Bronchobiliary fistula localized by cholescintigraphy with single-photon emission computed tomography.

Biliptysis is an important clinical feature to recognize as it is associated with bronchobiliary fistula, a rare entity. Bronchobiliary fistulas have been diagnosed with planar cholescintigraphy. However, cholescintigraphy with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can better spatially localize a bronchobiliary fistula as compared to planar cholescintigraphy alone, and is useful for preoperative planning if surgical treatment is required. Here, we present the case of a 23-year-old male who developed a bronchobiliary fistula in the setting of posttraumatic and postsurgical infection, which was diagnosed and localized by cholescintigraphy with SPECT.

Integral dose delivered to normal brain with conventional intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and helical tomotherapy IMRT during partial brain radiotherapy for high-grade gliomas with and without selective sparing of the hippocampus, limbic circuit and neural stem cell compartment.

INTRODUCTION: We compared integral dose with uninvolved brain (IDbrain ) during partial brain radiotherapy (PBRT) for high-grade glioma patients using helical tomotherapy (HT) and seven field traditional inverse-planned intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with and without selective sparing (SPA) of contralateral hippocampus, neural stem cell compartment (NSC) and limbic circuit. METHODS: We prepared four PBRT treatment plans for four patients with high-grade gliomas (60 Gy in 30 fractions delivered to planning treatment volume (PTV60Gy)). For all plans, a structure denoted 'uninvolved brain' was created, which included all brain tissue not part of PTV or standard (STD) organs at risk (OAR). No dosimetric constraints were included for uninvolved brain. Selective SPA plans were prepared with IMRT and HT; contralateral hippocampus, NSC and limbic circuit were contoured; and dosimetric constraints were entered for these structures without compromising dose to PTV or STD OAR. We compared V100 and D95 for PTV46Gy and PTV60Gy, and IDbrain for all plans. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in V100 and D95 for PTV46Gy and PTV60Gy. IDbrain was lower in traditional IMRT versus HT plans for STD and SPA plans (mean IDbrain 23.64 Gy vs. 28 Gy and 18.7 Gy vs. 24.5 Gy, respectively) and in SPA versus STD plans both with IMRT and HT (18.7 Gy vs. 23.64 Gy and 24.5 Gy vs. 28 Gy, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In the setting of PBRT for high-grade gliomas, IMRT reduces IDbrain compared with HT with or without selective SPA of contralateral hippocampus, limbic circuit and NSC, and the use of selective SPA reduces IDbrain compared with STD PBRT delivered with either traditional IMRT or HT.

High-grade glioma relationship to the neural stem cell compartment: a retrospective review of 104 cases.

PURPOSE: To assess the incidence of involvement of the neural stem cell (NSC) compartment by high-grade astrocytomas in a series of adult patients. METHODS AND MATERIALS: One hundred four initial diagnostic cranial magnetic resonance imaging series were reviewed. For each series, the gross tumor volume (GTV; enhancing tumor on T(1)), edema (hyperintensity on T(2) FLAIR), and the NSC compartment (hippocampal formation and lateral ventricle plus a 5-mm expansion) were identified. Involvement of NSC by GTV and edema was assessed. For tumors not involving NSC, we measured distances from NSC to GTV and edema. Maximum diameters of GTV were measured for each case. Subset analysis was performed for GTV of ≤ 2 cm and ≤ 3 cm in maximum diameter to assess the incidence of involvement of NSC by this group of smaller tumors. For 10 representative tumors, minimum distances from GTV center to NSC were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 103/104 (99.0%) tumors, regardless of GTV maximum diameter, demonstrated involvement of NSC. A total of 101/104 (97.1%) tumors had NSC involvement by GTV, and 2/104 (1.9%) patients showed edema only. For GTV not involving NSC, the mean distance from NSC to GTV was 0.8 cm (range, 0.5--1.4 cm). The mean shortest distance from the center of GTV to NSC was 1.5 cm (range, 0.9--2.6 cm). Involvement of NSC by GTV was 90.9% (10/11 tumors) for GTV of ≤ 2 cm and 95.7% (22/23 tumors) for GTV of ≤ 3 cm. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the hypothesis that the NSC compartment represents the putative site of origin for these tumors. NSC involvement does not appear to represent a volumetric phenomenon.

Intracranial metastatic disease rarely involves the pituitary: retrospective analysis of 935 metastases in 155 patients and review of the literature.

We present a case report of a patient recently treated at our institution for an isolated non-small cell lung cancer metastatic lesion to the sella, report the lack of involvement of the pituitary gland in a large single-institution series of treated intracranial parenchymal metastases, and review the pertinent literature. We reviewed cranial imaging studies (CT and MRI) for 935 metastases in 155 patients treated at our institution over the previous 3 years for intracranial metastatic disease. Special attention was paid to the skull base to document the presence of any metastatic disease involving the pituitary gland, infundibular stalk, sella turcica (including anterior and posterior clinoids), or diaphragm sellae. We found no other involvement of the pituitary gland or other sellar structures by metastatic disease in this series. Intracranial metastatic disease rarely involves the pituitary gland and infundibular stalk parenchyma, suggesting that this structure may be safely omitted from the treatment field during WBRT and prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI). This treatment approach should reduce the late sequelae of treatment to this critical organ.

Molecular imaging in transplantation: basic concepts and strategies for potential application.

BACKGROUND: The potential applications of molecular imaging in the clinical arena are diverse and expanding rapidly. One such area of application is transplantation. Currently, biopsy is the gold standard for monitoring allograft well-being after transplantation of organs or tissues. However, biopsies are invasive, associated with morbidity if performed on a routine basis and can potentially miss focal rejection. AIM: It is notable that none of the existing studies in the literature have examined the possible role of molecular imaging in transplantation-related indications. In this direction, this paper aims to discuss imaging strategies that could be of pertinence in monitoring immune events and improving long-term outcomes after solid organ or tissue transplantation. METHODS: This paper discusses the currently available direct/surrogate imaging techniques/agents that can be used to detect chemokine receptors/ligands, leucocyte endothelial events and ischaemia-reperfusion injury in transplantation. CONCLUSION: Molecular imaging methods can non-invasively detect, quantify and monitor immune phenomena, such as rejection or graft-versus-host disease, after transplantation. Molecular imaging could help in targeted biopsy and could improve graft survival by allowing for early intervention with tailored immunosuppressive regimens. Given the unprecedented progress in the field, the potential benefits of molecular imaging to the speciality of organ and tissue transplantation cannot be underestimated.