Ultrasound elastography is a technique that allows visualization of tissue stiffness in a noninvasive manner, and enables “deep palpation” of the prostate. The principle of prostate cancer detection with sonoelastography relies on the fact that tumor tissue has a greater stiffness than surrounding normal prostate. Based on this premise, this method is expected to supplement the lack of sensitivity of some of the other ultrasound techniques in diagnosing prostate cancer. The aim of this paper is to review and illustrate the current status of sonoelastography in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

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Many superficial lesions in the pediatric population are located in the neck, while subcutaneous lesions located in other regions are also important to know. These cervical diseases are classified into congenital anomalies, cystic masses, solid masses, inflammation, hemangiomas, and vascular malformations. Others are included in the miscellaneous category. As the differential diagnosis of these lesions is made from an embryological point of view, ultrasonographic findings of these diseases are described with embryological understanding. Hemangiomas and vascular malformations are discussed based on the classification of the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies.

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Purpose: To analyze how maternal body figures affect estimated fetal weights (EFW). Subjects and methods: Cases delivered between 28 and 41 weeks of gestation from 2005 to 2010 in our university hospital were enrolled. Retrospective analysis based on medical records was performed to evaluate the association between EFW at just before delivery and maternal body figure. Variables that affect EFW were analyzed by multivariate regression analysis. Results and Discussion: Analysis of 3,417 cases showed that gestational days, fetal gender, maternal weight, and maternal height were associated with EFW. Based on the results of the multivariate regression analysis, EFW was expressed as the following model: EFW=-4,825+4.7×maternal height+5.7×pre-pregnancy weight+24.2×gestational days+62.5×fetal gender (male=1, female=0). Conclusion: Distribution of EFWs tends to be smaller in the case of smaller maternal body figures, including maternal weights and heights. This formula based on the present results may be useful for fetal growth assessment in small pregnant women.

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An 11-month-old boy who had been diagnosed as having a ventricular septal defect and mitral valve stenosis presented with severe pulmonary hypertension. Echocardiography showed a large perimembranous ventricular septal defect and a complete bridge-type double-orifice mitral valve together with an increased left ventricular inflow pressure gradient and overt mitral valve stenosis. Cardiac catheterization revealed severe pulmonary hypertension, but the nitric oxide tolerance test ruled out pulmonary vascular obstructive disease. The ventricular septal defect was surgically closed because the relative severity of the mitral valve stenosis was unknown. The patient remained under postoperative observation due to improved pulmonary hypertension and mild mitral valve stenosis. During evaluation of the double-orifice mitral valve with intracardiac left-right shunt, it was important in terms of the treatment strategy decision to infer the effective mitral orifice area, and cardiac ultrasonography was useful as the preoperative method.

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The patient is a 75-year-old man who underwent nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma (clear cell carcinoma) in 2008. Follow-up enhanced computed tomography in 2011 showed a 7mm diameter tumor in the left breast, and the tumor subsequently increased to 13mm in diameter after six months. We suspected that the breast tumor was a primary or metastatic carcinoma from renal cancer. Ultrasonography demonstrated the features of the tumor, which were a well-circumscribed hypoechoic mass with abundant vascularity. The findings of core needle biopsy suggested a metastatic breast tumor from clear cell carcinoma. Male breast cancer is rare, accounting for less than 1% of all breast cancer cases. Furthermore, metastatic male breast cancer is an extremely unusual disease. It is known that the primary tumors of metastatic breast cancer are contralateral breast cancer, gastric cancer, leukemia, and malignant lymphoma. However, renal cell carcinoma has been rarely reported. To our knowledge, this is a first report in Japan related to metastatic male breast cancer from renal cell carcinoma.

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