer. This technique provides excellent visualization of intracavitary brachytherapy devices and allows accurate localization of residual tumor. It is important for radiologists to be familiar with the correct probe positioning as well as any potential complications.

Magnetic resonance imaging for the evaluation of acute abdominal pain in pregnancy.

The investigation of acute abdominal pain in pregnancy is challenging. The use of ultrasound may be limited due to the patient's change in body habitus and computed tomography is not desirable due to fetal irradiation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has thus become increasingly popular in the evaluation of such patients, due to its lack of ionizing radiation, multiplanar capability and high contrast resolution. This review will detail the MRI technique required to image the pregnant abdomen and describe the MRI features of common causes of acute abdominal pain in pregnancy.

Improvement in histological endpoints of MAFLD following a 12-week aerobic exercise intervention.

BACKGROUND: Lifestyle interventions are the primary treatment for metabolic (dysfunction) associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). However, the histological and cardiometabolic effects of aerobic exercise in MAFLD remain unclear. AIMS: To assess the effects of a 12-week aerobic exercise intervention on histological and cardiometabolic endpoints in MAFLD. METHODS: Patients with biopsy-confirmed MAFLD participated in a 12-week aerobic exercise intervention. Liver histology, cardiorespiratory fitness (estimated V̇O2max ), physical activity, anthropometry and biochemical markers were assessed at baseline, intervention completion, and 12 and 52 weeks after intervention completion. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients completed the exercise intervention (exercise group n = 16, control group n = 8). In the exercise group, 12 weeks of aerobic exercise reduced fibrosis and hepatocyte ballooning by one stage in 58% (P = 0.034) and 67% (P = 0.020) of patients, with no changes in steatosis (P = 1.000), lobular inflammation (P = 0.739) or NAFLD activity score (P = 0.172). Estimated V̇O2max increased by 17% compared to the control group (P = 0.027) but this level of improvement was not maintained at 12 or 52 weeks after the intervention. Patients with fibrosis and ballooning improvement increased estimated V̇O2max by 25% (P = 0.020) and 26% (P = 0.010), respectively. Anthropometric reductions including body mass (P = 0.038), waist circumference (P = 0.015) and fat mass (P = 0.007) were also observed, but no patient achieved 7%-10% weight loss. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the potential benefits of a 12-week aerobic exercise intervention in improving histological endpoints of MAFLD. The development of strategies to ensure continued engagement in aerobic exercise in MAFLD are needed.

Defining useful surrogates for user participation in online medical learning.

"School for Surgeons" is a web-based distance learning program which provides online clinical-based tutorials to surgical trainees. Our aim was to determine surrogates of active participation and to assess the efficacy of methods to improve usage. Server logs of the 82 participants in the "School for Surgeons" were assessed for the two terms of the first year of the program. Data collected included total time online, mean session time, page requests, numbers of sessions online and the total number of assignments. An intervention regarding comparative peer usage patterns was delivered to the cohort between terms one and two. Of the 82 trainees enrolled, 83% (85% second term) logged into the program. Of all participants 88% (97% second term) submitted at least one assignment. Median submissions were four (eight second term) per trainee. Assignment submission closely correlated with number of sessions, total time online, downloads and page requests. Peer-based comparative feedback resulted in a significant increase in the number of assignments submitted (p < 0.01). Despite its recent introduction, "School for Surgeons" has a good participation rate. Assignment submission is a valid surrogate for usage. Students can be encouraged to move from passive observation to active participation in a virtual learning environment by providing structured comparative feedback ranking their performance.