Contrast-enhanced ultrasound of hepatocellular carcinoma: correlation between enhancement pattern and cellular differentiation on histopathlogy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate and correlate the enhancement pattern of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and tumour cellular differentiation on histopathology. Patients underwent hepatic CEUS, performed with SonoVue and contrast pulse sequencing. The correlation between enhancement time and enhancement level of the lesions in different vascular phases and tumour cellular differentiation was determined. The tumours were graded according to the Edmondson grading system. Then, diagnosis was obtained by histopathological examination following surgery or percutaneous ultrasound-guided biopsy. 189 patients with HCC were examined with CEUS and histopathological examination between 2003 and 2009: 159 had a solitary lesion (85 %), 24 had 2 lesions (12 %) and 6 had multiple lesions (3 %). The final histological grading of the tumours was as follows: 22, 114, 49, 4 grade I-IV, respectively. Significant differences were shown between the time that HCC become hypoenhancing or remained echogenic in late phase and tumour cellular differentiation (p = 0.006, p = 0.036). The timing of HCC becoming hypoenhancing was correlated with tumour cellular differentiation, with better differentiated HCCs washing out more slowly than poorly differentiated ones (p = 0.164, p = 0.113; p = 0.186, p = 0.070). The enhancement pattern of HCC by CEUS correlates with the cellular differentiation. In late phases, hyperechoic lesions are likely to be better differentiated, whereas hypoechoic lesion is more likely to be poorly differentiated.

Pre-surgical finasteride therapy in patients treated endoscopically for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

INTRODUCTION: Transurethral resection of the prostate is considered the standard technique for patients with moderate or severe lower urinary tract symptoms related to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Pathologically BPH is characterized by an increased proliferation of stromal and acinar cells, sustained by increased vascularization (neoangiogenesis). Recent studies have also shown that finasteride reduces angiogenesis and prostatic bleeding associated with BPH. Reducing the volume as a final step in reducing neoangiogenesis could thus represent a fundamental advance in limiting intra- and postoperative bleeding in patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study included 60 patients undergoing TURP between January 2001 and January 2002. Of the patients, 30 received pretreatment with finasteride while 30 did not undergo any pretreatment (control group). In all the patients we evaluated the degree of peri-surgical bleeding, intended as a reduction in hemoglobin values in the 24 h following surgery. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In the group of patients pretreated with finasteride, blood loss, evaluated as a reduction in hemoglobin values, was minimal, and none of the patients required blood transfusion. The average hemoglobin loss in the 24 h following surgery was 0.9%. In the control group (average age 67 years), 4 patients (12%) required blood transfusion. The loss of hemoglobin was 2.36%. Finasteride, therefore, seems to play a fundamental role in the pretreatment of TURP patients, since by reducing dihydrotestosterone synthesis, it interacts with endothelial growth factors, thus reducing angiogenesis and preventing bleeding.

Lithiasic obstructive uropathy. Hydronephrosis characterization by magnetic resonance pyelography.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of magnetic resonance (MR) pyelography in patients affected by hydronephrosis due to ureteric stones, in order to identify a pyonephrotic condition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the last 3 years, 315 patients, who had originally been investigated by ultrasonography, were evaluated with MR pyelography in order to define the etiology of obstruction. In 67 patients hydronephrosis was referred as caused by lithiasis. RESULTS: MR pyelography not only confirmed urinary tract dilatation in all patients, but also identified grade and site of obstruction, both in acute dilatation (25 patients) and in chronic obstructions (42 patients). In 7 patients, MR pyelography documented pyonephrosis that was obviously confirmed by nephrostomic drainage. CONCLUSION: MR pyelography, made with ultrafast breath-hold sequences, has a great value in identifying hydronephrosis in patients with ureteric stones. Furthermore, it provides the chance to identify pyonephrosis requiring an immediate drainage of the kidney before major complications develop.

Swan-Ganz catheter-induced pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm formation: three case reports and a review of the literature.

The use of Swan-Ganz catheters has increased tremendously since they were first introduced in 1970. Their ability to give vital hemodynamic measurements in critically ill patients makes their use invaluable when providing quality medical care. The formation of pulmonary artery (PA) pseudoaneurysm from a Swan-Ganz catheter-induced perforation of the PA is a rare but potentially fatal complication of Swan-Ganz catheter use. Three case presentations and a review of the literature are presented.

[Unusual case of calcified renal fibroma]. / Un raro caso di fibroma renale calcifico.

The renal fibroma is an extremely rare event that takes its origin from parenchima, from the peri-renal tissues or from the renal capsule. A case of renal fibroma of a rarely met medullary origin is described.

[Usefulness of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of acute scrotal edema]. / Utilità dell'ecografia nella diagnostica dell'edema acuto dello scroto.

Ultrasonography has gained an important role for the diagnosis of acute and chronic scrotal lesions. We report our experience on 6 cases of acute scrotal edema. The etiology of edema was congestive cardiopathy (two patients), glomerulonephrosis (three patients) and lumboaortic lymphnode metastases from bladder transitional cell carcinoma (one patient). Ultrasound scan scrotal appearances were similar in all examined patients, and the only pathologic findings observed were "onion" like appearance and a thickened scrotal wall. Therefore, to define acute scrotal edema etiology, it isn't enough an ultrasound examination, but it's necessary to extend the ultrasound scan assessment to other organs.

Balloon angioplasty or stent placement in patients with azotemic renovascular disease: a retrospective comparison of clinical outcomes.

In this study comparing functional outcomes of renal angioplasty alone (PTRA) or angioplasty with stent placement in patients with renal artery stenosis (> or =60%) and renal insufficiency, 69 patients were treated with PTRA or stent placement. After censoring, the PTRA group included 15 patients with a mean age of 75 years, mean serum creatinine (Cr) of 2.9 +/- 1.4 mg/dL, and mean follow-up of 10 months. The stent placement group included 40 patients with a mean age of 71 years, mean Cr of 2.6 +/- 1.2 mg/dL, and mean follow-up of 12 months. Stenting was performed primarily in four cases and after suboptimal angioplasty in the remainder. Benefit was defined as either stabilization (+/-20%) or improvement in serum Cr levels. Technical success was achieved in 16 of 17 (94%) PTRA patients and 55 of 58 (95%) patients receiving stents. Complications included one surgically repaired axillary pseudoaneurysm, one distal stent positioning requiring a second stent, one stent protruding 5 mm into the aorta, two dissections requiring additional stents, one retroperitoneal hematoma, and one intrarenal atheroembolism treated with thrombolysis. Three patients (mean initial Cr 3.9 mg/dL) required hemodialysis within 30 days of stenting. One patient discontinued dialysis after stenting. There were two procedure-related deaths. An overall benefit was seen in 40% of patients after PTRA and 66% of patients after stent placement. For the stent placement and PTRA groups, cumulative clinical benefit was 77% and 80%, respectively, at 3 months; 69% and 64%, respectively, at 6 months; 61% and 41%, respectively, at 12 months; and 48% and 14%, respectively, at 24 months. A 50% loss of cumulative benefit was seen 34 months after stenting and 11.5 months after PTRA. In the stent and PTRA groups, benefit was noted in 77% and 57%, respectively, of patients with an initial Cr of 2.3 or less, 53% and 25%, respectively, of patients with an initial Cr level higher than 2.3, and 44% and 17%, respectively, of patients with an initial Cr level of 3.0 mg/dL or more. For patients with renal insufficiency, renal artery stenting provides superior clinical results compared with PTRA, mostly because late deterioration occurs after PTRA. Outcomes are related to pretreatment serum Cr level.

[Endoscopic therapy of ureterocele: description of a case]. / Terapia endoscopica dell'ureterocele: descrizione di un caso.

Ureterocele is a cystic dilatation of the terminal intravesical ureter; the therapeutic options are different and correlated on upper and lower urinary tract anatomy. The goals of treatment include control of infection, protection of ipsilateral and controlateral renal units and maintenance of vesicoureteral continence. The endoscopic approach is still debated; many authors report a higher risk of post-operative vesticoureteral reflux and further surgery. When the intravescical ureterocele is associated with the upper pole of a duplex system a small endoscopic transverse incision as definitive treatment has gained support in more than 90% of cases. We report a case of intravesical ureterocele with a complete duplex system, in a young woman treated by endoscopic incision as "smiling mouth" with good results of 6 months follow-up.

Monoclonal antibodies against antigens exposed on the surface of vegetative forms and spores of Myxococcus virescens.

Twelve monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against cell-surface antigens of Myxococcus virescens cells were developed and partially characterized. All of them recognized multiple, diffuse proteic bands in Western blot and four were also reactive to living bacteria, as assessed by flow cytometry. The four latter mAbs recognized antigens common to a number of vegetative forms and spores. The selective expression of proteins recognized by mAbs on the microorganisms and the possible applications of mAbs to the study of myxobacterial cell interaction are discussed.

[Familial aspects of prostatic carcinoma. Personal experience and review of the literature]. / Studio sulla familiarità del carcinoma della prostata. Esperienza personale e revisione della letteratura.

The familial trend of prostate carcinoma has been highlighted by a number of important studies in which the authors underlined the increased risk that brothers and sons of patients with this disease might be affected by prostate carcinoma. These studies also underline the importance of two significant risk factors in determining the presence of disease: early onset and number of relatives already affected. In this anamnestic-type survey of two sample groups, one with prostate carcinoma and the other a control group, the authors attempt to make a general confirmation of the assertions made by other authors. Even if based on a relatively small series of patients, the results of this study are fully comparable to those reported by other authors.

[Regression of left ventricular hypertrophy in obese hypertensive patients treated with diet and pharmacologic therapy]. / Regressione dell'ipertrofia ventricolare sinistra in ipertesi obesi trattati con terapia farmacologica e dietetica.

Thirty-five obese (Body Mass Index: BMI > 30) hypertensive (diastolic blood pressure > 100 mmHg) patients were studied for 6 months. 18 patients (10 males, mean age 52 +/- 6 years) were treated with captopril 50 mg b.i.d. (Group 1); 17 patients, matched by age, sex and BMI were treated with captopril 50 mg b.i.d. and hypocaloric diet (Group 2). During follow-up a good control of blood pressure levels (< 150/90 mmHg) and a significant reduction in body weight (> 10%) were achieved in all patients of Group 2. Left heart anatomy was accessed by 2D guided M-mode echocardiogram before starting treatment and after 6 months. In Group 1 Interventricular Septal Thickness (ST), Posterior Wall Thickness (PWT) and Left Ventricular Mass (LVM) decreased significantly (p < 0.01). In Group 2 not only ST, PWT and LVM decreased significantly (p < 0.01 for ST and PWT, p < 0.001 for LVM), but also left atrial dimension (p < 0.05) and left ventricular diastolic dimension (p < 0.01). The percent reduction in AD, LVDD and LVM was significantly higher (p < 0.01) in Group 2. In obese hypertensives relevant weight loss can improve the effect of captopril treatment on left ventricular hypertrophy; the decrease of AD and LVDD is probably secondary to a reduction of the volume overload present in obese patients.