A Retrospective Comparative Outcomes and Cost Analysis of Office Based, Ultrasound Guided Renal Mass Biopsy Performed by Urologists and Standard Hospital Biopsies for Small Renal Masses.

INTRODUCTION: Renal mass biopsy is useful in the evaluation of small renal masses. We have previously reported that office based, ultrasound guided renal mass biopsy is safe, effective and feasible when performed by urologists. This study compares office based, ultrasound guided renal mass biopsy performed by urologists and hospital based renal mass biopsy. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 70 patients who underwent office based, ultrasound guided renal mass biopsy and 155 who underwent hospital based, ultrasound or computerized tomography guided renal mass biopsy for evaluation of a small renal mass (4.0 cm or less) between January 2010 and February 2016. RESULTS: A total of 70 patients underwent office based, ultrasound guided renal mass biopsy. Median age in this group was 69.5 years, median body mass index was 29.5 kg/m2 and 61.4% of the patients (43) were male. A total of 103 patients underwent hospital based, ultrasound guided biopsy. Median age in this group was 68.0 years, median body mass index was 29.3 kg/m2 and 53.4% of the patients (55) were male. Finally, 52 patients underwent hospital based, computerized tomography guided biopsy. Median age in this group was 69 years, median body mass index was 30.1 kg/m2 and 51.9% of the patients (27) were male. Median tumor size was 2.7 cm in patients undergoing office based, ultrasound guided renal mass biopsy, 2.2 cm in those undergoing hospital based, ultrasound guided biopsy and 2.1 cm in those undergoing hospital based, computerized tomography guided biopsy (p = 0.001). Renal cell carcinoma was found in 43 of 70 (61.4%), 74 of 103 (71.8%) and 33 of 52 (63.5%) respective biopsies. Respective diagnostic rates were 81.4% (57 of 70 cases), 88.3% (91 of 103) and 86.5% (45 of 52, p = 0.434). Concordance with surgical pathology was 97.7% (42 of 43 cases), 100% (35 of 35) and 100% (15 of 15), respectively. Complication rates were 4.3% (3 of 70 patients), 13.6% (14 of 103) and 13.5% (7 of 52), respectively (p = 0.096). Cost analysis revealed that when available, office based, ultrasound guided renal mass biopsy provides the health care system a total savings of approximately $46,011 yearly. CONCLUSIONS: Office based, ultrasound guided renal mass biopsy for small renal masses is a safe and efficacious option for select patients, and potentially offers greater convenience and availability as well as decreased health care costs.

Percutaneous Cryoablation vs Partial Nephrectomy: Cost Comparison of T1a Tumors.

PURPOSE: To compare cost of percutaneous cryoablation vs open and robot-assisted partial nephrectomy of T1a renal masses from the hospital perspective. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively compared cost, clinical and tumor data of 37 percutaneous cryoablations to 26 open and 102 robot-assisted partial nephrectomies. Total cost was the sum of direct and indirect cost of procedural and periprocedural variables. Clinical data included demographics, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), hospitalization time, complication rate, ICU admission rate, and 30-day readmission rates. Tumor data included size, RENAL nephrometry score, and malignancy rate. Student's t-test was used for continuous variables and Fisher's exact or chi-square tests for categorical data. RESULTS: Mean total cost was lower for percutaneous cryoablation than open or robot-assisted partial nephrectomy: $6067 vs $11392 or $11830 (p<0.0001) with lower cost of procedure room: $1516 vs $3272 or $3254 (p<0.0001), room and board: $95 vs $1907 or $1106 (p<0.0001), anesthesia: $684 vs $1223 or $1468 (p<0.0001), and laboratory/pathology fees: $205 vs $804 or $720 (p<0.0001). Supply and device cost was higher than open: $2596 vs $1352 (p<0.0001), but lower than robot-assisted partial nephrectomy: $3207 (p=0.002). Mean hospitalization times were lower for percutaneous cryoablation (p<0.0001), while age and CCI were higher (p<0.0001). No differences in tumor size, nephrometry score, malignancy rate complication, ICU, or 30-day readmission rates were observed. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous cryoablation can be performed at significantly lower cost than open and robotic partial nephrectomies for similar masses.

An improved 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging technique for the human breast: preliminary results.

The high sensitivity but poor specificity of magnetic resonance imaging for detecting breast cancer has stimulated interest in magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) as a tool to improve specificity and reduce the number of benign biopsies. The challenge of applying 1H MRSI to the diagnosis of cancer in the human breast is the need for robust lipid suppression and a clinically acceptable acquisition time. We present an improved 1H MRSI technique that uses an independently optimized chemical-shift-selective for lipid suppression and weighted elliptical k-space sampling combined with a Hamming filter for improved sampling efficiency.