Magnetic particle imaging: introduction to imaging and hardware realization.

Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is a recently invented tomographic imaging method that quantitatively measures the spatial distribution of a tracer based on magnetic nanoparticles. The new modality promises a high sensitivity and high spatial as well as temporal resolution. There is a high potential of MPI to improve interventional and image-guided surgical procedures because, today, established medical imaging modalities typically excel in only one or two of these important imaging properties.

Salivary IgA concentration is influenced by the saliva collection method.

Measurement of salivary IgA is useful for the non-invasive assessment of secretory immunity, especially in children and infants. In our study, the influence of three commonly used methods ("spitting", "suction", "Salivette") of saliva collection on the yield of salivary IgA concentration was analysed in 54 samples of salivary secretion collected from six healthy children according to a cross over protocol. Nephelometrically determined IgA concentrations were significantly lower in saliva collected by the Salivette device (mean +/- SEM: 23 +/- 7 mg/l) than in saliva collected by the suction (46 +/- 8 mg/l) or spitting method (48 +/- 8 mg/l).

[Anamnesis, clinical aspects and laboratory findings in juvenile "aseptic meningitis" in Lyme borreliosis--a meta-analysis].

Lyme borreliosis is currently suspected to be capable of mimicking nearly all known neurologic symptoms and disease entities. The goal of our study is to define the associated anamnestic, clinical and laboratory findings in aseptic meningitis and Lyme borreliosis in childhood by a meta-analysis of recent literature and of our own data. We defined by means of 63 cases derived of 10 publications and own data a list of mainly rather unspecific parameters like insidious onset, fever, mild meningism, encephalitic symptoms and cranial nerve involvement.

Transient cerebellopontine demyelinisation revealed by MRI in acute cerebellar ataxia.

An eight year old boy was admitted to our ward with a history of abrupt onset of rapidly progressive gait disorder, nausea, vertigo and vomiting. The clinical as well as the laboratory findings suggested the diagnosis of acute cerebellar ataxia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), however, showed marked demyelinisation in the cerebellar region and visual evoked potentials were pathologic.

[Plasma thiocyanate determination: a simple method for quantifying the smoking habits of pregnant patients--a preliminary study].

Plasma thiocyanate (SCN) was measured by means of a simple colorimetric method [8] in 328 persons (175 males, 153 females, aged 5-68 years) as part of an ongoing prospective trial on the influence of SCN defined maternal smoking on fetal development. The interassay coefficient of variation for synthetic K thiocyanate solutions was 3.1% (n = 25%); the intrassay coefficient of variation was 1.