Non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis of the liver responsive to empiric therapy.

This case demonstrates that clinical and pathological suspicion of NTM could be sufficient to start an empiric treatment even when microbiological isolation is unavailable. Moreover, disseminated mycobacteriosis may underlie an occult aggressive neoplasm.

Imaging Accuracy in Preoperative Staging of T3-T4 Laryngeal Cancers.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative imaging impacts treatment planning and prognosis in laryngeal cancers. We investigated the accuracy of standard computed tomography (CT) in evaluating tumor invasions at critical glottic areas. METHODS: CT scans of glottic cancers treated by partial or total laryngectomy between Jan 2015 and Aug 2019 were reviewed to assess levels of tumor invasion at critical glottic subsites. CT accuracy in the identification of tumor extensions was determined against the gold standard of histopathological analysis of surgical samples. RESULTS: This study included 64 patients. In the anterior commissure, CT showed high rates of false positives at all levels (sensitivity 56.2-70%, specificity 87.8-92.3%); in the anterior vocal fold, it overestimated the deep invasion (19.5% specificity, 90.3% sensitivity), while it underestimated the extralaryngeal spread (63.6% sensitivity, 98.1% specificity). In the posterior paraglottic space (pPGS), false negative results were more frequent for superficial extensions (25% sensitivity, 95.8% specificity) and deep invasions (58.8% sensitivity, 82.3% specificity). Shorter disease-specific and disease-free survivals were associated with pStage IV (p: 0.045 and 0.008) and with the pathological involvement of pPGS (p: 0.045 and 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Negative prognostic correlation of pPGS involvement was confirmed on histopathological data. CT staging did not provide a satisfactory prognostic stratification and should be complemented with magnetic resonance imaging.

Perspective on the role of transrectal and transvaginal sonography of tumors of the rectum and anal canal.

OBJECTIVE: Intestinal sonography is characterized by excellent resolution of the multiple layers of the intestinal wall and sensitive depiction of the degree of invasion of rectal tumors. Traditional transrectal sonography has been enhanced by the addition of transvaginal scanning for women and by advances in transducer technology. Our purpose is to describe the current status of sonography in the evaluation of rectal and anal tumors and in the staging of rectal cancer. CONCLUSION: Endorectal and transanal sonography are fast, minimally invasive techniques that can be performed with portable equipment and yield rapidly interpreted images. They are considered the reference standard for the preoperative staging of rectal and anal cancers and have relatively high accuracy in categorization of tumors and nodes in TNM staging.

Sonography of benign conditions of the anal canal: an update.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to describe our experience with sonography for the study of benign conditions of the anal canal and perianal soft tissues. CONCLUSION: Assessment of the anal sphincters in patients with fecal incontinence and documentation of perianal inflammatory masses and tracts in those with perianal inflammatory disease are the major indications for imaging the anal canal. We augment traditional transanal sonography with transperineal scanning in both sexes and transvaginal scanning in women to better show the anal canal in its quiet state to allow an accurate assessment of the integrity of the anal sphincters and of evidence of acute or chronic inflammatory involvement.

Diagnostic imaging of lung cancer after heart transplantation.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: In heart transplant recipients pulmonary neoplasms are among the most frequent solid tumors; they have a rapid and aggressive course, and therefore require an early diagnosis. We describe the role that diagnostic imaging plays in different diagnostic moments of this disease. METHODS: We evaluated the incidence and diagnosis of lung cancer in patients who underwent heart transplants at our institution. Taking into account the few different diagnostic imaging techniques (chest X-ray, high-resolution computed tomography [CT], staging CT and CT-guided biopsy) used in standard surveillance protocols or indicated by clinical symptoms, we evaluated their diagnostic accuracy, their efficacy in tumor staging, and their impact on the therapeutic choices. RESULTS: Seventeen neoplasms in a total of 712 patients were diagnosed (2.4%). In 16 of these 17 cases chest X-ray (routinely performed as follow-up in 11 cases, indicated by symptoms in 5 cases) was diagnostic. In another 11 cases chest X-ray was false positive. The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of chest X-ray was 98%, 91%, 98%, 50%, and 99%, respectively. Total-body CT correctly staged the tumors and provided information as to whether surgery was indicated or not (stage II or advanced). CONCLUSIONS: Chest X-ray is still the surveillance radiological technique in heart transplant recipients. Considering its low specificity and sensitivity, we propose high-resolution CT imaging during follow-up to identify pulmonary lesions as soon as possible and enable a differential diagnosis with parenchymal inflammation. The use of CT-guided fine-needle biopsy and culture examinations permits to differentiate neoplastic from inflammatory parenchymal opacities. Use of CT in cancer staging is effective for subsequent treatment choices.

Urethral polyp in a 1-month-old child.

Urethral polyps are a rare finding in children, particularly in the very young. They are suspected by the presence of various clinical signs such as obstruction, voiding dysfunction and haematuria. There is an association with other urinary tract congenital anomalies. They are usually benign fibro-epithelial lesions with no tendency to recur and are treated by surgical ablation, fulguration or laser therapy. We report a 1-month-old boy with an antenatally diagnosed left ectopic pelvic kidney, postnatal urinary tract infection and no clinical signs of obstruction. Voiding cystourethrography to exclude vesico-ureteric reflux showed a trabeculated bladder and a mobile filling defect in the posterior urethra. Owing to its large size, cystotomy was necessary to remove the polyp successfully.