Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B R Subramanyam.
Ultrasound is a proved, safe diagnostic procedure. Its efficacy in the evaluation of 54 cases of scrotal pathology is reviewed. Ultrasound was 100 per cent accurate in the evaluation of hydroceles, hematoceles, and paratesticular masses, but less informative in testicular abscesses (80%) and epididymo-orchitis (77%).
The sonographic detection of echogenic, soft-tissue mass within the veins of the lower extremities assures the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis (DVT). However, the sonographic diagnosis remains inconclusive when fresh thrombus and/or artifacts are present within the lumen of the vein. The present study attempts to augment the clinical utility of real-time sonography in the detection of DVT, based on the premise that total obliteration of the vein lumen by probe compression should not be possible in the presence of venous thrombi. Sonography and contrast venography of the lower extremity were performed in 20 patients with clinical suspicion of DVT. The presence of thrombi was confirmed in 14 patients. Probe compression failed to obliterate the lumen of the veins containing thrombi. The authors conclude that the technique of probe compression is useful for rapid and noninvasive detection of venous thrombi.
The sine qua non of fetal well-being in the first trimester is considered to be the presence of fetal cardiac activity. Despite fetal viability, some pregnancies might have a sac that is too large or small for the gestational age, even in the first trimester. As a first step in evaluating this hypothesis, a nomogram was constructed for the ratio of normal sac volume to crown-rump length.
The sonographic features of abdominal lymphadenopathy in 35 patients with history of intravenous drug addiction were analyzed to assess their clinical significance. Of the 28 proven cases, 15 were due to reactive hyperplasia, 10 to infections, and three to neoplasms. Sonography was helpful in assessing the pathologic nature of these nodes. Most nodes attributable to reactive hyperplasia were small (less than or equal to 1.5 cm diam) and showed a characteristic distribution in the porta hepatis, celiac axis, and peripancreatic regions. Hypoechoic nodes were always pathologic, due either to tuberculosis or to neoplasm. Nodes larger than 1.5 cm in diameter and primarily involving the lower retroperitoneum, splenic hilum, and mesentery are highly suspicious for pathologic nodes, and appropriate biopsies are indicated for diagnosis.
Sonographic findings in 26 patients with diffuse testicular disease were retrospectively analyzed for features to differentiate diffuse neoplasms from diffuse orchitis or infarct. Diffuse neoplasms were associated with moderate to marked enlargement, globular shape, lobulated contour, and heterogeneous texture of the testis; the epididymis and scrotal skin were normal. In diffuse inflammatory disease, the testis was mild to moderately enlarged, the oval shape and smooth contour were preserved, and the texture was generally homogeneous; the epididymis was often enlarged, and scrotal skin was almost always thickened.
The diagnostic potential of CT and sonography in detecting clinically unrecognized cases of spigelian hernia is illustrated and discussed. These imaging modalities can promptly and reliably diagnose spigelian hernia based on the following findings: (1) peritoneal and muscular defect along the spigelian line in the lower abdomen; (2) intraparietal location of the hernial sac; and (3) hernial sac containing omentum and/or mesentery and loops of bowel. Two recently diagnosed cases are presented together with a short review of the literature.
CT scans of 12 patients with renal infarcts were reviewed. CT findings along with the clinical presentation were diagnostic in 10 cases. Correlation with angiography (5 cases) and sonography (8 cases) was made. The diagnosis of renal infarction can usually be made on the basis of specific CT findings. Angiography is valuable in helping to establish the cause and direct treatment.
Solid and papillary epithelial neoplasm of the pancreas is a nonfunctioning tumor seen a slowly enlarging upper abdominal mass in young women. It is usually large, well encapsulated, and undergoing necrotic degeneration. On ultrasound, it is sharply defined, nonhomogeneous, and lacking central enhancement. On angiography, it can be avascular or hypovascular depending on the degree of necrosis. Calcification has not been reported, and metastatic deposits are rare. Excision leads to an excellent prognosis.
Ultrasound was correlated with angiography for assessment of tumor extension to the intrahepatic inferior vena cava, hepatic veins, and portal vein branches in 15 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 85 cases of hepatic metastases. Sonography revealed intraluminal tumor thrombus in 5 cases of HCC (33%), which were confirmed by angiography (sensitivity and specificity = 100%), and in 1 case of hepatic metastases (1%). Sonography was superior in depicting veins obscured or nonopacified on angiography, which in turn demonstrated arteriovenous shunting not appreciated on sonography. Used as the initial procedure for evaluation of venous extension of HCC, ultrasound can suggest the histology (though this must be confirmed by biopsy) and determine the feasibility of resection.
Clinical, sonographic, and radiographic features in 11 patients with pulsatile neck masses due to buckling of the great vessels were reviewed. The pulsatile neck masses corresponded to buckling of the innominate and right subclavian arteries in five patients and buckling of the right common carotid arteries in six. Real-time sonography provides a noninvasive and accurate method to diagnose buckling of the great vessels of the neck as the cause of pulsatile neck masses and obviates angiography for diagnosis.
The sonographic features of 20 accessory spleens in 19 patients are presented. They are round or oval solid structures with their echogenicity similar to that of the main spleen. They are surrounded by high-amplitude interfaces that separate them from adjacent parenchymal organs. Sonographic demonstration of blood supply to the accessory spleens from the splenic artery or vein was diagnostic and was possible in 90% of the cases. Sonography could be used preoperatively in detecting and locating accessory spleens in patients who may need splenectomy for hematologic disease.
With the routine use of sonography in the evaluation of patients with pelvic masses, it is essential to be familiar with the sonographic features of fallopian tube carcinoma so that diagnosis can be made early and thus contribute to prompt management of these patients. The authors present the clinical manifestations, sonographic features, and pathologic correlations in three cases of fallopian tube carcinoma.
Sonographic features in 12 cases of proven cholangiocarcinoma were analyzed and correlated with findings on direct cholangiography. Proximal bile duct dilation was present in all cases of cholangiocarcinoma of the intrahepatic ducts except one. A neoplastic bile duct segment was detected in nine of the 12 cases. The neoplasms were seen as narrowed, normal-sized, or enlarged ducts, and contained intraluminal soft-tissue echoes or echogenic bands across the lumens. The sonographic accuracy was greater for lesions involving the bifurcation and the common hepatic duct than for common bile duct lesions. Cholangiography was superior to sonography in determining the length of the involved segment, whereas sonography was superior in detecting hepatic invasion and lymphadenopathy.
In 17 patients with portal venous thrombosis; nine due to venous invasion by liver tumors, and eight due to benign causes, sonograms and CT scans were reviewed, and the results were correlated with angiography. Sonography detected portal venous thrombosis in 94% and CT in 76%. Sonography was better than CT in the demonstration of the extent of thrombosis. By the detection of solid masses in the liver, and contiguous thrombosis of the segmental portal veins, both sonography and CT were accurate in the differentiation of venous invasion by tumor from benign thrombosis. Angiography was 91% accurate and was unique in the demonstration of arterioportal shunting and detailed vascular anatomy of the portal venous system.
Communication between a hydatid cyst of the liver and the right hepatic duct resulted in biliary obstruction by the released cyst contents. Ultrasonography and computed tomography were utilized for preoperative diagnosis.
In a series of 225 patients with lymphoma studied by computed tomography, involvement of the kidney(s) was found in 11 (4.9%). These cases were then also studied by ultrasound. Because of the characteristic findings of computed tomography and sonography in renal lymphoma, a reliable diagnosis was possible along with an accurate assessment of the incidence and types of renal involvement. Illustration of this material along with a discussion of the clinical implications of these findings is presented.
Portosystemic venous collaterals were studied with sonography in 40 patients with known portal hypertension. Eight patients had technically inadequate scans, while 32 had optimal scans. Sixty groups of venous collaterals were identified. At least one collateral pathway was seen in 28 patients, for a sensitivity of 88% for the 32 patients with optimal scans and 70% for the total group. The overall sensitivity for detection of coronary-gastroesophageal collaterals was 80% and 64%, respectively. The small size of the coronary-gastroesophageal varices in early portal hypertension seems to be the most important factor limiting detection in patients suitable for sonography.
A retrospective review of 96 abdominal abscesses yielded 11 cases (9%) that were diffusely echogenic on sonograms and that stimulated findings of solid lesions. Sonographic features of these abscesses were analyzed and compared with features of 78 cases of hepatic metastasis. An abscess was considered solid appearing when it contained diffuse internal echoes that were distributed over 90% of the abscess cavity. The visualized internal echoes were of low to medium amplitude, and were generally similar to the normal echogenicity of the parenchymal organs, such as the liver, spleen, or uterus. Distal acoustic enhancement was seen in 91% of the solid abscesses, and it was not seen in hepatic metastases. A distinct echogenic wall was present in 64% of the abscesses (subacute and chronic lesions), but this occurred in less than 4% of metastases. Thin peripheral halos inside or outside of and adjacent to the abscess wall were seen in 36% of abscesses. The peripheral halos seen in metastases were wider and not associated with an echogenic wall. The diagnosis of a diffusely echogenic abscess and differentiation from a neoplasm is possible when the sonographic findings of acoustic enhancement, thin peripheral halo, and echogenic abscess wall are present.