Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A De Franco

Publications and source records attributed to A De Franco.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

[Integrated imaging of hepatocarcinoma. Personal experience].

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the commonest primary tumor of the liver; of late, its incidence has increased in the Western world. The authors report their experience with 42 patients affected with HCC; 36 cases were confirmed by fine-needle biopsy (FNAB), and 2 by surgery. All patients were studied with US and CT; 25 of them underwent color-Doppler US, and 30 angiography. In 9 patients, Lipiodol-CT was performed after hepatic arterial chemo-embolization. Thirty-six expansive and expansive-infiltrative lesions were observed, 4 infiltrative ones, and 1 neoplastic thrombosis of the portal vein with no evidence of parenchymal mass; 28 cases were multinodular in nature. US showed the primary lesion in all cases, while CT missed 2 lesions of 15 mm in diameter. In 19 of 25 cases studied with color-Doppler US, arterial pathologic signals were observed. Angiography confirmed all the primary lesions diagnosed by US in 30 patients and was found to be the most sensitive method to reveal multinodular lesions 8-15 mm phi, whereas Lipiodol-CT had higher resolution in detecting nodules up to 3 mm phi. The retrospective review of our results pointed out the capabilities of diagnostic imaging techniques in characterizing and staging HCCs--which is the reason why the role of biopsy has not been emphasized. The whole of the morphofunctional data obtained with the different techniques allowed lesion tissue characterization.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Primary lymphoma of the small intestine: clinico-radiological correlations].

From 1987 to 1989, 7 patients were diagnosed as having a primary lymphoma of the small bowel. The patients, 5 men and 2 women aged 14-66 years (average: 45), were studied by means of small bowel enema and CT. Using small bowel enema, our findings were: masses related to a loop, stenosis, mucosal patterns with thick, irregular, and nodular folds, and bowel walls thickening. In nearly all cases CT showed not only small bowel lesions but also mesenteric lymphadenopathy. Five of seven patients had lymphomas, 1 had IP-SID lymphoma (immunoproliferative small intestinal disease related lymphoma), and 1 had IPSID associated with a late prelymphomatous stage. The diagnosis of IPSID is very important in patients with malabsorption syndrome, which may or may not be related to alpha heavy chain disease, because IPSID may evolve into lymphoma but its prelymphomatous stage can be treated and cured. We have therefore reported the different features seen with enteroclysis and CT, comparing the results obtained in the various forms of lymphoma of the small bowel. The importance is stressed of an accurate diagnosis of IPSID forms, however uncommon in our Country.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Hepatobiliary scintigraphy in the study of neonatal hepatic cholestasis].

Severe neonatal cholestasis is a clinical problem requiring a differential diagnosis of intra- (hepatitis) and extrahepatic (biliary atresia) causes, prognosis and therapy being different in the two cases. Eighteen patients of pediatric age underwent US and hepatobiliary scintigraphy. US findings were aspecific in both hepatitis and biliary atresia. In the 11 patients with hepatitis, hepatobiliary scintigraphy after phenobarbital revealed labeled bile in the bowel. Only in 1 patient with cytomegalovirus hepatitis was a scintigraphic pattern similar to that of biliary atresia. On the contrary, no intestinal radioactivity within 24 hours was seen in 6 patients with biliary atresia. A portoenterostomy (Kasai's operation) was performed on 4/6 cases with biliary atresia. These patients were followed with hepatobiliary scintigraphy in order to evaluate anastomotic functionality. In a case of biliary cirrhosis secondary to occlusion, orthotopic liver transplantation was performed whose success was scintigraphically monitored. Our results point to hepatobiliary scintigraphy after phenobarbital as the best noninvasive procedure for both diagnosis and postoperative follow-up of biliary atresia. Labeled bile excretion within 24 hours was rarely found in both atresia and neonatal hepatitis.

Biliary Atresia↗
PubMed1989

Fibronectin levels in pregnancy and puerperium.

Fibronectin levels were serially assayed during the third trimester of pregnancy and puerperium in a group women with uncomplicated pregnancies, and two groups with mild/severe hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The values were found increased in the complicated pregnancies, with extremely elevated levels in cases of severe preeclamptic fits.

Biomarkers↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gadobenate dimeglumine (BOPTA) enhanced MR imaging: patterns of enhancement in normal liver and cirrhosis.

To determine whether gadobenate dimeglumine (BOPTA) will adequately enhance cirrhotic liver parenchyma, and to document the enhancement patterns in cirrhosis, 14 cirrhotic and 20 non-cirrhotic patients were evaluated before and 60-120 minutes after gadolinium-BOPTA. Proof of liver cirrhosis was biopsy (6), surgical resection (3), and clinical follow-up (5). Enhancement effects were compared quantitatively by determining the liver signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and signal enhancement in both populations. Qualitatively assessment of the liver enhancement was performed and classified as homogeneous or heterogeneous. Quantitative analysis: cirrhotic liver parenchyma presented a higher increase in SNR values, relative to non-cirrhotic liver parenchyma, on postcontrast images. Likewise the signal enhancement of cirrhotic liver parenchyma was superior to non-cirrhotic liver on T1-weighted SE images (P = .02) and in-phase GRE images (P < .001). There was no statistical difference on out-of-phase GRE images. Qualitative analysis: on T1-weighted SE postcontrast images, cirrhotic liver parenchyma showed a homogeneous enhancement in 7 patients and heterogeneous in 7. Whereas on GRE images, cirrhotic parenchyma showed heterogeneous enhancement in 9 patients and homogeneous in 5 patients. The heterogeneous enhancement was due to the presence of hypointense nodules in 7 patients and hyperintense nodules in 2 patients. In conclusion, our study has shown that the hepatobiliary contrast agent Gd-BOPTA is effective in the cirrhotic liver, demonstrating an increased liver enhancement compared with non-cirrhotic patients.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with SonoVue after infliximab therapy in Crohn's disease.

The introduction of biological treatments like monoclonal anti TNF-a antibodies (infliximab), is changing the clinical history of Crohn's disease (CD). The effects of these therapies are monitored emplying clinical indexes of active disease, laboratory parameters, endoscopy and histology, and also with imaging techniques. A new ultrasound contrast agent, SonoVue (Bracco SpA, Milano, Italy), is opening new perspectives in the study of microvasculature of several organs. Aim of this study is to evaluate by SonoVue enhanced ultrasonography (US) the occurrence of modifications in bowel wall microvasculature of CD patients and to correlate them with parameters of disease activity and to follow up the findings during infliximab therapy. After performing a basal color-doppler ultrasonography, the study of the affected bowel loop is performed after i.v. injection of SonoVue and the enhancement is evaluated on a qualitative basis. We report on the preliminary results obtained in twenty patients, eight of which have been treated with three infusions of infliximab (induction cycle) and evaluated at baseline and after the treatment. While at baseline we describe a positive correlation of SonoVue enhancement of the affected bowel loop with CRP, alpha1-glycoprotein and white blood cell number, after infliximab treatment in 6/8 cases a definite improvement was detected. Ultrasonographic evaluation of the changes of bowel wall enhancement after i.v. SonoVue during infliximab therapy might represent an useful, not invasive and relatively low cost imaging modality for the clinical monitoring of activity of small bowel Crohn's disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Epiphyseal chondroblastoma. Clinical and anatomo-radiographic aspects].

The clinical radiological and anatomohistological features of fourteen cases of epiphyseal chondroblastoma are described. The seat, origin, and evolution of the tumor are discussed. The diagnosis of the epiphyseal localization is easy, but there are same problems in the differential diagnosis of the epiphyseal-metaphyseal of metaphyseal forms.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Rectal exploration in rectal cancer. Double contrast enema vs rectoscopy: a comparison of present diagnostic accuracy.

The present role of rectal exploration in rectal cancer is defined. Indications and limitations of endoscopy and radiology in the study of colon relatively to the diagnosis and pre-treatment approach to rectal cancer, are reviewed. The need to establish definite parameters of tumor morphology indispensable to a correct surgical management, to a possible neoadjuvant therapy and to a precise assessment of the response to therapy, is emphasized. Compared results about the lengthwise tumor extent, the circumferential involvement of rectal walls and the distance from the internal anal sphincter, are reported. It is concluded that the two diagnostic examinations are complementary and that both represent excellent methods for the diagnosis and assessment of the extent of the disease.

Barium Sulfate↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Staging rectal cancer with CT: methodology, signs and parameters.

Computed Tomography plays a major role in the staging of rectal carcinoma even if discordant results are reported in literature. The use of more sophisticated procedures has markedly improved its accuracy which is still high in advanced tumors and is irreplaceable, though with considerable limitations, in the assessment of distant lymphadenopathy. The methods, the indications and limitations of computed tomography are reported. Attention is focused on the pathological findings for the definition of TNM, which is mandatory to plan a correct therapeutic approach.

Humans↗