ABSTRACT
Background: Surgical risk in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) depends on the proximity of thromboembolism on CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). We assessed interobserver agreement for the quantification of thromboembolic lesions in CTEPH using a novel CTPA scoring index. Methods: Forty CTEPH patients (mean age, 58 ± 16 years; 19 men) with preoperative CTPA who underwent pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) (08/2020-09/2021) were retrospectively included. Three radiologists scored each CTPA for chronic thromboembolism (occlusions, eccentric thickening, webs) using a 32-vessel model of the pulmonary vasculature, with interobserver agreement evaluated using Fleiss' kappa. CT level of disease was determined by the most proximal chronic thromboembolism: level 1 (main pulmonary artery), 2 (lobar), 3 (segmental) and 4 (subsegmental), and compared to surgical level at PEA. Results: Interobserver agreement for CT level of disease was moderate overall (κ = 0.52). Agreement was substantial overall at the main/lobar level (κ, mean = 0.71) when excluding the left upper lobe (κ = 0.17). Though segmental and subsegmental agreement suffered (κ = 0.31), we found substantial agreement for occlusions (κ = 0.72) compared to eccentric thickening (κ = 0.45) and webs (κ = 0.14). Correlation between CT level and surgical level was strong overall (τb = 0.73) and in the right lung (τb = 0.68), but weak in the left lung (τb = 0.42) (p < 0.05). Radiologists often over- and underestimated the proximal extent of disease in right and left lung, respectively. Conclusions: CT level of disease demonstrated good agreement between radiologists and was highly predictive of the surgical level in CTEPH. Occlusions were the most reliable sign of chronic thromboembolism and are important in assessing the segmental vasculature.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: B3 lesions are a heterogeneous group of breast lesions of uncertain malignant potential which usually require excision. The aim was to assess the efficacy of 5 years routine radiological or clinical follow-up of patients who had "high-risk" B3 lesions surgically excised, by analyzing recurrence and subsequent development of invasive/in-situ cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 10-year retrospective review from 2010 to 2019 was performed of B3 lesions diagnosed on core needle biopsy, including patients who proceeded to surgical excision with a high-risk lesion on final histology. The database recorded 6 specific B3 lesion categories: 1. Atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), 2. Radial scars/complex sclerosing lesions (CSLs) with epithelial atypia 3. Classical Lobular neoplasia (ALH/LCIS), 4. Papillary lesions with epithelial atypia, 5. Mixed, 6. Flat epithelial atypia (FEA), including radiological and clinical follow-up data. RESULTS: Six hundred sixteen patients had a B3 lesion after core biopsy. 110 patients had "high risk" lesions. This included 17 (15.5%) Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia (ADH), 22 (20%) radial scars/CSLs with epithelial atypia, 47 (42.7%) classical lobular neoplasia (LCIS/ALH), 7 (6.4%) papillary lesions with epithelial atypia, 13 (11.8%) mixed lesions & 4 (3.6%) Flat Epithelial Atypia (FEA) lesions. 4 of 110 (3.6%) developed invasive/in-situ disease and 4 of 110 (3.6%) developed recurrence during follow-up. 33 of 616 (5.4%) upgraded to invasive/preinvasive disease after surgical excision. CONCLUSION: Five years of routine radiological surveillance may not be necessary in patients who undergo surgical excision of "high-risk" B3 lesions. Clinical surveillance appears to be of little benefit, especially in patients with radial scars, papillary lesions, and FEA. Subsequent development of invasive/in-situ disease in patients who undergo surgical excision of atypical B3 lesions remains low.
