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Biomedical subjects

E Asquier

Publications and source records attributed to E Asquier.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Imaging of pulmonary disease in scleroderma with J001X scintigraphy.

BACKGROUND: J001X is an acylated poly-galactoside isolated from the membrane of Klebsiella and able to interact with macrophages, mainly in their activated state. The aim of the present study was to determine the ability of 99m-labelled technetium (99mTc)-J001X scintigraphy to image pulmonary disease, defined by high resolution computed tomographic scanning and pulmonary function tests, in patients suffering from scleroderma. METHODS: Patients were considered to have pulmonary disease when they had at least two positive signs on high resolution computed tomography, or a decrease in lung volume and single breath carbon monoxide transfer, or both, with no disease process other than scleroderma in their medical history. Positive J001X scintigraphic imaging was defined by symmetrical bilateral pulmonary fixation three and five hours after inhalation of 99mTc-J001X. J001X scintigraphic results were compared with disease activity as indicated by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid lymphocytosis. RESULTS: Seventeen patients were studied, in 12 of whom J001X scintigraphy was positive. There was no correlation between BAL lymphocytosis and J001X scintigraphic findings, nor between BAL and pulmonary scleroderma. This was not surprising because of the high specificity of macrophage targeting by J001X. CONCLUSIONS: Follow up of a larger population over a longer period is needed to establish whether there is a prognostic value for positive J001X scintigraphic findings in scleroderma.

Adult↗

[Pneumopathy due to sulfasalazopyrine. A case with a challenge test].

The complications of treatment with sulfasalazopyrine(SSP) are rare. We report a case of a 68 year old patient who was hospitalised for a hectic fever with weight loss, chest pain and dyspnoea of effort. This patient had been treated for 2 1/2 months for a haemorrhagic proctocolitis with 3 gms. per day of SSP. There was a leucocytosis of 23 700/mm3 of which there were 3,318 eosinophils/mm3. The pulmonary radiograph showed a predominantly interstitial pattern at the apices in the axillary region and in the costo-phrenic angle. The broncho alveolar lavage (LBA) was normal. A thoracic scan confirmed the interstitial syndrome and the existence of pleural thickening in the upper part of the lungs. As drug induced pulmonary disease was suspected SSP was stopped. The patient became apyrexial in 48 hours without any further treatment. Thirty days later the pulmonary radiograph and the laboratory investigations had returned to 'normal and a challenge test using the drug was given whilst the patient was still in hospital. After 24 hours there was a febrile peak of 38.7 degrees C and 36 hours later there was a leucocytosis once more of 19 700/mm3 of which there were 1,100 eosinophils/mm3. The pulmonary radiograph showed diffuse bilateral interstitial opacities. The treatment was stopped and the fever disappeared within 24 hours. After a review of the literature, two points of this case were discussed in particular: the frequency of pulmonary disease occurring as a complication of SSP and the indication for challenge test.

Aged↗

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the biliary tree in children: a case report.

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERS) in children is a very rare tumor. Jaundice is the capital symptom. Diagnosis can be made by echography, which shows echogenic formations without posterior conic shadows in a dilated biliary duct. The prognosis is bleak in spite of the combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Bile Duct Neoplasms↗

[Study of fetal and placental circulation by ultrasound. New technic in the surveillance of pregnancy].

Echotomography has been used for several years in routine for pregnancy follow-up. The morphological parameters provided by this technique (biparietal diameter, transversal abdominal diameter, length of the limbs...) give an objective information on the foetal growth. The exploration of foetal and placental circulation by Doppler measurement has been used in the past for the detection of the foetal cardiac rythm. The association of Doppler and echotomography allows to know precisely the location of vessels of interest, to quantify blood flow volume transcutaneously, and to determine an index of placental resistance. Recent improvements have simplified the use of this complex technique. Transducers for Doppler and imaging have been placed in the same probe very easy to handle. This system allows a precise localization of Doppler sample volume within the vessel to be explored. The great vessels can be studied all long the pregnancy. Normal Doppler spectrum of umbilical arteries shows an important diastolic flow. This fact is related to the low circulatory resistance of the placenta. When the placental circulatory resistances increase (because of placental infarcts for instance) the diastolic flow decreases in the umbilical arteries. To quantify this modification of umbilical circulation we used an index of the resistance (Pourcelot index) [9]: R = (formula; see text) [A systolic amplitude; D diastolic amplitude]. In normal cases, values of R decrease progressively during the course of the pregnancy. In case of abnormal pregnancies (dysgravidy) the index increases. Abnormal values of R had been correlated with hypotrophy or foetus death. With this duplex system it is also possible to determine the different parameters which are necessary to quantify the foetal blood flow in ml/mn. The first results obtained in dysgravidies confirm the major interest of blood flow study in follow-up and prognosis of high risk pregnancies.

Adult↗