Relationship between genomic risk scores (GRS) and coronary artery calcium (CAC) score: A pilot study.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) genomic risk scores (GRS), as FDR202, GRS46K, 1.7M, and MetaGRS, help in assessing cardiovascular related morbidity and mortality. Interventions to adhere to a healthy lifestyle as a means of prevention based on the GRS have a potential to greatly reduce incident CAD event rates.

Management of regorafenib-related toxicities: a review.

Regorafenib (Stivarga, BAY 73-4506; Bayer Pharma AG, Berlin, Germany) is an oral multikinase inhibitor that targets the angiogenic tumor microenvironment and oncogenic kinases including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), VEGFR1, VEGFR3, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1), RAF, KIT, RET and BRAF. Its antiangiogenic effect is greater than that of its related drug, sorafenib. Regorafenib has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) in patients who have failed treatment with fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin and irinotecan based chemotherapy, an anti-VEGF therapy and, if KRAS wild type, an anti-EGFR therapy.

Elevated CA19-9 Is Associated With Increased Mortality In A Prospective Cohort Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients.

Objectives: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. CA19-9 is a glycoprotein that predicts poor prognosis in pancreatic and biliary malignancies. We evaluated it as a prognostic biomarker for patients with HCC.

Imaging approaches with advanced prostate cancer: techniques and timing.

Introduction: In conjunction with biomarkers, imaging is an important component of the diagnostic work up and subsequent management of men with prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: The relevant literature was retrieved from a search of MEDLINE with appropriate key words.

Results: Osseous metastases develop in close to 90% of patients with metastatic prostate cancer, thus making bone scans (single photon, using Tc-99m labeled phosphonates) the mainstay of imaging in advanced prostate cancer.

Value of non-contrast sequences in magnetic resonance angiography of hepatic arterial vasculature.

Objective: To evaluate value of adding non-contrast MR angiographic sequence (In-Flow Inversion Recovery [IFIR]) to standard fat-suppressed T1-weighted postcontrast sequence (3D spoiled gradient echo [3D-GRE]) for evaluating hepatic arterial anatomy.

Methods: Retrospective evaluation of 30 consecutive patients undergoing multiphase liver MRI. Individual vessels for IFIR/3D-GRE sequences were evaluated by two blinded readers using a four-point scale.

Positron emission tomography imaging of pancreatic cancer.

Positron emission tomography (PET) using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is increasingly used for the staging of solid malignancies, including lung and esophagus. However, controversy still exists in relation to the application of PET in pancreatic cancer. The authors review seven studies (Abstracts #183, #189, #190, #254, #357, #375, #378) presented at the 2014 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium and discuss on the role of PET in this disease.

Highlights on novel imaging methods of pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths. Since the majority of patients present with incurable metastatic disease, novel imaging methods are needed to identify pancreatic cancer and assess response to therapy. Research presented at the 2013 American Society of Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting provided insight into potential imaging methods.

Quantitative X-ray computed tomography peritoneography in malignant peritoneal mesothelioma patients receiving intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Background: Intraperitoneal chemotherapy is used to treat peritoneal surface-spreading malignancies. We sought to determine whether volume and surface area of the intraperitoneal chemotherapy compartments are associated with overall survival and posttreatment glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) patients.

Methods: Thirty-eight MPM patients underwent X-ray computed tomography peritoneograms during outpatient intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Primary peritoneal carcinoma in complete remission: a case report.

Primary peritoneal carcinoma (PPCa) is a relatively uncommonly diagnosed tumor. It has a similar presentation to ovarian cancer. PPCa has a poor prognosis with survival ranging from 12-18 months.

Imaging pelvic floor disorders: trend toward comprehensive MRI.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to review the relevant anatomy and sonographic, fluoroscopic, and MRI options for evaluating patients with pelvic floor disorders.

Conclusion: Disorders of the pelvic floor are a heterogeneous and complex group of problems. Imaging can help elucidate the presence and extent of pelvic floor abnormalities.

Decreased incidence of NSF in patients on dialysis after changing gadolinium contrast-enhanced MRI protocols.

Purpose: To retrospectively determine the incidence of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in patients on dialysis administered either a lower dose high-relaxivity linear gadolinium-chelate, gadobenate dimeglumine (MultiHance, MH), compared to a standard dose linear gadolinium chelate, gadodiamide (Omniscan, OM).

Materials And Methods: This study was Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant and Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved. As per institution standardized contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols, patients on dialysis were imaged using either MH, between 2/2007 to 9/2008, or OM between 10/2003 and 1/2007.

On improving temporal and spatial resolution of 3D contrast-enhanced body MR angiography with parallel imaging.

Use of a parallel imaging technique to improve temporal and spatial resolution at three-dimensional contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) angiography was investigated. Thirty experiments were performed in five groups of healthy subjects. In groups 1-3, the technique was used to improve imaging speed by a factor of two or four while maintaining spatial resolution.

Low-density pheochromocytoma on CT: a mimicker of adrenal adenoma.

Objective: Attenuation values on CT of less than 10 H are considered characteristic of adrenal adenomas. Adrenal pheochromocytomas can infrequently contain fat that could result in low attenuation on CT. The purpose of our study was to determine if pheochromocytomas could be confused with adenomas by virtue of their attenuation values on unenhanced CT.