Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy rate of liver stiffness calculated by shear wave elastography with liver biopsy results in obese and overweight children. Materials and Methods: Obese and overweight children between 3 and 18 years of age, who had hepatic steatosis and a healthy control group were included in this study. A blood sample was obtained for laboratory tests and shear wave elastography was performed for all subjects. Liver biopsies were performed only in patients with hepatosteatosis, providing permission for biopsy, and for whom the biopsy procedure was not contraindicated. Results: A cohort of 142 children (78 overweight/obese and 64 healthy) was included in this study. Shear wave elastography values were significantly higher in the patient group as com- pared to the control group (34.0 vs. 8.2 kPa; P < .001). Obese children had higher elastog- raphy values compared to non-obese children (50.2 vs. 23.7 kPa, P < .001). No correlation was detected between fibrosis score and elastography values. Elastography increased with increasing weight (correlation coefficient: 0.334, P = .003) and body mass index (correlation coefficient: 0.364, P = .001). Conclusion: In obese and overweight patients, elastography values are higher than in healthy subjects as well as patients with liver fibrosis. Disease-specific cut-off, mean, and normal ref- erence range values should be defined with large-scale studies to improve interpretation of elastography values. Our results are contradictory in the determination of liver fibrosis with shear wave elastography in obese and overweight patients, thus further research with a larger patient population is recommended. Cite this article as: Gülcü Taşkın D, Kayadibi Y, Baş A, et al. Accuracy rate of shear wave elastography in detecting the liver fibrosis in overweight and obese children with hepatosteatosis. Turk Arch Pediatr. 2023;58(4):436-441.
Thoracic endovascular repair is considered the first-line treatment in complicated acute type B dissection. Central venous catheters provide valuable vascular access during endovascular treatments. However, central venous catheters are not without complications. Herein, we report a case of central venous catheter insertion into the false lumen of a complicated acute type B aortic dissection by direct aortic puncture. The tip of the central venous catheter was in the false lumen. The central venous catheter was left in place initially and was removed after graft stent deployment. This case illustrates the importance of image guidance during central venous catheter insertion, which may further complicate an already complicated aortic dissection case.
Objectives: Investigate long-term effects of repeated transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) on portal venous pressure (PVP) using non-invasive surrogate markers of portal hypertension.Methods: Retrospective, Institutional Review Board-approved study. 99 patients [hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) group (n=57); liver metastasis group (n=42)] who underwent 279TACEs and had longitudinal pre-/post-therapy contrast-enhanced-MRI (n=388) and complete blood work were included. Outcomes of interest were platelet count (PC), spleen volume, ascites and portosystemic collaterals. Variables included TACE type/number, tumor type, microcatheter location, Child-Pugh, baseline tumor burden (tumor number/total/largest size), vessel invasion, alpha-fetoprotein, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score. Generalized Estimating Equations assessed the associations between TACE and outcomes. Power analysis determined the sample size was sufficient.Results: No significant change in PC over time was observed in either groups, regardless of liver function (P>0.05). Baseline spleen volume was 226 cm3 for metastatic group, and was larger by 204 cm3 for HCC group (P<0.001). Spleen volume increased by 20 cm3 (95%CI: 8-32; P=0.001) for both groups after 1stTACE and by 16cm3/TACE (P=0.099) over the full follow-up (up to 9TACEs). Spleen volume also tended to increase by 23cm3 (95%CI: -1–48; P=0.064) with higher tumor burden. Odds of developing moderate/severe ascites for metastatic patients was decreased by 0.5 (95%CI: 0.3–0.9; P=0.014), regardless of the Child-Pugh, and increased by 1.5 (95%CI: 1.2–1.9; P<0.001) among HCC patients with unstable Child-Pugh, whereas no change was noted with stable Child-Pugh. HCC patients with unstable Child-Pugh demonstrated a significant increase in portosystemic collaterals number over time (P=0.008). PVP-related complications such as variceal bleeding post-TACE were low (0.4%).Conclusion: Repeated TACEs did seem to have an impact on PVP. However, the increase in PVP had marginal effects with low portal hypertension-related complications.
Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the conventional and diffusion MRI findings of ring-shaped lateral ventricular nodules (RSLVN) along with clinical features. Methods: MR images of all patients who underwent contrast-enhanced brain MRI between 2019 and 2023 were retrospectively evaluated. The number, shape, maximal diameter, and signal intensity of RSLVNs on T1-weighted (T1W), T2-weighted (T2W), fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and contrast-enhancement status were evaluated. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and normalized ADC ratios of nodules were also determined. If follow-up MRIs were performed, morphological changes of RSLVNs were evaluated. Results: RSLVN was observed in fifteen (0.51%) of 2920 patients. Multiple RSLVNs were observed in five patients and therefore a total of 23 RSLVNs were identified in fifteen patients. Nodules were located on the roof of the lateral ventricle in eight nodules (34.8%), in the frontal horn in twelve nodules (52.2%), and in the septum pellucidum in three. 6 of 23 RSLVNs (26.1%) were larger than 1 cm. All RSLVNs were isointense on T1W and T2W, while hyperintense on FLAIR. On DWI, 20 of 23 RSLVNs had isointense signal and the remaining 3 lesions were hyperintense. The mean ADC value and nADC ratio were 1.42 ± 0.29 x 10-3mm2 and 1.87 ± 0.31, respectively. Conclusion: RSLVNs may be more frequent than previously reported. Their uniform MRI appearance and typical localizations are distinctive, and they can reach relatively large sizes. Morphological stability during follow-up and the ADC values of these lesions suggest a possible benign nature.