Vertebral osteopenia due to bone marrow hyperplasia during interferon-alpha and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

We report the magnetic resonance imaging of a severe, but fully reversible, vertebral osteopenia, due to bone marrow hyperplasia, occurring in a patient with chronic hepatitis C treated with the interferon-alpha/ribavirin combination.

Is the persistence of isolated GH deficiency in adulthood predicted by anatomical hypothalamic-pituitary alterations?

The aim of this study was to verify the persistence in adulthood of GH deficiency diagnosed in childhood and treated with hGH in childhood and to study whether anatomical hypothalamic-pituitary alterations evaluated by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging could predict it. To this goal, in six GHD adults (3 males and 3 females aged 17.2-24.

MRI diagnosis of intramedullary metastases from extra-CNS tumors.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the topography, morphology and contrast enhancement of the intramedullary metastases (IM) from extra-CNS neoplasms. We report the results of a multicenter retrospective study on 18 patients with 26 IM examined with a 0.5T MR imaging system; intravenous injection of Gd-DTPA was performed in all cases.

[Magnetic resonance in the study of patients of short stature of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal origin. Report on 29 cases].

Although growth hormone (GH) deficiency is a very common cause of short stature, many cases are still diagnosed as idiopathic. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), more clearly than CT, reveals the anatomy of the hypothalamic-hypophyseal region and of the possible alterations (pituitary hypoplasia, interruption of the stalk) causing hormonal deficit. Twenty-nine patients with short stature underwent MRI examinations of the hypothalamic-pituitary region to assess the significance of the correlation between hormonal test and MR patterns.

Double blind randomized study using oral or injectable bromocriptine in patients with hyperprolactinaemia.

Objective: A new long-acting injectable form of bromocriptine has become available for long-term treatment of hyperprolactinaemic patients. The objective of this study was to compare efficacy and tolerability of injectable and oral forms of bromocriptine.

Design: A double-blind randomized study.

Hormonal and radiological effects of megavoltage radiotherapy in patients with growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma.

Nineteen acromegalic patients (12 females and 7 males, aged 24-71 yr) were studied for 1-6 yr after radiotherapy (RT), administered by X-rays (18 MeV) by linear accelerator, with parallel opposite beams (doses 45-50.4 Gy, 1.8 Gy daily).

[Definition of the T parameter in nasosinusal neoplasms: a CT-MR comparison].

This study was aimed at investigating the value of CT and MRI in the staging of sinonasal tumors. The authors report 22 cases of sinonasal tumors: 7 squamous cell carcinomas, 4 adenoid-cystic carcinomas, 1 mucoepidermoid carcinoma, 6 adenocarcinomas, 1 esthesioneuroblastoma, 1 osteosarcoma, 1 small-cell sarcoma and finally 1 non-Hodgkin lymphoma. No significant differences were observed between CT and MR staging: 2 T2 and 15 T4 lesions were diagnosed in the maxillary sinuses and 3 stage-II and 1 stage-III lesions in the naso-ethmoidal region.

Magnetic resonance and the diagnosis of short stature of hypothalamic-hypophyseal origin.

Magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 23 patients with short stature (7 had multiple pituitary hormone defect, 11 had isolated growth hormone deficiency and 5 had normal variant short stature) to investigate if there is a relation between magnetic resonance findings and results of endocrine tests. Magnetic resonance imaging of patients with multiple pituitary hormone deficiency or with serious isolated growth hormone deficiency (growth hormone < 3 micrograms/l) revealed an interrupted pituitary stalk and ectopic neurohypophysis or a mass. In patients with less serious isolated growth hormone deficiency (growth hormone > 3 micrograms/l) or with normal variant short stature, the technique revealed a normal or hypoplastic hypophysis.

Long term therapy of patients with macroprolactinoma using repeatable injectable bromocriptine.

The efficacy and tolerability of a long term treatment (21-53 months; mean, 36) with a new injectable form of bromocriptine (Parlodel LAR, Sandoz) was assessed in 13 patients (9 males and 4 females, aged 14-68 yr) with macroprolactinoma. Parlodel LAR was administered deeply im once monthly, with 50 mg as the first dose. Depending on the patient's tolerability to the drug and the PRL levels, the dose was individually progressively increased to 100 mg (2 patients), 150 mg (3 patients), or 250 mg (4 patients).

[Critical evaluation of preoperative instrumental staging of rectal tumors. Research on the adequate use of US, CT and MR].

Both traditional exams (rectal exploration, rectoscopy, barium enema, CEA) and advanced imaging (31 US, 40 CT and 11 MR) were performed for preoperative evaluation of rectal carcinoma in order to assess the accuracy of radiological imaging in the T and N staging. The results obtained have not been considered satisfactory and it is felt that US, CT and MR should not be employed routinely for rectal staging. Indeed accuracy of US, CT and MR is respectively 64%, 75% and 81% in the T evaluation and 64%, 70% and 64% in the N staging.

MR imaging of adrenal myelolipomas.

The magnetic resonance (MR) images in six patients with seven adrenal myelolipomas are presented. Four lesions involved the right gland, and three the left; they ranged from 3 to 12.5 cm in diameter.

[Comparison of MR and CT in a radiological study of Cushing's syndrome. A report on 16 cases].

In 16 patients with high cortisol plasma levels MRI and CT investigation of adrenal gland region was performed; 13 also had the pituitary region examined. CT and MRI results in Cushing's Syndrome due to adrenal glands etiology (8 cases) are overlapping. The morphological criteria utilized consist in the radiological finding of bilateral adrenal hyperplasia or adrenal mass (adenoma, carcinoma).

Long-term treatment with a new repeatable injectable form of bromocriptine, Parlodel LAR, in patients with tumorous hyperprolactinemia.

A new long-acting repeatable injectable form of bromocriptine, (Parlodel LAR, Sandoz, Basle, Switzerland) has recently been developed. We studied the clinical, hormonal and radiological changes in six female patients with microprolactinomas and eight (3 female and 5 male) with macroprolactinomas receiving monthly injections of Parlodel LAR 50 to 100 mg for 6 months. Five patients with microadenomas and 4 with macroadenomas had normal prolactin (PRL) levels with Parlodel LAR 50 mg after one (5 patients), two (2 patients), or five (2 patients) injections; two patients with macroadenomas had normal or near normal PRL levels only after 4 monthly injections of 100 mg.

[Accuracy of CT in the demonstration of lymph node metastasis in pulmonary carcinoma].

The CT, surgical and histological findings were examined of 350 lymph nodes in a perspective study of 50 patients affected with lung cancer. CT accuracy could thus be evaluated in assessing the size of hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes; the incidence of histologically-proven metastases in nodes more/less than 10 cm in diameter could also be determined, together with CT diagnostic accuracy for nodal metastases. Finally, CT capabilities were also evaluated in distinguishing N0 from N1-N2 patients.

Multiple post-traumatic spinal meningocele. Case report.

The Authors refer the case of a man who was successfully operated for a meningocele, consisting of two separate sacs in the right iliopsoas muscle. Etiopathogenetic features of the two sacs are discussed.

Is magnetic resonance imaging more sensitive than computed tomography in the location of corticotropin secreting pituitary adenomas?

Two cases of pituitary-dependent Cushing's syndrome are described in which the computed tomography (CT) examination was negative; as the hormone dynamic investigations were directed towards the presence of corticotropin (ACTH) secreting pituitary formations, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pituitary was performed, which evidenced the presence of such lesions; subsequent neurosurgery confirmed in both cases the location indicated by MRI. In conclusion, the higher sensitivity of MRI compared to CT in the diagnosis of ACTH secreting pituitary adenomas can be noted.

[CT and MR compared in the study of hypophysis].

Normal CT and MR anatomy was studied in two series (53 and 25 cases respectively) of young volunteers of both sexes, asymptomatic and certainly without lesions of the pituitary gland. 115 other pathological cases (73 hyperprolactinemias, 8 acromegalies, 15 Cushing syndromes, 2 hyperthyroidisms, 17 nonsecreting adenomas) were examined using both CT and MRI. Both an accurate review of the relative literature and the results of our own series prove that MR is superior to CT in diagnosing pituitary microadenomas (3.

[Computerized tomographic evaluation of latero-cervical lymphatic metastasis of carcinoma of the larynx. Personal experience in 170 cases].

CT can be considered the most reliable technique in detecting nodal metastases of the cervical district. The Authors have studied 170 patients with laryngeal cancer (104 N0, 21 N1, 21 N2 and 24 N3 clinically) with CT of the cervical region during infusion of contrast material. All patients underwent radical neck dissection with pathological examination of the nodes.

[MR tomography in adrenal pathology. Preliminary report on 25 histologically controlled cases].

Twenty-five patients affected by adrenal glands pathology underwent CT and MRI: 6 non-functioning adenomas, 2 Cushing's adenomas, 2 Conn's adenomas, 6 metastases, 3 cysts, 2 carcinomas (Cushing's syndrome), 1 lymphoma and 3 pheochromocytomas. Diagnosis was subsequently confirmed either at surgery, or autopsy, or with needle biopsy. In all cases normal adrenal glands and pathological lesions were showed by MRI.

[A possible role of magnetic resonance in the follow-up of renal transplants].

The authors discuss the possible role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the follow-up of renal transplants. Its diagnostic accuracy is compared with Ultrasounds (US), which is considered the method of choice in postoperative monitoring of renal transplants. Thirty-two patients (transplant life ranging from 5 days to 37 months) were examined in the same day with both MRI and US.

[Magnetic resonance in renal transplants].

The authors report their experience in the study of renal transplant recipients by MR, in order to determine its clinical potentials. The main purpose of this work is to focus on MR patterns in relation to clinical findings of rejected or normally functioning kidney. Twenty-four patients were examined with a 0.