Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to C M Uslenghi.
Ten patients with acute rupture of the thoracic aorta by blunt trauma were studied. In all instances chest radiographs, computed tomography and aortography were performed. A diagnostic algorithm is proposed for subjects with suspected acute rupture of the thoracic aorta.
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PURPOSE: Primary immunodeficiencies (PI) are a heterogeneous and relatively uncommon group of conditions. As a result of one or more immune system abnormalities, PI decrease the body resistance to infections. The respiratory tract is affected in most cases as a result of its natural exposure to pathogenic agents; repeated infections can lead to pulmonary alterations. We investigated the yield of High Resolution CT (HRCT) and Helical CT in pediatric patients with different PI and then correlated the CT patterns with the patients' clinical history and physical status. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined 19 pediatric patients with different types of PI. All patients presented recurrent infections (rhinosinusitis, bronchitis, bronchopneumonia) with cough and chronic catarrh for at least 3 months a year. Fifteen patients were examined with HRCT and 4 with Helical CT. Images were evaluated for presence and severity of alveolitis, bronchiectasis, peribronchial thickening, mucous plugs, air trapping, bronchiolitis, consolidation, abscesses, bullae, emphysema and fibrotic changes. All parameters were given a score and a partial and an overall score calculated for each parameter. All scores were compared to study the correlations between CT patterns, clinical history and patients' status and for possible characterization of the different groups by CT patterns. Finally, all alterations were classified by their anatomical distribution in each pulmonary lobe. RESULTS: Scores ranged 0 to 18, with a mean of 8.1 points. There were no correlations between CT patterns, patients' history and clinical status and any disease type. The midlobe was the preferential site for bronchiectasis while lower lobes were more involved by other conditions, such as consolidation, air trapping and alveolitis. CONCLUSIONS: Both HRCT and Helical CT proved to be useful tools for monitoring PI patients. The two techniques can be especially valuable in symptomatic patients with negative radiographic findings because they can show (non-)reversible damage, which helps improve planning of drug and/or physical therapy. The scoring system, even if not closely correlated with clinical signs, could be a major tool for PI follow-up and for monitoring treatment success.
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BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to present our experience in 62 patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in two years. METHODS: TACE was performed with injection of doxorubicin mixed with lipiodol before embolization with spongostan. This procedure was repeated for 3 cycles almost. Follow-up was performed by US and CT and by assessment of clinical status and biochemical tests. TACE results were assessed comparing size, local spread and TACE technique with patients' survival. The lesion was single in 51 while multiple in 11. In 6 patients the lesion was greater than 5 cm while in 56 less than 5 cm. RESULTS: Overall survival rates were 95.7% at 6 months, 78.3% at 1 year, 46% at 2 years, 40% at 3 years. The best responses were obtained with single lesions smaller than 5 cm and treated with at least 3 cycles of TACE. CONCLUSIONS: We can conclude that TACE is an efficacious therapeutic choice in the HCC patients who cannot undergo surgery.
Aim of this report is to present a case of acute occlusion of the abdominal aorta recognized by spiral-CT. After a brief description of the etiology and pathology of abdominal aorta acute occlusion, stress is laid on diagnostic role of spiral-CT, based on personal and literature data. The advantage of spiral respect to non-spiral CT is the quicker examination time which is very important, mostly in emergencies. On the contrary, the diagnosis of acute abdominal aorta occlusion is not modified by volumetric CT respect to non-spiral and it is based on the absence of aorta contrast enhancement above the occlusion level.
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