Benign biliary conditions with increased risk of malignant lesions.

Numerous conditions and pathologies affect the biliary system, many of which have underlying benign courses. However, these overall benign conditions can predispose the patient to malignant pathologies, often due to malignancy arising from abnormal biliary ducts (such as with cholangiocarcinoma) or due to malignancy arising from end-stage liver disease caused by the biliary condition (such as with hepatocellular carcinoma). While these malignancies can at times be obvious, some pathologies can be very difficult to detect and distinguish from the underlying benign biliary etiology.

Biliary Duct Dilatation: Expert Panel Narrative Review.

Biliary duct dilatation is a common incidental finding in practice, but it is unlikely to indicate biliary obstruction in the absence of clinical symptoms or elevated levels on liver function tests (LFTs). However, the clinical presentation may be nonspecific, and LFTs may either be unavailable or difficult to interpret. The goal of this Expert Panel Narrative Review is to highlight a series of topics fundamental to the management of biliary duct dilatation, providing consensus recommendations in a question-and-answer format.

Reporting standards for primary sclerosing cholangitis using MRI and MR cholangiopancreatography: guidelines from MR Working Group of the International Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Study Group.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the bile ducts and is characterized by biliary strictures, progressive liver parenchymal fibrosis, and an increased risk of hepatobiliary malignancies primarily cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). PSC may lead to portal hypertension, liver decompensation, and liver failure with the need for liver transplantation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) are considered the imaging standard for diagnosis and follow-up in patients with PSC.

Utilization of Multiparametric MRI of Prostate in Patients under Consideration for or Already in Active Surveillance: Correlation with Imaging Guided Target Biopsy.

This study sought to assess the value of multiparametric magnetic resonance image (mp-MRI) in patients with a prostate cancer (PCa) Gleason score of 6 or less under consideration for or already in active surveillance and to determine the rate of upgrading by target biopsy. Three hundred and fifty-four consecutive men with an initial transrectal ultrasound-guided (TRUS) biopsy-confirmed PCa Gleason score of 6 or less under clinical consideration for or already in active surveillance underwent mp-MRI and were retrospectively reviewed. One hundred and nineteen of 354 patients had cancer-suspicious regions (CSRs) at mp-MRI.

Diagnosis of typical and atypical transition zone prostate cancer and its mimics at multiparametric prostate MRI.

Many of the current clinical screening methods for prostate cancer (PCa) such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing or transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy lack sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of PCa of the transition zone (TZ). Recent technical advances in multiparametric-MRI have markedly improved detection of PCa of the TZ. However, there are many diagnostic challenges that we still encounter in our daily practice that compromise the accuracy of the diagnosis.

Benign causes of diffusion restriction foci in the peripheral zone of the prostate: diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

Multiparametric-MRI is an important tool in the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa), particularly diffusion-weighted imaging for peripheral zone (PZ) cancer in the untreated prostate. However, there are many benign entities that demonstrate diffusion restriction in the PZ mimicking PCa resulting in diagnostic challenges. Fortunately, these benign entities usually have unique MR features that may help to distinguish them from PCa.

Pictorial review. Diagnosis of recurrent prostate cancer and its mimics at multiparametric prostate MRI.

Biochemical recurrence after treatment for prostate cancer (PCa) is a significant issue. Early diagnosis of local recurrence is important for making prompt treatment decisions and is strongly associated with patient prognosis. Without salvage therapy, the average time from development of local recurrence to distant metastasis is approximately 3 years.

Pancreatitis in patients with pancreas divisum: imaging features at MRI and MRCP.

Aim: To determine the magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of pancreatitis with pancreas divisum (PD) and the differences vs pancreatitis without divisum.

Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained and the informed consent requirement was waived for this HIPAA-compliant study. During one year period, 1439 consecutive patients underwent successful MRCP without injection of secretin and abdominal MRI studies for a variety of clinical indications using a 1.

Frequency and importance of small amount of isolated pelvic free fluid detected with multidetector CT in male patients with blunt trauma.

Purpose: To retrospectively determine the frequency and importance of a small amount of isolated pelvic free fluid seen at multidetector computed tomography (CT) in male patients who have blunt trauma without an identifiable cause.

Materials And Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained, and the requirement for informed consent was waived for this HIPAA-compliant study. One thousand male patients with blunt trauma who underwent abdominopelvic CT at a level 1 trauma center between January 2004 and June 2006 were entered into this study.

Blunt bowel and mesenteric injury: MDCT diagnosis.

Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) has emerged as the imaging modality of choice for evaluating the abdomen and pelvis in trauma patients. MDCT readily detects injury of the solid organs as well as direct and indirect features of bowel and/or mesenteric injury-an important advance given that unrecognized bowel and mesenteric injuries may result in high morbidity and mortality. Nonetheless, challenges persist in the interpretation of abdominal and pelvic CT images in trauma patients.

Congenital anomalies and normal variants of the pancreaticobiliary tract and the pancreas in adults: part 2, Pancreatic duct and pancreas.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to highlight the imaging features of congenital anomalies and normal variants of the pancreatic duct and the pancreas using contemporary imaging techniques such as MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), MRI, and helical CT.

Conclusion: Congenital anomalies and normal variants of the pancreatic duct and the pancreas may be clinically significant and may create a diagnostic challenge. Recognition of the updated imaging features of these entities is important in clinical management and for avoiding misdiagnosis.

Congenital anomalies and normal variants of the pancreaticobiliary tract and the pancreas in adults: part 1, Biliary tract.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to highlight the imaging features of congenital anomalies and normal variants of the biliary tract with contemporary imaging techniques such as MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), MRI, and helical CT.

Conclusion: Recognizing findings of congenital anomalies and normal variants of the biliary tract at MRCP, MRI, and helical CT, and knowledge of the clinical significance of each entity, are important for establishing a correct diagnosis and in guiding appropriate clinical management.

Abdominal imaging features of HELLP syndrome: a 10-year retrospective review.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the abdominal imaging features associated with HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets) syndrome, a complication of pregnancy.

Conclusion: The abdominal imaging features of HELLP syndrome include intraparenchymal and perihepatic hematomas and hemoperitoneum as noted on sonography, CT, and angiography.

Helical CT evaluation of acute right lower quadrant pain: part II, uncommon mimics of appendicitis.

Objective: The purpose of our pictorial essay is to highlight the helical CT features of uncommon mimics of appendicitis and to provide clues to differentiate them from appendicitis.

Conclusion: Uncommon mimics of appendicitis create a diagnostic challenge in patients with right lower quadrant pain. Recognition of the helical CT features of uncommon mimics of appendicitis is important in clinical management and avoiding unnecessary laparotomy.

Helical CT evaluation of acute right lower quadrant pain: part I, common mimics of appendicitis.

Objective: The purpose of our pictorial essay is to present common mimics of appendicitis as noted on helical CT in patients with right lower quadrant pain and to highlight the features that provide clues to the diagnosis.

Conclusion: Recognition of the findings of common diseases that simulate acute appendicitis on helical CT, along with features that help to differentiate these entities from appendicitis, is important in establishing a correct diagnosis and in guiding appropriate therapy.

Normal anatomy and complications after gastric bypass surgery: helical CT findings.

Purpose: To determine the usefulness and potential pitfalls of helical computed tomography (CT) for depiction of normal anatomy and diagnosis of complications after gastric bypass surgery.

Materials And Methods: From March 1998 to July 2002, 100 abdominal and pelvic CT examinations were performed in 72 patients after gastric bypass surgery for treatment of morbid obesity. Two of four attending abdominal radiologists retrospectively assessed the CT images in consensus for normal postoperative gastrointestinal anatomy and complications such as leaks, staple line dehiscence, bowel obstruction, abscess, hepatic or splenic infarction, and hernia.

MR cholangiopancreatography.

In summary, over the past decade, MRCP has evolved not only as a feasible means of noninvasively evaluating the pancreaticobiliary tract but also as a technique with documented clinical utility. With the evolution of MRCP, there has been, by necessity, an evolution of ERCP. In fact, at some institutions MRCP has replaced diagnostic ERCP such that ERCP is reserved primarily for therapeutic interventions.