Biomedical subjects

D N Blair

Publications and source records attributed to D N Blair.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1989

Society of Uroradiology Award paper. The pars infravaginalis gubernaculi: importance in the identification of the undescended testis.

The gubernaculum, a cordlike structure that extends from the testis to the scrotum and guides the testis in its descent, has a bulbous termination, the pars infravaginalis gubernaculi. We reviewed seven surgically proved cases in which the pars infravaginalis gubernaculi was mistaken for an undescended testis on imaging studies. The studies included sonography (five cases), CT (two cases), and MR imaging (two cases). Identification of the mediastinum testis on sonograms or MR images confirms that a structure is testis and not the pars infravaginalis gubernaculi. In two of these patients, testicular venography was used to further identify the undescended testis. In these two patients, the pampiniform plexus, which is used to identify the presence and position of testis, was located adjacent to the pars infravaginalis gubernaculi. Our experience indicates that the pars infravaginalis gubernaculi can be similar in appearance to the undescended testis on any imaging study. The finding of an apparent cord leading to a testislike structure on caudad sectional imaging does not obviate searching for the testis as far as the renal hila.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1988

Brachial plexus: correlation of MR imaging with CT and pathologic findings.

Thirty-two patients with symptoms referable to the brachial plexus were evaluated with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Sixteen patients had undergone concurrent computed tomography (CT). MR imaging demonstrated normal findings in 16, 12 neoplasms, three cases of trauma, and one case of possible neural edema. Of the 16 patients with normal findings on MR images, eight had CT scans that were also normal. In one patient, MR images showed that the "mass" seen on CT was actually a tortuous blood vessel. In six of the 12 cases of neoplasm in which CT scans were available, MR imaging revealed more extensive disease. In the other six cases of tumor, MR imaging provided sufficient clinical information to obviate the need for CT or any other imaging modality. MR imaging provided definitive diagnoses in the three cases of trauma without further imaging. In one patient with paresthesia, MR imaging showed high signal intensity of the nerves on T2-weighted images, which was compatible with neural edema. A concurrent CT scan was normal.

Brachial Plexus↗

PubMed1987

Right atrial-esophageal fistula and hydropneumopericardium after esophageal dilation.

Esophagoatrial fistula formation is a rare and heretofore fatal event. A patient presented with esophageal reflux and stricture that later developed into a right atrial-esophageal fistula during biweekly esophageal dilation. Clinical recognition and surgical therapy led to a successful outcome. There were several unique features of this case, including fistulous connection to the right rather than the left atrium, concomitant hydropneumopericardium and esophagoatrial fistula, occurrence during esophageal dilation and surgical cure.

Air↗

PubMed1987

Normal brachial plexus: MR imaging.

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brachial plexus was performed in the axial, coronal, and sagittal planes in seven volunteers. Normal structures were delineated by comparison with axial and sagittal cadaver sections and with gross dissection. Differentiation of soft tissues with MR imaging enabled the brachial plexus to be defined from surrounding muscle and vascular structures. Multiplanar imaging demonstrated anatomic detail not previously demonstrated with other radiologic modalities and provided excellent delineation of the components of the brachial plexus from the ventral rami to the peripheral nerve branches.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Medical imaging in asthma.

Asthma is a common disease characterized by hyperreactivity of airways to a variety of stimuli. Efficacy studies have shown that while in adults there is no positive predictive value between radiographic abnormalities and certain clinical parameters, in children there may be some correlation with age and the presence of rales. In the Yale-New Haven Emergency Service it is suggested that certain clinical criteria be used to determine which patients receive chest radiographs. A retrospective review of 563 adult asthmatics who presented to the Yale Emergency Room revealed that one third of the patients were radiographed; 50% of these were over 50 years of age, and the overall incidence of radiographic abnormalities that would change patient management was only 3%. Radiographic findings have been categorized into two groups, uncomplicated and complicated asthma, depending on whether bronchodilators will effect a response.

Adult↗