Diagnostic Performance of Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast-Enhanced Perfusion-Weighted Imaging in Differentiating Recurrence From Radiation Injury in Postoperative Glioma: A Meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: It is important to differentiate between radiation injury (RI) and tumor recurrence (TR) in patients with glioma after surgery and radiotherapy. Our objective was to evaluate the use of dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced perfusion-weighted imaging to distinguish between TR and RI in patients with glioma. METHODS: Relevant studies published until October 2021 were identified in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. Stata v12.0 and RevMan 5.3 were used for meta-analysis. RESULTS: In total, the meta-analysis incorporated 13 retrospective studies that included 513 patients with 522 lesions. Among the 522 lesions, 329 lesions were TRs and 193 lesions were RIs. The pooled relative cerebral blood volume value was significantly greater in the TR group ( P < 0.00001) with significant heterogeneity ( I2 = 88%). The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), and negative likelihood ratio (NLR) were 83% (95 confidence interval [CI], 77%-88%), 85% (95 CI, 77%-91%), 5.60 (95 CI, 3.61-8.70), and 0.20 (95% CI, 0.14-0.27), respectively. The heterogeneity of sensitivity ( I2 = 33.18%), specificity ( I2 = 24.01%), PLR ( I2 = 0.00%), and NLR ( I2 = 6.68%) is not significant. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.91 (95% CI, 0.88-0.93). The 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging, high-grade glioma, and Europe/America patient subgroups showed PLR greater than 5 and NLR less than 0.2. There was no significant indication of publication bias in the analysis ( P = 0.496). CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced perfusion-weighted imaging is effective for the diagnostic differentiation between TR and RI in patients with glioma.

I-125 seed-loaded versus normal stent insertion for obstructive esophageal cancer: a meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Malignant esophageal obstruction is usually caused by esophageal and other chest cancers. More than 80% of cases of obstructive esophageal cancer (OEC) have lost the chance of curative resection. Stent insertion is a first-line palliative approach used to treat incurable OEC. AIM: To gauge the relative clinical efficacy of I-125 seed-loaded stent (ISS) versus normal stent (NS) insertion as a treatment for OEC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Querying of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted to find all relevant studies published up to November 2020. The meta-analysis was undertaken using RevMan v5.3. RESULTS: We identified 158 studies initially, eight (4 randomized controlled trials and 4 retrospective studies) of which were used in this meta-analysis. We found that the two groups exhibited the comparable pooled Δdysphagia scores (MD = 0.02; p = 0.80), stent restenosis rates (OR = 0.97; p = 0.89), stent migration rates (OR = 0.81; p = 0.63), severe chest pain rates (OR = 1.05; p = 0.81), hemorrhage rates (OR = 1.53; p = 0.16), aspiration pneumonia rates (OR = 0.72; p = 0.38), and fistula formation rates (OR = 1.47; p = 0.44). The pooled time-to-restenosis and survival were both significantly longer in the ISS group (p = 0.04 and < 0.0001, respectively). Significant heterogeneity was detected in the endpoints of Δdysphagia scores and survival (I2 = 73% and 86%, respectively). Funnel plot analysis indicated an absence of publication bias related to the selected study endpoints. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with OEC, our meta-analysis indicated that ISS insertion could provide longer stent patency and survival than NS insertion.

Computed tomography-guided cutting needle biopsy for lung nodules: A comparative study between low-dose and standard dose protocols.

ABSTRACT: We aim to compare the diagnostic accuracy, safety, and radiation exposure between low-dose and standard-dose computed tomography (CT)-guided cutting needle biopsy (CNB) for lung nodules.From January 2016 to August 2017, all consecutive patients admitted with lung nodule underwent low-dose or standard-dose CT-guided CNB procedure in our center. Diagnostic accuracy and radiation dose were compared.A total of 67 and 69 patients who underwent low-dose and standard-dose CT-guided CNB procedure were included in this study. Each patient underwent CT-guided CNB for 1 nodule. The technical success rates were 100% in both groups. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall diagnostic accuracy were 97.7%, 100%, and 98.5% for low-dose group and 91.5%, 100%, and 94.2% for standard-dose group. There was no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy (P = .380) between 2 groups. Pneumothorax was found in 8 and 15 patients in the low-dose and standard-dose groups, respectively (11.9% vs 21.7%, P = .127). Hemoptysis was found in 10 and 10 patients in the low-dose and standard-dose groups, respectively (14.9% vs 14.5%, P = .943). The mean dose-length product was 38.2 ±â€Š17.2 mGy-cm and 375.3 ±â€Š115.7 mGy-cm in the low-dose and standard-dose groups (P < .001). The mean dose-length product was 38.2 ±â€Š17.2 mGy-cm and 375.3 ±â€Š115.7 mGy-cm in the low-dose and standard-dose groups, respectively (P < .001). The mean effective dose was 0.5 ±â€Š0.2 mSv and 5.3 ±â€Š1.6 mSv in the low-dose and standard-dose groups, respectively (P < .001).Low-dose CT-guided CNB of lung nodules significantly decreased radiation dose compared with standard-dose CT. The low-dose protocol could provide similar diagnostic accuracy and safety as standard-dose CT-guided CNB for lung nodules.

Endovascular stent repair of celiac arterial aneurysm.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and clinical effectiveness of endovascular stent repair of celiac arterial aneurysm (CAA).From January 2015 to December 2018, 11 patients (7 males, 4 females with a mean age of 52.2 ±â€Š7.9 years) underwent endovascular stent repair of CAA in our center. A covered stent was used to occlude the CAA neck. Follow-up was performed 2 weeks and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months following surgery and yearly thereafter. Rates of technical success, treatment-related complications, and long-term outcome were analyzed.Each patient was placed with 1 stent for repair of CAA. Stent was placed in the celiac and common hepatic arteries for 10 patients and was placed in the celiac artery for 1 patient. The duration of the procedure ranged from 50 to 75 minutes (mean 63.2 ±â€Š7.2 minutes). The rate of technical success of the endovascular stent repair was 100%. No patient experienced CAA rupture or instant endoleak during or after stent insertion. Abdominal pain was relieved progressively after stent insertion. All patients were followed-up for 6 to 48 months (mean 22.4 ±â€Š10.8 months). All patients were alive during the follow-up. No endoleaks were experienced during follow-up with 100% stent patency rate. No patient suffered splenic, hepatic, or bowel infarction during follow-up.Endovascular stent repair is a safe, simple, and effective treatment for patients with CAA.