Large schwannoma of the psoas: a rare but treatable cause of chronic low back pain.
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Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
E S Breatnach
Publications and source records attributed to E S Breatnach.
Atrial septal defect in older adults: atypical radiographic appearances.
Atrial septal defect (ASD) is the most common congenital cardiac anomaly manifested in adulthood. Clinical and radiographic features are well defined in patients less than 30 years of age. In older patients, however, the clinical symptoms are often atypical, and the auscultatory findings may be misleading. The radiographic manifestations in older patients have not been well described. In the current study, of 70 patients over the age of 50 years with proved ASD, 21 (30%) had atypical radiographic features, including apparently normal vascularity, left atrial enlargement, pulmonary venous hypertension, and pulmonary edema. In a control group of 70 younger patients with ASD, only 5.7% had atypical findings. The development of pulmonary venous hypertension and pulmonary edema in older patients was associated with smaller defects and a higher prevalence of mitral valve disease, left ventricular dysfunction, and pulmonary arterial hypertension than seen in older patients with typical radiographic findings.
Age Factors↗
Digital and conventional chest imaging: a modified ROC study of observer performance using simulated nodules.
A modified receiver operating characteristic (ROC) study was performed in which five readers were asked to locate multiple nodules on images of an anthropomorphic phantom obtained with a prototype digital radiographic chest unit and with a conventional chest unit. Results indicate that when nodules were projected over the lungs, a significantly greater number (significant at the 5% level) were identified on conventional radiographs, whereas for nodules projected over the mediastinum, the digital images were notably superior (difference significant at the 2% level). An error analysis of the multiple nodule problem and pseudo-ROC curves are presented. The modified ROC study does not suffer from the positional ambiguity inherent in most ROC studies and is efficient in acquiring data.
Analog-Digital Conversion↗
Focal obstructive nephrogram: an unusual CT appearance of a transitional cell carcinoma.
The unusual CT appearances of a renal neoplasm, which we have described as a "focal" obstructive nephrogram secondary to transitional cell carcinoma, is reported. An explanation of the appearance is postulated.
Angiography↗
CT evaluation of glucagonomas.
Seven patients with clinical features of the glucagonoma syndrome, including the characteristic rash, diabetes mellitus, and weight loss, were examined by CT. Computed tomography demonstrated a primary pancreatic tumor in all patients, and, in four, hepatic metastases were identified. The primary tumors, relatively large and solid in nature, varied in size from 2.5 to 6 cm in maximum diameter. The tumor was found in the tail of the pancreas in three patients and in the head of the pancreas in four. No obliteration of adjacent perivascular or peripancreatic fat planes was observed in any patient. Calcification was present in the primary tumor in three patients and in the hepatic metastases in one. All tumors that were studied angiographically were found to be hypervascular. In contrast to insulinomas, which are frequently quite small when clinically diagnosed, glucagonomas appear to attain considerable size prior to being clinically apparent. Thus, we conclude that CT ought to become the mainstay in the identification, localization, and staging of these tumors.
Adenoma, Islet Cell↗
Preoperative evaluation of bronchiectasis by computed tomography.
A patient with known lingular bronchiectasis is presented for whom CT was used as the sole preoperative radiographic method to exclude disease in the remainder of the bronchial tree. The patient has remained symptom free for 12 months following lingulectomy. The potential of CT to obviate the need for bronchography in the preoperative staging of bronchiectasis is discussed.
Adolescent↗
Pleuropulmonary abnormalities in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: assessment with high resolution computed tomography, chest radiography and pulmonary function tests.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the nature of pleuropulmonary abnormalities, with particular reference to interstitial lung disease (ILD), in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: 29 patients were prospectively evaluated using high resolution computed tomography (HRCT), plain chest radiography (CXR) and pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Clinical assessments, drug therapy, disease activity, smoking status and serologic markers were also noted. RESULTS: The HRCT was abnormal in 72% (20/29) of patients, while 34% (10/29) had an abnormal CXR. The most frequently detected primary HRCT abnormality was suggestive of ILD and was noted in 11 patients (38%) In 9 of these, ILD was clinically unsuspected, including one patient who had an HRCT suggestive of active alveolitis. Pleuropericardial abnormalities were seen on HRCT in 5 patients (17%). Of 15 patients who were asymptomatic, and had a normal examination, normal CXR and normal PFTs, four (26%) had HRCT features of ILD. There was no correlation between the HRCT appearances and symptoms, disease duration, ds-DNA titres, smoking history or non-pulmonary involvement. Although no statistical significance was noted between abnormal pulmonary function tests and ILD on HRCT (0.10 < p < 0.20), a trend towards significance was noted between disease activity and ILD (0.05 < p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: HRCT is more sensitive than PFTs or CXR in the evaluation of pleuropulmonary disease in SLE. We report an unusually high prevalence of HRCT appearances suggestive of ILD in patients with SLE. Subclinical lung disease is common in patients with SLE.
Adult↗