Carcinoid syndrome with right-sided valve involvement - a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: The survival of patients with neuroendocrine tumors has substantially improved with modern treatment options. Although the associated carcinoid syndrome can be diagnosed early and controlled effectively, cardiologists still encounter patients with cardiac manifestations, particularly among individuals with persistently high levels of vasoactive mediators. Treatment options have been limited to surgical valve replacement in fully manifested disease. Since surgery is not always feasible, transcatheter valve implantation is becoming an interesting alternative. CASE: A case of a 50-year-old woman with carcinoid syndrome and right-sided valvular heart disease is presented. Moderate pulmonary valve stenosis and severe tricuspid valve regurgitation were diagnosed during the evaluation and treatment of neuroendocrine tumor. The possibility of rare valve involvement and the need for interdisciplinary cooperation in the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of patients with neuroendocrine tumors producing vasoactive substances must be emphasized. CONCLUSION: The patient had a typically presenting carcinoid syndrome with a rare cardiac manifestation. Although monitoring and treatment were carried out in accordance with recommendations and appropriate to the clinical condition, rapid progression of the metastatic disease ultimately precluded invasive cardiac intervention.

Role of the radiologist during neoadjuvant systemic therapy for breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Neoadjuvant therapy (NT) is one of the possible oncological treatment strategies for breast cancer. Its aim is to achieve down-staging of the tumour in the breast and axilla and thus the possibility of converting mastectomy to a breast-conserving procedure, and also to allow for a less burdensome and more targeted operation of the axillary lymph nodes. The role of the radiologist is to utilise imaging procedures for precise local staging of the malignancy prior to NT, to evaluate the effect of treatment during its course and upon its completion, and to perform restaging of the cancer in the breast and axilla. CASE REPORTS: The authors present three case reports of female patients with breast cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT). They describe the diagnostic procedure and imaging methods used to establish local staging of the cancer prior to treatment, to monitor the disease during the course of treatment, and to perform restaging of the cancer after completing NCT. The radiological response after NCT completion was correlated with the pathological response. CONCLUSION: Correct determination of the extent of the cancer in the breast and axilla by the radiologist before NT and precise histological analysis of the tumour by the pathologist are fundamental for selecting the appropriate treatment for patients at the multidisciplinary breast tumour board.

Determining the extent and stage of disease in patients with newly diagnosed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma using 18F-FDG-PET/CT.

Positron emission tomography (PET) using 2-[fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) combined with computed tomography (CT) represents a three-dimensional imaging method suitable for staging in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs). The aim of our prospective multicenter study was to assess the value of initial PET/CT as compared with CT and PET alone for determining the stage and extent of the disease. A total of 122 patients with newly diagnosed NHL were examined using PET/CT. Four patients with resected lymphoma lesion and negative PET/CT were therefore excluded from the study. Of the remaining 118 cases, a total of 117 (99%) were described as 18F-FDG-avid. When compared with PET/CT, CT and PET showed very good sensitivity of lymph node imaging (97% and 100%, respectively); the specificity, however, was significantly lower (66.7% and 94.4%, respectively; p=0.0001). When detecting organ lesions, the sensitivity of CT and PET was lower than that of PET/CT (92.5% and 96.3%, respectively; p=0.0001); specificity was significantly decreased in CT and a little lower in PET (59.5% and 91.9%; p=0.0001). When compared with CT alone, PET/CT changed staging of the disease in 11 patients (9%) and was able to detect a total of 82 discrepancies in 67 of the 117 patients (57%). In conclusion, PET/CT is a new standard in imaging the involvement of lymph nodes and extranodal organs in NHL patients regardless of their histopathological types. Both sensitivity and specificity of the examination are higher than those of CT as well as PET alone.

[18F-FDG PET/CT and 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy in evaluation of patients with multiple myeloma and monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance: comparison of methods]. / 8F-FDG PET/CT v diagnostice mnohocetného myelomu a monoklonální gamapatie nejistého významu: srovnání s 99mTc-MIBI scintigrafií.

BACKGROUNDS: Newer imaging modalities, such as 18F-FDG PET/CT and 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy, have been recently introduced to assess the activity and extent of disease in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). The aim of our study was to compare the impact of these imaging modalities in the evaluation of MM and MGUS patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 101 patients with MM (81 patients) and MGUS (20 patients) were enrolled in the study (21 newly diagnosed and 44 relapsed patients with symptomatic MM, 16 with asymptomatic MM and 20 with MGUS). All patients were without therapy and underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT and 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy within a maximum interval of 14 days. The scans were classified as normal (N), diffuse (D), and focal or combined (F-FD) pattern. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the detection of newly diagnosed MM and relapsed patients between the compared methods. 18F-FDG PET/CT performed better than 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy in the detection of focal lesions (p < 0.039), whereas 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy was superior in the visualization of diffuse disease (p = 0.042). 18F-FDG PET/CT visualised significantly more focal lesions than 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy (p = 0.002), both generally in the cohort and when comparing the number of focal lesions per patient. Both the imaging modalities singly or in combination influenced the subsequent clinical management in 17% of patients. In our study, 18F-FDG PET/CT predicted asymptomatic MM and MGUS transformation into more aggressive forms with the necessity to start therapy more often than 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy. CONCLUSION: 18F-FDG PET/CT appeared to be a better imaging technique than 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy in the detection of focal lesions in patients with symptomatic MM. 99mTc-MIBI was superior in the visualization of diffuse disease. On the other hand, despite its limited capacity in detecting focal lesions, 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy still remains the most rapid and inexpensive technique for whole-body evaluation and may be an alternative option when a PET/CT facility is not available.

[Benefit of PET/CT in the preoperative staging in pancreatic carcinomas]. / Prínos PET/CT v predoperacním stagingu karcinomu pankreatu.

OBJECTIVE: Prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer is poor. Median survival from diagnosis without determining surgical treatment is 3-11 months, after surgical treatment between 13-20 months according to various studies. 5-year survival rate is below 5%. The only chance of cure remains a radical surgical resection. Early diagnosis and determining resectability of tumour is the most important objective in patients with pancreatic cancer. Aim of this work is to evaluate the benefits and define the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in preoperative staging. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 195 patients (103 men, 92 women, mean age 66.7 year, range 32-88 years) with suspected pancreatic lesions underwent enhanced 18F-FDG PET/CT in the preoperative staging in addition to standard investigative methods (ultrasonography, contrast enhanced CT, EUS, EUS FNA). All PET/CT findings were compared with standard methods (CT, EUS, EUS FNA), with peroperative findings and definitive histology in surgical patients as the reference standards. Interpretation of the extent of the tumor defined by TNM classification. Limitations of the local resectability was advanced local stage (T4) and presence of distant metastases (M1). RESULTS: In 195 patients with suspected pancreatic lesions was pre-operatively performed PET/CT in the period 1/2007-3/2009. 153 patients with pancreatic cancer, of which 72 was not suitable for radical surgery because of local inoperability or a generalization of the disease. The sensitivity of PET/CT in the capture of primary lesions was 92.2%, specificity 90.5%. False negative findings in 12 patients, false-positive results occurred in 4 cases, positive predictive value (PPV) 97.2%, negative predictive value (NPV) 76.0%. In the assessment of regional lymph nodes sensitivity was 51.9%, specificity 58.3%, PPV 58.3%,NPV 51.9%. In detection of distant metastases PET/CT reached sensitivity 82.8%, specificity 97.8%, PPV 96.9%, NPV 87.0%. PET/CT found distant metastases in 12 patients, which standard methods failed to detect. Surgery was cancelled in 15 patients (15.6%) with potentially resectable tumour based on the performance of PET/CT findings and the management of treatment was changed. CONCLUSION: PET/CT is highly sensitive and specific method suitable for preoperative staging of pancreatic cancer. It improves the selection of patients for surgery, who can benefit from and reduces the number of incorrectly indicated operations.

[Risk stratification by cardiac gated SPECT combined with coronary artery calcium score in patients with diabetes mellitus and/or renal failure]. / Stratifikace rizika pomocí zátezového SPECT zobrazení myokardu v kombinaci se stanovenim koronárního kalciového skóre u rizikových pacientu s diabetem a/nebo ledvinným selháním.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate added value of coronary artery calcium score (CAC) measurement as an adjunct to cardiac gated SPECT for risk stratification in population of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or chronic renal failure on hemodialysis (CHRF-HD). METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 67 patients, who were referred for stress gated myocardial perfusion SPECT and CAC. Characteristics of study population: 40 men, mean age 59 +/- 12 years, DM (n = 28), CHRF-HD (n = 22), DM and CHRF-HD simultaneously (n = 17). Perfusion summed stress and different scores (SSS, SDS), the left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) and enddiastolic/endsystolic volumes (EDV/ESV) were automatically calculated using 4D-MSPECT software. The hard cardiac event was defined as sudden cardiac death or myocardial infarction (MI); angina or other symptoms requiring coronary revascularization were also calculated. RESULTS: During the average period of 18 +/- 10 months, we registered 8 cardiac deaths, 4 nonfatal MI and 7 patients underwent revascularization. In the subgroup of 19 patients with cardiac events, the observed parameters were significantly worse concerning perfusion (SSS 9 +/- 11 vs 2 +/- 3 and SDS 6 +/- 9 vs 1 +/- 2, P < 0.05), the left ventricle function (stress LVEF 53% +/- 13% vs 59% +/- 13%, rest LVEF 55% +/- 14% vs 59% +/- 12%, stress EDV/ESV 144 ml/71 ml vs 128 ml/59 ml, P < 0.05), and CAC score (1 965 +/- 1 772 vs 387 +/- 740, P < 0.05) in comparison with patients without cardiac event. In patients without a reversible perfusion abnormality (SDS < 2), we observed lower annual hard event rate (8% vs 19.6%, P < 0.05) and revascularization procedures (4% vs 19.6%, P < 0.05) in comparison with patients with SDS > or = 2. In patients with or without reversible defects, we registered significantly higher annual hard event rate in the setting of post-stress worsening of the LVEF > 5% and/or severe CAC score > or = 709 (23.8% vs 1.9% in patients with SDS < 2, and 26.7% vs 9.5% in patients with SDS > or = 2, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The findings of highly elevated CAC score as well as the post-stress left ventricle stunning enable further risk stratification in patients with or without reversible perfusion abnormalities.

[The infection of the arteriovenous hemodialysis access created with ePTFE prosthesis. Treatment based on experience or on modern examinations findings?]. / Infekce av spojky k hemodialze zalozené ePTFE interponátem. Lécba na základe zkuseností nebo podle nálezu moderních vyetrovacích metod?

The infected ePTFE prosthesis for hemodialysis threatens the patient with local complications such as occlusion, the tunnel infection and massive hemorrhage. These complications are associated with the loss of function of the fistula. Infected prosthesis can work as a source for metastatic infections (endocarditis, arthritis, pneumonia), and sepsis. In European countries, interposition of ePTFE graft usually represents the last option of angioaccess beside the catheterization of central venous system; hence attempts occur to maintain the fistula function despite the manifestation of infection. Authors evaluate the total graftectomy (TGE) and the partial graftectomy (PGE) on the basis of their knowledge and literature findings. They take a stand whether it is preferable to remove an infected graft according to experience or to proceed conservatively following the modern examinations (USG, microbiology, PET CT). According to the documented case-report they tend more to the solution based on experience. If the infection of graft is of gram-negative etiology the total graftectomy (TGE) is recommended.

Esophageal stent with antireflux valve for tumors involving the cardia: work in progress.

PURPOSE: To describe an esophageal stent with a polyester mesh cover and an antireflux valve, and to assess its efficacy in the treatment of patients with inoperable tumors of the gastric cardia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen patients with adenocarcinoma of the cardia, two patients with squamous cell carcinoma, and three patients with recurrent carcinoma of the gastric fundus after surgery were treated by placement of an esophageal stent with an antireflux valve. The spiral Z stent has a porous, polyester mesh cover and an antireflux sleeve made of pliable polyurethane at its lower end. RESULTS: Placement of the stent was successful in all patients, and their dysphagia disappeared or significantly improved. All were able to swallow solid food, and no patient reported significant reflux or "gas bloat" syndrome prior to death or the end of follow-up. Two patients only complained of minor heartburn. Follow-up barium swallow studies showed the absence of significant gastroesophageal reflux in all patients. No stent migration occurred. CONCLUSION: The esophageal stent with antireflux valve has been effective in the treatment of malignant obstruction of the cardia and allowed good esophageal passage without migration and major gastroesophageal reflux.

[Palliative treatment of inoperable esophageal stenoses using stents: long-term results, complications]. / Paliativní lécba inoperabilních stenóz jícnu stenty: dlouhodobé výsledky, komplikace.

The authors evaluate the effectiveness of palliative treatment of inoperable oesophageal stenoses by means of self-expandable stents in a group of 102 patients and discuss complications. In all patients after implantation of the stent dysphagia improved by at least two degrees. Eighty nine patients of the group died, the mean period of survival was 107 days. At the time of evaluation 13 patients survive, the mean survival period being 175 days. As to complications the authors recorded incomplete expansion of the stent (n = 1), fissuring of the tumour (n = 1), migration of the stent (n = 8), oesophagorespiratory decubital fistula (n = 4), ingrowth of the tumour into the stent (n = 4), obstruction of the stent by food (n = 7) and arterial haemorrhage (n = 1). The effectiveness of palliative treatment of inoperable oesophageal stenoses by self-expanding stents is high and prompt. The total number of complications is 22%, the mortality after surgery is zero. The majority of complications is easily resolved by methods of interventional radiology.

[Evaluation of the microbiological contamination of a milk feeding mixture (MKS)--Selasan]. / Mikrobiologické zhodnocení kontaminace mlécné krmné smesi (MKS) Selasan.

The Selasan medicated milk replacer for piglets was evaluated from the point of view of the quality and quantity of the contaminating microflora in relation to the available raw-material base. Thirteen production batches of the Selasan mixture and eighteen production batches of seven partial components of the mixture were found to be sources of a high microbial contamination; however, the criteria given in Sectorial Standard ON 57 0836 were still met.