Hepatic portal venous gas. Imaging modalities and clinical significance.

In a prospective investigation the sensitivity of conventional radiography, sonography, color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and CT in the detection of hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG) was compared in 7 patients with different diagnoses. For the identification of HPVG sonography, CDFI and CT have a higher sensitivity than conventional radiography. CT, however, was the most suitable method to identify the underlying cause of HPVG. Patients with iatrogenic HPVG as a result of diagnostic or therapeutic intervention had a good prognosis. In contrast, in all cases with a sudden appearance of HPVG and a noniatrogenic cause, exitus ensued within 1 week.

[The value of a new digital laser card for image/report documentation and transmission]. / Wertigkeit einer neuen digitalen Laserkarte zur Bild-/Befunddokumentation und Ubermittlung.

The capabilities of a patient-oriented digital optical laser-card for the documentation of the image/report unit and for image transmission were assessed. 150 conventional X-rays covering the fields of urology (n = 50), traumatology (n = 50) and orthopaedics (n = 50) were digitised using a CCD scanner and subsequently transmitted to an Image-Transfer Medium (ITM) and to an optical laser-card. The image quality for the detection of relevant diagnostic parameters was evaluated by 4 radiologists and one clinician of the corresponding specialty. Based upon a total of 4740 decision readings for each method, it was found that the optical laser-card reduced the image quality significantly (p < 0.01) in comparison to the digitised ITM images in all fields. Thus, a primary diagnostic statement cannot be made based upon the images of the optical card. However, concomitant documentation of the image and opinion on the card may be used for the transmission of the radiological report, especially to external referring institutions.

[Short-term effect of arginine hydrochloride on amino acid concentrations in serum of the rat]. / Die kurzfristige Wirkung des Argininhydrochlorids auf die Aminosäurenkonzentrationen im Serum der Ratte.

The short-period effect of a parenteral application of arginine hydrochloride on the amino acid concentrations was investigated on rats. To enable a judgement to be made on the growth hormone stimulated through arginine, 23 amino acids were determined from the serum of non-hypophysectomized and hypophysectomized animals in each case. A group of non-hypophysectomized rats was used to determine the normal values. The second group of non-hypophysectomized animals showed reductions in the concentrations of 15 amino acids after arginine infusion in relation to the normal values. In contrast to this the hypophysectomized animals of the third group showed higher values for 14 of the 23 amino acids after infusion with arginine. A direct comparison of the groups of non-hypophysectomized and hypophysectomized rats after infusion with arginine hydrochloride resulted in higher concentrations of 17 amino acids in the group of the hypophysectomized animals. These results suggest that the growth hormone has an influence on the amino acid level within 30 minutes.

[Involvement of the growth hormone in rapid increases of the potassium concentration of the serum]. / Die Beteiligung des Wachstumshormons an raschen Anstiegen der Kalium-Konzentration im Serum.

As a rule, the infusion of arginine hydrochloride is followed by an increase in serum potassium. The investigation is concerned with the short-term effect of growth hormone, which can be stimulated by arginine (0.6 g/kg body weight), on potassium concentrations in rats and patients with cerebral death. The administration of human somatotropin causes a significant rise in potassium concentrations in patients with cerebral death (0.4 IU/kg body weight) and in rats (4.0 IU/kg body weight). In comparison, the infusion of arginine hydrochloride will produce only a slight increase in serum potassium in both hypophysectomized rats and patients after cerebral death. Four of the ten animals even exhibited decreases in serum potassium content. Investigations of the cationic property of arginine are used to interpret the potassium increases in the extracellular space. The transport of amino acids through the cell membrane, which can be affected by somatotropin, is put forward as a further explanation. All findings are based on measurements carried out 10-30 min after termination of the infusion.