The American journal of roentgenology, radium therapy, and nuclear medicine最新文献

More than 5 years of clinical and animal experience with the use of a transjugular approach to the liver, biliary system, and portal circulation is reviewed. It has been of clinical value in connection with hepatic manometry and venography, liver biopsy, and cholangiography. Satisfactory hepatic manometry and venography were achieved by the transjugular approach in all 47 cases where attempted; diagnostic liver specimens were obtained in 71 of 83 patients (86%); and cholangiography was successful in 48 of 52 patients with enlarged intrahepatic ducts (92%). No complications occurred with these studies. In animals, transjugular catheterization was used as a means for portal, mesenteric, and pancreatic venography. These procedures are ready for diagnostic clinical use. Therapeutic techniques explored in animals include intravascular tamponade of gastric coronary vein and the nonsurgical creation of intrahepatic portacaval shunts, both of promise in the future management of massive gastrointestinal bleeding from varices.

A newborn infant with the respiratory distress syndrome in whom pulmonary venous air embolism (PVAE) developed as a complication of positive pressure therapy is reported. The underlying pathophysiology in this disorder is probably the development of alveolar-capillary fistulae secondary to unduly high intrabronchial pressures. An increased awareness by radiologists and clinicians of PVAE as a potential complication of aggressive respiratory therapy will result in more frequent recognition of this uncommon but lethal disorder.

Traumatic bowing of one or both forearm bones in children represents an acute plastic deformation of bone. Plastic curvatures have been produced in the dog ulna, but have been recognized only recently in man. The biomechanics and histologic changes of the experimental model explain the roentgenological features found in children with traumatically bowed bones: (1) broad fixed curvatures which hold fractures in angulation and resist orthopedic reduction; (2) absence of periosteal new bone formation following the injury; and (3) partial correction of the plastic corvature by cortical remodeling in young children. In a series of 17 patients, eight children had bowing of the ulna with an angulated fracture of the radius, five had bowing of the radius with an angulated ulna fracture, and four children had both the radius and ulna bowed without fracture. Manipulative reduction in the majority of children with fractures failed to reduce the plastic curvature, causing partial loss of pronation and supination.

The roentgenographic and clinical findings are described in a mother and daughter with the Kniest syndrome associated with urinary keratan sulfate excretion. Osteoporosis, kyphoscoliosis, vertebral irregularity, pelvic deformity, flat femoral heads and enlargement of the ends of the long bones were the main roentgen findings. Irregularity of ossification on both sides of the growth plate was observed in the daughter, and marked degenerative changes were superimposed on several of the mother's abnormal joints. Abnormal mucopolysacchariduria, observed in both patients, and cataracts, fusion of the symphysis pubis, and deficiency of carpal bones, seen in the mother, have not been described previously.

A total of 88 cases of normal and pathological conditions of the skull, brain and spinal cord was studied by skull series, pneumoencephalography, and air myelography. The roentgenographic images of these structures were recorded by conventional roentgenograms, xeroradiograms, and tomogrrams and compared with each other. In general the high resolution and wide recording latitude of xeroradiography produced a more pleasing, sharper image than that obtained by conventional roentgenography. However, the individual tomographic image was superior to xeroradiography.

Hypoxia, pulmonary edema, acidosis, and aspiration compose the syndrome of near drowning. A review of 20 cases of near drowning indicated that the initial chest roentgenogram bears little weight in assessing the present or future clinical status. In some cases a 24 to 48 hour delay occurred before roentgenographic evidence for pulmonary edema was noted. The composition of fluid aspirated does not affect the outcome. The results of this report suggest that patients with a history of near drowning should be followed closely for at least 48 hours despite an initial normal chest roentgenogram.

Cervical aortic arch anomaly is a rare congenital entity. The aortic arch extends into the soft tissues of the neck before turning downward on itself to become the descending aorta. Nineteen cases have been previously reported in the world literature with one more presently in publication. We have collected six additional cases, in four of which the cervical arch was located on the left. Formerly the left cervical aortic arch was felt to be much less common than the right. It now appears that they have equal incidence. Four of our cases were also associated with cardiac anomalies, and this coincidence has not been previously reported.

Optic neuritis, even when clinically typical, cannot be diagnosed with certainty because mass lesions compressing the anterior visual pathways may mimic it. The radiologist is in a position to assist in identifying such lesions or in ruling them out and thus preventing surgical exploration. While every patient in whom the diagnosis of optic neuritis is entertained should have plain roentgenograms of skull, orbits and optic canals, we have developed a schema for detailed neuroradiologic investigation based on clinical and plain roentgenographic findings. A classification of such lesions by location is illustrated.

Four instances of antiperistaltic intussusception are presented. These serve to depict the varied roentgen appearances in both types of intussusception on barium study and emphasize two simple interpretational principles: (1) when contrast material is administered orad to an antegrade or caudad to a retrograde intussusception, it must first enter the intussusceptum; and (2) when barium is administered orad to a retrograde or caudad to an antegrade intussusception, it must first enter the intussuscipiens. Attention is also directed to tube related intussusceptions and to potential difficulty in their identification.

We have successfully treated severe pulmonary edema of various etiologies and the concomitant hypoxia in 17 infants and children with continuous positive pressure spontaneous breathing. The pressure used was 8 to 14 cm of water above atmospheric pressure. No significant changes occurred in arterial or central venous blood pressure, and no patient developed clinical evidence of peripheral venous engorgement. Pulmonary edema cleared within 24 hours in all cases. We believe this rapid clearing may differentiate pulmonary edema from pneumonia and pulmonary hemorrhage. The pathophysiology and the roentgenologic findings are presented.