ABSTRACT
Chronic periaortitis (CP) is a rare disease characterised by the presence of a fibro-inflammatory tissue typically enveloping the abdominal aorta, the iliac arteries and, in some cases, the nearby structures, such as the ureters and the inferior vena cava. Imaging plays a key role in the diagnosis and follow-up: computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans are used to define the extension of the pathological tissue, whereas fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography is the gold standard to establish the degree of its metabolic activity. CP must be distinguished from secondary forms of periaortic infiltration, which include malignant, infectious, and drug-related aetiologies. This review focuses on the clinical aspects of CP and the differential diagnosis with secondary cases, and aims to provide the clinician with a guide through this challenging clinical approach.
Subject(s)
Retroperitoneal Fibrosis , Humans , Retroperitoneal Fibrosis/diagnosis , Retroperitoneal Fibrosis/therapy , Retroperitoneal Fibrosis/complications , Aorta, Abdominal/pathology , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Diagnosis, Differential , Magnetic Resonance ImagingABSTRACT
The purpose of this paper is to extend the research on the Duss Fairy Tales in an Italian sample. Attention has been paid, in particular, to the study of some variables identified in a newly devised schedule. The protocols were scored for four indexes: (1) the main hero of the stories, (2) number and types of characters, (3) number of emotions expressed, and (4) number of heroes' and characters' actions and behaviors. Subjects were 70 children aged 3.5 to 10.5 yr. enrolled in kindergartens and elementary schools in Italy. The relationships of scores with age and sex were also investigated. There was an increase across three age groups in the richness of stories in terms of emotions and characters' identification.