Retrospective case-control study to predict a potential underlying appendiceal tumor in an acute appendicitis context based on a CT-scoring system.

OBJECTIVES: To assess CT signs to discriminate an appendiceal tumor versus a non-tumoral appendix in an acute appendicitis context. METHODS: A 10-year bicentric retrospective case-control study was performed in adults. Patients with a histopathological appendiceal tumor and appendicitis were paired for age and sex with patients with non-tumorous appendicitis (1/3 ratio, respectively). Two senior radiologists blindly analyzed numerous CT findings with final consensus to perform univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. A diagnostic CT scan score was calculated with a bootstrap internal validation. Reproducibility was assessed based on the kappa statistic. RESULTS: A total of 208 patients (51 +/- 21 years; 114 males) were included (52 patients in the tumor group and 156 in the non-tumor group). In the multivariate analysis, an appendicolith and fat stranding were protective factors with OR = 0.2 (p = 0.01) and OR = 0.3 (p = 0.02), respectively, while mural calcifications (OR = 47, p = 0.0001), an appendix mass (OR = 7.1, p = 0.008), a focal asymmetric wall abnormality (OR = 4.9, p = 0, 001), or a ≥ 15 mm diameter (OR = 3.5, p = 0.009) were positive predictive factors of an underlying tumor. Using a ≥1 cut-off, our diagnostic score had an AUC = 0.87 (95 % CI, 0.82-0.93) and a positive likelihood ratio = 13.5 (95 % CI, 6.7-27.1). CONCLUSION: We developed a reliable scoring system based on CT findings, which is highly predictive of an underlying appendiceal neoplasm in an appendicitis context using a ≥1 cut-off.

Artificial intelligence and breast screening: French Radiology Community position paper.

The objective of this article was to evaluate the evidence currently available about the clinical value of artificial intelligence (AI) in breast imaging. Nine experts from the disciplines involved in breast disease management - including physicists and radiologists - convened a meeting on June 3, 2019 to discuss the evidence for the use of this technology in plenary and focused sessions. Prior to the meeting, the group performed a literature review on predefined topics. This paper presents the consensus reached by this working group on recommendations for the future use of AI in breast screening and related research topics.

Breast tomosynthesis: What do we know and where do we stand?

Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is a new imaging technology that addresses the limitation caused by overlapping structures in conventional two-dimensional digital mammography owing to the acquisition of a series of low-dose projection images. This unique technique provides a dual benefit to patients screened for breast cancer. First, DBT increases the cancer detection rate mostly by highlighting architectural distortions and allowing better assessment of masses shape and margins. Second, DBT helps reduce recall rate by discarding asymmetries related to overlapping tissue. However, DBT is not included in the majority of cancer screening programs worldwide. Several issues still need to be addressed such as over-diagnosis and over-treatment, lack of reduction of interval breast cancer, quality control and storage, and radiation dose. In the diagnostic setting, DBT increases the diagnostic accuracy and reduces the number of indeterminate lesions in symptomatic women. Its aforementioned performances regarding asymmetries, masses and architectural distortions allow reducing the number of additional views while working-up a screening-detected lesion. Tumor size is also better assessed at DBT as well as multicentricity, two significant benefits in the staging of breast cancer. Finally, DBT allows a better analysis of scars and helps reduce the rate of indeterminate findings after surgery. Although somewhat limited by high breast density, DBT globally outperforms digital mammography in both screening and diagnostic breast imaging. Additional research is however needed, particularly on relevant screening outcomes. This review describes the main performances of breast DBT in breast cancer screening and diagnosis and the resulting consequences in both settings.

Magnetic resonance imaging in breast cancer management in the context of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy.

This review discusses the clinical applications of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the assessment of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) indication, axillary lymph node status, preNAC cancer prognosis, early and intermediate response to NAC, and post-NAC residual disease in patients with breast cancer. Contrast-enhanced MRI with analysis of the tumor morphological features and qualitative enhancement kinetics must be considered as the standard method for pre-NAC breast cancer staging and post-NAC residual disease assessment. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is easy to perform and may increase the specificity of breast MRI for tumor staging, and also for the assessment of tumor multifocality and multicentricity and lymph node status. It also provides an ancillary added value in the early and post-NAC response evaluation. Changes in the functional tumor volume are the main criterion for the early response analysis. Other MRI methods, such as quantitative perfusion analysis, MR spectroscopy and texture analysis, are still under study.

Prevalence and topographic distribution of spinal inflammation on MR imaging in patients recently diagnosed with axial spondyloarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: The primary goal of this study was to determine the prevalence and topographic distribution of spinal lesions in lower thoracic and lumbar spine on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with recently diagnosed with spondyloarthritis. The secondary goal was to identify variables associated with vertebral patterns consistent with spondyloarthritis on MRI. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 112 HLA-B27 positive patients with recently diagnosed spondyloarthritis were retrospectively included. There were 70 women and 42 men, with a mean age of 41 years±12 (SD) (range: 17-70years). Mean symptom duration was 1year (range: 0-7years). MRI examinations of sacroiliac joints and thoracolumbar spine were reviewed for the presence of bone marrow edema, chronic structural abnormalities, and vertebral patterns consistent with spondyloarthritis. Age, gender and disease duration of patients with vertebral patterns on MRI consistent with spondyloarthritis were compared with those without MRI signs of spondyloarthritis. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients (32.1%) showed spinal patterns of spondyloarthritis, including 16 patients (14.3%) with no associated inflammatory sacroiliitis. Posterior inflammatory lesions were present in 20.5% of patients. Posterior spinal inflammatory lesions were significantly associated with vertebral corner inflammatory lesions (P=0.03). There were no differences in age, sex or mean duration of symptoms between the two groups of patients. CONCLUSION: Spinal involvement is observed in 32.1% of HLA-B27 positive patients with recently diagnosed spondyloarthritis and is not associated with sacroiliitis in 14.3%. Age, gender or symptom duration are not associated with spinal involvement on MRI.

Applications of dual energy computed tomography in abdominal imaging.

Dual energy computed tomography (CT) is an imaging technique based on data acquisition at two different energy settings. Recent advances in CT have allowed data acquisition and almost simultaneously analysis of two spectra of X-rays at different energy levels resulting in novel developments in the field of abdominal imaging. This technique is widely used in cardiovascular imaging, especially for pulmonary embolism work-up but is now also increasingly developed in the field of abdominal imaging. With dual-energy CT it is possible to obtain virtual unenhanced images from monochromatic reconstructions as well as attenuation maps of different elements, thereby improving detection and characterization of a variety of renal, adrenal, hepatic and pancreatic abnormalities. Also, dual-energy CT can provide information regarding urinary calculi composition. This article reviews and illustrates the different applications of dual-energy CT in routine abdominal imaging.

Acute pelvic pain in females in septic and aseptic contexts.

Acute pelvic pain in women is a common reason for emergency department admission. There is a broad range of possible aetiological diagnoses, with gynaecological and gastrointestinal causes being the most frequently encountered. Gynaecological causes include upper genital tract infection and three types of surgical emergency, namely ectopic pregnancy, adnexal torsion, and haemorrhagic ovarian cyst rupture. The main gastrointestinal cause is acute appendicitis, which is the primary differential diagnosis for acute pelvic pain of gynaecological origin. The process of diagnosis will be guided by the clinical examination, laboratory study results, and ultrasonography findings, with suprapubic transvaginal pelvic ultrasonography as the first-line examination in this young population, and potentially cross-sectional imaging findings (computed tomography and MR imaging) if diagnosis remains uncertain.

CT of gastro-duodenal obstruction.

Gastro-duodenal obstruction encompasses a spectrum of benign and malignant disease. Historically, chronic peptic ulcer disease was the main cause of gastro-duodenal obstruction, whereas now malignant cause with gastric carcinomas for gastric obstruction and pancreatic tumors for duodenal obstruction predominate. This paper reviews the role of CT in diagnosing gastro-duodenal obstruction, its level, its cause by identifying intraluminal, parietal, or extrinsic process, and the presence of complication.

Correlation between MR imaging - prognosis factors and molecular classification of breast cancers.

The molecular classification of breast cancers defines subgroups of cancer with different prognoses and treatments. Each molecular type representing the intrinsic signature of the cancer corresponds to a histological profile incorporating hormone receptors, HER2 status and the proliferation index. This article describes the correlations between this molecular classification obtained in routine clinical practice using histological parameters and MRI. It shows that there is a specific MRI profile for triple-negative cancers: distinct demarcation, regular edges, hyperintensity on T2 weighted signals and, particularly, a crown enhancement. It is important for the radiologist to understand this molecular classification, firstly because of the relatively suggestive appearance of triple-negative basal-like cancers in the molecular classification, secondly, and particularly, as cancers in patients with the BRCA1 mutation are often triple-negative meaning that the criteria for reading the MRI needs to be tailored to this feature of the cancers, and finally because the efficacy of MRI in assessing response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy depends on the molecular class of cancer treated.

Effect of renal angioembolization on post-traumatic acute kidney injury after high-grade renal trauma: a comparative study of 52 consecutive cases.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with unfavourable outcomes and higher mortality after trauma. Renal angioembolization (RAE) has proved efficiency in the management of high-grade renal trauma (HGRT), but inevitably expose to unavoidable ischaemic areas or contrast medium nephrotoxicity which may impair renal function in the following hours. The aim of this study was to assess the potential acute impact of RAE on renal function in a consecutive series of HGRTs treated nonoperatively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 101 cases of renal trauma admitted to our Regional Trauma Center between January 2005 and January 2010, 52 cases of HGRT were treated nonoperatively; they were retrospectively classified into 2 groups according to whether RAE was used. Incidence and progression of AKI (RIFLE classification), maximum increase in serum creatinine (SCr), level since admission and recovery of renal function at discharge were compared between the groups. Multivariable analysis was performed to determine the role of RAE as an independent risk factor of AKI. RESULTS: RAE was performed in 10 patients within the first 48h. The RAE and no RAE groups were comparable in terms of severity score, renal injury grade, and level of SCr on admission. AKI incidence (RIFLE score Risk or worse) after 48 and 96h was 33% and 10%, respectively and did not differ significantly between groups at 48h (p=1.00) or 96h (p=1.00). The median maximum increase in SCr was significantly higher in no RAE than RAE group (30.4% vs. 6.9%, p=0.04). RAE was not found to be a significant variable in a multiple linear regression analysis predicting maximum SCr rise (p=0.34). SCr at discharge was >120% of baseline in only 5 patients, with no difference according to RAE (p=0.24). CONCLUSION: In a population of nonoperatively treated HGRT, the incidence of AKI decreased from almost 30% to 10% at 48h and 96h. RAE proceeding did not seem to affect significantly the occurrence and course of AKI or renal recovery. The decision to use RAE should probably not be restricted by fear of worsening renal function.

A haemoperitoneum does not indicate active bleeding in the peritoneum in 50% of hypotensive blunt trauma patients: a study of 110 severe trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: We hypothesised that in blunt trauma patients with haemodynamic instability and haemoperitoneum on hospital admission, the haemorrhagic source may not be confined to the peritoneum. The purpose of this study was to describe the incidence and location of bleeding source in this population. METHODS: The charts of trauma patients admitted consecutively between January 2005 and January 2010 to our level I Regional Trauma Centre were reviewed retrospectively. All hypotensive patients presenting a haemoperitoneum on admission were included. Hypotension was defined by a systolic blood pressure ≤ 90 mmHg. The haemoperitoneum was quantified on CT images or from operative reports as moderate (Federle score<3 or between 200 and 500 ml) or large (Federle score ≥ 3 or >500 ml). Active bleeding (AB) was defined as injury requiring a surgical or radiologic haemostatic procedure, regardless of origin (peritoneal (PAB) or extraperitoneal (EPAB)). RESULTS: Of 1079 patients admitted for severe trauma, 110 patients met the inclusion criteria. Seventy-eight (71%) were male, mean age 35.3 (SD 19) years and mean ISS 36.5 (SD 20.5). Among the 91 patients who had AB, 37 patients (41%) had PAB, 34 (37%) had EPAB and 20 had both (22%). Forty-eight (53%) of them had moderate haemoperitoneum and 43 (47%) had large haemoperitoneum. A large haemoperitoneum had positive predictive value for PAB of 88% (95% CI 75-95%) and negative predictive value of 65% (95% CI 49-79%). The corresponding values in the subgroup of patients with EPAB were 65% (95% CI 38-86%) and 76% (95% CI 59-88%). CONCLUSION: Haemoperitoneum was associated with PAB in only 52% of hypotensive blunt trauma patients and 63% of bleeding patients. In contrast, 59% of bleeding patients had at least one EPAB. The screening of a haemoperitoneum as a marker of active haemorrhagic source may be confusing and lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate strategy. Clinician should exclude carefully the presence of any EPAB explaining haemorrhagic shock, before to decide haemostatic treatment.

Mechanical occlusions: diagnostic traps and key points of the report.

Management of mechanical occlusion, particularly of the small intestine, has altered considerably over recent years, with a change of paradigm and the indication for surgery depending on the cause of the occlusion and any signs of entrapment or strangulation. It is therefore important today to make a positive diagnosis of mechanical occlusion, to assess its degree, its location and its cause, and to look for signs of entrapment and strangulation. Only computer tomography can provide the answers to these different questions. The aim of this paper is to provide a reminder of the CT signs that enable us to confirm diagnosis of the various aspects of mechanical occlusion of the stomach and duodenum, small intestine or colon, to emphasize and illustrate the diagnostic traps in CT and to set out the key points of a CT report of mechanical occlusion.

Infection of the right iliac fossa.

Febrile pain in the right iliac fossa is one of the most common reasons for consulting at an emergency service. Within this framework, the main diagnosis that is considered is appendicitis, the main complication of which is perforation. However, a certain number of other conditions can be responsible for this clinical picture, primarily including digestive tract and mesentery disorders including mesenteric lymphadenitis, Crohn's disease, infectious enterocolitis, small intestine or colonic diverticulitis, ischaemic colitis or cancer of the caecum. This article illustrates the imaging semiology of the various right colonic, iliac, mesenteric and appendicular conditions that could potentially cause an infection of the right iliac fossa. It specifies the indications of ultrasound and CT scans, respectively, which depend on the age of the patient and the clinical signs and symptoms. Though the CT scan is commonly used in abdominal emergencies in general, and particularly in clinical pictures of infection of the right iliac fossa, ultrasound remains recommended as first line imaging when confronted with suspected appendicitis or lymphadenitis in a young subject or in the monitoring of Crohn's disease.

Radioguided occult lesion localization plus sentinel node biopsy (SNOLL) versus wire-guided localization plus sentinel node detection: a case control study of 129 unifocal pure invasive non-palpable breast cancers.

AIMS: We compared histological patterns after lumpectomy for non-palpable breast cancers preoperatively localized by radioguided occult lesion localization plus sentinel node localization (SNOLL) versus wire-guided localization. METHODS: To ensure a homogeneously treated cohort and rigorous comparisons, only patients with invasive cancer and measurable opacity by imaging were included. Exclusion criteria were one or more parameters that could interfere with localization and/or the surgical procedure. Forty-three SNOLL were compared with 86 WGL plus sentinel node (SN) localization. Cancer localization effectiveness was based on careful assessment of histological data from only the first resected glandular specimen, as any additional resection specimens were guided by intraoperative histological examination. RESULTS: Reexcisions to ensure free tissue margins were performed during the same procedure in 13.9% of SNOLL versus 31.3% of WGL; p = 0.02. Significantly more women in SNOLL (53.4%) also had free nearest margins of >9 mm after the first procedure compared with WGL (33.7%); p = 0.03. The median centricity ratio after the first procedure was better in SNOLL (2.8, range 1.3-14) than WGL (5, range 1-50); p = 0.008. The median number of SN detected by lymphoscintigraphy was the same in SNOLL and WGL (1, range 0-9, vs. 1, range 0-8). Intraoperative SN detection by blue dye and/or gamma probe was successful for 97.6% of SNOLL versus 93% of WGL. CONCLUSION: In this study, SNOLL was effective and safe, and this procedure significantly improved the rate of negative margins in the first specimen and the rate of reexcision for positive margins compared with WGL.

Pearls and pitfalls in breast MRI.

At our academic institution, we have noticed repeated examples of both false-positive and false-negative MR diagnoses in breast cancer. The most common diagnostic errors in interpreting MRI of the breast are discussed in this review and experience-based advice is provided to avoid similar mistakes. The most common reasons for false-positive diagnoses are misinterpretation of artefacts, confusion between normal enhancing structures and tumours and, above all, insufficient use of the American College of Radiology breast imaging reporting and data system lexicon, whereas false-negative diagnoses are made as a result of missed tiny enhancement, a background-enhancing breast, or enhancement interpreted as benign rather than malignant.

[Evaluation of glomerular filtration rate with magnetic resonance imaging]. / Évaluation du débit de filtration glomérulaire par imagerie par résonance magnétique.

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) is one of the cardinal indices of renal function and is used clinically as the gold standard of renal dysfunction. In the past decade, many studies using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE MRI) to measure GFR have been published. The MRI evaluation of GFR centers on visualizing the passage of contrast material (Gadolinium chelates) through the kidney. MRI appears as a promising tool but still relatively difficult to implement in the assessment of GFR. A high heterogeneity of protocols (e.g., in acquisition mode, dose of contrast, postprocessing techniques) is noted in the literature, reflecting the number of technical challenges that should first be solved in order to reach a consensus, and the reported accuracy and reproducibility are insufficient for justifying their use in clinical practice now. This paper presents and discusses the different steps that can be used to quantify the GFR by MRI.