[Diagnostic importance of zinc in the etiologic determination of pleural effusions].

Concentration of zinc in blood serum and effusion was determined in 104 patients with the pleural effusion of different etiology. The importance of zinc concentration in serum and effusion was analyzed, as well as their relation regarding the differential diagnosis of pleural effusion. It was established that the isolated zinc concentrations in serum and pleural effusion could not be used separately either in differing transudates from exudates or in the diagnosis of the pleural diseases.

[Can the use of computer tomography and transesophageal echosonography decrease the number of exploratory thoracotomies in pulmonary carcinoma?].

A group of 49 patients (41 males, 8 females) with locally confined non small cell lung carcinoma, of the average age 58.48 +/- 9.05 years, was retrospectively analyzed.

[Use of disodium pamidronate in patients with bone metastases in patients with pulmonary carcinoma].

Disodium pamidronate (Aredia), a drug of the bisphosphonate group, was administered to 20 patients with pains in the bones due to secondary deposits of lung cancer. The aim of the study was to investigate the analgesic effect of pamidronate to osteolytic metastases of lung cancer in the bone. In 16 (80%) patients non-small-cell lung cancer was diagnosed, and in 4 (20%) patients small-cell-lung cancer was confirmed.