Gender differences and cooperation in medical authorships - an analysis of the recent ten years in five key medical disciplines.

BACKGROUND: Career prospects in academic medicine are strongly linked to scientific authorship and this marker has been widely used as an indicator of gender equity in academia. However, direct comparisons of medical disciplines regarding their proportion of female physicians (FP) in different countries are missing. This study examines the gender parity and gender cooperation using first authorships (FA) and senior authorships (SA) of scientific publications in five medical disciplines and six different OECD countries over a 10-year time-trend. METHODS: Articles from three high-impact journals in each of the medical discipline radiology, urology, surgery, gynecology, and pediatrics from the years 2007/8 and 2017/18 were retrospectively reviewed. The gender and affiliation location of the FA and SA of original research articles and reviews were assigned and compared with the proportion of in each discipline for the United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan. Mantel-Haenszel test and multinomial logistic regression models were used to calculate differences in proportions of women authors and FP and to assess trends and proportions of FA and SA. RESULTS: 30,803 articles were evaluated. Equally, with rising proportions of FP in all disciplines, the number of women authors increased across years. The shares of women FAs were either significantly higher (urology/surgery/gynecology) or balanced (pediatrics/radiology) compared to the proportion of FP. In contrast, the shares of women SA were balanced only in disciplines with a low proportion of FP (urology and surgery) and otherwise reduced. Women same-gender cooperation was as common as men same-gender cooperation and preferred over a women-led mixed gender cooperation in disciplines where this seemed to be practicable due to the high proportions of FP. CONCLUSION: In contrast to FA, a significant disparity persists in SA, particularly in disciplines with a high proportion of FP. The discrepancy between FA and SA may reflect, among others, dropout from an academic career in early or mid-academic levels, for example, due to structural inequality; together with the findings on gender preference in authorship collaborations, this may inform future strategies for promoting equal career advancement for women physicians.

Gender trends in authorships and publication impact in Academic Radiology-a 10-year perspective.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the development of publication numbers of female authors in high-, medium-, and low-impact radiological journals. METHODS: In this bibliometric analysis, gender of the first (FA) and senior author (SA) was assigned to all original research articles and reviews, published in 10 high-, medium-, and low-impact radiological journals in 2007/8 and 2017/18. The adjusted event rate (AER) and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) were calculated using mixed logistic and multinomial logistic regression models to assess and compare female publications according to impact factor, journal, author position, and combination. RESULTS: The proportion of female FA and female SA in N = 6979 (2007/2008) and N = 7383 (2017/2018) articles increased to 29.1% and 16.1% in 2017/2018, respectively. While most female authorships were continuously observed in medium-impact journals, the strongest increase occurred for both female FA (AOR 2.0; p < .0001) and SA (AOR 2.1; p < .0001) in low-impact journals. Female SA published significantly more often in a low- (AOR 1.5) or medium- (AOR 1.8) than in a high-ranking journal. Among the high-ranking journals, female FA published most frequently in European Radiology (32.4%; 95% CI [29.3-35.8]; p < .0001), female SA in Investigative Radiology (15.9%; 95% CI [13.7-18.4]; p < .0001). Male same-sex authorships decreased (AOR 0.9), but remained at least twice as common as all-female or mixed authorships. CONCLUSION: The increase in female authorship is reflected in all impact areas. Female FA and SA increased most in low-ranking journals but are most common in medium-ranking journals. Female SA remain rare, especially in high impact journals. KEY POINTS: • Compared to the proportion of female radiologists worldwide, female senior authors are underrepresented in all impact areas, in particular in high-impact journals. • Among the included high-ranking radiological journals, female first authors and senior authors were strongest represented in European Radiology and Investigative Radiology, while across all impact areas they mostly published in medium-ranking journals. • Female author combinations were more frequent in low- and medium- than in high-ranking journals, whereas male author combinations remained more common than female senior author collaborations in all impact areas.

There are no three physiological narrowings in the upper urinary tract: a new concept of the retroperitoneal anatomy around the ureter.

The widely held dogma of three physiological narrowings in the upper urinary tract has proven incorrect by recent several studies using computed tomography images. There are only two common obstruction sites: the upper ureter and the ureterovesical junction. The second narrowing, where the ureter crosses the iliac vessels, cannot be regarded anymore as a common obstruction site. The mechanism by which stones lodge in the upper ureter is explained anatomically by the change in ureteral mobility and compliance at the level where the ureter exits the perirenal space. This level can be identified radiologically as the point where the ureter crosses under the ipsilateral gonadal veins, termed the "crossing point". Kinking of the upper ureter is another manifestation of this anatomical phenomenon, visible in radiological images. It is caused by loosening of the ureter at or above the crossing point (within the perirenal space), corresponding with renal descent such as during the inspiratory phase. This new anatomical discovery in the retroperitoneum will not only bring about a paradigm shift in terms of the physiological narrowings in the upper urinary tract, but may also lead to the development of new surgical concepts and approaches in the area.

CT Findings of Upper Urinary Tract Lesions in IgG4-Related Disease: Comparison With Urothelial Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE. IgG4-related disease is characterized by extensive infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells and fibrosis in various organs. The objective of this study is to investigate CT findings of IgG4-related lesions involving the upper urinary tract and compare them with those of urothelial carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This study reviewed pretreatment CT images of 13 consecutive patients with IgG4-related disease with upper urinary tract lesions and 80 consecutive patients with urothelial carcinomas. The findings assessed were laterality, location, growth pattern, margins, internal structure, presence of calcification and lipid component, enhancement pattern, and extraurinary findings. RESULTS. Bilaterality (p < 0.0001), an extramural growth pattern (p < 0.0001), a greater number of affected segments (p = 0.04), and a gradual dynamic enhancement pattern (p < 0.001) were significantly more frequent in patients with IgG4-related disease. With regard to extraurinary findings, paraaortic fat stranding (p = 0.03), presacral fat stranding (p < 0.001), fat stranding of the pelvic walls (p < 0.001), and aortic involvement (p < 0.001) were seen more frequently in patients with IgG4-related disease; on the other hand, there was no statistically significant difference in terms of frequency of pancreatic involvement. Hydronephrosis and renal involvement were seen more frequently in patients with urothelial carcinoma, although the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION. CT findings suggestive of IgG4-related upper urinary tract lesions in comparison with urothelial carcinoma are bilateral and have a longer urinary tract involvement and exhibit an extramural growth pattern, ill-defined margins, a gradual enhancement pattern, aortic involvement, and fat stranding in the paraaortic, presacral, or pelvic wall areas.

What affects the prognosis of NOMI patients? Analysis of clinical data and CT findings.

BACKGROUND: Non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) is a mesenteric ischemic disease with considerably high mortality rate, although little has been known about what factors affect the patients' prognosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate prognostic factors of clinical data and computed tomography (CT) findings in patients with NOMI. METHODS: This was a single institutional, retrospective study, reviewing 21 consecutive patients diagnosed with NOMI on angiography. Patients were divided into either ''survivor'' group or ''non-survivor'' group based on their clinical courses 1 month after diagnosis. Clinical information such as laboratory data, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and time from CT to injecting vasodilator was obtained from patients' medical records. Contrast-enhanced CT images were assessed in following items: defect of mural enhancement, pneumatosis intestinalis, hepatic portal venous gas, paralytic bowel dilatation, bowel wall thinning, and diameters of the relevant vessels. RESULTS: Eight patients belonged to ''survivor'' group, whereas eleven were allocated to ''non-survivor'' group. None of CT findings showed significant difference between survivor group and non-survivor group [defect of mural enhancement: 75% and 100% (p = 0.16), pneumatosis intestinalis: 50% and 45.5% (p = 1.00), hepatic portal venous gas: 37.5% and 45.5% (p = 1.00), paralytic bowel dilatation: 12.5% and 63.6% (p = 0.06), and bowel wall thinning: 50% and 45.5% (p = 1.00)]. The diameters of the relevant vessels did not have significant difference either. Time from CT to injecting vasodilator was revealed to be significantly shorter in survivor group [187.5 (122.5-294) min and 310 (187-925.5)] (p = 0.048). None of the other clinical information had significant difference between each group. CONCLUSION: Prompt angiography may be a key to improve the prognosis of NOMI patients.

Percutaneous transgastric pancreatic duct drainage for pancreaticojejunal leak after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Pancreaticojejunal anastomotic leakage is one of the severe complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy and is often difficult to manage. A 64-year-old man status post pancreaticoduodenectomy had the gastroduodenal artery stump bleeding caused by the pancreaticojejunal anastomotic leakage, successfully treated by placing a covered stent. To control the leakage, subsequent percutaneous transgastric pancreatic duct puncture was performed under fluoroscopic guidance, targeting a surgically placed pancreaticojejunal internal drainage catheter. A 5 F catheter with side holes was inserted into the main pancreatic duct, the tip of which was placed in the anastomosed jejunum. The leak was successfully treated using this catheter. Percutaneous transgastric pancreatic duct drainage might be a useful and feasible option to resolve the condition.

Extrahepatic Collateral Artery Extravasation in Patients with Ruptured Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

This report describes 3 patients with previously untreated hepatic tumors who underwent embolization for the treatment of extravasation from extrahepatic arteries. Although development of extrahepatic collateral blood supply is well known, its importance in the presentation of rupture of liver tumors may be underrecognized. Findings that suggest bleeding from extrahepatic arteries include a discrepancy in the pattern of extravasation on computed tomography vs hepatic angiography and a lack of stabilization of vital signs after embolization of hepatic arteries. To achieve successful hemostasis in embolization, the potential involvement of such extrahepatic arteries should be accurately recognized, suggestive imaging findings considered, and the occult vessels selected and embolized.

Percutaneous Direct Embolization for Pseudoaneurysm at the Gallbladder Fossa after Cholecystectomy.

Postoperative pseudoaneurysm at the gallbladder fossa is a rare complication of cholecystectomy. The typical clinical presentations of this condition are intraparenchymal or intraperitoneal hemorrhage or rupture into the gastrointestinal tract, and this may be life-threatening. For the treatment of pseudoaneurysms, percutaneous transarterial embolization is considered first-line. We present a case of pseudoaneurysm at the gallbladder following cholecystectomy, which was successfully treated with echo-guided percutaneous transhepatic direct embolization using N-butyl cyanoacrylate, after the failure of transarterial embolization.

Mucin-poor and aggressive mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma of the kidney: Two case reports.

Mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma (MTSCC) is a relatively rare renal epithelial neoplasm. Although MTSCC is considered to be a low-grade and indolent neoplasm, aggressive cases have been recently reported. The present study discussed two additional cases of high-grade MTSCC causing multiple distant metastases with a fatal course. In case 1, a 71-year-old patient presented with hematuria and pyuria. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the right kidney revealed a mass lesion, for which partial nephrectomy was performed. However, a follow-up CT imaging revealed distant metastases in the liver, the paraaortic lymph nodes and the bone. Despite molecular targeted therapy and irradiation, the patient succumbed due to tumor progression. In case 2, a 64-year-old patient presented with an incidentally identified mass lesion in the right kidney. A laparoscopic nephrectomy was performed, and a follow-up CT imaging revealed metastases in the skin and lungs. The cytology of pleural effusion revealed pleuritis carcinomatosa. Histologically, both cases were diagnosed as mucin-poor MTSCC with high-grade transformation, which comprised uniform tumor cells primarily forming slender tubules. The tumors contained low- and high-grade regions. In addition, venous invasion and necrosis were observed. The tumor cells also demonstrated increased Ki-67 labeling indices and cellular tumor antigen p53 (p53) nuclear accumulation. High-grade transformation, large tumor size, necrosis, venous invasion, high Ki-67 labeling index and p53 nuclear accumulation are generally predictive findings for aggressive behavior of malignant tumors. In the current report, it was emphasized that MTSCC possesses a wide spectrum of clinicopathological features. Thus, careful postoperative investigation is required for MTSCC with high-grade elements due to its aggressive nature.

The Peak Site of Stone Distribution in the Upper Ureter is Unlikely the Ureteropelvic Junction: Computed Tomography Analysis of Stone Lodging Site With Respect to a Newly Identified Area of Constriction.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the upper urinary stone distribution and the "crossing point," an area of relative fixation within the upper ureter at approximately the level where the ureter crosses the gonadal vein. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 298 consecutive patients presenting with acute renal colic, identified upper ureteral stones in computed tomography. For stones located at the "renal pelvis and upper ureter," we measured the vertebral level of each renal pelvis, crossing point, and stone. The distance between the crossing point and the stones (designated as positive if the stone was located above it) and the distance between the renal pelvis and the crossing point were measured. RESULTS: The average stone size at the "renal pelvis and upper ureter" was 6.0 ± 3.2 mm, at "middle ureter" 5.2 ± 1.9 mm, and at "lower ureter" 3.7 ± 1.8 mm. Lower location was significantly correlated with smaller size (P <.001). The level of the crossing point and stone location were significantly lower on the right (P = .019, P = .033, respectively), whereas the vertebral level of the renal pelvis was not significantly different on both sides (P = .225). The mean distance between the crossing point and the stones was -5.6 ± 18.4 mm (median: 0 mm) on the right and -4.7 ± 19.3 mm (median: 0 mm) on the left. The mean distance between the renal pelvis and the stones was significantly longer on the right (57.2 ± 18.5 mm and 48.2 ± 19.1 mm) (P = .038). CONCLUSION: The crossing point is the peak site of stone distribution in the upper ureter and likely different from the traditionally identified obstruction site at the ureteropelvic junction.

High-Flow Vascular Malformation in the Sigmoid Mesentery Successfully Treated with a Combination of Transarterial and Transvenous Embolization.

Mesenteric high-flow vascular malformation can cause various clinical symptoms and demand specific therapeutic interventions owing to its peculiar hemodynamics. We report a case of high-flow vascular malformation in the sigmoid mesentery which presented with ischemic colitis. The main trunk of the inferior mesenteric vein was occluded. After partially effective transarterial embolization, transvenous embolization was performed using a microballoon catheter advanced to the venous component of the lesion via the marginal vein. Complete occlusion of the lesion was achieved. Combination of transarterial and transvenous embolization may allow us to apply endovascular treatment to a wider variety of high-flow lesions in the area and possibly avoid the bowel resection.

Provocative Endoscopy to Identify Bleeding Site in Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Novel Approach in Transarterial Embolization.

This report describes a novel approach to endoscopically induce bleeding by removing a clot from the bleeding site during angiography for upper gastrointestinal (UGI) hemorrhage. This procedure enabled accurate identification of the bleeding site, allowing for successful targeted embolization despite a negative initial angiogram. Provocative endoscopy may be a feasible and useful option for angiography of obscure bleeding sites in patients with UGI arterial hemorrhage.

Kinking of the upper ureter in CT urography: anatomic and clinical significance.

PURPOSE: Although the course of the ureter is described as a straight descent in the retroperitoneum, kinking of the upper ureter is often seen at imaging. The aim of this study was to investigate kinking of the ureter and its underlying anatomico-clinical significance. METHODS: We evaluated 176 computed tomography (CT) images and classified kinking into three grades: no/mild kinking as Grade 1, moderate as Grade 2, and severe as Grade 3. We defined the "crossing point" (CP) as where the ureter crosses over the gonadal vein and assessed its relation to the kinking. Fourteen halves from seven cadavers were used for examination. Approaching anteriorly, we macroscopically observed the ureter and surrounding structures. RESULTS: On CT, the rate of the radiologically "significant" kinking classified into either Grade 2 or 3 was 18.4 % on the right and 21.8 % on the left. All kinking was either at or above the level of the CP. In cadavers, the ureter was relatively mobile in the perirenal fat and then beginning at approximately the level of the CP became firmly fixed to the anteromedial aspect of the psoas major muscle. CONCLUSIONS: Kinking of the upper ureter is not a clinically significant finding and arises from the ureter having a relatively mobile portion in the perirenal space compared to its caudal portion. The fixation boundary can be identified by observing the CP.

[Preoperative Arterial Embolization with N-butyl-2 Cyanoacrylate for Chronic Cavitary Pulmonary Aspergillosis with Trauma Induced Type â Diabetes Mellitus].

A 50-year-old man with hemoptysis, given a diagnosis of left upper lobe pulmonary aspergilloma with cavity and fungus ball by computed tomography. He has a history of typeⅠ diabetes mellitus due to traumatic injury of pancreas and underwent diaphragm plasty. Despite of systemic anti-fungal medication, symptom and radiological findings were not progressed and surgical intervention was planned. Before surgery we performed intercostal artery embolization, in order to minimize bleeding on dissecting adhesion between the chest wall and the lobe with aspergilloma. Left upper lobectomy with muscle-flap prombage was done safely with a blood loss of 450 ml. Postoperative course was favorable. Intercostal artery embolization with N-butyl-2cyanoacrylate is an effective way to minimize hemorrhage during surgical resection for pulmonary aspergillosis with sever adhesion.

Effects of geometrical uncertainties on whole breast radiotherapy: a comparison of four different techniques.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to quantify the target coverage, homogeneity, and robustness of the dose distributions against geometrical uncertainties associated with four whole breast radiotherapy techniques. METHODS: The study was based on the planning-computed tomography-datasets of 20 patients who underwent whole breast radiotherapy. A total of four treatment plans (wedge, field-in-field [FIF], hybrid intensity-modulated radiotherapy [IMRT], and full IMRT) were created for each patient. The hybrid IMRT plans comprised two opposed tangential open beams plus two IMRT beams. Setup errors were simulated by moving the beam isocenters by 5 mm in the anterior or posterior direction. RESULTS: With the original plan, the wedge technique yielded a high volume receiving ≥107% of the prescription dose (V107; 7.5%±4.2%), whereas the other three techniques yielded excellent target coverage and homogeneity. A 5 mm anterior displacement caused a large and significant increase in the V107 (+5.2%±4.1%, p<0.01) with the FIF plan, but not with the hybrid IMRT (+0.4%±1.2%, p=0.11) or full IMRT (+0.7%±1.8%, p=0.10) plan. A 5-mm posterior displacement caused a large decrease in the V95 with the hybrid IMRT (-2.5%±3.7%, p<0.01) and full IMRT (-4.3%±5.1%, p<0.01) plans, but not with the FIF plan (+0.1%±0.7%, p=0.74). The decrease in V95 was significantly smaller with the hybrid IMRT plan than with the full IMRT plan (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The FIF, hybrid IMRT, and full IMRT plans offered excellent target coverage and homogeneity. Hybrid IMRT provided better robustness against geometrical uncertainties than full IMRT, whereas FIF provided comparable robustness to that of hybrid IMRT.

Imaging of vascular tumors with an emphasis on ISSVA classification.

The International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA) classification is becoming the international standard classification system for vascular tumors and vascular malformations. The ISSVA classification strictly distinguishes vascular tumors (neoplastic lesions) from vascular malformations (non-neoplastic lesions) based on whether there is a proliferation of vascular endothelial cells present, and it is an extremely useful classification system for determining therapeutic measures. For vascular tumors, it is clinically significant in terms of discriminating infantile hemangioma and rapidly involuting congenital hemangioma, which are expected to spontaneously regress, from other vascular tumors requiring treatment. Needless to say, clinical courses are important for diagnosis, and it is also important for radiologists to understand imaging findings on vascular tumors because such tumors have unique findings on diagnostic images. In this paper, vascular tumors are classified based on the ISSVA classification, and clinical and imaging findings are reviewed.

Morphological and clinical risk factors for the rupture of anterior communicating artery aneurysms.

OBJECT: Patients with ruptured anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysms have historically been observed to have poor neuropsychological outcomes, and ACoA aneurysms have accounted for a higher proportion of ruptured than unruptured aneurysms. Authors of this study aimed to investigate the morphological and clinical characteristics predisposing to ACoA aneurysm rupture. METHODS: Data from 140 consecutive patients with ACoA aneurysms managed at the authors' facility between July 2003 and November 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with (78) and without (62) aneurysm rupture were divided into groups, and morphological and clinical characteristics were compared. Morphological characteristics were evaluated based on 3D CT angiography and included aneurysm location, dominance of the A1 portion of the anterior cerebral artery, direction of the aneurysm dome around the ACoA, aneurysm bleb(s), size of the aneurysm and its neck, aneurysm-parent artery angle, and existence of other intracranial unruptured aneurysms. RESULTS: Patients with ruptured ACoA aneurysms were significantly younger (a higher proportion were younger than 60 years of age) than those with unruptured lesions, and a significantly smaller proportion had hypercholesterolemia. A significantly larger proportion of patients with ruptured aneurysms showed an anterior direction of the aneurysm dome around the ACoA, had a bleb(s), and/or had an aneurysm size ≥ 5 mm. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that an anterior direction of the aneurysm dome around the ACoA (OR 6.0, p = 0.0012), the presence of a bleb(s) (OR 22, p < 0.0001), and an aneurysm size ≥ 5 mm (OR 3.16, p = 0.035) were significantly associated with ACoA aneurysm rupture. CONCLUSIONS: Findings in the present study demonstrated that the anterior projection of an ACoA aneurysm may be related to rupturing. The authors would perhaps recommend treatment to patients with unruptured ACoA aneurysms that have an anterior dome projection, a bleb(s), and a size ≥ 5 mm.

Spinal subdural hematoma mimicking epidural lipomatosis.

We report a case of spinal subdural hematoma in the lumbar spine of a 75-year-old woman. Magnetic resonance imaging showed lesions of homogeneous high intensity in the spinal canal on both T1- and T2-weighted images, findings closely resembling those for epidural lipomatosis. Identification of 2-layered signal intensity surrounding the cauda equina on axial images is the key for accurate diagnosis.