Effects of Patient Demographics and Examination Factors on Patient Experience in Outpatient MRI Appointments.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to describe the effects of patient demographics and examination factors on patient-reported experience in outpatient MRI examinations. METHODS: This institutional review board-waived, HIPPA-compliant quality improvement study evaluated outpatient MRI appointments from March 2021 to January 2022 using a postappointment survey consisting of a 5-point emoji scale and text-based feedback. Patient demographics and examination information were extracted from electronic medical records. Ratings ≤ 3 were categorized as negative, and ratings ≥ 4 were categorized as positive. Continuous variables were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, and categorical variables were analyzed using the Fisher's exact test. A P value less than .05 was considered significant. A natural language processing algorithm was trained and validated to categorize patient feedback. RESULTS: A total of 3,636 patients responded to the survey. Positive ratings had a higher proportion of male respondents compared with negative ratings (47.9% versus 37.0%, P = .004). Examination characteristics were also grouped by positive or negative rating. Patients who endured longer examination time (median 54.0 min versus 44.0 min, P < .001) and longer wait time after check-in (median 61.6 min versus 46.2 min, P < .001) were more likely to give negative ratings. The most common themes of free text feedback included excellent service (84.3%), on-time service (8.4%), and comfortable intravenous line placement (0.4%). Most common negative feedback included long wait times (10.5%), poor communication (8.4%), and physical discomfort during the examination (4.2%). CONCLUSION: Male gender, short examination duration, and on-time start were associated with positive patient ratings.

Smooth Muscle Tumors of the Uterus at MRI: Focus on Leiomyomas and FIGO Classification.

Leiomyomas are smooth muscle tumors of the uterus and are the most common uterine neoplasm. Although leiomyomas are usually asymptomatic, they can manifest with symptoms such as pain or uterine bleeding. Leiomyomas are classified on the basis of their anatomic location and morphology. Localization of leiomyomas relative to the endometrium, myometrium, and uterine serosa with use of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) classification system is helpful for guiding management in symptomatic patients. The FIGO system is a practical and universally accepted approach for classifying leiomyomas to guide radiologists and clinicians in deciding management. The MRI appearance of conventional leiomyomas is related to their tissue contents of smooth muscle and fibrous tissue and is well established. The MRI features of some leiomyoma subtypes and forms of degeneration also have been described. Other smooth muscle tumors of the uterus recognized in the 2020 World Health Organization classification system include intravenous leiomyomatosis, smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential, and metastasizing leiomyoma. At the far end of the spectrum are leiomyosarcomas, which are frankly malignant and therefore must be managed accordingly. Although MRI features that suggest a diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma have been proposed, these features overlap with those of some leiomyoma subtypes and degeneration. © RSNA, 2023 See the invited commentary by Fennessy and Gargiulo in this issue. Online supplemental material and the slide presentation from the RSNA Annual Meeting are available for this article. Quiz questions for this article are available through the Online Learning Center.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: tailoring imaging to specific clinical scenarios.

The clinical and imaging presentation of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) is variable and depends on tumor grade, stage, and functional status. This degree of variability combined with a multitude of treatment options and imaging modalities results in complexity when choosing the most appropriate imaging studies across various clinical scenarios. While various guidelines exist in the management and evaluation of PanNETs, there is an overall lack of consensus and detail regarding optimal imaging guidelines and protocols. This manuscript aims to fill gaps where current guidelines may lack specificity regarding the choice of the most appropriate imaging study in the diagnosis, treatment planning, monitoring, and surveillance of PanNETs under various clinical scenarios.

Urinary Bladder Masses, Rare Subtypes, and Masslike Lesions: Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation.

Urinary bladder masses are commonly encountered in clinical practice, with 95% arising from the epithelial layer and rarer tumors arising from the lamina propria, muscularis propria, serosa, and adventitia. The extent of neoplastic invasion into these bladder layers is assessed with multimodality imaging, and the MRI-based Vesical Imaging Reporting and Data System is increasingly used to aid tumor staging. Given the multiple layers and cell lineages, a diverse array of pathologic entities can arise from the urinary bladder, and distinguishing among benign, malignant, and nonneoplastic entities is not reliably feasible in most cases. Pathologic assessment remains the standard of care for classification of bladder masses. Although urothelial carcinoma accounts for most urinary bladder malignancies in the United States, several histopathologic entities exist, including squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, melanoma, and neuroendocrine tumors. Furthermore, there are variant histopathologic subtypes of urothelial carcinoma (eg, the plasmacytoid variant), which are often aggressive. Atypical benign bladder masses are diverse and can have inflammatory or iatrogenic causes and mimic malignancy. © RSNA, 2022 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm imaging: standard reporting templates.

PURPOSE: Standardized reporting in radiology has an established role in numerous disease processes, with added benefits in oncology of reduced variability, and generation of a thorough and pertinent report with a focused and relevant conclusion. Many radiologists are not familiar with the imaging patterns of neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN) spread and recurrence. This paper will present standardized CT, MRI, and PET templates for reporting gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) NENs and explain the rationale for including specific pertinent positive and negative findings, at various stages of disease management, based on site of origin. METHODS: Basic templates for initial and follow-up anatomic and molecular GEP NEN imaging were created with input from the multidisciplinary Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR) Neuroendocrine Tumor Disease Focused Panel (NET-DFP). The templates were further modified and finalized after several iterations. RESULTS: Four main report templates were generated for (i) initial anatomic CT or MR imaging studies, (ii) follow-up anatomic CT or MR imaging studies, (iii) initial Somatostatin Receptor (SSTR) or FDG PET imaging studies, and (iv) follow-up SSTR or FDG PET imaging studies. Each study template was formatted to allow its integration into a dictation software directly and be modified as needed, with internalized instructions indicating where a drop-down menu or macro may be used to personalize the template as necessary. CONCLUSION: These templates were created through a combination of multidisciplinary expert opinion discussion supported by literature review and provide basic structured reporting standards for GEP NEN anatomic and molecular imaging studies.

Neuroendocrine neoplasm imaging: protocols by site of origin.

With the relatively low incidence of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN), most radiologists are not familiar with their optimal imaging techniques. The imaging protocols for NENs should be tailored to the site of origin to accurately define local extension of NEN at time of staging. Patterns of spread and recurrence should be taken into consideration when choosing protocols for detection of recurrence and metastases. This paper will present the recommended CT and MRI imaging protocols for gastro-enteric and pancreatic NENs based on site of origin or predominant pattern of metastatic disease, and explain the rationale for MRI contrast type, contrast timing, as well as specific sequences in MRI. We will also briefly comment on PET/CT and PET/MRI imaging protocols.

Clinical classification of symptomatic heterotopic pancreas of the stomach and duodenum: A case series and systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Heterotopic pancreas (HP) is an aberrant anatomic malformation that occurs most commonly in the upper gastrointestinal tract. While the majority of heterotopic pancreatic lesions are asymptomatic, many manifest severe clinical symptoms which require surgical or endoscopic intervention. Understanding of the clinical manifestations and symptoms of HP is limited due to the lack of large volume studies in the literature. The purpose of this study is to review symptomatic cases at a single center and compare these to a systematic review of the literature in order to characterize common clinical manifestations and treatment of this disease. AIM: To classify the common clinical manifestations of heterotopic pancreas. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of pathologic samples containing heterotopic pancreas from 2000-2018. Review was limited to HP of the upper gastrointestinal tract due to the frequency of presentation in this location. Symptomatic patients were identified from review of the medical records and clinical symptoms were tabulated. These were compared to a systematic review of the literature utilizing PubMed and Embase searches for papers pertaining to heterotopic pancreas. Publications describing symptomatic presentation of HP were selected for review. Information including demographics, symptoms, presentation and treatment were compiled and analyzed. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patient were identified with HP at a single center, with six of these identified has having clinical symptoms. Clinical manifestations included, gastrointestinal bleeding, gastric ulceration with/without perforation, pancreatitis, and gastric outlet obstruction. Systemic review of the literature yielded 232 publications detailing symptomatic cases with only 20 studies describing ten or more patients. Single and multi-patient studies were combined to form a cohort of 934 symptomatic patients. The majority of patients presented with abdominal pain (67%) combined with one of the following clinical categories: (1) Dyspepsia, (n = 445, 48%); (2) Pancreatitis (n = 260, 28%); (3) Gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 80, 9%); and (4) Gastric outlet obstruction (n = 80, 9%). The majority of cases (n = 832, 90%) underwent surgical or endoscopic resection with 85% reporting resolution or improvement in their symptoms. CONCLUSION: Heterotopic pancreas can cause significant clinical symptoms in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Better understanding and classification of this disease may result in more accurate identification and treatment of this malformation.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms: a 2022 update for radiologists.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PaNENs) are a unique group of pancreatic neoplasms with a wide range of clinical presentations and behaviors. Given their heterogeneous appearance and increasing detection on cross-sectional imaging, it is essential that radiologists understand the variable presentation and distinctions PaNENs display compared to other pancreatic neoplasms. Additionally, some of these neoplasms may be hormonally functional, and it is imperative that radiologists be aware of the common clinical presentations of hormonally active PaNENs. Knowledge of PaNEN pathology and treatments may influence which imaging modality is optimal for each patient. Each imaging modality used for PaNENs has distinct advantages and disadvantages, particularly in different treatment settings. Thus, the focus of this manuscript is to provide an update for the radiologist on PaNEN pathology, imaging, and treatments.

Qualitative imaging features of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms predict histopathologic characteristics including tumor grade and patient outcome.

OBJECTIVES: To identify PanNEN imaging features associated with tumor grade and aggressive histopathological features. METHODS: Associations between histopathological and imaging features of resected PanNEN were retrospectively tested. Histopathologic features included WHO grade, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), growth pattern (infiltrative, circumscribed), and intratumoral fibrosis (mature, immature). Imaging features included size, degree/uniformity of enhancement, progressive enhancement, contour, infiltrative appearance (infiltrativeim), calcifications, cystic components, tumor thrombus, vascular occlusion (VO), duct dilatation, and atrophy. Multinomial logistic regression analyses evaluated the magnitude of associations. Association of variables with outcome was assessed using Cox-proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: 133 patients were included. 3 imaging features (infiltrativeim, ill-defined contour [contourill], and VO) were associated with all histopathologic parameters and poor outcome. Increase in grade increased odds of contourill by 15.6 times (p = 0.0001, 95% CI 3.8-64.4). PanNEN with VO were 51.1 times (p = 0.0002, 6.5-398.6) more likely to demonstrate LVI. For PanNEN with contourill, infiltrative growth pattern was 51.3 times (p < 0.0001, 9.1-288.4), and fibrosis was 14 times (p = 0.0065, 2.1-93.7) more likely. Contourill was associated with decreased recurrence-free survival (p = 0.0003, HR 18.29, 3.83-87.3) and VO (p = 0.0004, HR6.08, 2.22-16.68) with decreased overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Infiltrativeim, contourill, and VO on imaging are associated with higher grade/histopathological parameters linked to tumor aggression, and poor outcome.

New frontiers in imaging including radiomics updates for pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms.

OBJECTIVE: To illustrate the applications of various imaging tools including conventional MDCT, MRI including DWI, CT & MRI radiomics, FDG & DOTATATE PET-CT for diagnosis, staging, grading, prognostication, treatment planning and assessing treatment response in cases of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNENs). BACKGROUND: Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP NENs) are very diverse clinically & biologically. Their treatment and prognosis depend on staging and primary site, as well as histological grading, the importance of which is also reflected in the recently updated WHO classification of GEP NENs. Grade 3 poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) are aggressive & nearly always advanced at diagnosis with poor prognosis; whereas Grades-1 and 2 well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) can be quite indolent. Grade 3 well-differentiated NETs represent a new category of neoplasm with an intermediate prognosis. Importantly, the evidence suggest grade heterogeneity can occur within a given tumor and even grade progression can occur over time. Emerging evidence suggests that several non-invasive qualitative and quantitative imaging features on CT, dual-energy CT (DECT), MRI, PET and somatostatin receptor imaging with new tracers, as well as texture analysis, may be useful to grade, prognosticate, and accurately stage primary NENs. Imaging features may also help to inform choice of treatment and follow these neoplasms post-treatment. CONCLUSION: GEP NENs treatment and prognosis depend on the stage as well as histological grade of the tumor. Traditional ways of imaging evaluation for diagnosis and staging does not yet yield sufficient information to replace operative and histological evaluation. Recognition of important qualitative imaging features together with quantitative features and advanced imaging tools including functional imaging with DWI MRI, DOTATATE PET/CT, texture analysis with radiomics and radiogenomic features appear promising for more accurate staging, tumor risk stratification, guiding management and assessing treatment response.

MRI Evaluation of Patients Before and After Interventions for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: An Update.

Transurethral resection of the prostate is the most commonly performed procedure for the management of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms attributed to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, in recent years, various minimally invasive surgical therapies have been introduced to treat BPH. These include laser-based procedures such as holmium laser enucleation of the prostate and photoselective vaporization of the prostate as well as thermal ablation procedures such as water vapor thermal therapy (Rezum), all of which result in volume reduction of periurethral prostatic tissue. In comparison, a permanent metallic device (UroLift) can be implanted to pull open the prostatic urethra without an associated decrease in prostate size, and selective catheter-directed prostate artery embolization results in a global decrease in prostate size. The goal of this article is to familiarize radiologists with the underlying anatomic changes that occur in BPH as visualized on MRI and to describe the appearance of the prostate on MRI performed after these procedures. Complications encountered on imaging after these procedures are also discussed. Although MRI is not currently used in the routine preprocedural evaluation of BPH, emerging data support a role for MRI in predicting postprocedure outcomes.

Imaging of the Vagina: Spectrum of Disease with Emphasis on MRI Appearance.

The vagina is a median fibromuscular structure of the female reproductive system that extends from the vulva inferiorly to the uterine cervix superiorly. As most vaginal lesions are detected at gynecologic examination, imaging performed for nongynecologic indications can frequently cause concomitant vaginal pathologic conditions to be overlooked. The vagina is often underevaluated at routinely performed pelvic transvaginal US because of a narrow scan area and probe positioning. MRI has progressively become the imaging method of choice for vaginal pathologic conditions, as it provides excellent soft-tissue detail with unparalleled delineation of the complex pelvic floor anatomy and helps establish a diagnosis for most vaginal diseases. It is important that radiologists use a focused approach toward understanding and correctly recognizing different vaginal entities that may otherwise go unnoticed. In this case-based review, the authors discuss the key imaging features of wide-ranging vaginal pathologic conditions, with emphasis on appearance at MRI. Knowledge of vaginal anatomy and embryology is helpful in evaluating congenital anomalies at imaging. Often seen incidentally, vaginal inflammation can cause diagnostic confusion. Because of its central location in the pelvis, the vagina can form fistulas to the urinary bladder, colon, rectum, or anus. Vaginal masses can be neoplastic and nonneoplastic and include a myriad of benign and malignant conditions, some of which have characteristic imaging features. Therapeutic and nontherapeutic vaginal foreign bodies include pessaries, vaginal mesh, and packing that can be seen with or without associated complications. Online supplemental material is available for this article. ©RSNA, 2021.

Limited added value of Doppler ultrasound of the liver after recent contrast-enhanced computed tomography.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to assess the added diagnostic value of Doppler ultrasound of the liver (DUL) performed within 3 days of contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) for the diagnosis of portal vein (PV) or hepatic vein (HV) thrombosis. METHODS: Adult patients were included if they underwent DUL within three days after a CECT of the abdomen in the emergency or inpatient setting. Retrospective review of clinical data and imaging reports was performed. In patients with discrepant or positive findings on CECT and/or DUL with respect to PV or HV thrombosis, image review was performed by three fellowship-trained abdominal radiologists in consensus. RESULTS: The final cohort consisted of 468 patients. Of these, 26 (5.6%) patients had equivocal findings for thrombosis on CECT, and DUL could make a confident diagnosis of positive or negative in 18 (69%) patients. Additionally, there were 2 (0.4%) patients with PV or HV thrombosis on DUL following a limited CECT, and 2 (0.4%) patients who developed interval PV thrombosis between CECT and DUL. CONCLUSION: DUL after CECT added diagnostic value for PV and/or HV thrombosis in less than 5% of patients. The patency of PV and HV is often not explicitly mentioned in CECT reports at our institution, which may lead to uncertainty for the referring provider as to whether the PV and HV were adequately evaluated. Few CECT have false positive or missed or underreported findings, and a careful review of the original CECT should be performed if DUL is requested.

Feasibility and safety of non-operative management of portal vein aneurysms: a thirty-five year experience.

BACKGROUND: Portal vein aneurysms (PVAs) are rare, though clinically challenging with post-operative mortality approaching 20% and no evidence-based treatment guidelines. We aim to describe our experience with PVAs and recommend optimum management strategies. METHODS: Demographics and clinical details of patients with PVAs admitted to our institution from 1984 to 2019 were reviewed. Clinical presentation, management and outcomes were analysed. RESULTS: PVAs were identified in 18 patients (median age 56 years, range 20-101 years; 13 female); 10 were incidental and 8 diagnosed during abdominal pain work-up. Median aneurysm diameter at diagnosis was 3.4 cm (1.8-5.5 cm), remaining unchanged at 3.5 cm (1.9-4.8 cm) during a 3.2-year follow-up (4 months-31 years). Aneurysm sites were the main portal vein (n = 12), porto-splenic-junction (n = 3), splenic-SMV-junction (n = 2) and right portal vein (n = 1). Thrombosis occurred in 4 patients; 3 developed clinically insignificant cavernous transformation. Two patients underwent surgery for abdominal pain. Postoperatively, one developed PV thrombosis and PVA recurrence occurred in the second. No aneurysm ruptures or mortalities occurred during follow-up. CONCLUSION: PVAs follow a clinically indolent course with structural stability and minimal complications over time. Non-operative management is feasible for most patients. Abdominal pain, large size or thrombosis don't appear to confer additional risks and should not, in isolation, merit surgical intervention.

Tumor Evolution in a Patient with Recurrent Endometrial Cancer and Synchronous Neuroendocrine Cancer and Response to Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment.

Both metachronous and synchronous tumors pose a diagnostic and clinical challenge, more so when one of the specimens demonstrates the rare neuroendocrine histology. We describe a patient with sarcoidosis who was treated for endometrial and ovarian neoplasm, recurred with two separate histologies (adenocarcinoma and high grade neuroendocrine), both associated with microsatellite instability (MSI)-high status. Targeted next-generation sequencing of tumor with synonymous somatic alterations pointed to a common ancestry of all three tumors and patient was successfully treated with a tailored immunotherapy regimen. Her sarcoidosis worsened only slightly, and immunotherapy did not need to be discontinued. This case highlights the importance of molecular testing for the optimal therapy of complex synchronous tumors and the need for communication between surgical and medical oncologists in patients with MSI-high cancer. KEY POINTS: The case of a patient with a recurrent gynecological cancer presenting as microsatellite instability (MSI)-high endometrial adenocarcinoma and MSI-high neuroendocrine tumor is reported. This case demonstrated a common genetic lineage with good response to checkpoint inhibition without clinical worsening of autoimmune disease. This article adds to the literature, suggesting tumor evolution with neuroendocrine differentiation in some cancers, and argues that a molecular-based approach to treatment might achieve better understanding and possibly superior treatment outcomes.