Randomised Controlled Trial of Particles Used in Uterine fibRoid Embolisation (PURE): Non-Spherical Polyvinyl Alcohol Versus Calibrated Microspheres.

PURPOSE: The PURE study is a randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing the clinical and MRI outcomes of patients treated with non-spherical polyvinyl alcohol, ns-PVA (Contour PVA-Boston Scientific-355-500 & 500-700 microns) versus calibrated hydrogel microspheres (Embozene-Varian Inc-700 & 900 microns) for symptomatic uterine fibroids. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective, ethically approved non-sponsored RCT in 84 patients in a single UK tertiary IR unit, ISRCTN registry trial number ISRCTN18191539 in 2013 and 2014. All patients with symptomatic fibroid disease were eligible. UAE followed a standardised protocol with UFS-QOL and contrast-enhanced MRI before and 6 months post UAE. Outcome measures included: (1) Uterine Fibroid Symptom and Quality of Life questionnaire (UFS-QOL). (2) Percentage total and dominant fibroid infarction. (3) Uterine and dominant fibroid volume reduction. (4) Volume of embolics. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients completed the QOL follow-up (33 ns-PVA vs 30 Embozenes), the groups were equivalent at baseline. Patients were followed up for 6 months following UAE. There was no significant difference in symptom scores or HR-QOL between ns-PVA and Embozenes, p = 0.67 and 0.21, respectively. 92.7% of patients treated with ns-PVA achieved > 90% dominant fibroid infarction versus 61.8% treated with Embozenes (p = 0.0016). 66% of patients treated with ns = PVA achieved > 90% total fibroid percentage infarction compared with 35% in the Embozene group (p = 0.011). The mean vials/syringes used were 5.2 with Embozenes versus 4.1 using PVA (p = 0.08). CONCLUSION: The PURE study informs IRs regarding the efficacy of embolic agents in UAE, with superior fibroid infarction on MRI using ns-PVA versus Embozenes however no significant difference in clinical outcomes at 6 months after UAE.

Imaging Soft-tissue Sarcomas of the Head and Neck: A Tertiary Soft-tissue Sarcoma Unit Experience.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To describe imaging features of head and neck soft-tissue sarcomas. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with a diagnosis of head and neck sarcoma between 2011 and 2015 were reviewed. RESULTS: There were a total of 62 patients (24 female; median age=60 years). Most common sarcomas were angiosarcoma, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma and sarcoma not otherwise specified. They were most commonly located in cranial and neck superficial soft tissues. Average tumour size at presentation was 45 mm. One patient had metastasis at presentation (rhabdomyosarcoma); two had nodal disease (rhabdomyosarcoma and angiosarcoma) and two tumours contained calcification (chondrosarcoma and synovial sarcoma). Four arose after prior radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: Unlike the more common diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma, the majority of head and neck sarcomas present as large, solitary, superficial masses without lymph node enlargement. Identification of these features on imaging should raise suspicion of a sarcoma diagnosis, particularly in the setting of previous irradiation or genetic susceptibility.

How Should Imaging Direct/Orient Management of Rectal Cancer?

Modern rectal cancer management is dependent on preoperative staging, and radiological assessment is a crucial part of this process. Imaging must provide sufficient information to guide preoperative decision-making that is reliable and reproducible. Different methods have been used for local staging; however, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown to be the most reliable tool for this purpose. MRI offers prognostic information about the patients and guides the decision between neoadjuvant treatment and total mesorectal excision alone. Also, not only the initial staging but also restaging by MRI can provide significant information regarding tumor response that is essential when considering alternative approaches.

Assessing the use of magnetic resonance imaging virtopsy as an alternative to autopsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The post mortem examination or autopsy is a trusted method of identifying the cause of death. Patients and their families may oppose an autopsy for a variety of reasons, including fear of mutilation or owing to religious and personal beliefs. Imaging alternatives to autopsy have been explored, which may provide a viable alternative. OBJECTIVE: To explore the possibility of using MRI virtopsy to establish the cause of death as an alternative to the traditional post mortem examination or autopsy. METHODS: Systematic review was carried out of all studies, without language restriction, identified from Medline, Cochrane (1960-2016) and Embase (1991-2016) up to December 2016. Further searches were performed using the bibliographies of articles and abstracts. All studies reporting the diagnosis of the cause of death by both MRI virtopsy and traditional autopsy were included. RESULTS: Five studies with 107 patients, contributed to a summative quantitative outcome in adults. The combined sensitivity of MRI virtopsy was 0.82 (95% CI 0.56 to 0.94) with a diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of 11.1 (95% CI 2.2 to 57.0). There was no significant heterogeneity between studies (Q=1.96, df=4, p=0.75, I2=0). Eight studies, with 953 patients contributed to a summative quantitative outcome in children. The combined sensitivity of MRI virtopsy was 0.73 (95% CI 0.59 to 0.84) with a DOR of 6.44 (95% CI 1.36 to 30.51). There was significant heterogeneity between studies (Q=34.95, df=7, p<0.01, I2=80). CONCLUSION: MRI virtopsy may offer a viable alternative to traditional autopsy. By using MRI virtopsy, a potential cost reduction of at least 33% is feasible, and therefore ought to be considered in eligible patients.

Current Role of Ultrasound in Small Bowel Imaging.

Bowel ultrasound is cheap, relatively quick, allows dynamic evaluation of the bowel, has no radiation burden, is well tolerated by patients, and allows repeat imaging. Bowel ultrasound requires a systematic assessment of the entire bowel using high-frequency probes. In addition, hydrosonography and contrast-enhanced ultrasound may be performed. We present the normal sonographic appearances of large and small bowel and the sonographic appearances of acute appendicitis, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, intussusception, infectious enteritis, intestinal tuberculosis, small bowel ileus and obstruction, small bowel ischemia, and malignant tumors.

Colorectal cancer with liver metastases: neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgical resection first or palliation alone?

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the commonest cancers with 1.2 million new cases diagnosed each year in the world. It remains the fourth most common cause of cancer-related mortality in the world and accounts for > 600000 cancer-related deaths each year. There have been significant advances in treatment of metastatic CRC in last decade or so, due to availability of new active targeted agents and more aggressive approach towards the management of CRC, particularly with liver-only-metastases; however, these drugs work best when combined with conventional chemotherapy agents. Despite these advances, there is a lack of biomarkers to inform us about the accurate management of the patients with metastatic CRC. It is therefore imperative to carefully select the patients with comprehensive multi-disciplinary team input in order to optimise the management of these patients. In this review we will discuss various treatment options available in management of colorectal liver metastases with potential guidance on how and when to choose these options along with consideration on future directions in management of this disease.

A practical review of the performance and interpretation of staging magnetic resonance imaging for rectal cancer.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article was to outline key technical considerations in performing rectal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) along with a practical, systematic approach to the interpretation of rectal MRI. CONCLUSIONS: Following validation by the Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Rectal Cancer European Equivalence Study group, rectal MRI is mandatory for the local staging of rectal cancer in many countries. The systematic interpretation of high-quality, high-resolution T2-weighted images should form the basis for discussing the management of patients with rectal cancer, including aiding surgical planning and enabling the appropriate use of neoadjuvant therapy. In this article, we discuss the methods for obtaining high-quality rectal magnetic resonance images and a systematic approach for the accurate interpretation of these images.

Combined (99m)Tc-methoxyisobutylisonitrile scintigraphy and fine-needle aspiration cytology offers an accurate and potentially cost-effective investigative strategy for the assessment of solitary or dominant thyroid nodules.

PURPOSE: Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) has revolutionised the care of patients with thyroid nodules and is the initial investigation of choice. However, as a result of nondiagnostic (Thy1) and nonneoplastic (Thy2) specimens, it remains an imperfect sole solution with a range of sensitivities and a high inadequate ratio. Therefore the British Thyroid Association (BTA) guidelines recommend a second FNA immediately for Thy1 specimens and 3-6 months later for Thy2 specimens. Patients must be followed up to exclude malignancy. In this study we assessed the performance of MIBI scintigraphy for diagnosing thyroid malignancy and the cost-effectiveness of a combined FNA/MIBI investigative strategy for the management of thyroid nodules. METHODS: The diagnostic performance of MIBI scintigraphy was calculated from a retrospective review of local data combined with a meta-analysis of the published literature. Decision tree analysis was used to calculate the cost-effectiveness of a combined FNA/MIBI investigative strategy compared to the BTA guidelines. RESULTS: From 712 patients, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of MIBI scintigraphy for the diagnosis of malignancy were 96 %, 46 %, 34 % and 97 %, respectively. MIBI-based strategies were more accurate and associated with lower cost per patient (£1,855/2,125 vs. £2,445/2,801) and lower cost per cancer diagnosed (£1,902/2,179 vs. £2,469/2,828) with negligible change in life expectancy. CONCLUSION: Due to its high NPV, MIBI scintigraphy can usefully exclude malignancy for Thy1 and Thy2 lesions. Its low specificity means MIBI scintigraphy cannot be recommended as a first-line investigation, but as a second-line investigation MIBI scintigraphy may lead to a lower rate of unnecessary thyroidectomies. Combined FNA/MIBI strategies are potentially cost-effective in the management of solitary or dominant thyroid nodules.