Efficacy and Safety of Percutaneous Radiological Gastrostomy (PRG) as a Rescue Measure for Enteral Feeding in Patients with Advanced Head, Neck, and Upper Digestive Malignancies.

Background Percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy is an established mode of enteral feeding for nutritional support for patients with dysphagia from upper digestive tract malignancy. Its role as a rescue measure in patients with advanced malignancy, presenting with absolute dysphagia and failure of nasogastric tube insertion has not been well established. Purpose This study was performed to assess technical success and long-term outcomes of percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy (push type) for nutritional support for patients with absolute dysphagia as a last ditch nonsurgical rescue effort for enteral access. Materials and Methods This was a prospective observational study of 31 patients who underwent push-type percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy over a period of 2 years (March 2017-March 2019). The study was a part of a larger trial approved by the institutional ethics committee. Patients were followed till the removal of tube, death, or 1 year, whichever was earlier. Gastrostomy tube-related problems and complications were documented. Descriptive summary statistics were employed to analyze the success rate and complications. Results Thirty-one patients with mean age 56 years (26-78 years) including 18 males and 13 females with head and neck squamous cell cancer and esophageal cancer presenting with absolute dysphagia or significant dysphagia with failed nasogastric or endoscopic enteral access were included. Overall technical success was 93.5% (29/31), achieved in 26/31 patients with just fluoroscopy guidance and 3/5 patients with computed tomography guidance. One major (3.3%) and two minor (6.5%) complications were encountered. Five out of 29 gastrostomy tubes had to be exchanged, after a mean of 44 days (1-128 days) after insertion. Conclusion Percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy is a safe and effective intervention even as a rescue measure in patients with absolute dysphagia from advanced upper digestive tract malignancies.

The spectrum of manifestations of primary hyperparathyroidism in children and adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a rare disease in children and adolescents. Early recognition of this disease is important to prevent significant morbidity and mortality. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included 10 consecutive patients with PHPT aged 14 to 19 years of age and followed-up prospectively upto one year after parathyroidectomy. RESULTS: Our cohort included 6 females and 4 males. The mean age of the patients was 16.7 ±1.8 years. The symptoms at presentation were musculoskeletal pain (90%), bone deformity (50%), fracture (30%), proximal myopathy (40%), renal stones (50%), reflux symptoms (40%), and pancreatitis (30%). The mean serum calcium was 3.1 ±0.5 mmol/l, mean serum inorganic phosphorus was 0.9 ±0.3 mmol/l and median serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was 1911.5 IU/l (IQR: 522.7-5702.3). The median serum intact parathyroid hormone was 133.5 pmol/l (IQR: 69.5 -178.7) while serum 25(OH)D was 47.7 nmol/l (IQR: 23.7-72.7). Hypercalciuria was observed in 7 patients. Hungry bone syndrome was observed in 4 (40%) patients after surgery. Typical parathyroid adenoma was found in 9 (90%) patients while one patient had atypical adenoma with high mitotic index. After one year of surgery, all patients had significant improvement in clinical and biochemical parameters with persistence of residual bone deformities. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed the spectrum of manifestations of PHPT in children and adolescents and outcomes of parathyroidectomy till one year. Long-term follow-up studies with bigger cohorts are required to understand the true nature of the disease in children and adolescents.

Pancreatic hemorrhage contributes to late mortality in patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVES: The frequency, risk factors, and impact on survival of hemorrhage into (peri)pancreatic collections in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) has not been well studied. The study was designed to evaluate the risk factors for hemorrhage, successful hemostasis and its effect on in-hospital mortality. METHODS: In a prospective cohort study for prediction of severity of AP, the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of pancreatic hemorrhage were analyzed. Patients with significant hemorrhage were managed according to a predefined protocol including endovascular intervention. RESULTS: Out of 363 patients hospitalized during the study-period, 33(9%) patients developed hemorrhage. Median time from onset of AP to hemorrhage was 59(45-68) days. The cause of hemorrhage was arterial in 19(57.5%) patients and unlocalized in 14(42.5%) patients. Hemorrhage was managed by conservative approach in 7 (21.2%), radiographic angioembolisation in 16 (48.5%), radiographic angioembolisation followed by surgery in 3 (9.1%), and surgery in 7 (21.2%) patients. Persistent organ failure [aHR 2.3 (1.1-5.1), p = 0.03], use of large bore (>20 Fr) catheter for initial drainage [aHR 3.9 (1.7-9.1), p = 0.001] and extensive (>50%) necrosis [aHR 3.1 (1.4-6.9), p = 0.005] were significant risk factors for hemorrhage. Hemorrhage was an independent predictor of mortality [aHR 2.0 (1.2-3.4), p = 0.008] in addition to persistent organ failure (aHR 12.1 (5.7-25.8), p < 0.001). In-hospital mortality in patients with hemorrhage was 22/33 (66.7%) vs. 81/330 (25%) in no hemorrhage group [p <0.001]. CONCLUSION: Pancreatic hemorrhage occurs later in the course of acute pancreatitis in relatively sicker group of patients with organ failure and extensive necrosis, and is independently associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality.

Unusual Primary Neoplasms of the Adult Liver: Review of Imaging Appearances and Differential Diagnosis.

The radiological appearance of common primary hepatic tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is widely recognized. Hepatic masses with unusual histology are occasionally encountered, but seldom suspected on imaging. However, many possess characteristic imaging findings, which when assessed along with the clinical and demographic background and serum tumor markers, may enable a prospective diagnosis. This review attempts to familiarize the reader with the clinicopathological characteristics, imaging manifestations, and differential diagnosis of these unusual liver tumors in adults. Biphenotypic primary liver carcinoma is suspected in masses showing distinct areas of HCC and CCA-type enhancement pattern in cirrhotic livers. Fibrolamellar carcinoma occurs in young individuals without underlying chronic liver disease and shows a characteristic T2-hypointense scar frequently showing calcification. Perivascular epithelioid cell tumors are differentials for any arterial hyperenhancing mass in the noncirrhotic liver, particularly in patients with tuberous sclerosis. Multifocal subcapsular tumors showing target-like morphology, capsular retraction and "lollipop" sign are suspicious for epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. On the other hand, multiple hemorrhagic lesions showing patchy areas of bizarre-shaped arterial phase hyperenhancement are suspicious for angiosarcoma. Primary hepatic lymphoma (PHL) is suspected when patients with immunosuppression present with solitary or multifocal masses that insinuate around vessels and bile ducts without causing luminal narrowing. Intense diffusion restriction and low-level homogeneous or target-like enhancement are also ancillary features of PHL. Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumor shows uptake on Ga-68 DOTANOC PET/CT. Although a straightforward diagnosis may be difficult in these cases, awareness of the characteristic imaging appearances is helpful in suspecting the diagnosis.

Differentiating tubercular from pyogenic causes of spine involvement on Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Introduction: Based on clinical parameters alone, it is difficult to differentiate between tubercular (TB) and pyogenic spondylodiscitis. Therefore, this study aimed to identify imaging features that can help to differentiate these two entities. Methodology: This retrospective observational study included microbiologically confirmed cases of TB and pyogenic spondylitis over three years. Magnetic resonance imaging of included cases was reviewed for a predefined set of imaging findings. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was done to compare the radiological features of both groups. A scoring system was created using the features that were significant in univariate and multivariable analysis. Results: Of the 90 included cases, 44 were TB and 46 were pyogenic. Involvement of the thoracic vertebra, paravertebral abscess, epidural abscess, posterior element involvement, loss of height, spine deformity, nerve compression, destruction of the disc and larger abscess size were more common in patients with TB. Involvement of the thoracic spine, posterior element involvement and spine deformity were independent predictors of diagnosing TB spine. At a score of 7 (out of 11) or above, the scoring system had a sensitivity and specificity of 86% and 94%, respectively, in diagnosing the TB spine. Conclusion: In the presence of relevant clinical findings, specific MRI findings can help to differentiate TB from pyogenic spondylitis.

Utility of first order MRI-Texture analysis parameters in the prediction of histologic grade and muscle invasion in urinary bladder cancer: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the utility of first-order MRI-texture analysis (TA) parameters in predicting histologic grade and muscle invasion in urinary bladder cancer (UBC). METHODS: After ethical clearance, 40 patients with UBC, who were imaged on a 3.0-Tesla scanner, were retrospectively included. Using the TexRADTM platform, two readers placed freehand ROI on the sections demonstrating the largest dimension of the tumor, evaluating only one tumor per patient. Interobserver reproducibility was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Mann-Whitney U test and ROC curve analysis were used to identify statistical significance and select parameters with high class separation capacity (AUC >0.8), respectively. Pearson's test was used to identify redundancy in the results. RESULTS: All texture parameters showed excellent ICC. The best parameters in differentiating high and low-grade tumors were mean/ mean of positive pixels (MPP) at SSF 0 (AUC: 0.897) and kurtosis at SSF 5 (AUC: 0.828) on the ADC images. In differentiating muscle invasive from non-muscle invasive tumors, mean/ MPP at SSF 0 on the ADC images showed AUC >0.8; however, this finding resulted from the confounding effect of high-grade histology on the ADC values of muscle invasive tumors. CONCLUSION: MRI-TA generated few parameters which were reproducible and useful in predicting histologic grade. No independent parameters predicted muscle invasion. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: There is lacuna in the literature concerning the role of MRI-TA in the prediction of histologic grade and muscle invasion in UBC. Our study generated a few first-order parameters which were useful in predicting high-grade histology.

Successful pregnancy outcome in refractory adenomyosis treated with two sessions of uterine artery embolization: A case report and brief review.

INTRODUCTION: Adenomyosis associated abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB-A) often remains non-responsive to medical management. Uterine sparing treatment in young patients presenting with refractory AUB-A poses a challenge. CASE REPORT: A 28-years-old woman presenting with AUB-A with failed medical therapy did not improve with uterine artery embolization (UAE). She underwent a second session of UAE with smaller embolic particles to which she responded. The reported case is interesting as patient conceived spontaneously despite transiently diminished post-UAE ovarian reserves, indicating spontaneous recovery of ovarian function. CONCLUSION: UAE is a promising option for young patients, though UAE for adenomyosis may require smaller embolic particles to be effective which may diminish ovarian reserves due to non-target effects, however recovery is possible in young patients..

CT-Guided Lumbar Sympathectomy as a Last Option for Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia of the Lower Limbs: Evaluation of Technical Factors and Long-Term Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of anatomic and technical factors on the long-term outcome of CT-guided lumbar sympathectomy in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Thirty patients (28 men, two women; mean age, 45.8 years) with chronic limb-threatening ischemia and diffuse tibial arterial disease not amenable to revascularization were included. CT-guided lumbar sympathectomy was performed at the L2-L3 level with a 22-gauge Chiba needle and absolute alcohol. Any periprocedural complication was noted. Numeric pain score (1-10 scale) and skin ulcers were assessed before the procedure and 3 weeks, 3 months, and 1 and 2 years after the procedure. According to spread of alcohol, patients were categorized into those with medial spread and those without medial spread (lateral spread group) with the lateral edge of the vertebral body as the reference point. Treatment results were categorized as improved, unchanged, or worsened on the basis of clinical response. RESULTS. There were 22 (73.3%) patients in the medial spread group and eight (26.7%) in the lateral spread group. The mean volumes of alcohol injected per side were not significantly different (p = .50). One major complication occurred in the group with medial spread. Mean numeric pain scores before the procedure and 3 weeks, 3 months, and 1 and 2 years afterward were 7.31, 2.95, 2.47, 2.10, and 2.04 in the medial spread group and 6.25, 4.13, 4.50, 4.35 and 4.32 in the lateral spread group (p < .001). At 2 years, 16 patients in the medial spread group and two patients in the lateral spread group showed clinical improvement (p < .001), and the limb salvage rates were 100% and 87.5%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed a trend in improvement with smoking cessation, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = .15). The direction of spread of the neurolytic agent, however, was a major determinant of outcome. CONCLUSION. CT-guided lumbar sympathectomy is a simple, safe, and effective procedure. Ensuring medial spread of the neurolytic agent significantly improves long-term results.

Radiology of the neuroendocrine neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract: a comprehensive review.

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are a group of neoplasms arising from the diffuse endocrine system (DES). The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is the most common site of NEN. The WHO classification divides NEN into three broad categories viz. well-differentiated NENs, poorly differentiated NENs, and mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasms. All GIT NEN have the potential to synthesize and secrete various bioactive substances which may lead to various clinical syndromes. The NEN may occur anywhere in the GIT and exhibit varying clinical presentation, prognosis, and metastatic potential. Further, some tumors show association with familial syndromes like multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 and neurofibromatosis type 1. Ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography-CT are the imaging modalities useful in the diagnosis, localization, and staging of GIT NEN. Management depends on the site, size, grade, and stage of the tumor with interventional radiology playing a significant role in some cases. This imaging review describes the role of a radiologist in the management of GIT NEN.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria: A report of eighteen cases from a tertiary care center in India.

CONTEXT: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous mycobacteria present in environment and generally affect patients with either structural lung disease or immunosuppression and commonly involve lungs, lymph node, or skin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between July 2016 and February 2019, 18 cases of NTM were diagnosed and their relevant clinical, diagnostic, and treatment details were recorded after taking informed consent. RESULTS: We report 18 cases of NTM involving lungs (n = 11), skin and soft tissue (n = 3), joint (n = 2), genitourinary (n = 1), and central nervous system (n = 1). History of immunosuppression was present in two patients, whereas history of some form of intervention was seen in six patients. Mycobacterium fortuitum group (n = 5) was the most commonly isolated organism, followed by Mycobacterium avium complex (n = 4), Mycobacterium abscessus (n = 3), Mycobacterium kansasii (n = 2), and Mycobacterium chelonae (n = 1). In two patients, M. chelonae and M. abscessus were isolated in succession. Of these 18 patients, clinical response was present in 15 of the patients. Diagnosis and treatment of NTM in resource limited settings is extremely challenging. CONCLUSION: Most of the patients with NTM are misdiagnosed and are treated as tuberculosis in India, sometimes with a multidrug resistance regimen, which results in significant morbidity and mortality. We present these cases to shed some light on the epidemiology of NTM in this part of India.

Role of Voriconazole in the Management of Invasive Central Nervous System Aspergillosis: A Case Series from a Tertiary Care Centre in India.

Invasive central nervous system (CNS) aspergillosis is acquired by either hematogenous dissemination or direct spread from a sinus infection. We describe a series of nine patients with CNS aspergillosis from a tertiary care teaching institute in North India who were treated with voriconazole alone or in combination with surgery. All patients who had clinical and radiological features consistent with fungal CNS infection, showed the presence of septate hyphae on histopathology/microscopy and were either culture positive for Aspergillus spp. or had serum galactomannan positivity were diagnosed as CNS aspergillosis. Clinical features, risk factors, diagnostic modalities, treatment details and outcome at last follow-up were recorded for all patients diagnosed with CNS aspergillosis. A total of nine patients were diagnosed with CNS aspergillosis. The median duration of presentation at our hospital was six months (IQR-2-9 months). Six patients had concomitant sinus involvement, while two patients had skull-base involvement as well. All patients were treated with voriconazole therapy, and three of these patients underwent surgery. All but one patient survived at the last follow-up (median duration was 14 months (IQR- 8-21.5). Two patients had complete resolution, and voriconazole was stopped at the last follow-up, and the rest of the patients were continued on voriconazole. Of the six patients who were continued on voriconazole, all but one had more than 50% radiological resolution on follow-up imaging. Invasive CNS aspergillosis is an important cause of CNS fungal infection that is often diagnosed late and requires long-term voriconazole-based therapy.

Ultrasonography in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis of Hand and Wrist Joints: Comparison with Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of ultrasonography (USG) including power Doppler in detecting hand and wrist joint changes in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to compare USG findings with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four patients diagnosed as RA by 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria; with the onset of symptoms within last one year, were included in the study after institute ethical clearance and informed consent to undergo USG and contrast-enhanced MRI of the dominant affected hand. Second to fifth metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints, second to fifth proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints and wrist joints (total nine joints) were evaluated for synovitis, erosions along with tenosynovitis. USG and MRI features were compared; agreement on the two imaging modalities as well as sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography compared to MRI (gold standard) was calculated. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-six MCP, 136 PIP and 34 wrist joints (total 306 joints) and 136 flexor tendons were evaluated. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and diagnostic accuracy of USG for diagnosing synovitis was 78.6%, 91.1%, 86.1%, 85.8%, 86.3%; for erosions 67.2%, 97.5%, 84.8%, 90.5%, 91.5%; for tenosynovitis 86.5%, 100%, 100%, 92.3% and 94.8% respectively. The overall agreement between USG and MRI for detection of synovitis was achieved in 83% joints and for erosions in 89.5% joints. CONCLUSION: In early RA, USG was nearly as effective in diagnosing features of joint and tendon sheath involvement, with relatively better performance of USG for tenosynovitis. The performance of USG in diagnosing erosions was limited likely due to difficult access of three-dimensional joint structure.

Brain abscess in patients with chronic kidney disease: A case-based approach to management in resource-limited settings.

The management of patients with brain abscess poses a significant challenge to clinicians in patients with chronic kidney disease. Obtaining a biopsy sample from the affected area is the mainstay in the diagnosis, but it is often unavailable. In most cases, therapy is guided by clinical findings and imaging alone. We discuss three cases of brain abscess- each with a different scenario and discuss the issues faced in management. The first case was a 32-year-old post-renal transplant male patient with a brain abscess due to dematiaceous fungi and was treated with amphotericin. The second case was a 42-year-old female patient with stage 5 chronic kidney disease on maintenance hemodialysis who presented with a brain abscess due to suspected fungal infection based on imaging findings and was managed with antibiotics and voriconazole. The third case was a 42-year-old post-renal transplant male patient who presented with a brain abscess due to nocardiosis and was managed with cotrimoxazole, meropenem and linezolid. We also summarize the approach to the management of brain abscess in resource-limited settings.

Multi-drug Resistant Tuberculous Osteomyelitis of the First Carpometacarpal Joint Presenting as Unmasking Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an important cause of significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in patients living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV ) infections. The co-infection of TB and HIV coinfection is further complicated by a relatively higher frequency of extra-pulmonary TB and upsurge of drug resistance. Musculoskeletal TB is a relatively less common form of extrapulmonary TB; involvement of carpometacarpal joint as an initial manifestation is even rarer. We herein present a retro positive patient who presented with low-grade fever, constitutional features and swelling of the base of the left thumb. On evaluation, he was found to have axillary and inguinal lymphadenopathy with lytic destruction of carpometacarpal joint as well as D10-D11 vertebrae. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of synovial fluid was negative for tuberculosis but geneXpert from FNA of axillary node revealed Mycobacterium tuberculosis with rifampicin resistance. This case highlights the rarity of carpometacarpal joint involvement in TB as the initial manifestation and the importance of meticulous search of alternative sites for sampling in difficult situations such as osteoarticular TB. It also highlights the rising prevalence of drug-resistant TB and a definitive need for microbiological diagnosis wherever feasible.

Demystifying the mesenteric root lesions.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to describe the normal anatomy of the root of the small bowel mesentery (RSBM) as well as the multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) features of the various primary and secondary lesions that affect the RSBM. RESULTS: The small bowel mesentery attaches the jejunum and ileum to the posterior abdominal wall, the line of attachment forming the RSBM. Several primary as well as secondary lesions involve the RSBM. The RSBM has anatomical contiguity with the mesocolon and other peritoneal ligaments, which forms a route for the spread of infection, neoplasms as well as several other abdominal pathologies. MDCT plays an important role in the evaluation of mesenteric root lesions. CONCLUSION: Familiarity with the lesions involving the RSBM and their characteristic appearances on MDCT is important in giving thoughtful differential diagnosis and guiding the treating physician in further management.