Intraarterial ethanol as a long-term occlusive agent in renal, hepatic, and gastrosplenic arteries of pigs.

The renal, hepatic, or gastrosplenic arteries of eleven juvenile pigs were selectively injected intraarterially with 95% ethanol to evaluate its efficacy as an agent for use in permanent occlusion and infarction of the vascular bed supplied by the injected artery. A dose of 2.2 cc/5 kg (1 cc/5 lb) of 95% ethanol was injected over 30-45 sec.

Simultaneous bilateral venous sampling for adrenocorticotropin in pituitary-dependent cushing's disease: evidence for lateralization of pituitary venous drainage.

At present it is not established whether lateralization of pituitary venous drainage occurs in humans. To explore this possibility, we performed bilateral simultaneous inferior petrosal sinus sampling for ACTH in three patients with surgically proven ACTH-secreting pituitary microadenomas laterally located in the pituitary gland. In each patient, a gradient for ACTH correctly identified the location of the tumor.

Use of lumbar spine films. Statistical evaluation at a university teaching hospital.

Use of lumbar spine films was evaluated in a retrospective review of 1,095 lumbar radiological examinations in 871 patients. Patients' histories and physical examination findings were correlated with four groups of radiological findings: (1) radiologically normal, (2) incidental findings unrelated to patients' complaints, (3) diagnostic films compatible with symptoms, and (4) radiological findings of questionable clinical significance. The high percentage of nondiagnostic and questionable results suggests overuse of lumbar spine films.

An added quality-control measurement for fluoroscopic x-ray systems.

Six fluoroscopic systems were evaluated to determine if improvements in imaging could be achieved. In four of the systems, improved contrast perceptibility could be obtained through adjustment and lowering of the image-intensifier input exposure rates (IIIER). The other two systems required no change or an increase in the IIIER.