BACKGROUND: There are a lack of randomized controlled trial data comparing outcomes of different catheter-based interventions for intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism. METHODS: PEERLESS is a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial that enrolled 550 patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism with right ventricular dilatation and additional clinical risk factors randomized 1:1 to treatment with large-bore mechanical thrombectomy (LBMT) or catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT). The primary end point was a hierarchal win ratio composite of the following (assessed at the sooner of hospital discharge or 7 days after the procedure): (1) all-cause mortality, (2) intracranial hemorrhage, (3) major bleeding, (4) clinical deterioration and/or escalation to bailout, and (5) postprocedural intensive care unit admission and length of stay. Assessments at the 24-hour visit included respiratory rate, modified Medical Research Council dyspnea score, New York Heart Association classification, right ventricle/left ventricle ratio reduction, and right ventricular function. End points through 30 days included total hospital stay, all-cause readmission, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The primary end point occurred significantly less frequently with LBMT compared with CDT (win ratio, 5.01 [95% CI, 3.68–6.97]; P <0.001). There were significantly fewer episodes of clinical deterioration and/or bailout (1.8% versus 5.4%; P =0.04) with LBMT compared with CDT and less postprocedural intensive care unit use ( P 24 hours (19.3% versus 64.5%). There were no significant differences in mortality, intracranial hemorrhage, or major bleeding between strategies or in a secondary win ratio end point including the first 4 components (win ratio, 1.34 [95% CI, 0.78–2.35]; P =0.30). At the 24-hour visit, respiratory rate was lower for patients treated with LBMT (18.3±3.3 versus 20.1±5.1; P <0.001), and fewer had moderate to severe modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scores (13.5% versus 26.4%; P <0.001), New York Heart Association classifications (16.3% versus 27.4%; P =0.002), and right ventricular dysfunction (42.1% versus 57.9%; P =0.004). Right ventricle/left ventricle ratio reduction was similar (0.32±0.24 versus 0.30±0.26; P =0.55). Patients treated with LBMT had shorter total hospital stays (4.5±2.8 overnights versus 5.3±3.9 overnights; P =0.002) and fewer all-cause readmissions (3.2% versus 7.9%; P =0.03), whereas 30-day mortality was similar (0.4% versus 0.8%; P =0.62). CONCLUSIONS: PEERLESS met its primary end point in favor of LBMT compared with CDT in treatment of intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism. LBMT had lower rates of clinical deterioration and/or bailout and postprocedural intensive care unit use compared with CDT, with no difference in mortality or bleeding. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT05111613.

Cryptorchidism, family history, and infertility are risk factors for testicular cancer. Most testicular cancers occur in young men aged 18-35 years, and seminoma is the most common cell type. Testicular tumors are usually diagnosed at ultrasonography (US) and are staged at computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. At US, testicular tumors usually appear as a solid intratesticular mass. Because the differential diagnosis includes infarct and infection, correlation with patient history and symptoms is important. At staging CT or MR imaging, retroperitoneal lymph nodes are considered regional lymph nodes, and the greatest nodal diameter is used to distinguish among N1-N3 disease. The right testicular vein drains into the inferior vena cava, and the left testicular vein drains into the left renal vein. Because of venous and lymphatic drainage pathways, retroperitoneal lymph nodes are the initial landing station for testicular cancers. Enlarged lymph nodes in the supraclavicular region, chest, and pelvis are considered distant metastases. Testicular cancer is initially treated with orchiectomy. The patient may then undergo active surveillance, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or retroperitoneal lymph node resection, depending primarily on the clinical stage. Radiologists play an important role in initial diagnosis, staging, and imaging surveillance of testicular malignancies.

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of yttrium 90 (⁹⁰Y) therapy for unresectable infiltrative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) requires further evaluation.METHODS: A prospective, single‐center safety and feasibility study recruited patients with unresectable (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C) infiltrative HCC with PVT. Safety was assessed according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0. Overall survival (OS) and time to progression (TTP) were measured from the first ⁹⁰Y therapy. Survival analysis was performed with Kaplan‐Meier estimation. Prognostic factors were tested with a log‐rank test and Cox proportional regression analysis.RESULTS: Overall, 45 patients were recruited, and 30 patients who met the study's inclusion criteria underwent glass‐based ⁹⁰Y therapy. Four patients (13%) had transient hepatobiliary toxicity (grade ≥ 2). Ten patients (33%) had related emergency department visits, with 5 patients (17%) requiring short‐term hospitalization. No radiation pneumonitis, gastrointestinal ulceration, or procedure‐related mortality occurred. The median OS was 13 months (95% confidence interval, 4.4‐22 months) with a TTP of 9 months (95% confidence interval, 6.2‐13.1 months). Absence of ascites, an international normalized ratio < 1.2, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0, Child‐Pugh class A, a macroaggregated albumin lung shunt fraction (LSF) < 10%, and no hepatobiliary toxicity were significant predictors of prolonged OS according to a univariate analysis (P < .05). A multivariate analysis found an ECOG performance status of 0, Child‐Pugh class A, an LSF < 10%, and lack of transient hepatobiliary toxicity (grade ≥ 2) to be independent predictors of prolonged OS (P < .05). An ECOG performance status of 0, Child‐Pugh class A, and an LSF < 10% were also predictors of prolonged TTP according to the multivariate analysis (P < .05).CONCLUSIONS: In patients with unresectable infiltrative HCC and PVT, ⁹⁰Y therapy appears to be a safe and viable therapy. Cancer 2015;121:2164–2174. © 2015 American Cancer Society.