Clinical, ultrasound parameters and tumor marker-based mathematical models and scoring systems in pre-surgical diagnosis of adnexal tumors

The choice of management for patients with adnexal tumors requires careful pre-surgical assessment. In case of adnexal masses, the diagnostic difficulties arise from the heterogenic nature of the adnexal diseases, presence of multiple functional changes, and lack of early symptoms of malignancy. A reliable pre-surgical differentiation cannot be performed using clinical features, ultrasound examination, or tumor markers alone. New diagnostic techniques and novel markers are under investigations, however no single test can be used to conclusively differentiate between malignant and non-malignant adnexal masses. Mathematical models and scoring systems based on different clinical, ultrasonographic and laboratory parameters alone or together may facilitate the diagnosis. Selected mathematical models and scoring systems are presented in this article. Models using only ultrasound features include simple rules, regression models, Gynecologic Imaging Report and Data System, and various morphologic scores. Some logistic regression models are based on multiple clinical and ultrasound data. The OVA1 test is based on five tumor markers without using other data. The Risk of Malignancy Algorithm uses two tumor markers with one clinical parameter. i.e. the menopausal status. Some models used clinical, ultrasound and tumor marker data together. This group of models includes risk of malignancy indices, artificial neural networks, and the ADNEX model. Although some of these models have been compared in the literature, more prospective studies are needed to select the most effective model, to develop the existing models, or to create new more effective models of oncological assessment of the adnexal tumors

Wartość ultrasonografii w diagnostyce zespołu policystycznych jajników – przegląd piśmiennictwa

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a multi-factorial disease. Its etiopathogenesis has not been elucidated in detail. It is the most common endocrine disorder in women of child-bearing age. This disease entity is primarily characterized by disrupted ovulation and hyperandrogenism, but the clinical picture can be diversified and symptom intensity can vary. Currently, the sonographic assessment of ovaries is one of the obligatory criteria for the diagnosis of PCOS according to the Rotterdam consensus (2003) and Androgen Excess & PCOS Society (2006). This criterion is determined by the presence of ≥12 follicles within the ovary with a diameter of 2–9 mm and/or ovarian volume ≥10 cm3. Such an ultrasound image in one gonad only is sufficient to define polycystic ovaries. The coexistence of polycystic ovaries with polycystic ovary syndrome is confirmed in over 90% of cases irrespective of ethnic factors or race. However, because of the commonness of ultrasound features of polycystic ovaries in healthy women, the inclusion of this sign to the diagnostic criteria of polycystic ovary syndrome is still questioned. The development of new technologies has an undoubted influence on the percentage of diagnosed polycystic ovaries. This process has caused an increase in the percentage of polycystic ovary diagnoses since the Rotterdam criteria were published. It is therefore needed to prepare new commonly accepted diagnostic norms concerning the number of ovarian follicles and the standardization of the technique in which they are counted. The assessment of anti-Müllerian hormone levels as an equivalent of ultrasound features of polycystic ovaries is a promising method. However, analytic methods have to be standardized in order to establish commonly accepted diagnostic norms.Zespół policystycznych jajników jest chorobą wieloczynnikową. Szczegółowa jego etiopatogeneza wciąż nie została wyjaśniona. Jest to najczęstsze schorzenie endokrynologiczne kobiet w wieku reprodukcyjnym. Ta jednostka chorobowa charakteryzuje się przede wszystkim zaburzeniem przebiegu owulacji i hiperandrogenizacją, ale obraz kliniczny może być zróżnicowany, o różnym nasileniu symptomów. Obecnie sonograficzna ocena jajników należy do obowiązujących kryteriów rozpoznania zespołu według konsensusu z Rotterdamu (2003) oraz Androgen Excess & PCOS Society (2006). Kryterium to jest uwarunkowane obecnością w obrębie jajnika ≥12 pęcherzyków o średnicy 2–9 mm i/lub objętością jajnika ≥10 cm3. Opisany obraz ultrasonograficzny dotyczący tylko jednej gonady wystarczy do zdefiniowania policystyczności. Współistnienie policystyczności jajników z zespołem policystycznych jajników potwierdzane jest w ponad 90% przypadków, niezależnie od czynników etnicznych czy rasowych. Jednak ze względu na powszechną obecność ultrasonograficznych cech policystyczności jajników u kobiet zdrowych nadal kwestionuje się włączenie tego objawu do kryteriów diagnostycznych zespołu policystycznych jajników. Niewątpliwy wpływ na odsetek rozpoznań policystyczności jajników ma rozwój nowych technologii. Proces ten powoduje zwiększenie odsetka rozpoznań cech policystyczności jajników od czasu publikacji kryteriów rotterdamskich. Zatem istnieje potrzeba ustanowienia nowych, powszechnie akceptowanych norm diagnostycznych dotyczących liczby pęcherzyków jajnikowych, jak również standaryzacji techniki ich liczenia. Duże nadzieje wiązane są z oceną stężenia hormonu antymüllerowskiego jako równoważnego markera ultrasonograficznych cech policystyczności jajników, jednakże do wyznaczenia powszechnie akceptowanych norm diagnostycznych potrzebna jest standaryzacja metod analitycznych

Accounting for Action: Challenging the Traditional View of Multimodal Perceptual Objects

In this paper, we argue that action is involved in the creation and representation of perceptual objects. We introduce leading philosophical theories regarding the structure of perceptual objects in modality-independent and multisensory settings. These accounts omit action as a causal factor that can facilitate feature binding and serve as a structural component of perceptual objects. We argue that action does play this causal role due to the connections between the brain’s motor system and perceptual processing as evidenced by neurophysiological and behavioral studies. These data include research on view-independent representations, peripersonal space, and event file coding. We conclude that to omit the influence of the motor system on the structure of perceptual objects is to have an incomplete account of object perception. Motor action is often required to drive the integration of sensory features into corresponding perceptual objects

Diagnostic value of ultrasound indicators of neoplastic risk in preoperative differentiation of adnexal masses

Aim: To assess the diagnostic value of the risk of malignancy indices and simple ultrasound- based rules in preoperative differentiation of adnexal masses. Material and methods: Retrospective examination of 87 patients admitted to hospital due to adnexal tumors. The lesions were evaluated on the basis of international ultrasound classification of ovarian tumors and four risk of malignancy indices were calculated based on ultrasound examination, concentration of CA 125 and menopausal status. Results: The patients were aged between 17 and 79, the mean age was 44.5 (standard deviation SD=16.6). Most of the patients (60.91%) were before their menopause. The sensitivity of the simple ultrasound-based rules in the diagnosis of malignancies equaled 64.71% and the specificity constituted 90.00%. A significant statistical difference in the presence of the malignant process was demonstrated in relation to age, menopausal status, CA 125 concentration and analyzed ultrasound score. All indices were characterized by similar sensitivity and specificity. The highest specificity and predictive value of malignant lesions out of the assessed ones was demonstrated by the risk of malignancy index proposed by Yamamoto. The risk of malignancy index according to Jacobs, however, showed the highest predictive value in the case of non-malignant lesions. Conclusions: The multiparametric ultrasound examination may facilitate the selection of patients with adnexal tumors to provide them with an appropriate treatment – observation, laparotomy and laparoscopy. These parameters constitute a simple ambulatory method of determining the character of adnexal masses before recommending appropriate treatment.Cel: Ocena przydatności diagnostycznej wskaźników ryzyka obecności nowotworu złośliwego i prostych reguł ultrasonograficznych w przedoperacyjnym różnicowaniu guzów przydatków. Materiał i metody: Retrospektywne badanie 87 pacjentek hospitalizowanych z powodu guza przydatków. Dokonano oceny tych zmian według międzynarodowej ultrasonograficznej klasyfikacji guzów jajnika, a następnie obliczono cztery wskaźniki ryzyka obecności nowotworu złośliwego w oparciu o badanie ultrasonograficzne, stężenie markera CA 125 i status menopauzalny. Wyniki: Wiek pacjentek wahał się od 17 do 79 lat, średnio 44,5 roku (odchylenie standardowe SD=16,6 roku). Większość chorych (60,91%) była przed menopauzą. Czułość metody prostych reguł ultrasonograficznych w rozpoznawaniu zmian złośliwych wyniosła 64,71%, a swoistość 90,00%. Wykazano znaczącą różnicę statystyczną obecności procesu złośliwego pod względem wieku, statusu menopauzalnego, stężenia CA 125 i analizowanych punktów ultrasonograficznych. Wszystkie wskaźniki charakteryzowały się podobną czułością diagnostyczną. Wśród nich najlepszą swoistość i wartość predykcji zmian złośliwych wykazywał wskaźnik ryzyka nowotworu złośliwego wg Yamamoto. Z kolei wskaźnik ryzyka nowotworu złośliwego wg Jacobsa cechował się najwyższą wartością predykcji zmian niezłośliwych. Wnioski: Zastosowanie wieloparametrycznego badania ultrasonograficznego może pomóc wyselekcjonować pacjentki z guzami przydatków do odpowiedniego postępowania – obserwacji, laparotomii, laparoskopii. Parametry te stanowią prostą metodę ambulatoryjnego określenia charakteru guzów przydatków przed skierowaniem pacjentek do właściwego leczenia

Vitamin D Concentration in Maternal and Umbilical Cord Blood by Season

Summer is generally considered to be the season when the body is well-supplied with vitamin D. The aim of this study was to compare maternal and umbilical cord blood concentrations of vitamin D during two extreme seasons of the year in Poland—winter and summer. A total of 100 pregnant women with no history of chronic diseases before pregnancy were included in the study. Pre-delivery maternal venous blood and neonatal cord blood samples were collected and total 25(OH)D concentration was measured. Data on vitamin D consumption (collected with the use of Food Frequency Questionnaire) and lifestyle factors were taken. Both, maternal and umbilical cord blood concentrations of vitamin D were higher in the summer group as compared to the winter group (mean 22.2 ± 6.5 ng/mL vs. 16.5 ± 8.2 ng/mL (p < 0.001), respectively for the mothers and 31.3 ± 9.4 ng/mL vs. 22.7 ± 11.0 ng/mL (p < 0.0001), respectively for the neonates). However, only 16% of the pregnant women reached the optimal vitamin D concentration during summer. Therefore, summer improves the levels of vitamin D in the body but does not guarantee the recommended concentration and supplementation throughout the whole year is essential

Maternal and Cord Blood Vitamin D Status and Anthropometric Measurements in Term Newborns at Birth

IntroductionVitamin D deficiency in pregnant women may result in reduced neonatal development due to the fact that systemic vitamin D status during fetal life depends on maternal concentrations. Some authors reported significant differences in neonatal anthropometric measurements depending on maternal vitamin D concentrations.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between maternal and cord blood concentrations of vitamin D and neonatal anthropometric measurements at birth.Materials and methodsThis study included 94 pregnant women, at term, who delivered at the Department of Obstetrics, Women’s Diseases and Gynecological Oncology, Medical University of Warsaw. Total serum 25(OH)D concentration was measured in mother–child pairs, and newborn anthropometric data were collected. A multiple regression analysis was used for statistical analysis.ResultsNo relationship between maternal and neonatal cord blood vitamin D concentrations vs. neonatal weight, length, head, and chest circumference at birth was found (p > 0.05). Severe vitamin D deficiency (<10 ng/ml) was detected in 10.6%, deficiency (10–20 ng/ml) in 39.4%, insufficiency (20–30 ng/ml) in 39.4%, and optimal vitamin D concentration (>30 ng/ml) only in 10.6% of the pregnant women. Cord blood vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml) was found in 28.7% of the neonates.ConclusionNo differences between neonatal anthropometric measurements of infants born to mothers with normal and deficient vitamin D concentrations were found

Real-World Efficacy of Midostaurin in Aggressive Systemic Mastocytosis

In April 2017 midostaurin was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with aggressive systemic mastocytosis (ASM). So far, very limited real world data on its efficacy is available. Thirteen patients aged from 48 to 79 years, who received midostaurin in the early access program, were included in the study. Midostaurin was used both in first (n = 5) and subsequent lines of treatment (n = 8). The median duration of exposure was 9 months. Most patients (77%, n = 10) had a clinical improvement already as soon as the second month of therapy. Objective response was noted in 4 (50%) of eight evaluated patients. Among responders, we observed a decrease in serum tryptase level (median 74.14%) and bone marrow infiltration by mast cells (median 50%) in the sixth month of treatment. In one case, in the 10th month of treatment, allogenic stem cell transplantation was performed, achieving complete remission. Five patients died, three due to progression of disease, one in the course of secondary acute myeloid leukemia and one due to reasons not related to mastocytosis. Treatment is ongoing in seven patients. We found that midostaurin therapy is beneficial to patients with ASM