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This CIRSE Standards of Practice document is aimed at interventional radiologists and provides best practices for performing transarterial chemoembolisation. It has been developed by an expert writing group under the guidance of the CIRSE Standards of Practice Committee. It will encompass all technical details reflecting European practice of different TACE procedures (Lp-TACE, DEM-TACE, DSM-TACE, b-TACE) as well as revising the existing literature on the various clinical indications (HCC, mCRC, ICC, NET). Finally, new frontiers of development will also be discussed.

The goal of this study was to assess the efficiency of antibiotic degradation applying different chemical treatment methods and their combinations. Thus, improvement in the efficiency of these methods when combined was quantified. The methods tested to degrade/mineralize the antibiotics amoxicillin (AMX) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) under different pH conditions (4, 7 and 10) were ultra-violet irradiation (UV

Aside to clinical changes, behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is characterized by progressive structural and functional alterations in frontal and temporal regions. We examined if there is a selective vulnerability of specific neurotransmitter systems in bvFTD by evaluating the link between disease-related functional alterations and the spatial distribution of specific neurotransmitter systems and their underlying gene expression levels.Maps of fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF) were derived as a measure of local activity from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging for 52 bvFTD patients (mean age = 61.5 ± 10.0 years; 14 female) and 22 healthy controls (HC) (mean age = 63.6 ± 11.9 years; 13 female). We tested if alterations of fALFF in patients co-localize with the non-pathological distribution of specific neurotransmitter systems and their coding mRNA gene expression. Further, we evaluated if the strength of co-localization is associated with the observed clinical symptoms.Patients displayed significantly reduced fALFF in fronto-temporal and fronto-parietal regions. These alterations co-localized with the distribution of serotonin (5-HT1b, 5-HT2a), dopamine (D2), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABAa) receptors, the norepinephrine transporter (NET), and their encoding mRNA gene expression. The strength of co-localization with D2 and NET was associated with cognitive symptoms and disease severity of bvFTD.Local brain functional activity reductions in bvFTD followed the distribution of specific neurotransmitter systems indicating a selective vulnerability. These findings provide novel insight into the disease mechanisms underlying functional alterations. Our data-driven method opens the road to generate new hypotheses for pharmacological interventions in neurodegenerative diseases even beyond bvFTD.

Objectives To evaluate the correlation between liver enhancement on hepatobiliary phase and liver function parameters in a multicenter, multivendor study. Methods A total of 359 patients who underwent gadoxetic acid–enhanced MRI using a standardized protocol with various scanners within a prospective multicenter phase II trial (SORAMIC) were evaluated. The correlation between liver enhancement on hepatobiliary phase normalized to the spleen (liver-to-spleen ratio, LSR) and biochemical laboratory parameters, clinical findings related to liver functions, liver function grading systems (Child-Pugh and Albumin-Bilirubin [ALBI]), and scanner characteristics were analyzed using uni- and multivariate analyses. Results There was a significant positive correlation between LSR and albumin (rho = 0.193; p < 0.001), platelet counts (rho = 0.148; p = 0.004), and sodium (rho = 0.161; p = 0.002); and a negative correlation between LSR and total bilirubin (rho = −0.215; p < 0.001) and AST (rho = −0.191; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis confirmed independent significance for each of albumin (p = 0.022), total bilirubin (p = 0.045), AST (p = 0.031), platelet counts (p = 0.012), and sodium (p = 0.006). The presence of ascites (1.47 vs. 1.69, p < 0.001) and varices (1.55 vs. 1.69, p = 0.006) was related to significantly lower LSR. Similarly, patients with ALBI grade 1 had significantly higher LSR than patients with grade 2 (1.74 ± 0.447 vs. 1.56 ± 0.408, p < 0.001); and Child-Pugh A patients had a significantly higher LSR than Child-Pugh B (1.67 ± 0.44 vs. 1.49 ± 0.33, p = 0.021). Also, LSR was negatively correlated with MELD-Na scores (rho = −0.137; p = 0.013). However, one scanner brand was significantly associated with lower LSR (p < 0.001). Conclusions The liver enhancement on the hepatobiliary phase of gadoxetic acid–enhanced MRI is correlated with biomarkers of liver functions in a multicenter cohort. However, this correlation shows variations between scanner brands. Key Points • The correlation between liver enhancement on the hepatobiliary phase of gadoxetic acid–enhanced MRI and liver function is consistent in a multicenter-multivendor cohort. • Signal intensity–based indices (liver-to-spleen ratio) can be used as an imaging biomarker of liver function. • However, absolute values might change between vendors.

The aim of this study is to describe characteristics and hospital course of children admitted with COVID-19 to a tertiary care pediatric center in Southeastern United States, and to present the frequency of three classes of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and develop pediatric COVID-19 associated hyperinflammation score (PcHIS). A retrospective cohort study of 68 children was performed. Critical illness was defined as any child requiring respiratory or cardiovascular support or renal replacement therapy. PcHIS was developed by using six variables: fever, hematological dysfunction, coagulopathy, hepatic injury, macrophage activation, and cytokinemia. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria were used to identify MIS-C, and three classes of MIS-C were identified based on the findings of recently published latent class analysis (Class 1: MIS-C without Kawasaki like disease, Class 2: MIS-C with respiratory disease, and Class 3: MIS-C with Kawasaki like disease). The median age was 6.4 years. Fever, respiratory, and gastrointestinal were common presenting symptoms. MIS-C was present in 32 (47%), critical COVID-19 illness in 11 (16%), and 17 (25%) were admitted to the PICU. Children with critical illness were adolescents with elevated body mass index and premorbid conditions. PcHIS score of 3 had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 77% for predicting critical COVID-19 illness. Among MIS-C patients, 15 (47%) were in Class 1, 8 (25%) were in Class 2, and 9 (28%) were in Class 3. We conclude that most children with COVID-19 have mild-to-moderate illness. Critical COVID-19 is mainly seen in obese adolescents with premorbid conditions. Three Classes of MIS-C are identifiable based on clinical features. Validation and clinical implication of inflammation score in pediatric COVID-19 need further investigation.