Role of MRI in characterization of occult breast lesions in high risk population

To evaluate the diagnostic validity of breast MRI in discriminating benign from malignant lesions in women with occult breast lesions who are at a high risk of developing breast cancer, with histopathologic findings and/or follow up used as the reference standard. Contrast-enhanced bilateral breast MRI was performed on 100 women at high risk of developing breast cancer with indeterminate imaging findings by mammography and/or ultrasonography. Lesions detected by MRI that could represent potential malignancies in both breasts were evaluated. Morphologic assessment and kinetic analysis [contrast enhancement and time/intensity curves] were performed on each lesion using dedicated postprocessing and display software. Functional MR tools were used in about 60% of cases to help in the differential diagnosis between malignant and benign of suspicious lesions detected at conventional MRI. Among 100 patients included in the study12% of the patients were finally diagnosed as free of any pathology, 56% had benign findings, while 31% of the patients were malignant. [24 IDC, 4 Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, 1 Medullary carcinoma, 1 Mucinous carcinoma and 1 DCIS.] The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of CE-MRI, were 100%, 93%, 86%, and 100% respectively. Overall accuracy of MRI breast was 95%. Breast MRI is highly effective in detection and characterization of occult breast lesions in high risk population, with excellent sensitivity and high specificity. Development of functional MRI tools contributed to the improving validity of this modality

Skin diseases in pregnant women

Five hundred women from those attending the antenatal clinic of Kasr El Aini Hospital were surveyed to screen the physiological skin changes or specific dermatoses occurring during the period of gestation. Also modifications of previous dermatoses by the current pregnancy were looked for. Non-related concomitant dermatoses were also recorded. Physiological cutaneous alterations were the most frequent skin manifestations of pregnancy. They occurred in every patient studied in one form or another. Pigmentary changes occurred in almost all of the gravidas examined, followed by striae cutis distensae which occurred in approximately 80 percent of cases. Specific dermatoses were not commonly encountered in our patients. They collectively occurred in 22 cases [4.4 percent]. Pruritus gravidarum [recurrent cholestasis of pregnancy] accounted for 72.7 percent of all specific dermatoses diagnosed in our series of patients. Next came pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy which occurred in 4 patients [18.1 percent] followed by prurigo gestationis of Besnier which occurred in 2 patients [9.2 percent]

Plasma and tissues zinc and copper changes in schistosomal hepatic fibrosis

This study was carried on 15 male, non ascitic schistosomal patients for the determination of plasma and tissues [liver, muscle, artery] contents of zinc and copper. Another 10 non schistosomal cases were taken as controls. It was found that, in schistosomal cases, plasma and hepatic copper contents were increased, also plasma ceruloplasmin was increased. Plasma and hepatic zinc contents were decrease while muscle zinc content was increased. Plasma and hepatic zinc to copper ratio were found lower in schistosomal than the control cases. These findings may throw some light on some of the patho-physiologic changes which accompany schistosomal hepatic fibrosis specially the low incidence of atherosclerosis

Effect of reserpine or phenobarbitone on the acute toxicity of alphaxalone and alphadolone

Reserpine potentiated the acute toxicity of Althesin to a great extent. This was due to tranquilizing effect of reserpine, by depletion of catecholamines, and by release of progesterone which had considerable anaesthetic properties. Toxicity of thiopentone was less affected by reserpine. Phenobarbitone is a potent enzyme inducer. The rate of metabolism of Althesin was increased. So phenobarbitone antagonised the toxic effects of Althesin. Thiopentone was affected by phenobarbitone in the same way like althesin

Interaction of althesin and hypothermia

Althesin had hypotensive effect due to peripheral vasodilatation. Under hypothermia there are direct depression of the myocardium, of the pace maker, more liability for dysrythmias, decreased activity of the plasma protiens in binding Althesin, decreased rate of metabolism and reduction of plasma volume. Althesin may potentiate hypothermia by peripheral vasodilatation, skeletal muscle relaxation and antidysrythmic effect

Amniotic fluid creatinine in normal and abnormal pregnancy

Creatinine, an important constituent of the amniotic fluid that was recently used in clinical obstetrics to assess the foetal maturity in uterois it was found to increase progressively as pregnancy advances. To study the effect of hypertensive toxaemia of pregnancy on the amniotic fluid creatinine, 135 pregnant patients in their last trimester were included in this work: 35 cases of normal pregnancy and 100 cases of hypertensive toxaemia. All have had abdominal amniocentesis, and the creatinine content was estimated by the Coleman Junior spectrophotometer using the alkaline picrate method of Bonsnes and Tausky