Color Doppler Ultrasound of Lower Extremity Varicose Veins: A Simple Grading of Sapheno-Femoral Junction Reflux

PURPOSE: To establish a simple grading method for the severity of an incompetent sapheno-femoral junction (SFJ) using color Doppler ultrasound in patients with lower extremity varicose veins. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 346 legs of 241 consecutive patients with varicose veins were examined (M:F = 96:145, 11-74 years, mean 50 years). The severity of SFJ and sapheno-popliteal (SPJ) incompetence was graded from I to IV according to the patient's position (standing versus supine or prone) and whether the Valsalva's maneuver had been induced. The extent of varicose veins was graded as I to III by the US findings in the SFJ incompetence group. The grading of SFJ incompetence was compared to the extent of varicose vein. RESULTS: SFJ, SPJ, both SFJ and SPJ, and perforator incompetence was observed in 198 (57.2%), 81 (23.4%), 21 (6.1%) and 54 (15.6%), respectively. Among the SFJ incompetence group, severity grade I - IV were observed in 14 (7.1%), 75 (37.9%), 73 (36.9%), and 36 (18.2%), respectively, and the extent grade I - III were noted in 47 (23.7%), 95 (48.0%), and 56 (28.3%), respectively. The SFJ incompetence grade and varicose extent grade showed a positive correlation (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Simple sonographic grading of the severity of SFJ incompetence is possible. The extent of varicose veins in the SFJ incompetence group can be determined using this new grading system.

Sonographically Detected Architectural Distortion: linical Significance

PURPOSE: Architectural distortion is a suspicious abnormality for the diagnosis of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of sonographically detected architectural distortion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2006 to June 2008, 20 patients were identified who had sonographically detected architectural distortions without a history of trauma or surgery and abnormal mammographic findings related to an architectural distortion. All of the lesions were pathologically verified. We evaluated the clinical and pathological findings and then assessed the clinical significance of the sonographically detected architectural distortions. RESULTS: Based on the clinical findings, one (5%) of the 20 patients had a palpable lump and the remaining 19 patients had no symptoms. No patient had a family history of breast cancer. Based on the pathological findings, three (15%) patients had malignancies. The malignant lesions included invasive ductal carcinomas (n = 2) and ductal carcinoma in situ (n = 1). Four (20%) patients had high-risk lesions; atypical ductal hyperplasia (n = 3) and lobular carcinoma in situ (n = 1). The remaining 13 (65%) patients had benign lesions, however, seven (35%) out of 13 patients had mild-risk lesions (three intraductal papillomas, three moderate or florid epithelial hyperplasia and one sclerosing adenosis). CONCLUSION: Of the sonographically detected architectural distortions, 35% were breast cancers or high-risk lesions and 35% were mild-risk lesions. Thus, a biopsy might be needed for an architectural distortion without an associated mass as depicted on breast ultrasound, even though the mammographic findings are normal.

Evaluation of Fibrosis in Liver Cirrhosis by Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide (SPIO)-Enhanced MR Imaging: Does the Radiological Non-Invasive Fibrosis Index Correlate with the Laboratory Non-Invasive Fibrosis Index?

PURPOSE: To evaluate the correlation between the radiological non-invasive hepatic fibrosis index (RNHFI), as determined by SPIO-enhanced MRI, and the laboratory non-invasive hepatic fibrosis index. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients (99 total: 61 men and 38 women; mean age: 58 years) who underwent SPIO-enhanced MRI (1.5T) during 5 years included. These patients were subdivided into a liver cirrhosis group (LCG) and a non-liver cirrhosis group (non-LCG). Using PACS view, we measured the RNHFI (mean standard deviation of hepatic signal intensity (SD), noise-corrected coefficient of variation (CV)) of three ROIs in the liver parenchyma by SPIO-enhanced MRI. The laboratory non-invasive hepatic fibrosis index (AST-platelet ratio index (APRI)) of all patients was calculated from the laboratory data. We compared the RNHFI and APRI of LCG with those of non-LC group using Student's t-test. A bivariate correlation was performed to investigate the relationship between the RNHFI and APRI in the LCG. RESULTS: For the LCG, mean values of SD and CV by SPIO-enhanced MRI were 10.3 +/-3.7 and 0.19+/-0.08, respectively. For the non-LCG, mean values of SD and CV were 6.5+/-1.6 and 0.08+/-0.05, respectively. The mean APRI of the LCG and the non-LCG were 2.04+/-1.7 and 0.32+/-0.32, respectively. The RNHFI and APRI were significantly different between both groups (p<05). For the LCG, the bivariate correlation between SD and APRI revealed a statistically significant positive correlation (r=0.5, p<0.001). In both groups, there was no statistically significant correlation between CV and APRI. CONCLUSION: A measurement of SD can be a simple and useful method for the evaluation of hepatic fibrosis.