Post-lumpectomy breast calcifications: Can original tumor features assist in determining need for biopsy?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to determine whether, in the digital era, imaging features of a primary breast tumor can be used to influence the decision to biopsy ipsilateral breast calcifications that occur following surgery in women treated with breast conservation surgery (BCS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively identified women treated with BCS who subsequently developed suspicious calcifications in the treated breast (BI-RADS 4 or 5) from January 2012 - December 2018. Only cases with histopathological diagnosis by stereotactic or surgical biopsy were included. Pathology reports were reviewed, and biopsy results were considered malignant if invasive carcinoma or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) was found. All other results were considered benign. Fisher's exact test was done comparing frequencies of malignancy between those patients whose original tumor had calcifications versus those whose original tumors were not calcified. RESULTS: Of 90 women with suspicious calcifications on a post-BCS mammogram, 65 (72.2%) were biopsy proven benign and 25 (27.8%) were malignant. The original tumor presented without calcifications in 39 patients (43%), and 51 (57%) had calcifications with or without associated mass, focal asymmetry, or architectural distortion. New calcifications were less likely to be malignant if the original tumor presented without calcifications (5/39; 12.8%) as compared to original tumors with calcifications (20/51; 38.5%) [p-value < 0.05]. CONCLUSION: New calcifications after BCS are significantly less likely to be malignant if the original tumor presented without calcifications. However, with a PPV of 12.8%, even calcifications in a patient with a non-calcified primary tumor require biopsy.

Perforated small bowel GIST in an immunocompromised male.

Gastrointestinal (GI) stromal tumor is a relatively rare tumor of the GI tract, with estimated prevalence of 2%, which arises from the interstitial cells of Cajal. Common presentations range from asymptomatic to abdominal pain, bloating, GI bleeding, and anemia. Less-common signs include obstruction and peritonitis. In this case, a young immunocompromised patient experienced a changing symptomatic spectrum with an enlarging abdominal mass, which ultimately perforated, leading to acute peritonitis.

Percutaneous transgluteal computed tomography-guided aspiration of obturator internus pyomyositis in adolescent athlete: A case report and literature review.

Pyomyositis is an uncommon infection of muscle that is usually managed conservatively, but, can progress to abscess formation requiring open surgical drainage. We present the first reported case of a 14-year-old male with obturator internus pyomyositis requiring computed tomography-guided percutaneous transgluteal drainage for the management of a right obturator internus abscess. We present this case report to provide an alternative to the open surgical management of abscesses from pyomyositis by means of successful computed tomography-guided drainage.

Bilateral hyperdense middle cerebral arteries: Stroke sign or not?

Hyperdense middle cerebral artery (MCA) is a classic sign of acute thromboembolic disease. Simultaneous bilateral occurrence is uncommon and traditionally attributed to physiological hemoconcentration or attributable to imaging artifact. We present the case of a 71-year-old man whose admission noncontrast computed tomography (CT) demonstrated bilateral hyperdense middle cerebral arteries without other radiographic evidence of acute stroke. CT angiography confirmed bilateral MCA, M1 segment vascular occlusion and follow-up noncontrast CT demonstrated MCA territory infarctions.

Massive fetal cervical teratoma managed with the ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure.

Teratomas are rare congenital tumors typically comprising all 3 germ cell layers. Cervical teratomas arise in the neck and represent a minority of all teratomas. These are associated with high morbidity and mortality because of their propensity to cause airway obstruction. Demonstration on prenatal magnetic resonance imaging is uncommon, especially for a tumor of this size. Fetuses diagnosed with large neck masses are managed through cesarean section with the ex utero intrapartum treatment procedure to secure the airway, such as in our case of a large cervical teratoma in the female fetus of a 30-year-old mother who went into preterm labor.

Paget-Schroetter syndrome with bilateral pulmonary emboli.

Paget-Schroetter syndrome, also known as effort thrombosis, is a relatively rare disease process characterized by primary thrombosis to the subclavian and axillary veins. It usually presents in younger individuals, commonly affecting the dominant side upper extremity, and the diagnosis relies on a combination of imaging, laboratory tests, and clinical presentation. Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis can also lead to pulmonary emboli, as in this case of a 20-year-old female discovered to have right sided Paget-Schroetter syndrome.

Indium-111 labeled leukocyte accumulation in extremity soft tissue sarcoma.

Nuclear medicine labeled leukocyte whole-body scintigraphy is commonly used to identify a source of infection in a patient with fever of unknown origin. White blood cells can also localize to other sites of inflammation, including sometimes tumors. A patient with a large myxofibrosarcoma in his left forearm was scanned due to chronic low-grade fever and persistent leukocytosis. This case demonstrates focal white blood cell activity in an extremity soft tissue sarcoma.