ABSTRACT
To determine the diagnostic accuracy of high-resolution MR imaging done at 1.5T in distinguishing bladder-restricted tumor from non-bladder-restricted tumor and compare the mean short axis dimension of metastatic pelvic lymph nodes with benign pelvic lymph nodes. Analytical study. Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, from March 2008 to July 2011. Patients with bladder cancer were enrolled. Based on pathologic T-staging following radical cystectomy, patients were assigned to one of two groups. Patients with stage T1 and T2 disease were assigned to the bladder-restricted tumor [BRT] group and those with stage T3 and T4 disease to the non-bladder-restricted tumor [NBRT]. High-resolution unenhanced MR imaging done prior to cystectomy was reviewed retrospectively [1.5 T MRI unit; GE Healthcare]. Results from MR imaging-based categorization were compared with pathology reports to fulfill the objective. Mean short-axis diameter of largest visible lymph nodes in patients with nodal metastasis was compared with mean short-axis diameter of largest visible lymph nodes in patients with benign lymph nodes. The accuracy of MRI in differentiating distinguishing bladder-restricted tumor from non-bladder-restricted tumor was 67.72%. The mean short axis diameter of metastatic lymph nodes was greater than that of non-metastatic lymph nodes, i.e., 7.4 mm and 5.4 mm respectively. Conventional high resolution 1.5T MRI does not appear to offer advantage over imaging done at low field strength scanners
ABSTRACT
Background: Tongue tumour thickness has been shown to have a correlation with neck nodal metastasis and hence patient survival. Current AJCC guidelines recommend inclusion of tongue tumour thickness measurement in routine radiologic staging. Several studies have attempted to define the accuracy of MRI in measuring tongue tumour thickness. The aim of our study was to compare tongue tumour thickness measured at T2-weighted and STIR sequences with histologic tongue tumour thickness. Methods: Twenty-eight consecutive patients of tongue cancer who had undergone glossectomy were selected retrospectively. Tumours were measured in both STIR axial and T2- weighted coronal images and compared with histologic tumour thickness on resected specimens. Pearson's analysis was performed to determine the degree of correlation. Paired samples t-test was also used for comparison of mean tumour thicknesses measured on MRI with mean histologic tumour thickness. Results: Pearson correlation analysis showed good correlation of tumour thickness measured on MRI with actual histologic tumour thickness [R=0.876]. Conclusion: MRI provides a satisfactory prediction of tongue tumour thickness which in turn can be used to determine the need for elective neck dissection in these patients. Keywords: Lymphatic Metastasis, Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods, Tongue Neoplasms
ABSTRACT
To determine the analgesic effect of ethanolic extract of Nigella sativa seeds on experimentally-induced pain in albino mice. Randomized controlled trial [RCT]. Physiology Department, Services Institute of Medical Sciences [SIMS], Lahore, from May to September, 2009. The study was carried out in 90 male albino mice using acetic acid induced writhing test as a chemical model of nociception. The mice were divided in three groups of 30 each. Group A was given normal saline [control]; group B was given Nigella sativa seed extract in a dose of 50 mg/kg; and group C received diclofenac sodium, as a reference drug. Number of writhings in treated and control groups were compared. The ethanolic extract of Nigella sativa seeds given intraperitoneally caused significant [p<0.05] analgesic effect on nociceptive response initiated by 0.6% acetic acid; although this analgesic effect was less than that produced by diclofenac sodium. Ethanolic extract of Nigella sativa possessed significant analgesic effect in mice