ABSTRACT
Surgical excision and postoperative radiotherapy are widely accepted therapeutic modalities for sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma (SNTCS). Previous studies have shown that intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is safe and effective for the treatment of some sinonasal malignancies. We hypothesize that use of IMRT for SNTCS may result in clinical benefits. We report here two cases of SNTCS that were treated by IMRT. One patient was given extensive IMRT involving elective neck irradiation. Follow-up examinations revealed no recurrence and metastasis 3.5 years after IMRT. Another patient simultaneously suffered from multiple systematical diseases and was administered involved-field radiotherapy. He was found to have a marginal recurrence during the follow up and eventually died 8 months after disease diagnosis. It was suggested in this study that appropriate use of IMRT for the treatment of SNTCS may achieve excellent local control.
ABSTRACT
Objective To assess the values of MRI and echocardiography for the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis (CA). Methods Eleven cases with CA proved pathologically performed MRI and echocardiography, the findings were analyzed retrospectively. Results The characteristic features of cardiac amyloidosis on MRI and echocardiography were:diffuse slight myocardial thickening of the left ventricular wall and interventricular septum (11 cases ), slight myocardial thickening of the interatrial septum (5 cases), increased left ventricular mass (7 cases), enlarged left atrium ( 7 cases), impaired ventricular systolic and diastolic function (10 cases ), pleural and pericardial effusions (11 and 9 cases ).Echocardiography showed that myocardium was hyperechoic and presented as ground glass with some spotty hyperechoes in 6 cases. MRI revealed a distinct diffuse delayed enhancement of subendocardial and entire myocardium in 8 cases. Conclusion Doppler echocardiography is the first-choice imaging technique and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging can provide more information for the diagnosis of CA.