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To assess the effects of preoperative hemoglobin levels on treatment response to Y90 radioembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma Materials and Methods: Patients undergoing Y90 therapy for HCC at a single institution between September 2018 and MONTH 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Data were collected from the EMR. Hemoglobin levels immediately prior to Y90 were recorded as well as treatment location, radiation dose/volume (Gray/cc). Follow-up imaging reports were reviewed for tumor response as per modified RECIST criteria. Patients were then stratified into cohorts: 1 group less than the 50th percentile hemoglobin for the cohort and 1 group more than the 50th percentile hemoglobin for the cohort. These two groups were then subdivided into positive response to therapy (partial response or complete response) or nonpositive response to therapy (stable disease or progression of disease). Chi-square test was performed to assess the statistical significance between treatment response and hemoglobin levels. Results: 161 total patients (mean age, 66 years; 101 men) received Y90 therapy for HCC. The 50th percentile hemoglobin value was calculated at 12.5. 85 patients (mean age, 65 years; 42 men) had a hemoglobin less than this and 76 patients (mean age, 67 years; 59 men) had a hemoglobin more than the 50th percentile value. The bottom 50th percentile ("anemic") cohort had a mean hgb level of 10.6 g/dL; and the top 50th percentile ("non-anemic") cohort of 14.2 g/dL. There was no significant difference in size of tumor treated between the two groups (3.4 cm vs. 2.4 cm, P ¼ 0.166). There was no significant difference in standardized radiation dose (Gray/cc) administered between the two cohorts (P ¼ 0.24). Chi-square analysis showed no significant difference in treatment response between anemic and non-anemic groups (P ¼ 0.24). Conclusions: Anemic patients did not show a poorer tumor response to Y90 radioembolization as compared to non-anemic patients despite the fact that beta-particle induced damage and reactive oxygen species production play a role in the mechanism of tumor death.

The incidence of neurocysticercosis is increasing in the US. The diagnosis is primarily made based on imaging findings, with clinical presentation and epidemiological exposure also playing a role. The differential diagnosis for neurocysticercosis (NCC) is extensive, and being able to differentiate between these conditions on imaging is crucial to making a proper diagnosis. Herein we present a case of a 37-year-old female who presented with lower extremity weakness and was found to have isolated spinal NCC. In this article, we will discuss the symptoms and imaging findings of neurocysticercosis to help guide diagnosis and management.

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Pudendal neuralgia is a common cause of chronic pelvic pain, especially in females. This is caused by pudendal nerve entrapment and can be a severely disabling neuropathic pain syndrome. It is currently a clinical diagnosis and most of the time a diagnosis of exclusion without definitive imaging criteria. We retrospectively compared DESS with the routine T2, T1 and DWI described in literature for the evaluation of pudendal nerves in patients with unresolved pelvic pain. Our study showed that DESS is effective and better than T2 and DWI combined sequences for diagnosing pudendal neuropathy.