Osteosarcoma: relation between extent of marrow infiltration on CT and frequency of lung metastases.

Thirty-seven patients with osteosarcoma were evaluated by CT of both the involved bone and the lungs. The ratio of the extent (E) of the involved marrow segment to the length (L) of involved bone (E/L) was correlated with the presence and subsequent development of pulmonary metastases. The marrow was evaluated by CT for the presence of tumor by measuring mean attenuation coefficients on serial axial scans.

Preoperative chest radiography: value as a baseline examination for comparison.

An important use of the preoperative chest radiograph is as a baseline for comparison when complications occur after surgery. Many authors have commented on the value of preoperative chest radiography as a screening examination, but no statistics have been presented regarding its impact on postoperative management. In 369 consecutive general surgical patients, the need for a baseline chest radiograph was evaluated.

Thermodilution cardiac output determination in the guinea pig.

Thermodilution cardiac output was compared with simultaneously determined aortic flow in 5 guinea pigs during thoracotomy. Total cardiac output was affected by volume expansion, adrenergic stimulation, and the volume of hemorrhage. For the equation y = mx, where y is aortic flow, x is thermodilution cardiac output, and m is the slope of the regression line, m = 0.

Unusual variant of left superior vena cava.

The first computed tomography-documented case of a persistent left superior vena cava that drains directly into the right superior vena cava is presented. The venous embryology is reviewed and the differential diagnosis of other pertinent venous anomalies is discussed. The patient also had an incidental finding of a congenitally absent left lobe of the thyroid gland.

Computed tomography findings in tuberculous mediastinitis.

Tuberculous mediastinitis can be an elusive diagnosis. Computed tomography may be performed in patients before establishing this diagnosis, and one should consider this disease when mediastinal mass with infiltration of adjacent fat planes is noted. Five such cases are described.

Exercise induced augmentation of cellular and humoral autoimmunity associated with increased cardiac dilatation in experimental autoimmune myocarditis.

To determine the effects of exercise in experimental autoimmune myocarditis, guinea pigs immunised with heterologous heart protein (rat heart), Freund's complete adjuvant, and pertussis vaccine (treated group) were exercised on a treadmill for a total of 11 weeks and compared with non-exercise treated animals. In vivo heart rates and pressures, in vitro left ventricular pressure-volume relations, myocardial histology, circulating antiheart antibody, and in vitro lymphocyte stimulation were determined. Exercise resulted in increased cardiac dilatation in treated animals as assessed by in vitro left ventricular pressure-volume relations compared with non-exercise treated animals (at 8 mmHg 1.

CT findings in mediastinal extravasation of hyperalimentation fluid.

We report a patient with recurrent ovarian carcinoma who developed a mediastinal mass due to extravasated Intralipid hyperalimentation fluid secondary to catheter induced occlusion of the left innominate vein.

Cardiac abnormalities in patients with diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Many patients with diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma have dyspnea or chest pain. Cardiac symptomatology is frequently difficult to differentiate from symptoms of pleuropulmonary disease. To better define the clinical characteristics of cardiac involvement in patients with mesothelioma, the electrocardiographic (EKG) and echocardiographic findings in 64 patients with biopsy-proven malignant pleural mesothelioma were reviewed.

CT evaluation of the greater sciatic foramen in patients with sciatica.

Sciatic and lower extremity neurologic symptoms may be from pathologic involvement of the sacral plexus or sciatic nerve in the region of the greater sciatic foramen. Twenty-five patients were reviewed who presented consecutively over a 4 year period with sciatic symptoms secondary to pathologic changes in the greater sciatic foramen. Malignant neoplasm alone (18 patients) and malignant neoplasm associated with infection (two patients) account for most of these cases.

Benign mixed tumor of salivary gland origin presenting as a mediastinal mass.

Benign mixed tumor is a common neoplasm of the salivary gland. It may rarely occur as an intrabronchial lesion. A case of a mixed tumor of salivary gland origin presenting as a mediastinal mass is described.

Relapsing polychondritis studied by computed tomography.

Computed tomographic findings in a patient with relapsing polychondritis are described. Collapse of the cartilage of the nose and calcification in cartilages of the ears were clearly demonstrated. CT scanning was also helpful in evaluating the tracheobronchial tree for airway compromise, which could prove fatal in this condition.

Computer tomography demonstration of pulmonary artery calcification in Eisenmenger's syndrome.

Atherosclerotic change and pulmonary artery calcification is known to occur in patients with pulmonary artery hypertension. We present such a patient with Eisenmenger's syndrome. Computed tomography demonstrated atheromatous plaques and calcification of the pulmonary arteries.

Pulmonary complications of AIDS: radiologic features.

Fifty-two patients with pulmonary complications of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) were studied over a 3-year period. The vast majority of the patients were homosexual; however, a significant number were intravenous drug abusers. Thirteen different organisms were noted, of which Pneumocystis carinii was by far the most common.

Role of computed tomography in the diagnosis of infectious spondylitis.

Nineteen patients with infectious spondylitis were evaluated by computed tomography (CT) and the results were compared with conventional radiography. In each case the diagnosis was established by biopsy. The use of CT in evaluation of the extent of bone and soft tissue involvement as well as its role in differentiating inflammatory from noninflammatory destructive processes is discussed.

Malignant external otitis: the role of computed tomography and radionuclides in evaluation.

Nine patients with malignant external otitis (MEO) were evaluated with Tc-99m bone scans, Ga-67 citrate scans, pluridirectional tomography, and computed tomographic (CT) scans in order to assess the role of each in the diagnosis and management of MEO. The Tc-99m and Ga-67 citrate scans were the most accurate studies in the initial identification of disease activity, while the return to normal or improvement of the Ga-67 citrate scan has been shown to correlate best with clinical resolution of MEO. CT demonstrated soft-tissue disease and central skull base osteomyelitis better than pluridirectional tomography.

Cutaneous pigmentation secondary to amiodarone therapy.

Amiodarone (Cordarone) is an iodinated cardiac antiarrhythmic drug that causes a slate-gray discoloration of the sun-exposed skin and a yellow-brown stippling of the cornea. Histopathologically, biopsy specimens of aminodarone pigmentation sites disclose yellow-brown refractile granules in the reticular dermis. These granules were characterized by transmission electron microscopy as being concentrically arranged intralysosomal inclusions ("myelinlike" bodies) in dermal endothelial cells and perivascular smooth-muscle cells.