Blunt trauma of the pancreas and biliary tract: a multimodality imaging approach to diagnosis.

Injuries of the pancreas, gallbladder, and bile ducts due to blunt trauma are relatively uncommon and difficult to detect but are associated with high morbidity and mortality, especially if diagnosis is delayed. Accurate and early diagnosis is imperative, and imaging plays a key role in detection. Knowledge of the mechanisms of injury, the types of injuries, and the roles of various imaging modalities is essential for prompt and accurate diagnosis.

Penetrating injuries of the neck and the increasing role of CTA.

Vascular injuries of the neck are most frequently the result of penetrating trauma. Diagnostic evaluation of hemodynamically stable patients who have suffered penetrating neck wounds is challenging and remains controversial. In order to reduce morbidity and mortality, prompt diagnosis and subsequent treatment of these injuries is critical.

Gunshot wounds of abdomen: evaluation of stable patients with triple-contrast helical CT.

Purpose: To assess helical computed tomography (CT) with contrast material administered intravenously, orally, and rectally (triple contrast helical CT)) in the prospective evaluation of stable patients with abdominal gunshot wounds in whom there is no clinical indication for immediate exploratory laparotomy.

Materials And Methods: The study was conducted for 19 months. All patients met the following inclusion criteria: age of 16 years or older, hemodynamic stability, no clinical signs of peritoneal irritation, and signed consent to participate.

Divalent ansa-zirconocenes: stereoselective synthesis and high activity for propylene polymerization.

The reduction of ZrCl4(PR3)2 with Li powder, in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of trans-1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene, affords the Zr(II) diene complexes (1) in 90-93% yields. This reaction consists of a rate-limiting step for the formation of the chloride-bridged Zr(III) dimer (2) and a fast diene-driven disproportionation of 2 to 1 and ZrCl4(PR3)2 that re-enters the reduction cycle. The reaction of 1 with Li2{Me2Si(2-Me-4-Ph-Ind)2} in toluene produces quantitatively the desired racemic, divalent ansa-zirconocene (3) that is a highly active isospecific propylene polymerization catalyst upon activation with common activators.

Penetrating neck injuries: helical CT angiography for initial evaluation.

Purpose: To report an experience with helical computed tomographic (CT) angiography as the initial procedure to rule out arterial lesions caused by penetrating neck injuries.

Materials And Methods: During 27 months, 175 patients were referred for helical CT angiography of the neck because of clinical suspicion of arterial injuries. The protocol included a 100-mL bolus of nonionic contrast material injected at 4.