Needle Biopsy of Pleura in the Aetiological Diagnosis of Pleural Effusion.

Exudative pleural effusion appears as manifestation of underlying specific disease process and pleural biopsy is usually enough to find out the underlying causative disease. The aim of the study was to find out the efficacy of needle biopsy of pleura in the aetiological diagnosis of pleural effusion. This cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of one year from January 2008 to December 2008 in the Department of Medicine, Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, Bogura, Bangladesh enrolling 50 subjects with exudative pleural effusion. The cases with transudative pleural effusion were not included. Needle biopsy was done in all the cases. Histopathological reports of pleural biopsy specimen were correlated with other data and analyzed to detect the causes of effusion. Major incidence of malignant effusion occurred between 41 to 70 years of age. No malignant effusion was found before 30 years of age. Incidence of tuberculous and malignant pleural effusion was much more common in males than in females. Sensitivity and specificity of combined pleural biopsy and pleural fluid analysis in the diagnosis of pleural effusion was 97.06% and 100.% for tuberculosis and 81.82% and 100.0% for malignancy. The present study reveals that pleural biopsy was very effective method in the diagnosis of cause of pleural effusion.

Resistive Index of Intrarenal Artery in Evaluation of Diabetic Nephropathy.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the systemic diseases affecting the kidneys. Diabetic nephropathy is a serious microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus. It is the most important,cause of death in type I diabetic patients, of whom 30%-40% eventually develop end-stage renal failure and 40% of type II diabetics are at risk of developing diabetic nephropathy. So, diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy is paramount for the survivability of the diabetic patients not only because of the consequences of renal progression but also because of the strong association with the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. A total number of 53 subjects were enrolled in this present cross sectional study in the department of Radiology and Imaging, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in collaboration of Nephrology and Medicine of the same institution during two years (2011-13) aim to evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of renal resistive index (RI) by duplex Doppler ultrasonography for detection of renal dysfunction in diabetic patients. Clinically diagnosed diabetic patients having diabetic nephropathy referred to the department of Radiology and Imaging in BSMMU for ultrasonography of Kidneys, Ureters and Bladder (KUB) region or whole abdomen were selected as sample. Biochemical reports (Serum creatinine and Urinary albumin) and the RI value of intrarenal artery were correlated and analyzed. Only those patients biochemically were diagnosed as having diabetic nephropathy was included. Those with incomplete data, hydro nephrosis and renal calculus were excluded. Both the kidneys were visualized by commercially available real time scanner (GE Voluson) equipped with a curvilinear transducer operating at 3.5 MHz First Gray scale ultrasonography was done followed by Color Doppler of intra renal artery and then RI was measured. Majority (45.3%) patients were in 6th decade with the mean age was of 52.66±7.4 years and ranging from 38 to 65 years in patients. Male was found to be 54.7% of diabetic patients with male to female ratio 1.2:1. Resistive index of (≥ 0.7) was found in 73.6% patients with diabetes with the mean resistive index of 0.71±0.04. Positive correction between resistive index with serum creatinine (r=0.581, p<0.01) and albuminuria (r-0.725, p<0.01) were observed. It can be concluded that Resistive Index measured by duplex Doppler ultrasonography is useful diagnostic modality for detection of renal dysfunction in diabetic nephropathy patients. Resistive Index has value in identifying diabetic patients who are developing nephropathy and can be used as an additional diagnostic tool. Also it is well correlated with Serum Creatinine and Albuminuria which are the biochemical parameters to diagnose diabetic nephropathy.

Normal value of pulsatility index of umbilical artery in second and third trimester of pregnancy.

This cross sectional study was carried out on 60 pregnant Bangladeshi women in the department of Radiology and Imaging, BIRDEM for measurement of Pulsatility Index (PI) of umbilical artery of their fetuses by duplex colour Doppler sonography during 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancies. Considering total 2nd and 3rd trimesters the mean PI value of umbilical artery was 1.24 (SD +/- 0.27). While considering the gestational in separate trimesters, study showed that the value of PI in 2nd trimester was 1.33 (SD +/- 0.29) and in 3rd trimester PI was 1.18 (SD +/- 0.25). Paired t test shows there was a highly significant (t = 35.79, df = 59, Level of significance = 0.001) difference between mean values of PI in different gestational ages. It was observed that there was gradual decrease of PI value with increase of gestational age (r = -0.207) but this decrease of PI was not statistically significant (p = 0.113). Regression analysis between dependent PI value and independent gestational age showed linear negative relationship but this was not statistically significant (p = 0.11). This study revealed that the Pulsatility index of umbilical artery was decreased with increase of gestational age from 2nd to 3rd trimester.