Background: In bile duct strictures, examination of wall layers by intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS) performed during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) may be diagnostically useful. Methods: In the present study 60 patients with bile duct strictures of unknown aetiology were examined preoperatively by ERCP, including transpapillary biopsies and IDUS. Histopathological correlation was available for all patients undergoing these procedures. Results: Postoperative diagnosis revealed 30 pancreatic carcinomas, 17 bile duct cancers, three gall bladder cancers, and 10 benign bile duct strictures. Using endoscopic transpapillary forceps biopsies (ETP), a correct preoperative diagnosis was achieved in 36 of 60 patients (60% of cases). Among the 50 malignant tumours, preoperative diagnosis by ETP revealed a sensitivity of 52% and a specificity of 100%. ERCP supplemented by IDUS allowed for correct preoperative diagnosis in 83% of cases (50 of 60 patients), which was significantly higher than the accuracy of ETP (p=0.008). By combining ETP with IDUS, a correct preoperative diagnosis was made in 59 of 60 patients resulting in an accuracy rate of 98%. Conclusions: Because of its low accuracy, exclusive use of ETP is not a reliable diagnostic tool for a definitive preoperative diagnosis of bile duct strictures. By combining IDUS and ETP with ERCP however, preoperative diagnostic accuracy can be improved substantially.

Cortical necrosis is a rare complication of renal transplants, which requires urgent diagnosis and management to avoid unnecessary immunosuppression. Seven renal transplants with suspected cortical necrosis were evaluated by Doppler-US, 99mTc-DTPA-perfusion study and Gd-DTPA-enhanced dynamic MRI. In four transplants, cortical necrosis was confirmed by angiography and histology. In diagnosing cortical necrosis with preserved medullary perfusion (n = 2) dynamic MRI was superior to the other modalities. Totally necrotic renal transplants (n = 2) were reliably diagnosed by all imaging methods.

Intraoperative radiation techniques allow an additional local dose in areas at high-risk for local failure. With brachytherapy techniques, perioperative radiation can be fractionated. Fractionated treatment might offer an interesting alternative to a single dose, both to increase the therapeutic ratio and to protect late reacting tissues at risk. The dose distribution for brachytherapy applicators can be optimized using spacer materials. In this prospective study a new tissue equivalent bendy applicator (TEBA) that can remain in situ for several days is introduced, and the feasibility of fractionated perioperative high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is examined. 31 patients with different tumours (soft tissue sarcoma, Ewings sarcoma, rectal cancer, and locally infiltrating diseases) were treated. The TEBA was applied, depending on resection status and intraoperative findings. Planning was based on digitized radiographs and CT scans. Perioperative HDR brachytherapy was performed using an individual treatment schedule. In 29 patients perioperative radiation was given and in 26 cases fractionated brachytherapy application was possible. TEBA application time varied from 1 day to 11 days. During this time between 1 and 8 fractions were given with total doses from 10 Gy to 25 Gy. Fractionated perioperative brachytherapy with this technique is feasible and adequate. Further studies will show whether fractionated perioperative treatment using the TEBA technique fulfils its theoretical advantages over single dose intraoperative radiotherapy by decreased late toxicity and increased local tumour control.