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Malignant vascular tumors as part of the vascular anomalies spectrum are extremely rare in children and young adults. Instead, benign vascular neoplasias are frequently encountered in the pediatric patient population. While vascular malformations are congenital vascular lesions, originating from a mesenchymal stem cell defect, vascular tumors are neoplastic transformations of endothelial and other vascular cells. The appropriate differential diagnosis and nomenclature according to the classification of the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA) is decisive to initiate correct therapy. While infantile hemangioma can be routinely diagnosed by clinical means and rarely require therapy, more rare vascular tumors are frequently difficult to diagnose, require dedicated cross-sectional imaging, and benefit from an interdisciplinary treatment approach. The focus of this review is to provide an overview over the spectrum of vascular tumors, typical imaging characteristics, and summarize treatment options including interventional radiology approaches.

Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) has attracted considerable interest for tissue characterization (e.g., iron and calcium accumulation, myelination, venous vasculature) in the human brain and relies on extensive data processing of gradient-echo MRI phase images. While deep learning-based field-to-susceptibility inversion has shown great potential, the acquisition parameters applied in clinical settings such as image resolution or image orientation with respect to the magnetic field have not been fully accounted for. Furthermore, the lack of comprehensive training data covering a wide range of acquisition parameters further limits the current QSM deep learning approaches. Here, we propose the integration of a priori information of imaging parameters into convolutional neural networks with our approach, adaptive convolution, that learns the mapping between the additional presented information (acquisition parameters) and the changes in the phase images associated with these varying acquisition parameters. By associating a-priori information with the network parameters itself, the optimal set of convolution weights is selected based on data-specific attributes, leading to generalizability towards changes in acquisition parameters. Moreover, we demonstrate the feasibility of pre-training on synthetic data and transfer learning to clinical brain data to achieve substantial improvements in the computation of susceptibility maps. The adaptive convolution 3D U-Net demonstrated generalizability in acquisition parameters on synthetic and in-vivo data and outperformed models lacking adaptive convolution or transfer learning. Further experiments demonstrate the impact of the side information on the adaptive model and assessed susceptibility map computation on simulated pathologic data sets and measured phase data.

Monocytes are key players in atherosclerotic. Human monocytes display a considerable heterogeneity and at least three subsets can be distinguished. While the role of monocyte subset heterogeneity has already been well investigated in coronary artery disease (CAD), the knowledge about monocytes and their heterogeneity in peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) still is limited. Therefore, we aimed to investigate monocyte subset heterogeneity in patients with PAOD. Peripheral blood was obtained from 143 patients suffering from PAOD (Rutherford stage I to VI) and three monocyte subsets were identified by flow cytometry: CD14 ++ CD16 − classical monocytes, CD14 + CD16 ++ non-classical monocytes and CD14 ++ CD16 + intermediate monocytes. Additionally the expression of distinct surface markers (CD106, CD162 and myeloperoxidase MPO) was analyzed. Proportions of CD14 ++ CD16 + intermediate monocyte levels were significantly increased in advanced stages of PAOD, while classical and non-classical monocytes displayed no such trend. Moreover, CD162 and MPO expression increased significantly in intermediate monocyte subsets in advanced disease stages. Likewise, increased CD162 and MPO expression was noted in CD14 ++ CD16 − classical monocytes. These data suggest substantial dynamics in monocyte subset distributions and phenotypes in different stages of PAOD, which can either serve as biomarkers or as potential therapeutic targets to decrease the inflammatory burden in advanced stages of atherosclerosis.

In the postnatal period, extensive peripheral arteriovenous malformations (AVM) are associated with high morbidity, especially when localized in the liver. Their urgent treatment is always a challenging problem in neonates and infants. We analyzed four consecutive children aged three days to three years who underwent eight liquid embolization procedures with ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer. The AVM were situated on the thoracic wall, in the liver, and on the lower leg. In three cases, the malformations showed total regression. The tibial AVM degenerated widely. If impaired beforehand, cardiac or hepatic function normalized after the interventions. There were no embolization-associated complications such as nontarget embolization or tissue ischemia. We conclude that application of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer seems to be a safe therapeutic option and can be used in neonates and infants with peripheral AVM in consideration of the agent’s characteristics. Nevertheless, there are still hardly any data concerning young children.

Respiratory failure worsens the outcome of acute pancreatitis (AP) and underlying factors might be early detectable. To evaluate the prevalence and prognostic relevance of early pleuropulmonary pathologies and pre-existing chronic lung diseases (CLD) in AP patients. Multicentre retrospective cohort study. Caudal sections of the thorax derived from abdominal contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) performed in the early phase of AP were assessed. Independent predictors of severe AP were identified by binary logistic regression analysis. A one-year survival analysis using Kaplan-Meier curves and log rank test was performed. 358 patients were analysed, finding pleuropulmonary pathologies in 81%. CECTs were performed with a median of 2 days (IQR 1-3) after admission. Multivariable analysis identified moderate to severe or bilateral pleural effusions (PEs) (OR = 4.16, 95%CI 2.05-8.45, p<0.001) and pre-existing CLD (OR = 2.93, 95%CI 1.17-7.32, p = 0.022) as independent predictors of severe AP. Log rank test showed a significantly worse one-year survival in patients with bilateral compared to unilateral PEs in a subgroup. Increasing awareness of the prognostic impact of large and bilateral PEs and pre-existing CLD could facilitate the identification of patients at high risk for severe AP in the early phase and thus improve their prognosis.

Bleomycin ElectroScleroTherapy (BEST) is a new approach in the treatment of vascular malformations. After bleomycin is administered to the malformation, electric pulses are applied to the target area to enhance the effectiveness of bleomycin. The mode of action is comparable to the effect of electrochemotherapy on tumour vasculature. For the wider and safer use of BEST in the clinical treatment of low-flow vascular malformations, this Current Operating Procedure (COP) is being prepared. It is a proposal for the clinical standardisation of BEST using the Cliniporator as the electrical pulse generator with its associated electrodes. The electrical parameters considered in this protocol are those validated by the European Standard Operating Procedures for Electrochemotherapy (ESOPE) with the Cliniporator . General requirements are proposed, and, depending on the type of lesion, local skills and the availability of radiological equipment, two technical approaches of BEST are described based on ultrasound guided intervention or combined ultrasound and fluoroscopic guided intervention.

Biomedical applications of electroporation are expanding out of the field of oncology into vaccination, treatment of arrhythmias and now in the treatment of vascular malformations. Bleomycin is a widely used sclerosing agent in the treatment of various vascular malformations. The application of electric pulses in addition to bleomycin enhances the effectiveness of the drug, as demonstrated by electrochemotherapy, which utilizes bleomycin in the treatment of tumors. The same principle is used in bleomycin electrosclerotherapy (BEST). The approach seems to be effective in the treatment of low-flow (venous and lymphatic) and, potentially, even high-flow (arteriovenous) malformations. Although there are only a few published reports to date, the surgical community is interested, and an increasing number of centers are applying BEST in the treatment of vascular malformations. Within the International Network for Sharing Practices on Electrochemotherapy (InspECT) consortium, a dedicated working group has been constituted to develop standard operating procedures for BEST and foster clinical trials. By treatment standardization and successful completion of clinical trials demonstrating the effectiveness and safety of the approach, higher quality data and better clinical outcomes may be achieved.

Fahr’s syndrome is a rare, slowly progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by bilateral cerebral calcifications, mostly in the basal ganglia. These cerebral calcifications are composed of calcium and phosphate and are the result of disturbances in calcium‐phosphate homeostasis. The clinical manifestations include neurological, neurocognitive and psychiatric symptoms. This article describes three rare cases of pronounced bilateral cerebral calcifications. All three patients were admitted to the hospital due to a first‐time epileptic seizure. In all three cases, laboratory tests showed significant hypocalcaemia, and cerebral computed tomography showed pronounced bilateral cerebral calcifications in various brain areas. After calcium substitution and anticonvulsant treatment, the patients returned to their prehospital condition and were discharged home seizure free. The aim of this article is to highlight the clinical importance of long‐term follow‐up biochemical laboratory testing and neurocranial imaging in high‐risk patients (e.g., after thyroidectomy) to prevent avoidable neurological and psychiatric complications through pharmaceutical and nutritional substitution therapy.

Background Slow-flow vascular malformations are persistent congenital vascular lesions that progressively disrupt tissue structure and function, often causing pain, swelling, and esthetic concerns. Despite the availability of surgical and sclerotherapy-based interventions, treatment outcomes are often unsatisfactory, with high rates of recurrence and resistance. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the safety and effectiveness of bleomycin electrosclerotherapy in reducing lesion volume, alleviating symptoms, and improving clinical outcomes in 33 patients with slow-flow vascular malformations resistant to previous treatments. The prospective design allowed real-time observation of patients’ responses to therapy, while the longitudinal follow-up, beginning with recruitment in 2020 and continuing through the end of 2024, allowed comprehensive monitoring of outcomes. Results After one treatment session, 33 of 35 (94.3%) lesions demonstrated symptomatic improvement, and all lesions ( n  = 35/35, 100%) showed a reduction in volume. Average volume decreased from 1781.1 to 1335.0 mL (25.0%) after one session and 1189.13 mL (33.24%) after final treatment. Mild adverse events, including redness ( n  = 4) and swelling ( n  = 25), resolved within 4 weeks. Skin changes like hyperpigmentation ( n  = 3) and livid discoloration ( n  = 4) could be observed for longer periods of time. Conclusions Bleomycin electrosclerotherapy demonstrated high effectiveness and safety for treating slow-flow malformations, establishing it as a promising therapeutic option even for lesions that have responded insufficiently to previous treatment attempts.