Relationship between epicardial fat and left atrium fibrosis in patients with atrial fibrillation

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
D Nascimento Matos ◽  
A Ferreira ◽  
P Freitas ◽  
G Rodrigues ◽  
J Carmo ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has recently been shown to be associated with the presence, severity, and recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF). Although the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this association remain to be established, several hypotheses have been put forward, including direct adipocyte infiltration, oxidative stress, and the secretion of adipokines causing inflammation and fibrosis of atrial tissue. We hypothesized that the volume of EAT and the amount of left atrium (LA) fibrosis assessed by non-invasive imaging would be significantly correlated in patients with AF, and that both would predict time to relapse after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). Methods Sixty-eight patients with AF being studied for a first PVI procedure underwent both cardiac computerized tomography (CT) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) within less than 48h. EAT was quantified on contrast-enhanced CT images. LA fibrosis was quantified on isotropic 1.5mm 3D delayed enhancement CMR for image intensity ratio values >1.20. Radiofrequency PVI was performed using an irrigated contact force-sensing ablation catheter, guided by electroanatomical mapping. After PVI, patients were followed for AF recurrence, defined as symptomatic or documented AF after a 3-month blanking period. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used for gauging the correlation between EATLM volume and LA fibrosis. The relationship between these two variables and time to AF recurrence was assessed by Cox regression. Results Most of the 68 patients (46 men, mean age 61±12 years) had paroxysmal AF (71%, n=48). The mean body mass index (BMI) was 28.0±4.0 kg/m2. Patients had a median EATLM volume of 2.4 cm3/m2 [interquartile range (IQR) 1.6–3.2 cm3/m2], and a median estimated amount of LA fibrosis of 8.9 g (IQR 5–15 g), corresponding to 8% (IQR 5–11%) of the total LA wall mass. The correlation between EATLM and LA fibrosis was statistically significant but weak (Pearson's R = 0.38, P=0.001) – Figure 1. During a median follow-up of 22 months (IQR 12–31), 31 patients (46%) suffered AF recurrence. Four predictors of relapse were identified in univariate Cox regression: EATLM (HR 2.19, 95% CI 1.65–2.91, P<0.001), LA fibrosis (HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01–1.09, P=0.033), non-paroxysmal AF (HR 3.36, 95% CI 1.64–6.87, P=0.001), and LA volume (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.06, P=0.006). Multivariate analysis yielded two independent predictors of time to AF relapse: EATLM (HR 2.05, 95% CI 1.51–2.79, P<0.001), and non-paroxysmal AF (HR 2.36, 95% CI 1.08–5.16, P=0.031). Conclusion The weak correlation between EAT and LA suggests that LA fibrosis is not the main mechanism by which EAT and AF are linked. EAT was more strongly associated with AF recurrence than LA fibrosis, which supports the existence of other, more important mediators between EAT and this arrhythmia. Correlation between EAT and LA Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

BJS Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M J Wilkinson ◽  
H Snow ◽  
K Downey ◽  
K Thomas ◽  
A Riddell ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Diagnosis of lymph node (LN) metastasis in melanoma with non-invasive methods is challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of six LN characteristics on CT in detecting melanoma-positive ilioinguinal LN metastases, and to determine whether inguinal LN characteristics can predict pelvic LN involvement. Methods This was a single-centre retrospective study of patients with melanoma LN metastases at a tertiary cancer centre between 2008 and 2016. Patients who had preoperative contrast-enhanced CT assessment and ilioinguinal LN dissection were included. CT scans containing significant artefacts obscuring the pelvis were excluded. CT scans were reanalysed for six LN characteristics (extracapsular spread (ECS), minimum axis (MA), absence of fatty hilum (FH), asymmetrical cortical nodule (CAN), abnormal contrast enhancement (ACE) and rounded morphology (RM)) and compared with postoperative histopathological findings. Results A total of 90 patients were included. Median age was 58 (range 23–85) years. Eighty-eight patients (98 per cent) had pathology-positive inguinal disease and, of these, 45 (51 per cent) had concurrent pelvic disease. The most common CT characteristics found in pathology-positive inguinal LNs were MA greater than 10 mm (97 per cent), ACE (80 per cent), ECS (38 per cent) and absence of RM (38 per cent). In multivariable analysis, inguinal LN characteristics on CT indicative of pelvic disease were RM (odds ratio (OR) 3.3, 95 per cent c.i. 1.2 to 8.7) and ECS (OR 4.2, 1.6 to 11.3). Cloquet’s node is known to be a poor predictor of pelvic spread. Pelvic LN disease was present in 50 per cent patients, but only 7 per cent had a pathology-positive Cloquet’s node. Conclusion Additional CT radiological characteristics, especially ECS and RM, may improve diagnostic accuracy and aid clinical decisions regarding the need for inguinal or ilioinguinal dissection.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Dash ◽  
A. Goel ◽  
S. Sogani

Purpose: To evaluate the role of 18F-FDG PET with contrast enhanced CT (PET-CECT) in early detection of recurrence in follow up patients of carcinoma cervix. Methods: Patients with histopathologically proven carcinoma cervix who underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy and/or surgery and on follow up were recruited in the study. Fifty-two patients underwent 18F-FDG PET-CECT for detection of recurrence. The median age was 51.5 (average = 53.4) years. PET-CECT studies were evaluated and analyzed separately by an experienced nuclear medicine physician and a radiologist independently. The physicians were blinded for the patient history. PET-CECT results were validated with histopathological correlation, conventional radiologic imaging/follow up PET-CECT study and clinical follow up. Results: Out of 52 patients, 34 patients were reported as positive for recurrence, 17 of these were having active local recurrence and 31 patients had regional lymph nodal metastases, 14 patients had distant metastases (out of them 6 patients had distant lymph node metastases, 6 had pulmonary metastases, 4 had skeletal metastases and two had liver metastases). Remaining 18 patients were reported as negative for recurrence. The lung was the most common site for distant metastasis. Patient were then further evaluated based on histopathological correlation, conventional radiologic imaging and follow up PET-CECT scan and five were found to be false positive and one patient was identified as false negative. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value were derived to be 96.7%, 77.3%, 85.3% and 94.4%, respectively. Accuracy was calculated to be 88.5%. Conclusions: 18F-FDG PET-CECT is a very useful non-invasive modality for the early detection of recurrence and metastatic workup in patients with carcinoma cervix with a very high sensitivity and negative predictive value. It is also useful in targeting biopsy sites in suspected cases of recurrence.


2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 1550-1556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Marini ◽  
Matteo Castagno ◽  
Michele Millesimo ◽  
Francesca Ferroni ◽  
Gaetana Ferraro ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundData regarding long-term outcome after percutaneous closure of left superior caval vein draining into the left atrium are lacking. The aim of the present study was to report the long-term follow-up by using contrast-enhanced CT.MethodsIn all, three patients underwent percutaneous closure of left superior caval vein draining into the left atrium between 2005 and 2015. All of them were evaluated clinically and underwent contrast-enhanced CT.ResultsIn one patient, the Amplatzer® Septal Occluder was used. In two patients, the Amplatzer® Vascular Plug type-1 was preferred: the device size/LSVC diameter ratio was 1.7 in the child and 1.2 in the adult. There were no early-onset or long-term onset complications. CT was performed 1, 2, and 10 years after the procedure, respectively. Complete occlusion of the vessel was documented in all. After 10 years since the procedure, CT revealed a persistent trivial residual shunt through the accessory hemiazygos vein in one patient, in whom the device was implanted above its drainage into the left superior caval vein. When an Amplatzer® Vascular Plug type-1 is oversized compared with the venous vessel diameter, it immediately assumes a dog-bone shape that disappears early to regain its shape memory and nominal size.ConclusionsPercutaneous occlusion of left superior caval vein draining into the left atrium has excellent early and long-term outcomes. The optimal implantation of the device is below the drainage of the accessory hemiazygos vein, when present. The device might be oversized compared with the left superior caval vein diameter according to the age of the patient.


2019 ◽  
Vol 92 (1103) ◽  
pp. 20190183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Guo ◽  
Bing Hu ◽  
Lei Chen ◽  
Jia Li

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in detecting incomplete ablation and local recurrence of renal tumors after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Methods: 31 patients were included for RFA treatment and underwent CEUS examination after RFA, ablation zone and contrast distribution in the ablation area were observed, CEUS images were compared with enhanced CT/MRI images to determine the residual tumors and local recurrence of renal tumors. Results: The average maximum diameters of the tumor and the ablation zone after the first RFA were 32.3 ± 14.7 mm and 35.9 ± 12.2 mm, respectively. A higher rate of complete tumor ablation was achieved if the ablation zone was larger than the primary tumor (p = 0.026). Within 1 month after RFA, contrast-enhanced CT/MRI examinations demonstrated incomplete ablation in 9 of 31 patients (29.0%), while CEUS revealed incomplete ablation in 8 of 31 patients (25.8%). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of CEUS in evaluating complete ablation of renal tumors were 88.9%, 100%, 100%, 95.7%, respectively. During the follow-up period, local recurrence was reported in 2 (7.4%) of the 27 patients with complete tumor ablation. Tumor recurrence signs in the two patients were identified by both CEUS and contrast-enhanced CT/MRI. Therefore, both the sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for the evaluation of tumor recurrence were 100%. Conclusion: After percutaneous RFA of renal tumors, the effectiveness of CEUS in the follow-up assessment of residual and recurrent tumors is basically the same as that of contrast-enhanced CT/MRI. Advances in knowledge: In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of CEUS in the follow-up assessment of residual and recurrent tumors after RFA is basically the same as that of contrast-enhanced CT/MRI. Combining multiple follow-up methods may improve the detection rate of residual or recurrent tumors.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. e234855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bharti Varshney ◽  
Jyotsna Naresh Bharti ◽  
Vaibhav Kumar Varshney ◽  
Taruna Yadav

Mixed adenocarcinoma with neuroendocrine tumour of pancreas has been reported infrequently and consists of both epithelial and neuroendocrine component. We encountered an 81-year-old male patient who presented with clinical features of painful progressive jaundice for 1 month. Contrast-enhanced CT abdomen reported a mass in the pancreatic head with dilated common bile duct and pancreatic duct. He underwent pancreatoduodenectomy and histopathological examination revealed two different tumours: ductal adenocarcinoma admixed with neuroendocrine tumour of pancreas. He received adjuvant chemotherapy, and at the end of 1-year follow-up, he has no recurrence. Here, we reported this rare malignancy of pancreas for which pancreatoduodenectomy was done and diagnosed on histopathology with immunohistochemistry.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. e235217
Author(s):  
Shanmugasundaram Rajaian ◽  
Lakshman Murugasen ◽  
Deepti Jain ◽  
Srinivas Chakravarthy Narasimhachar

Müllerianosis is a rare benign lesion of the urinary bladder, which is constituted by two or more of the Müllerian-duct-derived tissues. We report a 45-year-old perimenopausal multiparous woman presenting with occasional episodes of dysuria and lower abdominal discomfort of recent duration. Ultrasound examination revealed a well-defined lesion in urinary bladder and the absence of left kidney. Contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen confirmed the findings. During diagnostic cystoscopy, haemorrhagic polypoidal lesions were noted in the left side of the posterolateral wall and dome of urinary bladder along with the absence of left ureteric orifice. Transurethral resection of the bladder lesions was done and histology examination confirmed the diagnosis of Müllerianosis. She was administered Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist monthly. At 1 year of follow-up, cystoscopy showed only scar tissue. The case was reported for the rarity of Müllerianosis noted in a patient with unilateral agenesis of kidney, a possible cause of delayed presentation.


2017 ◽  
pp. 39-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. I. Gurina ◽  
E. V. Kondrat’ev ◽  
A. Sh. Revishvily ◽  
M. Z. Alimurzaeva

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. Сatheter ablation (CA) of arrhythmogenic foci is supposed to be an established treatment option for symptomatic  patients with AF, refractory to antiarrhythmic therapy. Pre-procedural imaging is indispensable for the assessment of left atrium,  pulmonary veins and adjacent anatomy, and facilitates selection of  the ablation strategy to achieve an optimal result and minimize the risk of complications.Purpose: to evaluate the role of contrast-enhanced MDCT in  patients with AF; also to present the prospects for further  development of this method according to the systemic review of world research data.Materials and methods. 140 free access articles requested as  “MDCT left atrium”, “MDCT pulmonary veins”, “MDCT atrial  appendage” from 01.2009 until 01.2017 were analyzed in PubMed,  as well as a number of Russianlanguage articles in eLibrary.Results.This literature review reports and systematizes available  data on epidemiology and mechanisms of AF, represents current  classification. In addition were analyzed advantages of MDCT over  other methods of visualization while planning the CA and follow-up.Conclusion.MDCT is precise, effective and accessible option, which  satisfies visualization requirements during the preparation for CA.  Moreover, using MDCT in combination with electro-mapping systems  increases safety and effectiveness of the procedure. In postoperative period MDCT can be used for complications diagnostic and results assessment.


Blood ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (11) ◽  
pp. 2329-2329
Author(s):  
Rebecca L. Elstrom ◽  
Richard K.J. Brown

Abstract Background and Significance: Positron emission tomography using 18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG-PET) is useful in the staging and follow up of patients with lymphoma, and has been shown in several studies to be more accurate than computed tomography (CT). These studies have, however, demonstrated a continued role for CT in staging and restaging of lymphoma, and the two modalities are complementary. Increasingly, FDG-PET is performed in conjunction with a low radiation dose, non-contrast CT scan for attenuation correction and localization of lesions. Currently, many patients undergo both FDG-PET/CT and standard diagnostic, contrast enhanced CT, at a significant cost both financially and in terms of radiation exposure. In this study, we evaluated the clinical utility of performing both studies in patients with lymphoma. Study Design and Methods: We retrospectively identified patients with lymphoma who had undergone both FDG-PET/CT and diagnostic, contrast-enhanced CT (a scan pair) for either staging or restaging following treatment. Patients were included if the two imaging studies were performed within 6 weeks of each other with no intervening anti-lymphoma therapy. We compared the results of the two studies, identifying findings that were detected in either FDG-PET/CT or diagnostic CT scan but not both. Discrepancies were considered clinically significant if they were determined to be related either to lymphoma or another disease process which potentially required intervention. Results: Eighty-nine scan pairs which met the criteria were identified in 75 patients. Sixty-one scan pairs were performed for staging, and 28 were performed for treatment follow up. FDG-PET/CT detected additional potentially clinically relevant lesions over CT in 30 patients, of which 11 demonstrated increased clinical stage. Lymphoma therapy was changed based on FDG-PET/CT findings in 2 patients, and in one patient an occult rectal cancer was detected. In contrast, diagnostic CT detected 5 potentially clinically relevant findings, including 2 incidental findings (one definite and one possible venous thrombosis), and 3 patients with splenic lesions. Of the patients with splenic lesions, one was found on follow up to be definitely not related to lymphoma, and the nature of the splenic lesions in the other two patients remained indeterminate. No patient had a change of stage or lymphoma therapy based on diagnostic CT scan, and one patient was treated with anticoagulation based on CT findings. In the subgroup of scan pairs performed for follow up, diagnostic CT added clinically relevant information in none of the patients. Conclusion: In our series of patients, diagnostic contrast-enhanced CT scan did not contribute to staging or restaging of lymphoma when performed concurrently with FDG-PET/CT. Two clinically important incidental findings were detected by CT alone, of which one led to intervention.


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