Management of a giant uterine smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential in a 32-year-old woman: case report and review of the literature

Imaging characteristics of uterine smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential: a case report and literature review

Uterine smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential (STUMPs) are rare tumors of the uterine myometrium that are often misdiagnosed, owing to limited knowledge of their characteristics on ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We report a woman in her mid-30s who was hospitalized because of a pelvic tumor. A 6-cm mass was found in her lower left abdomen. US and MRI revealed a well-demarcated mass in the left adnexal area, with both cystic and solid elements, visible blood flow within the septa, a strong signal across >50% of the volume on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), and a strong signal on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). After hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy, immunohistochemical examination confirmed STUMP. A review of the literature revealed characteristic imaging features of STUMP. Ultrasonography reveals STUMP as a solitary, well-circumscribed lesion with isoechoic or mixed echogenicity, the absence of posterior shadowing, and variations in blood flow. STUMP is characterized by strong signal intensity on T2WI, small areas of strong signal on T1WI, and non-enhancing cystic areas on contrast-enhanced MRI scans. Early diagnosis is crucial for the management and treatment of STUMP, and here we have summarized the imaging features of the lesion, thereby providing a valuable diagnostic reference.

Hysteroscopic Findings and Operative Treatment: All at Once?

Hysteroscopy is considered not only a diagnostic instrument but also a therapeutic tool for many uterine pathologies. In the early 1990s, advances in technology and techniques made hysteroscopy less painful and invasive, allowing to increase in the number of gynecological procedures performed in an ambulatory setting without significant patient discomfort and with potentially significant cost savings. This is the so-called "office hysteroscopy" or "see-and-treat hysteroscopy", whose spread has permitted the decrease of the number of procedures performed in the operating room with the benefit of obviating the need for anesthesia and dilatation of the cervical canal.

Fetal Cerebellar Area: Ultrasound Reference Ranges at 13-39 Weeks of Gestation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The present study aims to provide prenatal 2-dimensional ultrasonographic (2D-US) nomograms of the normal cerebellar area.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a prospective cross-sectional analysis of 252 normal singleton pregnancies, ranging from 13 to 39 weeks of gestation. The operator performed measurements of the fetal cerebellar area in the transverse plane using 2D-US. The relationship between cerebellar area and gestational age (GA) was determined through regression equations.

RESULTS

A significant, strong positive correlation was investigated between the cerebellar area with GA (r-value = 0.89), and a positive correlation indicates that with increasing GA, the cerebellar area increased in all the participants of the study. Several 2D-US nomograms of the normal cerebellar area were provided, and an increase of 0.4% in the cerebellar area each week of GA was reported.

CONCLUSIONS

We presented information on the typical dimensions of the fetal cerebellar area throughout gestation. In future studies, it could be evaluated how the cerebellar area changes with cerebellar abnormalities. It should be established if calculating the cerebellar area in addition to the routine transverse cerebellar diameter may help in discriminating posterior fossa anomalies or even help to identify anomalies that would otherwise remain undetected.

Prenatal Diagnosis of an Intrathoracic Left Kidney Associated with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: Case Report and Systematic Review

INTRODUCTION

A congenital intrathoracic kidney (ITK) is a rare anomaly that is recognized to have four causes: renal ectopia with an intact diaphragm, diaphragmatic eventration, diaphragmatic hernia, and traumatic diaphragmatic rupture. We report a case of a prenatal-diagnosed ITK related to a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and conducted a systematic review of all cases of the prenatal diagnosis of this association.

CASE PRESENTATION

A fetal ultrasound scan at 22 gestational weeks showed left CDH and ITK, hyperechoic left lung parenchyma, and mediastinal shift. The fetal echocardiography and karyotype were normal. Magnetic resonance imaging at 30 gestational weeks confirmed the ultrasound suspicion of left CDH in association with bowel and left kidney herniation. The fetal growth, amniotic fluid, and Doppler indices remained within the normal range over time. The woman delivered the newborn via an at-term spontaneous vaginal delivery. The newborn was stabilized and underwent non-urgent surgical correction; the postoperative course was uneventful.

CONCLUSIONS

CDH is the rarest cause of ITK; we found only eleven cases describing this association. The mean gestational age at diagnosis was 29 ± 4 weeks and 4 days. There were seven cases of right and four cases of left CDH. There were associated anomalies in only three fetuses. All women delivered live babies, the herniated kidneys showed no functional damage after their surgical correction, and the prognosis was favorable after surgical repair. The prenatal diagnosis and counseling of this condition are important in planning adequate prenatal and postnatal management in order to improve neonatal outcomes.

Cesarean Scar Pregnancy and Successful Ultrasound-Guided Removal after Uterine Artery Ligation

A correct management of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is mandatory to avoid further complications. There is no consensus for the standard therapy and the most frequent methods used are not free from failures and sequelae. A 38-year-old woman was admitted referring amenorrhea lasting 9 weeks, pelvic pain, and vaginal bleeding. She had three previous cesarean sections. Transvaginal ultrasound showed a gestational sac of 16 mm in the cervico-isthmic site and inside the thickness of the uterine wall, and the dosage of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin was 12,770 mU/mL. A diagnosis of CSP was done, and an ultrasound-guided removal after uterine artery cervical branch ligation was performed. The follow-up was uneventful. Even if not yet codified in the literature, our therapeutic procedure should be considered in other similar cases in the future, as it potentially limits the possible iatrogenic problems and reduces intraoperative and postoperative bleeding to a minimum.

Primary Retroperitoneal Smooth Muscle Tumor of Uncertain Malignant Potential (STUMP): A Diagnostic Enigma

Retroperitoneal sarcomas represent a group of rare malignant neoplasms with complex clinical management and often a poor prognosis. An elderly male presented with a slowly progressive, right-sided abdominal lump for four months associated with loss of appetite and abdominal discomfort. Abdominal examination revealed an apparent retroperitoneal lump in the right lumbar and umbilical region, which was well-defined, and firm in consistency with the bosselated surface. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a heterogenous lobulated malignant appearing retroperitoneal lesion arising from the right anterior perirenal space with a differential of retroperitoneal sarcoma. Wide local excision of the tumor was done. Histopathology of the lesion revealed a smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential (STUMP). The patient is asymptomatic and recurrence-free after 24 months of follow-up.