Differentiating between malignant and benign etiology in large-bowel wall thickening on computed tomography (CT) images can be a challenging task. Artificial intelligence (AI) support systems can ...improve the diagnostic accuracy of radiologists, as shown for a variety of imaging tasks. Improvements in diagnostic performance, in particular the reduction of false-negative findings, may be useful in patient care.
To develop and evaluate a deep learning algorithm able to differentiate colon carcinoma (CC) and acute diverticulitis (AD) on CT images and analyze the impact of the AI-support system in a reader study.
In this diagnostic study, patients who underwent surgery between July 1, 2005, and October 1, 2020, for CC or AD were included. Three-dimensional (3-D) bounding boxes including the diseased bowel segment and surrounding mesentery were manually delineated and used to develop a 3-D convolutional neural network (CNN). A reader study with 10 observers of different experience levels was conducted. Readers were asked to classify the testing cohort under reading room conditions, first without and then with algorithmic support.
To evaluate the diagnostic performance, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for all readers and reader groups with and without AI support. Metrics were compared using the McNemar test and relative and absolute predictive value comparisons.
A total of 585 patients (AD: n = 267, CC: n = 318; mean SD age, 63.2 13.4 years; 341 men 58.3%) were included. The 3-D CNN reached a sensitivity of 83.3% (95% CI, 70.0%-96.6%) and specificity of 86.6% (95% CI, 74.5%-98.8%) for the test set, compared with the mean reader sensitivity of 77.6% (95% CI, 72.9%-82.3%) and specificity of 81.6% (95% CI, 77.2%-86.1%). The combined group of readers improved significantly with AI support from a sensitivity of 77.6% to 85.6% (95% CI, 81.3%-89.3%; P < .001) and a specificity of 81.6% to 91.3% (95% CI, 88.1%-94.5%; P < .001). Artificial intelligence support significantly reduced the number of false-negative and false-positive findings (NPV from 78.5% to 86.4% and PPV from 80.9% to 90.8%; P < .001).
The findings of this study suggest that a deep learning model able to distinguish CC and AD in CT images as a support system may significantly improve the diagnostic performance of radiologists, which may improve patient care.
Major gastric surgery for distal esophageal and gastric cancer has a strong impact on the quality of life, morbidity, and mortality. Especially in elderly patients reaching their life expectancy, the ...responsible use and extent of gastrectomy are imperative to achieve a balance between harm and benefit. In the present study, the reimbursement database (German Diagnosis Related Groups (G-DRG) database) of the Statistical Office of the Federal Republic of Germany was queried to evaluate the morbidity and mortality of patients aged above or below 75 years following gastrectomy.
All patients in Germany undergoing subtotal gastrectomy (ST), total gastrectomy (T), or gastrectomy combined with esophagectomy (TE) for gastric or distal esophageal cancer (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems Version 10 (ICD-10) C15.2, C15.5, and C16.0-C16.9) between 2008 and 2018 were included. Intraoperative and postoperative complications as well as comorbidities, in-hospital mortality, and the extent of surgery were assessed by evaluating ICD-10 and operation and procedure key (Operationen- und Prozedurenschlüssel) codes.
A total of 67,389 patients underwent oncologic gastric resection in Germany between 2008 and 2018. In total, 21,794 patients received ST, 41,825 received T, and 3,466 received TE, respectively. In 304 cases, the combinations of these, in fact, mutually exclusive procedures were encoded. The proportion of patients aged 75 years or older was 51.4% (n = 11,207) for ST, 32.6% (n = 13,617) for T, and 28.1% (n = 973) for TE. The in-hospital mortality of elderly patients was significantly increased in all three groups. (p < 0.0001) General complications such as respiratory failure (p = 0.0054), acute renal failure (p < 0.0001), acute myocardial failure (p < 0.0001), and the need for resuscitation (ST/T: p < 0.0001/TE: p = 0.0218) were significantly increased after any kind of gastrectomy. Roux-en Y was the most commonly applied reconstruction technique in both young and elderly patients. Regarding lymphadenectomy, systematic D2 dissection was performed less frequently in older patients than in the younger collective in the case of ST and T as well as D3 dissection. Peritonectomy and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy were uncommon in elderly patients alongside ST and T compared to younger patients (p < 0.0001).
The clinical outcome of major oncological gastric surgery is highly dependent on a patient's age. The elderly show a tremendously increased likelihood of in-hospital mortality and morbidity.
Background/Aims: Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a soluble receptor of the pro-apoptotic cytokine TRAIL which is thought to contribute to tumour development by inhibiting apoptosis or affecting other ...aspects of tumour biology, including cell proliferation and immune response. Although immunohistochemical studies suggest that OPG correlates with survival in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), only scarce data are available on serum OPG in CRC patients. Methods: In this pilot study, we assessed the prognostic significance of serum OPG and CEA (Carcinoembryonic antigen) in 81 patients with UICC (Union for International Cancer Control) stage-IV mCRC. OPG was additionally assessed by immunohistochemistry in primary tissue samples from 33 patients of the same cohort. Results: Baseline serum OPG correlated with CEA (r=0.36, p=0.0011), but independently predicted survival of mCRC patients. Life expectancy was poorer in patients with OPG levels above the median concentration of 51ng/ml (median overall survival 95% confidence interval 1.8 years 1.3-3.0 vs. 1.0 0.7-1.2 p=0.013). Patients with high levels of both OPG and CEA had an even poorer life expectancy vs. low-OPG/low-CEA patients (0.9 years 0.6-1.5 vs. 3 years 1.2-4.4, p=0.015), indicating that CEA and OPG have additive prognostic significance. Immunohistochemical analysis of OPG failed to show a correlation between OPG staining and survival (p=0.055) or OPG concentration from matched serum samples. Conclusions: This pilot study provides evidence of independent prognostic significance of serum OPG in patients with advanced mCRC and warrants its further prospective validation.
Infection with Entamoeba histolytica and associated complications are relatively rare in developed countries. The overall low prevalence in the Western world as well as the possibly prolonged latency ...period between infection with the causing pathogen and onset of clinical symptoms may delay diagnosis of and adequate treatment for amoebiasis. Amoebic liver abscess (ALA) is the most common extraintestinal manifestation of invasive amoebiasis. Pregnancy has been described as a risk factor for development of invasive amoebiasis and management of these patients is especially complex.
A 30-year-old Caucasian woman in early pregnancy presented to our emergency department with abdominal pain alongside elevated inflammatory markers and liver function tests. Travel history revealed multiple journeys to tropic and subtropic regions during the past decade and a prolonged episode of intermittently bloody diarrhea during a five month stay in Indonesia seven years prior to admission. Sonographic and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 5 × 4 cm hepatic abscess. After ultrasound-guided transcutaneous liver drainage, both abscess fluids and blood cultures showed neither bacterial growth nor microscopic signs of parasitic disease. Serological testing confirmed an infection with Entamoeba histolytica, which was treated with metronidazole, followed by eradication therapy with paromomycin. Subsequent clinical, laboratory and imaging follow-up exams showed regression of the ALA. In addition, the pregnancy completed without complications and a healthy baby boy was born 7 months after termination of treatment.
This case of invasive amoebiasis in early pregnancy outside of endemic regions and several years after exposure demonstrates the importance of broad differential diagnostics in the context of liver abscesses. The complex interdisciplinary decisions regarding the choice of imaging techniques as well as interventional and antibiotic therapy in the context of pregnancy are discussed. Furthermore, we present possible explanations for pregnancy as a risk factor for an invasive course of amoebiasis.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Percutaneous CT-guided biopsy is a frequently performed procedure for the confirmation and molecular workup of hepatic metastases of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Tumor necrosis of primary ...PDAC has shown a negative prognostic impact in recent studies. This study aims to examine predictability in CT scans and the prognostic impact of necrosis in hepatic metastases of PDAC. In this tertiary-center retrospective cohort study, we included 36 patients with hepatic metastases of PDAC who underwent CT-guided hepatic biopsies. Normalized attenuation of the biopsied metastasis was determined in venous phase contrast-enhanced planning scans obtained prior to biopsy by automatic, threshold-based 3D segmentation and manual, blinded 2D segmentation. A board-certified pathologist specialized in hepatic pathology histologically quantified the tumor necrosis and cellularity of the biopsy cylinders. We found a significant inverse-linear correlation between normalized attenuation and the fraction of necrosis (Pearson's r = 0.51,
< 0.001 for automatic 3D segmentation or Pearson's r = 0.52,
< 0.001 for manual 2D segmentation), whereas no correlation was found with tumor cellularity. Additionally, we discovered that patients with a fraction of necrosis ≥ 20% in metastases had a significantly shorter overall survival (
< 0.035). In summary, tumor necrosis of PDAC metastases can be estimated from contrast-enhanced CT scans, which could help to improve biopsy sample pattern planning. In addition, liver metastatic necrosis may serve as a prognostic biomarker in PDAC.
Purpose of review: To provide an update on paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD), the involved antibodies and tumors, as well as management strategies. Recent findings: PCD represents the ...second most common presentation of the recently established class of immune mediated cerebellar ataxias (IMCAs). Although rare in general, PCD is one of the most frequent paraneoplastic presentations and characterized clinically by a rapidly progressive cerebellar syndrome. In recent years, several antibodies have been described in association with the clinical syndrome related to PCD; their clinical significance, however, has yet to be determined. The 2021 updated diagnostic criteria for paraneoplastic neurologic symptoms help to establish the diagnosis of PCD, direct cancer screening, and to evaluate the presence of these newly identified antibodies. Recognition of the clinical syndrome and prompt identification of a specific antibody are essential for early detection of an underlying malignancy and initiation of an appropriate treatment, which represents the best opportunity to modulate the course of the disease. As clinical symptoms can precede tumor diagnosis by years, co-occurrence of specific symptoms and antibodies should prompt continuous surveillance of the patient. Summary: We provide an in-depth overview on PCD, summarize recent findings related to PCD, and highlight the transformed diagnostic approach.
Liver transplantation (LT) presents a curative treatment option in patients with early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who are not eligible for resection or ablation therapy. Due to a risk of up ...30% for waitlist drop-out upon tumor progression, bridging therapies are used to halt tumor growth. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and less commonly stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) or a combination of TACE and SBRT, are used as bridging therapies in LT. However, it remains unclear if one of those treatment options is superior. The analysis of explant livers after transplantation provides the unique opportunity to investigate treatment response by histopathology.
To analyze histopathological response to a combination of TACE and SBRT in HCC in comparison to TACE or SBRT alone.
In this multicenter retrospective study, 27 patients who received liver transplantation for HCC were analyzed. Patients received either TACE or SBRT alone, or a combination of TACE and SBRT as bridging therapy to liver transplantation. Liver explants of all patients who received at least one TACE and/or SBRT were analyzed for the presence of residual vital tumor tissue by histopathology to assess differences in treatment response to bridging therapies. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher-Freeman-Halton exact test, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney-
tests.
Fourteen patients received TACE only, four patients SBRT only, and nine patients a combination therapy of TACE and SBRT. There were no significant differences between groups regarding age, sex, etiology of underlying liver disease or number and size of tumor lesions. Strikingly, analysis of liver explants revealed that almost all patients in the TACE and SBRT combination group (8/9, 89%) showed no residual vital tumor tissue by histopathology, whereas TACE or SBRT alone resulted in significantly lower rates of complete histopathological response (0/14, 0% and 1/4, 25%, respectively,
value < 0.001).
Our data suggests that a combination of TACE and SBRT increases the rate of complete histopathological response compared to TACE or SBRT alone in bridging to liver transplantation.
Critically ill COVID-19 patients are at high risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE), namely deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE), and death. The optimal anticoagulation strategy ...in critically ill patients with COVID-19 remains unknown. This study investigated the ante mortem incidence as well as postmortem prevalence of VTE, the factors predictive of VTE, and the impact of changed anticoagulation practice on patient survival. We conducted a consecutive retrospective analysis of postmortem COVID-19 (
= 64) and non-COVID-19 (
= 67) patients, as well as ante mortem COVID-19 (
= 170) patients admitted to the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (Hamburg, Germany). Baseline patient characteristics, parameters related to the intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and the clinical and autoptic presence of VTE were evaluated and statistically compared between groups. The occurrence of VTE in critically ill COVID-19 patients is confirmed in both ante mortem (17%) and postmortem (38%) cohorts. Accordingly, comparing the postmortem prevalence of VTE between age- and sex-matched COVID-19 (43%) and non-COVID-19 (0%) cohorts, we found the statistically significant increased prevalence of VTE in critically ill COVID-19 cohorts (
= 0.001). A change in anticoagulation practice was associated with the statistically significant prolongation of survival time (HR: 2.55, 95% CI 1.41-4.61,
= 0.01) and a reduction in VTE occurrence (54% vs. 25%;
= 0.02). In summary, in the autopsy as well as clinical cohort of critically ill patients with COVID-19, we found that VTE was a frequent finding. A change in anticoagulation practice was associated with a statistically significantly prolonged survival time.
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and a major cause of cancer-related deaths. Early detection of colonic lesions can reduce the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer. ...Colonoscopy is the screening test for colorectal cancer with the highest efficacy, but its acceptance in the general public is rather low. To identify suitable tumor-derived markers that could detect colorectal cancer in blood samples, we analyzed the methylation status of a panel of genes in sera of affected patients.
Using methylation-specific quantitative PCR, we analyzed the methylation of ten marker genes in sera of healthy individuals and patients with colorectal cancer.
Only HLTF, HPP1/TPEF, and NEUROG1 DNA methylation was detectable in at least 50% of patients with colorectal cancers. Whereas HLTF and HPP1/TPEF preferentially detected advanced and metastasized colorectal cancers, NEUROG1 methylation was detectable in UICC stages I-IV at a similar rate. Compared with other methylation markers, such as ALX4, SEPT9, and vimentin, NEUROG1 shows a higher sensitivity for colorectal cancer at UICC stages I and II. At a specificity of 91%, NEUROG1 reached a sensitivity of 61% (confidence interval, 50.4-70.6%) for the detection of colorectal cancers. Furthermore, detection of NEUROG1 methylation was independent of age and gender.
Methylation of the NEUROG1 gene is frequently found in sera of patients with colorectal cancers independent of tumor stage. The quantitative detection of NEUROG1 DNA methylation in serum is a suitable approach for the non-invasive screening for asymptomatic colorectal cancer.
Dysregulated B cell responses have been described in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients; however, the role of B cells in IBD pathology remained incompletely understood. We here provide ...evidence for the detrimental role of activated B cells during the onset of autoimmune intestinal inflammation. Using Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome interacting protein deficient (Wipf1−/−) mice as a mouse model of chronic colitis, we identified clusters of differentiation (CD)86 expression on activated B cells as a crucial factor exacerbating pro-inflammatory cytokine production of intestinal CD4 T cells. Depleting B cells through anti-CD20 antibody treatment or blocking costimulatory signals mediated by CD86 through cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4-immunoglobulin (CTLA-4-Ig) diminished intestinal inflammation in our mouse model of chronic IBD at the onset of disease. This was due to a reduction in aberrant humoral immune responses and reduced CD4 T cell pro-inflammatory cytokine production, especially interferon-g (IFN-g) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Interestingly, in addition to B cells isolated from the inflamed colon of Wipf1−/− mice, we also found CD86 mRNA and protein expression upregulated on activated B cells isolated from inflamed tissue of human patients with IBD. B cell activation and CD86 expression were boosted by soluble CD40L in vitro, which we found in the serum of mice and human patients with IBD. In summary, our data provides detailed insight into the contribution of B cells to intestinal inflammation, with implications for the treatment of IBD.
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