Monitoring therapeutic response to tamoxifen in NMU-induced rat mammary tumours by 31P MRS.

Tamoxifen injections were given once a week for 4 weeks to 19 rats bearing N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (NMU)-induced mammary carcinomas. NMR spectra were collected on days 2, 7, 14, 21 and 28. Only 42% of the tumours responded to the tamoxifen in that they regressed significantly; another 21% did not change in size and 37% grew significantly.

31P-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies of the response of rat mammary tumors to endocrine therapy.

We have used 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to detect the metabolic changes that occur in estrogen-sensitive, N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced rat mammary tumors as they regress following ovariectomy. In untreated animals the spectra of the tumors showed a steady loss of high energy phosphates (phosphocreatine and nucleoside triphosphates) and an increase in inorganic phosphate. This was reversed after ovariectomy.

Open lung biopsy in patients with diffuse pulmonary shadowing.

The radiological appearances of diffuse pulmonary shadowing are not specific and frequently histological examination is necessary to provide a diagnosis or assess the activity of the disease. From July 1979 to May 1983 open lung biopsy was performed in 101 patients through a limited submammary incision. Twenty seven patients had undergone prior invasive investigations and 27 were taking corticosteroids at the time of biopsy.

Topical antiseptics in addition to peroperative antibiotics in preventing post-appendicectomy wound infections.

The effect of using topical povidone-iodine spray in addition to a single dose of intravenous metronidazole was studied in a clinical trial involving 200 patients undergoing appendicectomy. Despite the metronidazole, patients with perforated or gangrenous appendices still had an unacceptably high rate of wound infection. Overall, no benefit resulted from the addition of the povidone-iodine spray.