A rare presentation of Rosai-Dorfman-Destombes disease with central nervous system involvement and cutaneous wounds.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this case report is to investigate an uncommon presentation of Rosai-Dorfman-Destombes (RDD) disease, and discuss possible differential diagnoses and treatment options for this pathology. RDD is a rare disorder of histiocytes that typically presents in patients as painless cervical lymphadenopathy. However, this case involves a patient with the central nervous system (CNS) type of RDD who later developed cutaneous lesions. METHOD: Several differential diagnoses were examined, including hidradenitis suppurativa, pilonidal cyst and pressure ulcers. It is important to be able to exclude these diagnoses based on the presentation, patient demographic and wound location. RESULTS: Biopsies verified the presence of RDD in the patient's suprasellar hypothalamic mass and skin lesions, confirming the patient had both CNS-RDD and cutaneous-RDD in the absence of lymphadenopathy. CONCLUSION: Recognising the unique manifestations of rare diseases such as RDD prevents delay of proper intervention and treatment.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Litigation in Organ Transplantation for Allegations of Insufficient Policy Coverage, Discrimination and Malpractice.

Introduction: Transplantation is a field with unique medical and administrative challenges that involve an equally diverse array of stakeholders. Expectantly, the litigation stemming from this field should be similarly nuanced. There is a paucity of comprehensive reviews characterizing this medicolegal landscape. Design: The Caselaw Access Project Database was used to collect official court briefs of 2053 lawsuits related to kidney, liver, heart, lung, and pancreas transplantation. A thematic analysis was undertaken to characterize grounds for litigation, defendant type, and outcomes. Cases were grouped into policy, discrimination, poor or unsuccessful outcome, or other categories. Results: One hundred sixty-four court cases were included for analysis. Cases involving disputes over policy coverage were the most common across all organ types (N = 55, 33.5%). This was followed by poor outcomes (N = 51, 31.1%), allegations of discrimination against prison systems and employers (N = 37, 22.6%) and other (N = 21, 12.8%). Defendants involved in discrimination trials won with the greatest frequency (N = 29, 90.62%). Defendants implicated in policy suits won 65.3% (N = 32), poor outcomes 62.2% (N = 28), and other 70% (N = 14). Of the 51 cases involving poor outcomes, plaintiffs indicated lack of informed consent in 23 (45.1%). Conclusion: Reconsidering the informed consent process may be a viable means of mitigating future legal action. Most discrimination suits favoring defendants suggested previous concerns of structural injustices in transplantation may not be founded. The prevalence of policy-related cases could be an indication of financial burden on patients. Future work and advocacy will need to substantiate these concerns and address change where legal recourse falls short.

Malignant wound aetiology, diagnosis and management: a case series and literature review.

OBJECTIVE: Malignant wounds develop when neoplastic cells invade the skin either locally or by lymphatic and haematogenous spread. They can present as hard-to-heal wounds and underlying causes include: primary skin cancer; metastasis of extracutaneous primary malignancy; malignant transformation of a hard-to-heal wound; iatrogenic injury; and cutaneous forms of cancers of non-skin origin. High clinical suspicion for a malignant wound should be confirmed with skin biopsy. The aim of this case series is to highlight a combination of both clinically clear cutaneous malignancies and not-so-obvious wounds caused by malignancy. METHOD: This case series examines patients with malignant wounds of varying aetiology and appearance. For each case, we explain the pathophysiology, atypical features, diagnostic approach and treatment. We also discuss types of wound biopsy and general wound management principles. RESULTS: Among the 11 cases analysed using descriptive statistics, median wound duration before presentation at our clinic was one year, while median age at presentation was 65 years. Our case series included the following diagnoses: cutaneous metastasis of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast (n=2); cutaneous metastasis of colorectal adenocarcinoma (n=1); Marjolin's ulcer (n=1), basal cell carcinoma (BCC) (n=2), primary cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (n=1), metastatic malignant melanoma (n=1), cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (n=1), cutaneous angiosarcoma (n=1), Kaposi sarcoma (n=1) and recurrent tonsillar SCC with osteoradionecrosis (n=1); one case had both BCC and SCC. CONCLUSION: Punch and excisional biopsies were the most frequently used diagnostic techniques. Local wound therapy addressed bleeding, malodour, exudate, pain and infection. However, wound healing is usually achieved once the underlying malignancy is treated. In advanced or metastatic disease, palliative wound care aims to prevent exacerbation of existing wounds and focuses on patient comfort.

Restriction spectrum imaging with elastic image registration for automated evaluation of response to neoadjuvant therapy in breast cancer.

Purpose: Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) are currently used to evaluate treatment response of breast cancer. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the three-component Restriction Spectrum Imaging model (RSI3C), a recent diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI)-based tumor classification method, combined with elastic image registration, to automatically monitor breast tumor size throughout neoadjuvant therapy. Experimental design: Breast cancer patients (n=27) underwent multi-parametric 3T MRI at four time points during treatment. Elastically-registered DWI images were used to generate an automatic RSI3C response classifier, assessed against manual DCE tumor size measurements and mean ADC values. Predictions of therapy response during treatment and residual tumor post-treatment were assessed using non-pathological complete response (non-pCR) as an endpoint. Results: Ten patients experienced pCR. Prediction of non-pCR using ROC AUC (95% CI) for change in measured tumor size from pre-treatment time point to early-treatment time point was 0.65 (0.38-0.92) for the RSI3C classifier, 0.64 (0.36-0.91) for DCE, and 0.45 (0.16-0.75) for change in mean ADC. Sensitivity for detection of residual disease post-treatment was 0.71 (0.44-0.90) for the RSI3C classifier, compared to 0.88 (0.64-0.99) for DCE and 0.76 (0.50-0.93) for ADC. Specificity was 0.90 (0.56-1.00) for the RSI3C classifier, 0.70 (0.35-0.93) for DCE, and 0.50 (0.19-0.81) for ADC. Conclusion: The automatic RSI3C classifier with elastic image registration suggested prediction of response to treatment after only three weeks, and showed performance comparable to DCE for assessment of residual tumor post-therapy. RSI3C may guide clinical decision-making and enable tailored treatment regimens and cost-efficient evaluation of neoadjuvant therapy of breast cancer.

Evaluation of the Quality and Comprehensiveness of YouTube Videos Discussing Pancreatic Cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal diseases worldwide and incidence continues to rise, resulting in increased deaths each year. In the modern era, patients often turn to online sources like YouTube for information regarding their disease, which may be subject to a high degree of bias and misinformation; previous analyses have demonstrated low quality of other cancer-related YouTube videos. Thus, we sought to determine if patients can rely on educational YouTube videos for accurate and comprehensive information about pancreatic cancer diagnosis and treatment. We designed a search query and inclusion/exclusion criteria based on published studies evaluating YouTube user tendencies, which were used to identify videos most likely watched by patients. Videos were evaluated based on two well-known criteria, the DISCERN and JAMA tools, as well as a tool published by Sahin et al. to evaluate the comprehensiveness of YouTube videos. Statistical analyses were performed using Chi-square analysis to compare categorical variables. We used linear regression to assess for correlations between quantitative variables. Kruskal-Wallis and independent samples t-test were used to compare means between groups. We assessed inter-rater reliability using Cronbach's alpha. After the initial search query, 39 videos were retrieved that met inclusion criteria. The comprehensiveness and quality of these materials was generally low to moderate, with only 7 videos being considered comprehensive. Pearson's R demonstrated strong correlations between video length and both comprehensiveness and quality. Higher-quality videos also tended to be newer. YouTube videos regarding pancreatic cancer are generally of low to moderate quality and lack comprehensiveness, which could affect patients' perceptions of their disease or understanding of treatment options. These videos, which have collectively been viewed over 6 million times, should be subject to some form of expert review before upload, and producers of this content should consider citing the sources used in the video.

Pancreatic panniculitis secondary to pancreatic cyst with lower extremity wounds as a primary presenting feature: a case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Pancreatic panniculitis is a rare skin manifestation of pancreatic disease. It is characterized by inflammation and liquefactive necrosis of subcutaneous fat. Treatment involves addressing the underlying cause and providing supportive wound care. CASE REPORT: The authors present a case of a 68-year-old man who developed painful, erythematous wounds on his lower extremities that progressed to purple, edematous lesions with purulent drainage. During the progression of his wounds, he developed epigastric pain and acute pancreatitis. Subsequent CT scan showed a pancreatic cyst that had extended into the portal vein. Deep, excisional biopsy of the wounds helped further narrow the differential. Histology indicated "ghost cells," which are adipocytes with a central clearing and dark basophilic calcium deposits in the cytoplasm. CONCLUSION: The presence of ghost adipocytes is a rather unique histopathological feature consistent with pancreatic panniculitis and should be considered in combination with the overall clinical picture to determine the underlying etiology. Pancreatic panniculitis can be a primary presenting feature and possible complication of pancreatic disease.

Antioxidant and Anti-Tumor Effects of Dietary Vitamins A, C, and E.

Oxidative stress, a condition characterized by an imbalance between pro-oxidant molecules and antioxidant defense systems, is increasingly recognized as a key contributor to cancer development. This is because the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during oxidative stress can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids to facilitate mutations and other cellular changes that promote cancer growth. Antioxidant supplementation is a potential strategy for decreasing cancer incidence; by reducing oxidative stress, DNA damage and other deleterious cellular changes may be attenuated. Several clinical trials have been conducted to investigate the role of antioxidant supplements in cancer prevention. Some studies have found that antioxidant supplements, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E, can reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. On the other hand, some studies posit an increased risk of cancer with antioxidant supplement use. In this review, we will provide an overview of the current understanding of the role of oxidative stress in cancer formation, as well as the potential benefits of antioxidant supplementation in cancer prevention. Additionally, we will discuss both preclinical and clinical studies highlighting the potentials and limitations of preventive antioxidant strategies.

Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Reproducibility Across 3 T Scanners in a Breast Diffusion Phantom.

BACKGROUND: To date, the accuracy and variability of diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) metrics have been reported in a limited number of scanner/protocol/coil combinations. PURPOSE: To evaluate the reproducibility of DW-MRI estimates across multiple scanners and DW-MRI protocols and to assess the effects of using an 8-channel vs. 16-channel breast coil in a breast phantom. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. PHANTOM: Breast phantom containing tubes of water and differing polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) concentrations with apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) matching breast tissue. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3 T (three standard and one wide bore), three DW-MRI single-shot echo planar imaging protocols of varying acquired spatial resolution. ASSESSMENT: Accuracy of estimated ADCs was assessed using percent differences (PD) relative to nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy-derived reference values. Coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated to determine variation across scanners. CVs based on the median standard deviation (CVM ) were used to evaluate tube-specific dispersion using 8- or 16-channel coils at a single scanner. ADCs of PVP-containing tubes were additionally normalized by the median water tube ADC to account for temperature effects. STATISTICAL TESTS: Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance and post hoc tests were used to evaluate differences in ADC, CV, and CVM across scanners and protocols (α = 0.05). RESULTS: ADCs were within 11% (interquartile range [IQR] 7%) of reference values and significantly improved to 2% (IQR 7%) after normalization to an internal water reference. Normalization significantly reduced interscanner variability of ADC estimates from 7% to 4%. DW-MRI protocol did not affect ADC accuracy; however, the clinical and higher-resolution clinical protocols resulted in the greatest (9%) and least (6%) interscanner variability, respectively. The 8- and 16-channel receive coils yielded similar accuracy (PD: 12% vs. 16%) and precision (CVM : 2.7% vs. 2.9%). DATA CONCLUSION: Normalization by an internal reference improved interscanner ADC reproducibility. High-resolution protocols yielded comparably accurate and significantly less variable ADCs compared to a clinical standard protocol. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.

Diffusion Breast MRI: Current Standard and Emerging Techniques.

The role of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) as a biomarker has been the subject of active investigation in the field of breast radiology. By quantifying the random motion of water within a voxel of tissue, DWI provides indirect metrics that reveal cellularity and architectural features. Studies show that data obtained from DWI may provide information related to the characterization, prognosis, and treatment response of breast cancer. The incorporation of DWI in breast imaging demonstrates its potential to serve as a non-invasive tool to help guide diagnosis and treatment. In this review, current technical literature of diffusion-weighted breast imaging will be discussed, in addition to clinical applications, advanced techniques, and emerging use in the field of radiomics.

Tri-Compartmental Restriction Spectrum Imaging Breast Model Distinguishes Malignant Lesions from Benign Lesions and Healthy Tissue on Diffusion-Weighted Imaging.

Diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) offers a potential adjunct to dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI to discriminate benign from malignant breast lesions by yielding quantitative information about tissue microstructure. Multi-component modeling of the DW-MRI signal over an extended b-value range (up to 3000 s/mm2) theoretically isolates the slowly diffusing (restricted) water component in tissues. Previously, a three-component restriction spectrum imaging (RSI) model demonstrated the ability to distinguish malignant lesions from healthy breast tissue. We further evaluated the utility of this three-component model to differentiate malignant from benign lesions and healthy tissue in 12 patients with known malignancy and synchronous pathology-proven benign lesions. The signal contributions from three distinct diffusion compartments were measured to generate parametric maps corresponding to diffusivity on a voxel-wise basis. The three-component model discriminated malignant from benign and healthy tissue, particularly using the restricted diffusion C1 compartment and product of the restricted and intermediate diffusion compartments (C1 and C2). However, benign lesions and healthy tissue did not significantly differ in diffusion characteristics. Quantitative discrimination of these three tissue types (malignant, benign, and healthy) in non-pre-defined lesions may enhance the clinical utility of DW-MRI in reducing excessive biopsies and aiding in surveillance and surgical evaluation without repeated exposure to gadolinium contrast.

Characterization of the diffusion signal of breast tissues using multi-exponential models.

PURPOSE: Restriction spectrum imaging (RSI) decomposes the diffusion-weighted MRI signal into separate components of known apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs). The number of diffusion components and optimal ADCs for RSI are organ-specific and determined empirically. The purpose of this work was to determine the RSI model for breast tissues. METHODS: The diffusion-weighted MRI signal was described using a linear combination of multiple exponential components. A set of ADC values was estimated to fit voxels in cancer and control ROIs. Later, the signal contributions of each diffusion component were estimated using these fixed ADC values. Relative-fitting residuals and Bayesian information criterion were assessed. Contrast-to-noise ratio between cancer and fibroglandular tissue in RSI-derived signal contribution maps was compared to DCE imaging. RESULTS: A total of 74 women with breast cancer were scanned at 3.0 Tesla MRI. The fitting residuals of conventional ADC and Bayesian information criterion suggest that a 3-component model improves the characterization of the diffusion signal over a biexponential model. Estimated ADCs of triexponential model were D1,3 = 0, D2,3 = 1.5 × 10-3 , and D3,3 = 10.8 × 10-3 mm2 /s. The RSI-derived signal contributions of the slower diffusion components were larger in tumors than in fibroglandular tissues. Further, the contrast-to-noise and specificity at 80% sensitivity of DCE and a subset of RSI-derived maps were equivalent. CONCLUSION: Breast diffusion-weighted MRI signal was best described using a triexponential model. Tumor conspicuity in breast RSI model is comparable to that of DCE without the use of exogenous contrast. These data may be used as differential features between healthy and malignant breast tissues.

Correction of Artifacts Induced by B0 Inhomogeneities in Breast MRI Using Reduced-Field-of-View Echo-Planar Imaging and Enhanced Reversed Polarity Gradient Method.

BACKGROUND: Diffusion-weighted (DW) echo-planar imaging (EPI) is prone to geometric distortions due to B0 inhomogeneities. Both prospective and retrospective approaches have been developed to decrease and correct such distortions. PURPOSE: The purpose of this work was to evaluate the performance of reduced-field-of-view (FOV) acquisition and retrospective distortion correction methods in decreasing distortion artifacts for breast imaging. Coverage of the axilla in reduced-FOV DW magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and residual distortion were also assessed. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. POPULATION/PHANTOM: Breast phantom and 169 women (52.4 ± 13.4 years old) undergoing clinical breast MRI. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: A 3.0 T/ full- and reduced-FOV DW gradient-echo EPI sequence. ASSESSMENT: Performance of reversed polarity gradient (RPG) and FSL topup in correcting breast full- and reduced-FOV EPI data was evaluated using the mutual information (MI) metric between EPI and anatomical images. Two independent breast radiologists determined if coverage on both EPI data sets was adequate to evaluate axillary nodes and identified residual nipple distortion artifacts. STATISTICAL TESTS: Two-way repeated-measures analyses of variance and post hoc tests were used to identify differences between EPI modality and distortion correction method. Generalized linear mixed effects models were used to evaluate differences in axillary coverage and residual nipple distortion. RESULTS: In a breast phantom, residual distortions were 0.16 ± 0.07 cm and 0.22 ± 0.13 cm in reduced- and full-FOV EPI with both methods, respectively. In patients, MI significantly increased after distortion correction of full-FOV (11 ± 5% and 18 ± 9%, RPG and topup) and reduced-FOV (8 ± 4% both) EPI data. Axillary nodes were observed in 99% and 69% of the cases in full- and reduced-FOV EPI images. Residual distortion was observed in 93% and 0% of the cases in full- and reduced-FOV images. DATA CONCLUSION: Minimal distortion was achieved with RPG applied to reduced-FOV EPI data. RPG improved distortions for full-FOV images but with more modest improvements and limited correction near the nipple. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.

Shared Decision Making and Patient-Centered Care in Israel, Jordan, and the United States: Exploratory and Comparative Survey Study of Physician Perceptions.

BACKGROUND: Shared decision making (SDM) is a health communication model that evolved in Europe and North America and largely reflects the values and medical practices dominant in these areas. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to understand the beliefs, perceptions, and practices related to SDM and patient-centered care (PCC) of physicians in Israel, Jordan, and the United States. METHODS: A hypothesis-generating comparative survey study was administered to physicians from Israel, Jordan, and the United States. RESULTS: A total of 36 surveys were collected via snowball sampling (Jordan: n=15; United States: n=12; Israel: n=9). SDM was perceived as a way to inform patients and allow them to participate in their care. Barriers to implementing SDM varied based on place of origin; physicians in the United States mentioned limited time, physicians in Jordan reported that a lack of patient education limits SDM practices, and physicians in Israel reported lack of communication training. Most US physicians defined PCC as a practice for prioritizing patient preferences, whereas both Jordanian and Israeli physicians defined PCC as a holistic approach to care and to prioritizing patient needs. Barriers to implementing PCC, as seen by US physicians, were mostly centered on limited appointment time and insurance coverage. In Jordan and Israel, staff shortage and a lack of resources in the system were seen as major barriers to PCC implementation. CONCLUSIONS: The study adds to the limited, yet important, literature on SDM and PCC in areas of the world outside the United States, Canada, Australia, and Western Europe. The study suggests that perceptions of PCC might widely differ among these regions, whereas concepts of SDM might be shared. Future work should clarify these differences.