Intraconal tumor-like mass as first manifestation of IgG4-related disease

A great variety of tumors and tumor-like lesions can involve the orbit. Benign and malignant neoplasms, inflammatory diseases, vascular and congenital lesions take part of this heterogeneous group that creates many challenges for diagnosis, management, and treatment. Obviously, symptoms and clinical history are fundamental to establish a differential diagnosis, and imaging is mandatory to distinguish between lesions that have similar clinical presentations in most cases. With this report, the authors highlight the diagnostic difficulties and the importance to include not only tumors but also vascular inflammatory process into the differential diagnosis of this unilateral orbital lesion type

Blue honeysuckle fruit (Lonicera caerulea L.) from eastern Russia: phenolic composition, nutritional value and biological activities of its polar extracts

In the present work we conducted a comprehensive chemical analysis of blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea) spontaneously growing in eastern Russia. HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis showed cyanidin-3-glucoside as the major constituent among phenolics, while nutritional analysis revealed fibre, protein, calcium and magnesium as the most important macro- and micronutrients, respectively. Fatty acid composition was dominated by polyunsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid being the most abundant. Furthermore, we evaluated several in vitro biological activities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, wound healing and immunomodulatory effects of blue honeysuckle aqueous and ethanolic extracts that are often incorporated in food and nutraceutical preparations. While the fruit extracts were revealed to be potent radical scavengers with significant inhibition of ABTS radical, thus confirming the literature data, their inhibitory effects against microbial pathogens and tumor cell lines were negligible. The fruit aqueous extract did not show toxicity to human fibroblasts, but 24 h treatment with 150–200 μg per mL of extract slightly enhanced the cell migration when tested by scratched wound assay. Worth mentioning was the inhibitory effect displayed by the blue honeysuckle fruit aqueous extract on human lymphocytes

Multifocal bilateral desmoid tumour of perirenal tissues with peribiliary localization

Desmoid tumour (DT) is an unusual, benign tumour, more frequently observed in patients with familial polyposis and pregnant females. It usually presents as a single mass lesion, more frequently showing a compressive rather than an infiltrative growth pattern. We report a case of a 70-year-old male presenting with a multifocal, bilateral infiltrative DT of the perirenal tissue, with involvement of the choledochus wall. The patient was partly treated with tamoxifen and docetaxel, but both therapies were discontinued in accordance with the patient’s decision owing to mild toxicity; however, a CT examination performed 3 months later showed an unexpected remarkable reduction of the tumour at all sites. At 1 year follow-up, new pathologic tissue was visible surrounding the right renal pelvis and the calices

Pneumonia frequency and severity in patients with symptomatic COVID-19: impact of mRNA and adenovirus vector vaccines

BACKGROUND. Additional evidence of the role of COVID-19 vaccination in reducing pneumonia frequency and severity in the setting of breakthrough infection could help combat ongoing vaccine hesitancy. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article was to compare the frequency and severity of pneumonia on chest CT in patients with confirmed COVID-19 between patients who are unvaccinated and those who are fully vaccinated by messenger RNA (mRNA) or adenovirus vector vaccines. METHODS. This retrospective single-center study included 467 patients (250 men, 217 women; mean age, 65 ± 17 [SD] years) who underwent chest CT between December 15, 2021, and February 18, 2022, during hospitalization for symptomatic COVID-19, confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay. A total of 216 patients were unvaccinated, and 167 and 84 patients were fully vaccinated (defined as receipt of the second dose at least 14 days before COVID-19 diagnosis) by the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine or the ChAdOx1-S adenovirus vector vaccine, respectively. Semiquantitative CT severity scores (CT-SS; 0-25 scale) were determined; CT-SS of 0 indicated absence of pneumonia. Presence of bilateral involvement was assessed in patients with pneumonia. Associations were explored between vaccination status and CT findings. RESULTS. The frequency of the absence of pneumonia was 15% (32/216) in unvaccinated patients, 29% (24/84) in patients fully vaccinated with ChAdOx1-S vaccine, and 51% (85/167) in patients fully vaccinated with BNT162b2 vaccine (unvaccinated and ChAdOx1-S vs BNT162b2: p < .001; unvaccinated vs ChAdOx1-S: p = .08). Mean CT-SS was significantly higher in unvaccinated patients (9.7 ± 6.1) than in patients fully vaccinated with BNT162b2 (5.2 ± 6.1) or ChAdOx1-S (6.2 ± 5.9) vaccine (both p < .001). Full vaccination was significantly associated with CT-SS independent of patient age and sex (estimate = -4.46; p < .001). Frequency of bilateral lung involvement was significantly higher in unvaccinated patients (158/184, 86%) and in patients fully vaccinated with ChAdOx1-S vaccine (54/60, 90%) than in patients fully vaccinated with BNT162b2 vaccine (47/82, 57%) (both p < .001). CONCLUSION. Pneumonia frequency and severity were lower in patients with full vaccination by mRNA and adenovirus vector vaccines who experienced breakthrough infections in comparison with unvaccinated patients. CLINICAL IMPACT. The visual observation by radiologic imaging of the protective effect of vaccination on lung injury in patients with breakthrough infections provides additional evidence supporting the clinical benefit of vaccination

MR appearance of parathyroid adenomas at 3 T in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. what radiologists need to know for pre-operative localization

OBJECTIVES: To identify frequent MRI features of parathyroid adenomas (PTAs) in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) using a fast protocol with a 3 T magnet. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients with PHPT underwent a 3 T-MR. All patients had positive US and Tc-99 sestamibi, for a total number of 46 PTAs. T2-weighted IDEAL-FSE and T1 IDEAL-sequences, before and after contrast, were performed. Five features of PTAs were recognised: hyperintensity, homogeneous or "marbled" appearance and elongated morphology on T2-sequences; cleavage plane from thyroid gland on T2-outphase; rapid enhancement in post-contrast T1. Image quality for T2-weighted IDEAL FSE and usefulness for IDEAL post-contrast T1-weighted and T2-outphase sequences were also graded. RESULTS: PTAs were hyperintense in T2-sequences in 44/46 (95.7%), "marbled" in 30/46 (65.2%) and elongated in 38/46 (82.6%) patients. Cleavage plane was observed in 36/46 (78.3%), and rapid enhancement in 20/46 (43.5%) patients. T2-sequences showed both excellent fat suppression and image quality (average scores of 3.2 and 3.1). T2-outphase images demonstrated to be quite useful (score 2.8), whereas, post-contrast T1 images showed a lower degree of utility (score 2.4). CONCLUSIONS: A fast protocol with 3.0-T MRI, recognising most common features of PTAs, may be used as a second-line method in the preoperative detection of PTAs. KEY POINTS: 3 T MRI protocol based on T2-weighted IDEAL FSE sequences was used. T2-hyperintensity and elongated morphology are common features of PTAs. 3 T MRI could be used in the preoperative detection of PTAs

Analysis of CT features and quantitative texture analysis in patients with thymic tumors: correlation with grading and staging

Objectives: To evaluate potential relationship between qualitative CT features, quantitative texture analysis (QTA), histology, WHO staging, Masaoka classification and myasthenic syndrome in patients with thymic tumors. Materials and methods: Sixteen patients affected by histologically proven thymic tumors were retrospectively included in the study population. Clinical information, with special regard to myasthenic syndrome and serological positivity of anti-AchR antibodies, were recorded. Qualitative CT evaluation included the following parameters: (a) location; (b) tumor edges; (c) necrosis; (d) pleural effusion; (e) metastases; (f) chest wall infiltration; (g) tumor margins. QTA included evaluation of “Mean” (M), “Standard Deviation” (SD), “Kurtosis” (K), “Skewness” (S), “Entropy” (E), “Shape from Texture” (TX_sigma) and “average of positive pixels” (MPP). Pearson–Rho test was used to evaluate the relationship of continuous non-dichotomic parameters, whereas Mann–Whitney test was used for dichotomic parameters. Results: Histological evaluation demonstrated thymoma in 12 cases and thymic carcinoma in 4 cases. Tumor necrosis was significantly correlated with QTA Mean (p = 0.0253), MPP (p = 0.0417), S (p = 0.0488) and K (p = 0.0178). WHO staging was correlated with Mean (p = 0.0193), SD (p = 0.0191) and MPP (p = 0.0195). Masaoka classification was correlated with Mean (p = 0.0322), MPP (p = 0.0315), skewness (p = 0.0433) and Kurtosis (p = 0.0083). Myasthenic syndrome was significantly associated with Mean (p = 0.0211) and MPP (p = 0.0261), whereas tumor size was correlated with Mean (p = 0.0241), entropy (p = 0.0177), MPP (p = 0.0468), skewness (p = 0.009) and Kurtosis (p = 0.006). Conclusion: Our study demonstrates significant relationship between radiomics parameters, histology, grading and clinical manifestations of thymic tumors

Diagnostic accuracy of 3T magnetic resonance imaging in the preoperative localisation of parathyroid adenomas: comparison with ultrasound and 99mTc-sestamibi scans

Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of 3TMRI in comparison with ultrasound (US) and 99mTc-sestamibi scan for presurgical localisation of parathyroid adenomas (PTAs) in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). Methods: Fifty-seven patients affected by PHPT were prospectively enrolled and underwent US, 99mTc-sestamibi and 3TMRI. T2-weighted and post-contrast T1-weighted Iterative decomposition of water and fat with Echo Asymmetry and Least squares estimation (IDEAL) sequences were acquired. Diagnostic performance of US, 99mTc-sestamibi and MRI in localising PTAs to correct quadrant were compared according to surgical and pathological findings. Results: According to surgical findings, US correctly localised 41/46 PTAs (sensitivity of 89.1%; specificity 97.5%; PPV 93.1% and NPV 95.6%); 99mTc-sestamibi correctly localised 38/46 PTAs (sensitivity 83.6%, specificity 98.3%, PPV 95% and NPV 93.7%). US and 99mTc-sestamibi combined had a sensitivity of 93.4% (43/46 PTAs), specificity of 98.3%, PPV 95% and NPV 98.3%. MRI correctly localised 45/46 PTAs (sensitivity 97.8%; specificity 97.5%; PPV 93.7% and NPV 99.2%). MRI was able to detect six adenomas missed by 99mTc-sestamibi and two adenomas missed by US. MRI and US were able to detect all enlarged parathyroid glands in patients with multiglandular disease. MRI identified six of seven ectopic adenomas. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated high diagnostic performance of 3T MRI in the preoperative PTAs quadrant localisation, as well as in patients with multiglandular disease and ectopic PTAs. MRI may be preferred to adequately select patient candidates for minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP). Key Points: • PTA(s) quadrant localisation by 3TMRI was more accurate than US+99mTc-sestamibi.• MRI identified all enlarged glands in multiglandular disease similarly to US.• MRI identified 6/7 ectopic PTAs similarly to 99mTc-sestamibi.• Presurgical PTA(s) localisation by 3TMRI select the optimal candidates for MIP