Diagnosis and management of an immature teratoma during ovarian stimulation: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>The discovery of a mature teratoma (dermoid cyst) of the ovary during ovarian stimulation is not a rare event. Conversely, we could not find any reported cases of immature teratoma in such a situation. Clinical and ultrasound arguments for this immature form are scarcely or poorly evaluated.</p> <p>Case Presentation</p> <p>We describe the case of a 31-year-old Caucasian woman with primary infertility, who developed an immature teratoma during an in vitro fertilization ovarian stimulation cycle.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Ultrasound signs of an atypical cyst during ovarian stimulation allowed us to adopt a careful medical attitude and to adapt the required surgical oncological treatment.</p

Does the use of the 2009 FIGO classification of endometrial cancer impact on indications of the sentinel node biopsy?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lymphadenectomy is debated in early stages endometrial cancer. Moreover, a new FIGO classification of endometrial cancer, merging stages IA and IB has been recently published. Therefore, the aims of the present study was to evaluate the relevance of the sentinel node (SN) procedure in women with endometrial cancer and to discuss whether the use of the 2009 FIGO classification could modify the indications for SN procedure.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eighty-five patients with endometrial cancer underwent the SN procedure followed by pelvic lymphadenectomy. SNs were detected with a dual or single labelling method in 74 and 11 cases, respectively. All SNs were analysed by both H&E staining and immunohistochemistry. Presumed stage before surgery was assessed for all patients based on MR imaging features using the 1988 FIGO classification and the 2009 FIGO classification.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>An SN was detected in 88.2% of cases (75/85 women). Among the fourteen patients with lymph node metastases one-half were detected by serial sectioning and immunohistochemical analysis. There were no false negative case. Using the 1988 FIGO classification and the 2009 FIGO classification, the correlation between preoperative MRI staging and final histology was moderate with Kappa = 0.24 and Kappa = 0.45, respectively. None of the patients with grade 1 endometrioid carcinoma on biopsy and IA 2009 FIGO stage on MR imaging exhibited positive SN. In patients with grade 2-3 endometrioid carcinoma and stage IA on MR imaging, the rate of positive SN reached 16.6% with an incidence of micrometastases of 50%.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study suggests that sentinel node biopsy is an adequate technique to evaluate lymph node status. The use of the 2009 FIGO classification increases the accuracy of MR imaging to stage patients with early stages of endometrial cancer and contributes to clarify the indication of SN biopsy according to tumour grade and histological type.</p

Unilateral congenital elongation of the cervical part of the internal carotid artery with kinking and looping: two case reports and review of the literature

Unilateral and bilateral variation in the course and elongation of the cervical (extracranial) part of the internal carotid artery (ICA) leading to its tortuosity, kinking and coiling or looping is not a rare condition, which could be caused by both embryological and acquired factors. Patients with such variations may be asymptomatic in some cases; in others, they can develop cerebrovascular symptoms due to carotid stenosis affecting cerebral circulation. The risk of transient ischemic attacks in patients with carotid stenosis is high and its surgical correction is indicated for the prevention of ischemic stroke. Detection of developmental variations of the ICA and evaluation of its stenotic areas is very important for surgical interventions and involves specific diagnostic imaging techniques for vascular lesions including contrast arteriography, duplex ultrasonography and magnetic resonance angiography. Examination of obtained images in cases of unusual and complicated variations of vascular pattern of the ICA may lead to confusion in interpretation of data. Awareness about details and topographic anatomy of variations of the ICA may serve as a useful guide for both radiologists and vascular surgeons. It may help to prevent diagnostic errors, influence surgical tactics and interventional procedures and avoid complications during the head and neck surgery. Our present study was conducted with a purpose of updating data about developmental variations of the ICA. Dissections of the main neurovascular bundle of the head and neck were performed on a total 14 human adult cadavers (10 – Africans: 7 males & 3 females and 4 – East Indians: all males). Two cases of unilateral congenital elongation of the cervical part of the ICA with kinking and looping and carotid stenoses were found only in African males. Here we present their detailed case reports with review of the literature

Scintillating bolometers based on ZnMoO4 and Zn100MoO4 crystals to search for 0ν2β decay of 100Mo (LUMINEU project): first tests at the Modane Underground Laboratory

The technology of scintillating bolometers based on zinc molybdate (ZnMoO4) crystals is under development within the LUMINEU project to search for decay of 100Mo with the goal to set the basis for large scale experiments capable to explore the inverted hierarchy region of the neutrino mass pattern. Advanced ZnMoO4 crystal scintillators with mass of ∼0.3 kg were developed and Zn100MoO4 crystal from enriched 100Mo was produced for the first time by using the low-thermal-gradient Czochralski technique. One ZnMoO4 scintillator and two samples (59 g and 63 g) cut from the enriched boule were tested aboveground at milli-Kelvin temperature as scintillating bolometers showing a high detection performance. The first results of the low background measurements with three ZnMoO4 and two enriched detectors installed in the EDELWEISS set-up at the Modane Underground Laboratory (France) are presented

Development of 100^{100}Mo-containing scintillating bolometers for a high-sensitivity neutrinoless double-beta decay search

We report recent achievements in the development of scintillating bolometers to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay of $^{100}$Mo. The presented results have been obtained in the framework of the LUMINEU, LUCIFER and EDELWEISS collaborations, and are now part of the R\&D activities towards CUPID (CUORE Update with Particle IDentification), a proposed next-generation double-beta decay experiment based on the CUORE experience. We have developed a technology for the production of large mass ($\sim$1 kg), high optical quality, radiopure zinc and lithium molybdate crystal scintillators (ZnMoO$_4$ and Li$_2$MoO$_4$, respectively) from deeply purified natural and $^{100}$Mo-enriched molybdenum. The procedure is applied for a routine production of enriched crystals. Furthermore, the technology of a single detector module consisting of a large-volume ($\sim 100$~cm$^3$) Zn$^{100}$MoO$_4$ and Li$_2$$^{100}$MoO$_4$ scintillating bolometer has been established, demonstrating performance and radiopurity that are close to satisfy the demands of CUPID. In particular, the FWHM energy resolution of the detectors at 2615 keV --- near the $Q$-value of the double-beta transition of $^{100}$Mo (3034~keV) --- is $\approx$ 4--10~keV. The achieved rejection of $\alpha$-induced dominant background above 2.6~MeV is at the level of more than 99.9\%. The bulk activity of $^{232}$Th ($^{228}$Th) and $^{226}$Ra in the crystals is below 10 $\mu$Bq/kg. Both crystallization and detector technologies favor Li$_2$MoO$_4$, which was selected as a main element for the realization of a CUPID demonstrator (CUPID-0/Mo) with $\sim$7 kg of $^{100}$Mo