Elective embolotherapy for recurrent hemoptysis was evaluated for its effectiveness. Forty embolotherapeutic procedures were performed in 30 patients. In the short term, complete hemostasis was achieved in 16 of 40 procedures (40%) and significant improvement in another 16 procedures (40%). Long-term, complete hemostasis was achieved in 14 of 34 procedures (41%) and significant improvement in 12 (35%). Embolotherapy was consistently more effective in patients who had no pleural abnormalities compared with those with pleural thickening. Long-term complete hemostasis was achieved in 7 of 10 procedures (70%) for the patients without pleural thickening and only 7 of 24 (29%) in patients with pleural thickening. Thus, pleural abnormalities negatively influence long-term effectiveness of embolotherapy.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Adrenoceptors affect accommodation by modulating cholinergic activity.

In an attempt to clarify the functional role of adrenoceptors in accommodation, the effects of various adrenergic agents on the state of accommodation were studied. Fifty-two emmetropic, visually normal subjects (24.6 +/- 0.42 years old) participated in this study. Using an infrared optometer, the far and near points of accommodation were measured by a quasistatic method. Tonic accommodation and accommodative adaptation were also investigated. All these parameters were measured before and after topical application of various adrenergic agents. Both bunazosin hydrochloride (0.1%) and phenylephrine hydrochloride (5%) had no effect on tonic accommodation and accommodative adaptation. However, bunazosin hydrochloride increased the near point of accommodation. Timolol maleate (0.5%) and isoproterenol hydrochloride (3.0%) did not affect tonic accommodation. Isoproterenol hydrochloride evoked a hyperopic shift of the far point of accommodation by 0.23 +/- 0.42 diopters (D). Additionally, accommodative adaptation was increased by timolol maleate (0.36 +/- 0.62 D) and decreased by isoproterenol hydrochloride (0.18 +/- 0.48 D). These results indicate that both alpha and beta adrenoceptors affect accommodation. Activation of alpha adrenoceptors increased the near point of accommodation and activation of beta adrenoceptors decreased accommodative adaptation, which suggests that activation of adrenoceptors may modify parasympathetic activity; hence, affecting the state of accommodation.

Accommodation, Ocular↗

PubMedDate not supplied

MR imaging of the anterior cruciate ligament: value of thin slice direct oblique coronal technique.

PURPOSE: The value of the thin slice direct oblique coronal technique, which is parallel to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), was assessed in the evaluation of ACL injury in comparison with conventional oblique sagittal and coronal images. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A thin slice direct oblique coronal technique was developed and applied clinically to 62 patients after conventional oblique sagittal and coronal images had been obtained. MR images of these 62 patients (24 with tears and 38 without tears) with an arthroscopic correlation were evaluated by three radiologists who were unaware of the arthroscopic results. The diagnostic accuracy of these new images was compared with that of oblique sagittal and coronal images by ROC analysis. RESULTS: Conventional oblique sagittal and coronal images for the diagnosis of ACL tears revealed accuracies of 82%, 84%, and 84%, sensitivities of 92%, 92%, and 96% and specificities of 76%, 79%, and 76% for the three reviewers, respectively. On thin slice direct oblique coronal images, specificities of 97%, 97%, and 97%, sensitivities of 96%, 96%, and 96%, and accuracies of 97%, 97%, and 97% were obtained, respectively. Diagnostic ability was significantly better with direct oblique coronal images (mean area under the ROC curve [Az]=0.99) than with conventional oblique sagittal and coronal images (Az=0.91) (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The addition of thin slice direct oblique coronal images significantly improved specificity and accuracy in the diagnosis of ACL tears.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Confirmation of dialysate leakage by intraperitoneal administration of radioactive colloid.

A 29-year-old man who had been on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) was admitted to our hospital because of pleural effusion. Radioactive colloid studies with intraperitoneal administration revealed a pleuroperitoneal communication. After pleurodesis by the administration of fibrin glue and antiplasmin into the thoracic cavity, the pleural effusion did not reaccumulate and there was no evidence of pleuroperitoneal communication by radioactive colloid study.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Determination of vertebral bone mineral density with new dual energy X-ray absorptiometry using multiple detectors: fundamental studies.

Fundamental studies on the ability of a newly developed 90-detector dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) system with a fan beam, the DCS-3000, to determine bone mineral density (BMD) were performed. This new system not only measured BMD precisely, resulting in a fast scan mode in CV of 0.89% and 1.63% for in vitro and in vivo studies, respectively, but also performed data acquisition in a greatly reduced examination time (24 sec). Furthermore, when a rod phantom was used, the linear regression equation obtained between BMD quantified with the QDR-1000 (x) and that quantified with the DCS-3000 (y) was y = 1.250x-0.242. In both healthy subjects and osteoporotic patients, significant positive correlations were obtained between radial BMD and vertebral BMD measured with the QDR-1000 and with the DCS-3000. The correlation for radial BMD was r = 0.533 (p less than 0.001, N = 76), and that for vertebral BMD was r = 0.985 (p less than 0.001, N = 56). Therefore, in addition to safety of operation, the performance of the DCS-3000 was considered to be equal to that of commercially available DEXA systems, indicating that it should be useful in the detection of vertebral bone loss.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Photon-deficient finding in sternum on bone scintigraphy in patients with malignant disease.

The sternum is known as a common site of bone metastasis in a variety of neoplasms. Sternal metastasis is usually visualized as hot spot on bone scintigraphy. However, photon deficiency in the sternum on bone scintigraphy is reported in few cases with malignancy. We undertook a retrospective analysis to clarify the clinical significance of photon deficiency in the sternum in 12 patients with malignancy. Twelve patients (five breast cancer, two multiple myeloma, one lung cancer, one renal cell cancer, one hepatocellular carcinoma, one malignant lymphoma, and one thyroid cancer) showing cold sternal metastasis on bone scintigraphy were identified among 9,430 patients in whom bone scintigraphy was performed. Except for two cases with pathologically confirmed sternal metastasis, all patients showed lytic change in the sternum on tomography or CT scan. Six cases of solitary sternal metastasis showed partial effect of systemic therapy (chemotherapy, humoral therapy, and radiation therapy) and surgical treatment. It is necessary to keep in mind that this type of lesion may occur as a manifestation of metastatic disease.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Indexes of bone mineral content on second metacarpal bone roentgenogram analyzed by digital image processing: a comparison with other bone mass quantifying methods.

A new photodensitometric technique (digital image processing, DIP) was performed to assess the bone mineral content of the metacarpal bone as a screening test for bone loss in 340 healthy or osteoporotic women as well as 35 steroid-dosed patients and 46 patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis. This procedure was compared with single photon absorptiometry and dual photon absorptiometry in terms of clinical value. Two bone mineral indexes, metacarpal index and sigma GS/D (the integrated bone mineral density of cortical and trabecular bone on a cross section in the middle of the second metacarpal bone), were equal to other methods in the quantification of decreases in bone mineral content due to aging in healthy or osteoporotic women. In addition, sigma GS/D was sensitive enough to detect decreases in bone mineral content in patients with vertebral fractures, on steroid therapy, and with chronic renal failure. Thus, sigma GS/D measured by DIP was shown to have clinical value as a tool in screening for decreased bone mineral content.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Uptake of technetium-99m DTPA in retroperitoneal liposarcoma.

99mTc-DTPA, a renal agent, has been noted to accumulate in tumors such as neurofibroma, uterine myoma, soft tissue sarcoma, hepatic hemangioma, leiomyosarcoma, and plasmacytoma. We report a case in which uptake of 99mTc-DTPA was demonstrated in a retroperitoneal liposarcoma.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Computed tomography of basal ganglia calcifications in pseudo- and idiopathic hypoparathyroidism.

It is well known that patients with pseudo (PHP)- and idiopathic (IHP) hypoparathyroidism are frequently associated with intracranial calcifications. The relative sensitivity of computed tomography (CT) and conventional skull radiography in detecting basal ganglia calcifications was studied in two patients with PHP and six with IHP. CT was more sensitive: the detection rate was 71% (5/7) for CT and 14% (1/7) for skull radiography. Furthermore, patients with more prolonged hypocalcemia showed a higher incidence of calcifications. Thus, CT was useful as a diagnostic technique in the early detection of calcified basal ganglia.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Usefulness of liver scan using 99mTc-phytate in diagnosis of partial diaphragmatic eventration.

Partial diaphragmatic eventration, when occurring at uncommon sites, is difficult to diagnose when only using a plain X-p and fluoroscopy. We experienced an unusual variety of this disorder. In order to diagnose this case, liver scintigraphy using 99mTc-phytate was performed, and we were able to make a definite diagnosis without other invasive examinations.

Diaphragmatic Eventration↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Magnetic resonance imaging of subacute thyroiditis.

Clinical, laboratory, and scintigraphic findings, and magnetic resonance (MR) images of three patients with subacute thyroiditis are presented in all three at the time of diagnosis. On T1-weighted images, regions of abnormality with irregular margins and slightly high intensity were demonstrated. On T2-weighted images, markedly increased intensity was shown in the same sites. On follow-up MRI in two patients after treatment, these findings had disappeared or become more normal.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A fundamental study of a computed X-ray densitometry system for bone mineral measurement in the second metacarpal bone.

The effect of radiographic exposure factors such as the photographic film density, X-ray tube voltage, and focus-film distance on the indices of bone mineral obtained by computed X-ray densitometry (CXD), a newly developed X-ray microdensitometric system, was investigated. sigma GS/D, which corresponded to the bone mineral density divided the integrated bone mineral by the bone width of the second metacarpal bone, was influenced by these exposure factors, whereas MCI, which represented the ratio of the cortical bone to whole bone, was independent of them. Present results indicated that the focus-film distance between 85 and 115 cm, the X-ray tube voltage in 45-60 kV, and a photographic density of lower than 1.82-1.86 of the screen-film combination should be used to assess quantitatively bone mineral of the second metacarpal bone using the CXD system.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Bone and 67Ga scintigraphy in the evaluation of rib lesions in patients with multiple myeloma.

Rib lesions in 14 patients with multiple myeloma were evaluated by 99mTc-phosphorous compound bone scintigraphy and 67Ga scintigraphy. In the present study, in order to accurately detect rib lesions in multiple myeloma, bone and 67Ga scintigraphy were performed in 14 patients with multiple myeloma. The patterns of radionuclide accumulation in rib lesions on bone scintigraphy were classified by their grade, type, and site, and the findings were compared with the results of 67Ga scintigraphy. Thus, in cases of multiple myeloma, it was important to consider carefully both the intensity and the design of bone scintigraphy in combination with follow-up study by 67Ga scintigraphy. As a result of such consideration, we found that bone and 67Ga scintigraphy were useful in distinguishing invasive lesions from benign degenerative changes in the rib cage in cases with suspected rib involvement of multiple myeloma.

Adult↗