No abstract

It is not clear whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is useful for the assessment of pleural diseases. The aim of this study is to determine whether diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) can differentiate malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) from pleural dissemination of lung cancer, empyema or pleural effusion. The DWI was calibrated with the b value of 0 and 800 s/mm2. There were 11 MPMs (8 epithelioid and 3 biphasic), 10 pleural disseminations of lung cancer, 10 empyemas, and 12 pleural effusions. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the pleural diseases was 1.22 ± 0.25 × 10−3 mm2/s in the MPMs, 1.31 ± 0.49 × 10−3 mm2/s in the pleural disseminations, 2.01 ± 0.45 × 10−3 mm2/s in the empyemas and 3.76 ± 0.62 × 10−3 mm2/s in the pleural effusions. The ADC of the MPMs and the pleural disseminations were significantly lower than the ADC of the empyemas and the pleural effusions. Concerning the diffusion pattern of DWI, all 11 MPMs showed strong continuous diffusion, 9 of 10 pleural disseminations showed strong scattered diffusion and 1 pleural dissemination showed strong continuous diffusion, all 10 empyemas showed weak continuous diffusion, and all 12 pleural effusions showed no decreased diffusion. DWI can evaluate pleural diseases morphologically and qualitatively, and thus differentiate between malignant and benign pleural diseases.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the combination assessment of DWI and T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) improves the diagnostic ability for differential diagnosis of lung cancer from benign pulmonary nodules and masses (BPNMs). The optimal cut-off value (OCV) for differential diagnosis was set at 1.470 × 10−3 mm2/s for apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and at 2.45 for T2 contrast ratio (T2 CR). The ADC (1.24 ± 0.29 × 10−3 mm2/s) of lung cancer was significantly lower than that (1.69 ± 0.58 × 10−3 mm2/s) of BPNM. The T2 CR (2.01 ± 0.52) of lung cancer was significantly lower than that (2.74 ± 1.02) of BPNM. As using the OCV for ADC, the sensitivity was 83.9% (220/262), the specificity 63.4% (33/52), and the accuracy 80.6% (253/314). As using the OCV for T2 CR, the sensitivity was 89.7% (235/262), the specificity 61.5% (32/52), and the accuracy 85.0% (267/314). In 212 PNMs which were judged to be malignant by both DWI and T2WI, 203 PNMs (95.8%) were lung cancers. In 33 PNMs which were judged to be benign by both DWI and T2WI, 23 PNMs (69.7%) were BPNMs. The combined assessment of DWI and T2WI could judge PNMs more precisely and would be acceptable for differential diagnosis of PNMs.

Background The risk factors for postoperative complications after pulmonary resection in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not been elucidated. Methods Clinical data of 956 patients with NSCLC were analyzed. Patient factors such as sex, age, comorbidities, smoking history, respiratory function, and the lobe involved in lung cancer and operative factors such as operative approach and operative procedures were collected and analyzed. Results Male sex (odds ratio [OR]: 1.73, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09–2.75, p = 0.01), coexistence of asthma (OR 2.68, 95% CI 1.19–6.02, p = 0.01), low percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.02–1.95, p = 0.03), and lobectomy or greater resection (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.66–3.68, p < 0.01) were identified as significant risk factors for postoperative complications. Male sex (OR 1.98; 95% CI 1.03–3.81, p = 0.03) and complete video-assisted thoracic surgery and robot-assisted thoracic surgery (OR 1.64; 95% CI 1.09–2.45; p = 0.01) were identified as significant risk factors for postoperative air leakage. Coexistence of asthma (OR 9.97; 95% CI 3.66–27.38; p < 0.01) was identified as a significant risk factor for postoperative atelectasis or pneumonia. Lobectomy or greater resection (OR 19.71; 95% CI 2.70–143.57; p < 0.01) was identified as a significant risk factor for postoperative arrhythmia. Conclusion Male sex, coexistence of asthma, low percentage of FEV1, and operative procedure were significant risk factors for postoperative complications. Furthermore, risk factors varied according to postoperative complications.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) has been reported to be useful for the assessment of lung cancer staging. It is uncertain whether DWI is more accurate for the response evaluation of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy compared to computed tomography (CT). The purpose of this study is to compare the response evaluation of DWI for chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy to recurrent tumors of lung cancer with that of CT which is a standard tool in RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours). Forty-one patients who agreed to this project and had CT scan and DWI examinations within a month of each other every six months for at least 2 years after pulmonary resection of primary lung cancer were enrolled in this study. Of the patients, 24 patients had metastases or recurrences, and CT and DWI were performed for assessment of the response evaluation of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy to recurrent lesions. They were followed up for at least two years after the relapse. The response evaluation by CT using RECIST were PR in five patients, SD in two, and PD in the remaining 17 patients. On the other hand, the response evaluation by DWI were CR in four patients, PR in two patients, SD in one, and PD in the remaining 17 patients. Follow-up studies revealed the response evaluation by DWI were correct. Functional evaluation of DWI is better than that of CT for the response evaluation of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy to recurrent tumors of lung cancer.

HighlightsThere are little reports of Mullerian cyst in posterior mediastinum.Most of them are diagnosed followed by surgery.Immunohistochemical examination is warranted to avoid misdiagnosis of cyst in posterior mediastinum.

Background The potential complications of pulmonary sequestration are serious and may include recurrent pulmonary infection, hemoptysis, and tumorigenesis. Therefore, the gold standard of treatment has been surgery. Although an adequate boundary between the nonfunctional lung and normal lung is required for the resection of pulmonary sequestration, the boundaries have been conventionally identified intraoperatively with inflation/deflation of the target segment by clamping and unclamping the relevant bronchus. The technique of visualizing the demarcation line based on near-infrared fluorescence imaging with indocyanine green was recently developed. Case presentation A 42-year-old Japanese woman with right Pryce III intralobar sequestration was admitted to our hospital. We planned video-assisted thoracoscopic wedge resection of the right sequestration using near-infrared fluorescence imaging with indocyanine green because of the small volume of the nonfunctional region. The aberrant artery was recognized in the pulmonary ligament; the artery was cut off after ligation. Indocyanine green at 5 mg/body was rapidly injected into the peripheral vein, and the boundary of the sequestration was clearly identified under near-infrared fluorescence imaging. Conclusion Near-infrared fluorescence imaging with indocyanine green is safe and useful for the identification of the boundary of a pulmonary sequestration.

For detecting malignant tumors, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) as well as fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) are available. It is not definitive how DWI correlates the pathological findings of lung cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationships between DWI findings and pathologic findings. In this study, 226 patients with resected lung cancers were enrolled. DWI was performed on each patient before surgery. There were 167 patients with adenocarcinoma, 44 patients with squamous cell carcinoma, and 15 patients with other cell types. Relationships between the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of DWI and the pathology were analyzed. When the optimal cutoff value (OCV) of ADC for diagnosing malignancy was 1.70 × 10−3 mm2/s, the sensitivity of DWI was 92.0% (208/226). The sensitivity was 33.3% (3/9) in mucinous adenocarcinoma. The ADC value (1.31 ± 0.32 × 10−3 mm2/s) of adenocarcinoma was significantly higher than that (1.17 ± 0.29 × 10−3 mm2/s) of squamous cell carcinoma (p = 0.012), or (0.93 ± 0.14 × 10−3 mm2/s) of small cell carcinoma (p = 0.0095). The ADC value (1.91 ± 0.36 × 10−3 mm2/s) of mucinous adenocarcinoma was significantly higher than that (1.25 ± 0.25 × 10−3 mm2/s) of adenocarcinoma with mucin and that (1.24 ± 0.30 × 10−3 mm2/s) of other cell types. The ADC (1.11 ± 0.26 × 10−3 mm2/s) of lung cancer with necrosis was significantly lower than that (1.32 ± 0.33 × 10−3 mm2/s) of lung cancer without necrosis. The ADC of mucinous adenocarcinoma was significantly higher than those of adenocarcinoma of other cell types. The ADC of lung cancer was likely to decrease according to cell differentiation decreasing. The sensitivity of DWI for lung cancer was 92% and this result shows that DWI is valuable for the evaluation of lung cancer. Lung cancer could be evaluated qualitatively using DWI.