Evaluation of the excretory urogram in adult enuresis

Excretory urograms in 216 primary enuretic adult males aged between 18 and 20 years were retrospectively evaluated. In no patient was there a finding considered relevant to the complaint. It is considered that, in the absence of urinary infection or other urological complaint in a patient with normal neurological status, excretory urography is a non-contributory examination in the investigation of adult male enuresis.     

Chronic pyelonephritis as a false interpretation in the excretory urogram

Chronic pyelonephritis, which is largely diagnosed via imaging procedures, is characterised by defined parenchymal scars that become manifest in the excretory urogram as contour recessions of the kidney and result in deformations of the calyces and papillae. The authors describe other renal diseases, dysplasias, variations from the standard, and artifacts resulting in similar signs on x-ray film, thus leading to the wrong diagnosis of chronic pyelonephritis. The essential differential diagnostic criteria are explained.     

Evaluation of spontaneous renal extravasation of contrast media in the excretory urogram

Spontaneous renal extravasation is the term used to refer to the radiological demonstration of contrast medium outside the collecting system without previous trauma, ureter catheterization, operation on the kidney or its vicinity, and without external compression during urography. In a review of 1300 intravenous urograms, 13 cases of extravasation of contrast medium were found to satisfy the above criteria. Differences in the radiological appearance may cause problems with regard to evaluation and classification. From a therapeutic point of view it is important to distinguish between two forms: transient sinus extravasation due to minute tears in the calyceal fornix after an increase in intrapelvic pressure and persisting rupture of the previously impaired renal pelvis, which may require surgical intervention.     

Lymphoscintigraphy in gynecologic malignancies

Lymphoscintigraphy is an easily performed noninvasive procedure that offers the potential to detect small numbers of ascitic tumor cells and early diaphragmatic tumor involvement. Moreover, it can be used to delineate and define abnormalities in lymph nodes that are not routinely visualized by bipedal contrast lymphangiography, ultrasound or computed tomography. Lymphoscintigraphy is recommended as an important investigative and adjunctive procedure in diagnosing gynecologic malignancies; there does not appear to be sufficient sensitivity and specificity to justify its routine clinical use.     

PET imaging in gynecologic malignancies

FDG-PET has a definite role in detecting lymph node involvement and distant metastases. It has also shown encouraging results in assessing tumor recurrence and restaging, but further studies are required before FDG-PET can be incorporated in routine clinical practice for diagnosis of recurrence. In ovarian cancer, FDG-PET has high sensitivity and specificity in identifying patients with recurrent tumor, but lesion localization is difficult with PET. Normal FDG activity in the gastrointestinal tract and bladder may obscure some lesions. Combined PET/CT can help in localizing lesions and differentiating between pathologic and physiologic uptake in the pelvis and abdomen.     

Renal malignancies with normal excretory urograms

Four patients with malignant renal masses showed no abnormality on excretory urograms with tomography. Of the four lesions, two were primary renal cell carcinomas, one was a metastatic focus from a contralateral renal cell carcinoma, and one was a metastatic lesion from rectal adenocarcinoma. A normal excretory urogram should not be considered sufficient to exclude a clinically suspected malignant renal mass. In such an instance, diagnostic evaluation should be pursued using a method capable of topographic anatomic display, such as computed tomography or sonography.     

Oncologic imaging in gynecologic malignancies.

(18)F-FDG PET imaging is underutilized in patients with gynecologic malignancies, and its role in current clinical practice has yet to be established. In cervical cancer, it has high sensitivity in detection of nodal disease. Its use is probably most suitable in patients with negative or ambiguous findings on other types of radiographic imaging. Data support its usefulness in asymptomatic cervical cancer patients with high tumor markers and negative conventional-imaging findings, although more data are needed to ascertain whether it has a positive impact on survival. Similarly, its role in monitoring response to therapies needs to be consolidated. In ovarian cancer, (18)F-FDG PET holds promise in evaluation of recurrent or residual disease when other radiographic data are uncertain. In endometrial cancer, there are encouraging, although limited, data supporting the use of (18)F-FDG PET in patients with recurrent disease. To reduce extensive lymph node dissection in patients and to decrease subsequent morbidity, investigators have advocated applying the sentinel node technique to patients with cervical, endometrial, or vulvar cancers. The overall results are encouraging for the use of LS in planning surgical procedures, although more data and larger planned studies are needed to establish clinical utility in the surgical management of patients with these malignancies.     

Use of excretory urogram information in the solution of the renal cyst/tumor/cortical nodule problem.

A decision analysis was made of the choice of angiography or needle aspiration to solve the cyst/tumor/cortical nodule diagnostic problem. With a test panel of 43 proved cases, the urogram diagnoses and decisions made at the time of actual patient management were compared with those made by a radiologist viewing the test panel as unknowns. The test panel radiologist based his recommendations on his subjective probability estimates of the three diagnoses in each case. Results indicate that the use of subjective probabilities increases the frequency of specific diagnoses and decreases inappropriate choice of angiography or aspiration.     

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy in gynecologic malignancies.

Radiation therapy (RT) is commonly used in the treatment of gynecologic malignancies. Unfortunately, RT exposes patients to a wide variety of sequelae. Concerns over toxicity also limit the use of higher doses in select patients. To improve the efficacy of conventional RT and to explore the possibility of dose escalation, we have turned to the use of intensity-modulated RT (IMRT). This report reviews our preclinical studies, implementation, and clinical experience to date with IMRT for gynecologic malignancies.     

High-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy for gynecologic malignancies

PURPOSE: The study aimed to assess the outcome of locally advanced cervical and vaginal cancer treated with high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy (HDRB). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 1998 and 2004, 16 previously unirradiated patients with locally advanced cervical and vaginal cancer not suitable for intracavitary brachytherapy because of distorted anatomy or extensive vaginal disease were treated with HDRB in combination with external beam radiotherapy. All patients received whole pelvis external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) followed by interstitial implantation. The median whole pelvis external beam dose was 45 Gy (range, 39.6-50.4 Gy) with 11 patients receiving parametrial boost to a median dose of 9 Gy. Twelve (75%) of these patients received chemotherapy concurrent with external beam. All patients received a single HDRB procedure using a modified Syed-Neblett template. A CT scan was performed postimplant for needle placement verification and treatment planning purpose. Dose was prescribed to the tumor volume based on the radiographic and clinical examination. All patients received 18.75 Gy in five fractions delivered twice daily. The median followup was 25 months (6-69 months). RESULTS: Median cumulative biologic effective dose (EBRT+HDRB) to tumor volume was 78.9 Gy10 with the range of 72.5-85.2Gy10. Median cumulative biologic effective dose for the rectum and bladder were 99.4 Gy3 (range, 79.6-107.8 Gy3) and 96.4 Gy3 (range, 78.3-105.3 Gy3), respectively. Complete response was achieved in 13 (81%) patients with 3 patients having persistent disease. Five of these 13 patients developed recurrence at a median time of 14 months (distant in 4 and local and distant in 1). The 5-year actuarial local control and cause-specific survival were 75% and 64%, respectively. In subset analysis, 5-year actuarial local control was 63% for cervical cancer patients and 100% for vaginal cancer patients. No patient had acute Grade 3 or 4 morbidity. Grade 3 or 4 delayed morbidity resulting from treatment occurred in 1 patient with 5-year actuarial rate of 7%. Three patients had late Grade 2 rectal morbidity and 1 patient had Grade 2 small bowel morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Our series suggests that single interstitial implantation procedure with five fractions of 3.75 Gy each to target volume is an effective and safe fractionation schedule. The integration of imaging modality helps in decreasing dose to the critical organs. Additional patients and followup are ongoing to determine the long-term efficacy of this approach.     

Radiography of the small bowel in patients with gynecologic malignancies

The records and radiographs of 284 patients with gynecologic malignancy were reviewed to determine the incidence and nature of small-bowel abnormalities. Seventeen percent of the patients had small-bowel studies. Twenty-four percent of patients with ovarian cancer had radiologic examination of the small bowel, and in almost all cases the abnormalities were due to metastatic disease. In patients with cervical cancer, small-bowel radiography was performed in 14% of patients, and in most cases the abnormalities were due to radiation damage. Small-bowel obstruction was found in 20 patients. In the ovarian-cancer group, all obstructions were due to metastatic disease, whereas in the cervical cancer group, obstruction was due to metastases, radiation, or adhesions. The site of obstruction was a useful differential point, since all obstructions due to radiation were in the ileum, whereas 58% of obstructions due to metastases were in the duodenum or jejunum. The radiologic studies interpreted in light of the clinical circumstances were highly accurate in determining the location and nature of small-bowel complications in these patients.     

Quality assessment and assurance in diagnostic imaging. Theoretical and practical considerations and a quality audit of the excretory urogram

Concepts necessary to an understanding of the basics of quality assurance audits are presented. Included are specific examples that bridged theory and practice by applying the protocol to a real-life diagnostic imaging situation. This method meets the present requirements of the Joint Commission of the Accrediation of Hospitals.     

Outcomes of freehand interstitial brachytherapy in advanced gynecologic malignancies

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to present the first results of freehand interstitial brachytherapy (ISBT) used to treat patients with carcinoma of the cervix and the vagina.Methods and MaterialsPatients diagnosed with carcinoma of the cervix or carcinoma of the vagina who were not suitable for intracavitary brachytherapy were treated with freehand ISBT. The implant was performed transperineally using C arm or transrectal ultrasound guidance. Patients received an external beam radiotherapy dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions. The dose delivered by high-dose-rate ISBT was 18 Gy in three fractions, 6 Gy per fraction, 6 h apart. The brachytherapy dose volume parameters were analyzed after CT-based planning using GEC ESTRO image-guided brachytherapy-based guidelines.ResultsFrom June 2018 till November 2018, 14 patients were treated with freehand ISBT. The mean dose received by 90% of the high-risk clinical target volume (D₉₀) was 82 Gy EQD2₁₀ for patients with carcinoma of the cervix and 80 Gy EQD2₁₀ for patients with carcinoma of the vagina_. The mean dose received by 2 cc volume of the bladder and rectum was 80 Gy EQD2₃ and 70 Gy EQD2₃ for patients with carcinoma of the cervix and 75 Gy EQD2₃ and 72 Gy EQD2₃ for patients with carcinoma of the vagina, respectively. The mean dose received by 2 cc of the sigmoid was 65 Gy EQD2₃ for cervical carcinoma and 58 Gy EQD2₃ for vaginal carcinoma, respectively. At a median followup of 14 months, 2 patients developed local recurrence. Two patients developed Grade 2 gastro intestinal toxicity, and 1 patient developed Grade 2 genitourinary toxicity. None of the patients developed Grade 3 or 4 toxicities.ConclusionA freehand interstitial implant is feasible in resource limited settings and provides acceptable local control with minimal acute toxicity.