多层螺旋CT胸部低剂量扫描对气道三维重建的应用研究

目的:比较低剂量与常规剂量条件下中央气道三维重建图像的差别,探讨低剂量螺旋CT扫描进行中央气道三维重建的可行性。材料和方法:32例病例行低剂量(50mAs)平扫及常规剂量(195mAs)平扫(1例)及增强扫描(31例),将两组原始数据分别普通算法及高分辨算法重叠重建出4组横断面图像,并进行气道SSD及VR重建,由两名放射科医师分析4组图像的质量、支气管显示情况、支气管病变检出情况,将结果进行统计学分析。结果:①图像质量:两组剂量间SSD图像质量无明显差异,高分辨重建图像质量≥普通算法重建图像质量;VR图像质量两种剂量之间无明显差异,高分辨算法图像质量≥标准算法重建图像质量。②支气管显示:两名医生评价结果均表明对段以上支气管显示方面无论SSD图像还是VR图像,低剂量与常规剂量组以及两种算法图像之间均无明显差异。③病变检出:无论SSD还是VR图像4组图像对支气管病变的检出无差异。④剂量差别:低剂量扫描比常规剂量扫描辐射剂量大大降低(13.6～3.6mGy)。结论:与常规剂量扫描相比,低剂量薄层扫描气道三维重建图像质量、对中央气道显示及病变检出都无明显差异,而病人接受的辐射剂量却大大降低,因此低剂量薄层扫描气道三维重建可以代替常规剂量重建图像应用于临床气道病变显示。     

Endoscopic pterygopalatine space surgery

Although lesions of the pterygopalatine space are uncommon, there are instances in which this relatively inaccessible region must be entered for biopsy or excision of masses. Traditional open approaches to the pterygopalatine space, involving external or intraoral incisions, provide limited visualization and carry associated morbidities. The evolution and advancement of endoscopic sinus surgical technique in recent years has led to its application to anatomic areas outside the strict limits of the sinonasal cavities. Such minimally invasive approaches are safe, effective, and spare unnecessary discomfort to the patient. This article describes the authors' method for performing an endoscopic approach to the pterygopalatine space.     

Medizinische Beurteilungskriterien zu bandscheibenbedingten Berufskrankheiten der Lendenwirbelsäule (I)

Occupational diseases Nos. 2108 and 2110 correspond to intervertebral disc-related diseases of the lumbar spine from many years of carrying or lifting heavy loads, occupations in extreme postures of full flexion or oscillation of the whole body when seated, and which compel the cessation of all activities which are or could be the cause for the origin, exacerbation or recurrence of the disease. These occupational diseases came into force at the start of 1993, but there have been considerable problems in their implementation. The present Part I of the contribution is the result of the work of an interdisciplinary study group and contains medical criteria for the assessment of possibly strain-related clinical characteristics and the evaluation of other possible causes. Part II is to be published in Volume 4/2005 and will deal with questions related to forced cessation and to the assessment of the loss of earning ability. Agreement was reached in many areas related to the assessment of occupational claims. This should allow for evidence-based decision making in the future for the occupational diseases Nos. 2108 and 2110.     

Self-expandable metallic stents in the treatment of post-esophagogastrostomy/post-esophagoenterostomy fistula

Esophageus or gaster resection in patients with malignant disease is still a treatment of choice. It is obvious that each surgical procedure in these patients carries some possibility of complications. Esophageo-gastric or esophageo-jejuno anastomosis has a 4-27% frequency of fistula occurrence. All these result in 65% mortality in cases of poorer prognosis. The aim of this paper is not to present all types of complications but to objectively analyse the usefulness of the covered stent placement in the treatment of anastomotic fistulas. We present six patients who were treated for postoperative fistula of esophageo-gastric anastomosis (1 case) or esophageo-jejuno anastomosis (5 cases). All patients were treated with stapler suture for digestive tract reconstruction after malignancy removal during the primary surgical procedure. Signs and symptoms of suture leak between 5-8 days post-surgery were observed. Conservative therapy was not effective. Thus a new method of treatment was employed - covered stent placement. The procedure was performed under X-ray control. In all treated patients there was change for the better and quick reduction of secretion from the fistulas was observed. All patients were discharged from the department after several days and all had survived at 30 days follow-up. Covered esophageal stent placement seems to be a safe and promising method of treatment for patients with anastomotic fistula which significantly reduces mortality and improves quality of live. Our experiences confirms that of other investigators.     

New insights on COPD imaging via CT and MRI

Multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) can be used to quantify morphological features and investigate structure/function relationship in COPD. This approach allows a phenotypical definition of COPD patients, and might improve our understanding of disease pathogenesis and suggest new therapeutical options. In recent years, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has also become potentially suitable for the assessment of ventilation, perfusion and respiratory mechanics. This review focuses on the established clinical applications of CT, and novel CT and MRI techniques, which may prove valuable in evaluating the structural and functional damage in COPD.     

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia in a child: an often unrecognized diagnosis]

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia is important to be diagnosed as an underlying disease in children with syncope and normal heart, because of its poor prognosis. CASE REPORT: A 3-year-old boy was referred for stress and emotion induced syncope. Primary ventricular arrhythmia, consisting of salvos of bidirectional ventricular tachycardia, was reproducibly induced by physical exertion. The syncopal events and severe arrhythmia disappeared with beta-blocking therapy. CONCLUSION: Despite its rare occurrence, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia is an important cause of stress and emotion induced syncope and sudden death in children.