Metronomic temozolomide as second line treatment for metastatic poorly differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (NEN) are a group of heterogeneous malignancies derived from neuroendocrine cell compartment, with different roles in both endocrine and nervous system. Most NETs have gastroentero-pancreatic (GEP) origin, arising in the foregut, midgut, or hindgut. The 2010 WHO classification divides GEP-NETs into two main subgroups, neuroendocrine tumors (NET) and neuroendocrine carcinomas (NEC), according with Ki-67 levels. NET are tumors with low (<20 %) Ki-67 value, and NECs, including small cell lung carcinomas and Merkel Cell carcinomas, are all NETs with high Ki-67 levels (>20 %-G3). Poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas (NEC) are usually treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimens. Here we present a case of a patient with pancreatic NEC progressing after cisplatin and etoposide, treated with temozolomide as palliative, second line treatment. According with the poor Performance Status (PS = 2) and to reduce the toxicity of the treatment was chosen an intermittent dosing regimen of metronomic temozolomide (75 mg/m(2)/day-one-week-on/on-week-off). MGMT resulted methylated. On July 2014 the patient started the treatment. On August 2014 the patient obtained a significant clinical benefit (PS = 0) and the total body CT scan performed on October 2014 showed a RECIST partial response on all the sites of disease. No drug-related side effects were reported by the patient. After 18 months of therapy the treatment continues without significant toxicity, and with further remission of the metastases. Treatment with metronomic "one-week-on/on-week-off" Temozolomide can be considered a good treatment option in patients with poor performance status, affected by pNEC with MGMT methylation.

Diffusion weighted MR imaging of primary and recurrent middle ear cholesteatoma: an assessment by readers with different expertise.

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE: Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) has been proven to be valuable in the diagnosis of middle ear cholesteatoma. The aims of our study were to evaluate the advantage of multi-shot turbo spin echo (MSh TSE) DWI compared to single-shot echo-planar (SSh EPI) DWI for the diagnosis of cholesteatoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients with clinical suspicion of unilateral cholesteatoma underwent preoperative MRI (1.5T) with SSh EPI and MSh TSE. Images were separately analyzed by 4 readers with different expertise to confirm the presence of cholesteatoma. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, and positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) were assessed for each observer and interrater agreement was assessed using kappa statistics. Diagnosis was obtained at surgery. RESULTS: Overall MSh TSE showed higher diagnostic accuracy and lower negative predictive value (NPV) compared to conventional SSh EPI. Interreader agreement between the observers revealed the superiority of MSh TSE compared to SSh EPI. Interrater agreement among all the four observers was higher by using MSh TSE compared to SSh EPI. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that MSh TSE DWI has higher sensitivity for detection of cholesteatoma and lower probability of misdiagnosis. MSh TSE DWI is useful in guiding less experienced observers to the diagnosis.

Atraumatic vertebral compression fractures: differential diagnosis between benign osteoporotic and malignant fractures by MRI.

Atraumatic vertebral compression fractures are a common clinical problem, especially in elderly population. Metastases are the most frequent source of bone tumors, and the spine is a common site of metastatic disease; in case of cortical involvement or osteolysis, they may result in pathological compression fractures. Atraumatic compression fractures may result from other primary neoplasms of vertebrae and also from osteomyelitis, Paget's disease, hyperparathyroidism and other metabolic processes. Osteoporosis is a common source of vertebral compression fractures in elderly population, which may be indistinguishable from those of metastatic origin. The differentiation between osteoporotic compression fractures and malignant fracture is necessary to establish an appropriate staging and a therapeutic planning, especially in the acute and subacute stages. Anamnestic data about preexisting disease can be useful to individuate the potential cause of vertebral collapse. Plain radiography shows some difficulties in distinguishing whether the fracture represents a consequence of osteoporosis, a metastatic lesion or some other primary bone neoplasm. Computed tomography is one of the most suitable imaging techniques for the evaluation of bone structure and fragments and to establish the degree of cortical bone destruction; MR imaging (MRI) is the most helpful radiological investigation in order to provide the basis for the distinction between metastatic and acute osteoporotic compression fractures. The most relevant MRI findings to establish a differential diagnosis are described.

Endovascular treatment of vertebro-vertebral arteriovenous fistula. A report of three cases and literature review.

This report describes endovascular approaches for occlusion of vertebro-vertebral arteriovenous fistula (VV-AVF) in a series of three cases and a review of the literature. Complete neuroimaging assessment, including CT, MR and DSA was performed in three patients (two female, one male) with VV-AVF. Based on DSA findings, the VV-AVF were occluded by endovascular positioning of detachable balloons (case 1), coils (case 2), or a combination of both (case 3) with parent artery patency in two out of three cases. In this small series, endovascular techniques for occlusion of VV-AVF were safe and effective methods of treatment. To date, there are no guidelines on the best treatment for VV-AVF. Detachable balloons, endovascular coiling, combined embolization procedures could all be considered well-tolerated treatments.

A rare case of intraosseous lipoma involving the sphenoclival region.

We describe the case of a 23-year-old man whose CT scan revealed a hypodense lesion reshaping the superior and middle third of the clivus and partially invading the sphenoidal sinus. MRI showed an irregular-shaped lesion occupying the body of the sphenoid bone, involving the superior and middle third of the clivus and sprouting into the sphenoid sinus. The lesion was hyperintense on T1- and T2-weighted sequences with a thin peripheral rim of hypointensity, without enhancement after i.v. gadolinium injection. The pathology report confirmed an intraosseus lipoma. Intraosseous lipomas involving the spheno-clival region are extremely rare. CT and MRI scan interpretation can be troublesome but this rare pathology has to be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Endovascular treatment of a giant dissecting aneurysm of the posterior cerebral artery. A case report and literature review.

We describe the case of a 60-year-old man who presented with a giant dissecting aneurysm of the left P2 segment. Intracranial dissecting aneurysms often occur in the vertebrobasilar system, but rarely involve the posterior cerebral artery (PCA). PCA aneurysms tend to have some peculiar features and therefore may be considered a separate entity, even from the vertebrobasilar aneurysms. The patient was treated by endovascular occlusion of both parent vessel and the aneurysm, and he tolerated the procedure well with a complete resolution of clinical deficit, following volume reduction of the aneurysm. This paper presents additional evidence to literature reports suggesting that endovascular parent artery occlusion with coils is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for distal PCA aneurysms. Our review contributes to collect data regarding the incidence of recurrence as a measure of long-term efficacy of this therapeutic approach.