Comparison of magnetic resonance elastography and diffusion-weighted imaging for differentiating benign and malignant liver lesions.

Objectives: Comparison of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for differentiating malignant and benign focal liver lesions (FLLs).

Methods: Seventy-nine subjects with 124 FLLs (44 benign and 80 malignant) underwent both MRE and DWI. MRE was performed with a modified gradient-echo sequence and DWI with a free breathing technique (b = 0.

Inflammatory pseudotumors of the liver: experience of a specialist surgical unit.

Background And Aim: To present the experience in management of inflammatory liver pseudotumors from a specialist surgical unit and to review the medical literature on this rare manifestation.

Methods: Between 1995 and 2008, four patients were identified with this type of tumor from a total of 108 resected benign liver lesions at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Scotland UK. Two patients presented with liver abscesses, one with liver cystadenoma, and one with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Identification of severe acute pancreatitis using an artificial neural network.

Background: The aim of this study was to construct and validate an artificial neural network (ANN) model to identify severe acute pancreatitis (AP) and predict fatal outcome.

Methods: All patients who presented with AP from January 2000 to September 2004 were reviewed. Presentation data on admission and at 48 hours were collected.

A modification of segment III intrahepatic cholangiojejunostomy.

Segment III bypass can achieve excellent palliation in jaundiced patients with unresectable malignancy of the hepatic duct confluence. However, the long-term benefits are often offset by early morbidity and mortality associated with surgery. Bile leakage is a common postoperative complication.

Moderate hypothermia prevents cerebral hyperemia and increase in intracranial pressure in patients undergoing liver transplantation for acute liver failure.

Background: During orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for acute liver failure (ALF), some patients develop acute increases in intracranial pressure (ICP). The authors tested the hypothesis that increases in ICP during OLT for ALF can be prevented by moderate hypothermia.

Methods: Sixteen patients with ALF undergoing OLT were studied.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt and its effects on orthotopic liver transplantation.

Background: It has been reported that preoperative transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt (TIPSS) reduces peri-operative transfusion requirements during orthotopic liver transplant, and may result in fewer episodes of poor, early graft function by reducing portosystemic shunting, thus improving portal blood supply to the graft.

Objective: To test the hypotheses that TIPSS improves early graft function and reduces transfusion requirements.

Methods: A retrospective review of 82 liver transplant recipients between 1993 and 1999 was performed.