Tumour and tumour-like lesions of the patella – a multicentre experience

Fifty-nine cases of lesions presenting in the patella were identified after review of the databases of four European bone tumour registries. Of the 59 cases, 46% were non neoplastic, 39% were benign and 15% were malignant. The commonest benign neoplasm was giant cell tumour (GCT) (11 cases). Younger patients were more likely to have a benign neoplasm. Lesions in patients less than 40 years of age included giant cell tumour, chondroblastoma, aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC), osteomyelitis, osteoid osteoma and solitary bone cyst. In patients older than 40 years, the following were common lesions: intra-osseous gout, metastasis and intra-osseous ganglion. Expansion of the patella with thinning of cortex was seen more commonly in GCT and brown tumour in hyperparathyroidism. There was associated soft tissue extension in gout and malignant lesions.     

Differential diagnosis of tumours and tumour-like lesions of the infrapatellar (Hoffa’s) fat pad: pictorial review with an emphasis on MR imaging

A variety of intrinsic and extrinsic tumours and tumour-like conditions may affect the infrapatellar (Hoffas) fat pad (IFP). MR imaging is the technique of choice in evaluating these conditions, but correlation with radiographs is important to identify those lesions producing mineralization. This pictorial review illustrates the spectrum of mass-like lesions that can affect the IFP, emphasizing the radiographic and MR findings that suggest a specific diagnosis.     

Diffusion weighted MRI of soft tissue masses: Can measurement of ADC value help in the differentiation between benign and malignant lesions?

Objective

To assess the ability of DWI & numerical ADC values associated with routine MRI in classification of different musculoskeletal soft tissue masses.

Differentiation of benign and malignant lesions of the tongue by using diffusion-weighted MRI at 3.0?T

Objectives:

Diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) has been introduced in head and neck lesions and adds important information to the findings obtained through conventional MRI. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of DWI in differentiating benign and malignant lesions of the tongue at 3.0-T field strength imaging.

Methods:

78 patients with 78 lingual lesions underwent conventional MRI and DWI with b-values of 0 and 1000 s mm⁻² before therapy. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps were reconstructed, and the ADC values of the lingual lesions were calculated and compared between benign and malignant lesions of the tongue.

Results:

The mean ADC values of the malignant tumours, benign solid lesions and cystic lesions were (1.08 ± 0.16) × 10⁻³, (1.68 ± 0.33) × 10⁻³ and (2.21 ± 0.35) × 10⁻³ mm² s⁻¹, respectively. The mean ADC values of malignant tumours were significantly lower (p < 0.001) than those of benign solid lesions, and the mean ADC values of benign solid lesions were significantly lower (p < 0.001) than those of cystic lesions. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that when an ADC value <1.31 × 10⁻³ mm² s⁻¹ was used for predicting malignancy, the highest accuracy of 95.3%, sensitivity of 92.6% and specificity of 97.3% were obtained.

Conclusions:

ADC values of benign and malignant lesions are significantly different at 3.0-T imaging. DWI can be applied as a complementary tool in the differentiation of benign and malignant lesions of the tongue.     

Focal liver lesions: can SonoVue-enhanced ultrasound be used to differentiate malignant from benign lesions?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with SonoVue could differentiate malignant focal liver lesions (FLLs) from benign lesions and provide lesion type diagnoses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four hundred fifty-six patients with 554 FLLs were examined by CEUS with SonoVue using low mechanical index, nonlinear imaging techniques. Each lesion was characterized by 2 independent off-site readers as malignant or benign and given specific lesion type diagnosis, if possible, both at baseline ultrasound (US) and after SonoVue administration (CEUS). The final diagnosis was achieved by histopathology obtained from biopsy or surgical specimens, or by typical manifestation on contrast-enhanced CT or MRI. RESULTS: The diagnostic accuracies of the 2 readers were 41.9% and 35.2% for baseline US, which improved significantly to 87.2% and 87.9% for CEUS (P < 0.05). Interreader agreement also increased with CEUS compared with baseline US (ê value changed from 0.49 to 0.77). The accuracy for lesion type diagnosis was 38.4% and 32.5% for baseline US, which increased to 77.6% and 78.0% for CEUS (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CEUS with SonoVue improves differentiation between malignant and benign FLLs, and also provides improved lesion type (differential) diagnosis.     

Can diffusion weighted MRI differentiate between benign and malignant hepatic focal lesions?

The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in differentiation between benign and malignant hepatic focal lesions.     

Does diffusion-weighted imaging add diagnostic confidence in discriminating between benign and malignant solid focal liver lesions?

We investigated whether diffusion-weighted Imaging (DWI) adds diagnostic confidence in assessing focal liver lesions (FLLs). By reviewing FLLs without and with DWI at 1.5 T, two radiologists scored the confidence in diagnosing benignancy/malignancy (confidence score), and DWI usefulness (usefulness score). We showed that adding DWI significantly decreased the confidence score of the most experienced radiologist and increased his confidence in false-negative diagnoses showing atypical features on conventional magnetic resonance imaging.     

MR first pass perfusion of benign and malignant cardiac tumours—significant differences and diagnostic accuracy

Objectives  

To determine the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance (MR) first pass perfusion in the differentiation of benign and malignant cardiac tumours.     

Does magnetic resonance imaging have a role in diagnosing benign intracardiac lesions?

Objective

In this study, transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance were compared in terms of the detection, localization, characterization and extra cardiac association of cardiac lesions to specify the value of adding CMR to TTE in diagnosing benign intracardiac lesions.

Materials and methods

Twenty nine patients ranging in age between 7 months and 80 years were enrolled in the study. Twenty five patients with suspected intracardiac lesions by TTE, in addition four patients with accidentally discovered thrombi on CMR were added to the study.

Results

CMR detected 17 non neoplastic lesions and 11 neoplastic lesions. CMR changed the diagnosis made by TTE in five cases, showed additional findings to TTE in three cases and was superior to TTE in detecting four cases of cardiac thrombi.

Conclusion

CMR is superior to TTE in characterization of intracardiac lesions, detecting its site, size, vascularity, hemodynamics and multiplicity of the lesion with high tissue contrast. Thus it should be performed in all cases suspicious of cardiac masses as it could aid in patient management and guide for surgery. Moreover it can prevent unneeded cardiac surgery in cases of benign non-neoplastic lesions or in benign tumors with no hemodynamic significance.     

DWIBS: Can it replace DCE-MRI in detection and characterization of suspicious breast lesions?

Objectives

Unenhanced MR imaging of the breast have recently been introduced. These include STIR, T2-weighted TSE and DWIBS sequences. These sequences could characterize breast lesions, although not yet able to avoid histological characterization.

Interval growth of probably benign breast lesions on follow-up ultrasound: how can these be managed?

Objectives  

To investigate the malignancy rate in probably benign lesions with interval growth on follow-up ultrasound (US) and the cut-off values for predicting malignancy.     

(111)In-pentetreotide SPET/CT in carcinoid tumours: is the role of hybrid systems advantageous in abdominal or thoracic lesions?

Our aim was to evaluate the different clinical value of (111)In-pentetreotide hybrid SPET/CT versus SPET alone in detecting carcinoid tumours located in the thoracic and abdominal region. Twenty-four patients with carcinoid tumours histologically proven (13 of abdominal origin, 11 of thoracic origin) underwent (111)In-pentetreotide SPET/CT with hybrid system (Millennium VG with Hawkeye, G.E.M.S., USA) composed of a dual head gamma camera equipped with a low dose X-ray tube. Single photon emission tomography images were performed 4h and 24h after (111)In-pentetreotide intravenous administration, while SPET/CT co-registered images were performed at 4h. Scintigraphic images were first evaluated alone and then re-interpreted by adding transmission fused data. Nine of the 13 patients with tumours of abdominal origin showed pathological SPET images, while 4/13 were negative. Seven out of the 11 patients with tumour of thoracic origin had pathological SPET findings, while 4/11 were negative. In all, 11/24 subjects disclosed abdominal pathological uptake and 10/24 thoracic. In 6/11 abdominal cases SPET/CT allowed anatomical localization of lesions, while in 2/10 in thoracic cases. Additional data were provided by SPET/CT in 8/24 cases (6 abdominal, 2 thoracic), by transmission images characterized as lesions not expressing somatostatin receptors. Sensitivity of SPET alone in all carcinoids was 72%, negative predictive value (NPV) was 50% and accuracy was 78%. Considering abdominal lesions (independently of the origin) sensitivity of SPET alone was 64.7%, NPV was 40%, accuracy was 71.4%. For thoracic lesions sensitivity of SPET alone was 83.3%, NPV was 66.7% and accuracy was 87.5%. For SPET/CT considering together all carcinoids and also separately lesions of abdominal and of thoracic origin, sensitivity, NPV and accuracy were always 100%. In conclusion, SPET/CT imaging was more useful to anatomically detect carcinoids either in abdomen or in thorax and specifically lesions not expressing somatostatin receptors, as compared to SPET alone.