CHIC--the Canine Health Information Center.

The Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) is a centralized canine health database, jointly sponsored by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and the AKC Canine Health Foundation (AKC CHF). The CHIC mission is to provide a source of health information for owners, breeders, and scientists that will assist in breeding healthier dogs. Dogs are issued CHIC numbers when there are tested in accordance with the health screening protocol established by their parent club. All CHIC results are available in an online publicly accessible database, so the results can be widely utilized in making more informed breeding decisions. CHIC also operates a DNA bank which stores canine DNA samples along with corresponding genealogic information and phenotypic health data. These samples are made available to the research community at large for canine health research purposes to facilitate the sample collection process and provide optimized family groups.

[Environmental radiation exposure of a thyroid cancer patient resulting from adjuvant iodine radiotherapy]. / Narazenie radiacyjne otoczenia chorego na raka tarczycy w wyniku uzupelniajacego leczenia jodem promieniotwórczym.

The aim of the study was to evaluate radiation risk in the environment of patients treated with 131I as an ablative therapy following radical surgery for the differentiated thyroid cancer. The activities of radioiodine used in this form of therapy approximate 2.8 GBq (76 mCi) and the in cases of the cancer metastases to other organs may be as high as 7.4 GBq (200 mCi). Dose equivalent rates were estimated in nine seated patients at the level of the thyroid close to the gland surface, and 0.5 and 1 m away from it. The measurements were performed at one, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, and 168 hours after the injection of 131I. The dose equivalent rates at various distances from the thyroid surface at different times were approximated with the exponential function by the least square method. Then, the dose equivalents were calculated from the moment of 131I application to the moment of the total removal of the isotope from the organism. From this relation, time intervals after which the annual threshold doses of 1, 5, and 50 mSv would be exceeded were computed as the function of the applied 131I activity. The results of the present study indicate that attendants of the patients treated with 131I will not be exposed to the doses of ionising radiation exceeding the acceptable annual thresholds provided with the limited time intervals. In addition, the present results may be useful in elaborating procedures of dealing with and handling the patients during their stay at hospital, at home, and at work.

[Evaluation of the relationship between chosen factors and results of whole body scintigraphy with 131I in patients with differentiated thyroid cancers]. / Ocena zaleznosci wybranych czynników i wyników badan scyntygraficznych calego ciala za pomoca 131I u chorych ze zróznicowanymi rakami tarczycy.

Treatment and diagnostics with 131I play an important role in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) after thyreoidectomy. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of some factors on ablative therapy results. Fifty seven patients with DTC were investigated (44 females--mean age 46.6 yrs, 13 males--mean age 55.6 yrs.). Papillary thyroid cancer was diagnosed in forty five patients (79%) however, follicular thyroid cancer in the others (21%). We performed post-therapeutic whole-body scan (WBS) after high fixed doses of 131I (median = 75 mCi) and six months later diagnostic WBS (mean 4.3 mCi) in every patient. Postoperative radioiodine uptake, levels of TSH and thyroglobulin (Tg) serum concentrations were assessed after thyroid hormones withdrawal before imaging. The absence of radioiodine uptake in the thyroid bed (effective ablation) was observed in 64.9% of patients. In other cases scans showed significantly diminished uptake of the tracer in the remnants. Statistically significant difference in TSH levels before and after radioiodine therapy (75.6 vs. 106.7 microIU/ml, p < 0.001) was found in all patients. However, effectiveness of the ablative therapy did not depend on radioiodine uptake, TSH and Tg levels before radioiodine treatment.

[Dacryoscintigraphy in the diagnosis of tear flow disturbances]. / Dakrioscyntygrafia w diagnostyce zaburzen odplywu lez.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Presentation of dacryoscintigraphic method. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 221 lacrimating patients dacryoscintigraphy was performed using sterile 99mTc-sodium pertechnetate instilled with a micropipette into the conjunctival sac of both eyes and using a small gamma camera with high resolution collimator. Serial scintigrams of the lacrimal ducts were saved in computer's memory, inspected visually, and processed according to clinical computer programme. RESULTS: In 221 lacrimating patients the results are presented illustrating normal lacrimal duct patency and tear flow as well as the results revealing partial or complete lack of patency (blockade) of the ducts making tear flow difficult or impossible. CONCLUSIONS: Dacryoscintigraphy seems to be a sensitive and reliable method imaging tear flow disturbances in persons with lacrimation (epiphora). The method is safe, non-invasive and it is the only truly physiological method for the assessment of lacrimal duct patency and tear flow. It is easy to perform both in inpatients and outpatients. It facilitates the diagnosis of lacrimation cause and simplifies the verification of the surgical management results and conservative treatment.

Modifying effect of commercially available stannous pyrophosphate (PYRO-Sn) on the tissue affinity of 99mTc pertechnetate.

Investigations were performed to examine the conditions required for in vivo labelling of red blood cells (RBCs) with 99mTc after injection of stannous pyrophosphate. It was found that good in vivo labelling of RBCs is possible and that the efficacy of this procedure is high. The highest concentration of 99mTc in the blood occurred in the first 2 h after pertechnetate injection, and the optimum time between stannous pyrophosphate and pertechnetate injection ranged from 10 to 30 min.

Cardiac studies using red blood cells labeled with Tc-99m in vivo with single intravenous injections--first pass technique, gating and blood pool scanning.

The investigations were carried out in 51 patients with different cardiovascular diseases using a gamma camera coupled to a computer. Pyrophosphate (Sn) injection followed by technetium-99m injection were administered through only one puncture of an antecubital vein. Tc-99m was given as a bolus and its passage through the cardiac cavities was recorded and ejection fraction and wall motion of left ventricle were estimated. It was observed that 10-30 min after Tc-99m injection a steady activity Tc-99m-labeled RBCs was maintained in the vascular bed which made possible evaluation of the motility of cardiac walls by the gating technique. Presence of labeled RBCs also permitted blood pool scans and spleen scans to be obtained. Cases investigated by this method for pericardial effusion and splenomegaly are described for illustration.