WorldWideScience

Sample records for early diagnosis

  1. [Early diagnosis of autism: Phenotype-endophenotype].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotsopoulos, S

    2015-01-01

    Autism Spectrum Disorders have for some time been the focus of intense interest for clinicians and researchers because of the high prevalence of the disorders among children in the community (approximately 1%), their severity and pervasiveness. Particular attention has been paid to the early diagnosis of the disorder and to the intensive therapeutic intervention. Currently the best prognosis for autism lays in the early diagnosis and intervention. Postponing the diagnosis and the intervention beyond infancy is considered loss of precious time. The diagnosis of autism, which begins early in life, was until recently considered that could be reliability made at the age of 3 years. Recent follow up studies however on children at risk for autism (children who had an older sibling with autism) have shown that the clinical signs of autism emerge at the end of the first year and become distinct by the end of the second year when the diagnosis can reliably be made. From a clinical perspective it is noted that the early clinical signs of risk for autism are related to social communication (e.g. limited or absent response when calling his/her name and to joint attention), stereotype behaviours and body movements or unusual handling of objects (e.g. intensive observation of objects and stereotype movements of hands and tapping or spinning), incongruent regulation of emotions (reduced positive and increased negative emotion). There is also delay in developmental characteristics such as the language (both receptive and expressive) and motor (particularly in postural control - characteristic is the drop of the head backwards when the infant is held in horizontal position). Studies on various aspects of the endophenotype of certain clinical signs among infants at risk for Autism Spectrum Disorders, such as avoidance of eye contact, delay in verbal communication and increase of the head circumference, may provide useful information and may assist the clinician on follow up in the

  2. Disclosure of Diagnosis in Early Recognition of Psychosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blessing, Andreas; Studer, Anna; Gross, Amelie; Gruss, L Forest; Schneider, Roland; Dammann, Gerhard

    2017-10-01

    There is a debate concerning risks and benefits of early intervention in psychosis, especially concerning diagnosis disclosure. The present study reports preliminary findings on self-reported locus of control and psychological distress after the disclosure of diagnosis in an early recognition center. We compared the ratings of the locus of control and psychological distress before and after communication of diagnosis. The study included individuals with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) (n = 10), schizophrenia (n = 9), and other psychiatric disorders (n = 11). Results indicate greater endorsement of the internal locus of control in individuals with ARMS after communication of diagnosis in contrast to the other groups. Our results suggest that disclosure of diagnosis in an early recognition center leads to a reduction of psychological distress and increased feelings of control over one's health. Persons with ARMS seem to particularly benefit from disclosure of diagnosis as part of early intervention.

  3. Early diagnosis and early intervention in cerebral palsy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mijna eHadders-Algra

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper reviews the opportunities and challenges for early diagnosis and early intervention in cerebral palsy (CP. CP describes a group of disorders of the development of movement and posture, causing activity limitation, that are attributed to disturbances that occurred in the fetal or infant brain. Therefore the paper starts with a summary of relevant information from developmental neuroscience. Most lesions underlying CP occur in the second half of gestation, when developmental activity in the brain reaches its summit. Variations in timing of the damage not only result in different lesions, but also in different neuroplastic reactions and different associated neuropathologies. This turns CP into a heterogeneous entity. This may mean that the best early diagnostics and the best intervention methods may differ for various subgroups of children with CP. Next, the paper addresses possibilities for early diagnosis. It discusses the predictive value of neuromotor and neurological exams, neuro-imaging techniques and neurophysiological assessments. Prediction is best when complementary techniques are used in longitudinal series. Possibilities for early prediction of CP differ for infants admitted to neonatal intensive care and other infants. In the former group best prediction is achieved with the combination of neuro-imaging and the assessment of general movements, in the latter group best prediction is based on carefully documented milestones and neurological assessment. The last part reviews early intervention in infants developing CP. Most knowledge on early intervention is based on studies in high risk infants without CP. In these infants early intervention programs promote cognitive development until preschool age; motor development profits less. The few studies on early intervention in infants developing CP suggest that programs that stimulate all aspects of infant development by means of family coaching are most promising. More research is

  4. Stages of syphilis in South China - a multilevel analysis of early diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Ngai Sze; Huang, Shujie; Zheng, Heping; Chen, Lei; Zhao, Peizhen; Tucker, Joseph D; Yang, Li Gang; Goh, Beng Tin; Yang, Bin

    2017-01-31

    Early diagnosis of syphilis and timely treatment can effectively reduce ongoing syphilis transmission and morbidity. We examined the factors associated with the early diagnosis of syphilis to inform syphilis screening strategic planning. In an observational study, we analyzed reported syphilis cases in Guangdong Province, China (from 2014 to mid-2015) accessed from the national case-based surveillance system. We categorized primary and secondary syphilis cases as early diagnosis and categorized latent and tertiary syphilis as delayed diagnosis. Univariate analyses and multivariable logistic regressions were performed to identify the factors associated with early diagnosis. We also examined the factors associated with early diagnosis at the individual and city levels in multilevel logistic regression models with cases nested by city (n = 21), adjusted for age at diagnosis and gender. Among 83,944 diagnosed syphilis cases, 22% were early diagnoses. The city-level early diagnosis rate ranged from 7 to 46%, consistent with substantial geographic variation as shown in the multilevel model. Early diagnosis was associated with cases presenting to specialist clinics for screening, being male and attaining higher education level. Cases received syphilis testing in institutions and hospitals, and diagnosed in hospitals were less likely to be in early diagnosis. At the city-level, cases living in a city equipped with more hospitals per capita were less likely to be early diagnosis. To enhance early diagnosis of syphilis, city-specific syphilis screening strategies with a mix of passive and client/provider-initiated testing might be a useful approach.

  5. Can Biomarkers Help the Early Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease?

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Weidong Le; Jie Dong; Song Li; Amos D.Korczyn

    2017-01-01

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease with progressive loss of dopamine neurons.PD patients usually manifest a series of motor and non-motor symptoms.In order to provide better early diagnosis and subsequent disease-modifying therapies for PD patients,there is an urgent need to identify sensitive and specific biomarkers.Biomarkers can be divided into four categories:clinical,imaging,biochemical,and genetic.Ideal biomarkers not only improve our understanding of PD pathogenesis and progression,but also provide benefits for early risk evaluation and clinical diagnosis of PD.Although many efforts have been made and several biomarkers have been extensively investigated,few if any have been found useful for early diagnosis.Here,we summarize recent developments in the discovered biomarkers of PD and discuss their merits and limitations for the early diagnosis of PD.

  6. Early diagnosis of the Spondyloarthropathies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzalez Naranjo, Luis Alonso; Londono, John D; Valle, Rafael Raul

    2005-01-01

    Spondyloarthropathies are a cluster of chronic inflammatory diseases that primarily include ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis; arthritis associated with inflammatory bowel diseases and undifferentiated spondyloarthropathies. The most common subgroups of spondyloarthropathies are ankylosing spondylitis and undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy. The diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis is mainly based on unequivocal radiographic sacroiliitis of at least grade 2 bilaterally or grade 3 unilaterally. How ever, in the early phase of disease, conventional radiographs are often too insensitive to show sacroiliitis and it usually takes several years for definite radiographic sacroiliitis to evolve. Thus, the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis is a commonly delayed by 8 to 11 years after the onset of symptoms. As a result, diagnosing axial spondyloarthropathy in the absence of radiographic sacroiliitis is very difficult to rheumatologists. In the early phase of disease, HLA B27 test and magnetic resonance imaging of sacroiliac joints may be helpful to the early diagnosis. In the presence of chronic low back pain the probability of axial spondyloarthropathy is about 5% and is about 14% if the back pain is inflammatory. The presence of = 3 features of spondyloarthropathy (heel pain, uveitis, dactylitis, positive family history, alternating buttock pain, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, asymmetrical arthritis, positive response to anti-inflammatory drugs) increase the probability of axial spondyloarthropathy to 90%. Both, the positive HLA B27 and magnetic resonance imaging with signs of sacroiliitis increase the probability of spondyloarthropathy, particularly in patients without spondyloarthropathies features or with only 1 or 2 features. Since ankylosing spondylitis in association with psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease is often HLA B27 negative, this test is of limited value under theses circumstances. Is important to consider that

  7. Stages of syphilis in South China – a multilevel analysis of early diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ngai Sze Wong

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Early diagnosis of syphilis and timely treatment can effectively reduce ongoing syphilis transmission and morbidity. We examined the factors associated with the early diagnosis of syphilis to inform syphilis screening strategic planning. Methods In an observational study, we analyzed reported syphilis cases in Guangdong Province, China (from 2014 to mid-2015 accessed from the national case-based surveillance system. We categorized primary and secondary syphilis cases as early diagnosis and categorized latent and tertiary syphilis as delayed diagnosis. Univariate analyses and multivariable logistic regressions were performed to identify the factors associated with early diagnosis. We also examined the factors associated with early diagnosis at the individual and city levels in multilevel logistic regression models with cases nested by city (n = 21, adjusted for age at diagnosis and gender. Results Among 83,944 diagnosed syphilis cases, 22% were early diagnoses. The city-level early diagnosis rate ranged from 7 to 46%, consistent with substantial geographic variation as shown in the multilevel model. Early diagnosis was associated with cases presenting to specialist clinics for screening, being male and attaining higher education level. Cases received syphilis testing in institutions and hospitals, and diagnosed in hospitals were less likely to be in early diagnosis. At the city-level, cases living in a city equipped with more hospitals per capita were less likely to be early diagnosis. Conclusions To enhance early diagnosis of syphilis, city-specific syphilis screening strategies with a mix of passive and client/provider-initiated testing might be a useful approach.

  8. Early diagnosis of breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Semiglazov, V.F.

    1989-01-01

    Modern data are presentd on epidemology etiopathogensis and statistics of breast cancer. Home and international clinical and histological classifications is given. Much attention is paid to the methods for early diagnosis of pretumor diseases and breast cancer: clinical roentgenomammography, thrmography and computerized tomomammography. The role of self-examination in cancer early detection has been analyzed. Special attention is paid to system of detection of minimal and unpalpable form of breast cancer, screening of these tumors. 113 refs.; 60 figs.; 6 tabs

  9. Early diagnosis of lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scherrer, M.

    1982-01-01

    Unanimity does not exist about the utility and organisation of screening procedures for early diagnosis of lung cancer. We describe a low cost structue of screening, requiring only a minimum of compliance from the elderly smoker and ex-smoker. At 4 months interval, radiographs, sputum cytologies and eventual fiberbronchoscopies are realized in all that elderly smokers and ex-smokers which begin to present one of the first early lung cancer signs or symptoms (loss of weight, hemoptoe, thoracic pain and others). (orig.) [de

  10. Diagnosis of early stomach cancer (Lecture)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vinner, M.G.

    1989-01-01

    Problems concerning diagnosis of early stomach cancer using X-ray and endoscopic investigation techniques are stated. Classification of early stomach cancer suggested by the Japan Endoscopy Society and division system of early stomach cancer into two main foms: depth (erosive-ulcerous) one and elevated (polypoid) one-is presented X-ray and endoscopic investigation techniques are shown to be high efficiency concerning revealingation of stomach mucous variations using biopsy, which allow to determine for certain whother the process is benign or malignant one

  11. Magnetic resonance imaging for early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uhl, M.; Allmann, K.H.; Hauer, M.P.; Laubenberger, J.; Kempis, J. v.; Langer, M.

    1997-01-01

    Nuclear magnetic resonance tomography (MRI) represents essential progress in the diagnostic means for evaluation of lesions of the muskuloskeletal system. The imaging of bone joints including material and structures like cartilage, tendons, ligaments, effusions, pannus, cortical bone and marrow offers essential advantages for diagnosis, differential diagnosis, follow-up control and detection of local complications in rheumatics radiology. The review article discusses the achievements of MRI for detection of early signs of rheumatoid arthritis and the current indications for MRI examination for early diagnosis. (Orig./AJ) [de

  12. Predictors for early diagnosis of cerebral palsy from national registry data

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Granild-Jensen, Jakob Bie; Rackauskaite, Gija; Flachs, Esben Meulengracht

    2015-01-01

    AIM: As early intervention is important in cerebral palsy (CP), an early diagnosis is desirable. The aim of this study was to establish the median diagnostic age of CP and to identify predictors of an early diagnosis in a population-based cohort. METHOD: Using the Danish National Cerebral Palsy...... of motor disability, cerebral ultrasonography results, epilepsy, gestational age, and degree of cognitive impairment. RESULTS: We found the overall median corrected diagnostic age of CP to be 11 months. Early diagnosis was associated with the type of CP, presence of epilepsy, a high degree of motor...... disability, and abnormalities in the cerebral ultrasonography. The gestational age was not associated with the diagnostic age. INTERPRETATION: The median diagnostic age implies that half of the Danish children with CP will be able to enter an early intervention program before 1 year of age. A late diagnosis...

  13. Early Pregnancy Diagnosis in Bovines: Current Status and Future Directions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashok K. Balhara

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available An early and accurate diagnosis of reproductive dysfunctions or aberrations is crucial to better reproductive management in livestock. High reproductive efficiency is a prerequisite for high life-time production in dairy animals. Early pregnancy diagnosis is key to shorten the calving interval through early identification of open animals and their timely treatment and rebreeding so as to maintain a postpartum barren interval close to 60 days. A buffalo, the most important dairy animal in the Indian subcontinent, is known for problems related to high calving interval, late puberty, and high incidence of anestrus. Lack of reliable cow-side early pregnancy diagnosis methods further aggravates the situation. Several methods of pregnancy diagnosis are being practiced in bovine species, yet none qualifies as the ideal pregnancy diagnosis method due to the inherent limitations of sensitivity, accuracy, specificity, speed, and ease of performing the test. The advancement of molecular techniques like proteomics and their applications in animal research has given a new hope to look for pregnancy biomarker molecules in these animals. This review attempts to examine common pregnancy diagnosis methods available for dairy animals, while assessing the usefulness of the modern technologies in detecting novel pregnancy markers and designing future strategies for research in this area.

  14. Early X-ray diagnosis of coxarthrosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lingg, G.; Nebel, G.

    1982-01-01

    Radiological and pathological comparisons on specimen of femurhead and neck at autopsy have shown a statistical relationship between osteophytosis of the femoral head and ulcerations of the joint cartilage. Especially there are highly significant relationships between the length of osteophytes and the diameter of the ulcera. The 'plaque'-sign shows to be a very sensitive indicator of early arthrosis. So there exist semiquantitative parameters for the X-ray diagnosis of early coxarthrosis. (orig.) [de

  15. Autism: cause factors, early diagnosis and therapies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhat, Shreya; Acharya, U Rajendra; Adeli, Hojjat; Bairy, G Muralidhar; Adeli, Amir

    2014-01-01

    Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurobiological disorder characterized by neuropsychological and behavioral deficits. Cognitive impairment, lack of social skills, and stereotyped behavior are the major autistic symptoms, visible after a certain age. It is one of the fastest growing disabilities. Its current prevalence rate in the U.S. estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is 1 in 68 births. The genetic and physiological structure of the brain is studied to determine the pathology of autism, but diagnosis of autism at an early age is challenging due to the existing phenotypic and etiological heterogeneity among ASD individuals. Volumetric and neuroimaging techniques are explored to elucidate the neuroanatomy of the ASD brain. Nuroanatomical, neurochemical, and neuroimaging biomarkers can help in the early diagnosis and treatment of ASD. This paper presents a review of the types of autism, etiologies, early detection, and treatment of ASD.

  16. Ultrasonography in Early Diagnosis of Heterotopic Ossification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shan-Hui Lin

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available We report here the case of a 32-year-old man with a history of traumatic brain injury who presented with swelling of his right thigh. Soft tissue ultrasonography performed 3 days after the onset of symptoms showed a heterogeneous hyperechoic lesion with the formation of cysts and hypervascularity in the right iliopsoas abutting the surface of the femoral bone. This became a diffuse echogenic plaque with a posterior acoustic shadowing 12 days later. A diagnosis of heterotopic ossification was made on the basis of the presence of typical ultrasonographic findings and was confirmed by pathology. We emphasize that an early diagnosis of heterotopic ossification can be made with ultrasonography and can lead to early treatment.

  17. Early x-ray diagnosis of coxarthrosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lingg, G.; Nebel, G.

    Radiological and pathological comparisons on specimen of femur head and neck at autopsy have shown a statistical relationship between osteophytosis of the femoral head and ulcerations of the joint cartilage. Especially, there are highly significant relationships between the length of osteophytes and the diameter of the ulcera. The 'plaque'-sign is shown to be a very sensitive indicator of early arthrosis. So there exist semiquantitative parameters for the X-ray diagnosis of early coxarthrosis.

  18. Research progress in early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meng-sha SUN

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Alzheimer's disease (AD is a kind of central nervous system degenerative disease with higher incidence, which has been paid increasing attention. The pathogenesis is not yet clear though it has been studied a lot. The existing theories focused on amyloid β-protein (Aβ deposit, hyperphosphorylation of tau and cholinergic neuronal loss. There is mainly symptomatic treatment which cannot reverse disease course. So early diagnosis is particularly important for prevention and treatment of AD. The article will review recent advances in the studies of early diagnosis of AD. It may help accurately diagnose the process from mild cognitive impairment (MCI to early AD and give advice on prevention and treatment. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2018.03.011

  19. Early diagnosis of osteomyelitis occurred in the jaws

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Eun Sook; Na, Seung Mog; Lee, Un Gyeong; Koh, Kwang Joon

    1994-01-01

    Early diagnosis and treatment of osteomyelitis provide good prognosis and prevent severe complications. Therefore, it is important to early diagnose and treat before the bony changes are observed in conventional radiograms. Authors experienced three cases of early osteomyelitis, and scintigrams were useful to differentiate them from other diseases. The purpose of this report was to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of osteomyelitis occurred in the jaws. The characteristic features were as follows: 1. In clinical examination, the patients complained mild pain and localized swelling in the jaws. 2. In radiographic findings, the conventional radiograms showed relatively mild bony change in the jaws. 3. The more severe periosteal reactions were observed in radiograms in children than in adult patient. 4. It showed marked increased uptake of radioisotopes in all scintigrams. 5. The three phase bone scanning were helpful to differentiate osteomyelitis from soft tissue diseases.

  20. Morbidity in early Parkinson's disease and prior to diagnosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frandsen, Rune; Kjellberg, Jakob; Ibsen, Rikke

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Nonmotor symptoms are probably present prior to, early on, and following, a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Nonmotor symptoms may hold important information about the progression of Parkinson's disease. OBJECTIVE: To evaluated the total early and prediagnostic morbidities in the 3......, poisoning and certain other external causes, and other factors influencing health status and contact with health services. It was negatively associated with neoplasm, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease present significant differences...

  1. Early diagnosis and research of high myopia with primary open angle glaucoma

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    Yan Guo

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available People with high myopia are high risk populations to have primary open angle glaucoma. Clinically, we found that patients with primary open angle glaucoma and high myopia is closely related. So to understand the clinical features of high myopia with primary open angle glaucoma and the importance of early diagnosis, to avoiding missed diagnosis or lower misdiagnosed rate, can help to improve the vigilance and level of early diagnosis of the clinicians. In this paper, high myopia with clinical features of primary open angle glaucoma, and the research progress on the main points of early diagnosis were reviewed.

  2. Diagnosis and early management of acute hyperammonaemia

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    Mojca Žerjav Tanšek

    2010-02-01

    Elevated ammonia concentration is neurotoxic and causes irreversible glial and neuronal damage resulting in cerebral oedema with poor outcome. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are crucial and may considerably improve the clinical course.

  3. Early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder: stability and change in clinical diagnosis and symptom presentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guthrie, Whitney; Swineford, Lauren B; Nottke, Charly; Wetherby, Amy M

    2013-05-01

    Although a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) appears to be stable in children as young as age three, few studies have explored stability of a diagnosis in younger children. Predictive value of diagnostic tools for toddlers and patterns of symptom change are important considerations for clinicians making early diagnoses. Most findings come from high-risk samples, but reports on children screened in community settings are also needed. Stability of diagnosis and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – Toddler Module (ADOS-T) classifications and scores was examined across two time points in a sample of 82 children identified through the FIRST WORDS Project.Children received two comprehensive diagnostic evaluations at average ages of 19.39 (SD = 2.12) and 36.89 (SD = 3.85) months. Stability was 100% when confirming and ruling out a diagnosis of ASD based on a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation that included clinic and home observations,although diagnosis was initially deferred for 17% of the sample. Receiver Operating Characteristic curves revealed excellent sensitivity and acceptable specificity for the ADOS-T compared to concurrent diagnosis. Logistic regressions indicated good predictive value of initial ADOS-T scores for follow-up diagnosis. Finally, both ASD and Non-ASD children demonstrated a decrease in Social Affect scores (i.e.,improvement), whereas children with ASD demonstrated an increase in Restricted and Repetitive Behavior scores (i.e., worsening), changes that were accounted for by nonverbal developmental level in mixed model analyses. Short-term stability was documented for children diagnosed at 19 months on average, although a minority of children initially showed unclear diagnostic presentations.Findings highlight utility of the ADOS-T in making early diagnoses and predicting follow-up diagnoses. Children with ASD demonstrated improvement in social communication behaviors and unfolding of repetitive behaviors, suggesting that certain

  4. Early Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Stability and Change in Clinical Diagnosis and Symptom Presentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guthrie, Whitney; Swineford, Lauren B.; Nottke, Charly; Wetherby, Amy M.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Although a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) appears to be stable in children as young as age three, few studies have explored stability of a diagnosis in younger children. Predictive value of diagnostic tools for toddlers and patterns of symptom change are important considerations for clinicians making early diagnoses. Most…

  5. Automatic CDR Estimation for Early Glaucoma Diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarmiento, A.; Sanchez-Morillo, D.; Jiménez, S.; Alemany, P.

    2017-01-01

    Glaucoma is a degenerative disease that constitutes the second cause of blindness in developed countries. Although it cannot be cured, its progression can be prevented through early diagnosis. In this paper, we propose a new algorithm for automatic glaucoma diagnosis based on retinal colour images. We focus on capturing the inherent colour changes of optic disc (OD) and cup borders by computing several colour derivatives in CIE L∗a∗b∗ colour space with CIE94 colour distance. In addition, we consider spatial information retaining these colour derivatives and the original CIE L∗a∗b∗ values of the pixel and adding other characteristics such as its distance to the OD centre. The proposed strategy is robust due to a simple structure that does not need neither initial segmentation nor removal of the vascular tree or detection of vessel bends. The method has been extensively validated with two datasets (one public and one private), each one comprising 60 images of high variability of appearances. Achieved class-wise-averaged accuracy of 95.02% and 81.19% demonstrates that this automated approach could support physicians in the diagnosis of glaucoma in its early stage, and therefore, it could be seen as an opportunity for developing low-cost solutions for mass screening programs. PMID:29279773

  6. Early diagnosis of autism and impact on prognosis: a narrative review

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    Fernell E

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Elisabeth Fernell,1 Mats Anders Eriksson,1,2 Christopher Gillberg11Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; 2Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, SwedenAbstract: Autism spectrum disorders involve a set of clinical phenotypes that mirror an early onset of neurodevelopmental deviations, with core symptoms that can probably be related to a deficiency in the social instinct. Underlying the cognitive impairments there are physiological brain problems, caused by a large number of medical factors. This narrative review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses from the last 5 years (2008–2012 presents aspects from many areas in autism spectrum disorder research, with a particular focus on early intervention and the subsequent impact on prognosis. Other major areas discussed are epidemiology, early symptoms and screening, early diagnosis, neuropsychology, medical factors, and the existence of comorbidities. There is limited evidence that any of the broadband “early intervention” programs are effective in changing the natural long-term outcome for many individuals with an early diagnosis of autism. However, there is some evidence that Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI is an effective treatment for some children with ASD. Nevertheless, there is emerging consensus that early diagnosis and information are needed in order that an autism-friendly environment be “created” around affected individuals.Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, epidemiology, screening, etiology, intervention, outcome

  7. Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Clinical significance and future perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buerger, K.; Teipel, S.J.; Hampel, H.

    2000-01-01

    Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease describes the recognition and diagnosis in patients with very mild dementia. Internationally accepted diagnostic criteria support the diagnosis based on clinical evaluation. Recent advances in structural and functional neuroimaging as well as studies on specific proteins in the cerebro-spinal fluid that are related to distinct pathophysiological disease processes are most promising approaches to defining biological markers of Alzheimer's disease. (orig.) [de

  8. EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF CRANIOSYNOSTOSIS IN INFANTS AT PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

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    Skoric Jasmina

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Craniosynostosis or premature fusion of one or more cranial sutures in infants disturbs normal brain growth. This condition causes abnormal skull configuration, increased intracranial pressure, headache, strabismus, blurred vision, blindness, psychomotor retardation. The diagnosis of craniosynostosis is very simple. Pediatricians should routinely assess neurological status and measure head circumference and anterior fontanelle. When necessary, ultrasound of CNS, X-ray and cranial CT scan can be done. When it comes to this condition, early diagnosis and surgical intervention are of utmost importance. In this paper, we have presented a case on craniosynostosis in a female infant, discovered in the third month of life during systematic review that included measurement of head circumference, palpation of anterior fontanelle and cranial sutures. The child was referred to a neurosurgeon who performed the CT scan of endocranium and confirmed the initial diagnosis of craniosynostosis. With head circumference of 40 cm and fused anterior fontanelle, the surgery was timely performed at the sixth month of life due to early diagnosis.

  9. Early diagnosis of craniosynostosis in infants at primary health care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Skoric Jasmina

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Craniosynostosis or premature fusion of one or more cranial sutures in infants disturbs normal brain growth. This condition causes abnormal skull configuration, increased intracranial pressure, headache, strabismus, blurred vision, blindness, psychomotor retardation. The diagnosis of craniosynostosis is very simple. Pediatricians should routinely assess neurological status and measure head circumference and anterior fontanelle. When necessary, ultrasound of CNS, X-ray and cranial CT scan can be done. When it comes to this condition, early diagnosis and surgical intervention are of utmost importance. In this paper, we have presented a case on craniosynostosis in a female infant, discovered in the third month of life during systematic review that included measurement of head circumference, palpation of anterior fontanelle and cranial sutures. The child was referred to a neurosurgeon who performed the CT scan of endocranium and confirmed the initial diagnosis of craniosynostosis. With head circumference of 40 cm and fused anterior fontanelle, the surgery was timely performed at the sixth month of life due to early diagnosis.

  10. Techniques for early diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma: Systematic review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carreras-Torras, Clàudia

    2015-01-01

    Background and objectives The diagnosis of early oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is of paramount clinical importance given the mortality rate of late stage disease. The aim of this study is to review the literature to assess the current situation and progress in this area. Material and Methods A search in Cochrane and PubMed (January 2006 to December 2013) has been used with the key words “squamous cell carcinoma”, “early diagnosis” “oral cavity”, “Potentially Malignant Disorders” y “premalignant lesions”. The inclusion criteria were the use of techniques for early diagnosis of OSCC and OPMD, 7 years aged articles and publications written in English, French or Spanish. The exclusion criteria were case reports and studies in other languages. Results Out of the 89 studies obtained initially from the search 60 articles were selected to be included in the systematic review: 1 metaanalysis, 17 systematic reviews, 35 prospective studies, 5 retrospective studies, 1 consensus and 1 semi-structured interviews. Conclusions The best diagnostic technique is that which we have sufficient experience and training. Definitely tissue biopsy and histopathological examination should remain the gold standard for oral cancer diagnose. In this systematic review it has not been found sufficient scientific evidence on the majority of proposed techniques for early diagnosis of OSCC, therefore more extensive and exhaustive studies are needed. Key words: Squamous cell carcinoma, early diagnosis, oral cavity, potentially malignant disorders, premalignant lesions. PMID:25662554

  11. To Know or Not to Know: Ethical Issues Related to Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease

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    Niklas Mattsson

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available In Alzheimer's disease (AD, pathological processes start in the brain long before clinical dementia. Biomarkers reflecting brain alterations may therefore indicate disease at an early stage, enabling early diagnosis. This raises several ethical questions and the potential benefits of early diagnosis must be weighted against possible disadvantages. Currently, there are few strong arguments favouring early diagnosis, due to the lack of disease modifying therapy. Also, available diagnostic methods risk erroneous classifications, with potentially grave consequences. However, a possible benefit of early diagnosis even without disease modifying therapy is that it may enable early decision making when patients still have full decision competence, avoiding problems of hypothetical consents. It may also help identifying patients with cognitive dysfunction secondary to other diseases that may be responsive to treatment already today.

  12. Ophthalmic examination in early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

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    Xin Li

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder causing irreversible deterioration in memory and loss of self-care ability, which is seriously affecting the quality of life. There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease. Medication only can control the progression of the disease. Early diagnosis and control of disease progress is of great significance in improving the quality of life of the patients and reducing the burden of family and society. Ophthalmic examination is seen as a window which can “see” brain directly, and some changes in the eye can reflect the changes of the brain most directly. This paper reviews the ophthalmic examination of Alzheimer's disease, including optical coherence tomography(OCT, visual field, contrast sensitivity and eye movements, et al. We hope to provide a new idea for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

  13. Discussion of difficult problems of early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

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    GUO Xiaozhong

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is a common malignant neoplasm of the pancreas with an extremely high mortality. Currently, the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is still not ideal. Attention should be paid to some clinical warning symptoms, such as unexplained abdominal and back pain, jaundice, and unexpected diabetes. Additionally, the combined use of CA19-9, CEA, and other tumor markers, the attention to biochemical indicators, the detection of mutation in KAI1 or p53 gene, and the exploration of the value of miRNA in clinical diagnosis are of great significance. On the other hand, ultrasound, CT, MRCP, ERCP, PET-CT, and other imaging methods, as well as effective collection of cytology specimens, should be performed. Thus, there is hope for the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

  14. Nanotechnology-Based Detection of Novel microRNAs for Early Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-08-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0157 TITLE: Nanotechnology -Based Detection of Novel microRNAs for Early Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer PRINCIPAL...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Nanotechnology -Based Detection of Novel microRNAs for Early Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER...identify novel differentially expressed miRNAs in the body fluids (blood, urine, etc.) for an early detection of PCa. Advances in nanotechnology and

  15. PROBLEM OF DIAGNOSIS OF EARLY CONGENITAL SYPHILIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. P. Martynova

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents a case of delayed diagnosis of early congenital syphilis in a child whose mother was observed in prenatal clinic starting from the 14th week of pregnancy. The child had specific skin rash already in maternity. The child was discharged home without examination in the hospital. Only manifestations of nephritis lead to admission of the child into an inpatient hospital. Only at the age of 1 month and 23 days the child was suspected of early congenital syphilis with severe polisimptomnym, and the patient was transferred to specialized hospital. 

  16. Help-seeking intentions for early dementia diagnosis in a sample of Irish adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devoy, Susan; Simpson, Ellen Elizabeth Anne

    2017-08-01

    To identify factors that may increase intentions to seek help for an early dementia diagnosis. Early dementia diagnosis in Ireland is low, reducing the opportunity for intervention, which can delay progression, reduce psychological distress and increase social supports. Using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), and a mixed methods approach, three focus groups were conducted (N = 22) to illicit attitudes and beliefs about help seeking for an early dementia diagnosis. The findings informed the development of the Help Seeking Intentions for Early Dementia Diagnosis (HSIEDD) questionnaire which was piloted and then administered to a sample of community dwelling adults from Dublin and Kildare (N = 95). Content analysis revealed participants held knowledge of the symptoms of dementia but not about available interventions. Facilitators of help seeking were family, friends and peers alongside well informed health professionals. Barriers to seeking help were a lack of knowledge, fear, loss, stigma and inaccessible services. The quantitative findings suggest the TPB constructs account for almost 28% of the variance in intentions to seek help for an early diagnosis of dementia, after controlling for sociodemographic variables and knowledge of dementia. In the final step of the regression analysis, the main predictors of help seeking were knowledge of dementia and subjective norm, accounting for 6% and 8% of the variance, respectively. Future interventions should aim to increase awareness of the support available to those experiencing early memory problems, and should highlight the supportive role that family, friends, peers and health professionals could provide.

  17. Early diagnosis of leptospirosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Babic-Erceg

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available A 25-years old man from Zagreb, Croatia, was admitted to the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases four days after the onset of symptoms such as fever, intense pain in the calves and anuria. The patient owned a rabbit and, before the onset of the disease, repaired some rubber pipes damaged by rodents. At admission, he had a severe clinical picture with fever, hypotension, jaundice, immobility, and pain in leg muscles. Treatment with ceftriaxone was initiated in combination with volume restitution. Renal failure soon ensued. Consequently continuous venovenous hemodiaphiltration therapy was performed. Due to acute respiratory distress syndrome, the patient was mechanically ventilated. The patient’s condition gradually improved and he recovered fully from multi-organ failure. Diagnosis was confirmed by a microscopic agglutination test (MAT covering 15 leptospira serovars and real-time polymerase-chain reaction (PCR. The first serum sample taken on day 6 tested negative for leptospira, while PCR showed positive results for leptospiral DNA. The second serum sample taken on day 13 tested positive for serovar Canicola serogroup Canicola, serovar Patoc, serovar Grippotyphosa serogroup Grippotyphosa and serovar Tarassovi serogroup Tarassovi (titre 4000, 4000, 1000 and 2000, respectively, while PCR was negative. This report highlights the benefits of combining MAT and PCR methods in early diagnosis of leptospirosis.

  18. Application of Metabonomics in Early Diagnosis of Diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiao LIU

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available With the development of life sciences, people have changed their focus from local research to systematic biology, thus contributing to the development of a series of “omics”, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabonomics, etc. Metabonomics is a presently developed new branch of science that can provide qualitative and quantitative analysis on all metabolites with low-molecular quality in the body, tissues or cells of an organism. It recognizes the changes and rules of the biological endogenous substance under the impact of internal and external factors by generally and quantitatively detecting multiple small molecular compounds in biological samples, in hope of finding out the metabolic marker clusters in the early stage of diseases so as to provide new pathways for the early diagnosis of the diseases and the realization of individualized drug administration. Additionally, metabonomics research on clinical diseases has become a hot topic and made great achievement in the developmental condition, diagnostic methods, pathogenic mechanism and pharmaceutical efficacy evaluation of diseases. This study mainly reviewed the application and advances of metabonomics in the early diagnosis of malignant tumors, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, hoping to provide references and prompts for metabonomics-associated researches.

  19. Early diagnosis and screening for colorectal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laufer, I.

    1986-01-01

    The barium enema has been a neglected tool in the diagnosis of early colon cancer. With appropriate attention to technical detail, the double contrast enema is capable of detecting the smallest malignant and pre-malignant lesions. Many of these early colon cancers are found in asymptomatic patients and these lesions are curable. The goal of a screening program should be to identify by history or by fecal occult blood testing patients at high risk for the development of colon cancer. These patients should be examined by high-quality double contrast enema in the search for these potentially lethal but curable lesions. In addition, we believe that any patient undergoing radiologic examination of the colon for whatever reason, should receive an examination of adequate quality to rule out an early colon cancer. (Author)

  20. The early clinical features of dengue in adults: challenges for early clinical diagnosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jenny G H Low

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The emergence of dengue throughout the tropical world is affecting an increasing proportion of adult cases. The clinical features of dengue in different age groups have not been well examined, especially in the context of early clinical diagnosis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We structured a prospective study of adults (≥ 18 years of age presenting with acute febrile illness within 72 hours from illness onset upon informed consent. Patients were followed up over a 3-4 week period to determine the clinical outcome. A total of 2,129 adults were enrolled in the study, of which 250 (11.7% had dengue. Differences in the rates of dengue-associated symptoms resulted in high sensitivities when the WHO 1997 or 2009 classification schemes for probable dengue fever were applied to the cohort. However, when the cases were stratified into age groups, fewer older adults reported symptoms such as myalgia, arthralgia, retro-orbital pain and mucosal bleeding, resulting in reduced sensitivity of the WHO classification schemes. On the other hand, the risks of severe dengue and hospitalization were not diminished in older adults, indicating that this group of patients can benefit from early diagnosis, especially when an antiviral drug becomes available. Our data also suggests that older adults who present with fever and leukopenia should be tested for dengue, even in the absence of other symptoms. CONCLUSION: Early clinical diagnosis based on previously defined symptoms that are associated with dengue, even when used in the schematics of both the WHO 1997 and 2009 classifications, is difficult in older adults.

  1. Research advances in indicators for early diagnosis of liver cirrhosis patients with renal impairment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LU Lifang

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The liver is closely associated with the kidney, and liver injury in various stages can cause various kidney diseases to varying degrees, which further lead to renal impairment. Such renal impairment in the early stage is often functional and can be reversed by drugs, otherwise it can progress to hepatorenal syndrome, cause acute renal failure, and even threaten human life. The indicators such as serum creatinine and urea nitrogen have a limited effect in the early diagnosis of renal impairment and cannot be used for early monitoring and diagnosis of liver cirrhosis patients with renal impairment. Therefore, early monitoring of liver cirrhosis patients with renal impairment has always been a hot topic in this field. This article summarizes the research advances in the indicators for early diagnosis of renal impairment.

  2. Biomarkers in the early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CHEN Sheng-di

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Parkinson's disease (PD is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disorder. It has become clear that PD can have a preclinical phase, a period during which neurodegeneration has already begun years before the onset of typical motor symptoms. Consequently, if the early neurodegeneration in PD can be timely diagnosed, it will significantly slow down the progression of the disease and improve the quality of life. To date, there is no fully reliable and validated biomarker for the early diagnosis of PD, but some promising biomarker candidates exist.

  3. Roentgenoendoscopic diagnosis of early stomach cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vinner, M.G.; Kopytov, I.I.

    1984-01-01

    Some potentialities of the X-ray and endoscopic methods in the recognition of early stomach cancer are analysed. Both methods are provided by a roentgenotogist. Of 396 operated patients with stomach cancer, early forms were detected in 78 which is equal to 8% of the detected number and 19.7% of the operated cancer pasients. Two macroscopic forms of early cancer were detected: cancer with ulceration (erosion-ulcerative form) and polypoidcancer. The first form is interpreted as primary-ulcerative cancer, malignant ulcers and cancer in the form of erosions, the second one as polyps, polypoid and patchlike cancer, malignant polyps. X-ray changes were detected in 80% of the patients, in the rest of 20% by the endoscopic method only. With the help of the roentgenological and endoscopic methods (without cytological examination) one cannot be sure of accurate differential diagnosis between malignant and benign variants of ulcerations and polypoid changes in early cancer. The potentialities of the X-ray method ir the detection of ulcerative and polypoid changes of the stomach make it possible to improve it, though under a strict condition of performing subsequent obligatory endoscopy and getting tissue specimens for biopsy. The organization of the common roentgenoendoscopic centers is found appropriate

  4. Early Infant Diagnosis of HIV Infection in Southeastern Nigeria ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    METHODS: HIV-exposed infants were recruited for DNA PCR (early infant diagnosis). ... Mothers were given pre-test counselling. ... their mothers received PARV but the babies had no post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), while two (12.5%) of 16 ...

  5. Roentgenographic diagnosis of early stomach cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suh, Jung Ho; Choi, Byung Sook; Choi, Heung Jai [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1970-10-15

    The most significant feature of early carcinoma, be defined as the gastric carcinoma confined in mucosa and submucosal regardless of its size and shape, is its excellent prognosis; 5 year survival rate after operation in early stomach carcinoma amounts to 93 percent in comparison with around 25 percent in advanced carcinoma, and so the detection of this early stomach carcinoma is most important subject to minimize the mortality from stomach carcinoma at the present time. For the diagnosis of the early stomach carcinoma the radiographic study, cytology and gastroscopic examination are practised, and of those the radiographic study has been revealed commonly best results, but by usual method of upper G-I study it is often difficult to diagnose accurately. Therefore, we have been employed the barium and air double contrast method by insertion of the gastric tube. This method is simple and by this method, the adequate amount of air may introduced into the stomach for the best visualization of the mucosal pattern and gastric juice may also aspirated in a case of which the stomach wall could not be coated by barium because of excessive gastric juice. Summary of the results of this studies of early carcinoma detection at the department of radiology, Severance Hospital during 6 months since May 1969 are as followings; of 1407 cases taken upper G-I study with double contrast method, 17 cases were diagnosed as possible early stomach carcinoma radiographically, and then only 6 cases had surgical resection of stomach. Of these 2 cases were confirmed pathologically and one was considered as precancerots lesion.

  6. Roentgenographic diagnosis of early stomach cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suh, Jung Ho; Choi, Byung Sook; Choi, Heung Jai

    1970-01-01

    The most significant feature of early carcinoma, be defined as the gastric carcinoma confined in mucosa and submucosal regardless of its size and shape, is its excellent prognosis; 5 year survival rate after operation in early stomach carcinoma amounts to 93 percent in comparison with around 25 percent in advanced carcinoma, and so the detection of this early stomach carcinoma is most important subject to minimize the mortality from stomach carcinoma at the present time. For the diagnosis of the early stomach carcinoma the radiographic study, cytology and gastroscopic examination are practised, and of those the radiographic study has been revealed commonly best results, but by usual method of upper G-I study it is often difficult to diagnose accurately. Therefore, we have been employed the barium and air double contrast method by insertion of the gastric tube. This method is simple and by this method, the adequate amount of air may introduced into the stomach for the best visualization of the mucosal pattern and gastric juice may also aspirated in a case of which the stomach wall could not be coated by barium because of excessive gastric juice. Summary of the results of this studies of early carcinoma detection at the department of radiology, Severance Hospital during 6 months since May 1969 are as followings; of 1407 cases taken upper G-I study with double contrast method, 17 cases were diagnosed as possible early stomach carcinoma radiographically, and then only 6 cases had surgical resection of stomach. Of these 2 cases were confirmed pathologically and one was considered as precancerots lesion

  7. Usefulness of high-resolution sonography in early diagnosis of rabbit clonorchiasis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Jae Hoon; Choi, Don Gil; Chung, Il Gyu; Phyun, Lae Hyun; Pyeun, Yong Seon; Hong, Sung Tae; Lee, Me Jeong

    1999-01-01

    To determine the role of high-resolution sonography in the early diagnosis of experimentally induced clonorchiasis in rabbits. We performed sonographic examination weekly in 22 lightly-infected rabbits (10 rabbits infected with 10 metacercariae, 6 rabbits infected with 20 metacercariae, and 6 rabbits infected with 40 metacercariae), and 10 heavily-infected rabbits (500 metacercariae). The sonographic criterion of diagnosis with dilatation of the intrahepatic ducts. We sacrificed lightly-infected rabbits and counted numbers of adult worms of clonorchis sinensis 9 weeks after infection. Sonographic abnormalities were found 3 weeks after infection in 2 lightly-infected rabbits and 5 heavily-infected rabbits. On sonography at 9 weeks after infection, we observed dilatation of the intrahepatic ducts in 11 (65%) of 17 lightly-infected rabbits and all of 10 heavily-infected rabbits. High-resolution sonography is very useful in early diagnosis of rabbits clonorchiasis.

  8. Usefulness of high-resolution sonography in early diagnosis of rabbit clonorchiasis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lim, Jae Hoon; Choi, Don Gil; Chung, Il Gyu; Phyun, Lae Hyun; Pyeun, Yong Seon [Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Sung Tae; Lee, Me Jeong [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1999-09-15

    To determine the role of high-resolution sonography in the early diagnosis of experimentally induced clonorchiasis in rabbits. We performed sonographic examination weekly in 22 lightly-infected rabbits (10 rabbits infected with 10 metacercariae, 6 rabbits infected with 20 metacercariae, and 6 rabbits infected with 40 metacercariae), and 10 heavily-infected rabbits (500 metacercariae). The sonographic criterion of diagnosis with dilatation of the intrahepatic ducts. We sacrificed lightly-infected rabbits and counted numbers of adult worms of clonorchis sinensis 9 weeks after infection. Sonographic abnormalities were found 3 weeks after infection in 2 lightly-infected rabbits and 5 heavily-infected rabbits. On sonography at 9 weeks after infection, we observed dilatation of the intrahepatic ducts in 11 (65%) of 17 lightly-infected rabbits and all of 10 heavily-infected rabbits. High-resolution sonography is very useful in early diagnosis of rabbits clonorchiasis.

  9. A possible new diagnostic biomarker in early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kork, Felix; Holthues, Jan; Hellweg, Rainer

    2009-01-01

    Early diagnosis in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is of great importance since only a sufficient treatment in early stages of this disease helps to keep patients in an autonomous state for as long as possible. Until now, there is no single diagnostic biomarker for AD derived from material...

  10. Risk factors for pancreatic cancer and early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamao, Kenji; Mizuno, Nobumasa; Sawaki, Akira; Shimizu, Yasuhiro; Chang, K.J.

    2008-01-01

    This paper describes the strategy for improving the poor prognosis of the pancreatic (P) cancer by its early imaging diagnosis followed by resection, based on recent findings on its high risk group. Epidemiological studies have revealed that patients with diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, intraductal papillary-mucious tumor, P cyst, familial history of P cancer, and hereditary P cancer syndrome are involved in the high risk group of P cancer. Imaging diagnosis with CT and/or endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) followed by histological confirmation for resection can be a useful approach to improve the prognosis in those high risk, asymptomatic individuals with abnormal levels of P enzyme and tumor marker, and with US findings of P ductal dilation and cyst. The guideline 2006 for P cancer by Japan Pancreas Society shows the algorithm leading to the final diagnosis for the positive high risk group: firstly, CT and/or MRCP (MR cholangiopancreatography (CP)); or, in case of uncertainty, EUS and/or ERCP (E retrograde CP) and/or PET; and finally, cytological, histological diagnosis. The newer approach proposed recently for the group is: multi detector row (MD)-CT and EUS; then cytodiagnosis guided by ERCP and/or with fine needle aspiration by EUS, also a promising early diagnosis. As well, molecular biological approaches are supposedly useful for the future diagnosis. (R.T.)

  11. EARLY COMPLICATIONS IN BARIATRIC SURGERY: incidence, diagnosis and treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Aurelio SANTO

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Context Bariatric surgery has proven to be the most effective method of treating severe obesity. Nevertheless, the acceptance of bariatric surgery is still questioned. The surgical complications observed in the early postoperative period following surgeries performed to treat severe obesity are similar to those associated with other major surgeries of the gastrointestinal tract. However, given the more frequent occurrence of medical comorbidities, these patients require special attention in the early postoperative follow-up. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of these complications are directly associated with a greater probability of control. Method The medical records of 538 morbidly obese patients who underwent surgical treatment (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery were reviewed. Ninety-three (17.2% patients were male and 445 (82.8% were female. The ages of the patients ranged from 18 to 70 years (average = 46, and their body mass indices ranged from 34.6 to 77 kg/m2. Results Early complications occurred in 9.6% and were distributed as follows: 2.6% presented bleeding, intestinal obstruction occurred in 1.1%, peritoneal infections occurred in 3.2%, and 2.2% developed abdominal wall infections that required hospitalization. Three (0.5% patients experienced pulmonary thromboembolism. The mortality rate was 0,55%. Conclusion The incidence of early complications was low. The diagnosis of these complications was mostly clinical, based on the presence of signs and symptoms. The value of the clinical signs and early treatment, specially in cases of sepsis, were essential to the favorable surgical outcome. The mortality was mainly related to thromboembolism and advanced age, over 65 years.

  12. Early diagnosis and Early Start Denver Model intervention in autism spectrum disorders delivered in an Italian Public Health System service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devescovi, Raffaella; Monasta, Lorenzo; Mancini, Alice; Bin, Maura; Vellante, Valerio; Carrozzi, Marco; Colombi, Costanza

    2016-01-01

    Early diagnosis combined with an early intervention program, such as the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), can positively influence the early natural history of autism spectrum disorders. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an early ESDM-inspired intervention, in a small group of toddlers, delivered at low intensity by the Italian Public Health System. Twenty-one toddlers at risk for autism spectrum disorders, aged 20-36 months, received 3 hours/wk of one-to-one ESDM-inspired intervention by trained therapists, combined with parents' and teachers' active engagement in ecological implementation of treatment. The mean duration of treatment was 15 months. Cognitive and communication skills, as well as severity of autism symptoms, were assessed by using standardized measures at pre-intervention (Time 0 [T0]; mean age =27 months) and post-intervention (Time 1 [T1]; mean age =42 months). Children made statistically significant improvements in the language and cognitive domains, as demonstrated by a series of nonparametric Wilcoxon tests for paired data. Regarding severity of autism symptoms, younger age at diagnosis was positively associated with greater improvement at post-assessment. Our results are consistent with the literature that underlines the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention, since prompt diagnosis can reduce the severity of autism symptoms and improve cognitive and language skills in younger children. Particularly in toddlers, it seems that an intervention model based on the ESDM principles, involving the active engagement of parents and nursery school teachers, may be effective even when the individual treatment is delivered at low intensity. Furthermore, our study supports the adaptation and the positive impact of the ESDM entirely sustained by the Italian Public Health System.

  13. Early diagnosis in primary oral cancer: is it possible?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Waal, I.; de Bree, R.; Brakenhoff, R.; Coebergh, J.W.

    2011-01-01

    In this treatise oral carcinogenesis is briefly discussed, particularly with regard to the number of cell divisions that is required before cancer reaches a measurable size. At that stage, metastatic spread may have already taken place. Therefore, the term "early diagnosis" is somewhat misleading.

  14. Contributions to early HIV diagnosis among patients linked to care vary by testing venue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trott Alexander T

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective Early HIV diagnosis reduces transmission and improves health outcomes; screening in non-traditional settings is increasingly advocated. We compared test venues by the number of new diagnoses successfully linked to the regional HIV treatment center and disease stage at diagnosis. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using structured chart review of newly diagnosed HIV patients successfully referred to the region's only HIV treatment center from 1998 to 2003. Demographics, testing indication, risk profile, and initial CD4 count were recorded. Results There were 277 newly diagnosed patients meeting study criteria. Mean age was 33 years, 77% were male, and 46% were African-American. Median CD4 at diagnosis was 324. Diagnoses were earlier via partner testing at the HIV treatment center (N = 8, median CD4 648, p = 0.008 and with universal screening by the blood bank, military, and insurance companies (N = 13, median CD4 483, p = 0.05 than at other venues. Targeted testing by health care and public health entities based on patient request, risk profile, or patient condition lead to later diagnosis. Conclusion Test venues varied by the number of new diagnoses made and the stage of illness at diagnosis. To improve the rate of early diagnosis, scarce resources should be allocated to maximize the number of new diagnoses at screening venues where diagnoses are more likely to be early or alter testing strategies at test venues where diagnoses are traditionally made late. Efforts to improve early diagnosis should be coordinated longitudinally on a regional basis according to this conceptual paradigm.

  15. Xenon ventilation-perfusion lung scans. The early diagnosis of inhalation injury

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schall, G.L.; McDonald, H.D.; Carr, L.B.; Capozzi, A.

    1978-01-01

    The use of xenon Xe-133 ventilation-perfusion lung scans for the early diagnosis of inhalation injury was evaluated in 67 patients with acute thermal burns. Study results were interpreted as normal if there was complete pulmonary clearance of the radioactive gas by 150 seconds. Thirty-two scans were normal, 32 abnormal, and three technically inadequate. There were three true false-positive study results and one false-negative study result. Good correlation was found between the scan results and various historical, physical, and laboratory values currently used to evaluate inhalation injury. The scans appeared to be the most sensitive method for the detection of early involvement, often being abnormal several days before the chest roentgenogram. Xenon lung scanning is a safe, easy, accurate, and sensitive method for the early diagnosis of inhalation injury and has important therapeutic and prognostic implications as well

  16. [Recent developments in biopsy diagnosis of early and undefined liver tumors].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longerich, T; Schirmacher, P

    2009-01-01

    Biopsy diagnosis of early and highly differentiated liver tumors is difficult and complex. Modern pathology has met this challenge by several different means; elaborate morphological algorithms and novel immunohistological markers support the differential diagnosis of highly differentiated HCC and a new, predictive molecular pathological and histological classification of liver cell adenoma was developed. By these new diagnostic tools together with the so-called 'matrix diagnosis' a reliable diagnostic classification is now feasible in the vast majority of these difficult cases.

  17. Early diagnosis and Early Start Denver Model intervention in autism spectrum disorders delivered in an Italian Public Health System service

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Devescovi R

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Raffaella Devescovi,1 Lorenzo Monasta,2 Alice Mancini,3 Maura Bin,1 Valerio Vellante,1 Marco Carrozzi,1 Costanza Colombi4 1Division of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, 2Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health Research Unit, Institute for Maternal and Child Health – IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, Trieste, 3Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; 4Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Background: Early diagnosis combined with an early intervention program, such as the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM, can positively influence the early natural history of autism spectrum disorders. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an early ESDM-inspired intervention, in a small group of toddlers, delivered at low intensity by the Italian Public Health System.Methods: Twenty-one toddlers at risk for autism spectrum disorders, aged 20–36 months, received 3 hours/wk of one-to-one ESDM-inspired intervention by trained therapists, combined with parents’ and teachers’ active engagement in ecological implementation of treatment. The mean duration of treatment was 15 months. Cognitive and communication skills, as well as severity of autism symptoms, were assessed by using standardized measures at pre-intervention (Time 0 [T0]; mean age =27 months and post-intervention (Time 1 [T1]; mean age =42 months.Results: Children made statistically significant improvements in the language and cognitive domains, as demonstrated by a series of nonparametric Wilcoxon tests for paired data. Regarding severity of autism symptoms, younger age at diagnosis was positively associated with greater improvement at post-assessment.Conclusion: Our results are consistent with the literature that underlines the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention, since prompt diagnosis can reduce the severity of autism symptoms and improve cognitive and language skills in younger children

  18. Early fault detection and diagnosis for nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berg, O.; Grini, R.; Masao Yokobayashi

    1988-01-01

    Fault detection based on a number of reference models is demonstrated. This approach is characterized by the possibility of detecting faults before a traditional alarm system is triggered, even in dynamic situations. Further, by a proper decomposition scheme and use of available process measurements, the problem area can be confined to the faulty process parts. A diagnosis system using knowledge engineering techniques is described. Typical faults are classified and described by rules involving alarm patterns and variations of important parameters. By structuring the fault hypotheses in a hierarchy the search space is limited which is important for real time diagnosis. Introduction of certainty factors improve the flexibility and robustness of diagnosis by exploring parallel problems even when some data are missing. A new display proposal should facilitate the operator interface and the integration of fault detection and diagnosis tasks in disturbance handling. The techniques of early fault detection and diagnosis are presently being implemented and tested in the experimental control room of a full-scope PWR simulator in Halden

  19. Improving outcomes in patients with melanoma: strategies to ensure an early diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Voss RK

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Rachel K Voss,1 Tessa N Woods,1 Kate D Cromwell,1 Kelly C Nelson,2 Janice N Cormier1 1Department of Surgical Oncology, 2Department of Dermatology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA Abstract: Patients with thin, low-risk melanomas have an excellent long-term prognosis and higher quality of life than those who are diagnosed at later stages. From an economic standpoint, treatment of early stage melanoma consumes a fraction of the health care resources needed to treat advanced disease. Consequently, early diagnosis of melanoma is in the best interest of patients, payers, and health care systems. This review describes strategies to ensure that patients receive an early diagnosis through interventions ranging from better utilization of primary care clinics, to in vivo diagnostic technologies, to new “apps” available in the market. Strategies for screening those at high risk due to age, male sex, skin type, nevi, genetic mutations, or family history are discussed. Despite progress in identifying those at high risk for melanoma, there remains a lack of general consensus worldwide for best screening practices. Strategies to ensure early diagnosis of recurrent disease in those with a prior melanoma diagnosis are also reviewed. Variations in recurrence surveillance practices by type of provider and country are featured, with evidence demonstrating that various imaging studies, including ultrasound, computed tomography, positron emission tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, provide only minimal gains in life expectancy, even for those with more advanced (stage III disease. Because the majority of melanomas are attributable to ultraviolet radiation in the form of sunlight, primary prevention strategies, including sunscreen use and behavioral interventions, are reviewed. Recent international government regulation of tanning beds is described, as well as issues surrounding the continued use artificial ultraviolet

  20. Practical Aspects Regarding the Histopathological Diagnosis of Early Mycosis Fungoides

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tebeică T.

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Mycosis fungoides is the most common primary T-cell lymphoma of skin. The disease has a protean clinical and histological presentation in its early patch and plaque stages, when distinction from mimicking inflammatory dermatoses is difficult. Since no single criterion is specific enough, a reliable diagnosis in early stages requires integration of clinical, histopathological and molecular findings. In skin biopsies, the most helpful histologic features are the detection of atypical lymphocytes in the epidermis with minimal epidermal changes, basal alignment of lymphocytes along dermal-epidermal junction and formation of Pautrier microabscesses. An aberrant immunophenotype of T cells and molecular detection of a clonal T-cell population are factors that could allow a more specific diagnosis. This work recapitulates and discusses these features from a practical perspective.

  1. Early fault detection and on-line diagnosis in real-time environments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas Bye

    1993-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes an approach to fault detection and diagnosis involving the simultaneous employment of quantitative and qualitative reasoning techniques. We show that early identification of process anomalies by means of a separate fault detection module paves the way for a fast and accuratc follow-up diagnosis. The diagnosis task is dramatically simplified because the diagnostic inferences can be performed at the soonest possible time: when the detection module first spots deviations between its calculated reference points and the corresponding measurements from the process.

  2. Computed Tomography Perfusion Usefulness in Early Imaging Diagnosis of Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marco de Lucas, E.; Mandly, Gonzalez A.; Gutierrez, A.; Sanchez, E.; Arnaiz, J.; Piedra, T.; Rodriguez, E.; Diez, C.

    2006-01-01

    An early diagnosis is crucial in herpes simplex virus encephalitis patients in order to institute acyclovir therapy and reduce mortality rates. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered the gold standard for evaluation of these patients, but is frequently not available in the emergency setting. We report the first case of a computed tomography (CT) perfusion study that helped to establish a prompt diagnosis revealing abnormal increase of blood flow in the affected temporoparietal cortex at an early stage

  3. Early versus late diagnosis in community-acquired bacterial meningitis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bodilsen, J; Brandt, C T; Sharew, A

    2018-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To examine clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with late diagnosis of community-acquired bacterial meningitis (CABM). METHODS: We conducted a chart review of all adults with proven CABM in three centres in Denmark from 1998 through to 2014. Patients were categorized...... as early diagnosis of CABM immediately on admission, or late diagnosis if CABM was not listed in referral or admission records and neither lumbar puncture nor antibiotic therapy for meningitis was considered immediately on admission. We used modified Poisson regression analysis to compute adjusted relative...... differences (p 65 years (56/113, 50% versus 67/245, 27%), neck stiffness (35/97, 36% versus 183/234, 78%), concomitant pneumonia (26/113, 23% versus 26/245, 11%), and meningococcal meningitis (6/113, 5% versus 52/245, 21%). These variables...

  4. Accessibility of services for early infant diagnosis of Human ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Accessibility of services for early infant diagnosis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review. ... infants who received a virological test within the first 2 months of life in sub-Saharan Africa varied from 3 to 58%, far below the 80% recommended level by the World Health Organization.

  5. Early diagnosis and treatmente of hydronephrosis in childhood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kokorkin A.D.

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate early and late results of the diagnosis and treatment of children with congenital hydronephrosis. Materials and methods. Conducted diagnosis and treatment of 47 children with hydronephrosis. Comparing the immediate and long6term outcomes in the two groups: primary (n=22 and control (n=25. In the study group vice diagnosed prenatally was exposed using ultrasound diagnostics and MRI. In the control group exhibited diagnosed after hospital survey for recurrent pyelonephritis. Results and discussion. All children performed surgery on the methodology of Andersen—Hines. Duration of external drainage of the urinary tract in the control group was 14–15 days in core — 7–8 days. In 9% of the children performing morphological situation demanded organo6blowing operation. In the late postoperative period in comparison groups differed significantly in the number of recurrent pyelonephritis background of sustained reductions in dilation of the urinary tract and the growth layer parenchymal kidney operated respectively 88% and 75% of the operated patients. Conclusions. Early verification of congenital hydronephrosis affects the outcomes of vice and to prevent deformation of the kidney function and save it. Late diagnosis on the background of persistent urinary tract infections in 9% of cases leads to organo-blowing operation. Persistent infection of the urinary tract is dependent on the timing of postoperative drainage of the kidney. The optimal duration of drainage 7–8 days. Prenatally diagnosed vice number of recurrences of urinary tract infections in the late postoperative period was 8%, and 87% of renal morphometric parameters were approaching the age norm.

  6. Early prenatal diagnosis of ischiopagus conjoined twins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmet Mete Ergenoğlu

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Conjoined twins are very rare and the incidence of them vary about 1/50,000 and 1/100,000. They are named according to the joint parts. Embryos are conjoined at the level of ischium in ischiopagus. A case of ischiopagus will be presented in this article. Case: A twenty-seven year old women who is 9-10 weeks pregnant with a history of 1 abortus applied to the Ege University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology for routine follow-up. Ultrasonography revealed a twin pregnancy but the embryos were attached at the pelvic region. 3D Doppler sonography confirmed the diagnosis of ischiopagus tetrapus. The patient's decision of termination of pregnancy is concluded at Perinatology Council of the clinic. Conclusion: Ischiopagus conjoined twins are very rare. Early prenatal diagnosis will prevent the maternal complications during the termination of the pregnancy.

  7. Mammography combined with breast dynamic contrast-enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging for the diagnosis of early breast cancer

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Yakun He; Guohui Xu; Jin Ren; Bin Feng; Xiaolei Dong; Hao Lu; Changjiu He

    2016-01-01

    Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the application of mammography combined with breast dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) for the diagnosis of early breast cancer. Methods Mammography and DCE-MRI were performed for 120 patients with breast cancer (malignant, 102; benign; 18). Results The sensitivity of mammography for early diagnosis of breast cancer was 66.67%, specificity was 77.78%, and accuracy was 68.33%. The sensitivity of MRI for early diagnosis of breast cancer was 94.12%, specificity was 88.89%, and accuracy was 93.33%. However, the sensitivity of mammography combined with DCE-MRI volume imaging with enhanced water signal (VIEWS) scanning for early diagnosis of breast cancer was 97.06%, specificity was 94.44%, and accuracy was 96.67%. Conclusion Mammography combined with DCE-MRI increased the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of diagnosing early breast cancer.

  8. Prenatal radiographic diagnosis of alpha-fetoprotein positive malformations in early pregnancy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Probst, F.P.; Sigurd, J.

    1980-01-01

    Early diagnosis of two malformed fetuses with positive alpha-fetoprotein test of the amniotic fluid with the aid of amniography is reported. Radiographic, diagnostic and prognostic aspects are discussed. (Auth.)

  9. Endoscopic Management of Early Adenocarcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Esophagus: Screening, Diagnosis, and Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    di Pietro, Massimiliano; Canto, Marcia I; Fitzgerald, Rebecca C

    2018-01-01

    Because the esophagus is easily accessible with endoscopy, early diagnosis and curative treatment of esophageal cancer is possible. However, diagnosis is often delayed because symptoms are not specific during early stages of tumor development. The onset of dysphagia is associated with advanced disease, which has a survival at 5 years lower than 15%. Population screening by endoscopy is not cost-effective, but a number of alternative imaging and cell analysis technologies are under investigation. The ideal screening test should be inexpensive, well tolerated, and applicable to primary care. Over the past 10 years, significant progress has been made in endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of dysplasia (squamous and Barrett's), and early esophageal cancer using resection and ablation technologies supported by evidence from randomized controlled trials. We review the state-of-the-art technologies for early diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment, which together could reduce the burden of disease. Copyright © 2018 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Diagnosis and Early Warning of Wind Turbine Faults Based on Cluster Analysis Theory and Modified ANFIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Quan Zhou

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The construction of large-scale wind farms results in a dramatic increase of wind turbine (WT faults. The failure mode is also becoming increasingly complex. This study proposes a new model for early warning and diagnosis of WT faults to solve the problem of Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA systems, given that the traditional threshold method cannot provide timely warning. First, the characteristic quantity of fault early warning and diagnosis analyzed by clustering analysis can obtain in advance abnormal data in the normal threshold range by considering the effects of wind speed. Based on domain knowledge, Adaptive Neuro-fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS is then modified to establish the fault early warning and diagnosis model. This approach improves the accuracy of the model under the condition of absent and sparse training data. Case analysis shows that the effect of the early warning and diagnosis model in this study is better than that of the traditional threshold method.

  11. Early infant diagnosis and post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV- exposed infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gawde, Nilesh Chandrakant

    2016-01-01

    Recent scientific evidence suggests that early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among infants exposed perinatally to HIV has beneficial effects on their health and survival, and may even induce remission. This has led to the roll-out of early infant diagnosis (EID) of HIV and early treatment. Also, there is talk of using ART as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to prevent mother-to-child transmission. EID involves carrying out diagnostic tests before initiating ART. In India, current programme design of centralised diagnosis has been resulting in poor access to diagnosis and treatment. To save the lives of HIV-infected infants, it is important to prevent delay. Another issue to be kept in mind is that the results of HIV tests may turn negative after the initiation of ART. This could be due to viral remission induced by ART or false positive initial results. Differentiating between the two is difficult. To deal with such cases, we need to develop a clinical algorithm and tools for capacity-building in counselling. The use of ART as PEP is expected to encounter further challenges. Between ART as PEP and EID, the later has advantages from an ethical perspective. There is a need to address the ethical issues within the EID programme by strengthening the current mechanisms for protecting the rights of HIV-exposed infants.

  12. New and chronic use of hypnotics after diagnosis with early breast cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Lærke Toftegård; Suppli, Nis Frederik Palm; Dalton, Susanne Oksbjerg

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: To determine use and investigate factors associated with use of hypnotics the first year after a diagnosis with breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective registry based cohort study linking clinical data from the Danish Breast Cancer Group with the National Prescription Drug...... Database and other health and administrative registries. We included 26 082 women diagnosed with early breast cancer as first time primary cancer during 1996-2006. Use of hypnotics was measured as redeemed prescriptions in the first year after diagnosis of early breast cancer. Prior use of hypnotics.......21-1.42)] and use of antidepressants the year before breast cancer diagnosis [HR 1.97 (95% CI 1.85-2.10)]. CONCLUSION: This study detected a group of patients at great risk for initiating and increasing use of hypnotics and preventive and prophylactic mechanism should be investigated and initiated when this group...

  13. Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer using Molecular, Biochemical and Pathological Markers

    OpenAIRE

    Salah E.D. El-Assal; Adel A. El-Tarras; Samir M. Abd-alla

    2011-01-01

    Problem statement: Laboratory diagnosis of breast cancer in most of the hospitals has traditionally been performed using cell culture and the direct hormone receptor assay, which are money and time consuming. Approach: This study was performed in order to direct the attention toward increasing the efficiency of early diagnosis in clinical laboratories at the western region of KSA and Egypt using recent PCR-dependent protocols i.e., Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPDs) and Reverse Transc...

  14. Clinical impact of early diagnosis of autism on the prognosis and parent-child relationships

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elder JH

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Jennifer Harrison Elder,1 Consuelo Maun Kreider,2 Susan N Brasher,3 Margaret Ansell4 1Department of Family and Community Health Nursing Science, 2Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 3Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 4Health Science Center Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA Abstract: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD refers to a lifelong condition that usually appears in late infancy or early childhood, and is characterized by social and communication deficits that impede optimal functioning. Despite widespread research and greater public awareness, ASD has an unclear etiology and no known cure, making it difficult to acquire accurate and timely diagnoses. In addition, once an ASD diagnosis is made, parents find it challenging to navigate the healthcare system and determine which interventions are most effective and appropriate for their child. A growing body of evidence supports the value of early diagnosis and treatment with evidence-based interventions, which can significantly improve the quality of life of individuals with ASD as well as of their carers and families. Particularly noteworthy are early interventions that occur in natural surroundings and can be modified to address age-related goals throughout the lifespan. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to: 1 provide readers with a brief background related to ASD; 2 describe commonly used screening instruments and tools for early diagnosis; 3 describe early interventions that have empirical support; and 4 discuss how the parent–child and family relationships can be affected through this process. This information can provide professionals with information they can use to assist families who make critical and potentially life-changing decisions for children with ASD. Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, ASD, early diagnosis, early intervention, parent–child relationship

  15. EARLY DIAGNOSIS AS A PRECONDITION FOR A SUCCESSFUL COCHLEAR IMPLANTATION

    OpenAIRE

    Zora JACHOVA; Aleksandra KAROVSKA

    2007-01-01

    All researches point to the fact that the early de­tection and diagnosis are still performed late (after the third year of life), so in the first three years of life there is no establishment of the developmental changes in a way that they include the interrelation aspects of the human development and its natural sequences. With the start of early rehabilitation procedures we encourage the positive manner of communication in the small deaf child, so that it manufactures and processes informat...

  16. From darkening urine to early diagnosis of alkaptonuria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peker Erdal

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Alkaptonuria is a rare disorder of metabolism characterized by deficiency of homogentisic acid oxidase. Characteristic features include darkening of urine, ochronosis, and arthropathy. Darkening of urine is the only sign of the disorder in the pediatric age group, and it occurs at very early stage of the disorder, as reported by the parents. A 4-year-old boy presented to our clinic with the complaint of dark urine and bluish black staining of clothes. This darkening pointed to a positive physical history of bluish discoloration of sclerae which occurred off and on. We initiated treatment with ascorbic acid and a protein diet with restriction of phenylalanine and tyrosine (1.6 g/kg/d. This case report is significant because of the early diagnosis made.

  17. Palatal radicular groove: Clinical implications of early diagnosis and surgical sealing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P Corrêa-Faria

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Palatal radicular groove is a discreet alteration in tooth morphology, characterized by an invagination that begins near the cingulum of the tooth and moves in an apical direction. Clinically, palatal radicular groove may be associated with periodontal and/or endodontic problems. This paper describes a clinical case of a young patient with palatal radicular groove with no signs of periodontal disease or endodontic impairment. An early diagnosis was made and treatment consisted of surgical sealing of the defect. After a 2-year period, reexaminations demonstrated adequate hygiene, maintenance of tooth vitality and periodontal health. The early diagnosis and sealing of the groove observed surgically made the root surface smooth, avoiding subgingival bacterial plaque buildup, and preventing possible periodontal and/or pulp impairment stemming from the defect.

  18. Effectiveness of near-infrared transillumination in early caries diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirela Marinova-Takorova

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Early caries detection is essential for minimal intervention dentistry, since it could give the opportunity to reverse the process and eliminate or at least postpone the surgical treatment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of near-infrared transillumination in early caries diagnosis for both occlusal and proximal lesions. Thirty-eight adult patients were included in the study. The results from the visual, radiological and near-infrared transillumination examination for proximal caries lesions were compared. The diagnostic abilities of these methods for occlusal lesions were assayed on 60 teeth. The three methods showed a very high level of correlation when there were caries lesions involving the enamel and dentin. Concerning proximal caries involving only the enamel, the visual--tactile diagnosis proved to be insufficiently sensitive even with the use of magnification. Radiographic examination and near-infrared transillumination correlated significantly, but the latter was more sensitive. Radiographic examination proved to be insufficiently sensitive for occlusal lesions. The results obtained with the near-infrared fluorescence correlated most with the visual–tactile examination. These results suggest that near-infrared transillumination is an effective method for diagnosis of lesions both involving only the enamel and involving the enamel and dentin. It could be used for both occlusal and proximal caries lesions and it could eventually substitute radiographic bitewings, especially in children and pregnant women, due to its efficiency as a diagnostic tool and the absence of radiation.

  19. Oral squamocellular carcinoma with early diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Napier de SouzaI, Leandro; Albuquerque de Brito, Antonio

    2010-01-01

    The squamocellular carcinoma is a malignant neoplasm commonest in the buccal cavity. The more frequently involved anatomical sites are the lower lip, the tongue's lateral edges and the mouth floor. Its etiology is multifactor although it is closely related to smoking and alcoholism. Clinical picture is generally characterized by the presence of different types of white, erythematous, between erythematous and white plaques, ulcers with raised edges and exophytic masses. Treatment includes surgical removal, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or both. In present paper the case of a man aged 70 presenting with buccal squamous carcinoma describing the clinical, and the histopathologic findings and its corresponding treatment. The early and appropriate diagnosis allowed the cure of this case. (author)

  20. Early diagnosis and empiric therapy for cirrhosis associated with infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    NAN Yuemin

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Infection is a frequent complication of cirrhosis, which often occurs in the lungs, chest, abdomen, biliary tract, urinary tract, soft tissue, and skin, and occasionally causes spontaneous bacteremia in patients. This paper reviews the risk factors and common types of infection in cirrhosis associated with infection, and the early diagnosis and symptomatic treatment of different types of infection. Moreover, this paper points out that cirrhosis associated with infection is a key factor for disease progression and the early diagnosis and treatment are essential for successful treatment. The third-generation cephalosporins are the first-line antibiotic agents. Drug-resistant bacteria should be treated with antibiotic compound containing β-lactamase inhibitors or carbapenems. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus should be treated with glycopeptide antibiotics or combination therapies. Pulmonary mycoses are mainly treated with caspofungin or voriconazole. Antibiotics combined with supportive therapies including the administration of albumin can improve the treatment outcome and prognosis.

  1. Novel PET molecular probes for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kong Yanyan; Guan Yihui; Wu Ping

    2012-01-01

    Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and will become increasingly prevalent with population aging. It is accepted that the pathologic changes underlying AD appear in the brain years to decades before the symptomatic stages. Clinical measures of cognitive impairment, as used for definition of dementia, will not allow early diagnosis of AD-pathology in the mild or asymptomatic stages. There has been growing interest in early diagnosis of this disease, particularly regarding the initiation of new treatment strategies ahead of the onset of irreversible neuronal damage. Brain imaging markers are among the most promising candidates for this diagnostic challenge. PET has been demonstrated to be a most sensitive, specific, noninvasive, objective and quantitative method for early identification of AD-pathology and molecular biology, thus for prediction of dementia of the Alzheimer type, even in the mild and asymptomatic stages. (authors)

  2. HRCT in the evaluation and diagnosis of the early/active pulmonary tuberculosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tan Gao; Liu Xueguo; Zhang Qingwen; Wang Ying; Li Zhanjun; Zhang Cuiyun; Wang Jian; He Yanli; Hong Guobin

    2003-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the HRCT findings of early/active pulmonary tuberculosis before and after antituberculous chemotherapy. Methods: One hundred tuberculous patients were studied prospectively and they were divided into 2 groups according to the history. The diagnosis of early active pulmonary tuberculosis was based on positive acid-fast bacilli in sputum (75 patients) and changes on serial radiographs obtained during treatment (25 patients). The correlation between pathology and imaging was done in the lungs from the cadavers of five other patients who died of pulmonary tuberculosis. Results: Comparing with the presence of other HRCT findings, the presence of centrilobular lesions (93.0%), tree-in-bud appearance (76.0%), and wall thickening of bronchioles (70.0%) were most common signs in both the first group consisting of 66 patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis and the second group consisting of 34 patients with recent reactivation of pulmonary tuberculosis at examination by HRCT, and there was significant difference between the presence of those signs and other signs (P<0.001). Conclusion: Centrilobular lesion appeared to be the most commonly seen characteristic HRCT features of early active tuberculosis, and it may be helpful to the diagnosis and (or ) differential diagnosis if combined with other commonly seen characteristic HRCT features as well as clinical information

  3. Computational Intelligence Method for Early Diagnosis Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever Using Fuzzy on Mobile Device

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salman Afan

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Mortality from Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF is still increasing in Indonesia particularly in Jakarta. Diagnosis of the dengue shall be made as early as possible so that first aid can be given in expectation of decreasing death risk. The Study will be conducted by developing expert system based on Computational Intelligence Method. On the first year, study will use the Fuzzy Inference System (FIS Method to diagnose Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever particularly in Mobile Device consist of smart phone. Expert system application which particularly using fuzzy system can be applied in mobile device and it is useful to make early diagnosis of Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever that produce outcome faster than laboratory test. The evaluation of this application is conducted by performing accuracy test before and after validation using data of patient who has the Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever. This expert system application is easy, convenient, and practical to use, also capable of making the early diagnosis of Dengue Haemorraghic to avoid mortality in the first stage.

  4. Magnetic resonance imaging markers for early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Silvia Marino; Rosella Ciurleo; Giuseppe Di Lorenzo; Marina Barresi; Simona De Salvo; Sabrina Giacoppo; Alessia Bramanti; Pietro Lanzafame; Placido Bramanti

    2012-01-01

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by selective and progressive degeneration, as well as loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. In PD, approximately 60-70% of nigrostriatal neurons are degenerated and 80% of content of the striatal dopamine is reduced before the diagnosis can be established according to widely accepted clinical diagnostic criteria. This condition describes a stage of disease called "prodromal", where non-motor symptoms, such as olfactory dysfunction, constipation, rapid eye movement behaviour disorder, depression, precede motor sign of PD. Detection of prodromal phase of PD is becoming an important goal for determining the prognosis and choosing a suitable treatment strategy. In this review, we present some non-invasive instrumental approaches that could be useful to identify patients in the prodromal phase of PD or in an early clinical phase, when the first motor symptoms begin to be apparent. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and advanced MRI techniques, such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging, diffusion-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging and functional MRI, are useful to differentiate early PD with initial motor symptoms from atypical parkinsonian disorders, thus, making easier early diagnosis. Functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging techniques can show abnormalities in the olfactory system in prodromal PD.

  5. Metabolomics as a promising tool for early osteoarthritis diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E.B. de Sousa

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Osteoarthritis (OA is the main cause of disability worldwide, due to progressive articular cartilage loss and degeneration. According to recent research, OA is more than just a degenerative disease due to some metabolic components associated to its pathogenesis. However, no biomarker has been identified to detect this disease at early stages or to track its development. Metabolomics is an emerging field and has the potential to detect many metabolites in a single spectrum using high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR techniques or mass spectrometry (MS. NMR is a reproducible and reliable non-destructive analytical method. On the other hand, MS has a lower detection limit and is more destructive, but it is more sensitive. NMR and MS are useful for biological fluids, such as urine, blood plasma, serum, or synovial fluid, and have been used for metabolic profiling in dogs, mice, sheep, and humans. Thus, many metabolites have been listed as possibly associated to OA pathogenesis. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of the studies in animal models and humans, regarding the use of metabolomics as a tool for early osteoarthritis diagnosis. The concept of osteoarthritis as a metabolic disease and the importance of detecting a biomarker for its early diagnosis are highlighted. Then, some studies in plasma and synovial tissues are shown, and finally the application of metabolomics in the evaluation of synovial fluid is described.

  6. Chlorophyll as a biomarker for early disease diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manzoor Atta, Babar; Saleem, M.; Ali, Hina; Arshad, Hafiz Muhammad Imran; Ahmed, M.

    2018-06-01

    The current study was designed to identify the stage for the diagnosis of disease before visible symptoms appeared. Fluorescence spectroscopy has been employed to identify disease signatures for its early diagnosis in rice plant leaves. Bacterial leaf blight (BLB) diseased and healthy leaf samples were collected from the rice fields in September, 2017 which were then used to record spectra using an excitation wavelength at 410 nm. The spectral range of emission was set from 420 to 800 nm which covers the blue–green and the chlorophyll bands. It was found that diseased leaves have a narrower ‘chlorophyll a’ band than healthy ones, and furthermore, that the emission band at 730 nm was either declined or depleted in the sample with high infection symptoms. In contrast, the blue–green region was observed to increase due to the emergence of disease. As the band intensity of chlorophyll decreases during infection, this decrease in chlorophyll content and increase in the blue–green spectral region could provide a new approach for predicting BLB at an early stage. The important finding was that the chlorophyll degradation and rise in the blue–green region take place in leaves with BLB or during BLB infection. Principal component analysis has been applied to spectral data which successfully separated diseased samples from healthy ones even with very small spectral variations.

  7. Early diagnosis of Gorlin-Goltz syndrome: case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casaroto, Ana R; Loures, Daniela C N Rocha; Moreschi, Eduardo; Veltrini, Vanessa C; Trento, Cleverson L; Gottardo, Vilmar D; Lara, Vanessa S

    2011-01-25

    The Gorlin-Goltz syndrome, also known as nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS), is an infrequent multisystemic disease inherited in a dominant autosomal way, which shows a high level of penetrance and variable expressiveness. It is characterized by keratocystic odontogenic tumors (KCOT) in the jaw, multiple basal cell nevi carcinomas and skeletal abnormities. This syndrome may be diagnosed early by a dentist by routine radiographic exams in the first decade of life, since the KCOTs are usually one of the first manifestations of the syndrome. This article paper reports the case of a patient, a 10-year-old boy with NBCCS, emphasizing its clinical and radiographic manifestations. This study highlights the importance of health professionals in the early diagnosis of NBCCS and in a preventive multidisciplinary approach to provide a better prognosis for the patient.

  8. Predictors of successful early infant diagnosis of HIV in a rural district hospital in Zambézia, Mozambique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Rebecca E; Ciampa, Philip J; Sidat, Mohsin; Blevins, Meridith; Burlison, Janeen; Davidson, Mario A; Arroz, Jorge A; Vergara, Alfredo E; Vermund, Sten H; Moon, Troy D

    2011-04-01

    A key challenge inhibiting the timely initiation of pediatric antiretroviral treatment is the loss to follow-up of mothers and their infants between the time of mothers' HIV diagnoses in pregnancy and return after delivery for early infant diagnosis of HIV. We sought to identify barriers to follow-up of HIV-exposed infants in rural Zambézia Province, Mozambique. We determined follow-up rates for early infant diagnosis and age at first test in a retrospective cohort of 443 HIV-infected mothers and their infants. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with successful follow-up. Of the 443 mother-infant pairs, 217 (49%) mothers enrolled in the adult HIV care clinic, and only 110 (25%) infants were brought for early infant diagnosis. The predictors of follow-up for early infant diagnosis were larger household size (odds ratio [OR], 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.53), independent maternal source of income (OR, 10.8; 95% CI, 3.42-34.0), greater distance from the hospital (OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.01-4.51), and maternal receipt of antiretroviral therapy (OR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.02-9.73). The median age at first test among 105 infants was 5 months (interquartile range, 2-7); 16% of the tested infants were infected. Three of four HIV-infected women in rural Mozambique did not bring their children for early infant HIV diagnosis. Maternal receipt of antiretroviral therapy has favorable implications for maternal health that will increase the likelihood of early infant diagnosis. We are working with local health authorities to improve the linkage of HIV-infected women to HIV care to maximize early infant diagnosis and care.

  9. High-frequency audiometry: A means for early diagnosis of noise-induced hearing loss

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amir H Mehrparvar

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL, an irreversible disorder, is a common problem in industrial settings. Early diagnosis of NIHL can help prevent the progression of hearing loss, especially in speech frequencies. For early diagnosis of NIHL, audiometry is performed routinely in conventional frequencies. We designed this study to compare the effect of noise on high-frequency audiometry (HFA and conventional audiometry. In a historical cohort study, we compared hearing threshold and prevalence of hearing loss in conventional and high frequencies of audiometry among textile workers divided into two groups: With and without exposure to noise more than 85 dB. The highest hearing threshold was observed at 4000 Hz, 6000 Hz and 16000 Hz in conventional right ear audiometry, conventional left ear audiometry and HFA in each ear, respectively. The hearing threshold was significantly higher at 16000 Hz compared to 4000. Hearing loss was more common in HFA than conventional audiometry. HFA is more sensitive to detect NIHL than conventional audiometry. It can be useful for early diagnosis of hearing sensitivity to noise, and thus preventing hearing loss in lower frequencies especially speech frequencies.

  10. Attitudes of the German general population toward early diagnosis of dementia--results of a representative telephone survey.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tobias Luck

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Early detection of dementia has clearly improved. Even though none of the currently available treatments for the most common form of dementia, Alzheimer's dementia, promises a cure, early diagnosis provides several benefits for patients, caregivers, and health care systems. This study aimed to describe attitudes toward early diagnosis of dementia in the German general population. METHODS: A representative telephone survey of the German population aged 18+ years (n = 1,002 was conducted in 2011. RESULTS: The majority of respondents (69% would be willing to be examined for early diagnosis of dementia. Almost two thirds reported that they would prefer their general practitioner (GP as the first source of professional help. More than half of the respondents (55% stated their belief that dementia could be prevented. Respondents mostly indicated psychosocial prevention options. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the general population in Germany is very open to early diagnosis of dementia; however, this seems connected with large expectations on the effectiveness of prevention options. Dementia awareness campaigns may be employed to carefully inform the public about the prevention options currently available and their efficacy. To exploit GPs' potential as a gatekeeper for early detection of dementia, their ability to identify patients with antecedent and mild stages of the disease must be improved.

  11. Clinical impact of early diagnosis of autism on the prognosis and parent-child relationships.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elder, Jennifer Harrison; Kreider, Consuelo Maun; Brasher, Susan N; Ansell, Margaret

    2017-01-01

    Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a lifelong condition that usually appears in late infancy or early childhood, and is characterized by social and communication deficits that impede optimal functioning. Despite widespread research and greater public awareness, ASD has an unclear etiology and no known cure, making it difficult to acquire accurate and timely diagnoses. In addition, once an ASD diagnosis is made, parents find it challenging to navigate the healthcare system and determine which interventions are most effective and appropriate for their child. A growing body of evidence supports the value of early diagnosis and treatment with evidence-based interventions, which can significantly improve the quality of life of individuals with ASD as well as of their carers and families. Particularly noteworthy are early interventions that occur in natural surroundings and can be modified to address age-related goals throughout the lifespan. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to: 1) provide readers with a brief background related to ASD; 2) describe commonly used screening instruments and tools for early diagnosis; 3) describe early interventions that have empirical support; and 4) discuss how the parent-child and family relationships can be affected through this process. This information can provide professionals with information they can use to assist families who make critical and potentially life-changing decisions for children with ASD.

  12. Application of serum TGF-β1 determination for early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang Zhonglin; Jiang Guoliang

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the feasibility of obtaining early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy (DN) with determination of serum transforming growth factor-β 1 (TGF- β 1 ). Methods: Serum TGF-β 1 (with ELISA) and β 2 -microglobulin (β 2 -m, with RIA) levels as well as urinany β 2 -m, albumin and mciro-amount of proteins were determined in 35 controls and 84 diabetic patients with different degrees of albuminuria (Group A: urinary albumin excretion UAE 300mg/24h, n=28). Results: The serum TGF-β 1 , β 2 -m and urinary β 2 -m contents were correlated well with UAE in the diabetic patients. Conclusion: TGF-β 1 and β 2 -m were sensitive markers for early renal function injury in diabetic patients and determination of serum TGF-β 1 levels was clinically useful for diagnosis of early DN. (authors)

  13. The radiographic diagnosis of early attacking congenital syphilis of bone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ji Yaping; Zhuge Moyi

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To explore the method of radiological diagnosis of early attacking congenital syphilis. Methods: Seven cases of early attacking congenital syphilis of bone were retrospectively analyzed, diagnosed serologically, and were taken X-rays of the long bones. Results: Bone radiographs abnormalities were identified in 6 of 7 cases. Five cases suffered periotities, six cases metaphysitis, and three cases combined with diaphysitis. Seven cases had swollen soft tissue. The vertebraes, craniums and epiphysitis were not found abnormal in 7 cases. Diffusion, multiple and symmetric metaphysitis, periosteitis and osteitis were the radiological characters of congenital syphilis of bone. Conclusion: Radiography can affirm the diagnose of early attacking congenital syphilis and definite the arrange and depth. Radiographs of the extremities should be routinely taken in suspected infants. (authors)

  14. Possible effects of an early diagnosis and treatment in patients with growth hormone deficiency: the state of art.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stagi, Stefano; Scalini, Perla; Farello, Giovanni; Verrotti, Alberto

    2017-09-16

    Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is a relatively uncommon and heterogeneous endocrine disorder presenting in childhood with short stature. However, during the neonatal period, the metabolic effects of GHD may to require prompt replacement therapy to avoid possible life-threatening complications. An increasing amount of data suggests the importance of an early diagnosis and treatment of GHD because of its auxological, metabolic, and neurodevelopmental features with respect to the patients diagnosed and treated later in life.The available results show favourable auxological outcomes for patients with GHD diagnosed and treated with r-hGH early in life compared with those from patients with GHD who do not receive this early diagnosis and treatment. Because delayed referral for GHD diagnosis and treatment is still frequent, these results highlight the need for more attention in the diagnosis and treatment of GHD.Despite these very encouraging data regarding metabolic and neurodevelopmental features, further studies are needed to better characterize these findings. Overall, the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of GHD needs to be addressed.

  15. Early diagnosis of Gorlin-Goltz syndrome: case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trento Cleverson L

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The Gorlin-Goltz syndrome, also known as nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS, is an infrequent multisystemic disease inherited in a dominant autosomal way, which shows a high level of penetrance and variable expressiveness. It is characterized by keratocystic odontogenic tumors (KCOT in the jaw, multiple basal cell nevi carcinomas and skeletal abnormities. This syndrome may be diagnosed early by a dentist by routine radiographic exams in the first decade of life, since the KCOTs are usually one of the first manifestations of the syndrome. This article paper reports the case of a patient, a 10-year-old boy with NBCCS, emphasizing its clinical and radiographic manifestations. This study highlights the importance of health professionals in the early diagnosis of NBCCS and in a preventive multidisciplinary approach to provide a better prognosis for the patient.

  16. Early Diagnosis of HIV Infection in Infants - One Caribbean and Six Sub-Saharan African Countries, 2011-2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diallo, Karidia; Kim, Andrea A; Lecher, Shirley; Ellenberger, Dennis; Beard, R Suzanne; Dale, Helen; Hurlston, Mackenzie; Rivadeneira, Molly; Fonjungo, Peter N; Broyles, Laura N; Zhang, Guoqing; Sleeman, Katrina; Nguyen, Shon; Jadczak, Steve; Abiola, Nadine; Ewetola, Raimi; Muwonga, Jérémie; Fwamba, Franck; Mwangi, Christina; Naluguza, Mary; Kiyaga, Charles; Ssewanyana, Isaac; Varough, Deyde; Wysler, Domercant; Lowrance, David; Louis, Frantz Jean; Desinor, Olbeg; Buteau, Josiane; Kesner, Francois; Rouzier, Vanessa; Segaren, Nat; Lewis, Tessa; Sarr, Abdoulaye; Chipungu, Geoffrey; Gupta, Sundeep; Singer, Daniel; Mwenda, Reuben; Kapoteza, Hilary; Chipeta, Zawadi; Knight, Nancy; Carmona, Sergio; MacLeod, William; Sherman, Gayle; Pillay, Yogan; Ndongmo, Clement B; Mugisa, Bridget; Mwila, Annie; McAuley, James; Chipimo, Peter J; Kaonga, Wezi; Nsofwa, Dailess; Nsama, Davy; Mwamba, Fales Zulu; Moyo, Crispin; Phiri, Clement; Borget, Marie-Yolande; Ya-Kouadio, Leonard; Kouame, Abo; Adje-Toure, Christiane A; Nkengasong, John

    2016-11-25

    Pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains an important public health issue in resource-limited settings. In 2015, 1.4 million children aged 50% decline. The most common challenges for access to testing for early infant diagnosis included difficulties in specimen transport, long turnaround time between specimen collection and receipt of results, and limitations in supply chain management. Further reductions in HIV mortality in children can be achieved through continued expansion and improvement of services for early infant diagnosis in PEPFAR-supported countries, including initiatives targeted to reach HIV-exposed infants, ensure access to programs for early infant diagnosis of HIV, and facilitate prompt linkage to treatment for children diagnosed with HIV infection.

  17. Pompe Disease: Early Diagnosis and Early Treatment Make a Difference

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yin-Hsiu Chien

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Pompe disease (glycogen storage disease type II or acid maltase deficiency is a lysosomal disorder in which acid α-glucosidase (GAA deficiencies lead to intralysosomal accumulation of glycogen in all tissues; most notably in skeletal muscles. Both the patient's age at the onset of Pompe disease symptoms and the rate of deterioration caused by the disease can vary considerably. In classical infant-onset Pompe disease (IOPD, symptoms start very early in life, and death occurs soon afterward if the disease remains untreated. In later-onset Pompe disease, symptoms are slower to appear, and patients often progress to wheelchair confinement and eventual respiratory failure. A diagnosis can be made by screening for GAA in dried blood samples, followed either by GAA assessment in lymphocytes or in fibroblasts or by the genetic analysis of mutations. Treatment by enzyme replacement therapy (ERT with alglucosidase alfa was approved for human use in 2006. In classical IOPD, treatment significantly lengthens survival and improves motor development and cardiac function. The sooner ERT begins, the better are the results. Newborn screening aims to take advantage of different technologies for diagnosing and treating newborns early on and it yields better outcomes. However, newborns diagnosed early and other long-term survivors may encounter fresh problems, making up a new phenotype of IOPD patients. Further modifications of the treatment, such as a decrease in immune responses to ERT, a higher dosage, a better uptake formulation, and gene therapy delivered locally or systemically are being explored.

  18. A new Brief computerized cognitive screening battery (CompCogs for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helenice Charchat Fichman

    Full Text Available Abstract Screening tests for early diagnosis of dementia are of great clinical relevance. The ideal test set must be brief and reliable, and should probe cognitive components impaired in Alzheimer's disease (AD. Objectives: To develop a new Computerized Cognitive Screening test (CompCogs, and to investigate its validity for the early diagnosis of AD, and evaluate its heuristic value in understanding the processing of information in AD. Methods: The computerized neuropsychological performance battery, originally including six tests, was applied in forty seven patients with probable mild AD and 97 controls matched for age and education. This computerized neuropsychological test battery, developed with MEL Professional, allows control of timing and order of stimuli presentation, as well as recording of response type and latency. A brief-screening version, CompCogs, was selected using the most discriminative neuropsychological test variables derived from logistic regression analysis. Full battery administration lasted about 40 minutes, while the CompCogs took only 15 minutes. Results: CompCogs included the Face test (correct response and Word and Forms with Short term memory tests (reaction time. CompCogs presented 91.8% sensitivity and 93.6% specificity for the diagnosis of AD using ROC analyses of AD diagnosis probability derived by logistic regression. Conclusions: CompCogs showed high validity for AD early diagnosis and, therefore, may be a useful alternative screening instrument.

  19. Recognition of Immune Response for the Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Osteoarthritis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrese M. Kandahari

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Osteoarthritis is a common and debilitating joint disease that affects up to 30 million Americans, leading to significant disability, reduction in quality of life, and costing the United States tens of billions of dollars annually. Classically, osteoarthritis has been characterized as a degenerative, wear-and-tear disease, but recent research has identified it as an immunopathological disease on a spectrum between healthy condition and rheumatoid arthritis. A systematic literature review demonstrates that the disease pathogenesis is driven by an early innate immune response which progressively catalyzes degenerative changes that ultimately lead to an altered joint microenvironment. It is feasible to detect this infiltration of cells in the early, and presumably asymptomatic, phase of the disease through noninvasive imaging techniques. This screening can serve to aid clinicians in potentially identifying high-risk patients, hopefully leading to early effective management, vast improvements in quality of life, and significant reductions in disability, morbidity, and cost related to osteoarthritis. Although the diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis routinely utilize both invasive and non-invasive strategies, imaging techniques specific to inflammatory cells are not commonly employed for these purposes. This review discusses this paradigm and aims to shift the focus of future osteoarthritis-related research towards early diagnosis of the disease process.

  20. Early dementia diagnosis and the risk of suicide and euthanasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Draper, Brian; Peisah, Carmelle; Snowdon, John; Brodaty, Henry

    2010-01-01

    Diagnosis of dementia is occurring earlier, and much research concerns the identification of predementia states and the hunt for biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease. Reports of suicidal behavior and requests for euthanasia in persons with dementia may be increasing. We performed a selective literature review of suicide risk in persons with dementia and the ethical issues associated with euthanasia in this population. In the absence of any effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia, there is already evidence that persons with mild cognitive change and early dementia are at risk of suicidal behavior, often in the context of comorbid depression. The ensuing clinical, ethical, and legal dilemmas associated with physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia in the context of dementia are a subject of intense debate. By analogy, the preclinical and early diagnoses of Huntington's disease are associated with an increased risk of suicidal behavior. Thus there is the potential for a preclinical and early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (through biomarkers, neuroimaging, and clinical assessment) to result in increased suicide risk and requests for physician-assisted suicide. Although dementia specialists have long recognized the importance of a sensitive approach to conveying bad news to patients and families and the possibility of depressive reactions, suicidal behavior has not been regarded as a likely outcome. Such preconceptions will need to change, and protocols to monitor and manage suicide risk will need to be developed for this population. 2010 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Contrast-enhanced FLAIR in the early diagnosis of infectious meningitis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Splendiani, Alesssandra; Puglielli, Edoardo; Amicis, Rosanna De; Masciocchi, Carlo; Gallucci, Massimo; Necozione, Stefano

    2005-01-01

    We investigated the accuracy of MRI in the early diagnosis of infectious meningitis with emphasis on the value of gadolinium-enhanced fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequence. Twenty-seven patients with clinical suspicion of infectious meningitis were included. MRI was performed within 3 h of clinical evaluation. For all patients, T1-weighted spin-echo, dual-echo T2-weighted fast-spin-echo and FLAIR sequences were performed, followed by gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted spin-echo and FLAIR sequences. Final diagnosis was based on the clinical findings and the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid, obtained by lumbar puncture after the MRI. Infectious meningitis was confirmed in 12 patients. In all of these patients of the plain studies, FLAIR was positive in only four patients. MRI gadolinium-enhanced FLAIR showed abnormal meningeal enhancement in all 12 patients, while gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted spin-echo was positive only in six cases. There were no false-positive or false-negative results. It is concluded that MRI could have an important role in the early screening for infectious meningitis, provided a gadolinium-enhanced FLAIR sequence is used. (orig.)

  2. Contrast-enhanced FLAIR in the early diagnosis of infectious meningitis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Splendiani, Alesssandra; Puglielli, Edoardo; Amicis, Rosanna De; Masciocchi, Carlo; Gallucci, Massimo [University of L' Aquila, Department of Radiology, L' Aquila (Italy); Necozione, Stefano [University of L' Aquila, Department of Statistic, L' Aquila (Italy)

    2005-08-01

    We investigated the accuracy of MRI in the early diagnosis of infectious meningitis with emphasis on the value of gadolinium-enhanced fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequence. Twenty-seven patients with clinical suspicion of infectious meningitis were included. MRI was performed within 3 h of clinical evaluation. For all patients, T1-weighted spin-echo, dual-echo T2-weighted fast-spin-echo and FLAIR sequences were performed, followed by gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted spin-echo and FLAIR sequences. Final diagnosis was based on the clinical findings and the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid, obtained by lumbar puncture after the MRI. Infectious meningitis was confirmed in 12 patients. In all of these patients of the plain studies, FLAIR was positive in only four patients. MRI gadolinium-enhanced FLAIR showed abnormal meningeal enhancement in all 12 patients, while gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted spin-echo was positive only in six cases. There were no false-positive or false-negative results. It is concluded that MRI could have an important role in the early screening for infectious meningitis, provided a gadolinium-enhanced FLAIR sequence is used. (orig.)

  3. Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Early Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. A. Perepelitsa

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available to improve treatment results in premature infants with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS, by establishing developmental mechanisms and elaborating methods for its early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Material and methods. The paper analyzes the results of a clinical observation and laboratory, instrumental, immunological, morphological, and radiological studies of 320 premature neonates at 26—35 weeks gestational age. The following groups of neonates were identified: 1 40 premature neonatal infants without NRDS and with the physiological course of an early neonatal period (a comparison group; 2 190 premature neonates with severe NRDS in whom the efficiency of therapy with exogenous surfactants, such as surfactant BL versus curosurf, was evaluated; 3 90 premature newborn infants who had died from NRDS at its different stages. Results. The poor maternal somatic, obstetric, and gynecological histories in the early periods of the current pregnancy create prerequisites for its termination, favor the development of severe acute gestosis, and cause abnormal placental changes. Each gestational age is marked by certain placental changes that promote impaired uterineplacentalfetal blood flow and premature birth. Alveolar and bronchial epithelial damages, including those ante and intranatally, microcircula tory disorders play a leading role in the tanatogenesis of NRDS. Intranatal hypoxia and amniotic fluid aspiration are one of the important factors contributing to alveolar epithelial damage and NRDS in premature neonates. Exogenous surfactants prevent the development of hyaline membranes and are useful in the normalization of ventilation-perfusion relationships and lung biomechanical properties. Conclusion. This study could improve the diagnosis and treatment of NRDS, which assisted in reducing the duration of mechanical ventilation from 130±7.6 to 65±11.6 hours, the number of complications (the incidence of intragastric

  4. On-line early fault detection and diagnosis of municipal solid waste incinerators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Jinsong; Huang Jianchao; Sun Wei

    2008-01-01

    A fault detection and diagnosis framework is proposed in this paper for early fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) of municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) in order to improve the safety and continuity of production. In this framework, principal component analysis (PCA), one of the multivariate statistical technologies, is used for detecting abnormal events, while rule-based reasoning performs the fault diagnosis and consequence prediction, and also generates recommendations for fault mitigation once an abnormal event is detected. A software package, SWIFT, is developed based on the proposed framework, and has been applied in an actual industrial MSWI. The application shows that automated real-time abnormal situation management (ASM) of the MSWI can be achieved by using SWIFT, resulting in an industrially acceptable low rate of wrong diagnosis, which has resulted in improved process continuity and environmental performance of the MSWI

  5. Computer Aided Diagnosis System for Early Lung Cancer Detection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatma Taher

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Lung cancer continues to rank as the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. One of the most promising techniques for early detection of cancerous cells relies on sputum cell analysis. This was the motivation behind the design and the development of a new computer aided diagnosis (CAD system for early detection of lung cancer based on the analysis of sputum color images. The proposed CAD system encompasses four main processing steps. First is the preprocessing step which utilizes a Bayesian classification method using histogram analysis. Then, in the second step, mean shift segmentation is applied to segment the nuclei from the cytoplasm. The third step is the feature analysis. In this step, geometric and chromatic features are extracted from the nucleus region. These features are used in the diagnostic process of the sputum images. Finally, the diagnosis is completed using an artificial neural network and support vector machine (SVM for classifying the cells into benign or malignant. The performance of the system was analyzed based on different criteria such as sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. The evaluation was carried out using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC curve. The experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of the SVM classifier over other classifiers, with 97% sensitivity and accuracy as well as a significant reduction in the number of false positive and false negative rates.

  6. Laser Raman detection of platelet as a non-invasive approach for early and differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, P; Wang, X H; Cheng, Y; Peng, J; Shen, A G; Hu, J M; Tian, Q; Shang, X L; Liu, Z C; Yao, X Q; Wang, J Z; Baek, S J; Park, A

    2011-01-01

    Early and differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a problem that puzzled many doctors. Reliable markers in easy-assembling samples are of considerable clinical diagnostic value. In this work, laser Raman spectroscopy (LRS) was developed a new method that potentially allows early and differential diagnosis of AD from the platelet sample. Raman spectra of platelets isolated from different ages of AD transgenic mice and non-transgenic controls were collected and analyzed. Multilayer perceptron networks (MLP) classification method was used to classify spectra and establish the diagnostic models. For differential diagnosis, spectra of platelets isolated from AD, Parkinson's disease (PD) and vascular dementia (VD) mice were also discriminated. Two notable spectral differences at 740 and 1654 cm -1 were revealed in the mean spectrum of platelets isolated from AD transgenic mice and the controls. MLP displayed a powerful ability in the classifying of early, advanced AD and the control group, and in differential diagnosis of PD and advanced AD, as well as VD and advanced AD. The results suggest that platelet detecting by LRS coupled with MLP analysis appears to be an easy and accurate method for early and differential diagnosis of AD. This technique could be rapidly promoted from laboratory to the hospital

  7. Comparison of clinical and paraclinical parameters as tools for early diagnosis of classical swine fever

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lohse, Louise; Uttenthal, Åse; Nielsen, Jens

    Comparison of clinical and paraclinical parameters as tools for early diagnosis of classical swine fever. Louise Lohse, Åse Uttenthal, Jens Nielsen. National Veterinary Institute, Division of Virology, Lindholm, Technical University of Denmark. Introduction: In order to limit the far-reaching socio......-economic as well as the animal welfare consequences of an outbreak of classical swine fever (CSF), early diagnosis is essential. However, host-virus interactions strongly influence the course of CSF disease, and the clinical feature is not clear, thus complicating the diagnostic perspective. At the National...... Veterinary Institute, in Denmark, we are conducting a series of animal experiments under standardized conditions in order to investigate new parameters of clinical as well as paraclinical nature that holds the potential as diagnostic tools to improve early detection of CSF. In three recent studies, weaned...

  8. Role of cytology in early diagnosis of cerebrotendinous xanthomas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shreosee Roy

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis is a rare autosomal recessive lipid storage disease characterized by widespread tissue deposition of two neutral sterols, cholestenol and cholesterol, resulting in tendinous xanthomas, juvenile cataracts, progressive neurological defects, and premature death from arteriosclerosis. Because it is a treatable cause of cerebellar ataxia and dementia, its early diagnosis is desirable. Here, we have reported the case of an 11-year-old boy with this disorder who was diagnosed based on the cytological findings of fine needle aspiration and clinical features.

  9. Hepatic Encephalopathy: Early Diagnosis in Pediatric Patients With Cirrhosis

    OpenAIRE

    DARA, Naghi; SAYYARI, Ali-Akbar; IMANZADEH, Farid

    2014-01-01

    How to Cite This Article: Dara N, Sayyari AA, Imanzadeh F. Hepatic Encephalopathy: Early Diagnosis in Pediatric Patients With Cirrhosis. Iran J Child Neurol. 2014 Winter; 8(1):1-11.ObjectiveAs acute liver failure (ALF) and chronic liver disease (cirrhosis) continue to increase in prevalence, we will see more cases of hepatic encephalopathy.Primary care physician are often the first to suspect it, since they are familiar with the patient’s usual physical and mental status. This serious complic...

  10. Sirenomelia with oligodactylia: early ultrasonographic and hysteroscopic embryoscopic diagnosis during the first trimester of gestation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clemente, Claudia Maria; Farina, Marco; Cianci, Antonio; Iraci Sareri, Marco

    2010-01-01

    The case we describe reports the early sonographic findings of sirenomelia with oligodactylia at 9 weeks of gestation by transvaginal two-dimensional color Doppler ultrasonography imaging and its confirmation by hysteroscopic embryoscopy at 12 weeks to further characterize the findings. The embryo showed increased nuchal translucency and fused lower limbs with a large intra-abdominal vessel and two-vessel umbilical cords. The pregnancy was terminated by medical abortion induction after the patient viewed the embryoscopic images. Diagnosis is commonly made later in the second trimester of pregnancy, oligohydramnios being a warning signal, which usually makes the diagnosis difficult. Survival, only possible in the absence of renal agenesis, is extremely rare. In view of the extremely poor prognosis, early diagnosis allows for earlier counseling and less traumatic therapeutic termination of pregnancy. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  11. Early breeding and pregnancy diagnosis in Syrian awassi sheep yearlings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Merestani, M. R.; Zarkawi, M.; Wardeh, M.

    2000-01-01

    Fifty-nine female yearlings of local Awassi sheep were randomly divided into 2 groups. Animals in group T (treated) were fitted with intravaginal sponges containing 60 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate for 14 days followed by 400 IU of pregnant mare's serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) at sponge withdrawal, whereas group C (control) received no treatment. Oestrus rate was 92.7% and 11.2% for groups T and C, respectively. Lambing rate was 78% and 5.6% for groups T and C, respectively. Twinning rate was 31.3% in group T compared to zero in group C. Average birth weight for single born lams (4.7 ± 0.6 kg) was significantly (P > 0.05) higher than twin born lams (3.0 ± 0.5 kg) in group T. The average concentration of blood progesterone collected between days 17-19 after mating was 19.30 nmol/1 and the accuracy of early pregnancy diagnosis was 100%. It was concluded that, it is possible to induce synchronized oestrus, and to increase the twinning rate in Syrian Awassi sheep yearlings outside the breeding season, using intravaginal sponges and PMSG. In addition, early pregnancy diagnosis could be successfully determined in female Awassi sheep yearlings between days 17-19 after-mating. (author)

  12. Application evaluation of MR diffusion weighted imaging in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of early prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen Junkang; Lu Yanli; Yang Yi; Zhao Wenlu; Jiang Zhen; Zhang Caiyuan; Ma Qi; Zhang Yongsheng; Shan Yuxi

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the value of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of early prostate cancer. Methods: The data of 106 patients [35 with early prostate cancer (PCa), 55 with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 16 with prostatitis] were retrospectively analyzed, who underwent T 2 WI, DWI, and T 2 WI + DWI examination and all patients were confirmed by pathology. The data obtained from T 2 WI, DWI, and a combination of T 2 WI and DWI were scored and compared with pathological findings. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were analyzed for the area under the curve (Az) using Z test. Specificities, sensitivities and accuracies of the three protocols to diagnose PCa were evaluated. The ADC values of each prostate lesion were measured and compared with ANOVA test. Results: DWI missed 7 in 35 early prostate cancer, misdiagnosed 2 in 55 BPH, and 11 in 16 prostatitis. The Az values of T 2 WI, DWI, and T 2 WI + DWI for the detection of early prostate cancer were 0.846, 0.874, and 0.947, respectively. There was significant differences between T 2 WI + DWI and T 2 WI alone (Z=3.262, P=0.001), and between T 2 WI + DWI and DWI alone (Z=2.402, P=0.016). There was no significant difference between T 2 WI alone and DWI alone (Z=0.630, P=0.528). The sensitivities, specificities, and accuracies of T 2 WI, DWI, and a combination of T 2 WI and DWI for the detection of early prostate cancer were 51.43% (18/35), 80.00% (28/35), and 85.71% (30/35); 90.14% (64/71), 81.69% (58/71), and 88.73% (63/71); 77.36% (82/106), 81.13% (86/106), and 87.74% (93/106) respectively. The ADC values for detecting early PCa, BPH, and prostatitis were (723 ± 183) ×10 -3 , (1 381 ± 117) × 10 -3 , and (957 ± 175) × 10 -3 mm 2 /s.These ADC values showed statistical significance (F=131.94, P<0.01) among the three groups and also reached statistical significance between each two groups. Conclusions: DWI is valuable in detecting early prostate

  13. [The value of PHI/PCA3 in the early diagnosis of prostate cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, S J; Xu, L W; Xu, Z; Wu, J P; Liang, K; Jia, R P

    2016-01-12

    To investigate the value of prostate health index (PHI) and prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) in the early diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa). A total of 190 patients with abnormal serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) or abnormal digital rectal examination were enrolled. They were all underwent initial biopsy and 11 of them were also underwent repeated biopsy. In addition, 25 healthy cases (with normal digital rectal examination and PSAPHI and PCA3 were detected by using immunofluorescence and Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP). The sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis were determined by ROC curve.In addition, the relationship between PHI/PSA and the Gleason score and clinical stage were analyzed. A total of 89 patients were confirmed PCa by Pathological diagnosis. The other 101 patients were diagnosed as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The sensitivity and specificity of PCA3 test were 85.4% was 92.1%. Area under curve (AUC) of PHI is higher than AUC of PSA (0.727>0.699). The PHI in peripheral blood was positively correlated with Gleason score and clinical stage. The detection of PCA3 and PHI shows excellent detecting effectiveness. Compared with single PSA, the combined detection of PHI and PCA3 improved the diagnostic specificity. It can provide a new method for the early diagnosis in prostate cancer and avoid unnecessary biopsies.

  14. Early melanoma diagnosis with mobile imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Do, Thanh-Toan; Zhou, Yiren; Zheng, Haitian; Cheung, Ngai-Man; Koh, Dawn

    2014-01-01

    We research a mobile imaging system for early diagnosis of melanoma. Different from previous work, we focus on smartphone-captured images, and propose a detection system that runs entirely on the smartphone. Smartphone-captured images taken under loosely-controlled conditions introduce new challenges for melanoma detection, while processing performed on the smartphone is subject to computation and memory constraints. To address these challenges, we propose to localize the skin lesion by combining fast skin detection and fusion of two fast segmentation results. We propose new features to capture color variation and border irregularity which are useful for smartphone-captured images. We also propose a new feature selection criterion to select a small set of good features used in the final lightweight system. Our evaluation confirms the effectiveness of proposed algorithms and features. In addition, we present our system prototype which computes selected visual features from a user-captured skin lesion image, and analyzes them to estimate the likelihood of malignance, all on an off-the-shelf smartphone.

  15. Early diagnosis of atherosclerosis with panoramic radiographs: a review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daiane Landim Borba

    Full Text Available Abstract Carotid artery disease has been linked with cerebral vascular accident, also known as stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, or cerebral ischemia. It is caused by narrowing or obstruction of arteries in the neck (the carotid arteries that are responsible for transporting blood from the aorta to the brain. Panoramic radiographs are used in dentistry to show both dental arches as a supplement to the clinical dental examination. The objective of this study is to highlight the importance of panoramic radiographs for diagnosis of arterial disease, by means of a bibliographic review. The PubMed database was searched using the keywords “atherosclerosis” and “panoramic”, with the filters “last 5 years” and “humans”. Twenty articles were identified, six of which were chosen for this study because they were open access. The review concluded that panoramic radiographs enable early diagnosis of carotid artery calcification, resulting in earlier interventions, and offer an accessible cost.

  16. 2014 CODEPEH recommendations: Early detection of late onset deafness, audiological diagnosis, hearing aid fitting and early intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Núñez-Batalla, Faustino; Jáudenes-Casaubón, Carmen; Sequí-Canet, Jose Miguel; Vivanco-Allende, Ana; Zubicaray-Ugarteche, Jose

    2016-01-01

    The latest scientific literature considers early diagnosis of deafness as the key element to define the educational and inclusive prognosis of the deaf child, because it allows taking advantage of the critical period of development (0-4 years). Highly significant differences exist between deaf people who have been stimulated early and those who have received late or improper intervention. Early identification of late-onset disorders requires special attention and knowledge on the part of every childcare professional. Programs and additional actions beyond neonatal screening should be designed and planed to ensure that every child with a significant hearing loss is detected early. For this purpose, the CODEPEH would like to highlight the need for continuous monitoring of children's auditory health. Consequently, CODEPEH has drafted the recommendations included in the present document. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Patología Cérvico-Facial. All rights reserved.

  17. Early Radiosurgery Improves Hearing Preservation in Vestibular Schwannoma Patients With Normal Hearing at the Time of Diagnosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Akpinar, Berkcan [University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (United States); Mousavi, Seyed H., E-mail: mousavish@upmc.edu [Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (United States); McDowell, Michael M.; Niranjan, Ajay; Faraji, Amir H. [Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (United States); Flickinger, John C. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (United States); Lunsford, L. Dade [Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (United States)

    2016-06-01

    Purpose: Vestibular schwannomas (VS) are increasingly diagnosed in patients with normal hearing because of advances in magnetic resonance imaging. We sought to evaluate whether stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) performed earlier after diagnosis improved long-term hearing preservation in this population. Methods and Materials: We queried our quality assessment registry and found the records of 1134 acoustic neuroma patients who underwent SRS during a 15-year period (1997-2011). We identified 88 patients who had VS but normal hearing with no subjective hearing loss at the time of diagnosis. All patients were Gardner-Robertson (GR) class I at the time of SRS. Fifty-seven patients underwent early (≤2 years from diagnosis) SRS and 31 patients underwent late (>2 years after diagnosis) SRS. At a median follow-up time of 75 months, we evaluated patient outcomes. Results: Tumor control rates (decreased or stable in size) were similar in the early (95%) and late (90%) treatment groups (P=.73). Patients in the early treatment group retained serviceable (GR class I/II) hearing and normal (GR class I) hearing longer than did patients in the late treatment group (serviceable hearing, P=.006; normal hearing, P<.0001, respectively). At 5 years after SRS, an estimated 88% of the early treatment group retained serviceable hearing and 77% retained normal hearing, compared with 55% with serviceable hearing and 33% with normal hearing in the late treatment group. Conclusions: SRS within 2 years after diagnosis of VS in normal hearing patients resulted in improved retention of all hearing measures compared with later SRS.

  18. Early Radiosurgery Improves Hearing Preservation in Vestibular Schwannoma Patients With Normal Hearing at the Time of Diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akpinar, Berkcan; Mousavi, Seyed H.; McDowell, Michael M.; Niranjan, Ajay; Faraji, Amir H.; Flickinger, John C.; Lunsford, L. Dade

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Vestibular schwannomas (VS) are increasingly diagnosed in patients with normal hearing because of advances in magnetic resonance imaging. We sought to evaluate whether stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) performed earlier after diagnosis improved long-term hearing preservation in this population. Methods and Materials: We queried our quality assessment registry and found the records of 1134 acoustic neuroma patients who underwent SRS during a 15-year period (1997-2011). We identified 88 patients who had VS but normal hearing with no subjective hearing loss at the time of diagnosis. All patients were Gardner-Robertson (GR) class I at the time of SRS. Fifty-seven patients underwent early (≤2 years from diagnosis) SRS and 31 patients underwent late (>2 years after diagnosis) SRS. At a median follow-up time of 75 months, we evaluated patient outcomes. Results: Tumor control rates (decreased or stable in size) were similar in the early (95%) and late (90%) treatment groups (P=.73). Patients in the early treatment group retained serviceable (GR class I/II) hearing and normal (GR class I) hearing longer than did patients in the late treatment group (serviceable hearing, P=.006; normal hearing, P<.0001, respectively). At 5 years after SRS, an estimated 88% of the early treatment group retained serviceable hearing and 77% retained normal hearing, compared with 55% with serviceable hearing and 33% with normal hearing in the late treatment group. Conclusions: SRS within 2 years after diagnosis of VS in normal hearing patients resulted in improved retention of all hearing measures compared with later SRS.

  19. Early diagnosis of junior school age children’s posture disorders

    OpenAIRE

    N.S. Razumeiko

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: to describe specificities of early diagnosis method for junior school age children’s posture disorders. Material: in pedagogic experiment 156 junior school age children (boys and girls of 7-10 years’ age) participated. All children had no experience of training in sport circles. For determination of uniformity of the tested we fulfilled experts’ examination for presence or absence of external signs of posture disorders in frontal plane. The children’s examination was conducted by qua...

  20. The role of ultrasound in the diagnosis and follow-up of early inflammatory arthritis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spencer, S.P.; Ganeshalingam, S.; Kelly, S.; Ahmad, M.

    2012-01-01

    The inflammatory arthritides are a group of chronic, often debilitating disorders characterized by synovial inflammation and progressive joint destruction. The primary diagnostic aim is to recognize the inflammatory arthritis at an early stage, such that therapies may be implemented before irreversible joint destruction has occurred. The radiologist now plays a pivotal role both in making an accurate and early diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis as well as assessing treatment response. This article reviews the current literature and presents our approach to the sonographic assessment of early inflammatory arthritis.

  1. Prognosis of cerebral vein thrombosis presenting as isolated headache: Early vs. late diagnosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gameiro, Joana; Ferro, José M.; Canhão, Patricia; Stam, Jan; Barinagarrementeria, Fernando; Lindgren, Arne

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To analyse the outcome of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) patients presenting with isolated headache, specifically to compare isolated headache patients with early vs. late CVT diagnosis. Method: In the International Study on Cerebral Vein and Dural Sinus Thrombosis (ISCVT) database we

  2. Breath analysis based on micropreconcentrator for early cancer diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sang-Seok

    2018-02-01

    We are developing micropreconcentrators based on micro/nanotechnology to detect trace levels of volatile organic compound (VOC) gases contained in human and canine exhaled breath. The possibility of using exhaled VOC gases as biomarkers for various cancer diagnoses has been previously discussed. For early cancer diagnosis, detection of trace levels of VOC gas is indispensable. Using micropreconcentrators based on MEMS technology or nanotechnology is very promising for detection of VOC gas. A micropreconcentrator based breath analysis technique also has advantages from the viewpoints of cost performance and availability for various cancers diagnosis. In this paper, we introduce design, fabrication and evaluation results of our MEMS and nanotechnology based micropreconcentrators. In the MEMS based device, we propose a flower leaf type Si microstructure, and its shape and configuration are optimized quantitatively by finite element method simulation. The nanotechnology based micropreconcentrator consists of carbon nanotube (CNT) structures. As a result, we achieve ppb level VOC gas detection with our micropreconcentrators and usual gas chromatography system that can detect on the order of ppm VOC in gas samples. In performance evaluation, we also confirm that the CNT based micropreconcentrator shows 115 times better concentration ratio than that of the Si based micropreconcentrator. Moreover, we discuss a commercialization idea for new cancer diagnosis using breath analysis. Future work and preliminary clinical testing in dogs is also discussed.

  3. Early diagnosis of sub-clinical stage of diabetic retinopathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xing-Hui Xu

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available AIM: To evaluate the early diagnosis of sub-clinic stage of diabetic retinopathy.METHODS: This was cross sectional study,multifocal retina electroretinogram(mf-ERG, contrast sensitivity(CSand central retinal artery color Doppler examination were recorded from 30 cases(30 eyesmatched control subjects, 35 cases(35 eyeswith type 2 diabetes mellitus(DMwithout diabetic retinopathy(NDRand 38 cases(38 eyeswith non-prolifera tive diabetic retinopathy(NPDR. One-way ANOVA and SNK-q test were used for data analysis.RESULTS: P1 response density of NDR patients were found decrease, N1 implicit time were delayed. Which were related with the degree of retinopathy(PPPP>0.05, The differences between normal group, NDR group and NPDR group were found statistically significant(PCONCLUSION: mf-ERG and CS are sensitive indexes for early evaluation of visual function in patients with diabetes mellitus, with development of the disease, CRA blood flow also appears to decline.

  4. Articular distractor in the early radiographic diagnosis of canine hip dysplasia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tôrres, R.C.S.; Araújo, R.B.; Rezende, C.M.F.

    2005-01-01

    Aiming the canine hip dysplasia (CHD) early diagnosis, 60 dogs of both sexes (32 females and 28 males) and of different breeds had their hip joints radiographically studied. The X ray examinations were taken in early age (7.2± 1.2 months) and repeated at adult age (14.4± 1.6 months) using the conventional radiographic method (CRM) and the radiographic distraction method (RDM) performed, by its turn, with a new device, specially designed or this experiment. In order to quantify the relationship between the femoral head and the acetabulus the Norberg Angle (NA) was measured at CRM and the distraction index (DI) was calculated at RDM. There was a significant statistical correlation (P [pt

  5. Differential diagnosis of gastric adenoma and type IIa early gastric cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuchigame, T.; Ogata, Y.; Sumi, M.; Fukui, K.; Saito, R.; Nakashima, K.; Urata, J.; Arakawa, A.; Saito, Y.; Takahashi, M.

    1991-01-01

    The endoscopic and radiographic findings of 45 gastric adenomas in 39 patients were followed for 6 months to 13 years and compared with type IIa early gastric cancer observed in 9 patients. Difficulties in the diffential diagnosis of these disorders were evaluated. The following features were suggestive of gastric adenomas: clustered lesions; protuberance with gentle slope; smooth surface; and relatively young patients. Discrimination of adenoma from type IIa early gastric cancer is often difficult by visual observation alone; biopsy was essential in most patients. A group III adenoma verified on biopsy should be followed closely because the lesion may harbor a cancer (so-called carcinoma-in-adenoma) or a cancer may later develop. (orig.)

  6. Early serological diagnosis of viral hepatitis A using radiosaturation analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zichova, M; Vodak, M; Pultar, J; Truksova, B; Stepanek, F

    1985-08-21

    The possibility was verified of utilizing the determination of specific IgM class antibodies to hepatitis A virus using the method of radiosaturation analysis, for early ethiological diagnosis of hepatitis A. The determination was made using the HAVAB-M kit by Abbott. A high and verifiable presence was found of these antibodies in the first to third weeks of the duration of the disease, positivity was observed up to day 125 from the onset of the diseases. Reliability of the determination of specific IgM antibodies to hepatitis A virus is high. Specific IgM antibodies to hepatitis A, determined using the radiosaturation analysis are a sensitive and specific indicator of the disease. The determination will mainly be used to advantage for identifying patients suffering from the anicteric form of the disease without any clinical manifestations, will substantially improve the ethiological diagnosis of acute hepatitis.

  7. Early serological diagnosis of viral hepatitis A using radiosaturation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zichova, M.; Vodak, M.; Pultar, J.; Truksova, B.; Stepanek, F.

    1985-01-01

    The possibility was verified of utilizing the determination of specific IgM class antibodies to hepatitis A virus using the method of radiosaturation analysis, for early ethiological diagnosis of hepatitis A. The determination was made using the HAVAB-M kit by Abbott. A high and verifiable presence was found of these antibodies in the first to third weeks of the duration of the disease, positivity was observed up to day 125 from the onset of the diseases. Reliability of the determination of specific IgM antibodies to hepatitis A virus is high. Specific IgM antibodies to hepatitis A, determined using the radiosaturation analysis are a sensitive and specific indicator of the disease. The determination will mainly be used to advantage for identifying patients suffering from the anicteric form of the disease without any clinical manifestations, will substantially improve the ethiological diagnosis of acute hepatitis. (author)

  8. Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis: Need for early diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammed K

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis is a rare autosomal recessive lipid storage disease characterized by widespread tissue deposition of two neutral sterols, cholestanol and cholesterol, resulting in tendinous xanthomas, juvenile cataracts, progressive neurological defects and premature death from arteriosclerosis. The primary biochemical defect is deficiency of hepatic mitochondrial enzyme sterol-27-hydroxylase which catalyses the hydroxylation of cholestanol (5-alpha dehydro derivative of cholesterol and this deficiency decreases bile acid synthesis. Substantial elevation of serum cholestanol and urinary bile alcohols with low to normal plasma cholesterol concentration establishes the diagnosis. Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis is exceptionally rare in the Indian population. We are reporting a woman with this rare disorder, who was on antiepileptic and antipsychotic drugs for a prolonged period and whose original condition went undiagnosed. She presented with xanthomas on the Achilles tendons and the upper end of tibia. She was mentally subnormal and her serum cholestanol level was raised. Her younger sister too was severely affected by this disorder. Early treatment with chenodeoxycholic acid is known to prevent disease progression.

  9. Detection, modeling and matching of pleural thickenings from CT data towards an early diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaisaowong, Kraisorn; Kraus, Thomas

    2014-03-01

    Pleural thickenings can be caused by asbestos exposure and may evolve into malignant pleural mesothelioma. While an early diagnosis plays the key role to an early treatment, and therefore helping to reduce morbidity, the growth rate of a pleural thickening can be in turn essential evidence to an early diagnosis of the pleural mesothelioma. The detection of pleural thickenings is today done by a visual inspection of CT data, which is time-consuming and underlies the physician's subjective judgment. Computer-assisted diagnosis systems to automatically assess pleural mesothelioma have been reported worldwide. But in this paper, an image analysis pipeline to automatically detect pleural thickenings and measure their volume is described. We first delineate automatically the pleural contour in the CT images. An adaptive surface-base smoothing technique is then applied to the pleural contours to identify all potential thickenings. A following tissue-specific topology-oriented detection based on a probabilistic Hounsfield Unit model of pleural plaques specify then the genuine pleural thickenings among them. The assessment of the detected pleural thickenings is based on the volumetry of the 3D model, created by mesh construction algorithm followed by Laplace-Beltrami eigenfunction expansion surface smoothing technique. Finally, the spatiotemporal matching of pleural thickenings from consecutive CT data is carried out based on the semi-automatic lung registration towards the assessment of its growth rate. With these methods, a new computer-assisted diagnosis system is presented in order to assure a precise and reproducible assessment of pleural thickenings towards the diagnosis of the pleural mesothelioma in its early stage.

  10. Sharing information about diagnosis and outcome of first-episode psychosis in patients presenting to early intervention services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farooq, Saeed; Green, Debra J; Singh, Swaran P

    2018-05-04

    First-episode psychosis (FEP) can be a serious and debilitating disease, but there is limited literature on how to inform patients and carers about its diagnosis and outcome. We aimed to examine the attitudes, practices and views of clinicians working in Early Intervention Service about sharing information on diagnosis and outcome of FEP. A 26-item questionnaire was sent electronically to clinical staff who have been involved in the discussion of FEP diagnosis in Early Intervention Services in the West Midlands, UK. A total of 51 clinicians completed the questionnaire. All respondents stated that patients or carers of those presenting with FEP wish to be informed of their diagnosis, and three-quarters (76%) felt there is a need to develop guidelines on how to inform about diagnosis; 57% stated that they usually use broad diagnostic groups such as psychosis when discussing diagnosis, and only 11% use the term schizophrenia. A total of 40% thought that the therapeutic relationship and treatment adherence (58%) would improve if patients know about their diagnosis; 42 (88%) respondents felt that the likely outcome of the illness should also be discussed with patients when the diagnosis is communicated. The clinicians were aware that service users wished to be informed about the diagnosis and outcome of FEP but had no guidance on the subject. Despite the limitations of an online self-administered survey, the study highlights the need for guidance and improving clinical practice in discussing the diagnosis of FEP in a vulnerable population. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  11. Project for the National Program of Early Diagnosis of Endometrial Cancer Part I.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bohîlțea, R E; Ancăr, V; Cirstoiu, M M; Rădoi, V; Bohîlțea, L C; Furtunescu, F

    2015-01-01

    Endometrial cancer recorded a peak incidence in ages 60-64 years in Romania, reaching in 2013 the average value of 8.06/ 100,000 women, and 15.97/ 100,000 women within the highest risk age range, having in recent years an increasing trend, being higher in urban than in rural population. Annually, approximately 800 new cases are registered in our country. The estimated lifetime risk of a woman to develop endometrial cancer is of about 1,03%. Based on an abnormal uterine bleeding, 35% of the endometrial cancers are diagnosed in an advanced stage of the disease, with significantly diminished lifetime expectancy. Drafting a national program for the early diagnosis of endometrial cancer. We proposed a standardization of the diagnostic steps and focused on 4 key elements for the early diagnosis of endometrial cancer: investigation of abnormal uterine bleeding occurring in pre/ post-menopausal women, investigating features/ anomalies of cervical cytology examination, diagnosis, treatment and proper monitoring of precursor endometrial lesions or cancer associated endometrial lesions and screening high risk populations (Lynch syndrome, Cowden syndrome). Improving medical practice based on diagnostic algorithms addresses the four risk groups, by improving information system reporting and record keeping. Improving addressability cases by increasing the health education of the population will increase the rate of diagnosis of endometrial cancer in the early stages of the disease. ACOG = American Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, ASCCP = American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, PATT = Partial Activated Thromboplastin Time, BRCA = Breast Cancer Gene, CT = Computerized Tomography, IFGO = International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, HLG = Hemoleucogram, HNPCC = Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer (Lynch syndrome), IHC = Immunohistochemistry, BMI = Body Mass Index, INR = International Normalized Ratio, MSI = Microsatellites instability, MSI

  12. Bilateral Medial Medullary Stroke: A Challenge in Early Diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amir M. Torabi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Bilateral medial medullary stroke is a very rare type of stroke, with catastrophic consequences. Early diagnosis is crucial. Here, I present a young patient with acute vertigo, progressive generalized weakness, dysarthria, and respiratory failure, who initially was misdiagnosed with acute vestibular syndrome. Initial brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI that was done in the acute phase was read as normal. Other possibilities were excluded by lumbar puncture and MRI of cervical spine. MR of C-spine showed lesion at medial medulla; therefore a second MRI of brain was requested, showed characteristic “heart appearance” shape at diffusion weighted (DWI, and confirmed bilateral medial medullary stroke. Retrospectively, a vague-defined hyperintense linear DWI signal at midline was noted in the first brain MRI. Because of the symmetric and midline pattern of this abnormal signal and similarity to an artifact, some radiologists or neurologists may miss this type of stroke. Radiologists and neurologists must recognize clinical and MRI findings of this rare type of stroke, which early treatment could make a difference in patient outcome. The abnormal DWI signal in early stages of this type of stroke may not be a typical “heart appearance” shape, and other variants such as small dot or linear DWI signal at midline must be recognized as early signs of stroke. Also, MRI of cervical spine may be helpful if there is attention to brainstem as well.

  13. Early diagnosis of slipped capital femoral epiphysis on magnetic resonance imaging: A case report with review of literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanjay M Khaladkar

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE is a common hip condition occurring in adolescents, with a prevalence of 10 cases per 100,000 children. It usually affects younger age group from 10 to 17 years. The condition is usually found to be coexistent with various other conditions such as obesity, growth surges, and endocrine disorders such as hypothyroidism, growth hormone supplementation, hypogonadism, and pan-hypopituitarism. Patients present with limping and a poorly localized pain in the hip, groin, thigh, or knee. Diagnosis of the condition is often delayed due to its nonassociation with trauma and hence increases the chances of developing various complications such as avascular necrosis, chondrolysis and deformity. Majority of researches of SCFE are from Europe and North America, while studies in Asian populations are rare. Delay in diagnosis of SCFE is usually due to patients presenting with knee pain. Imaging can thus aid in early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of the disease, which in turn reduces incidence of deformity and disability in the affected children. Bilateral hip radiography - anteroposterior and frog′s-leg lateral views and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI are the radiological techniques that help in early diagnosis. MRI detects early physeal changes of both preslip and SCFE even when radiographs and computed tomography are normal. MRI should be routinely used to diagnose early SCFE in preslip stage to avoid further complications.

  14. Oral cancer. The importance of early diagnosis and treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sciubba, J J

    2001-01-01

    Oral cancer is an important health issue. The WHO predicts a continuing worldwide increase in the number of patients with oral cancer, extending this trend well into the next several decades. In the US the projected number of new cases of oral and oropharyngeal cancer will exceed 31,000 per year. Mortality due to cancers in this region exceeds the annual death rate is the US caused by either cutaneous melanoma or cervical cancer. Significant agents involved in the etiology of oral cancer in Western countries include sunlight exposure, smoking and alcohol consumption. Use of the areca or betel nut in many cultures is a major etiological factor outside of the USA. Other etiologic factors associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma, but far less significant statistically, include syphilis and sideropenic dysphagia. Recently, strong evidence for an etiological relationship between human papilloma virus and a subset of head and neck cancers has been noted. It is generally accepted that most sporadic tumors are the result of a multi-step process of accumulated genetic alterations. These alterations affect epithelial cell behavior by way of loss of chromosomal heterozygosity which in turn leads to a series of events progressing to the ultimate stage of invasive squamous cell carcinoma. The corresponding genetic alterations are reflected in clinical and microscopic pathology from hyperplasia through invasiveness. A wide range of mucosal alternations fall within the rubric of leukoplakia. Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia represents a relatively new type of leukoplakia that is separate from the more common or less innocuous form of this condition. Erythroplakia is particularly relevant considering its almost certain relationship with dysplasia or invasive carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma will develop from antecedent dysplastic oral mucosal lesions if an early diagnosis has not been made and treatment given. Early diagnosis within stages I and II correspond to a vastly

  15. Ancillary procedure for early diagnosis of brain damage in children

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sumi, Masatoshi; Sha, Tenei; Ryo, Fukko; Kagawa, Kotaro.

    1979-01-01

    CT scan of the head was performed on 14 patients with cerebral palsy, 16 with central coordination disorders, and 16 controls, and findings showing cerebral atrophy and enlargement of the cerebral ventricle were obtained in cases both of cerebral palsy and of central coordination disorders. To objectify these findings, 10 items were selected and evaluated according to 4 grades (0 - 3) and were compared. As a result, it was concluded that CT scan is an excellent ancillary procedure for early diagnosis of brain damages. (Tsunoda, M.)

  16. Congenital Midline Cervical Cleft: Diagnosis, Pathologic Findings, and Early Stage Treatment

    OpenAIRE

    Sinopidis, Xenophon; Kourea, Helen P.; Panagidis, Antonios; Alexopoulos, Vasileios; Tzifas, Sotirios; Dimitriou, Gabriel; Georgiou, George

    2012-01-01

    Congenital midline cervical cleft is a very uncommon malformation of the anterior neck, with less than 100 cases reported in medical literature. Herein we present a case of a female neonate with this anomaly. A detailed description of the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics is performed. As it is derived from the natural history of the lesion, prompt clinical diagnosis, and operative treatment during early infancy predispose to a better aesthetic and functional prognosis.

  17. Early diagnosis of myositis ossificans with Tc-99m diphosphonate imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tyler, J.L.; Derbekyan, V.; Lisbona, R.

    1984-01-01

    Myositis ossificans is primarily a disorder of young adults, whereby an area of muscle mass undergoes progressive ossification. The authors review a case in which the patient's presentation was somewhat atypical, and where the course of disease was unusually prolonged. Examination of the soft tissue lesion using Tc-99m diphosphonate bone scans was helpful in establishing the diagnosis and in determining the full extent of the process early in its evolution

  18. Early Diagnosis of Avascular Necrosis of Bone Following Renal Transplantation By Bone Scan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, Hyun Ho; Kim, Han Su; Ihn, Chun Gyoo; Kim, Myung Jae

    1982-01-01

    Avascular necrosis of bone has become a well-recognized complication of renal transplantation. While preexisting metabolic bone disease, especially hyperparathyroidism, and metabolic disturbances induced by steroids have been implicated as etiological factors, the pathogenesis is controversial. The diagnosis of avascular necrosis of bone had been based on a history of joint pain and radiographic demonstration of bone necrosis. Recently the bone scan using 99m Tc-methylene diphosphonate is helpful in determining the early stage of bone necrosis. We report two cases of avascular necrosis of femur head, of which diagnosis was made by the bone scan using 99m Tc-methylene diphosphonate.

  19. Usefulness of the early molecular diagnosis of Q fever and rickettsial diseases in patients with fever of intermediate duration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolaños-Rivero, Margarita; Carranza-Rodríguez, Cristina; Hernández-Cabrera, Michele; Pisos-Álamo, Elena; Jaén-Sánchez, Nieves; Pérez-Arellano, José-Luis

    2017-12-01

    Most cases of fever of intermediate duration (FDI) in Spain are associated with infectious diseases (mainly Q fever and rickettsia infections). In clinical practice, the causal diagnosis of these entities is based on immunodiagnostic techniques, which are of little help in the early stages. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of molecular techniques for the early diagnosis of Q fever and rickettsia diseases in patients with FDI. A PCR method was used to detect the presence of genetic material of Coxiella burnetii and Rickettsia spp. in blood specimens from 271 patients with FDI. The specificity of both techniques is high, allowing diagnosis in cases undiagnosed by specific antibodies detection. These data suggest that the use of molecular techniques, with proper selection of the study specimen, and using appropriate primers is a useful tool in the early diagnosis of the main causes of FDI, especially if serology is negative or inconclusive. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

  20. [Early diagnosis and therapy in pulmonary hypertension--aspects of a vision].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ewert, R; Olschewski, H; Ghofrani, H A; Opitz, C F

    2013-07-01

    In patients with pulmonary hypertension progressive vascular changes in the lung precede the clinical and hemodynamic manifestations of the disease. Therefore, early diagnosis and timely treatment of the disease are crucial. This has been the topic of an expert meeting in Greifswald, Germany in June 2012. The current definition of pulmonary hypertension requires a mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥ 25 mmHg at rest, a hemodynamic abnormality already reflecting pulmonary vascular changes beyond early disease. There is increasing evidence supporting the concept that a lower pressure threshold at rest or an abnormal pressure response with exercise better characterize early disease. While right heart catheterization at rest remains the diagnostic gold standard other methods for detecting early disease are explored with echocardiography being the most frequently used technique. Targeted therapy has been approved for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, WHO-group I) in functional class II-IV. Preliminary data in functional class I patients suggest therapeutic potential of theses drugs in early disease as well. Current guidelines propose therapeutic goals based on parameters with prognostic importance. However, these recommendations are based on mostly retrospective analyses of pre-treatment data obtained in patients with pulmonary hypertension in functional class II-IV. Therefore, evidence-based therapeutic goals for early interventions in functional class I patients are lacking. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  1. Psychological aspects of therapeutic abortion after early prenatal diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Giusto, M; Lazzari, R; Giorgetti, T; Paesano, R; Pachi, A

    1991-01-01

    The early discovery of a fetal pathology creates a "crisis" situation fraught with psychic problems for the couple who must live through it. The Authors observed a group of patients in the second trimester of pregnancy. They had all requested therapeutic abortion since serious malformation of the fetus had been confirmed. By means of a questionnaire constructed for the purpose, certain characteristics of fetal malformation and of pregnancy were evidenced, as well as the way these were experienced by the patients. The immediate and delayed reactions to the diagnosis of malformation were also studied, as was the experience lived when faced with the choice of abortion.

  2. Magnetic resonance imaging for early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis; Magnetresonanztomographie in der Fruehdiagnostik der rheumatoiden Arthritis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Uhl, M. [Universitaetsklinik Freiburg (Germany). Abt. fuer Radiologische Diagnostik; Allmann, K.H. [Universitaetsklinik Freiburg (Germany). Abt. fuer Radiologische Diagnostik; Hauer, M.P. [Universitaetsklinik Freiburg (Germany). Abt. fuer Radiologische Diagnostik; Laubenberger, J. [Universitaetsklinik Freiburg (Germany). Abt. fuer Radiologische Diagnostik; Kempis, J. v. [Universitaetsklinik Freiburg (Germany). Abt. fuer Rheumatologie und Klinische Immunologie; Langer, M. [Universitaetsklinik Freiburg (Germany). Abt. fuer Radiologische Diagnostik

    1997-06-01

    Nuclear magnetic resonance tomography (MRI) represents essential progress in the diagnostic means for evaluation of lesions of the muskuloskeletal system. The imaging of bone joints including material and structures like cartilage, tendons, ligaments, effusions, pannus, cortical bone and marrow offers essential advantages for diagnosis, differential diagnosis, follow-up control and detection of local complications in rheumatics radiology. The review article discusses the achievements of MRI for detection of early signs of rheumatoid arthritis and the current indications for MRI examination for early diagnosis. (Orig./AJ) [Deutsch] Die Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) ist ein bedeutender Fortschritt in der Diagnostik von Erkrankungen des muskuloskelettalen Systems. Die Darstellung von Gelenkstrukturen einschliesslich Knorpel, Sehnen, Baendern, Erguessen, Pannus, kortikalem Knochen und Mark ist in der Diagnostik, Differentialdiagnostik, Verlaufsbeurteilung und der Aufdeckung von lokalen Komplikationen in der Rheumaradiologie von erheblichem Vorteil. In der Uebersicht werden die Fruehveraenderungen der rheumatoiden Arthritis in der MRT-Bildgebung und die heute aktuellen Indiakationen fuer den Einsatz der MRT in der Fruehdiagnostik diskutiert. (Orig./AJ)

  3. Early diagnosis of retinopathy in juvenile diabetes by fluorescence angiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krzywicki, S.; Slankiewicz, A.; Jablonska-Budaj, U.

    1980-01-01

    The authors defined the usefulness of the fluorescein angiography of the retina and choroid in the early stage diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy in children comparing its results to the traditional ophthalmoscopy. Examination involved 50 children from 4 to 18 (30 boys and 20 girls) on insulin treatment. The duration of the disease was 1 to 14 years (average 7.36 years). Ophthalmoscopy showed pathological changes in 24% of the children. The fluorescein angiography visualized more microaneurysms compared to ophthalmoscopy and showed them sometimes in the eyes where they had not been found in eye fundus studies. By means of angiography the early and advanced stages of vascular complications were found in 64% of patients. Comparing to ophthalmoscopy a 40% increase was noted. Fluorescein angiography can lead to the decrease in the number of patients with markedly impaired visual acuity and cases of blindness in the diabetic population. (author)

  4. Early diagnosis of retinopathy in juvenile diabetes by fluorescence angiography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krzywicki, S; Slankiewicz, A; Jablonska-Budaj, U [Szpital-Pomnik Centrum Zdrowia Dziecka, Warsaw (Poland). Zespol Problemowy Okulistiky

    1980-09-01

    The authors defined the usefulness of the fluorescein angiography of the retina and choroid in the early stage diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy in children comparing its results to the traditional ophthalmoscopy. Examination involved 50 children from 4 to 18 (30 boys and 20 girls) on insulin treatment. The duration of the disease was 1 to 14 years (average 7.36 years). Ophthalmoscopy showed pathological changes in 24% of the children. The fluorescein angiography visualized more microaneurysms compared to ophthalmoscopy and showed them sometimes in the eyes where they had not been found in eye fundus studies. By means of angiography the early and advanced stages of vascular complications were found in 64% of patients. Comparing to ophthalmoscopy a 40% increase was noted. Fluorescein angiography can lead to the decrease in the number of patients with markedly impaired visual acuity and cases of blindness in the diabetic population.

  5. Early diagnosis of acoustic neuroma by the vestibular test

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haid, T; Rettinger, G; Berg, M; Wigand, M E

    1981-11-01

    In a series of 390 cases with suspicion of acoustic neurinomas 78 such tumors could be diagnosed, including 12 early stage neurinomas. This relatively high detection quote of small neurinomas is due to a special diagnostical programme: Every patient with unilateral and sensoneural hearingloss, independent of vertigo anamnesis or of the result of X-rays must be further examined by a vestibular test. All 78 patients with acoustic neuroma had pathological vestibular findings. The positional test turned out to be the most sensitive examination in the early diagnosis of acoustic neuromas and yields a still higher incidence than the thermic test: 95% of the patients with a neuroma showed pathological findings in the positional test. Every patient suffering from an unidentified unilateral and sensoneural hearingloss combined with a pathological result in the positional test must be further checked by a cisternomeatography or computerized tomography using airinsufflation. Every fifth of these patients showed typical signs of an acoustic neuroma in the neuroradiological tests. 68 neuromas are operated today and verfied histologically, 10 patients are still waiting for surgical treatment.

  6. Early diagnosis value of C-reactive protein in the acute pancreatitis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Zhen; Ruan Hui

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To investigate pairs of C-reactive protein (CRP) in acute pancreatitis(AP) diagnosis and disease evaluation of the value of research. Methods: One hundred and fifty cases of AP in two groups were divided into mild AP (MAP) and severe AP (SAP), in the 1 st, 3 rd, 5 th, 7 th, 9 th days after admission tests of CRP levels, dynamic observation and comparative analysis were performed. Results: CRP in all AP patients after admission was significantly higher, levels in SAP group serum CRP reached an average of (106.3 ± 15.4) mg/L which was significantly higher than that the MAP group (21.5 ± 7.6) mg/L (P < 0.01). Conclusion: CRP can be used as an early diagnosis of AP and SAP severity assessment and a prognosis indicators. (authors)

  7. Dual phase helical CT: diagnosis value for early pancreatic carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen Bingqi; Zhang Ling; Zheng Keguo; Xu Dasheng

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To study dual-phase helical CT for the evaluation of early pancreatic cacinoma. Methods: Dual-phase helical CT was performed on 21 patients with early pancreatic carcinoma. In the enhanced imaging the contrast material was intravenously injected in a dose of 1.5 ml/kg at a rate of 3 ml/s. The image acquisition of the lesion in pancreatic phase (PP) and portal venous phase (PVP) were started at 35 seconds and 65 seconds after the start of the injection respectively. The enhancement of normal pancreas and tumor during the two phases was observed and compared. All data were statistically analyzed. Results: Tumor-pancreas contrast was significantly greater in PP (45.16±113.23) HU than in PVP (23.15±12.44) HU (t=2.13, P<0.01). Conclusion: Dual-phase helical CT scan for pancreas, including the imaging of the pancreatic and portal , venous phase, can be applied as an optimal selection. It can delineate early pancreatic carcinoma clearly and provide more information for the diagnosis of the lesion. The tumor-pancreas contrast was much higher' in PP than in PVP. (authors)

  8. Hematological and biochemical indicators for the early diagnosis of dengue viral infection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Butt, N.; Abbasi, A.; Sheikh, Q.H.

    2008-01-01

    To determine the haematological and biochemical indicators for the early diagnosis of dengue viral infection. Patients presenting with a fever of less than 2 weeks duration, generalized morbiliform rash and bleeding manifestations were included. Clinical history was recorded and patients were placed on fluid and haematological support. Diagnosis was established by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for dengue virus or detection of dengue virus specific IgM and IgG. One hundred and four patients met the inclusion criteria during the study period. Sixty six patients had clinical and haematological features suggestive of grade I Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF); 34 patients had grade II DHF and 4 had grade III DHF out of whom 3 progressed to grade IV DHF. All the patients presented with fever followed by generalized morbiliform rash (81.73%), vomiting (79.8%), abdominal pain (65.38%), backache (62.5%), depression (60.6%) and mucosal bleeding manifestations (34.6%). Clinically, conjunctival infection was present in 93 patients (89.4%), hepatomegaly 59 (56.7%), lymphadenopathy in 17 (16.3%), splenomegaly in 13 (12.5%), pleural effusion in 11 (10.5%) and ascites in 8 (7.6%). Common laboratory findings were thrombocytopenia in 100% patients, leucopenia in 55 (52.8%), raised hematocrit in 52 (50%), and elevated aminotransferases, gamma GT in 100 (96%) patients. The overall mortality was 2.88%. In this series clinical history and examination supported by the triad of thrombocytopenia, raised hematocrit and elevated liver enzymes was sufficient for the early diagnosis of dengue hemorrhagic fever without waiting for dengue serology. (author)

  9. Clinical prediction and diagnosis of neurosyphilis in HIV-infected patients with early Syphilis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumaresq, Jeannot; Langevin, Stéphanie; Gagnon, Simon; Serhir, Bouchra; Deligne, Benoît; Tremblay, Cécile; Tsang, Raymond S W; Fortin, Claude; Coutlée, François; Roger, Michel

    2013-12-01

    The diagnosis of neurosyphilis (NS) is a challenge, especially in HIV-infected patients, and the criteria for deciding when to perform a lumbar puncture (LP) in HIV-infected patients with syphilis are controversial. We retrospectively reviewed demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from 122 cases of HIV-infected patients with documented early syphilis who underwent an LP to rule out NS, and we evaluated 3 laboratory-developed validated real-time PCR assays, the Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) assay, the fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) assay, and the line immunoassay INNO-LIA Syphilis, for the diagnosis of NS from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of these patients. NS was defined by a reactive CSF-VDRL test result and/or a CSF white blood cell (WBC) count of >20 cells/μl. Thirty of the 122 patients (24.6%) had early NS. Headache, visual symptoms, a CD4 cell count of FTA-ABS, TPPA, and INNO-LIA assays had sensitivities of 58%, 100%, 68%, and 100%, specificities of 67%, 12%, 49%, and 13%, and negative predictive values of 85%, 100%, 84%, and 100%, respectively. Visual disturbances, headache, uncontrolled HIV-1 viremia, and a CD4 cell count of <500 cells/μl were predictors of NS in HIV-infected patients with early syphilis, while blood serum RPR titers were not; therefore, RPR titers should not be used as the sole criterion for deciding whether to perform an LP in early syphilis. When applied to CSF samples, the INNO-LIA Syphilis assay easily helped rule out NS.

  10. Early Diagnosis of Avascular Necrosis of Bone Following Renal Transplantation By Bone Scan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shin, Hyun Ho; Kim, Han Su; Ihn, Chun Gyoo; Kim, Myung Jae [Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1982-09-15

    Avascular necrosis of bone has become a well-recognized complication of renal transplantation. While preexisting metabolic bone disease, especially hyperparathyroidism, and metabolic disturbances induced by steroids have been implicated as etiological factors, the pathogenesis is controversial. The diagnosis of avascular necrosis of bone had been based on a history of joint pain and radiographic demonstration of bone necrosis. Recently the bone scan using {sup 99m}Tc-methylene diphosphonate is helpful in determining the early stage of bone necrosis. We report two cases of avascular necrosis of femur head, of which diagnosis was made by the bone scan using {sup 99m}Tc-methylene diphosphonate.

  11. Neglected evidence in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cottin, Vincent; Richeldi, Luca

    2014-03-01

    In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), some facts or concepts based on substantial evidence, whilst implicit for learned subspecialists, have previously been neglected and/or not explicitly formulated or made accessible to a wider audience. IPF is strongly associated with cigarette smoking and is predominantly a disease of ageing. However, its cause(s) remain elusive and, thus, it is one of the most challenging diseases for the development of novel effective and safe therapies. With the approval of pirfenidone for patients with mild-to-moderate IPF, an earlier diagnosis of IPF is a prerequisite for earlier treatment and, potentially, improvement of the long-term clinical outcome of this progressive and ultimately fatal disease. An earlier diagnosis may be achieved in IPF by promoting thin-slice chest high-resolution computed tomography screening of interstitial lung disease as a "by-product" of large-scale lung cancer screening strategies in smokers, but other techniques, which have been neglected in the past, are now available. Lung auscultation and early identification of "velcro" crackles has been proposed as a key component of early diagnosis of IPF. An ongoing study is exploring correlations between lung sounds on auscultation obtained using electronic stethoscopes and high-resolution computed tomography patterns.

  12. The early history of x-ray diagnosis with emphasis on the contributions of physics 1895-1915

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mould, R.F.

    1995-01-01

    The contribution of physics to the development of X-ray diagnosis was vital in the early years of this century following Rontgen's discovery 1895-1915. The sections are presented in a logical order beginning with the discovery of X-rays, followed by X-ray tube technology to the advent of the hot cathode Coolidge tube, with the third and final section covering diagnostic radiology physics. It has been compiled from personal research over 35 years in libraries worldwide, drawing on textbooks, journals, popular magazines, newspapers, X-ray company catalogues and museum exhibits. I have included a certain amount of anecdotal information, because after all, much of the early commentaries were indeed anecdotal - and make very interesting reading. Finally it is commented that although this review is devoted to X-ray diagnosis, X-ray therapy should not be forgotten, and readers are referred to another review by the author on early therapeutic advances. (Author)

  13. Mandibular Symmetrical Bilateral Canine-Lateral Incisors Transposition: Its Early Diagnosis and Treatment Considerations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shapira, Yehoshua; Finkelstein, Tamar; Kadry, Rana; Schonberger, Shirley; Shpack, Nir

    2016-01-01

    Bilateral mandibular tooth transposition is a relatively rare dental anomaly caused by distal migration of the mandibular lateral incisors and can be detected in the early mixed dentition by radiographic examination. Early diagnosis and interceptive intervention may reduce the risk of possible transposition between the mandibular canine and lateral incisor. This report illustrates the orthodontic management of bilateral mandibular canine-lateral incisor transposition. Correct positioning of the affected teeth was achieved on the left side while teeth on the right side were aligned in their transposed position. It demonstrates the outcome of good alignment of the teeth in the dental arch.

  14. Label-free nanoplasmonic sensing of tumor-associate autoantibodies for early diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soler, Maria; Estevez, M-Carmen; Villar-Vazquez, Roi; Casal, J Ignacio; Lechuga, Laura M

    2016-08-03

    Colorectal cancer is treatable and curable when detected at early stages. However there is a lack of less invasive and more specific screening and diagnosis methods which would facilitate its prompt identification. Blood circulating autoantibodies which are immediately produced by the immune system at tumor appearance have become valuable biomarkers for preclinical diagnosis of cancer. In this work, we present the rapid and label-free detection of colorectal cancer autoantibodies directly in blood serum or plasma using a recently developed nanoplasmonic biosensor. Our nanoplasmonic device offers sensitive and real-time quantification of autoantibodies with excellent selectivity and reproducibility, achieving limits of detection around 1 nM (150-160 ng mL(-1)). A preliminary evaluation of clinical samples of colorectal cancer patients has shown good correlation with ELISA. These results demonstrate the reliability of the nanobiosensor strategy and pave the way towards the achievement of a sensitive diagnostic tool for early detection of colorectal cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. The value of magnetic resonance imaging in the early diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease – own experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bekiesińska-Figatowska, Monika; Kuczyńska-Zardzewiały, Arleta; Pomianowska, Barbara; Kajdana, Katarzyna; Szpak, Grażyna M.; Iwanowska, Beata; Mądzik, Jarosław

    2012-01-01

    Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare progressive neurodegenerative disorder, caused by the deposition of the pathological isoform of prion protein PrPsc in the central nervous system. The classic triad of symptoms consists of: rapidly progressive dementia, myoclonus and typical electroencephalographic findings (intermittent rhythmic delta activity and periodic sharp wave complexes). Detection of 14-3-3 protein in the cerebrospinal fluid plays an important diagnostic role as well. Magnetic resonance (MR) images of the brain have been recently incorporated into the diagnostic criteria of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. MR examinations were performed in a 65-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman with delusional disorder and cognitive dysfunction, respectively. Diffusion restriction (hyperintense signal in DWI) was shown in the cortex of the left parietal and occipital lobe in the first patient and symmetrically in the cortex of both cerebral hemispheres except for precentral gyri in the second one. In both cases, the first examinations were misread, with the suspicion of ischemic infarcts as the first differential diagnosis. Consultations and subsequent MR examinations in which lesions in subcortical nuclei appeared allowed for a diagnosis of probable CJD. In the first case it was confirmed by clinical picture, EEG and finally – autopsy. In the second case, EEG was not typical for CJD but the clinical course of the disease confirmed that diagnosis. The authors present the cases of two patients with characteristic MR images that allowed early diagnosis of probable Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease before the characteristic clinical picture appeared. Early diagnosis is nowadays important for the prevention of disease transmission and in the future – hopefully – for early treatment

  16. Prenatal Diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ozge Ozalp Yuregir

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Prenatal diagnosis is the process of determining the health or disease status of the fetus or embryo before birth. The purpose is early detection of diseases and early intervention when required. Prenatal genetic tests comprise of cytogenetic (chromosome assessment and molecular (DNA mutation analysis tests. Prenatal testing enables the early diagnosis of many diseases in risky pregnancies. Furthermore, in the event of a disease, diagnosing prenatally will facilitate the planning of necessary precautions and treatments, both before and after birth. Upon prenatal diagnosis of some diseases, termination of the pregnancy could be possible according to the family's wishes and within the legal frameworks. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2012; 21(1.000: 80-94

  17. Prenatal and Early Postnatal Diagnosis of Congenital Toxoplasmosis in a Setting With No Systematic Screening in Pregnancy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stajner, Tijana; Bobic, Branko; Klun, Ivana; Nikolic, Aleksandra; Srbljanovic, Jelena; Uzelac, Aleksandra; Rajnpreht, Irena; Djurkovic-Djakovic, Olgica

    2016-01-01

    Abstract To determine the risk of congenital toxoplasmosis (CT) and provide early (pre- or postnatal) identification of cases of CT in the absence of systematic screening in pregnancy. In the presented cross-sectional study, serological criteria were used to date Toxoplasma gondii infection versus conception in 80 pregnant women with fetal abnormalities or referred to as suspected of acute infection, and in 16 women after delivery of symptomatic neonates. A combination of serological, molecular (qPCR), and biological (bioassay) methods was used for prenatal and/or postnatal diagnosis of CT. Most (77.5%) pregnant women were examined in advanced pregnancy. Of all the examined seropositive women (n = 90), infection could not be ruled out to have occurred during pregnancy in 93.3%, of which the majority (69%) was dated to the periconceptual period. CT was diagnosed in 25 cases, of which 17 prenatally and 8 postnatally. Molecular diagnosis proved superior, but the diagnosis of CT based on bioassay in 7 instances and by Western blot in 2 neonates shows that other methods remain indispensable. In the absence of systematic screening in pregnancy, maternal infection is often diagnosed late, or even only when fetal/neonatal infection is suspected. In such situations, use of a complex algorithm involving a combination of serological, biological, and molecular methods allows for prenatal and/or early postnatal diagnosis of CT, but lacks the preventive capacity provided by early maternal treatment. PMID:26945416

  18. Molecular imaging reveals elevated VEGFR-2 expression in retinal capillaries in diabetes: a novel biomarker for early diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Dawei; Nakao, Shintaro; Xie, Fang; Zandi, Souska; Bagheri, Abouzar; Kanavi, Mozhgan Rezaei; Samiei, Shahram; Soheili, Zahra-Soheila; Frimmel, Sonja; Zhang, Zhongyu; Ablonczy, Zsolt; Ahmadieh, Hamid; Hafezi-Moghadam, Ali

    2014-01-01

    Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a microvascular complication of diabetes and a leading cause of vision loss. Biomarkers and methods for early diagnosis of DR are urgently needed. Using a new molecular imaging approach, we show up to 94% higher accumulation of custom designed imaging probes against vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) in retinal and choroidal vessels of diabetic animals (PM. R., Samiei, S., Soheili, Z.-S., Frimmel, S., Zhang, Z., Ablonczy, Z., Ahmadieh, H., Hafezi-Moghadam, A. Molecular imaging reveals elevated VEGFR-2 expression in retinal capillaries in diabetes: a novel biomarker for early diagnosis. PMID:24903276

  19. Application of multiplex nested methylated specific PCR in early diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Bi; Yu, Lei; Yang, Guo-Zhen; Luo, Xin; Huang, Lin

    2015-01-01

    To explore the application of multiplex nested methylated specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the early diagnosis of epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC). Serum and fresh tissue samples were collected from 114 EOC patients. RUNX3, TFPI2 and OPCML served as target genes. Methylation levels of tissues were assessed by multiplex nested methylated specific PCR, the results being compared with those for carcinoma antigen 125 (CA125). The serum free deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) methylation spectrum of EOC patients was completely contained in the DNA spectrum of cancer tissues, providing an accurate reflection of tumor DNA methylation conditions. Serum levels of CA125 and free DNA methylation in the EOC group were evidently higher than those in benign lesion and control groups (p0.05). The sensitivity, specificity and positive predicative value (PPV) of multiplex nested methylated specific PCR were significantly higher for detection of all patients and those with early EOC than those for CA125 (pnested methylated specific PCR (p>0.05), but there was no significant difference in sensitivity (p>0.05). Serum free DNA methylation can be used as a biological marker for EOC and multiplex nested methylated specific PCR should be considered for early diagnosis since it can accurately determine tumor methylation conditions.

  20. Computer-aided diagnosis of early knee osteoarthritis based on MRI T2 mapping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yixiao; Yang, Ran; Jia, Sen; Li, Zhanjun; Zhou, Zhiyang; Lou, Ting

    2014-01-01

    This work was aimed at studying the method of computer-aided diagnosis of early knee OA (OA: osteoarthritis). Based on the technique of MRI (MRI: Magnetic Resonance Imaging) T2 Mapping, through computer image processing, feature extraction, calculation and analysis via constructing a classifier, an effective computer-aided diagnosis method for knee OA was created to assist doctors in their accurate, timely and convenient detection of potential risk of OA. In order to evaluate this method, a total of 1380 data from the MRI images of 46 samples of knee joints were collected. These data were then modeled through linear regression on an offline general platform by the use of the ImageJ software, and a map of the physical parameter T2 was reconstructed. After the image processing, the T2 values of ten regions in the WORMS (WORMS: Whole-organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score) areas of the articular cartilage were extracted to be used as the eigenvalues in data mining. Then,a RBF (RBF: Radical Basis Function) network classifier was built to classify and identify the collected data. The classifier exhibited a final identification accuracy of 75%, indicating a good result of assisting diagnosis. Since the knee OA classifier constituted by a weights-directly-determined RBF neural network didn't require any iteration, our results demonstrated that the optimal weights, appropriate center and variance could be yielded through simple procedures. Furthermore, the accuracy for both the training samples and the testing samples from the normal group could reach 100%. Finally, the classifier was superior both in time efficiency and classification performance to the frequently used classifiers based on iterative learning. Thus it was suitable to be used as an aid to computer-aided diagnosis of early knee OA.

  1. Herpes Simplex Virus Hepatitis: A Presentation of Multi-Institutional Cases to Promote Early Diagnosis and Management of the Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashwinee Natu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To compare three cases of Herpes simplex virus (HSV hepatitis to increase early diagnosis of the disease. Case  1. A 23-year-old man with Crohn’s disease and oral HSV. HSV hepatitis was diagnosed clinically and he improved with acyclovir. Case  2. An 18-year-old G1P0 woman with transaminitis. Despite early empiric acyclovir therapy, she died due to fulminant liver failure. Case  3. A 65-year-old woman who developed transaminitis after liver transplant. Diagnosis was confirmed by biopsy and she had resolution of acute liver failure with acyclovir. Conclusion. It is imperative that clinicians be aware of patients at high risk for developing HSV hepatitis to increase timely diagnosis and prevent morbidity and fatality.

  2. DESIGN OF EXPERT SYSTEM AS A SUPPORT TOOL FOR EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF PRIMARY HEADACHE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahwa Arsy Azzahra

    2017-07-01

    Conclusion. The design of early detection of primary headaches with the input parameters as mentioned before derived from the raw data as electronic medical records to be analyzed based on methods Naïve Bayes classifier resulted in the decision diagnosis of migraine, cluster and TTH have accuracy values by 92 %.

  3. (99m)Tc-MDP SPECT/CT as the one-stop imaging modality for the diagnosis of early setting of Kienbock's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arora, S; Singh Dhull, V; Karunanithi, S; Kumar Parida, G; Sharma, A; Shamim, S A

    2015-01-01

    (99m)Tc-Methylene diphosphonate (MDP) triple phase bone scintigraphy (BS) has a role in early diagnosis of Kienbock's disease, especially when the X-ray is negative. Early diagnosis can result in prompt management of the patient since wrist pain in older individuals due to aging may go unnoticed or be due to other diagnoses with the production of greater damage and eventually a worse prognosis. Herein, we present a case report of a 29-year-old female with Kienbock's disease in whom the X-ray was negative and MRI incorrect. The (99m)Tc-MDP SPECT/CT BS helped the diagnosis of the disease in an early stage (stage 1) and had a clinical impact on the patient's management. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

  4. Value of combined detection of serum AFP and GP73 in early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    GAO Haifeng

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available ObjectiveTo investigate the value of combined detection of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP and Golgi protein-73 (GP73 in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC and to provide a basis for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of HCC. MethodsA total of 408 patients hospitalized in Baoji Central Hospital from June 2012 to May 2013, as well as healthy persons who had normal test results in physical examination, were included in the study, and their specimens were collected. These patients were classified into HCC group (n=142, chronic hepatitis group (n=156, and liver cirrhosis group (n=110. Serum levels of AFP and GP73 in the three groups were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Comparison of test results between groups was made by analysis of variance, and comparison of rates was made by chi-square test. The sensitivity and specificity of the two indicators for the diagnosis of HCC were calculated using MedCalc statistical software. ResultsThe HCC group had significantly higher serum AFP and GP73 levels than the liver cirrhosis group and chronic hepatitis group (P<0.05; the liver cirrhosis group had significantly higher serum AFP and GP73 levels than the chronic hepatitis group (P<0.05. The sensitivity and specificity of the two indicators for the diagnosis of HCC were 95.8% and 98.6%, respectively, showing significant differences compared with those of each indicator alone (P<0.05. ConclusionCombined detection of serum AFP and GP73 has high diagnostic value and clinical significance for HCC, and they can be used as indicators for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of HCC.

  5. Mandibular Symmetrical Bilateral Canine-Lateral Incisors Transposition: Its Early Diagnosis and Treatment Considerations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yehoshua Shapira

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Bilateral mandibular tooth transposition is a relatively rare dental anomaly caused by distal migration of the mandibular lateral incisors and can be detected in the early mixed dentition by radiographic examination. Early diagnosis and interceptive intervention may reduce the risk of possible transposition between the mandibular canine and lateral incisor. This report illustrates the orthodontic management of bilateral mandibular canine-lateral incisor transposition. Correct positioning of the affected teeth was achieved on the left side while teeth on the right side were aligned in their transposed position. It demonstrates the outcome of good alignment of the teeth in the dental arch.

  6. Improvement of Dairy Cattle Productivity Through Early Non-Pregnancy Diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Indetie, D.

    2002-01-01

    Reproductive wastage bears a great deal on the productivity of dairy cattle by prolonging the calving intervals thereby reducing the milk produced and the number of calves born over the lifetime of a cow. early identification of a non-cyclic or non-pregnant cows can result in early intervention and rebreeding of the affected cattle ths improving productivity. Determination of progesterone levels in milk can be used as a good indicator of the reproductive status of dairy cows. five hundred and thirty two cows were sampled by collecting milk sample on day of AI, day 12 and 13 and day 22 to 24 after AI. The milk samples were assayed to determine progesterone levels at these stages of the estrus cycle, which were then used to deduce the reproductive status of the cow. Out of the cows sampled 16% were not cycling and had progesterone levels of 1 nm/L or less during the mid luteal phase. Insemination of cows whose Progesterone levels were less than 3 nm/L resulted in conception rates of 80% and indication of the timeliness of insemination. Inseminating cows 19 hours after onset of standing heat resulted in conception rates of 79% compared with insemination early whose conception rates were 15%.It can be concluded that the timeliness of AI will determine the success of conception rates if heat is detected properly and the cow is in the right reproductive state. Early non-pregnancy diagnosis using progesterone can reduce the anoestrus period as well as detecting cows with reproductive anomalies which can be rectified early and the cows presented for rebreeding thus reducing the calving interval and improving the productivity of the dairy enterprise

  7. [The significance of a 4,183 Da peptide of dermcidin protein in the early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kai, Feng; Lifeng, Liu; Haijing, Song; Xianhua, Liu; Hu, Xia

    2015-12-01

    To investigate the predictive value of 4,183 Da peptide of dermcidin protein in the early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of ischemic heart disease. A prospective controlled study was conducted. Serum samples were drawn from 161 patients with acute coronary'syndrome [ACS, including 46 patients with unstable angina (UA), 23 with acute non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, and 92 with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction], 111 subjects for routine physical examination, including 45 patients with hypertension history, 42 with coronary heart disease, 22 with diabetes, and 54 patients with non-ACS (including pulmonary embolism, aortic dissection, aneurysm, arrhythmia, myocarditis, coronary myocardial bridge, pleurisy, pneumothorax pneumomediastinum, rib fracture, reflux esophagitis, peptic ulcer, and pancreatitis) to serve as controls. 4 183 Da peptide of dermcidin protein was assessed with matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) technology, and myeloperoxidase [MPO, determined by point-of-care testing (POCT) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively], high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), heart type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP), myoglobin (MYO), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), and MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase (CK-MB) were quantitated with biochemical analysis. The power of the biomarkers above for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis for ischemic heart disease were judged by comparison of their sensitivity and specificity. (1) It was showed by one-way ANOVA that 4,183 Da peptide was higher in ACS group than that in control group (relative abundance: 22.05 ± 16.97 vs. 15.52 ± 14.09, P = 0.001), but no difference was found between ACS group and non-ACS group (relative abundance: 22.05 ± 16.97 vs. 19.99 ± 17.63, P = 0.416). (2) The specificity and sensitivity of the 4 183 Da polypeptide and MPO for predicting ACS and UA were compared with the receiver operating

  8. Genetic Testing Confirmed the Early Diagnosis of X-Linked Hypophosphatemic Rickets in a 7-Month-Old Infant

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    Kok Siong Poon BSc

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Loss-of-function mutations in the p hosphate regulating gene with h omologies to e ndopeptidases on the X -chromosome ( PHEX have been causally associated with X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XLHR. The early diagnosis of XLHR in infants is challenging when it is based solely on clinical features and biochemical findings. We report a 7-month-old boy with a family history of hypophosphatemic rickets., who demonstrated early clinical evidence of rickets, although serial biochemical findings could not definitively confirm rickets. A sequencing assay targeting the PHEX gene was first performed on the mother’s DNA to screen for mutations in the 5′UTR, 22 coding exons, and the exon-intron junctions. Targeted mutation analysis and mRNA studies were subsequently performed on the boys’ DNA to investigate the pathogenicity of the identified mutation. Genetic screening of the PHEX gene revealed a novel mutation, c.1080-2A>C, at the splice acceptor site in intron 9. The detection of an aberrant mRNA transcript with skipped (loss of exon 10 establishes its pathogenicity and confirms the diagnosis of XLHR in this infant. Genetic testing of the PHEX gene resulted in early diagnosis of XLHR, thus enabling initiation of therapy and prevention of progressive rachitic changes in the infant.

  9. Low Dopamine Function in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Should Genotyping Signify Early Diagnosis in Children?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gold, Mark S.; Blum, Kenneth; Oscar-Berman, Marlene; Braverman, Eric R.

    2014-01-01

    Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is present in 8% to 12% of children, and 4% of adults worldwide. Children with ADHD can have learning impairments, poor self-esteem, social dysfunction, and an increased risk of substance abuse, including cigarette smoking. Overall, the rate of treatment with medication for patients with ADHD has been increasing since 2008, with > 2 million children now being treated with stimulants. The rise of adolescent prescription ADHD medication abuse has occurred along with a concomitant increase of stimulant medication availability. Of adults presenting with a substance use disorder (SUD), 20% to 30% have concurrent ADHD, and 20% to 40% of adults with ADHD have a history of SUD. Following a brief review of the etiology of ADHD, its diagnosis and treatment, we focus on the benefits of early and appropriate testing for a predisposition to ADHD. We suggest that by genotyping patients for a number of known, associated dopaminergic polymorphisms, especially at an early age, misdiagnoses and/or over-diagnosis can be reduced. Ethical and legal issues of early genotyping are considered. As many as 30% of individuals with ADHD are estimated to either have secondary side-effects or are not responsive to stimulant medication. We also consider the benefits of non-stimulant medication and alternative treatment modalities, which include diet, herbal medications, iron supplementation, and neurofeedback. With the goals of improving treatment of patients with ADHD and SUD prevention, we encourage further work in both genetic diagnosis and novel treatment approaches. PMID:24393762

  10. Optimized smith waterman processor design for breast cancer early diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nurdin, D. S.; Isa, M. N.; Ismail, R. C.; Ahmad, M. I.

    2017-09-01

    This paper presents an optimized design of Processing Element (PE) of Systolic Array (SA) which implements affine gap penalty Smith Waterman (SW) algorithm on the Xilinx Virtex-6 XC6VLX75T Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) for Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) sequence alignment. The PE optimization aims to reduce PE logic resources to increase number of PEs in FPGA for higher degree of parallelism during alignment matrix computations. This is useful for aligning long DNA-based disease sequence such as Breast Cancer (BC) for early diagnosis. The optimized PE architecture has the smallest PE area with 15 slices in a PE and 776 PEs implemented in the Virtex - 6 FPGA.

  11. Early diagnosis of asthma in young children by using non-invasive biomarkers of airway inflammation and early lung function measurements: study protocol of a case-control study

    Science.gov (United States)

    van de Kant, Kim DG; Klaassen, Ester MM; Jöbsis, Quirijn; Nijhuis, Annedien J; van Schayck, Onno CP; Dompeling, Edward

    2009-01-01

    Background Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood, characterized by chronic airway inflammation. There are problems with the diagnosis of asthma in young children since the majority of the children with recurrent asthma-like symptoms is symptom free at 6 years, and does not have asthma. With the conventional diagnostic tools it is not possible to differentiate between preschool children with transient symptoms and children with asthma. The analysis of biomarkers of airway inflammation in exhaled breath is a non-invasive and promising technique to diagnose asthma and monitor inflammation in young children. Moreover, relatively new lung function tests (airway resistance using the interrupter technique) have become available for young children. The primary objective of the ADEM study (Asthma DEtection and Monitoring study), is to develop a non-invasive instrument for an early asthma diagnosis in young children, using exhaled inflammatory markers and early lung function measurements. In addition, aetiological factors, including gene polymorphisms and gene expression profiles, in relation to the development of asthma are studied. Methods/design A prospective case-control study is started in 200 children with recurrent respiratory symptoms and 50 control subjects without respiratory symptoms. At 6 years, a definite diagnosis of asthma is made (primary outcome measure) on basis of lung function assessments and current respiratory symptoms ('golden standard'). From inclusion until the definite asthma diagnosis, repeated measurements of lung function tests and inflammatory markers in exhaled breath (condensate), blood and faeces are performed. The study is registered and ethically approved. Discussion This article describes the study protocol of the ADEM study. The new diagnostic techniques applied in this study could make an early diagnosis of asthma possible. An early and reliable asthma diagnosis at 2–3 years will have consequences for the management of

  12. Adiposity, post-diagnosis weight change, and risk of cardiovascular events among early-stage breast cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cespedes Feliciano, Elizabeth M; Kwan, Marilyn L; Kushi, Lawrence H; Weltzien, Erin K; Castillo, Adrienne L; Caan, Bette J

    2017-04-01

    Little research examines whether adiposity or post-diagnosis weight changes influence Cardiovascular disease (CVD) among breast cancer patients for whom effects may differ due to treatment and recovery. We studied Stage I-III breast cancer survivors 18 to  diagnosis and weight and waist circumference (WC) around 24 months post diagnosis. Using Cox models for time to incident coronary artery disease, heart failure, valve abnormality, arrhythmia, stroke, or CVD death, we examined at-diagnosis body mass index (BMI, n = 3109) and post-diagnosis WC (n = 1898) and weight change (n = 1903, stable, ±5 to  diagnosis, 25% of women gained and 14% lost ≥10-lbs; mean (SD) WC was 90 (15) cm. Over a median of 8.28 years, 915 women developed CVD. BMI 25-30-kg/m 2 (vs. BMI diagnosis weight change had no association with CVD. Extreme adiposity and any elevation in WC increased risk of CVD among breast cancer survivors; however, changes in weight in the early post-diagnosis period were not associated with CVD. Survivors with high WC and existing CVD risk factors should be monitored.

  13. The physical principles of near infrared breast diaphanography and early diagnosis of breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song Feijun; Jia Zhuoying

    2009-01-01

    The early-screening and diagnosis of breast cancer is very important for improving the life quality of women as well decreasing the death rate. As a main diagnostic technique, mammography might cause radiation damage to the human body. Near infrared (NIR) computer diaphanography imaging diagnosis (CDI) is a new technique for breast cancer diagnosis which can be performed multiple times with no harm. However, its high incidence of false positivity has raised doubts and questions. We introduce the physical principles of CDI, and discuss the mechanism of how a malignant growth surrounds itself with a dense network of tiny blood-filled capillaries to feed oxygen and nutrients to active tumors, thus forming unique NIR transmittance markers that reveal the presence of cancer. The advantages and difficulties of CDI are evaluated, with the conclusion that CDI satisfies all the 'three-conditions' of imaging diagnosis. The influence of competition with mammography in the development of CDI is reviewed. The opportunities of physics interacting with the life sciences are outlined. (authors)

  14. Educating for early diagnosis of leprosy in the municipality of Mato Grosso Rondonópolis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Débora Aparecida da Silva Santos

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Rondonópolis-MT has shown high rates of leprosy cases, leading to the need for preventive educational activities. The extension project "Leprosy: Early diagnosis is the solution" is carried out in partnership with the Health Department for 4 years with the Nursing Course UFMT / ICEN / CUR. This article aimed to describe the realization of educational activities on prevention of leprosy in the areas of health facilities, in-service education, lectures in schools and participation in joint efforts between March 2014 and March 2015. The audience were 1764 residents, in addition to students and professionals schools and health teams. They were referred 22 suspected cases and confirmed 11 new, professional training and schools. This citizenship action, the project significantly contributed to the early diagnosis of leprosy and the public health of the city. It is suggested that new projects are undertaken to promote the quality of primary care, encouraging the participation of academia through the university extension.

  15. Early diagnosis of typhoid fever by nested PCR for flagellin gene of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, S; Harish, B N; Menezes, G A; Acharya, N S; Parija, S C

    2012-11-01

    Typhoid fever caused by Salmonella Typhi continues to be a major health problem in spite of the use of antibiotics and the development of newer antibacterial drugs. Inability to make an early laboratory diagnosis and resort to empirical therapy, often lead to increased morbidity and mortality in cases of typhoid fever. This study was aimed to optimize a nested PCR for early diagnosis of typhoid fever and using it as a diagnostic tool in culture negative cases of suspected typhoid fever. Eighty patients with clinical diagnosis of typhoid fever and 40 controls were included in the study. The blood samples collected were subjected to culture, Widal and nested PCR targeting the flagellin gene of S. Typhi. The sensitivity of PCR on blood was found to be 100 per cent whereas the specificity was 76.9 per cent. The positive predictive value (PPV) of PCR was calculated to be 76.9 per cent with an accuracy of 86 per cent. None of the 40 control samples gave a positive PCR. Due to its high sensitivity and specificity nested PCR can be used as a useful tool to diagnose clinically suspected, culture negative cases of typhoid fever.

  16. Early diagnosis of junior school age children’s posture disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N.S. Razumeiko

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: to describe specificities of early diagnosis method for junior school age children’s posture disorders. Material: in pedagogic experiment 156 junior school age children (boys and girls of 7-10 years’ age participated. All children had no experience of training in sport circles. For determination of uniformity of the tested we fulfilled experts’ examination for presence or absence of external signs of posture disorders in frontal plane. The children’s examination was conducted by qualified specialists at the beginning and at the end of experiment. For determination of early signs of muscular asymmetry in torso right and left sides of the tested children we used methodic, based on registration of tonic vibration reflex. Results: the pupils’ examination permitted to form a group of 108 persons, who did not have external signs of posture disorders. It was proved that it would be purposeful to take prophylaxis measures at very early stages of imbalance in muscular system’s work. Traditional approach in the form of prophylaxis examination can not give confident information about initial stage of imbalance in muscular system’s work in child’s organism. Conclusions: it was found that imbalance of motor nervous centers reflex excitability on both sides of backbone (if no purposeful prophylaxis measures are taken can result in muscular tonus asymmetry on right and left sides of torso in lumbar spine area.

  17. The Extraordinary Progress in Very Early Cancer Diagnosis and Personalized Therapy: The Role of Onco markers and Nano technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fruscella, M.; Crema, A.; Carloni, G.; Fruscella, M.; Ponzetto, A.

    2016-01-01

    The impact of nano technology on oncology is revolutionizing cancer diagnosis and therapy and largely improving prognosis. This is mainly due to clinical translation of the most recent findings in cancer research, that is, the application of bio- and nano technologies. Cancer genomics and early diagnostics are increasingly playing a key role in developing more precise targeted therapies for most human tumors. In the last decade, accumulation of basic knowledge has resulted in a tremendous breakthrough in this field. Nano oncology, through the discovery of new genetic and epigenetic biomarkers, has facilitated the development of more sensitive biosensors for early cancer detection and cutting-edge multi functionalized nanoparticles for tumor imaging and targeting. In the near future, nano oncology is expected to enable a very early tumor diagnosis, combined with personalized therapeutic approaches.

  18. Analysis pilot of the early diagnosis of congenital hyperthyroidism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Torres J, E.J.; Higuera R, B.O.; Sanchez de E, R.; Lema I, A.

    1997-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to inform the results of the Pilot Study on the early diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism, in a population of 11303 newborn, born over one year in Santa fe de Bogota. The disease was diagnosed in six neonates, who are currently under treatment and continuos medical supervision. Besides, a deficiency of Thyroxin-Binding-Globulin (TBG) was found in two newborns. The Radioimmunoassay (RIA) and Immunoradiometric Assay (IRMA) methodologies were employed in the screening test to quantify the Thyroxin hormone (T4) in umbilical cord blood samples and to determine the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) in blood obtained in the heel prick at 24 hours of life of the newborn. Samples were collected in a filter paper Schleicher and Schuell 903 (SS 903). Reagent kits locally developed according to the required standards of specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility of the RIA and IRMA methodologies were also used. When results of the screening test either for total T4 were less than 6.5 ug/dl, or TSH were greater than 25 uUI/ml, the infants were recalled and the diagnosis was confirmed by measurement of serum TSH and total T4. The statistical analysis allows the adjustment of the cut-off point for total T4 and TSH in newborn according to the gestation phase and the sampling time, which can be used in future screening programs

  19. [Application evaluation of multi-parametric MRI in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of early prostate cancer and prostatitis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, P; Huang, Y; Li, Y; Cai, L; Ji, G H; Zheng, Y; Chen, Z Q

    2016-10-11

    Objective: To evaluate the value of multi-parametric MRI (Mp-MRI) in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of early prostate cancer(PCa) in the peripheral zone(PZ) and low T 2 WI signal intensity of prostatitis. Methods: A total of 40 patients with PZ early PCa and 37 with prostatitis of hypointense T 2 WI signal in PZ were retrospectively analyzed, which were collected from the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from Janurary 2009 to June 2015, who underwent T 2 WI, DWI, and DCE-MRI examination and all patients were confirmed by pathology. All the data was transferred to GE Advanced Workstation AW4.3, the indexes divided into cancerous and prostatitis regions were calculated by Functool2 of signal intensity-time(SI-T) curve and ADC value, to calcuate the time to minimum(T max ), the whole enhancment degree (SI max ). ROC cure was used to determine the cutoff value for PCa detection with the ADC value. Result: On T 2 WI, 57.5% of PCa (23/40) showed focal nodular homogeneous low signal intensity, 70.3% of prostatitis(26/37) showed diffuse inhomogeneous low signal intensity. DCE-MRI, the distribution of curve types for malignant tumors was type Ⅰ 2.5%(1/40), typeⅡ32.5%(13/40) and type Ⅲ 65.0% (26/40). While the numbers for prostatitis was type Ⅰ 16.2%(6/37) , type Ⅱ 56.8% (21/37) and type Ⅲ 27.0% (10/37)respectively.The patterns of curve types in malignant lesions were different from benign lesions significantly(χ 2 =12.32, P prostatitis regions were (17.96±2.91)s, 1.76%±0.23% and (21.19±3.59)s, 1.53%±0.18%, respectively ( t =5.37, 6.10; P prostatitis regions were (0.95±0.13)×10 -3 mm 2 /s and (1.12±0.13)×10 -3 mm 2 /s, respectively ( t =7.10, P prostatitis from early PCa.

  20. Myocardscintigraphy with thallium: Early diagnosis of circulation disorders of the myocard

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wirth, R.H.; Rothenberger, W.; Gillmann, H.; Wetzel, H.P.; Kaufmann, H.; Staedtisches Krankenanstalten Ludwigshafen am Rhein

    1980-01-01

    Thallium myocardial scintiscanning has gained great clinical importance in the early detection of myocardial ischaemias which are still invisible in the ECG, in the assessment of the location and size of myocardial infarctions, and in the identification of infarctions masked by disturbed ventricular stimulus conduction or pacemaker ECG. The significantly higher sensitivity and specificity compared with ECG after work proves that myocardial scintiscanning after work plays an important role in the diagnosis of early stages of coronary heart diseases. A positive scintiscan points out a significant stenosis of the coronary artery, even if the ECG after work is negative, and is an indication for coronary angiography. In contrast, negative ECG and scintiscanning findings in a patient with anginose or atypical coronary disorders indicate that it is not a case of coronary disease. The detection of a reduced coronary reserve in cases of so-called critical coronary stenosis enables the earliest possible taking of therapeutical measures to preserve functional myocardial tissue. (orig.) [de

  1. Early diagnosis of acoustic neuroma by quantitative neurootological and neuroradiological tests

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haid, C T

    1983-02-01

    Every patient with unilateral and sensoneural loss of hearing, independent of vertigo anamnesis or X-rays must be further examined by a vestibular test. Between 1974 and 1980, 80 acoustic neuromas could be diagnosed, including 12 early stage neuromas. This relatively high detection quote of small neuromas is due to a special diagnostical program: All 80 patients with acoustic neuroma had a pathological vestibular result. The positional test turned out to be the most sensitive examination in the early diagnosis of acoustic neuromas and yields a still higher incidence than the caloric test: 95% of the patients with a neurinoma showed a pathological result in the positional test. So every patient suffering from an unidentified unilateral and sensoneural hearing loss combined with a pathological result in the positional test must be further examined by a cisternomeatography or computerized tomography (using air-insufflation). Every fifth of these patients showed unique hints of an acoustic neuroma in the neuroradiological test.

  2. Usefulness of the Bayley scales of infant and toddler development,third edition, in the early diagnosis of language disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torras-Mañá, Montserrat; Guillamón-Valenzuela, Montserrat; Ramírez-Mallafré, Ariadna; Brun-Gasca, Carme; Fornieles-Deu, Albert

    2014-01-01

    Language disorder (LD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, and early diagnosis has an impact on speech therapy practice. The aim of this work is to test the usefulness of the Cognitive and Language scales of the Bayley-III in the early diagnosis of LD. In a longitudinal study, a clinical sample of 187 children with diagnostic hypothesis of communication disorders at 4.5 years was assessed with the Bayley-III before age 3.5 years and subsequently with other scales of different psychological and psycholinguistic functions. The results indicate that children with LD scored significantly lower than their control groups in all subtests and compounds of the Bayley-III. Additionally, low scores on the Language composite in the Bayley-III predicted lower scores in the Auditory-vocal Channel of the ITPA. A significant correlation was obtained between the Cognitive Scale of the Bayley-III and the General Cognitive Scale of the MSCA and the Mental Processing Composite of the K-ABC. We can draw the conclusion that the Cognitive and Language scales of the Bayley-III are a useful instrument for early diagnosis of LD, and can also discriminate more severe forms of LD.

  3. [Bioethical reflections on ill-considered care due to an early diagnosis of Alzheimer disease].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buxó, M Jesús; Casado, María

    2014-01-01

    Early diagnosis of Alzheimer disease raises important bioethical issues. In the interval between early disease detection and symptom onset, there is a time in which the patient's autonomy, privacy, and dignity may be undermined by certain healthcare measures or by family care and support. These measures may eventually turn patients into an object of care, preventing them from accepting the disease, developing an identity, and rearranging their living spaces. Every effort should be made to ensure that care does not become compassionate harassment or an invasive act, annulling the patient's autonomy, identity, and self-determination. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  4. Induction of synchronized oestrous and early pregnancy diagnosis in Syrian awassi ewes, outside the breeding season

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zarkawi, M.; Al-Merstani, M.R.; Wardeh, M.

    2000-01-01

    An experiment was conducted on indigenous awassi ewes to evaluate the effect of intravaginal progestogen sponges containing 60 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP) followed by treatment with pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) on inducing synchronized oestrous outside the normal breeding season, improving fecundity and on early diagnosis of pregnancy using progesterone profiles. 96 awassi ewes were divided into 2 groups. ewes in the Group T, were fitted with MAP for 14 days and injected with 600 IU PMSG at the sponge withdrawal, whereas ewes in the control Group C, received no treatment. The results indicated that oestrous was induced within 36-48 h post sponge withdrawal in 82% of the treated ewes. There were significant (p<0.05) differences between groups T and C in total oestrous response, lambing rate, and fecundity. The means being 96% and 32.6%; 80% and 32.6% and 137.5% and 106.7%, respectively. The accuracy of early diagnosis of pregnancy at 17-19 days post-mating was 100%. The mean birth weight of lambs was similar in both groups (4.3 and 4,4 Kg for groups T and C, respectively).However, single born lambs were significantly (p<0.05) heavier at birth than individual twins (5.0 versus 3.9 Kg). It was concluded that it is possible to induce synchronized and fertile oestrous, successful pregnancy and lambing, and that serum progesterone measurement determinations are useful tool for early pregnancy diagnosis in awassi ewes induced oestrous and bred out of season. (author)

  5. Altered serum microRNAs as biomarkers for the early diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Yuhua; Cui, Lunbiao; Ge, Yiyue; Shi, Zhiyang; Zhao, Kangchen; Guo, Xiling; Yang, Dandan; Yu, Hao; Cui, Lan; Shan, Yunfeng; Zhou, Minghao; Wang, Hua; Lu, Zuhong

    2012-12-28

    Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a highly lethal infectious disease and early diagnosis of TB is critical for the control of disease progression. The objective of this study was to profile a panel of serum microRNAs (miRNAs) as potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis of pulmonary TB infection. Using TaqMan Low-Density Array (TLDA) analysis followed by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) validation, expression levels of miRNAs in serum samples from 30 patients with active tuberculosis and 60 patients with Bordetella pertussis (BP), varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and enterovirus (EV) were analyzed. The Low-Density Array data showed that 97 miRNAs were differentially expressed in pulmonary TB patient sera compared with healthy controls (90 up-regulated and 7 down-regulated). Following qRT-PCR confirmation and receiver operational curve (ROC) analysis, three miRNAs (miR-361-5p, miR-889 and miR-576-3p) were shown to distinguish TB infected patients from healthy controls and other microbial infections with moderate sensitivity and specificity (area under curve (AUC) value range, 0.711-0.848). Multiple logistic regression analysis of a combination of these three miRNAs showed an enhanced ability to discriminate between these two groups with an AUC value of 0.863. Our study suggests that altered levels of serum miRNAs have great potential to serve as non-invasive biomarkers for early detection of pulmonary TB infection.

  6. Basal cell carcinoma with halo phenomenon in a young female: Significance of dermatoscopy in early diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pinar Yuksel Basak

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Halo phenomenon of nevus may be observed as a circular reaction, although it is unusual around tumors. A 29-year-old woman presented with a pigmented lesion on the cheek since three years. She noted whitening of the skin around the lesion almost after a year following its appearance. Dermatologic examination revealed a pigmented nodular lesion with a hypopigmented halo on the left infraorbital region. The clinical impression was halo nevus, whereas basal cell carcinoma (BCC was considered in dermatoscopic differential diagnosis. The diagnosis was infiltrative-type BCC histopathologically. The persistence of a perilesional halo around an enlarging pigmented lesion should be carefully examined with accompanying dermatoscopic findings even in young patients for early diagnosis of tumoral lesions.

  7. EARLY DIAGNOSIS AS A PRECONDITION FOR A SUCCESSFUL COCHLEAR IMPLANTATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zora JACHOVA

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available All researches point to the fact that the early de­tection and diagnosis are still performed late (after the third year of life, so in the first three years of life there is no establishment of the developmental changes in a way that they include the interrelation aspects of the human development and its natural sequences. With the start of early rehabilitation procedures we encourage the positive manner of communication in the small deaf child, so that it manufactures and processes information that can lead to positive quality changes in the develop­mental process.The hearing technology has dramatically changed over the last decades. With the contribution of audiometers in the 40-ties of the last century we started to learn how to precisely estimate the de­gree and type of the hearing impairment, which has an enormous meaning for the optimal fitting of the powerful hearing aids and the cochlear im­plants. In the same period hearing aids for small children are developed which enabled children with a sig­nificant hearing loss a better opportunity to de­velop speech and their spoken language.

  8. Cross-validation of biomarkers for the early differential diagnosis and prognosis of dementia in a clinical setting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perani, Daniela; Cerami, Chiara; Caminiti, Silvia Paola; Santangelo, Roberto; Coppi, Elisabetta; Ferrari, Laura; Magnani, Giuseppe; Pinto, Patrizia; Passerini, Gabriella; Falini, Andrea; Iannaccone, Sandro; Cappa, Stefano Francesco; Comi, Giancarlo; Gianolli, Luigi

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the supportive role of molecular and structural biomarkers (CSF protein levels, FDG PET and MRI) in the early differential diagnosis of dementia in a large sample of patients with neurodegenerative dementia, and in determining the risk of disease progression in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We evaluated the supportive role of CSF Aβ 42 , t-Tau, p-Tau levels, conventional brain MRI and visual assessment of FDG PET SPM t-maps in the early diagnosis of dementia and the evaluation of MCI progression. Diagnosis based on molecular biomarkers showed the best fit with the final diagnosis at a long follow-up. FDG PET SPM t-maps had the highest diagnostic accuracy in Alzheimer's disease and in the differential diagnosis of non-Alzheimer's disease dementias. The p-tau/Aβ 42 ratio was the only CSF biomarker providing a significant classification rate for Alzheimer's disease. An Alzheimer's disease-positive metabolic pattern as shown by FDG PET SPM in MCI was the best predictor of conversion to Alzheimer's disease. In this clinical setting, FDG PET SPM t-maps and the p-tau/Aβ 42 ratio improved clinical diagnostic accuracy, supporting the importance of these biomarkers in the emerging diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease dementia. FDG PET using SPM t-maps had the highest predictive value by identifying hypometabolic patterns in different neurodegenerative dementias and normal brain metabolism in MCI, confirming its additional crucial exclusionary role. (orig.)

  9. Cross-validation of biomarkers for the early differential diagnosis and prognosis of dementia in a clinical setting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Perani, Daniela [Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan (Italy); San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Division of Neuroscience, Milan (Italy); San Raffaele Hospital, Nuclear Medicine Unit, Milan (Italy); Cerami, Chiara [Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan (Italy); San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Division of Neuroscience, Milan (Italy); San Raffaele Hospital, Clinical Neuroscience Department, Milan (Italy); Caminiti, Silvia Paola [Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan (Italy); San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Division of Neuroscience, Milan (Italy); Santangelo, Roberto; Coppi, Elisabetta; Ferrari, Laura; Magnani, Giuseppe [San Raffaele Hospital, Department of Neurology, Milan (Italy); Pinto, Patrizia [Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Department of Neurology, Bergamo (Italy); Passerini, Gabriella [Servizio di Medicina di Laboratorio OSR, Milan (Italy); Falini, Andrea [Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan (Italy); San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Division of Neuroscience, Milan (Italy); San Raffaele Hospital, CERMAC - Department of Neuroradiology, Milan (Italy); Iannaccone, Sandro [San Raffaele Hospital, Clinical Neuroscience Department, Milan (Italy); Cappa, Stefano Francesco [San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Division of Neuroscience, Milan (Italy); IUSS Pavia, Pavia (Italy); Comi, Giancarlo [Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan (Italy); San Raffaele Hospital, Department of Neurology, Milan (Italy); Gianolli, Luigi [San Raffaele Hospital, Nuclear Medicine Unit, Milan (Italy)

    2016-03-15

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the supportive role of molecular and structural biomarkers (CSF protein levels, FDG PET and MRI) in the early differential diagnosis of dementia in a large sample of patients with neurodegenerative dementia, and in determining the risk of disease progression in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We evaluated the supportive role of CSF Aβ{sub 42}, t-Tau, p-Tau levels, conventional brain MRI and visual assessment of FDG PET SPM t-maps in the early diagnosis of dementia and the evaluation of MCI progression. Diagnosis based on molecular biomarkers showed the best fit with the final diagnosis at a long follow-up. FDG PET SPM t-maps had the highest diagnostic accuracy in Alzheimer's disease and in the differential diagnosis of non-Alzheimer's disease dementias. The p-tau/Aβ{sub 42} ratio was the only CSF biomarker providing a significant classification rate for Alzheimer's disease. An Alzheimer's disease-positive metabolic pattern as shown by FDG PET SPM in MCI was the best predictor of conversion to Alzheimer's disease. In this clinical setting, FDG PET SPM t-maps and the p-tau/Aβ{sub 42} ratio improved clinical diagnostic accuracy, supporting the importance of these biomarkers in the emerging diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease dementia. FDG PET using SPM t-maps had the highest predictive value by identifying hypometabolic patterns in different neurodegenerative dementias and normal brain metabolism in MCI, confirming its additional crucial exclusionary role. (orig.)

  10. The importance of early diagnosis and treatment of kaposiform hemangioendothelioma complicated by Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vivas-Colmenares, Grecia V; Ramirez-Villar, Gema L; Bernabeu-Wittel, Jose; Matute de Cardenas, Jose A; Fernandez-Pineda, Israel

    2015-01-01

    Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) is a locally aggressive vascular tumor that may be complicated by Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon (KMP), a profound thrombocytopenia resulting from platelet trapping within a vascular tumor, either KHE or tufted angioma (TA). Typical features also include low fibrinogen and elevated D-dimers. It is well known that KMP is not caused by infantile hemangiomas. Management of vascular tumors complicated by KMP is challenging, and it is common for referral centers to receive patients in critical medical condition after multimodality treatment failure of vascular anomalies. Our aim is to communicate the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of KHE associated with KMP. A full-term male newborn with KHE complicated by KMP is reported. Treatment with vincristine, aspirin and ticlopidine normalized the coagulation parameters within one week, requiring a total of six doses of vincristine, seven months of ticlopidine and 17 months of aspirin. Early diagnosis and treatment of KHE complicated by KMP may allow the administration of fewer doses of vincristine and avoid the use of corticosteroids.

  11. Computer-aided detection systems to improve lung cancer early diagnosis: state-of-the-art and challenges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Traverso, A; Lopez Torres, E; Cerello, P; Fantacci, M E

    2017-01-01

    Lung cancer is one of the most lethal types of cancer, because its early diagnosis is not good enough. In fact, the detection of pulmonary nodule, potential lung cancers, in Computed Tomography scans is a very challenging and time-consuming task for radiologists. To support radiologists, researchers have developed Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) systems for the automated detection of pulmonary nodules in chest Computed Tomography scans. Despite the high level of technological developments and the proved benefits on the overall detection performance, the usage of Computer-Aided Diagnosis in clinical practice is far from being a common procedure. In this paper we investigate the causes underlying this discrepancy and present a solution to tackle it: the M5L WEB- and Cloud-based on-demand Computer-Aided Diagnosis. In addition, we prove how the combination of traditional imaging processing techniques with state-of-art advanced classification algorithms allows to build a system whose performance could be much larger than any Computer-Aided Diagnosis developed so far. This outcome opens the possibility to use the CAD as clinical decision support for radiologists. (paper)

  12. Computer-aided detection systems to improve lung cancer early diagnosis: state-of-the-art and challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Traverso, A.; Lopez Torres, E.; Fantacci, M. E.; Cerello, P.

    2017-05-01

    Lung cancer is one of the most lethal types of cancer, because its early diagnosis is not good enough. In fact, the detection of pulmonary nodule, potential lung cancers, in Computed Tomography scans is a very challenging and time-consuming task for radiologists. To support radiologists, researchers have developed Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) systems for the automated detection of pulmonary nodules in chest Computed Tomography scans. Despite the high level of technological developments and the proved benefits on the overall detection performance, the usage of Computer-Aided Diagnosis in clinical practice is far from being a common procedure. In this paper we investigate the causes underlying this discrepancy and present a solution to tackle it: the M5L WEB- and Cloud-based on-demand Computer-Aided Diagnosis. In addition, we prove how the combination of traditional imaging processing techniques with state-of-art advanced classification algorithms allows to build a system whose performance could be much larger than any Computer-Aided Diagnosis developed so far. This outcome opens the possibility to use the CAD as clinical decision support for radiologists.

  13. Arab American women's lived experience with early-stage breast cancer diagnosis and surgical treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obeidat, Rana Fakhri; Lally, Robin M; Dickerson, Suzanne S

    2012-01-01

    Currently, limited literature addresses Arab American women's responses to the impact of breast cancer and its treatments. The objective of the study was to understand the experience of being diagnosed with and undergoing surgical treatment for early-stage breast cancer among Arab American women. A qualitative interpretive phenomenological research design was used for this study. A purposive sample of 10 Arab American women who were surgically treated for early-stage breast cancer in the United States was recruited. Data were collected using individual interviews and analyzed using the Heideggerian hermeneutical methodology. Arab American women accepted breast cancer diagnosis as something in God's hands that they had no control over. Although they were content with God's will, the women believed that the diagnosis was a challenge that they should confront. The women confronted this challenge by accessing the healthcare system for treatment, putting trust in their physicians, participating when able in treatment decisions, using religious practices for coping, maintaining a positive attitude toward the diagnosis and the treatment, and seeking information. Arab American women's fatalistic beliefs did not prevent them from seeking care and desiring treatment information and options when diagnosed with breast cancer. It is important that healthcare providers encourage patients to express meanings they attribute to their illness to provide them with appropriate supportive interventions. They should also individually assess patients' decision-making preferences, invite them to participate in decision making, and provide them with tailored means necessary for such participation without making any assumptions based on patients' ethnic/cultural background.

  14. Heart/liver ratios and portal vein pressure used in early cirrhosis diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He Jingxiang; Li Wenfan; Liu Chun; Yang Peng; Chen Ming; Wang Hong

    2001-01-01

    Objective: To find a method which not only can comprehensively evaluate the rise of portal pressure, opening and establishment of portal collateral circulation, portal-systemic shunting, and liver and spleen functions in cirrhosis, but also aid the differential diagnosis of early and established cirrhosis. Methods: Heart/liver count (H/L) ratios were obtained at different times after per-rectal administration of 99m Tc-MIBI. Portal venous pressures at different times were calculated using a previously documented formula. The relationship between portal venous pressure and cirrhosis, including its pathological process, was then evaluated. Results: There was obvious discrepancy (t=2.810; p<0.05) in 90-150 minutes portal venous pressures between normal and late hepatitis groups; there was also obvious difference (t=2.348, p<0.05) in portal venous pressures between the cirrhosis group and other groups. The portal venous pressure of early cirrhosis group was also significantly different (t=2.167, p<0.05) from other groups and it was situated between those of normal, and hepatitis and cirrhosis groups. There was obvious diversity (t=2.287, p<0.05) in Child-Pugh classification levels in the late imaging phase. There was positive correlation between calculated portal venous pressure and H/L ratio (r=0.487, p<0.01). Conclusion: Using temporal portal venous recirculation imaging, an early H/L ratio of ≥0.65 and formula-calculated portal venous pressure of ≥1.9 kPa or a portal-systemic venous pressure difference of ≥1.5 kPa indicate cirrhosis; H/L ratio between 0.32 and 0.64 or portal venous pressure between 1.03 to 1.89 kPa suggest early cirrhosis. Our study showed that H/L ratios at specific times and computed portal vein pressure might be important in the diagnosis of hepatitis, impaired hepatic function caused by cirrhosis, portal-systemic shunting, and portal venous recirculation. It is a simple, sensitive, reliable, and non-invasive method, which can be helpful in

  15. HIV screening at health facilities and community pharmacies in Kenya : Enhancing test uptake and early diagnosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mugo, P.M.

    2017-01-01

    Despite a tremendous scale-up of antiretroviral therapy, as many as 54% of HIV-infected persons globally remain undiagnosed hence are not on treatment. This thesis presents findings from a series of studies conducted in Coastal Kenya aiming to enhance HIV test uptake and early diagnosis. We found

  16. [The new concept of osteoporosis. Early diagnosis, prevention and therapy are possible today].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hesch, R D; Harms, H; Rittinghaus, E F; Brabant, G

    1990-04-15

    A paradigma of osteoporosis pathology is discussed, at the center of which is the hormone-related disturbance of the osteoblast/osteoclast functional unit. A liberal replacement of estrogen-gestagen in post-menopausal women is advocated. Early diagnosis with the aid of quantitative computed tomography makes it possible to establish the indication for timely hormonal treatment in the future, which can result in a measureable increase in bone mass. Late therapy, that is, treatment initiated after the occurrence of fractures, has proven largely ineffective.

  17. Altered serum microRNAs as biomarkers for the early diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qi Yuhua

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB is a highly lethal infectious disease and early diagnosis of TB is critical for the control of disease progression. The objective of this study was to profile a panel of serum microRNAs (miRNAs as potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis of pulmonary TB infection. Methods Using TaqMan Low-Density Array (TLDA analysis followed by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR validation, expression levels of miRNAs in serum samples from 30 patients with active tuberculosis and 60 patients with Bordetella pertussis (BP, varicella-zoster virus (VZV and enterovirus (EV were analyzed. Results The Low-Density Array data showed that 97 miRNAs were differentially expressed in pulmonary TB patient sera compared with healthy controls (90 up-regulated and 7 down-regulated. Following qRT-PCR confirmation and receiver operational curve (ROC analysis, three miRNAs (miR-361-5p, miR-889 and miR-576-3p were shown to distinguish TB infected patients from healthy controls and other microbial infections with moderate sensitivity and specificity (area under curve (AUC value range, 0.711-0.848. Multiple logistic regression analysis of a combination of these three miRNAs showed an enhanced ability to discriminate between these two groups with an AUC value of 0.863. Conclusions Our study suggests that altered levels of serum miRNAs have great potential to serve as non-invasive biomarkers for early detection of pulmonary TB infection.

  18. Alzheimer's Disease Early Diagnosis Using Manifold-Based Semi-Supervised Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khajehnejad, Moein; Saatlou, Forough Habibollahi; Mohammadzade, Hoda

    2017-08-20

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is currently ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and recent estimates indicate that the disorder may rank third, just behind heart disease and cancer, as a cause of death for older people. Clearly, predicting this disease in the early stages and preventing it from progressing is of great importance. The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) requires a variety of medical tests, which leads to huge amounts of multivariate heterogeneous data. It can be difficult and exhausting to manually compare, visualize, and analyze this data due to the heterogeneous nature of medical tests; therefore, an efficient approach for accurate prediction of the condition of the brain through the classification of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images is greatly beneficial and yet very challenging. In this paper, a novel approach is proposed for the diagnosis of very early stages of AD through an efficient classification of brain MRI images, which uses label propagation in a manifold-based semi-supervised learning framework. We first apply voxel morphometry analysis to extract some of the most critical AD-related features of brain images from the original MRI volumes and also gray matter (GM) segmentation volumes. The features must capture the most discriminative properties that vary between a healthy and Alzheimer-affected brain. Next, we perform a principal component analysis (PCA)-based dimension reduction on the extracted features for faster yet sufficiently accurate analysis. To make the best use of the captured features, we present a hybrid manifold learning framework which embeds the feature vectors in a subspace. Next, using a small set of labeled training data, we apply a label propagation method in the created manifold space to predict the labels of the remaining images and classify them in the two groups of mild Alzheimer's and normal condition (MCI/NC). The accuracy of the classification using the proposed method is 93

  19. Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lulu

    2017-07-05

    Early-stage cancer detection could reduce breast cancer death rates significantly in the long-term. The most critical point for best prognosis is to identify early-stage cancer cells. Investigators have studied many breast diagnostic approaches, including mammography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, computerized tomography, positron emission tomography and biopsy. However, these techniques have some limitations such as being expensive, time consuming and not suitable for young women. Developing a high-sensitive and rapid early-stage breast cancer diagnostic method is urgent. In recent years, investigators have paid their attention in the development of biosensors to detect breast cancer using different biomarkers. Apart from biosensors and biomarkers, microwave imaging techniques have also been intensely studied as a promising diagnostic tool for rapid and cost-effective early-stage breast cancer detection. This paper aims to provide an overview on recent important achievements in breast screening methods (particularly on microwave imaging) and breast biomarkers along with biosensors for rapidly diagnosing breast cancer.

  20. Gene expression profiles reveal key genes for early diagnosis and treatment of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jun; Hou, Ziming; Wang, Changjiang; Wang, Hao; Zhang, Hongbing

    2018-04-23

    Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP) is an aggressive brain tumor that occurs predominantly in the pediatric population. Conventional diagnosis method and standard therapy cannot treat ACPs effectively. In this paper, we aimed to identify key genes for ACP early diagnosis and treatment. Datasets GSE94349 and GSE68015 were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus database. Consensus clustering was applied to discover the gene clusters in the expression data of GSE94349 and functional enrichment analysis was performed on gene set in each cluster. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built by the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes, and hubs were selected. Support vector machine (SVM) model was built based on the signature genes identified from enrichment analysis and PPI network. Dataset GSE94349 was used for training and testing, and GSE68015 was used for validation. Besides, RT-qPCR analysis was performed to analyze the expression of signature genes in ACP samples compared with normal controls. Seven gene clusters were discovered in the differentially expressed genes identified from GSE94349 dataset. Enrichment analysis of each cluster identified 25 pathways that highly associated with ACP. PPI network was built and 46 hubs were determined. Twenty-five pathway-related genes that overlapped with the hubs in PPI network were used as signatures to establish the SVM diagnosis model for ACP. The prediction accuracy of SVM model for training, testing, and validation data were 94, 85, and 74%, respectively. The expression of CDH1, CCL2, ITGA2, COL8A1, COL6A2, and COL6A3 were significantly upregulated in ACP tumor samples, while CAMK2A, RIMS1, NEFL, SYT1, and STX1A were significantly downregulated, which were consistent with the differentially expressed gene analysis. SVM model is a promising classification tool for screening and early diagnosis of ACP. The ACP-related pathways and signature genes will advance our knowledge of ACP pathogenesis

  1. Nailfold capillaroscopy in primary biliary cirrhosis: a useful tool for the early diagnosis of scleroderma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tovoli, Francesco; Granito, Alessandro; Giampaolo, Luca; Frisoni, Magda; Volta, Umberto; Fusconi, Marco; Masi, Chiara; Lenzi, Marco

    2014-03-01

    Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is frequently associated with other autoimmune diseases, including systemic sclerosis (SSc). In the last years many efforts have been dedicated to the research of widely accepted criteria for the early diagnosis of SSc. Since studies on the prevalence of early SSc in PBC patients are lacking, our aim was to investigate its hitherto unknown prevalence in a large cohort of PBC patients. We studied 80 PBC patients and 72 patients with other chronic liver diseases. Diagnostic workup included research into signs of connective tissue disease, determination of autoantibody profile, and examination of capillary abnormalities through nailfold videocapillaroscopy. Ten PBC patients (12.5%) satisfied diagnostic criteria for early SSc and 5 (6.3%) had definite SSc. None of the patients in the control group were diagnosed either with early or definite SSc. No differences were observed in terms of aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, and liver function tests between PBC patients with and without associated SSc. Early SSc is significantly frequent in PBC patients. The detection of early SSc in PBC patients may lead to a prompt treatment of its complications, preventing inabilities and preserving the chance of liver transplantation.

  2. Video Head Impulse Test for Early Diagnosis of Vestibular Neuritis Among Acute Vertigo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Qiongfeng; Zhang, Lisan; Hong, Wenke; Yang, Yi; Chen, Zhaoying; Lu, Peilin; Zhang, Dan; Hu, Xingyue

    2017-09-01

    This study assesses the value of the video head impulse test (vHIT) for early diagnosis of vestibular neuritis (VN) among acute vertigo. Thirty-three cases of vestibular neuritis (VN), 96 patients with other acute vertigo (AV), and 50 cases of normal controls used vHIT to quantitatively test a pair of horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflection (VOR) gains, two pairs of vertical VOR gains, and the corresponding three pairs of VOR gain asymmetry. The peculiarity of VOR gains in VN and the differences between VN and other AV, normal controls by vHIT, were collected and analyzed. There were statistically significant differences in the three pairs of VOR gains asymmetry between VN and other AV, and normal controls (Pvertigo by vHIT. This study shows vHIT has advantages in the diagnosis of VN in acute vertigo with good sensitivity and specificity and indicates a widespread clinical application.

  3. Early diagnosis of myocardial infarction using absolute and relative changes in cardiac troponin concentrations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irfan, Affan; Reichlin, Tobias; Twerenbold, Raphael; Meister, Marc; Moehring, Berit; Wildi, Karin; Bassetti, Stefano; Zellweger, Christa; Gimenez, Maria Rubini; Hoeller, Rebeca; Murray, Karsten; Sou, Seoung Mann; Mueller, Mira; Mosimann, Tamina; Reiter, Miriam; Haaf, Philip; Ziller, Ronny; Freidank, Heike; Osswald, Stefan; Mueller, Christian

    2013-09-01

    Absolute changes in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) seem to have higher diagnostic accuracy in the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction compared with relative changes. It is unknown whether the same applies to high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) assays and whether the combination of absolute and relative change might further increase accuracy. In a prospective, international multicenter study, high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) was measured with 3 novel assays (hs-cTnT, Roche Diagnostics Corp, Indianapolis, Ind; hs-cTnI, Beckman Coulter Inc, Brea, Calif; hs-cTnI, Siemens, Munich, Germany) in a blinded fashion at presentation and after 1 and 2 hours in a blinded fashion in 830 unselected patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction. The final diagnosis was adjudicated by 2 independent cardiologists. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for diagnosing acute myocardial infarction was significantly higher for 1- and 2-hour absolute versus relative hs-cTn changes for all 3 assays (P Siemens, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.93-0.99]) were high and provided some benefit compared with the use of absolute change alone for hs-cTnT, but not for the hs-cTnI assays. Reclassification analysis confirmed the superiority of absolute changes versus relative changes. Absolute changes seem to be the preferred metrics for both hs-cTnT and hs-cTnI in the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. The combination of absolute and relative changes provides a small added value for hs-cTnT, but not for hs-cTnI. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Utility of ultrasound in the early diagnosis of childhood neutropenic enterocolitis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muro, D.; Sanguesa, C.; Bermudez, M.; Verdeguer, A.

    1999-01-01

    To determine the utility of ultrasound in the diagnosis of neutropenic enterocolitis (NEC) in children with cancer or AIDS, and to establish the differential diagnosis with respect to more common causes of acute abdomen. We studied eight patients diagnosed as having NEC over a ten-year period, gathering the clinical data and imaging studied for each. Seven of the children were cancer patients and the remaining child had AIDS. The imaging methods used were plain radiography, B-mode ultrasound and color Doppler ultrasound: in addition, one patient underwent a barium enema. All eight patients presented abdominal pain, predominantly in right iliac fossa, and fever; the neutrophil count was under 100/mm''3. The most common plain abdominal X-ray image was the absence of air in right iliac fossa and dilation of the small bowel loops. One child presented submucosal and subserosal ectopic air colon and cecum, air in the intrahepatic portal system and in peritoneum. Abdominal ultrasound revealed thickening of the cecal mucosa in every case, and color Doppler ultrasound disclosed increased vascularization of the intestinal wall. Six children received medical treatment and two underwent surgery. Three patients died, one a few hours after the surgical procedure and the other two a few days after onset of NEC and initiation of medical treatment. Abdominal ultrasound is the best imaging technique for early diagnosis of NEC and assessment of the response to medical treatment, Moreover, it can be performed at bedside, making it unnecessary to move the patient from his room. (Author) 26 refs

  5. The significance of fluorescein angiography in the early diagnosis of lesions on ocular fundus at pseudoxanthoma elasticum patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogdanowski, T; Gluza, J; Rasiewicz, D

    1977-05-27

    The role of fluorescein angiography in early diagnosis of lesions on fundus of the eye at pseudoxanthoma elasticum patients has been shown. The authors show angiographic changes on the basis of three cases of pseudoxanthoma elasticum patients.

  6. Assessing the socio-cultural impacts of emerging molecular technologies for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boenink, M.; Cuijpers, Y.M.; Laan, A.L. van der; Lente, H. van; Moors, E.H.M.

    2011-01-01

    Novel technologies for early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) will impact the way society views and deals with AD and ageing. However, such “sociocultural” impacts are hardly acknowledged in standard approaches of technology assessment. In this paper, we outline three steps to assess such

  7. Does digital mammography suppose an advance in early diagnosis? Trends in performance indicators 6 years after digitalization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sala, Maria; Domingo, Laia; Macià, Francesc; Comas, Mercè; Burón, Andrea; Castells, Xavier

    2015-03-01

    To provide a complete evaluation of the long-term impact of full-field digital mammography (FFDM) on the improvement of early diagnosis in a population-based screening program. We included 82,961 screen-film mammograms (SFM) and 79,031 FFDM from women aged 50-69 screened biennially from 1995-2010 in Spain and followed-up to 2012. The first screening round of the program was excluded. Rates of cancer detection, interval cancer, tumoral characteristics and other quality indicators were compared between SFM and FFDM periods using the Chi-square test. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted. Detection of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) significantly increased with FFDM (0.05 % vs 0.09 %; p = 0.010), along with the proportion of small invasive cancers (Digitalization has supposed an improvement in early diagnosis because DCIS and small invasive cancers increased without a change in detection rate. Moreover, false-positive reduction without an increase in the interval cancer rate was confirmed.

  8. Usefulness of the mycobacterium tuberculosis direct assay in early diagnosis of extrapulmonary TB

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Hui-Zhang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the in situ detection of living mycobacterium TB rRNA by the mycobacterium TB direct assay (MTD and its clinical significance in the early diagnosis of extrapulmonary TB. Eighty-six patients were recruited from the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center from June to November in 2010, having been diagnosed with extrapulmonary TB, including tuberculous peritonitis (n=22, lymphatic TB (n=21, tuberculous meningitis (n=15, HIV-associated TB (n=13, nephroTB (n=9, spinal TB (n=2, cutaneous TB (n=13, parotid TB (n=1, chest wall TB (n=1, intestinal TB (n=1. One hundred and five extrapulmonary specimens, including CSF, puncture fluid, drainage, pleural fluid, urine, secretion, ascites, lymphatic tissue and marrow were collected from the patients. The samples were examined using acid-fast stain, solid culture, liquid culture and MTD in parallel. In MTD, the target segments of MTB rRNA in either cultures or clinical specimens were amplified prior to being qualitatively detected with the hybridization protection assay (HPA. The sensitivities of MTD and acid-fast staining in liquid and solid cultures were 48.6%, 41.9%, 20.0% and 14.3%, respectively. MTD sensitivity was higher than that of the others and its specificity was 100%. We concluded that MTD rRNA detection is an effective, rapid, convenient, sensitive and reliable method for the early diagnosis of extrapulmonary TB.

  9. Early diagnosis and treatment of ankylosing spondylitis in Africa and the Middle East.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rachid, Bahiri; El Zorkany, Bassel; Youseif, Ehab; Tikly, Mohammed

    2012-11-01

    Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is the prototype for spondyloarthritis primarily affecting young men. Geographic and ethnic variations exist in the prevalence and severity of AS and relate to the wide disparity in the frequency of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27, a major genetic risk factor. The strength of the disease association with HLA-B27 is lower in most Arab populations (25-75 %) than in Western European populations (>90 %), and there is no association in sub-Saharan Africa, where the prevalence of HLA-B27 is Africa, and the high rate of spondyloarthropathies associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection. Diagnosis of AS is often delayed 8-10 years; potential reasons for the delay in Africa and the Middle East include low awareness among physicians and patients, the requirement for radiographic evidence of sacroiliitis for diagnosis, and limited access to magnetic resonance imaging in some countries. Treatment should be initiated early to prevent or reduce skeletal deformity and physical disability. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are effective first-line treatment and anti-tumor necrosis factor-α drugs are indicated for patients who have an inadequate response to first-line therapy. In Africa and the Middle East, such treatments may be precluded either by cost or contraindicated because of the high prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection. Research is sorely needed to develop cost-effective tools to diagnose AS early as well as effective, inexpensive, and safe treatments for these developing regions.

  10. [Usefulness of serological studies for the early diagnosis of Lyme disease in Primary Health Care Centres].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vázquez-López, María Esther; Fernández, Gonzalo; Díaz, Pablo; Díez-Morrondo, Carolina; Pego-Reigosa, Robustiano; Coira-Nieto, Amparo

    2018-01-01

    The main aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of an early diagnosis of Lyme disease (LD) in Primary Health Care Centres (PHCC) using the ELISA test as serological screening technique. A retrospective study (2006-2013) was performed in order to determine the anti-Borrelia seropositivity in 2,842 people at risk of having LD. The possible relationship between the environment and the area of residence with anti-Borrelia seropositivity was also studied according to the origin of the specimens (PHCC/Hospital). Overall, 15.2% of samples were positive to Borrelia spp. Seropositivity was significantly higher in samples sent by PHCC doctors than those sent by Hospital doctors. Seropositivity was significantly higher in rural than in urban populations and in those who live in mountainous or flat areas. The percentage of seropositivity has increased over the years. The role of the PHCC doctor is essential for achieving an early diagnosis of Lyme disease, as a higher percentage of seropositives was detected in samples submitted from PHCC. Furthermore, most early localised LD patients were diagnosed in PHCC, avoiding the appearance of sequelae. Therefore, detection of Borrelia specific antibodies using an ELISA assay is a useful screening test for patients at risk of LD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  11. Cost-effectiveness of magnetic resonance imaging with a new contrast agent for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Biasutti

    Full Text Available Used as contrast agents for brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, markers for beta-amyloid deposits might allow early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of such a diagnostic test, MRI+CLP (contrastophore-linker-pharmacophore, should it become clinically available.We compared the cost-effectiveness of MRI+CLP to that of standard diagnosis using currently available cognition tests and of standard MRI, and investigated the impact of a hypothetical treatment efficient in early AD. The primary analysis was based on the current French context for 70-year-old patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI. In alternative "screen and treat" scenarios, we analyzed the consequences of systematic screenings of over-60 individuals (either population-wide or restricted to the ApoE4 genotype population. We used a Markov model of AD progression; model parameters, as well as incurred costs and quality-of-life weights in France were taken from the literature. We performed univariate and probabilistic multivariate sensitivity analyses. The base-case preferred strategy was the standard MRI diagnosis strategy. In the primary analysis however, MRI+CLP could become the preferred strategy under a wide array of scenarios involving lower cost and/or higher sensitivity or specificity. By contrast, in the "screen and treat" analyses, the probability of MRI+CLP becoming the preferred strategy remained lower than 5%.It is thought that anti-beta-amyloid compounds might halt the development of dementia in early stage patients. This study suggests that, even should such treatments become available, systematically screening the over-60 population for AD would only become cost-effective with highly specific tests able to diagnose early stages of the disease. However, offering a new diagnostic test based on beta-amyloid markers to elderly patients with MCI might prove cost-effective.

  12. Early diagnosis of myocardial infarction using absolute and relative changes in cardiac troponin concentrations

    OpenAIRE

    Irfan Affan Bin; Reichlin Tobias R.; Twerenbold Raphael; Meister Marc; Moehring Berit; Wildi Karin; Bassetti Stefano; Zellweger Christa; Gimenez Maria Rubini; Hoeller Rebeca; Murray Karsten; Sou SeoungMann; Mueller Mira; Mosimann Tamina; Reiter Miriam

    2013-01-01

    Background: Absolute changes in high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs cTnT) seem to have higher diagnostic accuracy in the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction compared with relative changes. It is unknown whether the same applies to high sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs cTnI) assays and whether the combination of absolute and relative change might further increase accuracy. Methods: In a prospective international multicenter study high sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs cTn) was ...

  13. Circulating microRNAs as novel biomarkers for the early diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deddens, J C; Colijn, J M; Oerlemans, M I F J; Pasterkamp, G; Chamuleau, S A; Doevendans, P A; Sluijter, J P G

    2013-12-01

    Small non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) are important physiological regulators of post-transcriptional gene expression. miRNAs not only reside in the cytoplasm but are also stably present in several extracellular compartments, including the circulation. For that reason, miRNAs are proposed as diagnostic biomarkers for various diseases. Early diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), especially non-ST elevated myocardial infarction and unstable angina pectoris, is essential for optimal treatment outcome, and due to the ongoing need for additional identifiers, miRNAs are of special interest as biomarkers for ACS. This review highlights the nature and cellular release mechanisms of circulating miRNAs and therefore their potential role in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction. We will give an update of clinical studies addressing the role of circulating miRNA expression after myocardial infarction and explore the diagnostic value of this potential biomarker.

  14. Spare optimistic based on improved ADMM and the minimum entropy de-convolution for the early weak fault diagnosis of bearings in marine systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Yangde; Karimi, Mohammad; Kudreyko, Aleksey A; Song, Wanqing

    2017-12-30

    In the marine systems, engines represent the most important part of ships, the probability of the bearings fault is the highest in the engines, so in the bearing vibration analysis, early weak fault detection is very important for long term monitoring. In this paper, we propose a novel method to solve the early weak fault diagnosis of bearing. Firstly, we should improve the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM), structure of the traditional ADMM is changed, and then the improved ADMM is applied to the compressed sensing (CS) theory, which realizes the sparse optimization of bearing signal for a mount of data. After the sparse signal is reconstructed, the calculated signal is restored with the minimum entropy de-convolution (MED) to get clear fault information. Finally we adopt the sample entropy. Morphological mean square amplitude and the root mean square (RMS) to find the early fault diagnosis of bearing respectively, at the same time, we plot the Boxplot comparison chart to find the best of the three indicators. The experimental results prove that the proposed method can effectively identify the early weak fault diagnosis. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Fiber optic probe enabled by surface-enhanced Raman scattering for early diagnosis of potential acute rejection of kidney transplant

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chi, Jingmao; Chen, Hui; Tolias, Peter; Du, Henry

    2014-06-01

    We have explored the use of a fiber-optic probe with surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing modality for early, noninvasive and, rapid diagnosis of potential renal acute rejection (AR) and other renal graft dysfunction of kidney transplant patients. Multimode silica optical fiber immobilized with colloidal Ag nanoparticles at the distal end was used for SERS measurements of as-collected urine samples at 632.8 nm excitation wavelength. All patients with abnormal renal graft function (3 AR episodes and 2 graft failure episodes) who were clinically diagnosed independently show common unique SERS spectral features in the urines collected just one day after transplant. SERS-based fiber-optic probe has excellent potential to be a bedside tool for early diagnosis of kidney transplant patients for timely medical intervention of patients at high risk of transplant dysfunction.

  16. Improving human activity recognition and its application in early stroke diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villar, José R; González, Silvia; Sedano, Javier; Chira, Camelia; Trejo-Gabriel-Galan, Jose M

    2015-06-01

    The development of efficient stroke-detection methods is of significant importance in today's society due to the effects and impact of stroke on health and economy worldwide. This study focuses on Human Activity Recognition (HAR), which is a key component in developing an early stroke-diagnosis tool. An overview of the proposed global approach able to discriminate normal resting from stroke-related paralysis is detailed. The main contributions include an extension of the Genetic Fuzzy Finite State Machine (GFFSM) method and a new hybrid feature selection (FS) algorithm involving Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and a voting scheme putting the cross-validation results together. Experimental results show that the proposed approach is a well-performing HAR tool that can be successfully embedded in devices.

  17. Early diagnosis and follow-up of aortitis with [{sup 18}F]FDG PET and MRI

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meller, J.; Siefker, U.; Sahlmann, C.O.; Lehmann, K.; Conrad, M. [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Georg August University, Robert Koch-Strasse 40, 37075, Goettingen (Germany); Strutz, F.; Scheel, A. [Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, Georg August University, Goettingen (Germany); Vosshenrich, R. [Department of Radiology, Georg August University, Goettingen (Germany)

    2003-05-01

    The aim of this prospective study was to compare fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose ([{sup 18}F]FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with early aortitis, at the time of initial diagnosis and during immunosuppressive therapy. The study population consisted of 15 patients (nine females and six males; median age 62 years, range 26-76 years) who presented with fever of unknown origin or an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate or elevated C-reactive protein and who showed pathological aortic [{sup 18}F]FDG uptake. Fourteen of these patients had features of early giant cell arteritis (GCA), while one had features of early Takayasu arteritis. During follow-up, seven PET scans were performed in six patients with GCA 4-30 months (median 19 months) after starting immunosuppressive medication. The results of [{sup 18}F]FDG imaging were compared with the results of MRI at initial evaluation and during follow-up and with the clinical findings. At baseline, abnormal [{sup 18}F]FDG uptake was present in 59/104 (56%) of the vascular regions studied in 15 patients. Seven follow-up PET studies were performed in six patients. Of 30 regions with initial pathological uptake in these patients, 24 (80%) showed normalisation of uptake during follow-up. Normalisation of [{sup 18}F]FDG uptake correlated with clinical improvement and with normalisation of the laboratory findings. All except one of the patients with positive aortic [{sup 18}F]FDG uptake were investigated with MRI and MRA. Thirteen of these 14 patients showed inflammation in at least one vascular region. Of 76 vascular regions studied, 41 (53%) showed vasculitis on MRI. Of 76 vascular regions studied with both PET and MRI, 47 were concordantly positive or negative on both modalities, 11 were positive on MRI only and 18 were positive on PET only. MRI was performed during follow-up in six patients: of 17 regions with inflammatory changes, 15 regions remained unchanged and two

  18. Disclosure, stigma of HIV positive child and access to early infant diagnosis in the rural communities of OR Tambo District, South Africa: a qualitative exploration of maternal perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adeniyi, Vincent Oladele; Thomson, Elza; Ter Goon, Daniel; Ajayi, Idowu Anthony

    2015-08-26

    Despite the overwhelming evidence confirming the morbidity and mortality benefits of early initiation of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV-infected infants, some children are still disadvantaged from gaining access to care. The understanding of the maternal perspective on early infant HIV diagnosis and prompt initiation of HAART has not been adequately explored, especially in the rural communities of South Africa. This study explores the perspectives of mothers of HIV-exposed infants with regard to early infant diagnosis (EID) through a lens of social and structural barriers to accessing primary healthcare in OR Tambo district, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. In this qualitative study, we conducted semi-structured interviews at two primary healthcare centres in the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality of the OR Tambo district, South Africa. Twenty-four purposive sample of mothers of HIV-exposed infants took part in the study. Interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed and field notes were obtained. The findings were triangulated with two focus group discussions in order to enrich and validate the qualitative data. Thematic content analysis was employed to analyse the data. The participants have fairly good knowledge of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and the risks during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding. The majority of participants were confident of the protection offered by anti-retroviral drugs provided during pregnancy, however, lack knowledge of optimal time for early infant diagnosis of HIV. Reasons for not accessing EID included fear of finding out that their child is HIV positive, feelings of guilt and/or shame and embarrassment with respect to raising an HIV infected infant. Personal experiences of HIV diagnosis and HAART were associated with participants' attitudes and beliefs toward care-seeking behaviours. Stigma resulting from their own disclosure to others reduced their likelihood of recommending EID to other members of

  19. Computational Intelligence in Early Diabetes Diagnosis: A Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shankaracharya; Odedra, Devang; Samanta, Subir; Vidyarthi, Ambarish S.

    2010-01-01

    The development of an effective diabetes diagnosis system by taking advantage of computational intelligence is regarded as a primary goal nowadays. Many approaches based on artificial network and machine learning algorithms have been developed and tested against diabetes datasets, which were mostly related to individuals of Pima Indian origin. Yet, despite high accuracies of up to 99% in predicting the correct diabetes diagnosis, none of these approaches have reached clinical application so far. One reason for this failure may be that diabetologists or clinical investigators are sparsely informed about, or trained in the use of, computational diagnosis tools. Therefore, this article aims at sketching out an outline of the wide range of options, recent developments, and potentials in machine learning algorithms as diabetes diagnosis tools. One focus is on supervised and unsupervised methods, which have made significant impacts in the detection and diagnosis of diabetes at primary and advanced stages. Particular attention is paid to algorithms that show promise in improving diabetes diagnosis. A key advance has been the development of a more in-depth understanding and theoretical analysis of critical issues related to algorithmic construction and learning theory. These include trade-offs for maximizing generalization performance, use of physically realistic constraints, and incorporation of prior knowledge and uncertainty. The review presents and explains the most accurate algorithms, and discusses advantages and pitfalls of methodologies. This should provide a good resource for researchers from all backgrounds interested in computational intelligence-based diabetes diagnosis methods, and allows them to extend their knowledge into this kind of research. PMID:21713313

  20. Computational intelligence in early diabetes diagnosis: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shankaracharya; Odedra, Devang; Samanta, Subir; Vidyarthi, Ambarish S

    2010-01-01

    The development of an effective diabetes diagnosis system by taking advantage of computational intelligence is regarded as a primary goal nowadays. Many approaches based on artificial network and machine learning algorithms have been developed and tested against diabetes datasets, which were mostly related to individuals of Pima Indian origin. Yet, despite high accuracies of up to 99% in predicting the correct diabetes diagnosis, none of these approaches have reached clinical application so far. One reason for this failure may be that diabetologists or clinical investigators are sparsely informed about, or trained in the use of, computational diagnosis tools. Therefore, this article aims at sketching out an outline of the wide range of options, recent developments, and potentials in machine learning algorithms as diabetes diagnosis tools. One focus is on supervised and unsupervised methods, which have made significant impacts in the detection and diagnosis of diabetes at primary and advanced stages. Particular attention is paid to algorithms that show promise in improving diabetes diagnosis. A key advance has been the development of a more in-depth understanding and theoretical analysis of critical issues related to algorithmic construction and learning theory. These include trade-offs for maximizing generalization performance, use of physically realistic constraints, and incorporation of prior knowledge and uncertainty. The review presents and explains the most accurate algorithms, and discusses advantages and pitfalls of methodologies. This should provide a good resource for researchers from all backgrounds interested in computational intelligence-based diabetes diagnosis methods, and allows them to extend their knowledge into this kind of research.

  1. Early diagnosis of acute postoperative renal transplant rejection by indium-111-labeled platelet scintigraphy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tisdale, P.L.; Collier, B.D.; Kauffman, H.M.

    1986-01-01

    A prospective evaluation of 111 In-labeled platelet scintigraphy (IPS) for the early diagnosis of acute postoperative renal transplant rejection (TR) was undertaken. The results of IPS were compared with in vitro biochemical tests, the clinical finding of graft tenderness, and combined [/sup 99m/Tc]DTPA and [ 131 I]orthoiodohippurate scintigraphy. With a sensitivity of 0.93 and a specificity of 0.95, IPS provided otherwise unavailable diagnostic information. Furthermore, postoperative IPS was a good predictor of long-term allograft survival

  2. [Prenatal diagnosis of sirenomelia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ladure, H; D'hervé, D; Loget, P; Poulain, P

    2006-04-01

    Sirenomelia sequence associates a fusion of inferior legs with renal anomalies until bilateral agenesis. It is a rare and lethal polymalformation. The purpose of the ultrasonographic study is to identify the sirenomelia as early as possible during pregnancy and to differentiate it from caudal regression syndrome. A case of sirenomelia diagnosed early is reported together with a review of the literature. The ultrasonographic diagnosis, associated defects, the interest of color Doppler study of abdominal vasculature are discussed. Antenatal ultrasonographic diagnosis should be obtained as early as possible, before 20th gestational week at the latest. Color Doppler is helpful to confirm the diagnosis in case of bilateral renal agenesis. The main differences between sirenomelia and caudal regression syndrome (which requires a very different genetic counselling) are summarized in a table.

  3. Use of multimodality imaging and artificial intelligence for diagnosis and prognosis of early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xiaonan; Chen, Kewei; Wu, Teresa; Weidman, David; Lure, Fleming; Li, Jing

    2018-04-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major neurodegenerative disease and the most common cause of dementia. Currently, no treatment exists to slow down or stop the progression of AD. There is converging belief that disease-modifying treatments should focus on early stages of the disease, that is, the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and preclinical stages. Making a diagnosis of AD and offering a prognosis (likelihood of converting to AD) at these early stages are challenging tasks but possible with the help of multimodality imaging, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission topography (PET), amyloid-PET, and recently introduced tau-PET, which provides different but complementary information. This article is a focused review of existing research in the recent decade that used statistical machine learning and artificial intelligence methods to perform quantitative analysis of multimodality image data for diagnosis and prognosis of AD at the MCI or preclinical stages. We review the existing work in 3 subareas: diagnosis, prognosis, and methods for handling modality-wise missing data-a commonly encountered problem when using multimodality imaging for prediction or classification. Factors contributing to missing data include lack of imaging equipment, cost, difficulty of obtaining patient consent, and patient drop-off (in longitudinal studies). Finally, we summarize our major findings and provide some recommendations for potential future research directions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Transillumination optical sensing for biomedicine and diagnostics: feasibility of early diagnosis for rheumatoid arthritis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuasa, Tetsuya; Sasaki, Yoshiaki; Devaraj, Balasigamani; Akatsuka, Takao; Tanosaki, Shinji; Takagi, Michiaki; Taniguchi, Hiroshi

    2002-01-01

    Optical computed tomography of thick biological tissues remains an elusive but fascinating area of research with potential applications in biomedicine. Our measurement use the optical heterodyne detection method wherein CW and single frequency lasers are used to exploit the maximum advantages of heterodyne detection such as high directionality, selectivity and sensitivity. We have demonstrated the advantages and capabilities of the measurement technique for transillumination optical computed tomography in biomedicine. Biological tissues by nature are heterogeneous, complex and forward scattering media. The optical heterodyne detection method enables selective filtering of the directional coherence retaining emergent photons for image reconstruction similar to those as in X-ray CT. Here, we report our recent results on transillumination in vivo imaging for diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In particular, we demonstrate the feasibility of early diagnosis for RA by comparing the laser tomographic images of fingers of an RA patient and a healthy volunteer. (author)

  5. Early diagnosis of Werner’s syndrome using exome-wide sequencing in a single, atypical patient

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eleanor eRaffan

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Genetic diagnosis of inherited metabolic disease is conventionally achieved through syndrome recognition and targeted gene sequencing, but many patients receive no specific diagnosis. Next generation sequencing allied to capture of expressed sequences from genomic DNA now offers a powerful new diagnostic approach. Barriers to routine diagnostic use include cost, and the complexity of interpreting results arising from simultaneous identification of large numbers of variants. We applied exome-wide sequencing to an individual, 16 year old daughter of consanguineous parents with a novel syndrome of short stature, severe insulin resistance, ptosis and microcephaly. Pulldown of expressed sequences from genomic DNA followed by massively parallel sequencing was undertaken. Single nucleotide variants (SNVs were called using SAMtools prior to filtering based on sequence quality and existence in control genomes and exomes. Of 485 genetic variants predicted to alter protein sequence and absent from control data, 24 were homozygous in the patient. One mutation – the p.Arg732X mutation in the WRN gene – has previously been reported in Werner’s syndrome (WS. On re-evaluation of the patient several early features of WS were detected including loss of fat from the extremities and frontal hair thinning. Lymphoblastoid cells from the proband exhibited a defective decatenation checkpoint, consistent with loss of WRN activity. We have thus diagnosed WS some 15 years earlier than average, permitting aggressive prophylactic therapy and screening for WS complications, illustrating the potential of exome-wide sequencing to achieve early diagnosis and change management of rare autosomal recessive disease, even in individual patients of consanguineous parentage with apparently novel syndromes.

  6. A novel intravital multi-harmonic generation microscope for early diagnosis of oral cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Yu-Hsiang; Lin, Chih-Feng; Shih, Ting-Fang; Sun, Chi-Kuang

    2013-03-01

    Oral cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed human cancers and leading causes of cancer death all over the world, but the prognosis and overall survival rate are still poor because of delay in diagnosis and lack of early intervention. The failure of early diagnosis is due to insufficiency of proper diagnostic and screening tools and most patients are reluctant to undergo biopsy. Optical virtual biopsy techniques, for imaging cells and tissues at microscopic details capable of differentiating benign from malignant lesions non-invasively, are thus highly desirable. A novel multi-harmonic generation microscope, excited by a 1260 nm Cr:forsterite laser, with second and third harmonic signals demonstrating collagen fiber distribution and cell morphology in a sub-micron resolution, was developed for clinical use. To achieve invivo observation inside the human oral cavity, a small objective probe with a suction capability was carefully designed for patients' comfort and stability. By remotely changing its focus point, the same objective can image the mucosa surface with a low magnification, illuminated by side light-emitting diodes, with a charge-coupled device (CCD) for site location selection before the harmonic generation biopsy was applied. Furthermore, the slow galvanometer mirror and the fast resonant mirror provide a 30 fps frame rate for high-speed real-time observation and the z-motor of this system is triggered at the same rate to provide fast 3D scanning, again ensuring patients' comfort. Focusing on the special cytological and morphological changes of the oral epithelial cells, our preliminary result disclosed excellent consistency with traditional histopathology studies.

  7. Anxiety Level and Descriptive Features of Women Requesting Mammography at Early Diagnosis Center

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fadime Gok Ozer

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available AIM: This research was conducted as a descriptive study for the purpose of determining the level of anxiety of women requesting to have mammography done in Denizli State Hospital at the Early Diagnosis Center. METHODS: The research population was comprised of all individuals who came to the Early Diagnosis Center between December 2005 and May 2006 to have mammography done. Between these dates refer to the center (101 persons and women who received oral onamlari working group formed. Data were collected using a survey form and Beck Anxiety Inventory in face-to-face interviews. In the analysis of the data, number and percentage calculations, t test, Kruskal Wallis and Mann Whitney U tests were used. RESULTS: The mean age of the women participating in the research was 50.68±7.43 years. The majority (71.3% of the women were housewives, married (89.1%, had a child (97.0%, did not have a family history of breast cancer (86.1%, had not previously been diagnosed with any kind of cancer (92.1%, had not had any previous breast-related illness (84.2%, had not had radiation therapy for any reason (86.1%. A statistically significant association was found between women's status of having previously had radiation therapy and their anxiety level (p<0.05. CONCLUSION: The anxiety level of women who had previously had radiation therapy for any reason was found to be higher. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2009; 8(4.000: 333-338

  8. A qualitative signature for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma based on relative expression orderings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ao, Lu; Zhang, Zimei; Guan, Qingzhou; Guo, Yating; Guo, You; Zhang, Jiahui; Lv, Xingwei; Huang, Haiyan; Zhang, Huarong; Wang, Xianlong; Guo, Zheng

    2018-04-23

    Currently, using biopsy specimens to confirm suspicious liver lesions of early hepatocellular carcinoma are not entirely reliable because of insufficient sampling amount and inaccurate sampling location. It is necessary to develop a signature to aid early hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis using biopsy specimens even when the sampling location is inaccurate. Based on the within-sample relative expression orderings of gene pairs, we identified a simple qualitative signature to distinguish both hepatocellular carcinoma and adjacent non-tumour tissues from cirrhosis tissues of non-hepatocellular carcinoma patients. A signature consisting of 19 gene pairs was identified in the training data sets and validated in 2 large collections of samples from biopsy and surgical resection specimens. For biopsy specimens, 95.7% of 141 hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and all (100%) of 108 cirrhosis tissues of non-hepatocellular carcinoma patients were correctly classified. Especially, all (100%) of 60 hepatocellular carcinoma adjacent normal tissues and 77.5% of 80 hepatocellular carcinoma adjacent cirrhosis tissues were classified to hepatocellular carcinoma. For surgical resection specimens, 99.7% of 733 hepatocellular carcinoma specimens were correctly classified to hepatocellular carcinoma, while 96.1% of 254 hepatocellular carcinoma adjacent cirrhosis tissues and 95.9% of 538 hepatocellular carcinoma adjacent normal tissues were classified to hepatocellular carcinoma. In contrast, 17.0% of 47 cirrhosis from non-hepatocellular carcinoma patients waiting for liver transplantation were classified to hepatocellular carcinoma, indicating that some patients with long-lasting cirrhosis could have already gained hepatocellular carcinoma characteristics. The signature can distinguish both hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and tumour-adjacent tissues from cirrhosis tissues of non-hepatocellular carcinoma patients even using inaccurately sampled biopsy specimens, which can aid early

  9. Weighted cumulative exposure models helped identify an association between early knee-pain consultations and future knee OA diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Dahai; Peat, George; Bedson, John; Edwards, John J; Turkiewicz, Aleksandra; Jordan, Kelvin P

    2016-08-01

    To establish the association between prior knee-pain consultations and early diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis (OA) by weighted cumulative exposure (WCE) models. Data were from an electronic health care record (EHR) database (Consultations in Primary Care Archive). WCE functions for modeling the cumulative effect of time-varying knee-pain consultations weighted by recency were derived as a predictive tool in a population-based case-control sample and validated in a prospective cohort sample. Two WCE functions ([i] weighting of the importance of past consultations determined a priori; [ii] flexible spline-based estimation) were comprehensively compared with two simpler models ([iii] time since most recent consultation; total number of past consultations) on model goodness of fit, discrimination, and calibration both in derivation and validation phases. People with the most recent and most frequent knee-pain consultations were more likely to have high WCE scores that were associated with increased risk of knee OA diagnosis both in derivation and validation phases. Better model goodness of fit, discrimination, and calibration were observed for flexible spline-based WCE models. WCE functions can be used to model prediagnostic symptoms within routine EHR data and provide novel low-cost predictive tools contributing to early diagnosis. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Role of 123I-IMP SPET in the early diagnosis of borderline chronic hydrocephalus after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohkuma, Hiroki; Tanaka, Masahiko; Suzuki, Shigeharu; Kondoh, Izumi

    2000-01-01

    Chronic hydrocephalus after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is easily diagnosed in most cases. However, the diagnosis is sometimes difficult in borderline cases, in which (a) pathognomonic clinical deterioration due to hydrocephalus is masked by the neurological deficits caused in the acute stage of SAH and (b) ventricular enlargement is not so marked on CT scan. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not iodine-123 labelled N-isopropyl-p-iodoamphetamine ( 123 I-IMP) single-photon emission tomography (SPET) is of value for the early diagnosis of borderline chronic hydrocephalus after SAH. Fifteen patients who met the criteria of borderline chronic hydrocephalus were selected for the study, and underwent a shunt operation. The patients were divided into a shunt-effective group and a shunt-ineffective group according to neurological improvement after the shunt operation. 123 I-IMP SPET was performed in the acute stage of SAH, within 1 week before the shunt operation, and 2 weeks after the shunt operation. Regional cerebral blood flow was estimated by the 123 I-IMP autoradiographic method. Pre-shunting periventricular low-perfusion areas showed statistically significant differences between the two groups (P 123 I-IMP SPET can be used for both the early diagnosis of borderline chronic hydrocephalus after SAH and the prediction of shunt effectiveness. (orig.)

  11. The use of intraperitoneal xenon for early diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gharagozloo, F.; Bulkley, G.B.; Zuidema, G.D.; O'Mara, C.S.; Alderson, P.O.

    1984-01-01

    We evaluated the technique of intraperitoneal use of xenon Xe 133, previously described for the diagnosis of early intestinal strangulation obstruction in rats and dogs, for the recognition of acute mesenteric vascular occlusion in these animals. 133 Xe was injected intraperitoneally into five groups of six rats: control, sham operation, superior mesenteric artery (SMA) ligation, superior mesenteric vein ligation, and portal vein ligation. Residual gamma-activity was monitored by external counting and camera imaging. At 30 minutes after injection, the activity was significantly higher in the rats from the three groups with vascular ligation than in the control and sham operation animals (P less than 0.001). gamma-Camera images reflected these findings, with positive images only in the rats that underwent vascular ligation. ''Blinded'' readings of the 30 sets of scans confirmed the diagnostic accuracy of the images. Results were essentially the same in a second series of experiments in eight control dogs and six dogs with balloon occlusion of the SMA. Concentrations of isotope in ischemic intestine ranged from 10(3) to 10(5) times the levels in adjacent normal bowel. These levels and the positive images appeared early, prior to the development of tissue necrosis. The intraperitoneal use of 133 Xe therefore continues to show promise for the recognition of patients with early intestinal ischemia

  12. The use of intraperitoneal xenon for early diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gharagozloo, F.; Bulkley, G.B.; Zuidema, G.D.; O' Mara, C.S.; Alderson, P.O.

    1984-04-01

    We evaluated the technique of intraperitoneal use of xenon Xe 133, previously described for the diagnosis of early intestinal strangulation obstruction in rats and dogs, for the recognition of acute mesenteric vascular occlusion in these animals. /sup 133/Xe was injected intraperitoneally into five groups of six rats: control, sham operation, superior mesenteric artery (SMA) ligation, superior mesenteric vein ligation, and portal vein ligation. Residual gamma-activity was monitored by external counting and camera imaging. At 30 minutes after injection, the activity was significantly higher in the rats from the three groups with vascular ligation than in the control and sham operation animals (P less than 0.001). gamma-Camera images reflected these findings, with positive images only in the rats that underwent vascular ligation. ''Blinded'' readings of the 30 sets of scans confirmed the diagnostic accuracy of the images. Results were essentially the same in a second series of experiments in eight control dogs and six dogs with balloon occlusion of the SMA. Concentrations of isotope in ischemic intestine ranged from 10(3) to 10(5) times the levels in adjacent normal bowel. These levels and the positive images appeared early, prior to the development of tissue necrosis. The intraperitoneal use of /sup 133/Xe therefore continues to show promise for the recognition of patients with early intestinal ischemia.

  13. Early breast cancer: diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Meade, Elizabeth

    2013-01-11

    Breast cancer is the most common female cancer and globally remains a major public health concern. The diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer continues to develop. Diagnosis is now more precise, surgery is less mutilating and women now have the option of breast conserving therapy with better cosmesis, and without sacrificing survival. Radiotherapy is more targeted and the selection of patients for adjuvant chemotherapy is based not only on prognostic and predictive factors, but also on newer molecular profiling that will ensure that chemotherapy is given to the patients who need and respond to it. These developments all provide a more tailored approach to the treatment of breast cancer. Management now involves a multidisciplinary team approach in order to provide the highest standard of care for patients throughout their cancer journey from diagnosis through treatment and into follow-up care.

  14. Clinical implications in laboratory parameter values in acute Kawasaki disease for early diagnosis and proper treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seo, Yu-Mi; Kang, Hyun-Mi; Lee, Sung-Churl; Yu, Jae-Won; Kil, Hong-Ryang; Rhim, Jung-Woo; Han, Ji-Whan; Lee, Kyung-Yil

    2018-05-01

    This study aimed to analyse laboratory values according to fever duration, and evaluate the relationship across these values during the acute phase of Kawasaki disease (KD) to aid in the early diagnosis for early-presenting KD and incomplete KD patients. Clinical and laboratory data of patients with KD (n=615) were evaluated according to duration of fever at presentation, and were compared between patients with and without coronary artery lesions (CALs). For evaluation of the relationships across laboratory indices, patients with a fever duration of 5 days or 6 days were used (n=204). The mean fever duration was 6.6±2.3 days, and the proportions of patients with CALs was 19.3% (n=114). C-reactive proteins (CRPs) and neutrophil differential values were highest and hemoglobin, albumin, and lymphocyte differential values were lowest in the 6-day group. Patients with CALs had longer total fever duration, higher CRP and neutrophil differential values and lower hemoglobin and albumin values compared to patients without CALs. CRP, albumin, neutrophil differential, and hemoglobin values at the peak inflammation stage of KD showed positive or negative correlations each other. The severity of systemic inflammation in KD was reflected in the laboratory values including CRP, neutrophil differential, albumin, and hemoglobin. Observing changes in these laboratory parameters by repeated examinations prior to the peak of inflammation in acute KD may aid in diagnosis of early-presenting KD patients.

  15. Efficacy of T2*-Weighted Gradient-Echo MRI in Early Diagnosis of Cerebral Venous Thrombosis with Unilateral Thalamic Lesion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shingo Mitaki

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT is an uncommon cause of stroke with diverse etiologies and varied clinical presentations. Because of variability in clinical presentation and neuroimaging, CVT remains a diagnostic challenge. Recently, some studies have highlighted the value of T2*-weighted gradient-echo MRI (T2*WI in the diagnosis of CVT. We report the case of a 79-year-old woman with CVT due to a hypercoagulable state associated with cancer. On the initial T2-weighted image (T2WI, there was a diffuse high-intensity lesion in the right thalamus, extending into the posterior limb of the internal capsule and midbrain. T2*WI showed diminished signal and enlargement of the right basilar vein and the vein of Galen. Even though there is a wide range of differential diagnoses in unilateral thalamic lesions, and a single thalamus lesion is a rare entity of CVT, based on T2*WI findings we could make an early diagnosis and perform treatment. Our case report suggests that T2*WI could detect thrombosed veins and be a useful method of early diagnosis in CVT.

  16. Advances in the early diagnosis of congenital hip dysplasia by real-time sonography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brockmann, W.P.; Wilmsdorf, H.v.; Weh, L.; Korn, U.

    1984-05-01

    Twenty-four infants and children aged five days to three years had their hips examined by ultrasound, and in 17 the findings were compared with the radiographic appearances. Real-time sonography, because of its flexibility, is a suitable screening method for the early diagnosis of hip dysplasia. It has the typical characteristics of a screening method: so far there have been no false negative findings. False positive results are rare, but cannot be completely excluded. The patients examined so far were mostly abnormal, and a final assessment of false positive findings will have to await larger clinical material, including normals. 6 figs.

  17. Change in cardiovascular risk factors following early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes: a cohort analysis of a cluster-randomised trial

    OpenAIRE

    Black, James A; Sharp, Stephen J; Wareham, Nicholas J; Sandbæk, Annelli; Rutten, Guy EHM; Lauritzen, Torsten; Khunti, Kamlesh; Davies, Melanie J; Borch-Johnsen, Knut; Griffin, Simon J; Simmons, Rebecca K

    2014-01-01

    Background There is little evidence to inform the targeted treatment of individuals found early in the diabetes disease trajectory. Aim To describe cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk profiles and treatment of individual CVD risk factors by modelled CVD risk at diagnosis; changes in treatment, modelled CVD risk, and CVD risk factors in the 5 years following diagnosis; and how these are patterned by socioeconomic status. Design and setting Cohort analysis of a cluster-randomised trial (ADDITION-...

  18. Multi-disciplinary team for early gastric cancer diagnosis improves the detection rate of early gastric cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di, Lianjun; Wu, Huichao; Zhu, Rong; Li, Youfeng; Wu, Xinglong; Xie, Rui; Li, Hongping; Wang, Haibo; Zhang, Hua; Xiao, Hong; Chen, Hui; Zhen, Hong; Zhao, Kui; Yang, Xuefeng; Xie, Ming; Tuo, Bigung

    2017-12-06

    Gastric cancer is a frequent malignant tumor worldwide and its early detection is crucial for curing the disease and enhancing patients' survival rate. This study aimed to assess whether the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) can improve the detection rate of early gastric cancer (EGC). The detection rate of EGC at the Digestive Endoscopy Center, Affiliated Hospital, Zunyi Medical College, China between September 2013 and September 2015 was analyzed. MDT for the diagnosis of EGC in the hospital was established in September 2014. The study was divided into 2 time periods: September 1, 2013 to August 31, 2014 (period 1) and September 1, 2014 to September 1, 2015 (period 2). A total of 60,800 patients' gastroscopies were performed during the two years. 61 of these patients (0.1%) were diagnosed as EGC, accounting for 16.44% (61/371) of total patients with gastric cancer. The EGC detection rate before MDT (period 1) was 0.05% (16/29403), accounting for 9.09% (16/176) of total patients with gastric cancer during this period. In comparison, the EGC detection rate during MDT (period 2) was 0.15% (45/31397), accounting for 23% (45/195) of total patients with gastric cancer during this period (P cooperation with Department of Pathology (OR = 10.1, 95% CI 2.39-43.3, P < 0.05). MDT could improve the endoscopic detection rate of EGC.

  19. Diagnosis of Cognitive Impairment Compatible with Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease. A Bayesian Network Model based on the Analysis of Oral Definitions of Semantic Categories.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guerrero, J M; Martínez-Tomás, R; Rincón, M; Peraita, H

    2016-01-01

    Early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become one of the principal focuses of research in medicine, particularly when the disease is incipient or even prodromic, because treatments are more effective in these stages. Lexical-semantic-conceptual deficit (LSCD) in the oral definitions of semantic categories for basic objects is an important early indicator in the evaluation of the cognitive state of patients. The objective of this research is to define an economic procedure for cognitive impairment (CI) diagnosis, which may be associated with early stages of AD, by analysing cognitive alterations affecting declarative semantic memory. Because of its low cost, it could be used for routine clinical evaluations or screenings, leading to more expensive and selective tests that confirm or rule out the disease accurately. It should necessarily be an explanatory procedure, which would allow us to study the evolution of the disease in relation to CI, the irregularities in different semantic categories, and other neurodegenerative diseases. On the basis of these requirements, we hypothesise that Bayesian networks (BNs) are the most appropriate tool for this purpose. We have developed a BN for CI diagnosis in mild and moderate AD patients by analysing the oral production of semantic features. The BN causal model represents LSCD in certain semantic categories, both of living things (dog, pine, and apple) and non-living things (chair, car, and trousers), as symptoms of CI. The model structure, the qualitative part of the model, uses domain knowledge obtained from psychology experts and epidemiological studies. Further, the model parameters, the quantitative part of the model, are learnt automatically from epidemiological studies and Peraita and Grasso's linguistic corpus of oral definitions. This corpus was prepared with an incidental sampling and included the analysis of the oral linguistic production of 81 participants (42 cognitively healthy elderly people and 39

  20. A Novel Electrochemical Microfluidic Chip Combined with Multiple Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis of Gastric Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Yao; Zhi, Xiao; Su, Haichuan; Wang, Kan; Yan, Zhen; He, Nongyue; Zhang, Jingpu; Chen, Di; Cui, Daxiang

    2015-12-01

    Early diagnosis is very important to improve the survival rate of patients with gastric cancer and to understand the biology of cancer. In order to meet the clinical demands for early diagnosis of gastric cancer, we developed a disposable easy-to-use electrochemical microfluidic chip combined with multiple antibodies against six kinds of biomarkers (carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), Helicobacter pylori CagA protein (H.P.), P53oncoprotein (P53), pepsinogen I (PG I), and PG-II). The six kinds of biomarkers related to gastric cancer can be detected sensitively and synchronously in a short time. The specially designed three electrodes system enables cross-contamination to be avoided effectively. The linear ranges of detection of the electrochemical microfluidic chip were as follows: 0.37-90 ng mL-1 for CEA, 10.75-172 U mL-1 for CA19-9, 10-160 U L-1 for H.P., 35-560 ng mL-1 for P53, 37.5-600 ng mL-1 for PG I, and 2.5-80 ng mL-1for PG II. This method owns better sensitivity compared with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results of 394 specimens of gastric cancer sera. Furthermore, we established a multi-index prediction model based on the six kinds of biomarkers for predicting risk of gastric cancer. In conclusion, the electrochemical microfluidic chip for detecting multiple biomarkers has great potential in applications such as early screening of gastric cancer patients, and therapeutic evaluation, and real-time dynamic monitoring the progress of gastric cancer in near future.

  1. Malignant gliomas: current perspectives in diagnosis, treatment, and early response assessment using advanced quantitative imaging methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed R

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Rafay Ahmed,1 Matthew J Oborski,2 Misun Hwang,1 Frank S Lieberman,3 James M Mountz11Department of Radiology, 2Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 3Department of Neurology and Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USAAbstract: Malignant gliomas consist of glioblastomas, anaplastic astrocytomas, anaplastic oligodendrogliomas and anaplastic oligoastrocytomas, and some less common tumors such as anaplastic ependymomas and anaplastic gangliogliomas. Malignant gliomas have high morbidity and mortality. Even with optimal treatment, median survival is only 12–15 months for glioblastomas and 2–5 years for anaplastic gliomas. However, recent advances in imaging and quantitative analysis of image data have led to earlier diagnosis of tumors and tumor response to therapy, providing oncologists with a greater time window for therapy management. In addition, improved understanding of tumor biology, genetics, and resistance mechanisms has enhanced surgical techniques, chemotherapy methods, and radiotherapy administration. After proper diagnosis and institution of appropriate therapy, there is now a vital need for quantitative methods that can sensitively detect malignant glioma response to therapy at early follow-up times, when changes in management of nonresponders can have its greatest effect. Currently, response is largely evaluated by measuring magnetic resonance contrast and size change, but this approach does not take into account the key biologic steps that precede tumor size reduction. Molecular imaging is ideally suited to measuring early response by quantifying cellular metabolism, proliferation, and apoptosis, activities altered early in treatment. We expect that successful integration of quantitative imaging biomarker assessment into the early phase of clinical trials could provide a novel approach for testing new therapies

  2. MicroRNAs and Target Genes As Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Early Onset of Parkinson Disease

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    Ahmad R. Arshad

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Among the neurodegenerative disorders, Parkinson's disease (PD ranks as the second most common disorder with a higher prevalence in individuals aged over 60 years old. Younger individuals may also be affected with PD which is known as early onset PD (EOPD. Despite similarities between the characteristics of EOPD and late onset PD (LODP, EOPD patients experience much longer disease manifestations and poorer quality of life. Although some individuals are more prone to have EOPD due to certain genetic alterations, the molecular mechanisms that differentiate between EOPD and LOPD remains unclear. Recent findings in PD patients revealed that there were differences in the genetic profiles of PD patients compared to healthy controls, as well as between EOPD and LOPD patients. There were variants identified that correlated with the decline of cognitive and motor symptoms as well as non-motor symptoms in PD. There were also specific microRNAs that correlated with PD progression, and since microRNAs have been shown to be involved in the maintenance of neuronal development, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, there is a strong possibility that these microRNAs can be potentially used to differentiate between subsets of PD patients. PD is mainly diagnosed at the late stage, when almost majority of the dopaminergic neurons are lost. Therefore, identification of molecular biomarkers for early detection of PD is important. Given that miRNAs are crucial in controlling the gene expression, these regulatory microRNAs and their target genes could be used as biomarkers for early diagnosis of PD. In this article, we discussed the genes involved and their regulatory miRNAs, regarding their roles in PD progression, based on the findings of significantly altered microRNAs in EOPD studies. We also discussed the potential of these miRNAs as molecular biomarkers for early diagnosis.

  3. Early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease: neurospect by trodat-1Tc99m, dopamine transporter marker

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mena, Ismael; Diaz, Fernando; Gomez, Ariel

    2001-01-01

    Information: We have recently preliminarily reported that NeuroSPECT (NSP) of the Dopamine Transporter (DAT) is a highly sensitive method for early diagnosis of Parkinson disease (27). Objectives: To evaluate the sensitivity of NSP of DAT in patients with de novo hemiparkinsonism and compare the contralateral Vs ipsilateral to the symptomatic side results and also Vs. normal controls, in order to assess the sensitivity to detect pre symptomatic and symptomatic impairment of concentration of DAT (Au)

  4. Breast Camps for Awareness and Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer in Countries With Limited Resources: A Multidisciplinary Model From Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sayed, Shahin; Moloo, Zahir; Ngugi, Anthony; Allidina, Amyn; Ndumia, Rose; Mutuiri, Anderson; Wasike, Ronald; Wahome, Charles; Abdihakin, Mohamed; Kasmani, Riaz; Spears, Carol D; Oigara, Raymond; Mwachiro, Elizabeth B; Busarla, Satya V P; Kibor, Kibet; Ahmed, Abdulaziz; Wawire, Jonathan; Sherman, Omar; Saleh, Mansoor; Zujewski, Jo Anne; Dawsey, Sanford M

    2016-09-01

    Breast cancer is the most common cancer of women in Kenya. There are no national breast cancer early diagnosis programs in Kenya. The objective was to conduct a pilot breast cancer awareness and diagnosis program at three different types of facilities in Kenya. This program was conducted at a not-for-profit private hospital, a faith-based public hospital, and a government public referral hospital. Women aged 15 years and older were invited. Demographic, risk factor, knowledge, attitudes, and screening practice data were collected. Breast health information was delivered, and clinical breast examinations (CBEs) were performed. When appropriate, ultrasound imaging, fine-needle aspirate (FNA) diagnoses, core biopsies, and onward referrals were provided. A total of 1,094 women were enrolled in the three breast camps. Of those, 56% knew the symptoms and signs of breast cancer, 44% knew how breast cancer was diagnosed, 37% performed regular breast self-exams, and 7% had a mammogram or breast ultrasound in the past year. Of the 1,094 women enrolled, 246 (23%) had previously noticed a lump in their breast. A total of 157 participants (14%) had abnormal CBEs, of whom 111 had ultrasound exams, 65 had FNAs, and 18 had core biopsies. A total of 14 invasive breast cancers and 1 malignant phyllodes tumor were diagnosed Conducting a multidisciplinary breast camp awareness and early diagnosis program is feasible in different types of health facilities within a low- and middle-income country setting. This can be a model for breast cancer awareness and point-of-care diagnosis in countries with limited resources like Kenya. This work describes a novel breast cancer awareness and early diagnosis demonstration program in a low- and middle-income country within a limited resource setting. The program includes breast self-awareness and breast cancer education, clinical exams, and point-of-care diagnostics for women in three different types of health facilities in Kenya. This pilot

  5. Diagnosis of Ewing's sarcoma in the thoracic spine - problems in differential diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schaub, T.; Dittrich, H.M.; Gutjahr, P.; Antoniadis, A.; Wolff, P.

    1986-01-01

    Spinal Ewing's sarcomas are rare and cause problems in differential diagnosis. The radiologic, nuclear medicine and CT findings in two children with histologically proven Ewing's sarcoma are presented and problems in differential diagnosis discussed. Biopsy should be done early. (orig.) [de

  6. Barriers to early presentation and diagnosis of breast cancer among African women living in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cynthia Pomaa Akuoko

    Full Text Available Breast cancer (BC has been described as the leading cause of cancer deaths among women especially in the developing world including sub Saharan Africa (SSA. Delayed presentation and late diagnosis at health facilities are parts of the contributing factors of high BC mortality in Africa. This review aimed to appraise the contributing factors to delayed breast cancer presentation and diagnosis among SSA women.Five databases encompassing medical and social sciences were systematically searched using predefined search terms linked with breast cancer presentation and diagnosis and sub Saharan Africa. Reference lists of relevant papers were also hand searched. Quality of quantitative and qualitative articles were assessed using the National Institute of Health (NIH Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP quality appraisal checklist. Thematic analysis was used to synthesize the qualitative studies to integrate findings.Fourteen (14 quantitative studies, two (2 qualitative studies and one (1 mixed method study merited inclusion for analysis. This review identified low knowledge of breast cancer among SSA women. This review also found lack of awareness of early detection treatment, poor perception of BC, socio-cultural factors such as belief, traditions and fear as factors impacting African women's health seeking behavior in relation to breast cancer.Improving African women's knowledge and understanding will improve behaviors related to breast cancer and facilitate early presentation and detection and enhance proper management and treatment of breast cancer.

  7. Barriers to early presentation and diagnosis of breast cancer among African women living in sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akuoko, Cynthia Pomaa; Armah, Ernestina; Sarpong, Theresa; Quansah, Dan Yedu; Amankwaa, Isaac

    2017-01-01

    Background Breast cancer (BC) has been described as the leading cause of cancer deaths among women especially in the developing world including sub Saharan Africa (SSA). Delayed presentation and late diagnosis at health facilities are parts of the contributing factors of high BC mortality in Africa. This review aimed to appraise the contributing factors to delayed breast cancer presentation and diagnosis among SSA women. Methods Five databases encompassing medical and social sciences were systematically searched using predefined search terms linked with breast cancer presentation and diagnosis and sub Saharan Africa. Reference lists of relevant papers were also hand searched. Quality of quantitative and qualitative articles were assessed using the National Institute of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) quality appraisal checklist. Thematic analysis was used to synthesize the qualitative studies to integrate findings. Results Fourteen (14) quantitative studies, two (2) qualitative studies and one (1) mixed method study merited inclusion for analysis. This review identified low knowledge of breast cancer among SSA women. This review also found lack of awareness of early detection treatment, poor perception of BC, socio-cultural factors such as belief, traditions and fear as factors impacting African women’s health seeking behavior in relation to breast cancer. Conclusion Improving African women’s knowledge and understanding will improve behaviors related to breast cancer and facilitate early presentation and detection and enhance proper management and treatment of breast cancer. PMID:28192444

  8. Explore the Possibility of Early Clinical Diagnosis of Endocrine Ophthalmopathy Based on Eye Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism

    OpenAIRE

    V. G. Likhvantseva; E. A. Rudenko; S. G. Kapkova; V. A. Vygodin

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: to study the possibility of early clinical diagnosis of endocrine ophthalmopathy based on ocular symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Patients and methods: we analyzed the prevalence of ocular symptoms of hyperthyroidism in 139 patients (278 orbits) with newly diagnosed endocrine ophthalmopathy (group 1), developed on the background of diffuse toxic goiter. The comparison group consisted of 80 patients (160 orbits) with newly diagnosed diffuse toxic goiter with no radiographic evidence of en...

  9. Early Chest Computed Tomography Scan to Assist Diagnosis and Guide Treatment Decision for Suspected Community-acquired Pneumonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claessens, Yann-Erick; Debray, Marie-Pierre; Tubach, Florence; Brun, Anne-Laure; Rammaert, Blandine; Hausfater, Pierre; Naccache, Jean-Marc; Ray, Patrick; Choquet, Christophe; Carette, Marie-France; Mayaud, Charles; Leport, Catherine; Duval, Xavier

    2015-10-15

    Clinical decision making relative to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) diagnosis is difficult. Chest radiograph is key in establishing parenchymal lung involvement. However, radiologic performance may lead to misdiagnosis, rendering questionable the use of chest computed tomography (CT) scan in patients with clinically suspected CAP. To assess whether early multidetector chest CT scan affects diagnosis and management of patients visiting the emergency department with suspected CAP. A total of 319 prospectively enrolled patients with clinically suspected CAP underwent multidetector chest CT scan within 4 hours. CAP diagnosis probability (definite, probable, possible, or excluded) and therapeutic plans (antibiotic initiation/discontinuation, hospitalization/discharge) were established by emergency physicians before and after CT scan results. The adjudication committee established the final CAP classification on Day 28. Chest radiograph revealed a parenchymal infiltrate in 188 patients. CAP was initially classified as definite in 143 patients (44.8%), probable or possible in 172 (53.8%), and excluded in 4 (1.2%). CT scan revealed a parenchymal infiltrate in 40 (33%) of the patients without infiltrate on chest radiograph and excluded CAP in 56 (29.8%) of the 188 with parenchymal infiltrate on radiograph. CT scan modified classification in 187 (58.6%; 95% confidence interval, 53.2-64.0), leading to 50.8% definite CAP and 28.8% excluded CAP, and 80% of modifications were in accordance with adjudication committee classification. Because of CT scan, antibiotics were initiated in 51 (16%) and discontinued in 29 (9%), and hospitalization was decided in 22 and discharge in 23. In CAP-suspected patients visiting the emergency unit, early CT scan findings complementary to chest radiograph markedly affect both diagnosis and clinical management. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 01574066).

  10. Gram staining of protected pulmonary specimens in the early diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mimoz, O; Karim, A; Mazoit, J X; Edouard, A; Leprince, S; Nordmann, P

    2000-11-01

    We evaluated prospectively the use of Gram staining of protected pulmonary specimens to allow the early diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), compared with the use of 60 bronchoscopic protected specimen brushes (PSB) and 126 blinded plugged telescopic catheters (PTC) obtained from 134 patients. Gram stains were from Cytospin slides; they were studied for the presence of microorganisms in 10 and 50 fields by two independent observers and classified according to their Gram stain morphology. Quantitative cultures were performed after serial dilution and plating on appropriate culture medium. A final diagnosis of VAP, based on a culture of > or = 10(3) c.f.u. ml-1, was established after 81 (44%) samplings. When 10 fields were analysed, a strong relationship was found between the presence of bacteria on Gram staining and the final diagnosis of VAP (for PSB and PTC respectively: sensitivity 74 and 81%, specificity 94 and 100%, positive predictive value 91 and 100%, negative predictive value 82 and 88%). The correlation was less when we compared the morphology of microorganisms observed on Gram staining with those of bacteria obtained from quantitative cultures (for PSB and PTC respectively: sensitivity 54 and 69%, specificity 86 and 89%, positive predictive value 72 and 78%, negative predictive value 74 and 84%). Increasing the number of fields read to 50 was associated with a slight decrease in specificity and positive predictive value of Gram staining, but with a small increase in its sensitivity and negative predictive value. The results obtained by the two observers were similar to each other for both numbers of fields analysed. Gram staining of protected pulmonary specimens performed on 10 fields predicted the presence of VAP and partially identified (using Gram stain morphology) the microorganisms growing at significant concentrations, and could help in the early choice of the treatment of VAP. Increasing the number of fields read or having the Gram

  11. Microscopic observation drug susceptibility assay (MODS for early diagnosis of tuberculosis in children.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dang Thi Minh Ha

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available MODS is a novel liquid culture based technique that has been shown to be effective and rapid for early diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB. We evaluated the MODS assay for diagnosis of TB in children in Viet Nam. 217 consecutive samples including sputum (n = 132, gastric fluid (n = 50, CSF (n = 32 and pleural fluid (n = 3 collected from 96 children with suspected TB, were tested by smear, MODS and MGIT. When test results were aggregated by patient, the sensitivity and specificity of smear, MGIT and MODS against "clinical diagnosis" (confirmed and probable groups as the gold standard were 28.2% and 100%, 42.3% and 100%, 39.7% and 94.4%, respectively. The sensitivity of MGIT and MODS was not significantly different in this analysis (P = 0.5, but MGIT was more sensitive than MODS when analysed on the sample level using a marginal model (P = 0.03. The median time to detection of MODS and MGIT were 8 days and 13 days, respectively, and the time to detection was significantly shorter for MODS in samples where both tests were positive (P<0.001. An analysis of time-dependent sensitivity showed that the detection rates were significantly higher for MODS than for MGIT by day 7 or day 14 (P<0.001 and P = 0.04, respectively. MODS is a rapid and sensitive alternative method for the isolation of M.tuberculosis from children.

  12. Gitelman syndrome disclosed by calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease: early diagnosis by ultrasonographic study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Zabotti

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Gitelman’s syndrome is a rare autosomal-recessive tubular disorder characterized by hypomagnesemia and hypocalciuria associated to hypokalemia. The clinical spectrum is wide and usually characterized by chronic fatigue, cramps, muscle weakness and paresthesiae. We describe a case of a 43 year-old male patient with early onset of knee arthritis and no other symptoms. Ultrasound revealed diffuse and confluent hyperechoic deposits in cartilage, fibrocartilage of the menisci and synovium and calcium pyrophosphate crystals were observed in the synovial fluid of the knee. The concomitant presence of hypomagnesemia, hypocalciuria and hypokalemia made clear the diagnosis of Gitelman’s syndrome associated with chondrocalcinosis.

  13. Early diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mimic syndromes: pros and cons of current clinical diagnostic criteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortés-Vicente, Elena; Pradas, Jesús; Marín-Lahoz, Juan; De Luna, Noemi; Clarimón, Jordi; Turon-Sans, Janina; Gelpí, Ellen; Díaz-Manera, Jordi; Illa, Isabel; Rojas-Garcia, Ricard

    2017-08-01

    To describe the frequency and clinical characteristics of patients referred to a tertiary neuromuscular clinic as having amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) but who were re-diagnosed as having an ALS mimic syndrome, and to identify the reasons that led to the revision of the diagnosis. We reviewed the final diagnosis of all patients prospectively registered in the Sant Pau-MND register from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2015. A detailed clinical evaluation and a clinically-guided electrophysiological study were performed at first evaluation. Twenty of 314 (6.4%) patients included were re-diagnosed as having a condition other than ALS, in 18 cases already at first evaluation. An alternative specific diagnosis was identified in 17 of those 20, consisting of a wide range of conditions. The main finding leading to an alternative diagnosis was the result of the electrophysiological study. Fifty per cent did not fulfil the El Escorial revised criteria (EECr) for ALS. The most common clinical phenotype at onset in patients with ALS mimic syndromes was progressive muscular atrophy (PMA). Misdiagnosing ALS is still a common problem. Early identification of ALS mimic syndromes is possible based on atypical clinical features and a clinically-guided electrophysiological study. Patients should be attended in specialised centres. The application of EECr helps to identify ALS misdiagnoses.

  14. Early diagnosis and care is achieved but should be improved in infants with Prader-Willi syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bar, Céline; Diene, Gwenaelle; Molinas, Catherine; Bieth, Eric; Casper, Charlotte; Tauber, Maithé

    2017-06-28

    PWS is a severe neurodevelopmental genetic disorder now usually diagnosed in the neonatal period from hypotonia and feeding difficulties. Our study analyzed the birth incidence and care of infants with early diagnosis. Data were collected on 61 infants with a molecular diagnosis of PWS born in 2012 and 2013 in France. Thirty-eight infants with PWS were born in 2013. The median age at diagnosis was 18 days. Birth incidence calculated for 2013 was 1/21,000 births. No case was diagnosed prenatally, despite 9 amniocenteses, including 4 for polyhydramnios. Five infants had delayed diagnosis, after 3 months of life. For 2 of them, the diagnosis was not suspected at birth and for 3, FISH analysis in the neonatal period was normal, with no further molecular studies. Ninety-three percent of the neonates were hospitalized, and 84% needed nasogastric tube feeding for a median of 38 days. Swallowing assessment was performed for 45%, at a median age of 10 days. Physiotherapy was started for 76% during hospitalization. Eighty percent of those diagnosed within the first 3 months were seen by a pediatric endocrinologist within the first week of life. Our study is the first to assess the birth incidence of PWS in France, at 1/21,000 births. Some prenatal or neonatal cases remain undiagnosed because of unrecognized clinical signs and the inappropriate choice of the initial molecular test. We also underscore the need to optimize neonatal care of infants with PWS.

  15. Use of mobile phones and text messaging to decrease the turnaround time for early infant HIV diagnosis and notification in rural Zambia: An observational study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    C.G. Sutcliffe (Catherine); P.E. Thuma (Phil); J.H. van Dijk (Janneke); Sinywimaanzi, K. (Kathy); Mweetwa, S. (Sydney); Hamahuwa, M. (Mutinta); W.J. Moss (William)

    2017-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Early infant diagnosis of HIV infection is challenging in rural sub-Saharan Africa as blood samples are sent to central laboratories for HIV DNA testing, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment initiation. Simple technologies to rapidly deliver results to clinics and

  16. Induction of oestrus and early pregnancy diagnosis in Awassi sheep

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Merestani, M.R.; Zarkawi, M.; Wardeh, M.

    1997-12-01

    An experiment on Syrian Awassi ewes and yearlings was conducted out-side the normal breeding season to study the possibility of inducing oestrus and increasing birth rate as an attempt to improve the reproductive efficiency, in addition to evaluating the possibility of early pregnancy diagnosis using progesterone radioimmunoassay kits. One-hundred-and fifty-five local female awassi sheep (96 ewes and 59 ewe lambs) were divided into 4 groups. Group T1 (n= 50 ewes) were fitted with itravaginal sponges containing 60 mg of medroxy progesterone acetate (MAP) for 14 days followd by 600 IU of pregnant mare's serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) at sponge withdrawal, whereas the control group C1 (n= 46 ewes) received no treatment. Group T2 (n= 41 yearlings) were fitted with itravaginal sponges containing 60 mg of MAP for 14 days followed by 400 IU PMSG at sponge withdrawal, whereas the control group C2 (n= 18 yearlings) received no treatment. The females in both T1 and T2 groups responded to the hormonal treatment, and showed oestrus behaviour within 36-48 h of sponge withdrawal. Total oestrus rate was 96% and 92.7% for groups T1 and T2, respectively. Lambing rates were 80%, 32.6%, 78.0% and 5.6% for groups T1, C1, T2 and C2, respectively. Twinning rates increased to 32.5% and 33.3% for groups T1 and T2, respectively, compared to 6.7% and 0% for groups C1 and C2, respectively. There were no significant differences in pregnancy duration between groups T1 (151.7 ± 1.7 days), and T2 (154.4 ± 1.5 days), and between single (154.4 ± 1.8 daus and 151.5 ± 1.6 days) and twin-born lambs (151.7 ± 1.5 days and 150.8 ± 1.3 days) for single and twin born lambs in groups T1 and T2, respectively. Hormonal treatment had no effect on the overall average lamb birth weight, which was 4.3 ± 1.0 Kg, 4.4 ± 0.7 Kg and 3.9 ± 1.0 Kg for groups T1, C1, and T2, respectively, and the birth weight for the only lamb born in group C2 was 4.0 kg. However, average birth weight for single born lambs was

  17. EARLY DIAGNOSIS AS DETERMINATING FACTOR FOR PROFESSIONAL, RATIONAL AND EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OF CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFICULTIES

    OpenAIRE

    Goran AJDINSKI; S. BOSNJAKOVSKA; L..UGRINOVSKA; M. DUKOVSKI; M. CAKAR; L. BOGOEVSKA

    1997-01-01

    Early diagnosis of children with developmental difficulties is one of the most important segments in the process of rehabilitation. It is not only an assessment and evaluation of the functional conditions, but also and detection of the possibilities for treatment and it’s improvement.In our presentation we give the first noticing for diagnostics of children with developmental difficulties in the Republic of Macedonia, the present capacities, possibilities, needs and suggestions for it’s impr...

  18. Importance of the dentist in early diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thiago de Santana Santos

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available The vulgar pemphigus is a chronic, rare, vesicle-bubble disease of autoimmune origin and with a possibility of following a dangerous clinical course when it is not diagnosed and treated in its initial stage. It usually affects people from 40 to 60 years old, being rare in children. In the majority of cases, oral manifestations are the first signs of the disease, so that dentists play an important rol in its early diagnosis. The authors present a case report of vulgar pemphigus in a 17 year-old patient, attended by the Bucco-Maxillo-Facial Surgery Service of the “Fundação de Beneficência Hospital de Cirurgia” in Aracaju-SE, Brazil. The patient was admitted with a complaint of the presence of numerous scattered painful ulcers in the mouth that had developed in approximately two months, and reported that at first, blisters that broke quickly appeared, leading to extremely painful ulcerations. Incisional biopsies were performed in the jugal mucosa and retromolar regions, and also a complete hemogram to discard the hypothesis of leukemia. In view of the clinical and histopathological findings, the final diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris was made. Before receiving specialized treatment, the patient presented marked worsening of the clinical condition, with exacerbation of intraoral signs and symptoms and development of skin lesions around the body surface. The patient was hospitalized in the “Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal de Sergipe” and treated with prednisone, cimetidine and nystatin, showing significant improvement of symptoms in approximately two weeks. At present, the patient is under the care of an interdisciplinary team that includes dermatologists and dentists.

  19. [Efficiency of early diagnosis and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in industrial workers (prospective observation results)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bobrov, S V; Shpagina, L A; Kuznetsova, G V; Burganova, M R

    2011-01-01

    Examination of workers engaged into major industrial enterprises of Novosibirsk demonstrated high prevalence of bronchial obstruction in individuals contacting industrial aerosol. The workers with long length of service proved high level of tobacco addiction and marked psychologic dependence on smoking. Based on the data obtained, the authors specified a program for early diagnosis and prevention of occupational bronchitis among the workers of major industrial enterprises.

  20. Risk of early surgery for Crohn's disease: implications for early treatment strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sands, Bruce E; Arsenault, Joanne E; Rosen, Michael J; Alsahli, Mazen; Bailen, Laurence; Banks, Peter; Bensen, Steven; Bousvaros, Athos; Cave, David; Cooley, Jeffrey S; Cooper, Herbert L; Edwards, Susan T; Farrell, Richard J; Griffin, Michael J; Hay, David W; John, Alex; Lidofsky, Sheldon; Olans, Lori B; Peppercorn, Mark A; Rothstein, Richard I; Roy, Michael A; Saletta, Michael J; Shah, Samir A; Warner, Andrew S; Wolf, Jacqueline L; Vecchio, James; Winter, Harland S; Zawacki, John K

    2003-12-01

    In this study we aimed to define the rate of early surgery for Crohn's disease and to identify risk factors associated with early surgery as a basis for subsequent studies of early intervention in Crohn's disease. We assembled a retrospective cohort of patients with Crohn's disease diagnosed between 1991 and 1997 and followed for at least 3 yr, who were identified in 16 community and referral-based practices in New England. Chart review was performed for each patient. Details of baseline demographic and disease features were recorded. Surgical history including date of surgery, indication, and procedure were also noted. Risk factors for early surgery (defined as major surgery for Crohn's disease within 3 yr of diagnosis, exclusive of major surgery at time of diagnosis) were identified by univariate analysis. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors. Of 345 eligible patients, 69 (20.1%) required surgery within 3 yr of diagnosis, excluding the 14 patients (4.1%) who had major surgery at the time of diagnosis. Overall, the interval between diagnosis and surgery was short; one half of all patients who required surgery underwent operation within 6 months of diagnosis. Risk factors identified by univariate analysis as significantly associated with early surgery included the following: smoking; disease of small bowel without colonic involvement; nausea and vomiting or abdominal pain on presentation; neutrophil count; and steroid use in the first 6 months. Disease localized to the colon only, blood in the stool, use of 5-aminosalicylate, and lymphocyte count were inversely associated with risk of early surgery. Logistic regression confirmed independent associations with smoking as a positive risk factor and involvement of colon without small bowel as a negative risk factor for early surgery. The rate of surgery is high in the first 3 yr after diagnosis of Crohn's disease, particularly in the first 6 months. These results suggest that

  1. Feasibility of Early Infant Diagnosis of HIV in Resource-Limited Settings: The ANRS 12140-PEDIACAM Study in Cameroon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tejiokem, Mathurin C.; Faye, Albert; Penda, Ida C.; Guemkam, Georgette; Ateba Ndongo, Francis; Chewa, Gisèle; Rekacewicz, Claire; Rousset, Dominique; Kfutwah, Anfumbom; Boisier, Pascal; Warszawski, Josiane

    2011-01-01

    Background Early infant diagnosis (EID) of HIV is a key-point for the implementation of early HAART, associated with lower mortality in HIV-infected infants. We evaluated the EID process of HIV according to national recommendations, in urban areas of Cameroon. Methods/Findings The ANRS12140-Pediacam study is a multisite cohort in which infants born to HIV-infected mothers were included before the 8th day of life and followed. Collection of samples for HIV DNA/RNA-PCR was planned at 6 weeks together with routine vaccination. The HIV test result was expected to be available at 10 weeks. A positive or indeterminate test result was confirmed by a second test on a different sample. Systematic HAART was offered to HIV-infected infants identified. The EID process was considered complete if infants were tested and HIV results provided to mothers/family before 7 months of age. During 2007–2009, 1587 mother-infant pairs were included in three referral hospitals; most infants (n = 1423, 89.7%) were tested for HIV, at a median age of 1.5 months (IQR, 1.4–1.6). Among them, 51 (3.6%) were HIV-infected. Overall, 1331 (83.9%) completed the process by returning for the result before 7 months (median age: 2.5 months (IQR, 2.4–3.0)). Incomplete process, that is test not performed, or result of test not provided or provided late to the family, was independently associated with late HIV diagnosis during pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.8, 95%CI: 1.1 to 2.9, p = 0.01), absence of PMTCT prophylaxis (aOR = 2.4, 95%CI: 1.4 to 4.3, p = 0.002), and emergency caesarean section (aOR = 2.5, 95%CI: 1.5 to 4.3, p = 0.001). Conclusions In urban areas of Cameroon, HIV-infected women diagnosed sufficiently early during pregnancy opt to benefit from EID whatever their socio-economic, marital or disclosure status. Reduction of non optimal diagnosis process should focus on women with late HIV diagnosis during pregnancy especially if they did not receive any

  2. Diagnosis and treatment of ampullary tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    YIN Tao

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Ampullary tumors mainly manifest as obstructive jaundice and ampullary mass in clinical practice and are difficult to be identified in early stage due to a complex structure of the anatomical site, a deep location, and hidden symptoms. Sometimes a qualitative diagnosis cannot be made. Based on the experience in the treatment of ampullary tumors for many years in our center, this article summarizes the features of ampullary tumors from the aspects of clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis, especially the issues regarding imaging evaluation of ampullary tumors, selection of surgical procedure, and prognosis. An early diagnosis is the key to the treatment of ampullary tumors, and early identification and treatment of lesions have great impacts on patients′ prognosis. Accurate preoperative imaging evaluation, a professional diagnosis and treatment team, accurate preoperative and intraoperative pathological analysis, and implementation of reasonable therapeutic strategy are the key to patients′ recovery.

  3. The early diagnosis and management of mixed delirium in a patient placed on ECMO and with difficult sedation: A case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acevedo-Nuevo, María; González-Gil, Maria Teresa; Romera-Ortega, Miguel Ángel; Latorre-Marco, Ignacio; Rodríguez-Huerta, Maria Dolores

    2018-02-01

    Delirium represents a serious problem that impacts the physical and cognitive prognosis of patients admitted to intensive care units and requires prompt diagnosis and management. This article describes the case and progress of a patient placed on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation with difficult sedation criteria and an early diagnosis of mixed delirium. During the case report, we reflect on the pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies employed to cope with delirium paying special attention to the non-use of physical restraint measures in order to preserve vital support devices (endotracheal tube or Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation cannula). The multimodal and multidisciplinary approach, focused on nursing interventions, strict Pain/Agitation/Delirium monitoring and pharmacological measures, as well as the implementation of measures according to the eCASH (early Comfort using Analgesia, minimal Sedatives and maximal Human Care) concept, were effective, resulting in a relatively short admission considering the severity of the patient's condition and the associated complications. Early independent ambulation was achieved prior to transfer to a hospitalisation unit. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. [Early diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of Bell palsy with blink reflex ].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Dan-dan; Li, Xiao-song; Liu, Yuan-yuan

    2014-11-01

    To determine the value of blink reflex in early diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of Bell palsy. Blink reflex and facial nerve conduction were examined in 58 patients with Bell palsy within one week after symptom onset. The patients without response of R1 , R2 and R2 ' waves were classified as complete efferent retardarce (Group A, 30 cases), and those with response of R1 , R2 and R2 ' waves were classified as incomplete efferent anomalies (Group B, 28 cases). The clinical outcomes after three months of systemic therapy were evaluated using the House-Blackmann (H-B) scale. Efferent anomalies of blink reflex occurred in ail of the 58 patients. Abnormal results of facial nerve conduction appeared in 23 (39. 7%) patients. The three months therapy was effective in 93% patients in Group B and 70% patients in Group A (PBell palsy.

  5. Early unexpected diagnosis of fetal life-limiting malformation; antenatal palliative care and parental decision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mariona, Federico; Burnett, Marianne; Zoma, Melody; Blake, Janice; Khouri, Hanna

    2017-11-02

    Conjoined twins are an infrequent occurrence in obstetric practice. Live-conjoined twins on a late preterm triplet pregnancy is an even rarer event. The objective of this study is to emphasize the critical importance of perinatal palliative care and non-directive parental counseling, informed decision making and respect for autonomy following full disclosure of findings, fetal life-limiting diagnosis, treatment alternatives, maternal-fetal potential complications, and most likely perinatal outcomes. Early surprise prenatal diagnosis, comprehensive parental counseling, palliative care, and perinatal care of a set of conjoined twins and a singleton. Cesarean delivery of a set of conjoined twins and a singleton at 34 weeks' gestation. Immediate neonatal death of the conjoined twins, intact survival, and discharge of the singleton. Review of the database on previously reported similar cases. It is very important to utilize simple and direct language for parents to understand the grave prognosis to the pregnancy. Care alternatives in view of the maternal physical risks and psychological impact of carrying a high order abnormal multiple pregnancy, along with the possible side effects on the singleton.

  6. Early mortality in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in a developing country: the role of malnutrition at diagnosis. A multicenter cohort MIGICCL study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martín-Trejo, Jorge Alfonso; Núñez-Enríquez, Juan Carlos; Fajardo-Gutiérrez, Arturo; Medina-Sansón, Aurora; Flores-Lujano, Janet; Jiménez-Hernández, Elva; Amador-Sanchez, Raquel; Peñaloza-Gonzalez, José Gabriel; Alvarez-Rodriguez, Francisco Javier; Bolea-Murga, Victoria; Espinosa-Elizondo, Rosa Martha; de Diego Flores-Chapa, José; Pérez-Saldivar, Maria Luisa; Rodriguez-Zepeda, María Del Carmen; Dorantes-Acosta, Elisa María; Núñez-Villegas, Nora Nancy; Velazquez-Aviña, Martha Margarita; Torres-Nava, José Refugio; Reyes-Zepeda, Nancy Carolina; González-Bonilla, César Raúl; Flores-Villegas, Luz Victoria; Rangel-López, Angélica; Rivera-Luna, Roberto; Paredes-Aguilera, Rogelio; Cárdenas-Cardós, Rocío; Martínez-Avalos, Armando; Gil-Hernández, Ana Elena; Duarte-Rodríguez, David Aldebarán; Mejía-Aranguré, Juan Manuel

    2017-04-01

    The role of malnutrition at diagnosis as a predictor of early mortality in Mexican leukemia children remains controversial. The objective of present study was to investigate whether malnutrition was a predictor of early mortality during the first year of treatment in Mexican acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) children through the first population-based study. A total of 794 newly diagnosed ALL pediatric patients from public hospitals of Mexico City were enrolled. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model was constructed and adjusted by patient's age at diagnosis, gender, hospital of treatment, and socioeconomic status. Early mortality was high (12.1%) and malnutrition by different indicators was not associated with mortality at induction phase and at 6th month; a high risk of dying (RR = 2.08; 95% CI: 1.08-4.01) was observed in the group of malnourished children with a high-risk ALL.

  7. Early diagnosis of influenza virus a using surface-enhanced Raman scattering-based lateral flow assay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Hyun Ji; Choo, Jae Bum; Yang, Sung Chul

    2016-01-01

    We report a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based lateral flow assay (LFA) kit for the rapid diagnosis of influenza virus A. Influenza virus A is highly infectious and causes acute respiratory diseases. Therefore, it is important to diagnose the virus early to prevent a pandemic and to provide appropriate treatment to the patient and vaccination of high-risk individuals. Conventional diagnostic tests, including virus cell culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction, take longer than 1 day to confirm the disease. In contrast, a commercially available rapid influenza diagnostic test can detect the infection within 30 min, but it is hard to confirm viral infection using only this test because of its low sensitivity. Therefore, the development of a rapid and simple test for the early diagnosis of influenza infection is urgently needed. To resolve these problems, we developed a SERS-based LFA kit in which the gold nanoparticles in the commercial rapid kit were replaced with SERS-active nano tags. It is possible to quantitatively detect the influenza virus A with high sensitivity by measuring the enhanced Raman signal of these SERS nano tags on the LFA strip. The limit of detection (LOD) using our proposed SERS-based LFA kit was estimated to be 1.9 × 10"4 PFU/mL, which is approximately one order of magnitude more sensitive than the LOD determined from the colorimetric LFA kit

  8. Early diagnosis of influenza virus a using surface-enhanced Raman scattering-based lateral flow assay

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Hyun Ji; Choo, Jae Bum [Dept. of Bionano Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan (Korea, Republic of); Yang, Sung Chul [School of Architectural Engineering, Hongik University, Sejong (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-12-15

    We report a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based lateral flow assay (LFA) kit for the rapid diagnosis of influenza virus A. Influenza virus A is highly infectious and causes acute respiratory diseases. Therefore, it is important to diagnose the virus early to prevent a pandemic and to provide appropriate treatment to the patient and vaccination of high-risk individuals. Conventional diagnostic tests, including virus cell culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction, take longer than 1 day to confirm the disease. In contrast, a commercially available rapid influenza diagnostic test can detect the infection within 30 min, but it is hard to confirm viral infection using only this test because of its low sensitivity. Therefore, the development of a rapid and simple test for the early diagnosis of influenza infection is urgently needed. To resolve these problems, we developed a SERS-based LFA kit in which the gold nanoparticles in the commercial rapid kit were replaced with SERS-active nano tags. It is possible to quantitatively detect the influenza virus A with high sensitivity by measuring the enhanced Raman signal of these SERS nano tags on the LFA strip. The limit of detection (LOD) using our proposed SERS-based LFA kit was estimated to be 1.9 × 10{sup 4} PFU/mL, which is approximately one order of magnitude more sensitive than the LOD determined from the colorimetric LFA kit.

  9. Value of the computerized axial tomography for early diagnosis of cranio cerebral trauma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodriguez Cheong, Maricel; Dosouto Infante, Vivian; Rosales Fargie, Yamile

    2010-01-01

    A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in 62 patients with cranio cerebral trauma admitted to 'Saturnino Lora' Provincial Teaching Hospital of Santiago de Cuba, from January 2005 to May 2006, in whom computerized axial tomography indicated at the emergency room was performed with the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of this radiographic technique for early diagnosis of the injury. In the case material there was neither association between the source and imaging results, nor between the age and sex. The main clinical manifestations were vomiting, headache and motor deficit as well as frontal location, intraparenchymatous hematoma (the latter as the most common image finding) and the hyperdense area as tomographic pattern. The survival was of 91,9%

  10. Clinical symptoms and laboratory findings supporting early diagnosis of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mostafavi, Ehsan; Pourhossein, Behzad; Chinikar, Sadegh

    2014-07-01

    Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a zoonotic disease, which is usually transmitted to humans by tick bites or contact with blood or other infected tissues of livestock. Patients suffering from CCHF demonstrate an extensive spectrum of clinical symptoms. As it can take considerable time from suspecting the disease in hospital until reaching a definitive diagnosis in the laboratory, understanding the clinical symptoms and laboratory findings of CCHF patients is of paramount importance for clinicians. The data were collected from patients who were referred to the Laboratory of Arboviruses and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers at the Pasteur institute of Iran with a primary diagnosis of CCHF between 1999 and 2012 and were assessed by molecular and serologic tests. Referred patients were divided into two groups: patients with a CCHF positive result and patients with a CCHF negative result. The laboratory and clinical findings of these two groups were then compared. Two-thousand five hundred thirty-six probable cases of CCHF were referred to the laboratory, of which 871 cases (34.3%) were confirmed to be CCHF. Contact with infected humans and animals increased the CCHF infection risk (P important role in patient survival and the application of the findings of this study can prove helpful as a key for early diagnosis. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Examination of level of knowledge in Italian general practitioners attending an education session on diagnosis and management of the early stage of Alzheimer's disease: pass or fail?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veneziani, Federica; Panza, Francesco; Solfrizzi, Vincenzo; Capozzo, Rosa; Barulli, Maria Rosaria; Leo, Antonio; Lozupone, Madia; Fontana, Andrea; Arcuti, Simona; Copetti, Massimiliano; Cardinali, Valentina; Grasso, Alessandra; Tursi, Marianna; Iurillo, Annalisa; Imbimbo, Bruno Pietro; Seripa, Davide; Logroscino, Giancarlo

    2016-07-01

    We detected the general level of knowledge about the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and subsequent care in general practitioners (GPs) from Southern Italy. We explored also the GP perception about their knowledge and training on diagnosis and management of AD. On a sample of 131 GPs, we administered two questionnaires: the GP-Knowledge, evaluating GPs' expertise about AD epidemiology, differential diagnosis, and available treatments, and the GP-QUestionnaire on Awareness of Dementia (GP-QUAD), assessing the GPs' attitudes, awareness, and practice regarding early diagnosis of dementia. Specific screening tests or protocols to diagnose and manage dementia were not used by 53% of our GPs. The training on the recognition of early AD signs and symptoms was considered inadequate by 55% of the participants. Females were more likely to consider their training insufficient (58%) compared to males (53%). Female GPs were less likely to prescribe antipsychotic drugs to control neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) and suggest specialist advice in late stage of cognitive impairment. Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) performed only on GP-QUAD suggested two dimensions explaining 26.1% ("GP attitude") and 20.1% ("GP knowledge") of the inertia for a total of 46.2%, In our survey on GP clinical practice, several problems in properly recognizing early AD symptoms and subsequently screening patients to be referred to secondary/tertiary care centers for diagnosis confirmation have emerged. In the future, specific training programs and educational projects for GPs should be implemented also in Italy to improve detection rates and management of dementia in primary care.

  12. Values of serum TSGF, CA125 and CEA determination in early diagnosis of ovarian cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He Jiang; Zhou Yu; Yu Wuzhong; Chou Donghui; Zhou Ying; Zhang Yang; Guo Yong; Wang Yongsheng

    2005-01-01

    To investigate levels of TSGF,CA125 and CEA as a panel for early diagnosis of overian cancer, the levels of three tumor markers(TSGF,CA125 and CEA) in serum were determined in 85 patients with ovarian cancer, 54 patients with benign tumor and 76 healthy control. The results showed that the levels of three tumor markers in ovarian cancer patients were significantly higher than those in benign tumor patients and controls(P<0.05). Combined detection of the three markers may greatly improve the diagnostic accuracy of overian cancer. (authors)

  13. Early diagnosis and successful treatment of disseminated toxoplasmosis after cord blood transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurihara, Taro; Sumi, Masahiko; Kaiume, Hiroko; Takeda, Wataru; Kirihara, Takehiko; Sato, Keijiro; Ueki, Toshimitsu; Hiroshima, Yuki; Ueno, Mayumi; Ichikawa, Naoaki; Kaneko, Yumi; Hikosaka, Kenji; Norose, Kazumi; Kobayashi, Hikaru

    2016-06-01

    A 66-year-old woman with refractory angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma underwent cord blood transplantation. Prior to transplantation, a serological test for Toxoplasma gondii-specific IgG antibodies was positive. On day 96, she exhibited fever and dry cough. Chest CT showed diffuse centrilobular ground glass opacities in both lungs. The reactivation of T. gondii was identified by the presence of parasite DNA in peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Moreover, brain MRI revealed a space occupying lesion in the right occipital lobe. Therefore, disseminated toxoplasmosis was diagnosed. She received pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine from day 99. The lung and brain lesions both showed improvement but the PCR assay for T. gondii DNA in peripheral blood was positive on day 133. On day 146, she developed blurred vision and reduced visual acuity, and a tentative diagnosis of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis was made based on ophthalmic examination results. As agranulocytosis developed on day 158, we decided to discontinue pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine and the treatment was thus switched to atovaquone. Moreover, we added spiramycin to atovaquone therapy from day 174, and her ocular condition gradually improved. In general, the prognosis of disseminated toxoplasmosis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is extremely poor. However, early diagnosis and treatment may contribute to improvement of the fundamentally dismal prognosis of disseminated toxoplasmosis after HSCT.

  14. Efficient mining of association rules for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chaves, R; Gorriz, J M; Ramirez, J; Illan, I A; Salas-Gonzalez, D; Gomez-RIo, M

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, a novel technique based on association rules (ARs) is presented in order to find relations among activated brain areas in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. In this sense, the aim of this work is to discover associations among attributes which characterize the perfusion patterns of normal subjects and to make use of them for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Firstly, voxel-as-feature-based activation estimation methods are used to find the tridimensional activated brain regions of interest (ROIs) for each patient. These ROIs serve as input to secondly mine ARs with a minimum support and confidence among activation blocks by using a set of controls. In this context, support and confidence measures are related to the proportion of functional areas which are singularly and mutually activated across the brain. Finally, we perform image classification by comparing the number of ARs verified by each subject under test to a given threshold that depends on the number of previously mined rules. Several classification experiments were carried out in order to evaluate the proposed methods using a SPECT database that consists of 41 controls (NOR) and 56 AD patients labeled by trained physicians. The proposed methods were validated by means of the leave-one-out cross validation strategy, yielding up to 94.87% classification accuracy, thus outperforming recent developed methods for computer aided diagnosis of AD.

  15. Efficient mining of association rules for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaves, R.; Górriz, J. M.; Ramírez, J.; Illán, I. A.; Salas-Gonzalez, D.; Gómez-Río, M.

    2011-09-01

    In this paper, a novel technique based on association rules (ARs) is presented in order to find relations among activated brain areas in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. In this sense, the aim of this work is to discover associations among attributes which characterize the perfusion patterns of normal subjects and to make use of them for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Firstly, voxel-as-feature-based activation estimation methods are used to find the tridimensional activated brain regions of interest (ROIs) for each patient. These ROIs serve as input to secondly mine ARs with a minimum support and confidence among activation blocks by using a set of controls. In this context, support and confidence measures are related to the proportion of functional areas which are singularly and mutually activated across the brain. Finally, we perform image classification by comparing the number of ARs verified by each subject under test to a given threshold that depends on the number of previously mined rules. Several classification experiments were carried out in order to evaluate the proposed methods using a SPECT database that consists of 41 controls (NOR) and 56 AD patients labeled by trained physicians. The proposed methods were validated by means of the leave-one-out cross validation strategy, yielding up to 94.87% classification accuracy, thus outperforming recent developed methods for computer aided diagnosis of AD.

  16. Molecular imaging reveals elevated VEGFR-2 expression in retinal capillaries in diabetes: a novel biomarker for early diagnosis

    OpenAIRE

    Sun, Dawei; Nakao, Shintaro; Xie, Fang; Zandi, Souska; Bagheri, Abouzar; Kanavi, Mozhgan Rezaei; Samiei, Shahram; Soheili, Zahra-Soheila; Frimmel, Sonja; Zhang, Zhongyu; Ablonczy, Zsolt; Ahmadieh, Hamid; Hafezi-Moghadam, Ali

    2014-01-01

    Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a microvascular complication of diabetes and a leading cause of vision loss. Biomarkers and methods for early diagnosis of DR are urgently needed. Using a new molecular imaging approach, we show up to 94% higher accumulation of custom designed imaging probes against vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) in retinal and choroidal vessels of diabetic animals (P

  17. Continuous glucose monitoring system and new era of early diagnosis of diabetes in high risk groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashraf Soliman

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM systems are an emerging technology that allows frequent glucose measurements to monitor glucose trends in real time. Their use as a diagnostic tool is still developing and appears to be promising. Combining intermittent glucose self-monitoring (SGM and CGM combines the benefits of both. Significant improvement in the treatment modalities that may prevent the progress of prediabetes to diabetes have been achieved recently and dictates screening of high risk patients for early diagnosis and management of glycemic abnormalities. The use of CGMS in the diagnosis of early dysglycemia (prediabetes especially in high risk patients appears to be an attractive approach. In this review we searched the literature to investigate the value of using CGMS as a diagnostic tool compared to other known tools, namely oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT and measurement of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C in high risk groups. Those categories of patients include adolescents and adults with obesity especially those with family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCO, gestational diabetes, cystic fibrosis, thalassemia major, acute coronary syndrome (ACS, and after renal transplantation. It appears that the ability of the CGMS for frequently monitoring (every 5 min glucose changes during real-life settings for 3 to 5 days stretches the chance to detect more glycemic abnormalities during basal and postprandial conditions compared to other short-timed methods.

  18. An MRI-based diagnostic framework for early diagnosis of dyslexia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Baz, A.; Casanova, M.; Mott, M.; Switala, A.; Gimel'farb, G.

    2008-01-01

    A computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system for early diagnosis of dyslexia was developed and tested. Dyslexia can severely impair the learning abilities of children so improved diagnostic methods are needed. Neuropathological studies show abnormal anatomy of the cerebral white matter (CWM) in dyslexic brains. We sought to develop an MRI-based macroscopic neuropathological correlate to the minicolumnopathy of dyslexia that relates to cortical connectivity: the gyral window. The brains of dyslexic patients often exhibit decreased gyrifications, so the thickness of gyral CWM for dyslexic subjects is greater than for normal subjects. We developed an MRI-based method for assessment of gyral CWM thickness with automated recognition of abnormal (e.g., dyslexic) brains. In vivo data was collected from 16 right-handed dyslexic men aged 18-40 years, and a group of 14 controls matched for gender, age, educational level, socioeconomic background, handedness and general intelligence. All the subjects were physically healthy and free of history of neurological diseases and head injury. Images were acquired with the same 1.5T MRI scanner (GE, Milwaukee, WI, USA) with voxel resolution 0.9375 x 0.9375 x 1.5 mm using a T1-weighted imaging sequence protocol. The ''ground truth'' diagnosis to evaluate the classification accuracy for each patient was given by the clinicians. The accuracy of diagnosis/classification of both the training and test subjects was evaluated using the Chi-square test at the three confidence levels - 85, 90 and 95% - in order to examine significant differences in the Levy distances. As expected, the 85% confidence level yielded the best results, the system correctly classified 16 out of 16 dyslexic subjects (a 100% accuracy) and 14 out of 14 control subjects (a 100% accuracy). At the 90% confidence level, 16 out of 16 dyslexic subjects were still classified correctly; however, only 13 out of 14 control subjects were correct, bringing the accuracy rate for the

  19. An MRI-based diagnostic framework for early diagnosis of dyslexia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    El-Baz, A. [University of Louisville, Bioengineering Department, Louisville, KY (United States); Casanova, M.; Mott, M.; Switala, A. [University of Louisville, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Louisville, KY (United States); Gimel' farb, G. [University of Auckland, Computer Science Department, Auckland (New Zealand)

    2008-09-15

    A computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system for early diagnosis of dyslexia was developed and tested. Dyslexia can severely impair the learning abilities of children so improved diagnostic methods are needed. Neuropathological studies show abnormal anatomy of the cerebral white matter (CWM) in dyslexic brains. We sought to develop an MRI-based macroscopic neuropathological correlate to the minicolumnopathy of dyslexia that relates to cortical connectivity: the gyral window. The brains of dyslexic patients often exhibit decreased gyrifications, so the thickness of gyral CWM for dyslexic subjects is greater than for normal subjects. We developed an MRI-based method for assessment of gyral CWM thickness with automated recognition of abnormal (e.g., dyslexic) brains. In vivo data was collected from 16 right-handed dyslexic men aged 18-40 years, and a group of 14 controls matched for gender, age, educational level, socioeconomic background, handedness and general intelligence. All the subjects were physically healthy and free of history of neurological diseases and head injury. Images were acquired with the same 1.5T MRI scanner (GE, Milwaukee, WI, USA) with voxel resolution 0.9375 x 0.9375 x 1.5 mm using a T1-weighted imaging sequence protocol. The ''ground truth'' diagnosis to evaluate the classification accuracy for each patient was given by the clinicians. The accuracy of diagnosis/classification of both the training and test subjects was evaluated using the Chi-square test at the three confidence levels - 85, 90 and 95% - in order to examine significant differences in the Levy distances. As expected, the 85% confidence level yielded the best results, the system correctly classified 16 out of 16 dyslexic subjects (a 100% accuracy) and 14 out of 14 control subjects (a 100% accuracy). At the 90% confidence level, 16 out of 16 dyslexic subjects were still classified correctly; however, only 13 out of 14 control subjects were correct, bringing the

  20. Early Diagnosis of Irkut Virus Infection Using Magnetic Bead-Based Serum Peptide Profiling by MALDI-TOF MS in a Mouse Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nan Li

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Early diagnosis is important for the prompt post-exposure prophylaxis of lyssavirus infections. To diagnose Irkut virus (IRKV infection during incubation in mice, a novel method using magnetic bead-based serum peptide profiling by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS has been established. For this test, serum peptides were concentrated by adsorption to and elution from the magnetic bead-based weak cation ion exchanger. Mass spectrograms obtained by MALDI-TOF MS were analyzed using ClinProTools bioinformatics software. Construction of the diagnostic model was performed using serum samples from mice infected with IRKV and rabies virus (RABV BD06, Flury-LEP, and SRV9 (as controls. The method accurately diagnosed sera 2, 4 and 8 days after IRKV and RABV infections. The sensitivity, specificity, and total accuracy of diagnosis were 86.7%, 95.2%, and 92.9%, respectively. However, IRKV could not be differentiated from RABV 1 day after infection. The results of the present study indicate that serum peptide profiling by MALDI-TOF MS is a promising technique for the early clinical diagnosis of lyssavirus infections and needs to be further tested in humans and farm animals.

  1. The value of the phase analysis for the diagnosis of COPD complicated with early cor pulmonale

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang Binxiang; Zhang Qingxian; Wang Shujun

    1993-01-01

    The phase analysis was examined in 14 cases of COPD complicated with early cor pulmonale, 10 cases of coronary heart disease and 19 cases of normal subjects by the radionuclide gated blood pool imaging. Right heart catheterization was also performed in COPD group. It was shown that RVW (right ventricular phase angle width) in the COPD were significantly increased than that in the coronary heart disease group and the normal group, while LVW (left ventricular phase angle width) in the coronary heart disease group were significantly increased. It was worthy to be pointed out that in 3 of 4 cases of COPD with normal pulmonary artery pressure the RVW definitely prolonged. Therefore, it was suggested that RVW may be taken as an index for diagnosis of COPD complicated with early cor pulmonale

  2. The clinical significance of serum SCC-Ag combined with CD105 in patients with cervical cancer during the early stage diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ru-Chan Ma

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To invest the clinical significance of serum SCC-Ag combined with CD105 in early diagnosis of cervical cancer to provide new ideas for early diagnosis and clinical treatment of cervical cancer. Methods: A total of 74 cases cervical cancer patients were selected as cervical cancer group, and 52 cases uterine fibroids patients were selected as normal cervical group, serum samples were collected in the early morning fasting condition, SCC-Ag and CD105 were checked by ELISA method, SCC-Ag and CD105 of two groups were analyzed by t-test, and to compare SCC-Ag and CD105 in different TMN staging, lymph gland metastasis and non-lymph gland metastasis in patients with cervical cancer, the correlation analysis was used by Pearson correlation analysis method. Results: These results came from ELISA method, comparing with normal cervical group, the SCC-Ag and CD105 of cervical cancer group increased, the difference was statistically significant. Comparing with Ⅰ period of TMN staging, SCC-Ag and CD105 of Ⅱ period increased, Ⅲ, Ⅳ period increased, the difference was statistically significant. Comparing with Ⅱ period, SCC-Ag and CD105 of Ⅲ, Ⅳ period increased, the difference was statistically significant. Comparing with non-lymph gland metastasis, SCC-Ag and CD105 of lymph gland metastasis increased in cervical cancer with surgical treatment, the difference was statistically significant. According to Pearson correlation analysis, SCC-Ag and CD105 were positively correlated. Conclusion: SCC-Ag and CD105 in patients with cervical cancer increase highly, it has important clinical value that of serum SCCAg combined with CD105 in the early diagnosis of cervical cancer, especially it has clinical guiding significance to staging and lymph gland metastasis of cervical cancer, and it is worthy of clinical reference.

  3. Early Oscillation Detection for DC/DC Converter Fault Diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Bright L.

    2011-01-01

    The electrical power system of a spacecraft plays a very critical role for space mission success. Such a modern power system may contain numerous hybrid DC/DC converters both inside the power system electronics (PSE) units and onboard most of the flight electronics modules. One of the faulty conditions for DC/DC converter that poses serious threats to mission safety is the random occurrence of oscillation related to inherent instability characteristics of the DC/DC converters and design deficiency of the power systems. To ensure the highest reliability of the power system, oscillations in any form shall be promptly detected during part level testing, system integration tests, flight health monitoring, and on-board fault diagnosis. The popular gain/phase margin analysis method is capable of predicting stability levels of DC/DC converters, but it is limited only to verification of designs and to part-level testing on some of the models. This method has to inject noise signals into the control loop circuitry as required, thus, interrupts the DC/DC converter's normal operation and increases risks of degrading and damaging the flight unit. A novel technique to detect oscillations at early stage for flight hybrid DC/DC converters was developed.

  4. Bone scintigraphy compared to MRI and ultrasound in the early diagnosis of arthritis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sandrock, D.

    2006-01-01

    Chronic inflammatory arthritis is recognized specifically by bone erosions, caused by characteristic pannus tissue. In the finger joints dynamic low-Tesla MRI is nearly double but not completely sensitive in the detection of erosions than conventional radiography, sonography takes an intermediate position. Less specific signs of synovitis and tenosynovitis are shown with high sensitivity by both 3(2)-phase bone scintigraphy and ultrasound, MRI is less sensitive in this respect. However, standard situation of inflammation in bone scintigraphy - positive finding in early as well as late phase - is of surprisingly low sensitivity, any singular finding in the early or late phase has to be regarded as positive. Specificity of these singular findings is nevertheless sufficiently high, acute inflammatory joint changes and even erosions are also seen with MRI in obviously healthy persons. Only 2-phase bone scintigraphy is easily able to present a simultaneous survey of all joints of the body. For this reason 2-phase bone scintigraphy is most suitable for exclusion but also for primary diagnosis of disease, specification must be done afterwards by other imaging modalities or by laboratory findings. (orig.)

  5. Bone metastases of differentiated thyroid cancer: the importance of early diagnosis and 131I therapy on prognosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zanotti-Fregonara, P.; Rubello, D.; Hindie, E.

    2008-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows: Distant metastases are found at diagnosis or during follow-up in 10%-15% of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Bone is the second most commonly involved site. Patients with bone metastases, whether isolated or associated with lung metastases, have a markedly poor prognosis. Ten-year survival rates range from 13% to 21%. Given such poor prognosis, the use of 131 I therapy has been questioned. However, it might well be that poor prognosis of bone metastases can be overcome if 131 I therapy is delivered at an early stage, when tumor burden is small, as previously demonstrated for pulmonary metastases. A review of a large series of patients showed that only rarely were bone metastases diagnosed at an early stage. Among 109 patients with bone metastases reported by Bernier et al., only 4 had both radioiodine uptake and a negative standard radiography examination. Similarly, Durante et al. reported that only 8 of 115 patients had negative radiography findings at presentation. Prognosis may improve if bone metastases are detected earlier. In a recent study, bone metastases were first detected by 131 I scanning in 8 of 16 patients, when complementary radiologic studies were negative. Six of these patients showed an excellent response to 131 I therapy. Today, the nuclear medicine community is well armed for this challenge toward earlier diagnosis. Postsurgery thyroid remnant ablation is more widely used. The 131 I whole body scan associated with thyroid remnant ablation after thyroidectomy has a major role in early diagnosis of functioning distant metastases at a time when complementary imaging techniques (CT, MRI, bone scanning) are often still showing negative findings. Early diagnosis of specific 131 I-avid bone foci will be improved with the advent and generalization of SPECT/CT. When early diagnosis is achieved, repeated 131 I therapy can be effective by targeting not only visible metastases but also those still too small

  6. Identification of Apo-A1 as a biomarker for early diagnosis of bladder transitional cell carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Shixin

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Bladder transitional cell carcinoma (BTCC is the fourth most frequent neoplasia in men, clinically characterized by high recurrent rates and poor prognosis. Availability of urinary tumor biomarkers represents a convenient alternative for early detection and disease surveillance because of its direct contact with the tumor and sample accessibility. Results We tested urine samples from healthy volunteers and patients with low malignant or aggressive BTCC to identify potential biomarkers for early detection of BTCC by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE coupled with mass spectrometry (MS and bioinformatics analysis. We observed increased expression of five proteins, including fibrinogen (Fb, lactate dehydrogenase B (LDHB, apolipoprotein-A1 (Apo-A1, clusterin (CLU and haptoglobin (Hp, which were increased in urine samples of patients with low malignant or aggressive bladder cancer. Further analysis of urine samples of aggressive BTCC showed significant increase in Apo-A1 expression compared to low malignant BTCC. Apo-A1 level was measured quantitatively using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA and was suggested to provide diagnostic utility to distinguish patients with bladder cancer from controls at 18.22 ng/ml, and distinguish patients with low malignant BTCC from patients with aggressive BTCC in two-tie grading system at 29.86 ng/ml respectively. Further validation assay showed that Apo-A1 could be used as a biomarker to diagnosis BTCC with a sensitivity and specificity of 91.6% and 85.7% respectively, and classify BTCC in two-tie grading system with a sensitivity and specificity of 83.7% and 89.7% respectively. Conclusion Taken together, our findings suggest Apo-A1 could be a potential biomarker related with early diagnosis and classification in two-tie grading system for bladder cancer.

  7. The early history of x-ray diagnosis with emphasis on the contributions of physics 1895-1915.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mould, R F

    1995-11-01

    The contribution of physics to the development of x-ray diagnosis was vital in the early years of this century following Röntgen's discovery of x-rays in November 1895. This review records some of the highlights during the period 1895-1915. Much of the information presented has been buried in libraries for more than 50 years and the selection of illustrations and text will be largely unknown to today's readership of Physics in Medicine and Biology. It is also a celebration of what could be achieved in physics before the occurrence of the technological revolution involving not only computer applications but also the disappearance of the small independent x-ray companies into today's multinational companies. Research and development is nowadays just too expensive for much independent practical high-technology contributions without financial backing. Hence this review takes us to those bygone years of experimental physics in home laboratories, poorly equipped university physics laboratories and of the lecture-demonstrations of the period. The sections are presented in a logical order beginning with the discovery of x-rays, followed by x-ray tube technology to the advent of the hot cathode Coolidge tube, with the third and final section covering diagnostic radiology physics. It has been compiled from personal research over 35 years in libraries worldwide, drawing on textbooks, journals, popular magazines, newspapers, x-ray company catalogues and museum exhibits. I have included a certain amount of anecdotal information, because after all, much of the early commentaries were indeed anecdotal--and make very interesting reading. Finally it is commented that although this review is devoted to x-ray diagnosis, x-ray therapy should not be forgotten, and readers are referred to another review by the author on early therapeutic advances.

  8. The AIMAR recommendations for early diagnosis of chronic obstructive respiratory disease based on the WHO/GARD model*.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nardini, Stefano; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella; Del Donno, Mario; Delucchi, Maurizio; Bettoncelli, Germano; Lamberti, Vincenzo; Patera, Carlo; Polverino, Mario; Russo, Antonio; Santoriello, Carlo; Soverina, Patrizio

    2014-01-01

    Respiratory diseases in Italy already now represent an emergency (they are the 3(rd) ranking cause of death in the world, and the 2(nd) if Lung cancer is included). In countries similar to our own, they result as the principal cause for a visit to the general practitioner (GP) and the second main cause after injury for recourse to Emergency Care. Their frequency is probably higher than estimated (given that respiratory diseases are currently underdiagnosed). The trend is towards a further increase due to epidemiologic and demographic factors (foremost amongst which are the widespread diffusion of cigarette smoking, the increasing mean age of the general population, immigration, and pollution). Within the more general problem of chronic disease care, chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) constitute one of the four national priorities in that they represent an important burden for society in terms of mortality, invalidity, and direct healthcare costs. The strategy suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO) is an integrated approach consisting of three goals: inform about health, reduce risk exposure, improve patient care. The three goals are translated into practice in the three areas of prevention (1-primary, 2-secondary, 3-tertiary) as: 1) actions of primary (universal) prevention targeted at the general population with the aim to control the causes of disease, and actions of Predictive Medicine - again addressing the general population but aimed at measuring the individual's risk for disease insurgence; 2) actions of early diagnosis targeted at groups or - more precisely - subgroups identified as at risk; 3) continuous improvement and integration of care and rehabilitation support - destined at the greatest possible number of patients, at all stages of disease severity. In Italy, COPD care is generally still inadequate. Existing guidelines, institutional and non-institutional, are inadequately implemented: the international guidelines are not always adaptable

  9. After Early Autism Diagnosis: Changes in Intervention and Parent-Child Interaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suma, Katharine; Adamson, Lauren B; Bakeman, Roger; Robins, Diana L; Abrams, Danielle N

    2016-08-01

    This study documents the relation between an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, increases in intervention, and changes in parent-child interaction quality. Information about intervention and observations of interaction were collected before diagnosis and a half year after diagnosis for 79 low-risk toddlers who had screened positive for ASD risk during a well-baby checkup. Children diagnosed with ASD (n = 44) were 2.69 times more likely to increase intervention hours. After ASD diagnosis, the relation between intervention and interaction quality was complex: although increases in intervention and interaction quality were only modestly related, the overall amount of intervention after diagnosis was associated with higher quality interactions. Moreover, lower quality interactions before diagnosis significantly increased the likelihood that intervention would increase post-diagnosis.

  10. Feasibility of large-scale screening using N-ERC/mesothelin levels in the blood for the early diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imashimizu, Kohta; Shiomi, Kazu; Maeda, Masahiro; Aoki, Naoko; Igarashi, Kiyoko; Suzuki, Fumio; Koizumi, Mitsuru; Suzuki, Kenji; Hino, Okio

    2011-05-01

    A large-scale screening involving the measurement of N-ERC/mesothelin levels in blood using an ELISA system for the early diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma (MM) was carried out in individuals with a history of employment at construction sites. Approximately 30,000 subjects were screened. Of the 80 subjects with high-risk values, one male patient was diagnosed as having MM based on a PET study and histopathology. This is the first report of the pre-clinical diagnosis of MM based on blood test screening. In addition, plasma levels of N-ERC/mesothelin may be effectively used for monitoring relapse after surgery.

  11. Transcranial Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aniley Martínez González

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and, since it is associated with aging, the probability of developing this disease increases with age. The diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease is based on clinical criteria; however, its differentiation from other forms of Parkinsonism can be difficult, especially in early stages of the disease. Transcranial ultrasound has become a tool for the diagnosis of this disorder, being very useful for its early diagnosis. Ultrasonographic findings characteristic of this disease include increased echogenicity of the substantia nigra in the midbrain measured through the temporal bone window. This paper discusses the usefulness of transcranial ultrasound for early diagnosis of patients with Parkinson's disease.

  12. COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FIVE METHODS FOR EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF OCCLUSAL CARIES LESIONS – in vitro study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirela Marinova-Takorova

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The aim of the presented in vitro study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the device DIAGNOcam and the laser fluorescence device DIAGNOdent for early diagnosis of occlusal caries and to compare it with three traditional methods – visual and tactile, dye and radiographic examination. Material and methods: The sample consisted of 60 extracted human teeth. Three clinicians diagnosed independently the presence or absence of early occlusal surface caries with the visible tactile method,DIAGNOcam andDIAGNOdent. Then X-rays were taken and the dentists viewed them separately, without magnification.Fuchsine was applied for 30 sec. and then washed under running water for 20 min. Places where dye was present were registered. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS package of Windows. Results: The results showed high level of correspondence between the authors for all the diagnostic methods. Concerning different methods applied for caries diagnosis there was a correlation between the methods, but it was diverging for the different methods. No correlation between radiographic exam and data obtained with DIAGNOdent and dye staining was observed. Conclusions: Based on the obtained results we may conclude that the least sensitive method for fissure caries diagnosis was the dye staining, followed by the radiographic exam. The results, obtained by DIAGNOdent and DIAGNOcam were very close, but DIAGNOcams’ data was better correlating with the clinical results.DIAGNOcam procedure can be judged as equivalent in the detection of occlusal dentine lesions when compared to clinical results.

  13. Early diagnosis of thoracolumbar spine fractures in children. A prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leroux, J; Vivier, P-H; Ould Slimane, M; Foulongne, E; Abu-Amara, S; Lechevallier, J; Griffet, J

    2013-02-01

    Early detection of spine fractures in children is difficult because the clinical examination does not always raise worrisome symptoms and the vertebrae are still cartilaginous, and consequently incompletely visualized on routine X-rays. Therefore, diagnosis is often delayed or missed. The search for a "breath arrest" sensation at the moment of the trauma improves early detection of thoracolumbar spine fractures in children. This was a prospective monocentric study including all children consulting at the paediatric emergency unit of a single university hospital with a thoracolumbar spine trauma between January 2008 and March 2009. All children had the same care. Pain was quantified when they arrived using the visual analog scale. Clinical examination searched for a "breath arrest" sensation at the moment of the trauma and noted the circumstances of the accident. X-rays and MRI were done in all cases. Fifty children were included with a mean age of 11.4 years. Trauma occurred during games or sports in 94% of the cases. They fell on the back in 72% cases. Twenty-three children (46%) had fractures on the MRI, with a mean number of four fractured vertebrae (range, 1-10). Twenty-one of them (91%) had a "breath arrest" sensation. Fractures were not visualized on X-rays in five cases (22%). Twenty-seven children had no fracture; 19 of them (70%) did not feel a "breath arrest". Fractures were suspected on X-rays in 15 cases (56%). The search for a "breath arrest" sensation at the moment of injury improves early detection of thoracolumbar spine fractures in children (Se=87%, Sp=67%, PPV=69%, NPV=86%). When no fracture is apparent on X-rays and no "breath arrest" sensation is expressed by the child, the clinician can be sure there is no fracture (Se=26%, Sp=100%, PPV=100%, NPV=53%). Level III. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  14. [Economic evaluation od the value of early diagnosis and management of hypothyroidism in hypercholesterolemia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lenne, X; Allenet, B; Laurent, P; Lebrun, T; Wemeau, J L

    1999-11-01

    The aim of the study was to assess the economic consequences of the early screening and management for overt hypothyrodism in elderly women suffering from hypercholesterolaemia. A cost analysis was performed using screening decision tree followed by a Markov model, targeted on an hypothetical cohort of elderly women (i.e. > or = 55 years of age) suffering from hypercholesterolaemia. Two arms were compared, "no diagnosis", patients being treated by lipid lowering drugs in the long run, "diagnosis", patients being screened for thyroid disturbance and proposed adequate correction by hormone treatment. Relevant clinical data introduced into the model were obtained from published data and from experts. At the end of the initial diagnostic, patients could enter three different health states: euthyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism or overt hypothyroidism. During 30 years, patients were assumed to be seen each year by a general practitioner for clinical examination and cholesterol dosage, plus, according to the health state evolution, TSH and T4 screening. In the baseline analysis, euthyroidian patients who had a inexplicable degradation of hypercholesterolaemia control were tested for TSH and, if abnormal, T4 serum; for subclinical hypothyroidian patients, TSH and T4 were measured every year. The direct costs taken into account were concerning medical supervision, drug treatment and biologic exams. Costs were analysed from the societal perspective and were expressed in 1998 French Francs (FF) with an accounting rate of 5% by year. A sensitivity analysis was also performed. The total cost at 30-year was equal to 25,006 F for "diagnosis" strategy, to 24,390 F for "no diagnosis" strategy. The incremental cost of the first strategy decreased according to the time horizon. It was 6.8% at 5-year and 2.5% at 30-year. Results were sensitive to variation in response rate of hypercholesterolaemic patients to hormone treatment of hypothyroidism (0.25 in base-case). The investment

  15. Determination of serum progesterone by radioimmunoassay (RIA) on fertility control and early pregnancy diagnosis in angora goats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ozsar, S.; Guven, B.; Ozekin, N.; Noyan, A.

    1984-01-01

    This study was undertaken to provide information on diagnosis of cyclicity, confirmation of estrus so that mating timing and confirmation of return on non-return (pregnancy diagnosis) in Angora goats by using progesterone radioimmunoassay (RIA) in serum as well as observing the sexual behaviours of the goats. The cyclic reproductive activity of 20 mature Angora goat does with normal previous reproductive function, 5 does which had never become pregnant in the previous breeding seasons, and 10 does which were old for breeding was investigated. Circulating progesterone was relatively low (0.45 ng/ml) at estrus (day 0) and increased progressively to 3.45 ng/ml during the subsequent luteal phase. This high level was maintained until day-3 of the succeding estrus cycle, when it decreased abruptly. Pregnancy diagnosis based on the levels of progesterone in serum was confirmed by kidding. 1.5 ng/ml or more progesterone was used as an indication of pregnancy (within 21 days after mating). The accuracy of pregnancy by progesterone assay was 100%. It was concluded that the use of progesterone RIA in serum is a reliable and convenient means of monitoring ovarian activity and early pregnancy. (author)

  16. Noise diagnosis - a method for early detection of failures in a nuclear plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brinckmann, H.F.

    1981-01-01

    Noise diagnosis constitutes one method for early detection of plant failures. The method is based on the fact that nearly all undesired processes in a nuclear power plant make a measurable contribution to the noise portion of signals. Well-known examples of undesired processes in pressurized water reactors include core-barrel movement, the vibration of control elements, the appearance of loose parts in the coolant flow, and the process of coolant boiling. Each of these processes has been implicated in past nuclear plant failures. In the German Democratic Republic (GDR) P. Liewers and his colleagues have introduced noise analysis systems into the primary circuit of WWER-440 pressurized water reactors (PWR). The most progressive version (RAS-II) has become a prototype for research and routine investigations. This system is described. (author)

  17. Differential diagnosis between early repolarization of athlete's heart and coved-type Brugada electrocardiogram.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zorzi, Alessandro; Leoni, Loira; Di Paolo, Fernando M; Rigato, Ilaria; Migliore, Federico; Bauce, Barbara; Pelliccia, Antonio; Corrado, Domenico

    2015-02-15

    Early repolarization (ER) is typically observed in highly trained athletes as a physiologic consequence of increased vagal tone. The variant of anterior (V1 to V3) ER characterized by "domed" ST-segment elevation and negative T wave raises problems of differential diagnosis with the "coved-type" electrocardiographic pattern seen in Brugada syndrome (BS). This study was designed to identify electrocardiographic criteria for distinguishing athlete's ER from BS. The study compared the electrocardiographic tracings of 61 healthy athletes (80% men, median age 23 ± 8 years), showing "domed" ST-segment elevation and negative T wave in leads V1 to V3, with those of 92 consecutive age- and sex-matched BS patients with a "coved-type" electrocardiographic pattern. The electrocardiographic analysis focused on the ST-segment elevation at J point (STJ) and at 80 milliseconds after J point (ST₈₀). Athletes had a lower maximum amplitude of STJ (1.46 ± 0.7 vs 3.25 ± 0.6 mm, p 1) versus only 2 (3%) athletes (p <0.001). An upsloping ST-segment configuration (STJ/ST₈₀ <1) showed a sensitivity of 97%, a specificity of 100%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 98.7% for the diagnosis of ER. At multivariate analysis, STJ/ST₈₀ ratio remained the only independent predictor for ER (odds ratio 87, 95% confidence interval 19 to 357, p <0.001). In conclusion, the STJ/ST₈₀ ratio is a highly accurate electrocardiographic parameter for differential diagnosis between anterior ER of the athlete and BS. Our results may help in reducing the number of athletes who undergo expensive diagnostic workup or are unnecessarily disqualified from competition for changes that fall within the normal range of athlete's heart. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Effect of Early Diagnosis and Treatment on the Prognosis of Children with Epilepsy Accompanied by Continuous Spikes and Waves during Slow Wave Sleep

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiahua Ju

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and treatment on the prognosis of children with epilepsy accompanied by continuous spikes and waves during slow wave sleep (CSCW. Methods: The clinical characteristics, electroencephalogram (ECG features, treatment and prognosis of 12 children with CSCW in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed, and the followup of 6 months to 4 years was given. Results: Imaging showed that 8 children suffered from brain lesions, while other 4 were normal. The initial onset of 10 children was at night, whereas 2 began with absence seizure in lucid interval, and they gradually appeared comprehensive brain function decline, meanwhile, ECG was characterized by continuous discharge during slow wave sleep. After 3 months of treatment with valproic acid, clonazepam, lamotrigine and hormones, the clinical symptoms and ECG of 10 children improved significantly, in which 3 ones recurred after 6 months of comprehensive treatment. Conclusion: The early manifestation of CSWS is untypical, and hence, early diagnosis and treatment can ameliorate the epileptic seizures of children, effectively inhibit epileptic electrical activity and has favorable prognosis.

  19. Community-Based HIV-1 Early Diagnosis and Risk Behavior Analysis of Men Having Sex with Men in Hong Kong.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianguo Liang

    Full Text Available The increasing prevalence of HIV-1 among men having sex with men (MSM calls for an investigation of HIV-1 prevalence and incidence in MSM by early diagnosis to assist with early preventive interventions in Hong Kong. The participants were recruited randomly from MSM communities within a one-year period. Rapid HIV Test (RHT and real-time dried blood spot (DBS-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (DBS-qPCR were used for the early diagnosis of 474 participants. Risk behavior analysis was performed by studying information obtained from the participants during the study period. The HIV-1 prevalence and incident rates in the studied MSM population were 4.01% (19/474 and 1.47% (7/474, respectively. Three infected participants were found at the acute phase of infection by DBS-qPCR. Only 46.4% (220/474 MSM were using condoms regularly for anal sex. HIV infection significantly correlated with unprotected receptive anal sex and syphilis infection. An increased number of infections was found among foreign MSM in Hong Kong. This study is the first to use DBS-qPCR to identify acutely infected individuals in a community setting and to provide both the prevalence and incident rates of HIV-1 infection among MSM in Hong Kong. The risk analysis provided evidence that behavior intervention strengthening is necessary to fight against the increasing HIV-1 epidemic among MSM in Hong Kong and surrounding regions in Asia.

  20. Personal experience in the early diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis with the /sup 135/I-fibrinogen test

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Diaz, G P; Vicente, A B; Mestre, A P; Iglesias, R S; Irijoa, V; Garcia-Bengochea, J B

    1973-01-01

    The results in the early diagnosis of various surgical patients with a high rate of deep venous thrombosis, using the /sup 125/I Fibrinogen Test are presented. A 22 percent incidence of thrombosis was found, and certain limitations have been noticed which make the test only ideal for the venous system distal to the inguinal area and in legs without recent surgical wounds. The real value of the test, as the earliest method for detecting silent venous thrombosis of the legs is emphasized.

  1. Early-stage [123I]β-CIT SPECT and long-term clinical follow-up in patients with an initial diagnosis of Parkinson's disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stoffers, Diederick; Booij, Jan; Bosscher, Lisette; Winogrodzka, Ania; Wolters, Erik C.; Berendse, Henk W.

    2005-01-01

    Previous studies using dopamine transporter single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to try and distinguish between patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) and patients with atypical parkinsonian syndromes (APS) have mainly focussed on patients with an already established clinical diagnosis of several years' duration. Differences in the pattern of striatal involvement between IPD and APS have been found in only few studies. We hypothesized that distinguishing SPECT features might be most pronounced at an early disease stage, and the purpose of the present study was to investigate this hypothesis. The study included 72 patients with an initial clinical diagnosis of IPD, supported by decreased striatal [ 123 I]β-CIT binding on baseline SPECT. In ten patients, the diagnosis was changed to APS over a mean follow-up period of 62 months. We retrospectively compared the patterns of striatal involvement on the baseline SPECT scans between the group of patients (re)diagnosed with APS and the remaining 62 patients in whom a diagnosis of IPD was maintained. In the group of patients with APS, baseline [ 123 I]β-CIT binding in both caudate nuclei was lower than in the group of patients with IPD. In addition, putamen to caudate binding ratios were higher in the group of APS patients. In spite of these differences, individual binding values showed considerable overlap between the groups. [ 123 I]β-CIT SPECT scanning in early-stage, untreated parkinsonian patients revealed a relative sparing of the caudate nucleus in patients with IPD as compared to patients later (re)diagnosed with APS. Nevertheless, the pattern of striatal involvement appears to have little predictive value for a later re-diagnosis of APS in individual cases. (orig.)

  2. The value of combined detection of serum β-HCG and progesterone in diagnosis of early ectopic pregnancy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Yanting; Wang Taisong

    2011-01-01

    To explore the value of combined detection of serum β-HCG and P in diagnosis of early ectopic pregnancy and expectant therapeutic efficacy. Serum levels of β-HCG and P of 324 patients with early ectopic pregnancy and 146 normal early pregnant women were determined and compared by RIA, Serum β-HCG and P were compared between before and after treatment. The required time when serum β-HCG and P decreased to the normal rang of the patients treated successfully were observed respectively. The results showed that the serum β-HCG and P value in ectopic pregnancy group were significantly lower than those in intrauterine gestation group (P<0.05). The variation of P was significant between success and failure groups of drug conservative treatment, but β-HCG had no significant difference. The required time when serum P decreased to the normal was significantly less than the serum β-HCG dropped to normal. Combined detection of serum levels of β-HCG and P is an adjunctive method to diagnose early ectopic pregnancy, so it giants opportunity for treatment of early ectopic pregnancy and is of positive clinical application value for observation therapeutic effect and prognosis of the disease. P values may be one of the more important reference index to predict whether conservative treatment is successful or not than β-HCG. (authors)

  3. Bone metastases of differentiated thyroid cancer: the importance of early diagnosis and {sup 131}I therapy on prognosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zanotti-Fregonara, P. [CEA, DSV, I2BM, SHFJ, UMNRC, Orsay (France); Rubello, D. [Santa Maria Misericordia Hosp, Rovigo (Italy); Hindie, E. [Hop StLouis, Paris (France)

    2008-07-01

    Complete text of publication follows: Distant metastases are found at diagnosis or during follow-up in 10%-15% of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Bone is the second most commonly involved site. Patients with bone metastases, whether isolated or associated with lung metastases, have a markedly poor prognosis. Ten-year survival rates range from 13% to 21%. Given such poor prognosis, the use of {sup 131}I therapy has been questioned. However, it might well be that poor prognosis of bone metastases can be overcome if {sup 131}I therapy is delivered at an early stage, when tumor burden is small, as previously demonstrated for pulmonary metastases. A review of a large series of patients showed that only rarely were bone metastases diagnosed at an early stage. Among 109 patients with bone metastases reported by Bernier et al., only 4 had both radioiodine uptake and a negative standard radiography examination. Similarly, Durante et al. reported that only 8 of 115 patients had negative radiography findings at presentation. Prognosis may improve if bone metastases are detected earlier. In a recent study, bone metastases were first detected by {sup 131}I scanning in 8 of 16 patients, when complementary radiologic studies were negative. Six of these patients showed an excellent response to {sup 131}I therapy. Today, the nuclear medicine community is well armed for this challenge toward earlier diagnosis. Postsurgery thyroid remnant ablation is more widely used. The {sup 131}I whole body scan associated with thyroid remnant ablation after thyroidectomy has a major role in early diagnosis of functioning distant metastases at a time when complementary imaging techniques (CT, MRI, bone scanning) are often still showing negative findings. Early diagnosis of specific {sup 131}I-avid bone foci will be improved with the advent and generalization of SPECT/CT. When early diagnosis is achieved, repeated {sup 131}I therapy can be effective by targeting not only visible

  4. Preliminary discussion on the value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis and early staging of non-mycosis fungoides/Sézary's syndrome cutaneous malignant lymphomas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dan, Shao; Qiang, Gao; Shu-Xia, Wang; Chang-Hong, Liang

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • We discussed the value of PET/CT in the diagnosis and early staging of non-MF/SS CML. • We calculated the sensitivity of CT and PET/CT in the diagnosis of primary skin lesions. • We calculated the value of CT and PET/CT in the diagnosis of LNs and other organs. - Abstract: Objective: To discuss the value of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography ( 18 F-PET/CT) scans in the diagnosis and early staging of non-mycosis fungoides/Sézary's syndrome cutaneous malignant lymphomas (non-MF/SS CML). Materials and methods: A total of 18 cases with non-MF/SS CML, confirmed by pathology or on clinical grounds, were analyzed in this study. The sensitivity of CT and PET/CT scans in the diagnosis of primary skin lesions, as well as the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of CT and PET/CT scans in the diagnosis of lymph nodes (LNs) and other organs (except skin and LNs) were calculated. Results: The diagnostic sensitivity of CT and PET/CT scans in the diagnosis of primary skin lesions was 82.4% (14/17) and 100% (17/17), respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of CT and PET/CT scans in the diagnosis of LN lesions were 55.6% (5/9), 88.9% (8/9), 72.2% (13/18), 83.3% (5/6), 66.7% (8/12), and 88.9% (8/9), 100% (9/9), 94.4% (17/18), 100% (8/8), 90.0% (9/10), respectively. The diagnostic value of the CT and PET/CT scans in the diagnosis of involvement of other organs, were 40.4% (2/5), 100% (13/13), 83.3 (15/18), 100% (2/2), 81.3% (13/16) and 80.6% (4/5), 100% (13/13), 94.4% (17/18), 100% (3/3), 92.9% (13/14), respectively. Conclusions: 18 F-FDG PET/CT has high value in the diagnosis and early staging of non-MF/SS CMLs

  5. Morbidity and risk of subsequent diagnosis of HIV

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søgaard, Ole S; Lohse, Nicolai; Østergaard, Lars Jørgen

    2012-01-01

    Early identification of persons with undiagnosed HIV infection is an important health care issue. We examined associations between diseases diagnosed in hospitals and risk of subsequent HIV diagnosis.......Early identification of persons with undiagnosed HIV infection is an important health care issue. We examined associations between diseases diagnosed in hospitals and risk of subsequent HIV diagnosis....

  6. Importance of early diagnosis of pancreaticobiliary maljunction without biliary dilatation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takuma, Kensuke; Kamisawa, Terumi; Tabata, Taku; Hara, Seiichi; Kuruma, Sawako; Inaba, Yoshihiko; Kurata, Masanao; Honda, Goro; Tsuruta, Koji; Horiguchi, Shin-ichiro; Igarashi, Yoshinori

    2012-01-01

    AIM: To clarify the strategy for early diagnosis of pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) without biliary dilatation and to pathologically examine gallbladder before cancer develops. METHODS: The anatomy of the union of the pancreatic and bile ducts was assessed by using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Patients with a long common channel in which communication between the pancreatic and bile ducts was maintained even during sphincter contraction were diagnosed as having PBM. Of these, patients in which the maximal diameter of the bile duct was less than 10 mm were diagnosed with PBM without biliary dilatation. The process of diagnosing 54 patients with PBM without biliary dilatation was retrospectively investigated. Histopathological analysis of resected gallbladder specimens from 8 patients with PBM without biliary dilatation or cancer was conducted. RESULTS: Thirty-six PBM patients without biliary dilatation were diagnosed with gallbladder cancer after showing clinical symptoms such as abdominal or back pain (n = 16) or jaundice (n = 12). Radical surgery for gallbladder cancer was only possible in 11 patients (31%) and only 4 patients (11%) survived for 5 years. Eight patients were suspected as having PBM without biliary dilatation from the finding of gallbladder wall thickening on ultrasound and the diagnosis was confirmed by ERCP and/or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). The median age of these 8 patients was younger by a decade than PBM patients with gallbladder cancer. All 8 patients underwent prophylactic cholecystectomy and bile duct cancer has not occurred. Wall thickness and mucosal height of the 8 resected gallbladders were significantly greater than controls, and hyperplastic changes, hypertrophic muscular layer, subserosal fibrosis, and adenomyomatosis were detected in 7 (88%), 5 (63%), 7 (88%) and 5 (63%) patients, respectively. Ki-67 labeling index was high and K-ras mutation was detected in 3 of 6 patients

  7. Evaluation of determining serum α1-microglobulin level for early diagnosis of the diabetic retinopathy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang Quanxin; Han Laixin; Yin Shihua; Meng Lingqiang

    1995-01-01

    The serum α 1 -MG, β 2 -MG and other indices of 35 patients with NIDDM and 15 patients with diabetic retinopathy are determined. The results show that not only the serum α 1 -MG, β 2 -MG of all patients are obviously higher than the normal, but the serum α 1 -MG rises earlier than β 2 -MG. By means of correlation analysis, the serum β 2 -MG is significantly correlative with β 2 -MG and Scr(r = 0.673, r = 0.608). All those indicate that the level of the serum α 1 -MG may be a reliable and sensitive index to the diabetic retinopathy in the early diagnosis

  8. Five misconceptions in cancer diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamilton, William

    2009-01-01

    Much investment has been put into facilities for early cancer diagnosis. It is difficult to know how successful this investment has been. New facilities for rapid investigation in the UK have not reduced mortality, and may cause delays in diagnosis of patients with low-risk, or atypical, symptoms. In part, the failure of new facilities to translate into mortality benefits can be explained by five misconceptions. These are described, along with suggested research and organisational remedies. The first misconception is that cancer is diagnosed in hospitals. Consequently, secondary care data have been used to drive primary care decisions. Second, GPs are thought to be poor at cancer diagnosis, yet the type of education on offer to improve this may not be what is needed. Third, symptomatic cancer diagnosis has been downgraded in importance with the introduction of screening, yet screening identifies only a small minority of cancers. Fourth, pressure is put on GPs to make referrals for those with an individual high risk of cancer — disenfranchising those with ‘low-risk but not no-risk’ symptoms. Finally, considerable nihilism exists about the value of early diagnosis, despite considerable observational evidence that earlier diagnosis of symptomatic cancer is beneficial. PMID:19520027

  9. Evaluation of 99Tcm-trodat-1 SPECT/CT imaging in the diagnosis of parkinson's disease in early stage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Xiaohua; Tai Jian; Zhang Fuhai; Xiao Qian; Jia Qiang; Dong Feng

    2004-01-01

    Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a selective loss of dopamine in the striatum with age. At present, the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease is mainly remained in clinical standard. According to the clinical symptoms and the response to DOPA treatment, it is not difficult to diagnose typical PD. But it is difficult to diagnose early stage PD, which lacks the typical clinical symptoms and signs. A 99Tcm -labeled tropane derivative that binds to dopamine transporter with high selectivity is [2- [ [2- [ [ [3- (4-chlorophenyl)- 8-methyl- 8-azabicyclo [3,2,1 ] oct-2-yl]methyl] (2-mercaptoethyl)amino] eth yl]amino]ethanethiolato(3-)-N2,N2',S2,S2'] oxo-[1R-(exo-exo)] (TRODAT-1). Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical application of 99Tcm-TRODAT-1 SPECT/CT imaging in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) in early stage. Methods: Twenty-four patients with early-stage idiopathic Parkinson's disease were recruited. For all patients, the severity was assessed by the Hoehnand Yahrscale. Twenty-four early stage PD patients (15 Hoehn Yahr stage I and 9 Hoehn Yahr stage II), eight advanced PD patients and ten healthy volunteers (five men, five women) were studied by 99Tcm-TRODAT-1 SPECT/CT imaging. 99Tcm-TRODAT-1 was prepared from a lyophilized kit. Brain SPECT imaging was performed 2 hours after injection, using GE Discovery VH equipped with FanBeam collimators. Data were obtained using energy window of 20% centered on 140 KEV for 99Tcm. The brain SPECT data were acquired after Hawkeye CT acquisition. Regions of interest were delineated over the striata and the cerebella, and the ratios of striatum-to-cerebellum (ST/CB) were calculated. Specific uptake in the striatum and its subregions, including the putamen and caudate nucleus, was calculated and compared with that of the other side as well as that of healthy volunteers. Results: Dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging of the 10 healthy volunteers showed

  10. Effects of problem solving therapy on mental health outcomes in family caregivers of persons with a new diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or early dementia: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garand, Linda; Rinaldo, Donna E; Alberth, Mary M; Delany, Jill; Beasock, Stacey L; Lopez, Oscar L; Reynolds, Charles F; Dew, Mary Amanda

    2014-08-01

    Interventions directed at the mental health of family dementia caregivers may have limited impact when focused on caregivers who have provided care for years and report high burden levels. We sought to evaluate the mental health effects of problem-solving therapy (PST), designed for caregivers of individuals with a recent diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or early dementia. Seventy-three (43 MCI and 30 early dementia) family caregivers were randomly assigned to receive PST or a comparison condition (nutritional education). Depression, anxiety, and problem-solving orientation were assessed at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post intervention. In general, the PST caregiver intervention was feasible and acceptable to family caregivers of older adults with a new cognitive diagnosis. Relative to nutritional education, PST led to significantly reduced depression symptoms, particularly among early dementia caregivers. PST also lowered caregivers' anxiety levels, and led to lessening of negative problem orientation. Enhanced problem-solving skills, learned early after a loved one's cognitive diagnosis (especially dementia), results in positive mental health outcomes among new family caregivers. Copyright © 2014 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Evaluation of the geneXpert MTB/RIF assay for early diagnosis of tuberculosis and detection of rifampicin resistance in pulmonary and extrapulmonary specimens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Albay

    2016-09-01

    Conclusion: GeneXpert MTB / RIF test is an effectual automated molecular diagnostic technique with its successful and reliable performance in early diagnosis of tuberculosis and detecting multi-drug resistant strains. [Cukurova Med J 2016; 41(3.000: 548-553

  12. Experimental mesenteric ischemia. Radioisotopic diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alberti, Carlos; Dallaglio, Juan; Sarra, Luis; Obiols, Eugenio; Rodriguez Santos, Emilio; Delgado, Eduardo; Castelleti, Luis

    1995-01-01

    A non-invasive radionuclide technique with 99-Tc-DMP for the early diagnosis of small bowel infarction due to mesenteric artery compression, was evaluated. The usefulness of 99-Tc-DMP and critical pressure of mesenteric artery were demonstrated. The diagnosis was performed before one hour had passed from the beginning of the ischemia

  13. After Early Autism Diagnosis: Changes in Intervention and Parent-Child Interaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suma, Katharine; Adamson, Lauren B.; Bakeman, Roger; Robins, Diana L.; Abrams, Danielle N.

    2016-01-01

    This study documents the relation between an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, increases in intervention, and changes in parent-child interaction quality. Information about intervention and observations of interaction were collected before diagnosis and a half year after diagnosis for 79 low-risk toddlers who had screened positive for ASD…

  14. Diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hampel, H.; Padberg, F.; Koetter, H.U.; Teipel, S.J.; Ehrhardt, T.; Hegerl, U.; Stuebner, S.; Moeller, H.J.

    1997-01-01

    Alzheimer's disease is often diagnosed too late. Its etiology is still largely unknown and remains one of the big challenges in neurobiological fundamental research. Optimized early and differential diagnosis can be ensured by a dynamic concept of multidisciplinary diagnosis in cooperation between practitioners specializing in brain disorders, clinical psychogeriatric deprtments, and general practitioners. This, in turn, will enable individualized planning of further living conditions and care of Alzheimer patients and their relations as well as efficient and early pharmacotherapy and psychological intervention. (orig) [de

  15. Molecular imaging reveals elevated VEGFR-2 expression in retinal capillaries in diabetes: a novel biomarker for early diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Dawei; Nakao, Shintaro; Xie, Fang; Zandi, Souska; Bagheri, Abouzar; Kanavi, Mozhgan Rezaei; Samiei, Shahram; Soheili, Zahra-Soheila; Frimmel, Sonja; Zhang, Zhongyu; Ablonczy, Zsolt; Ahmadieh, Hamid; Hafezi-Moghadam, Ali

    2014-09-01

    Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a microvascular complication of diabetes and a leading cause of vision loss. Biomarkers and methods for early diagnosis of DR are urgently needed. Using a new molecular imaging approach, we show up to 94% higher accumulation of custom designed imaging probes against vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) in retinal and choroidal vessels of diabetic animals (P<0.01), compared to normal controls. More than 80% of the VEGFR-2 in the diabetic retina was in the capillaries, compared to 47% in normal controls (P<0.01). Angiography in rabbit retinas revealed microvascular capillaries to be the location for VEGF-A-induced leakage, as expressed by significantly higher rate of fluorophore spreading with VEGF-A injection when compared to vehicle control (26±2 vs. 3±1 μm/s, P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry showed VEGFR-2 expression in capillaries of diabetic animals but not in normal controls. Macular vessels from diabetic patients (n=7) showed significantly more VEGFR-2 compared to nondiabetic controls (n=5) or peripheral retinal regions of the same retinas (P<0.01 in both cases). Here we introduce a new approach for early diagnosis of DR and VEGFR-2 as a molecular marker. VEGFR-2 could become a key diagnostic target, one that might help to prevent retinal vascular leakage and proliferation in diabetic patients. © FASEB.

  16. Incidence, disease phenotype at diagnosis, and early disease course in inflammatory bowel diseases in Western Hungary, 2002-2006.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lakatos, Laszlo; Kiss, Lajos S; David, Gyula; Pandur, Tunde; Erdelyi, Zsuzsanna; Mester, Gabor; Balogh, Mihaly; Szipocs, Istvan; Molnar, Csaba; Komaromi, Erzsebet; Lakatos, Peter Laszlo

    2011-12-01

    Recent trends indicate a change in the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), with previously low incidence areas now reporting a progressive rise in the incidence. Our aim was to analyze the incidence and disease phenotype at diagnosis in IBD in the population-based Veszprem Province database, which included incident patients diagnosed between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2006. Data of 393 incident patients were analyzed (ulcerative colitis [UC]: 220, age-at-diagnosis: 40.5 years; Crohn's disease [CD]: 163, age-at-diagnosis: 32.5 years; and indeterminate colitis [IC]: 10). Both hospital and outpatient records were collected and comprehensively reviewed. Adjusted mean incidence rates were 8.9/10(5) person-years for CD and 11.9/10(5) person-years in UC. Peak onset age in both CD and UC patients was 21-30 years old. Location at diagnosis in UC was proctitis in 26.8%, left-sided colitis in 50.9%, and pancolitis in 22.3%. The probability of proximal extension and colectomy after 5 years was 12.7% and 2.8%. The disease location in CD was ileal in 20.2%, colonic in 35.6%, ileocolonic in 44.2%, and upper gastrointestinal in four patients. Behavior at diagnosis was stenosing/penetrating in 35.6% and perianal in 11.1%. Patients with colonic disease were older at diagnosis compared to patients with ileal or ileocolonic disease. In a Kaplan-Meier analysis, probability of surgical resection was 9.8%, 18.5%, and 21.3% after 1, 3, and 5 years of disease duration, respectively. The incidence of IBD in Veszprem Province in the last decade was high, equal to that in high-incidence areas in Western European countries. Early disease course is milder compared to data reported in the literature. Copyright © 2011 Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, Inc.

  17. Explaining differences in age at autism spectrum disorder diagnosis: A critical review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniels, Amy M; Mandell, David S

    2016-01-01

    The diagnosis of autism is often delayed, which translates into a missed opportunity to provide treatment during a critical developmental period. This study reviews studies that assessed factors associated with age at autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and provides recommendations on future research, programs, and policies to improve early detection. A search for all peer-reviewed articles containing the words autism, age, and diagnosis in either the title or abstract was performed. A total of 42 studies published from January 1990 through March 2012 were identified. Mean age at diagnosis for all autism spectrum disorders ranged from 38 to 120 months and has decreased over time. Factors associated with earlier diagnosis included greater symptom severity, high socioeconomic status, and greater parental concern about initial symptoms. Family interactions with the health and education systems prior to diagnosis also influenced age at diagnosis. Geographic variation in age at autism spectrum disorder diagnosis was identified in a number of studies, suggesting that community resources and state policies play a role in early identification. Early detection efforts should include enhanced parental and provider education on the early recognition of developmental problems, interventions aimed at streamlining the process from first concern to eventual diagnosis, and strategies that target underserved populations. PMID:23787411

  18. The early diagnosis of developmental dysplasia of the hip using ultrasonography. The importance of following up cases with physiological immaturity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esparza, J.; Gonzalez, A.; Garcia, S.; Elso, J.; Cordero, J. L.

    1999-01-01

    To determine the efficiency of an early diagnosis programme using ultrasounds (US) of development dysplasia of the hip (DDH), using different criteria to detect patients according to the sex: universal to girls, but only including boys with a DDH risk factor (a physical pathological examination of new born babies, babies born feet first, family history and orthopaedic deformities). Of the 3,469 children born at our hospital during one specific year, 1,721 were included in the programme. US was carried out on all of them, following the Graf technique, when they were a month old, with the exception of the new born babies who were studied during their first week by means of a physical pathological examination. The babies who were diagnosed with physically immature hips in this first study using US; were followed up. Thirty-two babies born during the year suffered from DDH (a rate of 9.2 per thousand). Among them there was only 1 case of delayed DDH (that was not detected in the programme). Seven babies were diagnosed with DDH thanks to the follow up procedures carried out on babies with physically immature hips. Putting this programme for early diagnosis into practices has achieved the almost total disappearance of delayed DDH. When comparing the results with previous periods, where different early detection systems were used, the duration and the aggressiveness of the treatment has reduced considerably. Follow up procedures using US of physically immature hips is obligatory. (Author) 14 refs

  19. Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of Fournier's gangrene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kickuth, R.; Adams, S.; Kirchner, J.; Simon, S.; Liermann, D.; Pastor, J.

    2001-01-01

    Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound are the imaging modalities recommended in the early diagnosis of Fournier's gangrene. Because of the high mortality of this inflammatory disease early diagnosis is essential to initiate adequate surgical and medical treatment. In the clinical literature only a handful of cases, in which diagnosis of Fournier's gangrene is based on MRI findings, have been reported; therefore, we report another case which shows the ability of MRI especially to determine the point of origin and extension of disease. (orig.)

  20. Laser Raman detection of platelets for early and differential diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease based on an adaptive Gaussian process classification algorithm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo, Yusheng; Du, Z W; Yang, Y J; Chen, P; Wang, X H; Cheng, Y; Peng, J; Shen, A G; Hu, J M; Tian, Q; Shang, X L; Liu, Z C; Yao, X Q; Wang, J Z

    2013-01-01

    Early and differential diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has puzzled many clinicians. In this work, laser Raman spectroscopy (LRS) was developed to diagnose AD from platelet samples from AD transgenic mice and non-transgenic controls of different ages. An adaptive Gaussian process (GP) classification algorithm was used to re-establish the classification models of early AD, advanced AD and the control group with just two features and the capacity for noise reduction. Compared with the previous multilayer perceptron network method, the GP showed much better classification performance with the same feature set. Besides, spectra of platelets isolated from AD and Parkinson’s disease (PD) mice were also discriminated. Spectral data from 4 month AD (n = 39) and 12 month AD (n = 104) platelets, as well as control data (n = 135), were collected. Prospective application of the algorithm to the data set resulted in a sensitivity of 80%, a specificity of about 100% and a Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.81. Samples from PD (n = 120) platelets were also collected for differentiation from 12 month AD. The results suggest that platelet LRS detection analysis with the GP appears to be an easier and more accurate method than current ones for early and differential diagnosis of AD. (paper)

  1. Characteristic optical coherence tomography findings in patients with primary vitreoretinal lymphoma: a novel aid to early diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barry, Robert J; Tasiopoulou, Anastasia; Murray, Philip I; Patel, Praveen J; Sagoo, Mandeep S; Denniston, Alastair K; Keane, Pearse A

    2018-01-06

    The diagnosis of primary vitreoretinal lymphoma (PVRL) poses significant difficulties; presenting features are non-specific and confirmation usually necessitates invasive vitreoretinal biopsy. Diagnosis is often delayed, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Non-invasive imaging modalities such as spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) offer simple and rapid aids to diagnosis. We present characteristic SD-OCT images of patients with biopsy-positive PVRL and propose a number of typical features, which we believe are useful in identifying these lesions at an early stage. Medical records of all patients attending Moorfields Eye Hospital between April 2010 and April 2016 with biopsy-positive PVRL were reviewed. Pretreatment SD-OCT images were collected for all eyes and were reviewed independently by two researchers for features suggestive of PVRL. Pretreatment SD-OCT images of 32 eyes of 22 patients with biopsy-proven PVRL were reviewed. Observed features included hyper-reflective subretinal infiltrates (17/32), hyper-reflective infiltration in inner retinal layers (6/32), retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) undulation (5/32), clumps of vitreous cells (5/32) and sub-RPE deposits (3/32). Of these, the hyper-reflective subretinal infiltrates have an appearance unique to PVRL, with features not seen in other diseases. We have identified a range of SD-OCT features, which we believe to be consistent with a diagnosis of PVRL. We propose that the observation of hyper-reflective subretinal infiltrates as described is highly suggestive of PVRL. This case series further demonstrates the utility of SD-OCT as a non-invasive and rapid aid to diagnosis, which may improve both visual outcomes and survival of patients with intraocular malignancies such as PVRL. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  2. Comparison of the Sensitivity of Three Methods for the Early Diagnosis of Sporotrichosis in Cats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, J N; Miranda, L H M; Menezes, R C; Gremião, I D F; Oliveira, R V C; Vieira, S M M; Conceição-Silva, F; Ferreiro, L; Pereira, S A

    2018-04-01

    Sporotrichosis is caused by species of fungi within the Sporothrix schenckii complex that infect man and animals. In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, an epidemic has been observed since 1998, with most of the cases being related to transmission from infected cats. Although the definitive diagnosis of feline sporotrichosis is made by fungal culture, cytopathological and histopathological examinations are used routinely, because the long culture period may delay treatment onset. However, alternative methods are desirable in cases of low fungal burden. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) has been described as a sensitive method for diagnosing human and canine sporotrichosis, but there are no reports of its application to cats. The aim of this study was to analyse the sensitivity of cytopathological examination (Quick Panoptic method), histopathology (Grocott silver stain) and anti-Sporothrix IHC by blinded comparisons, using fungal culture as the reference standard. Samples were collected from 184 cats with sporotrichosis that exhibited skin ulcers. The sensitivities of Grocott silver stain, cytopathological examination and IHC were 91.3%, 87.0% and 88.6%, respectively. Grocott silver stain showed the best performance. IHC showed high sensitivity, as did cytopathological examination and these may be considered as alternative methodologies. When the three methods were combined, the diagnosis was established in 180 (97.8%) out of 184 cases. Taken together, these findings indicate the need to implement these methods as routine tools for the early diagnosis of sporotrichosis in cats, notably when fungal culture is not available. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Cerebrospinal fluid adenosine deaminase activity: A complimentary tool in the early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taori Girdhar M

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Tuberculous meningitis (TBM is the commonest form of neurotuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli (MTB. The diagnosis of TBM is often difficult. A reliable, cost-effective and rapid diagnostic test, which can be performed in any standard pathology laboratory, could be of help in the diagnosis of TBM. In the present study we measured the adenosine deaminase (ADA activity in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF of TBM and non-TBM patients. Method ADA activity in CSF was determined according to a method based on the Berthlot reaction, which is the formation of a colored indophenol complex from ammonia liberated from adenosine, and quantified spectrophotometrically. Results The CSF ADA activity from TBM patients was compared with CSF ADA from non-TBM infectious meningitis patients, and from patients with non-infectious neurological disorders. The mean CSF ADA activity was found to be significantly higher in CSF of TBM patients, 14.31 ± 3.87 (2.99–26.94, mean ± SD with range, than in the CSF from non-TBM infectious meningitis, 9.25 ± 2.14 (4.99–13.96 and from the non-infectious neurological disorders group, 2.71 ± 1.96 (0.00–7.68, P Conclusion This study demonstrated that ADA activity in the CSF of TBM patients, using a cut-off value 11.39 U/L/min, can be useful for the early differential diagnosis of TBM. This test can be performed in any pathology laboratory where more sophisticated methods are not available.

  4. Identification of factors for physicians to facilitate early differential diagnosis of scrub typhus, murine typhus, and Q fever from dengue fever in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Ko; Lee, Nan-Yao; Ko, Wen-Chien; Tsai, Jih-Jin; Lin, Wei-Ru; Chen, Tun-Chieh; Lu, Po-Liang; Chen, Yen-Hsu

    2017-02-01

    Dengue fever, rickettsial diseases, and Q fever are acute febrile illnesses with similar manifestations in tropical areas. Early differential diagnosis of scrub typhus, murine typhus, and Q fever from dengue fever may be made by understanding the distinguishing clinical characteristics and the significance of demographic and weather factors. We conducted a retrospective study to identify clinical, demographic, and meteorological characteristics of 454 dengue fever, 178 scrub typhus, 143 Q fever, and 81 murine typhus cases in three Taiwan hospitals. Case numbers of murine typhus and Q fever correlated significantly with temperature and rainfall; the scrub typhus case number was only significantly related with temperature. Neither temperature nor rainfall correlated with the case number of dengue fever. The rarity of dengue fever cases from January to June in Taiwan may be a helpful clue for diagnosis in the area. A male predominance was observed, as the male-to-female rate was 2.1 for murine typhus and 7.4 for Q fever. Multivariate analysis revealed the following six important factors for differentiating the rickettsial diseases and Q fever group from the dengue fever group: fever ≥8 days, alanine aminotransferase > aspartate aminotransferase, platelets >63,000/mL, C-reactive protein >31.9 mg/L, absence of bone pain, and absence of a bleeding syndrome. Understanding the rarity of dengue in the first half of a year in Taiwan and the six differentiating factors may help facilitate the early differential diagnosis of rickettsial diseases and Q fever from dengue fever, permitting early antibiotic treatment. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  5. Social Awareness on Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Bladder Cancer: Importance of Age and Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Doğan Değer

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: We aimed to evaluate the recognition level of bladder cancer in the society by conducting a survey with regards to social awareness in early diagnosis of bladder cancer in this study. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted on 100 randomly selected patients who were admitted to our clinic in May 2016 for any complaints. In the survey, the main focus was hematuria which is the first and the most common symptom of bladder cancer and questions and statements on this subject was used. Results: Of 100 patients, 67 (66.7% were male, and 33 (33.3% were female. Thirty six of the patients were younger than 50 (36%, and 64 of them (64% were 50 years and older. Education level of 40 (40% patients was found to be university level, and 60 (60% patients we high school graduates or lower. Twenty seven (27% patients had complains about blood in the urine, while 67 (67% of them had no such complaint. Of 27 patients that had complaint about hematuria, which is the most important symptom of bladder cancer 22 (81% were male and 5 (19% were female. We divided the patients into two groups based on 50 age limit. Group 1 included patients who were below 50, while the group 2 consisted of patients who were 50 years old and above. The rates of immediate consultation were determined to be significantly higher in group 2 than group 1. The rate of consulting urology department in the presence of hematuria, and the rates of considering the risk of bladder cancer as a possible diagnosis were higher in group 2, but the difference was not statistically significant. There was no significant difference found between the two groups who were separated by age in terms of required diagnostic tests. The patients were divided into two more groups based on their education level. Group 3 included patients of university graduates, and group 4 included patients with high school graduates or lower. The rates of immediate consultation were significantly higher in group 4

  6. Clinical evaluation of RNFL and GCC for diagnosis in early stage of chronic primary angle-closure glaucoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shi Liu

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available AIM:To explore the diagnosis value of retina nerve fiber layer(RNFLand ganglion cell complex(GCCin the early stage of chronic primary angle-closure glaucoma(CPACG, and investigate their relationship with mean defect(MDof visual field.METHODS: Twenty-one patients with CPACG(38 eyes, 25 patients with suspected glaucoma(SG(46 eyesand 25 normal controls(49 eyeswere selected to perform SD-OCT. Statistical difference was analyzed the thickness of RNFL and GCC of average and all quadrants, and correlation between RNFL, GCC and MD of visual field. RESULTS:There were significant differences in average and all quadrant thickness of RNFL and GCC between CPACG group and control group(PPPPPr=0.65, GCC(r=0.72in CPACG group. CONCLUSION:RNFL and GCC are useful to diagnose and monitor the early stage of CPACG, and GCC may be more significant for the disease.

  7. Breast Density Notification Legislation and Breast Cancer Stage at Diagnosis: Early Evidence from the SEER Registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richman, Ilana; Asch, Steven M; Bendavid, Eran; Bhattacharya, Jay; Owens, Douglas K

    2017-06-01

    Twenty-eight states have passed breast density notification laws, which require physicians to inform women of a finding of dense breasts on mammography. To evaluate changes in breast cancer stage at diagnosis after enactment of breast density notification legislation. Using a difference-in-differences analysis, we examined changes in stage at diagnosis among women with breast cancer in Connecticut, the first state to enact legislation, compared to changes among women in control states. We used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) registry, 2005-2013. Women ages 40-74 with breast cancer. Breast density notification legislation, enacted in Connecticut in October of 2009. Breast cancer stage at diagnosis. Our study included 466,930 women, 25,592 of whom lived in Connecticut. Legislation was associated with a 1.38-percentage-point (95 % CI 0.12 to 2.63) increase in the proportion of women in Connecticut versus control states who had localized invasive cancer at the time of diagnosis, and a 1.12-percentage-point (95 % CI -2.21 to -0.08) decline in the proportion of women with ductal carcinoma in situ at diagnosis. Breast density notification legislation was not associated with a change in the proportion of women in Connecticut versus control states with regional-stage (-0.09 percentage points, 95 % CI -1.01 to 1.02) or metastatic disease (-0.24, 95 % CI -0.75 to 0.28). County-level analyses and analyses limited to women younger than 50 found no statistically significant associations. Single intervention state, limited follow-up, potential confounding from unobserved trends. Breast density notification legislation in Connecticut was associated with a small increase in the proportion of women diagnosed with localized invasive breast cancer in individual-level but not county-level analyses. Whether this finding reflects potentially beneficial early detection or potentially harmful overdiagnosis is not known. Legislation was not

  8. Utility of axial images in an early Alzheimer disease diagnosis support system (VSRAD)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goto, Masami; Aoki, Shigeki; Abe, Osamu

    2006-01-01

    In recent years, voxel-based morphometry (VBM) has become a popular tool for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. The Voxel-Based Specific Regional Analysis System for Alzheimer's Disease (VSRAD), a VBM system that uses MRI, has been reported to be clinically useful. The able-bodied person database (DB) of VSRAD, which employs sagittal plane imaging, is not suitable for analysis by axial plane imaging. However, axial plane imaging is useful for avoiding motion artifacts from the eyeball. Therefore, we created an able-bodied person DB by axial plane imaging and examined its utility. We also analyzed groups of able-bodied persons and persons with dementia by axial plane imaging and reviewed the validity. After using the DB of axial plane imaging, the Z-score of the intrahippocampal region improved by 8 in 13 instances. In all brains, the Z-score improved by 13 in all instances. (author)

  9. [Utility of axial images in an early Alzheimer disease diagnosis support system (VSRAD)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goto, Masami; Aoki, Shigeki; Abe, Osamu; Masumoto, Tomohiko; Watanabe, Yasushi; Satake, Yoshiroh; Nishida, Katsuji; Ino, Kenji; Yano, Keiichi; Iida, Kyohhito; Mima, Kazuo; Ohtomo, Kuni

    2006-09-20

    In recent years, voxel-based morphometry (VBM) has become a popular tool for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. The Voxel-Based Specific Regional Analysis System for Alzheimer's Disease (VSRAD), a VBM system that uses MRI, has been reported to be clinically useful. The able-bodied person database (DB) of VSRAD, which employs sagittal plane imaging, is not suitable for analysis by axial plane imaging. However, axial plane imaging is useful for avoiding motion artifacts from the eyeball. Therefore, we created an able-bodied person DB by axial plane imaging and examined its utility. We also analyzed groups of able-bodied persons and persons with dementia by axial plane imaging and reviewed the validity. After using the DB of axial plane imaging, the Z-score of the intrahippocampal region improved by 8 in 13 instances. In all brains, the Z-score improved by 13 in all instances.

  10. OPPORTUNITIES OF TRANSVAGINAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY FOR EARLY PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS OF INBORN HEART DISEASES IN FETUS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E.A. Shevchenko

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available According to the literature data, transvaginal echocardiography (Echocg is the method, used for the doppler diagnostics in early terms of pregnancy (if principles of safety are observed. This method allows detecting about 70–97% of all prognostic cally significant inborn heart diseases in fetus, beginning at 12 week of pregnancy. a scheme of research includes estimation of four chamber cut of fetus heart, and study of state of its main arteries. This is an expert investigation, because it needs special grounding of specialist, high resolution ultrasonic equipment, and considerable expense of time. Wile parameters are estimated, it is necessary to use normative rates of sizes of ventricles and main arteries of fetus, developed by Russian experts, taking into account individual variations.Key words: transvaginal echocardiography, diagnosis, inborn heart disease.

  11. Bowel obstruction in obturator hernia: A challenging diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Conti

    2018-01-01

    Conclusion: Obturator hernia is a rare type of hernia due to his diagnosis, which is often unclear; a prompt suspect based for the non-specific symptoms is crucial for the diagnosis. Surgical management depends on early diagnosis and it is the only possible treatment for this pathology.

  12. Contribution of cholescintigraphy to the early diagnosis of acute acalculous cholecystitis in intensive-care-unit patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prevot, N.; Granjon, D.; Dubois, F.; Mariat, G.; Mahul, P.; Jospe, R.; Auboyer, C.; Cuilleron, M.; Tiffet, O.; De Filipis, J.-P.

    1999-01-01

    Thirty-two intensive care unit patients (78% on long-term total parenteral nutrition) suspected of having acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) were studied prospectively. All of these patients underwent abdominal ultrasonography and cholescintigraphy with technetium-99m mebrofenin. Morphine sulphate (0.04 mg/kg) was administered only if the gallbladder was not visualised after 1 h (16 patients). The final diagnosis was reached after clinical improvement, or upon the discovery of another aetiology for the symptoms presented, or on the basis of histopathology following cholecystectomy (when this was performed). We analysed the contribution of individual cholescintigraphic findings (I: non-visualisation of the gallbladder during the first 60 min of the examination; II: persistent non-visualisation of the gallbladder 30 min following morphine administration; III: non-visualisation of the small bowel for at least 90 min) and their various combinations. We obtained a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity rate 100% using the interpretative criteria ''I and II or III''. Excluding obstructive syndrome (''I and II''), the sensitivity and specificity figures were 70% and 100% respectively (28 patients). We had no false-positive results in our patient population. Cholescintigraphy was found to complement ultrasonography, which had either good sensitivity (93%) and poor specificity (17%), when at least two of the three major signs were present (sludge, thickened wall, gallbladder distension), or poor sensitivity (36%) and good specificity (89%) when all three signs were present. We conclude that cholescintigraphy is a useful tool for early diagnosis of AAC in critically ill patients, in whom ultrasonography alone does not provide enough information to permit a sufficiently early decision regarding the use of surgery. (orig.)

  13. Contribution of cholescintigraphy to the early diagnosis of acute acalculous cholecystitis in intensive-care-unit patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prevot, N.; Granjon, D.; Dubois, F. [Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, Service de Medecine Nucleaire, Hopital Nord, CHRU Saint-Etienne (France); Mariat, G.; Mahul, P.; Jospe, R.; Auboyer, C. [Department of Intensive Care, Hospital Nord, CHRU Saint-Etienne (France); Cuilleron, M. [Department of Radiology, Hospital Nord, CHRU Saint-Etienne (France); Tiffet, O. [Department of Surgery, Hospital Nord, CHRU Saint-Etienne (France); De Filipis, J.-P. [Department of Nephrology, Hospital Nord, CHRU Saint-Etienne (France)

    1999-10-01

    Thirty-two intensive care unit patients (78% on long-term total parenteral nutrition) suspected of having acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) were studied prospectively. All of these patients underwent abdominal ultrasonography and cholescintigraphy with technetium-99m mebrofenin. Morphine sulphate (0.04 mg/kg) was administered only if the gallbladder was not visualised after 1 h (16 patients). The final diagnosis was reached after clinical improvement, or upon the discovery of another aetiology for the symptoms presented, or on the basis of histopathology following cholecystectomy (when this was performed). We analysed the contribution of individual cholescintigraphic findings (I: non-visualisation of the gallbladder during the first 60 min of the examination; II: persistent non-visualisation of the gallbladder 30 min following morphine administration; III: non-visualisation of the small bowel for at least 90 min) and their various combinations. We obtained a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity rate 100% using the interpretative criteria ''I and II or III''. Excluding obstructive syndrome (''I and II''), the sensitivity and specificity figures were 70% and 100% respectively (28 patients). We had no false-positive results in our patient population. Cholescintigraphy was found to complement ultrasonography, which had either good sensitivity (93%) and poor specificity (17%), when at least two of the three major signs were present (sludge, thickened wall, gallbladder distension), or poor sensitivity (36%) and good specificity (89%) when all three signs were present. We conclude that cholescintigraphy is a useful tool for early diagnosis of AAC in critically ill patients, in whom ultrasonography alone does not provide enough information to permit a sufficiently early decision regarding the use of surgery. (orig.)

  14. For early diagnosis of the fracture healing, nonunion and avascular necorsis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Y. C.; Lee, S. H.; Lee, Y. C.; Whang, I. S.; Kim, H. S.

    1981-01-01

    Complications of non-union and avascular necrosis during fracture healing process are the most important problems. Early detection of the evidence of non-union and avascular necrosis and follow-up study of fracture healing process will reduce complications and sequellae in fracture patients. Femoral neck and tibial shaft are the most important fracture sites where non-union and/or avascular necorsis are frequently developed. Osteomedullography was performed in 30 cases of fracture, 21 femoral neck, 8 tibial shafts and 1 talar neck, in the Department of Radiology of national Medical Center during the period form August 1977 to March 1981. The following results were obtained: 1. 16 patients of femoral neck fracture were performed osteomedullography one. Non-union showing no crossing vein through the fracture site was noted in 12 cases from 16 patients. 4 cases from the 12 patients of non-union showed decreased viability but 2 case revealed good viability of the femoral head. 1 case from 4 case of good union of fracture showed no evidence of viability of the femoral head. 2. More than twice of osteomedullography were performed in 5 cases of femoral neck fracture, and crossing vein was not appeared in 4 cases at 3 weeks after fracture. 3 cases showed crossing veins at 6 weeks, and 1 case revealed evidence of avascular necrosis of the femoral head at 9 weeks. 3. In 8 cases of tibial shaft fracture, 4 cases were non-union. Another 4 cases revealed intraosseous veins crossing in fracture site or additional Kaski's osteomedullographic signs, indicating bony union. 4. One talar neck fracture showed bony union with decreased viability of the bony on 12 months after fracture. 5. Osteomedullography is considered as very important study for the early diagnosis of the fracture healing, non-union and avascular necrosis

  15. For early diagnosis of the fracture healing, nonunion and avascular necorsis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Y C; Lee, S H; Lee, Y C; Whang, I S; Kim, H S [National Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1981-09-15

    Complications of non-union and avascular necrosis during fracture healing process are the most important problems. Early detection of the evidence of non-union and avascular necrosis and follow-up study of fracture healing process will reduce complications and sequellae in fracture patients. Femoral neck and tibial shaft are the most important fracture sites where non-union and/or avascular necorsis are frequently developed. Osteomedullography was performed in 30 cases of fracture, 21 femoral neck, 8 tibial shafts and 1 talar neck, in the Department of Radiology of national Medical Center during the period form August 1977 to March 1981. The following results were obtained: 1. 16 patients of femoral neck fracture were performed osteomedullography one. Non-union showing no crossing vein through the fracture site was noted in 12 cases from 16 patients. 4 cases from the 12 patients of non-union showed decreased viability but 2 case revealed good viability of the femoral head. 1 case from 4 case of good union of fracture showed no evidence of viability of the femoral head. 2. More than twice of osteomedullography were performed in 5 cases of femoral neck fracture, and crossing vein was not appeared in 4 cases at 3 weeks after fracture. 3 cases showed crossing veins at 6 weeks, and 1 case revealed evidence of avascular necrosis of the femoral head at 9 weeks. 3. In 8 cases of tibial shaft fracture, 4 cases were non-union. Another 4 cases revealed intraosseous veins crossing in fracture site or additional Kaski's osteomedullographic signs, indicating bony union. 4. One talar neck fracture showed bony union with decreased viability of the bony on 12 months after fracture. 5. Osteomedullography is considered as very important study for the early diagnosis of the fracture healing, non-union and avascular necrosis.

  16. Diagnóstico precoce do câncer infantil: responsabilidade de todos Early diagnosis of childhood cancer: a team responsibility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karla Emilia Rodrigues

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Alertar para a necessidade do conhecimento e investigação dos sinais e sintomas iniciais do câncer infantil, bem como para a responsabilidade de todos envolvidos no processo do seu diagnóstico precoce a fim de melhorar os nossos índices de cura. MÉTODOS: Revisão da literatura através de consulta ao Medline. RESULTADOS: O diagnóstico do câncer infantil é um processo complexo e muitas são as variáveis que parecem influenciá-lo. A detecção precoce e o pronto início do tratamento têm importante papel na redução da mortalidade e morbidade do tratamento. O melhor entendimento da relação entre estes fatores é de fundamental importância para o desenvolvimento de estratégias de saúde pública para detecção precoce do câncer infantil. CONCLUSÃO: Muitos fatores parecem estar associados ao atraso do diagnóstico do câncer infantil. O tempo que decorre entre o primeiro sintoma e o diagnóstico depende da idade da criança e do tipo do tumor, principalmente. Determinar os sinais e sintomas que devem alertar para a possibilidade de doenças malignas ainda é um desafio.OBJECTIVES: To call attention for necessity of the knowledge of the early symptoms of childhood cancer and for the responsibility of the parents, physicians and teachers rendering health supervision to the children and to alert that the early detection and prompt treatment is of paramount importance in achieving cures in childhood cancer. SOURCES: Literature review using Medline. SUMMARY: The diagnosis of childhood cancer is complex and many variables play an important role. Early detection and prompt therapy have the potential to reduce mortality and treatment morbidity. A better understanding of the relationship between symptoms and diagnosis is important for the development of effective public health strategies. CONCLUSIONS: There are several factors that may be associated with length of time between symptoms and diagnosis. Lag time to diagnosis

  17. Multiple sclerosis presented as clinically isolated syndrome: the need for early diagnosis and treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sigliti-Henrietta Pelidou

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Sigliti-Henrietta Pelidou, Sotirios Giannopoulos, Sotiria Tzavidi, Georgios Lagos, Athanassios P KyritsisDepartment of Neurology, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, GreeceObjective: To aid in the timely diagnosis of patients who present with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS.Patients and methods: We studied 25 patients (18 women, 7 men, originally presented in our clinic with a CIS suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS. All patients underwent the full investigation procedure including routine tests, serology, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF examinations, evoked potentials (EPs, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI of brain and cervical spinal cord. Patients were imaged at baseline, and every three months thereafter up to a year.Results: The CIS was consisted of optic neuritis in 12 cases, incomplete transverse myelitis (ITM in 7 cases, Lhermitte sign in 2 cases, internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO in 2 cases, mild brainstem syndrome in 1 case, and tonic-clonic seizures in 1 case. Using the baseline and three-month scans 18/25 (72% patients developed definite MS in one year of follow up while 7 (28% had no further findings during this observation period. Immunomodulatory treatments were applied to all definite MS patients.Conclusion: In light of new treatments available, MRIs at 3 month intervals are helpful to obtain the definite diagnosis of MS as early as possible.Keywords: multiple sclerosis, clinically isolated syndrome, optic neuritis, transverse myelitis

  18. Early diagnosis of dengue virus infection in clinically suspected cases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Afridi, N.K.; Ahmed, S.; Ali, N.; Khan, S.A.

    2016-01-01

    Objective: Comparison of real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for diagnosis of dengue virus infection in first week of illness in clinically suspected patients of dengue fever. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of haematology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) Rawalpindi from Jan 2013 to Nov 2013. Material and Methods: A cross sectional study including 68 clinically suspected patients of dengue fever according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. IgM capture ELISA and RT PCR for dengue virus ribonucleic acid (RNA) was performed on samples collected from patients having fever for 1 to 7 days. These were divided into two groups. Patients in group 1 presented with fever of 4 days or less, patients in group 2 had fever of 5 to 7 days duration. Results: In group 1, 72 percent of the patients were positive by RT PCR while 31 percent were positive by IgM capture ELISA. In group 2, 43 percent of the patients were positive by RT PCR while 97 percent were positive by ELISA. Conclusion: RT PCR can be used for early detection of dengue virus infection in the first few days of fever while IgM ELISA is diagnostic afterwards. (author)

  19. Improving early diagnosis of pulmonary infections in patients with febrile neutropenia using low-dose chest computed tomography.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M G Gerritsen

    Full Text Available We performed a prospective study in patients with chemotherapy induced febrile neutropenia to investigate the diagnostic value of low-dose computed tomography compared to standard chest radiography. The aim was to compare both modalities for detection of pulmonary infections and to explore performance of low-dose computed tomography for early detection of invasive fungal disease. The low-dose computed tomography remained blinded during the study. A consensus diagnosis of the fever episode made by an expert panel was used as reference standard. We included 67 consecutive patients on the first day of febrile neutropenia. According to the consensus diagnosis 11 patients (16.4% had pulmonary infections. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 36%, 93%, 50% and 88% for radiography, and 73%, 91%, 62% and 94% for low-dose computed tomography, respectively. An uncorrected McNemar showed no statistical difference (p = 0.197. Mean radiation dose for low-dose computed tomography was 0.24 mSv. Four out of 5 included patients diagnosed with invasive fungal disease had radiographic abnormalities suspect for invasive fungal disease on the low-dose computed tomography scan made on day 1 of fever, compared to none of the chest radiographs. We conclude that chest radiography has little value in the initial assessment of febrile neutropenia on day 1 for detection of pulmonary abnormalities. Low-dose computed tomography improves detection of pulmonary infiltrates and seems capable of detecting invasive fungal disease at a very early stage with a low radiation dose.

  20. Improving early diagnosis of pulmonary infections in patients with febrile neutropenia using low-dose chest computed tomography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerritsen, M G; Willemink, M J; Pompe, E; van der Bruggen, T; van Rhenen, A; Lammers, J W J; Wessels, F; Sprengers, R W; de Jong, P A; Minnema, M C

    2017-01-01

    We performed a prospective study in patients with chemotherapy induced febrile neutropenia to investigate the diagnostic value of low-dose computed tomography compared to standard chest radiography. The aim was to compare both modalities for detection of pulmonary infections and to explore performance of low-dose computed tomography for early detection of invasive fungal disease. The low-dose computed tomography remained blinded during the study. A consensus diagnosis of the fever episode made by an expert panel was used as reference standard. We included 67 consecutive patients on the first day of febrile neutropenia. According to the consensus diagnosis 11 patients (16.4%) had pulmonary infections. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 36%, 93%, 50% and 88% for radiography, and 73%, 91%, 62% and 94% for low-dose computed tomography, respectively. An uncorrected McNemar showed no statistical difference (p = 0.197). Mean radiation dose for low-dose computed tomography was 0.24 mSv. Four out of 5 included patients diagnosed with invasive fungal disease had radiographic abnormalities suspect for invasive fungal disease on the low-dose computed tomography scan made on day 1 of fever, compared to none of the chest radiographs. We conclude that chest radiography has little value in the initial assessment of febrile neutropenia on day 1 for detection of pulmonary abnormalities. Low-dose computed tomography improves detection of pulmonary infiltrates and seems capable of detecting invasive fungal disease at a very early stage with a low radiation dose.

  1. Early diagnosis of dengue in travelers: comparison of a novel real-time RT-PCR, NS1 antigen detection and serology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huhtamo, Eili; Hasu, Essi; Uzcátegui, Nathalie Y; Erra, Elina; Nikkari, Simo; Kantele, Anu; Vapalahti, Olli; Piiparinen, Heli

    2010-01-01

    The increased traveling to dengue endemic regions and the numerous epidemics have led to a rise in imported dengue. The laboratory diagnosis of acute dengue requires several types of tests and often paired samples are needed for obtaining reliable results. Although several diagnostic methods are available, proper comparative data on their performance are lacking. To compare the performance of novel methods including a novel pan-DENV real-time RT-PCR and a commercially available NS1 capture-EIA in regard to IgM detection for optimizing the early diagnosis of DENV in travelers. A panel of 99 selected early phase serum samples of dengue patients was studied by real-time RT-PCR, NS1 antigen ELISA, IgM-EIA, IgG-IFA and cell culture virus isolation. The novel real-time RT-PCR was shown specific and sensitive for detection of DENV-1-4 RNA and suitable for diagnostic use. The diagnostic rate using combination of RNA and IgM detection was 99% and using NS1 and IgM detection 95.9%. The results of RNA and NS1 antigen detection disagreed in 15.5% of samples that had only RNA or NS1 antigen detected. The diagnostic rates of early samples are higher when either RNA or NS1 antigen detection is combined with IgM detection. Besides the differences in the RNA and NS1 detection assays, the observed discrepancy of results could suggest individual variation or differences in timing of these markers in patient serum. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Kernel-based Joint Feature Selection and Max-Margin Classification for Early Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adeli, Ehsan; Wu, Guorong; Saghafi, Behrouz; An, Le; Shi, Feng; Shen, Dinggang

    2017-01-01

    Feature selection methods usually select the most compact and relevant set of features based on their contribution to a linear regression model. Thus, these features might not be the best for a non-linear classifier. This is especially crucial for the tasks, in which the performance is heavily dependent on the feature selection techniques, like the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, which progresses slowly while affects the quality of life dramatically. In this paper, we use the data acquired from multi-modal neuroimaging data to diagnose PD by investigating the brain regions, known to be affected at the early stages. We propose a joint kernel-based feature selection and classification framework. Unlike conventional feature selection techniques that select features based on their performance in the original input feature space, we select features that best benefit the classification scheme in the kernel space. We further propose kernel functions, specifically designed for our non-negative feature types. We use MRI and SPECT data of 538 subjects from the PPMI database, and obtain a diagnosis accuracy of 97.5%, which outperforms all baseline and state-of-the-art methods.

  3. Kernel-based Joint Feature Selection and Max-Margin Classification for Early Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adeli, Ehsan; Wu, Guorong; Saghafi, Behrouz; An, Le; Shi, Feng; Shen, Dinggang

    2017-01-01

    Feature selection methods usually select the most compact and relevant set of features based on their contribution to a linear regression model. Thus, these features might not be the best for a non-linear classifier. This is especially crucial for the tasks, in which the performance is heavily dependent on the feature selection techniques, like the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, which progresses slowly while affects the quality of life dramatically. In this paper, we use the data acquired from multi-modal neuroimaging data to diagnose PD by investigating the brain regions, known to be affected at the early stages. We propose a joint kernel-based feature selection and classification framework. Unlike conventional feature selection techniques that select features based on their performance in the original input feature space, we select features that best benefit the classification scheme in the kernel space. We further propose kernel functions, specifically designed for our non-negative feature types. We use MRI and SPECT data of 538 subjects from the PPMI database, and obtain a diagnosis accuracy of 97.5%, which outperforms all baseline and state-of-the-art methods. PMID:28120883

  4. Diagnosis in Prader-Willi syndrome.

    OpenAIRE

    Chu, C E; Cooke, A; Stephenson, J B; Tolmie, J L; Clarke, B; Parry-Jones, W L; Connor, J M; Donaldson, M D

    1994-01-01

    Thirty one patients with the putative diagnosis of Prader-Willi syndrome were reassessed clinically and by DNA analysis. Eleven patients were judged not to have Prader-Willi syndrome and 20 to have the condition. This was confirmed by DNA analysis in all but one case. The diagnosis of Prader-Willi syndrome, especially in early infancy, should be made with caution unless confirmed by molecular genetic studies.

  5. Diagnosis Lost: Differences between Children who Had and who Currently Have an Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blumberg, Stephen J; Zablotsky, Benjamin; Avila, Rosa M; Colpe, Lisa J; Pringle, Beverly A; Kogan, Michael D

    2016-01-01

    Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses sometimes change due to misdiagnosis, maturation, or treatment. This study uses a probability-based national survey—the Survey of Pathways to Diagnosis and Services—to compare currently diagnosed (n=1420) and previously diagnosed (n=187) children aged 6–17 years based on retrospective parental reports of early concerns about their children’s development, responses to those concerns by doctors and other health care providers, the type of provider who made the first ASD diagnosis, and the ASD subtype diagnoses received (if any). Propensity score matching was used to control for differences between the groups on children’s current level of functioning and other current characteristics that may have been related to diagnosis loss. Approximately 13% of the children ever diagnosed with ASD were estimated to have lost the diagnosis, and parents of 74% of them believe it was changed due to new information. Previously diagnosed children were less likely to have parents with early concerns about verbal skills, nonverbal communication, learning, and unusual gestures or movements. They were also less likely to have been referred to and diagnosed by a specialist. Previously diagnosed children were less likely to have ever received a diagnosis of Asperger’s disorder or autistic disorder. PMID:26489772

  6. Microanalysis in cancer diagnosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tkacheva, G A [Akademiya Meditsinskikh Nauk SSSR, Moscow. Onkologicheskij Nauchnyj Tsentr

    1984-11-01

    An analysis of the diagnosis accuracy of malignant gastric, rectal, liver and prostatic tumors was performed with relation to the sensitivity and specificity of radioimmunological and immunoenzyme commercial kits of reagents manufactured by different companies and used to determine the concentration of the carcinoembryonic antigen, ..cap alpha..-fetoprotein and acid phosphatase of the prostate. With an increase of the test specificity its diagnostic sensitivity decreases, i.e. the percentage of false-negative results increases. The use of highly specific monoclonal antibodies in serological tests results in a marked decrease of the accuracy of tumor diagnosis. It is necessary to strictly determine indications for the use of the serological and immunodiagnostic kits: for the identification of risk populations, early diagnosis of tumors, differential diagnosis or the monitoring of patients.

  7. Clinical, genetic, and neuroimaging features of Early Onset Alzheimer Disease: the challenges of diagnosis and treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alberici, Antonella; Benussi, Alberto; Premi, Enrico; Borroni, Barbara; Padovani, Alessandro

    2014-01-01

    Early Onset Alzheimer Disease (EOAD) is a rare condition, frequently associated with genetic causes. The dissemination of genetic testing along with biomarker determinations have prompted a wider recognition of EOAD in experienced clinical settings. However, despite the great efforts in establishing the contribution of causative genes to EOAD, atypical disease presentation and clinical features still makes its diagnosis and treatment a challenge for the clinicians. This review aims to provide an extensive evaluation of literature data on EOAD, in order to improve understanding and knowledge of EOAD, underscore its significant impact on patients and their caregivers and influence public policies. This would be crucial to define the urgency of evidence-based treatment approaches.

  8. Time-Lag between Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Onset of Publicly-Funded Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention: Do Race-Ethnicity and Neighborhood Matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yingling, Marissa E.; Hock, Robert M.; Bell, Bethany A.

    2018-01-01

    Health coverage of early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is rapidly expanding across the United States. Yet we know little about the time-lag between diagnosis and treatment onset. We integrated administrative, Medicaid claims, and Census data for children in an EIBI Medicaid waiver (n =…

  9. Comprehensive Analysis of Cancer-Proteogenome to Identify Biomarkers for the Early Diagnosis and Prognosis of Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shukla, Hem D

    2017-10-25

    data, are indispensable to glean into the cancer genome and proteome and these approaches have generated multidimensional universal studies of genes and proteins (OMICS) data which has the potential to facilitate precision medicine. However, due to slow progress in computational technologies, the translation of big omics data into their clinical aspects have been slow. In this review, attempts have been made to describe the role of high-throughput genomic and proteomic technologies in identifying a panel of biomarkers which could be used for the early diagnosis and prognosis of cancer.

  10. Explore the Possibility of Early Clinical Diagnosis of Endocrine Ophthalmopathy Based on Eye Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. G. Likhvantseva

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: to study the possibility of early clinical diagnosis of endocrine ophthalmopathy based on ocular symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Patients and methods: we analyzed the prevalence of ocular symptoms of hyperthyroidism in 139 patients (278 orbits with newly diagnosed endocrine ophthalmopathy (group 1, developed on the background of diffuse toxic goiter. The comparison group consisted of 80 patients (160 orbits with newly diagnosed diffuse toxic goiter with no radiographic evidence of endocrine ophthalmopathy (group 2. All patients were examined by an ophthalmologist and endocrinologist. We analyzed the prevalence of ocular symptoms of hyperthyroidism (symptom Dalrymple’, Mobius’, Zenger’, and combinations thereof, often encountered in diffuse toxic goiter, flowing with endocrine ophthalmopathy, and/or lack thereof - in the group of “thyrotoxic exophthalmos”. We took into account the frequency distribution of these clinical signs, and their combinations. We analyzed the clinical sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis based on the three most common symptoms, and their combinations, associated both with thyrotoxicosis and with endocrine ophthalmopathy. Results: Dalrymple’ symptom, is more common in thyrotoxic exophthalmos than with endocrine ophthalmopathy (compared to 100.0% versus 61.9 %, p<0,001. This suggests that Dalrymple’ symptom leads to over diagnosis aspect endocrine ophthalmopathy. It is obvious that it can be used to recognize and thyrotoxic exophthalmos hyperthyroidism, but you cann’t credibly claim based on orbit about the presence of the disease. In this aspect, the greatest practical interest to provide a comparative assessment of the frequency of detection of symptoms of Mobius’ and Zenger’ and their combinations in a population of endocrine ophthalmopathy and in the group of thyrotoxic exophthalmos. Significantly more symptoms Zenger’ and Mobius’ developed with endocrine ophthalmopathy (66,2% and 81

  11. [Joint application of 7 interventional pulmonology methods in early diagnosis of lung cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Fa-Guang; Li, Wang-Ping; Mu, De-Guang; Chu, Dong-Ling; Fu, En-Qing; Xie, Yong-Hong; Lu, Jing-Li; Sun, Ya-Ni

    2009-06-23

    To evaluate the combination of 7 interventional pulmonology methods in early diagnosis of lung cancer. A total of 467 patients with thoracic and pulmonary lesions (include hilum pulmonis lymphadenectasis, mediastinal lymphadenectasis, pulmonary scobination, lump, lamellar infiltration, small amount of pleural fluid and pleural scobination) had negative results via exfoliative cytology, bacteriology and routine bronchoscopy. All these patients had ultrathin bronchoscopy with biopsy and brushing. For those 155 cases whose foci were located at porta pulmonis, inner zone or median zone, the authors applied ultrathin bronchoscopy with biopsy and brushing guided by X-ray. For those 95 cases whose foci were located at median zone or outer zone and unconnected with chest wall, per cutem lung puncture needle aspiration was employed under the guidance of X-ray. For those 102 cases whose foci were tightly connected with pleural membrane, per cutem lung puncture biopsy was employed under the guidance of type-B ultrasonic. For those 59 cases with suspected central airway foci, auto-fluorescence bronchoscopic biopsy and brushing were employed. For those 67 cases with hilum pulmonis or mediastinal lymphadenectasis, endobronchial ultrasonic transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) was employed. For those 23 cases with small amount of pleural fluid or pleural scobination, electronic thoracoscopic biopsy and brushing were employed. It was found that 118 cases were diagnosed by ultrathin bronchoscopic biopsy and brushing with a positive rate of 25.3% (118/467), 105 cases by ultrathin bronchoscopy with biopsy and brushing guided by X-ray with a positive rate of 67.7% (105/155), 63 cases by per cutem lung puncture needle aspiration under the guidance of X-ray with a positive rate of 66.3% (63/95), 69 cases by per cutem lung puncture biopsy under the guidance of type-B ultrasound with a positive rate of 67.6% (69/102), 18 cases by auto-fluorescence bronchoscopic biopsy and brushing

  12. Diagnosis of early sacroiliitis in seronegative spondyloarthropathies by DWI and correlation of clinical and laboratory findings with ADC values

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gezmis, Esin; Donmez, Fuldem Y., E-mail: fuldemyildirim@yahoo.com; Agildere, Muhtesem

    2013-12-01

    Purpose: Sacroiliitis is one of the diagnostic criteria of seronegative SpA. The purpose of our study is to show the signal characteristics of the sacral and iliac surfaces by DWI which may contribute in early diagnosis of sacroiliitis and investigate the correlation between ADC values and clinical and laboratory parameters. Materials and methods: 62 patients with inflammatory low back pain, with a history or suspect of seronegative SpA are enrolled into the study. 40 age and sex-matched subjects without SpA constituted the control group. After obtaining routine T1 and T2 weighted sequences, echo planar imaging at b values of 0, 400 and 800 was performed. ADC values on both surfaces of the both sacroiliac joints were measured in all subjects. The CRP and sedimentation results and the presence of arthritis and enthesitis were also correlated with the ADC values. Results: ADC values on both surfaces of the both sacroiliac joints were found 0.23 × 10{sup −3} mm{sup 2}/sn in the control group. In the patient group, mean ADC value of 0.48 × 10{sup −3} mm{sup 2}/sn was obtained (p < 0.001), which was statistically significant, compatible with the increased diffusion due to medullary edema in early sacroiliitis. There was a slight correlation between CRP and ADC values; presumed to be showing the relation between the activity of the disease and the active inflammation on DWI. There was no correlation between arthritis and enthesitis and the ADC values (p > 0.001). Conclusion: DWI, by measuring ADC values, adds significant information in the early diagnosis of sacroiliitis and may help to evaluate the efficiency of the treatment.

  13. Early diagnosis of skeletal disorders in childhood and adolescence by MRI; Fruehdiagnose orthopaedischer Erkrankungen des Kindes- und Jugendalters mit der MRT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meurer, A.; Schwitalle, M.; Engelhardt, O.; Heine, J. [Johannes Gutenberg-Univ. Mainz (Germany). Orthopaedische Klinik und Poliklinik; Kreitner, K.F. [Johannes Gutenberg-Univ. Mainz (Germany). Inst. fuer Klinische Strahlenkunde

    1998-09-18

    The early diagnosis of such disorders is of major importance because, in most cases, severe consequences can only be averted by early treatment. The value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in many orthopaedic and traumatological conditions is generally accepted. The value of MRI in this particular field is illustrated by typical case reports on common clinical problems [Deutsch] Der Fruehdiagnose von Erkrankungen des Kindes- und Jugendalters kommt grosse Bedeutung zu, da oftmals nur durch eine daraus resultierende Fruehbehandlung schwerwiegende Folgen vermieden werden koennen. Die Kernspintomographie (Magnetresonanztomographie=MRT) ist in zahlreichen orthopaedischen-traumatologischen Fragestellungen bereits etabliert. An ausgewaehlten Fallbeispielen haeufiger klinischer Problemstellungen soll in der vorliegenden Arbeit der Stellenwert der MRT dargestellt werden. (orig.)

  14. Genetic analysis of Tunisian families with Usher syndrome type 1: toward improving early molecular diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben-Rebeh, Imen; Grati, Mhamed; Bonnet, Crystel; Bouassida, Walid; Hadjamor, Imen; Ayadi, Hammadi; Ghorbel, Abdelmonem; Petit, Christine; Masmoudi, Saber

    2016-01-01

    Usher syndrome accounts for about 50% of all hereditary deaf-blindness cases. The most severe form of this syndrome, Usher syndrome type I (USH1), is characterized by profound congenital sensorineural deafness, vestibular dysfunction, and retinitis pigmentosa. Six USH1 genes have been identified, MYO7A, CDH23, PCDH15, USH1C, SANS, and CIB2, encoding myosin VIIA, cadherin-23, protocadherin-15, harmonin, scaffold protein containing ankyrin repeats and a sterile alpha motif (SAM) domain, and calcium- and integrin-binding member 2, respectively. In the present study, we recruited four Tunisian families with a diagnosis of USH1, together with healthy unrelated controls. Affected members underwent detailed audiologic and ocular examinations. We used the North African Deafness (NADf) chip to search for known North African mutations associated with USH. Then, we selected microsatellite markers covering USH1 known loci to genotype the DNA samples. Finally, we performed DNA sequencing of three known USH1 genes: MYO7A, PCDH15, and USH1C. Four biallelic mutations, all single base changes, were found in the MYO7A, USH1C, and PCDH15 genes. These mutations consist of a previously reported splicing defect c.470+1G>A in MYO7A, three novel variants, including two nonsense (p.Arg3X and p.Arg134X) in USH1C and PCDH15, respectively, and one frameshift (p.Lys615Asnfs*6) in MYO7A. We found a remarkable genetic heterogeneity in the studied families with USH1 with a variety of mutations, among which three were novel. These novel mutations will be included in the NADf mutation screening chip that will allow a higher diagnosis efficiency of this extremely genetically heterogeneous disease. Ultimately, efficient molecular diagnosis of USH in a patient's early childhood is of utmost importance, allowing better educational and therapeutic management.

  15. Novel personalized pathway-based metabolomics models reveal key metabolic pathways for breast cancer diagnosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Huang, Sijia; Chong, Nicole; Lewis, Nathan

    2016-01-01

    diagnosis. We applied this method to predict breast cancer occurrence, in combination with correlation feature selection (CFS) and classification methods. Results: The resulting all-stage and early-stage diagnosis models are highly accurate in two sets of testing blood samples, with average AUCs (Area Under.......993. Moreover, important metabolic pathways, such as taurine and hypotaurine metabolism and the alanine, aspartate, and glutamate pathway, are revealed as critical biological pathways for early diagnosis of breast cancer. Conclusions: We have successfully developed a new type of pathway-based model to study...... metabolomics data for disease diagnosis. Applying this method to blood-based breast cancer metabolomics data, we have discovered crucial metabolic pathway signatures for breast cancer diagnosis, especially early diagnosis. Further, this modeling approach may be generalized to other omics data types for disease...

  16. Noninvasive analysis of volatile biomarkers in human emanations for health and early disease diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kataoka, Hiroyuki; Saito, Keita; Kato, Hisato; Masuda, Kazufumi

    2013-06-01

    Early disease diagnosis is crucial for human healthcare and successful therapy. Since any changes in homeostatic balance can alter human emanations, the components of breath exhalations and skin emissions may be diagnostic biomarkers for various diseases and metabolic disorders. Since hundreds of endogenous and exogenous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released from the human body, analysis of these VOCs may be a noninvasive, painless, and easy diagnostic tool. Sampling and preconcentration by sorbent tubes/traps and solid-phase microextraction, in combination with GC or GC-MS, are usually used to analyze VOCs. In addition, GC-MS-olfactometry is useful for simultaneous analysis of odorants and odor quality. Direct MS techniques are also useful for the online real-time detection of VOCs. This review focuses on recent developments in sampling and analysis of volatile biomarkers in human odors and/or emanations, and discusses future use of VOC analysis.

  17. A STUDY ON RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF CARCINOMA BREAST IN FEMALES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janardana Rao Venkata Kakulapati

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Breast cancer distribution differs by geography, regional lifestyle, racial or ethnic background. In general, both breast cancer incidence and mortality are relatively lower among the female populations of Asia and Africa, relatively underdeveloped nations, and nations that have not changed to the westernised reproductive and dietary patterns. In contrast, European and North American women from heavily industrialised or westernised countries have a substantially higher incidence of breast cancer. The aim of the study is to1. Analyse the relationship between socioeconomic and educational status and early diagnosis of CA breast. 2. Emphasise the need for early detection of breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was carried out in 150 patients who were admitted in the Department of General Surgery. Inclusion criteria for patients in this study consist of patient of any age presenting with the lesion suspected of breast carcinoma and proved by FNAC and Tru-cut biopsy and all relevant investigations to stage the disease like chest x-ray, ultrasound abdomen, liver function test, mammography and skeletal survey done for advanced cases to rule out metastasis. Patients excluded where those who presented with symptoms of breast on clinical examination, but on investigation, there was no malignant pathology of breast and male patients with breast carcinoma excluded. Patients data was collected in standardised pro forma, which included age, socioeconomic status, level of education, duration of symptoms, detection of lump by the patient or medical practitioner into three class lower, middle and upper. The socioeconomic status defined by Kuppuswamy scale was used in this study. Literacy status classified into illiterate and educated, which is further classified into primary (I-IV, secondary (high school and higher secondary and higher education (graduate and above. RESULTS In our study, among 150 patients, 34% presented in early stage

  18. Importance of radiologic early symptoms in diagnosis and therapy of necrosis of the head of the femur

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stahl, C.; Kang, C.H.; Phlvers, E.; Haasters, J.; Thuemler, P.

    1985-01-01

    Early roentgenographic signs of aseptic necrosis are changes after infarction without flattening of the femoral head or subchondral decalcification (crescent sign). 121 patients with femoral head necrosis, in 99 of idiopathic origin and in 22 after cortisone treatment, were examined. The first sign of infarction is represented by the intensification of the bright regions at the lateral and medial aspect of the femoral head with emphasis on the lateral aspect near to the femoral neck. Special radiographic changes after infarction are discussed. The diagnosis of bilateral involvement determines the prognosis of the disease and its treatment. A careful study of the anamnesis is most important for prognostic reasons. (author)

  19. Importance of radiologic early symptoms in diagnosis and therapy of necrosis of the head of the femur

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stahl, C; Kang, C H; Phlvers, E; Haasters, J; Thuemler, P [Essen Univ. (Gesamthochschule) (Germany, F.R.)

    1985-02-01

    Early roentgenographic signs of aseptic necrosis are changes after infarction without flattening of the femoral head or subchondral decalcification (crescent sign). 121 patients with femoral head necrosis, in 99 of idiopathic origin and in 22 after cortisone treatment, were examined. The first sign of infarction is represented by the intensification of the bright regions at the lateral and medial aspect of the femoral head with emphasis on the lateral aspect near to the femoral neck. Special radiographic changes after infarction are discussed. The diagnosis of bilateral involvement determines the prognosis of the disease and its treatment. A careful study of the anamnesis is most important for prognostic reasons.

  20. Scintigraphy versus radiography in the early diagnosis of experimental bone necrosis with special reference to caisson disease of bone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gregg, P.J.; Walder, D.N.

    1980-01-01

    The early diagnosis of caisson disease of bone is hindered by the long delay which must elapse before an abnormality becomes apparent on a radiograph. The possible use of bone scintigraphy for this purpose was investigated. Necrosis of the bone and marrow was produced in rabbits by glass microspheres to simulate persistent gas-bubble emboli and then serial radiographs and scintigrams using sup(99m)Tc-diphosphonate were obtained. Regions of necrosis could be detected as 'hot spots' on the scintigrams as early as three weeks after the causative insult, which was many weeks before any abnormality could be detected on the radiographs. Histological examination of excised femora suggested that the scintigraphic abnormality might depend on the new bone formation established during a reactive or repair process. It is suggested that scintigraphy may have clinical value in caisson disease. (author)

  1. Scintigraphy versus radiography in the early diagnosis of experimental bone necrosis, with special reference to caisson disease of bone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gregg, P J; Walder, D N

    1980-05-01

    The early diagnosis of caisson disease of bone is hindered by the long delay which must elapse before an abnormality becomes apparent on a radiograph. The possible use of bone scintigraphy for this purpose was investigated. Necrosis of the bone and marrow was produced in rabbits by glass microspheres to simulate persistent gas-bubble emboli and then serial radiographs and scintigrams using 99mTc-diphosphonate were obtained. Regions of necrosis could be detected as "hot-spots" on the scintigrams as early as three weeks after the causative insult, which was many weeks before any abnormality could be detected on the radiographs. Histological examination of excised femora suggested that the scintigraphic abnormality might depend on the new bone formation during a reactive or repair process. It is suggested that scintigraphy may have clinical value in caisson disease.

  2. Electrocardiography may be a useful tool in the diagnosis of early mild canine heartworm disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edward M. Onyango

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This study was carried out to determine the usefulness of standard electrocardiography for the diagnosis of early canine heartworm disease. Baseline electrocardiograms were recorded in 12 dogs. Thirty artificial Dirofilaria immitis worms were inserted in the pulmonary artery of each dog. New electrocardiograms were recorded on days 1-4, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 after insertion of worms. A significant attenuation of amplitude of Q wave in lead I was recorded on days 1-4, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35; of R wave in lead II on days 21, 28 and 35; and of S wave in lead aVR on days 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35. Duration of the QRS complex in lead AVF was significantly prolonged on day 14. In 41.6% of the dogs, right axis deviation was recorded. These results suggest that for a dog whose normal baseline standard electrocardiogram is known, a comparison of the QRS complex of the baseline with those of subsequent standard electrocardiograms may suggest early canine heartworm disease when there is an attenuation of amplitude of Q wave in lead I, R wave in lead II and S wave in lead aVR. An additional indication can be right axis deviation.

  3. Recent Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Niemann-Pick Disease Type C in Children: A Guide to Early Diagnosis for the General Pediatrician

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanna Alobaidy

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Niemann-Pick disease (NP-C is a lysosomal storage disease in which impaired intracellular lipid transport leads to accumulation of cholesterol and glycosphingolipids in various neurovisceral tissues. It is an autosomal recessive disorder, caused by mutations in the NPC1 or NPC2 genes. The clinical spectrum is grouped by the age of onset and onset of neurological manifestation: pre/perinatal; early infantile; late infantile; and juvenile periods. The NP-C Suspicion Index (SI screening tool was developed to identify suspected patients with this disease. It is especially good at recognizing the disease in patients older than four years of age. Biochemical tests involving genetic markers and Filipin staining of skin fibroblast are being employed to assist diagnosis. Therapy is mostly supportive and since 2009, the first specific therapy approved for use was Miglustat (Zavesca aimed at stabilizing the rate of progression of neurological manifestation. The prognosis correlates with age at onset of neurological signs; patients with early onset form progress faster. The NP-C disease has heterogeneous neurovisceral manifestations. A SI is a screening tool that helps in diagnostic process. Filipin staining test is a specific biomarker diagnostic test. Miglustat is the first disease-specific therapy.

  4. Knowledge and Practices of Nurses Working in an Education Hospital on Early Diagnosis of Breast and Cervix Cancers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ozlem Ozdemir

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available AIM: This research has aimed to determine knowledge and practice status of nurses about breast self-examination (BSE, clinical breast examination (CBE, mammography and Pap smear and about influencing status of some variables related to these examinations. METHOD: This descriptive study was conducted in an education hospital in Ankara between March 1st and May 30th, 2008. Three hundred-fifty nurses (82.7% have accepted to participate in the study. Data were collected by a questionnaire form including questions about demographics, their knowledge and practice status about BSE, CBE, mammography and Pap smear. Chi-square test, numbers and percentages were used for evaluating the data. RESULTS: Overall, 46.9% of nurses had enough knowledge about early diagnosis of breast and cervix cancer. 60.2% of them can carry BSE, 18.8% can carry out CBE and 7.3% can carry out mammography. Pap smear is carried out by 23.7% of the nurses. Negligence, fear of cancer and thought of finding them unnecessary were determined as reasons for avoidance. Their knowledge and practice were significantly different (p<0.05 according to their age and service where they work. CONCLUSION: It has been concluded that although knowledge and practices of nurses on breast and cervix cancer are at a good level, this isn’t enough when importance of early diagnosis in breast and cervix cancer are taken into consideration, which are among common cancers in women. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2010; 9(6.000: 605-612

  5. In Vivo Dark-Field Radiography for Early Diagnosis and Staging of Pulmonary Emphysema.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hellbach, Katharina; Yaroshenko, Andre; Meinel, Felix G; Yildirim, Ali Ö; Conlon, Thomas M; Bech, Martin; Mueller, Mark; Velroyen, Astrid; Notohamiprodjo, Mike; Bamberg, Fabian; Auweter, Sigrid; Reiser, Maximilian; Eickelberg, Oliver; Pfeiffer, Franz

    2015-07-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of in vivo x-ray dark-field radiography for early-stage diagnosis of pulmonary emphysema in mice. Furthermore, we aimed to analyze how the dark-field signal correlates with morphological changes of lung architecture at distinct stages of emphysema. Female 8- to 10-week-old C57Bl/6N mice were used throughout all experiments. Pulmonary emphysema was induced by orotracheal injection of porcine pancreatic elastase (80-U/kg body weight) (n = 30). Control mice (n = 11) received orotracheal injection of phosphate-buffered saline. To monitor the temporal patterns of emphysema development over time, the mice were imaged 7, 14, or 21 days after the application of elastase or phosphate-buffered saline. X-ray transmission and dark-field images were acquired with a prototype grating-based small-animal scanner. In vivo pulmonary function tests were performed before killing the animals. In addition, lungs were obtained for detailed histopathological analysis, including mean cord length (MCL) quantification as a parameter for the assessment of emphysema. Three blinded readers, all of them experienced radiologists and familiar with dark-field imaging, were asked to grade the severity of emphysema for both dark-field and transmission images. Histopathology and MCL quantification confirmed the introduction of different stages of emphysema, which could be clearly visualized and differentiated on the dark-field radiograms, whereas early stages were not detected on transmission images. The correlation between MCL and dark-field signal intensities (r = 0.85) was significantly higher than the correlation between MCL and transmission signal intensities (r = 0.37). The readers' visual ratings for dark-field images correlated significantly better with MCL (r = 0.85) than visual ratings for transmission images (r = 0.36). Interreader agreement and the diagnostic accuracy of both quantitative and visual assessment were significantly higher

  6. Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit provides comprehensive and preventive health care services for children under age 21 who...

  7. A Review of Salivary Biomarker: A Tool for Early Oral Cancer Diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shikha Saxena

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC is one of the most common epithelial malignancies with significant morbidity and mortality. Recent observations indicate that the clinical and histological appearance of oral mucosa may not truly depict the damage occurring at the genetic level. This phenotypic and genotypic disparity may account in part for the failure to establish effective screening and surveillance protocols, based on the traditional clinical and microscopic examination. The tumor markers are playing an increasingly important role in cancer detection and management. These laboratory-based tests are potentially useful in screening for early malignancy, aiding in cancer diagnosis, determining prognosis, surveillance following curative surgery for cancer, up-front predicting drug response or resistance, and monitoring therapy in advanced disease. A systematic review of the literature was performed based on the English titles listed in the PubMed, EBSCO, Cochrane, Science Direct, ISI web Science, and SciELO databases using the keywords. Abstracts and full-text articles were assessed. This article may help to identify the potential biomarkers for screening and the molecular pathology analysis in the high-risk patients with the OSCC.

  8. Efficiency of clinical and combined diagnosis of breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Solov'ev, I.E.

    1986-01-01

    Problems on clinical, instrumental, laboratory diagnosis of mammary glands cancer are described. Efficiency of clinical examination, mammography, cytological examination, ultrasonic, radioisotopic diagnosis, some biochemical tests are estimated. The conclusion concerning advisability of complex diagnosis of mammary glands cancer especially its early forms is made. Perspectivity of application of polyamine test in diagnosis of primary cancer of the mammary gland is mark to estimate efficiency of its treatment

  9. High HIV incidence in men who have sex with men following an early syphilis diagnosis: is there room for pre-exposure prophylaxis as a prevention strategy?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Girometti, Nicolò; Gutierrez, Angela; Nwokolo, Nneka; McOwan, Alan; Whitlock, Gary

    2017-08-01

    HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is becoming a pivotal strategy for HIV prevention. Understanding the impact of risk factors for HIV transmission to identify those at highest risk would favour the implementation of PrEP, currently limited by costs. In this service evaluation, we estimated the incidence of bacterial STIs in men who have sex with men (MSM) diagnosed with early syphilis attending a London sexual health clinic according to their HIV status. In addition, we estimated the incidence of HIV infection in HIV-negative MSM, following a diagnosis of early syphilis. We undertook a retrospective case note review of all MSM patients diagnosed with early syphilis between January and June 2014. A number of sexual health screens and diagnoses of chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV were prospectively analysed following the syphilis diagnosis. 206 MSM were diagnosed with early syphilis. 110 (53%) were HIV-negative at baseline, 96 (47%) were HIV-positive. Only age (37 vs 32 years, p=0.0005) was significantly different according to HIV status of MSM at baseline. In HIV-negative versus HIV-positive MSM, incidence of rectal chlamydia infection at follow-up was 27 cases vs 50/100 person-years of follow-up (PYFU) (p=0.0039), 33 vs 66/100 PYFU (p=0.0044) for rectal gonorrhoea and 10 vs 26/100 PYFU (p=0.0044) for syphilis reinfection, respectively. Total follow-up for 110 HIV-negative MSM was 144 person-years. HIV incidence was 8.3/100 PYFU (CI 4.2 to 14). A diagnosis of early syphilis carries a high risk of consequent HIV seroconversion and should warrant prioritised access to prevention measures such as PrEP and regular STI screening to prevent HIV transmission. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  10. Iliopsoas myositis mimicking appendicitis: MRI diagnosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wysoki, M.G. [Department of Radiology, Medical College of Pennsylvania Hospital and Hahnemann University, 3300 Henry Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19129 (United States); Angeid-Backman, E. [Department of Radiology, Medical College of Pennsylvania Hospital and Hahnemann University, 3300 Henry Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19129 (United States); Izes, B.A. [Department of Radiology, Medical College of Pennsylvania Hospital and Hahnemann University, 3300 Henry Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19129 (United States)

    1997-05-01

    Myositis of the truncal muscles can closely mimic acute appendicitis. Myositis is the early stage of muscular infection. It is characterized by diffuse muscular pain and swelling without a distinct mass. Early diagnosis of myositis improves the outcome and surgical debridement is usually avoided. Pyomyositis, the advanced stage of the disease, can be diagnosed by MRI examination. We present a case of early bacterial myositis that was diagnosed by MRI. (orig.). With 3 figs.

  11. Iliopsoas myositis mimicking appendicitis: MRI diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wysoki, M.G.; Angeid-Backman, E.; Izes, B.A.

    1997-01-01

    Myositis of the truncal muscles can closely mimic acute appendicitis. Myositis is the early stage of muscular infection. It is characterized by diffuse muscular pain and swelling without a distinct mass. Early diagnosis of myositis improves the outcome and surgical debridement is usually avoided. Pyomyositis, the advanced stage of the disease, can be diagnosed by MRI examination. We present a case of early bacterial myositis that was diagnosed by MRI. (orig.). With 3 figs

  12. Osteomedullography: for early diagnosis of the fracture healing, nonunion and avascular necrosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Y. C.; Lee, S. H.; Lee, Y. C.; Whang, I. S.; Kim, H. S.

    1981-01-01

    Complications of non-union and avascular necrosis during fracture healing process are the most important problem. Early detection of the evidence of non-union and avascular necrosis and follow-up study of fracture healing process will reduce complications and sequellae in fracture patients. Femoral neck and tibial shaft are the most important fracture sites where non-union and/or avascular necrosis are frequently developed. Osteomedullography was performed in 30 cases of fracture, 21 femoral neck, 8 tibial shafts and 1 talar neck, in the Department of Radiology of National Medical Center during the period from August 1977 to March 1981. The following results were obtained: 1. 16 patients of femoral neck fracture were performed osteomedullography once. Non-union showing no crossing vein through the fracture site was noted in 12 cases from 16 patients. 4 cases from the 12 patients of non-union showed decreased viability but 2 case revealed good viability of the femoral head. 1 case from 4 cases of good union of fracture showed no evidence of viability of the femoral head. 2. More than twice of osteomedullography were performed in 5 cases of femoral neck fracture, and crossing vein was not appeared in 4 cases at 3 weeks after fracture. 3 cases showed crossing veins at 6 weeks, and 1 case revealed evidence of avascular necrosis of the femoral head at 9 weeks. 3. In 8 cases of tibial shaft fracture, 4 cases were non-union. Another 4 cases revealed intraosseous veins crossing in fracture site or additional Kaski's osteomedullographic signs, indicating bony union. 4. One talar neck fracture showed bony union with decreased viability of the body on 12 month after fracture. 5. Osteomedullography is considered as very important study for the early diagnosis of the fracture healing, non-union and avascular necrosis

  13. Osteomedullography: for early diagnosis of the fracture healing, nonunion and avascular necrosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Y C; Lee, S H; Lee, Y C; Whang, I S; Kim, H S [National Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1981-12-15

    Complications of non-union and avascular necrosis during fracture healing process are the most important problem. Early detection of the evidence of non-union and avascular necrosis and follow-up study of fracture healing process will reduce complications and sequellae in fracture patients. Femoral neck and tibial shaft are the most important fracture sites where non-union and/or avascular necrosis are frequently developed. Osteomedullography was performed in 30 cases of fracture, 21 femoral neck, 8 tibial shafts and 1 talar neck, in the Department of Radiology of National Medical Center during the period from August 1977 to March 1981. The following results were obtained: 1. 16 patients of femoral neck fracture were performed osteomedullography once. Non-union showing no crossing vein through the fracture site was noted in 12 cases from 16 patients. 4 cases from the 12 patients of non-union showed decreased viability but 2 case revealed good viability of the femoral head. 1 case from 4 cases of good union of fracture showed no evidence of viability of the femoral head. 2. More than twice of osteomedullography were performed in 5 cases of femoral neck fracture, and crossing vein was not appeared in 4 cases at 3 weeks after fracture. 3 cases showed crossing veins at 6 weeks, and 1 case revealed evidence of avascular necrosis of the femoral head at 9 weeks. 3. In 8 cases of tibial shaft fracture, 4 cases were non-union. Another 4 cases revealed intraosseous veins crossing in fracture site or additional Kaski's osteomedullographic signs, indicating bony union. 4. One talar neck fracture showed bony union with decreased viability of the body on 12 month after fracture. 5. Osteomedullography is considered as very important study for the early diagnosis of the fracture healing, non-union and avascular necrosis.

  14. Clinical diagnosis and treatment of olfactory meningioma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Xiangdong; Wang Zhong; Zhang Shiming; Zhu Fengqing; Zhou Dai; Hui Guozhen

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To analyze the clinical diagnosis and treatment of olfactory meningioma. Methods: In this group 17 olfactory meningiomas were operated, and the clinical presentations and the surgery results were obtained. Results: The symptoms of psychiatrical disorder, visual disturbances and eclipse at presentation was higher. In 16 cases the grade of resection was Simpson II, 1 case Simpson III, most of the cases had a good recovery. Conclusion: Attention should be paid to the early symptom at presentation such as psychiatrical disorder to obtain an early diagnosis. Microsurgery is useful in the treatment of olfactory meningioma. (authors)

  15. Osteochondritis dissecans of the knee joint: A diagnosis not to miss

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahul R Bagul

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD is the most common cause of a loose body in the joint space in adolescent patients. Diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion as clinical findings are often subtle. Limited range of motion may be the only notable clinical sign. The diagnosis is made by thorough clinical examination, radiographic examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI. Early diagnosis and treatment can change the prognosis of the disease. If not diagnosed early, OCD can lead to the development of osteoarthritis at an early age. Conservative management is the mainstay of treatment for stable lesions. While the majority of patients respond to conservative treatment, those with unstable lesions require arthroscopic management.

  16. Current possibilities of cerebrospinal fluid diagnosis of meningitides in children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. N. Mazankova

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper gives the results of reviewing the data available in the literature published in the past 10 years on the neuroinfections, including meningitides. It demonstrates the necessity of searching for new markers for the early diagnosis of purulent meningitides to make a differential diagnosis, to monitor the efficiency of antibiotic therapy, to make an early prediction of a disease outcome.

  17. Pathways to diagnosis: exploring the experiences of problem recognition and obtaining a dementia diagnosis among Anglo-Canadians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leung, Karen K; Finlay, Juli; Silvius, James L; Koehn, Sharon; McCleary, Lynn; Cohen, Carole A; Hum, Susan; Garcia, Linda; Dalziel, William; Emerson, Victor F; Pimlott, Nicholas J G; Persaud, Malini; Kozak, Jean; Drummond, Neil

    2011-07-01

    Increasing evidence suggests that early diagnosis and management of dementia-related symptoms may improve the quality of life for patients and their families. However, individuals may wait from 1-3 years from the onset of symptoms before receiving a diagnosis. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of problem recognition, and the process of obtaining a diagnosis among individuals with early-stage dementia and their primary carers. From 2006-2009, six Anglo-Canadians with dementia and seven of their carers were recruited from the Alzheimer's Society of Calgary to participate in semi-structured interviews. Using an inductive, thematic approach to the analysis, five major themes were identified: becoming aware of memory problems, attributing meanings to symptoms, initiating help-seeking, acknowledging the severity of cognitive changes and finally obtaining a definitive diagnosis. Individuals with dementia reported noticing memory difficulties earlier than their carers. However, initial symptoms were perceived as ambiguous, and were normalised and attributed to concurrent health problems. The diagnostic process was typically characterised by multiple visits and interactions with health professionals, and a diagnosis was obtained as more severe cognitive deficits emerged. Throughout the diagnostic pathway, carers played dynamic roles. Carers initially served as a source of encouragement to seek help, but they eventually became actively involved over concerns about alternative diagnoses and illness management. A better understanding of the pre-diagnosis period, and the complex interactions between people's beliefs and attributions about symptoms, may elucidate some of the barriers as well as strategies to promote a timelier dementia diagnosis. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  18. {sup 99m}Tc-N.T.P. 15-5 imaging for the early and specific diagnosis of chondrosarcoma: proof of concept in rats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miot-Noirault, E.; Vidal, A.; Rapp, M.; Madelmont, J.C.; Maublant, J.; Moins, N. [Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM), UMR 484, 63 - Clermont Ferrand (France); Redini, F.; Gouin, F.; Heymann, D. [Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM), ERI 7, EA 3822, 44 - Nantes (France)

    2008-02-15

    Aim. - The U.M.R. 484 I.N.S.E.R.M. develops a 'cartilage imaging strategy' with the {sup 99m}Tc-N.T.P. 15-5 tracer that selectively binds to cartilage proteoglycans, allowing a highly specific cartilage imaging. Since chondro-genic tumours are characterized by the presence of cartilaginous matrix, we hypothesized that the {sup 99m}Tc-N.T.P. 15-5 tracer would allow chondrosarcoma imaging, which is currently lacking in clinics. In the rat model of grade II para-tibial chondrosarcoma, we evaluated the relevance of {sup 99m}Tc-N.T.P. 15-5 imaging for an early and specific diagnosis of chondrosarcoma. Methods. - {sup 99m}Tc-N.T.P. 15-5 longitudinal imaging of animals was performed during two months after para-tibial ortho-topic tumour implantation in the right paw, the left being used as control. At regular intervals, animals were submitted to {sup 99m}Tc-M.D.P. bone imaging, the only examination used for SPECT diagnosis of chondrosarcoma in patients. Tumour volume was monitored for two months when the tumours became palpable, with the two perpendicular diameters measured. For both cartilage and bone imaging, the scans were considered positive when areas of tracer uptake were present at sites consistent with the sites of inoculation. For each animal, positive scans were analyzed at each stage using the semiquantitative method of the target to background ratio (T.B.R.), with the target R.O.I. being delineated over the tumour and background R.O.I. over vertebra and muscle. T.B.R. time-course was followed as a function of tumour growth.At study ending, each animal was sacrificed for histopathological control. Results. - {sup 99m}Tc-N.T.P. 15-5 scans were positive in 100% of the animals at very early stage (three days) after implantation, while no palpable nor measurable tumour could be assessed. Quantitative analysis of {sup 99m}Tc-N.T.P. 15-5 scans evidenced a significant uptake of the tracer at the implantation site at early stage. The time-course of T

  19. Tattoo-Associated Skin Reaction: The Importance of an Early Diagnosis and Proper Treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bassi, Andrea; Campolmi, Piero; Cannarozzo, Giovanni; Conti, Rossana; Bruscino, Nicola; Gola, Massimo; Ermini, Stefano; Massi, Daniela; Moretti, Silvia

    2014-01-01

    Tattoo is going to be a very common practice especially among young people and we are witnessing a gradual increase of numerous potential complications to tattoo placement which are often seen by physicians, but generally unknown to the public. The most common skin reactions to tattoo include a transient acute inflammatory reaction due to trauma of the skin with needles and medical complications such as superficial and deep local infections, systemic infections, allergic contact dermatitis, photodermatitis, granulomatous and lichenoid reactions, and skin diseases localized on tattooed area (eczema, psoriasis, lichen, and morphea). Next to these inflammatory skin reactions we have to consider also the possibility of the development of cutaneous conditions such as pseudolymphomatous reactions and pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia. The aim of this study is to underline the importance of an early diagnosis by performing a histological examination especially when we are in front of suspected papulonodular lesions arising from a tattoo, followed by a proper treatment, since cutaneous neoplastic evolution is known to be a rare but possible complication. PMID:25147796

  20. Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of Fournier's gangrene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kickuth, R.; Adams, S.; Kirchner, J.; Simon, S.; Liermann, D. [Dept. of Radiology, Marienhospital Herne, University of Bochum, Herne (Germany); Pastor, J. [Dept. of Urology, Marienhospital Herne, University of Bochum, Herne (Germany)

    2001-05-01

    Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound are the imaging modalities recommended in the early diagnosis of Fournier's gangrene. Because of the high mortality of this inflammatory disease early diagnosis is essential to initiate adequate surgical and medical treatment. In the clinical literature only a handful of cases, in which diagnosis of Fournier's gangrene is based on MRI findings, have been reported; therefore, we report another case which shows the ability of MRI especially to determine the point of origin and extension of disease. (orig.)

  1. [Perianal condylomes and diagnosis of syphilis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pedersen, Anders Elm; Knudsen, Troels Bygum; Sand, Carsten

    2012-01-30

    Syphilis is still a serious disease with diagnostic difficulties. In the present clinical case a patient had a routine serology screen for syphilis and HIV at a venerology clinic. He had previously presented with anogenital tumors, but the diagnosis was uncertain. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was performed in addition to serology, and the diagnosis of syphilis in the secondary stage was confirmed. This case demonstrates how PCR technology can assist in the diagnosis of syphilis at early stages and underlines the importance of syphilis screening in homosexual men presenting with anogenital complaints.

  2. Diagnosis delay in Libyan female breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ermiah, Eramah; Abdalla, Fathi; Buhmeida, Abdelbaset; Larbesh, Entesar; Pyrhönen, Seppo; Collan, Yrjö

    2012-08-21

    To study the diagnosis delay and its impact on stage of disease among women with breast cancer on Libya. 200 women, aged 22 to 75 years with breast cancer diagnosed during 2008-2009 were interviewed about the period from the first symptoms to the final histological diagnosis of breast cancer. This period (diagnosis time) was categorized into 3 periods: 6 months. If diagnosis time was longer than 3 months, the diagnosis was considered delayed (diagnosis delay). Consultation time was the time taken to visit the general practitioner after the first symptoms. Retrospective preclinical and clinical data were collected on a form (questionnaire) during an interview with each patient and from medical records. The median of diagnosis time was 7.5 months. Only 30.0% of patients were diagnosed within 3 months after symptoms. 14% of patients were diagnosed within 3-6 months and 56% within a period longer than 6 months. A number of factors predicted diagnosis delay: Symptoms were not considered serious in 27% of patients. Alternative therapy (therapy not associated with cancer) was applied in 13.0% of the patients. Fear and shame prevented the visit to the doctor in 10% and 4.5% of patients, respectively. Inappropriate reassurance that the lump was benign was an important reason for prolongation of the diagnosis time. Diagnosis delay was associated with initial breast symptom(s) that did not include a lump (p diagnosis, the clinical stage distribution was as follows: 9.0% stage I, 25.5% stage II, 54.0% stage III and 11.5% stage IV.Diagnosis delay was associated with bigger tumour size (p Diagnosis delay is very serious problem in Libya. Diagnosis delay was associated with complex interactions between several factors and with advanced stages. There is a need for improving breast cancer awareness and training of general practitioners to reduce breast cancer mortality by promoting early detection. The treatment guidelines should pay more attention to the early phases of breast

  3. Early-stage [{sup 123}I]{beta}-CIT SPECT and long-term clinical follow-up in patients with an initial diagnosis of Parkinson's disease

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stoffers, Diederick [VU University Medical Center, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Neurosciences, P.O. Box 7057, MB, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Vrije Universiteit, Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Booij, Jan [University of Amsterdam, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Academic Medical Center (Netherlands); Bosscher, Lisette; Winogrodzka, Ania; Wolters, Erik C.; Berendse, Henk W. [VU University Medical Center, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Neurosciences, P.O. Box 7057, MB, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

    2005-06-01

    Previous studies using dopamine transporter single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to try and distinguish between patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) and patients with atypical parkinsonian syndromes (APS) have mainly focussed on patients with an already established clinical diagnosis of several years' duration. Differences in the pattern of striatal involvement between IPD and APS have been found in only few studies. We hypothesized that distinguishing SPECT features might be most pronounced at an early disease stage, and the purpose of the present study was to investigate this hypothesis. The study included 72 patients with an initial clinical diagnosis of IPD, supported by decreased striatal [{sup 123}I]{beta}-CIT binding on baseline SPECT. In ten patients, the diagnosis was changed to APS over a mean follow-up period of 62 months. We retrospectively compared the patterns of striatal involvement on the baseline SPECT scans between the group of patients (re)diagnosed with APS and the remaining 62 patients in whom a diagnosis of IPD was maintained. In the group of patients with APS, baseline [{sup 123}I]{beta}-CIT binding in both caudate nuclei was lower than in the group of patients with IPD. In addition, putamen to caudate binding ratios were higher in the group of APS patients. In spite of these differences, individual binding values showed considerable overlap between the groups. [{sup 123}I]{beta}-CIT SPECT scanning in early-stage, untreated parkinsonian patients revealed a relative sparing of the caudate nucleus in patients with IPD as compared to patients later (re)diagnosed with APS. Nevertheless, the pattern of striatal involvement appears to have little predictive value for a later re-diagnosis of APS in individual cases. (orig.)

  4. PET diagnosis. The decisive factor for early detection of the cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yonekura, Yoshiharu; Kusakabe, Kiyoko; Fukuda, Hiroshi; Inoue, Kentaro; Tanaka, Koichi; Murayama, Hideo; Amano, Masaharu; Oikawa, Koichi; Yamashita, Takashi

    2007-01-01

    The feature contains 8 articles concerned with the subject matter in the title. The first is a document of the interview with Dr. Yoshiharu Yonekura, the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) President, by the editor in chief of the journal, entitled ''Twenty to Thirty years are Necessary for Development of Basic Technology''- discussed are progress of molecular imaging, present and future of positron emission tomography (PET) diagnosis. Lasting are the articles of: ''Recommendation for PET diagnosis'' by K. Kusakabe, Tokyo Women's Medical Univ.- the role of PET diagnosis in a mass examination; ''The present state and future development of PET diagnosis of cancer'' by H. Fukuda and K. Inoue, Tohoku Univ. Hospital- labeled compounds and others; ''Promotion of popularization of the diagnosis as a part of CSR (corporate social responsibility) in the local medicare- A participation of the Hospital of Chugoku Electric Power Co., Ltd. in the project'' by K. Tanaka; ''Trend of development of next generation PET equipment'' by H. Murayama, NIRS- equipments like PET/CT or PET/MRI, and with high system sensitivity (detector- and photo-elements, DOI detection, high performance circuit, etc.); ''Achievement and developing trend of the equipments in the manufacturer- Shimadzu Corp.'' by M. Amano- PET/CT; ''(the same title)- Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.'' by K. Oikawa- cyclotron and therapeutic heavy ion beam generator; and ''Research and development in Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.'' by T. Yamashita- high throughput PET and animal PET. (R.T.)

  5. VitalQPlus: a potential screening tool for early diagnosis of COPD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sui CF

    2015-08-01

    /FEV6 <0.75 compared to patients with fewer COPD symptoms (scores <5. Conclusion: With the availability of a simple screening questionnaire and the COPD-6, there is an opportunity easily to make patients more aware of their lung symptoms and to encourage the provision of early treatment. The proposed dual assessment approach, which we termed the VitalQPlus, may play a profound role in the early diagnosis of COPD, which is crucial in improving the clinical management of the disease. Keywords: spirometry, pulmonary function test, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, airway obstruction

  6. Differential diagnosis diphtheria adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu. I. Liashenko

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available A total of 1,824 human cases of diphtheria, treated at the Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital SP Botkin (St. Petersburg during 1993, as well as 19 deaths in 1994. It is known that early diagnosis of infectious diseases, especially diphtheria, contributes to the favorable outcome of the disease. The diagnosis of diphtheria at the prehospital stage is always difficult. Presented in detail the differential diagnosis of the disease, clinically similar to diphtheria: Lacunal angina, angina Simanovsky, infectious mononucleosis, angina Ludwig’s angina Dugue, syphilis, non-infectious with clinical «masks» of diphtheria and other. Diphtheria epidemic of 1993–1994 in Russia and, in particular, in St. Petersburg, showed that the late admission of patients with diphtheria infection in hospitals, usually associated with irregular differential diagnosis of this dangerous disease.

  7. Serum auto-antibody testing for early diagnosis of breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parvez, S.

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this thesis is generate prototype-tests suitable for randomized prospective validation of auto-antibody based diagnostic testing using serum samples. Tumours can stimulate the production of auto-antibodies against autologous cellular proteins known as TAAs (tumour associated antigens). This discovery has lead to a possibility of using the auto-antibodies as serological tools for the early diagnosis and management of breast cancer. The recombinant proteins expressed by the SEREX clones, identified from screenings of brain and lung tumour, were used for the production of the protein microarrays and macroarrays. The protein microarrays showed better correlation between the replicates of the serum samples used. The optimized protocols were used for the subsequent experiments. A sizable panel of 642 clone-proteins was selected by marker-screening on protein macroarrays with 38000 clones. These 642 clone-proteins were used to generate protein microarrays that differentiated serum samples from breast cancer patients and controls. Antigenic peptide motifs were identified by in-silico analysis of 642 clone-proteins and peptide arrays were generated using synthetically generated peptides. Comparative studies between protein microarrays and peptide microarrays were done using breast cancer and healthy control samples. Simultaneously, SEREX strategy was used for the identification of the immunogenic TAAs. I identified 192 cDNA expression clones derived from breast cancer tissue samples and the selection was done using breast cancer sera. The genes corresponding to these clones were found over-represented for the pathways that are known to be associated with cancers. These genes showed typical features of TAAs, like over-expression, mutations and fusion genes. (author)

  8. Surveillance and monitoring experiences of chemical water-steam cycle in combined-cycle power plants (CCCs in Spanish acronyms) for early diagnosis of failures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santaolalla losada, E.

    2010-01-01

    In the present work is made a brief comparative review of the treatments effected in water of the cycle, their purpose, types, monitoring and tracking. Moreover, are described the most important failure mechanisms that can be related to the chemistry of cycle with the aim to establish monitoring guidelines to increase the reliability of the power plant and enable an early diagnosis. (Author)

  9. Comprehensive Analysis of Cancer-Proteogenome to Identify Biomarkers for the Early Diagnosis and Prognosis of Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hem D. Shukla

    2017-10-01

    , and pharmacogenomics data, are indispensable to glean into the cancer genome and proteome and these approaches have generated multidimensional universal studies of genes and proteins (OMICS data which has the potential to facilitate precision medicine. However, due to slow progress in computational technologies, the translation of big omics data into their clinical aspects have been slow. In this review, attempts have been made to describe the role of high-throughput genomic and proteomic technologies in identifying a panel of biomarkers which could be used for the early diagnosis and prognosis of cancer.

  10. Circulating microRNAs as biomarkers for the early diagnosis of childhood tuberculosis infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Mengyao; Yu, Guangyuan; Yang, Xiantao; Zhu, Chaomin; Zhang, Zhenzhen; Zhan, Xue

    2016-06-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of highly conserved, single-stranded RNA molecules (length, 18-25 nt) that regulate the expression of their target mRNAs. Previous studies have demonstrated that miRNAs may be novel biomarkers in the diagnosis of certain diseases. In order to evaluate the diagnostic value of miRNAs in childhood tuberculosis (TB), the circulating miRNA profile was determined using microarray analysis. An miRNA‑gene network was constructed to identify closely associated miRNAs and these miRNAs were validated using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR). A receiver operational curve (ROC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of confirmed miRNAs. The microarray data demonstrated that 29 miRNAs were altered with 15 upregulated and 14 downregulated. The network showed indicated 14 miRNAs that are critical in childhood TB. RT-qPCR validated that miR-1, miR-155, miR‑31, miR‑146a, miR‑10a, miR‑125b and miR‑150 were downregulated in while miR‑29 was upregulated in children with TB compared with uninfected children. The ROC curve data indicated the diagnostic value of single miRNA was as follows: miR‑150>miR‑146a>miR‑125b>miR‑31>miR‑10a>miR‑1>miR‑155>miR‑29. Notably, a combination of these miRNAs exhibited increased diagnostic value compared with any single miRNA. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to identify the expression profile of circulating miRNAs in childhood TB and demonstrated that miRNAs may be a novel, non‑invasive and effective biomarker for the early diagnosis of childhood TB.

  11. Diagnosis delay in Libyan female breast cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ermiah Eramah

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Aims To study the diagnosis delay and its impact on stage of disease among women with breast cancer on Libya. Methods 200 women, aged 22 to 75 years with breast cancer diagnosed during 2008–2009 were interviewed about the period from the first symptoms to the final histological diagnosis of breast cancer. This period (diagnosis time was categorized into 3 periods: 6 months. If diagnosis time was longer than 3 months, the diagnosis was considered delayed (diagnosis delay. Consultation time was the time taken to visit the general practitioner after the first symptoms. Retrospective preclinical and clinical data were collected on a form (questionnaire during an interview with each patient and from medical records. Results The median of diagnosis time was 7.5 months. Only 30.0% of patients were diagnosed within 3 months after symptoms. 14% of patients were diagnosed within 3–6 months and 56% within a period longer than 6 months. A number of factors predicted diagnosis delay: Symptoms were not considered serious in 27% of patients. Alternative therapy (therapy not associated with cancer was applied in 13.0% of the patients. Fear and shame prevented the visit to the doctor in 10% and 4.5% of patients, respectively. Inappropriate reassurance that the lump was benign was an important reason for prolongation of the diagnosis time. Diagnosis delay was associated with initial breast symptom(s that did not include a lump (p  Diagnosis delay was associated with bigger tumour size (p Conclusions Diagnosis delay is very serious problem in Libya. Diagnosis delay was associated with complex interactions between several factors and with advanced stages. There is a need for improving breast cancer awareness and training of general practitioners to reduce breast cancer mortality by promoting early detection. The treatment guidelines should pay more attention to the early phases of breast cancer. Especially, guidelines for good practices in managing

  12. Early postnatal diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis by combining light microscopy, acidified glycerol lysis test and eosin-5'-maleimide binding assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andres, Oliver; Eber, Stefan; Speer, Christian P

    2015-12-01

    Exact diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is widely considered unreliable around birth. However, early postnatal diagnosis at the beginning of congenital hemolysis may be essential for managing neonatal anemia and hemolytic icterus, identifying those at high risk for severe hyperbilirubinemia, irreversible kernicterus, or sudden need for red cell transfusion. We analyzed 37 blood samples from neonates or infants up to six weeks of life that had been collected in-house or shipped to our laboratory due to suspected red cell membrane disorder. By combining assessment of red cell morphology, acidified glycerol lysis test (AGLT), and eosin-5'-maleimide (EMA) binding assay, we were able to clearly exclude HS in 22 and confirm HS in 10 patients, of which one had undergone red cell transfusion prior to blood sampling. Assessment of red cell morphology and normal test results allowed diagnosis of infantile pyknocytosis or Heinz body anemia in three neonates. Re-evaluation of five patients with inconsistent results of AGLT and EMA binding led to confirmation of HS in two cases. Automated analysis of hematologic parameters revealed elevated proportion of hyperdense cells to be a highly significant indicator for HS in neonatal infants. We showed that assessment of red cell morphology in combination with AGLT and EMA binding assay is a reliable basis for confirming or rejecting suspected diagnosis of HS even in neonates. Our data underline the necessity for blood sampling and laboratory exploration in suspected red cell membrane or enzyme defects at the earliest occasion.

  13. Effect of health belief model and health promotion model on breast cancer early diagnosis behavior: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ersin, Fatma; Bahar, Zuhal

    2011-01-01

    Breast cancer is an important public health problem on the grounds that it is frequently seen and it is a fatal disease. The objective of this systematic analysis is to indicate the effects of interventions performed by nurses by using the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Health Promotion Model (HPM) on the breast cancer early diagnosis behaviors and on the components of the Health Belief Model and Health Promotion Model. The reveiw was created in line with the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination guide dated 2009 (CRD) and developed by York University National Institute of Health Researches. Review was conducted by using PUBMED, OVID, EBSCO and COCHRANE databases. Six hundred seventy eight studies (PUBMED: 236, OVID: 162, EBSCO: 175, COCHRANE:105) were found in total at the end of the review. Abstracts and full texts of these six hundred seventy eight studies were evaluated in terms of inclusion and exclusion criteria and 9 studies were determined to meet the criteria. Samplings of the studies varied between ninety four and one thousand six hundred fifty five. It was detected in the studies that educations provided by taking the theories as basis became effective on the breast cancer early diagnosis behaviors. When the literature is examined, it is observed that the experimental researches which compare the concepts of Health Belief Model (HBM) and Health Promotion Model (HPM) preoperatively and postoperatively and show the effect of these concepts on education and are conducted by nurses are limited in number. Randomized controlled studies which compare HBM and HPM concepts preoperatively and postoperatively and show the efficiency of the interventions can be useful in evaluating the efficiency of the interventions.

  14. [Advance in the methods of preimplantation genetic diagnosis for single gene diseases].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Yixin; Qiao, Jie; Yan, Liying

    2017-06-10

    More than 7000 single gene diseases have been identified and most of them lack effective treatment. As an early form of prenatal diagnosis, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a combination of in vitro fertilization and genetic diagnosis. PGD has been applied in clinics for more than 20 years to avoid the transmission of genetic defects through analysis of embryos at early stages of development. In this paper, a review for the recent advances in PGD for single gene diseases is provided.

  15. Computer vision techniques for the diagnosis of skin cancer

    CERN Document Server

    Celebi, M

    2014-01-01

    The goal of this volume is to summarize the state-of-the-art in the utilization of computer vision techniques in the diagnosis of skin cancer. Malignant melanoma is one of the most rapidly increasing cancers in the world. Early diagnosis is particularly important since melanoma can be cured with a simple excision if detected early. In recent years, dermoscopy has proved valuable in visualizing the morphological structures in pigmented lesions. However, it has also been shown that dermoscopy is difficult to learn and subjective. Newer technologies such as infrared imaging, multispectral imaging, and confocal microscopy, have recently come to the forefront in providing greater diagnostic accuracy. These imaging technologies presented in this book can serve as an adjunct to physicians and  provide automated skin cancer screening. Although computerized techniques cannot as yet provide a definitive diagnosis, they can be used to improve biopsy decision-making as well as early melanoma detection, especially for pa...

  16. Analysis of factors responsible for the image in early stage emphysema and research concerning the diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakanishi, Hirotaka

    1998-01-01

    To clarify the utility of the CT image to a clinical diagnosis of the early stage emphysema, the relation of CT value to the level of the lung destruction, the change in the lung density and pulmonary function was examined. Experimental pulmonary emphysema model in canine was produced by inhalation of aerosolized papain solution. In this model, the relationship between the destruction in lung tissues and the analysis of CT images was investigated. Changes in the alveolar surface area per unit lung volume well reflected those in mean CT value in the lung parenchyma. Also, it was clarified that the degree of the lung destruction in this model corresponded to that in patients with the early stage emphysema. Mean CT value in the area that formed lowest 5th percentile of the CT value histogram (mCT (5%ile)) was developed to analyze CT images in emphysema. To develop this study, changes of the mCT (5%ile) at the respiratory level from 5% to 95% inspiratory vital capacity (mCT (5%ile (5-95%VC))) was examined. In experimental studies, there was statistical significance between control and emphysema model. In clinical study using 14 patients with emphysema, the mCT (5%ile (5-95%VC)) reflected well the values of pulmonary function tests which indicated air flow limitation such as %pred. FEV 1.0 and MMF. The present studies demonstrated that it might be useful to detect the pathological and functional impairment in the early stage emphysema by using mCT (5%ile (5-95%VC)). (author)

  17. Innovative haematological parameters for early diagnosis of sepsis in adult patients admitted in intensive care unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buoro, Sabrina; Manenti, Barbara; Seghezzi, Michela; Dominoni, Paola; Barbui, Tiziano; Ghirardi, Arianna; Carobbio, Alessandra; Marchesi, Gianmariano; Riva, Ivano; Nasi, Alessandra; Ottomano, Cosimo; Lippi, Giuseppe

    2018-04-01

    This study was aimed to investigate the role of erythrocyte, platelet and reticulocyte (RET) parameters, measured by new haematological analyser Sysmex XN and C reactive protein (CRP), for early diagnosis of sepsis during intensive care unit (ICU) stay. The study population consisted of 62 ICU patients, 21 of whom developed sepsis during ICU stay and 41 who did not. The performance for early diagnosing of sepsis was calculated as area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristics curves analysis. Compared with CRP (AUC 0.81), immature platelet fraction (IPF) (AUC 0.82) showed comparable efficiency for identifying the onset of sepsis. The association with the risk of developing sepsis during ICU stay was also assessed. One day before the onset of sepsis, a decreased of RET% was significantly associated with the risk of developing sepsis (OR=0.35, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.87), whereas an increased of IPF absolute value (IPF#) was significantly associated with the risk of developing sepsis (OR=1.13, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.24) 2 days before the onset of sepsis. The value of CRP was not predictive of sepsis at either time points. IPF# and RET% may provide valuable clinical information for predicting the risk of developing sepsis, thus allowing early management of patients before the onset of clinically evident systemic infections. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  18. Isotopic diagnosis of peripheral thrombosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cornu, Pierre; Scalet, Michel

    1975-01-01

    Radio-isotope diagnosis of peripheral venous thrombosis, using tracer doses of iodine-labelled fibrinogen, provides an important contribution to the solution of the worrying problem of pulmonary embolism due to latent phlebitis. This elegant and precise technique permits early diagnosis of venous thrombosis of the lower limbs at a subclinical stage. It has permitted determination of the frequency, both after surgery and after myocardial infarction, and above all, it provides an objective criterion for assessment of the efficacy of prophylactic measures proposed [fr

  19. Nailfold Capillaroscopy - Its Role in Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis of Microvascular Damage in Systemic Sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lambova, Sevdalina; Hermann, W; Muller-Ladner, Ulf

    2013-01-01

    In the nailfold area, specific diagnostic microvascular abnormalities are easily recognized via capillaroscopic examination in systemic sclerosis (SSc). They are termed "scleroderma" type capillaroscopic pattern, which includes presence of dilated, giant capillaries, haemorrhages, avascular areas, and neoangiogenic capillaries and are observed in the majority of SSc patients (in more than 90%). LeRoy and Medsger (2001) proposed criteria for early diagnosis of SSc with inclusion of the abnormal capillaroscopic changes and suggested to prediagnose SSc prior to the development of other manifestations of the disease. It is a new era in the diagnosis of SSc. At present, an international multicenter project is performed. It aims validation of criteria for very early diagnosis of SSc (project VEDOSS (Very Early Diagnosis of Systemic Sclerosis) and is organized by European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Scleroderma Trials and Reasearch. Very recently the first results of the VEDOSS project were processed and new EULAR/ACR (American College of Rheumatology) classification criteria have been validated and published (2013), in which the characteristic capillaroscopic changes have been included. Our observations confirm the high frequency of the specific capillaroscopic changes of the fingers in SSc, which have been found in 97.2% of the cases from the studied patient population. We have performed for the first time capillaroscopic examinations of the toes in SSc. Interestingly,"scleroderma type" capillaroscopic pattern was also found at the toes in a high proportion of patients - 66.7%, but it is significantly less frequent as compared with fingers (97.2%, p<0.05). In our opinion, the examination of the toes of SSc patients should be considered as it suggests an additional opportunity for evaluation of the microvascular changes in these patients although the observed changes are in a lower proportion of cases. Thus, capillaroscopic examination is a cornerstone for the very

  20. Evaluation of serum chemokine RANTES concentration as a biomarker in the diagnosis of early-onset severe infections in neonates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Małgorzata Stojewska

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Only a few studies on improving the early diagnosis of severe neonatal infections have focused on the role of serum RANTES concentration (sRC. The aim of the study was to establish sRC in neonates with early-onset infections, according to their gestational age, sex, birth asphyxia, mode of delivery and value of some biochemical and hematological parameters.Material/Methods: The analysis comprised 129 neonates, including 89 infected (52 preterm, 37 full-term; 43 with sepsis, 39 with congenital pneumonia, 7 with severe urinary tract infection and 40 healthy (control group, 25 full-term, 15 preterm. The sRC in peripheral vein blood was measured by the ELISA method using Quantikine Set (R & D systems, USA.Results: The sRC in infected neonates ranged from 10.83 to 122.55 μg/ml, in full-term neonates from 18.28 to 122.55 μg/ml, and in preterm from 10.83 to 118.24 μg/ml. The mean sRCs in full-term septic neonates (73.95±25.99 μg/ml and with organ infections (58.43±29.24 μg/ml were significantly higher than healthy ones (28.25±14.06 μg/ml. The mean sRCs in septic preterm neonates (59.17±28.29 μg/ml and those with organ infections (50.86±28.16 were significantly higher than in healthy preterm neonates (25.61±8.29 μg/ml. Positive correlations between sRC and CRP value (r=0.3014, p=0.004 and between sRC and band cell count (r=0.2489, p=0.019 were found in all infected neonates. Conclusion. The significant increase of serum RANTES concentration in early-onset infections in neonates, regardless of their gestational age, sex and birth asphyxia, not only proves the presence of an active immunological process but also may be a useful biomarker for diagnosis of severe neonatal infections.

  1. Cost-Saving Early Diagnosis of Functional Pain in Nonmalignant Pain: A Noninferiority Study of Diagnostic Accuracy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cámara, Rafael J A; Merz, Christian; Wegmann, Barbara; Stauber, Stefanie; von Känel, Roland; Egloff, Niklaus

    2016-01-01

    Objectives. We compared two index screening tests for early diagnosis of functional pain: pressure pain measurement by electronic diagnostic equipment, which is accurate but too specialized for primary health care, versus peg testing, which is cost-saving and more easily manageable but of unknown sensitivity and specificity. Early distinction of functional (altered pain perception; nervous sensitization) from neuropathic or nociceptive pain improves pain management. Methods. Clinicians blinded for the index screening tests assessed the reference standard of this noninferiority diagnostic accuracy study, namely, comprehensive medical history taking with all previous findings and treatment outcomes. All consenting patients referred to a university hospital for nonmalignant musculoskeletal pain participated. The main analysis compared the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of both index screening tests. Results. The area under the ROC curve for peg testing was not inferior to that of electronic equipment: it was at least 95% as large for finger measures (two-sided p = 0.038) and at least equally as large for ear measures (two-sided p = 0.003). Conclusions. Routine diagnostic testing by peg, which is accessible for general practitioners, is at least as accurate as specialized equipment. This may shorten time-to-treatment in general practices, thereby improving the prognosis and quality of life.

  2. Blind Source Separation and Dynamic Fuzzy Neural Network for Fault Diagnosis in Machines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Haifeng; Ouyang, Huajiang; Gao, Hongli

    2015-01-01

    Many assessment and detection methods are used to diagnose faults in machines. High accuracy in fault detection and diagnosis can be achieved by using numerical methods with noise-resistant properties. However, to some extent, noise always exists in measured data on real machines, which affects the identification results, especially in the diagnosis of early- stage faults. In view of this situation, a damage assessment method based on blind source separation and dynamic fuzzy neural network (DFNN) is presented to diagnose the early-stage machinery faults in this paper. In the processing of measurement signals, blind source separation is adopted to reduce noise. Then sensitive features of these faults are obtained by extracting low dimensional manifold characteristics from the signals. The model for fault diagnosis is established based on DFNN. Furthermore, on-line computation is accelerated by means of compressed sensing. Numerical vibration signals of ball screw fault modes are processed on the model for mechanical fault diagnosis and the results are in good agreement with the actual condition even at the early stage of fault development. This detection method is very useful in practice and feasible for early-stage fault diagnosis. (paper)

  3. Preliminary analysis of the very early diagnosis of systemic sclerosis (VEDOSS) EUSTAR multicentre study: evidence for puffy fingers as a pivotal sign for suspicion of systemic sclerosis.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Minier, T.; Guiducci, S.; Bellando-Randone, S.; Bruni, C.; Lepri, G.; Czirjak, L.; Distler, O.; Walker, U.A.; Fransen, J.; Allanore, Y.; Denton, C.; Cutolo, M.; Tyndall, A.; Muller-Ladner, U.; Matucci-Cerinic, M.

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: The EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism) Scleroderma Trials and Research Group (EUSTAR) has identified preliminary criteria for very early diagnosis of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Our aim was to assess the prevalence of each proposed diagnostic item in a large observational patient

  4. Early diagnosis of congenital vascular malformation as a condition to rapid prevention of complications – case study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dominika Jaguś

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Klippel–Trénaunay syndrome is a rare congenital condition characterised by a triad of symptoms: capillary-lymphatic-venous malformations, varicose veins and venous malformations as well as soft tissue and skeletal hypertrophy of the affected limb. In this article, we present a case of a 5-year-old boy with extensive vascular malformations of the lower limbs and the buttock region. In this case, manifestation of all three symptoms was gradual. At the age of 4 years, the patient was admitted to the Department of Imaging Diagnostics for further diagnosis, where the triad characteristic for Klippel–Trénaunay syndrome and popliteal vein agenesis were diagnosed. Currently, a multidisciplinary team takes care of the boy in the Children’s Memorial Health Institute. Early and accurate diagnosis allows for rapid prevention of complications associated with Klippel–Trénaunay syndrome and enables patient-tailored treatment.

  5. Delay in the histopathologic diagnosis of mycosis fungoides

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Guldhammer Skov, Anne; Gniadecki, Robert

    2015-01-01

    The diagnosis of mycosis fungoides (MF) is difficult in early stages and is based on a combination of clinical findings and histopathologic criteria. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic delay in MF and to investigate the rationale for multiple biopsies in a single-centre, retrospec......The diagnosis of mycosis fungoides (MF) is difficult in early stages and is based on a combination of clinical findings and histopathologic criteria. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic delay in MF and to investigate the rationale for multiple biopsies in a single...

  6. Comparative evaluation of GenoType MTBDRplus line probe assay with solid culture method in early diagnosis of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB at a tertiary care centre in India.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raj N Yadav

    Full Text Available The objectives of the study were to compare the performance of line probe assay (GenoType MTBDRplus with solid culture method for an early diagnosis of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB, and to study the mutation patterns associated with rpoB, katG and inhA genes at a tertiary care centre in north India.In this cross-sectional study, 269 previously treated sputum-smear acid-fast bacilli (AFB positive MDR-TB suspects were enrolled from January to September 2012 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences hospital, New Delhi. Line probe assay (LPA was performed directly on the sputum specimens and the results were compared with that of conventional drug susceptibility testing (DST on solid media [Lowenstein Jensen (LJ method].DST results by LPA and LJ methods were compared in 242 MDR-TB suspects. The LPA detected rifampicin (RIF resistance in 70 of 71 cases, isoniazid (INH resistance in 86 of 93 cases, and MDR-TB in 66 of 68 cases as compared to the conventional method. Overall (rifampicin, isoniazid and MDR-TB concordance of the LPA with the conventional DST was 96%. Sensitivity and specificity were 98% and 99% respectively for detection of RIF resistance; 92% and 99% respectively for detection of INH resistance; 97% and 100% respectively for detection of MDR-TB. Frequencies of katG gene, inhA gene and combined katG and inhA gene mutations conferring all INH resistance were 72/87 (83%, 10/87 (11% and 5/87 (6% respectively. The turnaround time of the LPA test was 48 hours.The LPA test provides an early diagnosis of monoresistance to isoniazid and rifampicin and is highly sensitive and specific for an early diagnosis of MDR-TB. Based on these findings, it is concluded that the LPA test can be useful in early diagnosis of drug resistant TB in high TB burden countries.

  7. Lipid raft disarrangement as a result of neuropathological progresses: a novel strategy for early diagnosis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marin, R; Rojo, J A; Fabelo, N; Fernandez, C E; Diaz, M

    2013-08-15

    Lipid rafts are the preferential site of numerous membrane signaling proteins which are involved in neuronal functioning and survival. These proteins are organized in multiprotein complexes, or signalosomes, in close contact with lipid classes particularly represented in lipid rafts (i.e. cholesterol, sphingolipids and saturated fatty acids), which may contribute to physiological responses leading to neuroprotection. Increasing evidence indicates that alteration of lipid composition in raft structures as a consequence of neuropathologies, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), causes a dramatic increase in lipid raft order. These phenomena may correlate with perturbation of signalosome activities, likely contributing to neurodegenerative progression. Interestingly, significant disruption of stable raft microenvironments has been already observed in the first stages of either AD or PD, suggesting that these alterations may represent early events in the neuropathological development. In this regard, the search for biochemical markers, such as specific metabolic products altered in the brain at the first steps of the disease, presently represents an important challenge for early diagnostic strategies. Alterations of these biomarkers may be reflected in either plasma or cerebrospinal fluid, thus representing a potential strategy to predict an accurate diagnosis. We propose that pathologically-linked lipid raft markers may be interesting candidates to be explored at this level, although it has not been studied so far to what extent alteration of different signalosome components may be reflected in peripheral fluids. In this mini-review, we will discuss on relevant aspects of lipid rafts that contribute to the modulation of neuropathological events related to AD and PD. An interesting hypothesis is that anomalies on raft biomarkers measured at peripheral fluids might mirror the lipid raft pathology observed in early stages of AD and PD. Copyright

  8. Prune-belly syndrome: case series and review of the literature regarding early prenatal diagnosis, epidemiology, genetic factors, treatment, and prognosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tonni, Gabriele; Ida, Vito; Alessandro, Ventura; Bonasoni, Maria Paola

    2013-02-01

    Prune-belly syndrome (PBS) is a rare congenital syndrome characterized by deficient abdominal muscles, urinary tract malformation, and in males, cryptorchidism and has an estimated incidence of 1 in 35,000 to 1 in 50,000 live births. The syndrome might be due to severe bladder outlet obstruction or to abdominal muscle deficiency secondary to a migrational defect of the lateral mesoblast between weeks 6 and 7 of pregnancy. The current review of the medical record reports a special focus on epidemiology, genetic factors, early prenatal diagnosis clusters, treatment, and prognosis of PBS.

  9. Diagnosis of antenatal Bartter syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayan, R; Peres, M; Kesby, G

    2016-01-01

    Bartter syndrome is a rare heterogeneous group of autosomal-recessive salt-losing renal tubular disorders that can present in fetal life (antenatal Bartter syndrome; ABS) as "unexplained" early-onset polyhydramnios, often associated with growth restriction. Prenatal diagnosis of the condition involves assessment of amniotic fluid biochemistry in a setting of polyuric polyhydramnios; with elevated chloride levels considered a consistent and diagnostic finding. Other amniotic fluid biochemical markers have been described, notably increased aldosterone levels, and low total protein levels. NOVEL INSIGHT: Antenatal Bartter syndrome is a heterogeneous group of renal disorders. While certain biochemical features in amniotic fluid might heighten suspicion, final diagnosis can only be made in the postnatal setting. In the setting of unexplained severe polyhydramnios, clinicians should continue to entertain the diagnosis of antenatal Bartter Syndrome and maintain neonatal surveillance, even if amniotic fluid markers do not support the diagnosis.

  10. [Septic thrombophlebitis of the portal vein (pylephlebitis): diagnosis and management of three cases].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arteche, E; Ostiz, S; Miranda, L; Caballero, P; Jiménez López de Oñate, G

    2005-01-01

    Pylephlebitis is thrombophlebitis of the portal vein and/or of its branches; it is acute and generally arises as a complication of inflammatory intra-abdominal processes or of surgical interventions in patients with blood discrasies. As its clinical picture is fairly non-specific, radiological findings, while not pathognomonic, are of great use in early diagnosis and improved vital prognosis of these patients. The aims of this study are to review the pathophysiology of this entity and its clinical and radiological presentation, which allow for early clinical suspicion. Three cases of pylephlebitis are presented, two of them post-surgical, in which the only common clinical data for suspicion were the febricula and leucocytosis. Diagnosis was obtained from the finding of helicoidal computer tomography with IV contrast - Somaton Siemens - and abdominal echography - Ellegra Siemens - carried out on the three. The result of these tests was decisive for an early diagnosis, efficient treatment and satisfactory evolution in the three cases. We wish to emphasize the importance of clinical suspicion and early radiology for an early diagnosis of this entity, which make it possible to establish an efficient treatment.

  11. Suicide in cancer patients within the first year of diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Myung Hee; Park, Subin; Lee, Hochang Benjamin; Ramsey, Christine M; Na, Riji; Kim, Seon Ok; Kim, Jeong Eun; Yoon, Shinkyo; Hong, Jin Pyo

    2015-05-01

    A diagnosis of cancer is associated with an increased suicide risk, and this risk is the highest within the first year of diagnosis. The aim of the present study was to determine risk factors of suicide occurring within the first year of cancer diagnosis (early suicide). The sampling pool consisted of 164,497 patients with cancer admitted to a general hospital in Seoul, South Korea, from 1996 to 2009. We conducted a 1:2 matched case-control study by matching 373 patients who died from suicide (cases) with 746 patients who did not die from suicide (controls) on age, sex, anatomic site, and at the time of cancer diagnosis. Data were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression modeling. Suicide within the first year after a cancer diagnosis occurred in 149 patients (40.0% of 373 total suicides). The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for early suicide was 1.65 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.40-1.94] and was significantly higher for biliary-pancreatic (SMR = 3.07; 95% CI = 2.02-4.46), lung (SMR = 1.94; 95% CI = 1.19-3.30), and stomach (SMR = 1.71; 95% CI = 1.16-2.42) cancers than for other cancers. Early and late suicide was significantly different in anatomic site (p = 0.01) and stage (p suicide compared with late suicide (53.4 versus 18.7%; p suicide risk. Cancers with an advanced stage at diagnosis were associated with an increased risk of suicide within 1 year of diagnosis. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. A Japanese nationwide survey on the FDG-PET scans for dementia. Analysis on the predicted costs and benefits of FDG-PET for early diagnosis of Alzheimer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Senda, Michio; Ouchi, Yasuomi; Ishii, Kazunari

    2003-01-01

    A nation-wide survey was carried out on the FDG-PET scans for the diagnosis of dementia by the FDG-PET Working Group organized by both the Japan Radioisotope Association and the Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine. A total of 406 case reports were presented by 15 PET centers for one year. The purpose of the PET scans included early diagnosis of Alzheimer-type Dementia (154 cases, group A) and differential diagnosis of degenerative dementia (144 cases, group B), which was achieved by the PET scan in most cases. The PET scan turned out to allow omitting cerebral blood flow (CBF)-SPECT scans. Since donepezil treatment of the Alzheimer patients prevents the progress of the disease and reduces the care cost, an economic evaluation was performed on the two-year projected cost and benefit of FDG-PET. The reduction of the total cost by incorporating PET into the protocol was predicted to be 61500 yen (group A) and 13700 yen (group B) per person. The increase of the quality adjusted life year (QALY) was predicted to be 0.0442 (group A) and 0.0137 (group B). Therefore, incorporation of PET into the clinical pass was shown to be an economically dominant. As the number of potential subjects for early diagnosis of dementia is estimated to be 9000 across the country every year, PET is expected to increase their quality of life equivalent to 398 intact persons per year while reducing the cost of health care by 554 million yen. (author)

  13. Early onset type 2 diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bo, A; Thomsen, R W; Nielsen, J S

    2018-01-01

    was more frequent and meeting physical activity recommendations less likely in persons with early-onset type 2 DM. CONCLUSIONS: We found a clear age-gradient, with increasing prevalence of clinical and behavioural risk factors the younger the onset age of type 2 DM. Younger persons with early-onset type 2......AIM: To examine the association between early onset of type 2 diabetes (DM) and clinical and behavioural risk factors for later diabetes complications. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 5115 persons with incident type 2 DM enrolled during 2010-2015 in the Danish Centre for Strategic...... Research in Type 2 Diabetes-cohort. We compared risk factors at time of diagnosis among those diagnosed at ≤45 years (early-onset) with diagnosis age 46-55, 56-65 (average-onset = reference), 66-75, and >75 years (late-onset). Prevalence ratios (PRs) were computed using Poisson regression. RESULTS: Poor...

  14. Echocardiography diagnosis of myocardial infarction complications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N.D. Oryshchyn

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Diagnosis and management of myocardial infarction complications are discussed in this article. These complications are associated with high level of mortality and surgery is a main treatment method. High level of suspicion and early diagnosis are essential for appropriate treatment and improvement of prognosis. Echocardiography is a main diagnostic method. Analysis of literature about contemporary management of mechanical complications of myocardial infarction has been performed, case reports are presented.

  15. School Age Outcomes of Children Diagnosed Early and Later with Autism Spectrum Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Megan Louise Erin; Vinen, Zoe; Barbaro, Josephine; Dissanayake, Cheryl

    2018-01-01

    Early diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder is considered best practice, increasing access to early intervention. Yet, many children are diagnosed after 3-years. The current study investigated the school age outcomes of children who received an early and later diagnosis of ASD. The cognitive and behavioural outcomes of children diagnosed early (n…

  16. Factors Associated with Delayed Cancer Diagnosis in Egyptian Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E.R. Abdelkhalek

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background Despite tremendous importance of early cancer diagnosis in children, few studies on this topic have been conducted in Egypt. Early stage diagnosis can have a positive effect on prognoses and the quality of life of children with cancer. We investigated delays in the diagnosis of childhood cancers in Egypt and determined the factors associated with these delays. Methods This retrospective study included 172 children with cancer from two pediatric oncology units. The interval between symptoms onset and final diagnosis for each child was estimated and examined by univariate and multivariate analyses to determine correlations with the child's sex, age at diagnosis, type and site of malignancy, family residence, socioeconomic status, and parental educational level. Findings The median total diagnosis delay period was 47 days caused by patients and/or parents (8 days and diagnosis (28 days. Statistically significant patient factors associated with delayed diagnosis were age (<5 years, lower parental education, and socioeconomic status. Sex residence and family size were not significant. Malignancy type and tumor site significantly affected the time for diagnosis. The lowest median value was associated with germ cell tumors (GCTs and leukemia, and the highest value was in children with brain tumor. Missed diagnoses were initially recorded in 39.5% of the patients and were associated with patient and tumor factors. Interpretation Delayed diagnosis of childhood cancer is related to age, family, socioeconomic status and parental education, and cancer type and site. Efforts should be made to promote awareness, develop effective steps to eliminate possible contributing factors, and determine the best intervention method.

  17. Assessment of Cognition and Language in the Early Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Usefulness of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torras-Mañá, M.; Gómez-Morales, A.; González-Gimeno, I.; Fornieles-Deu, A.; Brun-Gasca, C.

    2016-01-01

    Background: The aim of this study was to test the usefulness of the Cognitive and Language scales Bayley-III in the early assessment of cognitive and language functions in the context of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. This paper focuses on the application of the Bayley-III and studies the predictive value of the test result in…

  18. Enhancement of early cervical cancer diagnosis with epithelial layer analysis of fluorescence lifetime images.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Gu

    Full Text Available This work reports the use of layer analysis to aid the fluorescence lifetime diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN from H&E stained cervical tissue sections. The mean and standard deviation of lifetimes in single region of interest (ROI of cervical epithelium were previously shown to correlate to the gold standard histopathological classification of early cervical cancer. These previously defined single ROIs were evenly divided into layers for analysis. A 10-layer model revealed a steady increase in fluorescence lifetime from the inner to the outer epithelial layers of healthy tissue sections, suggesting a close association with cellular maturity. The shorter lifetime and minimal lifetime increase towards the epithelial surface of CIN-affected regions are in good agreement with the absence of cellular maturation in CIN. Mean layer lifetimes in the top-half cervical epithelium were used as feature vectors for extreme learning machine (ELM classifier discriminations. It was found that the proposed layer analysis technique greatly improves the sensitivity and specificity to 94.6% and 84.3%, respectively, which can better supplement the traditional gold standard cervical histopathological examinations.

  19. Use of radionuclide imaging in the early diagnosis and treatment of renal allograft rejection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mandel, S.R.; Mattern, W.D.; Staab, E.; Johnson, G. Jr.

    1975-01-01

    Data are presented on the clinical application of radionuclide imaging to evaluate changes in cadaver transplant function in the immediate postoperative period. The method uses orthoiodohippuric acid (hippuran) administered IV, with scintillation imaging, and curve analysis by a digital computer. An initial study is always obtained 24 hours after transplantation. Serial studies are then obtained, as needed, to interpret the clinical course. Selected cases are presented which illustrate the use of this protocol in various clinical settings. In the oliguric patient serial studies have been of particular value. They have identified ATN so that overenthusiastic treatment for rejection could be avoided. They have also identified acute rejection complicating ATN so that high dose steroid therapy could be administered appropriately. In the nonoliguric patient they have frequently contributed to the early diagnosis of acute rejection, and they have been useful in monitoring the effect and duration of treatment for severe rejection crisis. It is concluded that radionuclide imaging studies, when carefully applied and interpreted, are a valuable adjunct to the management of patients in this complex clinical setting

  20. Early diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy in primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jimenez-Baez, Maria Valeria; Marquez-Gonzalez, Horacio; Barcenas-Contreras, Rodolfo; Morales Montoya, Carlos; Espinosa-Garcia, Laura Fatima

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the impact of a strategy for early detection of diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DMT2) in Quintana Roo, México. Study transversal, observational, prospective, analytical, eight primary care units from Mexican Social Security Institute in the northern delegation of the State of Quintana Roo, Mexico were included. A program for early detection of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in adult 376,169 was designed. Were diagnosed 683 cases of type 2 diabetes, in 105 patients randomized was conducted to direct ophthalmoscopy were subjected to a secondary hospital were assigned. Will determine the degree of diabetic retinopathy and macular edema was performed. In population were 55.2% female, mean age 48+11.1 years, 23.8 % had some degree of DR, 28.0% with mild non- proliferative diabetic retinopathy 48.0 % moderate 16.0% and severe and 8.0% showed proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Those over age 30 are 2.8 times more risk of developing DR, OR= 2.8; 95%CI: 0.42-18.0, and OR= 1.7; 95%CI: 1.02-2.95 women. The implementation of programs aimed at the early detection of debilitating conditions such as diabetic retinopathy health impact beneficiaries, effective links between primary care systems and provide second level positive health outcomes for patient diseases.

  1. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction detection of circulating DNA in serum for early diagnosis of mucormycosis in immunocompromised patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Millon, Laurence; Larosa, Fabrice; Lepiller, Quentin; Legrand, Faezeh; Rocchi, Steffi; Daguindau, Etienne; Scherer, Emeline; Bellanger, Anne-Pauline; Leroy, Joel; Grenouillet, Frederic

    2013-05-01

    The aim of our study was to assess the detection of circulating DNA from the most common species of Mucorales for early diagnosis of mucormycosis in at-risk patients. We retrospectively evaluated a combination of 3 quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays using hydrolysis probes targeting Mucor/Rhizopus, Lichtheimia (formerly Absidia), and Rhizomucor for circulating Mucorales detection. Serial serum samples from 10 patients diagnosed with proven mucormycosis (2-9 samples per patient) were analyzed. No cross-reactivity was detected in the 3 qPCR assays using 19 reference strains of opportunistic fungi, and the limit of detection ranged from 3.7 to 15 femtograms/10 µL, depending on the species. DNA from Mucorales was detected in the serum of 9 of 10 patients between 68 and 3 days before mucormycosis diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological examination and/or positive culture. All the qPCR results were concordant with culture and/or PCR-based identification of the causing agents in tissue (Lichtheimia species, Rhizomucor species, and Mucor/Rhizopus species in 4, 3, and 2 patients, respectively). Quantitative PCR was negative in only 1 patient with proven disseminated mucormycosis caused by Lichtheimia species. Our study suggests that using specific qPCR targeting several species of Mucorales according to local ecology to screen at-risk patients could be useful in a clinical setting. The cost and efficacy of this strategy should be evaluated. However, given the human and economic cost of mucormycosis and the need for rapid diagnosis to initiate prompt directed antifungal therapy, this strategy could be highly attractive.

  2. Monitoring on internal temperature of composite insulator with embedding fiber Bragg grating for early diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wen; Tang, Ming

    2017-04-01

    The abnormal temperature rise is the precursor of the defective composite insulator in power transmission line. However no consolidated techniques or methodologies can on line monitor its internal temperature now. Thus a new method using embedding fiber Bragg grating (FBG) in fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) rod is adopted to monitor its internal temperature. To correctly demodulate the internal temperature of FRP rod from the Bragg wavelength shift of FBG, the conversion coefficient between them is deduced theoretically based on comprehensive investigation on the thermal stresses of the metal-composite joint, as well as its material and structural properties. Theoretical model shows that the conversion coefficients of FBG embedded in different positions will be different because of non-uniform thermal stress distribution, which is verified by an experiment. This work lays the theoretical foundation of monitoring the internal temperature of composite insulator with embedding FBG, which is of great importance to its health structural monitoring, especially early diagnosis.

  3. Cardiovascular oscillations at the bedside: early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis using heart rate characteristics monitoring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moorman, J Randall; Lake, Douglas E; Delos, John B; Flower, Abigail A; Cao, Hanqing; Kovatchev, Boris P; Richman, Joshua S

    2011-01-01

    We have applied principles of statistical signal processing and nonlinear dynamics to analyze heart rate time series from premature newborn infants in order to assist in the early diagnosis of sepsis, a common and potentially deadly bacterial infection of the bloodstream. We began with the observation of reduced variability and transient decelerations in heart rate interval time series for hours up to days prior to clinical signs of illness. We find that measurements of standard deviation, sample asymmetry and sample entropy are highly related to imminent clinical illness. We developed multivariable statistical predictive models, and an interface to display the real-time results to clinicians. Using this approach, we have observed numerous cases in which incipient neonatal sepsis was diagnosed and treated without any clinical illness at all. This review focuses on the mathematical and statistical time series approaches used to detect these abnormal heart rate characteristics and present predictive monitoring information to the clinician

  4. Family History of Early Infant Death Correlates with Earlier Age at Diagnosis But Not Shorter Time to Diagnosis for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anderson Dik Wai Luk

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundSevere combined immunodeficiency (SCID is fatal unless treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Delay in diagnosis is common without newborn screening. Family history of infant death due to infection or known SCID (FH has been associated with earlier diagnosis.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify the clinical features that affect age at diagnosis (AD and time to the diagnosis of SCID.MethodsFrom 2005 to 2016, 147 SCID patients were referred to the Asian Primary Immunodeficiency Network. Patients with genetic diagnosis, age at presentation (AP, and AD were selected for study.ResultsA total of 88 different SCID gene mutations were identified in 94 patients, including 49 IL2RG mutations, 12 RAG1 mutations, 8 RAG2 mutations, 7 JAK3 mutations, 4 DCLRE1C mutations, 4 IL7R mutations, 2 RFXANK mutations, and 2 ADA mutations. A total of 29 mutations were previously unreported. Eighty-three of the 94 patients fulfilled the selection criteria. Their median AD was 4 months, and the time to diagnosis was 2 months. The commonest SCID was X-linked (n = 57. A total of 29 patients had a positive FH. Candidiasis (n = 27 and bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG vaccine infection (n = 19 were the commonest infections. The median age for candidiasis and BCG infection documented were 3 months and 4 months, respectively. The median absolute lymphocyte count (ALC was 1.05 × 109/L with over 88% patients below 3 × 109/L. Positive FH was associated with earlier AP by 1 month (p = 0.002 and diagnosis by 2 months (p = 0.008, but not shorter time to diagnosis (p = 0.494. Candidiasis was associated with later AD by 2 months (p = 0.008 and longer time to diagnosis by 0.55 months (p = 0.003. BCG infections were not associated with age or time to diagnosis.ConclusionFH was useful to aid earlier diagnosis but was overlooked by clinicians and not by parents. Similarly, typical clinical features of

  5. Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yau, Mabel; Khattab, Ahmed; New, Maria I

    2016-06-01

    Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) owing to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is a monogenic disorder of adrenal steroidogenesis. To prevent genital ambiguity, in girls, prenatal dexamethasone treatment is administered early in the first trimester. Prenatal genetic diagnosis of CAH and fetal sex determination identify affected female fetuses at risk for genital virilization. Advancements in prenatal diagnosis are owing to improved understanding of the genetic basis of CAH and improved technology. Cloning of the CYP21A2 gene ushered in molecular genetic analysis as the current standard of care. Noninvasive prenatal diagnosis allows for targeted treatment and avoids unnecessary treatment of males and unaffected females. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Early identification and intervention in cerebral palsy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Herskind, Anna; Greisen, Gorm; Nielsen, Jens Bo

    2015-01-01

    Infants with possible cerebral palsy (CP) are commonly assumed to benefit from early diagnosis and early intervention, but substantial evidence for this is lacking. There is no consensus in the literature on a definition of 'early', but this review focuses on interventions initiated within...

  7. [Diagnosis of upper urinary tract tumors. A pending challenge].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westendarp, M; Laguna, M P; de la Rosette, J J M C

    2014-07-01

    Early diagnosis of upper urinary tract tumors is not easy. The development of endoscopic equipment has expanded the group of patients candidates for minimally invasive treatment. Only by providing accurate tumor staging and grading can clinicians decide which patients should be offered conservative therapies. We need diagnostic methods that allow us to make an early and accurate diagnosis for these lesions, as well as safe follow-up. Our proposal is to present a review of the most used diagnostic method, their features, and future diagnostic tools. The diagnostic arsenal requires further improvement. Only through accurate diagnosis, we will be able to safely provide conservative treatment. Developing new diagnostic techniques seem to move us closer to this goal even more. We propose a working algorithm on the management of these lesions.

  8. Aetiological diagnosis of child deafness: CODEPEH recommendations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Núñez-Batalla, Faustino; Jáudenes-Casaubón, Carmen; Sequí-Canet, Jose Miguel; Vivanco-Allende, Ana; Zubicaray-Ugarteche, Jose; Cabanillas-Farpón, Rubén

    Important progress in the fields of molecular genetics (principally) and diagnostic imaging, together with the lack of a consensus protocol for guiding the diagnostic process after confirming deafness by neonatal screening, have led to this new work document drafted by the Spanish Commission for the Early Detection of Child Deafness (Spanish acronym: CODEPEH). This 2015 Recommendations Document, which is based on the most recent scientific evidence, provides guidance to professionals to support them in making decisions regarding aetiological diagnosis. Such diagnosis should be performed without delay and without impeding early intervention. Early identification of the causes of deafness offers many advantages: it prevents unnecessary trouble for the families, reduces health system expenses caused by performing different tests, and provides prognostic information that may guide therapeutic actions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. All rights reserved.

  9. Contrast-enhanced MRI features in the early diagnosis of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hemke, Robert; Maas, Mario; Kuijpers, Taco W.; Schonenberg-Meinema, Dieneke; Nusman, Charlotte M.; Rossum, Marion A.J. van; Berg, J.M. van den; Dolman, Koert M.

    2015-01-01

    To determine whether clinical, laboratory or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) measures differentiate Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) from other forms of active childhood arthritis. We prospectively collected data of 80 treatment-naive patients clinically suspected of JIA with active non-infectious arthritis of (at least) one knee for <12 months duration. Upon presentation patients underwent clinical and laboratory assessments and contrast-enhanced MRI. MRI was not used as a diagnostic criterion. Forty-four (55 %) patients were clinically diagnosed with JIA, whereas in 36 (45 %) patients the diagnosis of JIA was discarded on clinical or laboratory findings. MRI-based synovitis was present in 27 (61.4 %) JIA patients and in 7 (19.4 %) non-JIA patients (P < 0.001). Five factors (male gender, physician's global assessment of overall disease activity, joints with limited range of motion, HLA-B27, MRI-based synovitis) were associated with the onset of JIA. In multivariate analysis MRI-based synovitis proved to be independently associated with JIA (OR 6.58, 95 % CI 2.36-18.33). In patients with MRI-based synovitis, the RR of having JIA was 3.16 (95 % CI 1.6-6.4). The presence of MRI-based synovitis is associated with the clinical onset of JIA. Physical examination could be supported by MRI, particularly to contribute in the early differentiation of different forms of non-infectious childhood arthritis. (orig.)

  10. Contrast-enhanced MRI features in the early diagnosis of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hemke, Robert; Maas, Mario [University of Amsterdam, Department of Radiology Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Kuijpers, Taco W.; Schonenberg-Meinema, Dieneke [University of Amsterdam, Department of Pediatric Hematology, Immunology, Rheumatology and Infectious Disease, Emma Children' s Hospital AMC, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Nusman, Charlotte M. [University of Amsterdam, Department of Radiology Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); University of Amsterdam, Department of Pediatric Hematology, Immunology, Rheumatology and Infectious Disease, Emma Children' s Hospital AMC, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Rossum, Marion A.J. van; Berg, J.M. van den [University of Amsterdam, Department of Pediatric Hematology, Immunology, Rheumatology and Infectious Disease, Emma Children' s Hospital AMC, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Department of Pediatric Rheumatology, Reade, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Dolman, Koert M. [Department of Pediatric Rheumatology, Reade, Amsterdam (Netherlands); St. Lucas Andreas Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

    2015-11-15

    To determine whether clinical, laboratory or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) measures differentiate Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) from other forms of active childhood arthritis. We prospectively collected data of 80 treatment-naive patients clinically suspected of JIA with active non-infectious arthritis of (at least) one knee for <12 months duration. Upon presentation patients underwent clinical and laboratory assessments and contrast-enhanced MRI. MRI was not used as a diagnostic criterion. Forty-four (55 %) patients were clinically diagnosed with JIA, whereas in 36 (45 %) patients the diagnosis of JIA was discarded on clinical or laboratory findings. MRI-based synovitis was present in 27 (61.4 %) JIA patients and in 7 (19.4 %) non-JIA patients (P < 0.001). Five factors (male gender, physician's global assessment of overall disease activity, joints with limited range of motion, HLA-B27, MRI-based synovitis) were associated with the onset of JIA. In multivariate analysis MRI-based synovitis proved to be independently associated with JIA (OR 6.58, 95 % CI 2.36-18.33). In patients with MRI-based synovitis, the RR of having JIA was 3.16 (95 % CI 1.6-6.4). The presence of MRI-based synovitis is associated with the clinical onset of JIA. Physical examination could be supported by MRI, particularly to contribute in the early differentiation of different forms of non-infectious childhood arthritis. (orig.)

  11. Early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases - the long awaited Holy Grail and bottleneck of modern brain research - 19th HUPO BPP workshop: May 22-24, 2013, Dortmund, Germany.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schrötter, Andreas; Magraoui, Fouzi El; Gröttrup, Bernd; Wiltfang, Jens; Heinsen, Helmut; Marcus, Katrin; Meyer, Helmut E; Grinberg, Lea T; Park, Young Mok

    2013-10-01

    The HUPO Brain Proteome Project (HUPO BPP) held its 19th workshop in Dortmund, Germany, from May 22 to 24, 2013. The focus of the spring workshop was on strategies and developments concerning early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Comparison of the Efficacy of Serum Creatinine and Microalbuminuria in Early Diagnosis of Renal Injury in Asphyxiated Infants in Calabar, Southern Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunny Oteikwu Ochigbo

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Microalbuminuria and serum creatinine are the specific markers of acute renal injury. Perinatal asphyxia is responsible for 50% of all neonatal deaths and nonoliguric acute renal injuryis one of its complications. This study was undertaken to determine the efficacy of serum creatinine and microalbuminuria for early diagnosis of renal injury in severely asphyxiated neonates in Calabar, Nigeria.Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was performed among severely asphyxiated newborns admitted into the neonatal wards of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH. Standard methods for the determination of blood urea and electrolyte were executed. Micral-test strips have been applied using urine dipstick and the result of the test was negative only for albumin. The developed colors have been compared five minutes after the first test.Results: Fifty full-term newborns were enrolled and their serum electrolytes, creatinine and the creatinine clearance were essentially normal. Six neonates demonstrated positive results in the microalbominuria assessment, while the rest were negative in this regard. The test has 0% sensitivity and 100% specificity, while the positive and negative predictive values were 0% and 88%, respectively.Conclusion: Microalbuminuria is not a useful marker for early diagnosis of acute renal failure in the newborns with severe prenatal asphyxia, but further studies are recommended.

  13. Questions from the clinician to the radiologist regarding the diagnosis of metabolic bone diseases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schulz, W.; Schmidt, M.

    1986-12-01

    Macromorphological X-ray findings in metabolic bone diseases can be established only in advanced stages. Micromorphological X-ray diagnostic procedures will support the diagnosis even in early stages. Mineralometric examinations are adjuvant methods for early diagnosis and survey of therapy in metabolic bone diseases. The synopsis of parameters of calcium phosphate metabolism, bone histology (histomorphometry) and radiological morphology enables the type and stage of osteopathy to be diagnosed. The supplementary diagnostic methods are helpful in distinguishing bone diseases with increased turnover, inpaired bone modelling and absorption, disturbed mineralization and ectopic calcification. Within the metabolic osteopathies, osteoporosis is gaining more and more importance as a socioeconomic problem; therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are of significant relevance. Hyper-, hypoparathyroidism and osteoidosis are diseases at can be cured if diagnosed early.

  14. Questions from the clinician to the radiologist regarding the diagnosis of metabolic bone diseases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schulz, W.; Schmidt, M.; Klinikum Bamberg

    1986-01-01

    Macromorphological X-ray findings in metabolic bone diseases can be established only in advanced stages. Micromorphological X-ray diagnostic procedures will support the diagnosis even in early stages. Mineralometric examinations are adjuvant methods for early diagnosis and survey of therapy in metabolic bone diseases. The synopsis of parameters of calcium phosphate metabolism, bone histology (histomorphometry) and radiological morphology enables the type and stage of osteopathy to be diagnosed. The supplementary diagnostic methods are helpful in distinguishing bone diseases with increased turnover, inpaired bone modelling and absorption, disturbed mineralization and ectopic calcification. Within the metabolic osteopathies, osteoporosis is gaining more and more importance as a socioeconomic problem; therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are of significant relevance. Hyper-, hypoparathyroidism and osteoidosis are diseases at can be cured if diagnosed early. (orig.) [de

  15. Nanogram per milliliter-level immunologic detection of alpha-fetoprotein with integrated rotating-resonance microcantilevers for early-stage diagnosis of heptocellular carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yongjing; Li, Xinxin; Zhang, Zhixiang; Zuo, Guomin; Cheng, Zhenxing; Yu, Haitao

    2009-02-01

    Nanogram per milliliter-level ultra-low concentration detection of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), which is an important marker for heptocellular carcinoma, is in favor of early-stage prognosis and disease diagnosis. On-the-spot rapid detection of such antigens as AFP highly requires innovative micro/nano techniques. To meet this requirement, an advanced resonant microcantilever is developed and used for screening the tumor marker at nanogram per milliliter level. The sensing principle of the resonant microcantilever is measuring frequency-shift versus specific-adsorbed mass. With both electromagnetic resonance-exciting and piezoresistive readout elements on-chip integrated, the microcantilever sensor is operated in a rotating resonance mode to improve sensitivity and resolution to specific mass adsorption. Prior to detection of AFP with previously immobilized anti-AFP antibody, the antigen-antibody specific-binding is confirmed with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay experiment. By implementing the specific reaction in liquid and reading out the sensor signal in lab air environment, the micromechanical sensor has achieved the sensitive scale between 2 and 20 ng/ml. To effectively depress cross-talk signal and improve resolution, the insensitive regions of the cantilever surface are pre-modified with 2-[methoxy (polyethyleneoxy) propyl] trimethoxysilane for nonspecific bio-adsorption minimization. Finally, a better AFP detecting limit than 2 ng/mL is experimentally achieved. The label-free resonant microcantilever sensor is promising in low-cost or even disposable early-stage prognosis and diagnosis of tumors.

  16. [The diagnosis of COPD is recommendation dependent].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben Saad, Helmi; Ben Amor, Leila; Ben Mdella, Samia; Ghannouchi, Ines; Ben Essghair, Mejda; Bougmiza, Iheb; Garrouche, Abdelhamid; Rouatbi, Naceur; Rouatbi, Sonia

    2014-07-01

    Different spirometric criteria are recommended to diagnosis chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): -American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (ATS/ERS), Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD): a post bronchodilator (PBD) ratio between the 1st second Forced Expiratory Volume and Forced Vital Capacity (FEV1/FVC) guidelines are used for defining the disease. This forms a barrier to early diagnosis, affects public health decisions and wrong planning strategies.

  17. Signs for early diagnosis of heart failure in primary health care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Devroey D

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Dirk Devroey1,2, Viviane Van Casteren11Scientific Institute of Public Health, Unit of Epidemiology, Brussels, Belgium; 2Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB, Department of Family Medicine, Brussels, BelgiumObjective: The current guidelines for the diagnosis of heart failure (HF are based on studies of hospital-based patients. The aim of this study is to describe the symptoms, clinical signs, and diagnostic procedures confirming the diagnosis of HF in primary health care.Materials/subjects and methods: Data were prospectively collected during a 2-year period by a nationwide network of sentinel practices. All adult patients without known HF, for which the diagnosis of HF was clinically suspected for the first time, were registered. When diagnosed, HF was confirmed after 1 month.Results: 754 patients with a suspicion of HF were recorded. The diagnosis of HF was confirmed for 74% of the patients. The average age of the patients with confirmed HF was 77.7 years, and for those without HF 75.6 years (P = 0.018. From a logistic regression, breathlessness on exercise (P < 0.001, limitations of physical activity (P = 0.003, and orthopnea (P = 0.040 were the symptoms most associated with HF. The clinical signs most associated with HF, were pulmonary rales (P < 0.001, peripheral edema (P < 0.001, and raised jugular venous pressure (P = 0.039. An electrocardiogram was performed in 75% of the cases, blood analyses in 68%, echocardiogram in 63%, chest X-ray in 61%, and determination of natriuretic peptides in 11% of the cases.Conclusion: Many clinical signs may occur in patients with HF. However, the occurrence of peripheral edema, breathlessness on exercise, or pulmonary rales, are highly suggestive for HF when diagnosed in primary health care, as is the case in hospital-admitted patients. The diagnosis of HF was often left unconfirmed by an echocardiogram and/or an electrocardiogram.Keywords: heart failure, primary health care, diagnostic clinical signs

  18. Applications of a single-molecule detection in early disease diagnosis and enzymatic reaction study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Jiangwei [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    2008-01-01

    Various single-molecule techniques were utilized for ultra-sensitive early diagnosis of viral DNA and antigen and basic mechanism study of enzymatic reactions. DNA of human papilloma virus (HPV) served as the screening target in a flow system. Alexa Fluor 532 (AF532) labeled single-stranded DNA probes were hybridized to the target HPV-16 DNA in solution. The individual hybridized molecules were imaged with an intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) in two ways. In the single-color mode, target molecules were detected via fluorescence from hybridized probes only. This system could detect HPV-16 DNA in the presence of human genomic DNA down to 0.7 copy/cell and had a linear dynamic range of over 6 orders of magnitude. In the dual-color mode, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) was employed to achieve zero false-positive count. We also showed that DNA extracts from Pap test specimens did not interfere with the system. A surface-based method was used to improve the throughput of the flow system. HPV-16 DNA was hybridized to probes on a glass surface and detected with a total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscope. In the single-probe mode, the whole genome and target DNA were fluorescently labeled before hybridization, and the detection limit is similar to the flow system. In the dual-probe mode, a second probe was introduced. The linear dynamic range covers 1.44-7000 copies/cell, which is typical of early infection to near-cancer stages. The dual-probe method was tested with a crudely prepared sample. Even with reduced hybridization efficiency caused by the interference of cellular materials, we were still able to differentiate infected cells from healthy cells. Detection and quantification of viral antigen with a novel single-molecule immunosorbent assay (SMISA) was achieved. Antigen from human immunodeficiency virus type 1(HIV-1) was chosen to be the target in this study. The target was sandwiched between a monoclonal capture antibody and a

  19. Early infantile form of galactosialidosis in a female baby with a prenatal diagnosis of fetal ascites: First case in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Santos Cláudia Maria Carvalho dos

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available We present the first case of an early infantile form of galactosialidosis among Brazilians. This very rare and severe lysosomal storage disease has only a dozen patients clearly diagnosed worldwide. Clinical, pathological and biochemical features were consistent with previously published findings. We detected the disorder in a 7-month-old female baby with prenatal diagnosis of ascites. Evolution of the storage disease was monitored through routine thin-layer chromatography (TLC for urinary oligosaccharides as part of a screening program for inborn errors of metabolism (IEM in high-risk children, carried out in Rio de Janeiro.

  20. SEOM clinical guidelines in early-stage breast cancer 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Saenz, J A; Bermejo, B; Estevez, L G; Palomo, A G; Gonzalez-Farre, X; Margeli, M; Pernas, S; Servitja, S; Rodriguez, C A; Ciruelos, E

    2015-12-01

    Breast cancer is a major public health problem. Despite remarkable advances in early diagnosis and treatment, one in three women may have metastases since diagnosis. Better understanding of prognostic and predictive factors allows us to select the most appropriate adjuvant therapy in each patient. In these guidelines, we summarize current evidence for the medical management of early-stage breast cancer.

  1. SEOM clinical guidelines in early-stage breast cancer 2015

    OpenAIRE

    Garcia-Saenz, J. A.; Bermejo, B.; Estevez, L. G.; Palomo, A. G.; Gonzalez-Farre, X.; Margeli, M.; Pernas, S.; Servitja, S.; Rodriguez, C. A.; Ciruelos, E.

    2015-01-01

    Breast cancer is a major public health problem. Despite remarkable advances in early diagnosis and treatment, one in three women may have metastases since diagnosis. Better understanding of prognostic and predictive factors allows us to select the most appropriate adjuvant therapy in each patient. In these guidelines, we summarize current evidence for the medical management of early-stage breast cancer.

  2. Critical analysis of imaging methods for the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mendonca, Maria Helena Siqueira

    1999-01-01

    Breast cancer is a significant health problem. Early diagnosis of the disease is mandatory to increase the effectiveness of the treatment, to augment the chances of cure and to permit conservative surgery. The use of imaging methods is essential in the early diagnosis of the disease. Imaging methods advantages and disadvantages, use and limitations, specificity and sensitivity are presented and discussed. (author)

  3. Necrotizing fasciitis: strategies for diagnosis and management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taviloglu, Korhan; Yanar, Hakan

    2007-08-07

    Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is uncommon and difficult to diagnose, and it cause progressive morbidity until the infectious process is diagnosed and treated medically and surgically. The literature addressed NF contains confusing information, inaccurate bacteriologic data, and antiquated antibiotic therapy. A delay in diagnosis is associated with a grave prognosis and increased mortality. The main goal of the clinician must be to establish the diagnosis and initially treat the patient within the standard of care. This review is planned as a guide for the clinician in making an early diagnosis of NF and initiating effective medical and surgical therapy.

  4. Necrotizing fasciitis: strategies for diagnosis and management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanar Hakan

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Necrotizing fasciitis (NF is uncommon and difficult to diagnose, and it cause progressive morbidity until the infectious process is diagnosed and treated medically and surgically. The literature addressed NF contains confusing information, inaccurate bacteriologic data, and antiquated antibiotic therapy. A delay in diagnosis is associated with a grave prognosis and increased mortality. The main goal of the clinician must be to establish the diagnosis and initially treat the patient within the standard of care. This review is planned as a guide for the clinician in making an early diagnosis of NF and initiating effective medical and surgical therapy.

  5. Early complications of renal transplantation; Is duplex-Doppler US useful in the diagnosis of acute rejection. Valutazione delle complicanze precoci del trapianto renale; Qual'e' l'utilita' del Doppler-duplex nella diagnosi del rigetto acuto

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zompatori, M; Gavelli, G; Bernasconi, A; Rimondi, M R [Bologna Univ. (Italy). Ist. di Radiologia; Scolari, M P; D' Arcangelo, G L; Raimondi, C [Bologna Univ. (Italy). Cattedra di Nefrologia

    1991-01-01

    The authors studied with duplex-Doppler US28 renal transplant recipients in 31 clinically different episodes, during the early postoperative period. Morphological data were thus obtained, as well as hemodinamic information. According to the literature on the subject, a pulsatility index (PI) >1.5 was considered as abnormal. US diagnosis was retrospectively compared with final clinical diagnosis and with response to therapy. In one case, the kidney was surgically removed. We evaluated US sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of acute rejection with real-time US, Doppler alone and combined with duplex. A PI {>=}1.5 corresponded to acute rejection, with 60% sensitivity and 85.7% specificity. With a PI >1.8, sensitivity decreased to 50%, but specificity increased to100%. The severest changes in Doppler waveform had a bad prognostic significance. Besides poor specificity- which is so often emphasized in literature- our results chiefly demonstrated sensitivity limitations, partly corrigible with a real-time US signs, together with Doppler PI (sensitivity: 90%, specificity: 85.7%). Duplex-Doppler US, in spite of its well-known limitations, remains therefore a simple, rather reliable and non-invasive technique to study renal transplant complications. 31 Refs.

  6. Early diagnosis of congenital dislocation of the hip

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grill, F.

    1984-01-01

    Neonatal hip examination is only effective with the help of a large number of experts. Teamwork between pediatrician, pediatric orthopedic surgeon and general practitioner seems to be essential. Best results can be achieved with a hip examination during the first 4 days of life and controls with 3 months and with 12 months. The technic of clinical examination and diagnosis is described. Because of hip dysplasias without any clinical signs the importance of an x-ray of the hip with an age of 3 months is emphasized. (Author)

  7. Psychosocial Characteristics of Women with a Delayed Diagnosis of Turner Syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reimann, Gabrielle E; Bernad Perman, Martha M; Ho, Pei-Shu; Parks, Rebecca A; Comis, Leora E

    2018-05-09

    To characterize the psychosocial profiles of adult women diagnosed with Turner syndrome before (early diagnosis) and at or after (late diagnosis) 13 years of age. Women with Turner syndrome ages 22 and older at evaluation (n = 110) participated in a cross-sectional study at the National Institutes of Health. Researchers performed nonparametric and logistic regression analyses to assess early and late diagnosis cohorts on measures of depression, substance use, and perceptions of competence and identity. Of study participants, 47% received a Turner syndrome diagnosis at or after age 13 years. Median age at diagnosis was 12.0 years (range, 0-43). Covariate-adjusted models revealed that women with late diagnoses had an increased likelihood of developing mild to severe depressive symptoms (OR,  7.36) and a decreased likelihood of being perceived as competent (OR, 0.26). Women with a late diagnosis also exhibited more frequent substance use compared with women with early diagnoses. These data suggest that Turner syndrome diagnoses received at or after age 13 years may contribute to adverse outcomes related to depression, substance use, and perceptions of competence. Delayed Turner syndrome diagnoses may place women and girls at risk for negative psychosocial development extending into adulthood. These findings indicate it is important for pediatricians to evaluate psychosocial domains in girls with Turner syndrome regularly, particularly among those diagnosed at age 13 years or older. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00006334. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  8. High-sensitivity troponin assays for the early rule-out or diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in people eith acute chest pain: a systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    M. Westwood (Marie); T. van Asselt (Thea); B. Ramaekers (Bram); P. Whiting (Penny); P. Tokala (Praveen); M.A. Joore (Manuela); N. Armstrong (Nigel); J. Ross (Janine); J.L. Severens (Hans); J. Kleijnen (Jos)

    2015-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can ensure quick and effective treatment but only 20% of adults with emergency admissions for chest pain have an AMI. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) assays may allow rapid rule-out of AMI and avoidance of

  9. High-sensitivity troponin assays for the early rule-out or diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in people with acute chest pain : a systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Westwood, Marie; van Asselt, Thea; Ramaekers, Bram; Whiting, Penny; Thokala, Praveen; Joore, Manuela; Armstrong, Nigel; Ross, Janine; Severens, Johan; Kleijnen, Jos

    BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can ensure quick and effective treatment but only 20% of adults with emergency admissions for chest pain have an AMI. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) assays may allow rapid rule-out of AMI and avoidance of unnecessary

  10. Clostridium difficile infection: Early history, diagnosis and molecular strain typing methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, C; Van Broeck, J; Taminiau, B; Delmée, M; Daube, G

    2016-08-01

    Recognised as the leading cause of nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, the incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) remains high despite efforts to improve prevention and reduce the spread of the bacterium in healthcare settings. In the last decade, many studies have focused on the epidemiology and rapid diagnosis of CDI. In addition, different typing methods have been developed for epidemiological studies. This review explores the history of C. difficile and the current scope of the infection. The variety of available laboratory tests for CDI diagnosis and strain typing methods are also examined. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Early diagnosis of prostate cancer in the Western Cape | Heyns ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. Early stage prostate cancer does not cause symptoms, and even metastatic disease may exist for years without causing symptoms or signs. Whereas early stage prostate cancer can be cured with radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy, the prognosis of patients with locally advanced or metastatic cancer is ...

  12. Role of Electrophysiology in the Early Diagnosis and Follow-Up of Diabetic Retinopathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicola Pescosolido

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Retinopathy is a severe and common complication of diabetes, representing a leading cause of blindness among working-age people in developed countries. It is estimated that the number of people with diabetic retinopathy (DR will increase from 126.6 million in 2011 to 191 million by 2030. The pathology seems to be characterized not only by the involvement of retinal microvessels but also by a real neuropathy of central nervous system, similar to what happens to the peripheral nerves, particularly affected by diabetes. The neurophysiological techniques help to assess retinal and nervous (optic tract function. Electroretinography (ERG and visual evoked potentials (VEP allow a more detailed study of the visual function and of the possible effects that diabetes can have on the visual function. These techniques have an important role both in the clinic and in research: the central nervous system, in fact, has received much less attention than the peripheral one in the study of the complications of diabetes. These techniques are safe, repeatable, quick, and objective. In addition, both the ERG (especially the oscillatory potentials and the flicker-ERG and VEP have proved to be successful tools for the early diagnosis of the disease and, potentially, for the ophthalmologic follow-up of diabetic patients.

  13. Osteomyelitis diagnosis by 99mTc radiolabeled aptamers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, S.R.; Ferreira, I.M.; Andrade, A.S.R.; Barros, A.L.B.; Cardoso, V.N.; Diniz, O.F.

    2015-01-01

    Osteomyelitis, which is characterized by progressive inflammatory destruction and new opposition of bone, is still a difficult infection to treat. The clinical diagnosis in late stages is achieved easily, but an early diagnosis is more challenging. Staphylococcus aureus is a common agent found in osteomyelitis and bone prostheses infection. Diagnosis by scintigraphy has advantages because it is a non-invasive procedure and is able to perform an early diagnosis even before anatomic changes. Thus, nuclear medicine could contribute to an accurate diagnosis since specific radiopharmaceuticals were developed. In this study, aptamers selected to Staphylococcus aureus were labeled with 99m Tc and used for bacteria identification in an osteomyelitis experimental model. The aptamers selected to S. aureus were directly labelled with 99m Tc and were evaluated by biodistribution studies. Wistar rats with intraosseous infection in the right paw were used. A random aptamer labelled with 99m Tc was as control. Six animals were used in each group. The aptamers labeled with 99m Tc were able to identify the infection foci caused by S. aureus displaying a target/non-target ratio of 2,23 ± 0,20, after 3 h. The control group presented a target/non-target ratio 1,08 ± 0.23. The results indicated that the radiolabeled aptamers were able to identify specifically the infection foci and they should be further explored for infection diagnosis by scintigraphy. (author)

  14. Multifunctional nanoparticle developments in cancer diagnosis and treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sepideh Parvanian

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Nanotechnology, although still in the early stages, has the potential to revolutionize the early diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of disease progression. Technological application of nanometer molecules in medicine with the aim of fighting and curing ailments is the globally definition of nanomedicine. The success of nanotechnology in the healthcare part is driven by the possibility to work at the same scale of several biological processes, cellular mechanisms, and organic molecules. With the growing understanding of methods to functionalize nanoparticles and the continued efforts of creative scientists to advance this technology, it is likely that functionalized nanoparticles will become an important tool in the above mentioned areas. This paper describes the role of multifunctional nanoparticle in diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide basic information on nanoparticles, describe previously developed methods to functionalize nanoparticles and discuss their potential applications in biomedical sciences and finally mention the therapeutic nanoparticle commercialization challenges. Keywords: Multifunctional nanoparticle, Cancer, Diagnosis, Treatment, Therapy

  15. The role of perfusion lung scanning and diffusion capacity for early diagnosis of micro circulatory disturbances in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Petrova, D.; Shoshlov, P.; Hadjikostova, H.

    2002-01-01

    The development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the frequent inflammatory exacerbations with development of respiratory failure lead to changes in the micro circulatory and an increased risk of lung thrombotic and thromboembolic complication. The aim of the study was to establish the possibility of the perfusion lung scanning and diffusion capacity for early diagnosis of pulmonary micro circulatory disturbances in COPD with mild and moderate respiratory failure. 59 COPD patients were investigated. The data presented significant segmental disorders. Only in 5 (8.47%) of them the perfusion lung scintigrams were normal. In 23 of the patients, single-breath diffusing capacity (DICO) and its two components: membranous component (Dm) and capillary blood component (Vc) were determined. DICO was lower especially Vc the mean sign of micro circulatory disorders. A relationship between the degree of hypoxaemia and the changes found in the perfusion scintigraphy was found. Changes in the pulmonary lung scanning and in the diffusion capacity in COPD with mild respiratory failure seem to be an early diagnostic test. The early anticoagulant and desaggregant prevention may decrease the risk of thrombotic complications in the development of the disease. (authors)

  16. Handling Diagnosis of Schizophrenia by a Hybrid Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciano Comin Nunes

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Psychotics disorders, most commonly known as schizophrenia, have incapacitated professionals in different sectors of activities. Those disorders have caused damage in a microlevel to the individual and his/her family and in a macrolevel to the economic and production system of the country. The lack of early and sometimes very late diagnosis has provided reactive measures, when the professional is already showing psychological signs of incapacity to work. This study aims to help the early diagnosis of psychotics’ disorders with a hybrid proposal of an expert system that is integrated to structured methodologies in decision support (multicriteria decision analysis: MCDA and knowledge structured representations into production rules and probabilities (artificial intelligence: AI.

  17. Challenges to diagnosis of HIV-associated wasting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotler, Donald

    2004-12-01

    There is a wide variability in the clinical presentation of the protein energy malnutrition often characterized as wasting in patients infected with HIV. Moreover, the clinical presentation has evolved over time. Initially, protein energy malnutrition was characterized by profound weight loss and depletion of body cell mass (BCM). Recently, unrelated concurrent metabolic abnormalities, such as lipodystrophy, may complicate the diagnosis of HIV wasting. Although measures of BCM are relatively accurate for the diagnosis of HIV wasting, the optimal tools for assessing BCM are not necessarily available to the clinician. From the practical standpoint, HIV wasting may be a self-evident diagnosis in advanced stages, but effective interpretation of the early signs of HIV wasting requires familiarity with other complications included in the differential diagnosis.

  18. Diagnosis of pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma in AIDS patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeyapalan, M; Steffenson, S

    1997-02-01

    Pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is one of the many manifestations of AIDS. There are no specific tests for its early diagnosis. Because its symptoms may be similar to tuberculosis, it may be diagnosed incorrectly and treated as such. Consequently, by the time of the correct diagnosis, valuable time will have been lost for effective medical care that could positively impact prognosis. The discussion in this case study is focused on pulmonary KS with an interest in improving premorbid diagnosis that may lead to an earlier recognition and better treatment of the disease.

  19. Serum biomarkers for the early diagnosis of TIA : The MIND-TIA study protocol

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dolmans, LS; Rutten, FH; Bartelink, Marie-Louise; Seppenwoolde, Gerdien; van Delft, Sanne; Kappelle, L Jaap; Hoes, Arno W

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: A Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) bears a high risk of a subsequent ischaemic stroke. Adequate diagnosis of a TIA should be followed immediately by the start of appropriate preventive therapy, including antiplatelets. The diagnosis of a TIA based on symptoms and signs only is

  20. [The early pregnancy factor (EPF) as an early marker of disorders in pregnancy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Straube, W; Römer, T; Zeenni, L; Loh, M

    1995-01-01

    The early pregnancy factor (EPF) seems to be very helpful in clinical applications such as early detection of pregnancy, differential diagnosis of failure of fertilization or implementation and prognosis of a fertilized ovum. Our purpose was to investigate the diagnostic value of single and serial measurement of EPF, especially in the differential diagnosis of abortion and extrauterine pregnancy. Women with a history of 6-16 weeks amenorrhoea with/without vaginal bleeding were included in the prospective study. The EPF-test system was carried out by means of the rosette inhibition method. EPF proved to be always positive in normal pregnant women and always negative in nonpregnant controls. In case of threatened abortion the prognosis was good, when the EPF values were positive, and poor when they became negative. Patients suffering from spontaneous and missed abortion mostly showed negative EPF-values. This was also true in ectopic pregnancies. The sensitivity and specificity of EPF-test system were 83%. The positive predictive value was observed to be 54% and the negative predictive value 95%. The EPF as an early embryonic signal may be a suitable parameter for the clinical use detecting pregnancy disturbances very early.

  1. Autoimmune hepatitis : Pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Berg, AP

    Background: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic necro-inflammatory disease of the liver. Early recognition is important in order to prevent the development of cirrosis. This review discusses recent developments in the fields of diagnosis, pathophysiology and management of AIH. Methods: Relevant

  2. Women's accounts of help-seeking in early rheumatoid arthritis from symptom onset to diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Townsend, Anne; Backman, Catherine L; Adam, Paul; Li, Linda C

    2014-12-01

    As interest in gender and health grows, the notion that women are more likely than men to consult doctors is increasingly undermined as more complex understandings of help seeking and gender emerge. While men's reluctance to seek help is associated with practices of masculinities, there has been less consideration of women's help-seeking practices. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease that predominantly affects women and requires prompt treatment but considerable patient-based delays persist along the care pathway. This paper examines women's accounts of help seeking in early RA from symptom onset to diagnosis. We conducted in-depth interviews with 37 women with RA masculine practices associated with men's help-seeking. The women presented such behaviours as relational, e.g. rooted in family socialisation and a determination to maintain roles and 'normal' life. Our findings raise questions about how far notions of gender operate to differentiate men and women's help seeking and may indicate more similarities than differences. Recognising this has implications for policy and practice initiatives for both men and women. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  3. [Early diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus-1 in infants: The prevention of mother-to-child transmission program in Equatorial Guinea].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prieto-Tato, Luis Manuel; Vargas, Antonio; Álvarez, Patrícia; Avedillo, Pedro; Nzi, Eugenia; Abad, Carlota; Guillén, Sara; Fernández-McPhee, Carolina; Ramos, José Tomás; Holguín, África; Rojo, Pablo; Obiang, Jacinta

    2016-11-01

    Great efforts have been made in the last few years in order to implement the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) program in Equatorial Guinea (GQ). The aim of this study was to evaluate the rates of mother-to-child HIV transmission based on an HIV early infant diagnosis (EID) program. A prospective observational study was performed in the Regional Hospital of Bata and Primary Health Care Centre Maria Rafols, Bata, GQ. Epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological characteristics of HIV-1-infected mothers and their exposed infants were recorded. Dried blood spots (DBS) for HIV-1 EID were collected from November 2012 to December 2013. HIV-1 genome was detected using Siemens VERSANT HIV-1 RNA 1.0 kPCR assay. Sixty nine pairs of women and infants were included. Sixty women (88.2%) had WHO clinical stage 1. Forty seven women (69.2%) were on antiretroviral treatment during pregnancy. Forty five infants (66.1%) received postnatal antiretroviral prophylaxis. Age at first DBS analysis was 2.4 months (IQR 1.2-4.9). One infant died before a HIV-1 diagnosis could be ruled out. Two infants were HIV-1 infected and started HAART before any symptoms were observed. The rate of HIV-1 transmission observed was 2.9% (95%CI 0.2-10.5). The PMTCT rate was evaluated for the first time in GQ based on EID. EID is the key for early initiation of antiretroviral therapy and to reduce the mortality associated with HIV infection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

  4. Diagnosis of moderate acute radiation sickness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Shoucheng; Chen Zhijian; Chen Youxin

    1989-01-01

    Forty patients with malignant lymphoma were given 60 Co TLI. 21 cases received 6 Gy and 19 received 8 Gy. It was estimated that a single TLI of 6 and 8 Gy would correspond to TBI of 3.55 Gy and 4.25 Gy (average values) by analysing peripheral blood cell chromosome aberrations and 1.85-2.37 Gy by measuring red bone marrow stem cells clinically. Moderate acute radiation sickness with digestive tract reaction and hemopoietic and immunologic depression was observed. WBC and platelets decreased rapidly. Lymphocytes showed quantitative and qualitative changes even at early stage. All these indexes are significant for diagnosis. Besides, the degree of labial stimulation response, levels of C-reactive protein, corticoid, and urinal nucleoside and alkaloid base presented great changes both pre-and post-irradiation. Early diagnosis of moderate acute radiation sickness could be made in cancer patients subjected to 6-8 Gy TLI

  5. Early pregnancy diagnosis in goats by transrectal echography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Acosta, JI

    2007-01-01

    Echography observations every 5 days from 20 until 45 days past-mating, were carried out to determine when the pregnancy in goats can he detected and which are the elements that can be used for the which are the elements that can be used for the diagnosis with are ultrasonic equipment Aloka SSD 500 with a 5.0 MHz probe. From 25 days the pregnancy can be detected when the embryonic vesicle the observed. However, the higher was used efficiency is attained between the 30 and 35 days when embryons with heart beat as main sign of viability are observed

  6. Pulsar perimetry in the diagnosis of early glaucoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeppieri, Marco; Brusini, Paolo; Parisi, Lucia; Johnson, Chris A; Sampaolesi, Roberto; Salvetat, Maria Letizia

    2010-01-01

    To assess the ability of Pulsar perimetry (Pulsar) in detecting early glaucomatous visual field (VF) damage in comparison with Frequency Doubling Technology (FDT), Scanning Laser Polarimetry (SLP, GDx VCC), and Heidelberg Retina Tomography (HRT). Prospective observational cross-sectional case study. This multicenter study included: 87 ocular hypertensives (OHT); 67 glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON) patients; 75 primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients; and 90 normals. All patients underwent standard automated perimetry (SAP) HFA 30-2, Pulsar T30W, FDT N-30, HRT II, and GDx VCC. Area under Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves (AROCs) for discriminating between healthy and glaucomatous eyes and agreement among instruments were determined. The best parameters for Pulsar, FDT, HRT, and GDx were, respectively: loss variance square root; no. of areas with PPulsar (AROC, 0.90) appeared comparable with FDT (0.89) and significantly better than HRT (0.82) and GDx (0.79). For GON, Pulsar ability (0.74) was higher than GDx (0.69) and lower than FDT (0.80) and HRT (0.83). The agreement among instruments ranged from 0.12 to 0.56. Pulsar test duration was significantly shorter than SAP and FDT (PPulsar T30W test is a rapid and easy perimetric method, showing higher sensitivity than SAP in detecting early glaucomatous VF loss. Its diagnostic ability is good for detecting early perimetric POAG eyes and fair for GON eyes. Pulsar performance was comparable with FDT, HRT, and GDx, even if the agreement between instruments was poor to fair. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Effectiveness and efficiency of CT-colonography compared to conventional colonoscopy for the early detection and diagnosis of colorectal cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiebinger, Cora

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available Health political background: Colorectal cancer (CC is the second most common cancer and cause of cancer death for both men and women in Germany. Various methods for early detection of CC exist, including conventional coloscopy which is reimbursed within the scope of cancer screening, as well as computertomography-coloscopy (CTC which is currently not reimbursed. Scientific background: CTC is a mere diagnostic procedure which has a lower risk of perforation than conventional coloscopy. However, as it is an x-ray procedure, it exposes the patient to radiation. Conventional coloscopy is considered the gold standard due to its high sensitivity and specificity for locating adenomas. Furthermore, it offers the advantage that in addition to extended diagnostic measures therapeutic measures can be undertaken during the procedure. Research questions: This HTA-report aims to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of CTC in comparison to conventional coloscopy in the early detection and diagnosis of colorectal cancer and/or its precursors and which ethical and legal aspects have to be considered. Methods: The systematic literature search (27 international literature data bases yielded a total of 1,713 abstracts. After a two-step selection process 36 publications remained to be assessed. Results: The results regarding the effectivity of CTC in diagnosis and screening for colorectal cancer and/or its precursors are partly promising, however, they are very heterogeneous. Therefore, regarding its sensitivity and specificity, CTC cannot be considered an equivalent alternative to conventional coloscopy for diagnosis and screening. The heterogeneity of results is due to technical (device type, settings, patient dependent (preparation and operator dependent (training factors. No economic results for a comparison of the procedures for diagnosis exist. Regarding the cost-effectiveness of a CTC-screening, international model calculations are available. According

  8. Radiological diagnosis of skeletal tuberculosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Numberger, J.

    1982-01-01

    The general X-ray-symptoms follow one another or appear at the same time: Swelling of soft tissues by fungus; toxic perifocal and sometimes parafocal osteoporosis; osteolysis by specific granulation tissues; destruction of adjacent discs and articulation cartilages; formation of sequesters; cold abscess and formation of fistulas because of perforation of the corticalis by liquified tuberculous tissue; bone compression and deformation; amorphous calcifications; perifocal osteosclerosis as a repairing process. The spondylitis tuberculosis is the most frequent form with about 50%; usually narrowing of the discspace is the earliest X-ray-finding. On the second and third place follow the tuberculosis of the hip- and the knee-joint, the rest shows up at other locations of red bone marrow. Very often the perifocal osteoporosis is the earliest X-ray-symptom of joint tuberculosis. All X-ray-findings, even the earliest, in reality are late symptoms, because at that time the disease exists at least some months. Radiologically only the differential diagnosis can be made, final diagnosis is established by histologic examination only. Because the course of untreated skeletal tuberculosis usually is chronic and destructive and, on the other hand early antituberculous chemotherapy as well as surgical treatment show excellent results early radiological suggestion of tuberculosis is of great importance for initiating other diagnostic procedures to establish the diagnosis. (orig./MG) [de

  9. Early Detection Of Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V B Bhatnagar

    1987-04-01

    Full Text Available Farly detection of cancer is based upon three fundamental assumptions, firstly that the trea'ment of benign and precancerous lesions reduces the incidence of cancer, secondly, that the treatment of in situ cancers is conducive to total cure and thirdly that early diagnosis and management of invasive cancer ensures be.ter survival. When patient seeks medical advice for vague symptoms, which could however be due to a possible malignant tumour at a particular site, the alert clinician should investigate the patient immediately to exclude cancer. At this stage cancer is usually not significantly advanced. Currently the U. I. C. C. (International Union for Cancer Control} is studying the epidemiology of cancers in various countries The importance of this is two folds : Firstly by focussing attention on a section of population vulnerable to a particular cancer an early detection is facilitated Secondly by changing the causative factors responsible to a particular cancer, the incidence of that cancer can be reduced e. g. reduction in lung cancer following campaigns against ciguette smoking and reductioi in breast cancer after campaigns for advocating breast feeding of infants, lowering fat consumption and encouraging self palpation of breast regularly. Indeed early diagnosis of cancer implies diagnosis of cancer in almost a symptomatic stage It involves motiva’ion of the population towards acquisitio : of knowledge, attitude and practice.. Epidemiologies and clinicians should be able to recognise high risk cases exposed to particular neoplasia and knowledge of alarming symptoms should be pro- pogated for wide publicity through common available media and means. Probable cases should have regular clhrcal examination periodically and relevant investigations including radiological, imaging techniques and Bio-Chemical examination should be undertaken as and when desired Suspicious lesions should be investigated by specific tests including smear cytology

  10. Analysis of texts produced by students of the early years: guidelines for a possible diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Terezinha da Conceição Costa-Hübes

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The analysis of students’ texts requires from the teacher scientific knowledge about language which provides him subsidies for the diagnosis of the writings. Thus, this paper aims to present some reflections on the possibilities of using a diagnostic table, designed with the purpose of guiding the teacher – when assessing the student’s text – in the identification of the mastered and non-mastered aspects in writing. The designing of the table is the result of studies carried out by a study group on Portuguese language, consisting of teachers of the early years and supported by the theories of speech genres (BAKHTIN, 2003 and text genres (BRONCKART, 2003, the concept of text as a teaching unit (GERALDI, 1984 and, more specifically, the discussions on practices of linguistic analysis (GERALDI, 1984 and 1997. In order to test the use of the table, we will take texts of the genre ‘note’ produced by students of the 3rd year of elementary school, considering genre, text and spelling aspects.

  11. An availability of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the early diagnosis of latent hepatic encephalopathy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuwahara, Noaki; Tanabe, Masako; Fujiwara, Akiko; Minato, Takeshi; Sasaki, Hiromasa; Higashi, Toshihiro; Tsuji, Takao.

    1996-01-01

    Brain MRI was carried out in patients with chronic liver diseases. No abnormal findings were recognized in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, while 59.2% of cirrhotics showed a symmetrically strong signal in basal ganglia on T1 weighted image in MRI. This finding significantly related with lowered Fischer's ratio of serum amino acid, increased levels of serum phenylalanine, tyrosine and hyaluronic acid, prolonged prothrombin time and decreased platelet counts in the peripheral blood. Overt hepatic encephalopathy was observed in 6 of 34 patients with the strong signal in MRI during follow-up period, while none of patients without that finding developed hepatic encephalopathy. These results have indicated that the strong signal in basal ganglia on MRI appears in cirrhotic patients with severe liver dysfunction, and it is an useful index in the early diagnosis of latent hepatic encephalopathy. An improvement of this MRI finding was not observed by long-term oral administration of branched-chain amino acid. (author)

  12. An availability of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the early diagnosis of latent hepatic encephalopathy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuwahara, Noaki; Tanabe, Masako; Fujiwara, Akiko; Minato, Takeshi; Sasaki, Hiromasa [Hiroshima Posts and Telecommunications Hospital (Japan); Higashi, Toshihiro; Tsuji, Takao

    1996-03-01

    Brain MRI was carried out in patients with chronic liver diseases. No abnormal findings were recognized in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, while 59.2% of cirrhotics showed a symmetrically strong signal in basal ganglia on T1 weighted image in MRI. This finding significantly related with lowered Fischer`s ratio of serum amino acid, increased levels of serum phenylalanine, tyrosine and hyaluronic acid, prolonged prothrombin time and decreased platelet counts in the peripheral blood. Overt hepatic encephalopathy was observed in 6 of 34 patients with the strong signal in MRI during follow-up period, while none of patients without that finding developed hepatic encephalopathy. These results have indicated that the strong signal in basal ganglia on MRI appears in cirrhotic patients with severe liver dysfunction, and it is an useful index in the early diagnosis of latent hepatic encephalopathy. An improvement of this MRI finding was not observed by long-term oral administration of branched-chain amino acid. (author).

  13. Early diagnosis of morphologic-functional changes of the airways by a simple method of inhalation scintigraphy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flierdt, E. van de; Bauer, R.; Laubenbacher, C.; Didic, M.; Langhammer, H.R.; Pabst, H.W.

    1992-01-01

    In order to validate a method of inhalation scintigraphy with 99m Tc-labeled human serum albumin in the early diagnosis of morphologic-functional changes of the airways 35 volunteers and patients (12 healthy non-smokers and smokers each, 11 patients with bronchitis) were studied. Deposition of the aerosol immediately after inhalation was calculated quantitatively by a ROI technique and qualitatively (scoring of central deposition, homogeneity, and recognizability of lung outline). Additionally, the regional clearance of the inhaled aerosol was determined by continuous lung imaging up to 60 min (mainly regional mucociliary removal rates). Discrimination between healthy volunteers and patients with bronchitis was possible by means of deposition patterns immediately after inhalation. On the other hand, no differences could be recognized in this way between healthy non-smokers and smokers. Regional mucociliary removal was higher in non-smokers than in smokers, but there was no difference between smokers and patients with bronchitis. (orig.) [de

  14. Improved sensitivity of nucleic acid amplification for rapid diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansen, Isik Somuncu; Lundgren, Bettina; Tabak, Fehmi

    2004-01-01

    Early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is essential for a positive outcome; but present microbiological diagnostic techniques are insensitive, slow, or laborious. We evaluated the standard BDProbeTec ET strand displacement amplification method (the standard ProbeTec method) for the detec......Early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is essential for a positive outcome; but present microbiological diagnostic techniques are insensitive, slow, or laborious. We evaluated the standard BDProbeTec ET strand displacement amplification method (the standard ProbeTec method...

  15. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) as a Tool for Early Diagnosis and Prognostication in Cortico-Basal Ganglia Degeneration (CBD) Syndromes: Review of Literature and Case Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Issac, Thomas Gregor; Chandra, Sadanandavalli Retnaswami; Nagaraju, B C

    2016-01-01

    Cortico basal degeneration (CBD) of the brain is a rare progressive neurodegenerative disease which encompasses unique neuropsychiatric manifestations. Early diagnosis is essential for initiating proper treatment and favorable outcome. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a well-known technique for assessment of cortical excitatory and inhibitory properties. It was suggested that in a degenerative disease like CBD which involves the cortex as well as the subcortical structures, comparing both hemispheres, a differential pattern in TMS can be obtained which would help in early identification, prognostication and early therapeutic intervention. We describe a case of CBD with corroborative clinical and imaging picture wherein single pulse TMS was used over both the hemispheres measuring the following parameters of interest which included: Motor Threshold (MT), Central Motor Conduction Time (CMCT) and Silent Period (SP). Differential patterns of MT, CMCT and SP was obtained by stimulating over both the hemispheres with the affected hemisphere showing significantly reduced MT and prolonged CMCT implying early impairment of cortical and subcortical structures thereby revealing the potential application of TMS being utilized in a novel way for early detection and prognostication in CBD syndromes.

  16. The Early Intervention Readiness Program (EIRP): A Post-ASD Diagnosis Family Support Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tolmie, Rhiannon S.; Bruck, Susan; Kerslake, Rachel

    2017-01-01

    A child's diagnosis with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be an extremely stressful time for families. Researchers suggest that the period immediately following ASD diagnosis is a key time for professionals to guide families by providing appropriate information about support options. This article describes a family support program, developed by…

  17. Plague: Clinics, Diagnosis and Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikiforov, Vladimir V; Gao, He; Zhou, Lei; Anisimov, Andrey

    2016-01-01

    Plague still poses a significant threat to human health and as a reemerging infection is unfamiliar to the majority of the modern medical doctors. In this chapter, the plague is described according to Dr. Nikiforov's experiences in the diagnosis and treatment of patients, and also a review of the relevant literature on this subject is provided. The main modern methods and criteria for laboratory diagnosis of plague are briefly described. The clinical presentations include the bubonic and pneumonic form, septicemia, rarely pharyngitis, and meningitis. Early diagnosis and the prompt initiation of treatment reduce the mortality rate associated with bubonic plague and septicemic plague to 5-50 %; although a delay of more than 24 h in the administration of antibiotics and antishock treatment can be fatal for plague patients. Most human cases can successfully be treated with antibiotics.

  18. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Challenge for Diagnosis and Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chun Pan

    2018-01-01

    Conclusions: ARDS is a devastating clinical syndrome whose incidence and mortality has remained high over the past 50 years. Its definition and treatments are still confronted with challenges, and early recognition and intervention are crucial for improving the outcomes of ARDS. More clinical studies are needed to improve early diagnosis and appropriate therapy.

  19. [Clinical guidelines for the screening and the diagnosis of autism and pervasive developmental disorders].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baghdadli, A; Beuzon, S; Bursztejn, C; Constant, J; Desguerre, I; Rogé, B; Squillante, M; Voisin, J; Aussilloux, C

    2006-04-01

    Autism is the best defined category among PDD. Its high prevalence, its onset in very young children and its persistence in adulthood arise many questions about early screening and early diagnosis. The aim of the study was to identify professional best practices about screening and diagnosis of autism in order to propose clinical guidelines and actions for the future. Scientific experts and parents take part to this procedure. Literature and previous guidelines were analyzed, experts in various fields were interviewed, a national study about the medical practices of the diagnosis of autism was made and questionnaires were send to 1600 psychiatrists and pediatricians. Guidelines built around 2 levels were proposed about screening and diagnosis. Diagnosis needs a multidisciplinary approach, validated instruments and more communication between professionals and parents. Finally one of the more important aims of the diagnosis of autism is to facilitate intervention program.

  20. Polymerase chain reaction as a prospect for the early diagnosis and prediction of periodontal diseases in adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birsan, I

    2015-02-01

    This study was to determine the markers representative of pathogenic periodontal microflora [Prevotella intermedia (P.i), Tannerella forsythia (T.f) [Bacteroides forsythus], Treponema denticola (T.d), Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (A.a), Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g)] in the dental plaque of adolescents with various degrees of severity of periodontium inflammation. Forty-patients aged 15-16 years of age were examined using PMA, CPI and Green-Vermillion indices (Müller 2001). The hygiene status of each patient was also determined using Durr Dental's Vista Proof intraoral camera (Germany). The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using a Biometra Thermocycler to detect DNA of pathogenic periodontal bacteria in dental plaque. All marker microorganisms (P.i.+T.f.+T.d.+A.a.+P.g.) were identified in patients diagnosed with periodontitis in dental plaque. A direct correlation between the level of oral hygiene and the severity of the pathological process in it was determined. It was found that the increase in the severity of the disease was accompanied by increased pathogenic periodontal microflora in dental plaque. Identification of periodontal pathogens in dental plaque by PCR greatly enhances the early diagnosis of Cronic cattaral gingivitis (CCG) risk factors in adolescents, and allows for detailed analysis of the relation between each factor and severity of the process. This method may be used for the diagnosis of periodontal diseases, prediction of their future course, and reasonable choice of antimicrobial therapy.

  1. Improvements in diagnostic tools for early detection of psoriatic arthritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Angelo, Salvatore; Palazzi, Carlo; Gilio, Michele; Leccese, Pietro; Padula, Angela; Olivieri, Ignazio

    2016-11-01

    Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a heterogeneous chronic inflammatory disease characterized by a wide clinical spectrum. The early diagnosis of PsA is currently a challenging topic. Areas covered: The literature was extensively reviewed for studies addressing the topic area "diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis". This review will summarize improvements in diagnostic tools, especially referral to the rheumatologist, the role of patient history and clinical examination, laboratory tests, and imaging techniques in getting an early and correct diagnosis of PsA. Expert commentary: Due to the heterogeneity of its expression, PsA may be easily either overdiagnosed or underdiagnosed. A diagnosis of PsA should be taken into account every time a patient with psoriasis or a family history of psoriasis shows peripheral arthritis, especially if oligoarticular or involving the distal interphalangeal joints, enthesitis or dactylitis. Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography are useful for diagnosing PsA early, particularly when isolated enthesitis or inflammatory spinal pain occur.

  2. Diagnosis abnormalities of limb movement in disorders of the nervous system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tymchik, Gregory S.; Skytsiouk, Volodymyr I.; Klotchko, Tatiana R.; Bezsmertna, Halyna; Wójcik, Waldemar; Luganskaya, Saule; Orazbekov, Zhassulan; Iskakova, Aigul

    2017-08-01

    The paper deals with important issues of diagnosis early signs of diseases of the nervous system, including Parkinson's disease and other specific diseases. Small quantities of violation trajectory of spatial movement of the extremities of human disease at the primary level as the most appropriate features are studied. In modern medical practice is very actual the control the emergence of diseases of the nervous system, including Parkinson's disease. In work a model limbs with six rotational kinematic pairs for diagnosis of early signs of diseases of the nervous system is considered. subject.

  3. The Importance of Bronchoscopy in Early Lung Cancer (LC Diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tofolean Doina-Ecaterina

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Lung cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, due to the fact that most patients are diagnosed in a fairly advanced stage. Screening tests such as sputum citology, chest x-rays or CT scans have their limitations and need further histological confirmation of the diagnosis.

  4. [Significance of early diagnosis of posterior urethral valves in fetus for further development - own experience].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krzemień, Grażyna; Szmigielska, Agnieszka; Wawer, Zofia; Roszkowska-Blaim, Maria

    2013-01-01

    The incidence of posterior urethral valves is estimated to be from 3:1000 to 8:1000 and this is one of the most common causes of obstruction of urinary tract in boys. About 13-17% of children with posterior urethral valves develop end stage renal failure. We present a  6-month-old boy with late diagnosis of posterior urtehral valves. Antenatal ultrasound investigation of the urinary tract was normal. A small degree of oligohydramnios was found during delivery. At the age of six months the boy was admitted to hospital because of urinary tract infection, hypertension (130/90 mmHg) and acute kidney injury (urea - 46 mg/dL, creatinine - 1.1 mg/dL, GFR - 35.5 mL/min/1.73 m2 ). Bilateral hydronephrosis and megaureters, low-capacity bladder with hypertrophied wall were seen on ultrasound examination. Voiding cystourethrograhy revealed vesicoureteral refluxes (III/V), hypertrophy of the bladder wall with numerous diverticula and dilated posterior urethra. During urethroscopy urethral valves were resected. Increased intravesical pressure (leak point up to 305 cm H2 O) was found on urodynamic test. Renal scintigraphy (99mTc-EC) revealed decreased intake of isotope in the left kidney (5%), and the right kidney intake was 95% ERPF. The patient was qualified for left-sided nephrectomy, which was postponed because of high leak point and high risk of worsening of vesicoureteral reflux to right kidney after nephrectomy. Anticholinergic and α-blocker treatment was started. At the age of 11 months left-side nephrectomy was performed because of recurrent urinary tract infections. After 3.5-year follow-up blood pressure, physical development, kidney function tests, and urinalysis are normal. Additionally to this investigation the significance of early diagnosis including prenatal (PUV) for further development as well as further therapeutic procedure is discussed.

  5. Getting the diagnosis right: beyond El Escorial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meininger, V

    1999-11-01

    The development and endorsement of the 'El Escorial criteria' by the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) for the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 1990 and subsequent revision of these guidelines in April 1998 has provided physicians with a much needed tool in the secure diagnosis of ALS. However, even today, over 100 years since ALS was first described by Charcot, when asked to define ALS most neurologists will answer that ALS remains an extremely difficult disease to diagnose early and therefore to manage optimally. Despite the WFN's admirable commitment to optimising the management of ALS the definition of the early stages of ALS is still not clear. To appreciate why this remains so, the development of our understanding of ALS as documented by case reports in the literature will be discussed in this paper.

  6. Hereditary myopathies with early respiratory insufficiency in adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naddaf, Elie; Milone, Margherita

    2017-11-01

    Hereditary myopathies with early respiratory insufficiency as a predominant feature of the clinical phenotype are uncommon and underestimated in adults. We reviewed the clinical and laboratory data of patients with hereditary myopathies who demonstrated early respiratory insufficiency before the need for ambulatory assistance. Only patients with disease-causing mutations or a specific histopathological diagnosis were included. Patients with cardiomyopathy were excluded. We identified 22 patients; half had isolated respiratory symptoms at onset. The diagnosis of the myopathy was often delayed, resulting in delayed ventilatory support. The most common myopathies were adult-onset Pompe disease, myofibrillar myopathy, multi-minicore disease, and myotonic dystrophy type 1. Single cases of laminopathy, MELAS (mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and strokelike events), centronuclear myopathy, and cytoplasmic body myopathy were identified. We highlighted the most common hereditary myopathies associated with early respiratory insufficiency as the predominant clinical feature, and underscored the importance of a timely diagnosis for patient care. Muscle Nerve 56: 881-886, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF IMMUNE DISTURBANCES AND ITS CORRECTION IN THE TREATMENT OF MULTIORGAN FAILURE AND SEPTIC COMPLICATIONS AFTER OPERATIONS WITH ARTIFICIAL AND ASSIST CIRCULATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. S. Suskova

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The study has shown that early diagnosis of the type and degree of immune disturbances in preparation for the operation and the first signs of multiorgan failure and septic complications in the postoperative period in cardiac surgery patients were the rationale for the earlier substitution immunocorrection by immunomodulators of cytokine nature and intravenous immunoglobulin. It allowed increasing the efficiency of the treatment of postoperative complications and lower mortality after operations with artificial and assist circulation. 

  8. The radiology of early esophageal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uematsu, S.

    1988-01-01

    The radiographic diagnosis of early esophageal cancer is described based on 25 cases in which depth of invasion was limited to not more than the submucosal layer. It is emphasized that double contrast radiography should be designed to delineate the subtle abnormalities of the esophageal mucosa and margins of lesions which are characteristic of early cancer, and that further investigation should be directed to improving the method of examination so that the detection of ep- and mm-cancer which has a better prognosis than sm cancer can be detected more readily. A macroscopic classification of early esophageal cancer (elevated, flat, depressed and mixed type) which is useful for both endoscopic and radiographic diagnosis is proposed. The 5-year survival rate of esophageal cancer which was limited to the submucosal layer or less (ep-, mm- and sm-cancer) was 50%

  9. The diagnosis of psychopathy between psychiatry, Adlerian psychology and policy

    OpenAIRE

    Kölch, Michael

    2010-01-01

    The thesis analyses the beginning of child and adolescent psychiatric services in Berlin be-tween 1918 and 1935. Using methods of history of sciences, social history, and history of institutions the conceptualisation of the “psychopathy” as a specific diagnosis for children with behaviour problems was examined. This diagnosis was the core diagnosis for the devel-opment of early psychiatry for children. By this theoretical concept of “psychopathy” the vari-ous scientific models about psychiatr...

  10. Noninvasive Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khattab, Ahmed; Yuen, Tony; Sun, Li; Yau, Mabel; Barhan, Ariella; Zaidi, Mone; Lo, Y M Dennis; New, Maria I

    2016-01-01

    A major hallmark of classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is genital ambiguity noted at birth in affected females, which leads to psychological and psychosexual issues in adult life. Attempts to correct genital ambiguity through surgical intervention have been partially successful. Fetal hyperandrogenemia and genital ambiguity have been shown to be preventable by prenatal administration of low-dose dexamethasone initiated before the 9th week of gestation. In 7 of 8 at-risk pregnancies, the unaffected fetus is unnecessarily exposed to dexamethasone for weeks until the diagnosis of classical CAH is ruled out by invasive procedures. This therapeutic dilemma calls for early prenatal diagnosis so that dexamethasone treatment can be directed to affected female fetuses only. We describe the utilization of cell-free fetal DNA in mothers carrying at-risk fetuses as early as 6 gestational weeks by targeted massively parallel sequencing of the genomic region including and flanking the CYP21A2 gene. Our highly personalized and innovative approach should permit the diagnosis of CAH before genital development begins, therefore restricting the purposeful administration of dexamethasone to mothers carrying affected females. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  11. Development and validation of a patient symptom questionnaire to facilitate early diagnosis of thyroid-associated orbitopathy in graves' disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohaseb, Kam; Linder, Mark; Rootman, Jack; Wilkins, G E; Schechter, Martin T; Dolman, Peter J; Singer, Joel

    2008-01-01

    To construct a patient-based symptom questionnaire to facilitate early referral of thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) in Graves' hyperthyroidism (GH). Phase I of our study involved developing a symptomatology-based questionnaire for the self-reporting of TAO symptoms in patients recently diagnosed with GH. Phase II involved administering the questionnaire along with a standard ophthalmic examination to a screening cohort of patients newly diagnosed with GH. Symptoms highly associated with the clinical diagnosis of TAO were used to construct a tool with the highest possible sensitivity. Phase III involved validation of this tool in a new cohort of patients recently diagnosed with GH. For each patient, the diagnosis of TAO was made by both a standardized orbital ophthalmic exam and the questionnaire. Results from the questionnaire were then compared to the clinical examination. The questionnaire was compared to the standardized examination and found to have a sensitivity of 0.76 and a specificity of 0.82 in the validation phase of the study. This questionnaire may be a useful tool in clinical practice to allow identification of patients with TAO secondary to GH. Future studies using this questionnaire are needed to determine whether earlier identification and management of these patients is associated with reduced morbidity from TAO.

  12. The value of creatine kinase, estradiol and progesterone levels in early diagnosis of ectopic pregnancies: a prospective controlled study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feride Mimaroğlu

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the role of serum creatine kinase, progesterone and estradiol as a biochemical marker in the early diagnosis of tubal pregnancy. MATERIAL-METHODS: A prospective controlled study was carried out on 44 women with first trimester pregnancy. First group (n=22 with tubal pregnancy formed the study group and second group (n=22 with normal intrauterine pregnancy was taken as controls. Serum beta hCG, creatine kinase, progesterone and estradiol levels in the two groups were compared. Surgical treatment had choosen as a treatment modality of ectopic pregnancy. RESULTS: The optimal cutoff value of creatine kinase to be used for the prediction of ectopic pregnancy was 45 IU/l, which resulted in a sensitivity of 86%, specificity of 31%, positive predictive value 55 % and negative predictive value 70 %. The same values for estradiol and progesterone were detected >225 pg/ml, 100 %, 68 %, 75%, 100 % and >13 ng/mL, 95 %, 81 %, % 84, % 97 in discriminating ectopic pregnancies. According to AUC levels there was a significant difference between estradiol-creatine kinase levels, progesterone-estradiol levels and progesterone–creatin kinase levels (p values 0.024, 0.0082, and 0.0001, respectively. CONCLUSION: Serum creatine kinase values appear to be a useful marker in the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.

  13. Presymptomatic diagnosis of Fabry's disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hasselbalch, Rasmus Bo; Lav Madsen, Per; Bundgaard, Henning

    2016-01-01

    differential diagnoses in patients presenting with cardiac hypertrophy. In boys, onset has been reported in early childhood with complaints initially comprising neuropathic pain, reduced sweat production, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Later the cardiac, renal, and central nervous systems may become affected...... inheritable cardiomyopathies. The specific - precise - diagnosis may be crucial for the patient as well as the relatives....

  14. Osteomyelitis diagnosis by {sup 99m}Tc radiolabeled aptamers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Santos, S.R.; Ferreira, I.M.; Andrade, A.S.R., E-mail: sararoberta7@hotmail.com, E-mail: imendesf@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: antero@cdtn.br [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Barros, A.L.B.; Cardoso, V.N.; Diniz, O.F., E-mail: brancodebarros@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: valbertcardoso@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: simoneodilia@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Faculdade de Farmacia. Departamento de Analises Clinicas e Toxicologicas

    2015-07-01

    Osteomyelitis, which is characterized by progressive inflammatory destruction and new opposition of bone, is still a difficult infection to treat. The clinical diagnosis in late stages is achieved easily, but an early diagnosis is more challenging. Staphylococcus aureus is a common agent found in osteomyelitis and bone prostheses infection. Diagnosis by scintigraphy has advantages because it is a non-invasive procedure and is able to perform an early diagnosis even before anatomic changes. Thus, nuclear medicine could contribute to an accurate diagnosis since specific radiopharmaceuticals were developed. In this study, aptamers selected to Staphylococcus aureus were labeled with {sup 99m}Tc and used for bacteria identification in an osteomyelitis experimental model. The aptamers selected to S. aureus were directly labelled with {sup 99m}Tc and were evaluated by biodistribution studies. Wistar rats with intraosseous infection in the right paw were used. A random aptamer labelled with {sup 99m}Tc was as control. Six animals were used in each group. The aptamers labeled with {sup 99m}Tc were able to identify the infection foci caused by S. aureus displaying a target/non-target ratio of 2,23 ± 0,20, after 3 h. The control group presented a target/non-target ratio 1,08 ± 0.23. The results indicated that the radiolabeled aptamers were able to identify specifically the infection foci and they should be further explored for infection diagnosis by scintigraphy. (author)

  15. Early diagnosis of Bardet-Biedl syndrome associated with obesity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available One of the urgent problems of modern health care is the increase in the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents. Late diagnosis and delayed initiation of treatment lead to serious complications such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus. At present there are quite rare syndromes associated with obesity: Prader-Willi syndrome, Bardet-Biedl, Alström. Bardet-Biedl syndrome, - a disease characterized by obesity central origin, retinitis pigmentosa, polydactyly, mental retardation, hypogonadism, and renal dysfunction.

  16. The value of confirmatory testing in early infant HIV diagnosis programmes in South Africa: A cost-effectiveness analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunning, Lorna; Francke, Jordan A; Mallampati, Divya; MacLean, Rachel L; Penazzato, Martina; Hou, Taige; Myer, Landon; Abrams, Elaine J; Walensky, Rochelle P; Leroy, Valériane; Freedberg, Kenneth A; Ciaranello, Andrea

    2017-11-01

    The specificity of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) used for early infant diagnosis (EID) of HIV infection is model, we simulated EID testing at age 6 weeks for HIV-exposed infants without and with confirmatory testing. We assumed a NAAT cost of US$25, NAAT specificity of 99.6%, NAAT sensitivity of 100% for infants infected in pregnancy or at least 4 weeks prior to testing, and a mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) rate at 12 months of 4.9%; we simulated guideline-concordant rates of testing uptake, result return, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation (100%). After diagnosis, infants were linked to and retained in care for 10 years (false-positive) or lifelong (true-positive). All parameters were varied widely in sensitivity analyses. Outcomes included number of infants with false-positive diagnoses linked to ART per 1,000 ART initiations, life expectancy (LE, in years) and per-person lifetime HIV-related healthcare costs. Both without and with confirmatory testing, LE was 26.2 years for HIV-infected infants and 61.4 years for all HIV-exposed infants; clinical outcomes for truly infected infants did not differ by strategy. Without confirmatory testing, 128/1,000 ART initiations were false-positive diagnoses; with confirmatory testing, 1/1,000 ART initiations were false-positive diagnoses. Because confirmatory testing averted costly HIV care and ART in truly HIV-uninfected infants, it was cost-saving: total cost US$1,790/infant tested, compared to US$1,830/infant tested without confirmatory testing. Confirmatory testing remained cost-saving unless NAAT cost exceeded US$400 or the HIV-uninfected status of infants incorrectly identified as infected was ascertained and ART stopped within 3 months of starting. Limitations include uncertainty in the data used in the model, which we examined with sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. We also excluded clinical harms to HIV-uninfected infants incorrectly treated with ART after false-positive diagnosis (e

  17. Acrania/encephalocele sequence (exencephaly) associated with 92,XXXX karyotype: early prenatal diagnosis at 9(+5) weeks by 3D transvaginal ultrasound and coelocentesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tonni, Gabriele; Ventura, Alessandro; Bonasoni, Maria Paola

    2009-09-01

    A 27-year-old pregnant woman was diagnosed by 3D transvaginal ultrasound as carrying a fetus of 9(+5) weeks gestation affected by acrania/encephalocele (exencephaly) sequence. A 2D transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration of 5 mL of extra-coelomic fluid was performed under cervical block before uterine suction. Conventional cytogenetic analysis demonstrated a 92,XXXX karyotype. Transvaginal 2D ultrasound-guided coelocentesis for rapid karyotyping can be proposed to women who are near to miscarriage or in cases where a prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of congenital anomaly is performed at an early stage of development. Genetic analysis can be performed using traditional cytogenetic analysis or can be aided by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Coelocentesis may become an integral part of first trimester armamentarium and may be clinically useful in the understanding of the pathogenesis of early prenatally diagnosed congenital anomalies.

  18. Nested PCR for specific diagnosis of Taenia solium taeniasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayta, Holger; Gilman, Robert H; Prendergast, Emily; Castillo, Janeth P; Tinoco, Yeny O; Garcia, Hector H; Gonzalez, Armando E; Sterling, Charles R

    2008-01-01

    Taeniasis due to Taenia solium is a disease with important public health consequences, since the larval stage is not exclusive to the animal intermediate, the pig, but also infects humans, causing neurocysticercosis. Early diagnosis and treatment of T. solium tapeworm carriers is important to prevent human cysticercosis. Current diagnosis based on microscopic observation of eggs lacks both sensitivity and specificity. In the present study, a nested-PCR assay targeting the Tso31 gene was developed for the specific diagnosis of taeniasis due to T. solium. Initial specificity and sensitivity testing was performed using stored known T. solium-positive and -negative samples. The assay was further analyzed under field conditions by conducting a case-control study of pretreatment stool samples collected from a population in an area of endemicity. Using the archived samples, the assay showed 97% (31/32) sensitivity and 100% (123/123) specificity. Under field conditions, the assay had 100% sensitivity and specificity using microscopy/enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay coproantigen testing as the gold standards. The Tso31 nested PCR described here might be a useful tool for the early diagnosis and prevention of taeniasis/cysticercosis.

  19. The Role Of Multidetector Computed Tomography In The Early Diagnosis Of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergıllosis In Patients With Febrile Neutropenia Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nazan Çiledağ

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the vessel involvement and the role of multidedector computed tomograpy (MDCT in the early diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA at MDCT in autologous bone morrow transplantation patients with febrile neutropenia and antibiotic-resistant fever of unknown origin with clinically suspected IPA. METHODS: 74 pulmonary MDCT examinations of 37 consecutive hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients with febrile neutropenia with clinically suspected IPA were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: The diagnosis of IPA was made according to according to the Fungal Infections Cooperative Group and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycoses Study Consensus Group criteria and 0, 14, 11 patients were diagnosed as proven, probable, possible IPA, respectively. Among 25 cases accepted as probable and possible IPA, all patients had pulmonary MDCT findings consistent with IPA. Remaining 12 patients were accepted as having fever of unknown origin (FUO and in these 12, MDCT showed patent vessel. In patients with probable/possible IPA, 72 focal pulmonary lesions were detected. In 41 of 72 (57%, vascular occlusion was detected. The CT halo sign was present in 25 of 41 (61% lesions. A clinical improvement, resolution of fever was observed following antifungal therapy in 19 (76% of 25 patients with probable/possible IPA. Six (25% patients diagnosed as IPA died during follow-up. Transplant related mortality at day 100 in patients with IPA and FUO were found to be 24% and 0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, MDCT has a potential role in early diagnosis of IPA by detection of vessel occlusion.

  20. FUNCTIONALLY UNIVENTRICULAR HEARTS: IMPACT OF PRE-NATAL DIAGNOSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio Francesco Corno

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Within the last few decades the pre-natal echocardiographic diagnosis of congenital heart defects has made substantial progresses, particularly for the identification of complex malformation. Functionally univentricular hearts categorize a huge variety of heart malformations. Since no one of the patients with these congenital heart defects can ever undergo a bi-ventricular type of repair, early recognition and decision-making from the neonatal period are required in order to allow for appropriate multiple-step diagnostic and treatment procedures, either of interventional cardiology and/or surgery, on the pathway of univentricular heart. In the literature strong disagreements exist about the potential impact of the pre-natal diagnosis on the early and late outcomes of complex congenital heart defects. This review of the recent reports has been undertaken to better understand the impact of pre-natal diagnosis in functionally univentricular hearts taking into consideration the following topics:•pre-natal screening•outcomes and survival•general morbidity•neurologic and developmental consequences•pregnancy management and delivery planning•resources utilization and costs/benefits issues•ethical implications, parents counseling, interruption of pregnancy versus treatment