Incidence and morphological features of thyroid papillary microcarcinoma in Graves’ disease

Introduction/Objective. Association of Graves’ disease (GD) and thyroid cancer is reported in a wide range from 0% to 33.7%. Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in GD, namely its variant – papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). The increasingly frequent PTMC disclose favorable biological behavior with low mortality and recurrence rates. The aim of this work is to report our experience on the frequency and morphological features of PTMC in surgically treated patients with GD. Methods. Over a period of three years, total or near-total thyroidectomy was performed in 129 patients with GD. Results. Incidental PTMC was diagnosed in 24 (18.7%) patients with GD. The mean tumor diameter was 3.03 ± 2.17 mm. The average age of patients in the GD with PTMC group was 48.50 ± 13.07 years, while in the GD without PTMC group it was 41 ± 13.12 years, and it proved to be statistically significant ( p = 0.045). Most of the PTMC were unifocal (83%), and the most common morphological features of PTMC were intraparenchymal localization (62.5%), follicular morphology (66.7%), and infiltrative growth pattern (62.5%). Extrathyroidal extension, lymphatic invasion and multifocality of PTMC were more commonly related with subcapsular localized PTMC. The presence of at least one nodule in the GD with PTMC group was 58.3%, while in the GD without PTMC group it was 26.7%, and it was statistically significant (p = 0.003). Conclusion. Our results showed a high incidence of PTMC (18.7%) in patients with GD. Clinically, the most important morphological characteristics of PTMC were related with its subcapsular localization

Insulinoma- how to localize the tumor?

Background/Aim. Arterial stimulation with calcium and venous sampling (ASVS) enables us to reach the goal of avoiding that any patient with insulinoma undergoes a blind surgical exploration. Since ASVS is both a functional and morphological localization procedure, its sensitivity is not influenced by factors that are causing the insensitivity of usual anatomical and morphological procedures. Based on our own experience in preoperative localization of insulinoma, we indented to show why we believe that ASVS should be performed to all patients regardless of data collected from other preoperative localization methods. Methods. We have analyzed the accuracy of preoperative localization methods retrospectively. First anatomical and morphological procedures like transabdominal ultrasound (US), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were done. Then we analyzed the data collected during a functional procedure which, at the same time, allows regionalization (ASVS). To estimate the accuracy, the results of every single method were correlated with the operative findings in all sixteen cases. Results. Prior to ASVS, fourteen patients underwent US, fifteen had CT, MRI was performed in eight patients and EUS in thirteen. Using only one of these methods enabled identification of tumors in five patients, using two methods in six patients while three and four in one patient each. For three patients, none of these methods was successful. ASVS revealed that all seen tumors were functional except three of the six visualized with two methods (US and EUS). In two of these three cases, US and EUS localized the tumors in pancreatic tail/body while ASVS accurately identified the tumors in pancreatic head. For these patients US and EUS showed false positive results. In the third of these patients EUS showed the tumor localized in pancreatic head, while US and ASVS accurately pointed to tail. This, too, was a false positive result of EUS. ASVS successfully provided regionalization data in three patients where other visualization methods failed. Operative and later histological findings confirmed the accuracy of ASVS in all sixteen patients including two patients that previously underwent distal pancreatectomy based on false positive EUS findings. Conclusion. Two patients, with accurate insulinoma regionalization in pancreatic head, obtained with ASVS, previously underwent unsuccessful distal pancreatectomy based on the false positive EUS findings. The same goes to three other patients with the false positive results obtained with other anatomical and morphological findings, as well as those three patients that had no preoperative visualization with other methods prior to ASVS. Therefore we suggest ASVS performing in each suspected insulinoma patient before the surgery, regardless of the data collected using other methods. This would enable us to test functional characteristics of visualized findings and to regionalize part of pancreas with uncontrolled insulin secretion when no suspicious changes were found

A 60-year experience in the treatment of pancreatic insulinoma in the Military Medical Academy, Belgrade

Background/Aim. Insulinomas are rare benign tumors in the most cases and the most frequent endocrine tumors of the pancreas. A wide spectrum of clinical manifestations in patients with insulinoma is the reason for difficult recognition of the disease with a long period of time between the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis. Diagnostic procedures include Whipple’s triad, 72-hour fast test and topographic assessment. The only currative therapy for patients with insulinoma is operative treatment. Methods. This retrospective study included 42 patients with diagnosis of insulinoma treated in our institution in a 60-year period. In all the patients a demographic and clinical data, types of biochemical methods for diagnosis, and diagnostic procedures for insulinoma localization were analyzed. Tumor size and localization, surgical procedures, postoperative complications and outcome were assessed. Results. A study included 42 patients, 29 women and 13 men. The median age at diagnosis was 43 years. Median time between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 3 years. The most common clinical symptoms and signs were disturbance of consciousness and abnormal behavior in 73%, confusion and convulsions in 61% of patients. The diagnosis of insulinoma was estimated by Whipple's triad and 72-hour fast test in 14 patients. Determination of insulinoma localization was assessed by angiography in 16 (36%) of the patients, by ultrasound (US) in 3 of 16 (18.8%) patients, by abdominal computed tomography (CT) in 8 of 18 (44.5%) patients, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 2 of 8 (25%) patients. Insulinoma was found in 13 of 13 (100%) patients by arterial stimulation with venous sampling (ASVS) and in 13 of 14 (93%) patients by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). Of the 42 patients, 38 (90.5%) underwent operative procedure. Minimal resection was performed in 28 (73.6%) of the patients [tumor enucleation in 27 (71%) and central pancreatectomy in one (2.6%) of the patients], and the major resection was performed in 9 (23.6%) of the operated patients [distal splenopancreatectomy in 8 (21%) and pancreaticoduodenectomy in one (2.6%) patient]. The overall mortality rate in postoperative period was 2.6% (one patient). Conclusion. A combination of ASVS and EUS as diagnostic procedures ensures high accuracy for preoperative determination of insulinoma localization. Minimal resection such as enucleation shoud be performed whenever it is possible