Preoperative hyperfractionated radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy in resectable esophageal cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the local control rates, survival rates, and patterns of failure for esophageal cancer patients receiving preoperative concurrent chemotherapy and hyperfractionated radiotherapy followed by esophagectomy.

Methods And Materials: From May 1993 through January 1997, 94 patients with resectable esophageal cancers received continuous hyperfractionated radiation (4,800 cGy/40 fx/4 weeks), with concurrent FP chemotherapy (5-FU 1 g/m(2)/day, days 2-6, 30-34, CDDP 60 mg/m(2)/day, days 1, 29) followed by esophagectomy 3-4 weeks later. If there was evidence of disease progression on preoperative re-evaluation work-up, or if the patient refused surgery, definitive chemoradiotherapy was delivered.

Inflammatory pseudotumor of carotid artery: a case report.

Inflammatory pseudotumor is an uncommon round and spindle cell proliferative lesion of unknown etiology that occurs most commonly in the lung. But it also occurs in diverse extrapulmonary locations such as the abdomen, retroperitoneum, pelvis, heart, head and neck, upper respiratory tract, trunk, bladder and extremities. The extrapulmonary inflammatory pseudotumor is often larger, less well circumscribed and multinodular.

Use of methylcellulose in small bowel follow-through examination: comparison with conventional series in normal subjects.

Background: To evaluate and optimize a modified small bowel follow-through examination (SBFT) by using an oral administration of a large amount (600 mL) of methylcellulose after taking a small amount of barium.

Methods: Ninety-nine normal subjects underwent modified SBFT with an oral administration of 600 mL of 0.5% methylcellulose after taking 100 mL of 120% or 100, 150, or 200 mL of 70% w/v barium.

Differentiation of simple and strangulated small-bowel obstructions: usefulness of known CT criteria.

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of known computed tomographic (CT) criteria for the differentiation of simple and strangulated small-bowel obstructions.

Materials And Methods: CT scans of 84 patients with simple (n = 43) and strangulated (n = 41) small-bowel obstructions caused by adhesions, hernia, and volvulus were reviewed retrospectively. Diagnoses were made with surgery (n = 55) and during clinical follow-up (n = 29).

CT differentiation of tuberculous peritonitis and peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the potential of CT for distinguishing tuberculous peritonitis from peritoneal carcinomatosis in 135 clinically or pathologically proven cases.

Materials And Methods: Abdominal CT scans in 135 patients of tuberculous peritonitis (n = 42) and peritoneal carcinomatosis (n = 93) with documented omental, mesenteric, or peritoneal pathology were retrospectively reviewed. CT findings were evaluated in each group of patients for the morphologic appearance of mesenteric or omental abnormalities as well as for visualization of the spleen and liver, the lymph nodes, and ascites.

Magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of the lumbar herniated intervertebral disc.

Two hundred and eleven patients with lumbar disc herniation at 242 levels were divided into 5 groups by their appearances on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and the findings at operation were compared to assess the accuracy of the MRI classification. There were no negative explorations. There was 92% sensitivity, 91% specificity and 92% accuracy for MRI in distinguishing protruded discs from other forms of lumbar disc herniation.

The diagnostic value of triple head single photon emission computed tomography (3H-SPECT) in avascular necrosis of the femoral head.

Bone scans, triple head single photon emission computed tomography (3H-SPECT) and MRI scans were compared for their ability to detect avascular necrosis of the femoral head (AVN). 3H-SPECT was undertaken 5 hours after injection of 20 mCi of Tc-99m MDP for 20 minutes using a 3 detector rotating gamma camera (TRIAD, Trionix) equipped with ultra-high resolution collimators. The bone scan and 3H-SPECT were diagnosed as positive for AVN when a photopenic defect in the femoral head could be identified.