New dosimetric approach for multidimensional dose evaluation in gamma knife radiosurgery. Technical note.

During the past two decades, the progress in computerized treatment planning systems has led to more accurate imaging and therapy by using the gamma knife, especially with the smallest collimators (4 mm). However, the ionization chambers that have been used to calibrate the gamma knife are not useful with the smallest collimators because the chambers are too big compared with the irradiated volume. Therefore, it is important to develop more suitable dosimeters.

[Acute unrestrainable digestive hemorrhage caused by primary neurogenic tumor of the duodenum].

An extremely rare case of primary benign neurogenic tumour of the duodenum that determined a picture of severe digestive haemorrhage is reported.

[Cancer of the stomach, the choice of surgery based on correct staging: total or subtotal gastrectomy?].

On the basis of the literature and of personal experience, the problem of the extent of demolition time, total gastrectomy or subtotal gastrectomy for patients suffering from stomach cancer is analysed. It is considered that total gastrectomy does not always lead to longer survival by comparison with subtotal gastrectomy and that in certain cases the latter, after careful consideration of a series of variables, may be the operation of choice.

[Acute phase proteins as markers of septic risk in surgical patients].

A heterogeneous group of surgery patients at septic risk was studied through monitoring of acute phase proteins (APP). Plasma levels of 8 acute phase proteins (C-reactive, alpha-1 antitrypsin, fibrinogen, ceruloplasmin, transferrin, albumin, prealbumin, alpha-2 macroglobulin) were measured in the pre- and postoperative period of septic surgery patients suffering from disease processes in various sites and with different aetiopathogenesis. The experiment is related to some interesting research proposed by authors in the Shock Physiopathology Study Centre of the Catholic University of Rome and their results.