Strategy for the accurate preoperative evaluation of the number of metastatic axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer.

Background: After the ACOSOG Z0011 trial, it became important to evaluate the number of metastatic axillary lymph nodes (LNs) preoperatively. The purpose of this paper is to confirm whether the number of metastases can be accurately diagnosed by preoperative computed tomography (CT), ultrasound sonography (US), and US-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the axillary LNs finding of preoperative CT/US of 470 breast cancer patients.

Impact of chronic kidney disease on the presence and severity of aortic stenosis in patients at high risk for coronary artery disease.

Objective: We evaluated the impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on the presence and severity of aortic stenosis (AS) in patients at high risk for coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: One hundred and twenty consecutive patients who underwent invasive coronary angiography were enrolled. Aortic valve area (AVA) was calculated by the continuity equation using transthoracic echocardiography, and was normalized by body surface area (AVA index).