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Biomedical subjects

D R Pennes

Publications and source records attributed to D R Pennes.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Two-view specimen radiography in surgical biopsy of nonpalpable breast masses.

Nonpalpable, low-density, noncalcified lesions sometimes can be difficult to see on an initial specimen radiograph. In 57 consecutive wire localizations, 37 patients had obvious microcalcifications and did not require a second specimen radiograph. Twenty-six patients had nonpalpable, noncalcified lesions, and a second specimen radiograph was obtained in 24 of these. In four of these cases the initial specimen radiograph failed to show the suspected lesion, and a second specimen radiograph orthogonal to the original plane of orientation of the specimen showed the lesion to be contained within the biopsied material. Although it is seldom necessary to use this technique, it may obviate a second biopsy specimen as well as reduce operative time. We found that a second orthogonal specimen radiograph provided important information in 7% of cases.

Aged↗

Anomalous pulmonary venous drainage of the left upper lobe shown by CT scans.

Isolated anomalous drainage of the left superior pulmonary vein into the left brachiocephalic vein was shown on computed tomographic (CT) scans. The CT findings include a vertical vein lateral to the aorticopulmonary window and aortic arch that terminates in the left brachiocephalic vein. Features that differentiate this entity from left superior vena cava, anomalous left brachiocephalic vein, and superior intercostal vein are discussed.

Aged↗

Carpal ligamentous laxity with bilateral perilunate dislocation in Marfan syndrome.

A case of persistent bilateral perilunate dislocation unrelated to trauma in a patient with Marfan syndrome is discussed. This finding is believed to be a manifestation of the generalized ligamentous laxity occurring in this disorder. Radiographs of eight additional Marfan syndrome patients failed to demonstrate similar carpal instability. Because some carpal derangements are dynamic events, stress views or wrist fluoroscopy may be necessary to demonstrate unsuspected carpal instability in Marfan patients.

Adolescent↗

Retinoid-induced ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament.

Vitamin A and its synthetic congeners are known to produce a variety of skeletal abnormalities in patients on prolonged treatment with these medications. Two patients are described who developed posterior longitudinal ligament ossification following treatment with the synthetic retinoid 13-cis-retinoic acid. In both cases, this finding became apparent after other retinoid-induced skeletal abnormalities were observed and was less marked than the ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament. Although spinal cord compression did not occur in our patients, patients on long-term retinoid therapy should be carefully observed for this complication.

Adolescent↗

Chest wall invasion by lung cancer: limitations of CT evaluation.

Thirty-three patients with peripheral pulmonary malignancies contiguous with a pleural surface were evaluated for chest wall invasion by computed tomography (CT). CT criteria included pleural thickening adjacent to the tumor, encroachment on or increased density of the extrapleural fat, asymmetry of the extrapleural soft tissues adjacent to the tumor, apparent mass invading the chest wall, and rib destruction. The CT scans were classified as positive, negative, or equivocal for invasion, and a decision matrix was constructed comparing CT results with pathologic data. The sensitivity of CT was 38%, specificity was 40%, and accuracy was 39% for evaluation of invasion if equivocal CT results were counted as radiologic errors. CT scanning has low accuracy in assessing chest wall invasion in patients with peripheral lung cancers.

Adult↗

Congenital uterine anomalies and associated pregnancies: findings and pitfalls of sonographic diagnosis.

Fifteen pregnancies occurring in 13 patients with congenital uterine anomalies were analyzed. The anomalies included bicornuate uteri (nine cases), subseptate uteri (two), septated uteri (one), and uterus didelphys (one). Identification of a bilobed uterine contour with an anterior and/or posterior indentation, an eccentrically located gestational sac, and echogenic endometrial debris in the nongravid horn, reliably indicated a coexistent uterine anomaly. Uterine anomalies became difficult or impossible to identify with increasing gestational age. Entities potentially confused with uterine anomalies include cornual leiomyomata, ectopic gestation, placental septations, and uterine scarring. Awareness of the sonographic findings of pregnancies in anomalous uteri should improve their detection and may alter obstetrical management.

Cesarean Section↗

Radiographic bone surveys after isotretinoin therapy for cystic acne.

Seven patients underwent retrospective radiographic examination 10 to 16 months after high dose isotretinoin therapy for severe cystic acne. One patient, who received the highest isotretinoin dose (approximately twice the average dose taken by the remaining patients), had multiple small hyperostoses of the thoracic spine and tarsi navicular. These findings were identical to the skeletal changes known to occur during retinoid administration. Prospective studies are needed to ascertain the risk of developing hyperostoses during isotretinoin therapy for acne at the lower doses currently employed. In this preliminary study, clinically significant hyperostoses were not a late sequela of high dose isotretinoin treatment for acne.

Acne Vulgaris↗

Computed tomography of cortical desmoid.

The diagnosis of cortical desmoid in the typical case is easily established using conventional radiography. In atypical cases, the use of computed tomography (CT) may be helpful in diagnosis. We report the use of computed tomography in two patients with cortical desmoids. In one case plain radiographic findings were not diagnostic and the use of CT obviated biopsy. The findings of a desmoid in an atypical location, the insertion site of the medial head of the gastrocnemius tendon, is discussed.

Adolescent↗

Isotretinoin therapy is associated with early skeletal radiographic changes.

Eight patients with disorders of keratinization (six with ichthyosis, one with Darier's disease, and one with palmar-plantar keratoderma) were treated with isotretinoin for 9 months (1 patient) to 1 year (7 patients). The patients ranged from 5 to 26 years of age. The average isotretinoin dose was 2 mg/kg/day (range, 1.0-2.9 mg/kg/day). Radiographic skeletal surveys were performed prior to therapy, and after 6 months and 1 year of therapy. After 1 year of isotretinoin treatment, six of the eight patients had small but unequivocal skeletal hyperostoses. Five of the patients had multiple hyperostoses. While only two patients were judged to have hyperostoses after 6 months of isotretinoin therapy during prospective evaluation, retrospective comparison with the radiographs obtained after 1 year revealed skeletal hyperostoses after 6 months of treatment in an additional three patients. Between 6 months and 1 year of therapy, some of the hyperostoses remained unchanged while others had progressed. In three patients, hyperostoses were seen at 12 months that were not detectable at 6 months. Based on this prospective study of skeletal changes during isotretinoin therapy, we recommend that patients taking high doses of isotretinoin for long periods be monitored radiographically.

Adolescent↗

Early skeletal hyperostoses secondary to 13-cis-retinoic acid.

Prolonged therapy with retinoid drugs (chemically similar to vitamin A) often results in skeletal hyperostoses, similar to those seen in idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. Eight patients, aged 5-26 years, with dermatologic disorders were treated with 13-cis-retinoic acid. Skeletal surveys were obtained before and during treatment. In 1 year, six of the eight patients had developed such skeletal hyperostoses in both axial and appendicular regions. The cervical spine was the most common site of involvement. None of the children demonstrated accelerated skeletal maturation. Two of the patients had mild musculoskeletal discomfort during this period. The findings indicate that high-dose 13-cis-retinoic acid therapy may cause skeletal hyperostoses, requiring radiographic monitoring during prolonged periods of treatment. An implication of these observations, relating to the etiology of idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, is discussed.

Adolescent↗

Echogenic adnexal masses associated with first-trimester pregnancy: sonographic appearance and clinical significance.

In a retrospective survey of a large obstetrical ultrasound experience, 10 echogenic adnexal masses in nine patients with a coexistent intrauterine pregnancy were detected and analyzed. Definitive follow-up data available for seven of the nine patients disclosed three ovarian teratomas, two hemorrhagic corpus luteum cysts, one endometrioma, one inflammatory mass, and one colonic pseudomass. In one additional patient, an echogenic ectopic pregnancy with an intrauterine pseudogestational sac simulated the above entities. Conservative management with follow-up sonography is generally indicated for echogenic masses coexistent with first-trimester intrauterine pregnancies.

Adnexa Uteri↗

Failed first trimester pregnancy termination: uterine anomaly as etiologic factor.

Failure of first trimester pregnancy termination is an uncommon, although potentially serious complication of attempted therapeutic abortion. We report our experience in four patients with unsuspected congenital uterine anomalies in whom attempted pregnancy termination procedures failed to completely ablate the products of conception. When dilatation and curettage fails to produce embryonic tissue, sonography is indicated to exclude ectopic gestation or uterine anomaly. In patients who are known to have anomalous uteri, intraoperative real-time guidance may increase the success of pregnancy termination procedures and decrease the incidence of retained products of conception.

Abortion, Therapeutic↗

CT evaluation of mediastinal masses.

CT is an important modality for imaging mediastinal masses, and certain CT attenuation features (fat, calcium, or water attenuation, contrast enhancement) are well known to suggest specific diagnoses. In a series of 132 consecutive patients with tissue-proven mediastinal masses, these specific CT features were present in only 16. We evaluated the ability of CT to differentiate soft tissue mediastinal masses based on morphology and distribution of disease. Metastatic disease and lymphoma accounted for 69% of masses in this series, and CT could not generally differentiate them. However, CT was helpful in differential diagnosis in certain settings. CT demonstration of multiple mediastinal masses when conventional radiographs showed a single mass generally excluded diagnoses such as thymoma and teratoma. CT demonstration of a single middle mediastinal mass, frequently missed by conventional radiography, made metastatic disease a much more likely diagnosis than lymphoma. Finally, CT demonstration of certain ancillary findings strongly favored a diagnosis of lymphoma (axillary adenopathy) or metastatic disease (solitary pulmonary mass, focal liver lesions, bone lesions).

Diagnosis, Differential↗

Fine needle aspiration biopsy of the breast. Influence of the number of passes and the sample size on the diagnostic yield.

The sensitivity of fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of the breast as a function of the number of aspirations performed on any given lesion was investigated. Four separate aspirations each were performed on over 400 lesions of the breast, 93 of which yielded a cytologic diagnosis. The incremental diagnostic yields of each subsequent aspiration were tabulated. The first aspirate of the sequence gave the greatest yield, with smaller incremental yields on the second through the fourth aspirates. Benign and malignant lesions gave similar results, as did palpable and nonpalpable lesions (the latter being usually smaller in size). A mathematical extrapolation of the data indicates that three or four aspirations of any given lesion provide the optimal yield within the limits of practicality. This performance of multiple FNA biopsies is particularly important when the pathologist does not perform the biopsy, or is unable to assist in the immediate interpretation of the specimen to assess its adequacy.

Biopsy, Needle↗