Impact of high-quality ultrasound following community ultrasound on surgical planning and active surveillance in patients with thyroid cancer.

Objective: Ultrasound (US) has gained a critical role in thyroid cancer treatment planning, yet it is limited by its user-dependent nature. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of US performed by radiologists specializing in thyroid imaging (hqUS) and US performed by radiographers in the community (cUS) on treatment plans of patients diagnosed with well-differentiated thyroid malignancies.

Design: Retrospective single-centre case series with chart review.

[Prudent use of computed tomography for the improvement of patient safety].

Computed tomography (CT) is one of the most useful imaging modalities, and has an important role in guided biopsies and therapeutic procedures. The expansion of CT practice is sometimes accompanied with disregard of the fact that it is an invasive methodology, with deviations from patient safety principles. The major risk is associated with ionizing irradiation which may damage the DNA, leading to malignant transformation.

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery for morbid obesity: imaging of normal anatomic features and postoperative gastrointestinal complications.

Objective: The purpose of this essay is to describe the normal anatomic findings after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery and the imaging findings of postoperative gastrointestinal complications.

Conclusion: With the increasing prevalence of morbid obesity, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery has evolved to be a leading surgical technique. Radiologists need to be familiar with the normal anatomic findings after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery and with the imaging findings of postoperative complications.

Pitfalls in the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism on spiral computer tomography.

Spiral computer tomography (CT) has become a widely accepted clinical tool in the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism. The accuracy of computed tomography in diagnosing pulmonary embolism has increased over the past 10 years, parallel to technological improvements. However, as with most imaging techniques, interpretative pitfalls may occur for a variety of reasons.

Malignant involvement of the spine: assessment by 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Unlabelled: The purpose of the study was to assess the role of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in the assessment of secondary malignant involvement of the spinal column.

Methods: In 51 patients, 242 lesions at the spinal region detected on (18)F-FDG PET/CT were interpreted separately on PET, CT, and fused PET/CT images, including differentiation between benign and malignant lesions and the level in the vertebral column. CT evaluation also included the type of bony lesion (osteolytic, osteoblastic, or mixed) and accompanying soft-tissue abnormalities; for example, epidural masses and tumor involvement of the neural foramina.

Diagnosis and treatment of breast fibroadenomas by ultrasound-guided vacuum-assisted biopsy.

Hypothesis: Ultrasound-guided vacuum-assisted biopsy (UGVAB) can serve as an efficient tool for the diagnosis and excision of breast fibroadenomas.

Design: Patients with a clinically and radiographically suspected breast fibroadenoma were prospectively referred for UGVAB to confirm the diagnosis and to attempt to excise the lesion.

Patients: Fifty-two female patients, aged 19 to 68 years, were included in the 2-year study.

Minimally invasive techniques in the treatment of liver tumors.

Background: Despite advances in cancer therapy the treatment of liver tumors remains a challenge. Most patients are poor candidates for surgical resection; both chemotherapy and irradiation have a low success rate and neither is without complications. New minimally invasive techniques for ablation of unresectable tumors have gained attention as effective treatment alternatives.

Cystic appearance of cervical lymph nodes is characteristic of metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Purpose: The usefulness of high-resolution sonography in diagnosing cervical lymph node metastases from papillary thyroid carcinoma was investigated. The accuracy of a particular sign, cystic change within a node, in establishing the diagnosis was assessed.

Methods: The sonographic findings in 63 patients with enlarged cervical lymph nodes were retrospectively reviewed.