Evaluation of serum insulin-like growth factor 1 concentrations in non-diabetic cats with chronic kidney disease.

Feline hypersomatotropism (HST) can develop in both diabetic and non-diabetic cats, but studies evaluating the prevalence of HST in cats without diabetes mellitus (DM) are lacking. The aims of the study were to evaluate circulating insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in non-diabetic cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD), to assess whether there is a correlation between general test of renal function and IGF-1 concentration in cats with CKD, and to screen this population for the presence of HST. In this prospective study, one hundred fifty-four non-diabetic cats (n = 154) with CKD from referral centers in Buenos Aires (Argentina) were evaluated.

Increased insulin-like growth factor 1 concentrations in a population of non-diabetic cats with overweight/obesity.

Feline hypersomatotropism (HST) is typically associated with diabetes mellitus (DM), whereas HST without concurrent DM has only been reported in a few cases. Weight gain may be observed in cats with HST. The aims of this study were to evaluate circulating insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in non-diabetic cats with overweight/obesity, to screen this population for the presence of HST, and to assess whether there is a correlation between body weight/body condition score (BCS) and serum IGF-1 concentration in overweight/obese cats.

Prevalence of hypersomatotropism and hyperthyroidism in cats with diabetes mellitus from referral centers in Buenos Aires (2020-2022).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hypersomatotropism (HST) and hyperthyroidism in cats with diabetes mellitus (DM) from referral centers in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Methods: This was a prospective study. Systematic screening of serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and total thyroxine was performed in all cats diagnosed with DM at referral centers in Buenos Aires between February 2020 and February 2022.

Extra-Neural Metastases From Primary Intracranial Ependymomas: A Systematic Review.

Background: Primary intracranial ependymomas (IE) are rare brain tumors rarely metastasizing outside the central nervous system. We systematically reviewed the literature on extra-neural metastases from primary IEs.

Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Web-of-Science, and Cochrane were searched following the PRISMA guidelines to include studies of extra-neural metastases from primary IEs.

Effect of Evolocumab on Coronary Plaque Phenotype and Burden in Statin-Treated Patients Following Myocardial Infarction.

Background: The proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type-9 inhibitor evolocumab produced coronary atheroma regression in statin-treated patients.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of evolocumab on optical coherence tomography (OCT) measures of plaque composition.

Methods: Patients with a non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were treated with monthly evolocumab 420 mg (n = 80) or placebo (n = 81) for 52 weeks.

Cabergoline treatment in cats with diabetes mellitus and hypersomatotropism.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of cabergoline to control hypersomatotropism (HST) and diabetes mellitus (DM) in cats.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study. Twenty-three cats with HST and concurrent DM were enrolled.

Spontaneous sacral fracture with associated acrometastasis of the hand.

Background: Acrometastases, secondary tumors affecting oncological patients with systemic metastases, are associated with a poor prognosis. In rare cases, acrometastases may precede establishing the primary tumor diagnosis.

Case Description: A 72-year-old female heavy smoker presented with low back pain, and right lower extremity sciatica/radiculopathy.

Acrometastases to the Hand: A Systematic Review.

The term acrometastases (AM) refers to secondary lesions sited distally to the elbow and knee, representing 0.1% of all bony metastases. By frequency, pulmonary cancer and gastrointestinal and genitourinary tract neoplasms are the most responsible for the reported AM.

Primary Extracranial Meningiomas of the Head and Neck.

Meningiomas represent the most common benign histological tumor of the central nervous system. Usually, meningiomas are intracranial, showing a typical dural tail sign on brain MRI with Gadolinium, but occasionally they can infiltrate the skull or be sited extracranially. We present a systematic review of the literature on extracranial meningiomas of the head and neck, along with an emblematic case of primary extracranial meningioma (PEM), which provides further insights into PEM management.

Diabetes mellitus remission in three cats with hypersomatotropism after cabergoline treatment.

Case Summary: Three diabetic cats presented with polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia and poor glycemic control. Cat 1 displayed prognathia inferior and had a body condition score (BCS) of 4/5; cat 2 had a BCS of 5/5; and cat 3 had broad facial features. Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 concentrations were compatible with hypersomatotropism in cat 1 and cat 2 (>1500 ng/ml and 1200 ng/ml, respectively) and just below the cut-off of 1000 ng/ml (947 ng/ml) in cat 3; in this last cat diagnosis was further supported by the presence of pituitary enlargement on MRI.

The importance of subcapsular anesthesia in the anesthesiological management for thyroid radiofrequency ablation.

Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure alternative to surgery to treat benign thyroid nodules causing compressive symptoms. Tolerability of this procedure, aimed at treatment of benign conditions, is fundamental. In this study, we evaluated if local anesthesia should be enough to reduce both hospital costs and sedation-related risks for the patient, avoiding deep sedation and presence of the anesthesiologist.

Ultrasound imaging classifications of thyroid nodules for malignancy risk stratification and clinical management: state of the art.

Assessing the risk of malignancy in the thyroid with ultrasound (US) is crucial in patients with nodules, as it can aid in selecting those who should have a fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy performed. Many studies have examined whether the US characteristics of thyroid nodules are useful indicators of histological malignancy. Overall, these investigations have identified a few US features that are significantly more frequent in malignant thyroid nodules which can be coalesced into a defining set to be used as an indicator of a higher risk of malignancy.

Cooled tip radiofrequency ablation of benign thyroid nodules: preliminary experience with two different devices.

Background: Thyroid nodules are very common in general population. Even if benign, they may require a treatment in case of symptoms or cosmetic concerns. In the last years, minimally invasive treatments alternative to surgery have been developed, in particular ultrasound (US) guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

Use of the ultrasound-based total malignancy score in the management of thyroid nodules.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to validate the role of the total malignancy score (TMS) in identifying thyroid nodules suspicious for malignancy through the sum of their ultrasound features.

Methods: The local ethical committee approved this prospective observational study. We examined 231 nodules in 231 consecutive patients (164 females and 67 males; age range, 20 to 87 years; median age, 59 years; interquartile range, 48 to 70 years) who underwent ultrasound followed by fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC).

A multiparametric analysis combining DCE-MRI- and IVIM -derived parameters to improve differentiation of parotid tumors: a pilot study.

Aim: To evaluate dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI and diffusion weighted (DW)-MRI diagnostic value to differentiate Warthin tumors (WT) by pleomorphic adenomas (PA).

Materials & Methods: Seven WT and seven PA were examined. DCE- and  DW-MRI parameters were extracted from volumes of interest; volume of interest-based averages and standard deviations were calculated.

Clinical and instrumental assessment of herniated discs after nucleoplasty: a preliminary study.

Background And Aim: The therapy for low back pain boasts different approaches; one of these is nucleoplasty. We wanted to assess the effectiveness of nucleoplasty both by clinical response both by MR imaging evaluation, including even extrusions larger than one third of the spinal canal.

Methods: Fifty-seven patients were treated with nucleoplasty in our hospital, 11 of these patients accepted both clinical and MRI evaluation after six months from treatment.

Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) in the Periferic Prostate Cancer Detection and Stratification.

The aim of this study was to compare the Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) parameters between healthy Peripheral Zone (PZ), Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and Prostate Cancer (PCa) and compare them to assess whether there was correlation with Gleason Score (GS) grading system. Thirty-one patients with suspect of PCa underwent 1.5T Multi-Parametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MP-MRI) with endorectal coil with a protocol including T2WI, DWI using 10 b values (0, 10, 20, 30, 50, 80, 100, 200, 400, 1000 s/mm) and DCE.

Myocardial Fatty Foci in Adult Patients with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: Association with Gene Mutation and Multiorgan Involvement.

Purpose: To estimate the association between myocardial fatty foci (MFF) on chest computed tomographic (CT) images and type of gene mutation or multiorgan involvement in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective case-control study was approved by the ethics committee, which waived the need for patient consent. Forty-eight patients with definite TSC (41 women; mean age, 35 years ± 11 [standard deviation]) and 96 age- and sex-matched patients without TSC who had undergone chest CT were evaluated.

Diffusion of two molecular species in a crowded environment: theory and experiments.

Diffusion of a two component fluid is studied in the framework of differential equations, but where these equations are systematically derived from a well-defined microscopic model. The model has a finite carrying capacity imposed upon it at the mesoscopic level and this is shown to lead to nonlinear cross diffusion terms that modify the conventional Fickean picture. After reviewing the derivation of the model, the experiments carried out to test the model are described.

Management of thyroid follicular proliferation: an ultrasound-based malignancy score to opt for surgical or conservative treatment.

This study was conducted to evaluate whether ultrasound characteristics of thyroid nodules with a known cytologic diagnosis of "follicular pattern" (indicative of follicular hyperplasia, follicular adenoma or follicular carcinoma) can be used to define a nodule malignancy score to limit surgery to selected, higher-risk cases. In pre-operative ultrasound results of patients diagnosed with a "follicular pattern" on cytology who subsequently underwent surgery, each nodule feature was given a score from 0 (most likely benign) to 2 (most likely malignant), resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 11. The total nodule score (total malignancy score) was then compared with the definitive histologic diagnosis.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: Our experience of 59 cases.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare soft tissue tumor with intermediate malignancy. It is initially located on the skin from where it is able to infiltrate the deep structures and has a tendency to recur locally following inadequate excision. A t(17;22)(q22;q13) chromosome trans-location is the main cytogenetic alteration responsible for the onset of DFSP.

Primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma of the cheek. Case report.

Primary mucinous carcinoma of the skin (MCS) is a rare neoplasia described for the first time by Lennox et al. in 1952 and formally reviewed by Mendoza and Helwing in 1971. It is an uncommon subtype of sweat gland tumor.

Role of magnetic resonance imaging in evaluation of the activity of perianal Crohn's disease.

Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic ability of contrast-enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in assessment of the activity of perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease (CD) patients, compared to clinical data.

Materials And Methods: Fifty CD patients (25 men; mean[SD] age: 40.4[12.