Is it still autism? The increasing broadening of the autism spectrum.

Clinical significance of a broad autism phenotype (BAP) seems to be increasingly supported by growing reports of high prevalence of subthreshold autism spectrum disorder (sASD) or autistic traits (AT) in various demographic samples, particularly in individuals with psychiatric conditions. We question this increasing extension of the autism spectrum and its potential negative consequences for clinical services, research, cultural attitudes, and resource allocation, as well as alternative explanations of what is currently attributed to sASD and AT. In modern psychiatry the diagnostic threshold is paramount and associated with a significant impairment of functioning, implying that symptom specificity is more relevant than sensitivity.

Usefulness of gadolinium in MRI evaluation of non surgically treated herniated disk.

Purpose: The rationale for the use of Gadolinium (Gd) in the MRI evaluation of non surgically treated herniated disk is based on the known presence of inflammatory granulation tissue and neoangiogenesis which plays an important role in both pain and the spontaneous resorption of the hernia.

The Aim: of this study was to determine the usefulness of Gd in MRI examination for detecting the inflammatory reaction around the discal hernia.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-eight patients (mean age 45 years; range 20-70 years) with non surgically treated herniated disk were evaluated with MRI between January 2000 and July 2004.

Contribution of imaging to the evaluation of pyomyositis.

Purpose: To analyse the fundamental features of each imaging modality with the aim of defining their contribution to the diagnosis of pyomyositis.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 10 observations collected between 1997 and 2004, 5 of paravertebral muscles and 5 of the muscles of the limbs. Imaging was carried out with US (8/10 observations) and/or CT (9/10 observations), and/or MRI (6/10 observations).