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Biomedical subjects

A E Cardinale

Publications and source records attributed to A E Cardinale.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Characterization of benign hepatic tumors arising in fatty liver with SonoVue and pulse inversion US.

BACKGROUND: We describe the spectrum of contrast-enhancement patterns of benign hepatic tumors arising in fatty liver on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (US). METHODS: Sixteen patients (12 women and four men) with 27 benign hepatic tumors (17 hemangiomas, eight focal nodular hyperplasias, and two hepatocellular adenomas) arising in fatty liver underwent baseline and pulse inversion US after administration of SonoVue. Two experienced radiologists evaluated baseline echogenicity and dynamic enhancement pattern of each lesion in comparison with adjacent liver parenchyma. RESULTS: After administration of SonoVue, in the arterial phase 13 of 17 hemangiomas showed peripheral globular enhancement and one showed a rim of peripheral enhancement, followed by progressive centripetal fill-in, which was complete in 10 of 14 cases and incomplete in four. Three of 18 hemangiomas showed rapid and complete fill-in in the arterial phase. Eight of eight focal nodular hyperplasias became hyperechoic in comparison with adjacent liver parenchyma in the arterial phase and slightly hyperechoic or isoechoic in the portal venous and delayed phases. Both adenomas showed strong arterial contrast enhancement that became less intense in the portal venous and delayed phases. CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced US after administration of SonoVue enables depiction of typical contrast-enhancement patterns in most benign hepatic tumors arising in fatty liver, thus providing useful clues for characterization.

Adenoma, Liver Cell↗
PubMed2005

Pancreatic carcinoma versus chronic focal pancreatitis: contrast-enhanced power Doppler ultrasonography findings.

BACKGROUND: We assessed the potential usefulness of contrast-enhanced power Doppler ultrasonography (US) for differentiating pancreatic carcinoma from chronic focal pancreatitis. METHODS: Twenty-six consecutive patients with ductal carcinoma (n=16) and chronic focal pancreatitis (n=10) underwent power Doppler US examinations before and after intravenous injection of an air-based contrast agent (Levovist, Schering, Berlin, Germany). Final diagnosis was obtained by surgery in all patients. The following parameters before and after intravenous administration of contrast agent were evaluated for each lesion: number, morphology and course of the vessels within the lesion and time to maximum detectable enhancement. Number of the lesion vessels and time to maximum enhancement for each lesion were compared by with Student t test. RESULTS: After injection of contrast agent, nine of 16 (56.2%) carcinomas showed a larger total number of vessels (p<0.005) and faster enhancement (p<0.0001) compared with chronic focal pancreatitis. Irregular vessels with a serpiginous course that penetrated the tumor was predominant in carcinoma (eight of 16 cases), whereas focal pancreatitis presented mostly as avascular masses (five of 10 cases). CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced power Doppler US provides useful findings for differentiating pancreatic carcinoma from chronic focal pancreatitis.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2002

Analysis of radioactive pollution in the Gulf of Palermo.

PURPOSE: Sea water represents more than three quarters of the whole world. The radioactive fall out caused by nuclear experiments, radioactive drosses from nuclear power plants and other pollution sources, are able to contaminate the world ecosystems, and especially the sea water. The aim of this work is the evaluation of a possible radioactive pollution in the Gulf of Palermo. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Gulf of Palermo was divided into 5 homogeneous hydrological parts, in which fish and water were collected. The dosage of 131I e del 137Cs was mainly assessed because they have a long half-life and their presence in the water can be due to nuclear accidents but also to a wrong removal of the waste materials of nuclear medicine procedures; the other radioisotopes assessed (144Ce, 106Rh, 140La) are due only to nuclear fall-out. Gamma spectrometry technique was used for the evaluation of the radioisotopes' concentration after an adequate treatment of the samples. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The concentration of the examined radionuclides was below the instrumental capability apart from the 137Cs, whose dose was increased, and can be due to nuclear accidents and explosions. The radionuclide levels detected do not determine a higher risk than normal for the population's health even regard the eatablity of ittical species.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Static magnetic fields generated by a 0.5 T MRI unit affects in vitro expression of activation markers and interleukin release in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of the static magnetic field (SMF) generated by a 0.5 T superconducting MRI unit on in vitro activation marker expression and interleukin release in human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples from healthy volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PBMC samples were split into two groups: exposed and sham-exposed under isothermal conditions. PBMC were exposed for 2 h at 24 degrees C to the SMF of a 0.5 T superconducting MRI unit. Immediately after exposure, both samples were cultured for 24 h at 37 degrees C with or without mitogenic stimulation by phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). PBMC were examined for expression of CD25, CD69 and CD71 by immunofluorescence analysis and supernatants were assayed to quantify IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and IL-4 by ELISA. RESULTS: The 0.5 T SMF produced, after 24 h of culture, a reduced expression of CD69 from PBMC in vitro, that was enhanced after PHA stimulation. An increased release of IFN-gamma and IL-4 was also found, which was reduced after PHA stimulation. The release of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-10 was not modified. CONCLUSIONS: The SMF generated by a 0.5 T superconducting MRI unit modified in vitro activation marker expression and interleukin release from human PBMC.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Biologic effects of the static magnetic field generated by a 0.5 T magnetic resonance tomograph on the enzyme activity of catalase and creatine kinase in the rat].

PURPOSE: We investigated possible alterations in the enzyme activity of catalase and isozyme MB-creatine kinase induced by prolonged exposure of laboratory rodents to a static magnetic field generated by a .5 T Magnetic Resonance unit. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty Wistar albino mice were divided into two groups of 15 mice, one to be exposed to the static magnetic field for 12 hours and the other to be kept in the same environmental conditions as a control group. Immediately after the exposure a peripheral venous blood sample was collected, the cardiac muscle was removed from the mice and the enzyme activity of catalase and MB-creatine kinase were assayed using the spectrophotometric analysis. RESULTS: No statistically significant variation was detected between the enzyme activity of catalase and MB-creatine kinase in the serum and cardiac muscle of the exposed versus the control mice. In the mice exposed to the static magnetic field the enzyme activity of serum and cardiac muscle catalase were respectively .2154 U/L and .0707 U/L after 10 minutes; they were; .2699 U/L and .0946 U/L after 160 minutes. In the control mice the enzyme activity of serum and cardiac muscle catalase were respectively .1941 U/L and .0707 U/L after 10 minutes; they were .2061 U/L and .1068 U/L after 160 minutes. The enzyme activity of MB-creatine kinase in mice was measured in the exposed (80.8 U/L) versus the control (79.6 U/L) group: the difference does not exceed standard deviation. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our results seem to exclude any alteration in the activity of catalase and MB-CK after 12 hours' exposure to the static magnetic field. However some homeostatic mechanisms peculiar to pluricellular organisms might act in vivo to adapt to the effects of the static magnetic field during exposure.

Animals↗