Contrast-enhanced Computed Tomography Scan Research Articles

Uterine Perforation with Intra-abdominal Extrusion of Foetus and Intrauterine Bowel Herniation and Strangulation: A Case Report

Uterine perforation is a major but rare complication of surgical abortion, with some of the dreaded complications being bowel herniation, strangulation, gangrene, and sepsis. With the legalisation of medical termination of pregnancy, such life-threatening complications have become a rarity in recent times. Usually, the patient presents with lower abdominal pain, and a history of surgical abortion may not being forthcoming at most of the time. A high index of suspicion should be kept while imaging the patient in an emergency setting, since early diagnosis is key to survival, especially if an unsafe abortion has been performed. Hereby, the authors present a case of a 30-year-old female patient presenting with non specific complaints of abdominal pain. Upon vaginal examination, a structure protruding out of the internal os (admitting the tip of a finger) was noted, and a boggy mass was felt in the pouch of Douglas. Ultrasonography and Contrast-enhanced Computed Tomography scan (CECT) performed in an emergency setting revealed uterine rupture with a rent, intra-abdominal foetal extrusion, and bowel loop herniation through the vagina. A delayed CT scan provided additional information about right ureteral injury, which was helpful in proper urological preoperative planning. In conclusion, ultrasonography and CECT imaging are useful in cases with lower abdominal pain having recent history of abortion to rule out uterine perforation and other obvious and occult associated complications for proper patient management.

Blue esophagus as a diagnosis of aortic dissection.

A 76-year-old patient, admitted to the department of cardiac surgery, anticoagulated, started with acute dysphagia. An upper endoscopy revealed a blue mucosa from the upper to distal esophagus, with narrowing of the lumen caused by an extrinsic compression. A computed to¬mography (CT) of the thorax was performed, showing a 85x55 mm mediastinal hematoma causing extrinsic compression of the esophagus. Subsequently, a contrast-enhanced CT scan was performed, confirming a contained rupture of descending thoracic aortic dissection as the cause of the hematoma.

Efficacy of ultrasound as a primary mode of investigation in the diagnosis of non-traumatic acute abdomen in pediatrics patients

Background: The role of diagnostic imaging is to determine whether the condition is medically or surgically treatable and, if possible, to diagnose the exact nature of the disease. Chest radiography is also commonly used to demonstrate extra-abdominal causes of acute abdominal pain, such as pneumonia. Ultrasonography is the initial choice of investigation that is likely useful to conclude for the following reasons, namely, it is relatively inexpensive, lack of radiation exposure, less time-consuming, easy, painless, and rarely requiring sedation. Usually, no preparation is required except in a few cases. It is also the preferred imaging tool for evaluating the surgical and non-surgical causes of acute abdomen in children. Ultrasound is also the preferred screening method for children suspected of having intra-abdominal mass. Aim and Objective: The present study is undertaken: (1) To identify specific causes of non-traumatic acute abdominal (NTA) pain in children; (2) to adopt the diagnostic efficacy of sonography as an initial tool for assessing those patients with probable clinical diagnosis; and (3) to triage patients for conservative or immediate surgery with available clinical diagnostic methods. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of 100 pediatric patients aged between 1 and 14 years of both sexes with a history of non-traumatic acute abdomen attending outpatient services, in-patient, and emergency department at the Chamarajanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) was conducted between March 2016 and March 2018 (for 2 years) for sonography. Results: Among 100 individuals, we had males followed by females (53%; 47%). The most common clinical symptoms of children with NTA were pain. Other symptoms included vomiting (66.7%; 15%), fever (68.5%; 31.6%), diarrhea (40%; 60%), cough (50%; 50%), and constipation (1%; 1%). The maximum number of cases in the group was >5 years–14 years. The most common sonography findings in this study were non-specific mesenteric lymphadenitis 49.4%, appendicitis (18.7%), intussusception, and cystitis (6.7%). followed by renal hydronephrosis (5.3%). Conclusion: Sonography, along with the associated clinical features, is a valuable adjuvant for a probable diagnosis. Other investigations such as laboratory findings, contrast-enhanced CT scan as indicated by the patient’s condition and requirement can be supported. This is particularly important in C-grade locations where other higher modes of investigation may not be available.

Efficacy of nivolumab in combination with chemotherapy after radiotherapy for meningeal carcinomatosis in patients with Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric cancer:a case report

A 62-year-old man presented with fever and anorexia since July X. Initial treatments were rendered ineffective, and due to altered consciousness and vomiting, he was referred to our hospital. On admission, he manifested delirium, drowsiness, and disorientation. While blood tests were normal, gastroscopy identified a type 3 tumor in his lower gastric body, later diagnosed as a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated negative human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 and positive programmed death-ligand 1 expression with a combined positive score ≥5. Furthermore, a positive Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small RNA in situ hybridization result was noted. Abdominal contrast-enhanced CT and PET-CT scans demonstrated multiple lymph node metastases around the stomach and liver, establishing the diagnosis of stage IVB gastric cancer (T4aN2M1). Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated enhanced lesions in the brainstem, cerebellar sulci, and right occipital lobe. Although cerebrospinal fluid cytology was negative for malignancy, the clinical symptoms and MRI findings confirmed leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LMC). The patient underwent radiotherapy for LMC (total of 30Gy in 10 fractions), followed by combination therapy with a nivolumab and SOX regimen. Posttreatment, the LMC symptoms resolved;however, he experienced grade 3 immune-related adverse events related to liver dysfunction. Nivolumab was discontinued, and with steroid administration, the adverse events improved. Imaging evaluations posttreatment showed gastric tumor reduction and the absence of LMC. After 7 cycles, nivolumab was reintroduced, with no liver dysfunction recurrence noted through 15 cycles. Endoscopic examination 1 year postonset demonstrated that the gastric tumor had scarred, and MRI showed no signs of LMC recurrence. In 5-8% of solid tumors, LMC complications are present, resulting in limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Recent reports suggest the potential of immune checkpoint inhibitors in treating intracranial metastasis from solid tumors. In Japan, nivolumab was approved for gastric cancer treatment in 2017 and for first-line therapy in combination with chemotherapy since 2021. We report a case in which radiotherapy and chemotherapy combined with nivolumab provided durable control of LMC originating from gastric cancer for more than 1 year.

Role of intraoperative entroscopy in obscure small bowel gastrointestinal bleed

ABSTRACT Obscure gastrointestinal bleed (OGIB) is defined as bleeding of unknown origin that persists or recurs after a negative initial or primary endoscopy (colonoscopy and upper gastrointestinal [GI] endoscopy) and imaging. Approximately 5% of all GI bleeding is obscure GI bleed. Abnormal blood vessels arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) cause 30%–40% of small intestinal bleeds. AVMs are the main source of bleeding in patients over the age of 50 years. Tumors (benign and malignant), polyps, Crohn’s disease, and ulcers are some of the other causes of bleeding. Various diagnostic modalities available to detect small intestinal bleed are upper GI endoscopy, colonoscopy, contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan of the abdomen with angiogram, small bowel enteroscopy, video capsule endoscopy, and scintigraphy studies. Advanced imaging/diagnostic modalities may not be available in all centers, posing a great challenge in the localization of the source of GI bleed. This series highlights the role of diagnostic laparoscopy with intraoperative enteroscope (IOE) in the management of OGIB.

Surgical Significance of Variant Anatomy of Inferior Mesenteric Artery and Left Colic Artery: A Computed Tomography Angiographic Study

Introduction: A variation in vessel morphology determines flow dynamics and vascular disease pathogenesis. Definite information on the distinctive anatomical variations of the mesenteric vessels is extremely important for laparoscopic surgical procedures and interventional radiological procedures in the abdominal region. Three-dimensional-computed tomography angiography (3D-CTA) is a less invasive method to evaluate vascular anatomy using a visual tracking method on high-definition images, contrast-enhanced inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) can be traced to its terminal branches beside the colon wall. Subjects and Methods: Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan data from 180 patients was retrospectively collected, reconstructed, and analyzed. The origin, length of IMA from origin to the first branch, branching patterns of IMA, and tracking patterns of the ascending branch of left colic artery (LCA), were examined, and their associations with clinical features were analyzed. Results: IMA displayed variations in the level of origin ranging from upper 1/3 of L3 to upper 1/3 of L4, mean length from origin to the first branch was 27.4 ± 7.8 mm. Observed branching patterns of IMA were grouped according to Yada classification: Type 1 (52.2%), Type 2 (15.5%), Type 3 (14.4%), and Type 4 (17.7%). Tracking of the ascending branch of LCA before anastomosis with marginal artery revealed four patterns: Type A LCA pattern in 43.9%; Type B LCA anatomy pattern was (19.4%); Type C LCA anatomy pattern was (20.0%); and Type D LCA anatomy pattern was observed (16.7%). Conclusion: Preoperative understanding of the vascular variations of IMA and LCA can be obtained by 3D-CTA. This may be helpful to surgeons in planning preoperative strategies to prevent iatrogenic injuries.

Acute focal bacterial nephritis in an infant referred with apnea caused by mixed infection with Enterococcus raffinosus and Escherichia coli.

A 38-day-old infant was referred to our hospital for evaluation of apnea, fever, and pyuria. Invasive bacterial infection, including meningitis, was suspected because of the presence of apnea. A contrast-enhanced CT scan revealed acute localized bacterial nephritis, and meningitis was ruled out. Gram-positive cocci and Gram-negative rods, ie, Enterococcus raffinosus and Escherichia coli, were isolated from a urine culture at the referring hospital. This case report describes the youngest case of E. raffinosus infection. Apnea was the main complaint, but the origin of fever was infant acute focal bacterial nephritis (AFBN) with mixed infection. In infants, bacterial infections, especially invasive bacterial infections, can result in poor outcomes and require careful evaluation and treatment. Furthermore, the possibility of AFBN should not be overlooked, because bacteriuria or leukocyturia may be absent and can flare up if antimicrobials are not administered for an adequate duration. Although ampicillin-susceptible E. raffinosus infection in our patient responded well to treatment, there have been reports of vancomycin-resistant enterococci, which highlights the importance of proper use of antimicrobial agents to avoid producing drug-resistant bacteria.

Different impacts of adipose tissue dynamics on prognosis in patients with resectable locally advanced rectal cancer treated with and without neoadjuvant treatment.

Body composition is recognized to be associated with clinical outcomes in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). This study aimed to determine the prognostic role of regional adipose tissue distribution in patients with resectable LARC treated with or without neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT). This retrospective study included 281 consecutive patients who underwent radical surgery for LARC with or without preoperative nCRT between 2013 and 2019. Patients underwent contrast-enhanced CT scans before nCRT and before surgery. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT), abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (aSAT), and gluteal subcutaneous adipose tissue (gSAT) were quantified on the CT images. The association of adipose tissue distribution with progression-free survival (PFS) was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards analysis. A total of 102 nCRT-treated and 179 primarily resected patients were included. During a median follow-up period of 24 months, 74 (26.3%) patients experienced local recurrence or metastasis. Multivariable analysis showed that VAT was associated with PFS in all patients (hazard ratio [HR] 1.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.57; P = 0.021). This association was only maintained in primarily resected patients (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.02-1.69; P = 0.037). For patients receiving preoperative nCRT, VAT was not significantly associated with PFS, while the dynamic change in gSAT (ΔgSAT) between nCRT and surgery was associated with PFS (HR 0.43, 95%CI 0.27-0.69, P = 0.001). Visceral obesity is an adverse prognostic factor in patients with resectable LARC treated by primary resection, while increased gluteal subcutaneous adiposity during preoperative nCRT may indicate favorable clinical outcomes.

Disappearing diplopia - An unusual presentation of Tolosa-Hunt syndrome: A case report

Tolosa-Hunt syndrome (THS) is a rare benign treatable cause of painful ophthalmoplegia with frequent VI, III, IV cranial nerve (CN) involvement. Optic and trigeminal nerve involvement is rare but described. The disease is characterized by severe preceding or concomitant headache and remarkable response to steroids. Although labelled benign residual neurology is not uncommon in THS.We present a case of THS in a middle-aged Sri Lankan male who presented initially with vertical diplopia and normal contrast enhanced CT scan, treated as for idiopathic IV nerve palsy. A month henceforth he developed severe episodic headache with autonomic symptoms, right sided ptosis and progressive visual impairment with improved diplopia, normal fundoscopy, inflammatory and infective markers and autoimmune profile. MRI brain showed enhancing lesion of cavernous sinus extending to orbital apex consistent with THS. He showed dramatic improvement with steroids with complete resolution of neurology at the end of 4 weeks.THS should be considered in a patient presenting with disappearing painful diplopia. Headache may mimic primary headache syndromes and may not precede ophthalmoplegia. Imaging may be initially normal. MRI is mandatory for diagnosis as histology is not always feasible. Steroid responsiveness can be diagnostic if more sinister differentials are ruled out.

A Rare Cause of Neck Mass in an Adult Woman- Cervical Thymic Cyst - A Case Report

Background: Cervical thymic cysts (CTCs) develop from the thymo-pharyngeal duct, representing less than 0.5% of all neck masses. Most of the cases are diagnosed in the first decade of life, being rarely described in adults. The majority of CTCs are located on the left side, the rest develop on the right side or in the midline. The patients present usually with a painless mass, rarely with compressive signs. The mechanisms of CTCs occurrence are still debated, failure of involution of thymopharyngeal duct, arrest in migration or retained thymic tissue during descent, being considered. Case Presentation: We report a case of a 49-year-old woman who presented a left laterocervical mass, with rapid growth over several months. The lump was soft, mobile and painless, no other clinical abnormalities were noticed. The ultrasound described an anechoic nodule of 57/38/63 mm at the inferior pole of the left thyroid lobe, raising the suspicion of a parathyroid cyst or branchial cyst. Contrast-enhanced CT scan confirmed the well-defined, homogeneous cystic lesion of 35/25 mm, located between the trachea and common carotid artery, being delimitated inferiorly by the left brachiocephalic vein. The aspiration of the cyst resulted in 40 ml of water-clear fluid, cytology examination confirmed the absence of thyroid or parathyroid cells. Surgery was performed, the pathological diagnosis confirmed the CTC. Conclusion: Although the thymic cyst is a very rare cause of a cervical mass in adult, the diagnosis should be kept in mind, based on clinical presentation, ultrasound and CT features, respectively aspirated fluid characteristics.

Growth kinetics of venous tumor thrombus in patients with renal cell carcinoma

Some patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) present with venous tumor thrombus (VTT). The extent of the VTT is related to survival, so prompt surgical care is recommended. However, studies evaluating the natural history of VTT in patients with RCC are rare. We sought to evaluate the growth kinetics of VTT in patients with RCC using preoperative cross-sectional images. We identified patients who underwent radical nephrectomy and venous tumor thrombectomy at our institution from 01/2009 to 02/2022. We included those with a minimum of 2 adequate preoperative imaging studies (contrast-enhanced Computerized Tomography (CT), noncontrast Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or contrast-enhanced MRI), at least 14 days apart. We measured VTT in each study to calculate growth rate, and evaluated predictors of faster growth (demographics, histology, laterality, tumor diameter, and staging). To assess the relation between clinical variables and VTT growth, we used the Wilcoxon Rank-Sum, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests. A total of 30 patients were included in the analysis. The median time interval between studies was 33 days. Patients were mostly Caucasian and Males (90% and 70%, respectively). Most patients underwent a CT scan as their initial imaging study (66%), followed with an MRI as second study (73%). The mean venous tumor thrombus growth rate was 0.3 mm/d (standard deviation of 0.5mm), and only rhabdoid/sarcomatoid differentiation showed an association with tumor thrombus growth rate (0.3 vs. 0.63 mm/d, P = 0.038). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating the natural growth rate of venous tumor thrombus in patients with renal cell carcinoma. We found that tumor thrombi grew an average of 0.3 mm/d (1.0 cm/month) and that those with sarcomatoid and/or rhabdoid differentiation grew faster (0.63 mm/d). Further studies are needed to validate these results and provide a better understanding of tumor thrombus kinetics.

Delta Radiomic Features Predict Resection Margin Status and Overall Survival in Neoadjuvant-Treated Pancreatic Cancer Patients.

Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) emerged as the standard of care for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who undergo surgery; however, surgery is morbid, and tools to predict resection margin status (RMS) and prognosis in the preoperative setting are needed. Radiomic models, specifically delta radiomic features (DRFs), may provide insight into treatment dynamics to improve preoperative predictions. We retrospectively collected clinical, pathological, and surgical data (patients with resectable, borderline, locally advanced, and metastatic disease), and pre/post-NAT contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans from PDAC patients at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW; discovery) and Humanitas Hospital (validation cohort). Gross tumor volume was contoured from CT scans, and 257 radiomics features were extracted. DRFs were calculated by direct subtraction of pre/post-NAT radiomic features. Cox proportional models and binary prediction models, including/excluding clinical variables, were constructed to predict overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and RMS. The discovery and validation cohorts comprised 58 and 31 patients, respectively. Both cohorts had similar clinical characteristics, apart from differences in NAT (FOLFIRINOX vs. gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel; p<0.05) and type of surgery resections (pancreatoduodenectomy, distal or total pancreatectomy; p<0.05). The model that combined clinical variables (pre-NAT carbohydrate antigen (CA)19-9, the change in CA19-9 after NAT (∆CA19-9), and resectability status) and DRFs outperformed the clinical feature-based models and other radiomics feature-based models in predicting OS (UTSW: 0.73; Humanitas: 0.66), DFS (UTSW: 0.75; Humanitas: 0.64), and RMS (UTSW 0.73; Humanitas: 0.69). Our externally validated, predictive/prognostic delta-radiomics models, which incorporate clinical variables, show promise in predicting the risk of predicting RMS in NAT-treated PDAC patients and their OS or DFS.

A deep learning and radiomics fusion model based on contrast-enhanced computer tomography improves preoperative identification of cervical lymph node metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

In this study, we constructed and validated models based on deep learning and radiomics to facilitate preoperative diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis (LNM) using contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). CECT scans of 100 patients with OSCC (217 metastatic and 1973 non-metastatic cervical lymph nodes: development set, 76 patients; internally independent test set, 24 patients) who received treatment at the Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology between 2012 and 2016 were retrospectively collected. Clinical diagnoses and pathological findings were used to establish the gold standard for metastatic cervical LNs. A reader study with two clinicians was also performed to evaluate the lymph node status in the test set. The performance of the proposed models and the clinicians was evaluated and compared by measuring using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy (ACC), sensitivity (SEN), and specificity (SPE). A fusion model combining deep learning with radiomics showed the best performance (ACC, 89.2%; SEN, 92.0%; SPE, 88.9%; and AUC, 0.950 [95% confidence interval: 0.908-0.993, P < 0.001]) in the test set. In comparison with the clinicians, the fusion model showed higher sensitivity (92.0 vs. 72.0% and 60.0%) but lower specificity (88.9 vs. 97.5% and 98.8%). A fusion model combining radiomics and deep learning approaches outperformed other single-technique models and showed great potential to accurately predict cervical LNM in patients with OSCC. The fusion model can complement the preoperative identification of LNM of OSCC performed by the clinicians.

Contrast enhanced computed tomography of small ruminants: Caprine and ovine.

The use of small ruminants, mainly sheep and goats, is increasing in biomedical research. Small ruminants are a desirable animal model due to their human-like anatomy and physiology. However, the large variability between studies and lack of baseline data on these animals creates a barrier to further research. This knowledge gap includes a lack of computed tomography (CT) scans for healthy subjects. Full body, contrast enhanced CT scans of caprine and ovine subjects were acquired for subsequent modeling studies. Scans were acquired from an ovine specimen (male, Khatadin, 30-35 kg) and caprine specimen (female, Nubian 30-35 kg). Scans were acquired with and without contrast. Contrast enhanced scans utilized 1.7 mL/kg of contrast administered at 2 mL/s and scans were acquired 20 seconds, 80 seconds, and 5 minutes post-contrast. Scans were taken at 100 kV and 400 mA. Each scan was reconstructed using a bone window and a soft tissue window. Sixteen full body image data sets are presented (2 specimens by 4 contrast levels by 2 reconstruction windows) and are available for download through the form located at: https://redcap.link/COScanData. Scans showed that the post-contrast timing and scan reconstruction method affected structural visualization. The data are intended for further biomedical research on ruminants related to computational model development, device prototyping, comparative diagnostics, intervention planning, and other forms of translational research.

Diagnostic value of a CT-based radiomics nomogram for discrimination of benign and early stage malignant ovarian tumors

BackgroundThis study aimed to identify the diagnostic value of models constructed using computed tomography-based radiomics features for discrimination of benign and early stage malignant ovarian tumors.MethodsThe imaging and clinicopathological data of 197 cases of benign and early stage malignant ovarian tumors (FIGO stage I/II), were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were randomly assigned into training data set and validation data set. Radiomics features were extracted from images of plain computed tomography scan and contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan, were then screened in the training data set, and a radiomics model was constructed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to construct a radiomic nomogram, containing the traditional diagnostic model and the radiomics model. Moreover, the decision curve analysis was used to assess the clinical application value of the radiomics nomogram.ResultsSix textural features with the greatest diagnostic efficiency were finally screened. The value of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the radiomics nomogram was superior to the traditional diagnostic model and the radiomics model (P < 0.05) in the training data set. In the validation data set, the radiomics nomogram was superior to the traditional diagnostic model (P < 0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference compared to the radiomics model (P > 0.05). The calibration curve and the Hosmer–Lemeshow test revealed that the three models all had a great degree of fit (All P > 0.05). The results of decision curve analysis indicated that utilization of the radiomics nomogram to distinguish benign and early stage malignant ovarian tumors had a greater clinical application value when the risk threshold was 0.4–1.0.ConclusionsThe computed tomography-based radiomics nomogram could be a non-invasive and reliable imaging method to discriminate benign and early stage malignant ovarian tumors.

Is early CT in cases of elevated postoperative CRP the best option for the diagnosis of colorectal anastomotic leakage?

After colorectal surgery (CRS), the early detection and treatment of anastomotic leakage (AL) is critical. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of early contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) (postoperative day [POD] 2-3) after elective colorectal surgery for the diagnosis of AL for patients with elevated CRP levels at POD 2-3. From 2017 to 2022, all patients who underwent elective CRS with an anastomosis and CRP > 150mg/ml on POD 2-3 underwent enhanced CT during the 24h following the CRP evaluation and were included in this retrospective, single-center study. The primary endpoint was the diagnostic value of the early CT scan for the detection of AL. The secondary endpoints were the diagnostic value of the early CT scan for the detection of grade C AL according to the type of resection and anastomosis and the quality of the opacification. A total of 661 patients underwent elective CRS with anastomosis with an overall AL rate of 7.4%. Among the 661 patients, 141 were finally included in the study. The accuracy of early CT for the diagnosis of AL was 83.7%. For grade C AL, the accuracy was 81.6%. Among patients who had an ileocolic anastomosis, the accuracy was 88.2%, among those who had colorectal or ileorectal anastomosis, the accuracy was 83.0%, and among those who had a coloanal, the accuracy was 66.7%. In cases of good opacification by CT, the accuracy was 84.0%. Early CT does not show perfect accuracy for an early diagnosis of AL.

Resection margins, lymph node harvest and 3 year survival in open and laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery; a prospective cohort study

IntroductionLaparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery has been gaining popularity in the last decade. However, there are concerns about adequate lymph node dissection and safe resection margins in laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery. This study was aimed at comparing the lymph node (LN) clearance and surgical resection margins and 3-year survival for open and laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery.MethodA pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire was used to assess the adoption of the laparoscopic approach by Sri Lankan surgeons. Data was collected prospectively from patients who underwent open or laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery at the University Surgical Unit of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka from April 2016 to May 2019. The histopathology records were analysed to determine the longitudinal and circumferential resection margins(CRM) and the number of lymph nodes harvested. The resection margins were classified as positive or negative. The total number of LN examined was evaluated. Presence of local recurrence and liver metastasis was determined by contrast enhanced CT scan during 3-years of follow up. Chi square, T test and z test for proportions were used to compare CRM, LN harvest and survival rates between the groups.ResultsOf the surgeons interviewed only 11 (18.4%) performed laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery. A total of 137 patients (83 males and 54 females) were studied. Eighty-one procedures were laparoscopic and 56 procedures were open. All patients had clear longitudinal resection margins. Seventy-eight patients in the laparoscopic group (96%) and 51 patients (91%) in the open group had clear CRM (p > 0.05). A total of 2188 LNs (mean 15.9) were resected in all procedures. Six-hundred-eighty-nine lymph nodes were removed during open procedures (mean 12.3, SD 0.4) and 1499 (mean 18.5, SD 0.6) were removed during laparoscopy (p < 0.05). At 3 years follow-up the disease-free survival in the laparoscopic and open colon cancer patients was 27/41 (65.8%) and 16/29 (55.1%) respectively (p = 0.35). Disease free survival in the laparoscopic and open rectal cancer patients was 23/38 (60.5%) and 13/25 (52.0%) respectively (p = 0.40). Four patients were lost during follow-up.Discussion and conclusionCRM was comparable in the two groups. Laparoscopic group had a significantly higher LN harvest. Three-year survival rates were similar in the two groups. Acceptable results can be obtained with laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery.

Uncommon presentation: isolated small bowel perforation after blunt abdominal trauma in a pediatric patient; a case report

Introduction and importance: A small bowel perforation occurring in isolation as a result of blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) is a rare event, especially in pediatric patients. The unusual presentation and lack of distinct clinical indications can pose a challenge in promptly diagnosing this condition. This study seeks to underscore the importance of early detection and immediate surgical intervention when dealing with small bowel perforations following BAT. Case presentation: A 13-year-old girl arrived at the emergency department after falling from a cliff. Initial evaluations, including a physical examination and imaging studies, did not uncover any notable irregularities. Nevertheless, the persistent abdominal discomfort and pain prompted further concerns. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan was performed, confirming ileal perforation. The patient subsequently underwent exploratory laparotomy, which resulted in successful surgical treatment. Clinical discussion: BAT causes increased intraluminal pressure, leading to blowout perforation of the small bowel. Diagnosis can be challenging, particularly in the absence of immediate symptoms or conclusive radiographic findings. Close observation and repeated examinations are essential to detect delayed perforations. Early surgical intervention within 12 h of injury has been shown to significantly reduce complications and mortality rates. Conclusion: Isolated small bowel perforation is a rare occurrence in pediatric patients, and timely diagnosis and surgical intervention are crucial for favorable outcomes. Diagnostic imaging, like contrast-enhanced computerized tomography, helps identify the condition when clinical findings are inconclusive. Comprehensive counseling is essential for patients and their families to understand potential risks and intervention needs, ensuring appropriate management, and treatment delays.

Development of a Novel Artificial Intelligence Tool to Measure Psoas Volumes in Patients with Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma

Introduction Sarcopenia is associated with poor outcomes in cancer patients. However, it is poorly defined, and its clinical assessment can be tedious. Studies have shown psoas muscle volume (PV), measured on computed tomography (CT) scans, correlate with validated measures of frailty and clinical outcomes (Yamada Y., et al. 2023), with better predictive value than another frequently used radiological surrogate - the psoas muscle area measured on a single axial cut at the L3 vertebral level. The labor-intensive nature of PV measurement, lack of validated reference ranges, and inter-observer variability has limited its adoption as a marker of sarcopenia. We hence aim to investigate if an artificial intelligence (AI) model can be developed and trained to automate the measurement of PV in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Methods This was a retrospective cohort study. Consecutive patients with DLBCL treated at our center from 2010 to 2018 were included. For inclusion, patients had to have at least one contrast-enhanced CT scan performed after diagnosis. Patients who only had positron electron tomography (PET) scans were excluded. The CT scan temporally closest to diagnosis was selected for segmentation. Manual full PV segmentation (Figure 1) was performed on axial CT images using a cloud-based annotation tool (https://darwin.v7labs.com/) by two radiologists, encompassing the entire muscle from origin to insertion. The segmentation data from the first 10 patients (650 images) were then used to train an AI model (Ultralytics YOLOv8) to automatically segment the psoas muscles (Figure 1). Segmented psoas muscles on CT imaging were converted to volume measurements using a code. This was calculated for every patient using the metadata of pixel area and slice thickness contained within each unique CT image. Muscle volumes for the entire patient cohort were generated using this machine learning model and correlated with patient age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), lean body weight (LBW) (Janmahasatian S., et al. 2005) and body surface area (BSA) determined by the Mosteller formula. Correlation was determined using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results Data from 123 patients were available for analysis. The median age was 62 years (IQR 53.0 - 70.0), with 89 (72.4%) males. 83 (67.5%) patients were Chinese and 27 (22.0%) were Malay. 111 (90.2%) patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of ≤1, and 9 (7.3%) patients had a body mass index (BMI) &amp;lt;18kg/m 2. The median weight was 62.6kg (IQR 54.1 - 72.8), median BMI 23.5kg/m 2 (IQR 20.8 - 26.1), median LBW 48.5kg (IQR 40.2 - 54.3) and median BSA 1.69m 2 (IQR 1.53 - 1.83). 7 (7.4%), 18 (19.1%), 8 (8.5%) and 61 (64.9%) patients were stages 1, 2, 3 and 4 at diagnosis, respectively. 56 (45.6%) of patients had an International Prognostic Index (IPI) of ≥3. Psoas volumes for our population were successfully generated using our deep learning model. The model was able to accurately identify the psoas muscle and distinguish it from other intra-abdominal and intra-pelvic tissue, across a range of body and psoas muscle sizes. It was also able to distinguish the psoas from the iliacus within the pelvis. The median PV was 158.27ml (IQR 105.10 -190.71). There were positive correlations between PV and all physical measures analyzed including height (r = 0.60, p &amp;lt; 0.001), weight (r = 0.47, p &amp;lt; 0.001), BMI (r = 0.28, p 0.002), LBW (r = 0.66, p &amp;lt; 0.001), and BSA (r = 0.55, p = &amp;lt;0.001), and a negative correlation between PV and age (r = -0.22, p = 0.015). Conclusion We have developed a novel AI tool that can identify and distinguish the psoas muscle from other tissue on CT scans. The volumes measured by our AI correlate, as expected, positively with all physical indices analyzed, and negatively with age. Further work is required to determine the accuracy and quantify the efficiency of the AI model compared with trained radiologists, as well as to assess if AI-measured PV changes temporally or predicts clinical outcome.

Application of Power PICC for injection of contrast agent for contrast-enhanced CT scan in patients with biliary tract tumors

Application of Power PICC for injection of contrast agent for contrast-enhanced CT scan in patients with biliary tract tumors