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Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the utility of fusion images of pre- and post-ablation hepatobiliary phase (HBP) series to assess the ablation margins after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). Additionally, to identify factors indicative of an adequate ablation margin and predictors of local tumor progression (LTP)., Methods: Fifty-nine HCCs in 29 patients were treated by RFA and followed-up for > 1 year (mean 37.9 months). Fusion images of pre- and post-ablation HBP series were created using a non-rigid registration and manual correlation. The ablation margin appearance was classified as ablation margin + (ablation margin completely surrounding the tumor), ablation margin-zero (a partially discontinuous ablation margin without protrusion of HCC), ablation margin-(a partially discontinuous ablation margin with protrusion of HCC), and indeterminate (index tumor was not visible). The minimal ablation margin was measured, and clinical factors were examined to identify other risk factors for LTP., Results: LTP was observed at follow-up in 12 tumors. The mean minimal ablation margin was 3.6 mm. Multivariate analysis revealed that the ablation margin status was the only significant factor (p = 0.028). The cumulative LTP rates (3.3%, 3.3%, and 3.3% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively) in 30 ablation margin + nodules were significantly lower (p = 0.006) than those (20.0%, 28.0%, and 32.2% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively) in 25 ablation margin-zero nodules., Conclusions: Fusion images enable an early assessment of the ablation efficacy in the majority of HCCs. The ablation margin status is a significant factor for LTP.

Intracystic papillary neoplasm (ICPN) of gallbladder is a comparatively new concept and is described as pre-malignant lesions in Nakanuma et al. (In: Bosman et al. (eds) WHO Classification of Tumours of the Digestive System, World Health Organization of Tumours, IARC, Lyon, 2010). ICPN with high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia is understood to include intraepithelial carcinoma or noninvasive carcinoma. And lesions with invasive cancer components are classified as ICPN with an associated invasive carcinoma [1]. According to Adsay et al., more than half of patients diagnosed with ICPN have invasive cancer components (Adsay et al., Am J Surg Pathol 36:1279-1301, 2012).Polypoid masses in the gallbladder including benign, malignant, and non-neoplastic lesions have been called gallbladder polyps, and ICPN is also a polypoid lesion in the gallbladder. However, it is difficult to differentiate between them. In the literature, it is said that the possibility of malignancy is high in lesions exceeding 1 cm (Terzi et al., Surgery 127:622-627, 2000). And there are few reports on characteristic imaging findings of ICPN.We have experienced three cases (two females and one male) of ICPN and report our imaging findings. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed large papillary polypoid lesions approximately 2-4 cm in size in the gallbladder. Findings suggestive of deformation of the gallbladder wall and extrinsic progression were absent in all cases. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging revealed intense signals and diffusion-weighted imaging showed high intensity. Expanding of the gallbladder was seen in case 1, and a tumor stalk-like appearance was seen in the papillary mass in cases 2 and 3. Surgery was performed in all three cases and ICPN was diagnosed pathologically. The cancer was localized to the mucosa, with no infiltration of surrounding tissue in all three cases.

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of computed tomographic (CT) features for identifying acute torsion of uterine subserosal leiomyoma (USL)., Subjects and Methods: We analyzed contrast-enhanced CT examinations of 7 USLs with torsion and 44 USLs without torsion. Two radiologists evaluated the CT features, which consisted of poor contrast enhancement inside the USL, thin rim enhancement around the USL, calcification within the USL, a beak sign between the uterus and USL, fan-shaped poor contrast enhancement in the uterus area adjacent to the USL (dark fan sign), and ascites. We analyzed the frequencies of these CT features in the USLs with versus without torsion using Fisher's exact test., Results: The respective frequencies of CT features in USLs with and without torsion were as follows: poor contrast enhancement, 86 and 5% (P = 0.001); thin rim enhancement, 71 and 9% (P = 0.001); calcification, 29 and 18% (P = 0.61); beak sign, 57 and 86% (P = 0.10); dark fan sign, 57 and 0% (P = 0.001); and ascites, 100 and 20% (P = 0.01)., Conclusions: The CT features of poor contrast enhancement, thin rim enhancement, and dark fan sign are valuable for identifying acute torsion of USL.

Purpose: Development of atrial fibrillation (AF) is complexly associated with electrical and structural remodeling and other factors every stage of AF development. We hypothesized that P wave electrocardiography with an elevated brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level would be associated with the progression to persistence from paroxysmal AF., Methods: P wave electrocardiography such as a maximum P wave duration (MPWD) and dispersion by 12-leads ECG, heart/mediastinum (H/M) ratio by delayed iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphic imaging, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and left atrial dimension (LAD) by echocardiography, and plasma BNP level were measured to evaluate the electrical and structural properties and sympathetic activity in 71 patients (mean ± standard deviation, age: 67 ± 13 years, 63.4 % males) with idiopathic paroxysmal AF., Results: Over a 12.9-year follow-up period, AF developed into persistent AF in 30 patients. A wider MPWD (>129 ms) (p = 0.001), wider P wave dispersion (>60 ms) (p = 0.001), LAD enlargement (>40 mm) (p = 0.001), higher BNP level (>72 pg/mL) (p = 0.002), lower H/M ratio (≤2.7) (p = 0.025), and lower LVEF (≤60 %) (p = 0.035) were associated with the progression to persistent AF, and the wide MPWD was an independently powerful predictor of the progression to persistent AF with a hazard ratio (HR) of 5.49 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 2.38-12.7, p < 0.0001] after adjusting for potential confounding variables, such as age and sex. The combination of wide MPWD and elevated BNP level was additive and incremental prognostic power with 13.3 [2.16-13, p < 0.0001]., Conclusion: The wide MPWD with elevated BNP level was associated with the progression to persistent AF.

We successfully created a percutaneous transhepatic portacaval shunt under ultrasonography (US) guidance in a 46-year-old man with refractory ascites. The shunt was created to salvage an attempt to create a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) that failed because of the elevated level of portal vein bifurcation due to alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Under US guidance, we simultaneously punctured the right branch of the portal vein and the inferior vena cava (IVC) using a two-step biliary drainage set. An Amplatz gooseneck snare was introduced transjugularly to retrieve the percutaneously inserted guidewire. The intrahepatic tract between the portal vein and the IVC was dilated using a balloon catheter, and a stent was placed in the tract. The patient showed complete resolution of ascites at discharge. We assume that our method is an alternative method for TIPS creation in patients with inadequate anatomical relations between the portal vein branches and the hepatic veins. This approach is thought to be feasible for patients with occluded or small hepatic veins.

We evaluate the systemic right ventricle (SRV) failure of congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries using the scintigraphic studies in a case with 32-year-old male who improved the heart failure by the use of beta-adrenergic blockers. The myocardial perfusion sympathetic nervous system activity mismatch with preserved coronary flow and wall thickness indicates a distinctive feature as SRV cardiomyopathy, suggesting the importance of recovery of SRV sympathetic dysfunction for improving the prognosis.

Papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC) is the second most common class of renal cell carcinoma. PRCCs have typically been reported to demonstrate homogeneous, low-intensity signals in T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and rarely high-intensity signals. We reported two cases of PRCC with high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. These two cases were accompanied by a small amount of hemosiderin deposition and intense edema in the tumor.