MRI screening for silicone breast implant rupture: accuracy, inter- and intraobserver variability using explantation results as reference standard.

OBJECTIVES: The recall of Poly Implant Prothèse (PIP) silicone breast implants in 2010 resulted in large numbers of asymptomatic women with implants who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) screening. This study's aim was to assess the accuracy and interobserver variability of MRI screening in the detection of rupture and extracapsular silicone leakage. METHODS: A prospective study included 107 women with 214 PIP implants who underwent explantation preceded by MRI. In 2013, two radiologists blinded for previous MRI findings or outcome at surgery, independently re-evaluated all MRI examinations. A structured protocol described the MRI findings. The ex vivo findings served as reference standard. RESULTS: In 208 of the 214 explanted prostheses, radiologists agreed independently about the condition of the implants. In five of the six cases they disagreed (2.6 %), but subsequently reached consensus. A sensitivity of 93 %, specificity of 93 %, positive predictive value of 77 % and negative predictive value of 98 % was found. The interobserver agreement was excellent (kappa value of 0.92). CONCLUSIONS: MRI has a high accuracy in diagnosing rupture in silicone breast implants. Considering the high kappa value of interobserver agreement, MRI appears to be a consistent diagnostic test. A simple, uniform classification, may improve communication between radiologist and plastic surgeon. KEY POINTS: MRI has a high accuracy in diagnosing rupture in silicone breast implants. MRI appears to be a consistent diagnostic test with excellent interobserver agreement. A simple, uniform classification system, improves communication between radiologist and plastic surgeon. The interobserver agreement on implant rupture is higher than on extracapsular leakage.

MRI screening for breast cancer in women with familial or genetic predisposition: design of the Dutch National Study (MRISC).

Mammography screening of women aged 50-70 years for breast cancer has proven to be effective in reducing breast cancer mortality. There is no consensus about the value of breast cancer screening in women aged 40-49 years. Five to ten per cent of all breast cancers are hereditary. One of the options to reduce the risk of breast cancer mortality for women with a familial or genetic predisposition is intensive surveillance. However, the effectiveness of mammography screening for breast cancer in these women, who are mainly younger than 50 years, is unproven. MRI might increase the effectiveness of screening in women with a familial or genetic predisposition. This paper describes the design of the Dutch national study for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) screening in women with a familial or genetic predisposition. The aims of this study are to investigate: the value of regular surveillance in women with a familial or genetic predisposition for breast cancer, the efficacy of MRI as compared to mammography, cost-effectiveness of regular screening and quality of life during surveillance. Included are women with a lifetime risk of familial breast cancer of 15% or more or BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, who visit one of the Dutch family cancer clinics. The aim is to include 2,500 women. The study started on 1 November 1999. On 1 January 2002, more than 1,700 women, including 210 proven carriers of a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, were included in the study.

MR venography of multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The distribution of multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions in the brain follows a specific pattern, with most lesions in the periventricular regions and in the deep white matter; histopathologic studies have shown a perivenous distribution. The aim of this study was to illustrate these distribution patterns in vivo using high-resolution MR venography. METHODS: Seventeen MS patients underwent MR imaging at 1.5 T. Venographic studies were obtained with a 3D gradient-echo technique. MS lesions were identified on T2-weighted images, and their shape, orientation, and location were compared with the venous anatomy on the venograms. RESULTS: The use of contrast material facilitated the visualization of small veins and increased the number of veins seen. A total of 95 MS lesions could be identified on both the T2-weighted series and the venograms; a central vein was visible in all 43 periventricular lesions and in all but one of the 52 focal deep white matter lesions. The typical ovoid shape and orientation of the long axis of the MS lesions correlated well with the course of these veins. CONCLUSION: With MR venography, the perivenous distribution of MS lesions in the brain can be visualized in vivo. The venous anatomy defines the typical form and orientation of these lesions.

Urethral calibre measurements on micturition cystourethrograms in adult males. Part two: Subvesical obstruction.

Urethral calibres were measured on six locations in 73 patients with obstruction of the bladder neck or prostatic urethra. The results indicate that the bladder outlet is compatible with normal micturition at calibres of 6 mm. or more and abnormally narrowed at 4 mm. or less. The very narrow overlapping area between the diameter values in normal and obstructed urethras makes MCU an accurate method of measurement the diagnosis of subvesical obstruction. More distal parts of the urethra although proven to be normal may appear on the roentgenograms as less distended than an abnormally narrowed bladder neck or prostatic urethra.

Urethral calibre measurements on micturition cystourethrograms in adult males. Part one: normal urethra.

The calibres of six different parts of the urethra were measured on micturition cystourethrograms in 92 normal adult males. The results are graphically displayed as frequency distribution histograms. The narrowest segment of the visualized urethra appeared to be the membranous part in 89 per cent of the cases. In the rest of the cases more distal regions were less distended than the membranous urethra. The bladder neck was always wider than the membranous part. Comparison of the diameters of the same segments measured in different planes suggest that during micturition the cross-sectional shape of the urethral tube is round.

Lumbar intervertebral disc involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. A case report.

STUDY DESIGN: Report of a patient with a rare location of a solid chronic lymphocytic leukemic mass of an intervertebral lumbar disc. OBJECTIVES: To illustrate the previously undescribed discovertebral involvement of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and to discuss the diagnostic difficulties. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia primarily involves lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and bone marrow. Bone lesions are rare in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and usually consist of areas of osteopenia. Spinal involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia is rare, and only two cases of spinal cord compression attributable to an extradural solid mass composed of leukemic cells have been reported. Intervertebral disc involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia has not been reported previously. METHODS: The clinical findings, radiographs, histology, treatment, and follow-up results are presented. RESULTS: Radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging studies showed partial collapse of vertebrae L2 and L3, with destruction and protrusion of the intervertebral disc L2-L3 with dura compression. Treatment consisted of radiotherapy followed by en bloc resection of vertebrae L2 and L3 stabilized with stackable cages and anterior fixation with Kaneda bars. Intervertebral disc infiltration with leukemic cells of B-cell origin was confirmed through histologic examination and immunohistochemical studies of a biopsy and resection specimen. Twenty months after treatment the patient was still in remission and fully mobilized. CONCLUSIONS: Intervertebral disc involvement in cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia is rare. Its presence should be considered in patients with back pain and neurologic symptoms who had been treated for this form of leukemia in the past. Differentiation with infectious spondylodiscitis can be difficult. Histology is necessary to confirm diagnosis.

Urethral patterns on micturition cystourethrography in adult males with subvesical obstruction.

Reexamination of the micturition cystourethrograms in 289 adult male patients with subvesical obstruction proved that the cause of the narrowing can be accurately diagnosed on the pattern of the urethral lumen. The radiologic and the final urologic diagnoses coincided in 87.5 per cent of all cases. The narrowing localized to the bladder outlet associated with short supracollicular urethra correlated well with the urologic diagnosis of bladder neck contracture. In this group 37.9 per cent of the cases presented evidence for an inflammatory etiology. 19 per cent of the same group had patterns which resembled very much nodular hyperplasia. Other possible etiologies for the bladder neck contracture did not appear to produce characteristic patterns.

Retroversion of the humeral head in children with an obstetric brachial plexus lesion.

We undertook a prospective MRI study to measure the retroversion of the humeral head in 33 consecutive infants with a mean age of 1 year 10 months (3 months to 7 years 4 months) who had an obstetric brachial plexus lesion (OBPL). According to a standardised MRI protocol both shoulders and humeral condyles were examined and the shape of the glenoid and humeral retroversion determined. The mean humeral retroversion of the affected shoulder was significantly increased compared with the normal contralateral side (-28.4 +/- 12.5 degrees v -21.5 +/- 15.1 degrees, p = 0.02). This increase was found only in the children over the age of 12 months. In this group humeral retroversion was -29.9 +/- 12.9 degrees compared with -19.6 +/- 15.6 degrees in the normal shoulder (p = 0.009), giving a mean difference of 10.3 degrees (95% confidence interval 3.3 to 17.3). This finding is of importance when considering the operative treatment for subluxation of the shoulder in children with an OBPL.

Deformities of the shoulder in infants younger than 12 months with an obstetric lesion of the brachial plexus.

We performed a prospective study using MRI in 16 consecutive infants with a mean age of 5.2 months (2.7 to 8.7) who had shown inadequate recovery from an obstetric lesion of the brachial plexus in the first three months of life, in order to identify early secondary deformities of the shoulder. Shoulders were analysed according to a standardised MRI protocol. Measurements were made of the appearance of the glenoid, glenoid version and the position of the humeral head. The appearance of the glenoid on the affected side was normal in only seven shoulders. In the remainder it was convex in seven and bioconcave in three. The degree of subluxation of the humeral head was significantly greater (p = 0.01) in the affected shoulders than in normal shoulders (157 degrees v 170 degrees). The presence of an abnormal appearance of the glenoid, retroversion of the glenoid and subluxation of the humeral head increased with age. There was a statistical difference (p = 0.05) between infants younger than five months and those who were older.

Volumetric measurements of bone mineral density of the lumbar spine: comparison of three geometrical approximations using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)

Measurements of bone mineral density using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) gives area values (g cm-2) rather than true volumetric values (g cm-3). To calculate the vertebral volume using planar postero-anterior and lateral DXA values, several different geometrical approximations were used: cubic, cylindrical with a circular cross-section and cylindrical with an elliptical cross-section. The aim of this study was to compare these geometrical approximations with each other and with a reference standard, defined as the volume found on a computed tomographic (CT) scan. L2 and L3 were evaluated in a phantom study. Volume approximations by the cube or cylinder with circular cross-section geometry showed more than a 50% overestimation (range 54-74%). However, the elliptical cylinder approach showed very good agreement: 2.1% and 1.2% for L2 and L3, respectively, when compared to the CT volumes. In addition, we performed four patient studies with both CT and DXA to evaluate the elliptical cylinder estimate in a clinical setting. For L2 and L3, the mean relative difference was less than 2%. We conclude that the elliptical cylinder approach results in the most accurate bone volume estimates in both the phantom and patients.

Secondary deformities of the shoulder in infants with an obstetrical brachial plexus lesions considered for neurosurgical treatment.

OBJECT: The authors performed a prospective study in which magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was conducted in 26 consecutive infants (mean age 5.6 months, range 2.7-14.5 months) in whom recovery from an obstetric lesion of the brachial plexus had been inadequate in the first 3 months of life. The purpose was to identify early secondary deformations of the shoulder in obstetrical brachial plexus lesions (OBPLs). METHODS: Features of the shoulders were analyzed according to a standardized MR imaging protocol in patients with OBPLs. Measurements were made of the appearance of the glenoid, glenoid version, and the position of the humeral head. The appearance of the glenoid on the affected side was normal in only 11 shoulders. In the remainder it was convex in eight and biconcave in seven cases. The degree of humeral head subluxation was significantly greater (p = 0.001) in affected shoulders than in normal shoulders (152 and 170 degrees, respectively). The presence of abnormal glenoid retroversion and humeral head subluxation increased with age: there was a statistical difference (p = 0.001) between infants younger than 5 months of age and those who were older. CONCLUSIONS: Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrates shoulder-related anatomical and nerve root lesion, allowing evaluation of neural, osseous, and cartilaginous structures in younger children.

[Acute transit symptoms caused by spontaneous rupture of the esophagus]. / Acute passageklachten veroorzaakt door een spontane intramurale ruptuur van de oesofagus.

A 44-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with acute severe chest pain and dysphagia, without an assignable cause. Radiological investigation of the oesophagus with water soluble contrast revealed an intramural rupture. Conservative management led to complete recovery within eight days. Spontaneous intramural rupture of the oesophagus is a very uncommon disease requiring adequate differentiation from other more serious diseases in order to apply correct therapy.

Results of radio frequency ablation of primary and secondary liver tumors: long-term follow-up with computed tomography and positron emission tomography-18F-deoxyfluoroglucose scanning.

BACKGROUND: In the literature, promising results have been obtained with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of primary liver malignancies (e.g. hepatocellular carcinoma, HCC) and secondary liver malignancies (e.g. metastases of colorectal tumors). In our center, positron emission tomography with FDG (FDG-PET) and computed tomography (CT) were used for follow-up. Patient outcome was compared with that in the literature, and PET and CT were analyzed regarding positive and negative predictive values for early detection of tumor recurrence. METHODS: The data were analyzed of patients who were treated with RFA for primary or secondary liver tumors between January 1999 and December 2002. Indications for treatment with RFA were liver tumors that could not be resected owing to size, number, or tumor location. In all patients, a CT scan was performed before RFA, and follow-up was performed with a CT scan in all patients and with an additional PET scan at various intervals in 11 patients. At evaluation with PET, tumor recurrence was defined as positive uptake of tracer either at the previous RFA lesion or at a new site in the liver. RESULTS: In total, 15 patients (8 M, 7 F) were treated in 21 sessions with RFA. The mean follow-up period was 16.8 months (range: 7-42). Average age of the patients was 63 years (range: 40-74). One patient had a primary liver tumor; all other patients had metastases of the breast (1), ovary (1), renal cells (1), and colorectal carcinoma (11 patients). The mean number of tumors per patient was 2.7 (range: 1-5). No treatment-related morbidity or mortality occurred. In 4 of 11 patients evaluated with PET at a mean period of 6.8 months, positive uptake of tracer was noted. At CT evaluation, tumor recurrence was observed in 4 of these patients, at a mean time of 9.8 months. Two patients (13.3%) died of cancer recurrence during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Tumor recurrence is comparable with that in other studies. Centrally located tumors showed more recurrence than peripheral tumors. The use of PET in combination with CT scan at follow-up may lead to earlier detection of tumor recurrence than contrast-enhanced CT alone.

Tumor characteristics and detection method in the MRISC screening program for the early detection of hereditary breast cancer.

In the MRISC study, women with an inherited risk for breast cancer were screened by a 6-month clinical breast examination (CBE) and yearly MRI and mammography. We found that the MRISC screening scheme could facilitate early breast cancer diagnosis and that MRI was a more sensitive screening method than mammography, but less specific. In the current study we investigated the contribution of MRI in the early detection of breast cancer in relation to tumor characteristics. From November 1999 to October 2003, 1909 women were included and 50 breast cancers were detected, of which 45 were evaluable and included in the current study. We compared the characteristics of tumors detected by MRI-only with those of all other (non-palpable) screen-detected tumors. Further, we compared the sensitivity of mammography and MRI within subgroups according to different tumor characteristics. Twenty-two (49%) of the 45 breast cancers were detected by MRI and not visible at mammography, of which 20 (44%) were also not palpable (MRI-only detected tumors). MRI-only detected tumors were more often node-negative than other screen-detected cancers (94 vs. 59%; P=0.02) and tended to be more often

Air in the carotid canal as a predictor of distal internal carotid artery laceration.

The authors describe a 25-year old patient with blunt trauma-induced bilateral, distal segment internal carotid artery (ICA) lacerations, resulting in a left-sided direct carotid-cavernous sinus fistula (CCF) and presenting with massive oronasal bleeding. The combination of severe oronasal bleeding, with air in the carotid canal should alarm the treating physician to the presence of a distal internal carotid artery laceration.

Voiding cystourethrography with synchronous measurements of pressures and flow in the diagnosis of subvesical obstruction in men: a radiological view.

Cystourethrography with synchronous urodynamic monitoring was done in 90 men who were diagnosed radiologically as having normal function or bladder outlet obstruction. The separation was based on the caliber of the bladder outlet measured on spot roentgenograms at peak voiding: less than 4 mm. for obstructed and more than 6 mm for normal voiding. The radiological observations are discussed together with the measurements of bladder capacity, residual urine, intravesical pressures and voiding flow rate. The separation between normal men and those with obstruction according to radiologically determined calibers had a strong impact on the distribution of the maximum flow rates. Observations on the onset of micturition suggest that in normal voiding the contracting detrusor meets a simultaneously relaxing bladder neck without interposition of an isometric phase. The patients with subvesical obstruction presented with 2 forms of isometric overload, either as uninhibited contractions or as a variable isometric time lag between the onset of detrusor contraction and opening of the bladder neck. The pre-voiding isometric pressure increase is believed to be an abnormal finding that distinguishes the normal state from obstruction and other disorders. A characteristic decrease in subtracted intravesical pressure at the opening of the bladder neck in patients with uninhibited contractions conceivably indicates that bladder instability is caused by an abnormal reflex originating in the tightened bladder neck. Voiding cystourethrography was an accurate means of diagnosis of subvesical obstruction, especially owing to its ability to quantitate the caliber of a narrowed zone.

Inflammatory pseudotumors of the stomach.

3 patients are presented in whom radiologic examination revealed large filling defects in the stomach. The mass-like lesions were proved to be caused by nonspecific, nongranulomatous circumscribed inflammation of the gastric wall. This condition is radiologically often indistinguishable from gastric carcinoma or lymphoma and in many reported cases was diagnosed only after surgery. The mucosa may be hypertrophic, atrophic or normal in the region of the thickened wall. The thickening is produced by the inflammatory infiltration and edema of the gastric wall. In most cases the cause of this localized inflammation remains unknown.

An unusual upper abdominal gas pattern.

The case history of one patient is discussed to illustrate radiographic features, etiology and prognosis of gas bubbles in the gastric wall.

The accuracy of mammography: an analysis of 655 histologically verified cases.

The accuracy of the mammography was studied on 655 breasts which were investigated and biopsied or treated surgically shortly afterward. The mammography reports were classified according to the confidence level of the statements. In 279 cases the mammography was interpreted as positive for malignancy. A total of 224 malignant tumors were found. In 30 cases the malignant lesion was missed on the mammograms. The diagnoses made with a high degree of certainty were correct in 90% of the cases. The sensitivity of the mammography was 86.6% at a specificity of 80.7% for malignant tumors. The value of mammography for the diagnosis of chronic mastopathy could not be determined objectively. The sensitivity for solitary benign tumors or cysts was 80%.

Abscess of the lacrimal sac due to chronic or subacute dacryocystitis: treatment with temporary stent placement in the nasolacrimal duct.

Stents were placed temporarily in 10 obstructed lacrimal systems in patients with a chronic or subacute lacrimal abscess that did not respond to conventional antibiotic therapy. In all 10 cases, the abscess was treated successfully. Long-term patency of the lacrimal system was restored in five cases. Temporary stent placement appears to be a promising method to treat a chronic or subacute lacrimal abscess.