[Unreliability of the clinical diagnosis in deep venous thrombosis of the lower limbs]. / Inaffidabilità della diagnosi clinica di trombosi venosa profonda degli arti inferiori.

277 patients subjected to phlebography for clinically suspect acute deep venous thrombosis of the lower extremities have been examined. Instrumental examination evidenced the presence of thrombosis in 140 of them (50.5%) while in the remaining 137 (49.5%) in whom venography proved negative, it was possible to define the pathologies responsible for the clinical picture in 89% of cases. In out-patients, the incidence of thrombosis proved lower (46%, 65/141 patients) than that presented by patients already hospitalised for other pathologies (55%, 75/136 patients). No significant differences were observed in the incidence of clinical symptoms and signs between patients with thrombosis and patients without at phlebography, while as regards the distribution of risk factors, there was a greater incidence of the following: age over-65, cancers, recent surgery and fractures of the lower extremities in the group of patients suffering from thrombosis. Personal experience would therefore appear to point to the total fallibility of the clinical diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis of the lower extremities and the consequent need for a constant objective instrumental diagnostic approach to this type of pathology.

[Role of computerized tomography in the TNM staging of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal neoplasms]. / Ruolo della tomografia computerizzata nella stadiazione TNM delle neoplasie laringee ed ipofaringee.

70 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of larynx and hypopharynx were examined by computed tomography; the TNM staging of tumors by CT, by endoscopy and by surgical operation was reviewed. CT proved to be reliable both to recognize the presence of neoplasms, with the exception of those very superficial, and their deep spreading to pre-epiglottic and para-laryngeal spaces, to the soft tissues of the neck and to the cartilages. Therefore CT is the examination of choice in laryngeal neoplasms staging, because it precisely completes the clinical and endoscopical informations.

[Comparative study with a closed sequential design between iopronic and iocetamic acid in oral cholecystocholangiography with radiograms in short and standard times. Laboratory evaluation of hepatic function (author's transl)]. / Studio comparativo cob metodo sequenziale chiuso dell'acido iopronico e dell'acido iocetamico nella colangiocolecistografia orale con rilevamenti radiografici in tempi precoci e standard. Valutazione laboratoristica della funzionalità epatica.

In a comparative study with a closed sequential design iopronic acid has shown to have an opacification power in short times (3 to 4 hours after administration) much higher than iocetamic acid. The opacification of gall bladder and choledochus at 10 to 12 hours after administration has always resulted higher for iopronic acid. Laboratory examinations (total bilirubinaemia, SGOT, SGPT) have not shown any liver damaging effect due to the administered oral cholecystographic agent. Both contrast media, finally, have not caused side effects worth a particular remark at the dosage of 4.5 g.

Portosystemic arteriovenous fistulas.

The authors report the angiographic demonstration of arteriovenous fistulas in three patients. The fistula was believed to be spontaneous in one case, related to abdominal surgery and to abdominal trauma in the other two cases. The importance of angiography in the diagnosis and evaluation of this disease has been emphasized in the literature. Early diagnosis is valuable, either to prevent hepatic damage or to give an opportunity for recovery once it has taken place. Follow-up of the three patients has shown that hepatic function notably improved after surgery.

[The single ventricle: plain film and contrastographic radiologic findings (author's transl)]. / Il ventricolo unico: quadro radiografico standard e contrastografico.

The radiologic findings on the plain film are investigated in a series of 9 patients with single ventricle. In 3 of them the cardioangiographic patterns are described. The possible association of malformations is stressed. The value of the cardioangiographic investigations is discussed in planning a possible surgical treatment of the disease.