Ultrasonic evaluation of radiographic opacities of the chest.

The nature of pleural based radiographic opacities in the chest can be uncertain; however, ultrasonic examination provides a reliable means of distinguishing solid from fluid-containing lesions. It is superior to both fluoroscopy and radiography in accurately localizing loculated fluid collections for thoracentesis and can be performed with commercially available gray scale contact scanning equipment. Cases representing a spectrum of clinical applications are discussed.     

Real-time sonography of pleural opacities

Fifty patients with radiographic pleural or pleural-based opacities were examined with high resolution real-time sonographic sector scanning. In 90% of cases selected for thoracentesis, fluid sufficient for diagnosis was obtained. Complex, septated pleural loculations contained an exudative effusion in 74% of the patients, while anechoic areas yielded exudative and transudative effusions with almost equal frequency. The use of real-time scanning is stressed because of greater flexibility and shorter examination time compared to compound scanning, and its utility for portable scanning on critically ill patients.     

Problems in the application of ultrasonography for the evaluation of pleural opacities

Fifty-nine patients with pleural abnormalities on chest radiographs were evaluated by B-mode ultrasonography; the lesions were categorized as echo-free or complex. Echo-free lesions included pleural fluid collections, and abnormalities which did not yield "fluid" through an appropriately positioned large caliber needle. "Complex appearing" lesions yielded fluid through a needle in all cases. Ultrasonography could not accurately predict which lesions were amenable to successful thoracocentesis. Findings from recent radiographs and clinical history must be known when the ultrasonographic findings in patients with chest abnormalities are interpreted.     

Correlation of traditional radiology and echography in circumscribed pleural opacities

The value of ultrasounds in the location of small pleural opacities was investigated. A correlation between conventional radiological and echographic signs was made to define the echographic signs useful in the identification of peripheral pleural and parenchymal lesions.     

胸腔积液的超声诊断(附280例分析)

本文回顾分析住院检查治疗并经临床及病理确诊的280例胸腔积液病人,旨在加深了解胸腔积液的检查方法、不同病因引起胸腔积液的声像图特点以及它们之间的鉴别诊断。1材料与方法1·1一般资料280例患者中,男115例,女165例;年龄18~72岁,平均38·5岁。1·2使用仪器GE-Logiq 200 pro     

Ultrasonic evaluation of primary hyperparathyroidism

The authors evaluated the diagnostic reliability of echotomography in detecting parathyroid masses: 37 patients were studied with primary hyperparathyroidism, in four cases recurrent. They all underwent surgical ablation of the mass, identification of all glands, and biopsy of an apparently normal parathyroid. Echotomography was accurate in 91.4% of cases: it identified 27 out of 39 pathological glands (sensibility 69.2%) and gave no false-positive results (specificity 100%). Since parathyroid is often ectopic, oblique scans are suggested, i.e. of jugulum while the patient is swallowing. Such scans were always used in our study, in order to identify lesions even in case of "difficult" locations, such as the superior mediastinum.     

Ultrasonic evaluation of the scrotum

Ultrasonography has proved to be a highly useful method for detecting testicular lesions, correlating them with clinical findings, and indicating whether scrotal masses are caused by fluid or by solid tissue. It has not been possible, however, to distinguish spermatic cord torsion from epididymitis.     

Ultrasonic evaluation of the scrotum

Ultrasonography has proved to be a highly useful method for detecting testicular lesions, correlating them with clinical findings, and indicating whether scrotal masses are caused by fluid or by solid tissue. It has not been possible, however, to distinguish spermatic cord torsion from epididymitis.     

Peyronie's disease. Ultrasonic evaluation

Peyronie disease, or Induratio Penis Plastica, is characterized by the presence of one or more fibrous plaques at the albuginea penis, on the cavernous bodies or on the intercavernous septum. First of all, Induratio Penis Plastica etiology is described, and its clinics and therapy. Past imaging methods are then considered (i.e. conventional radiology, xerography), and current ones (i.e. conventional radiology, cavernosography, CT and US). The authors report on their 4-year (1983-1987) experience with US in 62 males. Various different probes were employed, especially small-part 7.5 MHz probes. The results are similar to those reported in international literature. The use of high frequency probes allows the evaluation of focal hypoechoic lesions even in the early phase of the disease, thus helping make therapy more effective.     

Ultrasonic evaluation of renal calculi.

Nine patients with radiographic evidence of renal calculi were evaluated with gray scale renal ultrasonography. A characteristic "sonic shadow" caused by the calculus was adequately demonstrated in each case. This paper discusses the advantage of ultrasound in evaluating the presence of nonopaque and opaque renal stones.     

Ultrasonic evaluation of fetal ventricular growth

Summary The ratio of lateral ventricle to hemispheric width was measured in 200 normal pregnancies. Statistical curve fitting was tried to predict normal value and 5 and 95 percentiles. Anatomical sections of fetal head are provided to correlate the ultrasonic pictures. A typical case of application is described.Original presentation: 9th Congress of the European Society of Neuroradiology Brussels, 12–13 September 1980     

Rhabdomyosarcoma of the cord: Ultrasonic evaluation

A rare case of paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma in a young adult is described, emphasizing the role of ultrasonic preoperative examination in evaluating the consistency and extension of the scrotal mass for surgical management.     

Ultrasonic evaluation of simple and ectopic ureteroceles

Ureteroceles appear as transonic intravesical lesions on ultrasonic demonstration of the bladder, producing a 'cyst within a cyst' appearance. Four patients, three with simple ureteroceles and one with an ectopic ureterocele were investigated by intravenous urography (IVU), ultrasound (US) and cystoscopy. Two patients had bilateral simple ureteroceles with non-dilated ureters and two had unilateral ureteroceles, one simple, and one ectopic with a hydroureter. Previously ultrasonography of the fluid-filled bladder has demonstrated only large ureteroceles. The present study was successful in demonstrating both large and small ureteroceles.     

Three-dimensional evaluation of chemotherapy response in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Objectives

Measurement of tumor response to chemotherapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is problematic because of non-spherical tumor growth patterns and difficulty in choosing target lesion. In this study, we aimed to determine the effectiveness of tumor volume measurement for evaluating chemotherapy response.

Methods

Fifty-seven MPM patients were included. Chemotherapy responses were evaluated by computed tomography (CT) using volumetric method, World Health Organization (WHO), and modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumor (RECIST). The tumor volume was measured using the Cavalieri principle of stereological approaches.

Results

According to the volumetric method, median survival was 10.0 months for progressive disease (PD), 14.0 months for stable disease (SD) and 16.0 months for objective response (OR). According to the WHO method, median survival was 11.3, 14.0, and 13.0 months, respectively. For modified RECIST, median survival was 10.0, 14.0, and 14.0 months, respectively. The correspondence between the WHO and modified RECIST methods was substantial (K = 0.66), as was that between the volumetric and WHO methods (K = 0.64); however the correspondence between the volumetric and modified RECIST methods was only moderate (K = 0.52).

Conclusions

The most suitable chemotherapy response measurement technique is the volumetric method because of non-spherical tumor growth patterns in MPM. However, larger studies should be performed to better establish the suitability of this method. We recommend our method for determining the chemotherapy response in mesothelioma cases. However, modified RECIST criteria can also be applied due to favourable prediction of survival, ease of application, and moderate correspondence with the volumetric method.