Thallium-201 scintigraphy in evaluation of breast masses

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate thallium-201 as a tumor seeking agent in patients with breast cancer. Forty-five female patients [20-67 years of age] with breast complaints were included in this study. After clinical examination, mammography and thallium-201 scintigraphy were performed and all cases were inspected pathologically to confirm the findings of both techniques. The results revealed that thallium-201 scintigraphy can reliably detect primary tumors of the breast with a high degree of sensitivity in group A which included 35 patients with no prior history of breast cancer. As 21 patients were found to have malignant breast lesions pathologically, the scintigraphic technique revealed only two false-negative cases out of them [sensitivity 90.4%, specificity 85.7% and accuracy 94.3%]

Ultrasound versus mammography in diagnosis of breast masses

Fifty women presented with breast complaint were examined clinically, radiographically and sonographically and all cases were impeded pathologically. From both mammographic and ultrasonographic examinations it is revealed that mammography is more sensitive, more specified and yet more accurate in the diagnosis of carcinomas [acuuracy of 98%] compared to ultrasonography [accuracy of 80%] as it is the only technique which shows clustered microcalcifications that may be the only indicator/or nonpalpable concers. Ultrasonography is a very sensitive tool in diagnosis of breast cysts with a sensitivity of 100%. The non circumscribed carcinomas have typical sonographic appearance while well circumscribed carcinomas have the same sonographic appearance as bengin solid masses, making sonographic lifferenitation difficult, therefore, malignancy can not be ruled out by sonography in cases of solid masses. Sonography is very helpful in cases with mammographically dense breast parenchyma. Ultrasonography can not detect microcalcifications which may be the only sign of malignancy and could be seen mammographically. By using combined mamographic sonographic approach, higher degrees of accuracy would be gained

Follow up of cases of acute and chronic rejection of transplanted kidney by ultrasonography

90 renal transplant recepients were submitted to ultrasonic examination serially for one year with a resultant 130 diagnosis from which 122 [93.8%] were correct and 8 [6.1%] were not. The most frequent ultrasound abnormalities in our cases of acute rejection were parenchymal hypoechogenic patches [83%], increased intensity of sinus echoes [77%], increased renal volume [68%], enlarged medullary pyramids [66%], increased echogenicity of the cortex [58%], increased cortical thickness [55%] and prominant cortico medullary border [52%] Cases of chronic rejection showed irregular margins, coarsened parenchymal texture and very little differentiation between parenchymal and sinus echoes. Incases of acute tubular necrosis, the parenchymal, coarsened parenchymal texture and very little differentiation between parenchymal and sinus echoes. In cases of acute tubular necrosis, the parenchyml echoes disppeared and the sinus markely decreased, however, sinus echoes intensity increased in acute rejection. Perirenal collection was seen in 15 cases. Mild hydronephrotic changes were reported in 6 cases while 3 cases showed moderate hydronephrosis

Endocrinologic and ultrasonographic study in early pregnancy loss

Fifteen cases of early pregnancy loss [EPL] and 10 cases with normal singleton pregnancy has been followed up by ultrasonography as well as assessment of serum Estradiol [E[2]] progesterone [P. human chorionic gonadotropin [HCG] and human placental lactogen [HPL] starting as early as 3 weeks from the last menstrual period till the occurrence of abortion or till 12 weeks of pregnancy. The results showed that 73.3% of cases of EPL were anembryonic pregnancy. The results of hormonal assay showed that in the first 4 - 6 weeks of pregnancy hormone levels were not significantly different in the EPL from that in the control group and this denotes that the corpus luteum function is normal in EPL. IT is the placenta which fails to contribute to hormone production in EPL and this placental failure occurs earlier [between 6-8 weeks] in respect to steroid production but the ability of the placenta to produce HCG and HPL is preserved although at a considerably lower level than normal during the first 8- 10 weeks. So ultrasonography is mandatory in the management of EPL and hormone prophylaxis seems unnecessary, as the corpus luteum function is normal