Ureteral pseudodiverticulosis associated with carcinoma of renal pelvis

We describe a patient with bilateral ureteral pseudodiverticulosis of 10 years’ duration before developing transitional carcinoma of the pelvis.     

Counter Intuitive Relations Between in vivo RF Lesion Size, Power, and Tip Temperature

Background: Radiofrequency (RF) lesion size in vitro is positively correlated with applied power and catheter tip temperature. However, the relation between RF lesion size, power, and tip temperature in vivo remains unclear. We hypothesized that due to flow, anatomy and tip contact effects in vivo, increased tip temperature would be inversely related to applied power and RF lesion size. Methods: RF lesions were created on the endocardium of 16 pigs using 5, 6, and 7 Fr catheters. The ablation generator was set to achieve a temperature of 70°C. RF lesions were created in different regions of the heart so as to encompass a wide range of blood flow and catheter movement conditions. RF lesions were measured acutely (DIMEN, mm) and correlated with average power applied (POWER, W), and average tip temperature (TEMP, °C). The POWER and TEMP relation was also examined. Results: For TEMPs below 55°C, the power output from the generator was typically maximized at 50 W. At TEMPs above 55°C, POWER decreased exponentially with increasing TEMP {POWER = 50 – exp(-((41-TEMP)/7)), r = 0.98, p < 0.05}. Further, DIMEN tended to be inversely related to TEMP (Slope: –0.07 ± 0.04, r = –0.15, p = 0.07); but, was positively related to POWER (Slope: 0.04 ± 0.02, r = 0.23, p < 0.05). These relations varied by tip size and estimated local blood flow characteristics. Conclusion: In vivo, variable tissue contact and flow yield DIMEN-POWER-TEMP relations opposite to those found in vitro. These counterintuitive results suggest that maximum in vivo RF lesion size is achieved when power is maximized at tip temperatures between 50 and 60°C.     

Magnum system for routine coronary angioplasty: A randomized study

The Magnum system, initially designed for coronary angioplasty (PTCA) of chronic total occlusion, consists of a balloon catheter and a solid steel 0.021 inch (0.53 mm) steerable and removable wire with a soft and moldable distal portion, tipped with a 1 mm olive. To evaluate its performance in routine PTCA, 200 unselected consecutive patients were randomized to two equal groups, i.e., group Magnum (100 patients, 115 vessels) and group Standard (100 patients, 118 vessels) including 18 and 21 patients with chronic total occlusions, respectively. Randomization was performed by the sealed envelope system in the catheterization laboratory and crossover of system was imposed if it was not possible to place a balloon correctly within 20 min of fluoroscopy time. There were no significant differences between groups concerning clinical and angiographic baseline characteristics, size of initial balloons (3.0±0.3 mm in both groups), fluoroscopy time to cross the lesion with the wire (Magnum: 4±5, Standard: 5±6 min), total fluoroscopy time (Magnum: 11 ± 9, Standard: 12±12 min), and need for crossover (Magnum: 10%, Standard: 16%). Success rates per lesion were comparable with 90% in group Magnum and 84% in group Standard, as were the complications with one inhospital death in group Standard, occurring three weeks after PTCA and stent implantation. There was no emergency operation. Six patients per group had myocardial infarction of whom two in group Magnum and one in group Standard developed a Q-wave. The following variables were significantly in favor of the Magnum system compared with the Standard system: success rate in nontotal lesions (97% versus 90%) crossover success in total occlusions (0 vs. 33%), fluoroscopy time to cross the lesion with the balloon once the wire was in place (1 ± 2 vs. 2 ± 4 min), and use of a single versus 1.2±0.5 wires per lesion. The only advantage of the Standard systems was the more common use of 7 French guiding catheters (Magnum: 40%, Standard: 53%, p = 0.09). The Magnum system compares favorably with standard systems for routine PTCA. The robust design of the Magnum wire does not impair ease of placement and safety but saves material and facilitates balloon advancement across the lesion.     

High-dose tamoxifen as an enhancer of etoposide cytotoxicity. Clinical effects and in vitro assessment in p-glycoprotein expressing cell lines.

Twenty-six patients with relapsed or drug-resistant cancer were treated with a combination of oral etoposide (300 mg day-1 for 3 days) and high-dose oral tamoxifen as a potential modulator of drug resistance (480 or 720 mg day-1 for 6 days beginning 3 days before etoposide). One patient with relapsed high-grade lymphoma and one with adenocarcinoma of unknown primary site has a partial response. Toxicity consisting of nausea, vomiting and subjective dizziness, unsteadiness of gait and malaise occurred during tamoxifen treatment. Serum levels of tamoxifen averaged 3-3.5 microM on day 4 of all courses of treatment at both 480 and 720 mg day-1. N-desmethyltamoxifen levels were lower than tamoxifen during the first course (2 microM) but increased to equal tamoxifen levels during the second course. Didesmethyltamoxifen levels remained below 1 microM. In vitro, both tamoxifen and the standard modulator of multidrug resistance, verapamil, produced minor enhancement of etoposide cytotoxicity in the MCF-7 wt cell line but produced no enhancement with any other cell line. High, intermittent doses of tamoxifen can be given with acceptable toxicity and produce serum levels that have been shown to modulate drug resistance in vitro. In vitro, however, such levels have no significant effect on etoposide cytotoxicity towards a range of wild-type and MDR cell lines.     

Using an artificial neural network to diagnose hepatic masses

Using abdominal ultrasonographic data and laboratory tests, radiologists often find differential diagnoses of hepatic masses difficult. A computerized second opinion would be especially helpful for clinicians in diagnosing liver cancer because of the difficulty of such diagnoses. A back-propagation neural network was designed to diagnose five classifications of hepatic masses: hepatoma, metastic carcinoma, abscess, cavernous hemangioma, and cirrhosis. The network input consisted of 35 numbers per patient case that represented ultrasonographic data and laboratory tests. The network architecture had 35 elements in the input layer, two hidden layers of 35 elements each, and 5 elements in the output layer. After being trained to a learning tolerance of 1%, the network classified hepatic masses correctly in 48 of 64 cases. An accuracy of 75% is higher than the 50% scored by the average radiology resident in training but lower than the 90% scored by the typical board-certified radiologist. When sufficiently sophisticated, a neural network may significantly improve the analysis of hepatic-mass radiographs.     

Proliferative activity of colonic mucosa at different distances from primary adenocarcinoma as determined by the presence of statin: A nonproliferation-specific nuclear protein

The field change is one hypothesis concerning the development of colorectal carcinoma. Removal of a carcinoma without its entire surrounding altered mucosa may result in the development of a recurrence. S44, a monoclonal antibody directed against statin, a nuclear protein expressed in nonproliferating cells in either a quiescent or senescent state, was used to determine the rate of cell growth in colorectal mucosa at different distances from carcinomas. The specimens of 18 patients undergoing resection of a colorectal carcinoma were immediately opened after operation, and strips of mucosa were taken at distances of 1 cm, 5 cm, and 10 cm from the carcinoma. For each location, 10 longitudinally oriented crypts were evaluated for statin-positive cells identified by the presence of a dark brown peroxidase-conjugated antibody reaction product. The average percentage of statin-positive cells per crypt was significantly lower at a 1-cm distance from the carcinoma compared with the mucosa located 5 and 10 cm from the carcinoma (20.89±4.33 at 1 cm, 32.41±5.27 at 5 cm, and 34.23±6.45 at 10 cm). None of the calculated parameters showed any significant difference between the 5-cm and 10-cm locations. The fact that the proliferation rate of the mucosal cells returns to the normal level at 5 cm from the margin of the carcinoma suggests that cells located within this distance still retain proliferative potential even though they are morphologically indistinguishable from their normal counterparts. We conclude that failure to remove this transitional, potentially proliferative mucosa may result in subsequent development of anastomotic or perianastomotic recurrences.This study was conducted with support from the Sir Mortimer B. Davis-Jewish General Hospital Foundation and the American Physician Fellowship and with grants to Eugenia Wang from the Medical Research Council of Canada and from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health of the U.S.A.     

Platelet aggregation,disc haemorrhage and progressive loss of visual fields in glaucoma

Platelet aggregationin vitro, deterioration of visual field defects (VFD) and the prevalence of disc haemorrhages (DH) were assessed in 49 patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and compared with the findings for 67 individuals with suspected glaucoma (GS) in a seven-year follow-up study (range 5.8 to 8.2 years). The percentage patients with spontaneous platelet aggregation (SPA) was higher for POAG patients with visual field deterioration (60%) than both POAG patients without progressive loss of visual fields (12.5%; P<0.005) and those with suspected glaucoma (22.4%; P<0.005). The occurrence of DH was higher among POAG patients with progressive loss of visual field (28%) compared to the GS group (8.4%; P<0.025) and the group of patients consisting of POAG patients without deterioration of VFD and GS (9.9%; P<0.05). DH also occurred more often in patients with low tension glaucoma (41.6%) than in the remaining POAG patients (13.5%; P<0.05). No relation between the patients with SPA and the patients with DH was observed.Abbreviations NPB normal platelet behavior - SPA spontaneous platelet aggregation - DH disc haemorrhage     

Salivary gland 99mTc-scintigraphy: a grading scale and correlation with major salivary gland flow rates

Sequential salivary gland scintigraphy with 99mTc-technetium pertechnetate (Tc-99) is a safe, minimally invasive test for study of major salivary glands. However, its relationship to salivary function has not been investigated in detail. We have investigated the relationship between major salivary gland flow rates and Tc-99 scans and developed a new rating scale using scans of a control group with normal salivary function. Salivary flow rates and Tc-99 scans were obtained from healthy, non-medicated subjects (n = 33) and from xerostomic patients (n = 22). There were significant differences between the groups for salivary flow rates and Tc-99 ratings. Significant correlations were found between salivary flow rates and Tc-99 ratings in the control and xerostomic groups. The Tc-99 rating scale proved reliable in assessing salivary dysfunction, and showed a high inter-examiner correlation. These results demonstrate the usefulness of salivary gland scintigraphy in assessing major salivary gland flow rates and the utility of a new rating scale.