MRzero - Automated discovery of MRI sequences using supervised learning.

PURPOSE: A supervised learning framework is proposed to automatically generate MR sequences and corresponding reconstruction based on the target contrast of interest. Combined with a flexible, task-driven cost function this allows for an efficient exploration of novel MR sequence strategies. METHODS: The scanning and reconstruction process is simulated end-to-end in terms of RF events, gradient moment events in x and y, and delay times, acting on the input model spin system given in terms of proton density, T1 and T2 , and ΔB0 . As a proof of concept, we use both conventional MR images and T1 maps as targets and optimize from scratch using the loss defined by data fidelity, SAR penalty, and scan time. RESULTS: In a first attempt, MRzero learns gradient and RF events from zero, and is able to generate a target image produced by a conventional gradient echo sequence. Using a neural network within the reconstruction module allows arbitrary targets to be learned successfully. Experiments could be translated to image acquisition at the real system (3T Siemens, PRISMA) and could be verified in the measurements of phantoms and a human brain in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Automated MR sequence generation is possible based on differentiable Bloch equation simulations and a supervised learning approach.

[Lower urinary tract symptoms and urinary incontinence in renal transplant recipients and candidates: The French guidelines from CTAFU]. / Recommandations françaises du Comité de transplantation de l'association française d'urologie (CTAFU) : symptômes du bas appareil urinaire et incontinence urinaire chez le patient transplanté ou en attente de transplantation rénale.

OBJECTIVE: To propose surgical recommendations for the management of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and urinary incontinence in kidney transplant recipients and candidates. METHOD: Following a systematic approach, a review of the literature (Medline) was conducted by the CTAFU focusing on medical and surgical treatment of LUTS and urinary incontinence in kidney transplant recipients and candidates. References were assessed according to a predefined process to propose recommendations with levels of evidence. RESULTS: Functional bladder capacity and bladder compliance are impaired during dialysis. LUTS, related to pre-kidney transplantion alterations, frequently improve spontaneously after kidney transplantation. LUTS secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) may be underestimated before kidney transplantation due to oliguria, low bladder compliance and low bladder capacity. In LUTS associated with BPH, anticholinergics require dosage adjustment with creatinine clearance. If surgery is indicated after kidney transplantation, procedure can be safely performed in the early post-transplant course after removal of ureteral stent. Surgical management of urinary incontinence does not seem to be associated with an icreased risk for infectious complications in kidney transplant recipients. Particular attention should be paid to the management of postvoid residual and bladder pressures in case of neurological bladder disease. Optimal care of neurological bladder should be provided prior to transplantation: with a cautious management, and despite an increased occurrence of febrile urinary tract infections, transplant survival is not compromised. CONCLUSION: These recommendations must contribute to improve the management of lower urinary tract symptoms and urinary incontinence in kidney transplant patients and kidney transplant candidates.

[Renal cell carcinoma of the kidney transplant: The French guidelines from CTAFU]. / Recommandations françaises du Comité de transplantation de l'association française d'urologie (CTAFU) : Carcinome à cellules rénales du transplant rénal.

OBJECTIVE: To propose recommendations for the management of renal cell carcinomas (RCC) of the renal transplant. METHOD: Following a systematic approach, a review of the literature (Medline) was conducted by the CTAFU to evaluate prevalence, diagnosis and management of RCC arousing in the renal transplant. References were assessed according to a predefined process to propose recommendations with levels of evidence. RESULTS: Renal cell carcinomas of the renal transplant affect approximately 0.2% of recipients. Mostly asymptomatic, these tumors are mainly diagnosed on a routine imaging of the renal transplant. Predominant pathology is clear cell carcinomas but papillary carcinomas are more frequent than in general population (up to 40-50%). RCC of the renal transplant is often localized, of low stage and low grade. According to tumor characteristics and renal function, preferred treatment is radical (transplantectomy) or nephron sparing through partial nephrectomy (open or minimally invasive approach) or thermoablation after percutaneous biopsy. Although no robust data support a switch of immunosuppressive regimen, some authors suggest to favor the use of mTOR inhibitors. CTAFU does not recommend a mandatory waiting time after transplantectomy for RCC in candidates for a subsequent renal tranplantation when tumor stage

[Urinary stones in renal transplant recipients and donors: The French guidelines from CTAFU]. / Recommandations françaises du Comité de transplantation de l'association française d'urologie (CTAFU) : lithiase urinaire chez le receveur ou le donneur en transplantation rénale.

OBJECTIVE: To define guidelines for the management of kidney stones in kidney transplant (KTx) donor or recipients. METHOD: Following a systematic approach, a review of the literature (Medline) was conducted by the CTAFU to report kidney stone epidemiology, diagnosis and management in KTx donors and recipients with the corresponding level of evidence. RESULTS: Prevalence of kidney stones in deceased donor is unknown but reaches 9.3% in living donors in industrialized countries. Except in Maastrich 2 donors, diagnosis is done on systematic pre-donation CT scan according to standard french procedure. No prospective study has compared therapeutic strategies available for the management of kidney stones in KTx donor: ureteroscopy or an extra corporeal lithotripsy in case of living donor prior to donation, ex vivo approach (pyelotomy or ureteroscopy), ureterocopy in the KTx recipient or surveillance. De novo kidney stones result from a lithogenesis process to be identified and treated in order to avoid recurrences. The context of solitary functional kidney renders the prevention of recurrence of great importance. Diagnosis is suspected when identification of a renal graft dysfunction, hematuria or urinary tract infection with renal pelvis dilatation. Stone size and location are determined by computed tomography. There are no prospective, controlled studies on kidney stone management in the KTx. The therapeutic strategies are similar to standard management in general population. CONCLUSION: These French recommendations should contribute to improve kidney stones management in KTx donor and recipients.

[Localized Prostate cancer in candidates for renal transplantation and recipients of a kidney transplant: The French Guidelines from CTAFU]. / Recommandations françaises du Comité de transplantation de l'Association française d'urologie (CTAFU) : cancer de la prostate localisé chez le patient transplanté rénal ou en attente de transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: To define guidelines for the management of localized prostate cancer (PCa) in kidney transplant (KTx) candidates and recipients. METHOD: A systematic review (Medline) of the literature was conducted by the CTAFU to report prostate cancer epidemiology, screening, diagnosis and management in KTx candidates and recipients with the corresponding level of evidence. RESULTS: KTx recipients are at similar risk for PCa as general population. Thus, PCa screening in this setting is defined according to global French guidelines from CCAFU. Systematic screening is proposed in candidates for renal transplant over 50 y-o. PCa diagnosis is based on prostate biopsies performed after multiparametric MRI and preventive antibiotics. CCAFU guidelines remain applicable for PCa treatment in KTx recipients with some specificities, especially regarding lymph nodes management. Treatment options in candidates for KTx need to integrate waiting time and access to transplantation. Current data allows the CTAFU to propose mandatory waiting times after PCa treatment in KTx candidates with a weak level of evidence. CONCLUSION: These French recommendations should contribute to improve PCa management in KTx recipients and candidates, integrating oncological objectives with access to transplantation.

[Renal, vascular and urological variations and abnormalities in living kidney donor candidates]. / Variations et anomalies néphrologiques, vasculaires et urologiques chez les candidats au don vivant rénal.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anatomic variations (renal, vascular and urological) and acquired renal pathologies in living kidney donor candidates (LKDC). METHODS: This is a retrospective study of all LKDC referred to our center between April 2003 and September 2014. Of the 491 LKDC, 189 were initially excluded for medical reasons (n=140) or others reasons (n=49), without undergoing a radiological assessment. In total, 302 had a radiological assessment (angio-CT or MRI) in anticipation of the donation and 226/302 (73.5%) could donate a kidney. RESULTS: One or more anatomical variations and/or acquired abnormalities were observed in 178/302 (58.9%) of the LKDC. The most frequent were arterial variations or abnormalities (multiple arteries, fibrodysplasia, aneurysms, stenosis≥70%) which where observed in 39.3% of the LKDC, followed by the venous abnormalities (27.8%). Kidney stones were observed in 5.6% of the LKDC and the urinary abnormalities (duplication/ureteral bifidity) were found in 3% of the LKDC. No malignant tumour was diagnosed, while 4 benign tumours (1.3%) were identified, and one of them required additional investigations. CONCLUSION: We found a high prevalence of anatomical variations and acquired abnormalities in a population of LKDC. However, these findings resulted in the exclusion of only 4% of the candidates, because they did not contraindicate the donation or, in most of cases, the contralateral kidney could be used. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

Management of renal transplant urolithiasis: a multicentre study by the French Urology Association Transplantation Committee.

PURPOSE: Urolithiasis is rare among renal transplant recipients and its management has not been clearly defined. METHODS: This multicentre retrospective study was organised by the Comité de Transplantation de l'Association Française d'Urologie (French Urology Association transplantation committee). Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 19 software. RESULTS: Ninety-five patients were included in this study. Renal transplant urolithiasis was an incidental finding in 55% of cases, mostly on a routine follow-up ultrasound examination. One half of symptomatic stones were due to urinary tract infection and the other half were due to an episode of acute renal failure. The initial management following diagnosis of urolithiasis was double J stenting (27%), nephrostomy tube placement (21%), or watchful waiting (52%). Definitive management consisted of: watchful waiting (48%), extracorporeal lithotripsy (13%), rigid or flexible ureteroscopy (26%), percutaneous nephrolithotomy (11%) and surgical pyelotomy (2%). All transplants remained functional following treatment of the stone. The main limitation is the retrospective design. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of lithiasis could be higher in kidney transplanted patients due to a possible anatomical or metabolical abnormalities. The therapeutic management of renal transplant urolithiasis appears to be comparable to that of native kidney urolithiasis.

Ultraearly assessed reperfusion status after middle cerebral artery recanalization predicting clinical outcome.

OBJECTIVES: Mechanical thrombectomy has high evidence in stroke therapy; however, successful recanalization guarantees not a favorable clinical outcome. We aimed to quantitatively assess the reperfusion status ultraearly after successful middle cerebral artery (MCA) recanalization to identify flow parameters that potentially allow predicting clinical outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-seven stroke patients with acute MCA occlusion, undergoing recanalization, were enrolled. Using parametric color coding, a post-processing algorithm, pre-, and post-interventional digital subtraction angiography series were evaluated concerning the following parameters: pre- and post-procedural cortical relative time to peak (rTTP) of MCA territory, reperfusion time, and index. Functional long-term outcome was assessed by the 90-day modified Rankin Scale score (mRS; favorable: 0-2). RESULTS: Cortical rTTP was significantly shorter before (3.33 ± 1.36 seconds; P = .03) and after intervention (2.05 ± 0.70 seconds; P = .003) in patients with favorable clinical outcome. Additionally, age (P = .005) and initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (P = .02) were significantly different between the patients, whereas reperfusion index and time as well as initially estimated infarct size were not. In multivariate analysis, only post-procedural rTTP (P = .005) was independently associated with favorable clinical outcome. 2.29 seconds for post-procedural rTTP might be a threshold to predict favorable clinical outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Ultraearly quantitative assessment of reperfusion status after successful MCA recanalization reveals post-procedural cortical rTTP as possible independent prognostic value in predicting favorable clinical outcome, even determining a threshold value might be possible. In consequence, focusing stroke therapy on microcirculatory patency could be valuable to improve outcome.

Overall survival and oncological outcomes after partial nephrectomy and radical nephrectomy for cT2a renal tumors: A collaborative international study from the French kidney cancer research network UroCCR.

BACKGROUND: Partial nephrectomy (PN) is recommended as first-line treatment for cT1 stage kidney tumors because of a better renal function and probably a better overall survival than radical nephrectomy (RN). For larger tumors, PN has a controversial position due to lack of evidence showing good cancer control. The aim of this study was to compare the results of PN and RN in cT2a stage on overall survival and oncological results. METHOD: A retrospective international multicenter study was conducted in the frame of the French kidney cancer research network (UroCCR). We considered all patients aged≥18 years who underwent surgical treatment for localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC) stage cT2a (7.1-10cm) between 2000 and 2014. Cox and Fine-Gray models were performed to analyze overall survival (OS), cancer specific survival (CSS) and cancer-free survival (CFS). Comparison between PN and RN was realized after an adjustment by propensity score considering predefined confounding factors: age, sex, tumor size, pT stage of the TNM classification, histological type, ISUP grade, ASA score. RESULTS: A total of 267 patients were included. OS at 3 and 5 years was 93.6% and 78.7% after PN and 88.0% and 76.2% after RN, respectively. CSS at 3 and 5 years was 95.4% and 80.2% after PN and 91.0% and 85.0% after RN. No significant difference between groups was found after propensity score adjustment for OS (HR 0.87, 95% CI: 0.37-2.05, P=0.75), CSS (HR 0.52, 95% CI: 0.18-1.54, P=0.24) and CFS (HR 1.02, 95% CI: 0.50-2.09, P=0.96). CONCLUSION: PN seems equivalent to RN for OS, CSS and CFS in cT2a stage kidney tumors. The risk of recurrence is probably more related to prognostic factors than the surgical technique. The decision to perform a PN should depend on technical feasibility rather than tumor size, both to imperative and elective situation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Prostate cancer before renal transplantation: A multicentre study.

INTRODUCTION: The surgical issues of renal transplantation (RT) after localized prostate cancer (PC) treatment and oncological outcomes after transplantation in patients on the waiting list with a history of PC were unknown. We conducted a retrospective multicentre study including all patients with PC diagnosed before the kidney transplantation. METHODS: Fifty-two patients were included from December 1993 to December 2015. The median age at diagnosis of PC was 59.8years old. RESULTS: The median PSA rate at diagnosis was 7ng/mL. Twenty-seven, Twenty-four, and one PC were respectively low, intermediate and high risk according to d'Amico classification. Forty-three patients were treated by radical prostatectomy (RP): 28 retropubic, 15 laparoscopic and 3 by a perineal approach. Eighteen patients had a lymph node dissection. Four patients were treated with external radiotherapy and 2 by brachytherapy. Eight patients underwent radiotherapy after surgery. The median time between PC treatment and RT was 35.7 months. The median operating time for the renal transplantation was 180min (IQR 150-190; min 90-max 310) with a median intraoperative bleeding of 200mL (IQR 100-290; min 50-max 2000). A history of lymphadenectomy did not significantly lengthen operative time (P=0.34). No recurrence of PC was observed after a median follow of 36months. CONCLUSION: PC discovered before RT should be treated with RP to assess the risk of recurrence and decrease waiting for a RT. If the PC is at low risk of recurrence, it seems possible to shorten the waiting time before the RT after a multidisciplinary discussion meeting. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

[Polycystic kidney disease and kidney transplantation]. / Prise en charge de la polykystose rénale autosomique dominante avant transplantation rénale.

OBJECTIVES: To perform a state of the art about autosomal dominant polykystic kidney disease (ADPKD), management of its urological complications and end stage renal disease treatment modalities. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An exhaustive systematic review of the scientific literature was performed in the Medline database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) and Embase (http://www.embase.com) using different associations of the following keywords (MESH): "autosomal dominant polykystic kidney disease", "complications", "native nephrectomy", "kidney transplantation". Publications obtained were selected based on methodology, language, date of publication (last 10 years) and relevance. Prospective and retrospective studies, in English or French, review articles; meta-analysis and guidelines were selected and analyzed. This search found 3779 articles. After reading titles and abstracts, 52 were included in the text, based on their relevance. RESULTS: ADPKD is the most inherited renal disease, leading to end stage renal disease requiring dialysis or renal transplantation in about 50% of the patients. Many urological complications (gross hematuria, cysts infection, renal pain, lithiasis) of ADPKD required urological management. The pretransplant evaluation will ask the challenging question of native nephrectomy only in case of recurrent kidney complications or large kidney not allowing graft implantation. The optimum timing for native nephrectomy will depend on many factors (dialysis or preemptive transplantation, complication severity, anuria, easy access to transplantation, potential living donor). CONCLUSION: Pretransplant management of ADPKD is challenging. A conservative strategy should be promoted to avoid anuria (and its metabolic complications) and to preserve a functioning low urinary tract and quality of life. When native nephrectomy should be performed, surgery remains the gold standard but renal arterial embolization may be a safe option due to its low morbidity.

Nephron sparing surgery for De Novo kidney graft tumor: results from a multicenter national study.

Nephron sparing surgery (NSS) results in the transplanted population remain unknown because they are only presented in small series or case reports. Our objective was to study renal sparing surgery for kidney graft renal cell carcinomas (RCC) in a multicenter cohort. Data were collected from 32 French transplantation centers. Cases of renal graft de novo tumors treated as RCC since the beginning of their transplantation activity were included. Seventy-nine allograft kidney de novo tumors were diagnosed. Forty-three patients (54.4%) underwent renal sparing surgery. Mean age of grafted kidneys at the time of diagnosis was 47.5 years old (26.1-72.6). The mean time between transplantation and tumor diagnosis was 142.6 months (12.2-300). Fifteen tumors were clear cell carcinomas (34.9%), and 25 (58.1%) were papillary carcinomas. Respectively, 10 (24.4%), 24 (58.3%) and 8 (19.5%) tumors were Fuhrman grade 1, 2 and 3. Nine patients had postoperative complications (20.9%) including four requiring surgery (Clavien IIIb). At the last follow-up, 41 patients had a functional kidney graft, without dialysis and no long-term complications. NSS is safe and appropriate for all small tumors of transplanted kidneys with good long-term functional and oncological outcomes, which prevent patients from returning to dialysis.

Urological tumors in renal transplantation.

The aim of this paper was to review the risk and incidence of urological malignancies and the clinical characteristics and outcomes of renal transplant urological malignancies. Medline/PubMed from January 1980 to February 2013 was searched to identify all medical literature about native kidney, graft bladder and prostate cancers. Comparing to general population, risk of kidney cancer was found to be 7 to 10 times greater and most of them are incidental low-stage, low-grade tumors with a good prognosis. Open and laparoscopic radical nephrectomies without lymph nodes dissection were reported to be safe. Incidence of graft RCC was 0.19%. Papillary carcinomas represented more than 50% of de novo graft carcinomas, which seemed to be low-grade carcinomas with good prognosis. Risk of prostate cancer was two times higher. Open or laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is safe and feasible for management of localized prostate cancer in patients with kidney allograft. Upper urinary tract (UUT) transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) incidence was reported between 0.7% and 3.8%. Reports suggested a 3-fold increased risk of developing bladder TCC. Intravesical BCG in superficial bladder cancer and/or CIS is a valid option. For invasive urothelial tumor, radical cystectomy in renal transplant patients remains the best treatment. Oncological outcomes of urological cancers in renal transplant recipients are good and conservative treatment should be preferred each time it is feasible to prevent returning to dialysis following recommendations of urological cancer treatment. Close monitoring of renal transplant recipient must be performed with at least an abdominopelvic US and PSA measurement once a year.

Ischemia/reperfusion during normothermic perfusion.

INTRODUCTION: Cold storage of organs for preservation and transplantation is reaching its limits especially with extended criteria for heart beating donors and donation after cardiac death. We will discuss recent findings and perspectives in normothermic kidney preservation. METHODS: A literature review was performed from original articles and syntheses selected by the search engine PubMed. Keywords used were: cold ischemia; warm ischemia, normothermic, organ preservation, preconditioning, organ perfusion. RESULTS: We identified several ways to improve kidney preservation: Ischemic normothermic preconditioning; Pharmacologic normothermic preconditioning; Ex vivo normothermic reperfusion; Remote ischemic transplantation preconditioning; Ischemic postconditioning. In clinical practice, only uses of ECMO for organ preconditioning or ex vivo normothermic organ perfusion were used. CONCLUSION: Promising experimental and clinical results make challenge cold preservation. The most suitable and physiological method seems to be a normothermic perfusion and conservation with autologous oxygenated blood using Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation or Regional Normothermic Circulation.

[Emergency nephrectomies: retrospective monocentric study, about eight cases]. / Néphrectomies réalisées dans un contexte d'urgence: étude rétrospective, monocentrique à propos de huit cas.

OBJECTIVE: Emergency nephrectomies are rare because of the improvement of the management of urinary tract infections and the development of radio-embolization. Few series of patients have been reported. The objective of our study is to assess the indication, the morbi-mortality and the outcome of the emergency nephrectomy performed in our hospital. PATIENTS: Between January 2011 and November 2012, eight patients underwent an emergency nephrectomy at the University Hospital Center of Caen. The present review reports the characteristics of this emergency nephrectomy and their morbi-mortality. RESULTS: Six women and two men were analyzed retrospectively between January 2011 and November 2012. All patients except one needed intensive care for a multiple-organ failure. All these eight emergency nephrectomies concerned a native kidney with a surgical approach as a lombotomy or subcostal laparotomy. Both patients survived. One patient need a renal dialysis support. CONCLUSION: Emergency nephrectomy are rare. Uncontrolled urinary sepsis represents the main indication. Identifying the population at risk of evolution to the toxic shock is indispensable for a better and faster care and to reduce the mortality bound to the sepsis.

[A new technique for ensuring negative surgical margins during partial nephrectomy: the ex vivo ultrasound control]. / Une nouvelle technique de contrôle des marges de résection au cours de la néphrectomie partielle : l'échographie ex vivo.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and the efficiency of intraoperative ex vivo ultrasound of resection margins in patients undergoing partial nephrectomy by urologist. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients undergoing partial nephrectomy from July 2010 to November 2012 for T1-T2 renal tumors were included in analysis. Tumor margin status was immediately determined by ex vivo ultrasound done by the surgeon himself. Results were compared with margin status on definitive pathological evaluation. RESULTS: A total of 26 men and 15 women with a median age of 61 (30-82) years old were included in analysis. Intraoperative ex vivo ultrasound revealed negative surgical margins in 38 cases and positive margins in two. Final pathological results revealed negative margins in all except one case. Ultrasound sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 97%, respectively. Mean ultrasound duration was 1minute±1. Mean tumor and margin sizes were 3.4±1.8cm and 2.38±1.76mm, respectively. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative ex vivo ultrasound of resection margins in patients undergoing partial nephrectomy by a urologist seemed to be feasible, efficient and easy.

De novo kidney graft tumors: results from a multicentric retrospective national study.

De novo tumors in renal allografts are rare and their prevalence is underestimated. We therefore analyzed renal cell carcinomas arising in renal allografts through a retrospective French renal transplant cohort. We performed a retrospective, multicentric survey by sending questionnaires to all French kidney transplantation centers. All graft tumors diagnosed after transplantation were considered as de novo tumors. Thirty-two centers participated in this study. Seventy-nine tumors were identified among 41 806 recipients (Incidence 0.19%). Patients were 54 men and 25 women with a mean age of 47 years old at the time of diagnosis. Mean tumor size was 27.8 mm. Seventy-four (93.6%), 53 (67%) and 44 tumors (55.6%) were organ confined (T1-2), low grade (G1-2) and papillary carcinomas, respectively. Four patients died of renal cell carcinomas (5%). The mean time lapse between transplantation and RCC diagnosis was 131.7 months. Thirty-five patients underwent conservative surgery by partial nephrectomy (n = 35, 44.3%) or radiofrequency (n = 5; 6.3%). The estimated 5 years cancer specific survival rate was 94%. Most of these tumors were small and incidental. Most tumors were papillary carcinoma, low stage and low grade carcinomas. Conservative treatment has been preferred each time it was feasible in order to avoid a return to dialysis.

Sex differences in perihemorrhagic edema evolution after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Clinical data on sex differences in perihemorrhagic edema (PHE) after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are lacking. METHODS: Patients with spontaneous supratentorial ICH who had received standard conservative treatment were identified retrospectively. PHE development was assessed over a 14-day period on follow-up CT scans (days 1, 2-4, 5-7, 8-11, and 12-14). ICH and PHE volumes were assessed semiautomatically and compared between men and women. RESULTS: A total of 387 patients (233 men) were included. Starting at days 2-4, women showed lower PHE values (P < 0.05; days 2-4, 8-11) or a trend toward significance (P ≤ 0.1; days 5-7, 12-14). CONCLUSIONS: Female sex may predict lower PHE volumes.

Radiopacity of intracerebral hemorrhage correlates with perihemorrhagic edema.

BACKGROUND: Experimental evidence indicates that iron plays a key role in edema formation after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We investigated the relationship between ICH radiopacity on CT as a marker of hematoma iron content and perihemorrhagic edema (PHE) after ICH. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated patients with spontaneous lobar and ganglionic supratentorial ICH who received follow-up CT scans during the first 7days after symptom onset (d1, d2-4, d5-7). Measurements of ICH and edema volumes were taken using a semiautomatic threshold-based volumetric algorithm. Radiopacity of the blood clot was determined using the mean Hounsfield unit (HU) count of the ICH. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients aged 71.92±11.55years with spontaneous ICH (34.63±32.44ml) were included in the analysis. Mean ICH radiopacity was 59.7±3.4HU. We found significantly larger relative PHE at d2-4 (1.7±0.9 vs. 1.3±0.8; P=0.032) and d5-7 (2.0±1.3 vs. 1.3±0.9; P=0.007) and larger peak relative PHE (2.3±1.6 vs. 1.6±1.1; P=0.006) in patients with ICH radiopacity >60HU (n=59), as compared to patients with ICH radiopacity <60HU (n=58). CONCLUSIONS: Higher ICH radiopacity, reflecting higher in vivo hematoma iron content, is associated with more PHE after ICH.

Finasteride-related Leydig cell tumour: report of a case and literature review.

Leydig cell tumours (LCTs) of the testis are rare. Their origin is still unknown. This case report describes a potential relationship between LCT and prolonged exposure to Finasteride.