The role of positron emission tomography (PET) in the management of cervical lymph nodes metastases from an unknown primary tumour.

Cervical lymph node metastases may be the initial manifestation of occult cancer. Despite a very exhaustive search, the primary site of approximately 2-10% of these tumours remain undetected. Evaluation of the patient includes: detailed physical examination of skin, upper airways (fiberoptic endoscopy), salivary glands and thyroid; fine-needle biopsy, multiple endoscopic biopsies, and imaging studies (ultrasonography, computed tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging). Recently, positron emission tomography scan has been demonstrated to be a useful diagnostic imaging study in these patients. The records of 11 patients were reviewed. End-points were the usefulness of positron emission tomography in the detection of an unknown primary tumour and/or distant metastatic disease. In 5 patients, positron emission tomography detected a primary lesion, confirmed pathologically and revealed distant metastases in 2 patients. Two cases were false-positive and 1 false-negative. In 3 patients no primary tumour was found after 3 years follow-up. In conclusion, positron emission tomography was not of any significant advantage in detecting occult primary tumour vs. computed tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging. Positron emission tomography, as "ab initio" total body examination, is important in detection of unsuspected distant diseases.

Peritoneography and peritoneal computerized tomography: a new approach to non-infectious complications of CAPD.

The introduction of the contrastographic medium (PG) eventually combined with CT scan (PCT) has been used in the study of non-infectious abdominal complications of patients on CAPD. In 27 patients on CAPD from 0 to 98 months we infused, through the peritoneal catheter, 100-200 ml of iopamidol and 500-2000 ml of peritoneal dialysis solution, effecting radiograms in different projections (27 cases), with contiguous axial scannings of 10 mm (8 cases). The information obtained was useful with regard to the therapeutic choices; it clarified the extent, the width, and the anatomical relations of hernias (7/7); the leakage site at the introduction point of the catheter (2/5), and site of surgical treatment (2/5); an inguinal hernia (1/4) and the previousness of the peritoneovaginal duct (3/4) in cases of the genital oedema; a displaced non-opaque catheter (1/4); obstruction of the terminal hole (2/4); wrapping of the omentum in a catheter malfunction (1/4); the presence of scar tissue and pathological recesses in the reduction of ultrafiltration (2/3); and the extension of secondary scar tissue after surgery and before CAPD was started. There were no infective complications or allergic reactions during the research. In conclusion, after reparative surgical intervention, PG and PCT are simple, convenient investigations, with significant diagnostic usefulness, before the introduction of the catheter and/or in cases of complications during CAPD.

[Computer-assisted reporting. Experience with the use of a departmental information system]. / La refertazione automatizzata. Esperienze di impiego nell'ambito di un sistema informativo dipartimentale.

Since April 1989, a departmental information system has been working at the Radiology Dept. of Desio Hospital, Desio, Milan. The system has six work-stations, connected in a local network. The Proram program (Metrika, Verona) is employed, which allows the computerized management of departmental activities. After a short description of Proram's functions and of their advantages, a special attention is paid to the reporting activity, as limited to normal reports. The latter can be made either as free or as codified and previously stored texts. The percentage of use of codified reports (49%) is evaluated on the basis of about 8,000 X-ray exams per year. Through the analysis of percentage data of codified reports, according to exam categories, previously stored reports appeared to be more frequent for inpatients and for emergency examinations (58% of overall figure). Codified reporting appeared to be proportionally less employed in the most specialized diagnostic examinations. On the whole, considerable time was saved, and the number of misprints decreased; moreover, higher language standardization was achieved. More detailed information was thus available for the clinician.

[Contribution of peritoneography combined with computerized tomography, in the assessment of abdominal complications in patients undergoing continuous peritoneal dialysis]. / Contributo della peritoneografia in associazione alla Tomografia Computerizzata, nella valutazione delle complicanze addominali in pazienti sottoposti a dialisi peritoneale continua.

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is a generally well-tolerated treatment. However, some patients exhibit such complications as to prevent the continuation of treatment. Peritonitis is the major problem, but the continuation of treatment may also be undermined by different complications, such as peritoneal leakage, hernia, catheter malfunctioning, and scrotal-penile edema; a careful investigation of the patient is always needed in such cases. From November 1985 to February 1990, we examined 20 patients, who had presented with different types of complications in the course of dialysis. Peritoneography demonstrated 3 cases of abdominal hernias, 2 cases of patency of the peritoneal-vaginal duct, and 2 cases of catheter obstruction. Peritoneal CT allowed the identification of leakage in 3 patients, while the combined use of the two techniques showed adhesions or pathologic peritoneal recesses in 7 cases. In 3 patients normal patterns were observed. Peritoneography, especially if combined with CT, can carry out a double function, that is in both the screening and choice of the subjects to destine to peritoneal dialysis, and in therapeutics, to evaluate complications. Moreover, the technique is extremely reliable thanks to both its simple execution and lack of disadvantages.

Applications of the Priz light modulator.

The Priz light modulator suppresses input data at zero spatial frequency, can provide directional spatial filtering, and can perform dynamic image selection or change detection. In this paper, we summarize the Priz's performance and provide experimental confirmation of the above three image processing applications of this device.

Test and evaluation of the Soviet Prom and Priz spatial light modulators.

Five Soviet bismuth silicon oxide Prom and Priz spatial light modulators were recently tested in the United States. In this program, their performance was quantified and compared with that of the U.S. Prom. The resultant laboratory data show that the Soviet Prom is comparable with the U.S. device and that the Soviet Priz has over ten times the diffraction efficiency and over ten times more usable resolution than the Prom. Theoretical models of the dependence of diffraction efficiency on spatial frequency were also verified by experiments performed on these devices.

Photodichroic recording and storage material.

Three techniques for recording information on NaF are reviewed. H-D exposure curves for several samples are used to record, store, and reconstruct imagery.