Anterior vaginal and intrauterine pressures in mares.

Resting pressure in the anterior vagina and uterus was measured monthly in eight mares for 5 mo. During this time, four of the mares maintained their body weight and four lost weight. Mean anterior vaginal pressure was -11.

The detection of metastatic disease of the spine in oncology patients using MRI.

The value of MRI in the diagnosis and management of patients with primary bone tumours has already been established. The use of MRI in the detection of metastatic spinal disease is discussed in this paper.

Development of a sensor for non-invasive intracranial pressure measurement in the newborn.

A new system has been developed for the non-invasive monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) across the anterior fontanelle in the newborn. The system comprises a very small pneumatic sensor linked via two vinyl tubes to an instrument where the ICP value is displayed. The sensor is simply bonded to the anterior fontanelle, using industrial collodion normally used for attaching EEG electrodes.

Diagnostic imaging of post-irradiation changes in the chest.

Thirty-nine patients were studied with regard to post-irradiation changes in the chest. Twenty of these were reviewed retrospectively and 19 studied prospectively. All patients had chest radiographs and computed tomography (CT) of the chest following radiotherapy.

Does aspirin damage canine gastric mucosa by reducing its surface hydrophobicity?

Intraluminally administered aspirin disrupts the gastric mucosal barrier in a pH-dependent manner and may do so by compromising the hydrophobic or nonwettable lining to the stomach. We examined the pH dependence and time-course of aspirin's effects on barrier integrity by measuring the aspirin-induced changes in surface wettability, potential difference (PD), and electrical resistance (R) of canine gastric mucosa mounted in Ussing chambers. Luminal surface hydrophobicity, as determined by contact angle (CA) measurements, and PD were reduced by acidic aspirin solutions but were not reduced by acidic solutions without aspirin (pH 2.

Pre-operative assessment of local invasion in rectal cancer: digital examination, endoluminal sonography or computed tomography?

Forty-four patients with primary rectal cancers and six patients with benign rectal lesions were examined pre-operatively digitally, with endorectal sonography (ELU) and also computed tomography (CT). Digital examination of the rectal cancers had an overall accuracy of 68 per cent and predicted invasion beyond the muscularis propria with a sensitivity of 68 per cent, specificity of 83 per cent, positive predictive value of 100 per cent and negative predictive value of 46 per cent. In comparison CT had an accuracy of 82 per cent, sensitivity of 86 per cent, specificity of 62 per cent, positive predictive value of 91 per cent and negative predictive value of 50 per cent.

Endorectal sonography: laboratory and clinical experience in Bristol.

The normal echographic pattern produced by the colon and rectum has been investigated in vitro. Five basic ultrasonic layers or interfaces have clearly been identified; a first echogenic layer produced by the mucosa, then an echopoor layer representing the mucosa and muscularis mucosae, an echogenic layer which was submucosa, echopoor layer which was muscularis propria and an echogenic layer which was either pararectal fat or serosa. The effectiveness of endoluminal ultrasound (ELU) in the pre-operative staging of rectal cancer has been assessed in a group of 67 patients who were also, where possible, graded by digital examination and in some cases computer aided tomography (CT) (33 patients).

The use of catheter-tipped pressure transducers for chronic measurement of genital tract pressures in the ewe. II. Effects of oxytocin and prostaglandin F(2)alpha.

Chronic catheterisation of the uterus, ampulla, and abdomen was performed in five ewes using solid-state, catheter-tipped pressure transducers. The catheters remained in place for up to 129 d, allowing in vivo studies of the effects of oxytocin and prostaglandin F(2)alpha (PGF(2)alpha). These agents did not produce any measurable increase in abdominal pressure.