Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P C Davis

Publications and source records attributed to P C Davis.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Duplex Doppler sonography of the carotid artery: false-positive results in an artery contralateral to an artery with marked stenosis.

Anecdotal reports have described a false-positive "jet effect" or velocity increase in the carotid artery contralateral to an artery with significant stenosis or occlusion when using duplex Doppler sonography. In this study, the frequency, significance, and possible reasons for this finding were evaluated by a retrospective comparison of duplex sonography and angiography. Twenty-three patients with unilateral 81-100% carotid artery stenosis who underwent both duplex sonography (16 Acuson, seven Quantum) and angiography were evaluated. In 14 patients, there was an accurate or slight underestimate (less than 20%) of stenosis present in the internal carotid artery contralateral to an artery with tight stenosis/occlusion. In nine, a velocity increase in the internal carotid artery resulted in overestimation (10-80%) of the actual degree of stenosis. In one of these nine patients, real-time images were sufficient to explain the velocity increase on the basis of vessel tortuosity. In one, falsely elevated velocity resulted from inaccurate assignment of the Doppler angle of incidence in a patient in whom real-time visualization of a distal internal carotid lesion was poor. In four of the nine patients, cross filling via the circle of Willis toward the side of greater stenosis occurred. However, seven of 14 patients in whom there was duplex sonography/angiography agreement or slight duplex sonography underestimation also had cross filling. Vertebral artery patency did not correlate well with the presence of a "jet effect." These findings suggest that an increase in blood flow velocity with duplex Doppler sonography in the internal carotid artery on the side opposite an artery with a tight stenosis is a common source of error and is not readily explained by angiographic evidence of collateral flow.

Aged↗

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy. MR findings and a review of the literature.

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy is an uncommon neoplasm occurring primarily in the child one year or less in age. Difficulty in deciding the cellular origin of this tumor has led to numerous names, including congenital melanocarcinoma, melanotic epithelial odontoma, melanotic ameloblastoma, and retinal anlage tumor, to list a few. Electron microscopy and histochemical studies, however, have now established the neural crest as the most likely origin. The most frequent site of occurrence is the maxilla followed by the skull, the brain and the mandible. The genital organs are the most frequent extracranial site. Within the skull, there is a predilection for the anterior fontanel. The following is a case report of a young child with melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy arising at the anterior fontanel. Included is a discussion of magnetic resonance (MR) findings, which to our knowledge, have not been previously reported in this tumor.

Female↗

Hemorrhage within pituitary adenomas: how often associated with pituitary apoplexy syndrome?

To determine the clinical significance and specificity of suspected intratumoral hemorrhage in pituitary adenomas, we reviewed the clinical presentations, CT results, and findings at surgery in 12 patients who had hyperintense signal within intrasellar and suprasellar masses on short TR/TE spin-echo MR pulse sequences. Eight of the cases were confirmed at surgery. In seven of the operated cases, hemorrhage was found within pituitary adenomas and in the eight case there was hemorrhage but no identifiable adenomatous tissue. Nine of the 12 patients had CT scans; three had focal areas of increased attenuation, four had focal areas of decreased attenuation, and two had uniform hypoattenuation. All nine of these CT abnormalities correlated with areas of hemorrhage on MR. Three patients had clinical apoplexy; in two there was increased attenuation on CT and in one it was decreased. We found that intratumoral hemorrhage may be seen without clinical evidence of pituitary apoplexy, and that the areas of hemorrhage can appear as low attenuation on CT. CT may be better for visualizing intratumoral hemorrhage within the first few days, but MR is more sensitive in detecting and following the hemorrhage in the subacute stage.

Adenoma↗

Down's syndrome and acute myelofibrosis. Time study of DNA content during the progression to leukemia.

Flow cytometry (FCM) for the determination of cellular DNA content was performed on multiple bone marrow biopsy specimens from a 3-year-old boy with Down's syndrome and myelofibrosis. A rapidly fatal acute nonlymphocytic leukemia developed within 3 months after initial bone marrow evaluation. The clinical and morphologic changes corresponded to the development of aneuploidy as determined by FCM and cytogenetic analysis. These findings support the clinical observations of the premalignant potential of myelofibrosis in Down's syndrome.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Spinal abnormalities in pediatric patients: MR imaging findings compared with clinical, myelographic, and surgical findings.

Eighty-one pediatric patients with a variety of spinal disorders, including suspected dysrhaphism, scoliosis, neoplasia, and neurofibromatosis, underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The results were retrospectively compared with those of myelography followed by computed tomography (CT) and surgery. In patients with dysrhaphism, most abnormalities, including hydromyelia, inclusion tumors, and sites of cord tether, were demonstrated with MR imaging. Diastematomyelia and small hydromyelic cavities were indistinguishable on routine coronal and sagittal T1-weighted images; axial images with T2 weighting were optimal for this differentiation. MR imaging did not enable direct visualization of a thickened filum or evaluation of tethering with a thin, dorsally positioned neural placode. Congenital or severe scoliosis required lengthy studies with multiple planes of imaging or myelography and CT. Milder curvatures were readily evaluated with MR imaging, and neoplastic lesions, with the exception of intrathecal tumor seeding, were adequately defined.

Adolescent↗

The effect of long-term marrow culture on the origin of colony-forming cells in acute myeloblastic leukemia: studies of two patients heterozygous for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

Long-term marrow cultures (LTMCs) provide a selective growth advantage for cytogenetically normal cells in patients with acute and chronic myeloid leukemias. In the present study, LTMCs were established from two patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who were heterozygous for the X-linked enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). Initially only leukemic clusters grew from cells plated in semisolid medium, but after 1 or more weeks in LTMC, morphologically normal granulocyte-macrophage colonies were detected. Nonetheless, in one of the patients, more than 80% of these colonies expressed the G6PD type observed in the leukemic blast cells, indicating a probable neoplastic derivation for many of them. In the second patient, colonies cultured during the first 3 weeks of the LTMC were predominantly derived from clonal progenitors, whereas after week 4 the colonies were derived from normal stem cells. Colonies derived from clonal or normal stem cells were not morphologically distinguishable. These data support the conclusion that LTMC has a selective anti-leukemic effect on marrow cells from some patients. However, normalization of colony growth is by itself not a sufficient criterion for determination of whether committed progenitor cells from patients with AML are derived from normal or leukemic stem cells.

Bone Marrow↗

Parotid masses: MR imaging.

Twenty patients with surgically proved neoplasms of the parotid gland were evaluated in order to compare contrast material-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. In 14 patients both CT and MR imaging examinations were performed, while in six only MR imaging was performed. Because contrast resolution is better with MR imaging, it appears to be superior to CT in distinguishing the parotid gland from surrounding structures. Four intraparotid lesions were more conspicuous on T2-weighted MR images than on CT scans. MR imaging appears to be superior to CT for evaluating parotid masses and for distinguishing neoplasms of the parotid gland from those originating within the parapharyngeal space.

Adenoma↗

Leptomeningeal metastasis: MR imaging.

Seven patients with central nervous system neoplasia and leptomeningeal metastases, proved either at initial diagnosis or on follow-up with contrast material-enhanced computed tomography (CT), were evaluated with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. In two patients, diffuse sulcal enhancement on CT scans was inapparent on T1- or T2-weighted MR images. Likewise, in four patients diffuse cisternal enhancement on CT scans was not identifiable with MR. Nodular or focal cisternal masses were identified with both CT and MR imaging in three patients; in two, however, MR imaging provided less information. Ependymal and subependymal metastases identified with CT (two patients) were indistinguishable on MR images from periventricular abnormalities of radiation therapy and/or hydrocephalus. These findings suggest that leptomeningeal metastasis may be so subtle or inapparent as to be overlooked with MR imaging alone. Thus, CT and MR imaging should be considered complementary techniques for initial diagnosis and follow-up of tumors with a propensity for leptomeningeal metastasis.

Adult↗

Ganglioglioma of the cerebellum: case report.

The authors report a rare case of a cerebellar ganglioglioma. A review of 12 previously reported cases and our case suggest that surgical removal of this neoplasm carries a good prognosis.

Adult↗

MR imaging of pituitary adenoma: CT, clinical, and surgical correlation.

Twenty-five patients with suspected pituitary adenoma were evaluated prospectively with CT and MR. Nine patients underwent transsphenoidal surgery, and three of these showed a documented decrease in size of mass on bromocriptine therapy. CT was more sensitive than MR for detecting focal lesions (seven vs three) and sellar-floor erosion (12 vs six). MR was superior to CT in identifying infundibular abnormalities (seven vs six), focal abnormalities of the diaphragma sellae (10 vs seven), cavernous sinus invasion (four vs two), and optic chiasm compression (six vs zero). Thus, MR may be the procedure of choice for optimal identification and localization of macroadenoma. For patients with suspected microadenoma, however, this preliminary series indicates that CT remains the radiographic procedure of choice.

Adenoma↗

Electron and X-ray diffraction studies of influenza neuraminidase complexed with monoclonal antibodies.

Complexes of influenza virus neuraminidase both with antigen-binding (Fab) fragments and with whole monoclonal antibody molecules have been crystallized. Uniformly thin platelet microcrystals suitable for structure analysis by electron diffraction, yielding reflections to approximately 4.3 A resolution, have been grown from one neuraminidase-Fab complex, that of N9 neuraminidase with 32/3 Fab, and thicker crystals of a second neuraminidase-Fab complex (N9 neuraminidase-NC35 Fab) diffract X-rays to approximately 4.0 A resolution. Electron microscope lattice images of microcrystals both of Fab and of immunoglobulin G complexed with neuraminidase have been interpreted in terms of negatively stained images of the respective individual complex protomers. The sites of binding of the antibodies to the antigen are consistent with the notion that single amino acid changes observed in monoclonal variants of neuraminidase occur in binding epitopes for the antibody used for their selection.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Sinus pericranii. A case report.

A 7-month-old male presented with a 2 X 3 cm soft tissue mass overlying the right mastoid bone. An underlying bony defect was palpable. Plain skull films, CT scan and cerebral arteriogram showed the classic radiologic findings of a sinus pericranii. This rare vascular anomaly is briefly discussed.

Cranial Sinuses↗

CT evaluation of effects of cranial radiation therapy in children.

A retrospective evaluation was completed of 49 children who received conventional cranial radiation therapy for primary central nervous system and/or skull-base neoplasia and who had follow-up CT studies. In these children, abnormalities in normal parenchyma away from the tumor itself were surprisingly frequent, with or without chemotherapy. Generalized volume loss or atrophy was the most frequent abnormality (51%), but in this population it may have resulted from a variety of causes. Calcification in nontumorous parenchyma was common (28%) with or without chemotherapy. The most frequent site of calcification was subcortical at the gray-white junction. Calcification was progressive over 1-2 years and correlated pathologically with mineralizing microangiopathy and dystrophic calcification with demyelination. White-matter abnormalities other than those associated with shunt malfunction and tumor edema occurred in 26% of the patients. Both white-matter abnormalities and calcification occurred predominantly in younger children, particularly those under 3 years old at the time of radiation therapy. Of the 21 children who received chemotherapy in this series, only two received methotrexate. White-matter abnormalities and calcifications occurred with similar frequency in children with and without chemotherapy; thus, radiation therapy is the most likely cause of these findings.

Adolescent↗

Jugular venous thrombosis: MR imaging.

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of jugular venous thrombosis was investigated in three patients who had symptoms suggestive of this condition; the diagnosis was later confirmed by computed tomography, by venography, and clinically. Bright intraluminal signal intensity was seen throughout the course of the affected jugular vein on MR images in all three patients, in sharp contrast to the lack of signal from the corresponding site in the uninvolved venous system. Temporal changes in signal intensity from the acute to subacute stage of thrombosis were evaluated for one patient. A relative increase in signal intensity for the subacute phase was believed to be related to a decrease in the T1 relaxation time. MR may be the imaging modality of choice in the investigation of venous thrombosis.

Adult↗