[Occult aneurysms of the abdominal aorta. Our echographic experience]. / Aneurismi occulti dell'aorta addominale. Nostra esperienza ecografica.

The authors report their experience in evaluating abdominal aorta aneurysms (AAA) by ultrasound examination. The incidence of this kind of disease is growing up in the last years and an earlier diagnosis increases the surviving possibilities of the patient affected, above all if symptomless, leading to a correct treatment: a semestral or annual follow-up of the aneurysms with a diameter smaller than 5 cm and surgery of the aneurysms with a diameter wider than 5 cm, because of high risk of rupture. The authors stress the importance of extending abdominal ultrasound examination to the aorta in all patients over 50 year old especially if affected by vascular diseases, hypertension and diabetes. In their experience the authors found 106 AAA; 61% of them with less than 4 cm diameter.

[Current advances in the diagnosis of parotid masses]. / Moderne acquisizioni diagnostiche nella patologia espansiva della parotide.

The Authors first briefly describe the possible histological features of parotid masses, difficult to differentiate only on the basis of clinical signs. They report on imaging techniques for detecting this kind of pathology and suggest the best diagnostic protocol for correct evaluation of parotid masses, because of its great importance in planning optimal surgical management.

[Leiomyoma of the stomach. A report of a case with exogastric development]. / Il leiomioma dello stomaco. Presentazione di un caso a sviluppo esogastrico.

The authors report a case of a large, exogastric, pedunculated leiomyoma of the stomach. Following a review of the literature, the paper describes the clinical and therapeutic aspects of these tumors and underlines the diagnostic difficulties of this relatively rare gastric pathology.

[Celiac disease as a risk factor for digestive neoplasms]. / La celiachia come fattore di rischio per neoplasie digestive.

Coeliac disease is a primary malabsorption syndrome, whose gastrointestinal symptomatology regresses following a gluten-free diet. Several authors report an increased incidence of intestinal lymphoma in patients with longstanding coeliac disease; on the other hand the association of this malabsorption syndrome with malignant tumors of the esophagus, stomach or large bowel is not very common. The authors describe three cases of coeliac disease complicated after 5, 12 and 18 years by neoplasms of the esophagus, stomach and small bowel. It is stressed that in this disease patients must be monitored with periodic radiologic examinations, in the hope of detecting any malignancy at an early and perhaps treatable stage.

[Usefulness and limitations of edema of the small intestine in malabsorption syndromes]. / Utilità e limiti del clisma dell'intestino tenue nelle sindromi da malassorbimento.

Malabsorption syndrome is a clinical condition that can be determined by several situations which can ensue by many etiopathogenetic mechanisms. While the diagnostic approach is, for this reason, complex and uses a lot of clinical, laboratory and instrumental techniques, the therapeutic approach could be surgical or medical. The aim of our research is to establish the diagnostic utility of the radiologic examination of the small intestine by enteroclysis, on the basis of our personal experience and the data referred in literature. We took particular care of the radiological study of primitive malabsorption.