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Abdelhamid H Elgazzar

Publications and source records attributed to Abdelhamid H Elgazzar.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Technetium 99m-diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid aerosol clearance in the evaluation of pulmonary involvement in sickle cell disease.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary clearance of inhaled technetium (Tc) 99m-labeled diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA) aerosol is a sensitive non-invasive marker of alveolar permeability and patients with interstitial lung diseases show enhanced clearance. However, a previous study in adult patients with diabetes mellitus showed delayed clearance. OBJECTIVES: To investigate DTPA clearance in steady-state, otherwise healthy adult sickle cell disease (SCD) patients and correlate it with pulmonary function tests (PFTs), hematologic and clinical parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects were randomly selected from the Hematology Clinic of Mubarak Hospital, Kuwait. Hematologic and pulmonary function data were collected with standard methods. DTPA radio-aerosol clearance studies were performed using ultrafine nebulizer containing 35 mCi (1295 MBq) of Tc 99m-DTPA in its reservoir and t(1/2) clearance in minutes was determined. Average values for both lungs were calculated and compared with normal values for our population. RESULTS: Forty-three subjects (24 SS and 19 S-beta(0)thal) aged between 16 and 45 yr (mean of 27.1 +/- 9.7) were studied. Twenty-two subjects (51.2%) had delayed, while only 10 (23.3%) showed enhanced DTPA clearance. Patients with enhanced clearance showed better PFTs than those with normal or delayed clearance. There was significant negative correlation of DTPA clearance with forced expiratory volume in 1 s, forced vital capacity and total lung capacity and significant positive correlation with age. CONCLUSIONS: Majority of adult SCD patients have delayed DTPA clearance unlike in inflammatory lung diseases, but similar to diabetes mellitus. DTPA clearance may be a useful modality for monitoring pulmonary involvement in SCD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Technical errors in planar bone scanning.

Optimal technique for planar bone scanning improves image quality, which in turn improves diagnostic efficacy. Because planar bone scanning is one of the most frequently performed nuclear medicine examinations, maintaining high standards for this examination is a daily concern for most nuclear medicine departments. Although some problems such as patient motion are frequently encountered, the degraded images produced by many other deviations from optimal technique are rarely seen in clinical practice and therefore may be difficult to recognize. The objectives of this article are to list optimal techniques for 3-phase and whole-body bone scanning, to describe and illustrate a selection of deviations from these optimal techniques for planar bone scanning, and to explain how to minimize or avoid such technical errors.

Artifacts↗
PubMed2002

Heterotopic ossification.

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is the presence of bone in soft tissue where bone normally does not exist. The acquired form of HO most frequently is seen with either musculoskeletal trauma, spinal cord injury, or central nervous system injury. For example, patients who have recently undergone total hip arthroplasty or have paraplegia after spinal cord injury are at risk for HO. The fever, swelling, erythema, and occasional joint tenderness seen in early HO can be difficult to distinguish from cellulitis, osteomyelitis, or thrombophlebitis. Bone scanning and other imaging tests frequently are used to distinguish between these diagnostic possibilities. As treatment or prophylaxis for HO, either a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (such as indomethacin), a diphosphonate (such as ethane-1-hydroxy-1,1-diphosphate), or local radiation therapy is recommended. Before therapy begins, bone scanning may be requested to confirm the diagnosis of HO. In addition, surgical resection of HO is used to preserve joint mobility; however, HO is likely to recur and possibly progress if resection is undertaken before the lesion has become mature. With a view toward avoiding recurrent HO and other operative complications, serial quantitative bone scans are used as an aid to time surgical intervention.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Renography within 1 hour of renal transplantation: technical feasibility and clinical utility.

OBJECTIVE: Renographies obtained within 1 h of renal transplantation were studied prospectively to evaluate their technical feasibility and potential clinical impact on successful treatment of immediate posttransplantation complications such as arterial or venous thrombosis, which require prompt diagnosis and management. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: During December 1996 to December 1998, 127 renal transplants were performed. Ninety-four patients had complete renographic studies within 1 h of surgery. It was not possible to perform renography on 26 patients who were not sent to the Department of Nuclear Medicine within 1 h of transplant and 7 other patients who could not undergo a complete renogram because of their postoperative condition. RESULTS: There was no complication attributed to transporting patients to the Department of Nuclear Medicine for these studies so soon after surgery. Of the 94 renographies obtained immediately following transplant surgery 46 were abnormal. However, when compared with the usual policy of obtaining baseline renograms between 12 and 72 h after surgery, treatment was changed for only 2 patients. Radionuclide renography within 1 h of transplant surgery was technically feasible. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study the clinical utility of obtaining renography within 1 h posttransplant was minimal and hence we recommended that it should not be performed routinely but could be used on an individual basis when imminent intervention is highly likely.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Post-test probability for pulmonary embolism after ventilation-perfusion scan assessed by nuclear medicine physicians.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this prospective study was to compare assessments of pre- and post-ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scan probabilities for pulmonary embolism (PE) by the nuclear medicine physician and the referring physician. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-nine patients (41 females, 38 males, mean age 49 years) referred for V/Q scans over a period of 6 months and suspected of PE were included in the study. The pre-test likelihood was determined independently by a consultant nuclear physician and a referring physician prior to the V/Q scan. The scan was performed according to a standard protocol using 8 view technetium-99m diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid aerosol ventilation study followed by a technetium-99m macroaggregated albumin perfusion study. The scan was interpreted according to prospective investigation of pulmonary embolism diagnosis criteria. The post-scan probability was calculated. The probability of PE was quoted as low, intermediate and high. Agreement or disagreement in assessing the pre- and post-scan probability was classified according to the degree of difference (no difference: 0; minor difference: 1, and major difference: 2 grades). RESULTS: The agreement between the nuclear medicine and referring physicians on clinical probability of PE was moderate (63%) before the scan and good (90%) after the scan. The disagreement in assessing the clinical probability between the referring physician and the nuclear medicine physician was predominantly minor. Only 5 and 1% of the disagreement was major in pre-scan and post-scan probabilities, respectively. CONCLUSION: The data show that nuclear medicine physicians can use the assessment of pre-scan clinical likelihood to determine the post-scan probability of PE.

Adult↗