Ultrasound-guided cryoablation: Our experience in percutaneous treatment as an alternative to surgery for fibroadenomas of the breast lesions.

OBJECTIVES: To review the tolerance to and medium-term efficacy of ultrasound-guided cryoablation as an alternative to surgical treatment of fibroadenomas of the breast in our hospital. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 12 patients with fibroadenomas treated with ultrasound-guided cryoablation in our hospital between November 2020 and July 2022. Cryoablation was performed with a system using argon gas (Galil Boston Scientific®) or liquid nitrogen (Prosense Ice Cure®) following a triple-phase (freeze-thaw-freeze) protocol of variable duration depending on the size of the lesion. Patients were followed up with ultrasonography at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months. RESULTS: All patients tolerated the procedure well. Two patients reported moderate pain in the hours immediately after the procedure; no other complications occurred. The findings during follow-up included decreased volume of the fibroadenoma (47.07% at 3 months, 77.79% at 6 months, 81.77% at 12 months, and 88.81% at 18 months), blurring of the nodule's margins, a significantly reduced or absent signal within the lesion in the Doppler study, an echogenic band (representing edema, hemorrhage, and fat necrosis), and hypoechoic areas suggestive of fibrosis surrounding the fibroadenoma. CONCLUSIONS: Cryoablation is done on an outpatient basis, avoiding general anesthesia, thus making it less expensive. Cryoablation yields better cosmetic results than surgery.

Efficacy of ultrasound-guided cryoablation in treating low-risk breast cancer.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study to determine whether infiltrating carcinoma is present in surgical specimens obtained after ultrasound-guided cryoablation from patients with HER2-negative luminal breast cancer without positive axillary lymph nodes at ultrasound. The secondary objective is to demonstrate that placing the presurgical seed-marker immediately before cryoablation does not interfere with the disappearance of tumor cells from freezing or in the surgeon's ability to locate the tumor. METHODS: We treated 20 patients diagnosed with unifocal HR-positive HER2-negative infiltrating ductal carcinoma measuring <2cm by means of ultrasound-guided cryoablation (ICEfx Galil, Boston Scientific) using a triple-phase (freezing‒passive thawing‒freezing; 10min each phase) protocol. All patients later underwent tumorectomy according to the routine operating-room agenda. RESULTS: No infiltrating carcinoma cells were detected in the post-cryoablation surgical specimen in 19 patients; a focus of infiltrating carcinoma cells measuring <1mm was detected in the remaining patient. CONCLUSION: In the near future, if confirmed in larger studies with longer follow-up, cryoablation might constitute a safe and efficacious technique for the treatment of early, low-risk infiltrating ductal carcinoma. In our series, marking with ferromagnetic seeds did not interfere with the efficacy of the procedure or of the subsequent surgical intervention.

Eficacia de la crioablación guiada con ecografía en el tratamiento del cáncer de mama de bajo riesgo / Efficacy of ultrasound-guided cryoablation in treating low-risk breast cancer

Objetivos El objetivo principal del estudio es evaluar si en pacientes con tumores luminales Her2– menores de 1,5cm y axila ecográficamente negativa, tras la realización de crioablación guiada con ecografía, hay ausencia de carcinoma infiltrante en la pieza quirúrgica. El objetivo secundario es demostrar que la colocación de semilla prequirúrgica en el instante anterior a realizar la crioablación no interfiere posteriormente en la desaparición de las células tumorales por congelación ni en la adecuada localización del tumor por parte del cirujano. Métodos Veinte pacientes diagnosticadas de carcinoma ductal infiltrante (CDI), unifocal, receptores hormonales + Her2– menores de 2cm fueron tratadas con crioablación. Se usó, mediante guía ecográfica, el sistema de crioablación ICEfx Galil Boston Scientific con protocolo triple fase, congelación-descongelación pasiva-congelación, de 10min de duración cada una. Las pacientes se sometieron a tumorectomía posterior según agenda de quirófano habitual. Resultados De 20 pacientes con CDI de bajo riesgo, en 19 de ellas no se identificaron células de carcinoma infiltrante en el examen de la pieza quirúrgica poscrioablación y solo en una paciente quedó un foco menor de 1mm. Conclusión En un futuro cercano, a falta de estudios con mayor número de casos y seguimiento posterior, la crioablación en pacientes seleccionadas podría constituir una técnica percutánea eficaz y segura en el tratamiento del CDI precoz de bajo riesgo. En nuestra serie, el marcaje con semilla ferromagnética no interfirió en la eficacia del procedimiento ni en la posterior intervención quirúrgica (AU)

Objective The primary objective of this study to determine whether infiltrating carcinoma is present in surgical specimens obtained after ultrasound-guided cryoablation from patients with HER2-negative luminal breast cancer without positive axillary lymph nodes at ultrasound. The secondary objective is to demonstrate that placing the presurgical seed-marker immediately before cryoablation does not interfere with the disappearance of tumor cells from freezing or in the surgeon's ability to locate the tumor. Methods e treated 20 patients diagnosed with unifocal HR-positive HER2-negative infiltrating ductal carcinoma measuring < 2cm by means of ultrasound-guided cryoablation (ICEfx Galil, Boston Scientific) using a triple-phase (freezing?passive thawing?freezing; 10min each phase) protocol. All patients later underwent tumorectomy according to the routine operating-room agenda. Results No infiltrating carcinoma cells were detected in the post-cryoablation surgical specimen in 19 patients; a focus of infiltrating carcinoma cells measuring < 1mm was detected in the remaining patient. Conclusion In the near future, if confirmed in larger studies with longer follow-up, cryoablation might constitute a safe and efficacious technique for the treatment of early, low-risk infiltrating ductal carcinoma. In our series, marking with ferromagnetic seeds did not interfere with the efficacy of the procedure or of the subsequent surgical intervention (AU)

Ultrasound-guided interventional procedures in breast imaging.

Interventional procedures have become a routine part of breast imaging unit's activity. Most interventional procedures in breast imaging are done under ultrasound guidance. The list of ultrasound-guided interventional procedures performed by breast imaging units is long. This chapter will review the different techniques, placing emphasis on the most cost-effective indications.

Intervencionismo ecográfico en imagen mamaria / Ultrasound-guided interventional procedures in breast imaging

La radiología de la mama ha incorporado el intervencionismo como una faceta más de su actividad asistencial. La mayoría de las lesiones se van a caracterizar mediante la punción percutánea guiada con ecografía.La cartera de servicios del intervencionismo guiado con ecografía en la mama es amplia. Se puede dividir en tres grupos según su utilidad: las técnicas diagnósticas, las terapéuticas y las dirigidas a localizar las lesiones de mama y axila. En este capítulo se van a revisar haciendo hincapié en sus indicaciones más costo-efectivas.(AU)

Interventional procedures have become a routine part of breast imaging unit's activity. Most interventional procedures in breast imaging are done under ultrasound guidance.The list of ultrasound-guided interventional procedures performed by breast imaging units is long. This chapter will review the different techniques, placing emphasis on the most cost-effective indications.(AU)

Littoral cell angioma of the spleen: US and MR imaging findings.

In this article, we describe the ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging findings of a littoral cell angioma of the spleen. This benign vascular neoplasm of the spleen has been described, but to our knowledge there has been no case published in the literature that describes its imaging features.

[Radiologic features of lung diseases in HIV infection in children]. / Manifestaciones radiológicas de la patología pulmonar en la infección VIH pediátrica.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of respiratory involvement in HIV-infected children, along with the radiological manifestations of the various HIV-related diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective review of the medical records of 65 HIV-infected children (63 vertically-infected and 2 through blood transfusion) has been carried out. The mean time of follow-up since the diagnosis of HIV infection was 32 +/- 27 months, beginning January 1987. Patients have been classified into 5 categories: Pneumocystis carinii (PC) pneumonia, lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis (LIP), lobar pneumonia, acute respiratory distress and a miscellaneous group. Plain chest radiographies were performed according to clinical criteria and at least every 6 months in asymptomatic patients. Diagnosis into categories was based upon chest X-ray findings, along with several etiological diagnostic criteria depending on the category. RESULTS: Respiratory involvement occurred in 32 children (49%). The most common diseases were PC pneumonia in 7 patients, LIP in 8 children, and lobar pneumonia and acute respiratory distress in 6 and 7 cases, respectively. PC pneumonia in children younger than one year had a good clinical and radiological correlation. LIP diagnosis has been based only on radiological criteria with the typical pattern. We want to highlight the disappearance of the radiological findings in 3 cases over time. Interestingly, several patients had other etiologic diagnosis, such as S. pneumoniae pneumonia, miliary tuberculosis, and two patients had acute respiratory distress, one caused by adenovirus and the other by enterovirus. CONCLUSION: Respiratory involvement is common in HIV-infected children. Clinical and radiological manifestations are variable. Plain chest radiography plays a very important role in the management and follow-up of these patients.