[Sonography of the liver following CT staging of patients with lung cancer: a retrospective analysis].

Purpose: Liver lesions are frequently detected in the CT staging of lung cancer patients and may require further investigation. The aim of our study was to assess the value of an ultrasound (US) examination of the liver in addition to routine CT staging.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study we included 174 consecutive patients with lung cancer who underwent US of the liver in addition to contrast-enhanced CT of the thorax and upper abdomen.

CT fluoroscopy guided transpleural cutting needle biopsy of small (≤2.5 cm) subpleural pulmonary nodules.

Purpose: Small subpleural pulmonary lesions are difficult to biopsy. While the direct, short needle path has been reported to have a lower rate of pneumothorax, the indirect path provides a higher diagnostic yield. Therefore, we tried to optimize the needle pathway and minimize the iatrogenic pneumothorax risk by evaluating a CT fluoroscopy guided direct approach to biopsy subpleural lesions.

COPD and osteoporosis: detection and grading of vertebral fractures on lateral chest radiography.

Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex disease that is highly associated with osteoporosis, which tends to be underdiagnosed and therefore, undertreated. Our purpose was to examine the interobserver variability of the detection and grading of vertebral fractures on routine chest radiographs in patients presenting with severe COPD.

Materials And Methods: Routine lateral chest x-rays from 43 patients (male=25) suffering from severe COPD (Global Initiative on Obstructive Lung Diseases III/IV) were evaluated retrospectively by 2 board certified radiologists and 1 radiology resident for signs of osteoporosis and vertebral fractures by using a validated semiquantitative method according to H.

Cervical ultrasound (US) and US-guided lymph node biopsy as a routine procedure for staging of lung cancer.

Purpose: To assess the value of routine ultrasound evaluation and US-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy of supraclavicular lymph nodes for the diagnosis, staging and treatment of patients with lung cancer.

Materials And Methods: 300 consecutive patients with lung cancer were evaluated with high-resolution ultrasound for the presence of pathological lymph nodes (criteria: short-axis >or= 5 mm, rounded shape, missing echogenic hilum). Suspicious lymph nodes were biopsied under ultrasound guidance if the result could influence further patient management

Results: In 41 of 257 NSCLC patients (16 %) and 15 of 43 (35 %) SCLC patients, enlarged lymph nodes were detected, in particular in patients with a CT stage N2 or N3 (NSCLC) or extensive disease (SCLC).

Analysis of the utility of diffusion-weighted MRI and apparent diffusion coefficient values in distinguishing central nervous system toxoplasmosis from lymphoma.

Introduction: Toxoplasmosis and lymphoma are common lesions of the central nervous system in patients with AIDS. It is often difficult to distinguish between these lesions both clinically and radiographically. Previous research has demonstrated restricted diffusion within cerebral lymphomas and bacterial abscesses.