Endovascular treatment in postpartum haemorrhage.

PURPOSE: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is one of the main causes of maternal mortality and occurs in 5% of total deliveries. In this study we consider the indications for and technique and results of endovascular treatment for this serious event. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2004 and December 2010, we conducted a nonrandomised prospective study on ten women with severe PPH who were treated endovascularly in an emergency setting. The procedure was considered to be clinically successful when the PPH resolved completely without the need for further surgical intervention. Laboratory values and the number of transfused blood packs were assessed for each patient. RESULTS: The endovascular procedure completely stopped the bleeding in 8/10 women. After embolisation, the remaining two patients underwent a second laparotomy, which completely arrested the bleeding. No patient died as a result of PPH, and no patient with PPH who avoided hysterectomy before endovascular treatment underwent it after the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: In keeping with the literature, our study indicates that endovascular therapy can significantly help reduce the rates of hysterectomy and mortality due to PPH. This treatment, when performed in the angiography room, is safe and effective and is probably relatively uncommon and underused.

Evaluation of a method of computer-aided detection (CAD) of pulmonary nodules with computed tomography.

PURPOSE: The authors sought to compare the sensitivity and reading time obtained using computer-aided detection (CAD) software as second reader (SR) or concurrent reader (CR) in the identification of pulmonary nodules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Unenhanced CT scans of 100 consecutive cancer patients were retrospectively reviewed by four readers to identify all solid, noncalcified pulmonary nodules ranging from 3 to 30 mm in diameter. The sensitivity and reading time of each reader and of CAD alone were calculated at 3-mm and 5-mm thresholds with respect to the reference standard, consisting of a consensus reading by the four radiologists involved in the study. The McNemar test was used to compare the sensitivities obtained by reading without CAD (readers 1 and 2), with CAD as SR (readers 1 and 2 with a 2-month delay), and with CAD as CR (readers 3 and 4). The paired Student's t test was used to compare reading times. A value of p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 258 and 224 nodules were identified at 3-mm and 5-mm thresholds, respectively. The sensitivity of CAD alone was 62.79% and 67.41% at the 3-mm and 5-mm threshold values respectively, with 4.15 and 2.96 false-positive findings per examination. CAD as SR produced a significant increase in sensitivity (p<0.001) in nodule detection with respect to reading without CAD both at 3 mm (12.01%) and 5 mm (10.04%); the average increase in sensitivity obtained when comparing CAD as SR to CAD as CR was statistically significant (p<0.025) both at the 3-mm (5.35%) and 5-mm (4.68%) thresholds. CAD as CR produced a nonsignificant increase in sensitivity compared with reading without CAD (p>0.05). Mean reading time using CAD as SR (330 s) was significantly longer than reading without CAD (135 s, p<0.001) and reading with CAD as CR (195 s, p<0.025). CONCLUSIONS: The use of CAD as CR, without any significant increase in reading time, produces no significant increase in sensitivity in pulmonary nodule detection when compared with reading without CAD (p>0.05); CAD as SR, at the cost of longer reading times, increases sensitivity when compared with reading without CAD (p<0.001) or with CAD as CR (p<0.025).

Imaging of neuroendocrine gastroenteropancreatic tumours.

The role of imaging in functioning endocrine tumours (FETs) is primarily to detect the tumour, that is, to verify lesion number and location. Radiological detection of carcinoid tumours is limited by typical tumour location throughout the gastrointestinal tract or appendix and is therefore dependent on the tumour being large enough to make it recognisable in that site. The most common FET is insulinoma, which is commonly characterised by the typical appearance of a hypervascular lesion at multidetector-row computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. A particularly important role is played by intraoperative ultrasound in defining the exact number of lesions, their relationship with adjacent vascular structures and the pancreatic duct for the purposes of correct surgical planning (enucleation or resection). In the setting of nonfunctioning endocrine tumours (NFETs), which manifest late as large masses causing compression symptoms or as incidental findings, imaging is not primarily aimed at tumour detection, as this is relatively easy given the large size of the lesions. Rather, its role is to characterise the tumour and, in particular, to differentiate pancreatic NFET from ductal adenocarcinoma, as in comparison, malignant NFETs have a more favourable prognosis (5-year survival rate 40% compared with 3%-5% for adenocarcinoma) and therefore require different treatment approaches. As NFET are often malignant, they also require accurate staging and appropriate follow-up. In 80% of cases, NFETs have a "typical" imaging appearance: location in the pancreatic head, large dimensions (diameter between 5 and 15 cm, >10 cm in 30% of cases), capsule, sharp and regular margins owing to the expansile and noninfiltrative growth pattern, solid density and arterial hypervascularity. Some 20% of NFETs display different imaging characteristics ("atypical" appearance) as a result of arterial hypovascularity due to the presence of abundant fibrous stroma. Lastly, a small percentage of NFETs has yet a different appearance ("unusual") due to the cystic nature and/or diffuse location throughout the pancreatic parenchyma.

Role of multislice computed tomography in the diagnosis of gene-mutation-associated pancreatitis (GMAP).

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to review the computed tomography (CT) features of the pancreatic parenchyma and ducts in patients with gene-mutation-associated pancreatitis (GMAP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients with GMAP were included in this retrospective study. Patients were divided into two groups according to the time interval between the onset of symptoms and the first CT examination (group A ≤24 months and group B >25 months). RESULTS: On qualitative image assessment, in group A patients, pancreatic duct stones were detected in 2/13 with GMAP. All stones were calcified and homogenous. Enhancement of the pancreatic parenchyma was hypovascular in 7/13 patients. In group B patients, pancreatic duct stones were detected in 12/12 with GMAP. Stones were calcified in 10/12 cases and noncalcified (protein plugs) in 2/12; in 5/10 cases, the calcified stones were heterogeneous with noncalcified central core (bull's-eye appearance). Enhancement of the pancreatic parenchyma was hypovascular in 12/12 patients. On quantitative image assessment, in group A patients, the mean diameter of duct stones was 0.6 mm (range 0-5 mm). Mean diameter of the main duct in the pancreatic head and body/tail was 4.8 mm and 4.9 mm, respectively. In group B patients, the mean diameter of duct stones was 21.9 mm (range 2-50 mm). Mean diameter of the main duct in the pancreatic head and body/tail was 18.8 mm and 13.9 mm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS|: In patients with GMAP and time interval between symptom onset and first CT scan ≤24 months (group A), CT identified normal or slightly increased parenchymal thickness and a main pancreatic duct of normal calibre and without duct stones. In contrast, in patients with GMAP and time interval between symptom onset and first CT scan >25 months (group B), it identified large-calibre duct stones with bull's-eye appearance.