Positive predictive value of axillary lymph node cortical thickness and nodal, clinical, and tumor characteristics in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients

PURPOSE

Axillary lymph nodes (LNs) with cortical thickness > 3 mm have a higher likelihood of malignancy. To examine the positive predictive value (PPV) of axillary LN cortical thickness in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, and nodal, clinical, and tumor characteristics associated with axillary LN metastasis.

METHODS

Retrospective review of axillary LN fine needle aspirations (FNAs) performed 1/1/2018-12/31/2019 included 135 axillary FNAs in 134 patients who underwent axillary surgery. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, histopathology, and imaging features were obtained from medical records. Hypothesis testing was performed to identify predictors of axillary LN metastasis.

RESULTS

Cytology was positive in 72/135 (53.3%), negative in 61/135 (45.2%), and non-diagnostic in 2/135 (1.5%). At surgery, histopathology was positive in 84 (62.2%) and negative in 51 (37.8%). LN cortices were thicker in metastatic compared to negative nodes (p < 0.0001). PPV of axillary LNs with cortical thickness ≥ 3 mm, ≥ 3.5 mm, ≥ 4 mm and, ≥ 4.25 mm was 0.62 [95% CI 0.53, 0.70], 0.63 [0.54, 0.72], 0.67 [0.57, 0.76] , and 0.74 [0.64, 0.83], respectively. At multivariable analysis, abnormal hilum (OR = 3.44, p = 0.016) and diffuse cortical thickening (OR = 2.86, p = 0.038) were associated with nodal metastasis.

CONCLUSION

In newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, increasing axillary LN cortical thickness, abnormal fatty hilum, and diffuse cortical thickening are associated with nodal metastasis. PPV of axillary LN cortical thickness ≥ 3 mm and ≥ 3.5 mm is similar but increases for cortical thickness ≥ 4 mm. FNA of axillary LNs with cortex < 4 mm may be unnecessary for some patients undergoing sentinel LN biopsy.

Ultrasonography surveillance in papillary thyroid carcinoma patients after total thyroidectomy according to dynamic risk stratification

PURPOSE

To investigate the role of neck US surveillance in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) after total thyroidectomy according to dynamic risk stratification (DRS) based on response to initial therapy.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 812 patients with PTC who underwent total thyroidectomy with prophylactic central neck dissection from January 2003 through February 2007. The relative risk of recurrence/persistence according to DRS was evaluated with the multivariable Cox regression proportional hazard model.

RESULTS

There were 132 men and 680 women. The mean age at surgery was 45.2 years. Postoperative US was used for DRS. According to DRS, 676 patients had excellent response, 78 indeterminate response, 40 biochemical incomplete response, and 18 structural incomplete response to initial therapy. Neck US was performed during follow-up and detected locoregional recurrences in 21 patients (2.6%): 12 with excellent response, 2 with biochemical incomplete response, and 7 with structural incomplete response according to DRS. Only 1 patient (0.1%) with excellent response had a locoregional recurrence that exceeded 8 mm in its shortest diameter, which is the size cut-off for diagnostic US fine-needle aspiration in suspicious lymph nodes. This patient did not develop biochemical abnormalities during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative neck US surveillance after total thyroidectomy with prophylactic central neck dissection is not essential in PTC patients who show excellent response to initial therapy. Future studies are needed to verify the role of US surveillance in patients who receive variable degrees of treatments.

Pneumothorax and pulmonary hemorrhage after CT-guided lung biopsy: incidence, clinical significance and correlation

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the incidence and clinical significance of pneumothorax (PTX) and pulmonary hemorrhage (PH) after CT-guided lung biopsy (CT-LB). To test correlations of PTX and chest tube insertion (CTI) with PH and other imaging and procedural parameters.

METHODS

Pre-procedural CT and CT-LB scans of 904 patients were examined. Incidence of PTX and PH and PH location (type-1 along needle track; type-2 perilesional) and severity according to its thickness (low grade < 6 mm; high grade > 6 mm) were recorded. PTX was considered clinically significant if treated with CTI, PH if treated with endoscopic/endovascular procedure. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to determine the effects of different imaging and procedural parameters on the likelihood to develop PTX, CTI and PH and to define their correlation.

RESULTS

PTX occurred in 306/904 cases (33.8%); CTI was required in 18/306 (5.9%). PH occurred in 296/904 cases (32.7%), and no case required treatment. Nodule-to-pleura distance (OR_PTX = 1.052; OR_CTI = 1.046; OR_PH 1.077), emphysema (OR_PTX = 1.287; OR_PH = 0.573), procedure time (OR_PTX = 1.019; OR_CTI = 1.039; OR_PH = 1.019), target size (OR_PTX = 0.982; OR_PH = 0.968) and needle gauge (OR_PTX = 0.487; OR_CTI = 4.311; OR_PH = 2.070) showed statistically significant correlation to PTX, CTI and PH. Type-1 PH showed a protective effect against PTX and CTI (OR_PTX = 0.503; OR_CTI = 0.416).

CONCLUSION

PTX and PH have similar incidence after CT-guided lung biopsy. PH along needle track may represent a protective factor against development of PTX and against PTX requiring CTI.

[Diagnostic values of BRAF(V600E) mutation analysis and Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology in thyroid nodules with TIRADS 4 and 5]

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacies of BRAF(V600E) testing and Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology (BSRTC) in thyroid nodules with thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TIRADS) category 4 and 5. Methods: A total of 187 thyroid nodules in 187 patients underwent the examinations of ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and BRAF(V600E) mutation were analyzed retrospectively. Receive operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to investigate the diagnostic values of both methods and the clinical application of BRAF(V600E) combined with BSRTC was evaluated. SPSS17.0 software was used to analyze the data. Results: Among 187 thyroid nodules, 123 were malignant nodules confirmed with histopathological examination and 64 benign nodules determined by FNAC, histopathological examination, or long-term follow-up. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of BRAF(V600E) test were better than those of BSRTC [69.1%, 98.4%, 98.8%, 62.4%(χ(2)=77.3, P=0.000) vs 62.6%, 93.8%, 95.1%, 56.6%(χ(2)=54.4, P=0.000)]. While the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of the combined test of BRAF(V600E) and BSRTC for diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodules were 87.8%, 92.2%, 95.6%, 79.7%(χ(2)=112.6, P=0.000), respectively. The area under the ROC curve for the combined test was higher than that for each of tests (0.900 vs 0.858 or 0.838). Conclusions: The combined test of BRAF(V600E) mutation and BSRTC has a higher diagnostic efficacy for malignant thyroid nodules compared with BRAF(V600E) mutation or BSRTC alone.

The clinical usefulness of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration and biopsy for rectal and perirectal lesions

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration and/or biopsy (EUS-FNA/B) have been used to diagnose subepithelial tumors (SETs) and extraluminal lesions in the gastrointestinal tract. Our group previously reported the usefulness of EUS-FNA/B for rectal and perirectal lesions. This study reports our expanded experience with EUS-FNA/B for rectal and perirectal lesions in terms of diagnostic accuracy and safety. We also included our new experience with EUS-FNB using the recently introduced ProCore needle.

METHODS

From April 2009 to March 2014, EUS-FNA/B for rectal and perirectal lesions was performed in 30 consecutive patients. We evaluated EUS-FNA/B performance by comparing histological diagnoses with final results. We also investigated factors affecting diagnostic accuracy.

RESULTS

Among 10 patients with SETs, EUS-FNA/B specimen results revealed a gastrointestinal stromal tumor in 4 patients and malignant lymphoma in 1 patient. The diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA/B was 50% for SETs (5/10). Among 20 patients with non-SET lesions, 8 patients were diagnosed with malignant disease and 7 were diagnosed with benign disease based on both EUS-FNA/B and the final results. The diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA/B for non-SET lesions was 75% (15/20). The size of lesions was the only factor related to diagnostic accuracy (P=0.027). Two complications of mild fever and asymptomatic pneumoperitoneum occurred after EUS-FNA/B.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA/B for rectal and perirectal lesions was 67% (20/30). EUS-FNA/B is a clinically useful method for cytological and histological diagnoses of rectal and perirectal lesions.

Sonographic features and ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration of metastases to the thyroid gland

Purpose:

To evaluate the characteristic ultrasonographic (US) features of metastatic carcinoma to the thyroid, and how accurate US features and ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration (US-FNA) are for the diagnosis of thyroid metastases.

Methods:

Twenty-three thyroid lesions in 23 patients (mean age, 66.7 years; range, 46 to 85 years) that had been diagnosed as thyroid metastases were included. The composition, echogenicity, margin, shape, presence of calcifications, underlying parenchymal echotexture, and vascularity were analyzed in US images of the thyroid metastases. Final US assessments were categorized into probably benign and suspicious malignancy. The presence of suspicious metastatic cervical lymph nodes was noted. The medical records, US-FNA cytology, and pathology reports of these patients were retrospectively reviewed.

Results:

Of the 23 thyroid lesions, the general US appearance was mass-forming in 21 (91.3%) and non-mass-forming in 2 (8.7%). All 23 lesions showed a solid tumor composition. Common US features among the 21 mass-forming thyroid metastases were hypoechogenicity (81.0%), non-circumscribed margins (90.5%), no calcifications (76.2%), and parallel shape (81.0%). Suspicious cervical lymph nodes were present in 18 patients (78.3%). Of the 23 lesions, 21 (91.3%) were classified as suspicious malignancy, and 2 (8.7%) as probably benign. US-FNA showed diagnostic results specific for metastases in 21 of the 22 patients (95.5%) who had undergone US-FNA.

Conclusion:

Common US features in thyroid metastasis were hypoechogenicity, non-circumscribed margins, no calcifications, parallel shape, and the presence of suspicious cervical lymph nodes. US-FNA can be effectively used in the diagnosis of thyroid metastasis, preventing unnecessary surgery.