In a retrospective study covering a period of 13 1/2 years, polymicrobial fungemia was documented in 22 (3.4%) of 645 patients with fungemia. These infections were hospital acquired and occurred in patients with significant underlying diseases. In terms of the clinical setting and features, predisposing factors, fungal species responsible, management, and mortality rate (59%), polymicrobial fungemia appears similar to the more common "monomicrobial" fungemia. With increasing numbers of patients at risk and improved laboratory detection of fungemia, clinicians will probably encounter increasing numbers of these polymicrobial bloodstream infections.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The dural tail sign in the diagnosis of meningiomas.

In humans the dural tail is a sign seen on contrast enhanced T1 weighted magnetic resonance images. This finding is considered specific for meningioma. The purpose of this study was to determine how often the dural tail occurs in cats and dogs and whether it is a specific sign for meningiomas in these species. MR examinations for eighteen dogs and four cats with proven diagnoses were reviewed. Diagnoses included ten meningiomas (seven dogs and three cats), three gliomas, two pituitary tumors, single examples of two other tumor types and five patients with mass lesions due to inflammatory disease. Contrast enhanced T1 weighted images were evaluated independently by three of the authors for the presence of a dural tail, without knowledge of the diagnoses. The results were compared to the diagnosis for each patient and the performance of individual reviewers compared. When their results were averaged, the reviewers reported the presence of a dural tail in 6 of 10 (60%) meningiomas, although detection varied between observers from 40% to 80%. Each reviewer had one false positive result, two reported a dural tail with a chromophobe adenocarcinoma and one with a toxoplasma meningoencephalitis. When a dural tail is seen an associated mass is most likely a meningioma. It is uncertain whether the dural tail represents neoplastic infiltration beyond the margins of the meningioma. This should be considered when planning treatment.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Doppler ultrasound of the prostate in normal dogs and in dogs with chronic lymphocytic-lymphoplasmocytic prostatitis.

The prostate gland of 11 normal dogs and five dogs with histologically confirmed chronic lymphocytic or lymphoplasmocytic prostatitis were imaged with grey-scale and Doppler ultrasound. Three vessel types (prostatic artery, capsular artery and parenchymal artery) were identified with color Doppler and the resistive index and maximum and minimum velocities were measured with pulsed wave Doppler. No differences between normal dogs and dogs with prostatitis was identified in either grey-scale ultrasound or in any Doppler parameters measured. Regardless of histologic diagnosis, acepromazine (0.05 mg/kg i.v.) caused a significant decrease in capsular artery maximum and minimum velocities and prostatic artery resistive index. This study establishes normal Doppler ultrasound parameters for the intact male canine prostate gland. Additional studies are necessary to further evaluate the clinical utility of Doppler ultrasound in canine prostatic diseases.

Acepromazine↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Assessment of barium impregnated polyethylene spheres (BIPS) as a measure of solid-phase gastric emptying in normal dogs--comparison to scintigraphy.

Barium impregnated polyethylene spheres (BIPS) are radiopaque markers used for investigation of a variety of gastrointestinal disorders. One proposed use of the small (1.5 mm) marker is quantitative assessment of solid-phase gastric emptying, which may offer a simple, inexpensive alternative to nuclear medicine studies. In this study the rate and pattern of gastric emptying of a radiolabeled meal containing 30 small BIPS was evaluated in normal dogs by simultaneous comparison of the radiopaque marker method and a scintigraphic method. Serial scintigraphic images and radiographs were obtained for 8 hours or until 95% of the markers had left the stomach. Emptying curves were constructed and statistical analyses performed. There were significant differences in gastric emptying times and lag phase characteristics between the BIPS and scintigraphic studies. These results indicate that in normal dogs there are differences in both the rate and the pattern of solid-phase gastric emptying of a radiolabeled meal as assessed by scintigraphy and the gastric emptying of small BIPS.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Sonography of the normal feline gastrointestinal tract.

The normal sonographic appearance of the stomach in various degrees of distension, the duodenum, the small intestine, and the large intestine was determined in awake and sedated cats. The mean stomach rugal fold thickness was 4.38 mm, and the interrugal thickness was 2.03 mm. No significant difference in stomach wall thickness was seen when the stomach was empty, half full, or full. The duodenal wall thickness was significantly greater than other parts of the small intestine, and this difference was accentuated by sedation (awake mean 2.4 mm; sedated mean 2.71 mm). The mean small intestinal wall thickness was 2.1 mm, and the mean colonic wall thickness was 1.67 mm. The five characteristic sonographic layers similar to that seen in the gastrointestinal tract of other species were routinely identified at all regions of the feline gastrointestinal tract.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging of the normal feline cranial abdomen.

Magnetic resonance images of the cranial abdomen were acquired from 15 clinically normal cats. All cats had T1-weighted images, 8 cats had T2-images made and 7 cats had T1-weighted post Gd-DTPA images acquired. Signal intensity measurements for T1, T2, and T1 post contrast sequences were calculated for liver, spleen, gallbladder, renal cortex, renal medulla, pancreas, epaxial muscles, and peritoneal fat. On T1-weighted images the epaxial muscle had the lowest signal intensity, followed by renal medulla, spleen, renal cortex, pancreas, liver and fat, respectively. On T2-weighted images, epaxial muscle had the lowest signal intensity followed by liver, spleen, fat, and gallbladder lumen. Calculations of specific organ percent enhancement following contrast medium administration were made and compared with that reported in humans. A brief review of the potential clinical uses of MR in cats is presented.

Abdomen↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging of the normal canine pituitary gland.

The pituitary glands of six normal dogs were evaluated using dynamic magnetic resonance imaging. T1 weighted images were obtained every 13 seconds for three minutes of three contiguous slices through the pituitary gland following a bolus intravenous injection of gadolinium-DTPA. Contrast enhancement was seen initially in the region of the pituitary stalk at 52-65 seconds followed by uniform enhancement at 104-143 seconds post injection. This pattern of enhancement was seen in all subjects and is similar to that reported in humans.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Ultrasonographic features of canine gastrointestinal pythiosis.

Pythiosis is a chronic pyogranulomatous infection of the gastrointestinal tract or skin caused by the water borne pathogen Pythium insidiosum. The ultrasonographic features of nine dogs with gastrointestinal pythiosis are reported. The stomach, duodenum, jejunum or colon were affected. All dogs had thickening of the gastrointestinal wall and areas with obliteration of the normal layered appearance. In one dog an eccentric mass was found arising from the serosal surface of the wall of the colon with mild diffuse wall thickening. Regional lymph node enlargement was seen in seven of the nine dogs. One dog had invasion of the pancreas and signs compatible with extrahepatic biliary obstruction. When compared to previous reports of gastrointestinal neoplasia, the features of wall thickening, loss of layering and regional lymphadenopathy are not considered specific for gastrointestinal pythiosis. Histological examination of tissue specimens is required for diagnosis.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Radiographic and ultrasonographic evaluation of the normal feline postpartum uterus.

The radiographic and ultrasonographic appearance of the normal involution process of the feline postpartum uterus has not been previously described. Six queens were examined to determine the normal radiographic and ultrasonographic appearance of the involuting postpartum uterus. Radiographic and ultrasonographic examinations were performed daily from days one through ten, then on days 12, 14, 18, 24, and 28 postpartum. Radiographically the mean total uterine thickness was 16.5 mm at day one postpartum. By day 14 the mean total uterine thickness was 10.5 mm and by day 24 postpartum the uterus was not radiographically visible. Ultrasonographically at day one postpartum the mean total uterine thickness was 16.6 mm and the mean uterine wall thickness was 2.7 mm. At day 14 postpartum the mean total uterine thickness was 6.2 mm and the mean wall thickness was 2.1 mm. At day 28 postpartum the uterus could still be identified ultrasonographically however individual wall layers were not discernable.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Quantitative hepatobiliary scintigraphy in normal cats and in cats with experimental cholangiohepatitis.

Quantitative hepatobiliary scintigraphy using 99mTc-mebrofenin was performed on eight normal cats and on the same cats after induction of experimental cholangiohepatitis by infection with the liver fluke Platynosomum concinnum. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy was performed 3 times at 10 weeks, 4 months and 6 months after infection. In addition, routine biochemical tests, hepatic ultrasound and ultrasound guided hepatic biopsy samples were obtained at the same time points, and the results compared with hepatobiliary scintigraphy. The normal hepatic extraction fraction was determined to be 85%, and the normal hepatic excretion half time (T 1/2) was 14 minutes. There was no significant change in scintigraphic parameters compared to pre-infection values at any time following infection with the liver fluke. No correlation between scintigraphic parameters and histologic scores was found; however, significant correlation was identified between parasite burden and histologic scores 6 months following infection. Despite the presence of severe multifocal histologic abnormalities, minimal clinical, biochemical and scintigraphic derangements were identified using this model of cholangiohepatitis. Based on this study, hepatobiliary scintigraphy appears to be an insensitive test for structural hepatobiliary abnormalities. The role of hepatobiliary scintigraphy in functional hepatobiliary abnormalities of the feline liver has not been determined.

Aniline Compounds↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Polyurethane elastomer as a possible resilient material for denture protheses: a microbiological evaluation.

A polyurethane elastomer was microbiologically evaluated in vitro for its potential use in resilient denture liners. Specimens were immersed in suspensions of ten selected oral microorganisms; this was followed by viable cell counts at intervals during a 16-week period. Results indicated that the polyurethane neither supported the growth of the organisms nor was it degraded.

Candida↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Nocardia otitidiscaviarum (caviae) infection in a heart transplant patient presented as having a thigh abscess (Madura thigh).

The first case of disseminated infection with Nocardia otitidiscaviarum in a heart transplant patient is reported. The clinical spectrum and treatment of infections with N. otitidiscaviarum is discussed, including our patient's apparent response to imipenem/cilastatin.

Abscess↗