Bone health in autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED): findings in 25 adults.

Objective: Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is characterized by chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis and autoimmune destruction of endocrine organs. The resulting endocrinopathies and their treatment may impact bone health. The purpose of our study was to assess bone health and its correlates in adult patients with APECED.

The effect of haemosiderosis and blood transfusions on the T2 relaxation time and 1/T2 relaxation rate of liver tissue.

Patients with chronic anaemia need repeated blood transfusions, which eventually lead to iron overload. The excess iron from blood transfusions is deposited in the reticuloendothelial system and in the parenchymal cells of the liver, spleen and other organs. Cellular damage is likely to occur when iron overload in the liver is pronounced.

Comparison of absorbable poly-L-lactide and metallic intramedullary rods in the fixation of femoral shaft osteotomies: an experimental study in rabbits.

An osteotomy of the distal femoral diaphysis was fixed with an intramedullary self-reinforced poly-L-lactide (SR-PLLA) rod in 22 and with a metallic rod in 38 skeletally mature rabbits. Histomorphometric and quantitative computed tomography (QCT) were performed to assess time-related changes in the consolidation process of the osteotomy of cortical bone and development of the external callus. The follow-up times were 8, 16, 24, and 48 weeks for radiologic and 16, 24, and 48 weeks for histologic studies; 19/22 of the SR-PLLA and 34/38 of the metallic fixed osteotomies healed during the observation periods.

A novel method for monitoring liver ethanol injections: activity tissue distribution in rat liver using digital quantitative autoradiography and CH3(14)CH2OH.

Accurate ethanol microdistribution during percutaneous ethanol injections (PEI) have not previously been reported by in vivo monitoring methods (e.g. by using ultrasound or other flow methods).

Perfusion CT of the brain in the assessment of flow alterations during brachytherapy of meningioma.

Purpose: The aim was to investigate the use of perfusion CT of the brain in the assessment of flow alterations during brachytherapy of meningiomas.

Material And Methods: Six patients with an intracranial meningioma were investigated during brachytherapy treatment by stereotactic implantation of I-125 seeds. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the tumour centre and the tumour periphery as well as in the normal brain parenchyma was determined by perfusion CT.

Familial occurrence of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Background: A family history of abdominal aortic aneurysm has been reported to increase the risk for developing the disease.

Objective: To determine the risk for abdominal aortic aneurysm in first-degree relatives of patients with the disease.

Design: Cross-sectional ultrasonographic screening study.

Spin lock and magnetization transfer MR imaging of local liver lesions.

The present study was designed to evaluate tissue contrast characteristics obtained with the spin-lock (SL) technique by comparing the results with those generated with a magnetization transfer(MT)-weighted gradient echo [GRE, echo-time (TE)=40 ms] sequence. Twenty-eight patients with hepatic hemangiomas (n=14), or metastatic liver lesions (n=14) were imaged at 0.1 T by using identical imaging parameters.

Intramedullary fixation of distal femoral diaphyseal osteotomies with absorbable self-reinforced poly-L-lactide and metallic intramedullary rods assessed by plain radiographs, quantitative computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging: an experimental study in rabbits.

Osteotomies of distal femoral diaphysis were fixed intramedullary with self-reinforced poly-L-lactide acid (SR-PLLA) rods in 19 and with metallic rods in 34 adult rabbits. The follow-up times were 8, 16, 24, and 48 weeks. Plain radiographs, computed tomography (CT), quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were used to evaluate the bone changes at two different levels of the osteotomy region.

Effect of fasting and food intake on magnetization transfer of human liver tissue.

Magnetization transfer (MT) technique is a promising method in differential diagnosis of diseases in parenchymal tissues. Basic knowledge about circumstances and elementary factors that influence MT and its parameters is still insufficient, however. Having a meal before the magnetic resonance (MR) examination could change liver MT parameters compared to fasting state through alteration in liver perfusion, blood flow, and content of portal blood (proteins and other derivates from a meal).

Detection of pseudomyxoma peritonei by radioimmunohistochemistry and radioimmunoscintigraphy.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PP) is a local slowly progressing disease with typical abdominal swelling. Treatment is uneffective and the long-term prognosis is poor. Conventional radiology provides usually only a delineation of low density area relating gelatinous masses accumulating in the peritoneal cavity.

Imaging and staging of head and neck cancer using a low pH In-111-bleomycin complex.

Bleomycin (BLM), a natural antibiotic toxic to dividing cells has been used for treatment of several forms of cancer. BLM has been labelled with various cations but most have turned out to be unstable in vivo. In-BLM has demonstrated high bone marrow uptake, but by using an In-111-bleomycin complex (BLMC) formed at low pH, the low in vivo stability and high bone marrow uptake can be avoided.

Magnetic resonance imaging is superior to computed tomography and ultrasonography in imaging infectious liver foci in acute leukaemia.

We conducted a prospective study in order to compare ultrasonography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the detection of liver foci in patients with acute leukaemia and clinical suspicion of hepatic candidiasis. 28 adult patients fulfilling set entry criteria after recovery from neutropenia were studied. Lesions in the liver were detected by at least one imaging modality in 21 patients: by ultrasonography in 7 (33% of detected cases), computed tomography in 12 (57%) and by magnetic resonance imaging in 20 patients (95%).

Bone changes after experimental osteotomies fixed with absorbable self-reinforced poly-L-lactide screws or metallic screws studied by plain radiographs, quantitative computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

The healing of the distal femoral osteotomy fixed with self-reinforced poly-L-lactide (SR-PLLA) or metallic screws in 16 rabbits was evaluated with plain radiographs, quantitative computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). At 36 weeks in the metallic fixation there was significantly more external callus than in the SR-PLLA fixation. On the metallic fixation side the cortical bone mineral density was significantly lower than on the non-operated side at 6 weeks as well as at 36 weeks.

Spin lock magnetic resonance imaging in the differentiation of hepatic haemangiomas and metastases.

Spin lock (SL) imaging technique, generating T1 rho-weighted images, was applied to the differentiation of hepatic haemangiomas from metastatic focal liver lesions. 17 haemangiomas and 16 metastases in 32 patients were imaged at the field-strength of 0.1 T using a multiple slice SL technique and a conventional gradient-echo (GRE) sequence with identical timing parametres.

Efficient memory management strategy in hypermedia with interactive MR images.

When composing hypermedia with interactive image sets the main problem is to allocate minimal memory of random access memory (RAM). The stand-alone product should be accessible to the public and not require too much memory to maintain interaction between the images and the text. We designed a new hypermedia application using SuperCard and image stacks in PICS format running on a Macintosh LC computer.

Artifacts in MR imaging caused by small quantities of powdered iron.

The MR image artifacts caused by minute metallic particles were investigated by imaging small powdered iron quantities from 0.01 mg to 1.7 mg in water phantoms.

A low pH 111In-bleomycin complex: a tracer for radiochemotherapy of head and neck cancer.

Bleomycin (BLM) is a well known natural antibiotic. It is toxic to dividing cells and has been used for the treatment of several forms of cancer. BLM has been labeled with various cations, but most of them have turned out be unstable in in-vivo experiments.

Detection of focal liver lesions with superparamagnetic iron oxide: value of STIR and SE imaging.

Objective: We assessed the value of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) particles on the detection of focal liver lesions by MRI.

Materials And Methods: Twenty patients with one to five focal liver lesions, primarily detected with ultrasonography and/or contrast-enhanced CT, were evaluated further with unenhanced and iron oxide-enhanced MRI at 1.0 T.

Compression sonography in the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis of the leg.

The value of compression sonography was assessed to reduce the number of phlebographies otherwise necessary when deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is suspected among hospital patients. Compression sonography was used to study 119 prospective hospital patients who were suspected of having DVT of the lower extremity. The results were compared to those by phlebography.

Use of angulation in the detection of tendinitis with US.

The purpose of the study was to examine the possible benefit of the longitudinal probe angle deviation in the detection of tendinitis. The influence of the ultrasound beam angle in longitudinal view on the echo intensity was studied on a bovine tendon in vitro, and in vivo on symptomatic human Achilles tendons, one of which was operated on the following day. Five other consecutive patients with clinically unilateral tendinitis in the Achilles tendon, were treated conservatively.

Hepatosplenic yeast infection in patients with acute leukemia: a diagnostic problem.

The occurrence of hepatosplenic candidiasis following prolonged neutropenic periods has emerged as a major problem for patients with leukemia. In order to evaluate the diagnostic value of various available procedures, we analyzed our findings regarding 26 leukemic patients with hepatosplenic candidiasis. A significantly increased level (> 50 mg/L) of serum C-reactive protein (S-CRP) was significantly more common than a daily fever (for which the mean temperature peak was > 37.

Improvement of bedside chest radiograph quality using a high ratio grid and an electronic angle meter for alignment.

An electronic level was used to ensure proper alignment of a high ratio grid at bedside chest radiography. The image quality was clearly improved. The method is inexpensive and simple to use.

Quality assurance of the bedside chest radiography process.

The bedside chest radiography process was analyzed in terms of modern quality management guidelines and the sources of quality problems were identified. In order to analyze systematically the various quality factors, the process was described in a top-down fashion with the aid of data flow diagrams. Two internal quality control points and one external point were found in the process.