Treatment of ophidism-induced bilateral canine cataract by extracapsular lens extraction and intraocular lens implantation.

The aim of this study was to report a new cause of cataract, namely snake bite induced cataract in a dog. A 3-year-old male mongrel dog was referred to our clinic for the assessment of cataract in both eyes. The dog was bitten by a snake nearly 4 months ago. A 40 dioptre acrylic lens with 13 mm haptics was implanted into the lens capsule. In the left eye, posterior synechia was detected in the temporal part of the iris, but decentration of the intraocular lens was not observed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of bilateral cataract caused by ophidism and treated by surgical intervention in a dog.

Ivermectin is an effective treatment for bovine cutaneous papillomatosis.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of ivermectin on the treatment of bovine cutaneous papillomatosis. Twenty-four Holstein calves between 9 and 17 months of age with cutaneous papillomatosis were placed into three groups with six in group I, and nine in groups II and III. Group I served as a control group and received no treatment. Ivermectin at a dose of 0.2mg/kg was administered subcutaneously as a single dose to the animals in Group II and twice with 15 days intervals to animals in Group III. The first ivermectin application was considered as the 0th day Animals were monitored at 15 days intervals up to 3 months. No remission was observed in the control group (Group I). In Group II eight out of nine animals (88.8%) and in Group III seven out of nine animals (77.7%) showed complete recovery within 3 month observation period. It was concluded that ivermectin, as either single or double dose applications, is effective as a treatment for cutaneous papillomatosis.

99mTc-tetrofosmin scintigraphy in musculoskeletal tumours: the relationship between P-glycoprotein expression and tetrofosmin uptake in malignant lesions.

The aims of this study were to assess the role of (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin scintigraphy in the diagnosis of malignant vs. benign musculoskeletal tumours and to determine the relationship between P-glycoprotein expression and tetrofosmin uptake in malignant lesions. Forty-six patients (32 malignant, 14 benign) with various musculoskeletal lesions were studied. Each patient underwent (99m)Tc-methylene diphosphonate three-phase bone scanning initially. At least 2 days later, dynamic and static (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin scans were obtained. The tetrofosmin scans were evaluated by visual and quantitative analysis. The count ratio of the lesion to the contralateral normal area (uptake ratio, UR) was calculated from the region of interest drawn on the tetrofosmin scan. The lesions were then resected by open biopsy to obtain a histopathological diagnosis. P-glycoprotein levels were determined immunohistochemically in 22 of 32 malignant lesions. A significant difference between the mean UR values of benign and malignant lesions was found (1.36 +/- 0.47 vs. 3.35 +/- 2.08, P = 0.000). Visual analysis showed an accuracy of 85%, and the accuracy of the quantitative analysis was 87% with the threshold level of UR as 1.76. When perfusion findings were added to the evaluation criteria, the accuracies of visual and quantitative analysis were increased to 87% and 89%, respectively. The relationship between the levels of P-glycoprotein and the UR values of tetrofosmin was not statistically significant (r = -0.235, P = 0.2). In addition, the mean UR value of the patients with P-glycoprotein expression was not statistically different from that of the patients without P-glycoprotein expression (3.01 +/- 1.48 vs. 4.27 +/- 2.90, P = 0.297). In conclusion, visually significant tetrofosmin uptake and increased perfusion in a musculoskeletal lesion strongly suggest that the lesion is malignant (positive predictive value, 96%). P-glycoprotein expression was not found to be a major factor interfering with 30 min tetrofosmin uptake in a malignant musculoskeletal lesion. However, the relatively high false-negative rate among negative results (28%) limits the value of (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin scintigraphy as a single diagnostic tool in differentiating between benign and malignant musculoskeletal tumours.

The efficacy of technetium-99m ciprofloxacin (Infecton) imaging in suspected orthopaedic infection: a comparison with sequential bone/gallium imaging.

Technetium-99m ciprofloxacin (Infecton) has recently become established as a new radiopharmaceutical for the imaging of infection. This study was performed to determine the value of Infecton imaging in demonstrating orthopaedic infection and to compare the results with bone/gallium imaging. Twenty-two patients (12 female, 10 male; mean age 51.7+/-16.8 years) with suspected orthopaedic infective conditions were included in the study. The patients underwent three scintigraphic studies in the following sequence: 740 MBq 99mTc-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) three-phase bone scintigraphy; at least 2 days later, 370 MBq Infecton scan at 1-4 h; and finally, 185 MBq gallium-67 scintigraphy. 67Ga imaging could not be performed on four patients. All images were blindly interpreted by two independent observers. The final diagnosis was made by consensus when the readings were different. Interpretation of the early and late Infecton images was made separately, with visual findings being classified according to a four-grade scale (0, +, ++, +++). Images graded 0 and +, and also those regions which showed a decrease in uptake grade on late images as compared with early images, were classified as negative for infection; grades ++ and +++ were classified as positive. Bone/gallium images were considered positive when the images were spatially incongruent or when gallium uptake was more intense than that of 99mTc-MDP. The diagnosis was confirmed by intraoperative microbiological or histological findings, or by the presence of gross purulence. The sensitivity of Infecton imaging was found to be 85%, the specificity 92% and the accuracy 88%, as compared to figures of 78%, 100% and 90%, respectively, for bone/gallium imaging. Although the two modalities showed a similar clinical yield, the easy availability of Infecton and the short investigation time make Infecton imaging the better option for the detection of orthopaedic infection.

Callotasis in a fasciosteal flap model in rabbits: part II. a new contribution to the concept of distraction osteogenesis.

The basis of lengthening bones at their anatomic locations has been defined in detail by many authors. The possibility of distraction osteogenesis in vascularized bone grafts and the role of periosteum was investigated in 35 growing New Zealand White rabbits in four experimental groups: group 1, the scintigraphic assessment group (N = 4); group 2, the distraction group with intact periosteum (N = 15); group 3, the control group without periosteum in the distraction area (N = 6); and group 4, the control group in which the flaps were wrapped in silicone leaves (N = 10). Scintigraphy was used to evaluate the survival of the bone graft. Metatarsal fasciosteal flaps were fixed by external fixators and then subjected to osteotomy. Distraction was started after 10 days of osteotomy and continued at 0.5 mm/24 hr for 10 days, with a total elongation of 4 to 6 mm. Radiological examination at day 10 of starting the distraction, and both radiological and histological examinations at days 15, 20, and 30 were performed. In group 1, positive scintigraphic images of the flaps were obtained. In group 2, progressive calcification was detected radiologically and mixed-type ossification was observed histologically. However, in group 3, distraction failed. Group 4 was excluded from the study due to silicone exposition. The authors demonstrated that vascularized bone segments can be lengthened, and provided information about the importance of periosteum in distraction osteogenesis.

A technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime brain single-photon emission tomography study in adolescent patients with major depressive disorder.

We have not encountered any brain single-photon emission tomography (SPET) study performed in adolescent depressed patients in the literature. Therefore, we used technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO) brain SPET in adolescent patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) to examine the possible changes in cerebral perfusion and the possible association between perfusion indices and clinical variables. Fourteen adolescent out-patients (nine females, five males; mean+/-SD age: 13.11+/-1.43 years; range: 11-15 years) fulfilling the DSM-IV criteria for MDD and 11 age-matched healthy control subjects (six females, five males; mean+/-SD age: 13.80+/-1.60 years; range: 12-15 years) were included in the study. 99Tc-HMPAO brain SPET was performed twice in the patient group and once in the control group. The first SPET investigation was performed under non-medicated conditions and the second was performed after depressive symptoms had subsided. A relative perfusion index (PI) was calculated as the ratio of regional cortical activity to the whole brain activity. We found significant differences between the PI values of the untreated depressed patients and those of the controls, indicating relatively reduced perfusion in the left anterofrontal and left temporal cortical areas. No significant differences in regional PI values were found between the remitted depressed patients and the controls. Our study suggests that adolescent patients with MDD may have regional cerebral blood flow deficits in frontal regions and a greater anterofrontal right-left perfusion asymmetry compared with normal subjects. The fact that these abnormalities in perfusion indices have a trend toward normal values with symptomatic improvement suggests that they may be state-dependent markers for adolescent MDD.

99Tcm-N,N-ethylenedicysteine scintigraphy in children with various renal disorders: a comparative study with 99Tcm-MAG3.

We evaluated the clinical usefulness of 99Tcm-N,N-ethylenedicysteine (99Tcm-EC), a new renal tubular agent, in normal children and in children with various renal disorders and compared it with 99Tcm-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (99Tcm-MAG3). In a first group of children (Group 1), which included 15 patients and 4 normal children, both 99Tcm-EC and 99Tcm-MAG3 renal scintigraphy were performed within a period of 1-5 days. In a second group (Group 2), consisting of 12 patients, only 99Tcm-EC scintigraphy was performed. In the normal children, renograms, differential renal function (DRF) ratios and semi-quantitative parameters of the two agents were similar. For 99Tcm-EC and 99Tcm-MAG3, the mean (+/- S.D.) time to peak activity (Tmax) values were 3.2 +/- 0.5 and 3.1 +/- 0.4 min respectively, and the mean time from peak activity to 50% activity (T1/2) values were 6.3 +/- 0.5 and 6.4 +/- 0.4 min respectively. The mean parenchymal transit time index (PTTI) and mean whole-kidney transit time index (WKTTI) for 99Tcm-EC were 1.7 +/- 0.3 and 2.8 +/- 0.4 respectively, and for 99Tcm-MAG3 they were 1.8 +/- 0.2 and 3.0 +/- 0.3 min respectively. There were also no significant differences between these parameters for the two agents in children with various renal disorders, and the correlation coefficients (r) for DRF, Tmax, T1/2, PTTI and WKTTI were 0.99, 0.98, 0.94, 0.77 and 0.63 respectively. We conclude that 99Tcm-EC has excellent imaging characteristics in children, and even has some advantages over 99Tcm-MAG3. We suggest this agent can be used routinely with children.

The role of endothelin in radiocontrast nephropathy.

In the present study we investigated the role of endothelin and AT II in radiocontrast nephropathy induced in rats with reduced renal mass (70-75%). Thirty-five male Wistar albino rats weighing between 280 and 400 g were anaesthetized with ketamine (130 mg/kg b.w.) and right total, left 50% nephrectomy were performed. After this operation, the rats were kept under observation for six to eight weeks and then they were randomly separated into three groups. Group I rats were infused with 8.9 ml/kg (or 2.9 g of iodine/kg body weight) Na diatrizoate (Urovision, 1,500 mosm/kg). Group II rats were infused with 0.9% NaCl in an equal volume with the radiocontrast material. Group III rats were given 4.5% NaCl that had the same volume and osmolality as the radiocontrast material. Two hours after the drug infusions, blood and accumulated urine samples were collected from all the rats and tested for endothelin, AT II, BUN, creatinine, uric acid, electrolytes, calcium and phosphorus. We found that the plasma endothelin levels in Group I (77.64 +/- 29.62 pg/ml) were significantly higher than in Group II (20.52 +/- 5.83 pg/ml) and Group III (15.04 +/- 5.15 pg/ml) (t = 8.34 and t = 9.14, respectively, p < 0.001). Therefore elevation in circulating endothelin might have been an additional factor leading to the radiocontrast-induced nephrotoxicity.

The visualization of pulmonary tuberculosis with Tc-99m (V) DMSA and Tc-99m citrate in comparison to Ga-67 citrate.

Two patients with active tuberculosis confirmed by chest radiography and positive sputum smears were included in this study to determine whether a Tc-99m labeled agent, such as DMSA or citrate could localize such lesions in comparison to Ga-67 citrate. Both patients had Tc-99m (V) DMSA, Tc-99m citrate, and Ga-67 citrate scanning at 1-day to 5-day intervals. Both patients had positive scan findings with all three radiopharmaceuticals. However, the quality of Tc-99m (V) DMSA scans was superior to Tc-99m citrate, which showed faint uptake. Tc-99m (V) DMSA may be a better alternative to Ga-67 citrate in the assessment of the activity and extent of tuberculosis.