ABSTRACT
Background/Objectives: Untreated hepatic abscesses (HAs) have an 80% mortality rate and can be caused by bacteria and fungi. Previously managed with surgery, current treatments now utilize interventional radiology and antibiotics, reducing complications to 2.5%. This study evaluates contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for better drainage placement and monitoring, overcoming conventional ultrasound's limitations in detecting the HA liquefied portion. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 50 patients with HAs confirmed via computed tomography (CT) scans. Inclusion criteria comprised specific clinical symptoms and laboratory parameters. Both B-mode and CEUS were utilized for initial and follow-up imaging. Results: In the CEUS studies, the mean size of HAs was 6.26 cm, with pus displaying significantly lower echogenicity compared to the HA pouch and liver parenchyma in all phases. Classification by size (>6 cm, <6 cm) and volume (>113 mL, <113 mL) revealed differences in the assessment of fluid volume between CEUS and B-mode. Conclusions: CEUS is valuable for diagnosing, performing therapeutic procedures, and monitoring HA. It provides precise real-time assessment of HA morphology, including dimensions and volume. If the liquefied volume of an HA exceeds 113 mL, it may qualify for drainage placement. CEUS can replace CT as an effective, less harmful, and cheaper method, eliminating the need for multiple radiological departments. While CEUS is a safer, cost-effective alternative to CT for HA evaluation and monitoring, comprehensive clinical evaluation remains essential. Therefore, CEUS should be part of a broader diagnostic and monitoring strategy, not a stand-alone solution.
ABSTRACT
The pancreatitis, panniculitis, polyarthritis (PPP) syndrome is a rare skin, joint, and pancreatic disorder, also known as subcutaneous nodular fat necrosis. It results from obstruction of pancreatic ducts with direct secretion of pancreatic enzymes into the bloodstream, causing extra pancreatic fat necrosis with subcutaneous tissue and joint inflammation. It is usually a cutaneous sign of pancreatic cancer or pancreatitis. To our knowledge, this is the first case associated with a pancreatic pseudotumor. We describe a 59-year-old man initially presenting with numerous painful erythematous subcutaneous nodules due to a fibrous pancreatic pseudotumor and its extreme dermatologic disease, resulting in necrosis of the shin and foot so severe that an amputation of the lower leg above the knee was required, a complication not previously described, to our knowledge. We emphasize that PPP syndrome is a cutaneous marker of internal malignancy, most often of pancreatic cancer or pancreatitis, but in this case of a rare pancreatic pseudotumor.