2018 Korean Clinical Imaging Guideline for Hemoptysis

Canadian Association of Radiologists Thoracic Imaging Referral Guideline

The Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) Thoracic Expert Panel consists of radiologists, respirologists, emergency and family physicians, a patient advisor, and an epidemiologist/guideline methodologist. After developing a list of 24 clinical/diagnostic scenarios, a rapid scoping review was undertaken to identify systematically produced referral guidelines that provide recommendations for one or more of these clinical/diagnostic scenarios. Recommendations from 30 guidelines and contextualization criteria in the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) for guidelines framework were used to develop 48 recommendation statements across the 24 scenarios. This guideline presents the methods of development and the referral recommendations for screening/asymptomatic individuals, non-specific chest pain, hospital admission for non-thoracic conditions, long-term care admission, routine pre-operative imaging, post-interventional chest procedure, upper respiratory tract infection, acute exacerbation of asthma, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, suspect pneumonia, pneumonia follow-up, immunosuppressed patient with respiratory symptoms/febrile neutropenia, chronic cough, suspected pneumothorax (non-traumatic), clinically suspected pleural effusion, hemoptysis, chronic dyspnea of non-cardiovascular origin, suspected interstitial lung disease, incidental lung nodule, suspected mediastinal lesion, suspected mediastinal lymphadenopathy, and elevated diaphragm on chest radiograph.

Fiberoptic bronchoscopy combined with urokinase therapy for the treatment of fatal massive hemoptysis: A case report

BACKGROUND

Fatal massive hemoptysis is a life-threatening emergency in the respiratory system. Currently, the treatment methods and techniques for massive hemoptysis are still limited, and there are often issues of delayed treatment or improper methods in clinical practice, leading to the difficulty of rescuing patients and high mortality rates. When fatal massive hemoptysis occurs, the key to successful treatment lies in whether intrapulmonary blood clots can be effectively cleared and airway patency can be ensured. Our practice of combining fiberoptic bronchoscopy with urokinase treatment to clear intrapulmonary blood clots after fatal massive hemoptysis demonstrates the effectiveness of this method.

CASE SUMMARY

We report a 32-year-old female who experienced cough, accompanied by fatal massive hemoptysis with extensive blood clot obstruction in the airway. Considering the difficulty of clearing the airway using conventional methods, it was decided to perform fiberoptic bronchoscopy combined with urokinase therapy after reviewing relevant literature. After treatment, the intrapulmonary blood clots were successfully extracted, thereby relieving airway obstruction. Finally, the patient was successfully weaned off extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, extubated, and evacuated from the ventilator. Currently, the patient's condition is stable, and follow-up chest X-ray as well as computed tomography scans have shown improvement compared to previous assessments.

CONCLUSION

Fatal massive hemoptysis is a intractable emergency in clinical practice. In this case, we confirmed that fiberoptic bronchoscopy combined with urokinase therapy may be effective and safe in the treatment of fatal massive hemoptysis.

Short- and long-term efficacy of bronchial artery embolization using a gelatin sponge for the treatment of cryptogenic hemoptysis

Bronchial artery embolization (BAE) is the first choice treatment for hemoptysis. With advances in endovascular treatment, various embolic materials have become available. However, the optimal embolic material for the treatment of cryptogenic hemoptysis has not been determined. This study aimed to investigate the short-and long-term efficacy of BAE using a gelatin sponge in the treatment of patients with cryptogenic hemoptysis. The clinical characteristics, angiographic findings, and short- and long-term outcomes of BAE were retrospectively analyzed in 22 consecutive patients who underwent BAE for control of cryptogenic hemoptysis between January 2010 and September 2018. Selective angiography and super-selective BAE were successfully performed for all patients. A gelatin sponge was used in all patients. Further, polyvinyl alcohol was mixed with the gelatin sponge in 11 patients (50%). Angiography showed that the bronchial artery was responsible for hemoptysis in all patients, along with the intercostal artery in one patient (4.5%) and the inferior phrenic artery in one patient (4.5%). Immediate hemostasis was achieved in all patients. The recurrence-free rate was 100% for 1 month, 94.1% for 3 months, 94.1% for 12 months, and 87.4% for 24 months. Of two patients with recurrent hemoptysis, one underwent bronchoscopic hemoptysis and the other received intravenous hemostatic agents. No patient underwent BAE for recurrence. No severe complications occurred. In conclusion, BAE using a gelatin sponge has short- and long-term hemostatic efficacy for treating cryptogenic hemoptysis without any severe complications. A gelatin sponge is a suitable embolic material for patients with cryptogenic hemoptysis.

CIRSE Standards of Practice on Bronchial Artery Embolisation

This CIRSE Standards of Practice document is aimed at interventional radiologists and provides best practices for performing bronchial artery embolisation to effectively treat haemoptysis. It has been developed by an expert writing group established by the CIRSE Standards of Practice Committee.

Microspheres present comparable efficacy and safety profiles compared with polyvinyl alcohol for bronchial artery embolization treatment in hemoptysis patients

Background

The present study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety profiles of microspheres versus (vs.) polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) for bronchial artery embolization (BAE) treatment in patients with hemoptysis.

Methods

Totally, 152 patients with hemoptysis who were about to receive BAE treatment were consecutively enrolled and divided into microspheres group (N = 62) and PVA group (N = 90). Technical success and clinical success were assessed after BAE procedure, and the hemoptysis-recurrence status, survival status and adverse events were recorded during follow-up.

Results

Technical success rates were both 100% in microspheres group and PVA group; clinical success rate (96.8% vs. 100.0%, P = 0.165), 6-month (9.7% vs. 7.8%, P = 0.681) and 1-year (9.7% vs. 8.9%, P = 0.869) hemoptysis recurrence rate, 6-month (4.8% vs. 2.2%, P = 0.374) and 1-year (4.8% vs. 3.3%, P = 0.639) mortality were similar between microspheres group and PVA group. Furthermore, hemoptysis-free survival (P = 0.488) and overall survival (P = 0.321) were of no difference between two groups. In addition, all adverse events were mild, and there was no difference of adverse events between two groups (all P > 0.05). These data were validated by further multivariate regression analysis.

Conclusions

Microspheres present comparable efficacy and safety profiles compared with PVA for the BAE treatment in patients with hemoptysis, providing evidence for embolic agent selection.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-021-02947-7.

Embolotherapy in Bronchial Hemorrhage

Hemoptysis, defined as bleeding into the tracheobronchial tree, is a serious symptom that can cause asphyxiation if inadequately treated. Massive hemoptysis carries a very high mortality risk, and therefore, a prompt multidisciplinary approach to hemoptysis is highly encouraged. Bronchial artery embolization has evolved as the mainstay of treatment in control of hemoptysis. It is a low-risk procedure that carries high initial clinical success rates. Despite relatively high recurrence rates, it can be repeated until the underlying disease process can be definitively treated.

Massive Hemoptysis Caused by an Aortobronchial Fistula Related to Pedicle Screw Impingement

We report a case of a 50-year-old man with a 10-year history of pedicle screw internal fixation in the thoracic spine and heroin abuse, who presented with sudden-onset massive hemoptysis with hemorrhagic shock and asphyxia. Urgent contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) characteristically showed thoracic aortic perforation, a paravertebral pseudoaneurysm, and an intrapulmonary hematoma. Emergency percutaneous thoracic endovascular aortic repair (pTEVAR) with the preclose technique using a vascular closure device under local anesthesia achieved success without any complications. The current case highlights the importance of understanding massive hemoptysis caused by an aortobronchial fistula related to pedicle screw impingement in clinical practice and the value of pTEVAR with the preclose technique under local anesthesia in the emergency setting.

2020 Clinical Practice Guideline for Percutaneous Transthoracic Needle Biopsy of Pulmonary Lesions: A Consensus Statement and Recommendations of the Korean Society of Thoracic Radiology

Percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) is one of the essential diagnostic procedures for pulmonary lesions. Its role is increasing in the era of CT screening for lung cancer and precision medicine. The Korean Society of Thoracic Radiology developed the first evidence-based clinical guideline for PTNB in Korea by adapting pre-existing guidelines. The guideline provides 39 recommendations for the following four main domains of 12 key questions: the indications for PTNB, pre-procedural evaluation, procedural technique of PTNB and its accuracy, and management of post-biopsy complications. We hope that these recommendations can improve the diagnostic accuracy and safety of PTNB in clinical practice and promote standardization of the procedure nationwide.

Guidelines for Transrectal Ultrasonography-Guided Prostate Biopsy: Korean Society of Urogenital Radiology Consensus Statement for Patient Preparation, Standard Technique, and Biopsy-Related Pain Management

The Korean Society of Urogenital Radiology (KSUR) aimed to present a consensus statement for patient preparation, standard technique, and pain management in relation to transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUS-Bx) to reduce the variability in TRUS-Bx methodologies and suggest a nationwide guideline. The KSUR guideline development subcommittee constructed questionnaires assessing prebiopsy anticoagulation, the cleansing enema, antimicrobial prophylaxis, local anesthesia methods such as periprostatic neurovascular bundle block (PNB) or intrarectal lidocaine gel application (IRLA), opioid usage, and the number of biopsy cores and length and diameter of the biopsy needle. The survey was conducted using an Internet-based platform, and responses were solicited from the 90 members registered on the KSUR mailing list as of 2018. A comprehensive search of relevant literature from Medline database was conducted. The strength of each recommendation was graded on the basis of the level of evidence. Among the 90 registered members, 29 doctors (32.2%) responded to this online survey. Most KSUR members stopped anticoagulants (100%) and antiplatelets (76%) one week before the procedure. All respondents performed a cleansing enema before TRUS-Bx. Approximately 86% of respondents administered prophylactic antibiotics before TRUS-Bx. The most frequently used antibiotics were third-generation cephalosporins. PNB was the most widely used pain control method, followed by a combination of PNB plus IRLA. Opioids were rarely used (6.8%), and they were used only as an adjunctive pain management approach during TRUS-Bx. The KSUR members mainly chose the 12-core biopsy method (89.7%) and 18G 16-mm or 22-mm (96.5%) needles. The KSUR recommends the 12-core biopsy scheme with PNB with or without IRLA as the standard protocol for TRUS-Bx. Anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents should be discontinued at least 5 days prior to the procedure, and antibiotic prophylaxis is highly recommended to prevent infectious complications. Glycerin cleansing enemas and administration of opioid analogues before the procedure could be helpful in some situations. The choice of biopsy needle is dependent on the practitioners' situation and preferences.