Valoración del grado de resección de los macroadenomas hipofisarios en la resonancia magnética posquirúrgica inmediata / Assessment of the extent of pituitary macroadenomas resection in immediate postoperative MRI

Objetivo. Comprobar si es posible determinar el grado de resección de macroadenomas hipofisarios en la resonancia magnética (RM) hipofisaria posquirúrgica inmediata. Material y métodos. Se revisaron las RM hipofisarias de pacientes intervenidos desde enero de 2010 hasta octubre de 2014. Se incluyeron aquellos que tenían RM diagnóstica, RM posquirúrgica inmediata y al menos un control posterior. Se comprobó si los hallazgos entre la RM posquirúrgica inmediata y las RM posteriores eran concordantes. Se excluyeron los casos sin controles evolutivos y las reintervenciones por recidivas. El grado de resección tumoral lo dividimos en grupos: resección total, resección parcial y dudoso. Los estudios se realizaron en una máquina de 1.5 Tesla siguiendo el mismo protocolo de secuencias: una parte morfológica, otra dinámica con contraste intravenoso y otra con contraste tardío. Resultados. De 73 casos incluidos, la RM posquirúrgica inmediata se interpretó como resección total en 38 casos y resto tumoral en 28 casos, habiendo dudas en 7 casos. En los controles evolutivos se determinó resección total en 41 casos y resto tumoral en 32. Se obtuvo una sensibilidad para detección de restos tumorales de 0,71, una especificidad de 0,82, un valor predictivo positivo de 0,89 y un valor predictivo negativo de 0,85 en la RM posquirúrgica inmediata respecto a los controles evolutivos. Conclusión. La RM posquirúrgica inmediata de macroadenomas hipofisarios es útil para valorar el grado de resección tumoral y es un buen predictor del grado de resección real definitivo al comparar con las RM posteriores, permitiendo plantear el tratamiento adecuado de forma precoz (AU)

Objective. To evaluate if it is possible to determine the extent of pituitary macroadenomas resection in the immediate postoperative pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Material and methods. MRI of patient with pituitary macroadenomas from January 2010 until October 2014 were reviewed. Those patients who had diagnostic MRI, immediate post-surgical MRI and at least one MRI control were included. We evaluate if the findings between the immediate postsurgical MRI and the subsequent MRI were concordant. Cases which didn’t have evolutionary controls and those who were reoperation for recurrence were excluded. The degree of tumor resection was divided into groups: total resection, partial resection and doubtful. All MRI studies were performed on a1.5T machine following the same protocol sequences for all cases. One morphological part, a dynamic contrast iv and late contrast part. Results. Of the 73 cases included, immediate postoperative pituitary MRI was interpreted as total resection in 38 cases and tumoral rest in 28 cases, uncertainty among rest or inflammatory changes in 7 cases. Follow- up MRI identified 41 cases total resection and tumoral rest in 32. Sensitivity and specificity of 0.78 and 0.82 and positive and negative predictive value (PPV and NPV) 0.89 and 0.89 respectively were calculated. Conclusion. Immediate post-surgery pituitary MRI is useful for assessing the degree of tumor resection and is a good predictor of the final degree of real resection compared with the following MRI studies. It allows us to decide the most appropriate treatment at an early stage (AU)

Assessment of the extent of pituitary macroadenomas resection in immediate postoperative MRI. / Valoración del grado de resección de los macroadenomas hipofisarios en la resonancia magnética posquirúrgica inmediata.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if it is possible to determine the extent of pituitary macroadenomas resection in the immediate postoperative pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: MRI of patient with pituitary macroadenomas from January 2010 until October 2014 were reviewed. Those patients who had diagnostic MRI, immediate post-surgical MRI and at least one MRI control were included. We evaluate if the findings between the immediate postsurgical MRI and the subsequent MRI were concordant. Cases which didn't have evolutionary controls and those who were reoperation for recurrence were excluded. The degree of tumor resection was divided into groups: total resection, partial resection and doubtful. All MRI studies were performed on a1.5T machine following the same protocol sequences for all cases. One morphological part, a dynamic contrast iv and late contrast part. RESULTS: Of the 73 cases included, immediate postoperative pituitary MRI was interpreted as total resection in 38 cases and tumoral rest in 28 cases, uncertainty among rest or inflammatory changes in 7 cases. Follow- up MRI identified 41 cases total resection and tumoral rest in 32. Sensitivity and specificity of 0.78 and 0.82 and positive and negative predictive value (PPV and NPV) 0.89 and 0.89 respectively were calculated. CONCLUSION: Immediate post-surgery pituitary MRI is useful for assessing the degree of tumor resection and is a good predictor of the final degree of real resection compared with the following MRI studies. It allows us to decide the most appropriate treatment at an early stage.

Refined identification of Vibrio bacterial flora from Acanthasther planci based on biochemical profiling and analysis of housekeeping genes.

We used a polyphasic approach for precise identification of bacterial flora (Vibrionaceae) isolated from crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) from Lizard Island (Great Barrier Reef, Australia) and Guam (U.S.A., Western Pacific Ocean). Previous 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis was useful to allocate and identify isolates within the Photobacterium, Splendidus and Harveyi clades but failed in the identification of Vibrio harveyi-like isolates. Species of the V harveyi group have almost indistinguishable phenotypes and genotypes, and thus, identification by standard biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene analysis is commonly inaccurate. Biochemical profiling and sequence analysis of additional topA and mreB housekeeping genes were carried out for definitive identification of 19 bacterial isolates recovered from sick and wild COTS. For 8 isolates, biochemical profiles and topA and mreB gene sequence alignments with the closest relatives (GenBank) confirmed previous 16S rRNA-based identification: V. fortis and Photobacterium eurosenbergii species (from wild COTS), and V natriegens (from diseased COTS). Further phylogenetic analysis based on topA and mreB concatenated sequences served to identify the remaining 11 V harveyi-like isolates: V. owensii and V. rotiferianus (from wild COTS), and V. owensii, V. rotiferianus, and V. harveyi (from diseased COTS). This study further confirms the reliability of topA-mreB gene sequence analysis for identification of these close species, and it reveals a wider distribution range of the potentially pathogenic V. harveyi group.

Injection of Acanthaster planci with thiosulfate-citrate-bile-sucrose agar (TCBS). I. Disease induction.

This is the first report of the successful induction of a transmissible disease in the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish Acanthaster planci (COTS). Injection of thiosulfate-citrate-bile-sucrose agar (TCBS) culture medium into COTS induced a disease characterized by discoloured and necrotic skin, ulcerations, loss of body turgor, accumulation of colourless mucus on many spines especially at their tip, and loss of spines. Blisters on the dorsal integument broke through the skin surface and resulted in large, open sores that exposed the internal organs. Oedema and reddened digestive tissues and destruction of connective fibers were common. Moreover, healthy COTS in contact with these infected animals also displayed signs of disease and died within 24 h. TCBS induced 100% mortality in injected starfish. There was no introduction of new pathogens into the marine environment. TCBS promoted the growth of COTS' naturally occurring Vibrionales to high densities with subsequent symbiont imbalance followed by disease and death.