A young woman with abdominal distension.

We present the case of a 34-year-old woman with haemorrhagic ascites and an extrinsic rectal mass on endoscopy. Endometrioma was subsequently confirmed by laparoscopy and biopsy. Intestinal endometriosis is common, and often mimics other gastrointestinal pathology. Haemorrhagic ascites or intestinal masses are rare presentations of endometriosis, and this is the only reported case of both occurring together. Endometriosis and ascites are more common in women of African descent, and although histological diagnosis requires laparoscopy, MRI has a high negative predictive value; 95% for intestinal endometriosis. Re-accumulation of ascites were prevented by starting a gonadotrophin antagonist.

Diagnostic accuracy of rim and segmental MRI enhancement of colorectal hepatic metastasis after administration of mangafodipir trisodium.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of rim and segmental MRI enhancement of hepatic metastasis of colorectal cancer after administration of mangafodipir trisodium (MnDPDP). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty-one patients with a potentially resectable hepatic metastasis of colorectal cancer consecutively underwent breath-hold T1-weighted MRI in the axial and coronal planes 30 minutes and 24 hours after administration of MnDPDP. For each lesion, the presence or absence of rim enhancement and segmental enhancement 30 minutes and 24 hours after contrast administration was recorded. These features were evaluated separately for lesions 10 mm in diameter or larger and lesions smaller than 10 mm. The nature of each lesion was determined at histopathologic examination (n = 29) and on follow-up imaging (n = 32). RESULTS: Two hundred thirty lesions were identified at MRI: 210 lesions were metastatic, and 20 were benign. Rim enhancement was observed around 22 of 210 (10%) of the metastatic lesions at 30 minutes and 199 of 210 (95%) of metastatic lesions at 24 hours. Rim enhancement at 24 hours had 94.8% (95% CI, 91.8-97.8%) sensitivity, 90.0% (68.3-98.8%) specificity, 99.0% (97.6-100%) positive predictive value, 62.1% (42.3-79.3%) negative predictive value, and 94.3% (91.4-97.3%) diagnostic accuracy for metastasis. Segmental enhancement was infrequently seen (34/210; 16%) at 24 hours but had 100% (89.7-100%) positive predictive value for metastasis. CONCLUSION: Rim and segmental enhancement at MRI 24 hours after MnDPDP administration enabled accurate characterization of hepatic colorectal metastasis. These features may aid in preoperative mapping of hepatic tumor burden and disease distribution in patients with colorectal cancer.

Peritoneovenous shunt insertion for intractable ascites: a district general hospital experience.

Ascites often contributes to patient morbidity and discomfort. When refractory to medical management, it has been managed with repeated paracentesis, implantable ports for drainage, or diversion to the urinary bladder. Peritoneovenous shunt insertion has been a technique that was traditionally performed only by surgeons but is now within the realm of interventional radiologists. Its advantage is that protein-rich ascitic fluid is returned to the intravascular compartment. This retrospective study elaborates on the successes and problems encountered during shunt insertion in our first 13 patients. Two patients are well with a functioning shunt at 14 and 32 weeks. In 6 the shunt functioned until the patients' death from the underlying malignancy. Two required revision with variable success and in 2, shunt function could not be salvaged. There was one procedure-related mortality. Radiological insertion of these shunts is feasible and should be considered for selected patients. Options are available for assessment and salvaging of dysfunctional shunts.