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Biomedical subjects

G Lupoli

Publications and source records attributed to G Lupoli.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

111In-pentetreotide scintigraphy in the post-thyroidectomy follow-up of patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Local and lymphnodal recurrences of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in thyroidectomy patients with elevated plasma levels of calcitonin and/or CEA can be detected using 111In-pentetreotide (Octreoscan: OCT) scintigraphy, although the sensitivity of this technique in localizing an intrathyroid recurrence of tumor is affected by the low target/non-target uptake ratio. The survival rate of patients with MTC, who have undergone thyroidectomy and who show evidence of a rise in plasma levels of calcitonin and/or CEA is closely linked to the number and localization of the metastases. However the role of conventional imaging techniques (X-rays, US, CT, and MR) in the follow-up after thyroidectomy is controversial. Numerous radiocompounds are currently being used to detect local and distant recurrences of MTC. The present study evaluated OCT and pentavalent 99mTc-dimercapto-succinic-acid (99mTc-DMSA-V) scintigraphy performed in 13 patients with a histologic diagnosis of MTC and in one with MEN 2A, all of whom had undergone thyroidectomy between 3 months and 15 years before. The patients also underwent 123I (NaCI) scintigraphy to evaluate the sites and extension of thyroidal remnants. 111In-pentetreotide scintigraphy was positive in 9/14 patients (64%); the 99mTc-DMSA-V was positive in 5/14 patients (35%). 111In-pentetreotide scintigraphy recognized 18 sites of abnormal uptake (12 in the neck); 9mmTc-DMSA-V detected 9 MTC recurrences in the same patients. In conclusion, 111In-OCT scintigraphy represents, in the authors' experience, a useful method, more sensitive than 9mmTc-DMSA-V, to detect MTC recurrences in patient follow-up post-thyroidectomy.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Diagnostic evaluation of thyroid involvement by histiocytosis X.

UNLABELLED: We report the successful diagnosis of thyroid involvement by histiocytosis X due to accurate evaluation of nuclear medicine results. METHODS: A total thyroidectomy specimen from our patient was initially suggestive of medullary thyroid carcinoma. However, histologic reevaluation was performed on the basis of nuclear medicine findings which were incompatible with the original histologic diagnosis. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical and light microscopy studies were performed to obtain the correct diagnosis. Diffuse thyroid involvement by histiocytosis X was demonstrated. CONCLUSION: Thyroid scintigraphy was helpful in successfully diagnosing thyroid involvement by histiocytosis X. Because tracer uptake is related to increased cellularity and metabolism, none of these tracers reported here is specific for defining histiocytosis X.

3-Iodobenzylguanidine↗
PubMed1993

A calcitonin-producing neuroendocrine tumor of the larynx: a case report.

A moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma of the larynx is described. Although the patient had normal serum calcitonin level 36 months before, its level was elevated at the time the neck node was removed. This study supports the hypothesis that a diagnosis of calcitonin-producing neuro-endocrine tumor of the larynx with increased plasma calcitonin is possible and should be considered to avoid unnecessary thyroidectomy.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Effects of lithium treatment on hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis: a longitudinal study.

Lithium carbonate, widely used in the treatment of bipolar patients, is well known to induce thyroid alterations. In this longitudinal study the thyroid function was investigated during lithium treatment over a period of 12 months in 12 euthymic bipolar patients with a normal thyroid function and absence of thyroid antibodies. Nine of the 12 patients were further studied on the 15th month, 5 of these 9 on the 18th month and 4 of the last-mentioned 5 on the 24th month. The mean basal and TRH-stimulated TSH values during lithium therapy were significantly higher as compared to those at the beginning of the treatment. More particularly, during lithium therapy, a significant increase of basal TSH over the normal range was found in 10 out of the 12 patients. A rise of TRH-stimulated TSH was found in 11 out of the 12 patients. The impairment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis was transitory in the majority of cases. Two patients developed a nodular goiter during the treatment. Plasma T3, T4, FT3 and FT4 levels did not change during the treatment. Thyroid antibodies remained undetectable. The conclusions of the study are twofold: 1) Subclinical hypothyroidism during lithium therapy is much more frequent than previous cross-sectional studies suggest; 2) Thyroxine replacement in lithium-treated patients is advisable in order to prevent subclinical hypothyroidism and the risk of a subsequent goiter.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Cardiac effects of long term thyrotropin-suppressive therapy with levothyroxine.

To investigate the effects of long term thyroid hormone suppressive therapy on the heart, 20 patients were evaluated by noninvasive techniques. Of them, 10 were athyreotic after surgery for differentiated thyroid cancer, and 10 had diffuse or nodular goiter. The mean age of the group was 39 +/- 11 yr. Twenty age- and sex-matched subjects served as controls. The mean dose of levothyroxine was 163 +/- 34 micrograms daily. Plasma TSH was undetectable in all patients. Mean serum T4, free T4, and sex hormone-binding globulin were significantly higher (P < 0.001), whereas mean serum T3, free T3, and osteocalcin did not differ from control levels. Cardiac evaluation consisted of a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram, an ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring (Holter), and an echocardiographic study. Two patients showed abnormal electrocardiograms for left ventricular hypertrophy. Holter demonstrated an increase in average heart rate (84 +/- 7 vs. 70 +/- 6 beats/min; P < 0.01). Prevalence of atrial premature beats was higher in the patient group than in the control group (100% vs. 60%; P < 0.006). The echocardiogram showed an increased left ventricular mass index in the patient group (97 +/- 24 vs. 80 +/- 18 g/m2; P < 0.02). Furthermore, left ventricular systolic function was enhanced, with higher values of fractional shortening (38 +/- 7% vs. 34 +/- 4%; P < 0.05) and rate-adjusted velocity of shortening (1.2 +/- 0.13 vs. 1.05 +/- 0.14 circumferences/sec; P < 0.01). These findings indicate that long term levothyroxine therapy at suppressive doses markedly affects cardiac function.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Treatment of hot thyroid nodule with percutaneous ethanol injection. Our experience].

Thyroid nodule is defined as "hot" on the bous it scintigraphic appearance. It can be defined like benign nodule with autonomous functionality. On scintiscan it shows high captation because there's an increase of production and secretion of thyroid hormones with total inhibition of TSH and suppression of extranodular tissue. Generally the treatment of hot thyroid nodule was surgical or with radio-metabolic therapy. Percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) in the treatment of hot thyroid nodules has been suggested recently. The aim of our study was to value therapeutic effects of PEI under guidance by means of ultrasound in patients with hot nodules in toxic or pretoxic phase. 36 patients with autonomous thyroid nodules of 1.8-6 cm in diameter received sterile ethanol at 95% that has been injected with a 22-gauge needle and a probe with a guide device. The administrated dose varied from 1.2 to 1.5 ml for cc of tissue in 5-12 sessions. Ethanol injection was performed in a single site in nodules with diameter < 3 cm and in double sites in nodules with diameter > 3 cm. The patients were checked after treatment and then 3 and 6 months. Our experience confirms an excellent response to PEI in these patients. In fact after therapy symptoms of hyperthyroidism and hormonal levels become normal; no patient has even reached the range of subclinical or clinical hypothyroidism. Scintigram showed that previously suppressed thyroid tissue resumed functioning; at ultrasound all nodules had shrunk: thyroglobulin levels increased during treatment because ethanol induces coagulative intranodular necrosis with release in systemic circulation of this glycoprotein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Evaluation, by noninvasive methods, of the effects of acute loss of thyroid hormones on the heart.

To evaluate the effects of the acute loss of thyroid hormones on the heart the authors studied 11 women with acute hypothyroidism. The cardiac study was performed by means of electrocardiography (ECG), radionuclide ventriculography (RNV) at rest and under effort, and monodimensional echocardiography (MD-echo) and was repeated with ECG and MD-echo after six months of thyroxine suppressive therapy. The ECG showed a significant prolongation of QT interval and flattening and inversion of T wave with normal heart rate. The MD-echo revealed left ventricular function in the normal range and normal left ventricular dimensions. RNV showed the ejection fraction in the lower normal range at rest, which increased to a smaller extent under effort in comparison with a control group. The ECG performed during suppressive therapy with L-thyroxine yielded normal findings with an increase of heart rate and of R wave amplitude, and the MD-echo showed no significant variations of cardiac function due to the increase of heart rate.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

(131I)meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy and selective venous catheterization after thyroidectomy for medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Fifteen patients with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid (MCT), who had persistently elevated levels of serum calcitonin (CT) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) after total thyroidectomy, were studied in order to localize the sites of the recurrent disease. Routine diagnostic examinations, including ultrasonography (US) and computed axial tomography (CAT), were carried out in all the cases. Scintigraphy with radio-iodinated metaiodobenzylguanidine ((131I)-MIBG) was performed in 13 cases; selective venous catheterization (SVC) to reveal a gradient of CT levels was performed in 12 cases. Ten patients underwent both (131I)-MIBG scintigraphy and SVC. US and CAT revealed the sites of recurrent tumor in only 4 out of the total 15 patients. SVC in basal conditions showed the presence of small metastases in 2 cases, and after intravenous stimulus with pentagastrin in 4 others. The MIBG scan showed metastatic foci of sporadic MCT in 2 patients, residual medullary thyroid tissue in 4 others, and a pheochromocytoma in a previously undiagnosed patient with Sipple's syndrome. More particularly, MIBG scan and SVC showed the localization of residual or metastatic tumor in 10 cases. In all 10 cases, results of the MIBG scan and SVC were confirmed as true positive by subsequent surgery and histopathologic examination.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

3-Iodobenzylguanidine↗
PubMed1983

Study of the pituitary-thyroid axis in euthyroid goiter after partial thyroidectomy.

The aim of this study was to investigate the time involved after hemithyroidectomy in reaching a new steady state in thyroid function and the relationship between thyroid hormones, basal TSH levels and TSH response to TRH. The investigations were performed on 35 patients 12-18 months after partial thyroidectomy in the first investigation and after 24-30 months in the second investigation. Tests included T4, T3, FT4, FT3 serum levels, basal serum TSH and TSH response to TRH. None of the patients received thyroid replacement and 38 healthy subjects of comparable age and sex were used as controls. We conclude that: i) the time involved in reaching a new steady state of thyroid function in hemithyroidectomized patients is variable and may take a long time; ii) TSH response to TRH returns to the normal range later than thyroid hormone and basal TSH levels.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Plasma immunoreactive thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) values in normal newborns.

The study reported here extends investigation on the pituitary thyroid axis in newborn infants, including the assay of plasma immunoreactive TSH levels at different intervals after delivery. Blood samples were collected at birth and after 30, 60, 120 minutes, 6, 24 and 48 hours. Plasma TRH levels were also estimated in normal adult subjects and pregnant women. No significant difference was observed with regard to sex, pregnancy or age, except for a marked increase in newborn infants after delivery. Plasma TRH values, already moderately high at birth (mean 46 pg/ml, range 34-57) reached rapidly a peak of 78 pg/ml (range 60-93) 30 minutes after delivery, decreased rapidly between 30 minutes and 2 hours post-partum, then fell gradually to normal range at 24 hours. A comparison of plasma TRH and TSH levels measured simultaneously suggests that the acute TSH surge at delivery is mediated by TRH secretion.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Corticotrophic and melanotrophic functions in congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

In 15 patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, the corticotrophic and melanotrophic functions were evaluated by plasma ACTH and beta-MSH radioimmunoassay. Evaluation of the corticotrophic and melanotrophic functions was also performed in 3 subjects after provocative tests (insulin-induced hypoglycaemia, metyrapone) and in 5 subjects after infusion of synthetic MIF (MSH-release inhibiting factor). The results indicate a significant increase in plasma ACTH and beta-MSH in CAH. In addition, we found that although in most cases there was a significant positive correlation between the plasma ACTH and beta-MSH levels, in some only the plasma ACTH values were high and beta-MSH values normal. No other anomalies of the corticotrophic and melanotrophic functions occurred in CAH as shown by the results of the provcative tests. Lastly, it must be emphasized that no modifications of plasma beta-MSH after synthetic MIF infusion were found in subject with normal or high plasma beta-MSH. These findings induce us to consider it unlikely that synthetic MIF is active in man.

Adolescent↗