Recent developments in the diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms

INTRODUCTION

Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (PanNENs) are characterized by a highly heterogeneous clinical and biological behavior, making their diagnosis challenging. PanNENs diagnostic work-up mainly relies on biochemical markers, pathological examination, and imaging evaluation. The latter includes radiological imaging (i.e. computed tomography [CT] and magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]), functional imaging (i.e. 68Gallium [68 Ga]Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT and Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose [18F]FDG PET/CT), and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with its associated procedures.

AREAS COVERED

This review provides a comprehensive assessment of the recent advancements in the PanNENs diagnostic field. PubMed and Embase databases were used for the research, performed from inception to October 2023.

EXPERT OPINION

A deeper understanding of PanNENs biology, recent technological improvements in imaging modalities, as well as progresses achieved in molecular and cytological assays, are fundamental players for the achievement of early diagnosis and enhanced preoperative characterization of PanNENs. A multimodal diagnostic approach is required for a thorough disease assessment.

Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary: A Diagnostic Work-Up

The current work-up of the primary tumor site of a head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary is not standardized and results in several time-consuming procedures that delay treatment initiation. This article seeks to consolidate contemporary strategies used to identify the primary tumor site of an unknown primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and offer recommendations based on current literature review.

The significance of multidisciplinary team meetings in diagnosing and managing childhood interstitial lung disease within the RespiRare network

INTRODUCTION

Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease (chILD) represents a rare and severe group of diseases for which the etiologic workup, classification, and management remain a challenge for most pediatric pulmonologists. In France in 2018, the RespiRare network established the first multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTm) dedicated to chILD. This study aims to investigate the impact of MDTm in chILD diagnosis and management as well as user satisfaction.

METHODS

The MDTm took place on a monthly basis through video conferences. The participants consisted of a quorum and included pediatric pulmonologists, radiologists, geneticists, and pulmonologists, with an average of 10.5 participants per meeting. Patients provided consent to participate in MDTm and for data collection. Data were retrospectively extracted from MDTm reports. To evaluate the usefulness of the MDTm and the satisfaction of the participants, a survey was sent by email at least 3 months after the MDTm to the participants.

RESULTS

A total of 216 chILD cases were discussed during 56 MDTm sessions. The median age of onset was 0.5 years (interquartile range 0-7). The MDTm sessions resulted in the correction of chILD etiology in 25% of cases (neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy 17%, surfactant metabolism disorder 8%, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis 4%, hemosiderosis 3%, sarcoidosis 3%, and others 34%), and chILD was ruled out in 7% of cases. A change in therapy was proposed for 46% of cases. User satisfaction was significant, particularly regarding their confidence in managing these rare diseases.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Dedicated MDTm sessions offer a unique opportunity to enhance chILD etiologic diagnosis and management, leading to increased physician knowledge and confidence in managing these patients.

Diagnostic work-up and surgical management of insulinoma: A retrospective analysis from a tertiary referral center

Insulinoma is a multifaceted disease that poses several challenges in terms of clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up, and surgical management. The aim of this study was to describe diagnostic work-up, surgical management, and postoperative outcomes of patients with insulinoma. All consecutive patients who underwent surgery for insulinoma at San Raffaele Hospital (Milan, Italy) between January 2008 and January 2022 were included. Overall, 98 patients were considered. The median delay between presenting symptoms and insulinoma diagnosis was 10 months (IQR, 4-21). Insulinoma diagnosis was made at our Institution in 45 patients, 20 of whom referred within 6 months from symptoms onset. In this subgroup, the median interval between symptoms presentation and insulinoma diagnosis was 4 months (IQR, 2-6), as compared to 14 months (IQR, 10-26) in patients (n = 25) who referred to our institution after 6 months from symptoms onset (p < .001). The insulinoma was localized preoperatively in all the cases. All patients underwent ≥1 high-quality imaging: computed tomography (CT: n = 87, sensitivity 84%), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI: n = 55, sensitivity 85%) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS: n = 79, sensitivity 100%). MRI identified the tumor in eight patients with negative CT. EUS localized the insulinoma in three patients with negative CT and negative MRI. Parenchyma-sparing resections were performed in 41 patients. Contact with major vessels, lesion close to Wirsung duct and suspect of malignancy were the main reasons to perform a formal resection. An early referral to high-volume centers is important for reducing diagnostic delay in patients with insulinoma. The diagnostic work-up of insulinoma frequently requires several imaging modalities to be performed, with EUS being the most sensitive one. Parenchyma-sparing surgery for insulinoma should be performed whenever technically and oncologically feasible.

The cognitive performance in the Phototest is predictor of biological markers of Alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND

The abnormal cerebrospinal fluid levels of biomarkers, such as β-amyloid and phosphorylated tau (pTau), support the biological diagnosis of Alzheimer Disease (AD) independently of its clinical stage. However, this invasive exam cannot be extensively applied and requires previous sound clinical screen that can be based on brief, well validated cognitive tests, such as the Phototest.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association of partial (naming [NA], total recall [TR], free recall [FR], and verbal fluency) and total scores of the Phototest with the biological diagnosis of AD and the potential use of this test as a screening tool in the clinical work up.

DESIGN

Retrospective study of Individuals attending a Memory Clinic who were applied the Phototest and classified, according to cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers (β-amyloid1-42 and pTau), in the biological AD continuum stage (ContAD) as "no AD" (A-), "AD changes" (A+T-) or "AD" (A+T+). Multivariate analyses were conducted with one fixed factor, ContAD, and partial and total Phototest scores. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) was calculated to estimate the capacity of Phototest scores to predict amyloidosis (A+) and AD.

RESULTS

The study included 170 individuals (92 A-, 23 A+T- and 55 A+T+). FR (7.9, 0.01 [F,p]) and TR (8.1, 0.001) scores were associated with ContAD and had a moderate ability (AUC 0.71-0.74) to detect the presence of "A+" or "AD".

CONCLUSIONS

Partial memory scores of Phototest are associated with ContAD. They predict acceptably the presence of abnormal levels of β-amyloid and AD signature in CSF and can be useful to support further biological diagnostic tests.

A Cohort Study of Free Light Chain Ratio in Combination with Serum Protein Electrophoresis as a First-Line Test in General Practice

Simple Summary

Multiple Myeloma (MM) can be a diagnostic challenge as it often presents with unspecific symptoms in patients in general practice. Serum-free light chain (sFLC) ratio is suggested to replace urine protein electrophoresis (UPE) in the diagnostic work-up of myeloma. We aimed to investigate the performance of the sFLC ratio in general practice (GP) compared to UPE in a low prevalence cohort of 13,210 patients from general practice. We found that sFLC ratio performs in line with UPE; however, we observed a pronounced number of false-positive tests. Therefore, local instrument-dependent adjustment of reference ranges/decision limits should be considered to avoid an unnecessarily high number of false-positive tests.

Abstract

Multiple Myeloma (MM) often present with unspecific symptoms, which can lead to diagnostic delay. Serum-free light chain (sFLC) ratio is suggested to replace urine protein electrophoresis (UPE) in the diagnostic work-up of myeloma. We aimed to investigate the performance of the sFLC-ratio in general practice (GP) compared to UPE, just as we explored different sFLC-ratio cut-offs’ influence on diagnostic values. In a cohort of 13,210 patients from GP measures of sFLC-ratio, serum protein electrophoresis (SPE), or UPE were compared to diagnoses of incident M-component related diseases acquired from Danish health registers. UPE and sFLC-ratio equally improved diagnostic values when combined with SPE (sensitivity: SPE and UPE: 95.6 (90.6–98.4); SPE and sFLC-ratio: 95.1 (90.2–98.0)). The addition of the sFLC-ratio to SPE resulted in the identification of 13 patients with MGUS, light chain disease and amyloidosis, which was in line with the addition of UPE to SPE. The number of false-positive tests was UPE and SPE: 364 (11%) and sFLC-ratio and SPE: 677(19%). Expanding sFLC-ratio reference range to 0.26–4.32 resulted in a significant reduction in false positives n = 226 (6%) without loss of patients with clinical plasma cell dyscrasias. sFLC-ratio improves the diagnostic value of SPE in GP. However, due to low specificity and a large number of false positives, expanded cut-off values should be considered.

A Cost-Consequence Analysis of Different Screening Procedures in Alzheimer's Disease: Results from the MOPEAD Project

Background:

For care planning and support, under-detection and late diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a great challenge. Models of Patient-Engagement for Alzheimer’s Disease (MOPEAD) is an EU-funded project aiming at testing different strategies to improve this situation.

Objective:

To make a cost-consequence analysis of MOPEAD.

Methods:

Four screening strategies were tested in five countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden): 1) a web-approach; 2) Open-House initiative; 3) in primary care; and 4) by diabetes specialists. Persons-at-risk of AD in all strategies were offered referral to a hospital-based specialist. The primary health-economic outcome was the cost per true-positive case (TP) of AD from the screened population.

Results:

Of 2,847 screened persons, 1,121 screened positive (39%), 402 were evaluated at memory clinics (14%), and 236 got an AD diagnosis (8%). The cost per TP of those screened was €3,115 with the web-approach, €2,722 with the Open-House, €1,530 in primary care, and €1,190 by diabetes specialists. Sensitivity analyses that more likely reflect the real-world situation confirmed the results. The number-needed-to-screen was 30 with the web-approach, 8 with the Open-House and primary care, and 6 with the diabetes specialists.

There were country differences in terms of screening rates, referrals to memory clinics, staff-types involved, and costs per TP.

Conclusion:

In primary care and by the diabetes specialist, the costs per TP/screened population were lowest, but the capacity of such settings to identify cases with AD-risk must be discussed. Hence new diagnostic strategies such as web-solutions and Open-House initiatives may be valuable after modifications.

Late diagnosis of ureteral injury from anterior lumbar spine interbody fusion surgery: Case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Anterior Lumbosacral Interbody Fusion (ALIF) is a type of back surgery with the advantages of direct access to the spinal interbody space and the potential lessening morbidity related to posterior approaches.

PURPOSE

To describe a rare case of left ureteral lesion from ALIF surgery diagnosed 4 months after the procedure.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 37-year-old Caucasian man with a long history of painful post-traumatic spondylolisthesis and degenerative L5-S1 disc disease underwent a retroperitoneal anterior L5-S1 discectomy, insertion of an interbody tantallium cage, and placement of a pyramid titanium plate fixed with screws. Four months later, due to recurrent left lumbar pain and mild renal failure, a CT scan was performed showing left hydronephrosis with a homolateral urinoma of 17 cm in diameter. A left nephrostomy was placed and the nephrostography detected a filiform leakage at L5-S1 level in communication with the urinoma. The patient underwent laparoscopic urinoma drainage, distal left ureterectomy, and Casati-Boari flap ureterocystoneostomy with ureteral double J stent placement. The stent was held for six weeks and, 1 month later, the control ultrasound scan was negative for hydronephrosis, the creatinine level had normalized and the patient was asymptomatic.

CONCLUSION

Ureteral lesion from ALIF surgery is a very rare event. Spinal surgeons should be more awareness regarding the susceptibility of ureteral injuries along with the clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up, and management options for this kind of complication.

Non-specific symptoms and signs of cancer: different organisations of a cancer patient pathway in Denmark

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate the Non-specific Symptoms and Signs of Cancer-Cancer Patient Pathway (NSSC-CPP) in order to describe organisational and clinical practice similarities and differences in the diagnostic work-up of suspected cancer in Denmark.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A questionnaire on the organisation and practice pertaining to the NSSC-CPP was completed by all 21 diagnostic units in the five healthcare regions in Denmark.

RESULTS

The questionnaire responses revealed regional and intraregional differences in the organisation and clinical practice of the NSSC-CPP. CT scan was the most often used imaging in the NSSC-CPP but there was no consensus whether the CT scan should be ordered and evaluated by general practitioners (GPs) or by the diagnostic units. Two regions were consistent but had different modalities regarding referrals from GPs. Three regions had intra-regional differences. The units reported on different types and frequency of forum for patient plan discussion and how to end a NSSC-CPP.

CONCLUSION

The NSSC-CPP is implemented with great regional and intra-regional differences in Denmark. GPs face different requirements when referring to the NSSC-CPP, which indicates that the division of role and responsibility between GPs and the diagnostic units is not well defined.KEY POINTSIn Denmark, the cancer patient pathway for non-specific symptoms and signs of cancer (NSSC-CPP) has been implemented with variations, but little is known about these different modalities. This study showed that both at a regional and an intra-regional level:•General practitioners meet different implementation of national guidelines in the diagnostic units when referring to the NSSCP-CPP•The suitable patient group for the NSSC-CPP is not well defined•Quality criteria are needed to monitor, evaluate and improve the diagnostic work-up for patients with non-specific symptoms and signs of cancer.

Neuropathic Itch: Routes to Clinical Diagnosis

Neuropathic itch occurs due to damage of neurons of the peripheral or central nervous system. Several entities, including metabolic, neurodegenerative, orthopedic, infectious, autoimmune, malignant, and iatrogenic conditions, may affect the somatosensory system and induce neuropathic itch. Due to the complex nature of neuropathic itch, particularly concerning its clinical presentation and possible etiological factors, diagnostic work-up of this condition is challenging. A detailed medical history, especially in regard to the itch, and a comprehensive physical examination are relevant to detect characteristic signs and symptoms of neuropathic itch and to rule out other possible causes for chronic itch. Complementary diagnostic exams, especially laboratory tests, determination of the intraepidermal nerve fiber density via a skin biopsy and radiological examinations may be indicated to confirm the diagnosis of neuropathic itch and to identify underlying etiological factors. Functional assessments such as quantitative sensory testing, nerve conduction studies, evoked potentials, or microneurography may be considered in particular cases. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the diagnostic work-up recommended for patients with neuropathic itch.

MR-Imaging and Histopathological Diagnostic Work-Up of Patients with Spontaneous Lobar Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Results of an Institutional Prospective Registry Study

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a frequently disabling or fatal disease. The localization of ICH often allows an etiological association. However, in atypical/lobar ICH, the cause of bleeding is less obvious. Therefore, we present prospective histopathological and radiological studies which were conducted within the diagnostic workup to identify causes for lobar ICH other than hypertension. From 2016 to 2018, 198 patients with spontaneous, non-traumatic ICH requiring neurosurgical monitoring were enrolled in an institutional prospective patient registry. Patients with deep-seated ICH and/or hemorrhagically transformed cerebral infarcts were excluded from further analysis. Data to evaluate the source of bleeding based on histopathological and/or radiological workup were prospectively evaluated and analyzed. After applying the inclusion criteria and excluding patients with incomplete diagnostic workup, a total of 52 consecutive patients with lobar ICH were further analyzed. Macrovascular disease was detected in 14 patients with lobar ICH (27%). In 11 patients, diagnostic workup identified cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related ICH (21%). In addition, five patients with tumor-related ICH (10%) and six patients with ICH based on infectious pathologies (11%) were identified. In four patients, the cause of bleeding remained unknown despite extensive diagnostic workup (8%). The present prospective registry study demonstrates a higher probability to identify a cause of bleeding other than hypertension in patients with lobar ICH. Therefore, a thorough diagnostic work-up in patients with ICH is essential to accelerate treatment and further improve outcome or prevent rebleeding.

Preoperative predictors of pathological tumour stage and prognosis may be used when selecting candidates for intensified treatment in upper tract urothelial carcinoma

PURPOSE

Intensified treatment such as extended lymph node dissection (LND) and/or perioperative chemotherapy in addition to radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) has been suggested for high-risk cases of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). We aimed to identify preoperative predictors of tumour stage and prognosis in the diagnostic work-up before RNU. Further to evaluate if our findings could be used in selecting patients for intensified treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 179 patients treated with RNU for UTUC at Haukeland University Hospital (HUS) and Vestfold Hospital Trust (VHT) during 2005-2017 were included in this retrospective study. All relevant preoperative variables regarding the patient, the CT and the ureteroscopy (URS) were registered and analysed regarding their ability to predict non-organ confined disease (NOCD, pT3+ and/or N+) at final pathology after RNU. The prognosis was assessed calculating survival for the cohort and stratified by preoperative variables.

RESULTS

Local invasion and pathological lymph nodes at CT predicted NOCD in uni and multivariate regression analyses (OR 3.36, p=.004 and OR 6.21, p=.03, respectively). Reactive oedema surrounding the tumour (OR 2.55, p=.02), tumour size (4.8 vs. 3.9 cm, p=.006) and high-grade tumour at URS biopsy (OR 3.59, p=.04) predicted NOCD at univariate regression analyses. The 5-year CSS and OS for the entire cohort was 79% and 60%. ECOG, local invasion, pathological lymph nodes and reactive oedema surrounding the tumour at CT predicted CSS.

CONCLUSIONS

Several variables at the CT predicted both stage and survival. Local invasion at CT seems the most promising feature for selecting patients for intensified treatment.

Diagnosis of Early Alzheimer's Disease: Clinical Practice in 2021

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, irreversible neurodegenerative disease impacting cognition, function, and behavior. Alzheimer's disease progresses along a continuum from preclinical disease, to mild cognitive and/or behavioral impairment and then Alzheimer's disease dementia. Recently, clinicians have been encouraged to diagnose Alzheimer's earlier, before patients have progressed to Alzheimer's disease dementia. The early and accurate detection of Alzheimer's disease-associated symptoms and underlying disease pathology by clinicians is fundamental for the screening, diagnosis, and subsequent management of Alzheimer's disease patients. It also enables patients and their caregivers to plan for the future and make appropriate lifestyle changes that could help maintain their quality of life for longer. Unfortunately, detecting early-stage Alzheimer's disease in clinical practice can be challenging and is hindered by several barriers including constraints on clinicians' time, difficulty accurately diagnosing Alzheimer's pathology, and that patients and healthcare providers often dismiss symptoms as part of the normal aging process. As the prevalence of this disease continues to grow, the current model for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and patient management will need to evolve to integrate care across clinical disciplines and the disease continuum, beginning with primary care. This review summarizes the importance of establishing an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, related practical 'how-to' guidance and considerations, and tools that can be used by healthcare providers throughout the diagnostic journey.

The Jumper's Knee - a New Look at Non-surgical Treatment. Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

There are many opinions and views regarding the methods of treatment of patellar ligament enthesopathy. No gold standard of treatment exists. This paper presents our approach involving conservative treatment and an appropriate rehabilitation regime. Our aim was to assess the effectiveness of a combination of various conservative treatment techniques and the time needed to return to sport.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study enrolled 14 patients treated in 2019 and 2020. Knee joint evaluation was based on clinical and radiological examination (sonography and MR). All patients were treated conservatively according to a specially prepared treatment protocol. Patients were evaluated at two-week intervals until the symptoms subsided completely. The KOOS, Kujala and SF36 questionnaires were used to evaluate the results.

RESULTS

All of the patients returned to painless physical activity within 3-4 weeks from the start of treatment. In the group of professional athletes, 100% returned to sport. The return to sport took slightly longer for pa-tients with bilateral (5-6 weeks) in comparison to unilateral jumper's knee (3-4 weeks). The longest period of return to sport, in a patient who had severe pain at rest before starting treatment, was 7 weeks. Statistically significant improvement was noted in all of the questionnaires used and in all subdomains at 6 months after the beginning of the treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

1. The conservative approach proposed by us generated promising results in the treatment of the jumper's knee. 2. A 100% rate of return to sport was recorded among our patients.

Basic Diagnostic Work-Up Is More Complete in Rural than in Urban Areas for Patients with Dementia: Results of a Swedish Dementia Registry Study

BACKGROUND

Life in rural areas differs from life in urban areas not only in geographical conditions, but also in health care structure.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim is to compare the diagnostic process and the management of dementia in rural and urban areas of Sweden.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional study of patients with dementia living in rural (n = 16,428), intermediate (n = 18,033), and urban (n = 23,680) areas in Sweden including patients registered from 2007 through 2014 in the Swedish Dementia Registry (SveDem). Descriptive statistics are shown. Odds ratios with 95% CI are presented for basic diagnostic examinations in rural compared to intermediate and urban areas, adjusted for age, sex, type of care (primary versus specialist), and comorbidities. Analyses were also stratified for diagnostic care unit (primary versus specialist).

RESULTS

Patients who lived in rural areas were more likely to receive a complete basic examination, MMSE examination, Clock test, blood analysis, and neuro-imaging, compared to patients living in urban areas, and also compared to patients living in intermediate areas. Sex differences were seen in nearly all domains, with men receiving more diagnostic work-up than women. Stratified analyses show that in primary care, the complete basic examination is less frequently performed in urban and intermediate areas compared to rural areas.

CONCLUSION

There are differences in diagnostic work-up for dementia between rural, intermediate, and urban areas in Sweden. These results should be considered in future healthcare decisions to ensure equality of health care across rural and urban areas.

The diagnostic work-up and outcomes of 'presumed' idiopathic acute pancreatitis: A post-hoc analysis of a multicentre observational cohort

INTRODUCTION

After standard diagnostic work-up, the aetiology of acute pancreatitis remains unknown in 16-27% of cases, a condition referred to as idiopathic acute pancreatitis (IAP). Determining the aetiology of pancreatitis is essential, as it may direct treatment in the acute phase and guides interventions to prevent recurrent pancreatitis.

METHODS

Between 2008 and 2015, patients with acute pancreatitis were registered prospectively in 19 Dutch hospitals. Patients who had a negative initial diagnostic work-up with regard to the underlying aetiology of their pancreatitis were labelled 'presumed' IAP. The aim of this study was to assess the use of diagnostic modalities and their yield to establish an aetiology in 'presumed' IAP, and to assess recurrence rates both with and without treatment.

RESULTS

Out of the 1632 registered patients, 191 patients had a first episode of 'presumed' IAP, of whom 176 (92%) underwent additional diagnostic testing: CT (n = 124, diagnostic yield 8%), EUS (n = 62, yield 35%), MRI/MRCP (n = 56, yield 33%), repeat ultrasound (n = 97, yield 21%), IgG4 (n = 54, yield 9%) and ERCP (n = 15, yield 47%). In 64 of 176 patients (36%) an aetiological diagnosis was established, mostly biliary (n = 39). In 13 out of 176 of patients (7%) a neoplasm was diagnosed. If additional diagnostic workup revealed an aetiology, the recurrence rate was lower in the treated patients than in the patients without a definite aetiology (15% versus 43%, p = 0.014).

CONCLUSION

Additional diagnostic testing revealed an aetiology in one-third of 'presumed' IAP patients. The aetiology found was mostly biliary, but occasionally neoplasms were found. Identification of an aetiology with subsequent treatment reduced the rate of recurrence.

Communicating uncertainties when disclosing diagnostic test results for (Alzheimer's) dementia in the memory clinic: The ABIDE project

Background

The development of novel diagnostics enables increasingly earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Timely diagnosis may benefit patients by reducing their uncertainty regarding the cause of symptoms, yet does not always provide patients with the desired certainty.

Objective

To examine, using both quantitative and qualitative methods, uncertainty communicated by memory clinic clinicians in post‐diagnostic testing consultations with patients and their caregivers.

Methods

First, we identified all uncertainty expressions of 22 clinicians in audiotaped post‐diagnostic testing consultations with 78 patients. Second, we statistically explored relationships between patient/clinician characteristics and uncertainty expressions. Third, the transcribed uncertainty expressions were qualitatively analysed, determining the topic to which they pertained, their source and initiator/elicitor (clinicians/patients/caregivers).

Results

Within 57/78 (73%) consultations, clinicians expressed in total 115 uncertainties, of which 37% elicited by the patient or caregiver. No apparent relationships were found between patient/clinician characteristics and whether or not, and how often clinicians expressed uncertainty. Uncertainty expressions pertained to ten different topics, most frequently patient's diagnosis and symptom progression. Expressed uncertainty was mostly related to the unpredictability of the future and limits to available knowledge.

Discussion and conclusions

The majority of clinicians openly discussed the limits of scientific knowledge and diagnostic testing with patients and caregivers in the dementia context. Noticeably, clinicians did not discuss uncertainty in about one quarter of consultations. More evidence is needed on the beneficial and/or harmful effects on patients of discussing uncertainty with them. This knowledge can be used to support clinicians to optimally convey uncertainty and facilitate patients' uncertainty management.

Accuracy of whole-body HDP SPECT/CT, FDG PET/CT, and their combination for detecting bone metastases in breast cancer: an intra-personal comparison

New generation SPECT/CT scanners allow rapid whole-body imaging, and potentially facilitate significantly improved diagnostic accuracy. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of whole-body Tc-99m-HDP SPECT/CT, F-18-FDG PET/CT, and their combination for detecting bone metastases in breast cancer. Women with biopsy-proven breast cancer that were referred for whole-body SPECT/CT and FDG PET/CT were consecutively included in this retrospective study. Two blinded readers independently interpreted all scans. In a per-patient analysis, the diagnostic performances of whole-body SPECT/CT, FDG PET/CT, and their combination were compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. In a per-lesion analysis, the performances were compared using figures of merit (FoM) differences in Jackknife alternative free-response ROC analysis, which considers the location information. Follow-up served as reference standard. Overall, 25 consecutive women (median age: 55; range 38-82) with 117 lesions were included. The median follow-up was 21 months (2-46 months). The per-patient analysis revealed no significant differences in diagnostic performance (P = 0.16), while the per-lesion analysis revealed a diagnostic superiority of whole-body SPECT/CT over FDG PET/CT (P = 0.004). Specifically, the PET/CT FoM was significantly lower than the SPECT/CT FoM (FoM difference = -0.11, 95% CI [-0.21; -0.02], P = 0.021). No significant difference was observed between SPECT/CT and the combination of SPECT/CT and PET/CT. The per-lesion analysis suggest that SPECT/CT has a higher diagnostic accuracy than FDG PET/CT for the detection of bone metastases. Thus, SPECT/CT may be a useful adjunct to FDG PET/CT for staging of breast cancer patients.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma worldwide, representing approximately 30-40% of all cases in different geographic regions. Patients most often present with a rapidly growing tumour mass in single or multiple, nodal or extranodal sites. The most common type of DLBCL, designated as not otherwise specified, represents 80-85% of all cases and is the focus of this review. There are also rare types of lymphoma composed of large B-cells, in aggregate about 15-20% of all neoplasms that are sufficiently distinctive to recognise separately. DLBCL not otherwise specified (referred to henceforth as DLBCL) is a heterogeneous entity in terms of clinical presentation, genetic findings, response to therapy, and prognosis. A major advance was the application of gene expression profiling (GEP) to the study of DLBCL which further clarified this heterogeneity and provided a rationale for subdividing cases into groups. The most popular system divides cases of DLBCL according to cell-of-origin into germinal centre B-cell like (GCB) and activated B-cell like (ABC) subtypes, with about 10-15% of cases being unclassifiable. Patients with the GCB subtype usually have better prognosis than patients with the ABC subtype. Although cell-of-origin is useful for predicting outcome, the GCB and ABC subtypes remain heterogeneous, with better and worse prognostic subsets within each group. Next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis of DLBCL has facilitated global identification of numerous and diverse genetic abnormalities in these neoplasms and has shown that GCB and ABC tumours have different mutation profiles. Although the therapy of patients with DLBCL is an active area of research, the current 5-year overall survival rate is 60-70% using standard-of-care frontline therapy. A precision medicine approach for the design of new therapies based on molecular findings in DLBCL is likely the best path forward. As pathologists, our role has expanded beyond diagnosis. We must perform a complete work-up of DLBCL cases. In addition to our traditional role in establishing the diagnosis, we need to analyse markers that provide information regarding prognosis and potential therapeutic targets. We also must ensure that adequate tissue is triaged for molecular studies which are essential for designing therapy regimens, particularly in the setting of disease relapse.

Costs of diagnosing dementia: results from SveDem, the Swedish Dementia Registry

OBJECTIVE

Diagnostic of different dementia disorders is an important part of dementia care. So far, there is limited knowledge about how dementia is diagnosed in clinical routine, and there are few reports on the costs of the dementia work-up leading to a diagnosis. Here, we examine the costs of diagnostic dementia work-up in Sweden.

METHODS

The analyses were made on the data from the Swedish Dementia Registry (SveDem) and included 11,561 dementia patients diagnosed during 2007-2010, mainly not only in specialist care (SC) (n = 53) but also some primary care centres (PC). We have studied differences in the use of investigations for dementia diagnostics such as cognitive tests, blood and cerebrospinal fluid analyses, radiological examinations and assessments of functions. Unit costs for each diagnostic investigation were combined with the use of these investigations for all cases in the database. Results are presented versus gender and stratified for age.

RESULTS

The number of diagnostic tests performed was 2.8 in PC and 4.6 in SC. The average costs (€1 = SEK9 and US$1 = SEK7 in 2010) were SEK6777 in PC and SEK11,682 in SC. Age was the strongest cost predictor while there were no gender differences. There were also regional differences, ranging from SEK8231 to SEK14,734 in SC.

CONCLUSIONS

The SveDem database offers valuable information on the diagnostic procedures for dementia in daily clinical practice. The differences between PC and SC in diagnostic costs reflect national guidelines. The age effect needs to be studied more.

A review of pulmonary arterial hypertension: Part 1. Novel insights and classification

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a disease characterised by an increased pulmonary artery pressure. The precapillary pulmonary arteries show distinct pathobiological changes, i.e. medial hypertrophy, intimal fibrosis, microthrombi and plexiform lesions. Although the pathogenesis is not completely understood, pulmonary vascular proliferation and remodelling, due to a variety of mediators, is believed to play the pathogenetic key role. Genetic research reveals molecular deformities and gene mutations associated with phenotypic PAH. This article covers novel insights into pathobiology, pathogenesis and genes of PAH, which led to a novel classification system and a diagnostic work-up, emanated from the World Health Organisation Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension in Venice in June 2003.