Calcification of breast artery as detected by mammography: association with coronary and aortic calcification

Background/aim: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9740-3580 Materials and methods: A total of 404 female patients above 40 years of age who, within a 6-month period, had undergone thoracic computed tomography and mammography for various reasons were screened retrospectively at our clinic. Mammographies were assessed for BAC and thoracic CT investigations were assessed for CAC and AC. Patients included in the study were scored as 0 (none), 1 (mild), 2 (moderate), or 3 (severe) depending on the number and shape of CAC, AC, and BAC lesions observed. Results: Four hundred and four females were enrolled in the study. While BAC was detected in 123 patients, no BAC was observed in the other 281 patients. In the BAC-positive patients, the rates of CAC (45.5% vs. 19.9%, P < 0.001) and AC (67.5% vs. 32.4%, P < 0.001) were notably higher than in the BAC-negative patients. In addition, multivariate regression analysis detected the presence of BAC as an independent variable for both CAC and AC. Conclusion: The presence of BAC appeared to be a significant risk factor for CAC and AC, and the BAC grade was considered an independent risk factor for CAC.

Does Bedside Sonography Effectively Identify Nasogastric Tube Placements in Pediatric Critical Care Patients?

BACKGROUND: A nasogastric tube (NGT) insertion is a common procedure in intensive care units, with some serious complications that result from the malposition of the NGT tip. This pilot study was designed to investigate the efficiency of ultrasound in verifying correct NGT placement and to compare these results with radiographic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a single-center, double-blind prospective study of patients who had received an NGT in the pediatric critical care unit. Twenty-one patients aged 1 month to 18 years were included in this study. All NGTs were inserted by the same critical care physician. After insertion, the physician first confirmed NGT placement by the auscultation of the epigastrium following the insufflation of air. Confirmation was supplemented with an abdominal radiograph. A radiologist who was unaware of the radiographic findings performed bedside sonography on all patients and verified the location of the NGTs. The findings from these 2 physicians were then compared. RESULTS: NGTs were inserted without any complications, and none of the NGTs were positioned in the respiratory tract in any of the patients. All NGT tips were visualized by radiography and sonography with a sensitivity of 100%. CONCLUSION: Bedside sonography performed by a radiologist is an effective and sensitive diagnostic procedure for confirming the correct NGT position in patients in the pediatric critical care unit.

Comparison of intrahepatic vein-to-liver parenchyma and intercostal muscle-to-liver parenchyma strain ratios in the assessment of liver fibrosis: which one should we use?

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to investigate whether there is a difference in diagnostic value between vein to parenchyma strain ratio (VPSR) and muscle to parenchyma strain ratio (MPSR). METHODS: VPSR and MPSR were calculated via sonoelastography, and were recorded for comparison with histopathology. ROC analysis, the Mann-Whitney U test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman's rank correlation test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The study included 59 cases of individuals who underwent biopsy (29 women, 30 men). When the threshold value for VPSR was set at 3.23, the sensitivity was 96.2% and the specificity was 83.3% (p < 0.001, F ≥ 1). When the threshold value was set at 3.01 for MPR, the sensitivity was 88.7% and the specificity was 83.3% (p < 0.001, F ≥ 1). The areas under the curve values were VPSR 0.95 and MPSR 0.92 for F ≥ 1, VPSR 0.94 and MPSR 0.92 for F ≥ 2, and VPSR 1.00 and MPSR 0.76 for F = 3 (p < 0.001). The Spearman's correlation coefficient was 0.75, and a high positive concordance was found between VPSR and MPSR (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, a high positive correlation was observed between two strain ratios, and VPSR was found to be more reliable than MPSR in determining liver fibrosis.

Bowel and mesenteric injury in blunt trauma: diagnostic efficiency and importance of experience in using multidetector computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic efficiency of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in the detection of blunt bowel and mesenteric injuries (BBMI), and the role of different experience levels in using MDCT. METHODS: This study included a test group of twenty-seven patients with surgically important BBMI in whom the diagnoses were confirmed after surgical intervention (23 men and 4 women; mean age, 40.7±16.2; range, 18-76), and a control group of twenty-one matched patients without BBMI who underwent laparotomy for trauma during the same time period (16 men and 5 women; mean age, 38.9±14.5; range, 20-68) and sixteen-detector computed tomography prior to surgery. Intraoperative findings were compared with MDCT findings. RESULTS: High accuracy, specificity, and positive predictive values in MDCT findings with respect to intraperitoneal free air, mesenteric air, thickened (>4-5 mm) and defected bowel wall, increased contrast enhancement on bowel wall, and mesenteric hematoma were found among others (p<0.01). Sensitivities and specificities of the diagnosis of BBMI by the resident and staff radiologist was 74% and 71%, and 85% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSION: MDCT displays BBMI with high sensitivity and specificity, and can predict the need for surgery. Experience in radiology is an important factor for appropriate interpretation of the MDCT findings.

Normal pressure hydrocephalus versus atrophic dilatation to distinguish and predict the benefits of surgical intervention with a phase-contrast MRI technique.

AIM: To compare mean cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume in the aqueduct by using phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging for the patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) and atrophic dilation (AD) to investigate the efficacy of this technique in predicting surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The MR images of a total of 80 individuals, consisting of 30 patients considered to have INPH, 20 patients with AD not proportional with cerebral sulci, and 30 control cases without a hydrocephalus clinical picture, were evaluated retrospectively. The minute mean aqueductal CSF flow rates of the three groups were compared using the Kruskall-Wallis analysis of variance, and the inter-group statistical comparisons were made using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The mean aqueductal flow rates were 46.56 ± 25.06 ml/min for the INPH group, 9.28 ± 4.68 ml/min for the AD group, and 8.68 ± 3.40 ml/min for the control group. The mean flow rate of the INPH group was significantly higher than those of the control and ADH groups (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The mean CSF flow rate may be useful in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis, and the prediction of the potential benefits of surgical intervention for patients considered to have INPH.

Paratracheal air cysts: prevalence and correlation with lung diseases using multi-detector CT.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of paratracheal air cysts (PACs), their correlation with different lung diseases and their connection with the trachea by chest multi detector computed tomography (MDCT). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed chest MDCT images of 8240 consecutive patients obtained from January 2010 to December 2011 with a 16-detector multi-detector CT scanner. PACs were assessed for prevalence, location, level, size and the presence of visible communication with the trachea. MDCT diagnoses were classified as normal, primary or metastatic malignancies, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia and other lung diseases. We randomly selected 330 patients who had no visible PACs for the control group. We evaluated the associations between patients' demographic findings (age and sex), MDCT findings of lung and the presence of PACs. The findings of the PACs and control groups were compared. Statistical analysis used chi-squared test and Mann-Whitney U-test for evaluation. RESULTS: PACs were presented in 301 patients (4%); 204 men and 97 women, ranging in age from 14 to 91 years (median = 57 years). There was no significant difference in the presence of PACs by age (P > 0.05). Male subjects showed higher prevalence (P = 0.005). Fifty PACs (16.6%) showed communication with the trachea or main bronchus. Although the relation between COPD and PACs was statistically significant (P < 0.001), there was no relation between primary or metastatic malignancies, pneumonia and other lung diseases and PACs. CONCLUSION: PACs are common in MDCT and should not be misdiagnosed as pneumomediastinum. It should be kept in mind that PACs may be associated with COPD.

A rare cause of acute abdominal pain: Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome.

Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich (HWW) syndrome is a rare müllerian duct anomaly with uterus didelphys, unilateral obstructed hemivagina, and ipsilateral renal agenesis. Patients with this syndrome generally present after menarche with pelvic pain and mass and, rarely, primary infertility in later years. Strong suspicion and knowledge of this syndrome are mandatory for an accurate diagnosis. A 14-year-old female patient presented with acute retention of urine and abdominopelvic pain. Her condition was diagnosed with the use ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging as a case of HWW syndrome. She was treated with vaginal hemiseptal resection. The HWW syndrome should be considered among the differential diagnoses in girls with renal anomalies presenting with pelvic mass, symptoms of acute abdominal pain, and acute urinary retention.

Can a b value of 500 be substituted for a b value of 1000 in the characterization of focal liver lesions?

PURPOSE: Comparison of two different b values in diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) for characterization of focal liver lesions. METHODS: A total of 174 focal liver lesions from 100 patients were analyzed using two different b values (500 and 1000 s/mm(2)). The DWI with b values of 500 s/mm(2) (DWI500) and 1000 s/mm(2) (DWI1000) were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test, kappa statistic, and paired t test with respect to image quality. The statistically significant differences between DWI500 and DWI1000 in the characterization of the lesions with respect to the cutoff ADC values were evaluated via χ (2) test. RESULTS: DWI500 had the highest mean score in the qualitative evaluation of image quality (p < 0.0001) and the highest signal-to-noise ratio (8.7 ± 2.1; p < 0.0001). The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC for discriminating malignant from benign focal lesions on DWI500 and DWI1000 using cutoff ADC values of 1.54 × 10(-3) and 1.38 × 10(-3) s/mm(2) were 95.8%, 92.3%, 0.98, and 93.8%, 92.3%, 0.97, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in sensitivity, specificity, and AUC values between DWI500 and DWI1000 with respect to the cutoff ADC values (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The image quality of DWI500 was better than that of DWI1000, and there was no significant difference between DWI500 and DWI1000 in the characterization of the lesions with respect to the cutoff ADC values. The b value of 500 s/mm(2) can be substituted for the b value of 1000 s/mm(2) in the characterization of focal liver lesions.

Detection of duct ectasia of mammary gland by ultrasonography in a neonate with bloody nipple discharge.

Bloody nipple discharge, a rare finding in infants, is associated most often with benign mammary duct ectasia and commonly resolves spontaneously. Ultrasonography is a useful diagnostic imaging method to detect the cause of discharge. The rarity of this symptom in infants and its association with breast carcinoma in adults can lead to unnecessary investigation and treatment. Here, we describe ultrasonographic and color Doppler ultrasonographic findings of a 20-day-old boy with bilateral bloody nipple discharge that resolved spontaneously without treatment after 15 days. We conclude that bloody nipple discharge is usually a benign and self-limited process in infancy, and that it is advisable to avoid unnecessary invasive investigations initially.

Isolated torsion of the fallopian tube with hydrosalpinx mimicking a multiloculated ovarian cyst: whirlpool sign on preoperative sonography and MRI.

Isolated torsion of the fallopian tube is a rare case of lower abdominal pain. Early diagnosis of such cases is crucial because it allows for the possibility of salvage surgery and the prevention of irreversible vascular damage. However, diagnosis is rarely made before surgery due to nonspecific clinical and imaging features. We report a case of isolated tubal torsion with specific imaging findings on preoperative ultrasonography, color Doppler ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging that was misdiagnosed as a multiloculated ovarian cyst at a local hospital.

Sonographic diagnosis of ascariasis causing small bowel obstruction.

Acute right lower quadrant pain is a common, but nonspecific presenting symptom of a wide variety of diseases in children. Sonography (US) can play a significant role in the accurate and early diagnosis of right lower quadrant pain. In this article, we report a case of small bowel obstruction due to intestinal ascariasis diagnosed at bedside US and confirmed by MRI and describe a new US sign of intestinal ascariasis.

Comparison of muscle-to-nodule and parenchyma-to-nodule strain ratios in the differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules: which one should we use?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of muscle-to-nodule strain ratio (MNSR) in the differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules and to see if there was a difference between MNSR and parenchyma-to-nodule strain ratios (PNSR) in diagnosis. METHODS: A total of 106 consecutive patients (88 women and 18 men; age range 19-79 years) with thyroid nodules were prospectively examined using ultrasound and sonoelastography before the fine-needle aspiration biopsy. The mean MNSR and PNSR were calculated for each nodule and the elasticity score was determined according to four-point scoring system. RESULTS: According to the four-point scoring system, 44 of the 83 benign nodules had a score of one or two while 22 of the 23 malignant nodules had a score of three or four (p<0.001). Using ROC analysis, the best cutoff point for MNSR 1.85 and for PNSR 3.14 was calculated. The sensitivity and specificity for the MNSR were 95.6%, 92.8%, respectively; for the PNSR were 95.6%, 93.4%, respectively, when the best cutoff points were used (p<0.001). The κ value for the PNSR and MNSR methods was 0.87, which indicated an almost perfect agreement (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Sonoelastography has a high diagnostic accuracy in the differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. There was no significant difference between MNSR and PNSR in the differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Therefore, we think that MNSR could safely be used in situations where PNSR could not be used.

Honeycomb gallbladder: a very rare cause of right upper quadrant pain.

Honeycomb gallbladder is a rare congenital malformation of the gallbladder. In some cases, it may be asymptomatic, whereas in others, it may lead to symptoms consistent with biliary colic even in the absence of cholelithiasis. We present the clinical and imaging findings of a case of a 10-year-old boy who was admitted to the emergency department with right upper quadrant pain. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging showed a honeycomb gallbladder. Honeycomb gallbladder is safely diagnosed with ultrasonography, which should be part of the investigation of patients with right upper quadrant pain in the emergency department.

A very rare cause of neck pain: primary Ewing sarcoma of the axis.

We report the case of a 7-year-old boy who presented with a 1-month history of neck pain, left-sided torticollis, and no neurological deficit. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed an expansile lesion in the axis, with epidural and prevertebral soft tissue components. Histopathologic examination of the biopsy specimen revealed primary vertebral Ewing sarcoma. This is the first case of primary vertebral Ewing sarcoma that has presented with torticollis. It is essential for physicians to be familiar with this condition and the associated imaging findings because early diagnosis of such cases is the key to better prognosis.

A unique presentation of renal cell carcinoma: both upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) constitutes 3% of all adult malignancies and may present with various symptoms due to local growth, metastasis, and paraneoplastic syndrome. Gastrointestinal hemorrhage because of RCC is a very rare event and more commonly seen as a recurrence of RCC many years after nephrectomy. Both upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding due to direct invasion of RCC has not been reported yet in the literature. Herein, we report a case of 78-year-old man with both massive upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding as a presenting symptom of RCC.

Gray-scale and color Doppler ultrasound imaging findings of an ovarian inguinal hernia and torsion of the herniated ovary: a case report.

Inguinal hernia is extremely rare among girls. The hernia sac may sometimes involve intestinal structures, but ovaries in the sac are uncommon. Early diagnosis of a possible ovarian torsion is essential because potential amenable benefits can be achieved with surgery. A baby girl was admitted to our pediatric emergency unit with the complaints of swelling and erythema of the left groin. Then gray-scale ultrasonography and color Doppler ultrasonography was performed immediately at the emergency radiology room. In our case, ovarian torsion was diagnosed by gray-scale ultrasonography and color Doppler ultrasonography. After the diagnosis of ovarian torsion, the patient underwent surgery. It is possible to diagnose inguinal emergencies by high-resolution ultrasonography and color Doppler ultrasonography.