Effectiveness of relaxation techniques before diagnostic screening of cancer patients / Efectividad de las técnicas de relajación en oncología antes de realizar pruebas diagnósticas en neuroimagen

Psychophysiological arousal was observed in cancer patients during the application of relaxation techniques prior to a diagnostic scan (PET-CT). The aim of the study is two fold: firstly, it is sought to establish whether such techniques can minimize patient arousal before diagnostic screening begins, and secondly to measure which of them are most effective. The dependent variable is electrodermal activity, recording the attentional level and emotional response, and the independent variable comprises the relaxation techniques used, namely Jacobson, breathing and visualization. The 39 patients were split into experimental groups to whom the relaxation techniques (Jacobson, breathing exercises, and visualization) were applied before they went for the PET-CT. An activity-module procedure was applied to track electrodermal activity during the relaxation sessions, consisting of instructions, time out; wait, task; relaxation and end of the recording session. The control group received no relaxation techniques before the PET-CT. Session-end results show that patients who perform relaxation techniques achieve greater attentional focus using Jacobs on’stechnique(M= .212) and enhanced emotional containment using visualization (M= .206). It is concluded that relaxation techniques minimize the state of activation during the waiting period before a diagnostic scan.

Se registra la activación psicofisiológica en pacientes oncológicos durante la aplicación de técnicas de relajación antes de someterse a una prueba diagnóstica (TEP-TAC). Se plantea un doble objetivo: primero, comprobar si dichas técnicas minimizan el estado de activación de los pacientes antes de realizar pruebas diagnósticas, y en segundo lugar, medir cuáles de estas son más efectivas para relajarse. La variable dependiente es la actividad electrodérmica, registrando el nivel atencional y la respuesta emocional, y la variable independiente son las técnicas de relajación de Jacobson, de respiración y de visualización. Se distribuyen los pacientes (n = 39) en 3 grupos experimentales y se les aplican las técnicas antes de realizar el TEP-TAC: Jacobson, respiración y visualización. Se utiliza un procedimiento para el registro de la actividad electrodérmica durante la relajación por módulos de actividad: instrucciones, tiempo muerto; espera, tarea; relajación, y fin del registro. El grupo control no recibe relajación antes del TEP-TAC. Los resultados indican que los pacientes que realizan relajación consiguen mayor focalización atencional con Jacobson (M = .212) y mayor contención emocional con la visualización (M = .206). Se concluye que las técnicas de relajación minimizan el estado de activación durante el periodo de espera antes de una prueba diagnóstica.

Cortical and subcortical patterns of I-123 iodobenzamide SPECT in striatal D(2) receptor parkinsonisms.

INTRODUCTION: The D(2) receptor is the most widely expressed dopaminergic receptor in the central nervous system, and it is present at the pre- and postsynaptic dopaminergic regions. It is mainly located in the neostriatum as well as in the globus pallidus, substantia nigra, cerebral cortex, thalamus, etc. The objective of this study was to analyze qualitatively and quantitatively the distribution pattern of the postsynaptic dopamine receptors through SPECT with iodobenzamide (IBZM) in patients with parkinsonism and to determine the benefit of this imaging technique in the differential diagnosis of the parkinsonian syndromes. MATERIALS: A total of 26 patients with clinical and imaging (Iodine-123 fluoropropyl-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(4-iodophenyltropane) [FP-CIT]) diagnostics of parkinsonism, to all of which a study of postsynaptic D(2) receptors with IBZM was made, were retrospectively reviewed. Of total, 12 patients were male (42.85%). The average age was 73 years old (range, 64-83 years). The patients were imaged using SPECT 2 hours after administration of I-123 Iolopride (IBZM) and their images were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. To measure the relative density of the D(2) receptors, the studies were registered to a common space in which the structures to be analyzed were delimited over a RM template. Caudate/frontal (C/FI) and putamen/frontal (P/FI) activity indexes were obtained. RESULTS: Of total, 10 patients presented normal IBZM uptake (C/FI of 1.23 + or - 0.13; P/FI of 1.53 + or - 0.11). The 16 studies listed as abnormal were divided into 2 degrees: (I) appearance of thalamic activity with preserved striatal uptake and (II) thalamus and frontal increased uptake with decrease of striatal activity. In the patients with abnormal patterns, the region that showed a greater reduction of uptake was the putamen (P/FI of 1.1 + or - 0.07 for degree 1, P < 0.05 and P/FI of 1.25 + or - 0.19 for degree 2, P < 0.001). For the differential diagnosis of Parkinson disease in relation to the atypical parkinsonisms, the sensitivity was 68.4% (confidence interval, 51.9-87.6) and the specificity was 57.1% (confidence interval, 20.2-88.2). The patients with Parkinson disease with longer evolution times showed a decrease of D(2) activity (3/7). CONCLUSION: The appearance of thalamic activity may be an early indicator of a decrease of D(2) striatal receptors in atypical parkinsonisms and in patients with long-term Parkinson disease.

Lung ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy in children on long-term parenteral nutrition.

PURPOSE: Pulmonary emboli (PE) are one of the major complications associated with total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy (V/Q) remains the most used test for the diagnosis of PE and follow-up of patients on TPN. The aim of our study was to demonstrate the high prevalence of undiagnosed PE in children on TPN. METHODS: The medical and imaging files of 64 patients on TPN who underwent V/Q examinations covering the period of 1986-2004 were reviewed. Children were aged between 3.18 months and 21.6 years. TPN was started at birth (range 0-15 years). All children had a normal chest radiograph and no symptoms at the time of the V/Q scan. A comparative analysis between the prevalence of PE and risk factors (number of days per week with lipophilic content of the TPN, bowel inflammation and thrombophilic factors (protein C and S) was performed. RESULTS: Of the 64 patients, 25 (39%) had an abnormal V/Q scan. A total of 29 PE episodes were diagnosed in all patients. Two children had three episodes of PE. The median age at PE diagnosis was 4.6 years. In 17 patients (68%) diagnosis was achieved on the first V/Q scan performed. PE was bilateral in 56% and unilateral in 44%. PE was the main cause of 2 out 15 recorded deaths. All risk factors were associated with an increase in PE prevalence by statistical analysis. CONCLUSION: PE is underdiagnosed in children on long-term TPN. Lung V/Q scintigraphy is useful in the diagnosis of PE in children with a low pretest probability.