The value of CT imaging and CRP quotient for detection of postbariatric complications

Abstract Background The diagnosis of major complications seems to be more challenging in obese patients. We aimed to show the relevance of routinely assessed clinical and paraclinical parameters as well as the relevance of CT scans in the diagnosis of major complications after bariatric procedures. Methods All patients who underwent operations (primary or revisional) in a 3-year period were retrospectively studied after bariatric surgery with a specific focus on the routinely assessed clinical parameters (tachycardia, temperature), paraclinical parameters on postoperative day (POD) 1 and 3 (C-reactive protein (CRP), leukocytes), and additional computed tomography (CT) scan results for the diagnosis of leakage, bleeding, intraabdominal abscess, superficial abscess, and other complications. Results A total of 587 patients were examined. In this cohort, 73 CT scans were performed due to suspected intraabdominal or pulmonary complication according to our hospital standard operating procedure. In total, 14 patients (2.4%) had a major complication (Clavien-Dindo grade IV/V). Of those, 10 patients (1.7%) had postoperative leakage. While the correct leakage diagnosis was only found in 33% of the patients by CT scan, the overall specificity of CT as a diagnostic tool for all kinds of complications remained high. Especially for abscess detection, CT scan showed a sensitivity and specificity of 100%. Multivariate analysis showed a significantly higher risk of leakage development characterized by a doubling of postoperative CRP level (odds ratio 4.84 (95% confidence interval 2.01–11.66, p < 0.001)). To simplify the use of CRP as a predictive factor for the diagnosis of leakage, a cut-off value of 2.4 was determined for the CRP quotient (POD3/POD1) with a sensitivity of 0.88 and a specificity of 0.89. Conclusion CT diagnostic after bariatric surgery has a high positive predictive value, especially for intraabdominal abscess formation. Nevertheless, CT scan for the diagnosis of leakage has a low sensitivity. Thus, a negative CT scan does not exclude the presence of a leakage. Using the described CRP quotient with a cut-off of 2.4, the risk of early leakage can be easily estimated. Furthermore, in any uncertain case of clinically suspected leakage, diagnostic laparoscopy should be performed.

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Defining ‘Satisfactory Response’ to Therapy in Abdominal Tuberculosis: A Work in Progress

Infectious Disorders - Drug Targets ◽

10.2174/1871526518666181022111323 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 111-114 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Vishal Sharma ◽

Harjeet Singh ◽

Harshal S. Mandavdhare

Keyword(s):

Intestinal Tuberculosis ◽

Abdominal Tuberculosis ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Mucosal Healing ◽

Response To Therapy ◽

Satisfactory Response ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis ◽

Low Sensitivity

Abdominal tuberculosis is difficult to diagnose due to low sensitivity of microbiological tests and the low histological yield. Satisfactory response to therapy has long been used a criteria for the diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis. However, the appropriate definitions of response to therapy in abdominal tuberculosis have remained unclear. Recent evidence suggests that mucosal healing of ulcers at the end of therapy or at two months (early mucosal response) is a helpful criteria of response to therapy. This also helps in exclusion of multidrug resistant tuberculosis and alternative diagnosis like Crohn’s disease. Further limited literature suggests the use of some biomarkers like C-reactive protein in the follow-up of patients with peritoneal or intestinal tuberculosis.

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Associations between Pre-Bariatric High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Post-Surgery Outcomes

Diagnostics ◽

10.3390/diagnostics11040721 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 721

Author(s):

Tannaz Jamialahmadi ◽

Mohsen Nematy ◽

Simona Bo ◽

Valentina Ponzo ◽

Ali Jangjoo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bariatric Surgery ◽

Morbid Obesity ◽

Weight Loss ◽

Success Rate ◽

Liver Stiffness ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Post Surgery ◽

Hs Crp

Background: Obesity is a chronic inflammatory condition associated with increased circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). Bariatric surgery has been reported to be effective in improving both inflammatory and liver status. Our aims were to elucidate the relationships between pre-surgery high sensitivity-CRP (hs-CRP) values and post-surgery weight loss and liver steatosis and fibrosis in patients with severe obesity undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Methods: We conducted an observational prospective study on 90 individuals with morbid obesity, who underwent gastric bypass. Anthropometric indices, laboratory assessment (lipid panel, glycemic status, liver enzymes, and hs-CRP), liver stiffness and steatosis were evaluated at baseline and 6-months after surgery. Results: There was a significant post-surgery reduction in all the anthropometric variables, with an average weight loss of 33.93 ± 11.79 kg; the mean percentage of total weight loss (TWL) was 27.96 ± 6.43%. Liver elasticity was significantly reduced (from 6.1 ± 1.25 to 5.42 ± 1.52 kPa; p = 0.002), as well as liver aminotransferases, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (NFS) and the grade of steatosis. Serum hs-CRP levels significantly reduced (from 9.26 ± 8.45 to 3.29 ± 4.41 mg/L; p < 0.001). The correlations between hs-CRP levels and liver fibrosis (elastography), steatosis (ultrasonography), fibrosis-4 index, NFS, and surgery success rate were not significant. Regression analyses showed that serum hs-CRP levels were not predictive of liver status and success rate after surgery in both unadjusted and adjusted models. Conclusions: In patients with morbid obesity, bariatric surgery caused a significant decrease in hs-CRP levels, liver stiffness and steatosis. Baseline hs-CRP values did not predict the weight-loss success rate and post-surgery liver status.

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381 Role of CT scans of abdomen and pelvis in management of patients with immunotherapy-induced colitis

Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer ◽

10.1136/jitc-2020-sitc2020.0381 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽

pp. A406-A406

Author(s):

Juan Ibarra Rovira ◽

Raghunandan Vikram ◽

Selvi Thirumurthi ◽

Bulent Yilmaz ◽

Heather Lin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Negative Predictive Value ◽

Clinical Diagnosis ◽

Predictive Value ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte ◽

Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽

Ct Scans ◽

Wall Thickening ◽

Low Sensitivity ◽

Sensitivity Specificity

BackgroundColitis is one of the most common immune-related adverse event in patients who receive immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1). Although radiographic changes are reported on computed tomography such as mild diffuse bowel thickening or segmental colitis, the utility of CT in diagnosis of patients with suspected immune-related colitis is not well studied.MethodsCT scans of the abdomen and pelvis of 34 patients on immunotherapy with a clinical diagnosis of immunotherapy induced colitis and 19 patients receiving immunotherapy without clinical symptoms of colitis (control) were enrolled in this retrospective study. Segments of the colon (rectum, sigmoid, descending, transverse, ascending and cecum) were assessed independently by two fellowship trained abdominal imaging specialists with 7 and 13 years‘ experience who were blinded to the clinical diagnosis. Each segment was assessed for mucosal enhancement, wall thickening, distension, peri-serosal fat stranding. Any disagreements were resolved in consensus. The degree of distension and the spurious assignment of wall thickening were the most common causes for disagreement. The presence of any of the signs was considered as radiographic evidence of colitis.ResultsCT evidence of colitis was seen in 16 of 34 patients with symptoms of colitis. 7 of 19 patients who did not have symptoms of colitis showed signs of colitis on CT. The sensitivity, specificity, Positive Predictive Value and Negative Predictive Value for colitis on CT is 47%, 63.2%, 69.5% and 40%, respectively.ConclusionsCT has a low sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive value for the diagnosis of immunotherapy-induced colitis. CT has no role in the diagnosis of patients suspected of having uncomplicated immune-related colitis and should not be used routinely for management.Trial RegistrationThis protocol is not registered on clinicaltrials.gov.Ethics ApprovalThis protocol was IRB approved on: 11/16/2015 - IRB 4 Chair Designee FWA #: 00000363 OHRP IRB Registration Number: IRB 4 IRB00005015ConsentThis protocol utilizes an IRB approved waiver of consent.

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Dynamic monitor of CT scan within short interval in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis for nonneutropenic patients: a retrospective analysis in two centers

BMC Pulmonary Medicine ◽

10.1186/s12890-021-01512-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Fei Chen ◽

Yonghong Zhong ◽

Na Li ◽

Huijie Wang ◽

Yanbin Tan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ct Scan ◽

Respiratory Diseases ◽

Short Interval ◽

Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis ◽

Host Factors ◽

Antifungal Treatment ◽

Ct Scans ◽

Pulmonary Aspergillosis ◽

European Organization ◽

Life Threatening

Abstract Background In nonneutropenic patients with underlying respiratory diseases (URD), invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a life-threatening disease. Yet establishing early diagnosis in those patients remains quite a challenge. Methods A retrospective series of nonneutropenic patients with probable or proven IPA were reviewed from January 2014 to May 2018 in Department of Respiratory Medicine of two Chinese hospitals. Those patients were suspected of IPA and underwent lung computed tomography (CT) scans twice within 5–21 days. The items required for IPA diagnosis were assessed by their host factors, mycological findings and CT scans according to the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycoses Study Group (MSG) criteria (EORTC/MSG criteria). Results Together with the risk factors, mycological findings and nonspecific radiological signs on first CT, ten patients were suspected of IPA. With the appearance of cavities on second CT scan in the following days, all patients met the criteria of probable or possible IPA. Except one patient who refused antifungal treatment, nine patients received timely antifungal treatment and recovered well. One of the nine treated IPA cases was further confirmed by pathology, one was confirmed by biopsy. Conclusions Dynamic monitor of CT scan provided specific image evidences for IPA diagnosis. This novel finding might provide a noninvasive and efficient strategy in IPA diagnosis with URD.

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Diagnostic Accuracy of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography Scan in Young Athletes With Spondylolysis

Clinical Pediatrics ◽

10.1177/0009922819832643 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 58 (6) ◽

pp. 671-676

Author(s):

Amy M. West ◽

Pierre A. d’Hemecourt ◽

Olivia J. Bono ◽

Lyle J. Micheli ◽

Dai Sugimoto

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

Computed Tomography ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Ct Scan ◽

False Negative ◽

False Negative Rate ◽

Ct Scans ◽

Resonance Imaging ◽

Young Athletes ◽

Negative Rate

The objective of this study was to determine diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans in young athletes diagnosed with spondylolysis. A cross-sectional study was used. Twenty-two young athletes (14.7 ± 1.5 years) were diagnosed as spondylolysis based on a single-photon emission CT. Following the diagnosis, participants underwent MRI and CT scan imaging tests on the same day. The sensitivity and false-negative rate of the MRI and CT scans were analyzed. MRI test confirmed 13 (+) and 9 (−) results while CT test showed 17 (+) and 5 (−) results. The sensitivity and false-negative rate of MRI were, respectively, 59.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 36.7% to 78.5%) and 40.9% (95% CI = 21.5% to 63.3%). Furthermore, the sensitivity and false-negative rate of CT scan were 77.3% (95% CI = 54.2% to 91.3%) and 22.7% (95% CI = 0.09% to 45.8%). Our results indicated that CT scan is a more accurate imaging modality to diagnose spondylolysis compared with MRI in young athletes.

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C-Reactive Protein and All-Cause Mortality in a Large Hospital-Based Cohort

Clinical Chemistry ◽

10.1373/clinchem.2007.091959 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 54 (2) ◽

pp. 343-349 ◽

Cited By ~ 62

Author(s):

Claudia Marsik ◽

Lili Kazemi-Shirazi ◽

Thomas Schickbauer ◽

Stefan Winkler ◽

Christian Joukhadar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hospital Admission ◽

Acute Phase ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Disease Risk ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Increased Risk ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Low Sensitivity

Abstract Background: C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute-phase protein, is a sensitive systemic marker of inflammation and acute-phase reactions. Testing CRP concentrations at hospital admission may provide information about disease risk and overall survival. Methods: All first-ever transmittals to the department of medical and chemical laboratory diagnostics for determination of low-sensitivity CRP (n = 274 515, 44.5% male, median age 51 years) between January 1991 and July 2003 were included [median follow-up time: 4.4 years (interquartile range, 2.3–7.4 years)]. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Multivariate Cox regression adjusted for sex and age was applied for analysis. Results: Compared to individuals within the reference category (CRP <5 mg/L), hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause mortality increased from 1.4 (5–10 mg/L category) to 3.3 in the highest category (>80 mg/L, all P <0.001). CRP was associated with various causes of death. The relation of CRP to cancer death was stronger than to vascular death. Younger patients with increased CRP had relatively far worse outcome than older patients (maximal HR: ≤30 years: 6.7 vs >60 years: 1.7–3.7). Interestingly, both short- and long-term mortality were associated with increasing CRP concentrations (>80 mg/L: HR 22.8 vs 1.4). Conclusion: Measurement of low-sensitivity CRP at hospital admission allowed for the identification of patients at increased risk of unfavorable outcome. Our findings indicate that close attention should be paid to hospitalized patients with high CRP not only because of very substantial short-term risk, but also long-term excess risk, the basis for which needs to be determined.

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Markers of Perioperative Bowel Complications in Colorectal Surgery Patients

Disease Markers ◽

10.1155/2015/428535 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Radomír Hyšpler ◽

Alena Tichá ◽

Milan Kaška ◽

Lenka Žaloudková ◽

Lenka Plíšková ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Surgery ◽

Anastomotic Leakage ◽

Intestinal Resection ◽

Specific Marker ◽

Exhaled Breath ◽

Fatty Acid Binding ◽

Gastrointestinal Complications ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

The Difference ◽

Low Sensitivity

Colorectal cancer is a clinical condition whose treatment often involves intestinal resection. Such treatment frequently results in two major gastrointestinal complications after surgery: anastomotic leakage and prolonged ileus. Anastomotic leakage is a serious complication which, more often than not, is diagnosed late; to date, C-reactive protein is the only available diagnostic marker. A monocentric, prospective, open case-control study was performed in patients(n=117)undergoing colorectal surgery. Intestinal fatty acid binding protein (i-FABP), citrulline, D-lactate, exhaled hydrogen,Escherichia coligenomic DNA, and ischemia modified albumin (IMA) were determined preoperatively, postoperatively, and on the following four consecutive days. Bacterial DNA was not detected in any sample, and i-FABP and D-lactate lacked any distinct potential to detect postoperative bowel complications. Exhaled breath hydrogen content showed unacceptably low sensitivity. However, citrulline turned out to be a specific marker for prolonged ileus on postoperative days 3-4. Using a cut-off value of 20 μmol/L, a sensitivity and specificity of ~75% was achieved on postoperative day 4. IMA was found to be an efficient predictor of anastomosis leak by calculating the difference between preoperative and postoperative values. This test had 100% sensitivity and 80% specificity and 100% negative and 20% positive predictive value.

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Incidence of silent hemorrhage and delayed deterioration after stereotactic brain biopsy

Journal of Neurosurgery ◽

10.3171/jns.1998.89.1.0031 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 89 (1) ◽

pp. 31-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 83

Author(s):

Abhaya V. Kulkarni ◽

Abhijit Guha ◽

Andres Lozano ◽

Mark Bernstein

Keyword(s):

Ct Scan ◽

Neurological Deficit ◽

Stereotactic Biopsy ◽

Brain Biopsy ◽

Ct Scanning ◽

Ct Scans ◽

Stereotactic Brain Biopsy ◽

Content Type ◽

Fine Print

Object. Many neurosurgeons routinely obtain computerized tomography (CT) scans to rule out hemorrhage in patients after stereotactic procedures. In the present prospective study, the authors investigated the rate of silent hemorrhage and delayed deterioration after stereotactic biopsy sampling and the role of postbiopsy CT scanning. Methods. A subset of patients (the last 102 of approximately 800 patients) who underwent stereotactic brain biopsies at the Toronto Hospital prospectively underwent routine postoperative CT scanning within hours of the biopsy procedure. Their medical charts and CT scans were then reviewed. A postoperative CT scan was obtained in 102 patients (aged 17–87 years) who underwent stereotactic biopsy between June 1994 and September 1996. Sixty-one patients (59.8%) exhibited hemorrhages, mostly intracerebral (54.9%), on the immediate postoperative scan. Only six of these patients were clinically suspected to have suffered a hemorrhage based on immediate postoperative neurological deficit; in the remaining 55 (53.9%) of 102 patients, the hemorrhage was clinically silent and unsuspected. Among the clinically silent intracerebral hemorrhages, 22 measured less than 5 mm, 20 between 5 and 10 mm, five between 10 and 30 mm, and four between 30 and 40 mm. Of the 55 patients with clinically silent hemorrhages, only three demonstrated a delayed neurological deficit (one case of seizure and two cases of progressive loss of consciousness) and these all occurred within the first 2 postoperative days. Of the neurologically well patients in whom no hemorrhage was demonstrated on initial postoperative CT scan, none experienced delayed deterioration. Conclusions. Clinically silent hemorrhage after stereotactic biopsy is very common. However, the authors did not find that knowledge of its existence ultimately affected individual patient management or outcome. The authors, therefore, suggest that the most important role of postoperative CT scanning is to screen for those neurologically well patients with no hemorrhage. These patients could safely be discharged on the same day they underwent biopsy.

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EP.FRI.390 Improving care for patients with acute bowel obstruction: A closed loop audit

British Journal of Surgery ◽

10.1093/bjs/znab312.065 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 108 (Supplement_7) ◽

Author(s):

Benjamin Clayphan ◽

Anna Fairclough ◽

Jeff Lim ◽

Roderick Alexander

Keyword(s):

Ct Scan ◽

Patient Outcomes ◽

Bowel Obstruction ◽

Care Pathway ◽

Imaging Modality ◽

Ct Scans ◽

Abdominal Ct ◽

Retrospective Audit ◽

Raising Awareness ◽

Time To Diagnosis

Abstract Aims Acute Bowel Obstruction (ABO) accounts for 10% of emergency surgical admissions and when surgery is required mortality can exceed 10%. Early diagnosis is associated with improved patient outcomes and timely acquisition of abdominal CT scans can help prevent delays. The NCEPOD 2020 report on ABO identified ‘delays in imaging’ as a key area for improvement in the care of these patients, with these delays being exacerbated if an abdominal X-ray (AXR) was performed as well as an abdominal CT. This study looks at ways to expedite the diagnosis of patients presenting with ABO. Methods A retrospective audit of 77 patients admitted from A&E or SAU with ABO from April 2019 to February 2020 was conducted. Imaging modality, time-to-CT scan and time-to-diagnosis was recorded. Results and recommendations were presented locally and an evidence based ABO care pathway was implemented and publicised. 20 patients were audited prospectively, post care pathway implementation. Results 70.1% of patients from the initial audit received a CT-scan and 42% of these patients received an AXR before their eventual CT-scan. The average wait for a definitive radiological diagnosis was 27.8hr. After implementation of the pathway only 18% of patients audited received both modes of imaging and the average time to diagnosis has been reduced to 10.7hr. Conclusions Raising awareness of the appropriate and timely use of CT-scans in the diagnosis of ABO has reduced the number of concomitant AXR for these patients, expediting the making of a definitive diagnosis and improving patient outcomes.

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Abstract TP291: Hematoma Retraction and Perihematoma Hypodensity in Neutral Brain Model of Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.44.suppl_1.atp291 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 44 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Shahram Majidi ◽

Basit Rahim ◽

Sarwat I Gilani ◽

Waqas I Gilani ◽

Malik M Adil ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Activity ◽

Intracerebral Hemorrhage ◽

Ct Scan ◽

Early Period ◽

Ct Scans ◽

Hematoma Expansion ◽

Human Cadaver ◽

Fresh Blood ◽

The Right

Background: The temporal evolution of intracerebral hematomas and perihematoma edema in the ultra-early period on computed tomographic (CT) scans in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is not well understood. We aimed to investigate hematoma and perihematoma changes in “neutral brain” models of ICH. Methods: One human and 6 goat cadaveric heads were used as “neutral brains” to provide physical properties of the brain without any biological activity or new bleeding. ICH was induced by slow injection of 4 ml of fresh blood into the right basal ganglia of the goat brains. Similarly, 20 ml of fresh blood was injected deep into the white matter of the human cadaver head in each hemisphere. Serial CT scans of the heads were performed at 0, 1, 3, and 5 hours after inducing ICH. Analyze software (AnalyzeDirect, Overland Park, KS) was used to measure hematoma and perihematoma hypodensity volumes in the baseline and follow up CT scans. Results: The initial hematoma volumes of 11.6 ml and 10.5 ml in the right and the left hemispheres of the human cadaver brain gradually decreased to 6.6 ml and 5.4 ml at 5 hours, showing 43% and 48% retraction of hematoma, respectively. The volume of the perihematoma hypodensity in the right and left hemisphere increased from 2.6 ml and 2.2 ml in the 1 hour follow up CT scans to 4.9 ml and 4.4 ml in the 5 hour CT scan, respectively. Hematoma retraction was also observed in all six ICH models in the goat brains. The mean ICH volume in the goat heads was decreased from 1.49 ml in the baseline CT scan to 1.01 ml in the 5 hour follow up CT scan showing 29.6% hematoma retraction. Perihematoma hypodensity was visualized in 70% of ICH in goat brains, with an increasing mean hypodensity volume of 0.4 ml in the baseline CT scan to 0.8 ml in the 5 hour follow up CT scan. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that substantial hematoma retraction and perihematoma hypodensity occurs in intracerebral hematomas in the absence of any new bleeding or biological activity of the surrounding brain. Such observations suggest that active bleeding is underestimated in patients with no or small hematoma expansion and our understanding of perihematoma hypodesity needs to be reconsidered.

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