Breast cancer detection from MR images through an auto-probing discrete Fourier transform system.

A computer-aided detection auto-probing (CADAP) system is presented for detecting breast lesions using dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, through a spatial-based discrete Fourier transform. The stand-alone CADAP system reduces noise, refines region of interest (ROI) automatically, and detects the breast lesion with minimal false positive detection. The lesions are then classified and colourised according to their characteristics, whether benign, suspicious or malignant. To enhance the visualisation, the entire analysed ROI is constructed into a 3-D image, so that the user can diagnose based on multiple views on the ROI. The proposed method has been applied to 101 sets of digital images, and the results compared with the biopsy results done by radiologists. The proposed scheme is able to identify breast cancer regions accurately and efficiently.

Ectopic Cushing's syndrome in a young female with atypical [corrected] bronchial carcinoid tumour.

A 17-year-old female with a large mass in the left thorax presenting with ectopic Cushing's syndrome is described. Biochemical evaluation revealed a corticotropin(ACTH)-dependent hypercortisol state. Surgical resection of the tumour resulted in clinical remission and correction of hypercortisolism and normal plasma ACTH levels. The histology was that of an atypical carcinoid. Bronchial carcinoid tumour is an extremely uncommon but well recognised cause of ectopic Cushing's syndrome. These patients may pose diagnostic dilemma in distinguishing form those with Cushing's disease because of the similarity in the clinical, biochemical and radiologic findings.

Paraganglioma with pulmonary metastases: a case report.

Distant metastases due to paraganglioma are a rare occurrence. We report a case of paraganglioma with pulmonary metastases and review the literature on paragangliomas. A 29-year-old female presented with cervical lymphadenopathy, excision biopsy of which confirmed the diagnosis of paraganglioma. She subsequently underwent tumour embolisation and received a course of radiotherapy. Seven years later, she was investigated for multiple pulmonary nodules noted on her chest roentgenogram. Histology of the wedge excision of the lung showed metastatic paraganglioma. Increased catecholamine production was documented; this was however not associated with symptoms of catecholamine excess. Reports concerning the treatment of paragangliomas with pulmonary metastases are few, given their rarity.

Case of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis treated by sequential whole-lung lavages and a review of the condition.

We report our first local case of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis that required symptomatic therapy with whole lung lavage. This is a rare condition associated with the accumulation of phospholipid material in the alveoli. The presentation is usually insidious and the symptomatology varies from vague complaints to severe crippling dyspnoea. The diagnosis is often delayed and usually made after the exclusion of other conditions. While there is no definitive treatment apart from lung transplant, whole-lung lavage is a safe, repeatable procedure which offers the best prospect for symptomatic, physiological and radiological improvement in severe cases.

Thromboembolism and problems of anti-coagulation after prosthetic valve replacement.

104 patients who had prosthetic valve replacements were followed up for a period from 5 months to 63 months. The incidence of minor and major thromboembolism for aortic valve replacement was 1.2%/Pt.yr respectively, while the incidence for mitral valve replacement was 3.8%/Pt.yr. respectively. The haemorrhagic complication rate due to anticoagulation was 3.7%/Pt.yr. and the fatality rate due to it was 1.4%/Pt.yr. 75% of the patients who had haemorrhagic complications had a thrombotest of less than 4%. Anticoagulation related morbidity and mortality are significant in this series. Elimination of anticoagulation related complications could have improved the long term mortality rate from 2.95%/Pt.yr. to 1.4%/Pt.yr.

Surgical management of rheumatic heart disease in Singapore.

Over the last three decades there has been a world-wide decline in the incidence and severity of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, but the death rate in Singapore from chronic rheumatic heart disease has risen from 3.6 per 100,000 population in 1966 to 4.4 per 100,000 in 1977. Valvular lesions from rheumatic heart disease are very common, and between 1967 to 1979, 715 surgical procedures were performed for rheumatic valvular disease, and of these, 654 procedures involved the mitral valve which was most commonly affected by the disease process. Since many of the patients were female and in the child-bearing age, conservative procedures on the mitral valve were performed whenever possible. Mitral valvotomy for mitral stenosis relieved symptoms effectively; and for restenosis of the mitral valve, more than half of the patients underwent a second valvotomy with functional improvement. Mitral valve replacement was reserved for the severely distorted valve, sometimes calcified, and where there was stenosis associated with incompetence. Between 1971 to 1979, 162 mitral valves were replaced and actuarial studies showed 80% survival five years after surgery. 30 aortic and mitral valve replacements were performed in this same period with an operative mortality of 16.7%. Only 75 aortic valves were replaced for rheumatic valvular disease and 14 of these also had associated mitral and triscuspid valve disease. The prosthetic valves commonly used for replacement were the Starr-Edwards non-cloth covered valves, models 6120 and 1260. All patients that had valve replacements were treated with long-term anticoagulation with Warfarin. The incidence of thromboembolism was low, being 8% for mitral valve replacement and the majority of these episodes occurred in the first three months after surgery.

Primary carcinoma of the lung.

118 patients with carcinoma of the lung seen in the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore were followed for five years. The aim was to determine the survival of these patients in relation to the stage of the disease as well as the histologic type of carcinoma. 22 patients were in stage 1, 13 in Stage II and 83 in Stage III. Thoracotomy was performed in 62 patients and the rest had biopsy of distal lymph nodes. 43.3% of the carcinoma were squamous cell, 25% adenocarcinoma, 27% large cell, anaplastic, 2.9% oat cell and 1.8% bronchoalveolar cell carcinoma. Survival of the patients were found to be closely related to stage of the disease but not with the histologic type.

Surgery for mitral restenosis.

Four hundred and twenty-five patients underwent mitral valvotomy between 1960 and 1979, the majority by the closed method. Thirty-two patients required another operation for mitral restenosis. There was high incidence of reoperation after the 6th and 7th years (23.3%) and after the 9th and 10th years (26.4%) postoperatively. Sixteen patients (47%) with restenosis underwent a second closed mitral valvotomy with a satisfactory result, 12 patients (35.4%) required valve replacement, and 6 patients (17.6%) had an open valvotomy. Another valvotomy for pure mitral restenosis can give satisfactory results, but where the valve is severely deformed or incompetent, valve replacement is preferred.