Systematic and MRI-Cognitive Targeted Transperineal Prostate Biopsy Accuracy in Detecting Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer after Previous Negative Biopsy and Persisting Suspicion of Malignancy.

Background and objectives: Overdiagnosis, overtreatment, and the need for repeated procedures caused by transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsies and their related complications places a heavy burden on healthcare systems. This was a prospective cohort validating study to access the clinical accuracy of systematic and MRI-cognitive targeted transperineal prostate biopsies in detecting clinically significant prostate cancer after a previous negative biopsy and persistent suspicion of malignancy. The primary goal was to assess the ability of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) to detect clinically significant prostate cancer with an additional goal to assess the diagnostic value of systematic and MRI-cognitive transperineal biopsies. Materials and Methods: In total, 200 patients were enrolled who had rising serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels for at least 4 months after a previous negative transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) biopsy. All eligible men underwent 1.5T prostate mpMRI, reported using the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADS v2), followed by a 20-region transperineal prostate systematic biopsy and additional targeted biopsies. Results: Systematic 20-core transperineal prostate biopsies (TPBs) were performed for 38 (19%) patients. Systemic 20-core TPB with additional cognitive targeted biopsies were performed for 162 (81%) patients. Clinically significant prostate cancer (csPC) was detected for 31 (15.5%) patients, of which 20 (64.5%) cases of csPC were detected by systematic biopsy, eight (25.8%) cases were detected by targeted biopsy, and three (9.7%) both by systematic and targeted biopsies. Conclusions: Cognitive mpMRI guided transperineal target biopsies increase the detection rate of clinically significant prostate cancer after a previously negative biopsy. However, in a repeat prostate biopsy setting, we recommend applying a cognitive targeted biopsy with the addition of a systematic biopsy.

High-grade well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumour of the cecum diagnosed following incisional hernia repair: a case report.

High-grade well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumour tumours (NETs) of gastrointestinal tract are rare; they can arise in any part of the digestive system and usually present in advanced stages. Low incidence and wide heterogeneity in the biological behaviour of such lesions pose a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Loco-regional NETs should be resected whenever feasible, potentially with a curative intent. Management of a metastatic disease is often more complex, primarily aimed at the alleviation of symptoms, prevention of further complications, and prolongation of survival. Current literature describing the optimal treatment plan for such patients is sparse and further studies are necessary to enhance our understanding of the disease. Here we present a case of high-grade well-differentiated cecal NET with an associated carcinoid syndrome that was diagnosed following the incisional hernia repair.

Two years of maintenance hemodialysis has a pronounced effect on arterial stiffness progression.

BACKGROUND: The change of aortic stiffness, but not the particular baseline value, plays a crucial role in estimating the patient risk with end-stage renal disease. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the evolution of central and peripheral arterial stiffness in hemodialysis population without previous cardiovascular events during a 2-year follow-up. METHODS: 60 hemodialysis patients (mean age 57.61 ± 13.01 years) were prospectively interviewed, and they underwent blood tests, chest X-ray for aortic calcification evaluation and pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements at the baseline, after 6 months and after 2 years of observation period. RESULTS: We found significant progression of aortic PWV (12.73 vs. 14.24 m/s, p = 0.032) and regression of brachial PWV (11.53 vs. 8.85 m/s, p < 0.001). CRP increase influenced evolution of aortic PWV (ß = 0.331, p = 0.031, R2 = 0.599). Higher ß2-microglobulin values was related to the progression of aortic PWV (ß = 0.219, p = 0.022, R2 = 0.568). Mean arterial blood pressure had influence only on the short-term arterial stiffness evolution. CONCLUSIONS: Patients on maintenance hemodialysis experience pronounced changes of arterial stiffness during the 2-year follow-up period. The progression of aortic stiffness is related to inflammatory response and particularly is influenced by ß2-microglobulin concentration and aortic calcification.

Usefulness of pretransplant aortic arch calcification evaluation for kidney transplant outcome prediction in one year follow-up.

Vascular calcification (VC) is linked to post-transplant cardiovascular events and hypercalcemia which may influence kidney graft function in the long term. We aimed to evaluate whether pretransplant aortic arch calcification (AoAC) can predict post-transplant cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events (CVEs), and to assess its association with post-transplant plasma calcium levels and renal function in one-year follow-up. Our single-center observational prospective study enrolled 37 kidney transplant recipients (KTR) without previous history of vascular events. Two radiologists evaluated pretransplant AoAC on chest X-ray as suggested by Ogawa et al. in 2009. Cohen's kappa coefficient was 0.71. The mismatching results were repeatedly reviewed and resulted in consensus. Carotid-femoral (cfPWV) and carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (crPWV) was measured using applanation tonometry before and one year after transplantation. Patient clinical, biochemical data, and cardiovascular/CVE rate were monitored within 1 year. We found out that eGFR1year correlated with eGFRdischarge and calcium based on hospital discharge data (ß = 0.563, p = .004 and ß = 51.360, p = .026, respectively). Multivariate linear regression revealed that donor age, donor gender, and recipient eGFRdischarge (R-squared 0.65, p = .002) better predict eGFR1year than AoAC combined with recipient eGFRdischarge (R-squared 0.35, p = .006). During 1-year follow-up, four (10.81%) patients experienced cardiovascular events, which were predicted by PWV ratio (HR 7.549, p = .045), but not related to AoAC score (HR 1.044, p = .158). In conclusion, KTR without previous vascular events have quite low cardiovascular/CVE rate within 1-year follow-up. VC evaluated as AoAC on pretransplant chest X-ray together with recipient eGFRdischarge could be related to kidney function in one-year follow-up.

Mismatch between stiffness in elastic and muscular arteries as a predictor of vascular calcification in dialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Vascular calcification is one of the risk factors for arterial stiffness in patients with chronic kidney disease. We hypothesized that a mismatch between elastic and muscular arteries, represented as pulse wave velocity (PWV) ratio, could depict the extent of vascular calcification in end-stage renal disease. We also aimed to compare the predictive PWV ratio value to other factors possibly related to vascular calcification in dialysis population. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, in 60 chronic dialysis patients without previous cerebrovascular events, cardiovascular disease and events or clinically evident peripheral artery disease (ankle-brachial index >0.9), carotid-femoral and carotid-radial PWV as well as central hemodynamic parameters were measured by applanation tonometry (SphygmoCor). The PWV ratio using carotid-femoral PWV divided by carotid-radial PWV was calculated. Each patient underwent blood tests and chest X-ray for aortic arch calcification scoring. Two experienced radiologists blinded to patient's medical data evaluated chest X-rays (Cohen's kappa coefficient 0.76) and calculated how many sectors were calcified (Ogawa et al. in Hemodial Int 13:301-306, 2009). Differently scored chest X-rays were repeatedly reviewed and a consensus was reached. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 31 (51.7%) males and 29 (48.3%) females, mean age 52.73 ± 13.76 years. Increased risk for aortic arch calcification was associated with higher PWV ratio even after adjustment for age, height, heart rate, ferritin level and C-reactive protein level (OR 2.59E+04, 95% CI 2.43E+01, 2.65E+09, p = 0.021). PWV ratio together with above-mentioned variables could predict the presence of aortic arch calcification with specificity of 93% (95% CI 78, 99%) and sensitivity of 53% (95% CI 34, 72%). CONCLUSION: The elastic and muscular arteries' stiffness mismatch was strongly associated with the extent of aortic arch calcification in this dialysis population and had better calcification predictive value compared to other demographic, hemodynamic and biochemical markers.