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Parameters of images obtained using roentgenographic systems based on stimulated luminophores (computer roentgenography) were experimentally compared. It was shown that roentgenography based on the use of stimulated luminophores had several advantages over conventional film roentgenography.
45 patients, mean age 22.7 +/- 6.3 years, with spondylarthritic syndrome of mean duration of 3.0 +/- 3.4 years, were examined by computed tomography and ordinary roentgenography of the sacroiliac joints. The roentgenograms of 4 patients fulfilled the Rome diagnostic criteria for ankylosing spondylarthritis against 9 patients examined by computed tomography. The data for a probable form were 9 and 10 respectively. Sacroiliitis [correction of Sacroileitis] not fulfilling these criteria for spondylarthritis was found in 13 patients by ordinary roentgenography and in 12 patients by computed tomography. Concerning the sacroiliac joints the computed tomography seems a more sensitive method than the ordinary roentgenography. The computed tomography discovers a greater number of changes and gives a better image.
To assess the potential for selective use of roentgenography in evaluating extremity injuries, prediction rules were developed based on prospective observations for 617 injured children and adolescents examined in our Emergency Department (phase 1) and tested on 601 examined 1 year later (phase 2). Logit analysis produced best-fitting statistical models for phase 1 data with significant (P less than 0.05) direct effects of gross signs, point tenderness, activity not routine, swelling moderate or severe, time from injury less than 6 hours, and pain with motion for upper extremity injuries; and, for lower extremity injuries, not knee injury, activity not routine, point tenderness, and foot injury. Prediction rules developed in phase 1 performed equally well when tested on phase 2 injuries. Data from both phases were combined, therefore, in analysis that produced risk estimates. For all injury types (ie, for injuries with all possible combinations of presence or absence of these findings), risk for fracture was derived. For upper extremity injuries, with a threshold risk for fracture of 20% used to select specific injury types for roentgenography, prediction rule outcomes were 18.1% of roentgenograms avoided and 5.3% of fractures missed. For lower extremity injuries, using a threshold risk of 10% to select injury types for roentgenography, outcomes were 25.8% of roentgenograms avoided and 5.3% of fractures missed. Alternative prediction rules allowed still greater roentgenogram avoidance, although missed fractures also increased. Risk of adverse functional outcome from missed fractures appeared small. Annual national cost savings from the elimination of 18.1% of upper and 25.8% of lower extremity roentgenographic evaluations was estimated at $103 million.
CT and roentgenography were used for the investigation of 78 patients with the radicular syndrome. The state of the intervertebral disks, intervertebral joints and cerebrospinal canal in degenerative vertebral diseases was assessed. CT permits the detection of hernia, protrusion of the intervertebral disks, deformity of the intervertebral joints, and the narrowing of the cerebrospinal canal as a result of degenerative changes, as well as establishing the cause of the affection of neural structures in the cerebrospinal canal, radicular holes. CT possesses some advantages over roentgenography in the diagnosis of degenerative vertebral diseases and can be recommended as the principal method together with roentgenography for investigation of patients with lumbar pains.
In 47 patients who had undergone roentgenography, ultrasonography, 201 Tl-scintigraphy, and aspiration cytology and on whom a pathological diagnosis had been made, the diagnostic value of the above-mentioned 4 examinations was evaluated. The correct diagnosis rate for aspiration cytology and 201 Tl-scintigraphy was 76.6%; for ultrasonography and roentgenography it was 70.2%. The false-negative rate of cancer for aspiration cytology was 14.9%; for the other examinations it was 10.6%. The false-negative rate upon combining 3 examinations, except roentgenography (soft tissue technique), proved to be 0% and 24 patients with thyroid cancer were preoperatively correctly diagnosed as "malignant" by means of the combination method.
Review of 354 infants and children who had skull roentgenography for head trauma over a 21/2-year period revealed a low incidence of fractures (4.2%) and no serious intracranial complications. With the exception of one patient with an elevated surgically depressed skull fracture, treatment was not changed because of the detection of a fracture. Thus, in the usually mild head trauma sustained by most children, routine skull roentgenography is inefficient. To make efficient use of resources, clinical criteria are necessary to select patients for skull roentgenography. Criteria previously defined for adult patients are, however, less useful in children. On the basis of the present study, additional criteria were identified so that fractures may be detected among children with mild head trauma, at much reduced cumulative cost and exposure to radiation. Nevertheless, the clinical importance of detection of skull fractures remains uncertain.
To investigate the chance of discovery of metastatic lung tumors and the five-year survival rates of patients undergoing surgical resection, we followed 99 patients who underwent initial surgical treatment at our hospital between 1979 and 1996. With regard to primary organs or sites, 32 patients had rectal cancer, 27 patients had breast cancer, 19 patients had colon cancer and 21 patients had osteosarcoma. For 22 of 99 patients (22%), discovery was due to subjective symptoms such as cough and sputum (n = 12), chest (or back) pain (n = 7) or hemosputum (n = 5). Ten of 19 patients (53%) with colon cancer experienced subjective symptoms which led to the discovery of metastases. In 76 of 99 patients (78%), metastatic lung lesions were not discovered through subjective symptoms. In 63 of those 76 patients, such lesions were initially found by plain chest roentgenography or CT. In 20 of 21 patients (95%) who had osteosarcoma, metastatic lung tumors were discovered by chest roentgenography or CT. In 14 of 76 patients, all of whom had metastatic lung carcinomas, the lesions were discovered through elevated levels of tumor markers. Therefore the importance of periodic chest roentgenography and tumor marker testing was demonstrated. Disease-free interval (DFI) was over six years in five of 32 patients (16%) with rectal cancer and 13 of 27 (48%) with breast cancer. DFI was less than five years for 15 of 19 patients (79%) with colon cancer, and less than two years for 16 of 21 (75%) with osteosarcoma. Thus, DFI differed according to the sites of the tumors. The five-year survival rates of 97 patients were examined. Patients were divided according to the sites of their primary tumors, and then subdivided according to the type of surgery they received. Patients were thus divided into five categories: I) those who underwent incomplete resection of metastatic lung lesions, II) those who underwent complete resection of both pulmonary lesions and involved mediastinal lymph nodes, III) those who had undergone previous treatment for tumors in organs other than the lung, IV) those who underwent complete resection of multiple lung lesions, and V) those who underwent complete resection of solitary lung lesions. For all primary sites, none of the patients in group I) survived for more than two years. Therefore complete resection seems very important for the treatment of metastatic lung tumors. With regard to the other groups, several facts were noted. For rectal cancer, the five-year survival rate of groups V) and III) was 55.6% in either case. Therefore complete resection of rectal cancer metastatic to the lung may improve the five-year survival rate even for patients who have previously been treated for cancers in organs other than the lung. For colon cancer, the five-year survival rate of group V) was 51.4%. Complete resection of only a solitary lung lesion may improve the five-year survival rate for colon cancer. For breast cancer, the five-year survival rate of group V) was 37.5% and that of group II) was 60.0%. This may indicate that for patients who have both pulmonary lesions and mediastinal lymph node involvement, complete resection of both is important. For osteosarcoma the five-year survival rate of group IV) was 26.0%. Thus, osteosarcoma patients have a chance of survival if they undergo complete resection of lung metastases.
From November 1975 through September 1981, 2,924 consecutive patients were examined during first visits to Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama, Japan. Two hundred ninety patients (10%) had the globus symptom as the initial complaint; none had otorhinolaryngologic abnormalities. The patients underwent gastrointestinal (GI) tract and chest roentgenography, blood and urine biochemical laboratory tests, esophagoendoscopy, and gastroendoscopy. Sixty-nine patients had GI tract lesions, six had stomach cancer, three had esophageal cancer, and one had colonic cancer. Our findings suggested that some patients may have occult GI tract lesions associated with the globus symptom, and we recommend GI tract roentgenography for patients with that symptom.
To evaluate the benefits of narrow-beam roentgenography and spiral tomography for examination and monitoring of screw and plate fixation to bone we studied 22 rigid plate bridgings of mandibular defects. The plate reconstructions were of long duration or considered permanent. In 13 patients, AO-THORP (AO: Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen; THORP: Titanplasma-beschichteten Hohl- und Vollkern-Rekonstruktionsplatten-Systems) reconstructions were used and in nine classic AO stainless steel plate bridgings. With the AO-THORP system, good bone apposition to the screws was evident in 96% (73/76 screws) of the cases. Fixation using the classic AO screws, however, was inadequate in 30% (20/66 screws) of the cases. Plate loosening was noted in 56% (5/9 plates). Examination using narrow-beam roentgenography and spiral tomography provided detailed information about bone resorption around the screws and provided a reliable tool for deciding on a follow-up regimen. When complications occur, they can be detected and treated early, reducing patient morbidity. In our opinion, classic AO plate bridging should always be considered temporary.
OBJECTIVE: To assess prospectively the impact on survival and health-related quality of life of two follow-up protocols in patients with early breast cancer. DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial. SETTING: Multicenter study involving 26 general hospitals in Italy. PATIENTS: A consecutive sample of 1320 women younger than 70 years with stage I, II, and III unilateral primary breast cancer. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly assigned to an intensive surveillance, which included physician visits and performance of bone scan, liver echography, chest roentgenography, and laboratory tests at predefined intervals (n = 655), or to a control regimen (n = 665), in which patients were seen by their physicians at the same frequency but only clinically indicated tests were performed. Both groups received a yearly mammogram aimed at detecting contralateral breast cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary end points were overall survival and health-related quality of life. RESULTS: Compliance to the two follow-up protocols was more than 80%. At a median follow-up of 71 months, no difference was apparent in overall survival with 132 deaths (20%) in the intensive group and 122 deaths (18%) in the control group. No significant differences were apparent in time to detection of recurrence between the two groups. Measurements of health-related quality of life (ie, overall health and quality-of-life perception, emotional well-being, body image, social functioning, symptoms, and satisfaction with care) at 6, 12, 24, and 60 months of follow-up did not show differences by type of care received. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this trial support the view that a protocol of frequent laboratory tests and roentgenography after primary treatment for breast cancer does not improve survival or influence health-related quality of life. Routine use of these tests should be discouraged.
A 68-year-old man was diagnosed as having left primary breast cancer. Systemic bone roentgenography showed no evident metastasis, however, skull roentgenography revealed ballooning of the sella turcica, suggesting a pituitary tumor, which was subsequently confirmed by computed tomography. Because there was a high serum prolactin level, the pituitary tumor was diagnosed as a prolactinoma. A modified radical mastectomy was performed for the breast cancer, and bromocriptine therapy given for the prolactinoma. Prolactin is known to initiate and promote breast cancer in mice and rats but little is known about its role in human breast cancer. If hyperprolactinemia plays an important role in the tumorigenesis of human breast cancer as it does in mice and rats, the incidence of breast cancer in patients with hyperprolactinemia may be high. To our knowledge, however, only four such cases have been reported. The present rare case of male breast cancer with prolactinoma is discussed with reference to the literature.
The plain skull roentgenography, angiography, air encephalography or positive contrast medium ventriculography and computed tomography (CT) of twelve cases of suprasella germinoma were reviewed. In over half of the cases, plain skull roentgenography and angiography showed some abnormalities suggesting a suprasella mass. CT was found to be the most appropriate for routine examination. And air encephalography or positive contrast medium ventriculography offered decisive information.
Fluoroscopically positioned spot films are widely used in gastrointestinal and chest roentgenography. Little or no mention is made of the diagnostic use of fluoroscopic spot filming for skeletal roentgenography in major tests or recent literature, and a rough survey of practicing radiologists showed us that such procedure was frequently underutilized or not utilized. While skeletal pathology is usually depicted quite accurately by plain radiographs there are times when a problem may be rapidly and simply clarified by fluoroscopically positioned spot films. In an attempt to assess the value of fluoroscopy for evaluation of musculoskeletal problems, we reviewed 46 cases in which fluoroscopically positioned spot films were obtained.
Conventional plain film roentgenography is the basic examination of bone tumors. Modern digital roentgenography offers technical innovations but no fundamental new diagnostic dimensions. Computerized and magnetic resonance-tomography allow a far better delineation of the tumor spread (staging). These new imaging methods together with ultrasound have revolutionized the diagnosis of soft tissue neoplasms, not visible on plain film roentgenograms except lipomas and calcifications.
A clinically normal 5 year old child with a family history of scoliosis was studied. Electromyography of the thoracic and lumbar erector spinae muscles and roentgenography of the spine were both done on two separate occasions, six months apart. On the first electromyographic investigation, moderate predominance of activity was found over the left thoracic erector spinae muscles. At that time, spinal roentgenography showed normal results, whereas six months later left thoracolumbar scoliosis was evident. It was concluded that electromyographic investigation is useful for the early diagnosis of scoliosis in school-age children.
The pathogenesis of thyroid carcinoma in Graves' goiter is still obscure and the methods for preoperative diagnosis of such carcinomas is not well established. We studied the incidence, clinical features, and pathological findings of thyroid carcinoma in Graves' goiter. From October, 1983 to September, 1985, a total of 739 patients with Graves' disease underwent subtotal thyroidectomy at Ito Hospital, Tokyo. All of these patients underwent roentgenography of the neck before surgery. Thyroid carcinoma was revealed in the resected specimen in 15 (2.0%) of 739 patients. During the same period, another 4 patients underwent surgery for thyroid carcinoma who had had Graves' disease previously and these 4 cases were included in the present study. The incidence of thyroid carcinoma associated with Graves' disease was 2.6% (19 of 743 cases). Histological examination revealed 15 papillary and 4 follicular carcinomas. The size of the carcinoma foci was 13.8 +/- 15.6 mm in diameter (range: 1-60 mm), 10 (52.6%) foci being 10 mm or greater. Invasive growth into the surrounding thyroid tissue was predominant and regional lymph node metastasis was noted in all 6 patients who underwent cervical dissection. Preoperative roentgenography revealed calcification in 5 (26.3%) of 19 cases. Our present study indicates that thyroid carcinoma in Graves' goiter may show markedly invasive growth with lymph node metastasis even though the primary tumor is small in size, and it is suggested that the detection of calcification may serve as a part of the diagnostic measures when the carcinoma focus is difficult to palpate in the diffusely-enlarged Graves' goiter.
Severe osteoarthritis due to acetabular dysplasia (n = 17) was treated with valgus-extension osteotomy, and the patients' clinical outcomes 10-14 years after operation were evaluated according to clinical factors (Japanese Orthopaedic Association hip score; JOA score) and by roentgenography. The mean JOA score 10 years or later had improved by 22 points compared with the preoperative score. On roentgenography, joints which had preoperative roof osteophyte had better postoperative formation of roof osteophyte. The JOA score was higher in the 12 joints which had osteophyte 5 mm or longer than in those joints with osteophyte that was 5 mm or shorter. Postoperative joint space widening occurred in 15 joints (88.2%) 3-6 months postoperatively, and it reached the maximum at 3-5 years. In patients who had a large bone cyst in the femoral head preoperatively, the cyst collapsed, and deformation of femoral head occurred after operation, but remodeling of the joint surface occurred naturally and the congruity improved. In the 6 joints in which the preoperative acetabular head index was less than 60% and the acetabular angle was larger than 30 degrees, the JOA score at 10 years or later was lower than that of the other joints. Based on these findings, valgus-extension osteotomy was evaluated as a useful surgical method for advanced or terminal osteoarthritis in young or middle-aged patients. Predictive factors for long-term prognosis would be the preoperative length of roof osteophyte, joint space widening, and the degree of femoral head covering.
PURPOSE: Cardiac imaging includes determination of the size and structure of the cardiac chambers, valves, great vessels and the coronary arteries, chamber and valvular function, myocardial perfusion, viability and metabolism. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Chest roentgenography, angiography, echocardiography and nuclear imaging are commonly used but computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging also offer a promising potential. RESULTS: Coronary angiography is the gold standard in assessing coronary anatomy. Fast CT technologies such as electron-beam and multi-low-CT are promising non-invasive imaging modalities in the assessment of coronary artery disease. With intravascular ultrasound early stages of coronary atherosclerosis can be detected. For the assessment of myocardial perfusion and viability as well as cardiac function, scintigraphic methods are widely accepted. However, MRI methods have also reached a high degree of accuracy. Evaluation of chamber and valvular function is, due to its wide availability, the field of echocardiography. CONCLUSIONS: In clinical routine chest roentgenography, angiography, echocardiography and nuclear imaging are well established. The value of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of coronary artery disease, myocardial perfusion, viability and metabolism is yet to be defined.