I-123 MIBG and serial radionuclide angiocardiography in doxorubicin-related cardiotoxicity.

In six patients with doxorubicin-related cardiotoxicity, the severity of decrease in left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) was associated with faster myocardial I-123 MIBG washout rates. In four patients with severely decreased LVEF (range 19% to 28%), the 4-hour washout rate varied from 43% to 56%. In two patients with moderate cardiotoxicity (LVEF 42% and 43%), the washout rates were 37% and 35%, respectively. In contrast, in another patient thought to have initial left ventricular dysfunction (LVEF dropped from 66% to 54%), the myocardial I-123 MIBG retention rate was not reduced (6% washout). Subsequent continuation of chemotherapy in this patient was without complication. Reduced I-123 MIBG uptake in the left ventricle generally correlated with areas with abnormal Fourier amplitude values, but in one of the patients with moderate cardiotoxicity, the I-123 MIBG uptake was not reduced in a region with loss of amplitude, indicating dysfunction but probably no myocardial denervation. Analysis of the regional myocardial retention in patients with cardiotoxicity showed no significant difference in the I-123 MIBG washout rates of both segments with or without loss of amplitude. These data suggest that in spite of a localized loss of ventricular function demonstrated by radionuclide angiocardiography, doxorubicin-related cardiotoxicity appears to be based on a global process of myocardial adrenergic derangement.     

Case Report: Giant choledochal cyst

We report an adult female with a rare giant choledochal cyst. The patient presented following a normal pregnancy with the classical triad of an abdominal mass associated with jaundice and right upper quadrant abdominal pain. The cyst was excised using an intramural technique and biliary reconstruction achieved with a Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. Our patient has remained well with no evidence of malignancy over a 12 year review period. The aetiology and current management of this condition are discussed.     

Determination of optimal cryoprotectants and procedures for their addition and removal from human spermatozoa

The objective was to test the hypothesis that the optimal cryoprotective agent for cryopreservation of human spermatozoa would be a solute for which cells have the highest plasma membrane permeability, resulting in the least amount of volume excursion during its addition and removal. To test this hypothesis, theoretical simulations were performed using membrane permeability coefficients to predict optimal procedures for the addition and removal of a cryoprotectant. Simulations were performed using data from four different cryoprotectants: (i) glycerol, (ii) dimethyl sulphoxide, (iii) propylene glycol and (iv) ethylene glycol. Thermodynamic formulations were applied to determine approaches for the addition and removal of 1 M and 2 M final concentrations of cryoprotectant, allowing the spermatozoa to maintain a cell volume within their osmotic tolerance limits. Based on these data, ethylene glycol was predicted to be optimal for minimizing volume excursions among the solutes evaluated. These predictions were then experimentally tested using glycerol as the control cryoprotectant and ethylene glycol as the experimental cryoprotectant. The results indicate that there was a higher (P < 0.05) recovery of motile spermatozoa after cryopreservation when using 1 M ethylene glycol than with 1 M glycerol, supporting the hypothesis that use of the cryoprotectant for which the cell has the highest permeability will result in higher cell survival.