Preoperative Predictors of Neoplasia in Patients Undergoing Small Bowel Resection for Complicated Crohn's Disease: A Multicentre Case-Control Study.

Crohn's disease (CD) is associated with an increased risk of small bowel neoplasia (SBN). We aimed to assess preoperative predictors of SBN in CD patients. We conducted a retrospective case-control study including CD patients who underwent surgery: cases were diagnosed with SBN on histopathological analysis and controls had no neoplasia.

Feasibility study of a Response Surveillance Program in locally advanced mid and low rectal cancer to increase organ preservation.

Background: Assessment of tumor response in rectal cancer after neoadjuvant treatment by MRI (Tumour Regression Grade, TRG 1-5) is well standardized. The overall timing and method of defining complete response (cCR) remain controversial. The aim of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of a defined Response Surveillance Program (RSP) to increase organ preservation for locally advanced rectal cancer after neoadjuvant treatment.

The feasibility of implementing an enhanced recovery programme in patients undergoing pelvic exenteration.

Background: Pelvic exenteration (PE) is a complex operative procedure, reserved for patients with locally advanced and recurrent pelvic malignancies. PE is associated with a high index of post-operative morbidity. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programmes have been successful in improving postoperative outcomes, however, its application in PE has not been studied.

A phase III randomized trial evaluating chemotherapy followed by pelvic reirradiation versus chemotherapy alone as preoperative treatment for locally recurrent rectal cancer - GRECCAR 15 trial protocol.

Aim: Treatment strategies in locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC) are complex and need to be balanced against previous treatments received for the primary rectal cancer. Radiotherapy is an important component of treatment in LRRC. However, there is little high-quality evidence on the role of reirradiation in this cohort.

Liver contrast-enhanced sonography: computer-assisted differentiation between focal nodular hyperplasia and inflammatory hepatocellular adenoma by reference to microbubble transport patterns.

Objective: A new computer tool is proposed to distinguish between focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) and an inflammatory hepatocellular adenoma (I-HCA) using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). The new method was compared with the usual qualitative analysis.

Methods: The proposed tool embeds an "optical flow" algorithm, designed to mimic the human visual perception of object transport in image series, to quantitatively analyse apparent microbubble transport parameters visible on CEUS.

Transarterial chemoembolization for early stage hepatocellular carcinoma decrease local tumor control and overall survival compared to radiofrequency ablation.

Background & Aims: To compare treatment failure and survival associated with ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for early-stage HCC in Child-Pugh A cirrhosis patients.

Methods: 122 cirrhotic patients (RFA: 61; TACE: 61) were well matched according to cirrhosis severity; tumor size and serum alpha-fetoprotein. TACE was performed in case of inconspicuous nodule on US or nodule with "at risk location".

Magnetic resonance texture parameters are associated with ablation efficiency in MR-guided high-intensity focussed ultrasound treatment of uterine fibroids.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess the association between texture parameter analysis derived from T2-weighted images and efficiency of magnetic resonance-guided focussed ultrasound (MRgFUS) ablation for the treatment of uterine fibroids.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-five women treated by MRgFUS were included in this retrospective analysis. Texture parameters were calculated using three 2D regions of interest placed on three consecutive slices on the same sagittal 3D T2-weighted images obtained at the beginning of MRgFUS ablation.

Three-Dimensional Measurement of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Ablation Zones and Margins for Predicting Local Tumor Progression.

Purpose: To propose a postprocessing technique that measures tumor surface with insufficient ablative margins (≤ 5 mm) on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to predict local tumor progression (LTP) following radiofrequency (RF) ablation.

Materials And Methods: A diagnostic method is proposed based on measurement of tumor surface with a margin ≤ 5 mm on MR imaging. The postprocessing technique includes fully automatic registration of pre- and post-RF ablation MR imaging, a semiautomatic segmentation of pre-RF ablation tumor and post-RF ablation volume, and a subsequent calculation of the three-dimensional exposed tumor surface area.

Magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound for uterine fibroids: Mid-term outcomes of 36 patients treated with the Sonalleve system.

Objectives: This study sought to assess the mid-term efficacy of magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) (Sonalleve system) for uterine fibroids.

Methods: We retrospectively included patients treated by MRgFUS controlled by real-time MR-thermometry. Clinical efficacy was defined as the minimum reduction of ten points in the Transformed Symptom Severity Score (tSSS) without additional treatment.

Radiofrequency ablation versus surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma within the Milan criteria: A study of 281 Western patients.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare survival between radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and surgical resection (SR) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within Milan criteria.

Methods: From January 2004 to December 2013 we consecutively and retrospectively included all patients with first occurrence of HCC within Milan criteria receiving SR or RFA as first-line treatment. The cumulative overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared after inverse probability weighting (including confounding factor).