The prognosis for hepatobiliary malignancies is dismal. Surgery remains the primary curative option. The positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) provides simultaneous metabolic and ...anatomic information on tumors in the same imaging session. The role of PET/CT in detecting hepatobiliary malignancies has not yet been established. The purpose of this review was to examine the literature on the use of PET/CT in cholangiocarcinomas, also in order to improve the preoperative staging and the restaging, for a proper oncology management of patients.
Pneumatosis intestinalis may be caused by bowel ischemia and may display different patterns of appearance. We report a case of pneumatosis intestinalis with an atypical target pattern, detected by ...multidetector computed tomography (CT) in a 66-year-old male presenting with acute abdominal syndrome. Abdominal CT scan showed a double gas collection within the wall of a jejunal segment, with a characteristic target air distribution. The patient was surgically treated and successfully discharged from our hospital with the diagnosis of acute bowel ischemia. The target air sign can be an initial CT finding of the typical pneumatosis intestinalis and it can be useful in the early diagnosis of bowel ischemia.
Purpose
This study aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy of virtual gastroscopy obtained by 320-row computed tomography (CT) examination in differentiating benign from malignant gastric ulcers ...(GUs).
Materials and methods
49 patients (30 M, 19 F, mean age 58.6) with endoscopic and histological diagnosis of GU underwent CT examination. A hypotonizing drug was administered and gastric walls were distended by air in order to perform virtual endoscopy. Based on morphological features, GUs were subdivided into benign or malignant forms by two blinded radiologists. Interobserver agreement was evaluated using Cohen’s kappa (
k
) test. CT results were then compared with endoscopic and histological findings, having the latter as the reference standard.
Results
Thirty-five out of 49 patients (71%) were affected by malignant ulcers, while in the remaining 14 cases diagnosis of benign GU was made. Virtual gastroscopy showed diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity values of 94%, 91%, and 100%, respectively, in differentiating benign from malignant ulcers. Almost perfect agreement between the two readers was found (
k
= 0.86).
Conclusion
CT virtual gastroscopy improves the identification of GUs and allows differentiating benign from malignant forms.
This paper describes a complete image processing framework for Virtual Colonscopy. The developed algorithms cover the entire process that allows a virtual navigation inside the colon lumen, starting ...from a dataset of axial CT slices. The implemented modules are: electronic colon cleansing, lumen segmentation, skeletonization, rendering and navigation. In particular for the centerline problem two different techniques are proposed and evaluated.
The objective of this study was to compare the effects of submucosal cauterization of the inferior turbinate with or without outfracture.
clinical prospective.
Twenty patients with inferior turbinate ...hypertrophy were randomized and divided into two groups. The first one was submitted to submucosal cauterization associated with outfracture, and the second one without fracture. Five items were assessed to compare both methods: pain, nasal bleeding, scarring - analyzed through anterior rhinoscopy, observing edema, hyperemia and seropurulent secretion; crust formation (seen through anterior rhinoscopy); and nasal airway patency. Follow-up was performed on days 7, 14, 30.
In both groups crusting formation was similar. Scarring showed better results in the outfracture group in the first two weeks postoperative. The analysis of nasal airway patency showed good results in 80% of the patients submitted to submucosal cauterization with outfratcture on day 30 postoperatively.
We concluded that submucosal cauterization of inferior turbinate with outfracture is better than the procedure without outfracture.
INTRODUCTIONMesenteric lipodystrophy is a rare fibroinflammatory disease of unknown origin with clinical and radiological non specific findings. PRESENTATION OF THE CASEThe case of a 42-years-old man ...affected by a pedunculated mesenteric lipodystrophy mimicking Meckel's diverticulum is reported. Clinical, imaging and histological findings are discussed. DISCUSSIONMesenteric lipodystrophy affects the mesenteric fat of the abdomen with a typical diffuse thickening of the mesentery, nodular thickening of the mesenteric root and presence of mass-like lesions. Ultrasound (US) and Multiphasic Computed Tomography (CT) represent the main imaging tools used for diagnosis. Clinical and imaging findings can mimick other pathological conditions affecting the mesenteric fat tissue. Contrast enhanced CT is the most accurate imaging technique for diagnosing mesenteric lipodystrophy due to the high panoramicity and accuracy with multiplanar imaging. Multiphasic technique helps to characterize the lesion and to recognize vascular anatomy. Oral administration of iodinated contrast medium may help to assess the relationship with bowel loops. All these diagnostic elements are crucial for the surgical timing and approach. CONCLUSIONSDue to the heterogeneous mesenteric involvement, the nonspecific CT findings and the high number of diseases for differential diagnosis, the detection of mesenteric lipodystrophy is challenging and requires early clinical suspicion. An histological examination is always necessary.
OBJETIVO: Comparar os efeitos da cauterização submucosa do corneto inferior com e sem a fratura lateral. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Clínico prospectivo. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram selecionados 20 pacientes ...aleatoriamente com diagnóstico de hipertrofia crônica dos cornetos nasais, e divididos em dois grupos. O primeiro foi submetido à cauterização submucosa com fratura lateral do corneto, e o segundo sem a fratura. Foram avaliados cinco quesitos, comparando-se os dois métodos: dor, sangramento nasal, cicatrização, formação de crostas e perviedade nasal. O seguimento pós-operatório foi realizado no 1º, 7º, 14º e 30º dias. RESULTADOS: Quanto à dor, sangramento nasal e formação de crostas o resultado foi semelhante para ambos os grupos. Em relação à cicatrização, houve melhores resultados no grupo submetido à fratura lateral nas primeiras duas semanas do seguimento. Quanto à perviedade nasal, 80% dos pacientes submetidos à cauterização submucosa com a fratura lateral referiram boa perviedade. Por outro lado, 30% dos pacientes não submetidos à fratura lateral relataram boa perviedade. CONCLUSÃO: A realização da cauterização submucosa do corneto inferior associada à fratura lateral é mais eficaz que a realização da cauterização isoladamente.
AIM: The objective of this study was to compare the effects of submucosal cauterization of the inferior turbinate with or without outfracture. STUDY DESIGN: clinical prospective. METHOD: Twenty patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy were randomized and divided into two groups. The first one was submitted to submucosal cauterization associated with outfracture, and the second one without fracture. Five items were assessed to compare both methods: pain, nasal bleeding, scarring - analyzed through anterior rhinoscopy, observing edema, hyperemia and seropurulent secretion; crust formation (seen through anterior rhinoscopy); and nasal airway patency. Follow-up was performed on days 7, 14, 30. RESULTS: In both groups crusting formation was similar. Scarring showed better results in the outfracture group in the first two weeks postoperative. The analysis of nasal airway patency showed good results in 80% of the patients submitted to submucosal cauterization with outfratcture on day 30 postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that submucosal cauterization of inferior turbinate with outfracture is better than the procedure without outfracture.
OBJETIVO: Comparar os efeitos da cauterização submucosa do corneto inferior com e sem a fratura lateral. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Clínico prospectivo. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram selecionados 20 pacientes ...aleatoriamente com diagnóstico de hipertrofia crônica dos cornetos nasais, e divididos em dois grupos. O primeiro foi submetido à cauterização submucosa com fratura lateral do corneto, e o segundo sem a fratura. Foram avaliados cinco quesitos, comparando-se os dois métodos: dor, sangramento nasal, cicatrização, formação de crostas e perviedade nasal. O seguimento pós-operatório foi realizado no 1º, 7º, 14º e 30º dias. RESULTADOS: Quanto à dor, sangramento nasal e formação de crostas o resultado foi semelhante para ambos os grupos. Em relação à cicatrização, houve melhores resultados no grupo submetido à fratura lateral nas primeiras duas semanas do seguimento. Quanto à perviedade nasal, 80% dos pacientes submetidos à cauterização submucosa com a fratura lateral referiram boa perviedade. Por outro lado, 30% dos pacientes não submetidos à fratura lateral relataram boa perviedade. CONCLUSÃO: A realização da cauterização submucosa do corneto inferior associada à fratura lateral é mais eficaz que a realização da cauterização isoladamente.
Idiopathic analbuminemia was fortuitously detected in a 30-year-old Italian woman. No associated disease condition could be revealed in this patient, the only consistent finding being a slight ...tendency to develop ankle edema. Asthenia and a moderate hypotension were also recorded. Trace amounts (5.2 mg/100 ml) of serum albumin were determined by immunochemical methods. Laboratory features also included increased circulating levels of cholesterol and beta-lipoproteins, as well as elevation of acute phase reactants and immunoglobulins. Albumin turnover studies showed low albumin synthesis and abnormally slow albumin degradation rate. No consanguinity of the percentage could be traced in this patient and an autosomal recessive transmission of the trait was suggested. An extensive review of the literature disclosed 19 additional cases of this rare condition, their occurrence actually challenging the vital role of albumin in man. Compensatory mechanisms certainly play a role but are only partially understood.