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Ferdinand Frauscher

Publications and source records attributed to Ferdinand Frauscher.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Advances in ultrasound for the detection of prostate cancer.

The introduction of ultrasound (US) microbubble contrast agents has dramatically expanded the possibilities for US detection of prostate cancer. Recent advances in US technology have increased the value of US contrast agents. Many newer US techniques, which are quite sensitive for detection of microbubbles, are yet to be explored for prostate applications. A critical evaluation of the current status of transrectal US imaging for the detection of prostate cancer and background information for US contrast agents and imaging techniques are presented. Early results have demonstrated the feasibility of US contrast agents to enhance US imaging of prostatic disease. The application of US contrast agents for the detection and clinical staging of prostate cancer is promising. Future clinical trials are needed to determine whether the promise of contrast-enhanced US of the prostate will evolve into widespread clinical application.

Journal Article↗

Contrast-enhanced US of the prostate with Sonazoid: comparison with whole-mount prostatectomy specimens in 12 patients.

PURPOSE: To compare areas of contrast material enhancement in the prostate at ultrasonography (US) with whole-mount radical prostatectomy specimens to determine if the use of contrast material improves the detection rate of prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Transrectal US was performed in 12 subjects with cancer of the prostate prior to radical prostatectomy. Each gland was evaluated with conventional gray-scale and wide-band harmonic US at baseline and again during intravenous infusion of a microbubble contrast agent. Focal areas of contrast enhancement were identified prospectively in the transverse plane at the base, midgland, and apex of the prostate. US findings were then compared with whole-mount prostatectomy specimens. Baseline and contrast-enhanced findings were compared by using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULTS: Thirty-one foci of prostate cancer were present at pathologic evaluation, with multiple foci of cancer in 11 of the 12 glands. Three of 10 inner-gland cancers and five of 21 outer-gland cancers were detected at baseline imaging. Diffuse inner-gland enhancement was identified in all subjects during contrast agent infusion. Contrast-enhanced imaging demonstrated an additional five cancer foci in the outer gland (P =.025), for an overall sensitivity of 42% (13 of 31 foci). Seven additional sites of focal contrast enhancement were identified. Five of these sites corresponded to foci of hyperplasia. Two sites were false-positive with no pathologic abnormality. Increased flow was not demonstrated posteriorly in the midline, even when a tumor was present. CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced US of the prostate with Sonazoid can improve sensitivity for the detection of cancers in the outer gland, but it can also demonstrate focal enhancement in areas of benign hyperplasia.

Aged↗

Finger pulley injuries in extreme rock climbers: depiction with dynamic US.

PURPOSE: To determine the ability of dynamic ultrasonography (US) to depict finger pulley injuries in extreme rock climbers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-four extreme rock climbers (climbing levels 8-11 on a scale ranging from 1 to 11; Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme) with finger injuries (75 symptomatic and 181 asymptomatic fingers) were examined by using US, with the transducer operating at 12 MHz. The distance between the flexor tendon and phalanx was evaluated in extension and forced flexion at the level of the A2 and A4 annular pulleys as an indicator of tendon bowstringing. A distance between the flexor tendon and phalanx greater than 1.0 mm was interpreted as positive for a pulley injury. US findings were compared with those of magnetic resonance imaging. Surgical correlation was available in seven cases. Statistical analysis was performed by using analysis of variance, the Student t test, and the Bonferroni method. RESULTS: US depicted 16 (100%) of 16 complete A2 pulley ruptures, nine (100%) of nine complete A4 pulley ruptures, six (86%) of seven surgically proved complete combined A2 and A3 pulley ruptures, and 15 (100%) of 15 incomplete A2 pulley ruptures. Measurement of distance between the flexor tendon and phalanx was significantly different among patient subsets without pulley ruptures and those with incomplete, complete, or complete combined pulley ruptures (P <.001). The sensitivity of US for depiction of finger pulley injuries was 98%, and specificity was 100%. CONCLUSION: Dynamic US allows excellent depiction of finger pulley injuries in extreme rock climbers.

Adolescent↗

High-frequency Doppler US of the prostate: effect of patient position.

PURPOSE: To evaluate cancer detection with directed biopsy of the prostate on the basis of high-frequency Doppler ultrasonographic (US) findings, and to determine the effect of patient position on the observed flow pattern. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients were evaluated in the left lateral decubitus position with gray-scale, color Doppler, and power Doppler transrectal US. Up to four directed biopsy specimens were obtained on the basis of gray-scale and Doppler US findings, and modified sextant biopsy followed. Analysis of variance and the Wilcoxon signed rank test were used to evaluate the distribution of Doppler signals within the prostate. Three healthy volunteers with no known prostate disease were also examined in supine and both decubitus positions. RESULTS: In the patient group, both color and power Doppler US demonstrated increased flow on the left side of the prostate, with greater flow toward the base of the gland (P <.002). Consequently, 62 of 90 directed-biopsy cores were obtained in the left base and mid-gland. The positive biopsy rate for directed biopsy was not significantly different from that of sextant biopsy (P =.4). Seven patients had cancer that was identified with sextant biopsy, but only four cancers were identified with directed biopsy. Each of the three healthy volunteers demonstrated increased Doppler flow on the dependent side when the subject was in the lateral decubitus position. CONCLUSION: The positive yield of directed biopsy was similar to the yield of sextant biopsy. On the basis of observations made in healthy volunteers, the authors conclude that flow asymmetry in patients who underwent biopsy may have been related to patient position.

Adult↗

Prostate: high-frequency Doppler US imaging for cancer detection.

PURPOSE: To evaluate cancer detection with targeted biopsy of the prostate performed on the basis of high-frequency Doppler ultrasonographic (US) imaging findings versus cancer detection with a modified sextant biopsy approach with laterally directed cores. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-two patients were prospectively evaluated with gray-scale, color, and power Doppler transrectal US performed with patients in the lithotomy position. Gray-scale and Doppler findings within each sextant were rated on a five-point scale. Up to four targeted biopsy specimens were obtained from each patient on the basis of Doppler findings; this was followed by a modified sextant biopsy. Conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to compare the positive yields for targeted and sextant biopsy specimens. Clustered receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to compare gray-scale, color, and power Doppler detection of cancer at sextant biopsy sites. RESULTS: Cancer was detected in 18 (29%) of 62 patients, including 11 patients in whom cancer was detected with both sextant and targeted biopsy, six in whom cancer was detected only with sextant biopsy, and one in whom cancer was detected only with targeted biopsy. The positive biopsy rate for targeted biopsy (24 [13%] of 185 cores) was slightly higher than that for sextant biopsy (36 [9.7%] of 372 cores; P =.1). The odds ratio for cancer detection with targeted versus sextant cores was 1.8 (95% CI: 0.9, 3.7). Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that overall identification of positive sextant biopsy sites was close to random chance for gray-scale (area under the curve, 0.53), color Doppler (area under the curve, 0.50), and power Doppler (area under the curve, 0.47) imaging. CONCLUSION: Targeted biopsy performed on the basis of high-frequency color or power Doppler findings will miss a substantial number of cancers detected with sextant biopsy.

Aged↗

Directed biopsy during contrast-enhanced sonography of the prostate.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the value of directed biopsy for the detection of prostate cancer during contrast-enhanced endorectal sonography. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Forty patients were evaluated with harmonic gray-scale sonography. The evaluation was performed before administration of contrast agent, during continuous IV infusion of perflutren lipid microspheres, and again during bolus administration of the microspheres. Sextant biopsy sites were scored prospectively on a six-point scale for suggestion of malignancy at baseline during contrast infusion and after bolus administration. An additional directed core was obtained at 20 of the sextant biopsy sites based on contrast-enhanced imaging. RESULTS: Cancer was identified in 30 biopsy sites in 16 of the patients (40%). A suspicious site identified during contrast-enhanced transrectal sonography was 3.5 times more likely to have positive biopsy findings at than an adjacent site that was not suggestive of malignancy (p < 0.025). When a suspicious site was evaluated with an additional biopsy core, the site was five times more likely to have a biopsy with positive findings than a standard sextant site (p < 0.01). We found no difference in diagnostic accuracy between continuous infusion of contrast material and bolus administration. CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced transrectal sonography improves the sonographic detection of malignant foci in the prostate. The performance of multiple biopsies of suspicious enhancing foci significantly improves the detection of cancer. There is no advantage to additional examination of the gland after bolus administration of contrast material.

Adult↗

Contrast enhanced reflux sonography in children: a comparison to standard radiological imaging.

PURPOSE: The diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux is routinely performed by voiding cystourethrography. Especially in the course of conservative treatment, the radiation dose might increase during the years. With the development of ultrasound echo enhancing agents we assessed their diagnostic efficacy for evaluation of vesicoureteral reflux to replace voiding cystourethrography with radiation-free ultrasound. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 104 children with a mean age of 5.4 years were examined using echo enhancing ultrasound after informed consent was obtained. For control purposes, all children underwent standard voiding cystourethrography as well. The diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux was positive when microbubbles appeared in the ureter or renal pelvis. The sonographic findings were correlated with those obtained by standard voiding cystourethrography. RESULTS: Of the 208 ureter and renal units investigated vesicoureteral reflux was detected in 76 (37%) by both technologies. Diagnosis was made sonographically in 5 units and by voiding cystourethrography in 3. All reflux grades (I to V) could be identified. The specificity and sensitivity of the contrast reflux ultrasound were significantly high. The long contrast time of up to 30 minutes combined with the high contrast effect resulted in convincing images with high levels of diagnostic confidence. CONCLUSIONS: Our results clearly demonstrate that the diagnostic accuracy of vesicoureteral reflux by contrast enhanced ultrasound is statistically significant compared to standard radiological voiding cystourethrography. Therefore, this methodology represents an exceptional approach to reduce the number of children being exposed to ionizing radiation especially during conservative followup.

Adolescent↗

Comparison of contrast enhanced color Doppler targeted biopsy with conventional systematic biopsy: impact on prostate cancer detection.

PURPOSE: We performed a prospective study to determine whether a limited biopsy approach with contrast enhanced color Doppler ultrasound targeted biopsy of the prostate would detect cancer as well as gray scale US guided systematic biopsy with a larger number of biopsy cores. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined 230 male screening volunteers with a total prostate specific antigen of 1.25 ng./ml. or greater and free-to-total prostate specific antigen less than 18%. Two independent examiners evaluated each subject and a single investigator performed 5 or fewer contrast enhanced targeted biopsies into hypervascular regions in the peripheral zone during intravenous infusion of the US contrast agent Levovist (Schering, Berlin, Germany). Subsequently another examiner performed 10 systematic prostate biopsies. The cancer detection rates of the 2 techniques were compared. RESULTS: Cancer was detected in 69 of the 230 patients (30%), including 56 (24.4%) by contrast enhanced targeted biopsy and in 52 (22.6%) by systematic biopsy. Cancer was detected by targeted biopsy alone in 17 patients (7.4%) and by systematic biopsy alone in 13 (5.6%). The overall cancer detection rate by patient was not significantly different for targeted and systematic biopsy (p = 0.58). The detection rate for targeted biopsy cores (10.4% or 118 of 1,139 cores) was significantly better than for systematic biopsy cores (5.3% or 123 of 2,300 cores, p <0.001). Contrast enhanced targeted biopsy in a patient with cancer was 2.6-fold more likely to detect prostate cancer than systematic US guided biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: Contrast enhanced color Doppler targeted biopsy detected as many cancers as systematic biopsy with fewer than half the number of biopsy cores. Although an increase in cancer detection was achieved by combining targeted and systematic techniques in this screening population, contrast enhanced targeted biopsy alone is a reasonable approach for decreasing the number of biopsy cores.

Adult↗