Echocardiographic identification of aorta and main pulmonary artery in complete transposition.

No completely reliable echocardiographic technique has been described for the separate identification of the aorta and main pulmonary artery in complete transposition of the great arteries. A mechanical wide-angle (60 degrees) sector scanner has been applied to this problem in 17 infants and young children, including 8 newborns before angiocardiography. In all patients a longitudinal scan (saggital section) identified the main pulmonary artery by its directly posterior course immediately beyond the pulmonary valve, and the aorta by its retrosternal course upwards before turning posteriorly above the main pulmonary artery.

Carbonic anhydrase (acetazolamide-sensitive esterase) activity in the blood, gill and kidney of the thermally acclimated rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri.

1. Gill, kidney and blood levels of acetazolamide-sensitive esterase (carbonic anhydrase) activity were estimated at acclimation temperature and at a common temperature (25 degrees C) in rainbow trout acclimated to 2, 10 and 18 degrees C. Plasma levels of sodium, potassium and chloride were also examined for possible acclimatory variations.

An intercomparison of computer assisted data processing and display methods in radioisotope scintigraphy using mathematical tumours.

Several computer assisted processing and display methods are evaluated using a series of 100 normal brain scintigrams, 50 of which have had single 'mathematical tumours' superimposed. Using a standard rating system, or in some cases quantitative estimation, LROC curves are generated for each method and compared.

Two-dimensional echocardiography with a wide angle (60 degrees) sector scanner.

A wide angle (60 degrees) sector scanner producing a real-time two-dimensional echocardiogram has been used to examine healthy infants, children, and adults. Its method of use is described and findings from longitudinal and transverse scans are presented. The points of difference between the various types of electronic and mechanical two-dimensional scanning systems are discussed.

Hereditary coproporphyria and epilepsy.

A 9-year-old boy with mental deterioration and epilepsy suffered an acute attack of hereditary coproporphyria associated with worsening of seizure control. Leucocyte coproporphyrinogen oxidase activity was undetectable in the patient during this attack, and was reduced in his mother, a latent case. The complex relationship between porphyria, epilepsy, and anticonvulsant drugs is discussed.

Urinary clearance of 113m In-DTPA and 99mTc-(Sn)DTPA measured by external arm counting.

Single shot glomerular filtration rate measurements involving chelates (113mIn-DTPA, 99mTc-DTPA etc) assume direct loss from the plasma to urine via glomerular filtration and excretion. Inherent errors, due to considerable uptake of activity in tissue and uncertainty of complete bladder emptying are ignored and taking of half-hourly blood and urine samples involves patient discomfort. This paper describes a simple method of measuring urinary clearance of chelates using serial external arm counting which entails only an initial injection and takes into account tissue loss from plasma.

Failure of phenobarbitone to prevent febrile convulsions.

One-hundred-sixty-five children without known neurological disorder who presented with their first febrile convulsion between the ages of six months and three years were assigned to daily phenobarbitone treatment or to a control group and followed up at a special clinic for six months. One-hundred-and-sixty-one-one children completed the trial, and of the 88 children assigned to phenobarbitone treatment 10 had further convulsions during this period compared with 14 of the 73 control children. Only 49 of those assigned to phenobarbitone took the drug regularly throughout the trial, and four of these had further febrile convulsions, a proportion not significantly different from that in the controls.