Investigation of the Ability to Detect Electrolyte Disorder Using PET with Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy.

Various concentrations (8-300 mmol/L) of NaCl, KCl, and NaCl + KCl aqueous solutions were investigated using positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). A strong dependence of the o-Ps intensity as a function of the solution concentration was demonstrated. On this basis, the mean positron lifetime and the sum of counts in a selected time interval were proposed as reliable parameters for detecting disturbances in the ion balance of living organisms. The use of these parameters for differentiating healthy and cancerous tissues allows for the development of auxiliary diagnostic methods in a new generation of PET scanners equipped with a PALS detection module.

[Myocardial infarction in the course of digoxin and theophylline poisoning].

The aim of this paper is to present a case of the patient who was hospitalized in the Toxicology and Cardiology Department because of suicidal digoxin and theophylline intoxication. Both drugs have complicated mechanism of action and affect cardiovascular system differently, but both predispose to ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias. In the presented patient conduction disorders, cardiac muscle repolarization disorders and ventricular arrhythmias typical to digoxin poisoning were observed. During hospitalization the patient experienced the ECG and biochemical abnormalities resulting from myocardial infarction. In our paper we have analyzed digoxin and theophylline mechanisms of action and possible impact of each of these drugs on the clinical symptoms that our patient presented.

[Transient and permanent damage to the heart in the course of acute poisoning]. / Przemijajace i trwale uszkodzenia serca w przebiegu ostrych zatruc.

Transient and permanent myocardial damage is a vital element of toxicological practice. This applies both to poisonings in which heart injury is typical and to those in which it is only a rare complication. Vital signs of poisoned patients, especially unconscious ones, must be carefully monitored, because the consequences of late diagnosis or improper treatment can be potentially fatal. The following paper discusses the mechanisms leading to heart damage in the course of acute poisoning. It also presents clinical symptoms, treatment options and prognosis for myocardial injury in selected poisonings.

[Heart injury secondary to carbon monoxide poisoning--the use of imaging techniques]. / Uszkodzenie serca w przebiegu zatrucia tlenkiem wegla--zastosowanie badan obrazowych.

The heart muscle is particularly sensitive to the toxic effects of carbon monoxide. Cardiovascular complications are present in 30-40% poisoned patients. Currently, multiple ECG records and at least two-time determination of cardiac markers' concentration (mainly troponin I) are known as the gold standard practice in the diagnosis of cardiac injury especially with regard to medium and severe poisoning. So far there have not been any recommendations for further diagnostic steps in case of abnormalities in these examinations. This paper presents a review of cardiac imaging techniques as well as the analysis of their usefulness in carbon monoxide poisoning. According to the authors echocardiography is considered to be an extremely important examination which, thanks to its accessibility and non-invasive nature, should be performed on all patients with myocardium injury suspicion made on the basis of clinical image, ECG records and biochemical markers.

[Myocardial injury in the course of carbon monoxide poisoning]. / Uszkodzenie miesnia sercowego w przebiegu zatrucia tlenkiem wegla.

Carbon monoxide still remains one of the most common causes of fatal poisonings. Mechanisms of carbon monoxide toxic effects are complex and lead to hypoxia of body tissues. The most sensitive to tissue hypoxia are: the central nervous system and the cardiovascular system.The most characteristic cardiac symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are: stenocardial symptoms, hypotonia, myocardial dysfunction and arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation, tachycardia, bradycardia). Carbon monoxide connects with high affinity to metallo-proteins mainly to hemoglobin impairing oxygen transport in the body and to myoglobin, interfering with its function as oxygen reservoir among others in myocardium. Connecting to cytochrome oxidase in mitochondria it blocks the chain of electron transport which results in impairment of cellural respiration and formation of free radicals. Carbon monoxide has also relaxation effect against the smooth muscles of blood vessels, and thrombogenic effect. It is particularly adverse in patients with ischemic heart disease. In case of carbon monoxide poisoning one should always search for features of myocardial injury- as far as screening is concerned the most important ones are ECG and screening for cardiac troponin. Depending on the course of poisoning other laboratory (e.g. BNP) or imaging (echo-cardiography. scintiscanning, coronarography) tests may also prove to be useful.

[Difficulties in interpreting the results of laboratory tests for methanol concentration in serum of patients with metabolic acidosis of various origins]. / Trudnosci w interpretacji wyników oznaczen metanolu u pacjentów z hiperglikemia i kwasica metaboliczna róznego pochodzenia.

Due to increasing availability of methyl alcohol, methanol poisoning becomes more common. Consumption of even relatively small amounts can lead to very serious consequences, including irreversible damage to the eye and death. Quickly implemented proper treatment can alleviate the course of poisoning. Since the victims of poisoning often come to medical facilities unconscious, unresponsive, with unknown or incomplete medical history, it is crucial, both for toxicologists and emergency physicians, to consider the possibility of methanol or ethylene glycol poisoning. It is important to be able to recognize the symptoms of such a poisoning and to order appropriate laboratory tests, especially arterial blood gas and if necessary serum concentrations of methanol and ethylene glycol. The article discusses the course of methanol poisoning, various diagnostic methods of detecting methyl alcohol and factors that affect the methanol concentration in serum. Two clinical cases of patients with non-respiratory acidosis and hyperglycemia, the presence of methanol determined by spectrophotometric method and no methanol intake in anamnesis were also presented. We are considering the possibility of false positive results of methanol determination in the course of diabetic ketoacidosis and significant hyperglycemia.