Large A(z) values for elasticity (>0.990 for scores > or = F2, > or = F3, and F4) show that MR elastography was accurate in liver fibrosis staging and superior to biochemical testing with APRIs.

Hepatic flow parameters measured with MR imaging correlate with the severity of cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Doppler US parameters are only weakly correlated with portal pressure.

Radiofrequency coagulation by laparoscopy or laparotomy results in superior local control, independent of tumor size. The percutaneous route should mainly be reserved for patients who cannot tolerate a laparoscopy or laparotomy. The short-term benefits of less invasiveness for the percutaneous route do not outweigh the longer-term higher risk of local recurrence.

Prognosis of hematologic malignancies does not predict intensive care unit or hospital mortality and almost reaches significance for 6-mo mortality (53%, 71%, and 84% rate for patients with good, intermediate, and poor prognosis, respectively, p =.058), but it determines long-term survival (p =.008). Intensive care unit, hospital, and 6-mo overall mortality rates were 38%, 61%, and 75%, respectively. Using multivariate analysis, intensive care unit mortality was best predicted on admission by respiratory failure and fungal infection, whereas hospital mortality was predicted by the number of organ failures, the bone marrow transplant status, and the presence of fungal infection. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II and the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II had no prognostic value, whereas the difference of the Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score between at the time of admission and at day 5 allowed quick prediction of hospital mortality. Diseases with the poorest 6-mo prognosis were acute myeloid leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. CONCLUSION The severity of the underlying hematologic malignancies does not influence intensive care unit or hospital mortality. Short-term prognosis is exclusively predicted by acute organ dysfunctions and by a pathogen's aggressiveness. Therefore, reluctance to admit patients with nonterminal hematologic malignancies to the intensive care unit based only on the prognosis of their underlying hematologic malignancy does not seem justified.

Background: A recent proposal of a randomized trial comparing resection and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in a selected subgroup of patients with small resectable colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) has initiated a debate on this issue. Meanwhile, new data have been published. The aim of the study was to update and critically review the oncological evidence in favor of and against the use of RFA for resectable CRLM in general and in favor of and against conducting a randomized trial in a selected subgroup of patients. Methods: An exhaustive review was carried out of papers and abstracts on RFA of colorectal metastases published before July 15, 2008. Results: Local recurrence rate after resection of CRLM is 1.2–10.4%. Local recurrence rate after RFA of CRLM is between 1.7 and 66.7%. For tumors <3 cm, local control after open RFA is equivalent to resection. Local recurrence rates, however, are higher for larger tumors and for the percutaneous and laparoscopic route. Accumulating evidence suggests that RFA and resection induce profoundly different biological effects, which may influence survival. Conclusions: Local recurrence rate after open RFA for CRLM <3 cm seems to be equivalent to resection. A randomized trial under strict conditions would be justified in this subgroup of patients. A randomized trial is currently not justified for larger tumors or for percutaneous or laparoscopic RFA, since local recurrence rates in these groups are too high to be acceptable for resectable tumors.

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A significant proportion of the population suffers from tinnitus, a bothersome auditory phantom perception that can severely alter the quality of life. Numerous experimental studies suggests that a maladaptive plasticity of the auditory and limbic cortical areas may underlie tinnitus. Accordingly, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been repeatedly used with success to reduce tinnitus intensity. The potential of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), another promising method of noninvasive brain stimulation, to relieve tinnitus has not been explored systematically. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled and balanced order design, 20 patients suffering from chronic untreatable tinnitus were submitted to 20 minutes of 1 mA anodal, cathodal and sham tDCS targeting the left temporoparietal area. The primary outcome measure was a change in tinnitus intensity or discomfort assessed with a Visual Analogic Scale (VAS) change-scale immediately after tDCS and 1 hour later. Compared to sham tDCS, anodal tDCS significantly reduced tinnitus intensity immediately after stimulation; whereas cathodal tDCS failed to do so. The variances of the tinnitus intensity and discomfort VAS change-scales increased dramatically after anodal and cathodal tDCS, whereas they remained virtually unchanged after sham tDCS. Moreover, several patients unexpectedly reported longer-lasting effects (at least several days) such as tinnitus improvement, worsening, or changes in tinnitus features, more frequently after real than sham tDCS. Anodal tDCS is a promising therapeutic tool for modulating tinnitus perception. Moreover, both anodal and cathodal tDCS seem able to alter tinnitus perception and could, thus, be used to trigger plastic changes.

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