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Biomedical subjects

G M Giuseppetti

Publications and source records attributed to G M Giuseppetti.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Perioperative anemia and blood transfusions as prognostic factors in patients undergoing resection for non-small cell lung cancers.

We hypothesised that anemia could represent an important prognostic factor and perioperative blood transfusions do not reduce the risk of relapse. In order to explore this topic, we assessed the correlation of preoperative anemia and blood transfusions with survival in patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients who underwent radical surgery for NSCLC at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Università Politecnica delle Marche from January 1996 through December 2001, were included in our study. Four hundred and thirty-nine patients were eligible for our analysis. Survival appeared worse in patients with haemoglobin (Hb) < or =10 g/dl versus Hb >10 g/dl (p=0.012). Stratifying patients in three groups on their Hb level (group 1: Hb < or =10 g/dl; group 2: Hb=10-12 g/dl; group 3: Hb > or =12 g/dl), we observed a worse prognosis in patients with lower Hb levels, too (p=0.0325) and also in the transfused population (p=0.046). At multivariate analysis, only the age of patients, pathological stage and Hb levels resulted indicators of prognosis. Our results suggested that anemia could represent an important prognostic factor in resected NSCLC and correction of anemia in the perioperative setting does not reduce the risk of relapse.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Contrast-enhanced power Doppler sonography of knee synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis: assessment of therapeutic response.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of power Doppler sonography (PDS) with ultrasound contrast agent to assess the synovial perfusion changes induced by intra-articular steroid injection therapy in the knee joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Eighteen RA patients (16 women, 2 men) with a history and signs of active knee synovitis were studied. Tenderness was evaluated using Thompson's modified index of synovitis activity. All patients underwent joint aspiration followed by intra-articular injection of 40 mg of triamcinolone hexacetonide. Gray-scale ultrasonography and PDS with an intravenous ultrasound contrast agent (Levovist) examinations were carried out before and 3 weeks after the intra-articular steroid injection. The calculation of the time--intensity curves provided a quantitative estimation of the synovial perfusion. The median values of the index of synovitis activity decreased significantly from 7.0 (95% confidence interval (CI) 6.0-8.0) to 3.0 (95% CI 2.0-4.0) ( p<0.01) 3 weeks after the intra-articular steroid injection. All patients showed a reduction of PDS signal after intra-articular steroid therapy and the baseline and follow up median values of the area underlying time-intensity curves were 7.48 (95% CI 5.79-8.73) and 2.45 (95% CI 1.92-3.61), respectively. The comparison between baseline and follow-up median values of the area under the curves showed a statistically significant reduction of PDS findings ( p<0.01). At follow-up examinations the changes in the index score of the synovitis activity were significantly correlated to the changes in the values of the area underlying time-intensity curves ( r=0.785; p<0.01). A significant correlation was also observed between baseline values of the area underlying time-intensity curves and C-reactive protein (CRP) ( r=0.548; p=0.023). In conclusion, PDS with an intravenous ultrasound contrast agent has been shown to be able to detect changes in synovial perfusion after intra-articular steroid injection and may be an additional useful method in the evaluation of synovial inflammation and in the assessment of the therapeutic response.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Liver cirrhosis: evaluation of haemodynamic changes using an ultrasound contrast agent.

Liver cirrhosis is associated with haemodynamic changes. Using Levovist, we measured and compared Doppler signal arrival and peak enhancement times in the hepatic vein of patients with cirrhosis (n= 12) or chronic liver disease (n= 16) and in 12 healthy subjects. There were six patients with Child stage A, one patient with B, and five patients with C. The signal was recorded starting 20 s before contrast infusion until 2 h 20 min after its end. A software of the ultrasound (US) machine automatically sampled time-intensity values. Arrival times were significantly shorter (P < 0.001) in cirrhotic than non-cirrhotic (chronic liver disease + controls) and in patients with Child stage C compared with A. Differences in peak enhancement were weakly significant between cirrhotic and chronic patients (P < 0.04) and highly significant between the former and controls (P < 0.001), whereas differences between Child stages C and A were not significant (P > 0.05). Finally, cirrhotic patients had arrival times consistently shorter than 17 s. Automatic time-intensity curve analysis made measurements objective and conceptual error systematic, thus identifiable. Analysis of the passage of Levovist at the hepatic vein can thus become a non-invasive, well-tolerated and cost-effective diagnostic and monitoring tool in a larger number of patients with liver disease.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2002

Ultrasonographic contrast agent: evaluation of time-intensity curves in the characterisation of solitary thyroid nodules.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the time-intensity curve can improve characterisation of solitary thyroid nodules. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From June to December 2000 we studied 61 patients (16 men and 45 women, mean age 46 years) with solitary thyroid nodules that were not associated with any important hormonal alteration and that showed poor tracer uptake at scintigraphy. We evaluated the Power Doppler vascular pattern before and after a 60" intravenous injection of 2.5 g of Levovist (diluted in 7 ml). The study lasted 5 minutes from the beginning of the infusion. Finally, the time-intensity curves were processed. All the nodules underwent fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and excision biopsy. RESULTS: Histology revealed 43 benign lesions and 18 malignant lesions. At contrast-enhanced Power Doppler 83.4% (15/18) of the malignant nodules were found to be hypervascularized, while 16.6% (3/18) were hypovascularized. Of the benign lesions, 90.7% (39/43) were hypervascularized, 9.3% (4/43) were hypovascularized. All the nodules, both hyper- and hypovascularized, displayed rapid and intense wash-in curves. By contrast, the wash-out curves were regular and monophasic in 40/43 (93%) benign lesions (36 hypervascularized and 4 hypovascularized lesions) and irregular and polyphasic in 16/18 (89%) malignant lesions (13 hypervascularized and 3 hypovascularized lesions); 3/43 (7%) benign nodules showed polyphasic wash-out and 2/18 malignant lesions (11%) showed monophasic wash-out. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Time-intensity curves, and particularly wash-out curves, provide useful information for the characterisation of solitary thyroid nodules. 93% of benign nodules (with regular vascularization) showed a monophasic pattern of the wash-out curve, while 89% of malignant nodules ("anarchical" vascularization) had polyphasic wash-out curves. This behaviour was observed in both hypervascularized and hypovascularized lesions. Our method proved to have a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 93%. The study of time-intensity curves could therefore enable us to differentiate between benign and malignant lesions and characterise hypovascularized malignant nodules which would not be observed without contrast agent.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Color Doppler sonography.

The authors report the results obtained with color Doppler sonography in the study of breast conditions. Color Doppler allows to detect the following main features in breast conditions: the presence of blood flow, vessel arrangement, vascularization extent, the number of vascular poles. To investigate slow flows, it is better to use low PRF values (not above 1 KHz) and low filters, while amplification should be set immediately above the system's noise threshold; the size of color Doppler box should be adjusted as small as possible to maximize sensitivity and minimize flash artifacts. In May 1992 to September 1997, 252 patients with solid breast masses were examined with mammography, B-mode, color Doppler and power Doppler sonography (only 57 cases). We identified histologically (176 cases) or cytologically (77 cases) 141 carcinomas and 112 benign solid lesions. The diameter of the 141 carcinomas ranged 0.4-4 cm (mean 1.7), while the diameter of benign lesions ranged 0.7-3 cm (mean 1.5). The malignancy pattern was characterized by hypervascularity (92.9%), irregular and abundant (54.2%) vascularization and more than one vascular pole. Benign lesions were avascular (43.4%) with poor and peripheral vascularity (90%) and mostly showed only one vascular pole. The avascular cancers (10 cases) were three mucoid, five in situ and two small (0.7 and 0.9 cm) invasive ductal carcinomas. The six benign lesions with irregular and abundant vascularization and more than one vascular pole were proved to be two proliferating and three juvenile fibroadenomas and one phylloid tumor. These results are encouraging and suggest that this technique can be a useful adjunct to mammography and sonography in the differential, diagnosis of breast nodules.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Appropriateness of the use of clinical and radiologic examinations and laboratory tests in the follow-up of surgically-treated breast cancer patients. Results of the Working Group on the Clinical Aspects of Follow-up.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this working group was to assess the appropriateness of use of radiologic examinations, laboratory tests and periodic check-ups for surgically-treated, disease-free breast cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 252 clinical scenarios (36 for each of the 8 exams considered: clinical examination, mammography, chest roentgenography, hematochemical tests, markers, bone scan, liver echography/abdominal CT scan), each representing a specific surgically treated and disease-free breast cancer patient, were rated by the members of the panel. A 3 point scale was utilized as to whether the test in question was judged inappropriate (1), questionable (2), or appropriate (3) (in the latter case the panel member was also asked for the advised frequency of the exam expressed in months). RESULTS: After two assessment sessions, consensus among members of the panel was reached on 216 of the 252 scenarios; disagreement remained on only 36 clinical scenarios. CONCLUSIONS: The panel agreed that only clinical examinations and mammographies should be recommended for routine clinical follow-up of surgically-treated breast cancer patients. Given the current available therapeutic options, these would assure adequate medical care and psychological aid.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

[Doppler echography and color Doppler echography in the assessment of the vascular functional aspects of medical nephropathies].

This study was aimed at finding a Doppler parameter to distinguish, among medical nephropathies, the ones with glomerular from those with vascular or tubulointerstitial involvement. Therefore, 32 patients (20 men and 10 women, average age: 43 years, range: 10-77 years) with clinical and laboratory signs of medical renal disease were examined with color-Doppler US. The resistive index (RI, n.v. < 0.70), as calculated from the Doppler waveform signal was especially considered to assess eventual significant changes differentiating renal diseases according to the different kinds of involvement. RI values were compared with renal biopsy findings, creatininemia levels and clinical and laboratory variables as hematuria and proteinuria. Histology diagnosed 18 glomerulonephritis, 4 glomerulonephritis with interstitial involvement and 10 vascular and tubulointerstitial nephroses, with 1 tubular necrosis. Doppler US demonstrated a normal RI value in 17/18 patients with glomerulonephrosis (mean value: 0.59 +/- 0.05). In one case only, even though biopsy indicated the involvement of one glomerulus only (membranous GN II stage), RI was high--i.e., 0.79. In 4 patients with simultaneous glomerular and interstitial involvement, the mean RI value was 0.17 +/- 0.01. In the 10 cases of tubulointerstitial or vascular nephrosis, the RI was 0.83 +/- 0.07. As far as the correlation between creatininemia levels and RI is concerned, in 8 patients with high values (1.5-8 mg/dl), the mean RI was 0.72 +/- 0.08 and only a weak correlation was found between the RI and the renal failure degree as expressed by creatininemia levels. Therefore, the RI seems to be related more to the site of the disease in the renal field than to renal failure degree. Doppler US seems to be capable of characterizing medical nephrosis, distinguishing glomerular from vascular or tubulointerstitial involvement. In this application area, the combined use of Doppler and color-Doppler US allowed each examination to be performed in a relatively short time--i.e., 30 minutes on the average.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Echo Doppler in the characterization of thyroid nodular disease].

This study was aimed at investigating role and efficacy of color-Doppler US in the characterization of thyroid nodules. Eight-three consecutive patients with only one solid thyroid nodule, not smaller than 0.8 cm, were examined. They were submitted to scintigraphy and laboratory tests first and then to color-Doppler US, to fine-needle biopsy and/or to histologic examinations. Color-Doppler US examinations were performed with a 7.5 MHZ linear probe, 5-MHz Doppler frequency, PRF = 0.8 KHz, 40-50 degrees insonation angle, wall filters at the lowest level, 2-5 mm sample volume, color and Doppler gains set at 30-50% and asynchronous data collection. The final diagnosis, made at cytology and/or histology, showed 43 follicular hyperplasias, 19 follicular adenomas and 21 carcinomas. The following US variables were considered: nodule size, site, margins and the possible presence of the "halo sign" pattern, with a special attention paid to micro-/macrocalcifications, signs of invasion of surrounding anatomic structures and possible adenopathies. With color-Doppler US, we studied presence and distribution of nodular vascularization, peak (Vp) and middle (Vm) velocity, resistive index (RI) and Doppler spectrum morphology. In agreement with the current literature, 3 patterns of nodular vascularization were considered: not apparent, or type I (3/83), which was found only in follicular hyperplasia; peripheral, or type II (46/83) and finally, peri- and intranodular, or type III (31/83). Hyperplasias exhibited a type I pattern rarely and exclusively and, if vascularized, they always exhibited Vp < 50 cm/s, Vm < or = 40 cm/s and mostly (39/40 RI < or = 0.75; adenomas were always vascularized, with Vp > 50 cm/s and mostly (18/19) RI < or = 0.75; primary or secondary tumors were always vascularized, with an extremely variable distribution, and if Vp < 50 cm/s, their RI > 0.75, while if Vp < 50 cm/s, their RI was independent of the threshold value of 0.75. These preliminary conclusions seem to confirm that vascular patterns alone are not particularly helpful, compared with B-mode US results, in distinguishing among thyroid nodules. Nevertheless, Vp and RI may be of great usefulness in the characterization of solid nodules and in the selection of the patients to submit to fine-needle biopsy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Nonpalpable lesions of the breast. Diagnostic potentials of the stereotaxic-guided radiogram].

PURPOSE: To investigate the diagnostic capabilities of the stereotaxic technique in characterizing suspicious mammographic findings for which stereotaxic FNAB is indicated. METHOD: January, 1990, through December, 1992, 871 patients underwent stereotaxic mammograms preliminary to FNAB; in 12 of them (1.4%) mammography could rule out the malignant nature of the lesions, thus making FNAB useless. MATERIAL: Stereotaxic images were acquired with a conventional mammographic unit (Senographe 500 or 600T CGR-GE). An average 34 months' mammographic follow-up confirmed the absence of malignancy in the above patients. The most common glandular structure in these patients was investigated, together with the type of nonpalpable lesions found on conventional mammograms (opacity, local distortion or scar, microcalcification without a mass) and the reasons why FNAB was unfeasible, or useless. In our patients FNAB was unfeasible mostly in fatty breasts (9/12), while lesion type was not relevant for screening. The lesions were 5/12 distortion, 5/12 small opacities and 2/12 clusters of small microcalcifications. In 9/12 patients FNAB was not performed because the image observed on conventional exams had disappeared, in 2/12 patients with microcalcifications because they were scattered on a large glandular area and in 1/12 patients because vascular sinuosity was diagnosed.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Inadequacy of ultrasonography for monitoring response to treatment of liver metastases.

PURPOSE: We prospectively evaluated the clinical efficacy of ultrasonography (US) in monitoring the effect of medical treatment in patients with liver metastases, by comparing serial US assessment with serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation and clinical outcome in a group of 41 patients with solid tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Both examinations were performed in patients with metastatic liver disease at the start of a new treatment modality and monthly thereafter for 3 months; close monitoring was prolonged beyond the third month in cases in which there was disagreement between the two techniques and the clinical course was not conclusive. RESULTS: Planned follow-up was completed in 37 cases. There was limited concordance between the two examinations: in 21 cases only (56.8%), US and MRI gave concordant information on the evolution of hepatic metastases; in eight cases, both agreed on progression of disease (PD), in 11 cases on stable disease (SD), and in one case each on partial response (PR) and complete response (CR). In the remaining 16 cases (43.2%), there was disagreement between the two examinations. On the basis of subsequent clinical course, this discrepancy was shown to be due to US inadequacy in 13 cases and to MRI inadequacy in one case; in two cases, the clinical course was not conclusive. The most striking limits of US appeared to be twofold: (1) a progressive appearance, with chemotherapy, of a diffusely inhomogeneous structure of the liver, resulting in obscuration of focal lesions (and a subsequent judgement of CR) in cases in which lesions were, on the contrary, detected at MRI and usually confirmed by subsequent clinical course; and (2) false US-determined PD in cases in which lesions proven at baseline MRI were noted at US only after one to two courses of therapy. CONCLUSION: We conclude that US, which is known to be inaccurate for screening of liver metastases, is unreliable for the follow-up of metastatic liver disease; despite its wide availability, low cost, and noninvasiveness, critical therapeutic decisions should not be made based on the outcome of this test.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Treatment of Plummer's adenoma: correlation between ultrasonography-guided percutaneous injection of ethanol and autoimmunity].

The authors investigated the value of percutaneous ethanol injection in the treatment of Plummer's adenoma. Ten patients were studied: they exhibited a single, hot and toxic nodule in the thyroid. Thyroid autoimmunization (TSAb; TMAb; TGAb) and function (T3; T4; TSH; FT3; FT4) were studied in all patients, before treatment and at 1 month and 3 months. Scintigraphy with 99Tc was performed at the same time intervals. In the euthyroid stage, alcoholization was preceded by US and cytology. Three-four ml of ethanol 95 degrees were injected once or twice a week, from a minimum of 3 to a maximum of 8 injections. Treatment was successful in 2 cases; partial success was obtained in 4 cases, and in 4 cases treatment failed. In all successful cases antibodies were negative and the nodules had hypoechoic echostructure, with a peripheral hypoechoic halo and no areas of internal colliquation. Thus, US-guided percutaneous alcoholization seems to be capable of correct indications in hypoechoic nodules not exhibiting areas of colliquative necrosis and with negative antibodies. However, the problem of the dose of alcohol to inject to treat the nodule thoroughly is still to be debated.

Autoimmunity↗
PubMed1992

[A multicenter study for the evaluation of the diagnostic efficiency of mammography and echography in nonpalpable breast neoplasms].

The Breast Section of the Italian Society of Radiology set up a cooperative study which included 17 Departments of Radiology and Breast Diagnosis in order to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of US versus mammography in nonpalpable breast lesions. From January 1, 1989 to december 31, 1990, 400 nonpalpable breast lesions (142 benign lesions, 59 in situ and 199 infiltrating carcinomas) were detected by mammography and/or US; they had questionable/suspicious findings which called for further investigation by means of cytology and/or histology. US proved much less sensitive in non-palpable carcinomas than mammography (49.2% vs 93.8%), also in younger women, and failed to detect 50% of the benign/malignant nonpalpable lesions identified by mammography. US sensitivity was directly related to lesion diameter and probe frequency: 38.7% in infiltrating carcinomas < or = 5 mm vs 56.8% in those > 10 mm; 12% in the patients examined with a 5-MHz probe vs 57.7% in those examined with a > or = 7.5-MHz probe. Furthermore, the most significant US patterns of nonpalpable lesion were irregular contours, posterior attenuation and irregular internal echoes, while an irregular skin line and Cooper ligaments had no significant relation with carcinoma. Thus, breast US cannot be used as a screening test on asymptomatic patients not even on young women with radiologically dense breasts. On the contrary, US performed with high-frequency probes is useful in the assessment of nonpalpable lesions identified by mammography, and allows, in many cases, US-guided cytology and preoperative localization.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Echography of the operated breast].

Aim of the present study is to evaluate the results of quadrantectomy by means of mammography and sonography (US). A hundred and thirty-five quadrantectomized patients bearing a carcinoma were investigated; 97 of them are now undergoing TCT. Mammographic examinations were performed with last-generation units; US studies employed high-frequency probes greater than or equal to 7.5 MHz. Ten relapses (7.4%) were observed, all of them around the scar: clinical examination correctly detected 3 cases, mammography 8, and US 6; the latter technique identified in 1 further case a pathologic finding which had not been previously assessed as a neoplastic lesion. Our results suggest that clinical examination has poor diagnostic value, while mammography has high value (8/10 cases), especially in detecting neoplastic microcalcifications (3/10 cases). The structural opacity of the breast caused 2/10 mammographic false negatives; US correctly detected 6/10 relapses, but failed to identify 3 microcalcifications. The combined use of the two techniques allowed the respective mistakes to be amended. US has proven to be especially useful not only to integrate mammography in the diagnosis of tumor recurrences, but also to study postoperative fluid collections, which are usually missed by mammography.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1990

[The clinical utility of stereotaxic x-ray guided cytological biopsy in nonpalpable neoplastic pathology of the breast].

The authors report the initial results of the combined use of stereotaxic X-rays and fine-needle aspiration biopsy in 83 patients with nonpalpable breast lesions. The stereotaxic system employed is a simple accessory of conventional mammographic equipment. Cytologic diagnosis (94 biopsies) had 90% sensitivity and 97% specificity; the percentage of acellular/insufficient cytologic samples was 10.8%. To assess the clinical value of this technique, the obtained results were compared with both mammographic findings and US-guided aspiration biopsy data.

Biopsy, Needle↗