[Percutaneous angioplasty of arterio-venous fistulae with Zijlstra catheters].

Brescia-Cimino arteriovenous fistulas are the most common vascular accesses in hemodialysis patients. Arterial blood pressure inside the vein and repeated punctures cause progressive sclerosis of the vessel wall and stenosis or occlusion are the final outcome. Percutaneous dilatation is an effective method to preserve arteriovenous fistulas function.

[Role of echography in the diagnosis of ovarian tumors].

The role of sonography is evaluated in the diagnosis of ovarian tumors. Real-time US proves more sensitive than gynecological examination in the diagnosis of ovarian diseases. As yet, however, no correlation has been found between histological findings and US appearance.

[Differential diagnosis of hematoma, pulsating hematoma and pseudoaneurysm of the femoral artery using color Doppler].

Color Doppler and Duplex Doppler US were employed on 4 patients with clinically suspected pseudoaneurysms as a complication of femoral artery puncture after cardiac catheterization. Pseudoaneurysms were identified with Color Doppler US and their typical appearance was confirmed. The grey-scale findings did not allow an adequate differentiation between hematoma and pulsed hematoma without fibrous encapsulation: only Color Doppler US easily detected the track between damaged artery and blood collection and allowed a sample to be obtained for pulsed Doppler examination.

[Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of supra-aortic vessels. Presentation of 16 cases].

Sixteen cases are reported of dilatation of supra-aortic vessels; in 14/16 patients the vessel involved was either the subclavian artery or the brachiocephalich trunk. Special attention is paid to the choice of patients--the ideal one presenting with a single uncalcified lesion, with stenosis more than 50% of diameter; the symptoms have recently appeared, with a significant difference (more than 20 mmHg) in the pressure of the two arms. The technical aspects of the angioplastic procedure are discussed, especially in order to preserve the intracranial circulation and to limit possible complications.

[Urography with non-ionic contrast media. Multicenter experience on the optimization of the technic].

The authors report the results of a multicentric experience based on 1200 urograms performed with nonionic contrast medium. The global diagnostic reliability is evaluated, together with the specific reliability for kidneys, ureters, and bladder, according to the various pathologies. The eventual need of radiographs of completion is showed.

[Five-minute urogram: is it sufficient for a diagnosis?].

It has been demonstrated, studying in retrospect a great number of urographies, that the most reliable urogram is the 5 minute urogram (5-U) after the end of the infusion of ionic contrast medium. The authors therefore, in order to save costs and dose to the population, suggest to simplify the urographical routine examination executing only 5-U. This is suggested especially in urographical evaluation of urolithiasis, urinary tract infections, prostate pathology, pelvic masses, pathologies in which 5-U is highly reliable.

The role of embolization in the treatment of kidney carcinoma.

Although embolization is widely employed in kidney cancer patients, it is not yet clearly understood whether the procedure may influence the natural history of the disease. The writers' experience consists of 99 embolized patients, performed since 1976. The effects of the procedure were reduction of tumor bulk, creation of a good edematous cleavage plane, and shrinkage of venous thrombi.

Transcatheter embolization of hypogastric arteries as an aid or alternative to surgery in the management of life-threatening pelvic haemorrhage.

Transcatheter embolization for uncontrollable haemorrhage from pelvic organs was performed in 27 patients (12 women, 15 men) as an aid or alternative to surgery. The advantages and peculiarities of different embolic materials employed, and methods for managing intractable haemorrhage are discussed.

[Lumbar phlebography: methodological choice and reliability in the radiographic study of lumbar disk hernias].

Lumbar epidural venography was used as the examination of choice in the investigation of suspected disc herniation in 270 patients. Compression or occlusion of an epidural and/or radicular vein at the disc level is the most significant venographic abnormality. In 110 patients operated on, the reliability of lumbar epidural venography was equal to 97.

A case of renal oncocytoma.

A case of renal oncocytoma angiographically diagnosed and successfully treated by in situ tumorectomy under local hypothermia is presented.

[Lumbar phlebography: anatomy and technique (author's transl)].

This article describes the normal radiological anatomy of the epidural veins whose understanding is necessary for the correct interpretation of venographic studies. Three ways of achieving adequate visualization of the epidural venous plexus are described. Experience with 80 cases is reported; a comparison has been made among the degree of visualization of the epidural venous plexus, the length of time, the cost and the amount of radiation received by the operator and patients during the performance of each technique.

[Cholangiocarcinoma in a patient with hepatosplenic atrophy subsequent to thorotrast administration (author's transl)].

A case of cholangiocarcinoma observed in a woman of 38 following carotidographic examination with Thorotrast is described: the presence of radioactivity was also demonstrated by gamma spectrometry. The high mean dose absorbed by the liver (estimated at about 3,000 rad) together with the high relative biological effectiveness of the alpha contribution and the time lapse justify the hypothesis that the neoplasia was caused by irradiation.

[The intra-arterial use of lidocaine to reduce pain in aorto-femoral arteriography (author's transl)].

In 50 patients subjected to aorto-femoral arteriography, the examination was carried out with and without the addition of 1 cm3 of 2% lidocaine per 10 cm3 of contrast medium; in 43/50 lidocaine led to a more or less notable reduction in pain without side-effects.

[Malignant insuloma. Evaluation of the response to treatment with streptozotocin, using selective arteriography of the celiac axis].

A patients with metastatic insulin-producing islet-cell carcinoma has been treated with Streptozotocin intravenously and studied by selective celiac angiography during treatment. A 50% decrease of the tumor's size has been demonstrated by this technique after a total dose of 19 grams of the drug together with return to normal of the serum-insulin and blood-glucose values. The usefulness of angiography in evaluating the tumor response to Streptozotocin and in managing chemotherapy is discussed.

[Radiological study of non-neoplastic renal expansive processes (author's transl)].

The radiological aspects of non-neoplastic renal expansive processes are reviewed and discussed, particular attention being paid to indications for the various investigation techniques and differential diagnosis. Numerous examples are reported.

Selective arterial embolization in renal tumors.

Selective arterial embolization with Gelfoam was performed in 45 cases of hypernephroma. In 33 cases this technique has been utilized as preoperative procedure and almost always (97%) nephrectomy was facilitated: 97% of the cases had slight or moderate operative bleeding; in 82% of the cases separation of the tumor-containing kidney from adjacent tissues was easy. Embolization has been employed in 12 inoperable patients and was effective mainly in management of bleeding.

[Selective arteriography of the carotid and vertebral arteries by the femoral route: review of 225 patients (author's transl)].

Selective arteriography of the carotid and vertebral arteries by the femoral route was carried out in 225 cases. The technique, results, indications and contraindications are reported and discussed together with complications.

Angiographic diagnosis of endocrine tumors of the pancreas.

The angiographic findings in 18 patients with endocrine tumors of the pancreas are analyzed. A literature review (262 cases) is performed in order to assess the accuracy of angiography in diagnosing islet cell tumors, in particular multiple and small (less than 1 cm) lesions. Problems of differential diagnosis of pancreatic and extrapancreatic structures and lesions are discussed.