Multidisciplinary radio-guided surgery team: Alternative to change the current paradigm

INTRODUCTION

Given the constant increase in the healthcare demand for examinations related to radio-guided surgery (RGS), our hospital adopted new professional profiles in the RGS team, in order to partially reduce the time spent by nuclear medicine physicians on this task.

AIM

To analyze the process of incorporating the profiles of Diagnostic Imaging Technician (DIT) and Sentinel Node Referent Nurse (SNRN), evaluating their deployment in the procedures linked to the technique.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Analysis of RGS activity during the period 2018-2022, focusing on pre-surgical and surgical procedures related to breast cancer (BC) and malignant melanoma (MM), as they are those pathologies on which the transfer of care competencies was concentrated. Chronological evolution of the competencies assumed by the different profiles during their integration into the RGS team.

RESULTS

RGS's healthcare activity during the analyzed period experienced an increase of 109%. BC and MM were the pathologies that accounted for by far the greatest demand for care. The transfer of competencies in these two pathologies occurred in a progressive and staggered manner, with 74% (460/622) of the administration phase being carried out by the SNRN and 64% (333/519) of the surgeries by the DIT in 2022.

CONCLUSIONS

The creation of a multidisciplinary RGS team that includes different professional profiles (nuclear medicine physician [MN], ERGC and TSID) is an effective strategy to respond to the increase in the complexity and number of all procedures related to RGS.

Steerable DROP-IN radioguidance during minimal-invasive non-robotic cervical and endometrial sentinel lymph node surgery

PURPOSE

The recently introduced tethered DROP-IN gamma probe has revolutionized the way robotic radioguided surgery is performed, fully exploiting the nature of steerable robotic instruments. Given this success, the current first-in-human study investigates if the DROP-IN can also provide benefit in combination with steerable non-robotic instruments during conventional laparoscopic surgery, showing equivalence or even benefit over a traditional rigid gamma probe.

METHODS

The evaluation was performed in ten patients during laparoscopic cervical (n = 4) and endometrial (n = 6) cancer sentinel lymph node (SLN) procedures. Surgical guidance was provided using the hybrid, or bi-modal, SLN tracer ICG-99mTc-nanocolloid. SLN detection was compared between the traditional rigid laparoscopic gamma probe, the combination of a DROP-IN gamma probe and a steerable laparoscopic instrument (LaproFlex), and fluorescence imaging.

RESULTS

The gynecologists experienced an enlarged freedom of movement when using the DROP-IN + LaproFlex combination compared to the rigid laparoscopic probe, making it possible to better isolate the SLN signal from background signals. This did not translate into a change in the SLN find rate yet. In both cervical and endometrial cancer combined, the rigid probe and DROP-IN + LaproFlex combination provided an equivalent detection rate of 96%, while fluorescence provided 85%.

CONCLUSION

We have successfully demonstrated the in-human use of steerable DROP-IN radioguidance during laparoscopic cervical and endometrial cancer SLN procedures, expanding the utility beyond robotic procedures. Indicating an improved surgical experience, these findings encourage further investigation and consideration on a path towards routine clinical practice and improved patient outcome.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

HCB/2021/0777 and NCT04492995; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04492995.

A systematic literature review of the economic evidence for transarterial radioembolization for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

e16159

Background: Evidence synthesis can be used to demonstrate the economic value of medical technologies. Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) is a clinically effective therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, a synthesis of the comparative economic outcomes is lacking. This study systematically reviewed and summarized the available economic evaluations of TARE for the treatment of HCC. Methods: A systematic review of economic evaluations of TARE for HCC treatment following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was performed. English and Spanish publications were identified from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, MEDES, health technology assessment agencies, and scientific congress databases published through May 2021. Results: Among 423 records screened, 20 economic evaluations (two cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs), eight cost-utility analyses (CUAs), one cost-minimization analysis, six cost analyses, and three budget impact analyses) met the pre-defined criteria for inclusion. Included studies were evaluated from a payer perspective (n = 20) and included both payer and societal perspectives (n = 2). Thirteen studies were published from a European perspective, six from the United States, and one from the Canadian perspective. Included studies evaluated early (n = 4) vs. intermediate and advanced HCC (n = 15). TheraSphere and Sir-Spheres were the most evaluated TARE therapies compared to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) (n = 12) alone or TACE/sorafenib agents (n = 10). The time horizon in the included studies varied: TARE vs. sorafenib (5-years and lifetime) and TARE vs. TACE (5-years). Variability in health outcomes was observed with greater health benefits reported for TARE vs. TACE for intermediate (n = 1) and advanced-stage patients (n = 2) and TARE vs. sorafenib for intermediate (n = 1) and advanced-stage patients (n = 6). All CEAs compared the costs and survival benefits of TARE vs. TACE/Transarterial embolization (TAE)/sorafenib/tyrosine-kinase inhibitor. Of the 20 studies, TARE was associated with lower treatment costs in ten studies. From the payer perspective, TARE costs varied widely in the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system and ranged from $1,770 (BCLC-A) to $66,800 (BCLC-C). The life-years gained (LYG) ranged from 1.1 years (TARE vs. sorafenib/lenvatinib) to 3.1 years (TARE vs. TACE/TAE/drug-eluting bead-TACE). The incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR) for TARE vs. sorafenib ranged from $38,352/QALY to $71,386 (dominant) and one CUA of TARE vs. TACE and showed an ICUR of $22,181/QALY. Conclusions: Economic evaluations of TARE for HCC treatment are heterogeneous. Overall, TARE is a cost-effective short- and long-term treatment for HCC, driven by increased LYG compared to other HCC therapies.

Detection of epileptogenic focus with two new methods of processing of SPECT and PET cerebral images: PET-Analysis and PISCOM

Functional neuroimaging with positron emission tomography with ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (PET-¹⁸F-FDG) and perfusion single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) are increasingly more essential for presurgically locating the epileptogenic focus. We present the case of an 18-year-old male with epileptic seizures refractory to antiepileptic treatment. Magnetic resonance (MR) showed dysplasia in the posterior right insular cortex. Subtraction of ictal SPECT co-registered to MR (SICOM) detected a focal increase of uptake in the left fronto-parietal cingulate and PET-FDG showed normal distribution of the radiotracer. The posterior right insula was resected with histopathological results of grade I ganglioglioma according to the World Health Organization classification. The patient made favourable post-surgical progress, and remains seizure-free after 5 years (Engel I). Retrospective analysis of this case with two new image processing methods (PET analysis and PET interictal subtracted ictal SPECT coregistered with MR [PISCOM]) correctly localized the epileptogenic focus in the posterior right insular cortex.