Percutaneous ablation of obscure hypovascular liver tumours in challenging locations using arterial CT-portography guidance.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of percutaneous ablation (PA) of obscure hypovascular liver tumors in challenging locations using arterial CT-portography (ACP) guidance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 26 patients with a total of 28 obscure, hypovascular malignant liver tumors were included. There were 18 men and 6 women with a mean age of 58±14 (SD) years (range: 37-75 years). The tumors had a mean diameter of 14±10 (SD) mm (range: 7-24mm) and were intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (4/28; 14%), liver metastases from colon cancer (18/28; 64%), corticosurrenaloma (3/28; 11%) or liver metastases from breast cancer (3/28; 11%). All tumors were in challenging locations including subcapsular (14/28; 50%), liver dome (9/28; 32%) or perihilar (5/28; 18%) locations. A total of 28 PA (12 radiofrequency ablations, 11 microwave ablations and 5 irreversible electroporations) procedures were performed under ACP guidance. RESULTS: A total of 67 needles [mean: 2.5±1.5 (SD); range: 1-5] were inserted under ACP guidance, with a 100% technical success rate for PA. Median total effective dose was 26.5 mSv (IQR: 19.1, 32.2 mSv). Two complications were encountered (pneumothorax; one abscess both with full recovery), yielding a complication rate of 7%. No significant change in mean creatinine clearance was observed (80.5mL/min at baseline and 85.3mL/min at day 7; P=0.8). Post-treatment evaluation of the ablation zone was overestimated on ACP compared with conventional CT examination in 3/28 tumors (11%). After a median follow-up of 20 months (range: 12-35 months), local tumor progression was observed in 2/28 tumours (7%). CONCLUSION: ACP guidance is feasible and allows safe and effective PA of obscure hypo-attenuating liver tumors in challenging locations without damaging the renal function and with acceptable radiation exposure. Post-treatment assessment should be performed using conventional CT or MRI to avoid size overestimation of the ablation zone.

Cystic pancreatic lesions: From increased diagnosis rate to new dilemmas.

Cystic pancreatic lesions vary from benign to malignant entities and are increasingly detected on cross-sectional imaging. Knowledge of the imaging appearances of cystic pancreatic lesions may help radiologists in their diagnostic reporting and management. In this review, we discuss the morphologic classification of these lesions based on a diagnostic algorithm as well as the management of these lesions.

Routine postoperative upper gastrointestinal fluoroscopy after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: Is there still a utility?

PURPOSE: To assess the performance of routine esophagogastric transit studies (OGT) performed between day 2 (D2) and day 4 (D4) following sleeve gastrectomy for the diagnosis of gastric fistula. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Single center study including 736 patients undergoing surgery for sleeve gastrectomy including 32 of whom developed gastric fistula. Seven hundred and twenty OGT on D2 and 86 abdominal and pelvic CT scans were performed to investigate for a fistula and whether or not a blood collection was present. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, Youden index (YI) and dosimetry were calculated for both investigations. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of OGT for the diagnosis of fistula were 7% and 98% respectively with a PPV of 18%, an NPV of 96% and YI of 0.06. The mean DSP was 5500µGy.m(2). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and Youden index for CT were 55%, 100%, 100%, 81%, 0.55, respectively for the presence of a fistula; and 96%, 86%, 78%, 98%, 0.83 for the presence of a non-blood collection and; 100%, 86%, 78%, 100%, 0.86 for the presence of a non-blood collection and/or fistula. The mean DLP was 3700 mGy.cm. CONCLUSION: Because of its very poor sensitivity for the diagnosis of gastric fistula, the OGT on D2 needs to be reconsidered. CT performed on clinical suspicion appears to be a better diagnostic tool.

Laparoscopic vertical banded gastroplasty. A multicenter prospective study of 200 procedures.

BACKGROUND: The commonest surgical procedure for management of morbid obesity in Europe is laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), even though laparoscopic vertical banded gastroplasty (LVBG) is still considered to be a gold standard restrictive option in bariatric surgery. A multicenter prospective study was designed to to assess the efficacy of LVBG in terms of weight loss and complication rates for obese patients who have indications for a restrictive procedure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two-hundred morbidly obese patients (84.5% female) with a mean age of 41 years and mean body mass index (BMI) of 43.2 kg/m(2) underwent LVBG as described by MacLean. Five trocars were placed in standard positions as per laparoscopic upper gastrointestinal surgery. A vertical gastric pouch (30 ml) was created with circular (21 or 25mm) and endolinear stapling techniques, enabling definitive separation of the two parts of the stomach. The gastric outlet was calibrated with either a polypropylene mesh (5.5 cm in length and 1cm in width) or a nonadjustable silicone band. The median follow-up period was 30 months (range, 1-72 months). RESULTS: One case had to be converted to open surgery (gastric perforation) and there was one death secondary to peritonitis of unknown etiology. The morbidity rate was 24%, comprising the following complications: gastric outlet stenosis (8%); staple line leak (2.5%); food trapping (1.5%); peritonitis (1%); thrombophlebitis (1.5%); pulmonary embolism (0.5%); and gastroesophageal reflux (9%). The excess weight loss achieved was 56.7% (1 year), 68.3% (2 years), and 65.1% (3 years). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic vertical banded gastroplasty is an effective procedure for the surgical management of morbid obesity, especially for patients who present hyperphagia but are unable to manage the constraints of adjustable gastric banding. Laparoscopic vertical banded gastroplasty is safe, as demonstrated by an acceptable complication rate, of which gastric outlet stenosis, staple line leakage, and gastroesophageal reflux predominate.

[Acute cholangitis: imaging diagnosis and management]. / Une angiocholite: comment la reconnaître? Quelles conduites à tenir?

Cholangitis is an infection of the biliary ductal system that results from biliary obstruction. Choledocholithiasis has been the leading cause of acute cholangitis. Acute cholangitis remains a life-threatening complication of biliary obstruction that needs emergency diagnosis and treatment. Ultrasound (US) is the primary imaging modality for assessment of patients with suspected acute cholangitis. US is both sensitive and specific in demonstrating biliary dilatation. However, biliary dilatation is not always present at the early stage of bile duct obstruction and the performance of US in demonstrating choledocholithiasis is poor. Computed tomography (CT) without contrast injection is more sensitive than US in demonstrating choledocholithiasis. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and endoscopic sonography (EUS) are the most sensitive techniques to correctly determine the underlying cause and level of biliary obstruction in patients with acute cholangitis. In patients without previous cholecystectomy, clinical, biological, and US results allow to determine patients with high probability of having choledocholithiasis even if the stone is not directly visible on US. Patients undergoing cholecystectomy require laparoscopic common bile duct exploration, especially if the common bile duct clearance is not checked before surgery by MRCP or EUS.

[Multidetector CT and MRI in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract]. / Scanner multidétecteur face à l'IRM dans la pathologie du tube digestif.

UNLABELLED: With the introduction of spiral scanning then multidetector technologies, the accuracy for diagnosing digestive tract diseases with CT has been highly improved, and CT is used more and more in the evaluation of patients with suspected gastrointestinal disorders. CT is able to demonstrate both the intramural and the extramural components of the disease, and has a major role in the preoperative staging and the follow-up. Improvements of CT protocols, such as CT-enteroclysis, or multiplanar 2D and 3D post-processing, including now techniques for "virtual endoscopy", lead to discuss new indications in which CT could now compete with conventional X-rays series and videoendoscopy. This precise study of the digestive wall, the peridigestive fat, the digestive tract blood supply, may be performed by MRI, under the condition of access to high level machines and standardized protocols. MR-enteroclysis and MR-virtual colonoscopy could be performed with much lower risk for the patient, in terms of radiation dose or contrast adverse effects. Endoluminal coils should give to MR an ultra-high resolution for analysing the different layers of the gastrointestinal wall. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: to review how to perform CT and MRI protocols for digestive tract imaging, to recognize the CT and MR patterns of the main digestive tract diseases, to discuss the value, limits and role of CT and MR in digestive tract diseases, to discuss the potential role of CT and MR new technological developments for digestive tract imaging in the upcoming future. CONCLUSION: CT is nowadays a modality of choice for digestive imaging. Improvements in technologies and indications, the necessary discussion of the risks and benefits for the patient should let the radiologists consider MRI in gastrointestinal disorders as an important part of the routine activity in clinical MRI.