Hydatid cyst disease, caused by the Echinococcus granulosus tapeworm larval form, typically affects the liver, lungs, and genitourinary tract. This case report details an unusual manifestation of hydatid cysts in a 62-year-old male with a history of retrovesical hydatid cyst surgery. The patient presented with pain at the root of the penis, and subsequent imaging revealed cysts in the suprapubic, pubic bone, and left pectineus muscle regions. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the patient underwent surgical excision in 2023. The discussion emphasizes the rarity of such localized cysts, diagnostic imaging techniques, and the necessity of surgical intervention. The postoperative period involved a course of albendazole. While rectovesical hydatid cysts are uncommon, this case underscores the importance of considering them in the differential diagnosis of masses, particularly in endemic regions. Surgical excision remains the primary treatment for symptomatic hydatid cysts.

Neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) are poorly differentiated and highly aggressive epithelial neuroendocrine neoplasms. The most common primary site is the lung, but they may arise in every organ. Approximately 37% of extrapulmonary NECs (EP-NECs) occur in the gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) tract, followed by the genitourinary (GU) system and gynecological tract. As a result of their rarity, there is scant evidence to guide treatment recommendations, and a multidisciplinary approach is essential for the management of such patients. Platinum-based chemotherapy currently represents the standard of care for EP-NECs of any site, mirroring the management of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), but further approaches are still under investigation. Indeed, ongoing trials evaluating targeted therapies, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), and radionuclide therapy could provide potentially breakthrough therapeutic options. Given the relative dearth of evidence-based literature on these orphan diseases, the aim of this review is to provide an overview of the pathology and current treatment options, as well as to shed light on the most pressing unmet needs in the field.

OBJECTIVE: Small cell carcinoma of the genitourinary tract (GU SCC) is a rare disease with a poor prognosis. There are only limited treatment options due to insufficient understanding of the disease. In this study, we analyzed the clinical outcomes of patients with GU SCC and their association with the tumor immune phenotype.
METHODS: Patients diagnosed with GU SCC were included. Survival outcomes according to the primary location (prostate and non-prostate) and stages (limited disease [LD] and extensive disease [ED]) were analyzed. We performed multiplex immunohistochemistry (IHC) in non-prostate SCC patients and analyzed the immune cell population.
RESULTS: A total of 77 patients were included in this study. Their median age was 71 years, 67 patients (87.0%) were male, and 48 patients (62.3%) had non-prostate SCC. All patients with ED (n=31, 40.3%) received etoposide plus platinum (EP) as initial treatment and median overall survival (OS) was 9.7 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.1 to 18.6). Patients with LD (n=46, 59.7%) received EP followed by radiotherapy or surgery, and 24-months OS rate was 63.6% (95% CI, 49.9 to 81.0). The multiplex IHC analysis of 21 patients with non-prostate SCC showed that patients with a higher density of programmed death-ligand 1-expressing CD68+CD206+ M2-like macrophages had significantly worse OS outcomes with an adjusted hazards ratio of 4.17 (95% CI, 1.25 to 14.29; adjusted p=0.02).
CONCLUSIONS: Patients with GU SCC had a poor prognosis, even those with localized disease. The tumor immune phenotypes were significantly associated with survival. This finding provides new insights for treating GU SCC.

Solitary fibrous tumour (SFT) is a mesenchymal neoplasm with variable behaviour, very rarely involving the genitourinary (GU) tract. Most reported cases correspond to isolated case reports. STAT6 immunohistochemistry is a more recent and reliable diagnostic marker. The pathology database of two tertiary institutes was searched for SFTs involving the GU tract. STAT6 strong diffuse nuclear staining confirmed the diagnosis in all four cases, and the NAB2::STAT6 fusion was demonstrated by NGS in one case. Two cases were diagnosed in needle biopsy, one involving the prostate and the other involving the seminal vesicle. One case corresponded to a pelvic mass inseparable from and infiltrating the prostate and bladder. The remainder represented an exceedingly rare involvement of the spermatic cord. Involvement by a SFT should be considered in the differential diagnosis of spindle cell lesions involving GU organs. STAT6 strong diffuse nuclear staining is an important ancillary tool, particularly in a biopsy.

By virtue of material differentiation capabilities afforded through dedicated postprocessing algorithms, dual-energy CT (DECT) has been shown to provide benefit in the evaluation of various diseases. In this article, we review the diagnostic use of DECT in the assessment of genitourinary diseases, with emphasis on its role in renal stone characterization, incidental renal and adrenal lesion characterization, retroperitoneal trauma, reduction of radiation, and contrast dose and cost-effectiveness potential. We also discuss future perspectives of the DECT scanning mode, including the use of novel contrast injection strategies and photon-counting detector computed tomography.

Nephrogenic adenoma (NA) is a rare metaplastic entity commonly associated with a prior urothelial injury. Most are seen in the urinary bladder and a minority involve the urethra. In this study, we evaluated the expression of p16 as a surrogate marker of this entity and correlated it with clinical pathological parameters. A total of 17 cases of NA were retrospectively studied to assess the immunohistochemical expression of p16 and its value for the diagnosis of this entity.

BACKGROUND: The kidney is the most frequently injured component of the genitourinary system, accounting for 5% of all trauma cases. Several guidelines by different societies address the management of urological trauma. However, unanswered questions remain regarding optimal use of angioembolization in hemodynamically stable patients, indications for operative exploration of stable retroperitoneal hematomas and renal salvage techniques in the setting of hemodynamic instability, and imaging practices for patients undergoing non-operative management. We performed a systematic review, meta-analysis, and developed evidence-based recommendations to answer these questions in both blunt and penetrating renal trauma.
METHODS: The working group formulated four population, intervention, comparator, outcome (PICO) questions regarding the following topics: (1) angioembolization (AE) usage in hemodynamically stable patients with evidence of ongoing bleeding; (2) surgical approach to stable zone II hematomas (exploration vs. no exploration) in hemodynamically unstable patients and (3) surgical technique (nephrectomy vs. kidney preservation) for expanding zone II hematomas in hemodynamically unstable patients; (4) frequency of repeat imaging (routine or symptom based) in high-grade traumatic renal injuries. A systematic review and meta-analysis of currently available evidence was performed. RevMan 5 (Cochran Collaboration) and GRADEpro (Grade Working Group) software were used. Recommendations were voted on by working group members and concurrence was obtained for each final recommendation.
RESULTS: A total of 20 articles were identified and analyzed. Two prospective studies were encountered; the majority were retrospective, single-institution studies. Not all outcomes projected by PICO questions were reported in all studies. Meta-analysis was performed for all PICO questions except PICO 3 secondary to the discrepant patient populations included in those studies. PICO 1 had the greatest number of articles included in the meta-analysis with nine studies; yet, due to differences in study design, no critical outcomes emerged; similar differences among a smaller set of articles prevented observation of critical outcomes for PICO 4. Analyses of PICOs 2 and 3 favored a non-invasive or minimally invasive approach in-line with current international practice trends.
CONCLUSIONS: In hemodynamically stable adult patients with clinical or radiographic evidence of ongoing bleeding, no recommendation could be made regarding the role of AE vs. observation. In hemodynamically unstable adult patients, we conditionally recommend no renal exploration vs. renal exploration in stable zone II hematomas. In hemodynamically unstable adult patients, we conditionally recommend kidney preserving techniques vs. nephrectomy in expanding zone II hematomas. No recommendation could be made for the optimal timing of repeat imaging in high grade renal injury.
METHODS: Guideline; systematic review, level III.

Caudal duplication syndrome (CDS) is a rare congenital anomaly in which a wide spectrum of malformations ranging from partial or isolated to complete duplication of caudal organs in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), genitourinary tract (GUT), and spinal and neural systems occur. Its exact cause is unknown, however various factors such as genetic disorders and conjoined twinning are mentioned in the etiology of CDS. Second-trimester anomaly scan can diagnose this anomaly prenatally. This case report describes a primi postnatal patient with CDS without any neurological symptoms. She gave birth to a healthy baby girl by cesarean section with breech presentation as an indication.

Natural therapeutic microorganisms provide a potent alternative healthcare treatment nowadays, with the potential to prevent several human diseases. These health-boosting living organisms, probiotics mostly belong to Gram-positive bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus, Saccharomyces, Bacillus and Enterococcus. Initiated almost a century ago, the probiotic application has come a long way. The present review is focused on the potential therapeutic role of probiotics in ameliorating multiple infections, such as upper respiratory tract infections and viral respiratory infections, including COVID-19; liver diseases and hepatic encephalopathy; neurological and psychiatric disorders; autoimmune diseases, particularly rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis. Apart from these, the therapeutic exacerbations of probiotics in urinary tract infections have been extremely promising, and several approaches are reviewed and presented here. We also present upcoming and new thrust areas where probiotic therapeutic interventions are showing promising results, like faecal microbial transplant and vaginal microbial transplant.

Genital tuberculosis is a rare and unexpected disease in European countries including Croatia. Diagnosis of female genital tract tuberculosis is challenging and is rarely pin-pointed by clinical symptoms because of their low specificity. The authors decided to present a case of genitourinary tuberculosis in a young, immunocompetent fertile woman with high clinical suspicion of abdominal tumor mass. Although considered a desease of the past, rare clinical presentation of genital tuberculosis should be expected and taken into account.