Follow-up Computed Tomography Scan Research Articles

Staged Repositioning in Endoscopic Endonasal Odontoidectomy Maximizes Decompression While Allowing Preservation of the C1 Anterior Arch: A Technical Note

Preservation of the anterior arch of C1 in endoscopic endonasal odontoidectomy has been proposed as an alternative to complete C1 arch resections, potentially affording less destabilization of the craniocervical junction. Nonetheless, this approach may limit the decompression achieved. In this case, intraoperative repositioning allowed maximal decompression while preserving the anterior arch of C1. A 79-year-old woman presented with suboccipital pain caused by an expansile and compressive mass centered on the dens. Notably, the mass occluded both vertebral arteries resulting in small cerebellar strokes. An endoscopic endonasal approach for diagnosis and decompression was performed followed by posterior fixation. Given the significant compression, the patient was initially positioned in slight cervical extension. After rhinopharyngeal flap harvest, the top half of the anterior arch of C1 was resected, maintaining its structural integrity. The odontoidectomy was completed flush to the superior border of the reduced C1 arch. After an intraoperative computed tomography (CT) scan, performed in a neutral position, the patient was then repositioned with cervical flexion. This maneuver presented the residual odontoid above the C1 arch, but, given the partial removal of the dens, it did not result in any change in neuromonitoring. Further odontoid resection was then completed and follow-up CT scan revealed maximal dens removal, extending below the C1 anterior arch in neutral position. In cases of odontoid/atlantoaxial pathology causing significant neural compression, staged intraoperative repositioning can safely maximize the odontoidectomy, while affording preservation of the structural integrity of the anterior arch of C1.

Glibenclamide Advantage in Treating Edema After Intracerebral Hemorrhage (GATE-ICH): Study Protocol for a Multicenter Randomized, Controlled, Assessor-Blinded Trial.

Introduction: Brain edema after acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) plays a critical role in the secondary injury of ICH and may heighten the potential for a poor outcome. This trial aims to explore the efficacy of small doses of oral glibenclamide in perihematomal edema (PHE) and the prognosis of patients with ICH.Methods and Analysis: The GATE-ICH trial is a multicenter randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded trial. A total of 220 adult patients with acute primary ICH in 28 study centers in China will be randomized to the glibenclamide group (glibenclamide plus guideline-recommended ICH management) or the control group (guideline-recommended ICH management). Multivariate logistic regression will be used to analyze the relationship between the treatments and primary outcome.Study Outcomes: The primary efficacy outcome is the proportion of poor functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale ≥3) at 90 days after enrollment. The secondary efficacy outcomes include changes in the volume of ICH and PHE between the baseline and follow-up computed tomography scans as well as the clinical scores between the baseline and follow-up assessments.Discussion: The GATE-ICH trial will assess the effects of small doses of oral glibenclamide in reducing the PHE after ICH and improving the 90-day prognosis of patients.Clinical Trial Registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov., NCT03741530. Registered on November 8, 2018.Trial Status: Protocol version: May 6, 2019, Version 5. Recruitment and follow-up of patients is currently ongoing. This trial will be end in the second quarter of 2021.

The Effect of Malunited Scaphoid Fractures on Joint Congruency

Although the consequences of scaphoid nonunion have been well-established, the implications of malunions are not well-known. To date, malunions have mainly been studied with 2-dimensional imaging. The objective of this study was to employ 3-dimensional computed tomography (CT) imaging and inter-bone distance mapping to determine the implications of a scaphoid malunion on 3-dimensional joint surface area (JSA) (a measure of joint contact area) at an average of 7 ± 2 years (range, 4-12 years) after fracture. In 14 subjects with previous unilateral, malunited scaphoid fractures, we measured the 3-dimensional JSA using reconstructed CT bone models of the carpus. The JSA was compared within each individual, comparing images of the wrist collected at the time of fracture (baseline) and 7 years later (follow-up CT scans). There was a significant increase in the measured JSA (reduced joint space) at the scaphotrapezial (23% increase) and scaphocapitate (13% increase) joints when the baseline and follow-up scans of the wrist were compared. An increased JSA indicates that the 2 opposing surfaces are closer in contact and have a reduced joint spacing reflective of degenerative changes. However, participants in this study showed no radiographic signs of degenerative changes in the wrists at midterm follow-up. An increase in JSA was found in patients with a malunited scaphoid in the scaphotrapezial and scaphocapitate joints of the wrist an average of 7 years after injury, but these joint changes were not evident in measured radiographic signs of arthritis. As early as 4 years after injury, the 3-dimensional JSA is significantly increased at the scaphocapitate and scaphotrapezial joints. Future work is needed to determine the implication of this increased in 3-dimensional JSA on the underlying subchondral bone, and to observe these patients for longer to determine whether degenerative changes develop.

Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair With Additional Distal Bare Stents in Type B Aortic Dissection Does Not Prevent Long-Term Aneurysmal Degeneration

Purpose: TEVAR (thoracic endovascular aortic repair) + PETTICOAT (Provisional ExTension to Induce COmplete ATtachment) technique has been selectively employed since 2005 at our institution during endovascular treatment of type B aortic dissection (TBD). The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term (>5 years) clinical results and the evolution of aortic volume. Materials and Methods: All the patients receiving an endovascular treatment for TBD with the PETTICOAT technique were collected in a prospectively maintained database and follow-up computed tomography scan were retrospectively analyzed. Study endpoints included short- and long-term clinical success (absence of need for reintervention) and any major adverse event. The volumes of thoracic and abdominal aorta at long-term follow-up were also analyzed. Results: Twenty-eight patients received a TEVAR + PETTICOAT and were followed up (median follow-up 85 months). Primary 30-day clinical success rate was 82% with an adverse event rate of 31%; 4 type I endoleak and 1 retrograde dissection were recorded. Secondary mid-term clinical success was 96% while the long-term clinical success rate was 79%. Six cases (21%) received either an open repair or an endovascular repair for a significant distal aortic enlargement at follow-up. With regards to volumetric analysis, an increase of overall (thoracic and abdominal) aortic volume was observed in 8 cases mainly related to an increase (mean: +31%) of the abdominal volume that was observed in 11 cases. Conclusions: PETTICOAT technique does not protect from long-term significant aneurysmal degeneration that may require aortic open or endovascular reinterventions. Aortic growth occurs mainly in the bare-stented aorta and thus, life-long surveillance is advisable in these patients.

Esophageal cancer responsive to the combination of immune cell therapy and low-dose nivolumab: two case reports

BackgroundBlocking the programmed death 1 pathway by immune checkpoint inhibitors induces dramatic antitumor activity in patients with malignant tumors. However, the clinical response to immune checkpoint inhibitors remains limited owing to the patients’ immunological status, such as the number of lymphocytes, programmed death ligand 1 expression, and tumor mutation burden. In this study, we successfully treated two patients with advanced esophageal cancer who responded to the combination of adoptive immune cell therapy and a low-dose immune checkpoint inhibitor, nivolumab.Case presentationTwo Asian (Japanese) patients with advanced esophageal cancer who were resistant to conventional chemoradiation therapy were referred to our hospital for immune therapy. Case 1 was a 66-year-old woman who was diagnosed as having esophageal cancer. She received concurrent chemoradiation therapy and then underwent subtotal esophagectomy, after which she became cancer free. However, she relapsed, and cancer cells were found in the lung and lymph nodes 6 months later. She enrolled in a clinical trial at our institution (clinical trial number UMIN000028756). She received adoptive immune cell therapy twice at a 2-week interval followed by low-dose nivolumab with adoptive immune cell therapy four times at 2-week intervals. A follow-up computed tomography scan showed partial response, with mass reduction of the metastatic lung and mediastinal lesions. Case 2 was a 77-year-old man. He received concurrent chemoradiation therapy with fluoropyrimidine/platinum, and gastroscopy revealed complete remission of esophageal cancer. He was disease free for 5 months, but routine computed tomography revealed multiple metastases in his lungs and lymph nodes. He visited our clinic to receive adoptive immune cell therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitor combination therapy. Radiographic evidence showed continuous improvement of lesions. There was no evidence of severe adverse events during the combination therapy.ConclusionThe combination of adoptive immune cell therapy and an immune checkpoint inhibitor might be a possible treatment strategy for advanced esophageal cancer.Trial registration UMIN000028756. Registered 14 September 2017

Pathway-Based Reduction of Repeat Head Computed Tomography for Patients With Complicated Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Implementation and Outcomes.

Routine follow-up head imaging in complicated mild traumatic brain injury (cmTBI) patients has not been shown to alter treatment, improve outcomes, or identify patients in need of neurosurgical intervention. We developed a follow-up head computed tomography (CT) triage algorithm for cmTBI patients to decrease the number of routine follow-up head CT scans obtained in this population. To report our experience with protocol implications and patient outcome. Data on all cmTBI patients presenting from July 1, 2018 to June 31, 2019, to our level 1, tertiary, academic medical center were collected prospectively and analyzed retrospectively. Descriptive analysis was performed. Of the 178 patients enrolled, 52 (29%) received a follow-up head CT. A total of 27 patients (15%) were scanned because of initial presentation and triaged to the group to receive a routine follow-up head CT. A total of 151 patients (85%) were triaged to the group without routine follow-up head CT scan. Protocol adherence was 89% with 17 violations. Utilizing this protocol, we were able to safely decrease the use of routine follow-up head CT scans in cmTBI patients by 71% without any missed injuries or delayed surgery. Adoption of the protocol was high among all services managing TBI patients.

Laparoscopic Resection for Lymphangioma Originating From Small Intestine: A Case Report

Background Lymphangioma originating from the small intestinal wall is a very rare finding. There have been only 15 case reports on the disease. Here, we report a case of lymphangioma in the small intestine that was resected laparoscopically. We also provide a literature review. Case Presentation A 37-year-old man came to our hospital with a chief complaint of abdominal pain. Physical examination showed mild tenderness in the lower abdomen, but rebound tenderness or guarding was absent. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan showed local poor enhancement in distal ileum, suggesting the possibility of mucous necrosis. Conservative therapy was started. On the eighth hospital day, although his abdominal symptoms improved, a follow-up computed tomography scan showed no improvement in the distal ileum lesion. Laparoscopic tumor resection was performed. The patient's postoperative course was unremarkable, and he was discharged on postoperative day 7. The pathologic result of the surgical specimen was lymphangioma of the ileum. The patient is still alive with no sign of recurrence 19 months after surgery. Conclusion Lymphangioma originating in the small intestinal wall is a very rare disease. Laparoscopic resection seems to be a preferable method for surgery.

The value of repeated CT in monitoring the disease progression in moderate COVID-19 pneumonia: A single-center, retrospective study.

The role of thoracic CT (computerized tomography) in monitoring disease course of COVID-19 is controversial. The purpose of this study is to investigate the risk factors and predictive value of deterioration on repeatedly performed CT scan during hospitalization.All COVID-19 patients treated in our isolation ward, from January 22, 2020 to February 7, 2020, were reviewed. Patients included were categorized into RD (Radiological Deterioration) group or NRD (No Radiological Deterioration) group according to the manifestation on the CT routinely performed during the hospitalization. All clinical data and CT images were analyzed.Forty three patients were included in our study. All are moderate cases with at least 4 CT scans each. Eighteen (42.9%) patients had radiological deteriorations which were all identified in CT2 (the first CT after admission). Patients in RD group had lower leukocyte count (P = .003), lymphocyte count (P = .030), and higher prevalence (P = .012) of elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) at admission. NRD patients had a lower prevalence of reticulations (P = .034) on baseline CT (CT1, performed within 2 days before admission) and a longer duration between symptom onset and the time of CT2 (P < .01). There was no significant difference in hospital stay or fibrotic change on CT4 (follow-up CT scan performed 4 weeks after discharge) between 2 groups. Shorter duration between symptom onset and CT2 time (odds ratio [OR], 0.436; 95% confidence interval: 0.233–0.816; P < .01) and lower leukocyte count in baseline evaluation (OR, 0.316; 95% CI: 0.116–0.859; P < .05) were associated with increased odds of radiological deterioration on CT image during hospitalization.For moderate COVID-19 patients, the value of routinely performed CT during the treatment is limited. We recommend avoiding using CT as a routine monitor in moderate COVID-19 patients.

Non-Rigid Liver Registration in Liver Computed Tomography Images Using Elastic Method with Global and Local Deformations

The study of follow-up liver computed tomography (CT) images is required for the early diagnosis and treatment evaluation of liver cancer. Although this requirement has been manually performed by doctors, the demands on computer-aided diagnosis are dramatically growing according to the increased amount of medical image data by the recent development of CT. However, conventional image segmentation, registration, and skeletonization methods cannot be directly applied to clinical data due to the characteristics of liver CT images varying largely by patients and contrast agents. In this paper, we propose non-rigid liver segmentation using elastic method with global and local deformation for follow-up liver CT images. To manage intensity differences between two scans, we extract the liver vessel and parenchyma in each scan. And our method binarizes the segmented liver parenchyma and vessel, and performs the registration to minimize the intensity difference between these binarized images of follow-up CT images. The global movements between follow-up CT images are corrected by rigid registration based on liver surface. The local deformations between follow-up CT images are modeled by non-rigid registration, which aligns images using non-rigid transformation, based on locally deformable model. Our method can model the global and local deformation between follow-up liver CT scans by considering the deformation of both the liver surface and vessel. In experimental results using twenty clinical datasets, our method matches the liver effectively between follow-up portal phase CT images, enabling the accurate assessment of the volume change of the liver cancer. The proposed registration method can be applied to the follow-up study of various organ diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer.

Semi-automatic quantification of aortic root progressive dilation by automatic co-registration of computed tomography angiograms: a preliminary comparison with manual assessment in Marfan patients

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities Instituto de Salud Carlos III Background. Dilation of the aortic root is a key feature of Marfan syndrome and it is related to the occurrence of aortic events and death. On top of maximum diameter, rapid annual growth rate is suggested by guidelines for indication of aortic root replacement. Current gold-standard for aortic root diameter assessment is manual quantification on multiplanar reformatted 3D computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance angiogram. However, inter- and intra-observer reproducibility are limited and different measurement methods, i.e. cusp-to-cusp and cusp-to-commissure, may be used in different clinical centres, leading to difficulties in the clinical assessment of progressive dilation. Purpose. We aimed to test whether aortic root growth rate during follow-up can be reliably quantified by semi-automatic co-registration of two CT angiograms. Methods. Seven Marfan syndrome patients, free from previous aortic surgery, with a total of 11 pairs of CT were identified. Manual assessment of six aortic root diameters (right-non coronary -RN- , right-left -RL- and left-non coronary -LN- cusp-to-cusp and R, L and N cusp-to-commissure) was obtained from all CTs by an experienced researcher blind to semi-automatic results. The thoracic aorta and the outflow tract were semi-automatically segmented in the baseline CT and commissure and cusps were manually located. A 10 mm-thick region of interest containing the aortic wall was automatically generated from segmentation boundary. Co-registration was obtained with three, fully-automatic steps. Firstly, baseline and follow-up CT scans were aligned by means of a rigid registration. Then, scans were co-registered with multi-resolution affine followed by b-spline non-rigid registrations based on mutual information metric. The transformation pertaining to the location of baseline commissure and cusps points was used to locate the same points in the follow-up scan (Fig. 1 top). Results. Follow-up duration was 35 ± 22 (range 12-70.3) months. Automatic quantification of diameter growth during the follow-up was obtained in 62 out of 66 (94%) diameter comparisons. High Pearson correlation coefficients (R) and ICC were found between manual and semi-automatic assessment of growth rate, both for cusp-to-cusp and cusp-to-commissure diameters: R = 0.727 and ICC = 0.678 for RN; R = 0.822 and ICC = 0.602 for RL; R = 0.648 and ICC = 0.668 for LN; R = 0.726 and ICC = 0.711 for R; R = 0.911 and ICC = 0.895 for L and R = 0.553 and ICC = 0.482 for N. Scatter and Bland-Altman plots for all growth rates (Fig. 1) confirmed very good correlation (R = 0.810) but a slight tendency (R=-0.270) for underestimation at high growth rate. No correlation was found between follow-up duration and difference between techniques (R = 0.06). Conclusions. Semi-automatic quantification of aortic root growth rate by co-registration of pairs of CT angiograms is feasible for follow-up as short as one year. Larger studies are needed to confirm these preliminary data. Abstract Figure. CT measurements. Automatic vs manual.

Outcomes of Patients With Interstitial Lung Disease Receiving Programmed Cell Death 1 Inhibitors: A Retrospective Case Series

BackgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), such as programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors, are used to treat multiple cancers. Limited data exist as to the use of ICIs in patients with coexistent interstitial lung disease (ILD). We conducted a retrospective case series to assess clinical and radiologic outcomes of patients with ILD treated with PD-1 inhibitors. MethodsEligible patients were 18 years of age or older, treated with pembrolizumab or nivolumab for oncologic indications, and had evidence of ILD on chest computed tomography scan not attributable to radiotherapy before initiation of ICI therapy. Outcomes of interest included mortality, hospitalizations for respiratory-related causes, development of pneumonitis, and radiologic change in ILD over a 1-year follow-up period. ResultsWe included 41 patients in the analysis. At 1 year, 17 patients (41.5%) were alive, 23 had died (56.1%), and 1 (2.4%) was lost to follow-up. Of 23 deaths, 16 (69.6%) were due to cancer, 4 (17.4%) to causes excluding cancer and ILD, and 3 (13.0%) to hypoxemic respiratory failure from ILD- or ICI-induced pneumonitis. Three patients (7.3%) required hospitalization owing to ILD, including drug-induced pneumonitis, and 3 (7.3%) developed pneumonitis attributable to anti–PD-1 therapy. On follow-up computed tomography scans, 32 patients (78.0%) had stable or improved ILD and 9 (22.0%) had progression. ConclusionPatients with ILD receiving PD-1 inhibitors more frequently died of cancer-related causes than from ILD. Further research is needed to determine the safety of ICIs in patients with ILD and if ILD subtype may help to refine ICI-associated risks.

Dynamic angiopoietin-2 assessment predicts survival and chronic course in hospitalized patients with COVID-19

AbstractThis study examined the association between dynamic angiopoietin-2 assessment and COVID-19 short- and long-term clinical course. We included consecutive hospitalized patients from 1 February to 31 May 2020 with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from 2 Italian tertiary referral centers (derivation cohort, n = 187 patients; validation cohort, n = 62 patients). Serum biomarker levels were measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Lung tissue from 9 patients was stained for angiopoietin-2, Tie2, CD68, and CD34. Cox model was used to identify risk factors for mortality and nonresolving pulmonary condition. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was used to assess the accuracy of 3- and 10-day angiopoietin-2 for in-hospital mortality and nonresolving pulmonary condition, respectively. Three-day angiopoietin-2 increase of at least twofold from baseline was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality by multivariate analysis (hazard ratio [HR], 6.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.85-24.19; P = .004) with AUROC = 0.845 (95% CI, 0.725-0.940). Ten-day angiopoietin-2 of at least twofold from baseline was instead significantly associated with nonresolving pulmonary condition by multivariate analysis (HR, 5.33; 95% CI, 1.34-11.77; P ≤ .0001) with AUROC = 0.969 (95% CI, 0.919-1.000). Patients with persistent elevation of 10-day angiopoietin-2 levels showed severe reticular interstitial thickening and fibrous changes on follow-up computed tomography scans. Angiopoietin-2 and Tie2 were diffusely colocalized in small-vessel endothelia and alveolar new vessels and macrophages. Angiopoietin-2 course is strongly associated with COVID-19 in-hospital mortality and nonresolving pulmonary condition. Angiopoietin-2 may be an early and useful predictor of COVID-19 clinical course, and it could be a relevant part of disease pathogenesis. Angiopoietin-2 blockade may be a COVID-19 treatment option.

Clinical Decision Making During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The authors apply principles for translating imprecision in diagnostic and therapeutic information into clinical decisions to address 3 ongoing areas of uncertainty related to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of COVID-19. They briefly review the current state of knowledge, highlight the level of uncertainty, and then suggest a pathway forward for clinical decision making during the pandemic.

Are patients with comorbidities more prone to sequalae in severe COVID-19

Majority hospital admission in COVID-19 is because of pneumonia. Few develop progressive and permanent pulmonary fibrosis. Here, we present three patients of severe COVID-19 pneumonia requiring intensive care unit care. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest of these patients revealed multiple areas of lung involvement at the 4th week of illness. Follow-up CT scan and pulmonary function test were done after 5 months to look for residual changes. Pulmonary fibrosis induced by COVID-19 is being documented. We need long-term follow-up studies to observe the clinical and radiological course of fibrosis. Corticosteroids and antifibrotic agents in such cases are being looked into.

Signs of impending rupture in abdominal aortic and iliac artery aneurysms by computed tomography: Outcomes in 41 patients

OBJECTIVES:This study aimed to determine the prevalence of signs of impending rupture (SIR) in asymptomatic patients with abdominal aortic and iliac artery aneurysms, and to evaluate whether these signs were associated with rupture in asymptomatic patients.METHODS:This was a retrospective study of patients with abdominal aortic and iliac artery aneurysms identified on computed tomography (CT) over a 10-year period in a single center. The CT scans were reviewed by two reviewers, and patients with SIR were assigned to one of three groups: (1) early symptomatic (ES), (2) late symptomatic (LS), and (3) always asymptomatic (AA). The four main SIR described in the literature were investigated: 1) crescent sign, 2) focal wall discontinuity of circumferential calcifications, 3) aortic bulges or blebs, and 4) aortic draping.RESULTS:From a total of 759 aortic and iliac aneurysm reports on 2226 CT scans, we identified 41 patients with at least one SIR, and a prevalence of 4.14% in asymptomatic patients. Focal wall discontinuity of circumferential calcifications was the most common sign, and it was present in 46.3% of these patients (19/41); among these, 26 were repaired (ES: 9, LS: 2, AA: 15). Eleven asymptomatic patients underwent follow-up CT. The aneurysm increased in size in 6 of the 11 (54.5%) patients, and three ruptured (all with discontinuity of calcifications), one of which had no increase in diameter.CONCLUSIONS:The presence of focal wall discontinuity of circumferential calcifications was the most common SIR. There was a prevalence of all signs in less than 5% of asymptomatic patients. In unrepaired patients, the signs could be observed on follow-up CT scans with an increase in aneurysm size, indicating that the presence of SIR alone in the absence of other clinical factors or aneurysm characteristics is an insufficient indication for surgery.

Complications and recovery patterns after blunt splenic injury: Recommended duration and follow-up methods.

Splenic artery embolization (SAE) is commonly employed as a non-operative management technique for splenic injury. Nonetheless, information on follow-up duration and methods, and the natural course of splenic infarction after SAE is limited. Thus, this study is aimed to analyze the patterns of complications and recovery of splenic infarction after SAE and to determine the appropriate follow-up duration and method. Medical records of 314 patients with blunt splenic injury admitted at the Pusan National University Hospital, Level I Trauma Centre were analyzed to identify patients who underwent SAE between January 2014 and November 2018. Computed tomography (CT) scans that were obtained after SAE in patients who were followed up were compared with all their previous CT scans to identify any changes in the spleen and the occurrence of complications such as sustained bleeding, pseudoaneurysm, splenic infarctions, or abscess formation. Of the 314 patients, 132 who underwent SAE were included in the study. In total, 30 complications were noted among the 132 patients; of these, 7 (5.30%) required repeat embolization and 9 (6.82%) required splenectomy. Splenic infarction of <50% occurred in 76 patients and that of ≥50% including total and near-total infarctions occurred in 40 patients. Among patients with splenic infarction of ≥50%, 3 (2.27%) patients had abscesses between 16 and 21 days after SAE, and the range of infarctions increased as the AAAST-OIS grade increased. After SAE, repeat abdominal CT scans for >14 days were obtained in 75 patients; among these, 67 pre-sented with recovery of splenic infarction. The median period of recovery was 43 days after SAE. The present findings suggest that patients with ≥50% infarction may need 3 weeks of closed observation, with or without a follow-up CT scan, to rule out infection after SAE, follow-up CT follow-up at 6 weeks after SAE may be necessary to confirm the recovery of the spleen.

Rapidly progressive pulmonary fibrosis in COVID-19 pneumonia

Introduction. COVID-19 pneumonia does not have a characteristic course and prognosis. Many facts still remain hidden, mainly why certain patients develop complications with serious tissue damage and whether it causes a permanent organ impairment. If and when will fibrosis develop in COVID-19 pneumonia requires further research, but a link between the amount of tissue afflicted and the development of fibrosis exists. Case outline. A previously healthy, non-smoker, woman with minor symptoms on admission had suddenly developed a serious respiratory insufficiency and whose radiographic finding on computed tomography scan had shown a serious progression with the development of fibrosis in a matter of days. The exact mechanism and correlation of this clinical course remains unknown; however, it is clear that the pulmonary fibrosis is caused by COVID-19 pneumonia. Follow-up computed tomography scan, performed 50 days after initial symptoms, had shown a partial regression of consolidations and post-inflammatory fibrosis. Conclusion. Pulmonary fibrosis is the most severe complication of COVID-19 infection on the respiratory system. Who, when or if a patient will develop any complication is still unclear, as well as whether these changes are reversible? Also, the number of recovered patients who later develop some chronic complications remains to be seen.

Synoptic reporting in lung cancers using Lung Cancer Reporting and Data System (LC-RADS): The road ahead for standardization of imaging in lung cancer staging

Words are the most important and sometimes the only medium of communication between a radiologist and a treating physician. The concept of structured reporting in radiology was well received in the face of growing concerns to overcome the limitations of unstructured reporting such as interobserver variations, errors in communication, and lack of standardization of reporting that primarily affect the patients who seek health care away from their diagnostic centers. With the introduction of synoptic reporting in radiology, it is now possible to standardize the reporting of diseases in a more comprehensive and less time-consuming manner, thus magnifying the impact of a radiological report in the further management of the disease under analysis. We aim to develop a standardized synoptic reporting template for lung cancers that would comprise and collate all the required computed tomography (CT) findings and demographic details of the patients. This will help the treating physicians and surgeons to plan the further course of disease management. It will also help to standardize the follow-up CT scans performed for the patients post any given treatment regimen with special reference to the likely complications caused by a particular treatment, such as radiation-related lung injury, immunotherapy-related toxicity, and surgical complications requiring urgent interventions.

Closure of Petersen's Space Lowers the Incidence of Gastric Food Retention after Distal Gastrectomy with Gastrojejunostomy in Gastric Cancer Patients.

PurposeDelayed gastric emptying usually manifests as gastric food retention. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of gastric food retention after distal gastrectomy with gastrojejunostomy in gastric cancer patients and identify the risk factors for its development.Materials and MethodsWe retrospectively enrolled 245 patients who underwent distal gastrectomy with gastrojejunostomy for gastric cancer at Boramae Medical Center between March 2017 and December 2019. We analyzed the presence of gastric food residue via computed tomography (CT) scans at 3 and 12 months postoperatively and analyzed the risk factors that may influence the development of gastric food retention.ResultsCT scans were performed on 235 patients at 3 months and on 217 patients at 12 months postoperatively. In the group that received closure of Petersen's space, the incidence of gastric food retention was significantly low as per the 3- and 12-month postoperative follow-up CT scans (P=0.028 and 0.003, respectively). In addition, hypertension was related to gastric food retention as per the 12-month postoperative follow-up CT scans (P=0.011). No other factors were related to the development of gastric food retention. In the multivariate analysis, non-closure of Petersen's space (hazard ratio [HR], 2.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20–5.38; P=0.010) was the only significant risk factor for gastric food retention at 3 months postoperatively, while non-closure of Petersen's space (HR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.40-5.64; P=0.004) and hypertension (HR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.14–4.63; P=0.020) were both significant risk factors for gastric food retention at 12 months postoperatively.ConclusionsClosure of Petersen's space has an effect on decrease the incidence of gastric food retention after distal gastrectomy with gastrojejunostomy in gastric cancer patients.

Early Perihematomal Edema Expansion: Definition, Significance, and Association with Outcomes after Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Objective To investigate the association between early perihematomal edema (PHE) expansion and functional outcome in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods Patients with ICH who underwent initial computed tomography (CT) scans within 6 hours after the onset of symptoms and follow-up CT scans within 24 ± 12 hours were included. Absolute PHE increase was defined as the absolute increase in PHE volume from baseline to 24 hours. A receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated to determine the cutoff value for early PHE expansion, which was operationally defined as an absolute increase in PHE volume of >6 mL. The outcome of interest was 3-month poor outcome defined as modified Rankin scale score of ≥4. A multivariable logistic regression procedure was used to assess the association between early PHE expansion and outcome after ICH. Results In 233 patients with ICH, 89 (38.2%) patients had poor outcome at 3-month follow-up. Early PHE expansion was observed in 56 of 233 (24.0%) patients. Patients with early PHE expansion were more likely to have poor functional outcome than those without (43.8% vs. 11.8%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for age, admission systolic blood pressure, admission Glasgow Coma Scale score, baseline ICH volume and the presence of intraventricular hemorrhage, and time from onset to CT, early PHE expansion was associated with poor outcome (adjusted odds ratio, 4.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.70–10.60; p = 0.002). Conclusions The early PHE expansion was not uncommon in patients with ICH and was correlated with poor outcome following ICH.