Pancreas allograft rejection: analysis of concurrent renal allograft biopsies and posttherapy follow-up biopsies.

Background: Pancreas and kidney allograft function is routinely monitored with serum studies (amylase, lipase, and creatinine). Increased levels commonly prompt tissue biopsy, to diagnose cause of graft dysfunction. Historically, pancreas allografts were infrequently biopsied, although serum enzymes and renal rejection may be poor surrogates for pancreas status.

Preoperative ultrasound is worthwhile for reoperative parathyroid surgery.

Objectives/hypothesis: High-resolution ultrasound and sestamibi scanning are regarded as the first-line methods for preoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas. The utility of ultrasound in reoperative cases has been questioned because of concern that scarring will obscure normal tissue planes and vascularity that are critical to identification of an adenoma using this imaging modality. The purposes of the study were to evaluate the ability of high-resolution ultrasound to accurately localize parathyroid adenomas in the reoperative exploration and to identify any factors that influence its accuracy

Study Design: Retrospective chart review at a tertiary care academic medical center.

Gastrointestinal imaging update: swallowing disorders and sphincter of Oddi dysfunction.

This update focuses on swallowing disorders and sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. Anatomy and physiology of swallowing are described, as are the signs, symptoms, and etiology of swallowing disorders. The imaging of these patients, particularly with videofluoroscopic swallowing study and fiberoptic endoscopic examination of swallowing, is then discussed.