Preoperative Computed Tomography Examination Research Articles

The role of the right atrial appendage and right atrium in post-radiofrequency ablation recurrence in different types of atrial fibrillation

To quantitatively evaluate the relationship between the anatomical parameters of the right atrium and the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after radiofrequency ablation, considering different types of AF, utilizing 256-slice spiral computed tomography (CT). A total of 297 patients with AF who underwent initial radiofrequency ablation were enrolled, divided into the paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PaAF) group (n=230) and the persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF) group (n=67). Subsequently, patients in each group were further stratified into recurrent and non-recurrent subgroups. In addition, 100 healthy outpatients were selected as the normal group. All patients underwent preoperative cardiac CT (CCT) examination. The volumes of the right atrium (RA), right atrial appendage (RAA), and left atrial (LA), RAA height, the length, short diameter, perimeter, and area of the RAA base, anteroposterior diameter of the RA, tricuspid annulus diameter, crista terminalis, and inferior vena cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) on CCT images were measured. In both the PaAF group and the PeAF group, except for the crista terminalis thickness, the other measured parameters were greater than those in the normal group, and recurrent patients exhibited larger RAA base, crista terminalis and LA volume. Recurrent patients with PeAF presented larger RAVI, while recurrent patients with PaAF did not. The short diameter of the RAA base was an independent predictor of recurrence in patients with PaAF (p=0.001), while the height of the RAA, thickness of the crista terminalis, and hypertension were independent predictors of recurrence in PeAF (p<0.05). The ROC curve was used to analysis the predictive model in PaAF and PeAF group, the corresponding sensitivity and specificity were 0.604 and 0.864 in PaAF group, respectively (AUC=0.840, P=0.001), in PeAF group, the corresponding sensitivity and specificity were 0.967 and 0.892, respectively (AUC=0.959, P=0.001). The short diameter of RAA base > 22.15 mm had the highest predictive value for recurrence in PaAF patients, with a sensitivity of 0.887, and a specificity of 0.520 (AUC: 0.743, p=0.001). The RAA height > 28.95 mm has the highest predictive value for recurrence in PeAF, with a sensitivity of 0.633, and a specificity of 0.865 (AUC: 0.816, p=0.001). Recurrent patients both in the PaAF and PeAF groups demonstrated larger RAA base and RA structural parameters. Compared to patients with PaAF, recurrent patients with PeAF presented larger RA volume.

Main Portal Vein Diameter Changes in Patients Undergoing Gastric Surgery for Malignancy: An Observational CT Study

Abstract Background In the follow-up computed tomography (CT) examinations of patients who had undergone gastrectomy for gastric malignancy in our center, we noticed by chance that there was an isolated increase in the diameter of the main portal vein (MPV) without other radiological findings of portal hypertension. Objectives In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether the MPV diameter of patients who had gastric surgery for malignancy differed in the preoperative and postoperative periods and its change over time in patients who underwent postoperative follow-up examinations. Materials and Methods The CT images of 240 patients who underwent abdomen CT for staging and follow-up gastric malignancy between January 2017 and September 2021 were evaluated retrospectively. The CT scans of the remaining 149 patients after the exclusion criteria were included in the study. All CT imaging was performed using multidetector CT (64 or 128 slice) in portal venous phases. The images were evaluated by two radiologists based on consensus. Maximum MPV diameter were measured outer wall to outer wall with calipers on axial images at the level of 1 cm distal to the portosplenic confluence. Results One hundred forty-nine patients included in the study had preoperative CT examination. Eighty-three patients had follow-up CT examination at third month, 89 patients at sixth month, and 99 patients at first year. The MPV diameters differed significantly between preoperative CT and postoperative third month, sixth month, and first year CT (p = 0.001, p = 0.001, and p = 0.001, respectively). There was no difference in MPV diameter between postoperative third month CT and postoperative 6th month and 1st year CT (p = 0.514 and p = 0.078, respectively). Conclusion There is an increase in MPV diameter in the first 3 months postoperatively in patients undergoing gastric surgery for malignancy. This enlargement continues unchanged in the first 1 year follow-up. The radiologists' awareness of this situation may prevent the wrong diagnosis of portal hypertension, unnecessary concern, and further investigation.

The Value of 320-Slice Spiral Computed Tomography Perfusion Imaging in Staging and Long-Term Dynamic Evaluation of Breast Cancer.

The value of 320-slice spiral computed tomography (CT) perfusion imaging in staging and long-term dynamic evaluation of breast cancer was explored. 120 breast cancer patients who underwent preoperative CT examination and were confirmed by surgery and pathology were selected. All patients underwent preoperative TNM staging of breast cancer, with 120 cases in each stage. According to the results of 320-slice spiral CT, the postoperative pathology and surgical methods were compared and analyzed. CT diagnosis of breast cancer showed that T1 sensitivity was 71% and accuracy was 61%, T2 sensitivity was 74% and accuracy was 64%, T3 sensitivity was 94% and the accuracy was 84%, and the T4 sensitivity was 100% and the accuracy was 91%. The sensitivity of N1 stage was 71%, and the accuracy was 61%; and the sensitivity of N2 ~ N3 stage was 81%, and the accuracy was 76%. There were 7 cases of M1 with distant metastasis, the sensitivity was 71%, and the accuracy was 71%. At T1 stage, blood flow (BF) was 39.2 ± 16.7 mL/min/100 g, blood volume (BV) was 2.66 ± 1.4 mL/100 g, mean transit time (MTT) was 8.16 ± 2.7 s, and permeability surface (PS) was 16.6 ± 9.7 mL/min/100 g. 320-slice spiral CT perfusion imaging technology provided a new diagnostic mode for everyone, which can quantitatively identify breast cancer with multiple parameters, which was of great significance for clinical auxiliary diagnosis.

Diagnostic value of multi-slice spiral CT in tympanic wall destruction of middle ear cholesteatoma

Objective:To investigate the correlation between preoperative temporal bone Computed Tomography （CT） findings and intraoperative manifestations in patients with middle ear cholesteatoma. Methods:The patients with cholesteatoma undergoing surgery in our hospital from March 2017 to November 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.The temporal bone CT findings of tympanoid wall status before operation and the state of tympanic wall during operation were compared. Results: A total of 148 cases （148 ears） were included in the analysis. Compared with intraoperative observation, 142 cases showed the same findings of tympanoid lid by preoperative CT examination, and 144 cases showed the same findings of mastoid lid by preoperative CT examination.The CT manifestations of facial nerve canal state in 18 patients was different from intraoperativen findings. Among the 12 cases of lateral wall destruction of the tympanic chamber observed by CT, 10 cases were consistent with the intraoperative findings.CT showed sigmoid sinus destruction in 6 cases, of which 5 cases were consistent with intraoperative findings. In 142 cases no sigmoid sinus destruction was found by CT , but in one case the CT findingswas different from intraoperative findings.The diagnostic efficiency of the exposed opposite neural tube was poor in the tympanoid wall observed by CT（Se=78.6%，Sp=90.0%，PPV=64.7%，NPV=94.7%，AUC=0.84，Kappa=0.63，P<0.05）, but the diagnostic efficiency of lateral wall failure of the drum chamber was good （Se=83.5%，Sp=98.5%，PPV=83.3%，NPV=98.6%，AUC=0.91，Kappa=0.82，P<0.05）. Conclusion:CT is effective in preoperative diagnosing of tympanic wall destruction caused by cholesteatoma of the middle ear, especially in detecting the destruction of tympanic lid, mastoid lid, lateral wall of the tympanic chamber and sigmoid sinus.Preoperative temporal bone CT scan is beneficial to clincal preoperative decision-making and intraoperative guidance.

Pisa Tower Concept: A New Paradigm in Crooked Nose Treatment.

The primary element of a crooked nose is a midline deviation of the nasal pyramid. To date, no surgical strategies have been described as compatible with the philosophy of dorsal preservation. The dorsal preservation technique differs from the Joseph structured rhinoplasty because it preserves both the keystone area and the continuity of the cartilaginous vault. The authors focused on the versatility of the dorsal preservation technique even for the deviated nose, introducing the "Pisa Tower concept." From January of 2015 to June of 2019, 280 patients diagnosed as having a crooked nose underwent primary septorhinoplasty with dorsal preservation through an asymmetric bony wedge resection and lowering of the bony pyramid onto the frontal process of the maxilla (the let-down osteotomy), in accordance with the Pisa Tower concept. Inclusion criteria were a preoperative computed tomography examination, nasal axis deviation, a complete photographic examination preoperatively, and at least a 1-year follow-up. The mean nasal axis deviation was 7.62 degrees preoperatively and 1.15 degrees postoperatively (p < 0.05). Of the 84 patients, 47 (55.95 percent) were very satisfied, 33 (39.28 percent) were satisfied, and four (4.76 percent) were unsatisfied with surgical results and required revision surgery. The authors' opinion is that the association of "swinging door" septoplasty with the Pisa Tower concept can be a valid alterative to other techniques when working with the structured rhinoplasty philosophy in patients with a crooked nose. Although this is only a preliminary study, the decreased use of spreaders graft and less aggressive reconstructive methods look very promising. Therapeutic, IV.

A radiomics study to predict invasive pulmonary adenocarcinoma appearing as pure ground-glass nodules

To establish a machine-learning model to differentiate adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) or minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) from invasive adenocarcinoma (IAC) appearing as pure ground-glass nodules (pGGNs). This retrospective study enrolled 136 patients with histopathologically diagnosed with AIS, MIA, and IAC. All pGGNs were divided randomly into a training and a testing dataset at a ratio of 7 : 3. Radiomics features were extracted based on the unenhanced computed tomography (CT) images derived from the last preoperative CT examination of each patient. The F-test and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression were applied to select the most valuable features to establish a support vector machine (SVM) model. The performance of the model was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), and the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated to compare the diagnostic performance of radiologists and the SVM model. Six significant radiomics features were selected to develop the SVM model and showed excellent ability to differentiate AIS/MIA from IAC in both the training dataset (AUROC=0.950, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.886-0.984) and the testing dataset (AUROC=0.945, 95% CI: 0.826-0.992). Compared with two radiologists, the proposed model possessed significant advantages with higher accuracy (90.24% versus 75.61% and 80.49%), sensitivity (91.67% versus 50% and 75%), and specificity (89.66% versus 86.21% and 82.76%). A machine-learning model based on radiomics features exhibits superior diagnostic performance in differentiating AIS/MIA from IAC appearing as pGGNs.

Assessment of the Clinical Usefulness of Preoperative Computed Tomography in Colorectal Cancer Patients Who Received Unplanned Reoperation.

Background In the unplanned reoperation of colorectal cancer patients, computed tomography (CT) is increasingly utilized to locate postoperative complications and previously unlocalized lesions. The purpose of this study is to explore the application of CT in the mortality and complications of the reoperation of colorectal cancer. Patients and Methods. We performed a retrospective review of collected data from the colorectal surgeries of 90 identified colorectal cancer patients who received an unplanned reoperation from 2010 to 2018. Patients were stratified according to those with preoperative CT imaging (CT group, n = 36) and those without preoperative CT imaging (NCT group, n = 54). Twenty-four statistical indicators of each patient were studied, including their preoperative risk, surgical characteristics, and postoperative outcomes, and satisfaction was evaluated. All data were statistically analysed for predicting postoperative complications by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results Ninety patients received an unplanned reoperation in the study, and 40% (36/90) of these patients underwent preoperative CT examination. Patients' risk factors were similar between CT and NCT groups. Preoperative imaging was more commonly performed for reoperative new anastomosis + ileostomy but less common for reoperative Dixon's procedure. The operative duration of the NCT group was longer (139 vs. 104 min, respectively, P = 0.01). Preoperative NCT examination (OR 1.24; 95% CI = 1.09‐1.42; P = 0.01) was an independent predictor of postoperative complications. Importantly, three patients died after an unplanned reoperation for colorectal cancer, which occurred only in the NCT group (5.6% vs. 0.0%, P = 0.01). Conclusion The use of conventional preoperative CT optimizes the choice of the surgical site and the strategy of laparotomy, so as to reduce the length of operation. Preoperative imaging evaluation should be performed for patients undergoing repeat abdominal surgery.

CT Radiomics for Distinction of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Negative Gastric Cancer

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of computed tomography (CT) radiomics for the prediction of the human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) status in patients with gastric cancer. One hundred and thirty two consecutive patients with advanced gastric cancer undergoing radical gastrectomy were retrospectively reviewed. All patients received preoperative contrast CT examination, and immunohistochemistry results of their HER2 status were available. All the subjects were randomly divided into a training cohort (n = 90) and a test cohort (n = 42). Arterial phase (AP) and portal phase (PP) contrast CT images were retrieved for tumor segmentation and feature extraction. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the performance of the radiomics classifiers. Among the 132 patients, a total of 99 patients were HER2 negative, and the remaining 33 patients were border line or positive. The AP radiomics model could distinguish HER2-negative cases with an AUC of 0.756 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.656-0.840) in the training cohort, which was confirmed in the test cohort with AUC of 0.830 (95% CI: 0.678-0.930). The PP radiomics model showed AUCs of 0.715 (95% CI: 0.612-0.804) and 0.718 (95% CI: 0.554-0.849) in the training and test cohort for distinction of negative HER2 cases, respectively. Radiomics models based on standard-of-care CT images hold promise for distinguishing HER2-negative gastric cancer.

Safety and Feasibility of Transanal Endoscopic Surgery for Diffuse Cavernous Hemangioma of the Rectum

Purpose To evaluate the safety and feasibility of transanal endoscopic surgery for diffuse cavernous hemangioma of the rectum (DCHR). Methods All DCHR patients who underwent transanal endoscopic surgery in our hospital between January 2014 and June 2018 were reviewed. Results A total of 7 patients with a diagnosis of DCHR underwent transanal endoscopic surgery during the study period. Four patients (57.1%) were male, with a mean age at surgery of 34.5 ± 7.7 years, and three patients (42.9%) were female, with a mean age at surgery of 29.9 ± 3.8 years. Recurrent painless rectal bleeding was the main symptom in all patients. The mean age was 32 years old (range 21-54 years). The median duration of symptoms was 10 years (range 1 month-50 years). The level of hemoglobin at admission ranged from 59.0 to 148.0 g/l (mean 106.6 g/l), and the level of mean corpuscular volume (MCV) ranged from 75.1 fl to 93.5 fl (mean 83.7 fl). Colonoscopy, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were important in the diagnosis of DCHR because of their high positive rates and accurate features. All of the lesions are between the anal canal and the descending colon. Two patients could be found with some enlarged serpentine vessels in the cervix, vagina, or corpus cavernosum by MRI. After admission, all the patients underwent transanal endoscopic surgery and four patients had simultaneous loop ileostomy. The mean operative time was 278 min (range 168-400 min). The median amount of intraoperative blood loss was 50 ml (range 10-300 ml). The mean distance from anal verge to anastomosis was 2.2 ± 0.2 cm. The anastomosis was fashioned with a stapler in two patients (28.6%). There were no intraoperative and postoperative complications. All the patients continued to recover well from the surgery, and nobody needed postoperative blood transfusions. Conclusions The specific diagnosis rate of DCHR is low. Preoperative MRI and CT examination can make a definitive diagnosis and determine the extent of the lesions. DCHR is mostly restricted to the rectum, sigmoid colon, anal wall, and mesorectum. The best treatment for DCHR is complete lesion resection. It is safe and feasible to treat DCHR using transanal endoscopic surgery. Moreover, transanal endoscopic surgery might have a huge potential when used to treat other rectal diseases.

A case of gossypiboma diagnosed with transanal double-balloon enteroscopy

Gossypiboma is an iatrogenic granuloma caused by retained surgical gauze. A 48-year-old woman with a history of cesarean section was incidentally found to have a pelvic mass on preoperative computed tomography examination for pectus excavatum. Abdominal enhanced computed tomography showed a 40-mm mass containing air in the pelvis. The mass was suspected to be continuous with the ileum. Transanal double-balloon enteroscopy showed a small fistula that was likely caused by penetration of the ileum dozens of centimeters from the ileocecal valve. A yellow–brown, movable, and fibrous body was found in the fistula. A part of the fibrous body was extracted with forceps. Pathological examination revealed that it was gauze. This is the first reported case of an asymptomatic gossypiboma penetrating the ileum that was diagnosed with double-balloon enteroscopy. Our results suggest that double-balloon enteroscopy is useful for early diagnosis of pelvic mass penetrating intestine, including gossypiboma.

Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors: retrospective analysis of seven cases and literature review

Background: Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors (PHNETs) are extremely rare. Their clinical features, diagnosis and effective treatment strategies are not well understood. Methods: We aimed to investigate them by combining retrospectively analyzing the clinical data of seven patients with PHNETs who were admitted to our hospital from April 2009 to November 2017 with literature review. Results: PHNET patients without medical history of hepatitis or liver cirrhosis presented no specific symptom, and hepatic tumor markers such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were all within the normal range. Imaging of PHNET patients was found to be with a dominant hypervascular hepatic mass accompanied by a lower cystic signal and a higher hemorrhagic signal area on T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with rapid washout and capsular enhancement on dynamic MR imaging or computed tomography (CT) imaging and restricted diffusion on diffusion-weighted (DW)-MRI. All patients underwent preoperative and postoperative CT examination or MRI examination which identified no extrahepatic tumors. All patients underwent surgery-centered comprehensive individualized treatment. Postoperative pathology confirmed that all patients had NETs. On immunohistochemistry all of the tumors were chromogranin A (CgA) positive, six were synaptophysin (Syn) positive. At the end of the follow-up period ranging from 9 to 87 months, six patients survive without recurrence. The longest postoperative survival time and the longest disease-free survival (DFS) time were all 87 months. Conclusions: Our findings suggest PHNET patients have unique clinical characteristics. The diagnosis of PHNETs relies on pathology and imaging examination MRI or CT to exclude primary extrahepatic tumors. Surgery-centered individualized comprehensive treatment leads to a good prognosis of patients with PHNETs.

Three-dimensional planning and use of patient-specific guides improve glenoid component position: an in vitro study

Glenoid component positioning is a key factor for success in total shoulder arthroplasty. Three-dimensional (3D) measurements of glenoid retroversion, inclination, and humeral head subluxation are helpful tools for preoperative planning. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and precision of a novel surgical method for placing the glenoid component with use of patient-specific templates created by preoperative surgical planning and 3D modeling. A preoperative computed tomography examination of cadaveric scapulae (N = 18) was performed. The glenoid implants were virtually placed, and patient-specific guides were created to direct the guide pin into the desired orientation and position in the glenoid. The 3D orientation and position of the guide pin were evaluated by performing a postoperative computed tomography scan for each scapula. The differences between the preoperative planning and the achieved result were analyzed. The mean error in 3D orientation of the guide pin was 2.39°, the mean entry point position error was 1.05 mm, and the mean inclination angle error was 1.42°. The average error in the version angle was 1.64°. There were no technical difficulties or complications related to use of patient-specific guides for guide pin placement. Quantitative analysis of guide pin positioning demonstrated a good correlation between preoperative planning and the achieved position of the guide pin. This study demonstrates the reliability and precision of preoperative planning software and patient-specific guides for glenoid component placement in total shoulder arthroplasty.

Lymph node shape in computed tomography imaging as a predictor for axillary lymph node metastasis in patients with breast cancer.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether preoperative computed tomography (CT) is a useful modality for the diagnosis of axillary lymph node metastasis. The axillary lymph node status was examined in patients with primary breast cancer who had undergone surgery. In total, 75 patients were analyzed with preoperative contrast CT images, following which the patients underwent an intraoperative sentinel lymph node biopsy to determine possible predictors of axillary lymph node metastasis. The lymph node shape was classified into three groups, which included fat-, clear-and obscure-types. Multivariate analysis revealed that clear-type lymph nodes in preoperative contrast CT imaging may be an independent predictor of lymph node metastasis (odds ratio, 15; P=0.003). Therefore, the results indicated that preoperative CT examination is useful to predict axillary lymph node metastasis.

Diagnostic value of solid component for lung adenocarcinoma shown as ground-glass nodule on computed tomography

To explore the feasibility of making a preoperative diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma shown as ground-glass nodule (GGN) on computed tomography (CT). A total of 143 GGN lesions proved pathologically were divided randomly into A and B groups. Then each group was further divided pathologically into preinvasive lesion, minimal invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) and invasive adenocarcinoma (IAC) subgroups. Group A (n = 101), size of lesion, proportion of ground glass opacity (GGO) composition of lesion, long diameter, longest diameter and size of solid component in lesion were measured on CT so as to establish the CT diagnostic standard of lung adenocarcinoma shown as GGN on CT. Group B (n = 42) was employed to evaluate the accuracy of the above CT diagnostic standard. SPSS 17.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Significant statistic significance existed in all parameters among all groups (P < 0.05). All parameters were correlated the pathologic type of lesion. The differences were statistically significant (P = 0.000). Through the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, between groups of preinvasive lesion and MIA, each parameter had a medium diagnostic value of 0.70-0.90; between groups of MIA and IAC, size of lesion and long diameter of solid component in lesion had a medium diagnostic value of 0.70-0.90, longest diameter of solid component, size of solid component in lesion and proportion of GGO composition of lesion had a high diagnostic value with an AUC of >0.90. The CT diagnostic standard, derived from group A, was used to analyze the pathologic type of group B. And t no significant statistic significance existed between CT preoperative diagnosis and operative pathologic diagnosis (P > 0.05) . The correct diagnosis rates of size of lesion, proportion of GGO composition of lesion, long diameter, longest diameter and size of solid component in lesion were 71.43%, 76.19%, 90.05%, 90.05% and 88.10% respectively. Based upon size of lesion, proportion of GGO composition of lesion, long diameter, longest diameter and size of solid component in lesion, preoperative CT examination may be used to determine the pathological types of lung adenocarcinoma shown as GGN.

A Rare Pancreatic Tumor in a 52-Year-Old Chinese Woman

Question: A 52-yearold Chinese woman without any significant past medical history presented with 1 month of postmenopausal bleeding without abdominal pain, fever, jaundice, weight loss, or other symptoms. General physical examination did not reveal any abnormality. Abdominal examination showed a large (10 cm), firm, fixed mass with well-defined borders in the suprapubic area. Routine laboratory tests and tumor markers including CA 19-9 and CA-125 were within normal range. Computed tomography (CT) showed an approximately 10 10-cm hysteromyoma arising from the anterior wall of uterus and the other mass of 4 cm in diameter within the endometrial cavity (Figure A). The latter one was proved to be grade I endometrial carcinoma by endometrial biopsy. Simultaneously, a 2.9 3.4-cm heterogeneous enhanced mass in the pancreatic head was accidentally discovered in the preoperative CT examination (Figure B). Exploratory laparotomy was performed. Intraoperatively, the tumor in the pancreatic head was found to directly invade the superior mesenteric vein and could not be resected. Hysterectomy and bilateral adnexectomy were performed after pancreatic tumor biopsy with prostatic trocar. What is the most likely diagnosis of the pancreatic mass? Is it a primary or a secondary tumor? Look on page 659 for the answer and see the GASTROENTEROLOGY web site (www.gastrojournal.org) for more information on submitting your favorite image to Clinical Challenges and Images in GI.

Transarticular drilling for stable juvenile osteochondritis dissecans of the medial femoral condyle

Drilling is the most common operative treatment for stable juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the knee. However, prognostic factors remain unclear because of lack of precise radiographic and histopathologic investigations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical results and prognostic factor of the arthroscopic drilling for juvenile OCD lesions at the medial femoral condyle (MFC), using computed tomography (CT) images. Eighteen skeletally immature patients (boys, n=16; girls, n=2, mean age, 12years) underwent arthroscopic antegrade transarticular drilling for a total of 19 OCD lesions of MFC. Functional outcomes were evaluated with the Lysholm score at follow-up (mean, 30months). Preoperative osteochondral condition and postoperative healing were evaluated by CT images. All 18 patients returned to their previous level of sports activity and showed excellent functional outcomes (mean Lysholm score, 77.2±9.4 preoperative vs. 99.5±1.6 postoperative). There were 10 osteochondral lesions and 9 subchondral bone defect lesions under preoperative CT examination. Postoperatively, 15 of 19 lesions healed completely at a mean of 6months; however, the remaining four lesions (all osteochondral types) did not achieve complete radiographic healing after 2years. Transarticular drilling for stable juvenile OCD produced excellent functional outcomes. However, the osteochondral type may influence radiographic outcome. Case series, Level IV.

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF INTRAPELVIC MASSES IN DOGS

In people, the computed tomography (CT) characteristics of intrapelvic masses can be used to distinguish a malignant from a benign mass. As prognosis varies greatly between malignant and benign intrapelvic masses, knowledge of their biological behavior can aid treatment planning before surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine if CT characteristics exist to help differentiate benign from malignant intrapelvic masses in dogs. The CT images of 14 dogs with a histopathologically confirmed intrapelvic mass were evaluated. Postcontrast internal heterogeneity of the mass was the only characteristic significantly associated with malignancy (P = 0.005). Preoperative CT examination of intrapelvic masses in dogs can provide prognostic information before invasive surgical treatment.

Pathological finding of subclinical interstitial pneumonia as a predictor of postoperative acute respiratory distress syndrome after pulmonary resection

Post-surgical interstitial pneumonia (IP) is a part of postoperative acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Some cases of ARDS may be an acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) that is generally not recognised as IPF prior to surgery. In this study, we evaluated IP on preoperative computed tomography (CT) and histopathological findings in patients who underwent thoracic surgery, and attempted to identify high-risk patients who might develop postoperative ARDS. A retrospective review of preoperative CT and histopathological examination was performed in 487 patients who underwent lobectomy for primary lung cancer at our institute. The incidence of ARDS was 2.05%, and histopathological finding of IP was the only predictor of ARDS (P = 0.038, odds ratio (OR) = 6.89). The incidence of IP on histopathological examination was 9.7% for all cases of lung cancer; and the incidence of ARDS in the IP-positive group (31.8%) was significantly different from that in the IP-negative group (1.5%) (P<0.05). However, in 85.7% of patients with ARDS, who were histologically IP-positive, IP was masked by emphysematous findings and thus not detected on preoperative CT. In this study, histopathological finding of IP was the only predictor of ARDS; however, it was difficult to identify preoperatively because emphysematous change was also present in the majority of cases, which masks the findings of IP on CT. If identification of the high-risk case of ARDS is insisted upon, screening the presence or absence of IP (e.g., just in the patients with emphysema or IP finding on CT) by histopathological examination, as the need arises, after surgery using resected lung might be one of the additional methods of identifying those at high risk of ARDS.

Floating fat in the wrist joint and in the tendon sheaths

A traumatic fat effusion in a tendon sheath is an unreported entity. We report on the clinical and imaging features, including radiography and computed tomography (CT), of a fat-density effusion in the wrist joint and tendon sheaths of the extensor pollicis longus, extensor carpi radialis longus, and extensor carpi radialis brevis in a 28-year-old patient after a roller-skating accident. Radiographs showed a fracture of the distal radius and a wrist joint effusion. Preoperative CT examination exhibited two distinct layers resulting in a fat-fluid level pathognomonic of lipohemarthrosis in the radiocarpal joint. In addition, a fat-density effusion was noted in the sheaths of the second and third compartment extensor tendons. The lipohemarthrosis depicted on imaging classically results from the extrusion of fat from bone marrow into the joint space after an intraarticular fracture. Similarly, a traumatic fat effusion in a tendon sheath presents characteristic imaging features that may help to diagnose a potentially overlooked fracture.

Cortical Adenoma in Adrenohepatic Fusion Tissue: Clue to Making a Correct Diagnosis at Preoperative Computed Tomography Examination

A 45-yr-old woman was admitted to excise a solid hepatic tumor which was incidentally detected at ultrasound examination for an unrelated reason. Preoperative differential diagnoses included primary or secondary malignant hepatic tumors or adrenal cortical carcinoma due to aggressive imaging features.The patient underwent adrenalectomy and partial hepatectomy. The tumor proved to be an adrenal cortical adenoma arising from the adrenohepatic fusion tissue and consisted of adenoma cells with lipid-rich cytoplasm. Retrospective review of preoperative computed tomography (CT) images demonstrated that the tumor measured 6 Hounsfield units in mean CT number and was continuous with a medial limb of the right adrenal gland.