Hyperthermia with radiation in the treatment of locally advanced head and neck cancer: a report of randomized trial.

Background: Head and neck cancer is the leading cause of male mortality due to cancer in India. Surgery, radiation alone or in combination has been the backbone of treatment strategies. Chemo-radiation has emerged as the standard of care in most types of head and neck cancer.

Evaluation of growth, puberty and endocrine dysfunctions in relation to iron overload in multi transfused Indian thalassemia patients.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of growth abnormality and endocrine dysfunction in a group of multi transfused thalassemic children and to correlate these with their body iron stores.

Methods: This cross sectional study included 35 Thalassemia Major patients, aged 13 to 24 years. Growth and puberty were assessed clinically and the laboratory values of various hormone levels were stratified with their age and sexual maturity.

Evaluation of cardiac iron load by cardiac magnetic resonance in thalassemia.

Objective: To quantify myocardial iron stores by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR).

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Thalassemia center in a teaching hospital.

Successful retrieval of migrated Amplatzer septal occluder.

Migration and embolization of the Amplatzer septal occluder (ASO) have been reported. However, there is only limited information on the methods of systematic retrieval of these devices. In this report, we describe the a case of a 4 year old girl who underwent closure of her atrial septal defect (ASD) using a 17 mm ASO.

Evaluation of osteopathy in thalassemia by bone mineral densitometry and biochemical indices.

Objective: To evaluate osteopathy in thalassemia by bone mineral densitometry (BMD) and biochemical indices.

Methods: Prospective review analysis with no follow up from 2006 to 2007 of 42 regularly transfused thalassemics aged 10-25 years (27 boys, 15 girls) was done. Anthropometry, pubertal stage and symptomatology were noted.

Chemoradiation with hyperthermia in the treatment of head and neck cancer.

Purpose: The management of head and neck cancer requires skilled integration of multiple modalities such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hyperthermia. Chemoradiation can benefit from the addition of a proven modality such as hyperthermia in increasing survival, disease-free survival and quality of life without increasing the risk of complication. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of hyperthermia with chemoradiation in advanced head and neck cancers.

Subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord in an adolescent girl.

Subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord (SACD), a condition resulting from vitamin B12 deficiency, generally affects elderly people. We present a 12-year-old girl, who, despite a non-vegetarian diet and no obvious etiological factors, developed SACD.

L-carnitine in beta thalassemia.

This study was conducted to determine L-carnitine levels in regularly transfused and chelated beta thalassemia patients (n=40; mean age, 17.5+/-5.0 years).

Reducing CSF shunt placement in patients with spinal myelomeningocele.

Object: The incidence of hydrocephalus requiring shunts in children with myelomeningocele (MMC) is reported to be very high. Shunt-related complications are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. In order to minimize shunt placements, we used very rigid clinical selection criteria and followed them in all patients who had myelomeningocele and enlarged ventricles.

Customized gold weight eyelid implantation in paralytic lagophthalmos.

Unlabelled: Gold eyelid implantation is widely considered the procedure of choice to reanimate the upper eyelid in paralytic lagophthalmos. Commercially supplied implants are not readily available in all places and are sometimes cumbersome to import.

Objective: We aimed to devise a method whereby every surgeon performing gold eyelid implantation could have easy and quick access to the implant.

Giant coronary artery aneurysm with a thrombus secondary to Kawasaki disease.

Although coronary artery aneurysms occur in Kawasaki disease, giant aneurysms are rare. We report a very large coronary artery aneurysm, measuring 25 mm and involving left anterior descending artery, in a 2-year-old child with Kawasaki disease. The challenges in management of such a patient have been highlighted.

Emergency embolization of a bleeding renal angiomyolipoma using polyvinyl alcohol particles.

Angiomyolipomas (AMLs) are hamartomatous lesions consisting of abnormal blood vessels, smooth muscle, and adipose tissue. Bilateral AMLs invariably point to a diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). The risk of hemorrhage in AML is related to tumor size, growth of the tumor, hypervascularization, presence of aneurysms, and association with TSC.

Dorsal dermal sinus with intramedullary abscess formation.

Dorsal dermal sinus, a congenital abnormality associated with spinal dysraphism, can serve as a path for spread of infection inside the spinal thecal sac with its sequelae. Intramedullary abscess formation is an uncommon complication and only about 20 cases have been reported in the English literature. We report MR appearances of three new cases.

"Nano": the new nemesis of cancer.

Materials at nano dimensions exhibit totally different properties compared to their bulk and atomic states. This feature has been harnessed by scientists from various disciplines, to develop functional nanomaterials for cancer diagnosis and therapeutics. The success stories range from delivering chemotherapeutic molecules in nano-sized formulations to functional nanomaterials, which deliver thermal and radiotherapy at specific targeted sites.

A new indication of sildenafil in medicine: hypoxic cell sensitizer for penile cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and results of sildenafil used as radiosensitizer by causing penile vasodilatation and reducing tumor hypoxia in radical radiotherapy for penile cancer.

Materials And Methods: Three men with histopathologic diagnosis of squamous carcinoma of penis were treated with radical external radiotherapy with concomitant sildenafil. Acute and late adverse events were noted according to RTOG toxicity criteria.

T2 weighted MRI in assessment of volume changes during radiotherapy of high grade gliomas.

Aim: To determine whether any changes in gross tumor volume occur between pre treatment MRI and week 5 MRI in high grade gliomas treated by conformal radiotherapy.

Methods And Materials: Between July 2003-July 2005, 17 patients with WHO grades 3 and 4 malignant gliomas treated with conformal radiotherapy to a total dose of 60 Gy were included in this retrospective study. All patients had undergone T2 weighted MRI a day before treatment and then again at end of week 5 of treatment for definition of initial and boost fields respectively.

Thermometry studies of radio-frequency induced hyperthermia on hydrogel based neck phantoms.

A cylindrical phantom, resembling average human neck, was prepared by using hydrogel sheets containing vinyl and polysaccharide. The phantom was used to obtain temperature distributions for 6 values of input power of radio frequency (RF) at 8MHz,by invasive thermometry technique, using thermistor probes. The inclusion of cervical vertebrae and calcium carbonate pieces (human bone representative) with a hollow tube (windpipe equivalent) in the phantom simulates the change in thermal distributions.

Programmed cell death as a prognostic indicator for radiation therapy in cervical carcinoma patients: a pilot study.

Purpose: In clinical practice, radiation therapy often fails in cervical carcinoma stage IIIB and there is a need to develop a predictive assay for prognosis of radiation treatment outcome in cancer patient. We have attempted to evaluate the relevance of changes in Membrane Fluidity (MF) and associated apoptotic cell death in cervical cancer cells after first fractionated dose of radiation therapy to treatment outcome of stage IIIB cervical carcinoma patients.

Materials And Methods: Biopsies of 15 patients with histologically proven cervix cancer were collected from the patients before and 24 h after first fractionated radiation dose of 2 grays (Gy).

A phase I trial of tocoferol monoglucoside in patients undergoing hemi-body radiation.

Purpose: To evaluate Tocoferol monoglucoside (TMG), a water soluble vit. E. in a phase I trial, as a radiation protector in those undergoing hemi-body radiation for disseminated disease.

Adductor insertion avulsion syndrome with stress fracture of femoral shaft: MRI findings.

Chronic vague hip pain may be caused by stress-related injury in the proximal or mid-femoral diaphysis. This has been described as an entity called adductor insertion avulsion syndrome, or thigh splints. In the appropriate clinical setting, the radiologist interpreting the magnetic resonance imaging must be aware of this condition as its imaging findings are subtle.

Antenatal diagnosis of iniencephaly: sonographic and MR correlation: a case report.

Iniencephaly is an uncommon and fatal neural tube defect involving the occiput and inion, this occurs together with rachischisis of the cervical and thoracic spine, and retroflexion of the head. We report the ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings of a case of iniencephaly with clubfeet and arthrogryposis. The diagnosis of iniencephaly is easy to make on ultrasound due to the typical star-gazing fetus.

Multiple intramedullary lipomas with conal intramedullary dermoid: magnetic resonance appearances.

Background Context: Intramedullary fat-containing benign childhood tumors of the cord include lipomas, dermoid cysts, and teratomas. These are embryonal tumors. Most intramedullary fat-containing tumors are solitary.

Tracheo-esophageal Puncture (TEP) for Voice Rehabilitation in Laryngectomised Patients Blom-singer® Vs Provox® Prosthesis : Our Experience.

Background: Stage III and IV cancers of larynx and hypopharynx often require total laryngectomy which leaves the patient with severe communication handicap. In such laryngectomised patients tracheo-esophageal puncture is the best way for voice rehabilitation using either Blom-Singer® prosthesis or Provox® indwelling valve.

Methods: A prospective comparative study of Blom-Singer® prosthesis and Provox® indwelling valves placed in Tracheo-esophageal Punctures (TEP) for voice rehabilitation following total laryngectomy was carried out at the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai and Malignant Diseases Treatment Centre of Armed Forces, to assess their efficacy.