AIM: To establish an ultrasonographic classification based on a large sample of patients with confirmed hepatic alveolar echinococcosis(AE).METHODS: Clinical data and ultrasonography(US) findings of 185 patients(100 m...AIM: To establish an ultrasonographic classification based on a large sample of patients with confirmed hepatic alveolar echinococcosis(AE).METHODS: Clinical data and ultrasonography(US) findings of 185 patients(100 males; 85 females; mean age at diagnosis: 51.4 ± 17.6 years; mean age at time of US examination: 58.7 ± 18.2 years) were retrospectively reviewed with respect to the US morphology of hepatic AE lesions. The sonomorphological findings were grouped according to a five-part classification scheme.RESULTS: Application of the new classification resulted in the following distribution of sonomorphological patterns among the patients examined: hailstorm(54.1%); pseudocystic(13.5%); ossification(13.0%); hemangioma-like(8.1%); and metastasis-like(6.5%). Only 4.9% of lesions could not be assigned to a sonomorphological pattern.CONCLUSION: The sonomorphological classification proposed in the present study facilitates the diagnosis,interpretation and comparison of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis in routine practice and in the context of scientific studies.展开更多
AIM: To establish a computed tomography (CT)-morphological classification for hepatic alveolar echinococcosis was the aim of the study.METHODS: The CT morphology of hepatic lesions in 228 patients with confirmed alveo...AIM: To establish a computed tomography (CT)-morphological classification for hepatic alveolar echinococcosis was the aim of the study.METHODS: The CT morphology of hepatic lesions in 228 patients with confirmed alveolar echinococcosis (AE) drawn from the Echinococcus Databank of the University Hospital of Ulm was reviewed retrospectively. For this reason, CT datasets of combined positron emission tomography (PET)-CT examinations were evaluated. The diagnosis of AE was made in patients with unequivocal seropositivity; positive histological findings following diagnostic puncture or partial resection of the liver; and/or findings typical for AE at either ultrasonography, CT, magnetic resonance imaging or PET-CT. The CT-morphological findings were grouped into the new classification scheme.RESULTS: Within the classification a lesion was dedicated to one out of five “primary morphologies” as well as to one out of six “patterns of calcification”. “primary morphology” and “pattern of calcification” are primarily focussed on separately from each other and combined, whereas the “primary morphology” V is not further characterized by a “pattern of calcification”. Based on the five primary morphologies, further descriptive sub-criteria were appended to types I-III. An analysis of the calcification pattern in relation to the primary morphology revealed the exclusive association of the central calcification with type IV primary morphology. Similarly, certain calcification patterns exhibited a clear predominance for other primary morphologies, which underscores the delimitation of the individual primary morphological types from each other. These relationships in terms of calcification patterns extend into the primary morphological sub-criteria, demonstrating the clear subordination of those criteria.CONCLUSION: The proposed CT-morphological classification (EMUC-CT) is intended to facilitate the recognition and interpretation of lesions in hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. This could help to interpret different clinical courses better and shall assist in the context of scientific studies to improve the comparability of CT findings.展开更多
AIM: To investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and selection of the study population for cholecystolithiasis in an urban population in Germany, in relation to our own findings and to the results in the internation...AIM: To investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and selection of the study population for cholecystolithiasis in an urban population in Germany, in relation to our own findings and to the results in the international literature. METHODS: A total of 2 147 persons (1 111 females, age 42.8 + 12.7 years; 1 036 males, age 42.3 + 13.1 years) participating in an investigation on the prevalence of Echinococcus rnultilocularis were studied for risk factors and prevalence of gallbladder stone disease. Risk factors were assessed by means of a standardized interview and calculation of body mass index (BMI). A diagnostic ultrasound examination of the gallbladder was performed. Data were analyzed by multiple logistic regression, using the SAS statistical software package. RESULTS: Gallbladder stones were detected in 171 study participants (8.0%, n = 2 147). Risk factors for the development of gallbladder stone disease included age, sex, BMI, and positive family history. In a separate analysis of female study participants, pregnancy (yes/no) and number of pregnancies did not exert any influence. CONCLUSION: Findings of the present study confirm that age, female sex, BMI, and positive family history are risk factors for the development of gallbladder stone disease. Pregnancy and the number of pregnancies, however, could not be shown to be risk factors. There seem to be no differences in the respective prevalence for gallbladder stone disease in urban and rural populations.展开更多
文摘AIM: To establish an ultrasonographic classification based on a large sample of patients with confirmed hepatic alveolar echinococcosis(AE).METHODS: Clinical data and ultrasonography(US) findings of 185 patients(100 males; 85 females; mean age at diagnosis: 51.4 ± 17.6 years; mean age at time of US examination: 58.7 ± 18.2 years) were retrospectively reviewed with respect to the US morphology of hepatic AE lesions. The sonomorphological findings were grouped according to a five-part classification scheme.RESULTS: Application of the new classification resulted in the following distribution of sonomorphological patterns among the patients examined: hailstorm(54.1%); pseudocystic(13.5%); ossification(13.0%); hemangioma-like(8.1%); and metastasis-like(6.5%). Only 4.9% of lesions could not be assigned to a sonomorphological pattern.CONCLUSION: The sonomorphological classification proposed in the present study facilitates the diagnosis,interpretation and comparison of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis in routine practice and in the context of scientific studies.
文摘AIM: To establish a computed tomography (CT)-morphological classification for hepatic alveolar echinococcosis was the aim of the study.METHODS: The CT morphology of hepatic lesions in 228 patients with confirmed alveolar echinococcosis (AE) drawn from the Echinococcus Databank of the University Hospital of Ulm was reviewed retrospectively. For this reason, CT datasets of combined positron emission tomography (PET)-CT examinations were evaluated. The diagnosis of AE was made in patients with unequivocal seropositivity; positive histological findings following diagnostic puncture or partial resection of the liver; and/or findings typical for AE at either ultrasonography, CT, magnetic resonance imaging or PET-CT. The CT-morphological findings were grouped into the new classification scheme.RESULTS: Within the classification a lesion was dedicated to one out of five “primary morphologies” as well as to one out of six “patterns of calcification”. “primary morphology” and “pattern of calcification” are primarily focussed on separately from each other and combined, whereas the “primary morphology” V is not further characterized by a “pattern of calcification”. Based on the five primary morphologies, further descriptive sub-criteria were appended to types I-III. An analysis of the calcification pattern in relation to the primary morphology revealed the exclusive association of the central calcification with type IV primary morphology. Similarly, certain calcification patterns exhibited a clear predominance for other primary morphologies, which underscores the delimitation of the individual primary morphological types from each other. These relationships in terms of calcification patterns extend into the primary morphological sub-criteria, demonstrating the clear subordination of those criteria.CONCLUSION: The proposed CT-morphological classification (EMUC-CT) is intended to facilitate the recognition and interpretation of lesions in hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. This could help to interpret different clinical courses better and shall assist in the context of scientific studies to improve the comparability of CT findings.
文摘AIM: To investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and selection of the study population for cholecystolithiasis in an urban population in Germany, in relation to our own findings and to the results in the international literature. METHODS: A total of 2 147 persons (1 111 females, age 42.8 + 12.7 years; 1 036 males, age 42.3 + 13.1 years) participating in an investigation on the prevalence of Echinococcus rnultilocularis were studied for risk factors and prevalence of gallbladder stone disease. Risk factors were assessed by means of a standardized interview and calculation of body mass index (BMI). A diagnostic ultrasound examination of the gallbladder was performed. Data were analyzed by multiple logistic regression, using the SAS statistical software package. RESULTS: Gallbladder stones were detected in 171 study participants (8.0%, n = 2 147). Risk factors for the development of gallbladder stone disease included age, sex, BMI, and positive family history. In a separate analysis of female study participants, pregnancy (yes/no) and number of pregnancies did not exert any influence. CONCLUSION: Findings of the present study confirm that age, female sex, BMI, and positive family history are risk factors for the development of gallbladder stone disease. Pregnancy and the number of pregnancies, however, could not be shown to be risk factors. There seem to be no differences in the respective prevalence for gallbladder stone disease in urban and rural populations.