Analysis of pellets collected from adjacent communal winter roosts of Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosus and Hen Harriers C. cyaneus on an extensive saltmarsh in the southwest Netherlands showed ...highly significant differences between the diets of the two species. Marsh Harrier diet showed no change throughout January, February and March. They specialized on ducks, which were about half of their prey numerically and more important by weight. Although Marsh Harriers sampled other prey, this remained at a low level and showed no seasonal response to the availability of young lagomorphs. Hen Harriers occupied the niche of a generalist predator, having a broader diet and responding to the presumed changes in availability of prey with diet shifts. In November, about half of their prey items were passerines but these declined in importance in December, and small mammals rose. The proportions of both small mammals and birds fell in February and March, due to increasing dependence on young lagomorphs. Diet overlap between the two species was greatest in January and declined in February and March.
A swelling in the neck is often caused by one or more enlarged lymph nodes, usually due to a harmless disorder. Particularly in adults, a swelling in the neck may represent a metastasis of a ...malignancy in the head and neck region, for instance a squamous cell carcinoma arising from the oral mucosa. Palpation of the neck can provide valuable information, although its reliability is restricted, even when executed by an experienced clinician. Therefore, additional examination is required,for instance by fine needle aspiration cytology, ultrasound examination with or without guided fine needle aspiration, computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. In case a malignant tumour has been diagnosed in the upper aerodigestive tract, a sentinel node procedure may be performed. The question arises whether general practicing dentists should examine routinely every patient's neck, or only the necks of patients older than 40 years of age.
Imaging of laryngeal cancer CASTELIJNS, J. A; HERMANS, R; VAN DEN BREKEL, M. W. M ...
Seminars in ultrasound, CT, and MRI,
1998, Letnik:
19, Številka:
6
Journal Article
A spider hits the eye Cruysberg, J R; Pinckers, A; Castelijns, H E ...
Acta ophthalmologica Scandinavica,
December 1995, Letnik:
73, Številka:
6
Journal Article
To determine the necessary medical care and permanent ocular damage of a particular type of preventable ocular trauma, an observational study of 22 patients referred to the University Hospital ...Nijmegen (1983-1993) with eye injuries caused by the accidental release of tightened elastic straps of the so-called "spider' design was performed. Although the traumatized eyes of the 22 patients could be saved from blindness by extensive medical and surgical treatment in the majority of cases, 13 patients (59%) had residual permanent visual impairment (visual acuity < or =6/10, or aphakia) at the end of the follow-up period. Three of them had lost the perception of light in the involved eye; one painful blind eye had to be removed. It is concluded that elastic straps with free-end metal hooks should not be used to secure luggage because of the potential risk of irreversible damage to the eye.
Introduction. Analysis of the current diagnostic techniques and the potential value of fluoro‐18‐deoxyglucose‐positron emission tomography (FDG‐PET) in patients with suspicion of recurrent laryngeal ...carcinoma was undertaken. Evaluation of the possibility to prevent unnecessary direct laryngoscopies was also performed.
Methods. Retrospective analysis of the data of 158 patients who, between 1986 and 1998, underwent a direct laryngoscopy under narcosis 236 times because of clinical suspicion of recurrent laryngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy. Another group of 27 patients underwent FDG‐PET before direct laryngoscopy.
Results. In 45% of 236 laryngoscopies (71% of all patients) a recurrence was diagnosed. The positive and negative predictive value of the different symptoms and examinations are shown in Table 7. In the other group, all recurrences were shown using FDG‐PET. The sensitivity of FDG‐PET was 100%, the specificity was 83%, the positive predictive value was 50% and the negative predictive value was 100%.
7
Positive and negative predictive value of different symptoms and techniques used to diagnose recurrent laryngeal carcinoma
Symptoms/techniques
Positive predictive value
Negative predictive value
Voice complaints
44%
55%
Pain
43%
55%
Dyspnoea
38%
55%
Dysphagia
25%
53%
Indirect laryngoscopy
46%
47%
Videolaryngostroboscopy
55%
67%
Computerized tomography/magnetic resonance imaging
53%
64%
FDG‐PET
50%
100%
Conclusion. The value of the current diagnostic techniques is limited. Because of the high sensitivity and negative predictive value, FDG‐PET may prevent some unnecessary direct laryngoscopies under anaesthesia.
