Hepatocellular carcinoma treated with transarterial chemoembolization: Dynamic perfusion-CT in the assessment of residual tumor

AIM: To asses the value of computed tomography (CT)-perfusion in the detection of residual hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) vascularization after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). METHODS: Thirty-two consecutive patients were pro-spectively included in this study. All patients had liver cirrhosis and a conf irmed HCC lesion which was treated with TACE. One month after treatment, perfusion measurements of treated lesions were carried out. The CTperfusion (CT-p) protocol was performed with 16 slice multidetector computed tomography which included the following parameters: 8 dynamic slices/scan per 40 scans after iv injection of 50 mL of iodinated contrast (350 mg/mL) at a flow rate of 6 mL/s. Treated lesions were evaluated using dedicated perfusion software, which generated a quantitative colour map of perfusion. The following parameters were considered: hepatic perfusion (HP), arterial perfusion (AP), blood volume (BV), hepatic perfusion index (HPI), and time to peak (TTP). Perfusion parameters were described with quartile values of their distribution and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Perfusion parameters of the treated lesions could be quantitatively assessed using CT-p analysis. The presence of residual tumor tissue was observed in 13 of the 32 patients. The values of the perfusion parameters measured within the relapse tissue were: HP (mL/100 g per minute): median = 44.4 (1stqt = 31.3, 3rdqt = 55.8); BV (mL/100 g): median = 18.7 (1stqt = 11.5, 3rdqt = 22.5); AP (mL/min): median = 39.0 (1stqt = 36.5, 3rdqt = 61.3); HPI (%): median = 34.0 (1stqt = 30.4, 3rdqt = 38.9); TTP (s): median = 17.3 (1stqt = 15.8, 3rdqt = 26.5). With the use of the univariate paired Wilcoxon signed rank test, HP, AP and HPI were shown to be significantly higher (P<0.001) in the relapse site than in the primary lesion. The BV and TTP parameters showed a tendency to be greater and lower, respectively, in the relapse site than in the primary lesion. CONCLUSION: In patients with HCC treated with TACE, CT-p provides measurement of flow parameters related to residual arterial structures in viable tumor, thus helping in the assessment of therapeutic response.

Clinical challenge for gastroenterologists–Gastrointestinal manifestations of systemic mastocytosis:A comprehensive review

Mastocytosis is a rare and heterogeneous disease characterized by various clinical and biological features that affect different prognoses and treatments.The disease is usually divided into 2 principal categories:cutaneous and systemic disease(SM).Clinical features can be related to mast cell(MC)mediator release or pathological MC infiltration.SM is a disease often hard to identify,and the diagnosis is based on clinical,biological,histological,and molecular criteria with different specialists involved in the patient’s clinical work-up.Among all manifestations of the disease,gastrointestinal(GI)symptoms are common,being present in 14%-85% of patients,and can significantly impair the quality of life.Here we review the data regarding GI involvement in SM,in terms of clinical presentations,histological and endoscopic features,the pathogenesis of GI symptoms,and their treatment.

Acute mesenteric ischemia and small bowel imaging findings in COVID-19:A comprehensive review of the literature

BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),an infectious condition caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2),has rapidly spread worldwide since its first description in Wuhan in December 2019.Even though respiratory manifestations are the most prevalent and responsible for disease morbidity and mortality,extrapulmonary involvement has progressively gained relevance.In particular,gastrointestinal(GI)signs and symptoms,reported in up to two-thirds of patients with COVID-19,might represent the first and,in some cases,the only disease presentation.Their presence has been associated in some studies with an increased risk of a severe disease course.Proposed pathogenic mechanisms explaining GI tract involvement are either direct viral access to intestinal cells via angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 or indirect damage of the intestinal wall through mesenteric ischemia induced by the hypercoagulable state associated with COVID-19 infection.Although not typical of SARS-Co V-2 infection,several small bowel manifestations have been described in infected patients who underwent any form of abdominal imaging.The radiological findings were mainly reported in patients with abdominal symptoms,among which abdominal pain was the most common.AIM To discuss small bowel radiological manifestations of SARS-Co V-2 infection in abdominal imaging studies.METHODS Bibliographical searches were performed in Pub Med,using the following keywords:"COVID-19"AND"imaging"AND"gastrointestinal"OR"abdominal"OR"small bowel".RESULTS Of 62 patients with described radiologic small bowel alterations,mesenteric ischemia was diagnosed in 31 cases(50%),small bowel wall thickening in 10 cases(16%),pneumatosis in nine cases(15%),intussusception in eight cases(13%),pneumoperitoneum in two cases(3%)and paralytic ileus in two cases(3%).We also reported mesenteric adipose tissue hypertrophy and lymph nodes enlargement in a young woman.CONCLUSION So far it is difficult to establish whether these manifestations are the direct consequence of SARS-Co V-2 infection or collateral findings in infected patients,but their recognition would be pivotal to set a closer follow-up and to reduce missed diagnoses.