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Piotr Lass

Publications and source records attributed to Piotr Lass.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Intraoperative, radio-guided sentinel lymph node mapping in 110 nonsmall cell lung cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Sentinel lymph node identification has been tested in lung cancer patients with conflicting results. The present study was designed to assess the sensitivity, negative predictive value, and accuracy of intraoperative sentinel lymph node mapping by means of a radio-guided method in patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer to find the most appropriate definition of sentinel lymph node and to evaluate the usefulness of different particle sizes of radiocolloid. METHODS: One hundred ten patients with clinically N0 nonsmall cell lung cancer were enrolled in the pilot study of intraoperative sentinel node identification. Four quadrants of the peritumoral tissue were injected with 2 mL of 0.5 mCi technetium-99m suspension. Four radiocolloids of different particle size were used. After complete lymphadenectomy, all resected lymph nodes were examined with hematoxylin-eosin staining. All sentinel nodes negative for metastases by routine staining were searched further for metastatic deposits with both serial sections and immunohistochemistry for cytokeratins. RESULTS: The radio-guided method had a high identification rate, a high sensitivity, and a high negative predictive value (100%, 87%, and 93%, respectively) when immunohistochemistry was considered. When standard hematoxylin and eosin staining was applied, sensitivity and negative predictive value of sentinel lymph node labeling was lower (74% and 89%, respectively). No significant differences were found in either the sensitivity or negative predictive value among the colloid solutions of different particle size used in radio labeling, although smaller particles have shown a tendency to produce better results. CONCLUSIONS: The radio-guided technique provides efficient sentinel lymph node identification in lung cancer. Further studies are warranted to confirm the clinical utility of this strategy.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Possibilities of improving the parameters of hyperthermia in regional isolated limb perfusion using epidural bupivacaine and accurate temperature measurement of the three layers of limb tissue.

The present study presents the author's modification of the method, which aims to create proper parameters of the treatment. The selected group consisted of 15 women and eight men, with a mean age of 57.2 years (range from 26 to 72 years). The patients were divided into two groups, depending on whether they were given epidural bupivacaine (group I - 13 patients treated between the years 2001 and 2004) or not [group II (control) - 10 patients treated earlier, between the years 1997 and 2000]. We observed a significant change in the temperature of thigh muscles (P=0.009) and shank muscles (P=0.006). In the control group II, there was a statistically significant difference (P=0.048) in the temperatures between the muscles and subcutaneous tissue on the one hand and the shank skin on the other. That difference was mean 0.67 degrees Celsius (from 0.4 to 0.9) during the perfusion after applying the cytostatic. The temperature of the skin was lower than the temperature of the deeper tissues of the shank and did not exceed 39.9 degrees Celsius. Such a difference in the temperatures was not observed in case of the group I patients who were given bupivacaine into the extrameningeal space before applying the cytostatic. The difference in the temperatures was on average 0.26 degrees Celsius and was not statistically significant (P=0.99), whereas the shank skin temperature was 40.0-40.6 degrees Celsius. The attained results imply that despite the noticeable improvement in the heating of the limb muscles after application of bupivacaine, the improvement in the heating of the skin and subcutaneous tissue is still not satisfactory, although the growing tendency implies such a possibility.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Regional cerebral blood flow in Parkinson's disease as an indicator of cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pattern of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) deficits in Parkinson's disease patients in relation to cognitive decline and to assess the clinical usefulness of single photon emission tomography (SPET) scanning in differentiation between Parkinson's disease patients with dementia and those without cognitive deficits. METHODS: We performed Tc-ECD SPET in 60 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (F: 25, M: 35), with average age of 68.4 years (SD+/-7.3, range 51-81 years). All patients were examined neurologically with the assessment of stage and severity of Parkinson's disease (Hoehn-Yahr scale, UPDRS, Schwab-England scale). Detailed neuropsychological examination was performed in each Parkinson's disease patient. On the basis of DSM-IV criteria of dementia and the results obtained in psychological examination, the whole group was divided into three subgroups: I, with no cognitive changes (n = 17); II, with mild cognitive impairment (n = 25); and III, with dementia (n = 18). RESULTS: There was noticeable significant decrease of perfusion in all areas in Parkinson's disease patients when compared to the age-matched control group of healthy volunteers (n = 20). In group III, perfusion was significantly decreased (when compared to groups I and II), particularly in parietal and temporal areas with the predominance of the left side. Regression analysis revealed two independent factors related to dementia: decrease of perfusion within left temporal lobe and its increase within left thalamus. CONCLUSION: Parkinson's disease patients with dementia showed left temporo-parietal hypoperfusion as compared to a group of patients without dementia, which resembles perfusion deficits described in Alzheimer's disease. The hypoperfusion of the left temporal lobe with increase of rCBF within the left thalamus might be clinically useful in discrimination of Parkinson's disease patients with dementia against those without cognitive impairment.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Student's plagiarism--a challenge for paramedic educators.

Student's plagiarism is a growing problem not only in the writing of controlling essays, but above all in the writing in BSc./MSc. diploma theses, which sometimes can be simply bought from ghost-writers. This is a major challenge for medical educators, particularly in paramedic professions. The aim of this paper is to overview the frequency of plagiarism among students, the factors influencing plagiarism, the ways of detecting it and potential countermeasures.

Academic Dissertations as Topic↗
PubMed2005

Factors affecting the quality of life of patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease--a cross-sectional study in an outpatient clinic attendees.

PURPOSE: To determine the factors associated with poor quality of life (QoL) in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) in a clinic-based sample. SCOPE: One hundred patients were included in this study. To assess the quality of life the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) was used. A structured questionnaire interview and a complete neurological examination, including the Hoehn and Yahr scale (H-Y), the Schwab and England disability scale, II, III, IV parts of the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS part II, III, IV), Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS) and the Mini-Mental state examination (MMSE) were performed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The most important predictive factor was MADRS score, followed by clinical fluctuations as measured by UPDRS part IVB and the H-Y stage of disease, which account for 79% of the variance of QoL scores. Therefore, recognition of depression should become an important part of treatment of PD.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Camptocormia or Pisa syndrome in multiple system atrophy.

Although a mild stooped posture is a hallmark of parkinsonism, extreme trunk forward flexion is not common. This phenomenon was described in different etiological entities and called camptocormia. Other similar presentations called Pisa syndrome and antecollis were described mainly in extrapyramidal disorders. Authors present two cases of probable multiple system atrophy (MSA) with predominant parkinsonism and Pisa syndrome (or camptocormia). Both of them were previously misdiagnosed as idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) and one was reported 1 year earlier. The typical clinical presentation fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for multiple system atrophy, rapid progression with lack of responsiveness to L-DOPA and apomorphine and typical MRI putaminal pathology observed in both cases allowed us to make a diagnosis. Accuracy of clinical diagnosis in multiple system atrophy is still very poor. Therefore, unusual or rare clinical presentations may support the final diagnosis. The camptocormia, Pisa syndrome and antecollis may represent the continuum of the same motor phenomenon and most of the authors refer them to unusual form of axial dystonia. According to many clinical presentations on different forms of camptocormia/Pisa syndrome authors conclude that not etiology, but the localization of specific lesion, probably within putamen is responsible for that form of dystonia. In cases of parkinsonism and severe forward flexion of trunk multiple system atrophy, diagnosis should be considered.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed2005

The situation of nuclear medicine in Central and Eastern Europe.

This paper reviews the situation of nuclear medicine in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), i.e. a group of 15 countries lying east of the Oder river-Trieste line and west of the present/planned EU eastern border. Together these countries have 106.6 million inhabitants, i.e. about a quarter of the population of the "European economic space". Its nuclear medicine, however, represents less than 10% of European nuclear medicine manpower and equipment. In these countries there are at least 245 nuclear medicine departments with 661 nuclear medicine specialists and at least 376 gamma cameras. There are six dedicated PET units and three PET/SPECT centres, as well as one manufacturer of gamma cameras, six radiopharmaceutical manufacturers and two nuclear medicine scientific journals. The biggest nuclear medicine communities are in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. The scientific input of the CEE countries to European science is moderate-about 10% when measured by EANM congress abstracts, and 5% when measured by the number of papers in MEDLINE-indexed journals. Mean European bibliometric parameters are approached only by Hungary and-to some extent-the Czech Republic. This survey indicates the need for international cooperation to improve the level of nuclear medicine in the CEE countries so that it reaches European standards. The potential of these countries could also be better used to the benefit of European nuclear medicine.

Authorship↗
PubMed2005

The contribution of the left and right hemispheres to early recovery from aphasia: a SPECT prospective study.

This prospective study examined the relationship between post-stroke recovery of aphasia and changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF). To address the question of right hemisphere (RH) involvement in restitution of language, we tested the hypothesis that the increase in perfusion of the RH is crucial for early recovery from aphasia. Twenty-four right-handed patients with acute aphasia following left hemisphere (LH) ischaemic stroke were examined twice with a six-month interval. At each session CBF and language scores were measured on the same stroke patients. Language was measured by selected tasks derived from the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE). The SPECT scans were obtained using (99m)Tc-ECD on a triple-head gamma camera Multispect-3. Although initial CBF measured for the whole group of aphasic patients was not a predictor for future language recovery for either hemisphere, increased perfusion of the RH during a six-month interval was found to parallel the recovery of aphasic disorders. There was a correlation between the change in the right parietal CBF (but not the left) and a change in numerous language abilities. Nevertheless, only CBF values on the left predicted performance on the language tests at initial and follow-up examinations. When the area damaged on structural imaging was excluded from perfusion analysis, only subcortical CBF change on the left showed a positive correlation with language improvement. Thus, the cerebral mechanism associated with early recovery from aphasia is a dynamic and complex process that may involve both hemispheres. Probably this mechanism involves functional reorganisation in the speech-dominant (damaged) hemisphere and regression of haemodynamic disturbances in the non-dominant (structurally intact) hemisphere.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Lymphoedema: lymphoscintigraphy versus other diagnostic techniques--a clinician's point of view.

This paper overviews the problem of the clinical basis, diagnosis and available therapy modalities for lymphoedema. Regarding diagnostics, the measurement of circumference, volume and thickness of the limb are presented, as well as diagnostic imaging modalities. These include direct and indirect lymphography, MRI, CT, ultrasound imaging and lymphoscintigraphy, which is currently considered the leading technique in primary diagnosis of lymphoedema and its follow-up. This paper discusses the treatment of lymphoedema and the role of lymphoscintigraphy in the follow-up of patents with lymphoedema.

Diagnostic Imaging↗
PubMed2005

The usefulness of bone scannning for the diagnosis and evaluation of otogenic skull base osteomyelitis. A description of three cases.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this report was to assess the usefulness of bone scanning in the diagnosis and evaluation of the skull base osteomyelitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Bone scanning was performed in three male patients with otogenic skull base osteomyelitis, aged 65-84 years utilizing Tc99m-MDP and dual-head gamma camera. RESULTS: In one case, bone scanning played a crucial role in establishing the diagnosis. In two cases, it provided confirmed MRI results. CT scanning was negative in two cases. CONCLUSIONS: Bone scans may give valuable information for establishing the diagnosis and assessing the severity of this disease, and add complementary physiological information to radiological imaging.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

[Headache occurrence and assessment of regional blood flow after brain concussion in children].

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Headaches which can last for many months and even years belong to the most frequent consequences of closed head injuries in children. The method which makes it possible to demonstrate the presence and extent of the nervous tissue damage caused by trauma is the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) evaluation with single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT). In the present study the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was assessed 10-15 days after trauma, 3 months and one year in cases of brain concussion. We tried to establish whether there was a correlation between changes in rCBF and the occurrence of posttraumatic headache. MATERIAL AND METHODS: SPECT was applied in 32 children, aged 6-16, 10-15 days, and then 3 and 12 months after brain concussion. In all children no changes were found in CT and MRI examinations. RESULTS: In the studied group in the early period after trauma, blood flow impairment was found in 21 children, mostly in frontal areas. One year after trauma the rCBF improved in 11 children, in 10 cases the pattern was normal. In a group of 4 children with headache one year after brain concussion, three of them still presented the impairment of blood flow. CONCLUSIONS: SPECT shows a great sensitivity and usefulness in the assessment of consequences of head trauma and it can explain some posttraumatic complaints in children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Artificial neural networks in nuclear medicine.

An analysis of the accessible literature on the diagnostic applicability of artificial neural networks in coronary artery disease and pulmonary embolism appears to be comparative to the diagnosis of experienced doctors dealing with nuclear medicine. Differences in the employed models of artificial neural networks indicate a constant search for the most optimal parameters, which could guarantee the ultimate accuracy in neural network activity. The diagnostic potential within systems containing artificial neural networks proves this calculation tool to be an independent or/and an additional device for supporting a doctor's diagnosis of artery disease and pulmonary embolism.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2004

[Frequency of appearance systemic complications of autoimmunological diseases: primary and secondary Sjögren syndrome].

PURPOSE: As Sjögren syndrome is regarded by ophthalmologists as a synonim of dry eye syndrome, we decided to evaluate how often these patients demonstrate other than ocular symptoms, especially systemic complications. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined 30 patients with primary (PZS) and 45 patients with secondary Sjögren syndrome (WZS). RESULTS: Pathological findings in course of Sjogren syndrome concerned predominantly eyes (94%) and mucous membrane of the mouth (91%), salivary glands (65%) and skin. The most frequent complaint was fatigue (91%). CONCLUSIONS: Sjogren syndrome is a chronic systemic disease, in which predominant symptoms are: dryness of mucous membranes, chronic fatigue, painful joints and stomach disturbances.

Autoimmune Diseases↗