Percutaneous decompression of lumbar spinal stenosis with a new interspinous device.

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of the implantation of a new interspinous device (Falena) in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. The clinical outcomes and imaging results were assessed by orthostatic MR during an up to 6-month follow-up period.

Methods: Between October 2008 and February 2010, the Falena was implanted at a single level in 26 patients (17 men; mean age, 69 (range, 54-82) years) who were affected by degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.

Piriformis syndrome: long-term follow-up in patients treated with percutaneous injection of anesthetic and corticosteroid under CT guidance.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of CT-guided injection of anesthetic and corticosteroid for the treatment of pain in patients with piriformis syndrome unresponsive to conservative treatment.

Methods: We enrolled 23 patients with piriformis syndrome, proposing a percutaneous intramuscular injection of methylprednisone-lidocaine. Among them, 13 patients accepted and 10 refused to undergo the procedure; the second group was used as a control group.

Multidetector computed tomographic coronary angiography as an alternative to conventional coronary angiography in non-coronary surgical patients.

Aim: Aim of our study was to evaluate multidetector 64-slice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) as an alternative to traditional coronary angiography (CA) to detect concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients initially admitted for non-coronary surgical procedures.

Methods: We have analyzed data of 380 consecutive patients operated from 2006 to 2008 initially admitted for aortic (N.=170) or mitral (N.

Root cultures of Hypericum perforatum subsp. angustifolium elicited with chitosan and production of xanthone-rich extracts with antifungal activity.

Hypericum perforatum is a well-known medicinal plant which contains a wide variety of metabolites, including xanthones, which have a wide range of biological properties, including antifungal activity. In the present study, we evaluated the capability of roots regenerated from calli of H. perforatum subsp.

Acceptance of two liquid vitamin D₃ formulations among mothers with newborn infants: a randomized, single-blind trial.

In Switzerland, children are prescribed 7.5-12.5 μg per day of vitamin D(3) dissolved in alcohol, but many families do not adhere to the recommendation.

Percutaneous ablative treatment of metastatic bone tumours: visual analogue scale scores in a short-term series.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to examine the role of palliative percutaneous secondary lesions bone treatment by comparing the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of cryoablation plus vertebroplasty versus radiofrequency (RF) plus vertebroplasty so as to determine their feasibility, reliability and efficacy in a short-term series.

Methods: Combined RF thermal ablation plus osteoplasty or cryoablation plus osteoplasty was performed in osteolytic secondary bone localisations in 30 consecutive patients who were suffering from pain refractory to conservative therapies. We evaluated pain with the VAS during the preoperative period and at four hours, 24 hours, one week, one month, three months and six months post procedure.

Add-on of aripiprazole improves outcome in clozapine-resistant schizophrenia.

Although clozapine proved effective in treating 30-50% of the cases of resistant schizophrenia, its clinical use is hampered by significant side effects. To overcome this problem, augmentation with other atypical antipsychotics has been attempted, with conflicting results. A clozapine-aripiprazole combination showed interesting properties, due to the favourable complementary pharmacodynamic receptor profile and to the negligible metabolic interactions.

Value of the correct diagnostic pathway through conventional imaging (mammography and ultrasound) in evaluating breast disease.

Purpose: This study evaluated the role of the correct diagnostic pathway through conventional imaging in evaluating breast disease.

Materials And Methods: Six hundred patients aged between 35 and 75 years were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent detailed history and clinical examination, ultrasound (US) and mammography.

Dynamic MR defecography with an open-configuration, low-field, tilting MR system in patients with pelvic floor disorders.

Purpose: This study was undertaken to explore the capabilities of an open-configuration, low-field, tilting, magnetic resonance (MR) system for investigating pelvic floor disorders and to compare the results obtained with the patient in the semiorthostatic and supine positions.

Materials And Methods: Eighteen female patients with a diagnosis of pelvic floor disorder (physical examination and conventional defecography) underwent dynamic MR defecography (MRD) with a 0.25-T tilting MR system (G-scan, Esaote).

Centrality dependence of the charged-particle multiplicity density at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s(NN)] = 2.76 TeV.

The centrality dependence of the charged-particle multiplicity density at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76  TeV is presented. The charged-particle density normalized per participating nucleon pair increases by about a factor of 2 from peripheral (70%-80%) to central (0%-5%) collisions.

Monogenic forms of hypertension.

Arterial hypertension in childhood is less frequent as compared to adulthood but is more likely to be secondary to an underlying disorder. After ruling out more obvious causes, some patients still present with strongly suspected secondary hypertension of yet unknown etiology. A number of these children have hypertension due to single gene mutations inherited in an autosomal dominant or recessive fashion.

Anatomical and functional evaluation of the myocardium in patients with acute coronary syndrome (NSTEMI) using MR imaging.

Purpose: The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in identifying the location and extent of acute ischaemic injury to predict reversibility and distinguish areas of acute from chronic ischaemia in patients with acute coronary syndrome non- ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Materials And Methods: We evaluated 22 patients with NSTEMI acute coronary syndrome confirmed by coronary angiography (CA). We studied ventricular function indices and segmental changes in wall thickness and kinetics by cine-MR imaging sequences.

Evaluation with 64-slice CT of the prevalence of coronary artery variants and congenital anomalies: a retrospective study of 3,236 patients.

Purpose: This study retrospectively evaluated the prevalence of anatomical coronary artery variants and congenital anomalies in 3,236 patients imaged with 64-slice computed tomography (CT).

Materials And Methods: Over a period of 4 years, 3,236 patients underwent CT coronary angiography performed with the standard protocol. We assessed coronary artery dominance, presence of the intermediate branch, presence and number of diagonal and marginal branches and coronary anomalies subdivided into anomalies of origin and course, intrinsic anomalies and termination anomalies.

Pregnancy in inherited hypokalemic salt-losing renal tubular disorder.

Background: The management of inherited hypokalemia has improved and the issue of pregnancy has become important.

Cases: Between 1992 and 2010, five Italian women with the clinical diagnosis of Gitelman syndrome gave birth to a total of six newborns. Pregnancy was uneventful in four women but was complicated by tiredness and tetanic seizures in the fifth woman.

Ménétrier's disease diagnosed by enteroclysis CT: a case report and review of the literature.

This study reports a case of Ménétrier's disease (MD) in an adult who presented with epigastric pain and peripheric edema. We focused in particular on the imaging and diagnostic aspects of the presenting case as well as clinical, histologic, and therapeutic aspects. Computed tomography (CT) enteroclysis is a new imaging technique which combines enteroclysis and spiral multislice CT.

Elliptic flow of charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[S(NN)] = 2.76 TeV.

We report the first measurement of charged particle elliptic flow in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[S(NN)] =2.76 TeV with the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The measurement is performed in the central pseudorapidity region (|η|<0.

Charged-particle multiplicity density at midrapidity in central Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[S(NN)] = 2.76 TeV.

The first measurement of the charged-particle multiplicity density at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair √ S NN = 2.76 TeV is presented. For an event sample corresponding to the most central 5% of the hadronic cross section, the pseudorapidity density of primary charged particles at midrapidity is 1584 ± 4(stat) ± 76(syst), which corresponds to 8.

Determinants of blood pressure in preschool children: the role of parental smoking.

Background: Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Although accumulating evidence suggests tracking of blood pressure from childhood into adult life, there is little information regarding the relative contributions of genetic, prenatal, biological, behavioral, environmental, and social determinants to childhood blood pressure.

Methods And Results: Blood pressure and an array of potential anthropometric, prenatal, environmental, and familial risk factors for high blood pressure, including parental smoking habits, were determined as part of a screening project in 4236 preschool children (age 5.

Comparison of different dose reduction system in computed tomography for orthodontic applications.

TO CORRELATE DIFFERENT CT SYSTEM: MSCT (multislice computed tomography) with different acquisition parameters (100KV, 80KV), different reconstruction algorithm (ASIR) and CBCT (cone beam computed tomography) examination in terms of absorbed X-ray dose and diagnostic accuracy.80 KV protocols compared with 100 KV protocols resulted in reduced total radiation dose without relevant loss of diagnostic image information and quality. CBCT protocols compared with 80 KV MSCT protocols resulted in reduced total radiation dose but loss of diagnostic image information and quality although no so relevant.

Liver contrast enhanced ultrasound perfusion imaging in the evaluation of chronic hepatitis C fibrosis: preliminary results.

We wanted to determine whether liver contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)-derived peak signal intensity (PSI) and peak signal intensity/time (PIT) predict liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Forty-nine patients with CHC (METAVIR classification) and 10 control subjects were included in the study. After a bolus of 2.