An Intermodal Correlation Study among Imaging, Histology, Procedural and Clinical Parameters in Cerebral Thrombi Retrieved from Anterior Circulation Ischemic Stroke Patients.

The precise characterization of cerebral thrombi prior to an interventional procedure can ease the procedure and increase its success. This study investigates how well cerebral thrombi can be characterized by computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR) and histology, and how parameters obtained by these methods correlate with each other as well as with the interventional procedure and clinical parameters. Cerebral thrombi of 25 patients diagnosed by CT with acute ischemic stroke were acquired by mechanical thrombectomy and, subsequently, scanned by a high spatial-resolution 3D MRI including -weighted imaging, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), mapping and then finally analyzed by histology.

Study of correlations between CT properties of retrieved cerebral thrombi with treatment outcome of stroke patients.

Background: All the patients with suspected stroke are directed to whole-brain CT scan. The purpose of this scan is to look for early features of ischemia and to rule out alternative diagnoses than stroke. In case of ischemic stroke, CT diagnostics (including CT angiography) is used mainly to locate the occlusion and its size, while the Hounsfield Units (HU) values of the thrombus causing the stroke are usually overlooked on CT scan or considered not important.

Retrieved cerebral thrombi studied by T2 and ADC mapping: preliminary results.

Background Recent advances in MRI technology makes it increasingly more competitive to CT also in the field of interventions. Multi-parametric MRI offers a significant amount of data relevant for characterization of human cerebral thrombi. Patients and methods Cerebral thrombi of 17 patients diagnosed with acute stroke were acquired by mechanical thrombectomy.

Efficacy and durability of radiopaque gelified ethanol in management of herniated discs.

Background Percutaneous image-guided intradiscal injection of gelified ethanol was introduced to treat herniated disc disease lately. The aim of the study was to assess clinical efficacy and durability over a 36 months' period. Patients and methods Eighty-three patients (47 males, 36 females, mean age 48.

Dynamics of CT visible pleural effusion in patients with pulmonary infarction.

Background Pleural effusion remains largely unexplored in patients with pulmonary embolism and concurrent pulmonary infarction. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the size of pulmonary infarction and pleural effusion as well as the time course of pleural effusion in patients with pulmonary infarction. Patients and methods Data from 103 patients with pulmonary infarction was retrospectively analysed along with patient comorbidities, size of pulmonary infarction, presence and size of pleural effusion with the time between the onset of clinical symptoms of pulmonary infarction and CT study.

Primary pulmonary choriocarcinoma.

Background: The aim of the study was to establish whether there are different clinical entities of primary pulmonary choriocarcinoma (PPC) that deserve different diagnostic approach and the most optimal treatment.

Patients And Methods: A systematic review with PubMed search was conducted to identify studies that reported cases of PPC. The eligibility criteria were histological diagnosis of pulmonary choriocarcinoma and thorough examination of the reproductive organs to exclude potential primary choriocarcinoma in the gonads.

The value of the sagittal-oblique MRI technique for injuries of the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee.

Background: Complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) does not represent a diagnostic problem for the standard magnetic resonance (MR) protocol of the knee. Lower accuracy of the standard MR protocol for partial rupture of the ACL can be improved by using additional, dedicated MR techniques. The study goal was to draw a comparison between sagittal-oblique MR technique of ACL imaging versus flexion MR technique of ACL imaging and, versus ACL imaging obtained with standard MR protocol of the knee.

Mechanical revascularization for acute ischemic stroke: a single-center, retrospective analysis.

Background: Endovascular mechanical revascularization (thrombectomy) is an increasingly used method for intracranial large vessel recanalization in acute stroke. The purpose of the study was to analyze the recanalization rate, clinical outcome, and complication rate in our stroke patients treated with mechanical revascularization.

Methods: A total of 57 patients with large vessel stroke (within 3 h for anterior and 12 h for posterior circulation) were treated with mechanical revascularization at a single center during 24 months.

Risk of deterministic effects during endovascular aortic stent graft implantation.

Since the 1990s, stent graft implantation for aortic pathology has become an alternative to extensive surgical procedures in some patients. Indeed, many patients with such pathology are now treated endovascularly. Only limited data concerning the risk of a deterministic effect during aortic stent graft implantation are available Accordingly, 179 consecutive patients treated in our institute between October 2002 and July 2008 with endovascular aortic stent grafts were included in this study.

Multimodal therapy for the treatment of severe ischemic stroke combining endovascular embolectomy and stenting of long intracranial artery occlusion.

Embolic occlusion of cerebral arteries is a major cause for stroke. Intravenous thrombolysis showed positive results in this condition, however even when strict criteria are used, the risk of hemorrhagic transformation is possible. Microsurgical embolectomy has been described earlier.

3T MRI in evaluation of asbestos-related thoracic diseases - preliminary results.

Background: 3T high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners have recently become available for the clinical use and are being increasingly applied in the field of whole-body imaging and chest imaging as well. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic potential of 3 T MRI as a complementary imaging modality to CT in detecting the pathological changes of asbestos-related thoracic diseases.

Patients And Methods: Fifteen patients with the asbestos-related thoracic disease were scheduled for 3T MRI.

CT colonography in detection of colorectal carcinoma.

Background: Diagnostic methods used in screening and detecting colorectal carcinoma are digitorectal examination, faecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, DNA stool analysis, barium enema, colonoscopy, and as of recently CT colonography. The aim of this study was to establish diagnostic accuracy and comfort of CT colonography compared to colonoscopy and barium enema.

Patients And Methods: We included 231 patients in the prospective study.

Sonographic evaluation of pleural fluid in a large group of adult healthy individuals--end trial results.

This partly prospective, partly retrospective trial was performed in adult healthy volunteers to confirm the prevalence of sonographically visible physiological pleural and to establish possible individual variations of the presence and amount of pleural fluid over time as well as to asses relations in between pleural fluid and individual characteristics like age, sex, body mass index, smoking history and hormone therapy (in woman). A reliable threshold between normal and pathological pleural fluid findings was determined. Prospective chest sonography of both pleural spaces was performed with 3-12 MHz transducer in 71 randomly selected healthy adults and presence of pleural fluid was evaluated and measured as an anechoic layer at least 2 mm in thickness.

Haematomas after percutaneus vacuum-assisted breast biopsy.

Purpose: Clinically apparent haematomas are among most frequent complications after vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB). We evaluated the prevalence and persistence of sonographically (US) detected haematomas and other tissue changes at the biopsy site after VABB.

Materials And Methods: We examined 48 women who underwent stereotactic 11G needle VABB; the majority of them had mammographically detected microcalcifications.

Diagnostic imaging of small amounts of pleural fluid: pleural effusion vs. physiologic pleural fluid.

The aim of this article is to present an overview of our 10 years clinical research work and early clinical experience with small pleural effusions. Small amounts of pleural fluid are severely difficult to identify with imaging methods (chest x-rays and ultrasound). Nevertheless, it may be an important finding, sometimes leading to a definitive diagnosis of pleural carcinomatosis, infection or other pathologic condition.

Dual cerebral protection technique during carotid stenting.

Purpose: To present a technique for internal carotid artery stenting (CAS) with dual cerebral protection in patients with high-grade stenosis caused by large, soft atherosclerotic plaques.

Technique: The MO.MA proximal cerebral protection device is first placed in the external and common carotid arteries.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of salivary gland and cystic lung disease.

A rare case of a young nonsmoker woman with Sjigren's syndrome and salivary gland non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, diagnosed one year later, is presented. Three years after treatment of the lymphoma, asymptomatic progression of the Sjögren 's syndrome was observed with pulmonary involvement--predominantly bullous or cystic lung disease. To our knowledge, this is the only report of Sjögren 's syndrome associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in salivary gland, and complicated with multiple lung cysts.

Performance of opportunistic breast cancer screening in Slovenia.

The purpose of the study was to assess performance indicators of opportunistic breast screening carried out in one of the Primary Breast Diseases Centers (PBDC) and to find out if these indicators meet the standards set in "European guidelines for quality assurance in mammographic screening". The records of 1,896 asymptomatic women, aged between 50 and 69 years who attended PBDC for the first time in the period from October 15 1998 to October 15 2002, were reviewed. In all of them, clinical examination and mammography was done.

Sonography of pleural space in healthy individuals.

Purpose: This research was performed to detect physiologic pleural fluid by chest ultrasonography, to assess the frequency of this finding, and to check the status of pleural space, searching for possible individual variations of the amounts of pleural fluid.

Materials And Methods: In the baseline study, chest ultrasonography of both pleural spaces was performed in a group of 106 healthy volunteers, searching for pleural fluid, first in the lateral decubitus position and then leaning on the elbow. An anechoic fluid layer at least 2-mm thick was taken as a positive result.

Phase I-II trial of low-dose gemcitabine in prolonged infusion and cisplatin for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

After monotherapy with gemcitabine in low dose in long infusion, promising results in a variety of advanced chemoresistant tumors have been reported. In a previous phase I trial on heavily pre-treated patients, maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of gemcitabine in a 6 h infusion was 250 mg/m. The objective of our phase I-II trial was to test the combination of gemcitabine in a 6-h infusion and cisplatin in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Sonographic detection of physiologic pleural fluid in normal pregnant women.

Purpose: This prospective study was conducted to determine the normal incidence of a small amount of pleural fluid in healthy pregnant women on sonography.

Methods: Chest sonography to detect pleural fluid was performed in 47 pregnant volunteers, first with the subjects leaning on 1 elbow (the "elbow position") and then with subjects in a sitting position. A 9-12-MHz linear-array probe was used.

Imaging of pleural fluid in healthy individuals.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to determine the ability of radiography and ultrasonography to detect normal pleural fluid in healthy individuals and to assess the frequency of this finding.

Materials And Methods: Chest ultrasonography of both pleural spaces was performed in a group of 106 healthy volunteers to identify pleural fluid, first in the lateral decubitus position and than leaning on one elbow. Posteroanterior (PA) and lateral decubitus expiratory radiography were subsequently performed.

Pneumomediastinum, pneumopericardium, and pneumoperitoneum caused by peridiverticulitis of the colon: report of a case.

A 50-year-old woman with breast carcinoma metastases in the left supraclavicular region was treated because of free air in the mediastinum, around the heart and vascular pedicle, below the diaphragmatic dome, and subcutaneous neck and supraclavicular emphysema, without radiologic signs of pneumothorax. Diverticulosis of the colon and an occult perforation of the diverticulum in the retroperitoneal region of the colon were diagnosed. The patient was treated by segmental resection of the colon with anastomosis, drainage of the abdominal cavity, and antibiotics.

Role of sonographically guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy of adrenal masses in patients with lung cancer.

Purpose: The aims of this retrospective study were to determine the accuracy and safety of sonographically guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in evaluating enlarged adrenal glands in patients with lung cancer and to correlate the metastatic involvement of the adrenal glands with the surgical stage of the primary lung tumor.

Methods: During an 11-year period, 64 patients with cytologically proven lung cancer had undergone sonographically guided FNABs of an adrenal mass. The accuracy of this method was assessed on the basis of cytologic findings and the safety, on the number of complications reported after FNAB.