The differential diagnosis of primary lung cancer: inter-observer agreement and contribution of specific diagnostic procedures.

In order to investigate inter-observer variability in the differential diagnosis of primary lung cancer among women and the contribution of specific diagnostic procedures to this diagnosis, a group of 449 suspect cases of this disease was studied. Based on a standard dossier (including clinical data and the reports, if present, of radiology, bronchoscopy and histology) six different physicians independently judged, for each woman, at each diagnostic step, the presence of a primary lung cancer. A final consensus was organized in order to define the true cases.

[Role of ultrasonic diagnosis as a complementary method in contrast radiography of the intestines].

This study was aimed at evaluating US reliability and sensitivity in identifying inflammatory or neoplastic bowel diseases in symptomatic patients. Two hundred and fifty patients who had been referred to our Unit for double-contrast barium enema of small bowel and colon, underwent panoramic and targeted abdominal US. According to well-known pathological criteria--i.

[Radiologic deontology in daily practice].

The rapid and far-reaching technological evolution that has taken place in diagnostic imaging has deeply changed the radiologist's role, increasing his professional liability. He is in fact responsible for the materials and the equipment employed, for the choice of the examination necessary to solve the clinical problems, for the proper execution of the test, for the validity of the iconographic documentation, for the correct diagnostic interpretation and final report. Whenever the instrumental research involves actual risks of damage (not only potential) it is up to the radiologist to inform the patient to obtain the consent for the execution of the test.

Inter-observer variability in the interpretation of mammograms.

Inter-observer agreement was tested in the interpretation by 8 radiologists of mammograms from 45 women (for a total of 180 films per radiologist). The radiologists were representative of the whole range of those involved in mammography in the town of Torino, with a number of films read per year ranging from 100 to 4000. Out of the 45, 9 women were affected by breast cancer (histologically proved), 25 had benign disease (diagnosed with fine-needle aspiration) and 11 had normal breasts.

[Mammography using stationary grids. Qualitative and dosimetric considerations].

The authors report their experience with ultra-high-strip-density (UHSD) stationary grids in mammography, based upon dosimetric measurements carried out in a phantom and mammographic examination of 62 patients. Utilization of UHSD grids made it necessary an increase in radiation exposure by a factor 3.5 in a breast 5 cm thick 50% water and 50% fat by weight.

Cimetropium bromide as a relaxant for the radiological examination of the stomach and duodenum.

A study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of two different doses of a new hypotonizing agent, cimetropium bromide, as a premedication for X-ray of the stomach and duodenum. Forty consecutive patients were allocated at random to two groups and treated intravenously in double-blind fashion with 5 mg or 10 mg cimetropium bromide. The drug was administered immediately after the first phase of an upper gastro-intestinal series had been completed.

[Multiphase instrumental diagnosis of minimal breast cancer].

The value of a breast surgery procedure based on clinical examination, mammography, telethermography, echotomography and cytological examination for the diagnosis of symptomatic or high risk patients was tested through a retrospective survey of 28 patients with minimal breast cancer. The data confirm that mammography is a much better clinical and instrumental test than other systems. When associated with radiography it gives definite, early diagnosis of more breast neoplasias than other methods, facilitating prognosis and reducing the number of biopsies necessary.

[Pulmonary disease after radiotherapeutic treatment of carcinoma of the breast with fast electrons from an 18 MeV betatron].

Instances of lung complications observed at the radiotherapy division of the department of oncology, Greater Hospital of St. John the Baptist and the City of Turin in the treatment of 110 breast cancer patients with fast electrons produced by an 18 MeV betatron are described and compared with those noted 2 yr after TCT treatment of 192 subjects. Lung fibrosis was observed in 5.

[Dynamic telethermography in primary bone and soft tissue tumours (author's transl)].

Twelve cases of primative bone neoplasm and of soft tissues sarcomas have been thermographycally observed. All cases were positive and cutaneous hyper-thermic areas corresponding to the neoplasies under consideration were noticed. This hyper-thermic area was in all cases larger than the area of bone's disease radiographycally detectable.

[Personal experience with thermographic studies of skeletal metastasis of breast cancer].

Dynamic telethermography may be usefully employed, alone or in association with X-ray or scintigraphy investigations, for the evaluation of skeletal metastases both diagnostically (differential diagnosis, screening of pains in patients with tumours, study of the extent of metastatic bone localizations) and prognostico-therapeutically (assessment of the effectiveness of chemo-hormonal or radiant treatment).