Showing papers by "Carlo Filice published in 2008"

Guidelines and good clinical practice recommendations for contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) - Update 2008

Abstract: EFSUMB study group M. Claudon1, D. Cosgrove2, T. Albrecht3, L. Bolondi4, M. Bosio5, F. Calliada6, J.-M. Correas7, K. Darge8, C. Dietrich9, M. D'On ofrio10, D. H. Evans11, C. Filice12, L. Greiner13, K. Jäger14, N. de. Jong15, E. Leen16, R. Lencioni17, D. Lindsell18, A. Martegani19, S. Meairs20, C. Nolsøe21, F. Piscaglia22, P. Ricci23, G. Seidel24, B. Skjoldbye25, L. Solbiati26, L. Thorelius27, F. Tranquart28, H. P. Weskott29, T. Whittingham30

Follow-Up After Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation of Renal Cell Carcinoma: Contrast-Enhanced Sonography Versus Contrast-Enhanced CT or MRI

Abstract: OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to assess, with contrast-enhanced CT or MRI as the reference imaging technique, the diagnostic performance of low-mechanical-index contrast-enhanced sonography in detecting local tumor progression after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of renal tumors.MATERIALS AND METHODS. Twenty-nine patients with 30 renal tumors (18 men, 11 women; mean age, 73 years; range, 53–83 years) underwent percutaneous radiofrequency ablation at a single center between March 1998 and January 2007. The imaging follow-up schedule was both contrast-enhanced sonography and CT or MRI 4 months after completion of treatment and every 4 months for the first year. Thereafter, the follow-up schedule was contrast-enhanced sonography every 4 months with CT or MRI every 8 months. The chisquare test with Yates correction was used to evaluate positive and negative predictive values and accuracy.RESULTS. One patient was scheduled to undergo surgical resection, and another patient was lost to follow-u...

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic findings in a brucellar hepatic abscess.

Abstract: Human brucellosis commonly involves the liver and manifests as nonspecific or granulomatous hepatitis. Although the development of a brucellar hepatic abscess is rare, it can be difficult to accurately diagnose given that histopathologic analysis is often not diagnostic, and the bacterium is seldom isolated from pus cultures. Therefore, serologic tests and imaging play an important role in the diagnosis of a brucellar abscess. The characteristics of a brucellar abscess on conventional ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been reported previously. 1,2 However, to the best of our knowledge, the features of a brucellar hepatic abscess on contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) have not been described previously.

Comparability of echographic and tomographic assessments of body fat changes related to the HIV associated adipose redistribution syndrome (HARS) in antiretroviral treated patients.

Abstract: To assess the comparability of ultrasonographic (US) subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) measurements in comparison with computed tomography (CT) at reference points (RPs) representative of HIV related adipose redistribution syndrome (HARS) in patients treated with antiretrovirals. US and CT measurements were compared in nine patients with clinical reports of HARS. We obtained the best resolution of facial (at deepest point of Bichat pad), brachial (in the dorsal face of arm) and crural SFT (at mid thigh) by means of minimal transducer pressures avoiding potential biases such as stand off pads pressure on the skin and artefacts due to too abundant quantity of gel. CT scans were obtained in the same RP where US measurements were performed such as identified by means of metallic skin markers. Median US measurement of facial SFT was 8.8 mm (95% CI: 3.1 to 13.4), 3.95 mm (95% CI: 2.62 to 5.84) for brachial SFT and 4 mm (95% CI: 3.4 to 9.4) for crural SFT. Median CT assessments of facial SFT was 8.7 mm (95% CI: 3.5 to 13.5), 4.2 mm (95% CI: 2.6 to 5.88) for brachial SFT and 5 mm (95% CI: 3.9 to 10.3) for crural SFT, with no significant difference at each RP. A linear regression showed good CT/US comparability at each RP, with no significant deviation from linearity (p > 0.10). US shows to be highly comparable with CT, excluding invaliding biases as the transducer pressure on the skin. Given the proven efficacy on the HARS assessments, if well standardized, US could be a reliable method, simpler than CT in the management of body fat changes related to HARS.

Proven intra and interobserver reliability in the echographic assessments of body fat changes related to HIV associated Adipose Redistribution Syndrome (HARS).

Abstract: Objective: To prove intra- and inter-observers reliability of ultrasound (US) in the assessment of lipoatrophic findings related to the HIV associated Adipose Redistribution Syndrome (HARS). Patients and Methods: In two separated sessions, 2 consecutive measurements of subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) were performed by each observer at the deepest point of Bichat pad, the dorsal face of arm and the mid thigh for the assessment of facial, brachial and crural lipoatrophy, respectively. We enrolled 20 HIV patients, rotating an experienced and untrained sonologist. The assessments were performed avoiding any stand off pads in the skin and excluding artefacts due to the too abundant quantity of gel to obtaining, with minimal transducer pressure, the best resolution of the reference points. Results: Means of facial, brachial and crural SFT showed no significant differences between the workers. Coefficients of variability (SD/mean x100) were similar for facial (ranges: 4.7-5.2% vs 4.9-5.6%, respectively), brachial (ranges: 5.8- 8.4% vs 9.7-11.2%) and crural SFTs (ranges: 5.9-6% vs 6.2-8.7%). There was greater consistency in the measurements performed by the experienced vs the untrained worker. Inter-observer agreement, assessed through kappa statistic (k) analysis, confirmed increased measurements agreement in the facial (k ranged from 0.40 to 0.60), brachial (k: 0.23-0.63) and crural SFT assessments (k: 0.58-0.70) from the 1st to 2nd session. Conclusions: US shows low intra observer variability and good inter observer reliability in the assessment of body fat changes related to the HARS. The different degree of consistency by the workers and the improvement of interobserver agreement, suggest to stating a well defined period of training to obtain better US reliability.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic findings in brucellar hepatic abscess

Abstract: Human brucellosis commonly involves the liver and manifests as nonspecific or granulomatous hepatitis. Although the development of a brucellar hepatic abscess is rare, it can be difficult to accurately diagnose given that histopathologic analysis is often not diagnostic, and the bacterium is seldom isolated from pus cultures. Therefore, serologic tests and imaging play an important role in the diagnosis of a brucellar abscess. The characteristics of a brucellar abscess on conventional ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been reported previously. 1,2 However, to the best of our knowledge, the features of a brucellar hepatic abscess on contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) have not been described previously.