The diagnostic performance of PIVKA-II in metabolic and viral hepatocellular carcinoma: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary liver tumor derived from metabolic or viral chronic hepatitis, with few treatment options in advanced cases. New biomarkers that allow improving diagnosis and staging are widely desired. Here, we aim to evaluate the performance of Protein Induced by Vitamin K Absence or Antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) in combination with α-fetoprotein (AFP), in the diagnosis of HCC in patients with metabolic or viral hepatitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We enrolled 60 HCC patients (20 metabolic and 40 viral) and 20 healthy subjects (HS) as negative controls. PIVKA-II, AFP, Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) serum levels were assessed by immunoassays. RESULTS: AFP and PIVKA-II levels were obviously higher in patients than in HS. AFP displayed a better diagnostic performance than PIVKA-II for viral HCC while PIVKA-II was better for metabolic HCC. The combination of the two biomarkers did not improve the discriminating ability. CONCLUSIONS: PIVKA-II may be considered an independent predictor of macrovascular invasion from HCC cells and it can be used to better stratify HCC patients and should be evaluated in prospective studies for early detection of advanced HCC in metabolic subjects.

Hepatic sonography in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia hospitalized for epistaxis.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the presence of telangiectasias and arteriovenous malformations in various organs and organ systems, including the liver. The most frequent clinical manifestation of HHT is epistaxis.In 2010 (January-December inclusive) 51 patients with HHT were admitted to the ENT ward of our hospital for epistaxis, and in accordance with routine protocols, all 51 underwent abdominal ultrasonography in our department to detect hepatovascular lesions. They included 27 males (53%) and 24 (47%) females ranging in age from 11 to 86 years (mean 48.5 years). The sample was selected in an arbitrary manner to take maximum advantage of the hospital stay and monitor patients from regions other than our own.Retrospective analysis of the findings from these sonographic examinations revealed hepatic HHT in 27 (53%) of the 51 patients. Nineteen (70%) of these (age range 40-86 years, mean 63) had vascular malformations of various dimensions but no portal hypertension; the other eight (30%) (age range 39-81 years, mean 60) had vascular malformations plus portal hypertension.Our retrospective analysis indicates that a significant number of patients can have unrecognized hepatic involvement; that the appearance of hepatic lesions can be fairly unpredictable, even when the HHT has been diagnosed for years and the patients are already symptomatic; and that the hepatic lesions are frequently progressive. Therefore, regular sonographic follow-up is advisable for patients with HHT.The limitations of this study are related to the small number of patients examined and to the fact that all of them were symptomatic. Further study is therefore needed (especially in asymptomatic patients) to define the indications for hepatic sonography and the optimum examination schedule.Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the presence of telangiectasias and arteriovenous malformations in various organs and organ systems, including the liver. The most frequent clinical manifestation of HHT is epistaxis.In 2010 (January­December inclusive) 51 patients with HHT were admitted to the ENT ward of our hospital for epistaxis, and in accordance with routine protocols, all 51 underwent abdominal ultrasonography in our department to detect hepatovascular lesions. They included 27 males (53%) and 24 (47%) females ranging in age from 11 to 86 years (mean 48.5 years). The sample was selected in an arbitrary manner to take maximum advantage of the hospital stay and monitor patients from regions other than our own.Retrospective analysis of the findings from these sonographic examinations revealed hepatic HHT in 27 (53%) of the 51 patients. Nineteen (70%) of these (age range 40­86 years, mean 63) had vascular malformations of various dimensions but no portal hypertension; the other eight (30%) (age range 39­81 years, mean 60) had vascular malformations plus portal hypertension.Our retrospective analysis indicates that a significant number of patients can have unrecognized hepatic involvement; that the appearance of hepatic lesions can be fairly unpredictable, even when the HHT has been diagnosed for years and the patients are already symptomatic; and that the hepatic lesions are frequently progressive. Therefore, regular sonographic follow-up is advisable for patients with HHT.The limitations of this study are related to the small number of patients examined and to the fact that all of them were symptomatic. Further study is therefore needed (especially in asymptomatic patients) to define the indications for hepatic sonography and the optimum examination schedule.

Ultrasound examination of the liver: Variations in the vascular anatomy.

The hepatic vasculature is highly complex. The hepatic artery (a branch of the celiac tripod) and the portal vein (formed by the confluence of the splenic and superior mesenteric veins) provide a dual blood supply while venous drainage is guaranteed by the hepatic veins. There are also numerous anatomic variants that can involve one or more of the system's three components.Hepatic artery variants are the least common. Ten types have been identified, including several that are fairly frequent and others that are quite rare, and the variation generally involves the extrahepatic portion of the vessel. Portal vein variants are found in around 20% of the population. They can involve the main portal trunk or segmental branches. Variants of the hepatic veins are the most common. They involve the number and course (supernumerary veins) or the number, course, and openings (accessory veins).Knowledge of portal vein and hepatic vein variants, which are extremely common, is of prime importance for precise localization of lesions. Hepatic artery variants are equally important for surgical treatment of hepatic disease, especially liver transplantation, where it is essential for preoperative workup and postoperative follow-up of the recipient as well as for assessment of potential donors.

Unexplained refractory iron-deficiency anaemia in a 41-year-old woman.

The clinical and instrumental findings revealed a case of autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome (APS) type 3B+C in a 41-year-old Caucasian woman with unexplained refractory iron-deficiency anaemia secondary to autoimmune atrophic gastritis and a long-term history of two different autoimmune diseases-Hashimoto's disease and vitiligo. Indeed the occurrence in the same patient of three or more autoimmune diseases defines APS. The first classification of APS was suggested by Neufeld and Blizzard in 1980 and it included four main types of APS on the basis of clinical features. The only case of APS type 3B+C was described by Amerio et al in 2006.

Ultrasound examination of the liver: Normal vascular anatomy.

Various treatments for liver diseases, including liver transplant (particularly partial liver resection from a living donor), treatment of liver tumors, and TIPS, require detailed knowledge of the complex vascular anatomy of the liver. The hepatic artery and portal vein provide the organ with a double blood supply whereas venous drainage is furnished by the hepatic veins.Multislice computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging provide undeniably excellent information on these structures. On ultrasound, the inferior vena cava, the openings of the hepatic veins, and the main branch of the portal vein can always be visualized, but intrasegmental vessels (portal, arterial, accessory hepatic venous branches) can be only partially depicted and in some cases not at all.In spite of its difficulty and limitations, hepatic sonography is frequently unavoidable, particularly in critically ill patients, and the results are essential for defining diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. For this reason, a thorough knowledge of the sonographic features of hepatic vascular anatomy is indispensable.