Journal List > J Korean Soc Radiol > v.78(4) > 1095523

Chu, Ryeom, Lee, Kim, Cho, Lee, Kim, and Song: The Diagnostic Usefulness of Ultrasound-Guided Peritoneal Biopsy for the Solitary Peritoneal Thickening of an Unknown Cause Visualized as Only Infiltrated Fat Tissue on a CT Scan

Abstract

Purpose

To assess the usefulness of an ultrasound (US)-guided peritoneal biopsy for the solitary peritoneal thickening visualized as only infiltrated fat on a computed tomography (CT) scan.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective study included 36 patients (16 males, 20 females; mean age, 51.7 years) who underwent a US-guided biopsy for the solitary peritoneal thickening of unknown cause visualized as only infiltrated fat without an apparent mass formation on a CT scan. The rate of the specific histopathological diagnosis and accuracy for the diagnosis of malignant disease was assessed.

Results

The procedure was technically successful with the acquisition of an adequate amount of the specimen for microscopic examination from all patients. A specific histopathological diagnosis was made in 31/36 patients (86.1%): peritoneal carcinomatosis in 15/31 (48.4%), tuberculous peritonitis in 15/31 (48.4%) and panniculitis in 1/31 (3.2%). A non-specific histopathological diagnosis was made in 5/36 (13.9%): chronic inflammation in 4/5 (80%) and mesothelial hyperplasia in 1/5 (20%). The procedure showed sensitivity of 83.3%, with a specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100%, a negative predictive value of 85.7%, and an accuracy rate of 86.1% for the diagnosis of malignant diseases.

Conclusion

The US-guided peritoneal biopsy is a fairly accurate diagnostic procedure for the peritoneal thickening visualized as only infiltrated fat on a CT scan, and it can be used before performing laparoscopic or an open biopsy.

References

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Fig. 1.
A 59-year-old man with peritoneal carcinomatosis with unknown primary site. A. CT of the abdomen shows mild thickening of the greater omentum (arrows) with moderate amount of ascites. B. Transverse ultrasonogram (5 MHz convex-array transducer) shows minimally thickened greater omentum (arrows) and small amount of ascites. On color Doppler examination, no prominent vessels can be found. Note the bowel loops (asterisks) posterior aspect of thickened greater omentum. C. Transverse ultrasonogram obtained during the biopsy reveals the thickened omentum (arrows) with well-visualized and well-placed biopsy needle (arrowheads). Note the adjacent bowel loops (asterisks) near the biopsy needle and ascites around the targeted omentum. The histopathological diagnosis by ultrasound-guided biopsy was the peritoneal carcinomatosis. D. Follow-up CT of the abdomen 9months after chemotherapy shows aggravated peritoneal thickening which is ‘omental cake' formation (arrows). CT = computed tomography
jksr-78-225f1.tif
Fig. 2.
A 17-year-old woman with tuberculous peritonitis. A. CT of the abdomen shows small amount of ascites and mild thickening of the greater omentum with only fatty infiltration (asterisks) and parietal peritoneum (arrows) with contrast enhancement. B. Transverse ultrasonogram (12 MHz linear-array transducer) shows thickened greater omentum with 2.08 cm thickness (arrows). C. Transverse ultrasonogram during the biopsy shows well placed biopsy needle (arrowheads) which is slightly angulated pathway to obtain as much sample as possible. The histopathological diagnosis by ultrasound-guided biopsy was the tuberculous peritonitis. D. Follow-up CT of the abdomen shows resolution of peritoneal thickening and ascites after anti-tuberculosis medication. CT = computed tomography
jksr-78-225f2.tif
Fig. 3.
A 39-year-old man with peritoneal carcinomatosis. A. CT scan of the abdomen shows thickening of the greater omentum with fatty infiltration (arrows) and small amount of ascites. B, C. Transverse ultrasonogram (5 MHz convex-array transducer) shows thickened greater omentum (arrows) that corresponded to the lesion selected as biopsy site on CT. There is ascites (asterisks) around echogenic omentum (arrows). Transverse ultrasonogram obtained immediately after the biopsy shows tiny moving echogenic dots emerged from the biopsy site (echogenic dots and tubules within the circle), which represent active bleeding. This bleeding was stopped within 5 minutes without specific management. CT = computed tomography
jksr-78-225f3.tif
Table 1.
Underlying Disease, Histopathological Diagnosis by US-Guided Peritoneal Biopsy and Finalized Diagnosis
Case No. Underlying Disease Histopathological Diagnosis by US-Guided Biopsy Finalized Diagnosis
1–14 Unknown Peritoneal carcinomatosis Peritoneal carcinomatosis
15 Endometrial cancer Peritoneal carcinomatosis Peritoneal carcinomatosis
16–30 None Tuberculous peritonitis Tuberculous peritonitis
31 None Panniculitis Panniculitis
32 Unknown Mesothelial hyperplasia Peritoneal carcinomatosis
33 Breast cancer Chronic inflammation Peritoneal carcinomatosis
34 Unknown Chronic inflammation Peritoneal carcinomatosis
35–36 None Chronic inflammation Tuberculous peritonitis

US = ultrasound

Table 2.
The Sensitivity, Specificity, PPV, NPV, and Accuracy of Diagnosing Malignant Peritoneal Disease
Method Sensitivity Specificity PPV NPV Accuracy
US-guided biopsy (%) 83.3 100 100 85.7 86.1

NPV = negative predictive value, PPV = positive predictive value, US = ultrasound

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