Aneurysmal bone cyst: Is selective arterial embolization effective as curettage and bone grafting?

INTRODUCTION: Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a lytic benign bone lesion representing about 1% of all primary bone tumors. Method to treat ABC's have developed over time. The standard of care cure for ABC has been curettage with or without bone grafting of the defect but is burdened by recurrence rates of approximately 25%-31%. Based on the assumption that ABCs usually supplied by one or more pathological feeding arteries, selective arterial embolization has been described as an adjuvant preoperative procedure to reduce intra-operative hemorrhage, and as primary treatment for lesions in difficult surgical access. In the current study, we therefore asked whether (1) a single or a repeat selective arterial embolization (SAE) for treating ABCs would produce comparable healing rates compared with curettage and bone grafting; (2) evaluated the relationship of recurrence in relation to the site of the cyst, the age, and gender of the patients; and (3) the two techniques differ in term of long-term complication. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 265 patients who underwent curettage and bone grafting or SAE performed at our institute from 1994 to 2018. The diagnosis of ABC was always established with percutaneous CT-guided biopsy or open biopsy. Patients were followed clinically with plain radiographs or CT scan at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months then annually in the absence of symptoms. Treatment success was determined evaluating pre- and postprocedural imaging according to Chang classification. RESULTS: Two hundred and nineteen were treated with curettage and bone grafting (curettage group), and 46 with SAE Group. Of the 219 patients treated with Curettage and bone grafting (curettage group), 165 out of 219 (75.3%) experienced bone healing, while local recurrence was observed in 54 cases (24.7%) after 12 months on average (range: 3-120 months) from surgery. After the first SAE, bone ossification was seen in 27 (58.7%), without needing any further treatment. Eleven recurred patients were treated with SAE (four patients need two while seven need three SAE to heal), and eight patients with curettage and bone grafting. Thirty-eight out of 46 (82%) patients experienced bone ossification regardless the number of SAE. The overall rate of local recurrence for all patients was 26.7%. SAE group presented a lower complication rate (6%) where two patients experienced skin necrosis, and one limb-length discrepancies (2% of all cohort). DISCUSSION: The use of SAE is an attractive option to treat ABC as it combines on one hand a lower complication rate than curettage and bone grafting, on the other it can be carried out in case of nonresectable ABCs, significantly reducing the size of viable ABC lesions, fostering bone remodeling and mineralization, and most importantly, significantly improving the patient's quality of life.

The prominent role of percutaneous transarterial embolization in the treatment of anterior abdominal wall hematomas: the results of three high volume tertiary referral centers.

PURPOSE: Percutaneous transarterial embolization (PTE) represents a fast, safe and effective option for life-threatening anterior abdominal wall hematomas (AWHs) and those unresponsive to conservative treatment. Our study aims to assess cumulative results of safety, technical and clinical success of PTE performed in three high-volume tertiary referral centers and to evaluate the efficacy of the different embolic materials employed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A consecutive series of 124 patients (72.8 ± 14.4 years) with AWHs of different etiology submitted to PTE were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Clinical success, defined as absence of recurrent bleeding within 96 h from PTE, was considered as primary endpoint. The results of the comparison of three groups based on embolic agent employed were also analyzed. RESULTS: Spontaneous AWHs accounted for 62.1%, iatrogenic for 21.8% and post-traumatic for 16.1% of cases. SARS-CoV-19 infection was present in 22.6% of patients. The most commonly embolized vessels were epigastric inferior artery (n = 127) and superior epigastric artery (n = 25). Technical and clinical success were 97.6 and 87.1%, respectively. Angiographic signs of active bleeding were detected in 85.5% of cases. Four (4%) major complications were reported. The comparison of the three groups of embolic agents (mechanical, particulate/fluid and combined) showed no statistically significant differences in terms of clinical success. SARS-CoV-2 infection was found to be an independent factor for recurrent bleeding and poor 30-day survival. CONCLUSION: PTE performed with all the embolic agent employed in our centers is a safe and effective tool in the treatment of life-threatening anterior AWH of each origin.

Palliative Arterial Embolization for Metastases of the Sternum.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the safety and efficacy of palliative arterial embolization for metastases of the sternum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 10 consecutive patients (5 M, 5 F; mean age 58.1; range 37-70) with metastases of the sternum from different primary tumors, treated with palliative arterial embolization using NBCA-Lipiodol between January 2007 and June 2022. Four patients received a second embolization at the same site, for a total of 14 embolizations. Data on technical and clinical success, as well as changes in tumor size, were collected. All embolization-related complications were evaluated according to the CIRSE classification system for complications. RESULTS: Post-embolization angiography showed occlusion of more than 90% of the pathological feeding vessels in all procedures. Pain score and analgesic drug consumption were reduced by 50% in all 10 patients (100%, p < 0.05). The mean duration of pain relief was 9.5 months (range 8 to 12 months, p < 0.05). Metastatic tumor size was reduced from a mean of 71.5 cm3 (range 41.6 to 90.3 cm3) pre-embolization to a mean of 67.9 cm3 (range 38.5 to 86.1 cm3) at the 12-month follow-up (p < 0.05). None of the patients experienced embolization-related complications. CONCLUSION: Arterial embolization is safe and effective as a palliative treatment for patients with metastases of the sternum who did not benefit from radiation therapy or experienced recurrence in symptoms.

Imaging of calcific tendinopathy in atypical sites by ultrasound and conventional radiography: A pictorial essay.

Calcific tendinopathy (CT) is a very common condition caused by the deposition of calcium hydroxyapatite crystals in tendons and it can be an incidental finding or associated with severe pain. CT can be easily detected by first level exams such as traditional radiography and ultrasound (US), which provide information on the site, extent and composition of the calcific formation. Classically, the most affected site is represented by the rotator cuff tendons, in particular the supraspinatus tendon. In this pictorial essay we illustrate various unusual localizations of CT detected by US and plain radiography, in order to provide an overview with the aim of preventing diagnostic delays and consequently CT complications.

The role of percutaneous transarterial embolization in the management of spinal bone tumors: a literature review.

PURPOSE: Spinal bone tumors include a heterogeneous broad of primary or metastatic lesions that may present as incidental findings or manifest with painful symptoms and pathological fractures. Optimal management of spine bone lesions is often difficult and treatment algorithms are usually solidly based on surgery. We aimed to evaluate the contribution of trans-arterial embolization in this field, with particular attention to the procedure efficacy, technical difficulties and complications. METHODS: We present a literature review on the role of trans-arterial embolization in the management of spinal bone tumors, both primary and metastatic, evaluating its contribution as preoperative treatment, palliative procedure and standalone curative strategy. RESULTS: Trans-arterial embolization provides an important contribution to reducing surgery hemorrhagic risks, offering a better visualization of the operating field, and possibly increasing tumor susceptibility to chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Nonetheless, it plays an important part in pain palliation, with the unquestionable advantage of being easily repeatable in case of necessity. Its curative role as a standalone therapy is still subject of debate, and at the present time, satisfactory results have been recorded only in the treatment of aneurysmal bone cysts. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous trans-arterial embolization has established as a highly useful minimally invasive procedure in the management of spinal bone lesions, particularly as adjuvant preoperative therapy and palliative treatment.

Magnetic resonance imaging of soft tissue sarcoma: features related to prognosis.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging is a fundamental tool in the evaluation of soft tissue sarcoma. Imaging features are relevant for the assessment of treatment strategies, surgical planning and also for patients' prognosis prediction. Among soft tissue sarcoma and also other malignancies, the size of the mass is usually considered the prognostic key element in diagnostic imaging. Moreover, several other features should be obtained from MRI studies with prognostic implications in all type of soft tissue sarcoma: peritumoral enhancement, signs of necrosis, deep location, ill-defined borders/signs of infiltrations. Focusing on soft tissue sarcoma subtypes, some other magnetic resonance imaging features are more specific and related to prognosis. In myxofibrosarcoma the magnetic resonance imaging "tail sign" and a "water-like" appearance on fluid-sensitive sequences, due to rich myxoid matrix content, are both associated with higher risk of local recurrence after surgical excision; nevertheless, the "tail sign" is also related to a higher risk of distant metastases at diagnosis. The "tail sign" is associated with higher risk of local recurrence after surgical excision in undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma as well. In patients affected by synovial sarcoma, the "triple sign" identifiable in magnetic resonance imaging (T2w sequences) is associated with decreased disease-free survival and indicates the simultaneous presence of solid cellular elements (intermediate signal intensity), hemorrhage or necrosis (high signal intensity) and fibrotic regions (low signal intensity). In addition, absence of calcifications are associated with reduced disease-free survival in patients affected by synovial sarcoma. Signal heterogeneity is associated with worst prognosis in all type of soft tissue sarcoma, particularly in myxoid liposarcoma. In recent years, several new quantitative tools applied on magnetic resonance imaging have been proved to predict patients' prognosis. Above all the new tools, radiomics seems to be one of the most promising, and, has been proved to have the capability in discriminating low-grade from high-grade soft tissue sarcomas. Therefore, magnetic resonance imaging studies in patients with soft tissue sarcoma should be accurately evaluated and their results should be taken into account for prognostic assessment.

Osteoid osteoma: which is the best mininvasive treatment option?

Osteoid osteoma is the third most common benign bone tumor, with well-known clinical presentation and radiological features. Although surgical excision has been the only therapeutic option for a long time, to date it has been replaced by minimally invasive techniques, which proved satisfactory success rates and low complication occurrence. Therefore, the purpose of this literature review was to describe the main updates of these recent procedures in the field of interventional radiology, with particular attention paid to the results of the leading studies relating to the efficacy, complications, and recurrence rate. Nevertheless, this study aimed to analyze the peculiarities of each reported technique, with specific focus on the possible improvements and pitfalls. Results proved that all mininvasive procedures boast a high success rate with slight number of complications and a low recurrence rate. Radiofrequency ablation is still considered the gold standard procedure for percutaneous treatment of osteoid osteoma, and it has the possibility to combine treatment with a biopsy. Interstitial laser ablation's advantages are the simplicity of use and a lower cost of the electrodes, while cryoablation allows real-time visualization of the ablated zone, increasing the treatment safety. Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery is the most innovative non-invasive procedure, with the unquestionable advantage to be radiation free.