Assessment of treatment response in patients (pts) with leptomeningeal metastases (LM) represents a significant challenge and standardized criteria are needed. In 2017, the RANO LM Working Group proposed a standardized scorecard to evaluate MRI findings (further simplified in 2019). Here, we aim to validate the prognostic impact of response to treatment assessed using this tool in a multicentric cohort of breast cancer (BC) pts. Pts with BC‐related LM diagnosed at two institutions between 2005 and 2018 were identified. Baseline and follow‐up MRI scans were centrally reviewed and response assessment was evaluated using 2019 revised RANO LM criteria. A total of 142 pts with BC‐related LM and available baseline brain MRI imaging were identified; 60 of them had at least one follow‐up MRI. In this subgroup, median overall survival (OS) was 15.2 months (95%CI 9.5‐21.0). At first re‐evaluation, radiological response by RANO criteria was: complete response (CR) in 2 pts (3%), partial response (PR) in 12 (20%), stable disease (SD) in 33 (55%) and progression of disease (PD) in 13 (22%). Median OS was 31.1 months (HR 0.10, 95%CI 0.01‐0.78) in pts with CR, 16.1 months (HR 0.41, 95%CI 0.17‐0.97) in pts with PR, 17.9 months (HR 0.45, 95%CI 0.22‐0.91) in pts with SD and 9.5 months in pts with PD (P = .029). A second blinded evaluation showed a moderate interobserver agreement (K = 0.562). Radiological response according to 2019 RANO criteria is significantly associated with OS in pts with BC‐related LM, thus supporting the use of this evaluation tool both in trials and clinical practice.

The persistent left-sided superior vena cava (PLS-SVC) is the most frequent congenital anomaly of the mediastinal veins system. The concomitant agenesis of the right-sided superior vena cava (RS-SVC) is much less frequent. This variant is often discovered incidentally and could be mistaken for other findings or complicated intravascular accesses. A 29-year-old Caucasian woman presented with a decompensated autoimmune cirrhosis and hyperbilirubinemia. After a successful liver transplantation, a central venous catheter (CVC) was placed through the right jugular and a chest X-ray examination demonstrated its position into the left subclavian vein. After some days, it has been replaced by another CVC positioned from the left jugular vein. Using ultrasonography during the positioning maneuvers, we observed the metallic guide of the CVC in what seemed to be the dilated coronary sinus (CS). Subsequent chest X-ray examination demonstrated the catheter's tip in the left paramediastinal position. In order to confirm the catheter's exact position, we chose to inject contrast medium through the CVC under fluoroscopic guidance; the examination confirmed the presence of a PLS-SVC. These findings were also visible in a computed tomography (CT) examination previously performed in another hospital, which demonstrated the agenesis of the RS-SVC as well. We demonstrated a rare case of young patient with a PLS-SVC and agenesis of RS-SVC who underwent major surgery (liver transplantation) without any intra-or post-operative complications, even if advanced venous accesses with high flow catheters were used.