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Biomedical subjects

M Echenique-Elizondo

Publications and source records attributed to M Echenique-Elizondo.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

MRI and endoscopic ultrasonography in the staging of gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE: to determine the diagnostic precision of endoscopic ultrasounds (EUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the preoperative staging of gastric cancer. METHODS: a prospective, blind study was carried out in 17 patients diagnosed with gastric cancer (GC) using endoscopic biopsy from November 2002 to June 2003. Patients underwent preoperative MRI and EUS. The reference test used was pathology, and laparotomy for non-resectable cases. RESULTS: MRI (53%) was better than EUS in the assessment of gastric wall infiltration (35%). MRI (50%) was also superior to EUS (42%) for N staging. After pooling stages T1-T2 and T3-T4 together, results improved for both MRI (67 and 87.5%, respectively) and EUS (67 and 62.5%, respectively) (p < 0.05). N staging--lymph node invasion--results were correct in 50% for MRI as compared to EUS (42%). In classifying positive and negative lymph nodes EUS was superior to MRI (73 versus 54%). CONCLUSIONS: MRI was the best method in the assessment of gastric wall infiltration. EUS was superior to MRI for T1 staging, and in the assessment of lymph node infiltration.

Aged↗

The value of colonoscopy to assess rectal bleeding in patients referred from Primary Care Units.

OBJECTIVES: Rectal bleeding is very common in the general population. It is produced mainly because of benign disease originating in the anus and the rectum. Our aim was to evaluate the need for colonoscopy in patients presenting with rectal bleeding. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients referred from Primary Care Units and complaining of rectal bleeding were included prospectively in a three-month study. All patients underwent a careful medical history along with physical examination, laboratory tests, and colonoscopy. RESULTS: 126 patients with a mean age of 49.2 years (range: 19-80) were studied. Rectal digital examination was abnormal in 75 cases (59.5%). Severe disease was encountered in 22 patients (neoplasm, angiodysplasia, and inflammatory bowel disease); 10 patients had polyps, 6 had colorectal cancer, and 6 had inflammatory bowel disease. Out of 63 patients younger than 50 years, 5 had severe disease, all of them in the form of inflammatory bowel disease. CONCLUSIONS: A neoplasm of the rectum and colon in patients younger than 50 years is a rare event. A colonoscopy must be performed in this group of patients to rule out inflammatory bowel disease.

Adult↗