Clinical Impact of Endoscopic Ultrasound and Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration in the Management of Rectal Carcinoma

PURPOSE: There is scant data about the clinical impact of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration in rectal carcinoma. This study was designed to determine the impact of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration on the staging and management of rectal carcinoma and to compare the staging accuracy of computed tomography scan, endoscopic ultrasound, and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration. METHODS: The records of 60 consecutive patients diagnosed with rectal carcinoma referred for endoscopic ultrasound staging were reviewed. Computed tomography scans, endoscopic ultrasound imaging, endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration staging, surgical pathology, and subsequent treatment were compared. RESULTS: Of 48 patients who underwent computed tomography scan imaging, the additional information provided by endoscopic ultrasound changed management in 38 percent of patients. Sixteen patients identified as having nonjuxtatumoral lymph nodes underwent fine-needle aspiration and the additional information obtained changed therapy in three (19 percent) of these patients. All five cases of recurrent rectal carcinoma were correctly diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration. Tumor staging accuracy was 45 percent (computed tomography) and 89 percent (endoscopic ultrasound; P < 0.0001); nodal staging accuracy was 68 percent (computed tomography), 85 percent (endoscopic ultrasound), and 92 percent (endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration; P = not significant). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic ultrasound imaging was better than computed tomography scanning at overall tumor staging, whereas endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration demonstrated a trend toward more accurate nodal staging. Preoperative staging with endoscopic ultrasound resulted in a change of management in 38 percent of patients. The addition of fine-needle aspiration changed the management in 19 percent of those who underwent nonjuxtatumoral lymph node sampling. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration accurately diagnosed 100 percent of those with recurrent rectal carcinoma. Clearly, endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration are important for the staging and management of rectal carcinoma and for detecting disease recurrence.Presented at the EUS 13th International Symposium on Endoscopic Ultrasound, New York, New York, October 4 to 6, 2002     

Three-dimensional endorectal ultrasonography for staging of obstructing rectal cancer

PURPOSE: Preoperative staging of advanced carcinoma of the rectum by conventional endorectal ultrasonography is often impossible because of the presence of obstruction, which does not allow passage of the endoprobe. In a prospective Study, we investigated the value of three-dimensional endorectal ultrasonography for staging of obstructing rectal cancer. This technique permits examination of obstructing rectal tumors because scan planes can be chosen deliberately within a scanned volume. METHODS: Overall obstructing tumors not accessible for conventional endoprobes were found in 26 of 94 patients who were subjected to endorectal ultrasonography for staging of rectal cancer. Three-dimensional volume scanning was performed using a three-dimensional frontfire transducer or a three-dimensional bifocal multiplane transducer (7.5/10 MHz). Data of the three-dimensional scans were stored on a hard disk for subsequent evaluation with a combison 530 processor. RESULTS: Three-dimensional transrectal endosonography enabled visualization of local tumor spread in all 26 patients. In 18 patients, obstruction was caused by advanced primary rectal carcinoma. Endosonography accurately determined the tumor infiltration depth in three T2 tumors, eight T3 tumors, and three T4 tumors. Overall accuracy for assessment of infiltration depth was 78 percent. Accuracy for assessment of perirectal lymph node involvement was 75 percent. In eight patients, the obstruction was attributable to extramural regrowth of rectal cancer after surgery. Diameter of the lesions ranged between 3 and 6 cm. Although all lesions were clearly depicted by three-dimensional endosonography, only five lesions (62 percent) were detected by computed tomography. CONCLUSIONS: Three-dimensional endorectal ultrasonography provides previously unattainable scan planes and enables accurate staging of obstructing rectal tumors. This technique may improve therapy planning in advanced rectal cancer by selecting patients who require preoperative adjuvant therapy.     

Interrater reliability and accuracy in identifying ischemic strokes using computed tomography scans in people with dementia

OBJECTIVES: To assess the reliability and interobserver agreement of stroke identification on neuroimaging in patients presenting with dementia. DESIGN: Comparison study between neurologists, radiology reports, and autopsy. SETTING: Dementia registry within a health maintenance organization. PARTICIPANTS: Dementia patients with computed tomography (CT) scans obtained near the time of diagnosis and postmortem neuropathological examinations (N=99). MEASUREMENTS: Three neurologists independently read CT scans for the presence and locations of strokes. Radiology reports from these scans were reviewed. The results from neurologists, radiologists, and autopsies were compared. RESULTS: The positive predictive value for CT-observed strokes compared with their presence on autopsy was 0.44 to 0.49, regardless of the specialty of the observer. Strokes were present at autopsy in 46 of 99 cases. Agreement between neurologists on the presence of strokes was fair to moderate (kappa=0.27-0.56). Less agreement was found between neurologists and radiologists (kappa=0.00-0.11). Results improved slightly when each case was evaluated as any stroke present versus no stroke on imaging (kappa=0.34-0.75) or for the presence of multiple strokes (kappa=0.17-0.69). CONCLUSION: There is only fair to moderate agreement between observers regarding the identification of strokes on CT scans in patients presenting with dementia. Furthermore, strokes identified on imaging were present on pathology only half the time.     

Reliability and validity studies of endoluminal ultrasonography for anorectal disorders

PURPOSE: Endoluminal ultrasonography (ELUS) is accurate in the assessment of penetration through the rectal wall by carcinoma. Clinical studies were performed to determine the reliability and validity of ELUS. METHODS: The interobserver reliability among four observers with varying experience with ELUS was determined for staging the penetration of rectal cancer through the rectal wall. The ability of ELUS to change the clinical management of the referring clinician (comprehensiveness) was assessed on all referrals over a six-month period. RESULTS: The reliability of ELUS for staging rectal cancer demonstrated only fair to moderate correlation (weighted kappa range, 0.22–0.47). The accuracy of ELUS compared with surgical pathology demonstrated a learning curve proportional to the experience of the observer. In 45 percent of referrals, ELUS changed the clinical management of patients and in 76 percent of referrals the clinician's confidence in the diagnosis and management of patients was altered. ELUS was more likely to change the management of patients with pelvic pouch sepsis (70 percent) and early neoplastic lesions (57 percent) than in more advanced neoplastic lesions (40 percent), perianal Crohn's disease (40 percent), complex noninflammatory bowel disease sepsis (33 percent), and incontinence (31 percent). CONCLUSIONS: ELUS has the ability to change the clinical management of a variety of anorectal conditions. However, for neoplasia the interobserver reliability is only moderate and a learning curve exists.     

Computed tomographic evaluation and staging of cecal carcinoma

The preoperative computed tomographic (CT) scans of 14 patients with biopsy-proven primary adenocarcinoma of the cecum were reviewed to assess clinical presentation, CT findings, and value of staging by CT. The correlation of CT evidence for tumor invasion beyond the bowel wall with histopathology had predictive value of negative examination of 33% with sensitivity of 78%. More importantly, the correlation of metastatic nodal involvement by CT had predictive value of negative examination of 22% with sensitivity of only 12%. Of chief concern was the involvement of pericolic and mesenteric nodal chains that were not discernible by CT. Computed tomographic tumor staging was accurate in 57% of cases and upgraded in 43%. This study concludes that, although predictive values of positive CT examination are high, CT tends to underestimate disease extent.     

Accuracy of Endorectal Ultrasonography in Preoperative Staging of Rectal Tumors

PURPOSE: Preoperative staging of rectal tumors is considered essential to tailor treatment for individual patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of endorectal ultrasonography in preoperative staging of rectal tumors. METHODS: Eleven hundred eighty-four patients with rectal adenocarcinoma or villous adenoma underwent endorectal ultrasonography evaluation at a single institution during a ten-year period. We compared the endorectal ultrasonography staging with the pathology findings based on the surgical specimens in 545 patients who had surgery (307 by transanal excision, 238 by radical proctectomy) without adjuvant preoperative chemoradiation. Comparisons between groups were performed using chi-squared tests and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Overall accuracy in assessing the level of rectal wall invasion was 69 percent, with 18 percent of the tumors overstaged and 13 percent understaged. Accuracy depended on the tumor stage and on the ultrasonographer. Overall accuracy in assessing nodal involvement in the 238 patients treated with radical surgery was 64 percent, with 25 percent overstaged and 11 percent understaged. CONCLUSION: The accuracy of endorectal ultrasonography in assessing the depth of tumor invasion, particularly for early cancers, is lower than previously reported. The technique is more precise in distinguishing between benign tumors and invasive cancers and between tumors localized to the rectal wall and tumors with transmural invasion. Differences in image interpretation may in part explain discrepancies in accuracy between studies.     

Timing of computed tomography in acute diverticulitis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use and timing of computed tomography in the treatment of patients with acute left-sided diverticulitis. METHODS: We reviewed our four-year experience of 47 patients with the diagnosis of acute diverticulitis. We have evaluated the benefits of admissionvs. delayed computed tomography in patients with this diagnosis. RESULTS: Of the 47 patients, 17 were diagnosed on clinical grounds alone, treated, and released. Thirty patients had their clinical diagnoses of diverticulitis evaluated with either computed tomographic scan (26) or laparotomy (4). Eleven of those 30 (36 percent) patients were found to have normal computed tomographic scans, indicating inaccurate clinical diagnosis, and all patients who underwent laparotomy had the pathologic diagnosis of diverticulitis. Six of the 47 patients had abscesses, but only 2 were identified at the time of admission. The remaining four abscesses were identified on delayed computed tomographic scans after failure of medical therapy. Thirty-seven hospital days were used by patients with inaccurate diagnoses before their computed tomographic scans. Analysis of cost revealed that a computed tomographic scan for all 47 patients would have cost less than the expense of admission for just the 11 patients who had normal computed tomographic scans. CONCLUSION: Routine admission computed tomographic scan for patients with acute diverticulitis leads to more accurate diagnosis, earlier identification of complications, and possible decreased hospital costs.Supported by departmental funding.Poster presentation at the meeting of The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 22 to 26, 1997.The opinions or assertions contained here are the private views of the authors and are not to be construed as reflecting the views of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense.     

Role of virtual computed tomographic colonography in patients with colorectal cancers and obstructing colorectal lesions

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the ability of computed tomographic colonography to diagnose colorectal masses, stage colorectal cancers, image the proximal colon in obstructing colorectal lesions, and evaluate the anastomoses in patients with previous colorectal surgery. METHODS: We prospectively performed computed tomographic colonography examinations in 34 patients (20 males; mean age, 64.2; range, 19–91 years): 20 patients had colorectal masses (defined at endoscopy as intraluminal masses 2 cm or larger), 7 patients had benign obstructing colorectal strictures, and 7 patients had a prior colorectal resection. Final tumor staging was available in all 16 patients who had colorectal cancers and 15 patients were referred after incomplete colonoscopy. The ability of computed tomographic colonography to stage colorectal cancers, identify synchronous lesions in patients with colorectal masses, and image the proximal colon in patients with obstructing colorectal lesions was assessed. RESULTS: Computed tomographic colonography identified all colorectal masses, but overcalled two masses in patients who were either poorly distended or poorly prepared. Computed tomographic colonography correctly staged 13 of 16 colorectal cancers (81 percent) and detected 16 of 17 (93 percent) synchronous polyps. Computed tomographic colonography overstaged two Dukes Stage A cancers and understaged one Dukes Stage C cancer. A total of 97 percent (87/90) of all colonic segments were adequately visualized at computed tomographic colonography in patients with obstructing colorectal lesions compared with 60 percent (26/42) of segments at barium enema (P<0.01). Colonic anastomoses were visualized in all nine patients, but in one patient, computed tomographic colonography could not distinguish between local tumor recurrence and surgical changes. CONCLUSION: Computed tomographic colonography can accurately identify all colorectal masses but may overcall stool as masses in poorly distended or poorly prepared colons. Computed tomographic colonography has an overall staging accuracy of 81 percent for colorectal cancer and is superior to barium enema in visualizing colonic segments proximal to obstructing colorectal lesions.Read at The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons' 100th Anniversary and Tripartite Meeting, Washington D.C., May 1 to 6, 1999.     

The relationship of clinical findings to CT scan evidence of adrenal gland metastases in the staging of bronchogenic carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether, during the staging of newly diagnosed bronchogenic carcinoma, clinical indicators predict the presence or absence of adrenal metastases detected by computerized tomographic (CT) scans. DESIGN: Retrospective review of charts and roentgenograms. SETTING: Academic medical center. PATIENTS: Two hundred five consecutive patients diagnosed with bronchogenic carcinoma, of whom 173 had sufficient data available for analysis. MEASUREMENTS: Charts were reviewed for abnormalities in three clinical categories (signs, symptoms, and routine laboratory tests) and the presence of extrapulmonary tumor spread. The CT scans were reviewed for evidence of adrenal involvement by radiologists blinded to clinical findings. MAIN RESULTS: Thirty patients had abnormal adrenal glands on CT scan. In 26 the abnormality was believed to represent adrenal metastasis, whereas in four the CT findings were consistent with adrenal adenomas. The frequency of adrenal metastases varied with the number of positive, clinical findings (chi 2 = 105.4; p < 0.001). All 26 patients with adrenal metastases had at least one clinical abnormality, and 21 (81 percent had abnormalities in either two or all three clinical categories. In 40 patients without any clinical indicators of widespread disease, none had CT evidence of adrenal metastases. The presence of adrenal metastases also varied with the extent of coexistent disease (chi 2 = 111.82; p < 0.001). Eighty-one percent (21) of the patients with and 18 percent of those without adrenal metastases had both intrathoracic and extrathoracic involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that adrenal metastases are found in patients with a large tumor burden who have clinical indicators of widespread disease. We found no evidence of adrenal metastases by CT in any patient with a normal clinical evaluation. We conclude that CT scans through the adrenal glands are unnecessary when staging newly diagnosed bronchogenic carcinoma if the findings from the initial clinical evaluation are normal.     

Computed tomographic-based quantification of emphysema and correlation to pulmonary function and mechanics

Computed tomographic based indices of emphysematous lung destruction may highlight differences in disease pathogenesis and further enable the classification of subjects with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. While there are multiple techniques that can be utilized for such radiographic analysis, there is very little published information comparing the performance of these methods in a clinical case series. Our objective was to examine several quantitative and semi-quantitative methods for the assessment of the burden of emphysema apparent on computed tomographic scans and compare their ability to predict lung mechanics and function. Automated densitometric analysis was performed on 1094 computed tomographic scans collected upon enrollment into the National Emphysema Treatment Trial. Trained radiologists performed an additional visual grading of emphysema on high resolution CT scans. Full pulmonary function test results were available for correlation, with a subset of subjects having additional measurements of lung static recoil. There was a wide range of emphysematous lung destruction apparent on the CT scans and univariate correlations to measures of lung function were of modest strength. No single method of CT scan analysis clearly outperformed the rest of the group. Quantification of the burden of emphysematous lung destruction apparent on CT scan is a weak predictor of lung function and mechanics in severe COPD with no uniformly superior method found to perform this analysis. The CT based quantification of emphysema may augment pulmonary function testing in the characterization of COPD by providing complementary phenotypic information.     

Preoperative staging of irradiated rectal cancers using digital rectal examination, computed tomography, endorectal ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging does not accurately predict T0,N0 pathology

PURPOSE: The postradiation preoperative staging results of 25 patients with rectal cancer who were found to have Stage T0,N0 lesions after surgery were examined. Our aim was to assess the ability of preoperative staging following radiation therapy to predict the absence of disease. METHODS: From 1983 to 1994, 25 patients treated with preoperative radiation therapy for biopsy-proven rectal cancer were found to have no pathologic evidence of disease in the resected specimen (T0,N0). The preoperative postradiation disease staging results of these patients were compared with the postoperative pathologic findings. Each patient received 4,500 to 5,580 cGy during a five-week to six-week period, and four patients had preoperative chemotherapy. Surgical resection was performed six to eight weeks after completion of radiation therapy. All 25 patients were staged by digital rectal examination before surgery. In addition, 13 patients were assessed using computed tomography, 6 by endorectal ultrasound, and 1 by magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: Most irradiated lesions were overstaged by radiologic assessment and physical examination. No technique could reliably distinguish between postradiation fibrosis and residual cancer. The negative predictive value for digital rectal examination was 24 percent. Computed tomography accurately staged 23 percent of lesions, and endorectal ultrasound predicted 17 percent of lesions correctly. The single patient evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging was overstaged and thought to have a T2 lesion. CONCLUSIONS: Our ability to assess local eradication of rectal cancer following radiation therapy remains poor. Conventional imaging and clinical examination techniques are unable to safely predict which patients do not require surgical excision following curative radiation therapy for rectal cancer.     

Acute pancreatitis--a quantification of dynamics at clinical and radiomorphologic levels

To quantify the dynamics of acute pancreatitis in a prospective clinical study on 108 patients, clinical and computed tomographic classifications were performed at days 1, 3 and 6 after admission. Sixty-two percent of the patients revealed a variable clinical staging at the times considered. Progredience of pancreatic necrosis was found in 20 of the 55 patients subjected to radiomorphologic investigations. Comparison between clinical and CT findings showed an increase in the agreement of both assessments from 69 percent (day 1) to 85 percent (day 6). Despite this high-level agreement in some patients both findings diverged remarkably. Acute pancreatitis is discussed as an interplay of necrobiosis and the "compensatory capacity" of the organism, with clinical findings acting as an indicator of the overall state of this struggle.     

Noninvasive definition of anatomic coronary artery disease by ultrafast computed tomographic scanning: a quantitative pathologic comparison study.

OBJECTIVES. The aim of this study was to determine the relation between coronary artery calcification detected by ultrafast computed tomographic scanning and histopathologic coronary artery disease. BACKGROUND. Recent studies suggest that discrete coronary artery calcification as visualized by ultrafast computed tomographic scanning may facilitate the noninvasive detection or estimation, or both, of the in situ extent of coronary disease. Such quantitative relations have not been established. METHODS. Thirteen consecutive perfusion-fixed autopsy hearts (from eight male and five female patients aged 17 to 83 years) were scanned by ultrafast computed tomographic scanning in contiguous 3-mm tomographic sections. The major epicardial arteries were dissected free, positioned longitudinally and scanned again in cross section. Coronary artery calcification in a coronary segment was defined as the presence of one or more voxels with a computed tomographic density > 130 Hounsfield units. Each epicardial artery was sectioned longitudinally, stained and measured with a planimeter for quantification of cross-sectional and atherosclerotic plaque areas at 3-mm intervals, corresponding to the computed tomographic scans. A total of 522 paired coronary computed tomographic and histologic sections were studied. RESULTS. Direct relations were found between ultrafast computed tomographic scanning coronary artery calcium burden and atherosclerotic plaque area and percent lumen area stenosis. However, the range for plaque area or percent lumen stenosis, or both, associated with a given calcium burden was broad. Three hundred thirty-one coronary segments showed no calcification by computed tomography. Although atherosclerotic disease was found in several corresponding pathologic specimens, > 97% of these noncalcified segments were associated with nonobstructive disease (< 75% area stenosis); if no calcification was determined in an entire coronary vessel, all corresponding coronary disease was found to be nonobstructive. To determine the relation between arterial calcification and any atheromatous disease, computed tomographic calcium burden for each segment was paired with the histologic absence or presence of disease. Ultrafast computed tomographic scanning had a sensitivity and specificity of 59% and 90% and a negative and positive predictive value of 65% and 87%, respectively. A direct correlation was found (r = 0.99) between total calcium burden calculated from tomographic scans of the heart as a whole and scans of the arteries obtained in cross section. CONCLUSIONS. The detection of coronary calcification by ultrafast computed tomographic scanning is highly predictive of the presence of histopathologic coronary disease, but the use of this technique to define the extent of coronary disease may be limited. However, the absence of coronary calcification at any site is highly specific for the absence of obstructive disease.     

Computed tomography of the abdomen in the diagnosis of splenic emboli

Abdominal computed tomographic scans were performed in 25 consecutive patients with bacterial endocarditis. Six patients had splenic infarcts, only two of whom had symptoms. Three of the six patients had no evidence of emboli to other organs. In patients with endocarditis who have had clinically apparent emboli or who are, for other reasons, being considered for valvular surgery, a computed tomographic scan of the abdomen may help in decision making.     

Comparison of precontrast, postcontrast, and delayed CT scanning for the staging of rectal carcinoma.

An attempt is made to establish the most appropriate examination procedure for staging rectal carcinoma by computed tomography (CT). Twenty-two patients with rectal carcinoma had CT performed preoperatively. The following three CT sequences were performed in all patients: a precontrast scan with 10-mm slices; a rapid sequence scan with 5-mm slices during bolus injection of contrast medium; and a postcontrast scan after a 10-min delay. Tumor extension and the presence of perirectal lymph nodes were evaluated separately and independently in all three CT sequences according to the TNM classification. All patients had surgical follow-up and the CT scans were compared to the surgical and histopathological findings. There was no significant difference in diagnostic outcome in the three CT procedures. Information obtained by frontal and lateral scout views were compared, and the lateral scout view proved more informative than the frontal scout view. For staging rectal carcinoma, narrow slice scanning and intravenous contrast media are superfluous and should be reserved for special cases. We recommend the use of lateral scout views.     

Intra-abdominal extrahepatic disease in patients with colorectal hepatic metastases

The resection of hepatic metastases in patients with extrahepatic disease is of no proven benefit. Preoperative identification of extrahepatic disease may prevent unnecessary laparotomy. Preoperative evaluation including physical examination, computed tomography of the abdomen, full lung tomography or chest-computed tomography, and radionuclide bone scanning identified extrahepatic metastases, most commonly in the lung, in 25 of 132 patients with purported isolated liver metastases. Of 107 patients with negative staging evaluations, intra-abdominal extrahepatic metastases were found in 26 percent (28 of 107) at laparotomy, most commonly in portal and celiac lymph nodes. The presence of extrahepatic disease correlated with greater than 25 percent hepatic replacement by tumor, presence of symptoms, and Dukes' C primary lesions; however, none was predictive. We were unable to develop a model to preoperatively predict the presence of intra-abdominal extrahepatic disease. The authors recommend a preoperative evaluation including physical examination, and computed tomographic scans of the abdomen and chest. A bone scan is required only in patients with symptoms referable to bone. Despite a negative preoperative evaluation, however, a considerable proportion of patients with colorectal hepatic metastases will have extrahepatic disease at the time of abdominal exploration.     

A prospective,blinded assessment of the impact of preoperative staging on the management of rectal cancer

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The influence of preoperative staging of rectal carcinoma on therapeutic decisions is uncertain. The use of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of perirectal nodes in this setting has not been evaluated. The aim of this prospective, blinded study of patients with rectal cancer was to assess the impact of preoperative staging on treatment decisions and compare the tumor (T), nodal (N) staging performance characteristics of pelvic computed tomography (CT), rectal endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), and EUS FNA. METHODS: Eighty consecutive patients with newly diagnosed rectal cancer were prospectively evaluated. Therapy decisions were recorded after sequential disclosure of staging information to the patient's surgeon. RESULTS: In 31% of patients (95% confidence interval, 21%-42%), EUS staging information changed the surgeon's original treatment plan based on CT alone. The further addition of FNA changed therapy in one patient. T staging accuracy was 71% (CT) and 91% (EUS) (P = 0.02); N staging accuracy was 76% (CT), 82% (EUS), and 76% (EUS FNA) (P = NS). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative staging with EUS results in more frequent use of preoperative neoadjuvant therapy than if staging was performed with CT alone. The addition of FNA only changed the management of one patient, whereas FNA did not significantly improve N staging accuracy over EUS alone. FNA seems to offer the most potential for impacting management in those patients with early T stage disease, and its use should be confined to this subgroup of patients. EUS is more accurate than CT for determining T stage of rectal carcinoma.     

Impact of Biopsy on the Accuracy of Endorectal Ultrasound Staging of Rectal Tumors

Purpose  Endorectal ultrasound is a well-established method for the preoperative staging of rectal tumors. This prospective study was performed to establish whether obtaining a biopsy before endorectal ultrasound has an influence on staging accuracy. Methods  Between 1990 and 2003, a total of 333 rectal tumors were examined preoperatively by using endorectal ultrasound. All patients underwent rectal resection, and the specimens were sent for histologic evaluation. Thirty-three were not biopsied, the remaining at various times before endorectal ultrasound. The chi-squared test or Fisher’s exact test were used for statistical analysis to compare the accuracies. Results  The overall staging accuracy was 71 percent but differed significantly (P = 0.004) between the groups as a function of time elapsed since biopsy. The best results were seen in tumors that were not biopsied before endorectal ultrasound, which were correctly staged in 85 percent of the cases. The least accurate staging (53 percent) was noted when endorectal ultrasound was performed in the third week after biopsy, mostly as a result of overstaging. Biopsy did not have a significant effect on nodal staging. Conclusions  Biopsy before endorectal ultrasound significantly affects its accuracy. To achieve the most accurate staging, biopsy should be performed after endorectal ultrasound. Endorectal ultrasound staging performed in the first week after biopsy is the second best option but should be interpreted with caution in the second or third week. Poster presentation at Digestive Disease Week, New Orleans, Louisiana, May 15 to 20, 2004.     

The evaluation of patients with human immunodeficiency virus-related disorders and brain mass lesions

In patients at risk for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who present with a mass lesion, a dilemma arises as to whether to treat empirically for toxoplasmosis or perform a brain biopsy. We present data that further define the indications for performing brain biopsy vs empiric treatment. We reviewed charts on 59 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome--related disorders and cerebral mass lesions. Thirty-two patients met diagnostic criteria for toxoplasmosis. Bayesian analysis demonstrated that the prior probability of toxoplasmosis was increased by the presence of contrast enhancement on computed tomographic scans (0.68) and toxoplasmosis titers greater than 1:64 (0.81). Features associated with decreasing probabilities of toxoplasmosis included the absence of contrast enhancement on computed tomographic scans (0.29) and toxoplasmosis titers less than or equal to 1:64 (0.14). Ten percent of patients had complications of brain biopsy. Treatment with pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine produced complications in 29% and serious complications in 8% of treated patients. These data favor empiric therapy for patients with typical features of toxoplasmosis and brain biopsy for defined subsets of patients with atypical features.     

The effect of imaging modality on patient management in the evaluation of pulmonary thromboembolism.

A retrospective medical record review was performed to study the differences in clinical risk profiles and the relationships between test results versus management for suspected pulmonary thromboembolism (TE) in patients undergoing either radionuclide ventilation perfusion (V/Q) scans or pulmonary computed tomographic angiography (CTA), as the initial test. Data of 138 consecutive V/Q patients were compared with that of 149 consecutive CTA patients during equivalent 6-month intervals before and after the introduction of CTA. Information on risk factors, signs and symptoms, all diagnostic test results, and the relationships between the test results and ultimate physician management were collected and analyzed. V/Q results predicted physician management in all patients with high probability scans and 91% with normal to low probability scans. There were 35 patients with indeterminate V/Q scans--43% of these patients were managed without any other diagnostic test. CTA results predicted management in all patients with positive studies and 99% of patients with negative studies. In contrast to the V/Q cohort, only seven CTA studies were inconclusive--additional diagnostic tests determined management in all but one case. Compared with V/Q, CTA has fewer indeterminate results, is more directly reflective of management, and reduces the number of patients managed with inconclusive data.