The transverse and oblique sinuses of the pericardium: Anatomic and echocardiographic insights

A number of masses and pseudomasses may be encountered during the echocardiographic examination of the transverse and oblique sinuses with significant clinical implications. This review discusses the clinically relevant anatomy of the pericardial sinuses emphasizing diagnostic pitfalls that may be encountered during their echocardiographic examination.     

Prognostic and clinicopathological utility of programmed death-ligand 1 in malignant pleural mesothelioma: A meta-analysis

ObjectiveProgrammed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) has been reported to be connected to prognosis in individuals with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), although there is no consensus based on data from previous studies. Accordingly, this quantitative meta-analysis investigated prognostic and clinicopathological utility of PD-L1 in patients with MPM.MethodsA comprehensive search of the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for articles published up to October 4, 2019 was performed. Studies using immunohistochemical techniques to detect/quantify the expression of PD-L1 in MPM tissue were enrolled in the analysis. The combined hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was applied to assess the association between PD-L1 expression and overall survival (OS).ResultsA total of 11 studies comprising 1606 patients was included in the present meta-analysis. For OS, pooled data revealed an HR of 1.50 (95% CI 1.32–1.70; p < 0.001), suggesting that patients with PD-L1 overexpression experience inferior OS. Subgroup analysis revealed that elevated PD-L1 remained a significant prognostic indicator for worse OS, irrespective of sample size, cut-off value, ethnicity, and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale score. Moreover, PD-L1 overexpression was associated with non-epithelioid histology (odds ratio 4.30 [95% CI 1.89–9.74]; p < 0.001).ConclusionsResults of this meta-analysis show that elevated expression of PD-L1 could be a factor predicting poorer survival in patients with MPM.     

Characterization of Malignant Portal Vein Thrombosis with Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography

We prospectively evaluated the effectiveness of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) for differentiation of benign versus malignant portal vein thrombosis (PVT). We studied a total of 43 patients with chronic liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma-suggestive nodules and confirmed PVT, in whom the nature of the PVT was confirmed by follow-up imaging (US, computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging) performed up to 6 mo after CEUS. PVT was assessed by US, Doppler US and CEUS with respect to vessel wall disruption and/or invasion, color Doppler vascularization, pulsed Doppler vascularization pattern and CEUS enhancement and vascularization pattern, and thrombi were classified as benign or malignant based on these findings. Follow-up studies revealed malignant PVT in 22 of the 43 patients (51%) and benign PVT in 21 patients (49%). CEUS findings were consistent with follow-up studies in 41 of the 43 patients (95%), with κ?=?0.903 (p < 0.0001), sensitivity?=?91% and specificity?=?100%, indicating that CEUS can be confidently used to differentiate benign from malignant portal vein thrombosis in the setting of chronic liver disease.     

CT扫描在胸膜外孤立性纤维瘤中的诊断价值

目的探讨CT扫描在胸膜外孤立性纤维瘤(E-SFT)中的诊断价值。方法回顾性分析2015年4月至2018年4月于我院接受手术治疗的90例E-SFT患者术前CT检查影像资料和术后病理、免疫组织化学资料,评估CT检查在E-SFT诊断中的应用价值。结果 90例E-SFT患者均为单发肿瘤,免疫组织化学及病理学检查示良性80例,恶性10例;CT检查结果为良性72例,平扫表现为圆形或类圆形软组织密度影,密度不均匀,大部分边缘清晰,增强扫描表现为均匀强化;恶性18例,平扫示肿瘤体积较大,边界不清,密度不均,可见大片不规则低密度区,增强扫描瘤体强化不均匀,低密度区无明显强化;CT诊断的敏感度、准确度、特异性阳性率、阴性率分别为60%(6/10)、82%(74/90)、85%(68/80)、33%(6/18)、94%(68/72)。结论 E-SFT的CT检查影像图像具有一定的特征性,尤其是增强扫描有助于评估纤维瘤的良恶性,可将其作为术前诊断及术后复查评估的有效依据用于临床诊疗工作中。     

Malignant schwannoma in the posterior tibial nerve

Our group have studied a patient affected by a malignant schwannoma in the posterior tibial nerve. Schwannomas are uncommon neoplasms that originate from the Schwann cells of the peripheral nerves: the most common forms are benign. Malignant transformation is rarer. The therapy is surgical and the operation undertaken, if possible, should be the amputation. Alternatively, where amputation is not possible due to the specific localisation or due to patient refusal, the alternative must be the largest and most radical excision possible.     

我国大陆恶性高热病例的分析

目的 分析我国大陆恶性高热（MH）病例的临床资料，探讨诊断和治疗中应注意的问题。方法 检索中国生物医学文献数据库，收集1978年1月至2004年3月报道的MH病例34例，分析其流行病学特征、发病特点、临床表现、治疗及转归。结果 我国大陆报道的MH病例以青少年居多，男性多于女性，集中在口腔科手术（尤其是唇腭裂修补术）、骨科手术和小儿外科手术（尤其是先天畸形矫治术），典型的临床表现为突然发生的高碳酸血症、体温急剧升高和骨骼肌僵直等。诊断上主要是根据临床表现，尚未建立骨骼肌体外收缩试验方法，治疗上主要是对症处理，缺乏特效药物（丹曲林）。结论 近几年我国大陆MH病例逐渐增加，应加强对MH发病机制的研究，尽快建立MH的实验诊断标准，增强预防、诊断和治疗MH的能力。     

Infectious meningitis with atypical cerebrospinal fluid cells

Cytologic evaluation of the CSF is often difficult when trying to distinguish between truly neoplastic and reactive cells. Several non-neoplastic conditions may be associated with atypical cells in the CSF, a fact the clinician has to consider to avoid inadequate aggressive theraphies. We report here three patients with infectious meningitis (due to Herpes zoster virus in two, and neuroborreliosis in one) and cytologically atypical cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytes. Further characterization showed that the pleocyrosis in these patients was of reactive origin. Cytomorphology is frequently insufficient and histochemical, immuncytochemical and cellular genome analysis techniques may help differentiate atypical reactive cells from neoplastic cells.     

Does the Extent of Surgery Make a Difference in High Grade Malignant Astrocytoma?

This paper examines the effect of patient age, tumour grade and extent of surgery on the outcome of treatment of 278 patients with high grade malignant gliomas referred to the Queensland Radium Institute between 1980 and 1987. The aim was to determine whether the extent of surgical resection alters survival rates. The extent of surgery had no effect on survival except for those patients with grade 3 tumours in whom a total excision was possible. Those in whom only a biopsy was done did not have a worse prognosis. Grading was found to be of importance, as patients with grade 3 tumours had a better survival than those with grade 4 tumours. In grade 4 tumours, those under 30 years of age had a better survival than those over 30 years, whereas with grade 3 tumours there was a gradation of age effect (under 40 years best, then 40–49 years, and those 50 years and over doing worst).     

小儿心包积液28例临床分析

目的：探讨小儿心包积液的病因、分类及诊断。方法：病例回顾性分析。结果：28例中，化脓性心包积液4例，结缔组织疾病所致心包积液16例，肾病综合征所致心包答液4例，病毒性、肺吸虫性、幼年型粘液性水肿及肿瘤性心包积液各1例。治愈、好转25例，另3例，分别死于急性心包填塞，风湿性全心炎、心功能不全、呼衰、纵隔肿瘤广泛转移。结论：小儿心包积液，可由多种致病因素引起。其临床特点，对该病的诊治有重要意义。