Retrograde urethrosonography with SonoVue in strictures of the male urethra: a pilot study.

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of SonoVue urethrosonography in diagnosing the adult male anterior urethral strictures pathology in comparison with retrograde urethrography.

Material And Method: We standardised the method and performed a comparative study evaluating the diagnosis of urethral strictures using retrograde urethrography and retrograde ultrasonographic exploration with SonoVue on 6 male patients.

Results: In all patients, the existence of urethral stricture, localization and its extension were confirmed.

Ultrasound as the first imaging method in severe lung disease. Considerations about a case of pulmonary tuberculosis and review of the literature.

Abdominal ultrasound (US) performed as a "primary imaging procedure" is an important diagnostic tool in gastroenterol-ogy. Expanding the routine investigation to the lower thoracic region might sometimes accelerate the diagnosis in inconclusive manifestations such as pulmonary pathology.US is a valuable tool in evaluating patients with breathing difficulties, chest pain, hypoxia, or chest trauma.

Serum Soluble ST2 and Diastolic Dysfunction in Hypertensive Patients.

Background: Echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular (LV) structural and functional alterations in hypertension has some limitations, potentially overcome by using biomarkers. ST2, a prognostic biomarker for heart failure and myocardial infarction patients, was less studied in hypertension.

Aim: To analyze the relationship between serum ST2 levels and diastolic dysfunction (DD) in hypertension.