Prospective study of digital radiographs versus conventional screen films in Small Bowel Follow-Through examination.

Purpose: To prospectively compare subjective radiological quality, radiation dose and effect on workflow using digital radiography (DR) vs. conventional screen film (SF) radiography in the Small Bowel Follow-Through (SBFT) examination.

Methods: Five attending and four resident radiologists compared hard-copy images from 11 SBFT examinations, for which every patient had a defined pair of SF and DR images taken 20-30 min apart.

Bone Browser a decision-aid for the radiological diagnosis of bone tumors.

Bone Browser, a decision-aid for radiological diagnosis of bone tumors, was developed in cooperation with the Radiology Department of the Rambam Medical Center, Haifa. The system offers case specific advice from an expert system (ES), general information on the lesion area and allows for recording and retrieving cases. The ES utilizes both rule-based and probabilistic inferencing methodologies to arrive at a differential diagnosis (DD).

Early detection of lymphoma recurrence with gallium-67 scintigraphy.

Early detection of tumor relapse in lymphoma patients is often a difficult diagnostic problem. CT, which detects a mass, often cannot differentiate between fibrosis or relapsed tumor. For this reason, we have studied the value of 67Ga scintigraphy in the diagnosis of tumor recurrence.

The use of endotracheal tubes to assist in manipulation of esophageal strictures, in elongation of the esophagus in esophageal atresia, and in gastrojejunal feeding tube placement.

Because of the special qualities of a PVC endotracheal tube (smooth, soft, pliable but still with a patent lumen), it serves very well for the intubation of the esophagus or the duodenum through an established gastrostomy. In this article the use of endotracheal tubes in different manipulations of the esophagus and gastroduodenum is described.

Osteomyelitis of the femoral neck caused by a pencil stab wound.

A unique case of osteomyelitis of the femoral neck of an eleven-year-old boy, following a stab wound by a lead pencil, with reactive synovitis of the hip joint is presented. The clinical course simulated that of acute septic arthritis and was diagnosed by various imaging modalities. Following operation and systemic antibiotic treatment, the patient improved dramatically.

Residual mass and negative gallium scintigraphy in treated lymphoma.

Two patients with treated lymphoma demonstrated a residual mass on CT following treatment. In both cases gallium-67 (67Ga) scintigraphy demonstrated increased uptake in the original tumor mass and no uptake in the mass after treatment. In both cases the entire residual tumor mass was resected and found to contain no cancer tissue.

Preoperative diagnosis of Mirizzi syndrome.

Mirizzi syndrome is defined as an obstruction of the common hepatic duct by a stone present in the cystic duct or neck of the gallbladder. This entity rarely has been reported, and in only a few cases was the diagnosis made preoperatively. The preoperative diagnosis is of great importance since intraoperative findings may be similar to carcinoma of the extrahepatic biliary system, which requires a different technical approach.

Gallium 67 imaging in monitoring lymphoma response to treatment.

The value of gallium 67 (Ga) imaging in monitoring lymphoma response to treatment was assessed in 25 patients with Ga-avid tumors and compared to body computed tomography (CT), chest radiographs, and palpation of tumor infiltrated peripheral lymph nodes. Ga imaging was negative in 95% (20/21) of the patients who were clinically considered to be in remission and in whom treatment was stopped. The disease did not recur during a follow-up of 12 to 26 months in 15 patients.

Multifocal bleeding due to anticoagulant therapy.

A 62-year-old patient on anticoagulant therapy presented with hemothorax, pulmonary hemorrhages and a high retroperitoneal hematoma with obstruction-infarction of the right kidney. Following plasma infusion and pleural drainage, the clinical condition stabilized and kidney function improved.

Computed tomography in the preoperative evaluation of gastric carcinoma.

Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen was done in 49 patients with gastric carcinoma. These cases were retrospectively staged and evaluated as to operability. Various staging parameters were also evaluated separately.

Villous tumors of the stomach.

Four cases of gastric villous tumors are presented. The radiologic features of these rare tumors in the stomach are described. Their high propensity for malignancy as compared to villous adenoma of the colon is emphasized.

Computed tomography of Crohn's disease--reevaluation.

The indications and CT features of Crohn's disease were reevaluated, based on 48 examinations in 28 patients. Although CT is indicated mostly in the complications of Crohn's disease, it played a major role in the primary diagnosis of Crohn's disease in 8 patients. 5 unsuspected patients had CT for other abdominal indications and 3 had the examinations as part of an elective diagnostic work-up.

Progressive diaphyseal dysplasia (Camurati-Engelmann): radiographic follow-up and CT findings.

Sixteen patients with progressive diaphyseal dysplasia (PDD) and aged six months to 76 years were examined. Fourteen cases were hereditary, two were not. The progression of the radiologic manifestations in 13 patients who were followed up from 1 to 32 years and the computed tomography (CT) scans from five patients were obtained.

Gastroduodenal intussusception secondary to prolapsing gastric tumors.

Gastroduodenal intussusception is a rarely documented condition that occurs secondary to a mobile leading gastric tumor that prolapses into the duodenum. Its typical radiologic presentation includes lumen narrowing, distally converging gastric folds, infolding and outpouching of the gastric wall, gastric intussusceptum presenting as a filling defect, and a leading tumor in the duodenum. The coil spring pattern, characteristic of bowel intussusception, is not a prominent feature.

24-Hour/4-hour ratio of technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate uptake in patients with bone metastases and degenerative bone changes.

The uptake of [99mTc]MDP in metastatic lesions of the vertebrae was compared with the uptake in normal vertebrae. The ratio of these lesion-to-nonlesion uptakes at 4 and 24 hr was called the 24-hr/4-hr ratio (TF ratio). A similar ratio was measured for lesions in the spine due to degenerative bone disease.

Recurrent intraabdominal abscess caused by Salmonella paratyphi C.

We describe a patient who suffered from recurrent intraabdominal abscesses. The last two of the three abscesses were certainly caused by Salmonella paratyphi C. The time interval between the first and the second abscess was 25 years, and that between the second and the third abscess was 20 years.

Diagnostic radiology in wartime.

During the Lebanon War, 1982, over 80% of the wounded were sent from the triage area of the hospital directly to the radiology department. This article reports changes in the working pattern and organization of the department that were instituted for emergency treatment in wartime, and describes radiological examination methods for different organs. Computerized tomography is emerging as the most important diagnostic tool in addition to conventional radiological examinations.

Ultrasonography in Crohn's disease.

Eighteen patients with acute and subacute Crohn's disease were examined by ultrasound. In 7, ultrasound was the initial screening procedure leading to the diagnosis of Crohn's disease. This diagnosis was subsequently proved by results of barium studies.

Computed tomography in the diagnosis of adrenal pathology.

Computed tomographic diagnosis of adrenal pathology, based on experience with 13 cases, is presented. These include five pheochromocytomas, two functioning cortical adenomas and one case each of nonfunctioning adenoma, adrenal cyst with adenoma, carcinoma, metastasis, and bilateral hyperplasia. One additional case of a small adrenal tumor of undetermined nature was probably a small nonfunctioning adenoma.