Rare Case of Multifocal Alveolar Echinococcosis.

Teaching Point: Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis can mimic a slow-growing tumor, and multi-organ involvement is rare; imaging has a crucial role in diagnosing this zoonosis that is endemic in the southern part of Belgium.

Matrix gla protein, a potential marker of tissue remodelling and physiological ageing of the gut in crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: The inactive dephosphorylated and uncarboxylated form of the matrix Gla protein (dp-ucMGP) has been shown to be increased in plasma of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Our aim was to assess if the plasmatic level of dp-ucMGP could reflect disease endoscopic activity, presence of strictures and cumulative structural bowel damage in Crohn's disease (CD) patients. METHODS: The plasmatic level of dp-ucMGP was measured in a monocentric cohort of prospectively recruited patients. The analysis was done by chemiluminescent immunoassay on blood samples collected the day of a planned ileocolonoscopy. In addition to classical clinical data (gender, age, body mass index (BMI), disease duration, current treatment), endoscopic data (disease location, Crohn's Disease Endoscopic Index of Severity (CDEIS), mucosal healing (MH), presence of 9 CD lesion types) and biological markers (faecal calprotectin and C-reactive protein (CRP)) were collected. The association between dp-ucMGP level and Lémann index was also investigated. Univariate linear regression was used to investigate the relationship between dp-ucMGP level and different parameters collected. RESULTS: A total of 82 ileocolonoscopies and dp-ucMGP assays were performed in 75 CD patients (45 females; 37 ileocolonic, 19 ileal and 19 colonic diseases) between October 2012 and November 2019. A total of 24 patients (29.3%) showed MH. The dp-ucMGP levels were not associated with MH, CDEIS, faecal calprotectin or CRP levels. Plasmatic dp-ucMGP levels increased significantly with age (p = 0.0032), disease duration (p = 0.0033), corticosteroids use (p = 0.019) and tended to increase in patients with intestinal strictures (p = 0.086) but not with the Lémann index. CONCLUSION: The significant increase of plasmatic dp-ucMGP levels with age, disease duration and the trend observed in patients with non-ulcerated strictures may suggest that this extracellular matrix protein could be a marker of tissue remodelling and physiological ageing of the gut.

Clinical and MRI Evolution After Local Injection of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Perianal Fistulae in Crohn's Disease: Results From a Prospective Monocentric Study.

BACKGROUND: Local injection of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells [MSCs] is effective in fistulizing perianal Crohn's disease [CD]. Less is known about bone marrow-derived MSCs and little is known about predictive factors of response and magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] evolution of the fistulae after MSC injection. Our aims were to evaluate the safety and clinical outcome of bone marrow-derived MSC injection for perianal fistulizing CD, to evaluate the MRI evolution of the fistulae and to identify factors associated with fistula closure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All CD patients with perianal fistula and appropriate drainage with a seton without abscess at MRI were eligible. Clinical examination, biomarkers and pelvic MRI were performed at weeks 0, 12 and 48. The clinical outcome was assessed by closure of the treated external openings at clinical examination and MRI exploration. RESULTS: Sixteen patients with a median age of 49 years and a median duration of perianal CD of 8 months were included. No unexpected safety event occurred. At weeks 12 and 48, 9/16 and 8/16 patients had complete fistula[e] closure, respectively, whereas 11/16 patients had at least partial closure. At MRI, the degree of fibrosis increased significantly after MSC injection. In total, 86% of patients with >80% of fibrosis of the fistula tract at week 48 had fistula closure. Fistula closure at week 12 was predictive of fistula closure at week 48. The MAGNIFI-CD did not change significantly over time. CONCLUSION: Open-label injection of bone marrow-derived MSCs was safe and was effective in half of the patients in fistulizing perianal CD and induced significant MRI changes associated with favourable clinical outcome.

Acute Pancreatitis with Pancreas Bifidum Mimicking Duodenitis on Computed Tomography.

Teaching Point: The bifid pancreas is an extremely rare congenital branching anomaly, knowledge of which is necessary in order to make the correct diagnosis in the event of associated pancreatitis.

Granulomatous Prostatitis Mimicking Invasive Prostate Cancer.

Teaching Point: Benign granulomatous prostatitis mimics prostate cancer on MRI. Peculiar urological history of a patient undergoing prostate MRI helps sorting out that differential, such as a treatment with topic Bacilli Calmette-Guerin instillations.