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Biomedical subjects

B Donnelly

Publications and source records attributed to B Donnelly.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Prostatic cryosurgery: use of MR imaging in evaluation of success and technical modifications.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of contrast material-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in objective assessment of prostatic cryosurgery and the role of MR imaging in the modification of prostatic cryosurgical technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight consecutive patients with localized (T1-3, N0, M0) prostatic adenocarcinoma treated with prostatic cryosurgery underwent MR imaging without contrast enhancement before cryosurgery and unenhanced and gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging within 1-3 weeks after cryosurgery. The first 20 patients also underwent MR imaging at 3 months after cryosurgery. MR imaging findings were correlated with those from transrectal ultrasound-directed prostatic staging biopsy. RESULTS: Cryonecrotic prostate was identified as avascular regions characterized by absolute signal void on contrast-enhanced images. With progressive modification of cryosurgical technique, complete cryoablation of the prostate was achieved in the latter nine of the 38 patients. When cryoablation was considered complete according to MR imaging criteria, findings invariably correlated with those at biopsy, with no residual prostate tissue or tumor. CONCLUSION: Gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging of the prostate after cryosurgery provides a highly accurate means of monitoring success. Objective MR imaging findings allow modifications to the technology and technique, resulting in optimal therapeutic results with prostatic cryosurgery.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1997

The forensic application of testing hair for drugs of abuse.

Hair testing is only used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) when other information exists that indicates drug use and can remove a person from suspicion or associate them with criminal activity. The detection of cocaine in hair has been the FBI's first priority in hair testing for drugs of abuse because of its prevalence. Several cases when hair testing was used are reported in this chapter. Further, analysis of over 100 samples was performed on hair obtained from a medical examiner's random autopsy collection. Sixty-five percent of the samples tested positive for cocaine or opiates. The results of hair testing for drugs of abuse were found to be consistent with autopsy toxicology reports. The analysis of hair washes and nails from the autopsy samples suggests external contamination of hair with drugs is not widespread.

Forensic Medicine↗
PubMed1996

Cervical smears--an opportunity for disinvestment?

BACKGROUND: The National Cervical Screening Programme was introduced to increase population coverage while reducing the overscreening of women at low risk. AIM: To describe the frequency with which cervical smears are unnecessarily repeated within the prescribed screening interval. METHOD: All cervical smears taken in a primary care setting in Manchester from women aged 20-64, during 1988-92, were identified. A smear was considered unscheduled if it was taken within 30 months of a preceding smear and if there was no clinical indication or laboratory recommendation for an early repeat smear. RESULTS: A total of 100 134 smears were identified from 85 594 women attending 130 general practices and 40 NHS community clinics; 12 633 women subsequently had 14 702 unscheduled smears; 50% of the unscheduled smears were taken by 18% of the general practices and 8% of the NHS community clinics. CONCLUSION: If they are replicated elsewhere, these findings suggest a substantial disinvestment opportunity.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

A rapid isolation technique for drugs from tissues and fluids: use of the Du Pont Prep 1 system.

A microprocessor-controlled, automated extraction/concentration device, the Prep 1 (Du Pont Clinical Systems), was evaluated for application to the isolation of drug substances from postmortem fluids and tissue homogenates. Two classes of materials were investigated: barbiturates and the benzodiazepine, diazepam. With as little as 200 mg of tissue, barbiturate derivatives were successfully isolated and measured by gas chromatography using nitrogen-phosphorus detection with a coefficient of variation of 2 to 5%. Diazepam was measured in a similar fashion with a coefficient of variation of 4.4%. Preliminary investigation indicates that this system is applicable to a wide range of drug substances of toxicological interest.

Autopsy↗
PubMed1978

Intravenous urography in evaluation of acute retention.

The intravenous urograms of 894 patients with acute retention were assessed. The total number of lesions demonstrated was less than 1 per cent; consequently the value of routine intravenous urograms in patients with acute urinary retention is questioned.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparative kinetics of serum and vitreous humor digoxin concentrations in a guinea pig model. Part I: Intravenous administration of digoxin.

The pharmacokinetics of a single intravenous dose of digoxin in the guinea pig was investigated with emphasis on the penetration of digoxin into the vitreous humor. A controlled study was undertaken and data was collected which indicated that digoxin follows an open, two-compartment pharmacokinetic model with a terminal half-life of 318 minutes. The data indicated that the ratio of vitreous concentrations to serum concentrations were determined to be equal following an initial tissue distribution phase.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The use of hair analysis to document a cocaine overdose following a sustained survival period before death.

Hair analysis for cocaine was used in the investigation of a case of accidental cocaine poisoning. A 25-year-old man consumed an entire bottle of Pony Malta, an imported Colombian soft drink. Unbeknownst to him, the 6.2-oz bottle contained a large quantity of cocaine. It was subsequently discovered that this bottle was one of 45 recovered that contained cocaine as part of a smuggling scheme. The subject was hospitalized for acute cocaine intoxication but died 24 days later. The admission blood contained 2.3 mg/L of cocaine and 4.5 mg/L of benzoylecgonine. Subsequent segmental analysis by MS/MS of hair samples taken at the autopsy revealed a peak cocaine concentration in the segment corresponding to the time he ingested the tainted beverage. The use of hair analysis as an adjunct to traditional analytical techniques may help document drug use history and is especially useful in situations have blood and urine specimens have not been collected in a timely fashion.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparative kinetics of digoxin in serum and vitreous humor in a guinea pig model. II. Single oral dose administration.

In a continuation of work previously reported involving the comparative kinetics of digoxin in vitreous humor and serum after an intravenous dose, the present report describes the pharmacokinetics of digoxin in this model following the administration of a single oral dose. Serum and vitreous humor concentrations of digoxin were monitored by radioimmunoassay for 720 min after a single oral dose of 0.1 mg digoxin/kg. Serum concentrations peaked by 60 min and declined over the remaining observation period with a half-life of 360 min. Vitreous humor concentrations lagged behind the serum concentrations, peaked between 60 and 120 min, and then declined at a rate less than that of serum with convergence of concentration occurring in the 720-min samples. The vitreous humor-serum ratios ranged from a low of 0.003 (15 min) to a high of 0.98 at convergence. The impact of these findings upon forensic toxicologic practice is reviewed.

Animals↗