Radiation dose reduction during hysterosalpingography: an application of scanning-beam digital radiography

Hysterosalpingography was performed in 31 patients by means of a low-dose scanning-beam digital radiographic system. The technique permits adequate evaluation of gynecologic abnormalities while allowing significant reduction in radiation: 2.4-mR (6.1 X 10(-7) C/kg) exposure to the skin and 0.7-mrad (7 X 10(-6) Gy) mean dose to the ovaries per image obtained. Sixteen patients demonstrated readily recognizable and documented abnormalities, corroborated by laparoscopy, laparotomy, or other supportive evidence.     

Solitary bronchioloalveolar carcinoma: CT criteria

The computed tomographic (CT) scans of 30 patients with solitary bronchioloalveolar carcinoma were reviewed. Common features at CT included the peripheral or subpleural location of a pulmonary mass (25 cases), pseudocavitation (18 cases), heterogeneous attenuation (17 cases), irregular margins forming a star pattern (22 cases), and pleural tags (21 cases). Using these CT criteria, four independent observers attempted to identify cases of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma from a larger sample of lung cancers and benign lesions by categorizing a series of test cases into four probability categories. Although the bronchioloalveolar carcinomas were correctly ranked in the two highest probability categories 75% of the time (in 45 of 60 cases), there was considerable overlap with other lung lesions, particularly with adenocarcinoma and large cell undifferentiated carcinoma. However, even though the typical features of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma are not invariable or highly specific, they are characteristic enough to suggest the diagnosis.     

Total and free tissue factor pathway inhibitor in pregnancy hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the role played by tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) in pregnancy hypertension. METHODS: Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, hemostatic measurements were obtained for women with pre-eclampsia (n=51), nonproteinuric hypertension of pregnancy (n=62), postpartum pre-eclampsia 24 h after childbirth (n=31), and no hypertension (healthy pregnant controls, n=100). RESULTS: There was a significant increase in circulating free TFPI levels in women with pre-eclampsia (9.7+/-6.2 ng/mL) or nonproteinuric hypertension of pregnancy (8.3+/-5.3 ng/mL) compared with healthy controls (5.3+/-2.1 ng/mL). In women with pre-eclampsia the levels remained elevated after placental delivery (10.6+/-4.0 ng/mL). Free protein S levels were significantly higher in women with pre-eclampsia (40.0%+/-10.7%), nonproteinuric hypertension of pregnancy (37.1%+/-12.5%), or postpartum pre-eclampsia (39.3%+/-9.1%) than in healthy pregnant controls (32.2%+/-8.5%). CONCLUSION: Increased levels of the physiologically active free forms of TFPI and free protein S, 2 coagulation inhibitors, may protect women with pregnancy-induced hypertension from the risks of hemostatic activation.