Power Doppler analysis of tendon vascularization.

Forty-nine patients with tendonitis (patellar in 16, quadriceps in two, Achilles in 12, rotator cuff disease in 19) and 47 patients with tenosynovitis (acute tenosynovitis in 25, stenosing tenosynovitis in 22) underwent ultrasound (US) and Power Doppler (PD)-US examination. Spectral analysis of flow signals was performed in all patients. Ten patients (six with tendonitis, four with tenosynovitis) were rewired after medical therapy. Six healthy volunteers were also examined for control purposes. Three different patterns of flow distribution were found in patients with tendonitis and active tenosynovitis. The vessels of tendons without tendon sheaths began with great peduncles at the level of the peritendinous soft tissues and were then distributed inside the tendon (pattern I). A clear peritendinous hypervascular pattern was found in all active tenosynovitis, but no vessels were found inside the tendons (pattern II). In some cases of intratendinous or partial lesions PD-US revealed some vessels located near or inside the lesion (pattern II). On spectral analysis these vessels corresponded to arteries with a low resistance index or small venules. PD-US revealed a significant reduction of flow signals in patients rewired after medical therapy. No pathological flow signals were found either in patients with stenosing tenosynovitis or in the control group. PD-US gives us an in vivo confirmation of tendon vascularity. Spectral analysis adds further information to gray-scale US.

[Captopril-induced changes in renal flow: evaluation using Doppler echography]. / Variazioni del flusso renale indotte da captopril: valutazione mediante eco Doppler.

It is well known that angiotensin antagonists cause increase of renal blood flow. We have examined, using duplex Doppler sonography, the changes of renal blood flow velocity induced by oral administration of 50 mg. of Captopril. We examined 19 kidneys in 17 subjects without hypertension. Both peak systolic and diastolic velocities were measured at renal hilum and at arcuate arteries, and the resistive index (RI) was calculated. In conclusion duplex Doppler sonography shows significant increase of blood flow velocities both at the hilum and at the arcuate arteries, without variation of the RI, thus showing that changes affect the whole Doppler wave, both in systole and diastole.

Fine-needle aspiration cytodiagnosis: a simple and safe procedure for cancer of the pancreas.

One hundred fine-needle aspirations (45 percutaneous ultrasonically-guided and 55 intraoperative) were performed in 82 patients suspected of having pancreatic cancer, in order to evaluate the contribution of cytologic data to definitive diagnosis of this tumor. The overall success rate of both cytologic methods was 90.6 p. 100 in our 64 patients who were histologically proved to have pancreatic cancer. Sensitivity was 77.4 p. 100 with percutaneous and 75.5 p. 100 with intraoperative aspirations. In all 18 cases with the final diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis results of both techniques were negative. Neither relevant morbidity nor mortality were recorded in any of the 82 patients. These cytologic studies are at present reliable, rapid, highly cost-effective (especially percutaneous aspiration) and most important, safer than histologic examinations. We believe that fine-needle aspiration cytology has gained a primary role in the diagnostic process of pancreatic carcinoma. Therefore the old view of considering examination of cytologic material only as a screening procedure should be abandoned.

Comparative study of percutaneous and peroperative fine-needle aspirations in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

A consecutive series of 51 patients with suspected pancreatic cancer were studied in order to evaluate the contribution of cytologic data in establishing a definitive diagnosis of the tumor. A percutaneous ultrasonically-guided, and a peroperative fine-needle, aspiration were performed in 26 and 29 patients, respectively; 4 cases underwent both methods. Final histologic diagnosis in surgical or autopsy specimens showed cancer of the pancreas in 41 cases and chronic pancreatitis in 10. Cytology was successful in 33/41 cancer patients (80.5%): percutaneous aspiration was positive in 15/20 (75%) cases, and peroperative aspiration in 18/25 (72%). The difference between the two methods was not significant. Neither technique gave false positives in chronic pancreatitis. In none of the 51 patients was relevant morbidity reported. These cytological studies are at present accurate and mostly safer than histologic examinations. In particular ultrasound-guided percutaneous aspiration should be given precedence, since it provides preoperative confirmation of the tumor, thus obviating the need for exploratory laparotomy.

Sonographic appearance of fecal masses.

Fecal impaction, caused by incomplete evacuation of feces over an extended length of time, may lead to the formation of a fecaloma, a large, firm mass of stool. Sonography is commonly used as the first imaging procedure in patients presenting with abdominal masses. In the five cases cited, fecaloma was suspected by sonography in four cases; confirmation was obtained by rectal examination in three cases and by radiographic studies in two cases. A representative case report is presented of a 74-year-old woman who had a large pelvic mass detected on physical examination. Sonographically, the fecaloma had a highly echogenic surface and a posterior acoustic shadow. Radiographic examination showed a "soap bubble" appearance, suggestive of stool. Thus, fecaloma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with highly reflective and shadowing abdominal and/or pelvic masses.

Ultrasonographic appearances of gastric cancer.

In 32 patients with known gastric cancer involving different segments of the stomach, an attempt was made to image the tumour by ultrasonography. Identification of the lesion was possible in 31/32 cases. The tumour always appeared as a focal or diffuse thickening of the gastric wall, with irregular outer margins and luminal echoes; in many cases, a "target" pattern was seen. Although ultrasonography cannot be considered a sensitive test in the diagnosis of gastric cancer, knowledge of the possible appearances of tumours in all different portions of the stomach is important, since this method is often used as the first imaging procedure in a large variety of abdominal complaints, and clinically unsuspected gastric carcinomas may be imaged first by it.

Sonographic staging of gastric cancer.

The sonographic images obtained in 32 patients with known gastric cancer, who were referred to sonography for evaluation of liver metastases and in whom a specific attempt was made in order to visualize the tumor, were reviewed and evaluated for the extent of exogastric neoplasm. Surgical correlation was available in 21 cases. Sonography allowed identification in five of seven patients who had distant metastases, 12 of 15 who had lymphadenopathy, and nine of 12 patients who had direct spread to structures surrounding the tumor; ascites was always correctly identified. In only one case, a false-positive diagnosis of lymph nodes metastases was made. These results indicate that sonography has good specificity in the staging of gastric cancer and that, when patients are referred for evaluation of liver metastases, it is worthwhile to gather useful additional information about tumor extent by performing a complete sonographic examination of the abdomen and pelvis and by making an attempt to visualize the primary neoplasm and its relations to surrounding organs.

Sonographic diagnosis of urethral polyp in a child.

Congenital urethral polyps are an uncommon cause of urethral obstruction in male children. The diagnosis is obtained at voiding cystography by demonstrating a filling defect which (typically) moves during micturition. A small polypoid mass with a stalk arising from the region of the verumontanum was observed by sonography in one such patient. We believe sonographic findings may be considered specific of this condition.

Ultrasonic findings of subcutaneous emphysema: a case report.

We have recently examined a patient in whom sonographic visualization of the most lateral part of the right lobe of the liver was impossible due to the presence of subcutaneous emphysema of the right flank. To our knowledge, this is the first ultrasonic report of this condition.

[A case of voluminous gastric fibroleiomyoma. Diagnostic problems]. / Su un caso di voluminoso fibroleiomioma gastrico. Problemi diagnostici.

The Authors present a case of gastric fibroleiomyoma characterized by its remarkable size (at least in this anatomic site) and, this notwithstanding, by the fact that, of all instrumental investigations, only abdominal echotomography supported the clinic relief of a neoplastic "mass" situated in the left hypochondriac region. Echotomography quite exactly, though not specifically, informed the Authors on the localization and conformation of the neoplasm, and on its not-infiltrating tendency and not belonging to parenchymal organs. The Authors therefore consider echotomography a determinant investigation for the surgeon willing to perform an explorative laparotomy, being in front of an abdominal "mass" of doubtful provenance.