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Biomedical subjects

A Schneidau

Publications and source records attributed to A Schneidau.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Breast MR and the appearance of the normal and abnormal nipple.

AIM: To identify the magnetic resonance (MR) morphological and enhancement characteristics of the normal and diseased nipple. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MR appearances of the nipple in 35 patients with known primary breast cancer who went on to mastectomy was reviewed by two radiologists (blinded to the clinical, mammographic and histopathological information) and correlated with histology. The appearance of the contra-lateral nipple in 31 patients was reviewed and compared with that of the affected side. MR was performed at 1.0T using a receive-only double breast coil in 33 patients and a single breast coil in two patients. Three dimensional (3-D) T1-weighted gradient-echo images were made before and immediately after a fast hand injection of gadolinium-DTPA (0.1 mmol/kg). RESULTS: Twenty-six breasts had histopathologically normal nipples and retroareolar tissue, four had evidence of tumour within the nipple and four had retroareolar tumour but with nipple sparing. Fifteen normal nipples were everted and 11 were inverted (flat). All showed superficial linear dermal enhancement above a non-enhancing zone in the nipple areolar complex. Linear or patchy enhancement deep to the non-enhancing zone was seen in four breasts and linear enhancement through the non-enhancing zone was seen in two. The nipple in all four breasts with tumour involvement showed increased thickening/bulkiness and enhancement of the nipple-areolar complex and retroareolar tissue. The four breasts with retroareolar tumour and nipple sparing showed increased thickening and enhancement of the retroareolar tissue only. There was one false positive result on breast MR for retroareolar tumour involvement. In this case the abnormally enhancing retroareolar tissue adjacent to the focal mass was shown to be an area of sclerosing adenosis on histology. The 31 contra-lateral nipples had the characteristic 'normal' appearance and when compared with its normal ipsilateral nipple showed marked symmetry. When compared with its abnormal ipsilateral nipple showed marked asymmetry. CONCLUSION: MR of the breast can show nipple involvement even when clinically unsuspected. This is important for treatment planning of breast cancer, in particular nipple preserving surgery.

Adult↗

Impairment of cerebral function following cardiac and other major surgery.

Patients undergoing routine coronary artery surgery (N = 76) were compared with those undergoing other major operations (N = 29) in a prospective multidisciplinary study designed to define the incidence of neurological and psychological sequelae. The preoperative state of the carotid and vertebral arteries was defined by digital subtraction angiography. Changes in clinical neurological examination, detailed neuropsychological testing, psychiatric assessment and cerebral blood flow were measured. All preoperative studies were repeated 8 days and 8 weeks after surgery. Clinical neurological examination was repeated in addition on the 1st postoperative day. New focal neurological signs were found in 8% of the cardiac patients and none of the comparison group 24 h after operation (P = 0.9). Global transient neurological dysfunction occurred in 59% of the coronary group in the 1st postoperative day compared with 21% in other forms of surgery (P = 0.0007) but this correlated with postoperative narcotic and sedative drugs. A deterioration in neuropsychological performance was detectable in 73% of coronary cases at 8 days which was more likely to occur with increasing age, longer bypass time and lower perfusion pressure, but similar neuropsychological changes also occurred in 50% of the comparison group. By 8 weeks, there was a significant improvement in the cardiac patients (37%, P less than 0.001) but not in the other group. Cerebral blood flow was reduced at 8 days in the coronary bypass patients but not in the comparison group suggesting that the mechanism of cerebral change may be different in the two groups.

Adult↗

Arterial disease risk factors and angiographic evidence of atheroma of the carotid artery.

We conducted a prospective study of serial intravenous digital subtraction angiography to determine the relation of arterial disease risk factors and hemostatic variables with the presence of visible atheroma at the carotid bifurcation. Of the 492 patients with cerebrovascular disease or ischemic heart disease who entered the study, 354 had hematologic studies, including platelet aggregation in 230. Abnormal angiograms were associated with greater age, treated hypertension, current smoking, and lower hemoglobin levels but with higher uric acid, factor VIII, and fibrinogen concentrations. In patients presenting with isolated transient ischemic attacks, abnormal angiograms were also associated with higher levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. To study atheroma progression, the 230 patients with complete data at entry were recalled 2 years later. Repeat angiography in 209 patients showed progression of visible bifurcation disease in 13.4%. There was some evidence that progression was linked to higher age, hypertension, and more severe disease at entry, but further analysis was hampered by the small number of patients showing increased plaque size. The possible role of risk factors and hemostatic variables, especially fibrinogen, is discussed. Factors that did not correlate with progression of angiographically visible disease may also influence clinical end points by other mechanisms, such as thrombogenesis.

Aging↗

Cerebrovascular disease and functional outcome after coronary artery bypass surgery.

A series of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery was studied prospectively to see if angiographic evidence of cerebrovascular disease proved predictive of the incidence of neuropsychological deficit 8 days or 8 weeks after surgery. In 47 patients, intravenous digital subtraction angiography was carried out preoperatively to assess the presence and severity of atheromatous changes in the carotid arteries; 51% had evidence of vessel wall disease and 17% had stenosis of at least one carotid artery in the neck, although only one patient had severe narrowing. Overall, 77% of these 47 patients showed a neuropsychological deficit as defined by a significantly reduced score in at least two of 10 tests administered 8 days after surgery. Eight weeks after surgery 36% still showed a deficit. The incidence of neuropsychological deficit was not significantly greater among those patients with angiographically visible carotid artery disease. The mechanism of surgery-related cognitive impairment is briefly discussed in the light of these findings.

Brain↗

Relative safety of intravenous digital subtraction angiography over other methods of carotid angiography and impact on clinical management of cerebrovascular disease.

Data from a multicentre survey based on three London teaching hospitals on the relative safety and clinical utility of intravenous carotid digital subtraction angiography (DSA) over intra-arterial DSA and conventional carotid angiography are presented. The incidence of stroke during intra-arterial DSA was 0.7% (n = 538) and during conventional angiography was 0.8% (n = 780). The incidence of stroke during intravenous DSA was zero (n = 3710). When it constituted the initial investigation, intravenous DSA achieved a 93.8% replacement value over intra-arterial studies as a whole (n = 474) and 89% replacement value for patients having carotid endarterectomy (n = 99). It was also noted that the installation of DSA equipment at one unit coincided with a sixfold increase in the number of carotid angiographic examinations and an almost threefold increase in carotid endarterectomies.

Angiography, Digital Subtraction↗

Cerebral consequences of cardiopulmonary bypass.

55 patients undergoing coronary-artery bypass surgery (CABS) and a comparison group of 20 patients having thoracic or major vascular surgery were investigated preoperatively and 8 days and 8 weeks postoperatively for changes in neuropsychological status, psychiatric state, cerebral blood flow, and neurological signs, this last being assessed also at 24 h. Major persisting neurological changes were rare, but minor abnormalities were significantly more common after CABS than after thoracic or vascular surgery. Neuropsychological deficits were common at 8 days in both CABS and comparison groups, and in about a third of all patients persisted at 8 weeks. Cerebral blood flow was reduced at 8 days in some CABS patients, but this was not significant for the group. Pre-existing cerebrovascular disease was not predictive, but low perfusion pressure and long bypass time were associated with postoperative deficits.

Adult↗

Rickets in adolescence.

The radiological diagnosis of rickets is mainly based on the widened appearance of actively developing epiphyseal growth plates. In the adolescent with rickets the secondary iliac and ischial ossification centres may be abnormally wide when most other epiphyses have fused. The appearance of the iliac crest is of use both in helping to make the diagnosis and in monitoring the results of treatment.

Adolescent↗

Digital subtraction angiography in ischaemic cerebrovascular disease.

Digital subtraction angiography is a safe relatively noninvasive way of directly visualizing the major head and neck arteries, particularly by the venous route. It is the method of choice for investigating ischaemic cerebrovascular disease, and it may also be performed on an outpatient basis.

Analog-Digital Conversion↗

Clinical trial of iohexol in lumbar myelography.

Iohexol containing 180 mg I/ml was used in 20 patients for lumbar myelography. By using an adequate volume up to a maximum of 15 ml, satisfactory films were obtained in all cases. Minor or moderate adverse effects occurred in 4 patients. There were no changes in vital signs or neurologic examination related to the examinations. No patient had difficulty with concentration, personality changes or seizures. Later encephalographies performed in all patients before and during 24 h after the iohexol injections, showed no seizure or abnormal activity or any significant change. Repeated lumbar puncture was performed in 9 patients 24 h after the injection of iohexol. One of these, a patient with symptoms due to disc prolapse, whose CSF was abnormal before the myelography, had a slightly increased cellular response. There was no significant change in any of the other patients. Iohexol is a very satisfactory contrast medium for myelography and compared favorably with other non-ionic contrast media.

Adult↗

Clinical trial of iohexol for lumbar myelography.

Iohexol containing 180 mg I/ml was used in 80 patients for myelography by lumbar injection. By using an adequate volume, between 10 and 20 ml, satisfactory films were obtained in all cases. Minor adverse effects occurred in 12 patients (15%) and were more frequent in women than men; they were headache (5), nausea (3), vomiting (2), back or limb pain (5), and skin rash (1) and were of minor degree in 10 cases, moderate in the other two and lasted more than 24 h in only one case. There was no change in vital signs or neurological examination related to the studies. No patient suffered difficulty with concentration, personality change or seizures. Electroencephalograms performed on 21 patients before and during the 24 h after iohexol showed no seizure or focal activity or any significant change. Repeat lumbar punctures were performed on ten patients during the 24 h following myelography. One of these, a patient with symptoms due to disc prolapse, whose CSF was abnormal prior to the myelogram, showed a slightly increased cellular response. There was no significant change in any other case. Iohexol is a very satisfactory contrast medium for myelography and compares favourably with other non-ionic contrast media.

Adolescent↗