Ultrasonic Diagnosis of Early Breast Cancer: Clinical Significance of Gray Scale Expanded Echography

Differential diagnosis of early breast cancer was performedby various echographic display techniques such as a sensitivitygraded method, gray scale echography and the expanded echographyof two dimensional (B-scan) ultrasonography on 541 cases. Theclinical significance of gray scale expanded echography fortarget enlargement was evaluated for early breast cancer on37 cases histologically verified. Differential criteria forthis technique is reported and bio-acoustic mechanisms for theappearance of such differential points are discussed. Diagnosticaccuracy rate improved for early breast cancer below 2.0 cmin size, while the false positive rate remained the same.     

Flow Pattern Analysis of the Baylor Total Artificial Heart

Abstract: To obtain an optimal design of the left blood chamber of the total artificial heart (TAH), flow visualization studies were performed. Information on velocities in critical areas of the left chamber was gathered using sectional pulsed laser light. The flow patterns on the entire pumping duration were photographed frame by frame. The inflow port, the opposite of the inflow and outflow of the pump (bottom area), and the diaphragm/ housing junction were the focal areas. The pump conditions, such as chamber pressure, preload and afterload pressure, pumping rate and roller screw, and displacement were recorded. Major stagnations and a low washout effect were observed in the bottom region. The closing of the inflow valve was irregular. In order to solve this problem, the inflow valve angle was changed 20 degrees. A comparison study showed a better valve closing characteristic, and no stagnation areas were observed with this new valve angle. Various velocity profiles confirmed the results. The valve closing characteristic is described in relationship to back flow.     

Effects of Hypophysectomy on Patients With Advanced Breast Cancer in Relation to Pituitary Hormone Reserve Before and After the Operation

In four patients with advanced breast cancer, the TSH, prolactin,LH and FSH reserve was measured, before and after hypophysectomy,by stimulation with TRH and LH-RH. Two out of the four patientswere objectively improved following the operation. It was foundthat the clinical effects of hypophysectomy did not correlatewith changes in secretion of any of these pituitary hormones.In addition, the complete absence of pituitary hormones afteroperation did not necessarily mean that treatment had been effective. ^*This study was supported by Grants for Cancer Research andfor Specific Diseases from the Ministry of Health and Welfareand by a Grant-in-Aid for Cancer Research from the Ministryof Education, Science and Culture, Japan     

Non-Bacterial Thrombotic Endocarditis and Multiple Infarctions in Cancer Patients

Clinical manifestation of multiple infarctions in disseminatedintravascular coagulation syndrome (DIC) may occasionally becomeovert and stand in the forefront of the clinical picture invarious cancer patients. Three typical cases with representativeclinical manifestations were presented, all of which disclosednon-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE) associated withmultiple infarctions at autopsy and showed adenocarcinoma withmucin producing characteristics histologically of various primarysites. It seems clinically and pathologically that these clinicalmanifestations may not be related to the severity or chronicityof the course of the neoplastic disease, but clinical severitymay be closely related to multiple infarctions or NBTE. In this study, the syndrome was discussed based upon the analysisof the cases presented and the statistical survey of the cancerpatients undergoing autopsy at the National Cancer Center Hospitalfrom 1962 to 1971.