ANCA-negative EGPA: only eosinophils without vasculitis? Insights from anti-T2 biologics.

The pathogenic role of p-ANCA in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a long-standing matter of debate. In this work, we report our real-life experience with EGPA patients, treated with biologics targeting type 2 (T2)-eosinophilic inflammation (Mepolizumab, Benralizumab, Dupilumab). Interestingly, we observed EGPA extrarespiratory relapses only in p-ANCA-positive patients (2/5 cutaneous vasculitis, 3/5 constitutional symptoms), with new rise of p-ANCA and normal eosinophil blood count.

Oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and respiratory chain enzyme defects in inflammatory myopathies.

We investigated the relationship between oxidative stress and inflammatory myopathies. We searched in the current literature the role of mitochondria and respiratory chain defects as sources of oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species production that led to muscle weakness and fatigue. Different molecules and pathways contribute to redox milieu, reactive oxygen species generation, accumulation of misfolded and carbonylated proteins that lose their ability to fulfil cellular activities.

Alarmins in autoimmune diseases.

Alarmins are endogenous, constitutively expressed, chemotacting and immune activating proteins or peptides released because of non-programmed cell death (i.e. infections, trauma, etc).

Intravenous immunoglobulin as an important adjunct in the prevention and therapy of coronavirus 2019 disease.

The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) challenged globally with its morbidity and mortality. A small percentage of affected patients (20%) progress into the second stage of the disease clinically presenting with severe or fatal involvement of lung, heart and vascular system, all contributing to multiple-organ failure. The so-called 'cytokines storm' is considered the pathogenic basis of severe disease and it is a target for treatment with corticosteroids, immunotherapies and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg).

Update on latex allergy: New insights into an old problem.

Despite the efforts made to mitigate the consequences of this disease, natural rubber latex allergy (NRLA) continues to be a global health problem and is still considered one of the main worries in the working environment in many countries throughout the world. Due to thousands of products containing latex, it is not surprising that the current statistics suggest that prevalence remains high among healthcare workers and susceptible patients. In developed countries, reduction in the prevalence of IgE-mediated allergy to latex proteins from gloves may lead to lax attention by health care personnel.

Safety and Adherence to Venom Immunotherapy During COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: According to expert consensus, the time interval between Hymenoptera venom immunotherapy (VIT) injections can be extended up to 12 weeks, without significant impact on efficacy and safety. However, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic caused longer delays, and no recommendations are available to manage this huge extension.

Objectives: To provide advice on how to resume VIT safely after a long delay from the last injection considering the potential risk factors for side effects, without starting again with the induction phase.

Longitudinal assessment of carotid atherosclerosis after Radiation Therapy using Computed Tomography: A case control Study.

Objectives: To study the carotid artery plaque composition and its volume changes in a group of patients at baseline and 2 years after head and neck radiation therapy treatment (HNXRT).

Methods: In this retrospective study, 62 patients (41 males; mean age 63 years; range 52-81) who underwent HNXRT and 40 patients (24 males; mean age 65) who underwent surgical resection of neoplasm and did not undergo HNXRT were assessed, with 2-year follow-up. The carotid artery plaque volumes, as well as the volume of the sub-components (fatty-mixed-calcified), were semiautomatically quantified.

MDCT classification of steatotic liver: a multicentric analysis.

Purpose: Fatty liver disease is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the western world. The aim of this study was to analyze steatotic liver characteristics using multidetector row computed tomography (CT) to identify reliable criteria to identify the steatosis and quantify its severity.

Patients And Methods: Multiphasic CT scans of 51 consecutive adults (36 men, mean age 57.

Is there an association between cerebral microbleeds and leukoaraiosis?

Purpose: Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are small dot-like lesions appearing as hyposignals on gradient echo (GRE) T2* magnetic resonance (MR) sequences, whereas the leukoaraiosis (LA) indicates the presence of patchy areas of hypersignal on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MR sequences in the periventricular white matter. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the association between LA and CMBs.

Material And Methods: Eighty-five consecutive (men 55; median age 64 years) patients were retrospectively analyzed using a 1.

Diagnostic confidence of computed tomography and magnetic resonance in focal liver pathology.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the diagnostic confidence of multiphase computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) after administration of gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) in the diagnosis of malignant-benign neoplasm of the liver in operators with different levels of experience.

Materials And Methods: Forty patients underwent multiphase CT and MR after administration of Gd-EOB-DTPA. All exams were evaluated by two experienced observers independently; they rated their diagnostic confidence on a five-degree scale: 1 (certainly benign), 2 (probably benign), 3 (uncertain), 4 (probably malignant) and 5 (certainly malignant).

Association between internal carotid artery dissection and arterial tortuosity.

Introduction: Carotid artery dissection is an important cause of ischemic stroke in all age groups, particularly in young patients. The purpose of this work was to assess whether there is an association between the presence of an internal carotid artery dissection (ICAD) and the arterial tortuosity.

Methods: This study considered 124 patients (72 males and 52 females; median age 57 years) with CT/MR diagnosis of ICAD of the internal carotid artery were considered in this multi-centric retrospective study.

Carotid artery dissection on non-contrast CT: does color improve the diagnostic confidence?

Purpose: The purpose of this work was to evaluate if the use of color maps, instead of conventional grayscale images, would improve the observer's diagnostic confidence in the non-contrast CT evaluation of internal carotid artery dissection (ICAD).

Materials And Methods: One hundred patients (61 men, 39 women; mean age, 51 years; range, 25-78 years), 40 with and 60 without ICAD, underwent non-contrast CT and were included in this the retrospective study. In this study, three groups of patients were considered: patients with MR confirmation of ICAD, n=40; patients with MR confirmation of ICAD absence, n=20; patients who underwent CT of the carotid arteries because of atherosclerotic disease, n=40.

Is there an association between asymmetry of carotid artery wall thickness (ACAWT) and cerebrovascular symptoms?

Purpose: Previous publications demonstrated that multi-detector-row computed tomography Angiography (MDCTA) can evaluate the carotid artery wall thickness (CAWT). The purpose of this work was to compare the asymmetry of CAWT between carotids in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.

Material And Methods: Sixty consecutive symptomatic (males 44; median age 64) and 60 asymptomatic sex- and age-matched patients were analysed by using a 40-detector-row CT system.

Multi-modal CT scanning in the evaluation of cerebrovascular disease patients.

Ischemic stroke currently represents one of the leading causes of severe disability and mortality in the Western World. Until now, angiography was the most used imaging technique for the detection of the extra-cranial and intracranial vessel pathology. Currently, however, non-invasive imaging tool like ultrasound (US), magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomography (CT) have proven capable of offering a detailed analysis of the vascular system.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in non-cirrhotic liver: clinical, radiological and pathological findings.

Objectives: Our aim was to evaluate the clinical and pathological findings, mutidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearances, treatment and 1-year survival of patients with HCC in non-cirrhotic liver.

Methods: Histopathological and laboratory findings of 30 non-cirrhotic patients with 32 HCCs were reviewed retrospectively. MDCT and gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced MR images were evaluated in consensus by two radiologists in terms of HCC size, presence of tumour capsule, necrosis, haemorrhage, fat and calcification, and vascular involvement.

Endometriosis: the role of magnetic resonance imaging.

Several imaging options are available today to diagnose endometriosis. Currently, the two techniques most used are sonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Three-dimensional (3D) sonography has proved to be particularly sensitive in the diagnosis of endometriosis.

Correlation between leukoaraiosis volume and circle of Willis variants.

Background And Purpose: The Circle of Willis (COW) is the main collateral system between the bilateral carotid systems and the posterior circulation. COW normal variants are encountered in up to 62% of subjects. We hypothesize that, in patients with carotid artery stenosis, the presence of COW variants is a risk factor for leukoaraiosis.

Association between the volume of carotid artery plaque and its subcomponents and the volume of white matter lesions in patients selected for endarterectomy.

Objective: The amount of cerebral white matter lesions (WMLs) and the severity of carotid artery disease are correlated in this study. The association between the severity of WMLs and the volume of the different components of carotid artery plaque is also evaluated.

Materials And Methods: Fifty consecutive patients (39 men, 11 women; mean [SD] age, 71 ± 9 years) with carotid artery stenosis who underwent carotid endarterectomy were included in this study.

Differences in plaque morphology and correlation of stenosis at the carotid artery bifurcation and the carotid siphon.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the type of plaque and the degree of stenosis in the carotid artery bifurcation and the carotid siphon to explore potential correlations between these parameters.

Materials And Methods: A total of 119 patients (87 men, 32 women; mean age, 69 years) were retrospectively studied using MDCT angiography. Component types of the carotid artery bifurcation and the carotid siphon plaque were defined according to attenuation values, and the volumes of each plaque component were calculated.

Diagnostic confidence analysis in the magnetic resonance imaging of ovarian and deep endometriosis: comparison with surgical results.

Objective: To assess the diagnostic confidence of multiple readers in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis of endometriosis.

Methods: Sixty-five patients (mean age 33; range 19-45 years) who had undergone MRI were retrospectively evaluated. Five regions were analysed and the presence of endometriosis was scored on a five-point scale in order to assess the diagnostic confidence.

Imaging of the carotid artery vulnerable plaque.

Atherosclerosis involving the carotid arteries has a high prevalence in the population worldwide. This condition is significant because accidents of the carotid artery plaque are associated with the development of cerebrovascular events. For this reason, carotid atherosclerotic disease needs to be diagnosed and those determinants that are associated to an increased risk of stroke need to be identified.

Semiautomated and automated algorithms for analysis of the carotid artery wall on computed tomography and sonography: a correlation study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare automated and semiautomated algorithms for analysis of carotid artery wall thickness and intima-media thickness on multidetector row computed tomographic (CT) angiography and sonography, respectively, and to study the correlation between them.

Methods: Twenty consecutive patients underwent multidetector row CT angiographic and sonographic analysis of carotid arteries (mean age, 66 years; age range, 59-79 years). The intima-media thickness of the 40 carotid arteries was measured with novel and dedicated automated software analysis and by 4 observers who manually calculated the intima-media thickness.

Distal wall delineation using automated Dual Snake paradigm: a multi-center and multi-ethnic carotid ultrasound evaluation.

We present here a novel and patented completely automated IMT measurement system that we developed for common carotid arterial ultrasound longitudinal images, called Carotid Measurement Using Dual Snakes (CMUDS) - a class of AtheroEdge™ system. CMUDS is a dual deformable parametric model (snake) system where the dual snakes evolve simultaneously and are forced to maintain a regularized distance to prevent collapsing or diverging. We benchmarked CMUDS against a conventional single snake (CMUSS).

MR and CT of brain's cava.

The Cavum Septi Pellucidi (CSP), Cavum Vergae (CV) and Cavum Veli Interpositi, are anatomical variants located in the midline of the brain. It is important to identify these conditions to distinguish them from other entities that may require treatment. In this paper, our purpose is to describe MR and CT findings of CSP, CV and Cavum Veli Interpositi, explaining the differential diagnosis.

Non-invasive vascular imaging in perforator flap surgery.

Preoperative imaging using a range of imaging modalities has become increasingly popular for preoperative planning in plastic surgery, in particular in perforator flap surgery. Modalities in this role include ultrasound (US), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and computed tomographic angiography (CTA). The evidence for the use of these techniques has been reported in only a handful of studies.