Clinical significance of adding 3 Tesla MRI to the algorithm for decision making on neurovascular bundle preservation in radical prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the additional benefit of 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging for neurovascular bundle preservation in radical prostatectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated patients who underwent 3 T magnetic resonance imaging followed by radical prostatectomy from April 2010 through February 2014 in our university. A total of 50 patients (100 prostate sides) were included in the study. The algorithm previously we described and magnetic resonance imaging findings were considered for the decision on neurovascular bundle preservation. A tumor adjacent to the neurovascular bundle or with extracapsular extension of a posterolateral lesion of the prostate on magnetic resonance imaging was considered a contraindication for nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy. Two experienced radiologists evaluated the magnetic resonance imaging findings. Patients who received neoadjuvant hormonal therapy were excluded. All patients underwent ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy with at least 10 cores. RESULTS: Overall, 60 of the 100 neurovascular bundles were preserved according to an algorithm that consisted of the clinical stage, prostate specific antigen, Gleason score and a positive biopsy core in the apex of the prostate. Considering magnetic resonance imaging findings together with the algorithm, six neurovascular bundles were not preserved. The accuracy of predicting a positive surgical margin only by the algorithm was 56 of 60 neurovascular bundle (93.3%). When adding magnetic resonance imaging, the accuracy was 50 of 54 neurovascular bundle (92.3%). CONCLUSIONS: 3 T magnetic resonance imaging provided no additional benefit to our algorithm for neurovascular bundle preservation.

A role for preoperative systemic chemotherapy in node-positive upper tract urothelial carcinoma treated with radical nephroureterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: There are few reports investigating the potential benefits of preoperative systemic chemotherapy for patients with node-positive upper tract urothelial carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of preoperative systemic chemotherapy on the clinical outcomes of patients with node-positive upper tract urothelial carcinoma treated by radical nephroureterectomy. METHODS: Data were collected on 195 consecutive patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma treated by radical nephroureterectomy between 1995 and 2010 at a single institute. Of these, 29 patients with node-positive disease but no visceral metastasis were retrospectively evaluated. In patients who underwent preoperative systemic chemotherapy, tumor response, post-therapy pathological downstaging to either residual disease at radical nephroureterectomy or no residual lymph node metastasis (pN0) and toxicity were the endpoints of interest. Overall survival was compared between two groups: those with and without preoperative chemotherapy. RESULTS: All patients underwent regional lymphadenectomy. Overall, 15 patients (52%) underwent preoperative systemic chemotherapy. Pathological downstaging was achieved in 47%, including pN0, but there was no pathological complete response. Eighty-six percent of the patients with pathological downstaging had no evidence of recurrence. The median overall survivals were 38 and 9 months for patients with and without preoperative systemic chemotherapy, respectively (hazard ratio: 0.26, P = 0.015, log-rank test). There was no significant difference in operative morbidity between the two groups, and no operations were delayed because of preoperative chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: The survival of patients who undergo preoperative systemic chemotherapy following radical nephroureterectomy seems to be superior to that of those undergoing radical nephroureterectomy alone. However, to confirm this, prospective randomized studies are needed.

Gadolinium-enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance imaging with endorectal coil for local staging of rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of dynamic gadolinium (Gd)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with endorectal coil for assessing tumor invasion based on simple classification criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 58 patients with operable primary rectal cancer underwent preoperative MRI. An enhancement pattern in Gd-enhanced dynamic MRI with regard to tumor penetration was clarified. Retrospectively, two observers independently scored T2-weighted MRI and T2-weighted MRI combined with Gd-enhanced dynamic MRI for tumor penetration using the following criteria: With Gd-enhanced dynamic MRI, T1 tumors showed an early enhanced line around the tumor as rim enhancement; T2 tumors appeared as black lines or double layers, as the muscularis propria kept its integrity; T3 tumors showed partial discontinuity of the muscularis propria as a dotted line and a perforated area as an interrupted line. A confidence level scoring system was used, and receiver operating characteristic curves were generated. RESULTS: There were no significant differences at the T1 stage. There were significant differences for observer 1 (P = 0.001 for observer 1) at the T2 stage. There were significant differences for both observers (P = 0.001 for observer 1 and P = 0.005 for observer 2) at the T3 stage. CONCLUSION: Our criteria for Gd-enhanced dynamic MRI were effective for T3 stage tumors.

A case of intravascular lymphoma with increased regional cerebral blood flow in I-123 IMP single-photon emission CT.

This report documents a case of intravascular lymphoma (IVL) with increased regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) disclosed at I-123 IMP single-photon emission CT (IMP-SPECT). A 73-year-old woman with IVL had high rCBF disclosed by IMP-SPECT before chemotherapy; rCBF was normal after one course of CHOP (cyclophophamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and prednisone) chemotherapy. During her clinical course, she had an episode in which she showed increased rCBF in the left cerebral hemisphere at IMP-SPECT performed immediately after the recovery from the right hemiparesis.