To evaluate the efficacy of computed tomography (CT) in the identification of metastatic cervical node involvement from cancer of the oral cavity and oropharynx, 61 consecutive, previously untreated patients with T2 or greater squamous cell carcinoma of these sites were studies prospectively by CT, followed within 1 month by surgery to the primary and neck as initial treatment. The CT scan of each patient was evaluated according to the location, size, and appearance of visible nodes, and each feature was correlated with the histopathologic findings of all 83 neck specimens. A significant relationship was found between CT findings (node size, node appearance, and multiplicity of nodes) and the pathologic status of the neck using Chi-square contingency table analysis (overall chi 2 = 30.928, p less than 0.001). This data supports the role of CT in the evaluation of patients with cancer of these sites.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Lack of prognostic significance of intratumoral angiogenesis in nonmetastatic osteosarcoma.

BACKGROUND: A need exists to stratify patients with nonmetastatic osteosarcoma into risk subcategories to administer risk-adapted therapy. Intratumoral angiogenesis determined at diagnosis may have a prognostic significance in this malignancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective immunohistochemical study on archival pathologic material from patients with nonmetastatic osteosarcoma, excluding patients with purely chondroblastic tumors associated with hypovascularity of the cartilaginous stroma. Representative sections from the diagnostic biopsies were stained with a murine monoclonal antibody directed against CD34, an endothelial cell marker. Two pathologists unaware of the patients' long-term outcome counted microvessels in 10 microscopic fields from the most active areas of neovascularization. RESULTS: Between March 1988 and December 1996, 15 girls and 14 boys (median age 12.6 y, range 4.3-18.3) were identified. Seven patients had died of metastatic disease at a median of 3.4 years (range 0.8-7.4) after diagnosis; 22 were alive with no evidence of disease at a median follow-up of 6.8 years (range 2.7-11.4). There was no significant difference in the number of microvessels per field (pathologist 1, median 19 vs. 18.5; pathologist 2, median 15 vs. 10) between survivors or patients who died of metastatic disease. The correlation between the measurements of the two pathologists was excellent (correlation coefficient 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: Intratumoral neovascularization determined at diagnosis does not correlate with long-term outcome in patients with nonmetastatic osteosarcoma. A prospective study is necessary to confirm these results.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Magnetic resonance imaging findings and correlations in spasmodic dysphonia patients.

A sample of 19 spasmodic dysphonia (SD) patients was selected from a larger population of such patients to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), auditory brain stem response (ABR) testing, speech analysis, and extensive physical examination. Six patients had abnormal spin-echo MRI findings, ranging from infarcts within the basal ganglia to demyelinating lesions within the supralateral angles of the lateral ventricles. A weakly positive correlation was noted between the abnormal MRI findings and an abnormal ABR. The lack of a significant correlation between the MRI findings and other predictors of brain stem and midbrain disease, and the current spatial resolution limitations of MRI, suggest that we are visualizing the associated lesions rather than the actual foci of SD. The range of MRI findings is consistent with the concept that SD is a voice disorder in a heterogeneous patient population.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Do weighted nasoenteric feeding tubes facilitate duodenal intubations?

A widely held assumption is that postpyloric intubations occur more often with weighted than with unweighted nasally inserted feeding tubes. This randomized, prospective study compared the frequency of duodenal intubations using weighted and unweighted nasoenteric feeding tubes. One hundred sixteen patients had either weighted (61 patients) or unweighted (55 patients) 10F silicone elastomer feeding tubes inserted nasally 85 cm. Tubes were placed with wire stylets. Tube positions were verified radiographically within 4 hr after insertions. Radiographs were repeated daily for 3 days or until duodenal intubation occurred. Successful duodenal intubations were achieved in 35 patients (57%) with weighted feeding tubes and in 37 patients (67%) with unweighted feeding tubes. This difference was not significant. Weighted nasoenteric feeding tubes offer no advantage over unweighted tubes in achieving duodenal intubations.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Determination of 4-pregnene-3-ones in thymus tissue samples by high performance liquid chromatography.

A high performance liquid chromatography method for determining the levels of 4-pregnene-3-ones in tissue containing fat, e.g. in thymus is reported. Following the extraction with chloroform/methanol the fat has been separated from the steroidal-fraction by using disposable extraction-columns. The steroidal-fraction has been analysed in two separation systems, on a RP18-column with a methanol/water gradient and on an amino column with a isopropanol/hexane gradient. The applicability of the described method is demonstrated with calf thymus samples.

Animals↗