Prevalence and characteristics of hepatopulmonary syndrome in children with cirrhosis in southern Brazil.

Background: Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is defined as a triad characterized by arterial deoxygenation, intrapulmonary vascular dilatations (IPVDs), and liver disorder. The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of HPS in children with cirrhosis, the clinical characteristics of patients with HPS, and the tests used for the diagnosis of IPVD.

Patients And Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study of 40 children with cirrhosis (median age: 44 months).

Searching for a neurobiological basis for self-medication theory in ADHD comorbid with substance use disorders: an in vivo study of dopamine transporters using (99m)Tc-TRODAT-1 SPECT.

Purpose: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and substance use disorders (SUD) frequently co-occur. Although several studies have shown changes in striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) density in these disorders, little is known about the neurobiological basis of the comorbidity. The aim of this study was to evaluate striatal DAT density in treatment-naive ADHD adolescents with SUD (ADHD + SUD) and without SUD (ADHD), compared to SUD adolescents without ADHD (SUD) and healthy control subjects (HC).

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: is there a correlation between dopamine transporter density and cerebral blood flow?

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequent behavioral problems in school-age children. Although the etiology remains unclear, the involvement of the dopaminergic system has been suggested by genetic studies that report an overexpression of the dopamine transporter (DAT) gene. In spite of these abnormalities being directly related to the decrease of dopamine (DA) in the striatum (STR), abnormalities in brain perfusion have also been observed in cortical-subcortical structures.

The surgical management of the sentinel lymph node in cutaneous melanoma might be different when the primary lesion was previously resected with 1 cm margin.

Aim: To simulate the effects of previous wide cutaneous melanoma excision in sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy feasibility through a change in the radiotracer injection site.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-three patients with cutaneous melanoma underwent two preoperatory lymphoscintigraphic studies. In the first, the radiopharmaceutical was injected intradermally 0.

CT quantification of emphysema in young subjects with no recognizable chest disease.

Objective: The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate volumetric CT emphysema quantification (CT densitovolumetry) in a young population with no recognizable lung disease.

Subjects And Methods: A cohort of 30 nonsmoking patients with no recognizable lung disease (16 men, 14 women; age range, 19-41 years) underwent inspiratory and expiratory CT, after which the data were postprocessed for volumetric quantification of emphysema (threshold, -950 HU). Correlation was tested for age, weight, height, sex, body surface area (BSA), and physical activity.

Use of the gamma probe in sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with prostate cancer.

Objective: To describe the reproducibility of the sentinel lymph node technique in patients with prostate cancer and verify if there is improved accuracy over modified lymphadenectomy.

Material And Methods: Twenty-three patients with biopsy proven prostate cancer were enrolled in this study. Lymphoscintigraphy was performed after the transrectal administration of Tc sulfur colloid guided by ultrasound, with one injection in each prostate lobe.