APENDIC-RADS: an ultrasound reporting system for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

Objective: Abdominal ultrasonography is widely used to evaluate suspected cases of appendicitis. Objective descriptions of the direct and indirect signs of appendicitis result in varied assessments of its likelihood. This study introduces the Appendix Imaging Reporting and Data System (APENDIC-RADS) to standardize the reporting of appendix ultrasound findings.

The iceberg technique: an innovative approach for radiofrequency ablation of diving thyroid nodules.

Diving thyroid nodules are a limitation of radiofrequency ablation because the mediastinal component cannot be adequately identified by ultrasound (US). We aim to describe a new technique, the iceberg technique, to overcome this issue and explain our three-year experience of using this novel method. The iceberg technique consists of a two-stage treatment.

Ultrasonographic evaluation of cecal appendix diameter in pediatric population.

Objective: To stratify ultrasound samples in a pediatric population undergoing evaluation for acute appendicitis to examine the variability in cecal appendix diameter, in different age groups, and to determine whether there is a prevalent value for each age group.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study with 196 children aged 0 to 15 years. Data were extracted from reports of ultrasound examinations carried out between 2008 and 2015.

Ultrasound classification of thyroid nodules: does size matter?

Objective: To determine whether the size of thyroid nodules in ACR-TIRADS ultrasound categories 3 and 4 is correlated with the Bethesda cytopathology classification.

Methods: Thyroid nodules (566) subclassified as ACR-TIRADS 3 or 4 were divided into three size categories according to American Thyroid Association guidelines. The frequency of different Bethesda categories in each size range within ACR-TIRADS 3 and 4 classifications was analyzed.

Omental lipoma in pediatric age group: clinical presentation, image findings and management.

A 2-year-old female patient, admitted in the emergency room, presented diarrhea for 5 days and bloody stools in the last 24 hours. Physical examination revealed no significant findings. Ultrasound was initially performed, showing an elongated, well delimited and solid mass occupying since right hypocondrium until left iliac fossa, displacing adjacent structures.

Caecal appendix lipomatosis in a pregnant patient mimicking acute appendicitis.

A 34-years-old pregnant woman admitted in the emergency unit complaining about worsening right iliac fossa pain for 2 days. Acute appendicitis was the suspected diagnosis. Laboratory exams were ordered and results were within normal limits for infectious and inflammatory aspects.

Peri-prosthetic infection in the postoperative period of endovascular abdominal aorta aneurysm repair: treatment by percutaneous drainage.

Endovascular aneurysm repair is an established technique for treating many infrarenal aortic aneurysms. Infection is one of the most serious complications of this technique, and although percutaneous treatment has been well established for intra-abdominal collections, its use to treat peri-prosthetic fluid collections has not been well determined. In this article we describe a small series of three patients who were treated with percutaneous drainage, with good clinical and imaging responses.

Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging of elbow ligaments: a comparative study.

Objective: To determine the value of ultrasonography in elbow ligament assessment compared to magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods: A prospective single-center study involving 30 volunteers with no elbow joint changes. Two experienced ultrasound specialists evaluated both elbows of each volunteer, resulting in 60 evaluations per physician and totaling up 120 evaluations.

Percutaneous laser ablation of benign thyroid nodules: a one year follow-up study.

Objective: To evaluate safety and effectiveness of nodule volume reduction and thyroid function after percutaneous laser ablation treatment in patients with benign nonfunctioning thyroid nodules.

Methods: Prospective single-center study, from January 2011 to October 2012, which evaluated 30 euthyroid and thyroid antibodies negative patients with benign solitary or dominant nodule with indication of treatment due to compressive symptoms and aesthetic disturbances. The clinical and laboratory (thyroid ultrasound, TSH, FT4, TG, TG-Ab, TPO-Ab and TRAb levels) evaluations were performed before the procedure, and periodically 1 week, 3 months and 6 months after.

CT-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy of pulmonary nodules smaller than 2 cm: technical aspects and factors influencing accuracy.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CT-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy (CT-CNB) of pulmonary nodules ≤ 2 cm, as well as to identify factors influencing the accuracy of the procedure and its morbidity.

Methods: This was a retrospective, single-center study of 170 consecutive patients undergoing CT-CNB of small pulmonary nodules (of ≤ 2 cm) between January of 2010 and August of 2015.

Results: A total of 156 CT-CNBs yielded a definitive diagnosis, the overall diagnostic accuracy being 92.

Percutaneous drainage of iliopsoas abscess: an effective option in cases not suitable for surgery.

The aim of this study were to describe the technique of percutaneous drainage of iliopsoas abscess, and to discuss the benefits of using this minimally-invasive tool. A single center study with retrospective analysis of patients with psoas abscess confirmed by imaging scans, sent to the interventional medicine center and submitted to computed tomography and ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage, from November 2013 to August 2016. Seven patients underwent percutaneous drainage of psoas abscess in this period.

Minimally invasive treatment of complex collections: safety and efficacy of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator as an adjuvant to percutaneous drainage.

Objective: To analyze the efficacy of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r-TPA) injection in the evolution of percutaneous drainage of thick collections.

Materials And Methods: This was a single-center study involving the retrospective analysis of hospitalized patients undergoing percutaneous drainage of thick (superficial or intracavitary) fluid collections, followed by injection of a fibrinolytic agent (r-TPA) into the affected space.

Results: A total of 53 percutaneous drainage procedures, with r-TPA injection, were performed in 51 patients.

Ultrasound evaluation of inguinoscrotal pain: an imaging-based review for the ultrasonographer.

Emergencies involving the inguinal region and scrotum are common and can be caused by a plethora of different causes. In most cases, such conditions have nonspecific symptoms and are quite painful. Some inguinoscrotal conditions have high complication rates.

Injecting hemostatic matrix in the path of biopsies: efficacy, potential complications, and the management of such complications.

Objective: To describe the technique of injecting hemostatic matrix, as well as the experience of our interventional radiology department in its application.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a single-center study with retrospective analysis of the experience of our group in the use of hemostatic gelatin matrix in percutaneous biopsies.

Results: In a total of 73 biopsies in different organs, such as the liver, kidney, and spleen, hemostatic gelatin matrix was introduced into the coaxial needle.

High correlation between microbubble contrast-enhanced ultrasound, magnetic resonance and histopathology in the evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of microbubble contrast ultrasound in diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and to compare its results with those of magnetic resonance and histopathology.

Methods: A total of 29 patients suffering from chronic liver diseases and awaiting liver transplants at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein were subject to magnetic resonance, microbubble contrast ultrasound, and excision liver biopsies.

Results: Excellent agreement between magnetic resonance and microbubble contrast ultrasound was observed in this study.