PURPOSE: To address the optimal scanning condition of high resolution computerized tomography from the perspective of minimizing exposed dose. METHOD: The influence of the electric current, the slice number, and the slice thickness on precise percent ratio of the low attenuation area to whole lung field (LAA%) of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients was examined. The standard conditions were 250 mA, 3 slices, 2 mm slice thickness, and a varied parameter. RESULTS: In cases showing an LAA% less than 30, LAA% obtained by < or =150 mA were significantly larger than those by 250 mA. The mean LAA% with 3 and 10 slices were well correlated and the correlation with lung function was similar. The correlation of LAA% with lung function was approximately the same between the 2 and 5 mm slice thicknesses. CONCLUSION: The electrical current must be > or =200 mA, and 3 slices and 2 mm slice thickness are appropriate.

Electricity↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Primary round cell liposarcoma of the omentum. A case report.

Liposarcomas are the most common of the malignant soft tissue tumors arising in the mediastinum and retroperitoneum. We have treated patients for round cell liposarcoma, an unusual histologic subtype, which is reported to be histologically mistaken for Ewing's sarcoma, lymphoma and other round cell neoplasms. The successful resection of a 2,300-g round cell liposarcoma of the omentum was recently performed at our hospital. Ultrastructural observations of this tumor are characterized by massive proliferation of the mitochondria in addition to the presence of lipid vacuoles in tumor cells. To our knowledge, no description of substantial mitochondrial proliferation in round cell liposarcoma has appeared previously in the literature; therefore, this is the first case report of histopathologic, cytopathologic and electron microscopic observations on this extremely rare tumor.

Female↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical value of deconvolution analysis in radionuclide renal study.

Deconvolution analysis was applied to radionuclide renal study. The purpose of this study was to clarify the underlying renal physiology that determines the shape and values of the transfer function. Analysis of the renal models revealed that the initial height of the transfer function is the ratio of the radioactivity extracted by the kidney to that in the input function. In addition, the shape of the transfer function displayed the distribution of the transit times and enabled us to evaluate the percentage of nephrons having a particular transit time. Based on the relation between the input and output function, a new method for measuring GFR or ERPF was developed in which the input function was corrected by the plasma radioactivity at 5 min after injection of the tracer. As one of the advantages of the transfer function, it was proved clinically that the contribution of the blood background is automatically eliminated from the amplitude of the transfer function. From these findings, our method for the measurement of GFR was considered superior to that proposed by Gates and highly useful for routine radionuclide renal study.

Glomerular Filtration Rate↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Activities of antiplasmin and antiplasminogen activator in serous middle ear effusions.

Antiplasmin and antiplasminogen activator activities in serous middle ear effusion (MEE) collected from adult patients were measured to analyze the kinetics of antifibrinolytic activity of protease inhibitors. No trypsin, plasmin, and plasminogen activator (PA) activity could be detected in the pooled serous MEE by either the fibrin plate method or the fluorometric assay. Antiplasmin activity in serous MEE was lower than that in plasma. The MEE had no antiurokinase activity. These findings indicate that 1) serous MEE has residual antifibrinolytic activity which may be attributed to mainly antiplasmin activity of unsaturated plasmin inhibitors and not to anti-PA activity, and 2) that serous MEE contains no secretory urokinase inhibitors.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The physical and mental development of children born following artificial insemination.

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Body Height↗