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R Gentile

Publications and source records attributed to R Gentile.

95 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Development of echocardiographic diagnosis of congenital cardiopathies: from M-mode to color Doppler].

The general aspects and newer applications of two-dimensional, contrast, and doppler echocardiography in the assessment of congenital heart diseases are reviewed. The M-mode techniques are presently of limited value as diagnostic tool and are confined to few detailed findings which are often missed at standard examination: particularly the M-mode is useful in the visualization of pulmonic valve which shows characteristic abnormalities in pulmonary hypertension. Two-dimensional echocardiography has opened a new era of investigation in the evaluation of congenital heart diseases. It has enhanced the ultrasonic resolution in the delineation and connection of intracardiac structures, providing a systematic approach to the diagnosis of complex cardiac abnormalities. The left and right ventricular chambers can be identified through the position and morphology of their atrioventricular valves and papillary muscles, and by evaluation of the mitral-semilunar valve continuity. The newest utilization of standard echocardiography involves the prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart diseases by way of intrauterine echocardiography: the fetal heart can be visualized in several planes by transabdominal approach in the mother. With careful attention, a complete examination including four and five chambers view of the ventricle and short axis view of the great arteries, can be accomplished in almost all cases, allowing an accurate determination of many congenital defects. The contrast technique was originally used for identifying right cardiac chambers on M-mode echocardiograms: it provides excellent times resolutions and an accurate analysis of flow related events across the cardiac structures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Acute viral myocarditis: new aspects of an old disease].

The causes of acute myocarditis include infections (viral, bacterial, protozoal), toxins, drugs, hypersensitivity, chemical and physical agents. One of the most interesting and not completely understood of these conditions is the viral myocarditis. This diagnosis is often invoked to explain non-specific chest pain in the absence of coronary artery disease, spontaneous onset of arhythmias associated or not to congestive heart failure of unidentified origin. In most instances, there is little evidence that myocarditis is the underlying pathology. The challenge for physicians is not only to recognize and treat myocarditis, but also to identify which patient might be at risk for progression to dilated cardiomyopathy. Although in most cases myocarditis is limited and does not progress to chronic left ventricular dysfunction, nevertheless a casual relationship exists between viral myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy. This association was initially supported by observation during epidemics of Coxsackie B infection since as many as 12% of infected patients manifested clinical sign of cardiac involvement and few of these developed subsequently a dilated cardiomyopathy. Experimentally, in animals affected by acute viral myocarditis, the T lymphocytes appear to mediate continued myocyte necrosis in the apparent absence of virus. In addition, cellular infiltration and myocardial necrosis are minimal in the athymic mouse where T lymphocytes are depleted: thus T lymphocytes may play some role in the subsequent development of chronic congestive cardiomyopathy. However, until the application of endomyocardial biopsy, arguments for and against this relationship were based primary on circumstantial evidence from clinical, serologic, epidemiologic findings. recent studies using endomyocardial biopsy have demonstrated that myocarditis is associated to dilated cardiomyopathy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Disease↗