Imaging of intramuscular haemangiomas of the extremities.

Intramuscular haemangiomas are benign soft tissue tumours that are more frequently seen in children and young adults. As they may be difficult to diagnose clinically, imaging has an important role in the detection, diagnosis and preoperative planning of these lesions. Haemangiomas of the extremities may be classified into capillary, cavernous, venous and mixed types, with or without an arteriovenous shunt, depending on the predominant vascular channels.

The total number of tissue blocks per centimetre of tumor significantly correlated with the risk of distant metastasis in patients with minimally invasive follicular thyroid carcinoma.

Background: Given that careful histological examination plays a pivotal role in follicular thyroid carcinoma categorization, we hypothesize that the number of blocks taken at initial specimen review may be associated with survival outcomes of patients initially diagnosed with minimally invasive follicular thyroid carcinoma.

Methods: A total of 162 patients with confirmed minimally invasive follicular thyroid carcinoma were analyzed. The number of tissue blocks taken from each patient was recorded and the number of blocks per each centimeter of tumor was calculated.

Significance of Size of Persistent/Recurrent Central Nodal Disease on Surgical Morbidity and Response to Therapy in Reoperative Neck Dissection for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Background: To balance the risk of disease progression, morbidity, and efficacy of reoperative central neck dissection (RCND) in papillary thyroid carcinoma, the latest clinical guidelines recommend early surgery over surveillance when the largest diseased node is >8 mm in its smallest dimension. However, the evidence remains scarce. To determine an appropriate size for first-time RCND, the relationship between size of largest diseased central node, morbidity, and response-to-therapy following RCND was examined.

The significance of unrecognized histological high-risk features on response to therapy in papillary thyroid carcinoma measuring 1-4 cm: implications for completion thyroidectomy following lobectomy.

Background: Although lobectomy is an alternative to total thyroidectomy (TT) for 1-4 cm papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) without high-risk features (HRFs) such as aggressive histology, vascular invasion, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), microscopic extrathyroidal extension, positive margin, nodal metastasis >5 mm and multifocality, these HRFs are not recognized until after surgery. Therefore, the chance of completion TT being required following lobectomy might be high. We evaluated the frequency of unrecognized HRFs and how they affected the response to therapy following TT and radioiodine (RAI).

Does microscopically involved margin increase disease recurrence after curative surgery in papillary thyroid carcinoma?

Background: The prognostic significance of microscopically involved margin in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) following curative surgery remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the impact of an involved margin and its location (anterior vs. posterior) on disease recurrence.

Impact of microscopic extra-nodal extension (ENE) on locoregional recurrence following curative surgery for papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: The presence of microscopic extra-nodal extension (ENE) may increase locoregional recurrence (LRR) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). We aimed to evaluate the association between microscopic ENE, response to initial therapy and LRR risk following total thyroidectomy, therapeutic neck dissection, and radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation in PTC.

Methods: Of the 369 eligible PTC patients, 264 (71.

Giant cell tumor of the humeral head treated by denosumab: Implication to shoulder surgeons.

Giant cell tumor is a benign bone tumor that is commonly encountered. The optimal treatment of a giant cell tumor which causes extensive bony destruction is controversial. Recent studies on the receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand antagonist denosumab may offer a new treatment option for these patients.

Assessing the short- and long-term outcomes after resection of benign insulinoma.

Background: Insulinoma is a rare functional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour (NET) believed to have an excellent long-term outcome, but few studies have solely focused on this issue after apparently curative resection. This study aimed to assess post-operative and long-term outcomes after resection of benign insulinomas.

Methods: From 1998 to 2013, 36 consecutive patients with insulinomas underwent surgery.

Association of exon 19 and 21 EGFR mutation patterns with treatment outcome after first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background: This study investigated whether there were differential survival outcomes to first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer harboring different subtypes of exon 19 and exon 21 mutations on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

Methods: Of 452 patients with stage IIIB and IV non-small-cell lung cancer, 192 patients (42.5%) harbored EGFR mutation and 170 (37.

Diabetic mastopathy.

Diabetic mastopathy is an uncommon condition found in patients with long-standing diabetic mellitus (DM). Although benign in nature, it can sometimes not be distinguishable from breast carcinoma, and may lead to unnecessary anxiety or intervention. Clinicopathologic features of 10 patients were reviewed in detail.

Asymptomatic grade-2 central chondrosarcoma of the distal femur with non-aggressive radiological features.

This paper discusses the case of a 57-year-old man with an incidental finding of a radiologically non-aggressive chondroid lesion and concomitant osteonecrosis in the left distal femur. The final resected specimen showed a grade-2 chondrosarcoma. This case illustrates that long-term follow-up is necessary for non-aggressive chondroid lesions.

Combined use of 18F-FDG PET/CT, DW-MRI, and DCE-MRI in treatment response for preoperative chemoradiation therapy in locally invasive rectal cancers.

We investigated if 18F-FDG PET/CT, DW-MRI, and DCE-MRI are able to predict preoperative chemoradiation therapy (CRT) response in patients with T3-4 rectal adenocarcinomas. MRI and PET/CT scans were performed within 1 week, at baseline, early midtreatment (2 weeks of CRT), and posttreatment (6 weeks after completing CRT). Responders (n = 4) and nonresponders (n = 4) were defined according to tumor regression grade by histology.

Unusual presentations of osteoarticular tuberculosis in two paediatric patients.

Tuberculosis is a universal mimicker and thus could be a differential diagnosis of any osteolytic lesion. Bone biopsy is crucial in these cases for culture and histological proof of tuberculous infection. This is a case report of two paediatric patients with unusual presentations of tuberculosis.

Factors affecting the adequacy of lymph node yield in prophylactic unilateral central neck dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: Determinants for adequate lymph node yield (LNY) in prophylactic central neck dissection (pCND) for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remain unclear. We aimed to determine factors affecting LNY in pCND.

Methods: Of 230 patients, 109 (47.

A sarcoma of 23 years' duration: symptom duration is not a reliable parameter to exclude malignancy.

This report describes a 31-year-old woman with a 23-year history of a right buttock mass that was otherwise asymptomatic, but was proven to be a low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (a fully malignant soft tissue tumour with a potential for distant metastasis). This case illustrates that a long-standing tumour does not necessarily imply a benign pathology. A vigilant approach should be taken for any tumours that are of significant size (larger than 5 cm).

Significance of size of lymph node metastasis on postsurgical stimulated thyroglobulin levels after prophylactic unilateral central neck dissection in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: The prognostic significance of size of central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains unknown. Because postsurgical detectable stimulated thyroglobulin (DsTg) after radioiodine ablation may imply persistent or recurrent disease, we evaluated the association between size of CLNM and rate of DsTg in patients with PTC who underwent unilateral prophylactic central neck dissection.

Methods: To be eligible for analysis, the prophylactic central neck dissection specimen with <3 central lymph nodes (CLNs) or size of CLNM ≥1 cm as measured under the microscope was excluded.

Second primary squamous cell carcinoma arising in the skin of a pectoralis major myocutaneous flap 12 years after floor of mouth reconstruction.

Second primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the skin of a flap used for reconstruction of floor of mouth is rare. A case of SCC arising in the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap that was used to reconstruct the floor of mouth 12 years after subtotal glossectomy and resection of the floor of mouth is reported. The tumour is a second primary SCC arises in the skin of a myocutaneous flap without any obvious risk factors.

Pictorial essay: imaging of peripheral nerve sheath tumours.

Peripheral nerve sheath tumours (PNST) may be benign or malignant. Benign PNSTs include neurofibroma and schwannoma. Neurogenic tumours share certain characteristic imaging features, suggested by a fusiform-shaped mass with tapered ends, the "split-fat" sign, atrophy of the muscles supplied by the involved nerve, the "fascicular sign," and the "target sign"; these imaging features are best demonstrated on magnetic resonance imaging.

Restoration of chemosensitivity by bortezomib: implications for refractory myeloma.

Background: A 59-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with a left rib fracture and was diagnosed with IgA multiple myeloma. The patient underwent autologous bone-marrow transplantation, and 14 months later she developed obstructive jaundice.

Investigations: Serum protein electrophoresis, contrast CT of thorax and abdomen, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with endoscopic biopsy and pleural biopsy.

Treatment outcome of rhabdomyosarcoma in Hong Kong Chinese children.

Objectives: To review the treatment outcome of rhabdomyosarcoma in Hong Kong Chinese children.

Design: Retrospective review.

Setting: University teaching hospital, Hong Kong.