CT-Defined Pectoralis Muscle Density Predicts 30-Day Mortality in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19: A Nationwide Multicenter Study.

Rationale And Objectives: The prognostic role of computed tomography (CT)-defined skeletal muscle features in COVID-19 is still under investigation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of CT-defined skeletal muscle area and density in patients with COVID-19 in a multicenter setting.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study is a part of the German multicenter project RACOON (Radiological Cooperative Network of the COVID-19 pandemic).

The prognostic relevance of pleural effusion in patients with COVID-19 - A German multicenter study.

Purpose: This study evaluates the prognostic significance of pleural effusion (PE) in COVID-19 patients across thirteen centers in Germany, aiming to clarify its role in predicting clinical outcomes.

Methods: In this retrospective analysis within the RACOON project (Radiological Cooperative Network of the COVID-19 pandemic), 1183 patients (29.3 % women, 70.

Robotic Assisted Ultrasound-Guided Endovascular Stent Implantation in a Vascular Model.

Background: Endovascular procedures are the preferred method for treating peripheral arterial disease. However, limited imaging options during these procedures, such as X-rays and contrast media, expose patients and healthcare professionals to potentially harmful radiation. This study introduces a robotic ultrasound system (RUSS) for navigating endovascular procedures in order to reduce radiation and provide additional information.

Position Paper of the German Society for Interventional Radiology and Minimally Invasive Therapy (DeGIR) and the German Roentgen Society (DRG) on Structural and Professional Requirements in Interventional Oncology.

Interventional oncology (IO) employs various techniques to enable minimally invasive, image-guided treatment of tumor diseases with both curative and palliative goals. Additionally, it significantly contributes to managing tumor-related and perioperative complications, offering diverse supportive procedures for patients at all stages of their diseases. The execution of IO procedures places unique demands on the equipment, personnel, and structural organization of radiological clinics, necessitating specific expertise from interventional radiologists.

Amount of ascites impacts survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing transarterial chemoembolization advocating for volumetric assessment.

Preliminary work has shown that portal hypertension plays a key role for the prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). Specifically, the presence of ascites appears to be a strong negative predictor for these patients. However, it remains unclear whether different ascites volumes influence prognosis.

Pericardial Effusion Predicts Clinical Outcomes in Patients with COVID-19: A Nationwide Multicenter Study.

Rationale And Objectives: The prognostic role of pericardial effusion (PE) in Covid 19 is unclear. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prognostic role of PE in patients with Covid 19 in a large multicentre setting.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study is a part of the German multicenter project RACOON (Radiological Cooperative Network of the Covid 19 pandemic).

Clinical Efficacy of Gadobutrol: Review of Over 25 Years of Use Exceeding 100 Million Administrations.

Background: Gadobutrol has been administered more than 100 million times worldwide, since February 1998, that is, over the last 25 years. Numerous clinical studies in a broad range of indications document the long-term experience with gadobutrol.

Objective: The aim of this study was to provide a literature-based overview on gadobutrol's efficacy in 9 approved indications and use in children.

Outcome of Emergency Pulmonary Lobectomy under ECMO Support in Patients with COVID-19.

Background:  Not much is known about the results of nonelective anatomical lung resections in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients put on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The aim of this study was to analyze the outcome of lobectomy under ECMO support in patients with acute respiratory failure due to severe COVID-19.

Methods:  All COVID-19 patients undergoing anatomical lung resection with ECMO support at a German university hospital were included into a prospective database.

Portal hypertension in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and immunotherapy: prognostic relevance of CT-morphologic estimates.

Background: Clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) has been identified as an important prognostic factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing curative treatment. This study aimed to assess PH estimates as prognostic factors in patients with HCC treated with immunotherapy.

Methods: All patients with HCC treated with an immunotherapeutic agent in first or subsequent lines at our tertiary care center between 2016 and 2021 were included (n = 50).

Comprehensive biomarker analysis of long-term response to trastuzumab in patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric or gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma.

Background: A subgroup of patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers shows long-term response under trastuzumab maintenance monotherapy. Obviously, HER2 status alone is not able to identify these patients. We performed this study to identify potential new prognostic biomarkers for this long-term responding patient group.

Use of drug-induced sleep endoscopy in Germany-an analysis based on claims data.

Background: Drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) has recently gained relevance as a diagnostic tool for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, it is unclear to what extent and in which patient cohorts DISE is used in Germany. With introduction of specific coding for this method in 2021 ( OPS code), usage can now be analyzed based on diagnosis-related groups (DRG) claims data.

German Radiological Society and the Professional Association of German Radiologists Position Paper on Coronary computed tomography: Clinical Evidence and Quality of Patient Care in Chronic Coronary Syndrome.

This position paper is a joint statement of the German Radiological Society (DRG) and the Professional Association of German Radiologists (BDR), which reflects the current state of knowledge about coronary computed tomography. It is based on preclinical and clinical studies that have investigated the clinical relevance as well as the technical requirements and fundamentals of cardiac computed tomography. CITATION FORMAT: · Langenbach MC, Sandstede J, Sieren M et al.

Radiomics-Based Prediction of Future Portal Vein Tumor Infiltration in Patients with HCC-A Proof-of-Concept Study.

Portal vein infiltration (PVI) is a typical complication of HCC. Once diagnosed, it leads to classification as BCLC C with an enormous impact on patient management, as systemic therapies are henceforth recommended. Our aim was to investigate whether radiomics analysis using imaging at initial diagnosis can predict the occurrence of PVI in the course of disease.

COVID-19 Severity and Thrombo-Inflammatory Response Linked to Ethnicity.

Although there is strong evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with adverse outcomes in certain ethnic groups, the association of disease severity and risk factors such as comorbidities and biomarkers with racial disparities remains undefined. This retrospective study between March 2020 and February 2021 explores COVID-19 risk factors as predictors for patients' disease progression through country comparison. Disease severity predictors in Germany and Japan were cardiovascular-associated comorbidities, dementia, and age.

Baseline Splenic Volume Outweighs Immuno-Modulated Size Changes with Regard to Survival Outcome in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma under Immunotherapy.

: An association between immunotherapy and an increase in splenic volume (SV) has been described for various types of cancer. SV is also highly predictive of overall survival (OS) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We evaluated SV and its changes with regard to their prognostic influence in patients with HCC undergoing immunotherapy.

Longitudinal Impact of Sputum Inflammatory Phenotypes on Small Airway Dysfunction and Disease Outcomes in Asthma.

Background: Little is known about the relationship between airway inflammatory phenotypes and some important asthma features such as small airway dysfunction (SAD).

Objective: To describe the longitudinal impact of airway inflammatory phenotypes on SAD and asthma outcomes.

Methods: We measured eosinophil and neutrophil counts in induced sputum at baseline and 1 year later to stratify 197 adult patients with asthma into 4 inflammatory phenotypes.

NPTX1 mutations trigger endoplasmic reticulum stress and cause autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia.

With more than 40 causative genes identified so far, autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias exhibit a remarkable genetic heterogeneity. Yet, half the patients are lacking a molecular diagnosis. In a large family with nine sampled affected members, we performed exome sequencing combined with whole-genome linkage analysis.

Gastrointestinal bleeding and endoscopic findings in critically and non-critically ill patients with corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Results from Lean European Open Survey on SARS-CoV-2 (LEOSS) and COKA registries.

Background: Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients are at increased risk for thromboembolic events. It is unclear whether the risk for gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is also increased.

Methods: We considered 4128 COVID-19 patients enrolled in the Lean European Open Survey on SARS-CoV-2 (LEOSS) registry.

Machine learning methods for automated classification of tumors with papillary thyroid carcinoma-like nuclei: A quantitative analysis.

When approaching thyroid gland tumor classification, the differentiation between samples with and without "papillary thyroid carcinoma-like" nuclei is a daunting task with high inter-observer variability among pathologists. Thus, there is increasing interest in the use of machine learning approaches to provide pathologists real-time decision support. In this paper, we optimize and quantitatively compare two automated machine learning methods for thyroid gland tumor classification on two datasets to assist pathologists in decision-making regarding these methods and their parameters.

Antemortem vs Postmortem Histopathologic and Ultrastructural Findings in Paired Transbronchial Biopsy Specimens and Lung Autopsy Samples From Three Patients With Confirmed SARS-CoV-2.

Objectives: Respiratory failure is the major cause of death in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Autopsy-based reports describe diffuse alveolar damage (DAD), organizing pneumonia, and fibrotic change, but data on early pathologic changes and during progression of the disease are rare.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled three patients with COVID-19 and performed full clinical evaluation, including high-resolution computed tomography.

The Relevance of Small Airway Dysfunction in Asthma with Nocturnal Symptoms.

Rationale: Small airway dysfunction (SAD) is a frequent feature of asthma that has been linked to disease severity and poor symptom control. However, little is known about the role of SAD in nocturnal asthma.

Objective: To study the association between the severity of SAD and frequency of nocturnal symptoms compared to conventional lung function testing.

Raised sputum extracellular DNA confers lung function impairment and poor symptom control in an exacerbation-susceptible phenotype of neutrophilic asthma.

Background: Extracellular DNA (e-DNA) and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are linked to asthmatics airway inflammation. However, data demonstrating the characterization of airway inflammation associated with excessive e-DNA production and its impact on asthma outcomes are limited.

Objective: To characterize the airway inflammation associated with excessive e-DNA production and its association with asthma control, severe exacerbations and pulmonary function, particularly, air trapping and small airway dysfunction.

Persistent Uncontrolled Asthma: Long-Term Impact on Physical Activity and Body Composition.

Rationale: Asthma, obesity and physical activity (PA) are interrelated. However, longitudinal data with objective PA measures and direct assessment of body composition are still lacking.

Objective: To study the impact of symptom control on PA and body composition.