Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) in the Evaluation of Renal Masses with Histopathological Validation-Results from a Prospective Single-Center Study.

Background: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in characterizing between malignant and benign renal lesions confirmed by histological examination.

Methods: Overall, 110 patients, for a total of 118 renal masses previously identified at CT and MRI underwent CEUS. An expert radiologist evaluated morphological, qualitative and quantitative parameters.

A preliminary study of the neuroprotective role of citicoline eye drops in glaucomatous optic neuropathy.

Purpose: To study the neuroprotective effect of topical citicoline.

Materials And Methods: Experimental phase to evaluate the ability of citicoline eye drops to reach the vitreous and the retina: The right eyes of 5 mice CD1 were treated with two drops per day for three days of citicoline 1% and 2% (OMK1, Omikron Italia s.r.

[Rare cases of bladder stones].

We present here two special cases of urolithiasis. The first one shows a giant bladder lithiasis resulting in severe renal insufficiency in a 63-year-old patient, who had previously had nicturia (2-3 times), occasional episodes of urinary frequency and burning micturition, in the absence of renal colic, hematuria or interrupted urination. The second case referes to an 85-year-old man suffering from prostatic enlargement and bladder stones, hospitalized to undergo intervention of trans-vesical prostatic adenomectomy, during which two star-shaped stones were found without obvious symptoms.

A novel index for predicting macular thickening after cataract surgery.

Purpose: In this study, we tried to investigate weather or not the preoperative anterior chamber depth, the lens thickness (LT) and the relation between these variables by the ratio (K) of the distance from the corneal peak to the posterior side of the lens (A) (K = A/LT) could be predictive for a surgically induced foveal thickening following uneventful cataract surgery in normal, emmetropic eyes.

Patients And Methods: A total amount of 45 eyes, 25 females and 20 males, were enrolled in this study and underwent uncomplicated phacoemulsification under topical anesthesia. A complete ophthalmological examination was performed preoperatively, including refraction, best corrected visual acuity, slit-lamp examination, biometry and optical coherence tomography of both eyes.

Changes in vital signs during cataract phacoemulsification by using peribulbar or topical anesthesia.

Aims: To compare changes in vital signs and pain level experienced by patients during phacoemulsification and foldable intraocular lens (IOL) implantation using either topical/intracameral or peribulbar anesthesia.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective, parallel-group clinical study 46 consecutive patients (mean age 72.9 +/- 8.

Reliability of the IOLMaster in axial length evaluation in silicone oil-filled eyes.

Purpose: To assess the reliability of IOLMaster in axial length (AL) measurement in phakic silicone oil-filled vs pseudophakic saline-filled eyes.

Methods: Ten eyes of 10 patients, vitrectomized with silicone oil tamponade and scleral buckled with significant lens opacity were enrolled. Optical biometry with IOLMaster (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Germany) was performed 1 day before and 1 week after silicone oil removal and phacoemulsification with artificial intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in order to assess changes in AL measurements.

[Use of cholinesterase inhibitors in Alzheimer disease].

According to the cholinergic theory of Alzheimer's disease, the cognitive failure depends on a deficit in acetylcholine. The study reported above examines the efficacy and tolerability of cholinesterase inhibitors, such as tetrahydroamino acridine (THA), for the management of this pathology.

[A case of beriberi on the threshold of the year 2000].

The authors report a case of beriberi due to a deficit in thiamine, which became apparent in a young Chinese woman with polyneuropathy, distal oedema and epigastralgia. Parenteral administration of thiamine lead to the virtually complete resolution of symptoms.

[The use of interferon-beta in the treatment of essential mixed cryoglobulinemia].

The authors report two cases of essential mixed cryoglobulinemia (EMC) manifested by purpura, fatigue and arthralgia. After a corticosteroid treatment which proved a complete failure, beta-interferon therapy was started. This caused rapid improvement of the clinical picture without relevant side effects.