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Pieroni M, Ciabatti M, Zocchi C, Tavanti V, Camporeale A, Saletti E, Fumagalli C, Venezia D, Lombardi M, Olivotto I, Bolognese L. Optimal timing of follow-up cardiac magnetic resonance in patients with uncomplicated acute myocarditis. Int J Cardiol 2024; 397:131603. [PMID: 37979787 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2023.131603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is central in the diagnosis and prognostic stratification of acute myocarditis (AM) but the timing of repeated CMR scans to assess edema resolution and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) stabilization remain unclear. We assessed edema and LGE evolution over 12 months to identify the optimal timing of repeat CMR evaluation in AM. METHODS AND RESULTS Thirty-three consecutive patients with AM underwent CMR at clinical presentation (CMR-1), after 3 months (CMR-2) and after 12-months (CMR-3). CMR included assessment of edema and LGE, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular mass index (LVMi). After CMR-3 patients were followed-up every three-months by clinical evaluation, Holter-monitoring, and echocardiography. All patients had edema and LGE at CMR-1. At CMR-2 edema-positive segments (0.42 ± 0.34 vs. 3.18 ± 2.33, p < 0.005), LGE (4.98 ± 4.56 vs. 9.60 ± 8.58 g, and 4.22 ± 3.97% vs 7.50 ± 5.61%) and LVMi (69.82 ± 11.83 vs 76.06 ± 13.13 g/m2) (all p < 0.0001) significantly reduced, while LVEF (63.12 ± 5.47% vs.61.15 ± 6.87% p < 0.05) significantly improved, compared to CMR-1. At CMR-2 edema persisted in 7 patients (21%) but resolved at CMR-3 with no further changes of LVMi, LVEF and LGE. During follow-up (85 ± 15 months), 5 (15%) patients showed persistent ventricular arrhythmias. Univariate predictors of arrhythmic persistence were LGE extension at CMR-2 and CMR-3 (both p < 0.05), but not at CMR-1 (p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS Most patients with uncomplicated AM show edema resolution with LGE stabilization after 3 months. Further CMR evaluations should be limited to patients with persisting edema at this time. LGE extent measured after edema resolution is associated with persistent ventricular arrhythmias.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chiara Zocchi
- Cardiovascular Department, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | | | - Antonia Camporeale
- Multimodality Cardiac Imaging Section, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milano, Italy
| | - Elisa Saletti
- Cardiovascular Department, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Carlo Fumagalli
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Italy
| | - Duccio Venezia
- Radiology Department, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Massimo Lombardi
- Multimodality Cardiac Imaging Section, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milano, Italy
| | - Iacopo Olivotto
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Italy; Pediatric Cardiology, Meyer Children's Hospital IRCCS, Florence, Italy
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Pancrazzi A, Bloise F, Moncada A, Perticucci R, Vecchietti S, Pompili F, Ricciarini F, Lenzi S, Gatteschi C, Giusti S, Rosito MP, Del Buono S, Belardi P, Bruni A, Borri F, Campione A, Laurini L, Occhini R, Presenti L, Viticchi V, Rossi M, Bardi S, D'Urso A, Dei S, Venezia D, Scala R, Bengala C, Decarli NL, Carnevali A, Milandri C, Ognibene A. BL-MOL-AR Project, Preliminary Results about Liquid Biopsy: Molecular Approach Experience and Research Activity in Oncological Settings. Glob Med Genet 2023; 10:172-187. [PMID: 37457625 PMCID: PMC10348843 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1771193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Liquid biopsy is mainly used to identify tumor cells in pulmonary neoplasms. It is more often used in research than in clinical practice. The BL-MOL-AR study aims to investigate the efficacy of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and clinical interpretation of the circulating free DNA (cfDNA) levels. This study reports the preliminary results from the first samples analyzed from patients affected by various neoplasms: lung, intestinal, mammary, gastric, biliary, and cutaneous. Methods The Biopsia Liquida-Molecolare-Arezzo study aims to enroll cancer patients affected by various malignancies, including pulmonary, intestinal, advanced urothelial, biliary, breast, cutaneous, and gastric malignancies. Thirty-nine patients were included in this preliminary report. At time zero, a liquid biopsy is executed, and two types of NGS panels are performed, comprising 17 genes in panel 1, which is already used in the routine tissue setting, and 52 genes in panel 2. From the 7th month after enrollment, 10 sequential liquid biopsies are performed up to the 17th month. The variant allele frequency (%) and cfDNA levels (ng/mL) are measured in every plasmatic sample. Results The NGS results obtained by different panels are similar even though the number of mutations is more concordant for lung pathologies. There are no significant differences in the actionability levels of the identified variants. Most of the molecular profiles of liquid biopsies reflect tissue data. Conclusions Preliminary data from this study confirm the need to clarify the limitations and potential of liquid biopsy beyond the lung setting. Overall, parameters related to cfDNA levels and variant allele frequency could provide important indications for prognosis and disease monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Pancrazzi
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Clinical and Molecular Pathology Sector, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Francesco Bloise
- Oncology Department, Unit of Medical Oncology, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Alice Moncada
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Clinical and Molecular Pathology Sector, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Roberta Perticucci
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Clinical and Molecular Pathology Sector, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Stefania Vecchietti
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Clinical and Molecular Pathology Sector, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Francesca Pompili
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Clinical and Molecular Pathology Sector, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Francesca Ricciarini
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Clinical and Molecular Pathology Sector, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Silvia Lenzi
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Clinical and Molecular Pathology Sector, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Cristina Gatteschi
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Clinical and Molecular Pathology Sector, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Sabrina Giusti
- Oncology Department, Unit of Medical Oncology, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Maria Pia Rosito
- Oncology Department, Unit of Medical Oncology, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Sabrina Del Buono
- Oncology Department, Unit of Medical Oncology, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Paola Belardi
- Oncology Department, Unit of Medical Oncology, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bruni
- Oncology Department, Pathological Anatomy Laboratory, San Donato Hospital, Italy
| | - Filippo Borri
- Oncology Department, Pathological Anatomy Laboratory, San Donato Hospital, Italy
| | - Andrea Campione
- Oncology Department, Pathological Anatomy Laboratory, San Donato Hospital, Italy
| | - Lorella Laurini
- Oncology Department, Pathological Anatomy Laboratory, San Donato Hospital, Italy
| | - Rossella Occhini
- Oncology Department, Pathological Anatomy Laboratory, San Donato Hospital, Italy
| | - Loretta Presenti
- Oncology Department, Pathological Anatomy Laboratory, San Donato Hospital, Italy
| | - Viviana Viticchi
- Oncology Department, Pathological Anatomy Laboratory, San Donato Hospital, Italy
| | - Maja Rossi
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Clinical and Molecular Pathology Sector, Misericordia Hospital, Grosseto, Italy
| | - Sara Bardi
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Clinical and Molecular Pathology Sector, Misericordia Hospital, Grosseto, Italy
| | - Antonio D'Urso
- General Management, Local Health Unit South-East Tuscany, Tuscany, Italy
| | - Simona Dei
- General Management, Local Health Unit South-East Tuscany, Tuscany, Italy
| | - Duccio Venezia
- Diagnostic Imaging Department, Radiology Unit, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Raffaele Scala
- Cardio Thoracic Neuro Vascular Department, Pneumology Unit, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Carmelo Bengala
- Oncology Department, Unit of Medical Oncology, Misericordia Hospital, Grosseto, Italy
| | - Nicola Libertà Decarli
- Oncology Department, Pathological Anatomy Laboratory, Misericordia Hospital, Grosseto, Italy
| | - Andrea Carnevali
- Oncology Department, Pathological Anatomy Laboratory, San Donato Hospital, Italy
| | - Carlo Milandri
- Oncology Department, Unit of Medical Oncology, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Agostino Ognibene
- Laboratory Medicine Department, Clinical and Molecular Pathology Sector, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
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Abstract
Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a syndrome that comprises a triad of gait disturbance, dementia and urinary incontinence, associated with ventriculomegaly in the absence of elevated intraventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure. It is important to identify patients with iNPH because some of its clinical features may be reversed by the insertion of a CSF shunt. The diagnosis is based on clinical history, physical examination and brain imaging, especially magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Recently, some papers have investigated the role of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in evaluating white matter alterations in patients with iNPH. DTI analysis in specific anatomical regions seems to be a promising MR biomarker of iNPH and could also be used in the differential diagnosis from other dementias. However, there is a substantial lack of structured reviews on this topic. Thus, we performed a literature search and analyzed the most recent and pivotal articles that investigated the role of DTI in iNPH in order to provide an up-to-date overview of the application of DTI in this setting. We reviewed studies published between January 2000 and June 2020. Thirty-eight studies and four reviews were included. Despite heterogeneity in analysis approaches, the majority of studies reported significant correlations between DTI and clinical symptoms in iNPH patients, as well as different DTI patterns in patients with iNPH compared to those with Alzheimer or Parkinson diseases. It remains to be determined whether DTI could predict the success after CSF shunting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Grazzini
- Department of Radiology, Section of Neuroradiology, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Duccio Venezia
- Department of Radiology, Section of Neuroradiology, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
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Scala R, Maccari U, Madioni C, Venezia D, La Magra LC. Amyloidosis involving the respiratory system: 5-year's experience of a multi-disciplinary group's activity. Ann Thorac Med 2015; 10:212-6. [PMID: 26229565 PMCID: PMC4518353 DOI: 10.4103/1817-1737.157290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloidosis may involve the respiratory system with different clinical-radiological-functional patterns which are not always easy to be recognized. A good level of knowledge of the disease, an active integration of the pulmonologist within a multidisciplinary setting and a high level of clinical suspicion are necessary for an early diagnosis of respiratory amyloidosis. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the number and the patterns of amyloidosis involving the respiratory system. We searched the cases of amyloidosis among patients attending the multidisciplinary rare and diffuse lung disease outpatients' clinic of Pulmonology Unit of the Hospital of Arezzo from 2007 to 2012. Among the 298 patients evaluated during the study period, we identified three cases of amyloidosis with involvement of the respiratory system, associated or not with other extra-thoracic localizations, whose diagnosis was histo-pathologically confirmed after the pulmonologist, the radiologist, and the pathologist evaluation. Our experience of a multidisciplinary team confirms that intra-thoracic amyloidosis is an uncommon disorder, representing 1.0% of the cases of rare and diffuse lung diseases referred to our center. The diagnosis of the disease is not always easy and quick as the amyloidosis may involve different parts of the respiratory system (airways, pleura, parenchyma). It is therefore recommended to remind this orphan disease in the differential diagnosis of the wide clinical scenarios the pulmonologist may intercept in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Scala
- Pulmonology and Respiratory Intensive Care Unit, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Uberto Maccari
- Pulmonology and Respiratory Intensive Care Unit, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Chiara Madioni
- Pulmonology and Respiratory Intensive Care Unit, Arezzo, Italy
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Carbone SF, Pirtoli L, Ricci V, Venezia D, Carfagno T, Lazzi S, Mourmouras V, Lorenzi B, Volterrani L. Assessment of response to chemoradiation therapy in rectal cancer using MR volumetry based on diffusion-weighted data sets: a preliminary report. Radiol Med 2012; 117:1112-24. [PMID: 22580810 DOI: 10.1007/s11547-012-0829-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2011] [Accepted: 08/30/2011] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study evaluated the feasibility of magnetic resonance (MR) volumetry using a diffusion-weighted data set (V(DWI)) and compared it with conventional T2-weighted volumetry (V(C)) in patients affected by rectal cancer treated with chemoradiation therapy (CHRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS Fourteen patients with a biopsy diagnosis of rectal cancer underwent MR examination before and after CHRT. T2-weighted images were used to extrapolate V(C). A diffusion-weighted (DW) sequence was acquired [spin-echo diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging (SE-DW-EPI)] with a b-value of 800 s/mm(2) and volume (V(DWI)) was calculated by semiautomatic segmentation of tumour hyperintensity. Two radiologists independently assessed volumes and analysed data in order to establish interobserver agreement and compare and correlate volumes to tumour regression grade (TRG), as evaluable at pathological examination of the surgical specimen. RESULTS Interobserver agreement was 0.977 [(95% confidence interval (CI) 0.954-0.989) and 0.956 (95% CI 0.905-0.980) for V(C) and V(DWI) and 0.964 (95% CI 0.896-0.988) and 0.271 (95% CI-0.267 to 0.686) between V(C) and V(DWI) before and after CHRT. The correlation between TRG and V(C) and V(DWI) was, respectively, rho = 0.597 (p<0.05) and r(2)=0.156 (p=0.162) and rho=0.847 (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS V(DWI) seems to be a promising tool for assessing response to CHRT in rectal cancer. Further studies on large series of patients are needed to refine the technique and evaluate its potential predictive value.
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Affiliation(s)
- S F Carbone
- UOC di Radiologia Universitaria, Istituto Toscano Tumori, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Università degli Studi di Siena, Viale Bracci, 53100, Siena, Italy.
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Ferrari FS, Megliola A, Scorzelli A, Stella A, Vigni F, Drudi FM, Venezia D. Treatment of small HCC through radiofrequency ablation and laser ablation. Comparison of techniques and long-term results. Radiol Med 2007; 112:377-93. [PMID: 17447018 DOI: 10.1007/s11547-007-0148-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2006] [Accepted: 10/18/2006] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this trial was to compare the results obtained using laser ablation (LA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) to treat small hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS From 2003 to 2005, a total of 81 cirrhotic patients (59 Child-Pugh A, 22 Child-Pugh B) presenting a total of 95 HCC nodules (mean diameter 27.9 mm) were treated with LA (41) and RFA (40). RESULTS Computed tomography (CT) revealed complete tumour ablation in 78% of nodules treated with LA and in 94% of those treated with RA; the disease-free interval was 16.50+/-8.1 months. The cumulative survival rates were 91.8%, 59% and 28.4% at 12, 36 and 60 months, respectively. The patients treated with RFA had better survival rates than those treated with LA, although this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.3299). Univariate analysis of survival revealed statistically significant differences between the Child-Pugh A and B groups (p<0.0001), between HCC nodules measuring < or =25 mm and >25 mm (p=0.0001) and between patients with a single nodule and with two nodules (p=0.0484). CONCLUSIONS We found LA and RFA to be equally effective. However, RA appears more suited to patients with small HCC nodules and in Child-Pugh class A.
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Affiliation(s)
- F S Ferrari
- Department of Radiology, Siena University, Policlinico Santa Maria, Viale Bracci 2, I-53100 Siena, Italy.
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