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Biomedical subjects

R Guerrisi

Publications and source records attributed to R Guerrisi.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Relationship of rheumatoid factor isotype levels with joint lesions detected by magnetic resonance imaging in early rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between rheumatoid factor isotypes and articular damage detected by magnetic resonance imaging and plain radiography in early rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: 20 consecutive patients with early active rheumatoid arthritis underwent determinations of serum IgM, IgA, and IgG rheumatoid factors by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Plain radiographs of the hands and wrists were obtained, and the wrist, metacarpophalangeal joints, and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints on the more severely affected side were investigated by magnetic resonance imaging before and after gadolinium-DTPA injection. RESULTS: IgM, IgA, and IgG rheumatoid factors were found in 13 (65%), 13 (65%), and 15 (75%) of patients, respectively. Sera from five patients (25%) contained no detectable rheumatoid factor isotypes. Correlations were found among the levels of the three rheumatoid factor isotypes. Levels of IgA, IgG, and IgM rheumatoid factor were significantly higher in patients with than without erosions on magnetic resonance imaging scans. No such difference was found when patients with and without erosions on plain radiographs were compared. Magnetic resonance imaging detected soft tissue lesions more frequently than plain radiography. Magnetic resonance imaging was also more likely than plain radiography to show bone erosions and bone cysts, but this difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative rheumatoid factor isotype assays and magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of erosions of the hand and wrist may be useful for investigating patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[The solitary pulmonary nodule: the preliminary results in differential diagnosis by high-resolution computed tomography with a contrast medium].

INTRODUCTION: High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) with iodinated contrast material has been used by many authors to study solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs). The degree of enhancement was correlated with the nodule malignancy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty adult patients were examined, before and after contrast agent administration, with incremental dynamic CT. We selected 22 patients with SPNs (3-30 mm phi, except one with 40 mm phi). The CT numbers of the inner nodule were calculated before and 1, 2 and 3 minutes after the i.v. administration of a weight-related dose (1.5 mL/kg/min) of nonionic iodinated contrast agent. A dose of 100 mL contrast agent was used in the first 6 patients. The difference in CT numbers between unenhanced images and the images with maximum enhancement (max. attenuation) was also calculated. RESULTS: Histologic diagnoses included 4 tuberculomas, 3 hamartomas and 15 malignant tumors (9 adenocarcinomas, 5 squamous cell carcinomas and 1 non-Hodgkin lymphoma). The CT numbers (in Hounsfield units, HU) of malignant nodules ranged 12-31 HU (mean: 21.5 HU) before contrast agent administration; the "long-standing" tuberculomas ranged 11-22 HU (mean: 16.5 HU) and the hamartomas had a mean density of 10.5 HU. We excluded for the study two "fresh" tuberculomas, one of which was surrounded by a low-attenuation infiltrate (the halo sign). We selected a threshold value of 20 HU on enhanced CT images to distinguish malignant (> or = 20 HU) from benign (< or = 20 HU) nodules. All lung cancers had complete enhancement (mean density: 35.5 HU). With 20 HU as the threshold value for a positive test, sensitivity was 100%, specificity 85.7%, positive predictive value 93.8% and negative predictive value 100%; test bias was 1.067. CONCLUSION: Positron emission tomography (PET) with 2-[fluorine-18] fluoro-2-deoxy-D glucose is reported to be as accurate as enhanced HRCT, but it does not provide accurate morphological information, is not widely available and it is quite expensive: therefore, in our opinion, CT should be preferred. After examining over 100 patients, we may use our results in the decision analysis comparing surgical risk with cancer risk.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Sternoclavicular joint disease in psoriatic arthritis.

The radiological and tomographic aspects of the sternoclavicular joint were examined in 10 patients with psoriatic arthritis to evaluate better how this joint was affected using different radiological techniques. Imaging of the sternoclavicular joint showed that computed tomography provides a better visualisation of erosions, subchondral cysts, and sclerosis than standard radiography and conventional linear tomography.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Technical principles of solid tridimensional modeling with computerized tomography for the study of maxillofacial diseases].

3DCT allows the solid modeling of body structures from contiguous slices. The 3D images are free to rotate on the x, y, and z axes. It is possible to evidentiate structures with various densities by means of threshold operators, which allow a 3D model of both soft tissues and bones to be obtained. Shading operations allow image quality to be improved by varying the elementary units to surface units ratio. Implemented 3D rendering reduces the spatial edges by means of anti-aliasing functions. The 3D images allow the study of the complexity of maxillofacial bony structures, and they are especially useful in both surgical planning and in postoperative follow-up. We studied 58 patients with maxillofacial diseases (34 traumatic, 14 malformations, 4 dysplastic, and 6 neoplastic). In most cases (96.5%), we obtained high-quality images, which allowed both the site and the extension of the lesions to be evaluated, together with their relationships to adjacent structures. In 65% of traumatic cases, the 4 basic views thoroughly demonstrated lesion spread, while in the extant 35% of cases cutting operations and rotatory translations were necessary. In all malformation cases a clear visualization of somatic asymmetries was obtained. In both dysplastic and neoplastic cases, the best lesion evidence was obtained in superficial lesions with cortical bone involvement. This technique was always easy and quick to perform, with no need for supplemental dose exposure to the patient.

Bone Diseases↗
PubMed1991

[Neoplasms of the base of the tongue. Evaluation with magnetic resonance].

The authors investigated MR capabilities in evaluating the neoplasms of the base of tongue. Thirty patients were examined. The images were obtained--at INI, Grottaferrata, Rome--using a 1.5 T superconductive Gyroscan unit by Philips. On T2-weighted images, the neoplasms were always hyperintense; in 10 patients edema could be distinguished from neoplasm. On T1-weighted scans the tumor exhibited the same signal intensity as the tongue muscle in 4 patients, while in the extant 26 cases it was hypointense. This pattern proved to be aspecific and could not be correlated with a specific histology. In 3 clinically symptomatic patients, MR imaging diagnosed the invasion of the internal pterigoid muscle. MR capabilities in identifying swollen lymph nodes was also evaluated on the basis of the signal intensities of the latter, as well as on their size. The authors' conclusion is that MR imaging is to be considered the method of choice in the staging of tumors at the base of tongue thanks to its high contrast resolution and multiplanar capabilities.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

[Radiologic changes in the pelvis of patients with chronic renal insufficiency undergoing periodic dialysis].

Bone alterations in the patients undergoing periodic dialysis represent a frequent and invalidating complication and cause the pattern called uremic osteodystrophy. In this study we have examined 173 pelvic X-rays of 73 patients affected with chronic renal insufficiency and undergoing periodic dialysis. The results indicate the presence of all the lesions characterizing uremic osteodystrophy. Arterial calcifications and osteoporosis are the most frequent patterns; with various incidence, osteomalacia, osteitis fibrosa, osteosclerosis and brown tumors are associated. In this group of patients, who were followed for many years, a non-univocal behavior was observed: next to patterns of progressive aggravation, such as vascular calcifications, phases of stabilization/improvement were observed, e.g., in case of brown tumors and osteitis fibrosa.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

The response of ventral horn neurons to ricin. An experimental abiotrophy model.

The morphological alterations of anterior horn neurons of the spinal cord of rabbits produced by the administration of ricin conveyed via retrograde axonal flow are described. The differences with the primary response after axonal transection and the similarity with degenerative abiotrophic systemic lesions are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Progress of brown tumors in patients with chronic renal insufficiency undergoing dialysis.

In a group of 73 patients, affected by chronic renal insufficiency, whose skeleton was periodically checked, three cases of brown tumors were found. These cases demonstrated a variety of locations that were involved, especially the pelvis, ribs and mandible. During therapeutic treatment the brown tumors presented a different behavior; while some lesions tended toward complete sclerosis, others increased in size and in both instances new lesions appeared. Parathyroidectomy, carried out in two patients, determined a definitive sclerosis of these lesions. Brown tumors also correlate with high PTH levels and with lesions from osteitis fibrosa.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Patulin].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[NMR of phakomatoses].

23 patients affected by phakomatoses were studied with NMR, including tuberous sclerosis (11 cases), Sturge-Weber's disease and Von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis (6 cases). SE sequence was used performing T1-WIs with TR = 350-750 ms and TE = 20-30 ms and T2-WIs with TR = 1500-2100 ms and TE = 50-100 ms. Tuberous sclerosis was characterized in each case by the presence of hiperintense areas in T2-WIOs, associated in 9 cases to subependimal microcalcifications. Sturge-Weber-disease showed: cerebral or lobar emiatrophia, abnormal vascularization and cortical calcifications. Cerebral neurofibromatosis was characterized by extra-assial tumors, associated in 4 cases to gliomas of the optical pathways. The AA. conclude that NMR is the choice examination in the evaluation of phakomatoses.

Adolescent↗