Occupational exposure to external ionising radiation in Poland, 1999.

In 1999 about 6208 radiation workers from 389 departments were monitored by CLOR in Poland. The distribution of annual personal doses shows that 85% of controlled workers received doses below the MDL (0.4 mSv) and about 97% controlled workers received doses below 5 mSv. Doses higher than 50 mSv were received by three operators of industrial radiography units. The radiation workers under control are divided into four main work sectors: nuclear industry, research and education, medicine, and general industry. The average annual dose for all workers in each particular sector was 0.22 mSv, 0.22 mSv, 0.30 mSv and 0.80 mSv, respectively. The average annual dose for the entire monitored population was 0.47 mSv. The average annual dose in each particular sector for number of workers receiving E > 0, i.e. Hp(10) > or = 0.4 mSv, amounted to 1.78 mSv, 2.03 mSv, 1.88 mSv and 4.85 mSv, respectively. The average annual dose for the full number of workers receiving E > 0 was 3.21 mSv. This paper contains the detailed analysis of occupational exposure. The distributions of annual occupational exposure in different work sectors are also given.

Growth, bone age and nutritional status in neglected coeliac disease.

In 43 children with neglected coeliac disease (NCD) the growth and nutritional status (NS) were followed-up and analysed in the period between the age of 3 and 9 years in which prolonged exposure to gluten resulted in the persistent enteropathy. The significant "weight for age" and "height for age" deficits without concomitant "weight for height" deficits were observed at each yearly interval in the monitored period. The significant positive correlation between the percentage of children with the deficient NS and the duration of the exposure to gluten was found for the total examined period. There was also evidenced the significant bone age v. height age deficit. The linear growth retardation observed in NCD may be considered as the result of the progressive deficiency of NS.

[Ultrasonographic picture of the pylorus in infants]. / Odzwiernik w obrazie ultrasonograficznym u niemowlat.

The assessment of pylorus in the diagnostic procedure of causes of vomiting in infants is very important. The differentiation between organic and functional changes is principal. The survey covers 65 infants aged from 2 weeks to 12 months. In this group there are 14 vomiting neonates, in 6 of them the hypertrophic pyloric stenosis by ultrasound examination was diagnosed and by operation confirmed. Ultrasongraphy in presented children was performed on TOMOSONIC EUB--22 Hitachi (real time) provided with a 3 MHz transducer. The pylorus in children is localized near to the middline in the right epigastrium. In normal pylorus the walls of the canal widen the lumen opens. The diameter of normal pylorus amounts 10 to 15 mm, the thickness of muscular wall about 2 mm. In infants with the hypertrophic pyloric stenosis the three components: the muscle, the wall and the lumen of the canal are exceptionally visualized. The hypertrophied muscle forms a regular cylindrical sleeve around the canal and sometimes the pyloric lumen disappears. The diameter of the pyloric mass amounts about 15 to 30 mm and the thickness of the pyloric wall about 5 to 9 mm. The ultrasound examination let to assess the normal pylorus as well as with great probability to diagnose the hypertrophic pyloric stenosis eliminating also in many cases the conventional x-ray examinations.

[Radiological changes in a child with fetal alcohol syndrome]. / Zmiany radiologiczne u dziecka z wrodzonym zespolem alkoholowym.

A congenital alcoholic syndrome (CAS) belongs to rarely diagnosed embryopathies . It consists of polysymptomatic misdevelopings in numerous organs of the fetus caused by alcoholic abuse through the mother during the pregnancy. The diagnosis of the CAS is established on the basis of following topics: the anamnesis confirming the chronic alcoholism of baby's mother, the excluding of congenital genetic defects and intrauterine infections as well as qualitative and quantitative feeding deficits. In the differential diagnosis should be taken congenital cranial and facial dysmorphies which are most often seen in many syndromes such as: Pierre-Robin, Treacher-Collins, Weyer , Franceschetti - Zwahlen . In the presented paper there is described one case of the CAS observed during 15 months clinically and radiologically.

[Value of chest x-ray films in the diagnosis of congenital heart defects in infants]. / Wartosc przegladowych zdjec klatki piersiowej wrozpoznawaniu wrodzonych wad serca u noworodków i niemowlat.

The respiratory distress and suspicion of the heart defects in newborns and infants is indicated by x-ray chest examinations. The right interpretation of the x-ray pictures is very important but it must be followed by other diagnostic procedures. In every child it is possible to take the linear measurements of the great vessels and arteries in parahilar lung areas as well as the heart and chest in two dimensions from x-ray plain films. The measurements let to establish the indices: cardio-thoracic (ICP), vasculo-cardiac (IVC) and sagittal one (IS), which play important role in radiological evaluation of the chest. It results from the investigated material, that the evaluation of the pulmonary vascular pattern and the indices particularly facilitate the diagnosis of heart deformities coexisting with higher blood flow in pulmonary circulation. Nevertheless the measurements and the indices play the relative role in establishing of the final opinion about the chest and should be considered together with clinical and cardiological data.

[Mineralogical and radiological studies in children with urolithiasis]. / Badania mineralograficzne i rentgenowskie w kamicy ukladu moczowego u dzieci.

The x-ray investigations are performed in every case of urolithiasis. The basic ones are plain films of abdomen, urography and voiding cystourethrography. These investigations do not establish the type of lithiasis, particularly in cases of mixed stones. A visualization of concrements on a plain film depends on the absorption coefficient of x-rays. There is a close connection between radiological morphology and chemical composition as well as structure of concrements. A precise determination of phase composition of stones and their structure is possible only in the indirect investigations, i.e. after concrements' extirpation. X-ray structural methods, infrared spectrometric method, thermal and optical ones in polarization light belong to indirect inquires. The diffractograms are a consequence of x-ray structural analysis. A comparison of them with specimens allows for identification of every crystallic substance. The principle of the infrared spectrometry is a selective absorption of infrared rays in substances of different chemical structures. A comparison of infrared absorption spectrum with specimens allows for identification of some substances. An advantage of this method is its high sensibility and the possibility to perform on a small quantity of substratum (1 mg). An optical method facilitates a microscopic observation of a thin plate of stone (0,02 mm) in the polarization passing light appropriate to qualify the basic optical properties of minerals. It is possible to see the inside of concrements in the relatively big magnification without destruction of its primary structure. The recognition of the main and subordinate components in renal stones is possible through the use of at least several very precise methods, from which x-ray structural analysis, optical and infrared absorption are of main importance.

[The assessment of skeletal mineralization in children with urolithiasis]. / Ocena mineralizacji ukladu kostnego u dzieci z kamica nerkowa.

The x-ray pictures have principal significance in the clinical estimation of morphology of the skeleton. Roentgenometrical investigations of second metacarpal bone allow to assess the value of PCA (percentage cortical area), which is adequate to the mineral contents of the bone structure. PCA value of 100 equals the density of 2,3 g/cm3. The standard values of PCA and density equivalents were established in a group of 600 healthy children. The study was based on a group of 50 sick children aged from 1 to 16 years. The urolithiasis in all cases was diagnosed and all children were treated in the National Research Institute of Mother and Child in the years 1978-1979. The concrements in all cases contained the calcium salts as the main component. In 32 cases the following mixed stones: whewellite and weddellite, struvite and apatite, brushite and apatite, struvite and oxalate were found out. It was stated on the ground of mineralogical examinations that one component clearly preponderated the other ones.

[Bilateral nephroblastoma in children]. / Obustronny nerczak zarodkowy u dzieci.

The rarity of such form of nephroblastoma containing about 4% among embryonal renal tumors in this paper, was the subject of special attention. The necessity of preoperative differential diagnosis particularly in cases of congenital multicystic kidney, congenital hydronephrosis and retroperitoneal sympathetic neoplasms was stressed. Radiological investigation facilitate distinguishing of the three pathological forms. A multicystic degeneration of kidney is usually bilateral and it includes both the medulla and the renal cortex. The cystic patterns nearly equal in size are multiple and minute. In the bilateral Wilms' tumour besides the kidney enlargement there are deformations such as hydrocalyx , hydronephrosis or modeling signs. In case of congenital hydronephrosis the kidney keeps the same size and produces the thinner cortex zone. The neoplasms of the sympathetic nerve origin produce first the displacement of kidney and then the deformation of pelvico -calyceal system with modeling signs and sometimes with hydronephrosis. In the above mentioned entities, late urographical pictures are of great significance. The angiographic investigations of kidney play a very important part in the differential diagnosis and planning of operative procedures. The nephrographic phase of angiography shows the quantity and location of active renal parenchyma. A renal arteriography is also important in the evaluation of the applied therapy, particularly in case of multistage therapeutic procedures.