Percutaneous ultrasound-guided coaxial core needle biopsy for the diagnosis of multiple splenic lesions: A case report

BACKGROUND The overlap of imaging manifestations among distinct splenic lesions gives rise to a diagnostic dilemma.Consequently,a definitive diagnosis primarily relies on his-tological results.The ultrasound(US)-guided coaxial core needle biopsy(CNB)not only procures sufficient tissue to help clarify the diagnosis,but reduces the incidence of puncture-related complications.CASE SUMMARY A 41-year-old female,with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis,was admitted to our hospital with multiple indeterminate splenic lesions.Gray-scale ultrasono-graphy demonstrated splenomegaly with numerous well-defined hypoechoic ma-sses.Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT)showed an en-larged spleen with multiple irregular-shaped,peripherally enhancing,hypodense lesions.Positron emission CT revealed numerous abnormal hyperglycemia foci.These imaging findings strongly indicated the possibility of infectious disease as the primary concern,with neoplastic lesions requiring exclusion.To obtain the precise pathological diagnosis,the US-guided coaxial CNB of the spleen was ca-rried out.The patient did not express any discomfort during the procedure.CONCLUSION Percutaneous US-guided coaxial CNB is an excellent and safe option for obtaining precise splenic tissue samples,as it significantly enhances sample yield for exact pathological analysis with minimum trauma to the spleen parenchyma and sur-rounding tissue.

Indications for Renal Needle Biopsy and Histological Spectrum of Kidney Disease in Togo

Introduction: The frequent late-stage diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) constrains the treatment choices for nephrologists. Renal biopsy (RB) is crucial for accurately identifying renal lesions. This key nephrological procedure, however, is invasive and not without potential complications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the indications, frequency, and histological lesion profiles of renal biopsies in Togo. Materials and Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study encompassing all renal biopsies performed in Togo from the inception of nephrology services to the present. Data were compiled from the medical records of the patients. Results: From 2015 to 2023, 68 high-quality renal biopsies were executed in Togo. The patients had an average age of 30.6 years, with a predominance of males (69.1%). The most common indication was nephrotic syndrome, accounting for 66.2% of cases. Histologically, glomerulopathies were predominant, representing 61.8% of lesions, followed by vascular nephropathies (25%) and tubulointerstitial nephropathies (13.2%). The most frequently observed primary glomerulopathy was focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Gross hematuria was the sole complication, occurring in 1.4% of the cases. Conclusion: RB is an evolving practice in Togo. Glomerulopathies are the most commonly observed lesions. The histological categorization of renal lesions is vital for clinicians in their diagnostic reasoning and approach.

Endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration vs fine needle biopsy for pancreatic masses,subepithelial lesions,and lymph nodes

Endoscopic ultrasound tissue acquisition,in the form of both fine needle aspiration(EUS-FNA)and fine needle biopsy(EUS-FNB),is utilized for pancreatic mass lesions,subepithelial lesions,and lymph node biopsy.Both procedures are safe and yield high diagnostic value.Despite its high diagnostic yield,EUS-FNA has potential limitations associated with cytological aspirations,including inability to determine histologic architecture,and a small quantitative sample for further immunohistochemical staining.EUS-FNB,with its larger core biopsy needle,was designed to overcome these potential limitations.However,it remains unclear which technique should be used and for which lesions.Comparative trials are plagued by heterogeneity at every stage of comparison;including variable needles used,and different definitions of endpoints,which therefore limit generalizability.Thus,we present a review of prospective trials,systematic reviews,and meta-analyses on studies examining EUS-FNA vs EUSFNB.Prospective comparative trials of EUS-FNA vs EUS-FNB primarily focus on pancreatic mass lesions,and yield conflicting results in terms of demonstrating the superiority of one method.However,consistent among trials is the potential for diagnosis with fewer passes,and a larger quantity of sample achieved for next generation sequencing.With regard to subepithelial lesions and lymph node biopsy,fewer prospective trials exist,and larger prospective studies are necessary.Based on the available literature,we would recommend EUS-FNB for peri-hepatic lymph nodes.

Improved diagnostic yield of endoscopic ultrasound-fine needle biopsy with histology specimen processing

BACKGROUND Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy(EUS-FNB)has emerged as a safe,efficacious alternative to fine needle aspiration(FNA)for tissue acquisition.EUS-FNB is reported to have higher diagnostic yield while preserving specimen tissue architecture.However,data on the optimal method of EUS-FNB specimen processing is limited.AIM To evaluate EUS-FNB with specimen processing as histology vs EUS-FNA cytology with regards to diagnostic yield and specimen adequacy.METHODS All EUS-FNA and EUS-FNB performed at our institution from July 1,2016,to January 31,2018,were retrospectively analyzed.We collected data on demographics,EUS findings,pathology,clinical outcomes,and procedural complications in two periods,July 2016 through March 2017,and April 2017 through January 2018,with predominant use of FNB in the second data collection time period.FNA specimens were processed as cytology with cell block technique and reviewed by a cytopathologist;FNB specimens were fixed in formalin,processed for histopathologic analysis and immunohistochemical staining,and reviewed by an anatomic pathologist.Final diagnosis was based on surgical pathology when available,repeat biopsy or imaging,and length of clinical follow up.RESULTS One hundred six EUS-FNA and EUS-FNB procedures were performed.FNA alone was performed in 17 patients;in 56 patients,FNB alone was done;and in 33 patients,both FNA and FNB were performed.For all indications,diagnostic yield was 47.1%(8/17)in FNA alone cases,85.7%(48/56)in FNB alone cases,and 84.8%(28/33)in cases where both FNA and FNB were performed(P=0.0039).Specimens were adequate for pathologic evaluation in 52.9%(9/17)of FNA alone cases,in 89.3%(50/56)of FNB alone cases,and 84.8%(28/33)in cases where FNA with FNB were performed(P=0.0049).Tissue could not be aspirated for cytology in 10.0%(5/50)of cases where FNA was done,while in 3.4%(3/89)of FNB cases,tissue could not be obtained for histology.In patients who underwent FNA with FNB,there was a statistically significant difference in both specimen adequacy(P=0.0455)and diagnostic yield(P=0.0455)between the FNA and FNB specimens(processed correspondingly as cytology or histology).CONCLUSION EUS-FNB has a higher diagnostic yield and specimen adequacy than EUS-FNA.In our experience,specimen processing as histology may have contributed to the overall increased diagnostic yield of EUS-FNB.

Late recurrence of papillary thyroid cancer from needle tract implantation after core needle biopsy: A case report

BACKGROUND Papillary thyroid cancer(PTC)has good prognosis so that the local recurrence or distant metastasis can occur later on the lifetime follow up.In this study,we report recurrence of PTC in subcutaneous area combined with lymph node metastasis.A suspicion of needle tract implantation after core needle biopsy was found.CASE SUMMARY A 66-year-old female patients who underwent right thyroid lobectomy for PTC complained of palpable nodule on anterior neck area.The location of the palpable nodule was not associated with her postoperative scar.After excision of the skin tumor,it was diagnosed as recurrence of PTC.Furthermore,results of subsequent imaging showed lymph node metastasis on her right cervical area.According to the previous medical records,the patient received core needle biopsy through the neck of the patient midline and hematoma was noted after the procedure.The time interval from the first diagnosis to local recurrence or metastasis to the skin and lymph nodes was ten years.As treatment,the patient underwent lymph node dissection in the right and completion thyroidectomy for radioisotope treatment.CONCLUSION Needle tract implantation can occur after core needle biopsy.Further studies are needed to compare core-needle biopsy and fine-needle aspiration.

Endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration vs fine needle biopsy in solid lesions:A multi-center analysis

BACKGROUND While endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)-guided fine needle aspiration(FNA)is considered a preferred technique for tissue sampling for solid lesions,fine needle biopsy(FNB)has recently been developed.AIM To compare the accuracy of FNB vs FNA in determining the diagnosis of solid lesions.METHODS A retrospective,multi-center study of EUS-guided tissue sampling using FNA vs FNB needles.Measured outcomes included diagnostic test characteristics(i.e.,sensitivity,specificity,accuracy),use of rapid on-site evaluation(ROSE),and adverse events.Subgroup analyses were performed by type of lesion and diagnostic yield with or without ROSE.A multivariable logistic regression was also performed.RESULTS A total of 1168 patients with solid lesions(n=468 FNA;n=700 FNB)underwent EUS-guided sampling.Mean age was 65.02±12.13 years.Overall,sensitivity,specificity and accuracy were superior for FNB vs FNA(84.70%vs 74.53%;99.29%vs 96.62%;and 87.62%vs 81.55%,respectively;P<0.001).On subgroup analyses,sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of FNB alone were similar to FNA+ROSE[(81.66%vs 86.45%;P=0.142),(100%vs 100%;P=1.00)and(88.40%vs 85.43%;P=0.320].There were no difference in diagnostic yield of FNB alone vs FNB+ROSE(P>0.05).Multivariate analysis showed no significant predictor for better accuracy.On subgroup analyses,FNB was superior to FNA for non-pancreatic lesions;however,there was no difference between the techniques among pancreatic lesions.One adverse event was reported in each group.CONCLUSION FNB is superior to FNA with equivalent diagnostic test characteristics compared to FNA+ROSE in the diagnosis of non-pancreatic solid lesions.Our results suggest that EUS-FNB may eliminate the need of ROSE and should be employed as a first-line method in the diagnosis of solid lesions.

Efficacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy in anterior mediastinal masses

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of percutaneous core needle biopsy(PCNB)using ultrasound(US)-guided and contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)-guided procedures for anterior mediastinal masses(AMMs).Methods:In total,284 consecutive patients(166 men,118 women;mean age,43.0±18.4 years)who underwent PCNB for AMMs were enrolled.Patients were divided into the US-guided group(n=133)and the CEUS-guided group(n=151).PCNB was performed using a core needle(16-gauge or 18-gauge).Internal necrosis,diagnostic yield,and diagnostic accuracy were compared between the two groups.Results:The predominant final diagnosis of the cases in this study was thymoma(29.7%),lymphoma(20.5%),thymic carcinoma(13.3%),and germ cell tumour(13.3%),respectively.There was no significant difference in patient age,sex,number of percutaneous biopsies,or display rate of internal necrosis on conventional US between the two groups.The rate of internal necrosis of the lesions was significantly higher after contrast agent injection(72.2%vs.41.7%;P<0.001).The CEUS-guided group had a higher diagnostic yield than the US-guided group(100%vs.89.5%,P<0.001).There was no significant difference between the diagnostic accuracy of the CEUSguided and US-guided groups(97.3%vs.97.4%;P=1.000).None of the patients experienced adverse reactions or complications after US-guided or CEUS-guided PCNB.Conclusions:CEUS-guided PCNB can improve the diagnostic yield by optimizing the biopsy procedure.

The Diagnostic Significance of Ultrasound and Ultrasound-guided Coarse Needle Biopsy in Breast Cancer in Pregnancy

Objective:To explore the significance of ultrasound and ultrasound-guided coarse needle biopsy in the clinical diagnosis of breast cancer patients in pregnancy.Methods:A total of 10 patients with breast cancer in pregnancy were selected to study from October 2018 to October 2019 in our hospital,who were given preoperative ultrasound results and ultrasound-guided coarse-needle biopsy histopathology,and the results were analyzed.Results:All the 10 patients showed thickening of the mammary gland body,appeared to pick up disorderly situation,most of the dilated catheter,including 8 patients with solid hypoechoic mass,irregular shape,and“crab foot”edge burr.The corresponding aspect ratio value was greater than 1.The other 2 patients presented with cystic mixed masses with poor boundary definition,irregular shape,and mostly accompanied by posterior echo enhancement.Conclusion:Simple ultrasound diagnosis for patients with breast cancer during pregnancy has some errors,and should be used in combination with ultrasound-guided coarse needle biopsy operation.This method has a high clinical diagnosis rate and significant clinical application value,so it is worth promoting.

Ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy of intra- hepatic nodules and low elevation of AFP in early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: With the progress in early clinical treat- ment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), early detection and diagnosis of HCC have been increasingly pressing. Combined alpha-fetoprotein ( AFP) determination and ul- trasonography has become the main method for the detec- tion of small HCC; but the relationship between low eleva- tion of AFP and pathologic findings of small HCC has not been well defined. The aim of this study was to assess the value of ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy of intrahe- patic nodules and low elevation of serum AFP in the early diagnosis of HCC. METHODS; Fifty-nine patients with serum AFP exceeding 20 ng/ml and intrahepatic nodules varying from 0.8 cm to 5.0 cm in diameter who had been detected by ultrasonogra- phy underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous fine needle biopsy, and cytological staining and histological sectioning were performed at the same time. RESULTS: Among the 59 patients, 11 patients (18.6%) showed AFP level above 400 ng/ml, 5 (8. 5%) from 200 ng/ml to 400 ng/ml, 18 (30. 5%) from 50 ng/ml to 200 ng/ml and 25 (42. 4% ) from 20 ng/ml to 50 ng/ml. Fol- low-up demonstrated that 53 patients (89.8%) had a pro- gressive increase of AFP level. In 58 patients (98.3%) cancer cells were found by cytological staining and/or his- tological sectioning. CONCLUSIONS: In those patients with slightly increased or continuously positive AFP, hepatic carcinoma should be highly suspected when AFP increases gradually and intrahe- patic nodules are detected by ultrasonography in follow-up. Once intrahepatic carcinoma nodules are suspected, ultra- sound-guided fine needle biopsy should be performed as early as possible for early diagnosis and treatment.

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver and spleen diagnosed by percutaneous needle biopsy

An inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) is a relatively rare lesion characterized by chronic inf iltration of inflammatory cells and areas of f ibrosis. IPTs are diff icult to diagnose because of the absence of specif ic symptoms or of characteristic hematological or radiological f indings. In this study, a case of a woman aged over 70 years was reported, who presented with a general malaise lasting more than two months. A computed tomography scan demonstrated a diffusely spread lesion of the liver with a portal vein occlusion and a splenic lesion surrounded by a soft density layer. Since the percutaneous liver biopsy showed f indings that suggested an IPT, although the radiological f indings did not exclude the possibility of a malignancy, we performed a percutaneous spleen biopsy to enable a more defi nitive diagnosis. The microscopic f indings from the spleen specimen lead us to a diagnosis of IPT involving the liver and spleen. Sub-sequent steroid pulse therapy was effective, and rapid resolution of the disease was observed.

Factors associated with upstaging in patients preoperatively diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ by core needle biopsy

Objective: Patients preoperatively diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ(DCIS) by core needle biopsy(CNB) exhibit a significant risk for upstaging on final pathology, which leads to major concerns of whether axillary staging is required at the primary operation. The present study aimed to identify clinicopathological factors associated with upstaging in patients preoperatively diagnosed with DCIS by CNB.Methods: The present study enrolled 604 patients(cN0 M0) with a preoperative diagnosis of pure DCIS by CNB, who underwent axillary staging between August 2006 and December 2015, at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center(Shanghai, China).Predictive factors of upstaging were analyzed retrospectively.Results: Of the 604 patients, 20.03%(n = 121) and 31.95%(n = 193) were upstaged to DCIS with microinvasion(DCISM) and invasive breast cancer(IBC) on final pathology, respectively. Larger tumor size on ultrasonography(> 2 cm) was independently associated with upstaging [odds ratio(OR) 1.558, P = 0.014]. Additionally, patients in lower breast imaging reporting and data system(BI-RADS) categories were less likely to be upstaged(4 B vs. 5: OR 0.435, P = 0.002;4 C vs. 5: OR 0.502, P = 0.001). Overall,axillary metastasis occurred in 6.79%(n = 41) of patients. Among patients with axillary metastasis, 1.38%(4/290), 3.31%(4/121)and 17.10%(33/193) were in the DCIS, DCISM, and IBC groups, respectively.Conclusions: For patients initially diagnosed with DCIS by CNB, larger tumor size on ultrasonography(> 2 cm) and higher BIRADS category were independent predictive factors of upstaging on final pathology. Thus, axillary staging in patients with smaller tumor sizes and lower BI-RADS category may be omitted, with little downstream risk for upstaging.

Computed tomography-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy in pancreatic tumor diagnosis

AIM: To evaluate the techniques, results, and complications related to computed tomography(CT)-guided percutaneous core needle biopsies of solid pancreatic lesions.METHODS: CT-guided percutaneous biopsies of solid pancreatic lesions performed at a cancer reference center between January 2012 and September 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Biopsy material was collected with a 16-20 G Tru-Core needle(10-15 cm; Angiotech, Vancouver, CA) using a coaxial system and automatic biopsy gun. When direct access to the lesion was not possible, indirect(transgastric or transhepatic) access or hydrodissection and/or pneumodissection maneuvers were used. Characteristics of the patients, lesions, procedures, and histologic results were recorded using a standardized form. RESULTS: A total of 103 procedures included in the study were performed on patients with a mean age of 64.8 year(range: 39-94 year). The mean size of the pancreatic lesions was 45.5 mm(range: 15-195 mm). Most(75/103, 72.8%) procedures were performed via direct access, though hydrodissection and/or pneumodissection were used in 22.2%(23/103) of cases and indirect transhepatic or transgastric access was used in 4.8%(5/103) of cases. Histologic analysis was performed on all biopsies, and diagnoses were conclusive in 98.1%(101/103) of cases, confirming3.9%(4/103) of tumors were benign and 94.2%(97/103) were malignant; results were atypical in 1.9%(2/103) of cases, requiring a repeat biopsy to diagnose a neuroendocrine tumor, and surgical resection to confirm a primary adenocarcinoma. Only mild/moderate complications were observed in 9/103 patients(8.7%),and they were more commonly associated with biopsies of lesions located in the head/uncinate process(n =8), than of those located in the body/tail(n = 1) of the pancreas, but this difference was not significant.CONCLUSION: CT-guided biopsy of a pancreatic lesion is a safe procedure with a high success rate, and is an excellent option for minimally invasive diagnosis.

Histopathological characteristics of needle core biopsy and surgical specimens from patients with solitary hepatocellular carcinoma or intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND Pathological manifestations of hepatic tumours are often associated with prognosis. Although surgical specimens(SS) can provide more information,currently, pre-treatment needle core biopsy(NCB) is increasingly showing important value in understanding the nature of liver tumors and even in diagnosis and treatment decisions. However, the concordance of the clinicopathological characteristics and immunohistochemical(IHC) staining between NCB and SS from patients with hepatic tumours were less concerned.AIM To introduce a more accurate method for interpreting the IHC staining results in order to improve the diagnostic value of hepatic malignancy in NCB samples.METHOD A total of 208 patients who underwent both preoperative NCB and surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) or intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomaRESULTS Morphologically, the presence of compact tumour nests or a cord-like structure in NCB was considered the primary cause of misdiagnosis of HCC from ICC. The kappa statistic showed a moderate agreement in histomorphology(k = 0.504) and histological grade(k = 0.488) between NCB and SS of the tumours. A 4-tier(+++,++, +, and-) scoring scheme that emphasized the focal neoplastic cell immunoreactivity of tumour cells revealed perfect concordance of CK19, GPC3 and HepPar1 between NCB and SS(k = 0.717; k = 0.768; k = 0.633). Furthermore,with the aid of a binary classification derived from the 4-tier score, a high concordance was achieved in interpreting the IHC staining of the three markers between NCB and final SS(k = 0.931; k = 0.907; k = 0.803), increasing the accuracy of NCB diagnosis C(k = 0.987; area under the curve = 0.997, 95%CI: 0.990-1.000; P< 0.001).CONCLUSION These findings imply that reasonable interpretation of IHC results in NCB is vital for improving the accuracy of tumour diagnosis. The simplified binary classification provides an easy and applicable approach.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided sampling of solid pancreatic masses:the fine needle aspiration or fine needle biopsy dilemma. Is the best needle yet to come?

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is currently the standard of care for sampling pancreatic solid masses by using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS).The accuracy of the technique is reported to be high,especially if coupled with the rapid on site evaluation (ROSE),and it has a high safety profile.However,FNA presents some limitations,such as the small amount of tissue that can be collected and the inability of obtaining a core tissue with intact histological architecture,which is relevant to perform immunohistochemical analysis,molecular profiling and,therefore,targeted therapies.Moreover,the presence of the ROSE by an expert cytopathologist is very important to maximize the diagnostic yield of FNA technique;however,it is not widely available,especially in small centers.Hence,the introduction of EUS fine needle biopsy (FNB) with a new generation of needles,which show a high safety profile too and a satisfying diagnostic accuracy even in the absence of ROSE,could be the key to overcome the limitations of FNA.However,FNB has not yet shown diagnostic superiority over FNA.Considering all the technical aspects of FNA and FNB,the different types of needle currently available,comparisons in term of diagnostic yield,and the different techniques of sampling,a tailored approach should be used in order to determine the needle that is most appropriate for the different specific scenarios.

Fine needle aspirating and cutting is superior to Tru-cut core needle in liver biopsy

BACKGROUND:Liver biopsy is the "gold standard" for evaluating liver disorders,but controversies over the potential risk of complications and patient discomfort still exist.Using a 21G fine needle,we developed a new biopsy procedure,fine needle aspirating and cutting(FNAC).Our procedure obtains enough tissue for pathological examination and meanwhile,reduces the risk of biopsy complications.The present study was to determine the safety and efficiency of 21G FNAC compared with 18G Tru-cut core needle(TCN) in liver tumor biopsies.METHODS:Ninety-four patients with unresectable malignant tumors were included in this study.Patients were divided into 2 groups:18G TCN and 21G FNAC.The total positive rate(TPR) and safety of both groups were compared.RESULTS:TPR was not different between the two groups.Liver puncture track subcapsular hemorrhage and arteriovenous shunt were reported with 18G TCN but not with 21G FNAC.The incidence of pain caused by biopsy was higher for the 18G TCN group compared to the 21G FNAC group(P<0.05).About 82.6% of the patients in the 18G TCN group had a sample length >0.5 cm,but 52.1% in the 21G FNAC group(P<0.05).More than 50% of patients in both groups had sufficient tissue for immunohistochemical examination.CONCLUSIONS:TPR is not different between the 21G FNAC and 18G TCN biopsy procedures,but the safety of 21G FNAC is superior to that of 18G TCN.Tissues obtained by either of these two procedures are sufficient for a pathological diagnosis.

Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy in differential diagnosis of portal vein tumor thrombosis

BACKGROUND: Portal vein tumor thrombosis(PVTT) is a serious complication and a major metastatic way of hepa- tocellular carcinoma (HCC). But portal vein benign throm- bosis(PVBT) always appears in patients with hepatocirrho- sis, and PVTT should be differentiated from PVBT. The aim of this study was to probe the value of ultrasound- guided fine needle aspiration biopsy in differential diagnosis of PVTT. METHODS: Twenty-two HCC patients with portal vein thrombosis and 8 hepatocirrhosis patients with portal vein thrombosis were studied by ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy. Twelve portal vein thrombosis filling portal vein embranchment of the 30 portal vein thrombosis patients were examined by 18G automatic biopsy. The positive rates of aspiration biopsy cytology and histology were calculated and compared with those of automatic biopsy. RESULTS: The positive rates of fine needle aspiration biop- sy cytology and histology were 93.3% (28/30) and 90.0% (27/30), respectively. They were not different markedly from that of automatic biopsy 91.7% (11/12). In aspira- tion biopsy of 22 HCC patients with PVTT, HCC cellular was found in 19 portal vein thrombosis patients (86.4%) by cytology examination and in 18 portal vein thrombosis patients (81.8%) by histology examination. In total, 20 tumor thrombi were detected. The other two were diag- nosed as benign thrombosis. No HCC cell and/or tissue was observed in 8 patients with hepatocirrhosis associated with portal vein thrombosis. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy in detecting PVTT shows a high positive rate and is of diag- nostic value. The positive rate is not apparently different from that of automatic biopsy. Hence the case that fails to be diagnosed by color Doppler flow imaging ( CDFI) and pulsed Doppler can be detected early by ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy.

Value of low-dose and optimized-length computed tomography(CT)scan in CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of pulmonary nodules

Objective:To investigate the value of application of low-dose and optimized length CT scan on puncture results,complications and patients’radiation dosage during CT-guided percutaneous biopsy of pulmonary nodules(PTNB).Methods:A total of 231 patients with PTNB under CT guidance were collected.Low dose scanning utilized tube current of 20 mA as compared with 40 mA in conventional dosage.Optimized length in CT is defined as intentionally narrowing the range of CT scanning just to cover 25 mm(5 layers)around the target layer during needle adjustment.According to whether low-dose scans and optimized length scans techniques were utilized,patients were divided into three groups:conventional group(conventional sequence+no optimization),optimized length group(conventional sequence+optimized length),and low-dose optimized length group(low dose sequence+optimized length).The ED(effective dose),the DLP(dose length product),the average CTDIvol(Volume CT dose index),total milliampere second between subgroups were compared.Results:Compared with the conventional group,ED,intraoperative guidance DLP,total milliseconds and operation time in the optimized length group were reduced by 18.2%(P=0.01),37%(P=0.003),17.5%(P=0.013)and13.3%(P=0.021)respectively.Compared with the optimized length group,the ED was reduced by 87%,preoperative positioning,intraoperative guidance and postoperative review DLP were also reduced by 88%,total milliampere second was reduced by 79%,with an average CTDIvol was reduced by 86%,in the low-dose optimized length group(P<0.001 for all).Conclusion:Optimizing the length during CT scanning can effectively reduce the intraoperative radiation dose and reduce the operation time compared with conventional plan;low-dose and optimized length CT scan can further reduce the total radiation dose compared with optimized length group with no differences on intraoperative complications,biopsy results and operation time.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided through-the-needle microforceps biopsy and needle-based confocal laser-endomicroscopy increase detection of potentially malignant pancreatic cystic lesions:A single-center study

BACKGROUND Currently,there is insufficient data about the accuracy in the diagnosing of pancreatic cystic lesions(PCLs),especially with novel endoscopic techniques such as with direct intracystic micro-forceps biopsy(mFB)and needle-based confocal laser-endomicroscopy(nCLE).AIM To compare the accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)and associated techniques for the detection of potentially malignant PCLs:EUS-guided fine needle aspiration(EUS-FNA),contrast-enhanced EUS(CE-EUS),EUS-guided fiberoptic probe cystoscopy(cystoscopy),mFB,and nCLE.METHODS This was a single-center,retrospective study.We identified patients who had undergone EUS,with or without additional diagnostic techniques,and had been diagnosed with PCLs.We determined agreement among malignancy after 24-mo follow-up findings with detection of potentially malignant PCLs via the EUSguided techniques and/or EUS-guided biopsy when available(EUS malignancy detection).RESULTS A total of 129 patients were included, with EUS performed alone in 47/129. In 82/129 patients,EUS procedures were performed with additional EUS-FNA (21/82), CE-EUS (20/82), cystoscopy(27/82), mFB (36/82), nCLE (44/82). Agreement between EUS malignancy detection and the 24-mo follow-up findings was higher when associated with additional diagnostic techniques thanEUS alone [62/82 (75.6%) vs 8/47 (17%);OR 4.35, 95%CI: 2.70-7.37;P < 0.001]. The highestmalignancy detection accuracy was reached when nCLE and direct intracystic mFB were bothperformed, with a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value andobserved agreement of 100%, 89.4%, 77.8%, 100% and 92.3%, respectively (P < 0.001 comparedwith EUS-alone).CONCLUSIONThe combined use of EUS-guided mFB and nCLE improves detection of potentially malignantPCLs compared with EUS-alone, EUS-FNA, CE-EUS or cystoscopy.

Ultrasound-Guided Core Needle Biopsy of Breast Lesions: Results and Usefulness in a Low Income Country

Background: Core needle biopsy (CNB) under ultrasound guidance is an accepted standard of care for the diagnosis of breast lesions. It is safe, cost-effective and minimally invasive compared with surgical excision. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the CNB’s results regarding the procedure, complications, histopathological findings and their correlation with the imaging data and surgical histopathological findings. Method: A cross-sectional prospective and descriptive study of a consecutive series of ultrasound-guided CNB of breast lesions in women conduced from January 2015 to December 2016 at the Sylvanus Olympio university hospital of Lomé, in Togo. Results: There were 72 CNB performed under ultrasound guidance in women;from which 54 were retained for the study. The mean age was 44.9 years ± 9.8. 11.1% had a family history of breast cancer. Lesions were most often palpable (90.7%). They were located in the left breast in 54.7%. Lesions were categorized probably malignant or malignant (Birads 4 and 5) in 70.4% and probably benign (Birads 3) in 29.6%. Their mean size was 24.8 mm ± 7.6 at ultrasound. There were no major complications during the procedure. One CNB (1.9%) considered inconclusive was repeated. Histologically, invasive ductal carcinoma (61.1%) was the most common lesion. Fifty-three women underwent surgical procedure and histopathological confirmation. Ultrasound-guided CNB had a sensitivity of 97.5%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100%, negative predictive value of 92.8%, and an overall diagnostic accuracy of 98.1%. Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (Birads) categorization had a sensitivity of 94.8%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100%, negative predictive value of 87.4%, and diagnostic accuracy of 96.2%. Conclusion: Ultrasound guided CNB represent accurate methods for the characterization of breast lesions, with high values of diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive value. It does not involve a major complication, even in tropical environments.

Diagnosis and guidance of treatment of breast cancer cutaneous metastases by multiple needle biopsy: A case report

BACKGROUND Breast cancer patients have a high skin metastasis rate.However,reports on treatment of cutaneous metastases of breast cancer are scarce.CASE SUMMARY We report the treatment process for one breast cancer case with bone,lung,and skin metastases.The patient was a 43-year-old woman with advanced breast cancer and skin metastasis.She underwent pathological diagnosis by needle biopsy to guide the treatment.When the disease progressed,a new pathological diagnosis was determined by needle biopsy to guide the treatment.The patient received chemotherapy,endocrine therapy,and photodynamic dynamic therapy,followed by sonodynamic therapy.CONCLUSION Repeated puncture should be performed for advanced breast cancer with skin metastasis,in order to obtain the pathology and directly determine diagnosis when the disease progresses.The treatment should focus on controlling the systemic metastasis,rather than the local disease.