Carcinoid tumors of the pancreas: CT findings

Computed tomographic (CT) and ultrasound (US) findings in four cases of carcinoid tumors of the pancreas are reported. Differential diagnosis with other endocrine and nonendocrine pancreatic tumors is discussed. CT and US techniques play an important role in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of these tumors.     

Initial clinical experiences with allotransplantation of the pancreas

Since 1979 7 pancreas transplantations have been performed in 8 type I diabetics. 5 of these 7 recipients had already been dialysed; 2 were awaiting their first dialysis. Furthermore, diabetes had caused severe retinopathy in 5 patients. The pancreas was transplanted simultaneously with a kidney from the same donor in 5 recipients; in 3 cases the pancreas was grafted 16 to 230 days after successful renal transplantation. 1 pancreas graft was removed immediately after revascularisation because of ischaemic damage. While the pancreatic duct was occluded in the first 4 patients, enteric diversion of the pancreatic juice was applied in the next 3 recipients. The first two patients were treated with conventional immunosuppression, whilst all the others received cyclosporin A and low-dose steroids. Small amounts of insulin had to be given initially for a few days in 2 cases, only. 2 grafts were lost due to surgical complications and 3 for immunological reasons. 1 functioning graft had to be removed because the patient was not willing to continue immunosuppression after irreversible rejection of her renal transplant. There was no perioperative death. 2 pancreatic and 5 renal grafts are functioning well at the present time. Technical aspects and problems in the diagnosis of rejection are discussed.     

二维应变超声心动图评价移植心脏左心室收缩功能

目的应用二维应变超声心动图检测移植心脏左室壁峰值收缩应变,探讨二维应变超声心动图评价移植心脏左室收缩功能的价值。方法9例心脏移植受者共进行41次超声检查;23例正常人作为对照。记录心尖长轴观、心尖两腔观及心尖四腔观的高帧频二维图像,应用二维应变分析软件测量左室壁各节段的峰值收缩应变及心尖各切面观心肌总的峰值收缩应变、左室整体平均峰值收缩应变。结果无排异反应的心脏移植受者与正常人相比,除了4个心尖节段（后壁心尖段、前间隔心尖段、侧壁心尖段、前壁心尖段）外,左室壁各节段峰值收缩应变均显著降低（P〈0.05）;心尖各切面观心肌总的峰值收缩应变及左室整体平均峰值收缩应变均较正常显著降低（P〈0.05）。急性排异反应与无排异反应的心脏移植受者后室间隔及侧壁各节段相比,峰值收缩应变均有下降趋势,但仅后室间隔心尖段峰值收缩应变降低具有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。急性排异反应的心脏移植受者心尖四腔观心肌总的峰值收缩应变较无排异反应的心脏移植受者则显著降低（P〈0.05）。结论二维应变超声心动图可用于快速准确评价移植心脏左室收缩功能,在排异反应诊断方面具有潜在价值。     

Heterotopic pancreas of the stomach: CT findings correlated with pathologic findings in six patients

Background: The purpose of this study was to characterize the computed tomographic (CT) findings of heterotopic pancreas of the stomach. Methods: CT scans of six surgically proven cases of heterotopic pancreas of the stomach were reviewed. Three were dynamic spiral CT scans, with both arterial dominant and late phase scans. In other three, both unenhanced and contrast-enhanced scans were obtained by using conventional techniques. Particular attention was given to the enhancement of the heterotopic pancreas. Pathologic and surgical findings were correlated with CT findings. Results: The locations were in the gastric antrum in five cases and in the mid-body in one. Size ranged from 1 cm to 3 cm (mean = 2.1 cm). Three cases showed homogeneous, strong enhancement similar to the pancreas and consisted mainly of pancreatic acini with the same histologic features as the normal pancreas. Two cases showed poor enhancement and consisted mainly of ducts and hypertrophied muscle; pancreatic acini were a minor component. In one case appearing as a cystic lesion on CT, a pseudocyst was found with many ducts and some nests of pancreatic acini. Conclusions: Heterotopic pancreas of the stomach showed a diverse spectrum of CT findings. Good understanding of these CT findings may be helpful in making a correct diagnosis. Received: 24 March 1999/Accepted: 19 May 1999     

Liver transplant rejection: value of hepatic vein Doppler waveform analysis

Background: To determine whether abnormal hepatic vein Doppler tracings can be used to predict liver transplantation rejection. Methods: A total of 158 hepatic vein Doppler tracings were obtained on 93 postliver transplant patients (63 patients without rejection and 30 patients with biopsy-proven rejection). Hepatic vein Doppler tracings were scored according to an established grading system (0 = normal triphasic waveform, 1 = dampened waveform, with loss of flow reversal, 2 = completely flat waveform). The hepatic vein Doppler tracings were then correlated with biopsy findings. Results: In the group of 63 patients without rejection, 124 Doppler examinations were performed and graded as follows: 0 = 87 (70%), 1 = 31 (25%), and 2 = 6 (5%). In the group of 30 patients with biopsy-proven rejection, 34 Doppler examinations were performed and graded as follows: 0 = 16 (47%), 1 = 14 (41%), and 2 = 4 (12%). The sensitivity of abnormal hepatic vein Doppler tracings for detection of rejection was 53% and the specificity was 70%. The positive predictive value of an abnormal hepatic vein Doppler tracing was 33% and the negative predictive value of a normal Doppler tracing was 84%. Conclusions: Abnormal hepatic vein Doppler tracings are observed in patients with and without liver transplant rejection. Abnormal tracings cannot be used to predict liver transplant rejection. Received: 7 January 1997/Revision accepted: 17 April 1997     

Therapeutic drug level of tacrolimus causing intracranial hemorrhage in a patient with renal transplant

Tacrolimus is used in solid organ transplant patients to prevent rejection, and no case of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has been reported till date. We report a case of 31‐year‐old man with diabetes and hypertension for ten years who had a renal transplant four years back; diagnosed with tacrolimus‐induced ICH.     

三维血管能量血流分级在移植肾急性排异中的临床应用

目的探讨三维血管能量显像在移植肾急性排异血流显像中的临床价值。方法应用三维血管能量显像技术对88例患者的同种异体移植肾进行了血流分级与观察。结果88例移植肾重建图像满意率为95．5％。正常移植肾30例，三维血管能量显像血流分级在4～5级；急性排异58例，血流分级在0～4级。血流分级与移植肾急性排异治疗后的肾血流开始改善时间及肾功能开始恢复时间密切相关，r值分别为-0．9224、-0.9223，P〈0．01。结论三维血管能量血流分级从形态学上直观地反映了肾内血流灌注状况，为评价移植肾的血流动力学提供了一项新的半定量指标。     

New markers in serum for lymphocyte activation for predicting allograft rejection. Neopterin and soluble interleukin-2 receptor.

Investigations have been reported on the use of neopterin and soluble interleukin-2 receptors as rejection markers. Each of these analytes is available as part of an easy-to-perform analytic method. Each is available in a diagnostic kit that is accurate, precise, and sensitive enough to provide good clinical information. Both of these materials have a significant relationship with the cell-mediated immune response, particularly at the level of T-cell activation. Neopterin does increase significantly in cases of transplant rejection but shows greater response to viral infection. Soluble interleukin-2 receptors increase during periods of transplant rejection but also respond during T-cell activation brought on by bacterial or viral infection. The use of these markers is best described for kidney transplants and less well documented for liver and heart transplants.     

W-shaped diastolic Doppler waveform in the hepatic artery of a patient with acute rejection after living donor liver transplantation

Waveform analysis of arterial Doppler sonography signals is widely used in clinical practice. A characteristic, W-shaped diastolic waveform has been reported in the renal artery of renal transplant recipients in cases of renal vein thrombosis or severe acute rejection. Although Doppler sonography is widely used for the evaluation of liver transplants, we found no report of this waveform in cases of outflow block or severe acute rejection. We report the case of a patient with an adult living-donor liver transplant in whom the W-shaped sign occurred during severe acute rejection with massive liver parenchyma destruction.     

肝移植后慢性排异反应1例

背景:慢性排异反应进展缓慢,往往呈隐匿性,移植肝功能逐渐减退或丧失。这种损伤是不可逆的,目前尚无有效的治疗办法。目的:分析1例肝移植后慢性排异反应病例,以早期作出正确诊断。方法:分析1例肝移植后3次入院诊断治疗的经过。B超显示:①肝实质回声增高,粗,不均匀。②胆囊切除术后。③脾大。④腹水。腹部CT显示:①肝移植术后。②脾大。住院期间积极给予护肝、支持、对症治疗,丙氨酸转氨酶、天门冬氨酸转氨酶无下降,总胆红素持续不降并有上升,反复腹腔感染。排除其他肝损害原因,经肝组织病理证实为肝移植术后慢性排异反应。结果与结论:病例提示肝移植后不明原因肝脏损害,慢性排异反应应引起重视并应作为鉴别诊断之一,且肝组织病理检测将有助于诊断。对于肝移植后慢性排异反应除外其他肝损害病因并及时进行肝组织病理检测将有助于诊断。     

肝移植后慢性排异反应1例

背景：慢性排异反应进展缓慢,往往呈隐匿性,移植肝功能逐渐减退或丧失。这种损伤是不可逆的,目前尚无有效的治疗办法。目的：分析1例肝移植后慢性排异反应病例,以早期作出正确诊断。方法：分析1例肝移植后3次入院诊断治疗的经过。B超显示：①肝实质回声增高,粗,不均匀。②胆囊切除术后。③脾大。④腹水。腹部CT显示：①肝移植术后。②脾大。住院期间积极给予护肝、支持、对症治疗,丙氨酸转氨酶、天门冬氨酸转氨酶无下降,总胆红素持续不降并有上升,反复腹腔感染。排除其他肝损害原因,经肝组织病理证实为肝移植术后慢性排异反应。结果与结论：病例提示肝移植后不明原因肝脏损害,慢性排异反应应引起重视并应作为鉴别诊断之一,且肝组织病理检测将有助于诊断。对于肝移植后慢性排异反应除外其他肝损害病因并及时进行肝组织病理检测将有助于诊断。     

Pancreas and islet transplantation in man.

The results of pancreas transplantation have greatly improved, the overall patient and graft 1-year survival rates now being 89 and 62%, respectively. A technically successful graft ensures a near-normal glucose metabolism in most cases, and improves the patient's quality of life. However, pancreas transplantation is not a life-saving procedure and because of the necessary permanent immunosuppression it is usually performed in patients in whom a kidney transplant is needed or has been previously established. In such patients the other diabetic chronic complications are often advanced and limit the potential benefit of pancreas transplantation, but it seems premature to extend the indications to early stage diabetes. Islet transplantation has many potential advantages, mainly the possibilities of immune alteration and immune protection of the transplant that could allow transplantation to be performed without immunosuppression and the use of xenogenic tissue. Major limiting factors are the high numbers of islets necessary to ensure insulin independence and the low yield of islet isolation from adult pancreas. Encouraging, albeit preliminary results have been recently reported in man.     

CT和X线钡餐造影诊断胃肠道异位胰腺

目的 分析胃肠道异位胰腺的CT及胃肠道钡餐造影表现。方法 回顾性分析本院经手术病理证实的12例异位胰腺患者的临床表现、CT及胃肠钡餐造影的影像特征,其中5例行CT增强检查,2例行胃肠道钡餐造影。结果 5例为小肠异位胰腺,7例为胃异位胰腺;病灶均呈类圆形,向腔内生长。其中2例小肠异位胰腺合并肠梗阻、肠套叠。8例病灶CT平扫呈软组织密度影,部分可见点状低密度,5例病灶增强扫描病灶强化方式与正常胰腺相似,其中4例病灶动脉期可见点状低密度影。2例异位胰腺消化道钡餐造影显示病变区类圆形充盈缺损。结论 胃肠道异位胰腺的CT及X线钡餐造影表现具有一定的特征性,且在诊断胃肠道异位胰腺中有重要的作用。     

The current state of pancreas transplantation

The first pancreas transplant in 1966 demonstrated that a pancreas allograft could reestablish euglycemia independent of exogenous insulin in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Early outcomes were poor, and application of the procedure was limited. In the 1980s, innovations in immunosuppression therapy and surgical management of pancreatic exocrine secretions combined with careful candidate selection resulted in dramatic improvements in patient and graft survival. In the 1990s, the incorporation of additional new anti-rejection agents into immunosuppression protocols resulted in a further decrease in the incidence of acute rejection, affording more freedom in surgical management of exocrine drainage. The vision for the future of transplantation for the treatment of diabetes is focused on the percutaneous infusion of pancreatic islets, thus eliminating the need for surgical revascularization of a pancreas allograft, yet reestablishing regulation of glucose metabolism.     

Plasmacytoma of the pancreatic head

Plasmacytomas of the pancreas are extremely rare. This is a report of a patient with plasmacytoma of the head of the pancreas who also had an extramedullary plasmacytoma of the epipharynx 19 months earlier. Computed tomographic (CT) scans revealed a multilobular homogeneous mass in the pancreas. Endoscopic biopsy of adjacent polypoid lesions in the duodenum allowed confirmation of the diagnosis.     

2例肠内引流式胰十二指肠肾联合移植手术患者护理重点

总结了2例肠内引流式胰十二指肠肾联合移植患手术前后的护理重点，包括：术前心理护理，术后细致观察移植器官功能和排斥反应，严格用药管理，及时观察、护理移植胰血管栓塞、消化道出血、胰瘘、肠瘘和胰周感染等并发症，保证了手术的成功。     

CT appearance of primary pancreatic lymphoma

Primary lymphoma of the pancreas is a rare neoplasm that may resemble pancreatic carcinoma on CT scans. Two cases with CT findings are presented.     

Dispermic chimerism identified during HLA typing for stem cell transplantation

BACKGROUND: Chimerism is defined as the presence of two genetically distinct cell populations in an organism. Few cases of phenotypically normal dispermic chimeras have been reported and most showed abnormalities on blood typing. CASE REPORT: A 32-year-old man was diagnosed with acute myelomonocytic leukemia. He clearly typed as group A, D-. No abnormalities of sexual development were identified on multiple physical exams, previous exploratory surgery, or CT scans. Molecular HLA typing (sequence-specific primers) in preparation for stem cell transplant showed the patient to have three HLA-B* and three HLA-Cw* alleles. Initial serologic HLA typing reported two haplotypes, but on subsequent review reactions for a third HLA-B antigen that were initially deemed to be false-positive reactions were identified. Two of 10 microsatellite short tandem repeat (STR) loci also showed three distinct alleles in blood and buccal samples. In all studies the third allele was attributable to a dual paternal contribution. CONCLUSION: This case represents dispermic chimerism, with one maternal and two paternal haplotypes variably distributed throughout body tissues in a phenotypically normal man without abnormalities in blood typing. The presence of additional alleles that may have been undetected or dismissed by serologic typing should be carefully investigated and verified by molecular techniques. Molecular HLA typing may increase the accurate identification of phenotypically normal chimeras and aid in selecting proper donors for transplantation to reduce graft-versus-host disease and transplant rejection in these patients.     

64层螺旋CT血管成像评价胰腺直接供血动脉的价值

目的 探讨64 层螺旋CT 血管成像对胰腺直接供血动脉的显示价值.方法 对91 例非胰腺器质性病变行胰腺供血动脉64 层螺旋CT 造影检查,应用腹部容积扫描程序,采用最大密度投影法(MIP)和容积再现(VR)技术获得胰腺直接供血动脉图像,并以DSA 造影结果为金标准进行比对,观察分析MIP、VR 对胰腺直接供血动脉的显示率,并对其显示真实性、可靠性及收益进行评价;采用卡方检验比较两种方法间的差异性.结果 MIP 和VR 对胰腺直接供血动脉的显示率不同,MIP对胰十二指肠上前动脉、胰十二指肠上后动脉、胰十二指肠下前动脉、胰十二指肠下后动脉、胰背动脉、胰横动脉、胰大动脉显示率明显优于VR,经卡方检验,差异有统计学意义(P ＜0.05).MIP 对胰尾动脉显示率与VR 间差异无统计学意义.而且MIP 方法可提高胰腺直接供血动脉显示的敏感度、正确诊断指数和阳性预测值;但其对显示的特异度及阴性预测值与VR 比较差异无统计学意义.结论 64 层螺旋CT 血管成像是一种简便、快速、无创显示胰腺供血动脉检查手段,能够显示胰腺直接供血动脉,并可为临床提供有价值的参考依据;MIP 多角度三维重建能比VR 更准确显示胰腺直接供血动脉解剖结构.     

Lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas

Lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas is a rare lesion which may mimic a pancreatic pseudocyst or mucinous cystic neoplasm. To our knowledge, this lesion has never been reported in the radiologic literature. We present a patient with lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas, and we discuss the radiographic and pathologic findings.