Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) appearance of hepatic myelolipoma.

The case report is a description of a single case of hepatic myelolipoma, a very rare benign hepatic tumor, evaluated with contrast sonography, in a 72-year-old female. It was previously reported as hyperechoic lesions at sonography. CEUS features of the lesion were: homogeneous hyperenhancement in the arterial phase and a slight hyperenhancement in the portal venous phase typical of benign tumors.

Evaluation with contrast ultrasound of the prevalence of splenic infarction in left-sided infective endocarditis.

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the prevalence of the embolization of the spleen in patients with definite left-sided infective endocarditis (IE) using a contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).

Methods: From March 2012 through September 2013, 18 consecutive patients (9 females and 9 males, aged 21-83 years) evaluated at our hospital and with definite left-sided IE according to the revised Duke criteria were enrolled. All of the patients gave informed written consent and the study was performed in conformity with the ethical guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound evaluation of splenic embolization in patients with definite left-sided infective endocarditis.

The purpose of the study described here was to prospectively evaluate the significance of embolization of the spleen in patients with definite left-sided infective endocarditis (IE) using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). From March through October 2012, 6 consecutive patients (4 females and 2 males, aged 27 to 83 years) with definite left-sided IE according to the revised Duke criteria were enrolled. All patients gave informed written consent, and the study was performed in conformity with the ethical guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Ultrasound assessment of vascularization of the thickened terminal ileum wall in Crohn's disease patients using a low-mechanical index real-time scanning technique with a second generation ultrasound contrast agent.

Objective: To prospectively evaluate the vascularization of the thickened terminal ileum in Crohn's disease patients using contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and to compare the clinical activity measured by the Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) with the CEUS findings.

Patients And Methods: Forty-eight of 104 consecutive patients (17 females and 31 males, aged 42.4+/-13.

An open, randomized comparison study of cyclosporine A, cyclosporine A + methotrexate and cyclosporine A + hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of early severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Purpose: To determine whether a regimen of cyclosporine (CSA) and methotrexate (MTX), or CSA and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) introduced in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can produce a significant improvement in clinical outcome and/or retard radiographic damage in comparison with standard monotherapy with CSA alone.

Methods: One hundred five patients with active RA of less than 36 months duration, who had never previously been treated with immunosuppressive agents, were included in a 12-month, multi-center, open, randomized trial. Patients who fulfilled the criteria for early severe RA were randomized to receive either combination therapy (CSA + MTX n = 34, CSA + HCQ n = 35) or CSA alone (n = 36).