Value of one-view breast tomosynthesis versus two-view mammography in diagnostic workup of women with clinical signs and symptoms and in women recalled from screening.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the diagnostic value of one-view digital breast tomosynthesis versus two-view full-field digital mammography (FFDM) alone, and versus a combined reading of both modalities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The datasets of one-view digital breast tomosynthesis and two-view FFDM of abnormal mammograms in 144 consecutive women admitted for diagnostic workup with clinical signs and symptoms (n = 78) or recalled from screening (n = 66) were read alone and in a combined setting. The malignant or benign nature of the lesions was established by histologic analysis of biopsied lesions or by 12-16-month follow-up. RESULTS: Eighty-six of the 144 patients were found to have breast cancer. The BI-RADS categories for one-view digital breast tomosynthesis were significantly better than those for two-view FFDM (p < 0.001) and were equal to those of the combined reading in both women admitted for diagnostic workup and women recalled from screening. The sensitivity and negative predictive values of digital breast tomosynthesis were superior to those of FFDM in fatty and dense breasts overall and in women admitted for diagnostic workup and in women recalled from screening. Only 11% of digital breast tomosynthesis examinations required additional imaging, compared with 23% of FFDMs. CONCLUSION: In patients with abnormal mammograms, one-view digital breast tomosynthesis had better sensitivity and negative predictive value than did FFDM in patients with fatty and dense breasts. They also suggest that digital breast tomosynthesis would likely increase the predictive values if incorporated in routine screening.

A rare case of jejunal arterio-venous fistula: treatment with superselective catheter embolization with a tracker-18 catheter and microcoils.

Arterio-venous fistulas may develop spontaneously, following trauma or infection, or be iatrogenic in nature. We present a rare case of a jejunal arterio- venous fistula in a 35-year-old man with a history of pancreatic head resection that had been performed two years previously because of chronic pancreatitis. The patient was admitted with acute upper abdominal pain, vomiting and an abdominal machinery-type bruit. The diagnosis of a jejunal arterio-venous fistula was established by MR imaging. Transfemoral angiography was performed to assess the possibility of catheter embolization. The angiographic study revealed a small aneurysm of the third jejunal artery, abnormal early filling of dilated jejunal veins and marked filling of the slightly dilated portal vein (13-14 mm). We considered the presence of segmental portal hypertension. The patient was treated with coil embolization in the same angiographic session. This case report demonstrates the importance of auscultation of the abdomen in the initial clinical examination. MR imaging and color Doppler ultrasound are excellent noninvasive tools in establishing the diagnosis. The role of interventional radiological techniques in the treatment of early portal hypertension secondary to jejunal arterio-venous fistula is discussed at a time when this condition is still asymptomatic. A review of the current literature is included.

Caveats when interpreting intravenous urograms following ileal orthotopic bladder substitution.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the appearance of the upper urinary tract following cystectomy and ileal orthotopic bladder substitution. Intravenous urograms (IVUs) performed preoperatively and at regular intervals postoperatively on 87 long-term survivors (minimum survival, 5 years) following ileal orthotopic bladder substitution were reviewed. Distention of the collecting system with blunted or rounded fornices was defined as dilatation. If in addition contrast medium excretion was delayed on the 5-min film, this was defined as obstruction. Collecting system dilatation was present on all IVU films obtained from most patients (80%) within 6 months of surgery, even in the absence of urinary tract obstruction. In contrast, dilatation was commonly seen only on the 20-min postinjection films (79%) on urograms performed more than 1 year following surgery, but not encountered on the other two postinjection radiographs (at 5 and 60 min). Five years after surgery, permanent obstruction was observed in only five (3%) renoureteral units. Dilatation of the upper urinary tract after ileal orthotopic bladder substitution is a frequent finding on the 5-min, 20-min, and 60-min films during the early postoperative period but is found only on the 20-min film 1 year and later after surgery. These findings should not be overinterpreted as obstruction.

Is ileal orthotopic bladder substitution with an afferent tubular segment detrimental to the upper urinary tract in the long term?

PURPOSE: We determine long-term morphological changes of the upper urinary tract following ileal orthotopic bladder substitution with an afferent tubular segment without a flap-valve type antireflux procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A consecutive series of long-term survivors (5 years or greater) following ileal orthotopic bladder substitution underwent regular radiological followup with excretory urography. Preoperative and postoperative renal size, parenchymal thickness, pelvicaliceal dilatation and upper urinary tract obstruction were assessed by 2 radiologists. RESULTS: A total of 76 patients with a median followup of 84 months (range 60 to 155) were evaluable. Four patients (2.6%) underwent unilateral nephroureterectomy during followup. Of the remaining 148 renoureteral units 141 (95%) revealed no significant changes in size or parenchymal thickness during followup. Renal size decreased in 6 (4%) and parenchymal thickness in 7 (5%) renoureteral units, 5 of which already had renal pathologies (dilatation, obstruction or hypoplastic kidney) preoperatively. De novo shrinkage of the parenchyma of a preoperatively normal kidney was observed in 2 (1%) renoureteral units associated with stenosis of the ureteroileal anastomosis. Of the 148 renoureteral units 14 (9%) presented with nonobstructive dilatation and 4 (3%) with complete obstruction. Preoperatively average serum creatinine level +/- SD was 98 +/- 19 micromol./l. and 10 years thereafter it was 83 +/- 27 micromol./l. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that unidirectional peristalsis of ureters and the afferent tubular ileal segment sufficiently protect the upper urinary tract following ileal bladder substitution up to a decade provided there are no preoperative renal pathology and no anastomotic stricture postoperatively. Additional antireflux flap-valve type implantation techniques are not required.