Pelvimetry by digital radiography and its dosimetry.

Sonography is firmly established in obstetrics as the method of choice for the localization of fetus and placenta. However, for the determination of pelvic dimensions sonography does not suffice. Thus, for a few strictly selected indications conventional x-ray pelvimetry is used.

Mucociliary clearance and airways obstruction in smokers, ex-smokers and normal subjects who never smoked.

On 17 ex-smokers (7 without chronic bronchitis, 10 with chronic bronchitis) and 48 smokers (13 without chronic bronchitis, 35 with chronic bronchitis) we analyzed the correlation between smoking habits (pack years, smoking and ex-smoking time), mucociliary clearance rate (mC) and airways obstruction. The mC was measured with 99mTc tagged monodisperse erythrocytes. The static and dynamic lung volumes, the maximal expiratory flow volume curve and the airway resistance were measured by whole body plethysmography.

Influence of 0.2 mg ipratropium bromide on mucociliary clearance in patients with chronic bronchitis.

14 patients with chronic bronchitis were subdivided into 2 groups of 7 patients. They were given at random 10 puffs of placebo or ipratropium bromide (0.2 mg).

Pulmonary deposition of aerosols by different mechanical devices.

With a new method for easy labeling of beta 2-agonists we measured intra- and extrapulmonary aerosol deposition after the administration of a bolus from a metered-dose inhaler at residual volume (RV) inhaling after a pause of 2 s and after immediate administration into the inspiratory flow at functional residual capacity (FRC). Immediate administration during a slow inspiratory vital capacity maneuver gives the highest intrapulmonary deposition (30-40%). Compressed air and ultrasonic nebulizers with a particle distribution pattern of 2-5 micron aerodynamic mass median diameter (AMMD) allow in normal subjects to achieve an intrapulmonary deposition of 30-60% during standardized tidal breathing at rest, the magnitude of the deposition depending mainly on each subject's larynx geometry.

[Arterial digital subtraction angiography for visualizing hemodialysis shunts].

Intraarterial application of contrast medium in digital video subtraction angiography was used to visualize chronic haemodialysis arteriovenous shunts. Patient compliance could be enhanced by the use of small volumes of non ionic contrast medium (3 ml/inj.), and the use off thin needles.

[Suspected herniated disk--differential diagnostic case studies by lumbar CT].

The most common reason a patient is referred for spinal CT examination is to exclude a ruptured intervertebral disc. Besides nerve root entrapment due to herniated disc, a number of unusual or unexpected conditions have been encountered in the course of CT lumbar spine studies. These include spondylolisthesis, spinal dysraphism, Paget's disease, and inflammatory, neoplastic, or metastatic lesions.

[The connections between smoking, mucociliary clearance and airway obstruction].

The connection between smoking habits (pack years, smoker and ex-smoker period), mucociliary clearance (mC) and the obstruction of the respiratory passages was investigated in 17 ex-smokers (7 without bronchitis; 10 with bronchitis) and 48 smokers (13 without bronchitis; 35 with bronchitis). The ex-smokers without chronic bronchitis showed the same clearing behaviour as the healthy non-smokers, but the non-smokers did not have the least obstruction of the respiratory system. The smokers without chronic bronchitis showed a normal lung function, but a worse clearing behaviour than the healthy non- and ex-smokers (p less than 0,01).

Objective evaluation of dextromethorphan and glaucine as antitussive agents.

Twenty-four inpatients affected by chronic cough completed a single-dose double-blind cross-over study of placebo, glaucine 30 mg and dextromethorphan 30 mg. The study was carried out using a balanced incomplete block design, each patient receiving two of the three experimental treatments. Objective evaluation of cough was ensured by means of a writing cough recorder.

Effects of ketotifen on cholinergic induced airway obstruction.

By repeated inhalant carbachol provocation tests on 13 normal and 13 asthmatic subjects, we investigated the effect of ketotifen (as compared with placebo) on the cholinergic responsiveness of the airways. In normal subjects, ketotifen reduced the slope of the linear regression lines, calculated from the airway resistance vs. the intra-pulmonary deposited amount of carbachol (reactivity).

[Diagnosis of intracardial and paracardial space-occupying masses: comparison between two-dimensional echocardiography and computed tomography].

The validity of two-dimensional echocardiography (2-D echo) and computed tomography (CT) in the detection of intra- and paracardial tumors and thrombi was compared in 32 patients: 7 endocardial myxomas, 1 left ventricular fibroma, 2 paracardial cysts, 1 paracardial tumor, and 21 thrombi. In 16 cases intraoperative findings served as a control. The 2-D echo is easier to handle and free of radiation of contrast media.

[Ventilation scintigraphy of the lung with 99mTc-DTPA or with 99mTc-sulfur colloid?].

Ventilation scintigraphy of the lung, obtained with sufficiently small 99mTc-labelled aerosol particles, provides an image of ventilation distribution that is acceptable in clinical routine. Whether 99mTc-DTPA or 99mTc-sulfur colloid is more suitable as a carrier was studied in 6 smokers and 8 non-smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 99mTc-sulfur colloid was not absorbed by the bronchial mucosa and therefore appears to be an almost ideal agent.

[Stimulation of limited sperm motility and mucociliary clearance of the lung with theophyllin-ethylendiamin].

The influence of oral aminophylline (Phyllotemp ret., 2 X 225 mg) on the mucociliary clearance of the lung and on sperm motility was examined in 13 patients with asthenospermia vs. placebo because the anatomic structure of the cilia of the sperm cells and of the respiratory epithelium cells is similar.

[Computer tomographic and echocardiographic diagnosis of intracardial space occupying masses].

Nineteen patients suspected of having intracavitary masses were examined by echo-cardiography and computer tomography. One 1 cm. thrombus on the mitral valve could be demonstrated only on the echo-cardiogram and was interpreted as a tumour.

Prenatal toxic effects of STS 557. II. Investigation in rabbits--preliminary results.

The synthetic steroid STS 557 (17 alpha-cyanomethyl-17 beta-hydroxy-estra-4, 9-dien-3-one) was tested in gravid rabbits from days 5 to 25 p.c. It was the aim of the experiments to investigate any embryotoxic and/or teratogenic effect of STS 557.

[Inhalation bronchial provocation tests in children: comparative measurements of oscillation, occlusion pressure and plethysmographic resistance].

Examination of the lung function and bronchial provocation tests are useful for confirmation of an airway obstruction. There is a need for measurements independent of child cooperation. The standard method is body plethysmography.

Mucociliary clearance in patients with chronic bronchitis and bronchial carcinoma.

We measured the mucociliary clearance rates and lung function data of 40 normal subjects, of 30 smokers with chronic bronchitis and of 64 patients with bronchial carcinoma. The mucociliary clearance rate of cancer patients was significantly lower than that of normal subjects and of patients with chronic bronchitis who smoked the same amount of cigarettes. The fast clearing phase of the central bronchial tree is more delayed than the peripheral mucociliary clearance rate in smokers with and without carcinoma.

Surveillance of pelagic birds for influenza A viruses.

Within a 4-year surveillance period for influenza A virus in pelagic birds, 351 influenza A strains were isolated from the trachea or cloaca of 3344 apparently healthy ducks, gulls, swans, terns and geese. The isolated influenza A viruses represent 14 subtypes. Their haemagglutinins (HA) were mainly related to avian HA, but also to the human HA H2 and to the swine HA Hswl.

[Dynamic computer tomographic for tumours of the facial skeleton (author's transl)].

Serial computer tomography after intravenous bolus injection of contrast provides information concerning the vascularity of tumours in the facial skeleton. In addition the relationship of the tumour to the major vessels and their displacement or compression can be demonstrated. This provides information additional to the ordinary computer tomogram, so that neoplasms of the facial skeleton can be shown at various stages and their extent determined.

[Foetal complications on extremities by amniotic bands--case report (author's transl)].

Reported in this paper are malformations of foetal extremities due to ligatures caused by amniotic bands. These were accompanied by syndactylism. Causes and therapeutic approaches are discussed.