Era Of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Articles

Prophylactic cranial irradiation for limited-stage small-cell lung cancer in the modern magnetic resonance imaging era may be omitted: a propensity score-matched analysis.

We aimed to clarify whether prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) is associated with improved outcomes in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) in the current era of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Data from patients with LS-SCLC who achieved a complete response to definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) at two medical centers were retrospectively reviewed. Propensity score-matching was performed in a 2:1 ratio to balance the baseline characteristics of the no-PCI and PCI groups. The endpoints were the incidence of brain metastasis (BM), neurological causes of death and overall survival (OS). Overall, 80% patients underwent head MRI during the initial staging and 75 patients (no-PCI, n = 50; PCI, n = 25) were matched. Their baseline characteristics were generally well-balanced except for age; patients in the no-PCI group tended to be older. The median follow-up period was 29months. Although the incidence of BMs tended to be higher in the no-PCI group (1-year BM occurrence: 26% vs 17%, P = 0.22), the incidence of multiple BMs (defined as >4 metastases) was similar between groups (1-year multiple BMs occurrence: 8% vs 9%, P = 0.65). The 2-year neurological causes of death and OS rate did not significantly differ between the groups (6% and 9%; P = 0.85; and 70% and 79%; P = 0.36, respectively). The 1-year occurrence of multiple BMs did not increase, even without PCI, when modern imaging modalities were integrated into the initial diagnosis, suggesting that PCI could be omitted after CRT, if MRI was incorporated into the initial diagnosis and follow-up.

The Role of Digital Rectal Examination for Early Detection of Significant Prostate Cancer in the Era of Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The role of digital rectal examination (DRE) in the early detection of significant prostate cancer (PCa) is being questioned in the era of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, some men with suspected PCa may still be identified solely through DRE, even with low serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Additionally, most predictive models designed to improve significant PCa diagnostic pathways incorporate DRE findings. We assessed the role of DRE among 5005 men with serum PSA levels > 3.0 ng/mL and/or suspicious DRE findings, who underwent pre-biopsy MRI and targeted and/or systematic biopsies, as part of the significant PCa opportunistic screening program in Catalonia (Spain) between 2016 and 2023. Significant PCa, defined as grade group > 2, was detected in 2097 men (41.9%). Suspicion of PCa was based solely on DRE in 206 cases (4.1%) with significant PCa detected in 50 of them (2.4%). Two pathways using the Barcelona predictive models, before and after MRI, with and without DRE findings showed specificities of 52.8 and 38.7%, respectively (p < 0.001), after fixing sensitivity at 90%. Prostate biopsy was avoided in 35.1 and 26.7%, respectively (p < 0.001), while its efficacy increased from 52.8 to 58%. We conclude that DRE improved the effectiveness of an opportunistic significant PCa-screening program.

Is Confirmatory Biopsy Still Necessary for Active Surveillance of Men With Grade Group 1 Prostate Cancer in the Era of Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging?

Men diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa) considering active surveillance (AS) are recommended confirmatory biopsy (CBx). Whether this is necessary in the era of MRI-informed biopsies is questionable. We studied men with Grade Group [GG] 1 PCa at diagnostic biopsy (DBx) considering AS who underwent MRI and CBx (systematic + targeted) within 18 months. Outcomes were grade reclassification to GG ≥ 2, GG ≥ 3, and reclassification to unfavorable intermediate risk disease (UIR). Subset analyses were performed for men with (1) MRI prior to DBx and (2) MRI after DBx. Five hundred twenty-two men had GG1 PCa at DBx. At CBx, 20% reclassified to GG ≥ 2, 12% to UIR, and 5.6% to GG ≥ 3. Of the 306 with positive MRI (PI-RADS > 3), 27% reclassified to GG ≥ 2 and 16% to UIR disease; men with negative MRI experienced these outcomes at rates of 9.2% and 5.5%. There were no differences in reclassification outcomes based on MRI timing (group A vs B), and neither PSA density nor prostate volume added to MRI information. In men with MRI targets, approximately 1/3 of GG > 2 reclassification events were only captured by systematic biopsy core(s). Reclassification rates at CBx were high in men with positive MRI, but < 10% for all reclassification outcomes in men with negative MRI (95% CI 5.8%-14% for GG > 2, 2.9%-10% for UIR, 0.8%-5.3% for GG > 3). Our data support systematic + targeted CBx for men with positive MRI considering AS, while men with GG1 cancer and negative MRI should be able to defer CBx.

Efficacy of Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation in Early to Mid-stage Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients in the Era of Magnetic Resonance Imaging

BackgroundRecent advancements in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for staging have highlighted the critical question of the need for prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in managing early to mid-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC). This study assesses the impact of PCI on overall survival (OS) and intracranial control among patients with stage I-IIB SCLC. MethodsData from 148 stage I-IIB SCLC patients treated with thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) at two centers were examined. Patients were categorized based on PCI administration: 63 received PCI, while 85 did not. All underwent pretreatment MRI, achieving at least a partial response to therapy. A 1:1 propensity score matching analysis corrected for potential biases. ResultsPropensity scores were generated to 116 patients, considering patient demographics, disease progression, and treatment methods. Death was included as a competing risk. The 3-year brain metastases (BM) occurrence rate was significantly higher in patients who did not receive PCI (30.0%) compared to those who did (14.8%), however, the difference was not statistically significant (No PCI vs. PCI, hazard ratio [HR]: 2.08, 95% CI [0.93-4.55], P = .07). No significant effect of PCI on OS was observed [PCI vs. No PCI, HR: 0.80, 95% CI (0.45-1.43), P = .45]. A subgroup analysis of stage IIB patients showed a significant increase in BM risk and mortality for those not receiving PCI (No PCI vs. PCI, BM risk HR: 5.85, 95% CI: 1.83-18.87, P = .003; mortality HR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.14-6.67, P = .02), with less pronounced effects in stages I-IIA. ConclusionWith modern MRI-based screening, PCI may markedly benefit stage IIB SCLC patients by reducing BM and improving OS after initial sensitive treatment. This benefit does not appear to extend to stage I-IIA patients.

Effects of brain radiotherapy strategies on survival in the era of MRI for patients with limited stage small cell lung cancer

Background and purposeIn the context of the widespread availability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and aggressive salvage irradiation techniques, there has been controversy surrounding the use of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. This study aimed to explore whether regular brain MRI plus salvage brain irradiation (SBI) is not inferior to PCI in patients with limited-stage SCLC (LS-SCLC).MethodsThis real-world multicenter study, which was conducted between January 2014 and September 2020 at three general hospitals, involved patients with LS-SCLC who had a good response to initial chemoradiotherapy and no brain metastasis confirmed by MRI. Overall survival (OS) was compared between patients who did not receive PCI for various reasons but chose regular MRI surveillance and followed salvage brain irradiation (SBI) when brain metastasis was detected and patients who received PCI.Results120 patients met the inclusion criteria. 55 patients received regular brain MRI plus SBI (SBI group) and 65 patients received PCI (PCI group). There was no statistically significant difference in median OS between the two groups (27.14 versus 33.00 months; P = 0.18). In the SBI group, 32 patients underwent whole brain radiotherapy and 23 patients underwent whole brain radiotherapy + simultaneous integrated boost. On multivariate analysis, only extracranial metastasis was independently associated with poor OS in the SBI group.ConclusionThe results of this real-world study showed that MRI surveillance plus SBI is not inferior to PCI in OS for LS-SCLC patients who had a good response to initial chemoradiotherapy.

The utility of intraoperative marrow margin frozen section in extremity bone sarcoma resection.

Intraoperative frozen section analysis is commonly used to evaluate marrow margins during extremity bone sarcoma resections, but its efficacy in the era of magnetic resonance imaging is debated. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of intraoperative frozen section assessment with final pathology, assess its correlation with gross intraoperative margin assessment, and evaluate its impact on surgical decision making. Consecutive patients undergoing extremity bone sarcoma resections from 2010 to 2022 at a single sarcoma center were included. Intraoperative frozen section and gross margin assessments were compared to final pathology using positive predictive values (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV). Changes in surgical decisions due to positive intraoperative margins were recorded. Of 166 intraoperative frozen section marrow margins, four were indeterminant/positive, with two false positive/indeterminant findings and two false negatives compared to final pathology. Gross intraoperative assessment had no false positives and two false negatives. Frozen section analysis yielded a PPV of 50% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 16%-84%) and NPV of 98.8% (95% CI: 97%-100%), while gross assessment had a PPV of 100% (95% CI: 16%-100%) and NPV of 98.8% (95% CI: 97%-100%). Positive frozen section margins led to additional resections in three of four cases. Intraoperative frozen section analysis did not offer added clinical value beyond gross margin assessment in extremity bone sarcoma resections. It exhibited a low PPV and led to unnecessary additional resections. Gross intraoperative assessment proved adequate for margin evaluation, potentially saving time and resources.

Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation in Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.

The role of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) has been questioned in the era of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The purpose of this study was to re-evaluate the efficacy of PCI in patients with LS-SCLC. Three electronic databases were searched, including PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from January 2012 to April 2022.All relevant publications were included based on the inclusion criteria, and survival data and brain metastasis (BM) rates were extracted and pooled. Ten studies were selected which involved 532 patients who received PCI and 613 patients who did not receive PCI. In pooled estimates, PCI significantly improved overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.61-0.82, p <0.001; HR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.48-0.97, p = 0.03, respectively]. Additionally, the use of PCI was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of brain metastasis (BM, risk ratio = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.46-0.90, p = 0.009). In subgroup analyses. The authors found that the PCI effects on OS were independent of region and the use of brain imaging after initial treatment. These findings demonstrate that PCI improves OS and PFS while decreasing the risk of BM in patients with LS-SCLC, implying that PCI remains necessary even in the MRI era. Key Words: Prophylactic cranial irradiation, Small cell lung cancer, Magnetic resonance imaging, Brain metastasis.

Cumulative cancer locations on prostate biopsy and active surveillance outcomes in the MRI era.

To validate the use of a cumulative cancer locations (CCLO) score, a measurement of tumor volume on biopsy, and to develop a novel magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)-informed CCLO (mCCLO) score to predict clinical outcomes on active surveillance (AS). The CCLO score is a sum of uniquely involved sextants with prostate cancer on diagnostic + confirmatory biopsy. The mCCLO score incorporates MRI findings into the CCLO score. Participants included 1284 individuals enrolled on AS between 1994 and 2022, 343 of whom underwent prostate MRI. The primary outcome was grade reclassification (GR) to grade group ≥2 disease; the secondary outcome was receipt of definitive treatment. Increasing CCLO and mCCLO risk groups were associated with higher risk of GR and undergoing definitive treatment (both p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, increasing mCCLO score was associated with higher risk of GR and receipt of definitive treatment (hazard ratios [HRs] per 1-unit increase: 1.26 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-1.41] and 1.21 [95% CI: 1.07-1.36], respectively). The model using mCCLO score to predict GR (c-index: 0.671; 95% CI: 0.621-0.721) performed at least as well as models using the number of cores positive for cancer (0.664 [0.613-0.715]; p = 0.7) and the maximum percentage of cancer in a core (0.641 [0.585-0.696]; p = 0.14). The CCLO score is a valid, objective metric to predict GR and receipt of treatment in a large AS cohort. The ability of the MRI-informed mCCLO to predict GR is on par with traditional metrics of tumor volume but is more descriptive and may benefit from greater reproducibility. The mCCLO score can be implemented as a shorthand, informative tool for counseling patients about whether to remain on AS.

Septic Arthritis of the Spinal Facet Joint: Review of 117 Cases.

Septic arthritis of the spinal facet joints is increasingly recognized in the era of magnetic resonance imaging, but its epidemiology, clinical features, management, and prognosis are ill-defined. We review 101 previously published cases and report 16 cases occurring at our institutions between 2006 and 2018. Most patients presented with fever (60%) and back or neck pain (86%). Radiation into the hip, buttock, or limb was present in 34%. The lumbosacral vertebral segments were involved in 78% of cases. Most cases (64%) were due to Staphylococcus aureus. Bacteremia was present in 66% and paraspinal muscle abscesses in 54%. While epidural abscesses were present in 56%, neurologic complications were seen in only 9%, likely because most abscesses arose below the conus medullaris. Neurologic complications were more common with cervical or thoracic involvement than lumbosacral (32% vs 2%, P < .0001). Extraspinal infection, such as endocarditis, was identified in only 22% of cases. An overall 98% of patients survived, with only 5% having neurologic sequelae. Septic arthritis of the facet joint is a distinct clinical syndrome typically involving the lumbar spine and is frequently associated with bacteremia, posterior epidural abscesses, and paraspinal pyomyositis. Neurologic outcomes are usually good with medical management alone.

The Journal of Urology® Home Study Course 2023 Volume 209/210.

The Journal of Urology® Home Study Course 2023 Volume 209/210.

Prophylactic cranial irradiation in small cell lung cancer patients in the era of magnetic resonance imaging: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

e20636 Background: Patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) are at a particularly high risk for the development of brain metastases. Current guidelines recommend prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) for these patients to prevent brain metastases and prolong overall survival (OS), although the clinical evidence for recommendations stems from an era without routine use of brain imaging. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of all available studies reporting on PCI for SCLC patients with minimal inclusion restrictions to assesses the efficacy of PCI in patients with limited disease (LD) and extensive disease (ED) SCLC and focus on the impact of routine brain imaging. Methods: A literature search for studies reporting on PCI in SCLC patients performed in EMBASE, MEDLINE, CENTRAL, and grey literature sources identified 4,783 studies. Random-effects meta-analyses pooled hazard ratios (HR) for overall survival (OS) between PCI and no intervention groups. Results: 208 individual studies reported on outcomes related to PCI with 175 studies assessing survival differences associated with PCI, and 87 of these being amenable to meta-analysis. The majority (n = 79) were retrospective cohort studies. PCI was associated with improved OS in all SCLC patients (HR 0.60; 95% CI 0.55-0.65; n = 87 studies; n = 50,339 patients; I2= 77%), as well as in cohorts exclusively consisting of LD patients (HR 0.60; 95% CI 0.54-0.66; n = 58 studies; n = 22,417 patients; I2= 76%) or ED patients (HR 0.63; 95% CI 0.53-0.75; n = 23 studies; n = 24,997; I2= 75%). Only eight studies confirmed absence of IMD at restaging using magnetic resonance imaging in all patients and found OS no longer to be in favour of PCI (HR 0.75; 95% CI 0.50-1.12; n = 1,318 patients; I2= 77%). Pooled OS from randomized controlled trials was not associated with PCI (HR 0.88; 95% CI 0.65-1.12; n = 5 studies; n = 925 patients; I2= 62.5%). Among studies not amenable to meta-analysis for OS, 4 radiographically confirmed absence of IMD, but none found OS to be in favour of PCI. Conclusions: Administration of PCI is associated with a significant OS benefit, but not when considering studies that radiographically confirmed absence of IMD at restaging or randomized controlled trials, suggesting that patient selection may be contributing to this observation.

Clinicopathologic Significance of Anterior Prostate Cancer: Comparison With Posterior Prostate Cancer in the Era of Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Anterior prostate cancer (APC) has been considered an indolent tumor, most commonly arising in the transition zone (TZ). More recently, detection of APC has been facilitated through multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and improved biopsy techniques, enabling earlier detection. The pathologic features and clinical significance of pure APC in a large contemporary series of well-characterized tumors have, to date, not been elucidated. Cases with APC defined as cancer present anterior to the urethra only were identified from 1761 consecutive radical prostatectomy specimens accessioned between January 2015 and August 2016. The clinicopathologic features of these cases were compared with those of pure posterior prostate cancer (PPC) and the features of anterior peripheral zone (APZ) cancers were compared with those of TZ cancers. In addition, the tumor series from 2015 to 2016 was compared with a cohort of 1054 patients accessioned before the utilization of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging in the routine workup of patients with prostate cancer. In the 2015-2016 series, there were 188 (10.7%) patients with APC compared with 5.4% in the series from the pre-multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging era. No difference was observed between APC and PPC with regards to patient age or mean serum prostate-specific antigen at presentation. Mean tumor volume and positive surgical margin (PSM) rates were significantly higher in APC. In contrast, PPC was more commonly high grade with more frequent extraprostatic extension (EPE). None of the cases of APC had infiltration of the seminal vesicle or lymph node involvement, in contrast to PPC, with almost 14% of cases in each category. The 3- and 5-year biochemical recurrence-free survival was significantly higher in APC when compared with PPC, although this was not retained on multivariable analysis which included tumor location. On division of APCs according to anatomic zone of origin, 45% were APZ cancer and 37% TZ cancer. On comparison of APZ and TZ cancers, there were no significant differences in mean age and serum prostate-specific antigen at presentation as well as tumor volume, Gleason score, and PSM rate. High-grade malignancy (Gleason score >3 + 4=7) was seen in 26% of TZ cancers which compared with 44% of APZ cancers and 56% of PPC cancers. The rate of EPE was significantly higher in APZ when compared with TZ cancer ( P< 0.0005); however, the biochemical recurrence rate was not significantly different between the groups. The prevalence of APC in radical prostatectomy specimens has increased in recent times, in association with earlier detection at a stage amenable to curative surgical treatment. APC, when compared with PPC, is less commonly high grade with less frequent EPE, despite the APC group having larger tumors and a higher PSM rate at presentation. However, not all anterior cancers are indolent. Anterior cancers are more commonly seen in the APZ than the TZ and APZ cancers appear more locally aggressive than TZ cancers.

Unilateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection in Prostate Cancer Patients Diagnosed in the Era of Magnetic Resonance Imaging-targeted Biopsy: A Study That Challenges the Dogma.

Bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection at the time of radical prostatectomy is the current standard of care if pelvic lymph node dissection is indicated; often, however, pelvic lymph node dissection is performed in pN0 disease. With the more accurate staging achieved with magnetic resonance imaging-targeted biopsies for prostate cancer diagnosis, the indication for bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection may be revised. We aimed to assess the feasibility of unilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection in the era of modern prostate cancer imaging. We analyzed a multi-institutional data set of men with cN0 disease diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging-targeted biopsy who underwent prostatectomy and bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection. The outcome of the study was lymph node invasion contralateral to the prostatic lobe with worse disease features, ie, dominant lobe. Logistic regression to predict lymph node invasion contralateral to the dominant lobe was generated and internally validated. Overall, data from 2,253 patients were considered. Lymph node invasion was documented in 302 (13%) patients; 83 (4%) patients had lymph node invasion contralateral to the dominant prostatic lobe. A model including prostate-specific antigen, maximum diameter of the index lesion, seminal vesicle invasion on magnetic resonance imaging, International Society of Urological Pathology grade in the nondominant side, and percentage of positive cores in the nondominant side achieved an area under the curve of 84% after internal validation. With a cutoff of contralateral lymph node invasion of 1%, 602 (27%) contralateral pelvic lymph node dissections would be omitted with only 1 (1.2%) lymph node invasion missed. Pelvic lymph node dissection could be omitted contralateral to the prostate lobe with worse disease features in selected patients. We propose a model that can help avoid contralateral pelvic lymph node dissection in almost one-third of cases.

Editorial Comment.

No AccessJournal of UrologyAdult Urology13 Apr 2023Editorial CommentThis article comments on the following:Unilateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection in Prostate Cancer Patients Diagnosed in the Era of Magnetic Resonance Imaging–targeted Biopsy: A Study That Challenges the Dogmais a letter which has replyReply by Authors Christoph Würnschimmel, Philipp Baumeister, and Agostino Mattei Christoph WürnschimmelChristoph Würnschimmel Department of Urology, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Lucerne, Switzerland Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland More articles by this author , Philipp BaumeisterPhilipp Baumeister Department of Urology, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Lucerne, Switzerland Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland More articles by this author , and Agostino MatteiAgostino Mattei Department of Urology, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Lucerne, Switzerland Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003442.01AboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail "Editorial Comment." The Journal of Urology, Publish Ahead of Print, pp. – REFERENCES 1. Complications and other surgical outcomes associated with extended pelvic lymphadenectomy in men with localized prostate cancer. Eur Urol.2006; 50(5):1006-1013. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar 2. Unilateral pelvic lymph node dissection in prostate cancer patients diagnosed in the era of magnetic resonance imaging–targeted biopsy: a study that challenges the dogma. J Urol2023; 210(1):000-000. Google Scholar 3. The template of the primary lymphatic landing sites of the prostate should be revisited: results of a multimodality mapping study. Eur Urol.2008; 53(1):118-125. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar 4. Extended versus limited pelvic lymph node dissection during radical prostatectomy for intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer: early oncological outcomes from a randomized phase 3 trial. Eur Urol.2021; 79(5):595-604. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsRelated articlesJournal of Urology13 Apr 2023Unilateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection in Prostate Cancer Patients Diagnosed in the Era of Magnetic Resonance Imaging–targeted Biopsy: A Study That Challenges the DogmaJournal of Urology13 Apr 2023Reply by Authors Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Christoph Würnschimmel Department of Urology, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Lucerne, Switzerland Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland More articles by this author Philipp Baumeister Department of Urology, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Lucerne, Switzerland Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland More articles by this author Agostino Mattei Department of Urology, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Lucerne, Switzerland Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

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Incidental gall bladder cancer in the laparoscopic treatment and magnetic resonance imaging era: A single institution experience.

Incidental gall bladder cancer (IGBC) is often discovered unexpectedly in patients after cholecystectomy. Currently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been widely applied in the pre-operative diagnosis of gall bladder diseases as laparoscopic cholecystectomy developed into the preferred method. This study aimed to evaluate the pre-operative MRI application and laparoscopic management in the IGBCs. Between January 2011 and January 2020, a total of 7917 patients with gall bladder diseases treated by laparoscopy were enrolled in this study. Amongst 49 patients diagnosed with IGBCs, the incidence of IGBCs in polypoid lesions, biliary pancreatitis, cholecystitis, cholecystocholedocholithiasis and gall bladder stones was 0.42%, 1.19%, 0.62%, 1.20% and 0.49%, respectively. MRI evaluation showed more remarkable pre-operative imaging as compared to ultrasonographic evaluation (40.8 vs. 26.5, P < 0.05). Furthermore, 14 patients were diagnosed with gall bladder cancer through intraoperative histological examination and 11 received laparoscopic extensive resection after cholecystectomy. MRI findings with diffuse thickening of the gall bladder detected IGBCs with 6.1% sensitivity, 96.02 specificity, 0.95% positive predictive values and 99.4% negative predictive values; diffuse thickening of the gall bladder with suspicion of malignancy detected IGBCs with 12.2% sensitivity, 99.1% specificity, 7.6% positive predictive values and 99.5% negative predictive values; focal thickening of the gall bladder detected IGBCs with 16% sensitivity, 99.8% specificity, 32% positive predictive values and 99.5% negative predictive values; moreover, suspicious lesion detected IGBCs with 6.1% sensitivity, 99.6% specificity, 8.8% positive predictive values and 99.4% negative predictive values. Patients with biliary pancreatitis and cholecystocholedocholithiasis have a higher incidence of IGBC. MRI evaluation could provide more accurate information for the IGBCs, which should be recommended for patients accepting cholecystectomy. MRI findings exhibited an unsatisfactory sensitivity when detecting IGBCs, but they represented high specificity. Pre-operative MRI evaluation and intraoperative histological examination may help some IGBCs to achieve one-stage laparoscopic extensive resection.

Optimizing multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-targeted biopsy and prostate cancer grading accuracy

To assess the most efficient biopsy method to improve International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade group accuracy with final pathology of the radical prostatectomy (RP) specimen in the era of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-driven pathway. A total of 753 patients diagnosed by transrectal MRI-targeted and systematic biopsies (namely "standard method"), treated by RP, between 2016 and 2021 were evaluated. Biopsy methods included MRI-targeted biopsy, side-specific systematic biopsies relative to index MRI lesion and combination of both. Number of MRI-targeted biopsy cores and positive cores needed per index MRI lesion were assessed. Multivariable analysis was performed to analyze predictive factors of upgrading using MRI targeted and ipsilateral systematic biopsies method. Overall, ISUP grade group accuracy varied among biopsy methods with upgrading rate of 35%, 49%, 27%, and 24% for MRI targeted, systematic, MRI targeted and ipsilateral systematic biopsies and standard methods, respectively (p < 0.001). A minimum of two positive MRI-targeted biopsies cores per index MRI lesion were required when testing MRI targeted and ipsilateral systematic biopsies method to reach equivalent accuracy compared to standard method. Omitting contralateral systematic biopsies spared an average of 5.9 cores per patient. At multivariable analysis, only the number of positive MRI-targeted biopsy cores per index MRI lesion was predictive of upgrading. MRI targeted and ipsilateral systematic biopsies allowed an accurate definition of ISUP grade group and appears to be an interesting alternative when compared with standard method, reducing total number of biopsy cores needed.

Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation in Patients with Limited-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer without Brain Metastases: A Retrospective Cohort Study

<h3>Purpose/Objective(s)</h3> Previous studies showed that prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) reduced brain metastases and improved overall survival of patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC). However, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), currently recognized as the preferred modality for brain metastases detection, was not routinely used for staging and reassessment in previous trials. This retrospective study aimed to reevaluate the role of PCI for LS-SCLC patients in the modern MRI era. <h3>Materials/Methods</h3> We retrospectively reviewed LS-SCLC patients treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy (≥4 cycles of chemotherapy and thoracic intensity-modulated radiotherapy [IMRT]) between 2006 and 2014 in our center. Patients who responded to initial therapy were included and subsequently reassessed for brain metastases by MRI. The cumulative incidence of brain metastases was estimated using the Fine-Grey competing risks regression model. The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazards model. <h3>Results</h3> We enrolled 177 patients in this study, of which 79 were treated by PCI and 98 were not (non-PCI). The median follow-up was 76.0 months (95% confidence interval, 71.2-80.8 months). All patients achieved complete response (<i>n</i> = 50, 28.2%) or partial response (<i>n</i> = 127, 71.8%) to initial chemoradiotherapy. The cumulative incidence of brain metastases in the PCI group was lower than in the non-PCI group (6.6% vs. 30.0% at 2 years, 12.2% vs. 31.0% at 5 years, <i>P</i> = 0.004). 5-year PFS in the PCI group was significantly higher than in the non-PCI group (45.3% vs. 26.5%, <i>P</i> = 0.002). However, 5-year OS of 48.8% and 39.2% in the PCI and non-PCI groups, respectively, were similar (<i>P</i> = 0.255). In the multivariate analysis, treatment response (<i>P</i><0.001) and PCI (<i>P</i> = 0.038) were independent prognostic factors for PFS. Stratification analysis revealed that PCI did not improve 5-year PFS for patients with partial response to initial therapy (26.6% vs. 19.7%, <i>P</i> = 0.234). <h3>Conclusion</h3> In the Modern Era with MRI Surveillance, PCI is associated with a lower incidence of brain metastases and improved PFS while OS benefit wasn't observed. Patients achieving partial response to initial therapy did not gain PFS benefit from PCI. Prospective trials are still needed to further evaluate the utility of PCI for patients with LS-SCLC.

Prophylactic cranial irradiation for limited-stage small-cell lung cancer in the magnetic resonance imaging era.

We investigated the role of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) according to tumor response in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) era. We retrospectively evaluated patients with LS-SCLC without brain metastases (BMs) on MRI who achieved either complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) after initial chemoradiotherapy at our center from 2006 to 2017. This study comprised 116 patients (median age, 58 years; men, 92; women, 24). After initial chemoradiotherapy, 53 patients achieved CR, while 63 patients achieved PR. Eighty-three patients received PCI. Patients who received PCI had better overall survival (OS, 5-year: 52.5% vs. 35.1%; p=0.012) and progression-free survival (PFS, 5-year: 45.0% vs. 28.2%; p=0.001) and a lower incidence of BMs (5-year: 18.3% vs. 39.4%; p=0.010). In the subgroup analysis, PCI improved OS (5-year: 67.8% vs. 46.7%, p=0.005) and PFS (5-year: 65.2% vs. 35.0%, p=0.021) and decreased BM risk (5-year: 12.1% vs. 52.4%, p=0.002) for patients with CR. However, PCI had no benefit (5-year OS: 40.5% vs. 35.6%, p=0.763; 5-year BMs: 24.6% vs. 31.9%, p=0.561) for patients with PR. Tumor response remained an important factor for selecting patients for PCI in the MRI era. PCI should be recommended for patients with LS-SCLC who achieve CR after initial thoracic chemoradiotherapy.

Survival impact of prophylactic cranial irradiation in small-cell lung cancer in the modern era of magnetic resonance imaging staging

BackgroundIn the modern era of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) staging, the benefit of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) has been controversial. This study evaluated the prognostic impact of PCI in patients with limited- or extensive-stage SCLC who had no brain metastases at diagnosis according to MRI.MethodsData from newly diagnosed patients in 2014 from the Korean Association for Lung Cancer Registry database were used. Patients with limited- or extensive-stage SCLC who had no brain metastases according to MRI were identified. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were conducted to assess the prognostic association of PCI.ResultsOf 107 and 122 patients with limited- and extensive-stage SCLC, 24% and 14% received PCI, respectively. In the limited-stage SCLC group, the 2-year overall survival (OS) rates of patients who received PCI and those who did not were 50% and 29% (P = 0.018), respectively. However, there was no significant difference in OS for patients with extensive-stage SCLC (P = 0.336). After adjusting for other covariates, PCI was found to be associated with improved OS in the limited-stage SCLC group (P = 0.005). Based on the time-course hazard rate function plots in the limited-stage SCLC group, the OS benefit of PCI was maximized within the first year of follow-up.ConclusionsIn the modern era of MRI staging, PCI might be beneficial for patients with limited-stage SCLC but not for those with extensive-stage SCLC. Further studies with a large sample size are needed to verify the prognostic association of PCI.