[US guided biopsy in the early diagnosis of prostatic cancer: a series of 66 cases]

Our study's aim is to evaluate the reliability of digital rectal examination and serum PSA in the indication of prostatic biopsy. 66 patients with abnormal digital rectal examination and arised PSA levels had prostatic biopsies. The sextant technique was practiced. The digital rectal examination had a sensitivity of 65%, a specificity of 45% and a positive predictive value [PPV] of 34.3%. The serum PSA had a PPV of 25%. The association if these two parameters arised the PPV to 395%. Cancer detection rate was estimated to 30.3%. Prostatic biopsies should be indicated according to the result of digital rectal examination and serum PSA

[CT findings in otosclerosis: a series of 11 cases]

Our study's aim is to evaluate the reliability of computed tomography in diagnosis, extension and post-surgical follow-up of otosclerosis. A group of 11 patients was examined during a period of 25 months from 2002 to 2004. All of them had clinically and audiometrically suspected otosclerosis with bilateral conductive hear loss in 7 cases [3 had surgical management], unilateral in 2, and mixed earing loss in 2. High resolution CT was performed once in 8 patients and twice in the 3 operated. CT showed otosclerosis foci in all our study's patients, which was bilateral in 9 and unilateral in 2. The extension of the Lesions varied from type 1A to type 4B according to the otosclerosis staging. Computed tomography is, so far, the most efficient imaging modality in otosclerosis, showing otosclerosis foci when the clinical features are doubtful, allowing an accurate extension of the lesions and detecting complications during post-surgical follow-up