... mammography or on ultrasound but not found on physical examination, we consider them non-palpable or not ... lot of this. We send every patient for physical therapy, no matter what type of reconstruction we ...
Ultrasound tomography is an attractive imaging method for the detection of breast cancer. The complex anatomy of the breast with its different spatial scales and material property contrasts make accurate reconstructions very challenging. This paper proposes a hybrid approach whereby Travel-of-Flight and Diffraction Tomography are combined together to achieve high-resolution and high-accuracy sound-speed reconstructions. The method is validated with several numerical phantoms.
The purpose of this project was to design, build, and characterize the performance of a volume breastultrasound (VBUS) scanner that images the pendant breast. VBUS scanner design includes a: 1) clinical ultrasound scanner and transducer; 2) scanning table with a hole for the pendant breast; 3) rotational gantry; 4) probe mounting assembly; 5) compressionless breast stabilization device; 6) acquisition, control, reconstruction, and display software. Performance assessment characterized a variety of parameters including: spatial resolution, uniformity, and distortion using high and low contrast test objects in both horizontal and vertical scanning modes. The VBUS scanner modules have been constructed and initial performance evaluated. Approximately 300 scans are acquired over 360 degrees in 18 seconds. Reconstruction requires 25 ms per slice. Test object images ...
Background: Superficial inferior epigastric artery (SIEA) flap has a great advantage over other flaps of the area, that is, readily non-existent donor-site problems. The main reason why the SIEA flap has never been extensively used in breast reconstruction is the small diameter and variable anatomy of its donor artery. This study presents a possibility of enlarging the SIEA diameter using the delay-phenomenon mechanism. Methods: A prospective clinical study of 26 patients was undertaken. Prior to surgery, ultrasound examinations were performed, measuring the diameter of SIEA and the velocity of blood flow in SIEA. The ipsilateral deep inferior epigastric artery (DIEA) was then ligated in all patients who had a measurable SIEA preoperatively. Two weeks later, measurements were repeated. The...
BackgroundAdnexal masses are not uncommon in patients with breast cancer. Breast cancer and ovarian malignancies are known to be associated. In patients with breast cancer and co-existing...Full Text Available
This paper presents a new approach to improve the in silico modeling of ultrasound transducer arrays. While current simulation tools accurately predict the theoretical element...Full Text Available
HypothesisBiomarkers, commonly expressed in breast cancer cells, may be correlated with their expression in breast skin of the same subjects.MethodsThe...Full Text Available
The effect of ultrasound waves, airflow and combined ultrasound with the airflow on the thermal instability suppression of a hollow needle-to-plate electrical discharge was studied experimentally. To evaluate the thermal instability suppression we used the V-A characteristics of the discharge in stationary air, with ultrasound applied in stationary air, and finally when the airflow was supplied into the discharge through the needle without and with ultrasound application. To illustrate the effect of ultrasound, airflow and combined ultrasound with airflow on the discharge thermal instability suppression we also studied the discharge ozone production. We found that in stationary air the application of ultrasound only slightly suppresses thermal instability. A substantial increase of ozone generation was not detected. Application of the ...
Bilateral breast carcinoma accounts for approximately 5% of all patients with breast cancer, while neuroendocrine breast carcinomas comprise less than 5% of invasive breast carcinomas. In addition, most patients with breast neuroendocrine carcinomas are older. Therefore, bilateral primary breast neuroendocrine carcinoma at a young age is extremely rare. We herein report bilateral neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast in a 29-year-old woman who underwent bilateral lumpectomy with the initial symptom of bilateral nipple discharge. Grossly, the lesions in both breasts were masses with infinite margins. Histologically, this case was consistent with primary neuroendocrine carcinoma arising in bilateral breasts. Cells from both breast tumors were positive for chromogranin A, ...
The authors report a case of a cephalopagus conjoined twin that was diagnosed at 29 weeks of gestation despite the mother having had two ultrasounds done previously. The fetus had one head and face,...Full Text Available
We investigate a method for gene delivery to vascular smooth muscle cells using ultrasound triggered delivery of plasmid DNA from electrostatically coupled cationic microbubbles. Microbubbles...Full Text Available
Although ultrasound arrays were exploited in photoacoustic imaging to improve imaging speed, ultrasound-array-based optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) has never been achieved...Full Text Available
A bladder neck obstruction was suspected after ultrasound investigation at 16 weeks' gestation. Evaluation of protein content in the amniotic fluid, fetal ascites, and fluid from the overdistended bladder...Full Text Available
Previous ultrasound elasticity imaging experiments supported a generally accepted concept that the hardness of deep venous thrombi increases with thrombus aging. Results also showed that this...Full Text Available
Although previous intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) radiofrequency-based analysis data showed acceptable reproducibility for plaque composition, measurements are not easily obtained, particularly that...Full Text Available
Breast cancer is a leading cause of female deaths worldwide. In Malaysia, it is the most common form of female cancer while Infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) is the most common form of breast cancer....Full Text Available
Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Cancer --- Choose a Cancer Site --- All Cancer Sites Bladder Brain & ONS Breast (Female) Breast (Female in situ) Cervix Childhood...
Microcalcifications are an important diagnostic marker for breast cancer on mammograms, yet the mechanism of their formation is poorly understood. Indeed, there is presently no short-latency,...Full Text Available
Breast cancer in the elderly has attracted considerable interest in recent years for three main reasons. Firstly, information concerning the profile (clinical and biological) of the disease in the geriatric...Full Text Available
IntroductionThe development of novel diagnostic agents for the detection of breast cancer microcalcifications requires a reliable animal model. Based on previous...Full Text Available
We followed 183 infants for two years, 31 of whom were breast fed less than three and a half months (median 70 days; short breast feeding group) and a further 31 of whom were exclusively breast fed...Full Text Available
To determine MTRs for normal structures and benign diseases in the breast two-dimensional magnetization transfer imaging was performed in 62 patients and in 3 young female volunteers. With regard to the MTRs of measurements in the normal breast tissues, fat tissues which is close to simple cysts in MTRs show little transfer of longitudinal magnetization. MTRs of the muscles was 15.15{+-}6.22%, which exceeded those of breast parenchyma. The breast parenchyma didn`t show the change of MTR value due to the difference of patient age and due to variable amount of fat and fibrous tissues. Breast parenchyma in the two young volunteers clearly showed biphasic change of MTR values in accordance with the menstrual cycle; little transfer value was due to hydration in the postovulatory period and high transfer value was due to dehydration in the preovulatory period. In the remaining one ...
Sep 19, 2011 ... (The whispering voice, on the other hand, was the latest in ultrasound directed audio technology from the firm Audio Spotlight.) The NASA ...
ObjectiveAngiography remains a critical component for diagnostic imaging and therapeutic intervention in peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The goal of this study...Full Text Available
Ultrasound examinations for foetal brain abnormalities have been a part of the routine antenatal screening programme in the UK for many years. In utero brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is now being used increasingly successfully to clarify abnormal ultrasound findings, often resulting in a change of diagnosis or treatment plan. Interpretation requires an understanding of foetal brain development, malformations and acquired diseases. In this paper we will outline the technique of foetal MRI, relevant aspects of brain development and provide illustrated examples of foetal brain pathology.
Background/AimsAlthough endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has been introduced and its use has been increasing in Korea, there have not been many reports...Full Text Available
BackgroundCardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) allows volumetric carotid plaque measurement that has advantage over 2-dimensional ultrasound (US) intima-media thickness (IMT)...Full Text Available
Materials and MethodsThe genomic effects of tumor-endothelial interactions in cancer are not yet well characterized. To study this interaction in breast...Full Text Available
Most breast cancers are multicentric in origin. They drain into two primary lymphatic depots—the axilla and internal mammary chain of nodes. The incidence of metastasis to the internal mammary...Full Text Available
By analyzing the data of 459 patients who completed the Supportive Care Needs Survey (SCNS), the prevalence, medical and non-medical predictors of unmet needs were investigated. Breast cancer patients...Full Text Available
Recent studies suggest that TJ-41, a herbal drug, possesses chemotherapeutic effects. Accordingly, this study was undertaken to investigate the anticarcinogenic effects of TJ-41 on human breast cancer...Full Text Available
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is one of the most important prognostic and predictive factors for breast cancer patients. Recently, serum HER2...Full Text Available
Between 1946 and 1976 over 9,000 women with breast cancer were seen within one year of diagnosis at the A. Maxwell Evans Clinic (AMEC) in Vancouver, British Columbia. By 1978, 275 had a subsequent diagnosis...Full Text Available
In addition, for breast cancer, a fifth field, Reconstruction--First Course is recorded. V.02.E Reconstruction--First Course (breast only) 1 digit These codes for these fields are included as Appendix C of this manual.
PurposeIn our previous studies we showed that upregulating claudin-6 (CLDN6) expression may contribute to preventing breast cancer, and that 17β-estradiol induces a concentration-...Full Text Available
Breast cancer is a progressive and potentially fatal disease that affects women of all ages. Like all progressive diseases, early and reliable diagnosis is the key for successful treatment and annihilation....Full Text Available
BackgroundTissue microarray (TMA) data are commonly used to validate the prognostic accuracy of tumor markers. For example, breast cancer TMA data have led to the identification...Full Text Available
While most cancer survivors are at risk for being lost in the transition from treatment to survivorship, rural breast cancer survivors face special challenges that might place them at particular...Full Text Available
IntroductionPrimary tumors of the breast containing bone and cartilage are extremely rare, and an osteogenic sarcoma arising from a cystosarcoma phyllodes is exceptional.Case...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe proteomics approach termed proteome pattern analysis has been shown previously to have potential in the detection and classification of breast cancer. Here we aimed...Full Text Available
IntroductionNormal and neoplastic breast tissues are comprised of heterogeneous populations of epithelial cells exhibiting various degrees of maturation and differentiation. While...Full Text Available
BackgroundSome breast cancer patients receiving anti-angiogenic treatment show increased metastases, possibly as a result of induced hypoxia. The effect of hypoxia on tumor cell...Full Text Available
Background:In recent years, breast cancer (BC) mortality rates have declined, reflecting advances in early detection. Prevention and management of treatment sequelae that could impair...Full Text Available
Background:Increasing evidence shows the importance of young age, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) status, and HER-2 expression in patients with breast cancers.Patients...Full Text Available
The heterogeneity of metastatic breast cancer mandates the need to select therapies taking into account tumor and patient characteristics. Chemotherapy is indicated in the palliative setting especially...Full Text Available
Currently, accurate diagnosis of breast lesions depends on a triple assessment approach comprising clinical, imaging and pathologic examinations. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is widely adopted...Full Text Available
Four cases of unilateral giant breasts from two unrelated families are described. Three of the patients were managed surgically. It is speculated from a review of available published reports that this...Full Text Available
BackgroundAt least some forms of breast cancer are increasingly being viewed as a chronic illness, where an emphasis is placed on meeting the various ongoing needs of people living...Full Text Available
Nursing infants may be exposed to lead from breast milk, but relatively few data exist with which to evaluate and quantify this relationship. This route of exposure constitutes a potential infant hazard...Full Text Available
PurposeDistant metastasis and recurrence are major prognostic factors associated with breast cancer. Both lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and blood vessel invasion (BVI) are important...Full Text Available
The results of clinical trials conducted in Europe and North America have been incorporated into treatment strategies for breast cancer in Japan. Despite the use of similar treatment regimens, why has...Full Text Available
BackgroundBreast-feeding rates in the UK are known to vary by maternal socio-economic status but the latter function is imperfectly defined. We test if CTVB (Council Tax Valuation...Full Text Available
IntroductionApproximately 25–30% of breast cancers are assumed to be HER-2/neu positive. It is well known that HER-2/neu-positive cancers after treatment with trastuzumab...Full Text Available
The association of breast feeding with rates of atopic illness during the first five years of life was assessed in a national study of 13 135 children studied during the first week and at age 5 years....Full Text Available
BackgroundTwo clinically relevant high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) types 16 and 18 are etiologically associated with the development of cervical carcinoma and are also reported to be present...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of breast carcinoma (T1–2N0) surgery without axillary dissection on axillary and distant relapses, and to evaluate the usefulness of a panel...Full Text Available
IntroductionVarious multigene predictors of breast cancer clinical outcome have been commercialized, but proved to be prognostic only for hormone receptor (HR) subsets overexpressing...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe status of estrogen receptor-α (ERα) is critical to the clinical prognosis and therapeutic approach in breast cancer. ERα-negative breast cancer...Full Text Available
Experimental studies have shown that two main estrogen metabolites hydroxylated by CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 in the breast differentially affect breast cell proliferation and carcinogenesis. Although 16α-hydroxyestrone...Full Text Available
PurposeRTOG protocol 95-17 was a phase I/II trial to evaluate multi-catheter brachytherapy as the sole method of adjuvant breast radiotherapy for stage I/II breast...Full Text Available
Purpose Skilled placement of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) has a profound impact on patient well-being and costs of care. The use of ultrasound-guided methods and prescribed training for cannulation skills are evidence-based practice recommendations. The purpose of this study was to compare two methods of PICC instruction on the acquisition of applied skills. Methods Residents were randomly assigned to one of two groups (N?=?16/16) of this blind-rater study and were trained to perform ultrasound-guided PICC cannulation using either simulation or apprenticeship methods. All residents were assessed placing a PICC in applied clinical patient care. Results Residents who completed simulation training had significantly better transfer of skills to applied clinical practice than ...
The growth of silver chloride nanoparticles on ancient textile was achieved by sequential dipping steps in alternating bath of potassium chloride and silver nitrate under ultrasound irradiation. The effect of ultrasound irradiation and sequential dipping steps in growth of the AgCl nanoparticles has been studied. These systems depicted a decrease in the particles size accompanying a decrease in the sequential dipping steps. The samples were characterized with powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy. XRD analyses indicated that the prepared AgCl nanoparticles on fiber were crystalline. The textile samples containing AgCl nanoparticles were tested for their antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli and were found to possess significant antibacterial activity.
Objectives To investigate the feasibility and reproducibility of measurements of nasal bone length using a three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound in the first trimester. Methods In a prospective study, 118 consecutive pregnant women attending for Down syndrome screening at 11-13 + 6 weeks were recruited. They had successful fetal nasal bone measurement by two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound by four operators. Three-dimensional volumes were recorded in the mid-sagittal plane of fetal profile by the fifth operator and examined using multiplanar techniques. Another independent investigator randomly compared his measurements with one of the four operators. Results In the subsequent 3D examination, the nasal bone length could be examined in 94 cases (79.7%). The mean difference between the 2D and 3D mea...
A prospective comparative study with pathology was performed to assess the clinical value of Computed Tomography (CT) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) for nodal staging in lung cancer. A total of 329 nodal stations were dissected or sampled and 755 lymph nodes were examined at histology. On a pre-station basis, CT had greater sensitivity (74%) than EUS (56%), but EUS was more specific (83% versus 93%). The accuracy rates of the two techniques were similar. In conclusion, endoscopic ultrasound should be part of a routine preoperative diagnostic approach to non-small-cell lung cancer., because of its high specificity. Results can be improved when EUS and CT are combined., which suggests that these imaging modalities should be used together in selected patients for the noninvasive staging of non-small-cell lung cancer to identify local lymphatic spread.
Purpose To evaluate disease failure patterns and overall survival (OS) of women with triple-negative (TN) breast cancer who underwent breast-conserving therapy (BCT) and to understand the relationship of TN tumors with other prognostic factors. Patients and Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry identified 562 women diagnosed and/or treated with unilateral invasive breast cancer during 2003?2004 at three Emory hospitals. After medical record review, 193 eligible women, with all tumor types, received BCT. Primary endpoints (local, regional, and distant recurrences) and secondary endpoint (OS) were evaluated using chi-square tests and Cox proportional hazards models. Results Of the 193 women, 33 (17.1%) had TN tumors and 160 (82.9%) had non-TN tumors. Patient...
Abstract Routinely used prognostic factors fail to predict clinical outcome in a significant proportion of breast cancer patients, implying that they can not detect some important biological characteristics. Chromosomal changes have been described in breast carcinomas for many years but their significance is not clear. We compared chromosomal changes with clinico-pathological characteristics and clinical outcome in 203 breast cancer patients with a follow-up of 9-18 years. Combining data from classical cytogenetics and flow cytometry revealed chromosomal abnormalities in 142 cases (70%). Of these, 51 (35.9%) contained two or more cytogenetically abnormal clones. Polyclonality was significantly associated with poor breast-cancer-specific survival (P = 0.03) within 5 years, independent of tu...
Currently, x-ray mammography is the method of choice in breast cancer screening programmes. As the mammography technology moves from 2D imaging modalities to 3D, conventional computational phantoms do not have sufficient detail to support the studies of these advanced imaging systems. Studies of these 3D imaging systems call for a realistic and sophisticated computational model of the breast. DeBRa (Detailed Breast model for Radiological studies) is the most advanced, detailed, 3D computational model of the breast developed recently for breast imaging studies. A DeBRa phantom can be constructed to model a compressed breast, as in film/screen, digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis studies, or a non-compressed breast as in positron emission mammography and breast CT studies. Both the ...
Femur fractures typically affect elderly patients with multiple co-morbidities. Pain control can be difficult, requiring intensive nursing and physician care as elderly patients may manifest cardiovascular...Full Text Available
The goal of ultrasonic molecular imaging is the detection of targeted contrast agents bound to receptors on endothelial cells. We propose imaging methods that can distinguish adherent microbubbles...Full Text Available
A novel method for non-destructive intramuscular fat (IMF) estimation via spectral ultrasound backscatter analysis of signals obtained from pig carcasses early post mortem is described. A commercial hand-held ultrasound device (center frequency: 2.7MHz) was modified to focus the sound beam to the longissimus muscle at the 2nd/3rd last rib. Time-resolved ultrasound backscatter signals of loin muscle were recorded 45minp.m. on 82 pig carcass sides. Backfat width (d"B"F=18.9+/-3.8mm) and muscle attenuation (@a"m"u"s"c"l"e=.77+/-.15dBMHz^-^1cm^-^1) were assessed from the measured pulse echo data. Other propagation properties of skin, backfat and muscle tissue obtained in a previous investigation were incorporated into the signal pre-processing to minimize parameter estimation artifacts. Spectr...
Advances in neuroscience have resulted in the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic agents for potential use in the central nervous system (CNS). However, the ability to deliver the...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe aim of the present article was to evaluate whether angiogenic parameters as assessed by transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound (TVCD) may predict those prognostic factors...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVES: To define a method for measurement of the cross sectional area and volume of the quadriceps femoris muscle using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in conjunction with stereology, and to compare...Full Text Available
A 30-year-old man with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and Kaposi's sarcoma had a palpable thyroid mass and cervical lymphadenopathy. Nuclear medicine and ultrasound scans revealed multiple thyroid nodules. Results of biopsy showed Kaposi's sarcoma metastatic to the thyroid.
Percutaneous coronary intervention can be associated with distal embolization of thrombotic material causing myocardial necrosis and infarction.We discuss the role of intravascular imaging to...Full Text Available
Endovascular surgery is a new multidisciplinary field that applies the recently innovated techniques of angioscopy, intraluminal ultrasound, balloon angioplasty, laser, mechanical atherectomy, and stents....Full Text Available
Background:During transurethral resection surgery (TUR), accidental stimulation of the obturator nerve can cause violent adductor contraction, leading to serious intraoperative...Full Text Available
BackgroundLifestyle, genetics and environmental factors are established determinants of bone density. We aimed to describe the bone characteristics of competitive top-ranked Nigerian...Full Text Available
An 11-year-old mare presented 36 hours after foaling with a ruptured bladder. Uroperitoneum was diagnosed on ultrasound and from the creatinine concentration of the peritoneal fluid. Bladder endoscopy...Full Text Available
To study the utility of ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) in case of suspected appendicitis. To determine the diagnostic yield in terms of different clinical contexts and patient characteristics. to assess the costs and benefits of introducing these techniques and propose a protocol for their use. Negative appendectomies, complications and length of hospital stay in a group of 152 patients with suspected appendicitis who underwent ultrasound and CT were compared with those of 180 patients who underwent appendectomy during the same time period, but had not been selected for the first group: these patients costs for each group were calculated. In the first group, the diagnostic value of the clinical signs was also evaluated. The reliability of the clinical signs was limited, while the results with ultrasound and CT were excellent. The incidence of negative appendectomy was 9.6% in the study group and 12.2% in the ...
Purpose: Hormonal activity causes breast volume to change during the menstrual cycle. One possible cause of this volume change is thought to be due to water retention or oedema within the tissues. We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study the variation in breast volume and {sup 1}H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) to measure T{sub 2} relaxation times which are known to increase with increasing tissue water content. We hypothesised that an increase in breast volume will elevate T{sub 2} relaxation due to the presence of an increased water content within the breast. T{sub 2} Relaxation time and volume were studied in fifteen control subjects and in a cohort of eight patients with cyclical mastalgia in order to determine whether changes in breast volume and T{sub 2} relaxation times differed in controls and patients during menses, ovulation and premenses. Method: ...
During the last decade there was a growing interest on the application of Positron Emission Tomography, PET, techniques to Breast Imaging. More recently, preliminary results suggested the use of dedicated devices to Breast Imaging using the same technique, the so-called Positron Emission Mammography cameras, PEM. In this article we review the arguments leading to a dedicated instrument. Based on these arguments we describe the concept of a PEM camera under development within the Crystal Clear Collaboration and the first results of its expected performance in terms of sensitivity and position resolution.
Carcinoma en cuirasse of the breast, which invades the skin via lymphatics and may encase the entire thorax and abdomen, is poorly controlled by surgery, chemotherapy, or conventional irradiation. Palliation of patients with breast carcinoma en cuirasse is a difficult clinical problem which must be effectively managed over extended periods due to the indolent nature of this disease. The management of three cases is reported, and the new technique of rotational subtotal skin electron-beam therapy (SSEBT) is presented. (author).
Trastuzumab increases survival amongst women with human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)-2 receptor positive metastatic breast cancer, but maternal and fetal risks are associated with advanced disease and its treatment in pregnancy. We present a case of a primigravid with HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer who received trastuzumab throughout pregnancy. She presented with cerebral metastases, requiring surgical decompression and resection. Reversible oligohydramnios developed during pregnancy. Fetal safety data on trastuzumab in pregnancy is limited, but case reports suggest a recurring pattern of (mostly reversible) oligohydramnios.
Phytoestrogens are plant derived compounds found in a wide variety of foods, most notably soy. A litany of health benefits including a lowered risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, breast cancer,...Full Text Available
... Although cytologic evaluation of urine specimens is a standard Cesar Angeletti, MD ... 3. Rodriguez-Alonso A, Pita-Fernandez S, Gonzalez-Carrero J, ...
In the group of persistent aromatic hydrocarbons, the highest values were determined for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), total DDT and hexachlorobenzene (HBC). Comparisons of the relevant median values for the past six years led to the conclusion that the steep initial decline in the breast milk concentrations of DDT and HBC was followed by reductions at a much lower pace in the years after 1987. The time course of the concentration of the total PCB did not appear to follow any particular pattern. The mean contents of lead and cadmium remained by a wide margin below the threshold values for these heavy metals and thus were of no relevance from the toxicological point of view. It was found that the 134 and 137 cesium isotopes constituted no particular health hazard for breast-fed infants, as the relevant concentrations in breast milk were low. (VHE).
In order to understand the role of EGF in the development of human mammary epithelial tissue, we analysed the binding of /sup 125/I-EGF to sections of breast cancer biopsies. A mean specific /sup 125/I-EGF binding of 8.9 fmol per mg protein was estimated in thin sections of 17 breast cancer biopsies. Microautoradiographic analysis of /sup 125/I-EGF binding to the tissue sections was applied to demonstrate that EGF was bound predominantly to mammary epithelial cells. The binding was clearly correlated to the number of mitoses of mammary epithelial cells in the same samples. The highest EGF binding and proliferation rates were found in biopsies from breast cancer with axillary lymph-node metastases.
Malignancies Breast Malignancies Bladder, Prostate, and Testicular Malignancies Uses of Cancer Registry Data Brain Tumor Reporting Training Materials Overview Presentation and...
Malignancies Breast Malignancies Bladder, Prostate, and Testicular Malignancies Uses of Cancer Registry Data Brain Tumor Reporting Training Materials Overview Presentation and...
Malignancies Breast Malignancies Bladder, Prostate, and Testicular Malignancies Uses of Cancer Registry Data Brain Tumor Reporting Training Materials Overview Presentation and...
BackgroundThe aim of this study was to investigate the anticancer activity and mechanism of action of Noscapine alone and in combination with Doxorubicin against triple negative...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the interobserver agreement of ultrasonographic assessment of finger and toe joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by 2 investigators with different medical backgrounds. METHODS: Ultrasonography and clinical examination were performed on 150 small joints of 30 patients with active RA. A General Electric LOGIQ 500 ultrasound unit with a 7-13-MHz linear array transducer was used. In each patient, 5 preselected small joints (second and third metacarpophalangeal, second proximal interphalangeal, first and second metatarsophalangeal) were examined independently on the same day by 2 ultrasound investigators (an experienced musculoskeletal radiologist and a rheumatologist with limited ultrasound training). Joint effusion, synovial thickening, bone erosions, and power Doppler signal were evaluated in accordance with an introduced 4-grade semiquantitative scoring system, on which the investigators ...
The project is intended to yield information on the transfer factors describing the transfer of ingested radionuclides to breast milk for the following elements: antimony, cerium, chromium, cobalt, gallium, lanthanum, molybdenum, niobium, radium, ruthenium, silver, thorium, titanium, and uranium. Those yet unknown or poorly known transfer factors are required in order to be able to develop a reliable model for description and assessment of the transfer of the radionuclides and the possibly resulting hazardous doses to infants, and for subsequent formulation of recommendations for radiological protection of the population. (orig./CB)
BackgroundAdipokines, e.g. TNFα, IL-6 and leptin increase insulin resistance, and consequent hyperinsulinaemia influences breast cancer progression. Beside its mitogenic...Full Text Available
A pro-drug 8 of a synthetic analog 7 is more active in its anti-proliferative activity against human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells possessing high Catechol-O-methyltransferase...Full Text Available
BackgroundRecent studies have suggested that the Src inhibitor dasatinib preferentially inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells of the basal-like subtype. To clarify this finding...Full Text Available
Engineered overexpression of protein kinase Cα (PKCα) was previously shown to endow nonmotile MCF-10A human breast cells with aggressive motility. A traceable mutant of PKCα...Full Text Available
To assess which specific morphologic features, enhancement patterns, or pharmacokinetic parameters on breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) could predict a false-negative outcome of Proton...Full Text Available
IntroductionThe phenotypic and functional differences between cells that initiate human breast tumors (cancer stem cells) and those that comprise the tumor bulk are difficult to...Full Text Available
Although trefoil factor 1 (TFF1; previously named pS2) is abnormally expressed in about 50% of human breast tumors, its physiopathological role in this disease has been poorly studied. Moreover,...Full Text Available
We have cloned and characterized a 77-kDa oestrogen receptor (ER) from an oestrogen-independent subclone of the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line. This receptor contains an in-frame, tandem duplication...Full Text Available
The tumor suppressor p53 is often inactivated in breast cancer cells because the overexpression of its repressors (e.g., MDM2 and MDMX). Restoration of p53 activity by small molecules through counteracting...Full Text Available
In principle four different methods (ultrasound, microwaves, {gamma}-radiation and x-rays) are available for the non-destructive testing of refractories. Three of these methods, i.e. ultrasound, microwaves and {gamma}-radiation, are in use by different producers of AZS materials to carry out the quality control of their products. This paper will compare the three methods on the basis of the physical properties, present the existing devices, and show the advantages as well as the limits of the different methods. {gamma}-radiography, the oldest method in use, has one main disadvantage, which is the requirement of protection against radioactive radiation. Furthermore, while cracks and cavities can be detected with this method, structural changes can not be monitored. Therefore, the ultrasonic method was developed that allows to detect variations of porosity and grain size as well as cracks and voids when the ultrasonic parameters are tuned as well ...
Xeroradiography (XR) was retrospectively compared with a newly developed computed radiography (FCR) for diagnostic availability for breast cancer. FCR provides with the image processed by a computer. Subjects were 65 breast cancer patients for XR and 51 for FCR. Both methods were performed preoperatively. No significant difference was observed in distribution of age between the two groups but the average tumor size in XR group was larger than that in FCR group. Tumor shadow appeared in 44 of 65 xeromammograms (67.7%) and in 34 of 51 computed radiograms (66.7%). Microcalcification was detected in 27 of 65 xeromammograms (41.5%) and in 21 of 51 computed radiograms (41.2%). Consequently, diagnosis of breast cancer could be achieved in 47 of 65 patients (72.3%, established: 39, suspective: 8) through XR and in 41 of 51 (80.4%, established: 33, suspected: 8) through FCR. Thus FCR is thought to be more useful for ...
Xeroradiography (XR) was retrospectively compared with a newly developed computed radiography (FCR) for diagnostic availability for breast cancer. FCR provides with the image processed by a computer. Subjects were 65 breast cancer patients for XR and 51 for FCR. Both methods were performed preoperatively. No significant difference was observed in distribution of age between the two groups but the average tumor size in XR group was larger than that in FCR group. Tumor shadow appeared in 44 of 65 xeromammograms (67.7%) and in 34 of 51 computed radiograms (66.7%). Microcalcification was detected in 27 of 65 xeromammograms (41.5%) and in 21 of 51 computed radiograms (41.2%). Consequently, diagnosis of breast cancer could be achieved in 47 of 65 patients (72.3%, established: 39, suspective: 8) through XR and in 41 of 51 (80.4%, established: 33, suspected: 8) through FCR. Thus FCR is thought to be more useful for ...
Estrogen metabolism is suggested to play an important role in estrogen-induced breast carcinogenesis. Epidemiologic studies suggest that diets rich in phytoestrogens are associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. Phytoestrogens are biologically active plant compounds that structurally mimic 17b-estradiol (E2). We hypothesize that phytoestrogens, may provide protection against breast carcinogenesis by altering the expression of estrogen-metabolizing enzymes cytochrome P450 1A1 (Cyp1A1) and 1B1 (Cyp1B1). Cyp1A1 and Cyp1B1 are responsible for the metabolism of E2 to generate 2-hydroxyestradiol (2-OHE2) and 4-hydroxyestradiol (4-OHE2), respectively. Studies suggest that 2-OHE2 and 2-methoxyestradiol may protect against breast carcinogenesis, while 4-OHE2 is carcinogenic in rodent models....
The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of MRM in providing preoperative locoregional information on patients with breast cancer. MRI was performed on 62 female breast cancer patients. A 1.5 T MR-system was used to acquire fat-suppressed T{sub 1}WI, T{sub 2}WI and dynamic-contrast-enhanced images with an SPGR pulse sequence. The extent of the cancer measured with MRM was confirmed histologically in all patients. The size obtained from MRM correlated well with the size obtained histologically, including intraductal spread of cancer (R: 0.853). As for shape, the round/oval type evident from MRM correlated more accurately (R: 0.934) than the ill-defined type associated with a linear and/or clumped enhanced area (R:0.744). The difference between the size obtained from MRM and the size obtained histologically, including IDS, was less than 15 mm in the majority of patients (93.5%). MRM accurately reveals the extent of cancer, including ...
In this work, the antibacterial effect of fluoroquinolones (FQs) upon Escherichia coli (E.coli) was measured with and without application of 40kHz ultrasound (US) stimulation. The research results demonstrated that simultaneous application of 40kHz US apparently enhanced the antibacterial effectiveness of FQs. That is, the synergistic effect was observed and the bacterial viability was reduced when FQs and US were combined. In addition, various influencing factors, such as FQs drug concentration, US irradiation time and solution temperature, on the inhibition of E.coli were also investigated. The antibacterial activity was enhanced apparently with increasing of FQs drug concentration, US irradiation time and solution temperature. Furthermore, we discussed preliminarily the mechanism of US ...
Background: Mechanisms underlying the association between myocardial bridge (MB)-stenting and in-stent restenosis (ISR) are still unclear. Objective: To assess the impact of MB on ISR using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Methods: In the Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction (HORIZONS-AMI) trial, 100 left anterior descending artery (LAD) culprit lesions (79 treated with paclitaxel-eluting stents [PES] and 21 treated with bare metal stents) were imaged with serial IVUS immediately postprocedure and at 13 months. Results: At baseline the LAD stent extended into the MB segment beyond the culprit lesion in seven patients (MB-stent group). In the remaining 93 patients the LAD stent was implanted only in the culprit lesion without extending into t...
17 patients with chronic aortic dissection were examined by MRI. In 12 patients, comparison between gradient echo sequences and SE sequences was possible. Gradient echo sequences, unlike SE sequences, permitted evaluation of flow in the true and false lumen, reliable differentiation between thrombus and flowing blood and clear delination of the intimal flap. An additional comparison between transoesophageal ultrasound and MRT in 15 patients showed significant advantages in favour of MRI. In three patients MRI was able to detect more proximal origins of the dissection. Moreover, MRI allowed evaluation of the major aortic branches and their relation to the dissection; this was not possible with ultrasound. MRI plays an important role in the follow-up of chronic aortic dissections. (orig.).
Background This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and follow-up results of endoscopic papilletomy (ESP) with pancreatic and biliary duct stent placement for ampullary tumors. The therapeutic approach to benign ampullary tumors remains unsettled. The ESP procedure is a curative treatment option for benign papillary tumors, but ESP raises concerns about a relatively high risk for procedure-related complications such as pancreatitis. A pancreatic stent may protect against complications. Methods Between September 2000 and June 2008, 36 patients with ampullary tumors confined to the mucosa and no intraductal tumor growth underwent ESP. The preprocedural diagnostic tools included endoscopic ultrasound, transpapillary intraductal ultrasound, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancr...
Calcaneus quantitative ultrasound (QUS) assessment is a safe and reliable method for evaluating skeletal status. Until now, considerable data have been accumulated on the distribution of QUS in Caucasian populations, whereas such data are still insufficient in Asian populations, especially in Chinese mainland. The present study aimed to obtain the distribution characteristic of calcaneus QUS in healthy Chinese women, and to further investigate the distribution of low bone mass by QUS stiffness index (SI). This study included 2,498 healthy Chinese females aged 10-87 yr. The QUS exhibited a characteristic mild rise and then fall pattern with increasing age. Age, body height, and weight were significant influencing factors on SI, especially age and weight. The prevalence of osteoporosis detec...
High-intensity contact ultrasound (HICU) under MRI guidance may provide minimally invasive treatment of endocavitary digestive tumors in the esophagus, colon or rectum. In this study, a miniature receive-only coil was integrated into an endoscopic ultrasound applicator to offer high-resolution MRI guidance of thermotherapy. A cylindrical plastic support with an incorporated single element flat transducer (9.45 MHz, water cooling tip) was made and equipped with a rectangular RF loop coil surrounding the active element. The integrated coil provided significantly higher sensitivity than a four-element extracorporeal phased array coil, and the standard deviation of the MR thermometry (SDT) improved up to a factor of 7 at 10 mm depth in tissue. High-resolution morphological images (T1w-TFE and IR-T1w-TSE with a voxel size of 0.25 x 0.25 x 3 mm3) and accurate thermometry data (the PRFS method with a voxel size of 0.5 x 0.5 x 5 mm3, 2.2 s/image, 0.3 ...
This case report presents the prenatal diagnosis of conjoined twins at 7 weeks and 6 days’ gestation according to the last menstrual period and 6 weeks and 4 days’ gestation according...Full Text Available
Total potassium was assayed in 150 normal weight and obese females (cervical carcinoma-52, endometrial carcinoma-25 and breast cancer-73) by measurements of 40K spontaneous radiation in a low-background chamber. Control group included 30 healthy and 25 obese females. Computations of body cell and extracellular mass and fat were carried out on the basis of the said measurements. Extracellular fluid volume was measured in 38 patients by X-ray fluorescence method using sodium bromide. The results pointed to a body cell mass deficit matched by increased extracellular mass due to a higher fat level in patients with breast, endometrial and cervical carcinoma. The said correlation was particularly pronounced in obese patients. The beneficial effect of treatment was more often observed in patients with normal body weight. PMID:3739295
Abstract Background. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is common among breast cancer patients. Several CAM therapies may have negative side effects or interact with conventional therapies. We studied biologically based CAM use with and without vitamins/minerals in relation to patient and tumor characteristics as well as treatment in an ongoing prospective cohort of 855 primary breast cancer patients. Methods. Patients from two hospitals in southern Sweden were included. Pre-operative and follow-up questionnaires containing questions on food intake, lifestyle, and concomitant medications, including natural remedies, were completed up to five years postoperatively. Clinical information was obtained from clinical records and tumor characteristics from pathology reports. Results...
The occurrence of persistent organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in breast milk samples collected from mothers from twelve provinces in mainland China was investigated. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) were the most prevalent agent, followed by HCHs and HCB, whereas levels of chlordane compounds, drins and mirex were lower. The relatively lower DDE/DDT ratio in the Fujian rural area suggested more recent exposure to DDT than in other areas. The mean level of DDTs in breast milk from the southern China was higher than those from northern China (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was observed between concentration of DDTs in human milk and consumption of animal-origin food, suggesting that this parameter could play an important part in influencing OCPs burdens in lactating women. The mean...
Abstract Metastases to the thyroid gland diagnosed by means of fine needle cytology or by excision have been reported in the literature. To our knowledge, metastatic neoplasms to the parathyroid gland have never been described up to now. In this article, we introduce a rare case of metastatic breast carcinoma to a parathyroid adenoma in a 56-year-old woman, which clinically simulated a left thyroid nodule. The patient had a history of left breast carcinoma; the recent discovery of a palpable mass in the left thyroid area had elicited fine needle cytology sampling for its diagnostic evaluation. The obtained cytopathological sample was cellular but limited to a single Diff-Quik-stained smear; hence, no ancillary studies could be entertained. A cytopathological diagnosis of positive for malig...
Human breast milk samples collected in 2007?2008 from four countries, Vietnam (Hanoi), China (Beijing), Korea (Seoul) and Japan (Sendai, Kyoto and Takayama), were analyzed for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), chlordane-related compounds (CHLs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Comparing with previous surveys, the present study indicates that the DDTs in breast milk from China and Vietnam had gradually decreased during the last decade, but were still 5?10 times higher than those in other nations. The ratios of p,p?-DDE/p,p?-DDT and o,p?-DDT/p,p?-DDT were higher in Beijing than in the other countries, suggesting that there...
BACKGROUND.The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) covers the direct clinical costs of breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic follow-up for medically underserved, low-income women. Personal costs are not covered. In this report, the authors estimated personal costs per woman participating in NBCCEDP mammography screening by race/ethnicity and also estimated lifetime personal costs (ages 50-74 years).METHODS.A decision analysis model was constructed and parameterized by using empiric data from a retrospective cohort survey of mammography rescreening among women ages 50 years to 64 years who participated in the NBCCEDP. Data from 1870 women were collected from 1999 to 2000. The model simulated the flow of resources incurred by a woman participat...
The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of artificial neural networks (ANN) application in evaluation of scintimammography in the context of clinical data in the diagnosis of breast cancer. The results produced by ANN were compared with the diagnosis of two independent observers, nuclear medicine specialists. Material and methods: The clinical data and the numerical values derived from scintimammograms of 103 patients were the material for the study. The reference method was the result of histopathology study (core biopsy and /or FNB). Results: The overall sensitivity of physician diagnosis was 78% with specificity of 72%. The ANN produced 71% sensitivity and specificity of 73%. The physicians and ANN results were not significantly different (p=0.4619). Conclusions: Artificial neutral networks are useful tool in clinical diagnosis of breast cancer. (authors)
Aim: Several studies have investigated the expression of the cytokeratins (CKs), vimentin, the epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), the oestrogen receptor (ER), and the progesterone...Full Text Available
BackgroundPersonal health records (PHRs) provide patients with access to personal health information (PHI) and targeted education. The use of PHRs has the potential to improve a...Full Text Available
Human exposure to perchlorate is commonplace because it is a contaminant of drinking water, certain foods, and breast milk. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted a perchlorate risk...Full Text Available
Recent clinical trials demonstrate that combined oral dosing with estrogen and progestin increases the incidence of breast cancer in post-menopausal women. Similarly, in a rat model system of...Full Text Available
Recurrent or primary carcinoma of the breast en cuirasse, which may involve the skin of the entire thorax and abdomen, cannot be controlled by means of surgery or conventional local irradiation. The...Full Text Available
... Previous Topic Pain Next Topic Scars and wounds Prostheses Prostheses (pross-THEE-sees) are man-made substitutes ... covered by medical insurance (this includes wigs). Breast prostheses: Contact your local chapter of the American Cancer ...
A substantial proportion of lymph node-negative patients who receive adjuvant chemotherapy do not derive any benefit from this aggressive and potentially toxic treatment. However, standard histopathological...Full Text Available
BackgroundDifferent microarray studies have compiled gene lists for predicting outcomes of a range of treatments and diseases. These have produced gene lists that have little overlap,...Full Text Available
BackgroundAurora kinases play an essential role in orchestrating chromosome alignment, segregation and cytokinesis during mitotic progression, with both aurora-A and B frequently...Full Text Available
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a switch of polarized epithelial cells to a migratory, fibroblastoid phenotype, is considered a key process driving tumor cell invasiveness and metastasis....Full Text Available
Between 1984 and 1988, seven women with breast cancer were treated with intraoperative electron beam therapy (IOEBT). All patients were Caucasian. Patient age ranged from 37 to 62 (median 53) years. Histopathology was infiltrating duct carcinoma (6/7) or medullary carcinoma (1/7). Four tumors were staged T1 N0 MO, one T1 N1 MO, one T2 N1 MO, and one lesion was recurrent. At the time of primary lumpectomy or axillary node dissection, a dose of 10 or 15 Gy IOEBT was administered to the tumor bed with 6 or 9 MeV electrons through the lumpectomy wound. All patients received 45 or 50 Gy over five to six weeks with 6 MV photons to the breast and, in four patients, to the regional nodes. Three patients received adjuvant chemotherapy and tamoxifen. No post-operative complications were observed. All patients are alive as of August, 1989, with no evidence of recurrent disease. Excellent cosmesis is the rule. Clinical and technical aspects of treatment ...
Somatic radiation doses are recognized to be possible factors of carcinogenesis. In correctly performed mammography, however, even as screening test, the radiation dose does not reach such an order of magnitude that the benefit of the procedure as to prevention of breast cancer is called into question.
Available in vitro and animal studies have shown cancer protective effects of tea polyphenols. Recent study suggests a greater protective effect of green tea intake on breast cancer...Full Text Available
Tamoxifen (TAM) is a selective estrogen receptor modulator widely used in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. A major mode of metabolism of the major active metabolites of TAM, 4-OH-TAM...Full Text Available
Multiple discrete regions at 8q24 were recently shown to contain alleles that predispose to many cancers including prostate, breast, and colon. These regions are far from any annotated gene and their...Full Text Available
Microarray data has a high dimension of variables but available datasets usually have only a small number of samples, thereby making the study of such datasets interesting and challenging. In the task...Full Text Available
BackgroundEarly exposure to ovarian hormones is considered to increase breast cancer incidence. The age at which the ovaries become functional is thus important.Full Text Available
A compact dedicated 3D breast SPECT-CT (mammotomography) system is currently under development. In its initial prototype, the cone-beam CT sub-system is restricted to a fixed-tilt circular rotation...Full Text Available
Purpose/ObjectivesTo describe the Heiney-Adams Recruitment Framework (H-ARF); to delineate a recruitment plan for a randomized, behavioral trial (RBT) based on H-ARF;...Full Text Available
IntroductionRadiotherapy outcomes might be further improved by a greater understanding of the individual variations in normal tissue reactions that determine tolerance. Most published...Full Text Available
The passage of a vascular-injected paramagnetic contrast reagent (CR) bolus through a region-of-interest affects tissue 1H2O relaxation and thus MR image intensity. For longitudinal...Full Text Available
We developed a new breast surface coil for the supine position. The subjects consisted of 9 patients with breast cancer varying from 46 to 60 years of age (average: 52). The cancer image of the SPGR (CE+) method was compared with that of the FSMTC (MTC-SPGR (CE+)) method and that of the FSMTC (MTC-SPGR with fat-saturation (CE+)) method in the sagittal section after injection of Gd-DTPA (0.1 mmol/kg). Quantitative analyses were performed before and after injection of Gd-DTPA in 6 patients. Three patients were excluded from the quantitative analyses owing to the clear detection of tumors in the fat tissue. Signal intensity measurements were systematically performed in each region of interest (ROI), i.e. the cancer lesion, the surrounding mammary gland. Statistical analyses showed significant differences between the lesions using the FSMTC (MTC-SPGR (CE+)), and the FSMTC (MTC-SPGR with fat-saturation (CE+)) methods and the lesions using the SPGR ...
BackgroundThe aim of the study was to develop a virtual microscopy enabled method for assessment of Ki-67 expression and to study the prognostic value of the automated analysis in...Full Text Available
Recent preclinical and clinical data suggest that TP53 status and TP53 mutations may be important in determining tumour aggressiveness and therapy response. In this study we investigate the feasibility...Full Text Available
Social support is a critical, yet underutilized resource when undergoing cancer care. Underutilization occurs in two conditions: (a) when patients fail to seek out information, material assistance,...Full Text Available
BackgroundComplementary feeding is currently recommended after six months of age, when the nutrients in breast milk alone are no longer adequate to support growth. Few studies have...Full Text Available
BackgroundCancer stem cells (CSCs) have increased resistance to cancer chemotherapy. They can be enriched as drug-surviving CSCs (D-CSCs) by growth with chemotherapeutic drugs, and/or...Full Text Available
BackgroundBiomarkers play a key role in risk assessment, assessing treatment response, and detecting recurrence and the investigation of multiple biomarkers may also prove useful...Full Text Available
Mammography has emerged as a reliable non-invasive technique for the early detection of breast cancer--the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality among American women. The radiographic appearance of the female breast consists of radiolucent (dark) regions due to fat and radiodense (light) regions due to connective and epithelial tissue. The amount of radiodense tissue can be used as a marker for predicting breast cancer risk. This paper presents the development of an algorithm for estimating the percentage of radiodense tissue in a digitized mammogram. The technique involves determining a dynamic threshold for segmenting radiodense indications in mammograms. Both the mammographic image and the threshold are modeled as Gaussian random variables. This work is intended to support a concurrent study at the Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) exploring the association between dietary patterns and breast ...
BackgroundMost analyses of spatial clustering of disease have been based on either residence at the time of diagnosis or current residence. An underlying assumption in these analyses...Full Text Available
BackgroundBreast-feeding may affect the risk of developing allergy during childhood and may also cause exposure to immunotoxicants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which...Full Text Available
A potent link to dairy seems to exist for three hormone-responsive glands. Acne, breast cancer and prostate cancer have all been linked epidemiologically to dairy intake. Although mechanisms postulated...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: To increase cost-efficiency while maintaining the standard of medical care, an accelerated surgical stay program for patients having breast surgery was instituted. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA:...Full Text Available
BackgroundCentrosome aberrations can cause genomic instability and correlate with malignant progression in common human malignancies such as breast and prostate cancer. Deregulation...Full Text Available
PurposeTaxanes have effects on angiogenesis causing difficulties in separating biologic effects of chemotherapy from those due to angiogenesis inhibitors. This randomized...Full Text Available
For the evaluation of diseases of salivary origin, ultrasound and/or sialography is recommended instead of MRI. In cases of salivary tumor, ultrasound may be helpful in delineating superficial tumors. For small tumors no further imaging is needed. When dealing with a large tumor or a tumor in the deep lobe of the parotid gland, MRI is the preferred imaging method. Not only does MRI provide a large variety of soft tissue signal differences, but also the multiplanar facilities are helpful in delineating the extent of the tumor, whether located in the submandibular, sublingual, or parotid gland. Skull base invasion is often well seen by MRI. Subtle changes may be missed and in those cases CT is recommended to exclude or prove destruction of the skull base. For the evaluation of patients presenting with a recurrent pleomorphic adenoma, MRI is recommended in all patients. MRI delineates the extent and number of recurrent tumors better than palpation ...
Intramuscular hermorrhage was induced by injecting autologous blood into the paraspinal muscle of 8 rabbits. In order to evaluate the time-dependent changes of hemorrhage observed on MRI, the animals were imaged at different stages of blood resolution at 0.02 tesla (T), and control examined with ultrasound using a 7.5 MHz linear transducer. Six inversion recovery sequences (TR=1 000 ms. TE=30 ms, and TI=18, 48, 148, 201, 302, and 398 ms) were used for the invivo calculation of T1 relaxation times. IR 1 000 (398)/30 imaging was performed before and after the Gd-DOTA administration. The hemorrhage was evident on MR images throughout the study, especially on the T2 weighted (SE 1 000/100) images. MRI showed the healing lesion longer than ultrasound. The T1 relaxation time increased during the time of resolution. Lesions on days 4 to 7 enhanced in intensity after the injection of Gd-DOTA. (orig.).
For good image quality using ultrasound inverse scattering, one alternately solves the well-posed forward scattering equation for an estimated total field and the ill-posed inverse scattering equation for the desired object property function. In estimating the total field, error or noise contaminates the coefficients of both matrix and data of the inverse scattering equation. Previous work on ill-posed inverse ultrasonic scattering commonly used Tikhonov regularization, which considers error only in the data. The solution so obtained is not precise enough to reconstruct the quantitative internal structure of a large or high-contrast object. This paper adopts the truncated total least squares method, simultaneously considering error and noise on both sides of the inverse scattering equation, and compares it with the classical Tikhonov regularization. We show that it can substantially improve reconstruction fit and image quality when the inverse scattering equation ...
A 1.5-year-old male Belgian Malinosis Military Working Dog presented with a 1-month history of intermittent hematuria. Diagnostic ultrasound and contrast radiography demonstrated large blood clots in the urinary bladder and a filling defect in the right renal pelvis. At surgery, clotted blood was present in the right ureter and bladder. Following right nephrectomy, the dog returned to training. One month later, elevations in urea nitrogen and creatinine were noted. Hematuria recurred at 3 months and the dog was found dead in its kennel. Necropsy showed a blood-filled left renal pelvis and ureter. PMID:1454185
Objective: To compare the enhancement pattern of hilar cholangiocarcinoma on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with that on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). Methods: Thirty-two consecutive patients with pathologically proven hilar cholangiocarcinomas were evaluated by both low mechanical index CEUS and CECT. The enhancement feature of the tumor, portal vein infiltration, and lesion conspicuity on them was investigated. Results: In the arterial phase, the numbers of the lesions showing hyperenhancement, isoenhancement, and hypoenhancement, were 14 (43.8%), 14 (43.8%), and 4 (12.6%), on CEUS, and 12 (37.5%), 9 (28.1%), and 11 (34.4%), on CECT (P = 0.162). In portal phase, the numbers of the lesions showing hypoenhancement, isoenhancement, and hyperenhancement were 30 (93.8%), 1 (3.1%), and 1 (3.1%), on CEUS, and 23 (71.9%), 8 (25.0%), and 1 (3.1%), on CECT (P = 0.046). The detection rates for portal vein infiltration were 84.2% (16/19) for baseline ...
A crucial step in human breast cancer progression is the acquisition of invasiveness. There is a distinct lack of human cell culture models to study the transition from pre-invasive to invasive phenotype as it may occur 'spontaneously' in vivo. To delineate molecular alterations important for this transition, we isolated human breast epithelial cell lines that showed partial loss of tissue polarity in three-dimensional reconstituted-basement membrane cultures. These cells remained non-invasive; however, unlike their non-malignant counterparts, they exhibited a high propensity to acquire invasiveness through basement membrane in culture. The genomic aberrations and gene expression profiles of the cells in this model showed a high degree of similarity to primary breast tumor profiles. The xenograft tumors formed by the cell lines in three different microenvironments in nude mice displayed metaplastic ...
Quantitative evaluation of CRT and CR observations in indentification of malignancy using phantom and clinical data. A breast phantom and a total of 40 patients were imaged by Fuji computed radiography (FCR). The images were interpreted twice by six radiologists both on CR film (2510 x 2000 pixels x 10 bits, 0.1 mm spatial resolution) and on a CRT monitor (1568 x 1152 pixels x 10 bits, 0.1 mm pixel size with double expansion) with image processing parameters of a toutine (RN 1.0, RE 0.2), for a calcification (RN 9.0, RE 4.0) and for a mass (RN 7.0, RE 2.0). The forty clinical cases included breast diseases with calcifications, masses, and normal breasts. Two-tailed t-test was performed to analyze interpretation of simulated microcalcifications and masses in the phantom. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to evaluate clinical cases. In all interpretation studies using both ...
An intact basement membrane (BM) is essential for the proper function, differentiation and morphology of many epithelial cells. The disruption or loss of this BM occurs during normal development as well as in the disease state. To examine the importance of BM during mammary gland development in vivo, we generated transgenic mice that inappropriately express autoactivating isoforms of the matrix metalloproteinase stromelysin-1. The mammary glands from these mice are both functionally and morphologically altered throughout development. We have now documented a dramatic incidence of breast tumors in several independent lines of these mice. These data suggest that overexpression of stromelysin-1 and disruption of the BM may be a key step in the multi-step process of breast cancer.
Ex vivo expanded peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) have been shown to provide rapid neutrophil engraftment, and in some patients, to eliminate neutropenia after transplantation to support high-dose chemotherapy. However, the effect of expansion culture on stem cell content and potential loss of stem cells caused by induction of differentiation remains a concern. We have transplanted 21 patients with breast cancer with expanded autologous PBPC, with 11 patients receiving expanded PBPC as their sole hematopoietic cell source. In these studies, the CD34+ cells were selected and cultured for 10 days in defined media containing 100 ng/mL each of recombinant human stem cell factor (rhSCF), recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF), and recombinant human megakaryocy...
Background: High satisfaction rates have been reported after autologous breast reconstruction. Yet, most mastectomy patients receive implant reconstructions (ImBR). Independent and active decision makers have shown mainly to choose for autologous reconstructions, such as the Deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap (DiepBR). To further explore the decision making to opt for either ImBR or DiepBR, we investigated patient knowledge, informational resources used, effect of plastic surgeons' advice, coping style and personal independence. Methods: A total of 153 women, who were planned for DiepBR or ImBR preoperatively, completed a study-specific and standardised validated psychological questionnaire. Analyses were aimed at information-seeking behaviour, personal independence and coping...
DNA methylation is considered as a potential cause of aberrations in regulation of gene expression during carcinogenesis. Therefore, changes in DNA methylation patterns may be targets for chemoprevention. In the present study, we investigated effects of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), vitamin D3, and resveratrol alone and in combination with adenosine analogues: 2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine (2CdA) and 9-beta-d-arabinosyl-2-fluoroadenine (F-ara-A), on methylation and expression of retinoic acid receptor beta 2 (RARbeta2) in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. Alterations in methylation and expression levels after treatment of cells with the tested compounds were evaluated by methylation-sensitive restriction analysis (MSRA) and real-time PCR, respectively. RARbeta2 promoter in the ...
Discovery of better biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy-response prediction is the most critical task of a scientific quest aimed at developing newly designed, tailor-made therapies for patients with cancer. Consequently, a proteome wide analysis, in addition to genomic studies, is an absolute requirement for a complete functional understanding of tumor biology. Ultra-sensitive, high-performance Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry (MS) currently holds an important role in fulfilling the demands of biomarker discovery. In this review, we describe the applicability of FTICR MS for breast cancer proteomics, particularly for the analysis of complex protein mixtures obtained from a limited number of cells typically available from clinical specimens.
The incidence of columnar cell lesions in breast core needle biopsies since full-field digital mammography in comparison with screen-filmed mammography was analyzed. As tiny microcalcifications characterize columnar cell lesions at mammography, we hypothesized that more columnar cell lesions are diagnosed since full-field digital mammography due to its higher sensitivity for microcalcifications. In all, 3437 breast core needle biopsies performed in three hospitals and resulting from in total 55?159 mammographies were revised: 1424 taken in the screen-filmed mammography and 2013 in the full-field digital mammography period. Between the screen-filmed mammography and full-field digital mammography periods, we compared the proportion of mammographies that led to core needle biopsies, the...
Background Despite potentially relevant chemical differences between filtered and boiled coffee, this study is the first to investigate consumption in relation to the risk of incident cancer. Methods Subjects were from the V?sterbotten Intervention Project (64,603 participants, including 3,034 cases), with up to 15?years of follow-up. Hazard ratios (HR) were calculated by multivariate Cox regression. Results No associations were found for all cancer sites combined, or for prostate or colorectal cancer. For breast cancer, boiled coffee ?4 versus <1 occasions/day was associated with a reduced risk (HR?=?0.52, CI?=?0.30?0.88, p trend?=?0.247). An increased risk of premenopausal and a reduced risk of postmenopausal breast cancer were found for both total (HRpremenopausal?=?1.69, CI?=?0.96?2.98...
Abstract In the work, a rapid, simple and high-throughput sample preparation method was developed for the determination of sulfonamide (SA) antibiotic residues in chicken breast muscle. The extraction and clean-up were online combined and up to 20 samples can be treated simultaneously in 6-min. The SAs were first extracted with acetonitrile under the action of microwave energy, and then the extract was directly introduced into the SPE column for on-line clean-up and concentration. Subsequently, the SAs eluted from the SPE column were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The precisions of extraction results of 20 samples were in the range of 4.9-7.4%. The limits of detection and quantification obtained were in the range of 2.4-3.6-ng/g and 8.6-11.3-ng/g for SAs, res...
In this work was made an assessment of the supramolecular structures presents into human breast tissue normal and pathological samples, as well as into two types of animals samples (tendon chicken and pork fat) using the small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) technique. The scattering profiles of the samples were determined at the momentum transfer range O.150nm{sup -1}<=5:q(=4pi.sin({theta}/2)/{lambda})<=8.500nm{sup -1}. In this range, it was possible identify structures corresponding to collagen fibrils (glandular tissue) and to triacylglycerides (adipose tissue) from the correlation between the information extracted from the human breast tissues scattering profiles and those extracted from animals samples. (author)
Abstract:- Campylobacter jejuni-is the leading cause of bacterial diarrheal illness worldwide. Many strains are now becoming multidrug resistant. Apple-based edible films containing carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde were evaluated for bactericidal activity against antibiotic resistant and susceptible-C. jejuni-strains on chicken. Retail chicken breast samples inoculated with D28a and H2a (resistant strains) and A24a (a sensitive strain) were wrapped in apple films containing cinnamaldehyde or carvacrol at 0.5%, 1.5%, and 3% concentrations, and then incubated at 4 or 23 C for 72 h. Immediately after wrapping and at 72 h, samples were plated for enumeration of viable-C. jejuni. The antimicrobial films exhibited dose- and temperature-dependent bactericidal activity against all strains. Films with ...
Glycyrrhiza glabra root is one of the common traditional Chinese medicines and used as flavoring and sweetening agents for tobaccos, chewing gums, candies, toothpaste and beverages. While glycyrrhizin is one of the main components in the extract of G. glabra root and has been characterized, the other components have not been well characterized. The mechanism of growth activation of breast cancer MCF-7 cells, including the activation of Erk1/2 and Akt, and the transcriptional regulation of estrogen-responsive genes, was examined by means of sulforhodamine B, luciferase reporter gene, real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting assays after the induction of the cells with the extract of G. glabra root. The extract has similar activity to that induced by 17b-estradiol (E2), although glycyrrhizin di...
BackgroundDue to improvements in cancer survival the number of people of working age living with cancer across Europe is likely to increase. UK governments have made commitments...Full Text Available
Three regio-isomers of N-(N-benzylpiperidin-4-yl)-4-iodobenzamide, IBP, were prepared and evaluated for their sigma affinities. All three isomers (2, 3, and 4-substituted) showed high affinities for sigma-1 receptors in guinea pig brain membranes (Ki - 1.64 nM, 3.02 nM, 1.70 nM respectively) against ["3H]-(+)-pentazocine, a sigma-1 selective ligand. 2-IBP and 4-IBP showed modest affinities for sigma-2 sites in rat liver (Ki = 29.6 nM. 25.2 nM respectively) against ["3H]DTG in the presence of dextrallorphan to mask sigma-1 sites. The homologous competition binding studies of 4-["1"2"5I]BP in MCF-7 human breast tumor cells showed high affinity dose-dependent binding. Competition binding studies with haloperidol and DTG also showed a high affinity binding (Ki = 4.6 nM, 60 nM respectively), demonstrating the sigma specificity. The saturation binding (Scatchard analysis) of ["3H]DTG with MCF-7 cell membrane preparations gave Kd of 24.54 nM and a Bmax of 2071 fmol/mg ...
We have recently shown the applicability of robotics to the synthesis of a positron-emitting radiopharmaceutical, namely 16#alpha#[F-18]fluoroestradiol-17#beta#, a breast tumor imaging agent. We now report the application of the robot to the synthesis of two additional radiopharmaceuticals, [F-18]spiroperiodol and [C-11]butanol. This achievement shows the power of a robot as a multifunctional automated device for the synthesis of several positron-emitting radiopharmaceuticals in limited laboratory space. (author).
In the group of persistent aromatic hydrocarbons, the highest values were determined for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), total DDT and hexachlorobenzene (HBC). Comparisons of the relevant median values for the past six years led to the conclusion that the steep initial decline in the breast milk concentrations of DDT and HBC was followed by reductions at a much lower pace in the years after 1987. The time course of the concentration of the total PCB did not appear to follow any particular pattern. The mean contents of lead and cadmium remained by a wide margin below the threshold values for these heavy metals and thus were of no relevance from the toxicological point of view. It was found that the 134 and 137 cesium isotopes constituted no particular health hazard for breast-fed infants, as the relevant concentrations in breast milk were low. (VHE) [Deutsch] In der Gruppe der persistenten Chlorkohlenwasserstoffe werden die ...
Abstract in english AIM: This prospective randomized clinical study was conducted to compare radioguided occult lesion localization (ROLL) with wire-guided localization to evaluate optimum localization techniques for non-palpable breast lesions. METHODS: A total of 108 patients who were undergoing an excisional biopsy for non-palpable breast lesions requiring pathologic diagnosis were randomly assigned to the ROLL group (n = 56) and wire-guided localization group (n = 52). In the study, pati (more) ents' characteristics, radiological abnormalities, radiological technique of localization, localization time, operation time, weight of the excised specimen, clearance margins, pathological diagnosis and perioperative complications were assessed. RESULTS: There were no differences between the two groups in terms of age, radiological abnormalities and localization technique (p = non-significant for all). ROLL techniques resulted in 100% retrieval of ...
This manuscript reviews some of the more controversial dose-related issues in cardiac CT imaging. Discussion covers the relative merits of cardiac CT versus MR, advantages and concerns regarding gated versus nongated cardiac CT and advantages and concerns regarding the use of breast shields in girls undergoing cardiac CT imaging.
LIMD1 is a tumour suppressor gene (TSG) down regulated in ∼80% of lung cancers with loss also demonstrated in breast and head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. LIMD1 is also a candidate TSG...Full Text Available
The potential market for irradiated chicken breasts was investigated using a mail survey and a retail trial. Results from the mail survey suggested a significantly higher level of acceptability of irradiated chicken than did the retail trial. A subsequent market experiment involving actual purchases showed levels of acceptability similar to that of the mail survey when similar information about food irradiation was provided.
Breast cancer represents today more than 30% of all cancers and is responsible for about 20% of deaths due to cancer. The potentialities of mammography have increased in recent years through improvements in equipment and methodologies. In this paper the conventional mammography using film and image intensifiers is compared with digital mammography. Digital mammography presents clear advantages in storage and handling of information. Also its higher sensitivity will lead to an earlier detection of anomalies and a decrease in the number of invasive exams and surgeries
BackgroundEstrogen receptors alpha (ERα) and beta (ERβ) are transcription factors (TFs) that mediate estrogen signaling and define the hormone-responsive phenotype...Full Text Available
The gastrin releasing peptide (GRP) receptor is becoming an increasingly attractive target for development of new radiolabeled peptides with diagnostic and therapeutic potential. The attractiveness of the GRP receptor as a target is based upon the functional expression of GRP receptors in several tumors of neuroendocrine origin including prostate, breast, and small cell lung cancer. This concise review outlines some of the efforts currently underway to develop new GRP receptor specific radiopharmaceuticals by employing a variety of radiometal chelation systems.
This work evaluated the effect of gamma radiation on reducing the population of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli nd Salmonella typhimurium in ground chicken breast stored under refrigeration. The experiment included a control and 4 doses of gamma radiation ( 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 8.0 kGy) along with 5 periods of storage under refrigeration ( 1, 7 14, 21 and 28 days). Samples of ground chicken breast were inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 14458), Escherichia coli (ATCC 11105) and Salmonella typhimurium (ATCC 0626), irradiated at temperatures between 4 and 8 deg C and stored under refrigeration (5 deg C) for 28 days. The increased radiation dose and period of storage under refrigeration caused a reduction of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium populations in the ground chicken breast. Mean radiation D values determined for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were 0.41 and ...
The expression status of the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and that of the epidermal growth factor receptor Her-2/neu frequently correlate inversely in breast cancers. While ERα-dependent...Full Text Available
The microbiological safety, refrigeration shelf-life, and nutritional quality of chicken breast meat were investigated following combined electron-beam irradiation and cooking under vacuum (sous-vide). Chicken breast meat inoculated with 10{sup 6} CFU/g of Listeria monocytogenes was irradiated with an electron beam at doses up to 3.1 kGy under vacuum in barrier bags, cooked in a boiling water bath for 3 min 45 s (previously determined to achieve an internal temperature of 71.1{sup o}C), and stored at 8{sup o}C for up to 5 weeks. Listeria was undetectable in samples treated with combined sous-vide and irradiation at 3.1 kGy, but the organism survived the sous-vide treatment without irradiation and multiplied during storage. A similar study, conducted with uninoculated chicken breast meat, revealed that the product which received both irradiation (3 kGy) and sous-vide treatment had a shelf-life of at least 8 weeks at 8{sup ...
Cordycepin has been shown to interfere with a myriad of molecular processes from RNA elongation to kinase activity, and prevents numerous inflammatory processes in animal models. Here we show in a mouse...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe orphan nuclear receptor estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. It was identified through a search for genes...Full Text Available
The objective of this study was to determine the usefulness of parathyroid scintigraphy in histological estimation for secondary hyperparathyroidism (2HPT) using Tc-99m sestamibi or Tc-99m tetrofosmin. Tc-99m sestamibi (MIBI) and Tc-99m tetrofosmin (Tetro) parathyroid imaging following double-phase study, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound were performed on 14 patients with 2HPT. All patients underwent parathyroidectomy. The uptake of two tracers in parathyroid areas was compared with the histopathologic findings. Forty-nine parathyroid glands were surgically explored and histologically proven to be hyperplastic. Of these, 42 were diagnosed with nodular type (N-type) hyperplasia, and 7 with diffuse type (D-type) hyperplasia. MIBI and Tetro parathyroid imagings detected 34 and 35 parathyroid glands, respectively. The sensitivity of MIBI was determined to be 76.2% (32/42) for N-type, and 28.6% (2/7) for D-type. The sensitivity of Tetro was determined to ...
We have studied the application of direct aperture optimization (DAO) as an inverse planning tool for breast IMRT. Additionally, we have analysed the impact of respiratory motion on the quality of the delivered dose distribution. From this analysis, we have developed guidelines for balancing the desire for a high-quality optimized plan with the need to create a plan that will not degrade significantly in the presence of respiratory motion. For a DAO optimized breast IMRT plan, the tangential fields incorporate a flash field to cover the range of respiratory motion. The inverse planning algorithm then optimizes the shapes and weights of additional segments that are delivered in combination with the open fields. IMRT plans were generated using DAO with the relative weights of the open segments varied from 0% to 95%. To assess the impact of breathing motion, the dose distribution for the optimized IMRT plan was recalculated with the isocentre ...
AIM: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the percutaneous use of the new nitinol SMARTeR stents in patients with biliary obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four stents were placed in three patients percutaneously under ultrasound and fluoroscopic guidance. RESULTS: The deployment of the stents was successful in all three patients. All stents maintained their patency and position after short-term follow-up. CONCLUSION: The nitinol SMARTeR stent is useful in the management of patients with biliary obstruction although accurate placement across the ampulla was found to be technically more difficult than with the Wallstent. Larger, long-term follow-up studies are required to evaluate the long-term patency of these new devices.
In previous work, on cooling from 300 K to 10 K the elastic moduli for both #alpha#- and #delta#-Pu dropped 30%. This large change may reflect effects of 5f-electron localization. In this work, the elastic moduli at ambient temperature of several Pu-Ga alloys were measured using resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS). The strong temperature dependence of the bulk and shear modulus and the temperature independence of Poisson's ratio was confirmed and the upper temperature limit for #alpha#-Pu was extended to 360 K. Measurements of the time dependence of the shear moduli of Pu and Pu-2.36 at.% Ga were determined with high precision as a function of time and temperature. Using a model for time dependence of point defects, we determined the exponential time constant at ambient temperature for such variations. The low temperature results are consistent with Fluss .
Abstract Suspension of solids in stirred reactor is widely used for catalytic reactions, dissolution, etc. Quality of solid suspension is an important parameter required for the reliable design, optimum performance, and scale up of the system. Quality of suspension depends on local characteristics of solid velocity and hold up profiles. The present work was focused on investigating quality of solid suspension using ultrasound velocity profiler (UVP) measurements and CFD simulations. The slip velocity measurements carried out with UVP were used to evaluate different drag correlations used in CFD simulations. Results discussed in this work would be useful for extending the applications of CFD models for simulating large stirred slurry reactors.
This paper is concerned with the real time automatic discriminating of flaws from two categories; i. cracks (planar defect) and ii. Non-cracks (volumetric defect such as cluster porosity and slag) using pulse-echo ultrasound. The raw ultrasonic flaws signal were collected from a computerized robotic plane scanning system over the whole of each reflector as the primary source of data. The signal is then filtered and the analysis in both time and frequency domain were executed to obtain the selected feature. The real time feature analysis techniques measured the number of peaks, maximum index, pulse duration, rise time and fall time. The obtained features could be used to distinguish between quantitatively classified flaws by using various tools in artificial intelligence such as neural networks. The proposed algorithm and complete system were implemented in a computer software developed using Microsoft Visual BASIC 6.0 (author)
Opinion statement Because a minority of patients with D-transposition of the great arteries are diagnosed in utero by ultrasound, most present after delivery with cyanosis. In the absence of apparent lung disease, cyanotic neonates suspected of having a cardiac lesion should be immediately transferred to an intensive care unit at a pediatric tertiary care center for monitoring, resuscitation, and to define the cardiac anatomy and physiology. A prostaglandin E-1 infusion is usually initiated to maintain ductal patency and promote intra-cardiac mixing. In the past, balloon atrial septostomy (BAS) was routinely performed to enlarge the atrial septal defect and improve intra-cardiac mixing while the infants awaited surgery. Recent literature has reported an increase risk of stroke in neonates ...
We present two cases of fetal neck masses that were initially diagnosed by ultrasound and further evaluated with prenatal MRI. MRI findings aided in further delineating the neck masses, increasing confidence in the final diagnosis (cervical teratoma and cystic hygroma). With the fetal airway typically filled with fluid that is of high signal on T2-weighted sequences, MRI images in three planes could identify whether the fetal larynx and trachea were partially or completely compressed by the neck tumor. This information was particularly useful in determining if a controlled delivery such as ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) was necessary and aided the surgeons in planning their approach to establishing airway control in the delivery room. (orig.)
Objective To report the clinical response to image-guided percutaneous cryotherapy (IPC) for the palliative management of localized metastases in patients with gynecologic malignancies. Methods Institutional review board approval and patient consent were obtained. Gynecologic oncology patients were identified from our institution's cryotherapy database from August 2003 to August 2007. Cryotherapy was performed with 2.4?mm diameter probes (Endocare, Irvine, CA) with ultrasound or computerized tomography (CT) guidance under conscious sedation and local anesthesia. Follow-up was conducted by imaging studies and clinical encounters, using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST criteria). Results Twenty-eight ablation sessions were performed for 41 metastatic foci in 15 patients w...
Abstract In this brief report, we have described the fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of a hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL) in a 60-year-old female patient. The patient complained of fever and heaviness of left upper abdomen. Ultrasound-guided FNAC of the spleen showed immature lymphoid cells, and a diagnosis of primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of spleen was offered. Subsequently, the patient underwent splenectomy and wedge biopsy of liver that confirmed the cytological diagnosis. The lymphoma cells were positive for CD3 immunostain. Primary hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma is a rare entity and may often pose diagnostic problems on FNAC. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2010. 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Fetal MRI examines non-invasively the unborn fetus. Ultrafast MRI sequences effectively suppress fetal motion. Multiple case reports and studies have shown that fetal MRI is particularly helpful in the evaluation of the central nervous system. The high contrast-to-noise ratio, the high spatial resolution, the multiplanar capabilities, the large field of view and the simultaneous visualisation of fetal and maternal structures have proven to be advantageous. Fetal MRI is particularly helpful in the evaluation of the normal and pathological development of the brain. Despite the fact that no side effects have been reported or are to be expected, the use of MRI during pregnancy is still limited to the second and third trimester of pregnancy. Magnetic resonance imaging contrast media are not to be used as it passes the placenta. Ultrasound remains the primary screening modality for fetal pathology; fetal MRI can serve as an adjunct or second-line imaging modality. ...
Two cases of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), in which ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MR) studies detected an atypical hemorrhagic pattern associated with an intrahepatic arterio venous malformation (AVM) around the growths, are presented. In both cases, histology demonstrated a very early regenerative stage and necrotic-hemorrhagic areas within the lesions. In these cases, the analysis of radiological findings, surgical specimens and histology seemed to confirm the pathogenetic hypothesis suggested by Wanless: in normal liver parenchyma, a ``blood steal`` phenomenon due to congenital or acquired intrahepatic AVM could cause ischemic damage, appearing as a hemorrhagic necrotic area, the extent of which depends on the degree of residual portal supply. (orig.)
Objective To demonstrate clinical features of a patient subgroup presenting with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) without polycystic ovary morphology. Design Retrospective study. Setting Hospital-based IVF center. Patient(s) In the present study, 876 PCOS patients were selected from women who visited the Reproductive Medicine Center at Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, between September 2004 and October 2006. Women with PCOS were divided into two groups based on ultrasound image: group A, PCOS patients with classic polycystic ovary (n = 800); group B, PCOS patients without polycystic ovary morphology (n = 76). The following available data were analyzed in the large cohort of women: body height, weight, waistline, hip circumference, hirsutism scores, family history, serum s...
The techniques in order to measure the depth of defect in weldment and structure accurately have been developed. Many researches have made efforts to develop the methods for the accurate depth sizing of defect. TOFD is known as the most accurate method of various methods for measuring depth sizing. However, there is a possibility to miss defects because of the limitation of beam coverage for the ultrasound incident angle. In this study, the results for detectability and depth sizing using phased array ultrasonic technique for thick body were compared with those of conventional TOFD technique. It was experimentally confirmed that the phased array ultrasonic TOFD technique gives good detectability and accurate depth measurement for the various types of defects. The phased array ultrasonic TOFD technique developed in this study will contribute to increase the inspection reliability in thick component such as the pressure vessel of power generation industry
To assess the efficacy and resulting complications of tetracycline sclerotherapy in renal, hepatic, ovarian, and perivesical cysts. We retrospectively reviewed 23 cases of benign cysts (16 renal, 4 hepatic, 2 ovarian, and 1 perivesical) in 22 patients in whom the condition was diagnosed or confirmed by either ultrasound, CT, or cytology, and who underwent percutaneous tetracycline sclerotherapy. Using a 21-gauge Chiba needle, the target cyst was punctured under ultrasound guidance. Prior to the injection of 1500 mg of tetracycline diluted in 5 ml of normal saline, almost all the cystic content was aspirated, and at the end of the procedure the tetracycline was left in the cyst. During a period of between 3 and 22 months, 18 of the 23 cases were followed up. In six of the 18 cases followed up, the cysts either decreased in size by 10%, or collapsed completely. In seven cases a collapse of over 50% was noted, and in the remaining five the cyst ...
Purpose: For planning the therapeutic strategies and estimating the prognosis in esophageal cancer, N-staging is very important. To date, MRI still is of minor importance as imaging modality of the mediastinum despite promising developments in the past, like ECG-gating or 'averaging' sequences, e.g. LOTA (Long-term averaging), which facilitate mediastinal and thoracic MR-imaging. In a prospective approach, the value of MRI based N-staging was examined with respect to LOTA-sequences. Material and Methods: Within from weeks prior to esophagectomy, standardized MRI of the esophagus was performed in 15 patients (10 squamous-cell-carcinomas and 5 adenocarcinomas) using a 1.5 T whole body scanner. Imaging quality was classified based on depiction of aortic wall or tracheal wall layers. Criteria for malignant infiltration were a diameter of more than 15 mm or a round appearance of a lymph node together with GD-DTPA enhancement. All data were blinded and separately read by two radiologists. ...
The aim of this work is to investigate the acoustic wave generation by pulsed and periodically modulated ion beams in different solid materials depending on the beam parameters and to demonstrate the possibility to apply an intensity modulated focused ion beam (FIB) for acoustic emission and for nondestructive investigation of the internal structure of materials on a microscopic scale. The combination of a FIB and an ultrasound microscope in one device can provide the opportunity of nondestructive investigation, production and modification of micro- and nanostructures simultaneously. This work consists of the two main experimental parts. In the first part the process of elastic wave generation during the irradiation of metallic samples by a pulsed beam of energetic ions was investigated in an energy range from 1.5 to 10 MeV and pulse durations of 0.5-5 #mu#s, applying ions with different masses, e.g. oxygen, silicon and gold, in charge states from 1"+ to 4"+. The ...
Purpose To investigate the sensitivity and accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for restaging the mediastinum after induction chemotherapy in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and Methods One hundred twenty-four consecutive patients with tissue-proven stage IIIA-N2 disease who were treated with induction chemotherapy and who had undergone mediastinal restaging by EBUS-TBNA were reviewed. On the basis of computed tomography, 58 patients were classified as having stable disease and 66 were judged to have had a partial response. All patients subsequently underwent thoracotomy with attempted curative resection and a lymph node dissection regardless of EBUS-TBNA findings. Results Persistent nodal metastases were detected by using EBUS-TBNA in 89 patients (72%). Of the 35 patients in whom no metastases were assessed by EBUS-TBNA, 28 were found to have residual stage IIIA-N2 disease at ...
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common disorder, for which various conservative treatment options are available. The objective of this study is to determine the efficacy of the various conservative treatment options for relieving the symptoms of CTS. Computer-aided searches of MEDLINE (1/1966 to 3/2000), EMBASE (1/1988 to 2/2000) and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (2000, issue 1) were conducted, together with reference checking. Included were randomised controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of conservative treatment options in a study population of CTS patients, with a full report published in English, German, French or Dutch. Two reviewers independently selected the studies. Fourteen randomised controlled trials were included in the review. Assessment of methodological quality and data-extraction was independently performed by two reviewers. A rating system, based on the number of studies and their methodological quality and findings, was used to determine the strength ...
The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of estrogen-induced breast carcinogenesis remain unclear. The present study investigated the roles of estrogen metabolism and oxidative stress in estrogen-mediated mammary carcinogenesis in vivo. Female August Copenhagen Irish (ACI) rats were treated with 17b-estradiol (E2), the antioxidant vitamin C, the estrogen metabolic inhibitor a-naphthoflavone (ANF), or cotreated with E2 + vitamin C or E2 + ANF for up to 8 months. E2 (3 mg) was administered as an subcutaneous implant, ANF was given via diet (0.2%) and vitamin C (1%) was added to drinking water. At necropsy, breast tumor incidence in the E2, E2 + vitamin C and E2 + ANF groups was 82, 29 and 0%, respectively. Vitamin C and ANF attenuated E2-induced alterations in oxidative stress markers in b...
Abstract Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes are major bacterial pathogens associated with poultry products. A controlled released ClO2 sachet applied with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) was evaluated for its ability to control the growth of S. Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes on raw chicken breast during refrigerated storage. The fresh chicken samples were inoculated with one or the other of the pathogens at 104-cfu/g, and the packages (with and without ClO2 sachet) were flushed with ambient air or 30% CO2/70% N2 before sealing, and then stored at 4C for up to 21 days. The maximum reduction in MAP plus ClO2 (compared with MAP alone) was 0.68-log-cfu/g for S. Typhimurium and 1.87-log-cfu/g for L. monocytogenes. Color and pH changes of the chicken breast were observed at ...
The project is intended to yield information on the transfer factors describing the transfer of ingested radionuclides to breast milk for the following elements: antimony, cerium, chromium, cobalt, gallium, lanthanum, molybdenum, niobium, radium, ruthenium, silver, thorium, titanium, and uranium. Those yet unknown or poorly known transfer factors are required in order to be able to develop a reliable model for description and assessment of the transfer of the radionuclides and the possibly resulting hazardous doses to infants, and for subsequent formulation of recommendations for radiological protection of the population. (orig./CB) [German] Ziel des Projektes ist die Ermittlung von Transferfaktoren fuer den Uebergang von Radionukliden aus der Nahrung der Muetter in die Muttermilch fuer die Elemente Antimon, Cer, Chrom, Cobalt, Gallium, Lanthan, Molybdaen, Niob, Radium, Ruthenium, Silber, Thorium, Titan und Uran. Um die Exposition und damit die moegliche Gefaehrung ...
Dose measurements were performed in several body regions of patients suffering from inflammatory degenerative diseases (humeral epicondylitis, humeroscapular periarthritis, gonarthrosis, axillary hidradenitis, rheumatoid arthritis, coxarthrosis, parotitis). The problem of the radiation induction of neoplasms is predominant concerning somatic as well as genetic risk, discussed by example of the most frequently occurring organ cancer. Compared to the rate of breast cancer in the highly developed industrial states (5,000 to 6,000 cancers/100,000 women) the 'radiation induction' calculated according to a mathematical model of ICRP 26 (1.25 cases of death for breast cancers/100,000 women following for example irradiation of epicondylitis) is behind several powers of ten and not demonstrable. The genetic radiation exposure is also low. Derived from the measurements it is wrong to give up reliable and approved indications of radiotherapy of ...
Using a syngeneic p53-null mouse mammary gland tumor model that closely mimics human breast cancer, we have identified, by limiting dilution transplantation and in vitro mammosphere assay, a Lin(-)CD29(H)CD24(H) subpopulation of tumor-initiating cells. Upon subsequent transplantation, this subpopulation generated heterogeneous tumors that displayed properties similar to the primary tumor. Analysis of biomarkers suggests the Lin(-)CD29(H)CD24(H) subpopulation may have arisen from a bipotent mammary progenitor. Differentially expressed genes in the Lin(-)CD29(H)CD24(H) mouse mammary gland tumor-initiating cell population include those involved in DNA damage response and repair, as well as genes involved in epigenetic regulation previously shown to be critical for stem cell self-renewal. These studies provide in vitro and in vivo data that support the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis. Furthermore, this p53-null mouse mammary tumor model may allow us to identify new ...
To illustrate the implementation of a bottom-up approach to the study of culture in health disparities, this article describes the development of a cultural cancer screening scale (CCSS) using mixed methodologies. The aim was to identify cultural factors relevant to breast and cervical cancer screening, develop an instrument to assess them and examine its preliminary psychometric properties among Latin American (Latino) and non-Latino White (Anglo) women in Southern California. Seventy-eight Latino and Anglo women participated in semi-structured interviews, which were content coded based on Triandis' methods for the analysis of subjective culture. Based on the emerging cultural elements, items relevant to cancer screening were developed and pilot tested with 161 participants. After the instrument was refined, 314 Latino and Anglo women from various socioeconomic backgrounds completed the CCSS and data were factor analyzed resulting in five cultural factors: cancer ...
A survey is presented of the consequences of the irradiation of the population with ionizing radiation. There is an increased incidence of leukemia in irradiated population groups. Among the inhabitants of Hiroshima and Nagasaki maximum death of leukemia was observed in the years 1951 to 1952. The results are summed up of the observation of carcinoma of the breast, lungs and bronchi, bones, and carcinoma of the thyroid. The effect of radiation on experimental animals is described. It was found that the scatter of the dependence of the incidence of various types of cancer on the dose equivalent apparently reflects differences in the biological mechanism of this incidence and that a proportional relationship cannot be expected between the primary damage of cells during irradiation and the actual manifestation of the disease. (E.S.).
The authors give a survey of the somatic radiation risk in X-ray diagnostics. A somatic dose index is calculated for different examination methods containing the organ doses to the red bone marrow, the lung, the female breast, and the thyroid gland and evaluating their somatic significance. If this somatic dose index by which the individual radiation risk is described, is multiplied by the examination frequencies per year in the German Federal Republic, one gets the somatically significant dose index, which is a measure of the collective somatic radiation risk. In this sense, mammography has the highest, and dental radiography the lowest collective radiation risk.
The authors give a survey of the somatic radiation ris in X-ray diagnostics. A somatic dose index is calculated for different examination methods containing the organ doses to the red bone marrow, the lung, the female breast, and the thyroid gland and evaluating their somatic significance. If this somatic dose index by which the individual radiation risk is described, is multiplied by the examination frequencies per year in the German Federal Republic, one gets the somatically significant dose index, which is a measure of the collective somatic radiation risk. In this sense, mammography has the highest, and dental radiography the lowest collective radiation risk. (orig.).
An attempt was made to quantify the radiation risk of diagnostic radiology. After a general introduction of terms as radiation damage, radiation risk and effective dose equivalent, based on publications of the ICRP, somatic dose indexes were computed for several radiologic investigations, that comprise organ doses committed to red bone marrow, lung, female breast and thyroid with and without considering the rest of the body. The dose for the rest of the body was assumed to be equal to the dose received by the red bone marrow, that is also distributed over the whole body. Neglecting the exposure of the rest of the body resulted in an insignificant increase in the estimated somatic risk, with its experimental determination not being necessary. (author).
Doses to the salivary glands, thyroid gland, breast, lung, stomach and colon during mass radiological gastric screening, mass radiographic chest screening, upper gastrointestinal series and computed tomography were determined by exposing a female human phantom to simulated radiological X-ray examinations as performed in community hospitals. The doses were measured using thermoluminescent dosemeters, and the results will be used to document organ doses received by participants in the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission/Radiation Effects Research Foundation Adult Health Study. (Author).
Doses to the salivary glands, thyroid gland, breast, lung, stomach and colon during mass radiological gastric screening, mass radiographic chest screening, upper gastrointestinal series and computed tomography were determined by exposing a female human phantom to simulated radiological X-ray examinations as performed in community hospitals. The doses were measured using thermoluminescent dosemeters, and the results will be used to document organ doses received by participants in the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission/Radiation Effects Research Foundation Adult Health Study. (Author).
Breast cancer progression is characterized by inappropriate cell growth. Normal cells cease growth after a limited number of cell divisions--a process called cellular senescence-while tumor cells may acquire the ability to proliferate indefinitely (immortality). Inappropriate expression of specific oncogenes in a key cellular signaling pathway (Ras, Raf) can promote tumorigenicity in immortal cells, while causing finite lifespan cells to undergo a rapid senescence-like arrest. We have studied when in the course of transformation of cultured human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC), the response to overexpressed oncogenic Raf changes from being tumor-suppressive to tumor enhancing, and what are the molecular underpinnings of this response. Our data indicate: (1) HMEC acquire the ability to maintain growth in the presence of oncogenic Raf not simply as a consequence of overcoming senescence, but as a result of a newly discovered step in the process of immortal ...
Two patients are described in whom sunburn and electron beam radiodermatitis, respectively, were critical determinants in localizing the initial presentation of drug eruptions. In the first instance, a severe sunburn of the back and thighs was followed 7 months later by the appearance of a toxic epidermal necrolysis drug reaction to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in the exact sites of the previous bullous sunburn reaction. In the second patient, a radiodermatitis of the left upper arm due to electron beam therapy for metastatic breast cancer was followed 7 weeks later by a codeine drug reaction confined to the area of the radiodermatitis. In both instances, oral rechallenge with the offending drug reproduced the eruption.
IntroductionBreast cancer is the most diagnosed and second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. female population. An estimated 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancers are inherited, caused by mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility genes (BRCA1/2). As many as 90% of all mutations are nonsense mutations, causing a truncated polypeptide product. A popular and low cost method of mutation detection has been the protein truncation test (PTT), where target regions of BRCA1/2 are PCR amplified, transcribed/translated in a cell-free protein synthesis system and analyzed for truncated polypeptides by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and autoradiography. We previously reported a novel High Throughput Solid-Phase PTT (HTS-PTT) based on an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) format that eliminates the need for radioactivity, SDS-PAGE and subjective interpretation of the results. ...
The purpose of this work was to study and quantify the differences in dose distributions computed with some of the newest dose calculation algorithms available in commercial planning systems. The study was done for clinical cases originally calculated with pencil beam convolution (PBC) where large density inhomogeneities were present. Three other dose algorithms were used: a pencil beam like algorithm, the anisotropic analytic algorithm (AAA), a convolution superposition algorithm, collapsed cone convolution (CCC), and a Monte Carlo program, voxel Monte Carlo (VMC++). The dose calculation algorithms were compared under static field irradiations at 6 MV and 15 MV using multileaf collimators and hard wedges where necessary. Five clinical cases were studied: three lung and two breast cases. We found that, in terms of accuracy, the CCC algorithm performed better overall than AAA compared to VMC++, but AAA remains an attractive option for routine use in the clinic due ...
The purpose of this work was to study and quantify the differences in dose distributions computed with some of the newest dose calculation algorithms available in commercial planning systems. The study was done for clinical cases where large density inhomogeneities were present. Three dose algorithms were used: a pencil beam like algorithm, the anisotropic analytic algorithm (AAA), a convolution superposition algorithm, collapsed cone convolution (CCC) and a Monte Carlo program, voxel Monte Carlo (VMC++). The dose calculation algorithms were compared under static field irradiations at 6 MV and 15 MV using multileaf collimators and hard wedges where necessary. Five clinical cases were studied: three lung and two breast cases. We found that the CCC algorithm performed overall better than AAA compared to VMC++, but AAA remains an attractive option for routine use in the clinic due to its short computation times. Dose differences between the different algorithms for ...
A simple method of estimating the amount of lung irradiated in patients with breast cancer would be of use in minimizing lung complications. To determine whether simple measurements taken at the time of simulation can be used to predict the lung volume in the radiation field, we performed CT scans as part of treatment planning in 40 cases undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer. Parameters measured from simulator films included: (a) the perpendicular distance from the posterior tangential field edge to the posterior part of the anterior chest wall at the center of the field (CLD); (b) the maximum perpendicular distance from the posterior tangential field edge to the posterior part of the anterior chest wall (MLD); and (c) the length of lung (L) as measured at the posterior tangential field edge on the simulator film. CT scans of the chest were performed with the patient in the treatment position with 1 cm slice intervals, covering lung apex ...
Recent work has been carried out on development of isotope wear analysis and optical and eddy current technologies to provide bearing wear measurements and real time monitoring of shaft speed, shaft axial displacement and shaft orbit of the Orbit Transfer Vehicle hydrostatic bearing tester. Results show shaft axial displacement can be optically measured (at the same time as shaft orbital motion and speed) to within 0.3 mils by two fiberoptic deflectometers. Evaluation of eddy current probes showed that, in addition to measuring shaft orbital motion, they can be used to measure shaft speed without having to machine grooves on the shaft surface as is the usual practice for turbomachinery. The interim results of this condition monitoring effort are presented.
Of 1850 patients with cholelithiasis diagnosed in the past 17 years, 1116 female and 734 male, 598 patients (32.3%) presented with one or more of three major symptoms, i.e., abdominal pain, fever and jaundice, whereas the remainder (67.7%) had none of these symptoms. The proportion of the asymptomatic patients was similar in all age groups, being around 70%. Only 20 per cent of 680 asymptomatic patients, followed for 10 to 17 years (median 13.3 years), developed biliary symptoms. Older patients over 70 years of age had a higher rate of change to the symptomatic group, as compared with younger patients under 70, 29.5% vs. 19.3%, respectively. During this period, carcinoma of the gallbladder developed in one of the asymptomatic patients (0.1%). Oral dissolution therapy was successful in only 4.2 per cent of attempted cases and associated with a recurrence rate of as high as 20%. We conclude that asymptomatic gallstone patients should only be followed up by ultrasound ...
In this paper, we put forward a systematic method to analyze, control and evaluate the safety issues of medical robotics. We created a safety model that consists of three axes to analyze safety factors. Software and hardware are the two material axes. The third axis is the policy that controls all phases of design, production, testing and application of the robot system. The policy was defined as hazard identification and safety insurance control (HISIC) that includes seven principles: definitions and requirements, hazard identification, safety insurance control, safety critical limits, monitoring and control, verification and validation, system log and documentation. HISIC was implemented in the development of a robot for urological applications that was known as URObot. The URObot is a universal robot with different modules adaptable for 3D ultrasound image-guided interstitial laser coagulation, radiation seed implantation, laser resection, and electrical ...
The solid-pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the pancreas is a rare type of exocrine pancreatic neoplasm. SPT predominantly affects young women and female children, and is usually discovered incidentally. This tumor is generally benign with a low incidence of malignancy. A 13-year-old girl was admitted to the hospital with a few weeks' history of mild abdominal pain and jaundice. On physical examination, there was no palpable mass. The laboratory tests showed increased SR, CRP, high bilirubin, amylase and lipase serum levels. Ultrasound imaging revealed a solid lesion in the region of the pancreatic head. On MRI, precise tumor localization in the head of the pancreas with pancreatic duct dilatation and compression of the common bile duct were visualized. Pancreaticoduodenectomy and cholecystectomy was performed with good clinical outcome. Microscopic and immunohistochemical studies indicated that tumor cells were typical of SPT without any signs of malignancy. After ...
The mortality in undrained abdominal abscesses is high with a mortality rate ranging between 45 and 100%. The outcome in abdominal abscesses, however, has improved due to advances in image guided percutaneous interventional techniques. The main indications for the catheter drainage include treatment or palliation of sepsis associated with an infected fluid collection, and alleviation of the symptoms that may be caused by fluid collections by virtue of their size, like pancreatic pseudocele or lymphocele. The single liver abscesses may be drained with ultrasound guidance only, whereas the multiple abscesses usually require computed tomography (CT) guidance and placement of multiple catheters. The pancreatic abscesses are generally drained routinely and urgently. Non-infected pancreatic pseudocysts may be simply observed unless they are symptomatic or cause problems such as pain or obstruction of the biliary or the gastrointestinal tract. Percutaneous routes that ...
Fiber delivered laser pulses emulsify thrombus by mechanical stresses that include a combination of pressure, tension and shear stress. Laser radiation is delivered to the locality of a thrombus and the radiation is absorbed by blood, blood dot, or other present materials. The combination of a leading pressure wave and subsequent vapor bubble cause efficient, emulsification of thrombus. Operating the laser in a low average power mode alleviates potential thermal complications. The laser is operated in a high repetition rate mode to take advantage of ultrasound frequency effects of thrombus dissolution as well as to decrease the total procedure time. Specific parameter ranges for operation are described. The device includes optical fibers surrounding a lumen intended for flow of a cooling agent. The fibers may be arranged concentrically around the lumen to deliver radiation and heat over as large an area as possible. An alternative design approach incorporates the ...
SommarioScopo Valutare limpatto clinico negli anni dellecografia intraoperatoria (IOUS) nella identificazione delle metastasi epatiche rispetto alle altre metodiche di imaging. Materiali e metodi risultati delle ecografie intraoperatorie effettuate per lidentificazione delle metastasi epatiche in un periodo compreso tra gli anni 2000 e 2006 sono stati retrospettivamente revisionati e comparati con le metodiche di imaging preoperatorio: Ecografia (US), Tomografia Computerizzata (TC) e/o Risonanza Magnetica (RM). Tutti i casi sono stati patologicamente provati. Sono stati calcolati per anno i casi discordanti in termini di presenza/assenza di lesione focale epatica. Il confronto statistico e stato effettuato con il test di McNemar. Un valore del p<0,05 e stato considerato statisticamente sig...
The diagnostic imaging findings in hepatic amoebiasis and the capabilities of percutaneous drainage have already been described but some debate is open on both diagnosis and treatment. It is reported the experience with the ultrasound (US) and Computed Tomography (CT) studies of the hepatic amoebic abscess and its management. [Italian] I reperti con diagnostica per immagini nell'amebiasi epatica e le possibilita' del drenaggio percutaneo sono stati gia' illustrati; esistono tuttavia controversie sul piano sia diagnostico che terapeutico. Obiettivo di questo lavoro e' quello di riportare l'esperienza personale nella diagnostica con ecografia e tomografia computerizzata (TC) e nel trattamento degli ascessi amebici del fegato.
Materials and methods: 12 patients with 22 coronary bypass grafts underwent intraoperative flow quantification using the transit time ultrasound method. These values were compared to postoperative MR phase shift measurements. Flow measurements were performed preoperatively in 28 coronary arteries of 20 patients. For flow measurement, we used a velocity-encoded k-space segmented gradient echo sequence with a temporal resolution of 110 or 125 ms, respectively. 6-8 pase shift images could be acquired during one cardiac cycle. Results: There was a significant correlation between intraoperative and flow measurements using velocity-encoded MR imaging (r=0.76, p<0.0001, t-test). Flow volumes determined by MR imaging were systematically larger than those determined by the transit time ultrasound method. Mean flow in coronary arteries was reduced in severely stenosed vessels (>70%) compared to normal vessels. Intra- and interobserver ...
Because every cell within the body has the same genetic information, a significant problem in biology is to understand how cells within a tissue express genes selectively. A sophisticated network of physical and biochemical signals converge in a highly orchestrated manner to bring about the exquisite regulation that governs gene expression in diverse tissues. Thus, the ultimate decision of a cell to proliferate, express tissue-specific genes, or apoptose must be a coordinated response to its adhesive, growth factor, and hormonal milieu. The unifying hypothesis examined in this overview is that the unit of function in higher organisms is neither the genome nor the cell alone but the complex, three-dimensional tissue. This is because there are bidirectional connections between the components of the cellular microenvironment (growth factors, hormones, and extracellular matrix) and the nucl2048 These connections are made via membrane-bound receptors and transmitted to the nucleus, where ...
Purpose: Small suspicious breast lesions that are only visible at MR imaging were preoperatively marked with a hook wire under MR-guidance to allow the removal of the lesion with tissue-sparing surgery. Method: In all patients the suspicious lesions were marked preoperatively under MR guidance with a hook wire using a commercially available stereotactic device. Interventions were performed with MR guidance on a 1.0 T and on a 1.5 T system. Results: In 19 patients 22 lesions were localized. One lesion was missed and removed in a second procedure. The mean duration for localization was 66{+-}20 min (range 38-119 min). In two patients two lesions were localized. The mean deviation of the wire tip to the lesion was 2,0{+-}2,6 mm. In this series, 6 of 22 lesions were malignant. The mean diameter of the lesion was 7.6{+-}2.6 mm (range 3-14 mm). Conclusion: Suspicious breast lesions detectable only in MR imaging can be accurately localized with a hook ...
The advent, in the near future, of compact X-ray sources like Thomson Back-Scattering (TBS) will allow the clinical application of advanced X-ray imaging techniques, such as phase contrast, with higher sensitivity and lower impact in terms of dose delivery. In this work, we theoretically investigated the possibility of using such sources for phase contrast imaging of micro-calcifications included in a breast tissue. In our study we analyzed the phase and amplitude distribution of the TBS source and we showed that this source can be used for phase contrast imaging since the source coherence at the sample position is sufficiently high for achieving good contrast and micrometer spatial resolution. Indeed the spatial coherence of a TBS source is closer to that of a synchrotron radiation source, and much better than that of a laboratory source. Moreover, we showed the advantages of phase imaging with respect to standard absorption imaging, in the specific case of ...
DFNA5 was first identified as a gene causing autosomal dominant hearing loss (HL). Different mutations have been found, all exerting a highly specific gain-of-function effect, in which skipping of exon 8 causes the HL. Later reports revealed the involvement of the gene in different types of cancer. Epigenetic silencing of DFNA5 in a large percentage of gastric, colorectal and breast tumors and p53-dependent transcriptional activity have been reported, concluding that DFNA5 acts as a tumor suppressor gene in different frequent types of cancer. Despite these data, the molecular function of DFNA5 has not been investigated properly. Previous transfection studies with mutant DFNA5 in yeast and in mammalian cells showed a toxic effect of the mutant protein, which was not seen after transfection ...
The somatic and genetic radiation exposure of patients undergoing Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) and traditional Film Arteriography (FA) of cranial, cervical, thoracic and abdominal vascular territories are compared. The radiation doses absorbed within the critical organs - red bone marrow, lung, thyroid gland and female breast - and in the gonads were measured using an anthropomorphic Alderson phantom. A Somatic Dose Index was calculated in order to estimate the somatic radiation risk. The somatic radiation exposure depends upon the location of the critical organs with respect to the entrance site of the x-ray beam, and can be reduced by an appropriate choice of the angiographic projection. Under this condition, the radiation exposure of the patient during DSA can be lower than during FA. For renal DSA an a.p. projection, the use of an abdominal compression device and careful caudal shielding of the field are advocated. (orig.).
Abstract Septins are highly conserved cytoskeletal GTP-binding proteins implicated in numerous cellular processes from apoptosis to vesicle trafficking. Septins have been associated with leukemia and solid tumor malignancies, including breast, ovarian, and prostate. We previously reported that high SEPT9_i1 expression in human mammary epithelial cell lines (HMECs) led to malignant cellular phenotypes such as increased cell proliferation, invasiveness, motility, and genomic instability. Our goal here was to better understand how SEPT9_i1 expression might contribute to genomic instability and malignant progression. First, we confirmed that even transient expression of SEPT9_i1 was sufficient to increase aneuploidy in HMECs. We then analyzed SEPT9_i1 by immunoprecipitation and immunofluoresce...
To investigate the role of intravenously administered, radioiodinated peanut lectin ("1"3"1I-PNA) in the non-invasive detection of cancer, the pharmacokinetics and scintigraphic distribution of this novel tumor-seeking compound were studied in 8 patients with metastatic cancer of the colon, breast or lung. Scintigraphic localization of "1"3"1I-PNA was apparent at certain anatomical sites of known metastases in 2 patients and in a further 2 patients an adjacent malignant pleural effusion was visualized. The rapid clearance of radioactivity from the whole body and plasma with marked renal concentration and rapid urinary excretion of significant amounts of intact "1"3"1I-PNA (mol.wt. 107,000,pI 5.95) implied that this molecule was excreted selectively by the renal tubules. PNA or other lectins may find a role in the scintigraphic detection of selected types of cancer. (author).
Aim To better define the indications for adrenalectomy for adrenal metastasis we have analysed factors predicting survival in our institutional series. Methods A consecutive series of 30 patients undergoing adrenalectomy for metastasis (1996-2007), excluding patients with simultaneous ipsilateral renal cell carcinoma (RCC), was studied. Metastases were regarded as synchronous (6 mo), depending on the interval after primary surgery. Survival was calculated from time of adrenalectomy and factors influencing survival were identified. Results The tumour diagnoses were RCC n = 9, malignant melanoma n = 5, non-small-cell lung cancer n = 5, colorectal carcinoma n = 4, foregut carcinoid n = 2, adrenocortical carcinoma, breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, urothelial c...
When evaluating the risks of oncogenesis and cancer mortality following exposure to the radiations of the atomic bombs (A-bombs), the medical X-ray doses received by the A-bomb survivors must also be estimated and considered. Using a human phantom, dosimetry was performed to estimate the X-ray doses received by A-bomb survivors during medical examinations at the Radiation Effects Foundation (RERF) as part of the long-term follow-up on the Adult Health Study (AHS). These examinations have been estimated to represent nearly 45% of the survivors' cumulative medical irradiation dose. Doses to the salivary glands, thyroid gland, lung, breast, stomach and colon were measured using thermoluminescent dosemeters. The results, which are reported here, will aid in estimating organ doses received by individual AHS participants. (Author).
When evaluating the risks of oncogenesis and cancer mortality following exposure to the radiations of the atomic bombs (A-bombs), the medical X-ray doses received by the A-bomb survivors must also be estimated and considered. Using a human phantom, dosimetry was performed to estimate the X-ray doses received by A-bomb survivors during medical examinations at the Radiation Effects Foundation (RERF) as part of the long-term follow-up on the Adult Health Study (AHS). These examinations have been estimated to represent nearly 45% of the survivors' cumulative medical irradiation dose. Doses to the salivary glands, thyroid gland, lung, breast, stomach and colon were measured using thermoluminescent dosemeters. The results, which are reported here, will aid in estimating organ doses received by individual AHS participants. (Author).
Full text: A method to measure noise power spectrum of a full field digital mammography system is presented. The effect of X-ray radiation dose, size and configuration of region of interest on normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS) was investigated. Flat field images were acquired using RQA-M2 beam quality technique (Mo/Mo anode-filter, 28 kV, 2 mm Al) with different clinical radiation doses. The images were cropped at about 4 cm from the edge of the breast wall and then divided into different size of non-overlapping or overlapping segments. NNPS was determined through de trending, 2-D fast Fourier transformation and normalization. Our measurement shows that high radiation dose gave lower NNPS at a specific beam quality. (author)
A method to measure noise power spectrum of a full field digital mammography system is presented. The effect of X-ray radiation dose, size and configuration of region of interest on normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS) was investigated. Flat field images were acquired using RQA-M2 beam quality technique (Mo/Mo anode-filter, 28 kV, 2 mm Al) with different clinical radiation doses. The images were cropped at about 4 cm from the edge of the breast wall and then divided into different size of non-overlapping or overlapping segments. NNPS was determined through detrending, 2-D fast Fourier transformation and normalization. Our measurement shows that high radiation dose gave lower NNPS at a specific beam quality.
Carcinogenesis is now generally recognized to be an important detrimental effect in man after low dose irradiation. The carcinogenic action of ionizing radiation is clearly demonstrated after exposure to relatively high doses (in excess of 0.5 Gy) but for lower dose levels reliable direct observations are not available. With the introduction of special protocols for the performance of large scale screening programs by mammography the average absorbed dose in glandular tissue in the average breast can be restricted to a value of 3 mGy per mammogram. The risk for tumor induction after exposure to these low doses can never be established from human epidemiology. In order to investigate the risk of repeated exposure to small dose of ionizing radiation the induction of mammary tumors has been investigated in rats of the WAG/Rij strain after single and fractionated irradiations with gamma-rays. (author). 8 refs., 3 figs.
The authors are developing a high specificity detector for detecting the increased metabolic rate of breast tumors. Positron emission mammography (PEM) provides a highly efficient, high spatial resolution positron imaging system. PMT plays a very important role in PEM detectors, because most of the systems consist of scintillator arrays coupled with PMT. Our detector is composed of 20 x 20 arrays of 2 mm x 2 mm x 20 mm of Bi_4Ge_3O_1_2 (BGO) scintillators and a novel flat panel position-sensitive PMT (FP-PS-PMT)-Hamamatsu R8400-00-M256. Spatial resolutions of 2.0 mm FWHW and energy resolutions of 23% FWHM are achieved. (authors)
Microcalcifications in mammogram have been mainly targeted as a reliable earliest sign of breast cancer and their early detection is vital to improve its prognosis. Since their size is very small and may be easily overlooked by the examining radiologist, computer-based detection output can assist the radiologist to improve the diagnostic accuracy. In this paper, we have proposed an algorithm for detecting microcalcification in mammogram. The proposed microcalcification detection algorithm involves mammogram quality enhancement using multirresolution analysis based on the dyadic wavelet transform and microcalcification detection by fuzzy shell clustering. It may be possible to detect nodular components such as microcalcification accurately by introducing shape information. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm for microcalcification detection is confirmed by experimental results.
TP63, a member of the TP53 gene family, is a nuclear marker of myoepithelial cells. Antibody against p63 is frequently used to aid in the diagnosis of prostate carcinoma, as well as in the identification of myoepithelial cells in other tissues including the breast. p63 is also a marker for squamous cell carcinoma. Recently, it was found that all p53 family members are involved in regulating the process of muscle differentiation through the retinoblastoma (RB) protein. Ablation of these p53 family functions blocks the differentiation program and promotes malignant transformation by enabling cooperating oncogenes to transform myoblasts. We therefore studied p63 expression in a number of neoplasms with myogenic differentiation. Immunohistochemical staining for p63 was performed on paraffin se...
First, absorbed dose at entrance surface was measured in routine mammography. Secondly, a possibility of dose reduction after introduction of Fuji computed radiography (FCR) system was examined. In a total of 350 mammographic studies including craniocaudal and medilateral projections, average thickness of compressed breast was less than 4 cm and most frequently recorded absorbed dose was 0.2-0.3 cGy (200-300 mrad). Minimum dose to obtain clinically acceptable mammograms in FCR system was estimated by comparing image quality of routine versus reduced dose studies. It was concluded that absorbed dose could be reduced to 1/4 of routine dose without creating significant drawback in diagnosis. (author).
A new stem taper function was established for individual trees of two poplar hybrid clones grown on a short-rotation coppice. The model could be easily fitted and required three parameters to be estimated. It can be used to estimate both diameter at a given height and height for a given top diameter. Two of the three parameters controlled the conical and the neiloid parts of the stem. Significant differences in these parameters were observed between the two clones even if no differences were observed for diameter at breast height or total height of the stem. The model could not be integrated to calculate volumes (total volume, merchantable volume), which were estimated by numerical integration. However, use of this new model allows the optimal length of billets to be determined and thus maximizes the merchantable biomass of poplar in short-rotation coppice by minimizing the biomass of residues.
A new generation of quasimonochromatic high-flux X-ray sources, based on the X-ray radiation produced through Compton scattering between an electron beam and a laser beam, is under development. One of the possible applications of this source is inline phase contrast mammography, based on the observation of the edge-enhancement effect that can be observed at the border of structures inside the breast in images produced using a partially or totally coherent X-ray beam. In this work we present the results of a set of simulations of inline phase contrast mammography using typical inverse Compton scattering sources parameters. The simulated sample was a tumour-like mass having spherical shape, diameter between 200 {mu}m and 5 mm, placed inside a breast-like matrix, 4 cm thick, and a standard composition of 50% glandular tissue and 50% adipose tissue. We discuss the minimum requirements for mammography using inverse Compton scattering sources and we ...
The authors have used limited proteolysis of affinity-labeled estrogen receptors (ER), coupled with antireceptor antibody immunoreactivity, to assess structural features of ER and the relatedness of ER from MCF-7 human breast cancer and rat uterine cells. MCF-7 ER preparations covalently labeled with ["3H]tamoxifen aziridine (["3H]TAZ) were treated with trypsin (T), #alpha#-chymotrypsin (C), or Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease prior to electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulfate gels. Fluorography revealed a distinctive ladder of ER fragments containing TAZ for each protease generated from the M/sub r/ 66,000 ER. Immunoblot detection with the primate-specific antibody D75P3#gamma# revealed that all immunoreactive fragments corresponded to TAZ-labeled fragments but that some small TAZ-labeled fragments were no longer immunoreactive. In contrast, use of the antibody H222SP#gamma# revealed a correspondence between TAZ-labeled and immunoreactive fragments down to the ...
The origin of the epithelial and myoepithelial cells in the human breast has not been delineated. In this study we have addressed whether luminal epithelial cells and myoepithelial cells are vertically connected, i.e., whether one is the precursor for the other. We used a primary culture assay allowing preservation of basic phenotypic traits of luminal epithelial and myoepithelial cells in culture. The two cell types were then separated immunomagnetically using antibodies directed against lineage-specific cell surface antigens into at best 100% purity. The cellular identity was ascertained by cytochemistry, immunoblotting, and 2-D gel electrophoresis. Luminal epithelial cells were identified by strong expression of cytokeratins 18 and 19 while myoepithelial cells were recognized by expression of vimentin and {alpha}-smooth muscle actin. We used a previously devised culture medium (CDM4) that allows vigorous expansion of proliferative myoepithelial cells and also ...
Inhibition of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is an appealing method for decreasing the immunoresistance and augmenting T cell-mediated immunotherapy. A major impediment to this strategy is the impact of conventional PI3K/mTOR pathway inhibitors on T cell function. In particular, rapamycin, is a well-known immunosuppressant that can decrease the activity of the PI3K/mTOR pathway in tumor cells, but also has a profound inhibitory effect on T cells. Here we show that Honokiol, a natural dietary product isolated from an extract of seed cones from Magnolia grandiflora, can decrease PI3K/mTOR pathway-mediated immunoresistance of glioma, breast and prostate cancer cell lines, without affecting critical proinflammatory T cell functions. Specifically, we show that at doses sufficient to down-regulate levels of phospho-S6 and the negative immune regulator B7-H1 in tumor cells, Honokiol does not significantly impair T cell ...
This study was a retrospective evaluation of the efficacy of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in patients with >4 metastases to the brain. Materials and Methods: Between January 2004 and December 2006, 68 patients with ?4 multiple brain metastases were included and reviewed retrospectively. Twenty-nine patients received SRS and 39 patients received whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT). Patients with small cell lung cancers and melanomas were excluded. The primary lesions were non-small cell lung cancer (69.0%) and breast cancer (13.8%) in the SRS group and non-small cell lung cancer (64.1%), breast cancer (15.4%), colorectal cancer (12.8%), esophageal cancer (5.1%) in the WBRT group. SRS involved gamma-knife radiosurgery and delivered 10?20 Gy (median, 16 Gy) in a single fraction with a 50% marginal dose. WBRT was delivered daily in 3 Gy fractions, for a total of 30 Gy. After completion of treatment, a follow-up brain MRI or a contrast-enhanced ...
The serum levels of ferritin in 394 patients, including 339 patients with various malignant tumors and 23 with various non-malignant diseases, and 32 healthy subjects were determined. The normal levels of ferritin were 82.7 +- 42.3 ng/ml for males and 42.0 +- 36.9 ng/ml for females. The positive ratio of serum ferritin level was 28% in patients with malignant tumors and 22% in patients with non-malignant diseases. The usefulness of serum ferritin assay in screening for malignant tumors appeared to be limited. High serum levels of ferritin were found in patients with malignant lymphoma (positive ratio: 42%), pulmonary cancer (38%) and esophageal cancer (37%). According to the histological types, epidermoid cancer appeared to produce a higher serum level of ferritin than adenocarcinoma in patients with pulmonary cancer. It was interesting that malignant lymphoma had a high serum level of ferritin in spite of its low serum level of CEA. Carcinoma of the digestive tracts except for ...
Glycyrrhiza glabra root is one of the common traditional Chinese medicines and used as flavoring and sweetening agents for tobaccos, chewing gums, candies, toothpaste and beverages. While glycyrrhizin is one of the main components in the extract of G. glabra root and has been characterized, the other components have not been well characterized. The mechanism of growth activation of breast cancer MCF-7 cells, including the activation of Erk1/2 and Akt, and the transcriptional regulation of estrogen-responsive genes, was examined by means of sulforhodamine B, luciferase reporter gene, real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting assays after the induction of the cells with the extract of G. glabra root. The extract has similar activity to that induced by 17beta-estradiol (E(2)), although glycyrrhizin did not show such an activity. Moreover, the estrogen receptor alpha-dependent neurite outgrowth induced by the extract was similar to that by E(2), whereas glycyrrhizin had no ...
The chromosomal region 17q12-q21 contains a gene (BRCA1) conferring susceptibility to early-onset familial breast and ovarian cancer. An 8000-rad radiation-reduced hybrid (RH) panel was constructed to provide a resource for long-range mapping of this region. A large fraction of the hybrids ([approximately]90%) retained detectable human chromosome 17 sequences. The complete panel of 76 hybrids was scored for the presence or absence of 22 markers from this chromosomal region, including 14 cloned genes, seven microsatellite repeats, and one anonymous DNA segment. Statistical analysis of the marker retention data employing multipoint methods provided both comprehensive and framework maps of this chromosomal region, including distance estimates between adjacent markers. The comprehensive RH map includes 17 loci and spans 179 cRays[sub (8000)]. Likelihood ratios of at least 1000:1 support the 10-locus framework order: cen-D17S250-ERBB2-(THRA1, ...
Design of the Alcator C-Mod Thomson scattering (TS) diagnostic is discussed and the results of the measurements are presented. The TS system has six spatial channels with observation volumes evenly distributed between the midplane and the edge of the plasma. Each channel is capable of measuring the electron density in the range N{sub e}=5{times}10{sup 19}{endash}5{times}10{sup 21} m{sup {minus}3} and temperature from T{sub e}=200 eV to 10 keV. A 30 Hz, 1.5 J per pulse Nd-YAG laser is employed allowing the measurements of evolution of T{sub e} and N{sub e} profiles during plasma shot. A laser beam position control and feedback system provides for the beam alignment stability and reliable electron density measurements. Examples of the core density and temperature profiles measured at different stages of the plasma evolution are discussed. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}
Hydrogenics is a leading global developer of hydrogen and fuel cell products for onsite generation and power and test systems. Hydrogenics has been working with the Canadian military since 1996, and also has contracts for portable hydrogen systems with the National American Space Agency (NASA), and the United States Army. This presentation highlighted a number of Hydrogenics' fuel cell technologies for military and commercial applications. Products included portable military generators, electrolysers and reformers, backup power systems, and regenerative satellite systems. Specifications, warranties and power capabilities for the batteries and systems were presented. Details of the company's testing facilities and procedures were provided, as well as a case study of a fuel cell hybrid vehicle. Details of the HyPORT-E5 kW Regenerative Fuel Cell Auxiliary Power Unit were presented, as well as a feasibility study for the use of ...
As part of the Nondestructive Evaluation Reliability Program sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Pacific Northwest Laboratory is developing a method that uses risk-based approaches to establish in-service inspection plans for nuclear power plant components. This method uses probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) results and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FEMA) techniques to identify and prioritize the most risk-important systems and components for inspection. The Surry Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 was selected for pilot applications of this method. The specific systems addressed in this report are the reactor pressure vessel, the reactor coolant, the low-pressure injection, and the auxiliary feedwater. The results provide a risk-based ranking of components within these systems and relate the target risk to target failure probability values for individual components. These results will be used to guide the development of improved inspection plans for nuclear power ...
Previous investigations have shown promising results in using the directional cross-correlation method to estimate velocity vectors. The velocity vector estimate provides information on both velocity direction and magnitude. The direction is estimated by beamforming signals along directions in the range $[0^{\\circ}; 180^{\\circ}[$ and identifying the direction that produces the largest correlation across emissions. An estimate of the velocity magnitude is obtained from the spatial shift between signals beamformed along the estimated direction. This paper expands these investigations to include estimations of the vector velocities of a larger region by combining the estimations along several scan lines. In combination with a B-mode image, the vector velocities are displayed as an image of the investigated region with a color indicating the magnitude, and arrows showing the direction of the flow. Using the RASMUS experimental ultrasound scanner, measurements have ...
To assess the feasibility of transluminal radiofrequency thermal ablation using a stent-type electrode and to determine, by means of in-vivo and in-vivo animal studies, the appropriate parameters. In-vivo: the radiofrequency electrode used was a self-expandable nitinol stent with 1cm insulated ends. A stent was placed in the portal vein of bovine liver, and ablations at target temperatures of 70, 80, 90, and 100 .deg. C were performed. Ablated sizes were measured longitudinally. In vivo: four mongrel dogs were anesthetized, and a stent was inserted in the common bile duct under fluoroscopic guidance through an ultrasound-guided gall bladder puncture site. The ablation temperature was set at 80 .deg. C, and each dog underwent proximal and distal esophageal ablations lasting 12 minutes. They were sacrificed immediately. In-vivo: ablated sizes showed significant correlation with target temperatures (r>0.04; p<0.05). Although most lesions were fusiform, ...
Purpose: Three-dimensional rotational angiography (3DRA) is a new technique based on a rotational angiographic acquisition able to display arterial vessels in a 3D rendering mode. The system was mainly developed for neuroradiological evaluations but preliminary extracranial experiences have also been reported. The aim of our work was to compare the results of three-dimensional angiography of the carotid arteries done with high-flow injection of contrast medium from the aortic arch with the results of selective angiography. Materials and methods: Twenty patients underwent digital angiography of the supra-aortic vessels in order to quantify a stenosis of the carotid bifurcations previously detected at Doppler Ultrasound. Examinations were performed with the Philips Integris Allura system provided with the rotational angiography (RA) tool connected to a workstation for three-dimensional reconstruction able to display vessels in a 3D fashion (Volume Rendering, Shaded ...
In a prospective study 102 patients with malignant tumors of the tongue, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx were staged by means of MRI. Special attention was directed at those tumour extensions that could influence the treatment strategy. The MR findings were correlated with the results of palpation, endoscopy, ultrasound, computerised tomography and histopathological findings. MRI showed a good delineation of pT{sub 2} to pT{sub 4} tumours. However, visualisation of small tumours in the soft palate, the tonsils, the pyriform sinuses and vocal cords was difficult. In conclusion our results suggest that in addition to endoscopy MRI is a valuable tool for the examination of tumours of tongue, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx. (orig.) [Deutsch] In einer prospektiven Studie wurden 102 Patienten mit malignen Tumoren der Mundhoehle, des Oro- und Hypopharynx sowie des Larynx mit der Mgnetresonanztomographie (MRT) untersucht, wobei besonders Wert auf die Bestimmung ...
We wanted to evaluate the status of self-expandable nitinol stents implanted in the P2 and P3 segments of the popliteal artery in Korean patients. We retrospectively analyzed 189 consecutive patients who underwent endovascular treatment for steno occlusive lesions in the femoropopliteal artery from July 2003 to March 2009, and 18 patients who underwent stent placement in popliteal arterial P2 and P3 segments were finally enrolled. Lesion patency was evaluated by ultrasound or CT angiography, and stent fracture was assessed by plain X-rays at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months and annually thereafter. At the 1-month follow-up, stent fracture (Type 2) was seen in one limb (up to P3, 1 of 18, 6%) and it was identified in seven limbs at the 3-month follow-up (Type 2, Type 3, Type 4) (n = 1: up to P2: n = 6: P3). At the 6-month follow-up, one more fracture (Type 1) (up to P3) was noted. At the 1-year follow-up, there were no additional stent fractures. Just four limbs (up to P2) at ...
The present investigation was aimed to assess the usefulness of biliary agents scintigraphy in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to ascertain the relationship between the uptake of these agents and the degree of HCC differentiation. Forty-four patients with this hepatic cancer were included in the study. Liver scans were performed 20 min and 3 hr after the administration of 99mTc diisopropyliminodiacetic acid (DISIDA). DISIDA scintigraphy could not be assessed in six cases. In 16 (42%) out of the remaining 38 patients, the tumor exhibited equal or greater radioactivity uptake than the surrounding liver. In six out of these 16 patients, tumor uptake was apparent in the early and delayed hepatic scans, while in the other ten subjects radioactivity uptake by the HCC could only be detected in the 3-hr delayed scans. In the remaining 22 patients, HCC appeared as a cold area. Tumor location by this technique did not differ from that observed by 99mTc-sulfur colloid scan or ...
Pipeline automated ultrasonic testing (AUT) uses fully automated equipment that travels around a pipe on a welding band in a linear scan to allow array pulses to provide ultrasound information on weld zones. Pipeline AUT is also used for zone discrimination as well as with special calibration blocks, dual gate output displays, and rapid defect sizing. AUT allows for the inspection of welds soon after completion, and can save construction costs by process control when combined with engineering critical assessment (ECA) to minimize rejection rates. Ultrasonic phased arrays (UPA) use an array of elements that are all individually wired, pulsed, and time-shifted. Elements are pulsed in groups of approximately 16 elements at a time for pipeline welds. Phased arrays can be used to combine electronic scanning, sectorial scanning and precision focusing to give a practical combination of displays. Optimum angles can be selected for welds and other components, and the ...
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous ultrasound (US)-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICCA) in a small, nonrandomized series. From February 2004 to July 2008, six patients (four men and two women; mean age 69.8 years [range 48 to 83]) with ICCA underwent percutaneous US-guided RFA. Preintervetional transarterial embolization was performed in two cases to decrease heat dispersion during RFA in order to increase the area of ablation. The efficacy of RFA was evaluated using contrast-enhanced dynamic computed tomography (CT) 1 month after treatment and then every 3 months thereafter. Nine RFA sessions were performed for six solid hepatic tumors in six patients. The duration of follow-up ranged from 13 to 21 months (mean 17.5). Posttreatment CT showed total necrosis in four of six tumors after one or two RFA sessions. Residual tumor was observed in two patients with larger ...
PPARgamma agonists have been proposed to exert more than metabolic benefits, particularly by anti-inflammatory mechanisms. We hypothesized that pioglitazone might modulate inflammatory and vascular responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In a placebo-controlled parallel-group study in 18 healthy male subjects, the E. coli endotoxin model of inflammation (20 IU/kg i. v.) was employed to test the effect of 60 mg pioglitazone over nine days on inflammatory cytokines. Macrovascular function and microvascular blood flow were assessed by brachial artery ultrasound and retinal blood flow parameters, respectively. Pioglitazone increased brachial artery diameter by 5.6% but had no effect on other outcome parameters under resting conditions. LPS increased cytokine levels to peak concentrations of 91.3+/-22.5 ng/ml (IL-6), 261.4+/-60.0 ng/ml (TNFalpha), and 524.5+/-15.3 ng/ml (VCAM-1). The endotoxin caused microvascular vasodilation and increased retinal white blood cell flux, ...
Purpose: The purpose of this research was to identify the extent and scope of changes to radiography practice. Method: Questionnaires were sent to radiology managers at acute National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in 2000 as a follow-up to an initial survey conducted in 1998. Information was sought on region, teaching/non-teaching status, the nature of extended role tasks undertaken and the year in which these tasks were first undertaken. Results: Some 172 questionnaires were returned from a total of 253 dispatched (68%). In 161 hospitals radiographers administered intravenous injections and performed barium enemas in 119 hospitals, while a red-dot system was in operation in 141 hospitals. Reporting by radiographers had increased since 1998. Replies indicated that, at 124 hospitals, radiographers were reporting in ultrasound. Skeletal reporting was the second most-frequently-reported activity, with 63 hospitals indicating that radiographers reported in this ...
As an alternative to surgery, endovascular therapy with stent grafts has become the second main treatment option for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms. Unlike surgery, endovascular treatment with stent grafts is also applicable in patients unfit for open repair. Despite current improvements in endovascular repair devices, significant anatomic barriers still exclude this technique for a large number of patients. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound are essential for diagnostics, preintervention planning, and postintervention follow-up of abdominal aneurysms treated with stent grafts. This review covers etiology, pathology, and diagnostic aspects. Materials and methods for endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms are presented in detail, and clinical results and complications are discussed. (orig.) [German] Die endovaskulaere Therapie des infrarenalen Bauchaortenaneurysmas hat sich als Alternative zur offenen chirurgischen ...
Background: Pleural biopsy and cytology are standard procedures for the investigation of pleural disease. Recent medical literature has suggested that image-guided pleural biopsy shows improved sensitivity for the diagnosis of pleural malignancy, when compared with the more commonly performed reverse bevel needle biopsy such as Abrams' needle. In our centre there has been an increasing trend towards performing image-guided pleural biopsies, and to our knowledge there is no large published series documenting the complication rate and diagnostic yield. Methods: The radiology and pathology databases were searched for all image-guided [computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US)] pleural biopsies from January 2001 to December 2004. All imaging and histology were reviewed, and final diagnostic information about patients was obtained from the respiratory multidisciplinary team database and patient notes. A record was made of complications following biopsy, presence of ...
We wanted to evaluate the correlation of mild renal pelvic dilatation (RPD) that is observed to be less than 10 mm on ultrasound (US) with urinary tract infection (UTI) and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in neonates. We reviewed 137 kidneys of 107 neonates who had RPD less than 10 mm on US. All the kidneys were divided into two groups: Group I (RPD <= 5.0 mm) and Group II (RPD > 5.0 mm), and we statistically analyzed the RPD change according to UTI and VUR. Seven neonates had VUR (5.1%), and there was no statistical significance between Group I (6 neonates, 5.6%) and Group II (1 neonate, 3.3%). Thirty seven cases (27%) had UTI and there was no statistical significance between Group I (30 cases, 28.0%) and Group II (7 cases, 23.3%). The RPD did not change in 81.8% of the cases, it increased in 4.4% of the cases and it decreased in 13.9% of the cases on follow up US. The incidence of VUR and UTI were not different according to the change of RPD. There were ...
Objective was to assess the accuracy of a single versus combined use of ultrasound (US) or computed tomography (CT) in the localization of diseased parathyroid glands. Forty-one patients with hyper-parathyroidism treated surgically between January 2000 to December 2005 at Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan were included in this study. Preoperative ultrasonographic and CT findings were reviewed and compared to the intraoperative and pathologic diagnosis of diseased parathyroid glands. The mean age of patients was 46 years (range 16-70; 15 males and 26 females). Parathyroid adenoma was confirmed in 33 patients and hyperplasia of the parathyroid glands in 8 patients. Preoperative evaluation was carried out in 32 patients (CT scan) and in 23 patients (US). In 18 cases, the diagnosis of parathyroid disease was based on CT findings alone and in 9 patients the diagnosis was based on a single US finding. Combined CT and US evaluation was carried out in 14 cases and ...
BackgroundMetastases to the stomach from an extra-gastric neoplasm are an unusual event, identified in less than 2% of cancer patients at autopsy. The stomach may be involved by hematogenous spread from a distant primary (most commonly breast, melanoma or lung), or by contiguous spread from an adjacent malignancy, such as the pancreas, esophagus and gallbladder. These latter sites may also involve the stomach via lymphatic or haematogenous spread. We present three cases of secondary gastric malignancy.Methods/ResultsThe first is a 19-year-old male who received a diagnosis of testicular choriocarcinoma in September 2004. Metastatic malignancy was demonstrated in the stomach after partial gastrectomy was performed to control gastric hemorrhage.The second is a 75-year-old male, generally well, who was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the lung in September 2005. Poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lung was demonstrated in a subsequent biopsy of "gastric ...
The authors have been involved for the last few years in developing high affinity sigma-receptor-specific radiopharmaceuticals for use in nuclear medicine. They recently demonstrated that sigma-1 receptors are expressed in human melanoma cells and that sigma receptors could be used as external markers for non-invasive imaging. In order to determine the presence of sigma receptors in other human tumors they have screened numerous non-small cell lung carcinoma, melanoma and breast cancer cell lines. All of these cell lines expressed high sigma receptor densities using commercially available ["3H]-(+)-pentazocine or ["3H]DTG tritiated sigma ligands. Therefore, a sigma ligand with high affinity in both sigma-1 and sigma-2 subtype pharmacological assays could be potentially useful for imaging a variety of primary and metastatic sites of various origins. The authors describe recent efforts to develop high affinity sigma radiopharmaceuticals and pharmacological studies to ...
Aims: Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine 3; 5-HT3) receptors are involved in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), and 5-HT3 antagonists are part of the `gold standard' antiemetic treatment during chemotherapy. We investigated the correlation of common variants in 5-HT3 receptor subunit genes with the occurrence of CINV. Materials & methods: A total of 110 previously characterized chemotherapy-naive women with primary breast cancer treated with anthracycline-containing chemotherapy served as a study group for mutational analysis by direct sequencing. Eight common SNPs in the 5-HT3 receptor genes, HTR3A, HTR3B, HTR3D and HTR3E, were selected for association analysis. Results: A nonsynonymous variant in HTR3D, p.G36A (rs6443930), was found to be over-represented in nonresponders, assu...
Dose reconstruction is a process that re-creates the treatment-time dose deposited in a patient provided there is knowledge of the delivered energy fluence and the patient's anatomy at the time of treatment. A method for reconstructing dose is presented. The process starts with delivery verification, in which the incident energy fluence from a treatment is computed using the exit detector signal and a transfer matrix to convert the detector signal to energy fluence. With the verified energy fluence and a CT image of the patient in the treatment position, the treatment-time dose distribution is computed using any model-based algorithm such as convolution/superposition or Monte Carlo. The accuracy of dose reconstruction and the ability of the process to reveal delivery errors are presented. Regarding accuracy, a reconstructed dose distribution was compared with a measured film distribution for a simulated breast treatment carried out on a thorax phantom. It was found ...
In this work, thermoluminescent dosimeters have been used to measure entrance surface doses (ESDs) of patients undergoing mammographic screening at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo state. The mean glandular doses (MGDs) were also calculated using the measured ESDs. The results showed that the ESDs ranged from 0.26mGy to 21.26mGy for the mediolateral oblique (MLO) views and 0.08mGy to 5.36mGy for the craniocaudal (CC) views. The calculated MGD ranged from 0.07mGy to 3.57mGy for the MLO views and 0.02mGy to 0.98mGy for the CC views. The possible reasons for the large variations in the individual ESD values and MGD values for both views are discussed using patients data, equipment specific data and the technical parameters used for the examinations. Comparison showed that the mean...
Eribulin is a new anticancer agent currently in Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. In the current studies, we have investigated the effects of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) on the in vivo disposition of eribulin using CF-1 abcb1a-deficient mice, and the influence of eribulin on P-gp-mediated efflux of digoxin in Caco-2 cells. Eribulin was administered intravenously and orally in both CF-1 wild-type and CF-1 abcb1a-deficient mice. P-gp-mediated efflux of digoxin in Caco-2 cell monolayers was measured in the presence of eribulin. The plasma exposure to eribulin was higher in CF-1 abcb1a-deficient mice than that in CF-1 wild-type mice after intravenous (IV) and oral (PO) administrations. The oral bioavailability of eribulin was 62.3% in CF-1 abcb1a-deficient mice...
The need for a Combustion and Melting Research Facility focused on the solution of glass manufacturing problems common to all segments of the glass industry was given high priority in the earliest version of the Glass Industry Technology Roadmap (Eisenhauer et al., 1997). Visteon Glass Systems and, later, PPG Industries proposed to meet this requirement, in partnership with the DOE/OIT Glass Program and Sandia National Laboratories, by designing and building a research furnace equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostics in the DOE Combustion Research Facility located at the Sandia site in Livermore, CA. Input on the configuration and objectives of the facility was sought from the entire industry by a variety of routes: (1) through a survey distributed to industry leaders by GMIC, (2) by conducting an open workshop following the OIT Glass Industry Project Review in September 1999, (3) from discussions with numerous glass engineers, scientists, and executives, and (4) during visits to ...
New experiment of radiography in using Fuji Intelligent Diagnostic X-ray System was first reported in XV International Congress of Radiology, 1981. By utilizing this system instead of traditional screen/film system, high density imaging plate in conjunction with computed image processor was developed, this is FCR. However, as the numerous problems in regard to the basic side of FCR system are found, it is expected that these are solved by investigators at their earliest opportunities. The purpose of this study is to reduce the radiation doses of the patients at radiography of the chest by using FCR system installed in our Department of Radiology in July, 1984. Experimentally we measured the radiation doses of the patient having the each breast of 18, 20, 22 and 24cm in thickness at radiography of the chest by using VICTOREEN MODEL 666 survey meter. The results obtained were as follows: 1) By using FCR system the radiation doses of the chest were reduced at the rate ...
New experiment of radiography in using Fuji Intelligent Diagnostic X-ray System was first reported in XV International Congress of Radiology, 1981. By utilizing this system instead of traditional screen/film system, high density imaging plate in conjunction with computed image processor was developed, this is FCR. However, as the numerous problems in regard to the basic side of FCR system are found, it is expected that these are solved by investigators at their earliest opportunities. The purpose of this study is to reduce the radiation doses of the patients at radiography of the chest by using FCR system installed in our Department of Radiology in July, 1984. Experimentally we measured the radiation doses of the patient having the each breast of 18, 20, 22 and 24cm in thickness at radiography of the chest by using VICTOREEN MODEL 666 survey meter. The results obtained were as follows: 1) By using FCR system the radiation doses of the chest were reduced at the rate ...
A computer-aided detection (CAD) system was evaluated for its ability to detect microcalcifications and masses on images obtained with a digital phase-contrast mammography (PCM) system, a system characterised by the sharp images provided by phase contrast and by the high resolution of 25-{mu}m-pixel mammograms. Fifty abnormal and 50 normal mammograms were collected from about 3,500 mammograms and printed on film for reading on a light box. Seven qualified radiologists participated in an observer study based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The average of the areas under ROC curve (AUC) values for the ROC analysis with and without CAD were 0.927 and 0.897 respectively (P = 0.015). The AUC values improved from 0.840 to 0.888 for microcalcifications (P = 0.034) and from 0.947 to 0.962 for masses (P = 0.025) respectively. The application of CAD to the PCM system is a promising approach for the detection of breast cancer in its early stages. (orig.)
Most radiologists accept that modest doses of irradiation (4500-5000 rad/4 1/2-5 weeks) can control subclinical regional lymph node metastases from squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck and adenocarcinomas of the breast. There have been few reports concerning elective irradiation of the ilioinguinal region. Between October 1964 and March 1980, 91 patients whose primary cancers placed the ilioinguinal lymph nodes at risk received elective irradiation at the University of Florida. Included are patients with cancers of the vulva, penis, urethra, anus and lower anal canal, and cervix or vaginal cancers that involved the distal one-third of the vagina. In 81 patients, both inguinal areas were clinically negative; in 10 patients, one inguinal area was positive and the other negative by clinical examination. The single significant complication was a bilateral femoral neck fracture. The inguinal areas of four patients developed mild to moderate fibrosis. One ...
An analysis of the mortality of workers employed at the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) between 1946 and 1994 is presented. Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMR) are computed with reference to the French national population for the period 1968-1994. 51 286 workers are included in the study. 3 784 deaths occurred between 1968 and 1994. A healthy worker effect is observed for men (SMR=0.53 Cl{sub 90%}=[0.52; 0.55]) and for women (SMR=0.70 Cl{sub 90%}=[0.64; 0.76]). An excess is observed for male pleural cancers (SMR=1.54, Cl{sub 90%}=[1.03; 2.21]). An excess of breast cancer is observed among women, statistically significant for the 1980-1994 period (SMR=1.30, Cl{sub 90%}=[1.04; 1.61]). An excess is observed for malignant melanoma for both sexes (SMR=1.38, Cl{sub 90%}=[0.95; 1.96]), stronger for the 1990-1994 period (SMR=2.11, Cl{sub 90%}=[1.25; 3.34]). It diminishes with age. (orig.)
A first-principles task-based approach to the design of medical ultrasonic imaging systems for breast lesion discrimination is described. This study explores a new approximation to the ideal Bayesian observer strategy that allows for object heterogeneity. The new method, called iterative Wiener filtering, is implemented using echo data simulations and a phantom study. We studied five lesion features closely associated with visual discrimination for clinical diagnosis. A series of human observer measurements for the same image data allowed us to quantitatively compare alternative beamforming strategies through measurements of visual discrimination efficiency. Employing the Smith-Wagner model observer, we were able to breakdown efficiency estimates and identify the processing stage at which performance losses occur. The methods were implemented using a commercial scanner and a cyst phantom to explore development of spatial filters for systems with shift-variant ...
In the report the results of the estimations of radiological risk of various stages of decommissioning of nuclear submarines are presented. At occurrence on nuclear submarine the heavy failure, relating to the class hypotetical volume of acting of radionuclides in atmosphere can reach 1.6E(15) Bq. Results of estimations probable doses on an axis of a trace of a radioactive loop show, that at distribution of radionuclides during atmospheric carry to 'agreed' settlement (500-1000 m) the maximum doses on its territory can make: about 6.0E(-3) Sv (for the whole body); 3.0E(-3) Gy for the leather (basal layer); 6.3E(-2) Gy for the lungs (acute exposure) and up to 1.8 Gy for the thyroid gland. Hypotetical failure for the estimation of the greatest possible radioecological consequences for hydrobiocenosis is considering, connected with single discharge of liquid radioactive waste (LRW) in water area. At navigating failure of the tanker with LRW in water area can arrive 300 M3 of LRW with the ...
Purpose: To visualise the vessel wall of the descending thoracic aorta using magnetic resonance imaging. To evaluate the diagnostic potential of tailored T{sub 1}-weighted sequences with contrast enhancement to assess systemic atherosclerotic disease. Methods: This study was performed on a clinical 1.5 Tesla scanner using a gradient strength of 30 mT/m and the phased array spine coil. A cadaver was examined to optimise a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol to evaluate atherosclerotic aortic wall disease. The acquired MR images were compared to gross specimens and histology. Subsequently seven patients who had undergone transesophageal ultrasound (TEU) with detailed assessment of the descending thoracic aorta were examined with MRI. The optimised protocol included untriggered and fat suppressed T{sub 2}-weighted turbo spin echo sequences and ECG-triggered and fat suppressed T{sub 1}-weighted spin echo sequences before and after iv administration of Gd-DTPA. ...
Purpose: For planning the therapeutic strategies and estimating the prognosis in esophageal cancer, N-staging is very important. To date, MRI still is of minor importance as imaging modality of the mediastinum despite promising developments in the past, like ECG-gating or 'averaging' sequences, e.g. LOTA (Long-term averaging), which facilitate mediastinal and thoracic MR-imaging. In a prospective approach, the value of MRI based N-staging was examined with respect to LOTA-sequences. Material and Methods: Within from weeks prior to esophagectomy, standardized MRI of the esophagus was performed in 15 patients (10 squamous-cell-carcinomas and 5 adenocarcinomas) using a 1.5 T whole body scanner. Imaging quality was classified based on depiction of aortic wall or tracheal wall layers. Criteria for malignant infiltration were a diameter of more than 15 mm or a round appearance of a lymph node together with GD-DTPA enhancement. All data were blinded and separately read by ...
The aim of the paper is to review the role of interventional radiology in the management of hemodialysis vascular access and complications in renal transplantation. The evaluation of patients with hemodialysis vascular access is complex. It includes the radiology/ultrasound (US) evaluation of the peripheral veins of the upper extremities with venous mapping and the evaluation of the central vein prior to the access placement and radiological detection and treatment of the stenosis and thrombosis in misfunctional dialysis fistulas. Preoperative screening enables the identification of a suitable vessel to create a hemodynamically-sound dialysis fistula. Clinical and radiological detection of the hemodynamically significant stenosis or occlusion demands fistulography and endovascular treatment. Endovascular prophylactic dilatation of stenosis greater than 50% with associated clinical abnormalities such as flow-rate reduction is warranted to prolong access patency. The ...
Minimally invasive thermotherapies for focal tissue destruction on the basis of laser-, microwave-, focused ultrasound-, or cryogeninduced changes of tissue temperature represent an alternative to surgical tissue ablation, particularly in the treatment of tumors. The thermotherapy modalities listed necessitate indirect guidance and monitoring, since they often do not lend themselves to immediate visual control. In the brain, in head and neck tumors, in the liver, and in the prostate, MRI reliably and accurately delineates both the positions of interstitial thermotherapy applicators and - in contrast-enhanced, T1-weighted images - the perfusion defects in tissue necrosis induced by thermotherapy. The transfer of results of in-vitro and in-vivo model studies to assess interstitial temperature and lesion development during thermotherapy to the actual treatment of patients, however, is still in an initial phase. Further development of both rapid MRI sequences and MRI ...
In radiation processing of food, the product often has to be prepackaged to prevent microbial recontamination during and after irradiation. The packaging material is exposed to radiation during radiation processing and radiation stability is a key consideration in the selection of packaging materials. The effects of ionizing radiation on many food packaging materials at the dose levels recommended for food precessing can be minimized by selecting appropriate radiation resistant materials. It is important to select materials in which chemicals formed as a result of the radiation treatment do not migrate and interact with the food, affecting its organoleptic and toxicological aspects. It is also important to select materials in which the physical properties are not altered to the extent they cannot resist damage during commercial production, shipment and storage. Radiation treatment of food may be classified broadly into two categories: 1. Processes requiring doses less than 10 kGy; 2. ...
IRAM 30m observations reveal that the deeply obscured IR-luminous galaxy NGC4418 has a rich molecular chemistry - including unusually luminous HC3N line emission. We furthermore detect: ortho-H2CO 2-1, 3-2; CN 1-0, 2-1; HCO+, 1-0. 3-2, HCN 3-2, HNC 1-0, 3-2 (and tentatively OCS 12-11). The HCN, HCO+, H2CO and CN line emission can be fitted to densities of n=5 x 10E4 - 10E5 cm-3 and gas temperatures Tk=80-150 K. Both HNC and HC3N are, however, significantly more excited than the other species which requires higher gas densities - or radiative excitation through e.g. mid-IR pumping. The HCN line intensity is fainter than that of HCO+ and HNC for the 3-2 transition, in contrast to previous findings for the 1-0 lines where the HCN emission is the most luminous. We tentatively suggest that the observed molecular line emission is consistent with a young starburst, where the emission can be understood as emerging from dense, warm gas with an ...
Mon R2, at a distance of 830 pc, is the only ultracompact HII region (UC HII) where the photon-dominated region (PDR) between the ionized gas and the molecular cloud can be resolved with Herschel. HIFI observations of the abundant compounds 13CO, C18O, o-H2-18O, HCO+, CS, CH, and NH have been used to derive the physical and chemical conditions in the PDR, in particular the water abundance. The 13CO, C18O, o-H2-18O, HCO+ and CS observations are well described assuming that the emission is coming from a dense (n=5E6 cm-3, N(H2)>1E22 cm-2) layer of molecular gas around the UC HII. Based on our o-H2-18O observations, we estimate an o-H2O abundance of ~2E-8. This is the average ortho-water abundance in the PDR. Additional H2-18O and/or water lines are required to derive the water abundance profile. A lower density envelope (n~1E5 cm-3, N(H2)=2-5E22 cm-2) is responsible for the absorption in the NH 1_1-0_2 line. The emission of the CH ground state ...
Two mechanical design requirements are defined for the SSC Collider beam tube. First, the vacuum requirement (luminosity lifetime = 150 hrs). It requires the design of a pressure boundary within the cold mass vessel to provide a vacuum tunnel for the proton beam and to minimize the synchrotron radiation gas desorbtion with a suitable material. The Collider beam tube design is under an intensive activity to search for a material that will meet the luminosity requirement without a distributed pump or liner. Second is the tube wall`s resistivity requirement ({sigma}*t = 2E5 {Omega}{sup {minus}1}). For a 4.2 K beam tube the Cu thickness is 100 {mu}m (RRR=30,6.7 T, {sigma}=2E9{Omega}{sup {minus}1}m{sup {minus}1}). The copper yield strength is relatively low in comparison to steel and, therefore, the design of the steel layer is governed by the copper layer yield stress limit. A beam tube subjected to eddy current load in a quenching dipole requires ...
Two mechanical design requirements are defined for the SSC Collider beam tube. First, the vacuum requirement (luminosity lifetime = 150 hrs). It requires the design of a pressure boundary within the cold mass vessel to provide a vacuum tunnel for the proton beam and to minimize the synchrotron radiation gas desorbtion with a suitable material. The Collider beam tube design is under an intensive activity to search for a material that will meet the luminosity requirement without a distributed pump or liner. Second is the tube wall's resistivity requirement ([sigma]*t = 2E5 [Omega][sup [minus]1]). For a 4.2 K beam tube the Cu thickness is 100 [mu]m (RRR=30,6.7 T, [sigma]=2E9[Omega][sup [minus]1]m[sup [minus]1]). The copper yield strength is relatively low in comparison to steel and, therefore, the design of the steel layer is governed by the copper layer yield stress limit. A beam tube subjected to eddy current load in a quenching dipole ...
Early recognition of recurrence and work-up of clinically indeterminate lesions may be impaired after reconstruction with silicone implants due to superimposition of the implant or to scarring. This study was undertaken to evaluate the use of contrast-enhanced MRI in patients with silicone implant after breast cancer. Contrast-enhanded MRI was offered to 169 patients. Comparative two- to three-view mammography was also performed in 169 patients, as well as comparative sonography in 144 patients. Conventional imaging and clinical examination detected only 8/13 recurrences, whereas 12/13 were detected by MRI. One recurrence had been visible as a strongly enhancing 2-mm dot in a previous examination (2 years before), but was not called. It was therefore counted as false negative. In addition, multicentricity was detected by MRI alone in two of three cases. MRI correctly diagnosed scar tissue in all cases with indeterminate findings. However, due to false-positive ...
The performance of a convolution/superposition based treatment planning system depends on the ability of the dose calculation algorithm to accurately account for physical interactions taking place in the tissue, key components of the linac head and on the accuracy of the photon beam model. Generally the user has little or no control over the performance of the dose calculation algorithm but is responsible for the accuracy of the beam model within the constraints imposed by the system. This study explores the dosimetric impact of limitations in photon beam modeling accuracy on complex 3D clinical treatment plans. A total of 70 photon beam models was created in the Pinnacle(TM) treatment planning system. Two of the models served as references for 6 MV and 15 MV beams, while the rest were created by perturbing the reference models in order to produce specific deviations in specific regions of the calculated dose profiles (central axis and transverse). The beam models were then used to ...
Purpose: Reconstruction of organ doses of selected organs and tissues from radiographic settings and exposure data collected during chest X-ray examinations of children of various age groups performed in Dr. von Hauner's Kinderspital (children's hospital of the University of Munich, DvHK) between 1976 and 2007. Materials and Method: The dosimetric data of all X-ray examinations performed since 1976 at DvHK were stored electronically in a database. After 30 years of data collection, the database now includes 305 107 radiological examinations (radiographs and fluoroscopies), especially 119 150 chest radiographs of all age groups. Reconstruction of organ doses in 40 organs and tissues in X-ray examinations of the chest was performed based on the conversion factor concept. Results: The radiation exposure of organs in projection radiography is determined by the exact site of the organs relative to the edges of the X-ray field and the beam direction of X-rays. Optimal ...
A retrospective review was made of 2,659 autopsy patients obtained during the past 31 years and a half in Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Hospital. Of the patients, 1,328 (49.9%) were A-bomb survivors. Five hundred and six A-bomb survivors (38.1%) had been exposed at up to 2,000 m from the hypocenter. There was no correlation between the incidence of malignancy and the presence of exposure to A-bombing. The incidence of multiple malignancy was slightly higher in A-bomb survivors exposed at the place nearer the hypocenter. In the group of A-bomb survivors, cancer of the lung was the most common for men; and cancer of the stomach was the most common for women. The incidence of malignancy has been high in the exposed group during the early eras of examination; however, this figure has recently become high in the non-exposed group. Regarding the kinds of malignancy, there was no significant difference between the exposed and non-exposed groups. The incidence of leukemia was high during the early ...
To evaluate repeated hepatic intraarterial chemotherapy (HIC) as a palliative treatment option for unresectable cholangiocarcinoma and liver metastases of various origins that were progressive under systemic chemotherapy. Between 2002 and 2006, 55 patients were treated in 4-week intervals (mean five sessions). Combined gemcitabine/mitomycin was administered intraarterially within 1 h. Tumor response was evaluated after the third session according to RECIST. Treated tumor entities were colorectal carcinoma (CRC) (n = 12), breast cancer (BC) (n = 12), cholangiocarcinoma (CCC) (n = 10), pancreatic (n = 4), ovarian (n = 3), gastric, cervical, papillary (each n = 2), prostate, esophageal carcinoma, leiomyosarcoma (each n = 1), cancer of unknown primacy (CUP) (n = 5). All patients tolerated the treatment well without any major side effects or complications. In total, there were 1 complete response (CR), 19 partial responses (PR), 19 stable (SD) and 16 progressive ...
Humoral immune response to human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2/neu or ErbB-2) has been detected in sera of breast cancer patients and shown to be an appropriate prognostic marker (Taylor et al., 2007). However, since Trastuzumab (Herceptin) is a widely used monoclonal antibody as cancer therapy agent for tumors over-expressing HER-2, there is a need for an efficient way to detect host-generated antibodies against HER-2 without the confounding effect of Herceptin. Here we describe a screening method developed to decipher between host antibodies against HER-2 and that of Herceptin. By producing a series of truncation mutants within the epitope of Herceptin, we were able to inhibit this binding. We demonstrated also that by a three amino acid substitution (PPF?SSS) we were able to abrogate Herceptin binding while generating a highly conserved HER-2 extracellular domain (ECD). By producing a stable cell line that expresses this mutated form of the human ...
A gene designated BRCA1, implicated in the susceptibility to early-onset familial breast cancer, has recently been localized to chromosome 17q12-q21. To date, the order of DNA markers mapped within this region has been based on genetic linkage analysis. The authors report the use of multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization to establish a physically based map of five polymorphic DNA markers and 10 cloned genes spanning this region. Three cosmid clones and Alu-PCR-Generated products derived from 12 yeast artificial chromosome clones representing each of these markers were used in two-color mapping experiments to determine an initial proximity of markers relative to each other on metaphase chromosomes. Interphase mapping was then employed to determine the order and orientation of closely spaced loci by direct visualization of fluorescent signals following hybridization of three probes, each detected in a different color. Statistical analysis of the combined data ...
Brachytherapy refers to short distance treatment of cancer with radiation from small, encapsulated radionuclide sources. This type of treatment is given by placing sources directly into or near the volume to be treated. The dose is then delivered continuously, either over a short period of time (temporary implants) or over the lifetime of the source to a complete decay (permanent implants). This technique is extensively used in the treatments of gynecological, breast, prostate, head and neck, and other soft tissue cancers. The clinical outcomes of this treatment depend on accurate dosimetry and dose delivery. The patient is generally considered to be water equivalent. So the treatment planning system software generally is based on measured or calculated dose distributions in homogenous water medium. In real situation, the treatment volume is not homogenous water medium, but it is a heterogeneous medium consisting of bone, soft tissue, lung, air etc. For better ...
In this work, thermoluminescent dosimeters have been used to measure entrance surface doses (ESDs) of patients undergoing mammographic screening at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo state. The mean glandular doses (MGDs) were also calculated using the measured ESDs. The results showed that the ESDs ranged from 0.26 mGy to 21.26 mGy for the mediolateral oblique (MLO) views and 0.08 mGy to 5.36 mGy for the craniocaudal (CC) views. The calculated MGD ranged from 0.07 mGy to 3.57 mGy for the MLO views and 0.02 mGy to 0.98 mGy for the CC views. The possible reasons for the large variations in the individual ESD values and MGD values for both views are discussed using patients' data, equipment specific data and the technical parameters used for the examinations. Comparison showed that the mean ESD values and MGD values reported in this work are below published values. The mean of the calculated MGD values is also found to be lower than the recommended guidance level of ...
In this work, thermoluminescent dosimeters have been used to measure entrance surface doses (ESDs) of patients undergoing mammographic screening at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo state. The mean glandular doses (MGDs) were also calculated using the measured ESDs. The results showed that the ESDs ranged from 0.26 mGy to 21.26 mGy for the mediolateral oblique (MLO) views and 0.08 mGy to 5.36 mGy for the craniocaudal (CC) views. The calculated MGD ranged from 0.07 mGy to 3.57 mGy for the MLO views and 0.02 mGy to 0.98 mGy for the CC views. The possible reasons for the large variations in the individual ESD values and MGD values for both views are discussed using patients' data, equipment specific data and the technical parameters used for the examinations. Comparison showed that the mean ESD values and MGD values reported in this work are below published values. The mean of the calculated MGD values is also found to be lower than the recommended guidance level of 3.0 mGy ...
Background and purpose: A diagnosis of malignancy and its treatment is a very stressful time for patients and their families. This study was conducted to determine the impact of more intensive written information on patients' anxiety levels. The secondary aim was to determine the impact of this information on patients' satisfaction levels. Materials and methods: This prospective randomized trial consisted of patients with a pathological diagnosis of cancer having radical radiotherapy (RT). Patients were randomized to receive the more intensive information (including written information and a telephone call from the research nurse) or not to receive the more intensive information at the time of their initial consultation with the radiation oncologist. Study questionnaires measuring anxiety (STAI form) were completed prior to their first consultation (baseline) at the time of simulation (pre-RT) and at the completion of radiotherapy. A second questionnaire assessing satisfaction with the ...
This work describes an experimental verification of the two-photon dose calculation engines available on the Helax-TMS (version 6.1) commercial radiotherapy treatment planning system. The performance of the pencil beam convolution and the collapsed cone superposition algorithms was examined for 4, 6, 15 MV beams, under a range of clinically relevant irradiation geometries. Comparisons against measurements were carried out in terms of absolute dose, thus assessment of the accuracy of monitor unit (MU) calculations was also carried out. Results show that both algorithms agree with measurement to acceptable tolerance levels in most cases in homogeneous water-equivalent media irradiated under full scatter conditions. The collapsed cone algorithm slightly overestimates the penumbra width and this is mainly due to discretization effects of the fluence matrix. The accuracy of this algorithm strongly depends on the resolution of the patient density matrix. It is recommended that the density ...
The dose-dependent transfer of [sup 203]Pb to milk and uptake in suckling rats and mice during a three-day nursing period was studied. On day 14 of lactation, the dams were administered a single intravenous dose of lead, labelled with [sup 203]Pb, in four or five doses from 0.0005 to 2.0 mg Pb/kg b.wt. There was a linear relationship between Pb levels in plasma and milk of both species. The Pb milk: plasma ratios at 24 hr after administration were 119 and 89 in mice and rats, respectively. At 72 hr the Pb milk: plasma ratio had decreased to 72 in mice and 35 in rats. The tissue levels of lead in the suckling rats and mice were also linearly correlated with lead concentration in milk at 72 hr, showing that milk could be used as an indicator of lead exposure to the suckling offspring. It is concluded that lead is transported into rat and mouse milk to a very high extent and the excretion into milk is more efficient in mice than in rats. On the other hand, rat pups had higher lead levels ...
BackgroundDespite an ever-improving understanding of the molecular biology of cancer, the treatment of most cancers has not changed dramatically in the past three decades and drugs that do not discriminate between tumor cells and normal tissues remain the mainstays of anticancer therapy. Since Hsp90 is typically involved in cell proliferation and survival, this is thought to play a key role in cancer, and Hsp90 has attracted considerable interest in recent years as a potential therapeutic target.MethodsWe focused on the interaction of Hsp90 with its cofactor protein p60/Hop, and engineered a cell-permeable peptidomimetic, termed "hybrid Antp-TPR peptide", modeled on the binding interface between the molecular chaperone Hsp90 and the TPR2A domain of Hop.ResultsIt was demonstrated that this designed hybrid Antp-TPR peptide inhibited the interaction of Hsp90 with the TPR2A domain, inducing cell death of breast, pancreatic, renal, lung, prostate, and gastric cancer ...
Purpose: Hormonal stimulation can induce background enhancement (BE) in MR mammography (MRM). This fact has been assumed to decrease the accuracy of MRM. Consequently, this report investigates: 1. The prevalence of BE in postmenopausal vs. premenopausal women in correlation to hormonal cycle phase (CP). 2. The impact of hormonal status (HS) and BE on diagnostic accuracy. Materials and Methods: Consecutive patients over 22 months with complete HS information (week of CP or postmenopausal) were included in this prospective investigation. Exclusion criteria were any hormonal therapy, hysterectomy as well as cancer proven by biopsy. The standard of reference was histopathology. All MRM scans were acquired using the same protocol (1.5 T, dynamic T 1w GRE after 0.1 mmol/kg bw Gd-DTPA i. v.). Two radiologists rated all examinations in consensus according to BI-RADS. BE was defined as: 0 = missing, 1 = moderate, 2 = distinct. Results: 224 patients (150 postmenopausal, 74 premenopausal, 45 in ...
The gender-specific expression pattern of aromatase and 5alpha-reductases (5alpha-R) during brain development provides neurons the right amount of estradiol and DHT to induce a dimorphic organization of the structure. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are endocrine disruptive pollutants; exposure to PCBs through placental transfer and breast-feeding may adversely affect the organizational action of sex steroid, resulting in long-term alteration of reproductive neuroendocrinology. The study was aimed at: a) evaluating the hypothalamic expression of aromatase, 5alpha-R1 and 5alpha-R2 in fetuses (GD20), infant (PN12), weaning (PN21) and young adult (PN60) male and female rats exposed to PCBs during development; b) correlating these parameters with the time of testicular descent, puberty onset, estrous cyclicity and copulatory behavior; c) evaluating possible alterations of some non reproductive behaviors (locomotion, learning and memory, depression/anxiety behavior). A ...
Completing a SAR study, a series of (RS)-6-substituted-7- or 9-(1,2,3,5-tetrahydro-4,1-benzoxazepine-3-yl)-7H or 9H-purines was previously prepared. The most potent antiproliferative agent against the MCF-7 adenocarcinoma cell line that belongs to the benzoxazepine O,N-acetalic family is (RS)-9-[1-(9H-fluorenyl-9-methoxycarbonyl)-1,2,3,5-tetrahydro-4,1-benzo xazepine-3-yl]-6-chloro-9H-purine (16, IC50 = 0.67 +- 0.18 mM), whilst (RS)-7-{2-(N-hydroxymethylphenyl)-2-nitrobenzenesulfonamido]-1-methoxye thyl}-6-chloro-7H-purine (37) shows the lowest IC50 value between the family of acyclic O,N-acetals (IC50 = 3.25 +- 0.23 mM). Moreover, 16 showed the better in vitro Therapeutic Index in breast cell lines (3.19), whilst 37 was found to be 3.69-fold more active against HT-29 human colon cancer ce...
Purpose: An inverse treatment planning algorithm for tomotherapy is described. Methods and Materials: The algorithm iteratively computes a set of nonnegative beam intensity profiles that minimizes the least-squares residual dose defined in the target and selected normal tissue regions of interest. At each iteration the residual dose distribution is transformed into a set of residual beam profiles using an inversion method derived from filtered backprojection image reconstruction theory. These 'residual' profiles are used to correct the current beam profile estimates resulting in new profile estimates. Adaptive filtering is incorporated into the inversion model so that the gross structure of the dose distribution is optimized during initial iterations of the algorithm, and the fine structure corresponding to edges is obtained at later iterations. A three dimensional, kernel based, convolution/superposition dose model is used to compute dose during each iteration. Results: Two clinically ...
Phase-contrast imaging with a practical cone-beam X-ray tube has been realized for clinical use in digital mammography using computed radiography (CR). To perform phase-contrast imaging, the X-ray detector must be distanced from an object so that the phase-contrast image achieves magnification; in a mammography unit dedicated to phase-contrast imaging, the magnification ratio is 1.75. When using an X-ray tube with a 0.1-mm focal spot, it appears that the penumbra in magnification blurs both projected images and the phase contrast, which generates an edge effect. However, where the sampling pitch of the CR plate is 43.75 {mu}m, the blur stretches the width of the phase contrast so that unit pixels in the detector can capture it. Note that the width of an ideal phase contrast using an X-ray point source results in a phase contrast too narrow for detection with CR. In addition to phase contrast improving image quality, a re-scaling effect increases image sharpness in magnification. ...
A large proportion of patients may develop chronic pain following cancer treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy. These patients can experience significant levels of physical and psychological morbidity. Our aim was to investigate a cognitive-behavioral pain management program (PMP) for cancer patients with chronic treatment-related pain. Thirteen patients (1 man, 12 women; mean age 52 yrs) completed the study, 9 of whom had a history of breast cancer and had received extensive medical treatment, including surgery. A combination of physical and psychological techniques were adapted from previous work in chronic benign pain and implemented by two therapists. Interventions included education, relaxation, exercise training, and goal setting. A variety of outcomes were examined to assess general fitness, psychological distress, coping success, activities of daily living, and pain report. The median number of interventions by each therapist was 10 (4 ...
To evaluate the current situation and implementation of embolization of uterine leiomyomas into the treatment concept in women with symptomatic uterine leiomyomas in Germany. A questionnaire addressing the clinical background of uterine myomas, recommended treatment concepts, preclinical evaluation, technical approach and complications was sent to 164 departments of gynecology and radiology in Germany. 33 radiological departments and 19 gynecological departments submitted a completed questionnaire. Only 7 departments of radiology reported to have own experience with embolization of uterine leiomyomas, while only 2 departments of gynecology considered embolization as an alternative treatment option in patients with symptomatic leiomyomas. 18/33 radiological departments offer this treatment option but get no patient referrals. Agreement was found concerning the indications for treatment, preclinical evaluation by ultrasound and MRI, preferable location of treatable ...
Purpose: Patients with ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) show greatly increased radiation sensitivity and cancer predisposition. Family studies imply that the otherwise clinically silent heterozygotes of this autosomal recessive disease run a 3.5 to 3.8 higher risk of developing cancer. In vitro studies suggest moderately increased cellular radiation sensitivity of A-T carriers. They may also show elevated clinical radiosensitivity. We retrospectively examined patients who presented with severe adverse reactions during or after standard radiation treatment for mutations in the gene responsible for A-T, ATM, considering a potential means of future identification of radiosensitive individuals prospectively to adjust dosage schedules. Material and Methods: We selected 20 cancer patients (breast, 11; rectum, 2; ENT, 2; bladder, 1; prostate, 1; anus, 1; astrocytoma, 1; Hodgkins lymphoma, 1) with Grade 3 to 4 (RTOG) acute and/or late tissue radiation side effects by reaction ...
Cancer is a severe threat to human health. Early detection is considered the best way to increase the chance for survival. While the traditional cancer detection method, biopsy, is invasive, noninvasive optical diagnostic techniques are revolutionizing the way that cancer is diagnosed. Reflectance spectroscopy is one of these optical spectroscopy techniques showing promise as a diagnostic tool for pre-cancer detection. When a neoplasia occurs in tissue, morphologic and biochemical changes happen in the tissue, which in turn results in the change of optical properties and reflectance spectroscopy. Therefore, a pre-cancer can be detected by extracting optical properties from reflectance spectroscopy. This dissertation described the construction of a fiberoptic based reflectance system and the development of a series of modeling studies. This research is aimed at establishing an improved understanding of the optical properties of mucosal tissues by analyzing reflectance signals at ...
Encapsulation of technetium-99m sestamibi ({sup 99m}Tc-MIBI) in polyethyleneglycol-liposomes ({sup 99m}Tc-MIBI-PEG-liposomes) could extend the duration of its circulation in blood and alter its biodistribution, enabling its concentration in tumours to be increased. An original method to encapsulate {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI in PEG-liposomes is described. The {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI-PEG-liposomes were compared with free {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI with respect to (a) tumour availability (b) ability to distinguish between chemotherapy-sensitive and -resistant cells and (c) uptake ratio in tumour imaging. PEG-liposomal systems composed of distearoylphosphatidylcholine/cholesterol/PEG{sub 2000}-distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine and lissamine-rhodamine B-labelled liposomes were used. The encapsulation of {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI in liposomes was achieved using the K{sup +} diffusion potential method. We compared the uptake of free versus encapsulated {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI by sensitive and resistant erythroleukaemia (K562) and ...
To determined precisely a possible connection between the amount of copper in tap-water and the risk of early childhood liver disease, it was attempted through an epidemiological survey, to determine the extent of excessive concentrations of copper in the tap-water of households with copper pipes. Water samples from 956 households were tested for copper, and the state of health of the infants in these households was documented. Infants who had been fed using water with a copper concentration of 0.8 mg/l or more received a paediatric examination with a blood serum analysis to rule out any liver damage. A copper level greater than 0.8 mg/l was found in only 2% of the households examined. Eight infants were examined by a paediatrician and their serum was analysed. These infants had either been breast-fed to the 12th week or had received more than 200 ml of tap water per day during first 12 months. None of the infants examined showed any signs of liver malfunction. ...
To compare the accuracy in the detection and staging of various malignant tumors with high resolution whole-body MRI using parallel imaging with whole-body dual-modality PET-CT. Preliminary results of an interim analysis from a prospective, blinded study are presented, in which 20 patients (mean age 59 years, range 27-77 years) with different oncological diseases underwent whole-body dual modality FDG-PET-CT screening for tumor search or staging in case of confirmed or suspected metastatic disease. All patients also underwent whole-body MRI imaging with the use of parallel imaging (iPAT). High-resolution coronal T1w- and STIR-sequences of 5 body levels with 512 x 512 matrix, axial fast T2w imaging of lung and abdomen (HASTE), contrast-enhanced dynamic and static T1w-sequences of liver, brain, abdomen, and pelvis were performed. Using a 32-channel whole-body MRI scanner (Magnetom Avanto, Siemens Medical Solutions) with a total field of view of 205 cm and free table movement, all ...
Aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of virtual colonoscopy (CT colonography) in the identification of colorectal cancer and to define the limitations and the advantages of this imaging modality, as well as indications to the examination. It was examined prospectively 62 symptomatic patients aged 36 to 82 years (28 women and 34 men). All patients underwent both conventional and virtual colonoscopy on the same day; the conventional examination allowed exploration of the entire colon. Conventional colonoscopy identified 89 lesions 3-50 mm in diameter, namely 84 benign and 5 malignant lesions. No lesions were identified in 12 patients. CT colonography identified 52 of the 89 lesions, with 57.1% diagnostic accuracy. They were 11 false positives (82.5% positive predictive value and 52.2% specificity) and 37 false negatives (24.5% negative predictive value and 58.4% sensitivity). Sensitivity was significantly higher (85.7%) for polyps {>=} 1 cm. Virtual colonoscopy is an ...
Computed Tomography (CT) and, more recently, ultrasound (US), have proved excellent tools for quantifying adipose tissue distribution. Body fat distribution is an important factor in the treatment of obesity and its complications. In this work it is investigated the correlation between CT and US measurements in pediatric obesity. Forty obese children and adolescents aged 4.1-14.8 years were submitted to CT and US. Intra-abdominal, subcutaneous and total body fat were calculated (in cm{sup 2}), with the CT image analysis software. The rectus muscle-spine and rectus muscle-aorta distances, as indicative of visceral fat thickness, were measured on US images with(out) compression. The distance between skin fat and fat-rectus muscle interfaces was measured as subcutaneous fat thickness. US-CT findings have been compared with other morphometric variables-i.e., patient's (ideal) body weight and skin fold measures. A statistically significant correlation was found ...
Gastric stromal tumors are an ill-defined group of lesions arising from muscle wall cells and characterized by extremely variable biological patterns. Thanks to modern immunohistochemical and ultrastructural techniques, four main classes of these lesions have been identified, namely: (1) tumors with differentiation toward smooth muscle cells; (2) tumors with differentiation toward neural elements; (3) tumors with differentiation toward neural elements; (3) tumors with dual differentiation toward either cell type. It was investigated the yield of CT in diagnosing and characterizing gastric stromal tumors. It was retrospectively reviewed the CT findings of 38 patients (15 men and 23 women; mean age 51 years) with pathologically proven gastric stromal tumors, namely 31 of myoid origin, 4 of neural origin, 2 with both muscle and neural differentiation, 1 lacking differentiation with either cell type. The myoid tumors involved gastric fundus in 9/13 and 5/7 benign lesions and lesions with ...
Purpose of this work is to evaluate the effectiveness and role of CT in blunt diaphragmatic injuries by reviewing our 8-year experience. It is reviewed the preoperative CT findings of 35 patients with surgically confirmed diaphragmatic rupture. Surgical repair was performed in the acute setting (within 12 hours of trauma) in 22 cases, and late (8 months-5 years) in 13 cases. Twenty-eight patients (80%) were examined with conventional CT and 7 (20%) with Helical CT. Of the 13 patients examined long after trauma, the left hemi diaphragm was ruptured in 12 cases (with visceral herniation in 4), and the right hemi diaphragm in 1, with no herniation. The diaphragmatic rent was found in the dome (15 cases, 43%), muscolotendinous junction (11 cases, 31%), muscular portion (8 cases, 23%), and at the muscular attachments on the ribs (1 case, 3%). As for the site of diaphragmatic injury, CT never depicted the diaphragmatic rent in the dome and at the muscolotendinous junction (74%), not even ...
To compare the accuracy in the detection and staging of various malignant tumors with high resolution whole-body MRI using parallel imaging with whole-body dual-modality PET-CT. Preliminary results of an interim analysis from a prospective, blinded study are presented, in which 20 patients (mean age 59 years, range 27-77 years) with different oncological diseases underwent whole-body dual modality FDG-PET-CT screening for tumor search or staging in case of confirmed or suspected metastatic disease. All patients also underwent whole-body MRI imaging with the use of parallel imaging (iPAT). High-resolution coronal T1w- and STIR-sequences of 5 body levels with 512 x 512 matrix, axial fast T2w imaging of lung and abdomen (HASTE), contrast-enhanced dynamic and static T1w-sequences of liver, brain, abdomen, and pelvis were performed. Using a 32-channel whole-body MRI scanner (Magnetom Avanto, Siemens Medical Solutions) with a total field of view of 205 cm and free table movement, all ...