Diagnostic Surgery Research Articles

Cutaneous ultrasound of the nuchal-type fibroma: diagnostic clues and surgery planning.

Nuchal-type fibroma is a rare, benign tumour, arising from the connective tissue and characterized by their usual location in the posterior neck, although extra-nuchal locations may also occur. The excision of nuchal-type fibroma is curative, although it presents as a large poorly circumscribed lesion in the dermal and subcutaneous fat layer, with adipose tissue and muscle fascicles entrapment, what can lead to partial excisions and relapses. Due to its rarity, little is known about the sonographic appearances of nuchal-type fibroma. An early identification and correct extension evaluation is essential to facilitate adequate treatment. Through two clinical cases, we illustrate in this article the utility of cutaneous ultrasound in the early diagnosis of these tumours, highlighting its role in the diagnosis but also in the pre-surgical evaluation improving margins assessment and delimitation.

Integrated Diagnostics of Thyroid Nodules.

Thyroid nodules are common findings, particularly in iodine-deficient regions. Our paper aims to revise different diagnostic tools available in clinical thyroidology and propose their rational integration. We will elaborate on the pros and cons of thyroid ultrasound (US) and its scoring systems, thyroid scintigraphy, fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), molecular imaging, and artificial intelligence (AI). Ultrasonographic scoring systems can help differentiate between benign and malignant nodules. Depending on the constellation or number of suspicious ultrasound features, a FNAC is recommended. However, hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules are presumed to exclude malignancy with a very high negative predictive value (NPV). Particularly in regions where iodine supply is low, most hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules are seen in patients with normal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. Thyroid scintigraphy is essential for the detection of these nodules. Among non-toxic thyroid nodules, a careful application of US risk stratification systems is pivotal to exclude inappropriate FNAC and guide the procedure on suspicious ones. However, almost one-third of cytology examinations are rendered as indeterminate, requiring "diagnostic surgery" to provide a definitive diagnosis. 99mTc-methoxy-isobutyl-isonitrile ([99mTc]Tc-MIBI) and [18F]fluoro-deoxy-glucose ([18F]FDG) molecular imaging can spare those patients from unnecessary surgeries. The clinical value of AI in the evaluation of thyroid nodules needs to be determined.

The Diagnostic Role of Repeated Biopsy of Thyroid Nodules with Atypia of Undetermined Significance with Architectural Atypia on Core-Needle Biopsy.

We aimed to evaluate the utility of repeat biopsy of thyroid nodules classified as atypia of undetermined significance with architectural atypia (IIIB) on core-needle biopsy (CNB). This retrospective study evaluated patients with thyroid nodules categorized as IIIB on CNB between 2013 and 2015. Demographic characteristics, subsequent biopsy results, and ultrasound (US) images were evaluated. The malignancy rates of nodules according to number of CNBs and the number of IIIB diagnoses was compared. Demographic and US features were evaluated to determine factors predictive of malignancy. Of 1,003 IIIB nodules on CNB, the final diagnosis was determined for 328 (32.7%) nodules, with 121 of them confirmed as malignant, resulting in a malignancy rate of 36.9% (95% confidence interval, 31.7% to 42.1%). Repeat CNB was performed in 248 nodules (24.7%), with 75 (30.2%), 131 (52.8%), 13 (5.2%), 26 (10.5%), one (0.4%), and two (0.8%) reclassified into categories II, IIIB, IIIA, IV, V, and VI, respectively. Malignancy rates were not significantly affected by the number of CNBs (P=0.291) or the number of IIIB diagnoses (P=0.473). None of the nodules confirmed as category II on repeat CNB was malignant. US features significantly associated with malignancy (P<0.003) included solid composition, irregular margins, microcalcifications, and high suspicion on the US risk stratification system. Repeat biopsy of nodules diagnosed with IIIB on CNB did not increase the detection of malignancy but can potentially reduce unnecessary surgery. Repeat biopsy should be performed selectively, with US features guiding the choice between repeat biopsy and diagnostic surgery.

Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma, Treatment Outcomes - 10 Year Experience. Single Center Study.

Primary central nervous system lymphoma(PCNSL) is an aggressive, rare form of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, characterized by the absence of systemic disease. There are limited data and no strictly defined guidelines for management of PCNSL. The aim of this study was to report a 10 year experience of PCNSL treatment, to evaluate treatment outcomes and asses Progression Free and Overall Survival of these patients. Study was conducted on the Haematology Clinic, Clinical center University of Sarajevo, BH, in the period from January 2012.-December 2022. Total sample of 24 patients were enrolled. All have undergone diagnostic surgery. Patients were treated with regimens based on High dose Methotrexate, with/without whole brain radiotherapy as consolidation. Treatment response was captured by imaging techniques. Patients who have relapsed were evaluated with imaging techniques and treated according to Methotrexate-based treatment protocols. We have captured equal gender distribution. The median age of patients was 59.5 years (range 20-79). Pathohistological analysis confirmed DLBCL diagnosis in 22 patients, T cell lymphoma and anaplastic large cell lymphoma, each in 1 patient. Chemotherapy, chemotherapy combined with WBRT and radiotherapy were given to 5, 18 and 1 patients, respectively. The overall complete response rate (CR) was 87,15%. Those receiving combined modality-treatment had higher CR than those receiving chemotherapy (94,4% versus 60%). Out of 24 patients, 11 of them relapsed. The median time to relapse was 29 months (from 1 to 105). After second line of the treatment, CR was 54,5%, while 45,45% of patients died during the treatment. 4 patients relapsed for the second time with median time to relapse of 9 months (from 2 to 77). 2 year OS rate was 67%, and the median OS rate was 45,9 months. 2 year PFS rate was 31%. The OS and PFS rates indicate the usage of new drugs and consolidation with autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with PCNSL in order to achieve better treatment outcomes.

Pancreatic cancer surgery — experience of one medical center

BACKGROUND: This article offers detailed information about the surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer, based on the experience of the abdominal department of Samara Regional Clinical Oncological Dispensary (Samara, Russian Federation). This allows readers to familiarize themselves with the achievements and innovations in this field, to get information about constantly improving surgical methods and their effectiveness. Such information can help not only patients, but also medical professionals, including surgeons, to improve the quality and effectiveness of operations. The article also includes an overview of the main methods of diagnosing pancreatic cancer, which can help specialists identify the disease at an early stage and improve their working methods. It provides up-to-date information on the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of pancreatic cancer, which can help improve treatment outcomes and prolong the survival of patients suffering from this disease.&#x0D; AIM: Analysis of the state of oncological care for patients with pancreatic cancer in the Samara region over the past 5 years.&#x0D; METHODS: The results of treatment of 236 patients with pancreatic cancer operated in the department of abdominal oncology of the Samara Regional Clinical Oncology Dispensary in the period from 2018 were studied.&#x0D; RESULTS: According to the results of treatment, pancreatic cancer stage IA was established in 9.74% of patients (n=23), stage IV — in 5.89% (n=14), stage IIA — 12.71% (n=30), stage IIB — in 12.71% (n=30); stage III — in 23.30% (n=55), stage IV — in 35.59% (n=84) of patients. Of the 76 patients with initially unresectable tumors, 12 received neoadjuvant chemotherapy according to the FOLFIRINOX scheme, which allowed them to perform radical surgery. The average age of the patients was 62.2 years. The overall survival rate in the entire group of patients was 20 months. It is interesting to note that in the group of patients with stage III, the 1-year survival rate was 20.53%, which is lower than in the group of patients with stage IV (25.59%). Most likely, this is due to postoperative complications and mortality in patients with stage III who underwent radical treatment (while patients with stage IV underwent gentle palliative surgery).&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic cancer is a complex disease that requires an interdisciplinary approach to achieve the necessary diagnosis and develop optimal treatment tactics. Radical surgery is disabling, but remains the only treatment option for pancreatic cancer, which determines the patient’s life prognosis. The results of gastropancreatoduodenal resection are characterized by a significant frequency of postoperative complications (34.38%), with a high rate of postoperative mortality (20.93%). Unsatisfactory results of surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer indicate the need to develop more effective methods of complex treatment. The lack of verification of pancreatic cancer at the prehospital stage in the majority of patients (84.6%) does not allow chemotherapy treatment in the neoadjuvant mode for locally advanced forms, which dooms patients to diagnostic surgery. As a result, valuable time is lost, which calls into question the well-being of such patients. The development of new, more effective diagnostic methods at the outpatient stage will solve this problem.

Step Serial Sectioning in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary

Patients with suspected head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary (HNSCCUP) may undergo tonsillectomy and tongue base mucosectomy (TBM) to help identify clinicoradiologically occult primary disease. It is hypothesized that when these diagnostic specimens are analyzed, conventional histopathological (CH) techniques risk missing small primary tumors that may be hidden in the tissue blocks. To establish the outcomes of a step serial sectioning (SSS) histopathological technique vs CH when analyzing diagnostic tissue specimens from TBM and tonsillectomy performed for HNSCCUP. The MOSES prospective multicenter noninterventional cohort study was conducted over a 25-month period from November 2019 at secondary and tertiary care ear, nose, and throat departments in the United Kingdom and included adults with clinicoradiologically occult HNSCCUP who were undergoing TBM. Conventional histopathological techniques performed on TBM and tonsillectomy specimens at participating centers, followed by SSS performed at the central laboratory. Identification of cancer on central histopathological review of TBM and tonsillectomy specimens. Tissue from 58 eligible patients was analyzed (median [range] age, 58 [47-82] years; 10 women [17%]), with 20 480 sections cut in the laboratory and 4096 sections directly examined by a pathologist (median [range], 64 [28-135] per patient). The overall identification rate for TBM following SSS according to study protocol was 50.0% (95% CI, 37.5%-62.5%) and by subgroups was 42.9% (95% CI, 21.4%-67.4%) when performed following a negative bilateral tonsillectomy, 46.7% (95% CI, 24.8%-69.9%) at the same time as bilateral tonsillectomy, and 57.1% (95% CI, 36.5%-75.5%) following historic tonsillectomy. Conventional histopathological techniques at central review identified 2 undiagnosed primary tumors and revised the diagnosis of 2 other cases (1 nonmalignant and another down staged). Step serial sectioning identified a single additional tumor: an ipsilateral synchronous tongue base tumor for which a contralateral tumor had been identified on CH. Multifocal disease was seen in 5 (8.6%); all were human papillomavirus-related and in the tongue base. In this multicenter cohort study of patients undergoing TBM for HNSCCUP, SSS was associated with added considerable histopathological workload with minimal additional diagnostic benefit. A second opinion for conventional histological techniques may be more beneficial. Synchronous primary disease should be considered when planning diagnostic oropharyngeal surgery for these patients.

Malignancy Risk of Follicular Neoplasm (Bethesda IV) With Variable Cutoffs of Tumor Size: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The decision on diagnostic lobectomy for follicular neoplasms (FN) is challenging. This meta-analysis investigates whether an appropriate size cutoff exists for recommending surgery for thyroid nodules diagnosed as FN by fine needle aspiration. The Ovid-Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, and KoreaMed databases were searched for studies reporting the malignancy rate of FN/suspicious for FN (FN/SFN) according to tumor size, using search terms "fine needle aspiration," "follicular neoplasm," "lobectomy," "surgery," and "thyroidectomy." Fourteen observational studies comprising 2016 FN/SFN nodules with postsurgical pathologic reports were included, and 2 studies included malignancy rates with various tumor sizes. The pooled malignancy risk of FN/SFN nodules according to size was: odds ratio (OR) 2.29 (95% CI, 1.68-3.11) with cutoff of 4 cm (9 studies), OR 2.39 (95% CI, 1.45-3.95) with cutoff of 3 cm (3 studies), and OR 1.81 (95% CI, 0.94-3.50) with cutoff of 2 cm (5 studies). However, tumors ≥2 cm also showed a higher risk (OR 2.43; 95% CI, 1.54-3.82) based on the leave-one-out meta-analysis after removal of 1 influence study. When each cutoff size was evaluated by summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curves, the cutoff of 4 cm showed the highest summary area under the curve (sAUC, 0.645) compared to other cutoffs (sAUC, 0.58 with 2 cm, and 0.62 with 3 cm), although there was no significant difference. Although the risk of malignancy increases with increasing tumor size, the risk remains significant at all tumor sizes and no cutoff limit can be recommended as a decision-making parameter for diagnostic surgery in Bethesda IV thyroid nodules.

Controversies in endobronchial ultrasound.

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is a minimally invasive highly accurate and safe endoscopic technique for the evaluation of mediastinal lymphadenopathy and mediastinal masses including centrally located lung tumors. The combination of transbronchial and transoesophageal tissue sampling has improved lung cancer staging, reducing the need for more invasive and surgical diagnostic procedures. Despite the high level of evidence regarding EBUS use in the aforementioned situations, there are still challenges and controversial issues such as follows: Should informed consent for EBUS and flexible bronchoscopy be different? Is EBUS able to replace standard bronchoscopy in patients with suspected lung cancer? Which is the best position, screen orientation, route of intubation, and sedation/anesthesia to perform EBUS? Is it advisable to use a balloon in all procedures? How should the operator acquire skills and how should competence be ensured? This Pro-Con article aims to address these open questions.

Greater tuberosity morphology is altered in individuals with symptomatic isolated supraspinatus tendon tears.

In the presence of an isolated supraspinatus tear, the force applied to the greater tuberosity is reduced, which may lead to bony morphologic changes. Thus, diagnostic or surgical identification of landmarks to properly repair the torn tendon might be difficult if the anatomy of the greater tuberosity is altered. The objectives of the study were to assess the presence of the superior, middle, and inferior facets of the greater tuberosity in individuals with symptomatic isolated supraspinatus tendon tears and the associations between tear size, tear location and presence of each facet. Thirty-seven individuals with symptomatic isolated supraspinatus tendon tears were recruited to participate in the study. Individuals underwent a high-resolution computed tomography scan of the involved shoulder and images were segmented to generate subject specific models of each humerus. The vertices comprising each facet were identified; however, if even a single vertex comprising the facet was missing, the facet was considered altered. Percentage agreement for correctly identifying the presence of each facet was determined using 2 additional observers and 5 randomly selected humeri. Ultrasonography was performed to assess anterior-posterior (AP) tear size and tear location. Outcome parameters included presence of the superior, middle, and inferior facets; AP tear size; and tear location. Point-biserial correlations were used to determine the associations between AP tear size, tear location, and presence of the superior, middle, and inferior facets. Supraspinatus tear size and tear location was 13.1±6.1 mm (range, 1.9-28.3 mm) and 2.0±4.4 mm from the posterior edge of the long head of the biceps tendon (range, 0.0-19.0 mm), respectively. Overall, the superior, middle, and inferior facets were not altered in 24.3%, 29.7%, and 45.9% of individuals, respectively. Percentage agreement between observers was 83.4% on average. No associations were found between tear size or tear location and presence of the superior, middle, or inferior facet (P values ranged from .19 to .74). Individuals with symptomatic isolated supraspinatus tears experience significant alterations in the bony morphology of the greater tuberosity that were irrespective of supraspinatus tear size and location. This information is useful for radiologists and orthopedic surgeons as the altered anatomy may influence the ability to identify important anatomic landmarks during diagnostic imaging or surgical procedures.

Association of neurocognitive disorders with morbidity and mortality in older adults undergoing major surgery in the USA: a retrospective, population-based, cohort study

Neurocognitive disorders become increasingly common as patients age, and increasing numbers of surgical interventions are done on older patients. The aim of this study was to understand the clinical characteristics and outcomes of surgical patients with neurocognitive disorders in the USA in order to guide future targeted interventions for better care. This retrospective cohort study used claims data for US Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older with a record of inpatient admission for a major diagnostic or therapeutic surgical procedure between Jan 1, 2017, and Dec 31, 2018. Data were retrieved through a data use agreement between Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services via the Research Data Assistance Center. The exposure of interest was the presence of a pre-existing neurocognitive disorder as defined by diagnostic code within 3 years of index hospital admission. The primary outcome was mortality at 30 days, 90 days, and 365 days from date of surgery among all patients with available data. Among 5 263 264 Medicare patients who underwent a major surgical procedure, 767 830 (14·59%) had a pre-existing neurocognitive disorder and 4 495 434 (85·41%) had no pre-existing neurocognitive disorder. Adjusting for demographic factors and comorbidities, patients with a neurocognitive disorder had higher 30-day (hazard ratio 1·24 [95% CI 1·23-1·25]; p<0·0001), 90-day (1·25 [1·24-1·26]; p<0·0001), and 365-day mortality (1·25 [1·25-1·26]; p<0·0001) compared with patients without a neurocognitive disorder. Our findings suggest that the presence of a neurocognitive disorder is independently associated with an increased risk of mortality. Identification of a neurocognitive disorder before surgery can help clinicians to better disclose risks and plan for patient care after hospital discharge. Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.

B-200 Preoperative Classification of Thyroid Nodules by Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsies

Abstract Background Preoperative diagnosis of thyroid lesions by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy cytology can be challenging, and in up to 20% of cases is unachievable. Patients with an indeterminate preoperative diagnosis are often recommended for diagnostic surgery, with the majority receiving a benign diagnosis, rendering the surgery unnecessary. Consequently, new technologies that can provide accurate preoperative diagnosis of thyroid lesions are needed. Here, we have employed DESI-MS imaging along with statistical modeling to determine molecular signatures of benign and malignant thyroid lesions using banked thyroid tissue samples with known histopathology diagnosis. We then applied this methodology for analysis and classification of preoperatively collected FNA smears. Methods A total of 199 fresh-frozen thyroid tissues including 50 normal, 55 follicular adenoma (FTA), 58 follicular carcinoma (FTC), and 36 papillary carcinoma (PTC) were sectioned at a thickness of 10 µm and stored at −80 °C until analysis. FNA biopsies were prospectively collected at Baylor College of Medicine. DESI-MS imaging was performed in the negative ion mode using a Waters Xevo G2-XS mass spectrometer fitted with a DESI-XS source. Samples were H&amp;E stained and pathologically evaluated after analysis. Molecular profiles from tissue regions of clear histology were used to build classification models. For the FNA smears, mass spectra corresponding to clusters of thyroid cells were extracted for statistical prediction, and the predictive performance of the models on FNA smears was assessed in correlation with pathology. Results DESI-MS analysis of thyroid tissue sections generated 151 317 individual mass spectra, comprised of hundreds of lipid and metabolite features, that were used to build and validate two classification models: PTC vs benign thyroid, comprised of normal thyroid and FTA, and FTC vs benign thyroid. For each of these models, the data was randomly split with two-thirds used as a training set to generate the model and one-third used as an independent validation set to assess the performance of the model. For the PTC vs benign thyroid model, a prediction accuracy of 97.7% was achieved for the training set with an accuracy of 96.6% for the withheld validation dataset. For the FTC vs benign model, an accuracy of 78.4% was achieved for both the training and validation datasets. We are currently refining statistical workflows to improve the performance of the FTC model and to generate a model discriminating benign thyroid from thyroid cancer (FTC and PTC combined). When testing the prediction of the classifiers built from tissue imaging data on an initial sample set of 19 FNAs, overall per-sample prediction accuracies of 79% and 89% were obtained using the PTC vs benign thyroid model and the FTC vs benign thyroid model, respectively. We are currently working to collect, analyze, and validate the performance of the classification models on additional FNA biopsies, with a focus on samples with indeterminate cytology. Conclusions Overall prediction accuracies of 79% and 89% were achieved for the benign vs PTC model and benign vs FTC model, respectively, for thyroid FNA classification. With the addition of DESI-MS, unnecessary diagnostic surgeries could be prevented by providing improved preoperative specificity.

Indigo Carmine: Between Necessity and Concern.

Dyes, such as indigo carmine, have become indispensable to modern life, being widely used in the food, textile, pharmaceutical, medicine, and cosmetic industry. Although indigo carmine is considered toxic and has many adverse effects, it is found in many foods, and the maximum permitted level is 500 mg/kg. Indigo carmine is one of the most used dyes in the textile industry, especially for dyeing denim, and it is also used in medicine due to its impressive applicability in diagnostic methods and surgical procedures, such as in gynecological and urological surgeries and microsurgery. It is reported that indigo carmine is toxic for humans and can cause various pathologies, such as hypertension, hypotension, skin irritations, or gastrointestinal disorders. In this review, we discuss the structure and properties of indigo carmine; its use in various industries and medicine; the adverse effects of its ingestion, injection, or skin contact; the effects on environmental pollution; and its toxicity testing. For this review, 147 studies were considered relevant. Most of the cited articles were those about environmental pollution with indigo carmine (51), uses of indigo carmine in medicine (45), and indigo carmine as a food additive (17).

JS04.6.A CLINICAL PRESENTATION OF “MOLECULAR GLIOBLASTOMA” IS DIFFERENT COMPARED TO “HISTOLOGICAL GLIOBLASTOMA”, BUT OUTCOME IS THE SAME, REGARDLESS OF GRADE OR PRESENCE OF ONLY ATERT PROMOTER MUTATION

Abstract BACKGROUND In the 2021 revised WHO CNS, IDH1/2-wildtype (IDHwt) gliomas with histological features of lower grade glioma, but with a TERT-promotor (TERTp) mutation, and/or EGFR amplification, and/or combined gain of chromosome 7 and loss of chromosome 10 (7+/10-), are now classified as IDHwt glioblastoma. These formerly labeled “molecular glioblastomas” (m-GBMs) are not separated from histologically defined glioblastomas (h-GBMs). However, there is still discussion whether these gliomas are truly the same in terms of first presentation and survival especially in the presence of grade 2 histology. We expanded and re-analyzed a cohort of m-GBMs and had the histological grade re-evaluated, to investigate the impact of histological grade in m-GBMs, and also specifically in patients with isolated TERTp mutations. MATERIAL AND METHODS We identified cases from 3 Dutch hospitals, which were initially histologically classified as grade 2 or 3 glioma, but molecularly as m-GBM. Cases with ring-like contrast enhancement and/or central necrosis at time of diagnostic surgery were excluded. Two dedicated neuropathologists blinded for clinical information independently revised the histological grade as defined in previous WHO classifications. Discordant cases were discussed to reach consensus. Patients were classified with a tailored NGS panel. We compared overall survival (OS) in this cohort with OS of a historical h-GBM cohort. RESULTS We identified 102 cases. Out of the 81 grade 2 gliomas (original diagnostics), upon pathology review 60 patients were still classified as grade 2 tumors, in 15 patients the grade was revised into grade 3, and in 6 patients into grade 4. Out of the 21 grade 3 patients, 11 were again classified as grade 3 after revisions. Five patients were revised as grade 2, and the other 5 as grade 4. Median age did not differ between groups (grade 2: 61yrs, grade 3: 58yrs, grade 4: 64yrs, h-GBM: 55 yrs). Clinical presentation of m-GBM was different compared to h-GBM. m-GBM more often presented with seizures than h-GBM (66% vs 27%) and more often with gliomatosis cerebri (35% vs 17%) reflected by a higher percentage of biopsies (78% vs 17%). We found no significant OS difference between histological grades in m-GBM and no difference with the historical h-GBM cohort. Median OS for grade 2 patients was 17 months versus 18 months in h-GBM patients. Additionally, we found no difference in OS between patients with an isolated TERTp mutation versus with EGFR amplification and/or 7+/10- in histological grade 2 patients (Median OS of 17 months versus 21 months respectively). CONCLUSION In our cohort of m-GBM with a low-grade histology and imaging characteristics of low-grade glioma, we observed a different clinical presentation compared to h-GBM. We did not see an impact of histological grade on OS in the context of m-GBM, and we did not see a longer survival for patients with an isolated TERTp mutation.

ThyroidPrint®: clinical utility for indeterminate thyroid cytology.

Molecular testing contributes to improving the diagnosis of indeterminate thyroid nodules (ITN). ThyroidPrint® is a 10-gene classifier aimed to rule-out malignancy in ITN. Post-validation studies are necessary to determine the real-world clinical benefit of ThyroidPrint® in patients with ITN. A single center, prospective, non-interventional clinical utility study was performed, analyzing the impact of ThyroidPrint® in the physicians' clinical decisions for ITN. Demographics, nodule characteristics, benign call rates (BCR) and surgical outcomes were measured. Histopathological data was collected from surgical biopsies of resected nodules. Of 1272 fine needle aspirations (FNA), 109 (8.6%) were Bethesda III and 135 (10.6%) Bethesda IV. Molecular testing was performed in 155 of 244 ITN (63.5%), of which 104 were classified as benign (BCR of 67.1%). After a median follow-up of 15 months, 103 of 104 (99.0%) patients with a benign ThyroidPrint® remained under surveillance and one patient underwent surgery which was a follicular adenoma. Surgery was performed in all 51 patients with a suspicious ThyroidPrint® result and in 56 patients that did not undergo testing, with a rate of malignancy of 70.6% and 32.1%, respectively. A higher BCR was observed in FLUS (87%) compared to AUS (58%) (p-value <0.05). False-positive cases included four benign follicular nodules, six follicular and four oncotytic adenomas. Our results show that, physicians chose active surveillance instead diagnostic surgery in all patients with a benign ThyroidPrint® result, reducing the need for diagnostic surgery in 67% in patients with preoperative diagnosis of ITN.

Multidisciplinary Inflammatory Bowel Disease Conference: The Impact of the Expert Pathologist on Patient Care.

Multidisciplinary teams (MDT) aid the diagnosis and management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and improve patient outcomes. The direct impact of a gastrointestinal expert pathologist on MDT care of IBD patients is unknown. A retrospective chart review was conducted evaluating all cases (N = 289) discussed at the IBD MDT conference at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital from June 1, 2013, through December 31, 2019. Cases were discussed between 1 and 6 times at the conference. Data collected included demographics, diagnosis before and after conference, reason for diagnostic change, endoscopy findings, medications, surgeries, and clinical follow-up. Approximately 15% to 42% of patients had a change in diagnosis after the first 3 conferences. The majority of diagnostic changes after the first (84%), second (73%), and third (67%) conferences were due to expert pathologist interpretation. Indeterminate colitis was the most frequently changed diagnosis, and Crohn's disease was the most common new diagnosis after conference. Among patients with a diagnostic change, 28.6% to 38.5% of patients had a change in their IBD medication regimen, and 7.7% to 10.9% had a surgical intervention after the first 2 conferences. Approximately 54.2% to 60% of patients reported clinical improvement or remission within 6 months of the first 3 conferences. The majority of diagnostic changes made at the multidisciplinary IBD conference were due to histopathologic re-interpretation. A change in diagnosis at times led to significant modifications in medical or surgical management. An expert gastrointestinal pathologist is an essential MDT member for IBD management.

Do large thyroid nodules (≥4 cm) without suspicious cytology need surgery?

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is a good diagnostic tool for thyroid nodules; however, its high false-negative rate for giant nodules remains controversial. Many clinicians recommend surgical resection for nodules >4 cm owing to an increased risk of malignancy and an increased false-negative rate. This study aimed to examine the feasibility of this approach and investigate the incidence of malignancy in thyroid nodules >4 cm without suspicious cytology based on medical records in our center. This was a retrospective analysis of 453 patients that underwent preoperative FNAB for nodules measuring >4 cm between January 2017 and August 2022 at Severance Hospital, Seoul. Among the 453 patients, 140 nodules were benign and 119 were indeterminate. Among 259 patients, the final pathology results were divided into benign (149) and cancerous (110) groups, and the prevalence of malignancy was 38.9% in the benign group and 55.5% in the indeterminate group. Among the malignancies, follicular carcinoma and follicular variants of papillary carcinoma were observed in 83% of the cytologically benign group and 62.8% of the indeterminate group. Preoperative FNAB had high false-negative rates and low diagnostic accuracy in patients with thyroid nodules >4 cm without suspicious cytologic features; therefore, diagnostic surgery may be considered a treatment option.

Capturing the True Cost of Breast Cancer Treatment: Molecular Subtype and Stage-Specific per-Case Activity-Based Costing.

Breast cancer (BC) treatment is rapidly evolving with new and costly therapeutics. Existing costing models have a limited ability to capture current treatment costs. We used an Activity-Based Costing (ABC) method to determine a per-case cost for BC treatment by stage and molecular subtype. ABC was used to proportionally integrate multidisciplinary evidence-based patient and provider treatment options for BC, yielding a per-case cost for the total duration of treatment by stage and molecular subtype. Diagnostic imaging, pathology, surgery, radiation therapy, systemic therapy, inpatient, emergency, home care and palliative care costs were included. BC treatment costs were higher than noted in previous studies and varied widely by molecular subtype. Cost increased exponentially with the stage of disease. The per-case cost for treatment (2023C$) for DCIS was C$ 14,505, and the mean costs for all subtypes were C$ 39,263, C$ 76,446, C$ 97,668 and C$ 370,398 for stage I, II, III and IV BC, respectively. Stage IV costs were as high as C$ 516,415 per case. When weighted by the proportion of molecular subtype in the population, case costs were C$ 31,749, C$ 66,758, C$ 111,368 and C$ 289,598 for stage I, II, III and IV BC, respectively. The magnitude of cost differential was up to 10.9 times for stage IV compared to stage I, 4.4 times for stage III compared to stage I and 35.6 times for stage IV compared to DCIS. The cost of BC treatment is rapidly escalating with novel therapies and increasing survival, resulting in an exponential increase in treatment costs for later-stage disease. We provide real-time, case-based costing for BC treatment which will allow for the assessment of health system economic impacts and an accurate understanding of the cost-effectiveness of screening.

Presentation and Management of Uterine Didelphys with Unilateral Cervicovaginal Agenesis/Dysgenesis (CVAD): A Multicenter Case Series

IntroductionThere are several well-described presentations of uterine didelphys (UD): UD without vaginal septum, UD with non-obstructed longitudinal vaginal septum, or UD with duplicated vaginas and an obstructed hemivagina on one side with ipsilateral renal anomaly. Study ObjectiveTo describe another variant of UD and compare the presentation and management across different institutions MethodsThis was a retrospective case series approved by the NASPAG Fellows Research Consortium. Participating institutions obtained IRB approval. Inclusion criteria included a diagnosis of UD and unilateral cervicovaginal agenesis/dysgenesis (CVAD). Descriptive statistics were used. ResultsFive patients met the inclusion criteria, with ages ranging from 13 to 27 years. Presenting symptoms included dysmenorrhea (80%), irregular bleeding (40%), acute onset left lower quadrant pain (20%), and abdominal mass (20%). Three patients had additional known abnormalities, including solitary kidney and solitary adrenal gland. All patients underwent pelvic magnetic resonance imaging. Two cases were only suspicious for unilateral CVAD on imaging and required pathology review postoperatively to confirm diagnosis. Two cases required a 2-staged approach with an initial diagnostic surgery followed by a second definitive procedure. Three patients were noted to have endometriosis intraoperatively. Postoperative follow-up ranged from 2 months to 2 years, with 1 patient reporting chronic pelvic pain. ConclusionDiagnosis on the basis of pelvic imaging can be difficult, as this unique variant may mimic classic obstructed hemivagina with ipsilateral renal anomaly. In patients with UD with unilateral CVAD, standard management is removal of the obstructed uterine horn. This multicenter series stresses awareness about the clinical presentation, distinguishes cases of cervical agenesis from dysgenesis, and reviews approaches to management.

Intensive Management of Diffuse Peritonitis Caused by Spontaneously Healed Gastric Perforation: A Case Report

Background: Gastric perforation will cause acute peritonitis. Proper diagnosis and management, especially in ICU, are needed to prevent complications and even death from this event. This study aimed to describe the intensive management of diffuse peritonitis caused by gastric perforation.&#x0D; Case presentation: A 61 years old male patient presented with pain in the whole abdomen for 6 days before admission. The pain began at the epigastrium and suddenly spread to the whole abdomen. The pain was felt continuously and increased by movement. Routine blood examination revealed anemia, lekousitosis, and radiology examination found homogeneous confluence was found in the abdominal, dilated small intestine, psoas line was not visible, in the left lateral decubitus position, an air-fluid level and free air were found. The patient underwent diagnostic laparoscopic surgery + peritoneal lavage on emergency surgery for 2 hours, obtained a resolution of gastric perforation, and the patient was treated postoperatively in the ICU of Dr. M. Djamil General Hospital.&#x0D; Conclusion: Cases of spontaneous resolution of gastric perforation are not only in terms of surgical management but in terms of postoperative care. It also plays an important role in the success and good results in cases of gastric perforation.

Pilot Study on the Use of Untargeted Metabolomic Fingerprinting of Liquid-Cytology Fluids as a Diagnostic Tool of Malignancy for Thyroid Nodules.

Although it is the gold standard for assessing the malignancy of thyroid nodules (TNs) preoperatively, the cytological analysis of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) samples results in 20-30% of cases in indeterminate lesions (ITNs). As two-thirds of these lesions will appear benign after diagnostic surgery, improved preoperative diagnostic methods need to be developed. In this pilot study, we evaluate if the metabolomic profiles of liquid-based (CytoRich®) FNAC samples of benign and malignant nodules can allow the molecular diagnosis of TNs. We performed untargeted metabolomic analyses with CytoRich® FNAC in a monocentric retrospective study. The cohort was composed of cytologically benign TNs, histologically benign or papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) cytologically ITNs, and suspicious/malignant TNs histologically confirmed as PTCs. The diagnostic performance of the identified metabolomic signature was assessed using several supervised classification methods. Seventy-eight patients were enrolled in the study. We identified 7690 peaks, of which 2697 ions were included for further analysis. We selected a metabolomic signature composed of the top 15 metabolites. Among all the supervised classification methods, the supervised autoencoder deep neural network exhibited the best performance, with an accuracy of 0.957 (0.842-1), an AUC of 0.945 (0.833-1), and an F1 score of 0.947 (0.842-1). Here, we report a promising new ancillary molecular technique to differentiate PTCs from benign TNs (including among ITNs) based on the metabolomic signature of FNAC sample fluids. Further studies with larger cohorts are now needed to identify a larger number of biomarkers and obtain more robust signatures.