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L Bonomo

Publications and source records attributed to L Bonomo.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

[Familial paragangliomas of the neck: integrated imaging and the planning of family screening].

The authors have studied a case of familial paraganglioma of the neck with integrated diagnostic methods: sonography (US) and MR imaging. They verified, through personal experience and literature review, the utility of familial diagnostic screening and of clinico-diagnostic screening planning. The main aim was to detect the elements which could help plan the screening, thus improving the early diagnosis of paragangliomas.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Magnetic resonance angiography of the neck vessels: technique and anatomy].

The authors identified the standard projections for studying neck vessels with magnetic resonance angiography. Sixty volunteers underwent angio-MR of the arterial neck vessels with FISP 3D FT sequences obtained on the coronal and sagittal planes. The gradient-echo sequence (FISP 3D FT) was acquired with TR = 0.04-0.08 s and TE = 15 ms, with 25 degrees flip angle. Single excitated slices of thickness ranging from 1-2 mm were included in the acquisition volume. These sequences were subsequently processed by the maximum intensity projection method. Two radiologists examined our results to choose the optimal projections. We used a semiquantitative scale which allowed us to distinguish 3 different diagnostic levels for each projection: well-visualized vessels, poorly-visualized, and non-visualized ones. For each section axial rotations were performed ranging from 0 degree to 180 degrees, with 15 degrees intervals. On the coronal plane, rotations from -45 degrees to 45 degrees were the optimal ones to visualize the studied vessels. The 0 degree-15 degrees-30 degrees-45 degrees-135 degrees-165 degrees-180 degrees projections allowed the common carotids to be clearly demonstrated together with the vertebral arteries. The other projections appeared to be useless for diagnostic purposes. On the sagittal plane, rotations from 60 degrees to 120 degrees were the optimal ones. The 90 degrees projection allowed the demonstration of all the big arterial vessels of the neck, including carotid bifurcation and internal and external carotids. The assessment of the optimal diagnostic projections for angio-MR of the neck vessels is helpful to reduce post-processing time. As a matter of fact, the immediate visualization, during the examination, of the standard projections allows further acquisitions to be obtained--if needed--to try to solve specific diagnostic doubts.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Magnetic resonance angiography of the neck vessels: imaging optimization].

The neck vessels of 60 patients were studied by means of magnetic resonance angiography, with gradient-echo FISP sequences with short TR and TE and with a 25 degrees flip angle. To study arterial neck vessels, sequences were acquired on the coronal and on the sagittal planes, centered on the cricoid. The intracranial tract of the vertebral arteries required axial sequences centered under the floor of the sella turcica. Post-processing was obtained with the maximum intensity projection technique. The coronal and sagittal sequences were rotated on the axial plane from 0 degrees to 180 degrees with 15 degrees interval, while axial sequences were rotated on the sagittal plane from 0 degrees to 180 degrees with the same interval. TR, TE and flip angle values were very important for image quality: the thinner the volumes the more effective resolution power and vessel visualization. These volumes should not exceed 1.5 mm. Axial rotations of coronal sequences from -45 degrees to +45 degrees and of sagittal sequences from 60 degrees to 120 degrees were useful for diagnosis. The intracranial tract of the vertebral arteries was clearly depicted after axial sequences and after 75 degrees and 135 degrees sagittal rotations.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Magnetic resonance angiography of the pulmonary artery. Preliminary considerations].

The possibility was evaluated of imaging the pulmonary artery with MR angiography. Twenty healthy volunteers were studied using 3D FT gradient-echo sequences on the coronal plane, with post-processing by the maximum intensity projection method. TE and TR remaining short, flip angles were selected to increase pulmonary artery signal in contrast with hypointense adjacent tissues and vessels. Flip angle selection allowed the optimal differentiation between pulmonary artery and aorta with 15 degree-25 degree angles (range: 110.7 to 122 for the 15 degree flip angle and 158.7 to 182.1 for the 20 degree flip angle). The sequence was obtained on the coronal plane and the following parameters were employed: TR 0.03 s, TE 10 ms, flip angle 15 degree-20 degree, slice of the total volume 100 mm with 64 partitions, 256 x 256 matrix, 1 zoom factor, 1 acquisition. The patient was positioned with the right hemithorax raised by 30 degrees to visualize the common pulmonary artery and lying on his back, face upward, to visualize the right and left pulmonary arteries. Post-processing employed axial plane rotations from -45 degrees to +45 degrees, with 5 degrees step, and from 0 degrees to 180 degrees, with 15 degrees step. Angio-MR images of the pulmonary artery allowed the visualization of its main components, up to its right and left lobar branches. The main limitation of this technique consisted in its poor spatial resolution.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Magnetic resonance angiography of the intracranial vessels. Technique and anatomy].

Fifty volunteers were studied by means of MR angiography of the intracranial vessels, with a 1.5 T Siemens Magnetom. The technical features of the most employed MR angiographic techniques were analyzed. The inflow technique was tested with refocused gradient-echo sequences for the FISP 3DFT flow and a dedicate coil. The study was aimed at evaluating the resolution power of each technique and at identifying the most useful rotations and angles for each chosen vessels. The acquisition volume of the gradient-echo sequence was positioned on the axial plane with sella turcica in the center. TR was set at 0.04 s, TE at 10 ms, and flip angle was 15 degrees. A 256 x 256 matrix was used, and an 80-mm acquisition volume, with 64 partitions. The chosen images were rotated on the axial and sagittal planes 0 degrees-180 degrees. The results showed that both rotation planes and their relative angles allow the visualization of all the vessels. To reduce post-processing time, with immediate availability of computer keyboard, a standardization is suggested with 0 degrees-180 degrees rotations on the axial plane, with 15 degrees interval and 0 degrees-45 degrees rotations on the sagittal plane, with 15 degrees interval. The main limitation of this method is its spatial resolution, which was 1.2 mm in rotations and acquisitions on the axial plane and 1 mm in acquisitions on the axial plane rotated on the sagittal plane.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Usefulness and limitations of neuroradiologic tests (CT, US, MRI) in periventricular leukomalacia].

Sixteen young patients, with clinical and radiological signs of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), were investigated with MR imaging. Twelve of them were investigated with US in the perinatal period. The extant 4 patients, older than the others, had a clinical history of PVL. US scans were capable of yielding precise information about the anatomical features of PVL in both the acute and the middle phases. The lesions appeared as hyperechoic areas which subsequently turned to anechoic cavities. MR imaging and CT scans did not present any particular advantage over US scans in the acute phase, but they did detect periventricular damage when the patient was 6-7 months old. MR imaging was superior to CT in detecting the delayed myelination of white matter. Inversion-recovery sequences gave more anatomical details to distinguish normal from abnormal white matter. Spin-echo proton-density images detected periventricular gliosis, which appeared as persistent hyperintense areas. CT might be useful in the acute phase, after US detection of hyperechoic intraparenchymal areas, for it allowed purely ischemic lesions to be distinguished from hemorrhagic ones.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Opaque enema and radiography of defecation in the pre- and postoperative morpho-functional evaluation of rectal neoplasms].

From November 1989 to April 1990, 16 patients with rectal cancer were examined preoperatively by means of double contrast barium enema and defecography. Double contrast barium enema was used to identify the cancer: based on the distance of cancer from anal rima, the patients were divided into 3 groups: 1) less than 6 cm; 2) 6-11 cm; 3) more than 11 cm. In all patients defecography was performed at the end of barium enema to evaluate rectal wall mobility. Thus, the morphological information yielded by barium enema could be integrated with the dynamic data from defecography. The evaluation was thus possible of both longitudinal and, indirectly, transverse tumor spread. All the patients underwent surgery and radiological findings were compared with surgical ones. In those patients in whom defecography had shown rigidity of the rectal walls, extraparietal tumor spread was observed during surgical resection. Seven patients underwent anterior resection, and were subsequently examined by the same combination of barium enema and defecography. The combined use of the two methods was useful to evaluate the anastomosis and to show possible dynamic changes after surgery.

Barium Sulfate↗
PubMed1989

Monocyte- and cytokine-mediated effects on T immunoregulatory activity in the elderly.

Aged individuals exhibit an impairment of T helper and/or T suppressor activity on B cell function in an antibody-specific induction system. Further evidence is now provided that soluble suppressive factors acting on monocytes play a key role in such deficits. In fact, overnight preincubation of isolated monocytes and supplementation of autologous lymphocytes reverses the immunoregulatory imbalance. The suppressive factors are also responsible for a decreased interleukin 2 (IL-2) synthesis since a similar pretreatment of cell suspensions or exogenous human IL-1 and/or IL-2 supplementation of aged cell cultures leads to a recovery of T regulatory effects on B cell differentiation. Similar effects are observed in the presence of thymopentin, a well known IL-2 inducer. Interferon alpha and gamma addition to cultures gives rise to a restoration of T immunoregulatory effects. These findings suggest that several mechanisms are involved in the depressed T immunoregulatory activity in the elderly.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

[Recurrent infections of the urogenital tract: preliminary results of a study on the clinical and immunological effects of thymopentin treatment].

We are carrying on a trial with subcutaneous injections of thymopentin in a group of patients that presented more than 2 infectious episodes of uro-genital tract in the latest 18 months. Microbiological investigations were performed with microscopic and cultural examinations before and after six weeks of treatment with thymopentin (TP5) associated with antibiotic therapy chosen on the basis of cultural response. The follow-up was prolonged to 6 months. The immunological studies were performed at the same moments, by a panel of monoclonal antibodies and by the evaluation of the NK activity and granulocytic phagocytosis. The cellular immunity was studied by skin tests. In our patients, during the follow-up period, we observed a significant reduction of infectious episodes, an increase of NK activity, and a restoration of cellular immunity in hypoergic subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Echography compared with conventional radiology in Osgood-Schlatter disease].

This paper was aimed at estimating sonographic (US) accuracy in patients with clinical suspicion of Osgood-Schlatter's disease. This disease affects the patellar tendon in its attachment to the tibial tuberosity; boys are affected more frequently than girls, and during adolescence. Its pathognomic signs are: focal soft-tissue swelling anterior to the tibial tuberosity, edema of the inferior infrapatellar fat pad, and swelling of the ligamentum patellae with loss of the interface between the latter and posterior soft tissue. A comparative study was carried out of the X-rays and US examinations of the knee in 21 patients with Osgood-Schlatter's disease; X-rays exams employed the double-shield and double-film box methods, to allow the contemporaneous evaluation of both skeletal and soft-tissue features. The results prove that the soft-tissue changes observed with X-rays can be correctly depicted also by US. Thus, in our opinion, US has proved to have the same diagnostic accuracy as X-rays, and could therefore become the first-choice examination in both the diagnosis and the follow-up of Osgood-Schlatter's disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Cell-mediated immune response in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

It has been previously described an impairment of cell-mediated immune response in psoriasis. In the present paper we have evaluated lymphocyte surface markers, non specific immunity, lymphokine secretion and antibody synthesis in a group of patients with psoriasis (PS) and with anti-inflammatory drug treated or gold-treated psoriatic arthritis (PsA). No significant differences are found in terms of T lymphocyte subpopulation frequency, even if a lower CD8+/CD4+ ratio was observed in all patients. In spite of an increased percentage of B lymphocytes, B cell polyclonal response is significantly decreased in the presence of either T cell-independent or T cell-dependent polyclonal activator. Further studies provide additional supports to these findings, since all psoriatic patients exhibit a deficit of T helper function in an antibody-specific induction system. Gold therapy in PsA led to a partial recovery of T helper function, without affecting the immunoglobulin reduced synthesis. With particular reference to non-specific activities mediated by monocytes and polymorphs (PMN), PMN chemotaxis, phagocytosis and killing and monocyte-mediated phagocytosis are reduced, except for monocyte phagocytosis in anti-inflammatory treated PsA or PMN chemotaxis in gold-treated PsA. Finally, lymphokine release is significantly decreased in all patients. In conclusion, our data provide further evidence for the impairment of immune response in psoriasis and PsA, which may in turn play a key role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Software for record reporting and filing with the personal computer].

During the past four years the authors have been gaining experience in reporting radiological examinations by personal computer. Today they describe the project of a new software which allows the reporting and filing of roentgenograms. This program was realized by a radiologist, using a well known data base management system: dBASE III. The program was shaped to fit the radiologist's needs: it helps to report, and allows to file, radiological data, with the diagnostic codes used by the American College of Radiology. In this paper the authors describe the data base structure and indicate the software functions which make its use possible. Thus, this paper is not aimed at advertising a new reporting program, but at demonstrating how the radiologist can himself manage some aspects of his work with the help of a personal computer.

Database Management Systems↗
PubMed1989

Intrarticular methotrexate in the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis.

Five patients with oligoarticular rheumatoid arthritis were treated with intra-articular injections of methotrexate and orgotein in the knee joints. The employed dose of the antimetabolite was very low and orgotein was simultaneously administered to prevent local tissues from cytolysis-related damage. Clinical results were fairly good and support the hypothesis that methotrexate may be used intra-articularly as an immunosuppressor rather than at the heavily toxic doses required for a cytostatic effect.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Age-related changes in the proliferative kinetics of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes. Analysis by uptake of tritiated precursors of DNA, RNA and proteins, and by flow cytometry.

We have examined the age-related changes in the kinetics of lymphocyte proliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin by flow cytometry and by the uptake of tritiated thymidine, uridine and leucine. The lymphocyte suspensions used in these experiments were obtained by umbilical cord blood samples of full-term normal newborns and from the peripheral blood of young (under 30-year-old) or aged (more than 70-year-old) healthy donors. The results indicate that the cord blood lymphocytes were activated by phytohemagglutinin to incorporate tritiated precursors of proteins, RNA and DNA at a more rapid rate than the lymphocytes from young or old donors in the first 3 days of in vitro culture. Flow cytometry confirmed higher percentages of activated cycling cells in umbilical cord blood after 24 h of culture. The lymphocytes from old donors incorporated significantly lower amounts of tritiated precursors of DNA and RNA than lymphocytes from young donors at the third day of culture. The uptake of tritiated leucine by lymphocytes from old donors was significantly reduced up to the sixth day of culture. On the contrary, at the eight day of culture, lymphocytes from old donors incorporated significantly higher amounts of labeled DNA, RNA and protein precursors. In agreement with these findings, flow cytometry demonstrated a trend towards higher percentages of cycling cells in the lymphocyte cultures from old donors after 6 and 8 days. These results indicate an age-related decline in the rate of lymphocyte blastogenesis after in vitro PHA stimulation and suggest that after a delayed PHA-induced activation, the lymphocytes from aged donors have a near-normal ability to proliferate.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Immunoresponsiveness in hemophilia: lymphocyte- and phagocyte-mediated functions.

Several deficits of immune response have been reported in hemophiliacs. In order to evaluate the overall immune function in this disease, we have investigated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) surface phenotype, lymphokine production, B cell responsiveness, monocyte- and polymorphonuclear (PMN) cell-mediated responses in a group of 25 A or B hemophiliac patients. They were treated with concentrates (greater than 30,000 U/year) for at least 8 years, and ten of them were positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. With particular reference to lymphocyte surface markers, a low CD4+/CD8+ ratio and an increased frequency of CD25+ and surface immunoglobulin (sIg) positive lymphocytes were noted in HIV+ subjects. By contrast, CD3+ and CD4+ cell frequency was decreased in HIV- patients, whereas in the same individuals CD11+ and sIg+ cell percentage was augmented. Regardless of HIV infection, a quite variable degree of B-cell response was seen in hemophiliacs with either a T-independent or a T-dependent polyclonal B cell activator. PMN chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and killing were significantly diminished, whereas similar monocyte functions were basically unaffected. Finally, hemophiliacs were characterized by a profound impairment of leukocyte inhibiting factor (LIF) and lymphocyte-derived chemotactic factor (LDCF) production. Our findings clearly indicate an impairment of immune function in hemophiliacs regardless of HIV infection.

Adolescent↗