Determining the elastography strain ratio cut off value for differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Elastography is an addition to grey-scale ultrasonic examination that has gained substantial traction within the last decade. Strain ratio (SR) has been incorporated as a semiquantitative measure within strain elastography, thus a potential imaging biomarker. The World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) published guidelines in 2015 for breast elastography. These guidelines acknowledge the marked variance in SR cut-off values used in differentiating benign from malignant lesions. The objective of this review was to include more recent evidence and seek to determine the optimal strain ratio cut off value for differentiating between benign and malignant breast lesions. METHODS: Comprehensive search of MEDLINE and Web of Science electronic databases with additional searches via Google Scholar and handsearching set from January 2000 to May 2020 was carried out. For retrieved studies, screening for eligibility, data extraction and analysis was done as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Diagnostic Test Accuracy (PRISMA-DTA) Statement guidelines of 2018. Quality and risk of bias assessment of the studies were performed using the revised Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool. RESULTS: A total of 424 articles, 412 from electronic database and 12 additional searches were retrieved and 65 studies were included in the narrative synthesis and subgroup analysis. The overall threshold effect indicated significant heterogeneity among the studies with Spearman correlation coefficient of Logit (TPR) vs Logit (FPR) at - 0.301, p-value = 0.015. A subgroup under machine model consisting seven studies with 783 patients and 844 lesions showed a favourable threshold, Spearman's correlation coefficient,0.786 (p = 0.036). CONCLUSION: From our review, currently the optimal breast SR cut-off point or value remains unresolved despite the WFUMB guidelines of 2015. Machine model as a possible contributor to cut-off value determination was suggested from this review which can be subjected to more industry and multi-center research determination.

Cancer and COVID-19 Experiences at African Cancer Centers: The Silver Lining.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted cancer care in Africa, further exposing major health disparities. This paper compares and contrasts the experiences of 15 clinicians in six different African cancer centers to highlight the positive aspects (silver linings) in an otherwise negative situation. METHODS: Data are from personal experience of the clinicians working at the six cancer centers blended with what is available in the literature. RESULTS: The impact of COVID-19 on cancer care appeared to vary not only across the continent but also over cancer centers. Different factors such as clinic location, services offered, available resources, and level of restrictions imposed because of COVID-19 were associated with these variations. Collectively, delays in treatment and limited access to cancer care were commonly reported in the different regions. CONCLUSION: There is a lack of data on cancer patients with COVID-19 and online COVID-19 and cancer registries for Africa. Analysis of the available data, however, suggests a higher mortality rate for cancer patients with COVID-19 compared with those without cancer. Positive or silver linings coming out of the pandemic include the adoption of hypofractionated radiation therapy and teleoncology to enhance access to care while protecting patients and staff members. Increasing collaborations using online technology with oncology health professionals across the world are also being seen as a silver lining, with valuable sharing of experiences and expertise to improve care, enhance learning, and reduce disparities. Advanced information and communication technologies are seen as vital for such collaborations and could avail efforts in dealing with the ongoing pandemic and potential future crises.

Empyema necessitans due to aspergillus in a 3-year-old paediatric patient at a referral hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.

We present a case of empyema necessitans due to aspergillus in a young child. The incidence of deep fungal mycoses in children, especially in developing countries is not known. There is paucity of data and access to diagnostics is usually limited. Our patient had received treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis which is endemic in Kenya for four months before diagnosis was made. We present this case to highlight the importance of considering alternative diagnosis when there is non-response to anti-tuberculous therapy.

Clinical neonatal hypoxic ischemic injury: Cranial ultrasound spectrum of findings in neonates admitted to a Newborn Unit in Nairobi, Kenya

Introduction: Birth asphyxia causes significant neurologic injury and neurodevelopmental delay in children. Cranial ultrasound (CUS) can be used for the diagnosis, early intervention, and prognostication of birth asphyxia. We determined the CUS findings among term neonates with clinical birth asphyxia and correlated sonographic findings with the modified Sarnat clinical grade.Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional analytical study in Kenyatta National Hospital New Born Unit (KNH NBU) between June 2018 and October 2018. Term babies, older than 24 h with clinical birth asphyxia, were recruited and CUS was performed. Statistical analysis was done using proportions, means, and frequencies. Chi-square tests were used to assess correlation between imaging findings and the clinical Sarnat grading of asphyxia.Results: Periventricular deep white matter echogenicity and thalamus and/or basal ganglia deep gray matter was reported in 56.4% and 31.1%, respectively. Only 4.4% had cortical gray matter. Normal CUS findings were reported in 40.0% of the neonates. Prolonged labor and meconium-stained liquor were the predominant risk factors for perinatal asphyxia, seen in 58% of the neonates. Prolonged labor was independently reported in 43% of the neonates. Moderate and severe Sarnat grades correlated with abnormal sonographic changes of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) (Grades 2­8) (P = 0.038). There was a trend toward HIE severity with worsening Sarnat stages (trend test P= 0.039). Abnormal resistive indices (<0.5 and >0.8) were strongly associated with the presence of HIE brain changes (P = 0.003).Conclusion: The correlation between birth asphyxia severity and CUS was more robust in Doppler evaluation of the deep cerebral arteries