Concordance analysis between liquid biopsy (ctDNA) and tumor DNA molecular profiles from panel-based next-generation sequencing.

Introduction: Analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), also known as liquid biopsy, has been postulated to be a useful test in the prognostication, molecular profiling, and monitoring of cancer patients. In this series we aimed to analyze the concordance between the mutation status of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor samples and matched ctDNA, considering tumor molecular profiling as the gold standard technique.

Methods: This retrospective study included cancer patients with complete diagnostics and gene mutations detected in a previous FFPE tumor tissue Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) study with a matched frozen plasma sample available for an NGS ctDNA assay.

Usefulness of echocystography in the study of vesicoureteral reflux.

The aim of our study was to assess the usefulness of contrast-enhanced sonography in detecting and staging vesicoureteral reflux in pediatric patients. Forty-nine children between birth and 5 years of age were studied for vesicoureteral reflux. Echocystography with the use of an endovesical signal enhancer was performed first, followed immediately by conventional voiding cystourethrography.