Radiological approach to cavitary lung lesions.

Cavitary lesions in the lung are not an uncommon imaging encounter and carry a broad differential diagnosis that includes a wide range of pathological conditions from cancers, infections/inflammatory processes to traumatic and congenital lung abnormalities. In this review article, we describe a comprehensive approach for evaluation of cavitary lung lesions and discuss the differential diagnosis in the light of radiological findings.

Chronic pulmonary embolism: diagnosis.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a complication of venous thromboembolic disease. Differently from other causes of pulmonary hypertension, CTEPH is potentially curable with surgery (thromboendarterectomy) or balloon pulmonary angioplasty. Imaging plays a central role in CTEPH diagnosis.

Long-Term Response of Hirsutism and Other Hyperandrogenic Symptoms to Combination Therapy in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 5%-15% of women and is the most common cause of hirsutism. Data on the time-course of improvement to suppressive therapy and predictors of that response in PCOS are lacking. The objectives of our study are to determine the long-term response and identify predictors of response in PCOS women treated with suppressive therapy, including spironolactone (SPL) + oral contraceptives (OCs).

Perinatal outcomes after natural conception versus in vitro fertilization (IVF) in gestational surrogates: a model to evaluate IVF treatment versus maternal effects.

Objective: To study the perinatal outcomes between singleton live births achieved with the use of commissioned versus spontaneously conceived embryos carried by the same gestational surrogate.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Academic in vitro fertilization center.

Cross-sectional imaging of sinus of Valsalva aneurysms: lessons learned.

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm, dilatation of one or more of the aortic sinuses, is a rare but important aortic root defect, which can be a cause of some serious cardiac sequels. The purpose of this article is to review the etiopathogenesis, relevant anatomy, clinical manifestations, potential complications, multimodality imaging features, and management of this rare but important entity of sinus of Valsalva.

First-Line Use of Vemurafenib to Enable Thyroidectomy and Radioactive Iodine Ablation for BRAF-Positive Metastatic Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Case Report.

Background. Patients with metastatic or radioactive iodine refractory papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) have poor prognosis due to ineffective therapy for this condition beyond surgery and radioactive iodine (RAI or (131)I). BRAF mutation occurs in more than 44% of PCT.

Histological Regression of Giant Cell Tumor of Bone Following RANK Ligand Inhibition.

Lung metastases are a rare complication of giant cell tumors of bone. We herein describe an interesting case of histological regression and size reduction of lung metastases originating from a primary giant cell tumor of bone in response to the RANK ligand inhibitor denosumab.

Complete cloacal duplication imaged before and during pregnancy.

The authors describe a 31 year-old female who presented emergently with abdominal pain and was found at CT to have complete genitourinary duplication including separate urinary bladders, uteri, cervices, and vaginas, and also duplication of the rectum. No etiology for abdominal pain was identified. The patient was referred to urology for further evaluation, and an intravenous urographic study was obtained, which confirmed complete lower urinary tract duplication.

Endometrial receptivity is preserved in Diethylstilbestrol-associated and other Müllerian anomalies: evidence from tubal embryo transfer.

Purpose: To report implantation and pregnancy rates following TET in women with anomalous uteri, and to compare these with previously reported rates following trans-cervical ET.

Materials And Methods: Between 1995 and 2003, 12 TET procedures were performed in seven women with Müllerian anomalies. Tubal ET was performed via laparoscopy 48 h after standard IVF in 3 cycles in two patients, whereas in 9 cycles in five patients, TET was performed 24 h or 48 h following oocyte donation.

Degree of hyperinsulinemia, independent of androgen levels, is an important determinant of the severity of hirsutism in PCOS.

Objective: To determine whether the severity in hyperandrogenemia determines, to a significant degree, the severity of hirsutism in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Tertiary care academic referral center.

Lung penetration by thoracostomy tubes: imaging findings on CT.

We have analyzed the radiographic and computed tomographic (CT) appearance of thoracostomy (chest) tubes inadvertently placed into the lungs. We have studied the clinical sequela of such malpositioning and discussed treatment options. Cases were collected from chest CT log book reports between January 1998 and January 31, 2005 which indicated or suggested intrapulmonary thoracostomy tube placement.

Pericardial rupture after blunt chest trauma.

Traumatic pericardial rupture is a rare injury with potentially fatal consequences, usually occurring in patients who have sustained other severe injuries of the chest and abdomen. Diagnosis is difficult and is commonly made at the time of surgery. Radiographs and computed tomography of the chest may provide clues to the diagnosis.

Dynamic in vivo interactions among Myc network members.

Members of the Myc oncoprotein network (c-Myc, Max, and Mad) play important roles in proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. We expressed chimeric green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions of c-Myc, Max, and three Mad proteins in fibroblasts. Individually, c-Myc and Mad proteins localized in subnuclear speckles, whereas Max assumed a homogeneous nuclear pattern.

Making the transition: the role of helical CT in the evaluation of potentially acute thoracic aortic injuries.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to show that helical CT could be used at our center in lieu of routine aortography to examine patients who have had serious blunt chest trauma. We also wanted to assess the potential savings of using CT to avoid unnecessary aortography.

Materials And Methods: The institutional review board approved the parallel imaging-CT immediately followed by aortography-of patients presenting with blunt chest trauma between August 1997 and August 1998.

Promotion of growth and apoptosis in c-myc nullizygous fibroblasts by other members of the myc oncoprotein family.

c-myc nullizygous fibroblasts (KO cells) were used to compare the abilities of c-myc, N-myc and L-myc oncoproteins to accelerate growth, promote apoptosis, revert morphology, and regulate the expression of previously described c-myc target genes. All three myc oncoproteins were expressed following retroviral transduction of KO cells. The proteins all enhanced the growth rate of KO cells and significantly shortened the cell cycle transition time.

Intensive radiation therapy concurrent with up to 7-week continuous-infusion paclitaxel for locally advanced solid tumors: phase I studies.

Patients with locally advanced solid tumors of the lung, head and neck, and malignant astrocytomas usually succumb to their disease despite aggressive standard therapy. Laboratory data suggest that the addition of 1.0 to 10 nmol/L paclitaxel (Taxol; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ), a microtubule stabilizing drug, to radiation therapy may result in significant radiation sensitization, perhaps due to accumulation of cells at G2/M.

Application of a classical model of competitive business strategy to orthodontic practice.

This study explored how market forces might affect the business aspects of orthodontic practices; in particular, profitability. The forces identified were (1) intensity of rivalry, (2) threat of new entrants, and (3) bargaining power of buyers and suppliers. A mail survey instrument was used to collect the data.

Anterior clear space: how clear? How often? How come?

Purpose: To compare the opacity of the retrosternal clear space with that of the retrocardiac region on normal lateral chest radiographs, to measure the clear space, and to evaluate the reasons for these findings.

Materials And Methods: Left lateral chest radiographs and computed tomographic scans of 38 patients with normal studies were evaluated and the results were correlated.

Results: In 19 (50%) patients, retrosternal and retrocardiac opacity were equal.

Chronic traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the thoracic aorta: a report of two cases following gunshot injury.

Gunshot injury to the thoracic aorta is nearly always fatal. Although the victim usually will succumb to exsanguination or tamponade in the minutes following injury, unusual cases of occult injury occur when a pseudoaneurysm, occlusion, or fistula forms at the site of injury. We report two patients with gunshot injury to the thoracic aorta that resulted in chronic pseudoaneurysms that went undetected for 325 and 46 days, respectively.

Cardiac valve reconstruction and replacement: a brief review.

Surgical methods for improving the function of diseased cardiac valves are valve reconstruction (valvuloplasty) and valve replacement with mechanical prostheses, biologic prostheses, or homograft (donor) valves. Reconstruction is used primarily for incompetent mitral and tricuspid valves and addresses each part of the valve apparatus individually. Annuloplasty rings are often used to restore the size and shape of the valve orifice.

"Hyperdense" aortic wall: potential pitfall in CT screening for aortic dissection.

Opacity of the aortic wall as compared with the nonopacified blood in the lumen has been utilized as one of the criteria for the diagnosis of aortic dissection. It has also been suggested that this finding may be indicative of severe anemia. We evaluated the frequency and implications of aortic wall hyperdensity in 107 consecutive chest CT examinations in patients with no indication of aortic dissection clinically or by other imaging modalities, and whose hematocrit was known.