Multiple myeloma: predictive value of Tc-99m MIBI scintigraphy and MRI in its diagnosis and therapy.

Background: We assessed the validity of (99m)Tc-MIBI scintigraphy and MRI in the diagnosis and prediction of the effect of therapy in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS), in whom both examinations were performed within 14 days.

Material And Methods: Forty-seven consecutive patients with MM and 5 with MGUS were enrolled in the study. Out of 47 MM patients, 6 were in Durie-Salmon stage I and 41 had active disease in stage II or III.

[Imaging methods in diagnosis and monitoring of multiple myeloma].

Imaging methods (IM) are important for both the diagnosis and monitoring of the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM). The report discusses radiological IM as well as methods of nuclear medicine. Hole-body screening using simple X-ray pictures is still used in all newly diagnosed cases of the disease, though its validity is significantly higher in chronic forms and primarily in the diagnostics of vertebral compressions.

Scintigraphy using (99m)Tc-MIBI (sestamibi), a sensitive parameter of activity of multiple myeloma.

Technetium-99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile ((99m)Tc-MIBI) has been shown to be useful in identifying several types of tumors, such as breast, brain, thyroid gland, malignant lymphomas and multiple myeloma. In this study, 102 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and 32 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) had been evaluated for correlation between (99m)Tc-MIBI and biochemical and hematological markers of activity of the disease. Significant statistical correlation was found between summary score (SS) of (99m)Tc-MIBI scintigrams and beta2-microglobulin (p<0.

Haemangiomas of the orbit.

The authors describe their experience with systemic therapy of cavernous haemangiomas making use of interferon alpha. They have successfully used the method in treating two female patients with cavernous haemangiomas in the orbit. In the first patient, the IFN therapy was followed by surgical removal of the tumour.

[Magnetic resonance in examination of the spine in patients with multiple myeloma].

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant disease of the haematopoietic system characterized by the formation of osteolytic foci of the skeleton with predilection of the thoracolumbar portion of the spine. The submitted investigation evaluates the importance of examination of the spine by magnetic resonance (MR), as compared with results of conventional radiology (CR). The analyzed group of 75 patients with multiple myeloma was assembled in the course of the previous four years.

[Dysplastic gangliocytoma of the cerebellum (Lhermitte-Duclos)].

In a surgical specimen from a 33-year old woman with features of expansive cerebellar symptomatology, dysplastic gangliocytoma of the cerebellum (Lhermitte-Duclos) was diagnosed by histology. The lesion was characterized by typical proliferation of dysplastic neuronal elements in the cortical granular and Purkinje cell layers. Immunohistology showed focal positivity of synaptophysin in some cells, thus confirming their neuronal origin.

[Value of computed tomography in the differential diagnosis of postoperative lumbar disc herniation recurrence and fibrotic changes].

Plain computed tomography scans and after intravenous contrast enhancement were used to investigate a group of 26 patients after an operation for lumbar disc herniation with signs of failed back surgery syndrome. The diagnosis of relapsing disc herniation was established in 12 patients. It was confirmed by surgery in 10, while massive epidural fibrosis was discovered in two.

[Radiological findings in pseudohypoparathyroidism].

Clinical and radiodiagnostic changes in pseudohypoparathyroidism are described in three members of one family. Radiodiagnostic changes consist of symmetric calcifications in basal ganglia, perivascular calcifications in soft tissues, and of alterations on the skeleton--Albright's osteodystrophy. Bone changes include a combination of osteoproductive and osteomalacic alterations.

[Computed tomography in the diagnosis of recurrent herniated disks following prior lumbar intervertebral disk operations].

20 patients with recurrent symptoms following operations for disc prolapse and resistant to treatment were studied by CT, using plain and enhanced images. The results have been analysed. In 10 patients a recurrence of disc prolapse was diagnosed, and this was confirmed surgically in 8 cases.

[Late findings on computer tomography after cerebral abscess surgery].

The authors subjected 10 patients CT examination after recovery from surgery of cerebral abscesses. The shortest interval after operation was one year, the longest 20 years. In all instances a hypodense focus of varying extent was revealed, in four patients it gave the impression of a pseudocyst.

[Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament in the cervical spine].

Ossification of the ligamentum longitudinale posterius is a rare disease found in particular in Japan and southeastern Asia. In the literature it is described as the so-called Japanese disease or OPLL syndrome. The disease takes a slow, frequently asymptomatic, course but may cause severe stenosis of the spinal canal with neurological disorders, OPLL occurs frequently concurrently with ankylosing spondylitis, hypertrophic spondylosis, diffuse idiopathic hyperostosis of the skeleton.

[Carotid-vertebrobasilar anastomosis].

Anastomoses between carotid and vertebrobasilar vascular bed in extracranial region are less usual compensatory anastomoses of the brain vascular bed. They are either langer compensatory arteries--a. hypoglossica primitiva or a.

Importance of spectral analysis indices for assessment of the grade of stenosis of the arteria carotis interna.

The authors evaluated the indices of Doppler power frequency spectrum analysis in 106 patients with suspected extracranial carotid occlusive disease. Blackshear, Norrving and Knox indices appeared to be most sensitive for identification of the grade of stenosis of the arteria carotis interna. Sensitivity of ultrasound examination was correlated with angiography.