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Biomedical subjects

M Oddone

Publications and source records attributed to M Oddone.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Severe endobronchial obstruction in a girl with relapsing polychondritis: treatment with Nd YAG laser and endobronchial silicon stent.

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is an uncommon disorder of unknown aetiology characterized by inflammation and destruction of the cartilaginous structures of many organs, including the tracheobronchial tree. When untreated, there is a high mortality rate, usually from respiratory obstructive complications. An 8 year old white girl, with a previous diagnosis of RP, was referred to our department for evaluation of worsening dyspnoea. Bronchoscopy showed localized inflammatory and fibrotic alterations of the mucosa, leading to severe obstruction of the left mainstem bronchus at its origin. The condition was successfully treated by endoscopic neodymium yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd YAG) laser. Re-evaluation of the patient, 7 months later, demonstrated bronchial stenosis and malacia requiring mechanical dilatation and positioning of an endobronchial silicon stent, which was well-tolerated by the patient.

Airway Obstruction↗
PubMed1995

MRI "road-map" of normal age-related bone marrow. I. Cranial bone and spine.

We retrospectively reviewed 733 cranial and 250 spinal T1-weighted MR images of patients younger than 24 years to evaluate the bone marrow changes. The signal intensity of the bone marrow on short-TR/TE images was compared with that of fat and normal muscles in the contiguous region and graded. The signal intensity of all anatomic segments was as low as that of muscle, or inferior, in all patients younger than 3 months because of hematopoietic tissue and probably greater amounts of trabecular bone. The first anatomic segments of cranial bone to become hyperintense were the zygomatic bone and mandibular symphysis, followed by the presphenoid bone, basisphenoid, basiocciput, calvaria, and the petrous apex. After 3 years of age, most patients demonstrated pneumatization of the sphenoid sinus. We describe the most interesting changes in the developing spine, which occur in the first 2 years of life. The morphology of the vertebral bodies was evaluated. The variability of the signal and the morphology of the disks were also evaluated. Regional patterns of bone marrow signal intensity and age-related differences should not be misinterpreted as a pathologic condition.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

MRI "road-map" of normal age-related bone marrow. II. Thorax, pelvis and extremities.

We retrospectively reviewed T1-weighted MR images of 381 patients aged from 7 days to 24 years to evaluate the bone marrow change in thoracic wall and shoulder, pelvis and proximal femur and upper and lower extremities. The patients included in the study were without history of bone marrow disease. A grade of from 1 to 4 was assigned to the marrow signal intensity of the examined anatomic segments. The signal intensity of all anatomic segments was as low as or lower than that of muscle in all patients younger than 2 months, reflecting underlying hematopoietic marrow. The first segments to become hyperintense were the epiphyseal/round bone ossification centers, followed by the phalanges, diaphysis, flat bones and metaphysis. Marrow signal intensity increased in all regions with age. While in the epiphysis, round bones and diaphysis bone marrow shows a diffuse and homogeneous increased signal intensity with age, in the sternum, ribs, scapulae, posterior ilium and metaphysis varying percentages of intermediate signal intensity are maintained. An orderly progression of red to yellow marrow was established.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Wilms' tumor arising in a multicystic kidney.

We describe a child with Wilms' tumor (WT) which occurred in an unequivocal multicystic dysplastic kidney (MDK). We indicate a current nonsurgical approach to MDK, but stress the probable malignant degeneration of blastemal cells, the need to search carefully for the WT in the MDK, and the necessity on 3-monthly follow-up US studies.

Follow-Up Studies↗
PubMed1993

[Diagnostic imaging of acute leukemia in childhood. Description of 5 cases with unusual onset].

The authors, after reviewing the main features of the so called "leukemic osteopathy", remark how the natural history of leukoses has changed thanks to progress in both diagnosis and treatment. Indeed, the condition is now diagnosed early and its remission is quick. Thus, the cases with X-ray-evident bone involvement are quite uncommon: hence the need to use, at AL onset, imaging techniques which are more sensitive to bone marrow changes. To this purpose, MR imaging has proved a valuable technique which can demonstrate even the early stages of pathologic conditions affecting bone marrow.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

Relapsing polychondritis in childhood: a rare observation studied by CT and MRI.

Relapsing polychondritis is very rare in children. The diagnosis must be based on a combination of clinical and pathologic features. CT is very useful for an accurate and rapid assessment of laryngo-tracheo-bronchial involvement and the typical finding is lumen narrowing by wall thickening and collapse of the supporting cartilaginous structures. The role of MR imaging should be complementary to CT.

Child↗
PubMed1992

Distribution of radionuclides in the environment in northern Italy after the Chernobyl accident.

Soon after the Chernobyl nuclear accident, the air-pumping stations in Pavia (northern Italy) were alerted. In a few days, a rapid increase in radionuclide concentration in air particulates was observed. Consequently, an environmental radioactivity monitoring programme was started in which several matrices such as soil, grass, vegetables and cows' milk were subjected to direct gamma-ray spectrometry. The radioactivity distribution and its variation with time is presented, discussed and compared with other available data. Detection limits, precision and accuracy are also reported, and depth profiles in soils for 137Cs are presented and correlated with soil quality parameters. A survey of environmental radioactivity in soil, in a search for residual Chernobyl fallout, was carried out and a map of the 137Cs distribution over a large area in northern Italy is presented and discussed.

Accidents↗
PubMed1991

[Blocked transcolostomy colonography in the identification of anorectal malformations].

The study of anorectal malformations has considerably improved over the last years also thanks to the use of such diagnostic techniques as CT and MR imaging, which allow a better knowledge of perineal region anatomy and the demonstration of the development of sphincteric structures. The most important diagnostic phase for the identification of anorectal malformations consists in the detection of rectal fistulas. The authors report on their experience with barred water-soluble contrast enema in the study of anorectal anomalies. Over 2 years, 23 patients with anorectal malformations (10 males and 13 females) previously submitted to colostomy, were studied with this method. Fistulas were detected in 21 cases; in the extant 2 patients (both females affected with Down syndrome), no fistulas were detected, not even at surgery, which was posterior sagittal anorectoplasty according to Peña-De Vries. In our experience, the most frequent anomalies were recto-bulbo-urethral fistula in males and low recto-vaginal fistula in females. The authors suggest the use of this method as a routine diagnostic examination, because of its proven reliability.

Anal Canal↗
PubMed1991

[Epilepsy with laughing seizures, hypothalamic hamartoma and precocious puberty. Contributions of MRI, computed EEG topography (CET) and ambulatory EEG (A-EEG)].

The concurrence of gelastic (laughing) seizures, hypothalamic hamartoma and precocious puberty constitutes a well defined epileptic syndrome in children; moreover mental retardation, neuropsychological deterioration and behavioral disorders have been often observed in these patients. In two cases we studied by means of MRI the appearance and the site of the hamartoma (in the posterior part of the hypothalamus with extension toward the third ventricle). The EEG study was performed by means of repeated recordings, of Computed EEG Topography (CET) and of Ambulatory EEG (A-EEG): in both patients during interictal periods paroxysmal EEG discharges prevailing in temporal or fronto-temporal regions and slight abnormalities of the background activity in the same areas were detected. Laughing seizures were recorded in each patient particularly by means of A-EEG: in case 1 bursts of high-voltage activity ("theta" waves) followed by depression of the background rhythm and by irregular spike discharges located in left temporal region were observed; in patient 2 irregular generalised spike discharges followed by slow waves or by depression of the background activity were seen. The presence of local abnormalities in both patients can support the hypothesis that the cortex, especially of the temporal anterior lobe, is involved in the origin of the laughing seizures. The significance of the mechanisms of secondary generalization as regards the seriousness of the epilepsy and of the mental impairment in these patients is also suggested.

Brain Mapping↗
PubMed1987

Rare-earth elements in the NBS standard reference materials spinach, orchard leaves, pine needles and bovine liver.

A highly sensitive radiochemical neutron activation method for the determination of all rare-earth elements (REE) in NBS biological reference materials is described. The materials are irradiated, dissolved in HF/HCl solutions, mixed with scandium and REE carriers (except La, Pr, Nd, Dy, Er), and the resulting solutions evaporated to dryness. The residues are dissolved in HCl and the REE precipitated as fluorides on addition of HF/NH4F solutions. The REE fluorides were collected, dissolved in a nitric/boric acid solution and the radioactivity of the resulting solutions determined by gamma spectrometry. The concentrations of REE in the NBS SRM Spinach, Orchard Leaves, Pine Needles, and Bovine Liver were found to be in the ng/g to microgram/g range. The relative standard deviations are approximately 8%. The results agreed, within experimental errors, with literature values. The distribution patterns of REE in the NBS materials relative to chondritic meteorites resemble the patterns for geological materials.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

The distribution of arsenic and cobalt in patients with laryngeal carcinoma.

The objective of this study was to evaluate tissue and plasma concentrations of arsenic and cobalt in an attempt to discover the role of these elements in the malignant process. Using neutron activation analysis, arsenic and cobalt levels were determined in plasma and in non-malignant and malignant human tissues in 15 patients with laryngeal carcinoma. Arsenic and cobalt levels were about 60% higher in tumor than in adjacent non-malignant tissue (P less than 0.001): arsenic 72.4 +/- 18.0 ng/g versus 43.1 +/- 9.4 in non-malignant tissues, and cobalt 68.7 +/- 7.3 ng/g versus 39.6 +/- 7.0 in non-malignant tissues. Mean plasma arsenic and cobalt levels were also significantly higher in patients with laryngeal carcinoma than in healthy control subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Plasma and tissue levels of some lanthanide elements in malignant and non-malignant human tissues.

Lanthanum (La) levels in plasma, in erythrocyte hemolysate and in tissue from healthy subjects and patients with laryngeal carcinoma were determined by neutron activation analysis. Plasma lanthanum levels were significantly higher in laryngeal carcinomas than in either healthy controls or in subjects suffering from localized inflammation (e.g. epicondylitis of the elbow) (p less than 0.001). The mean La concentration in malignant tissue samples was 57.5 +/- 7.2 ng g-1; the corresponding level in normal adjacent tissue from the same organ was 94.6 +/- 12.0 ng g-1. This 61% decrease in the concentration of La in malignant tissues was highly significant (p less than 0.001). In patients with laryngeal carcinoma we did not observe any detectable level of lanthanum in erythrocyte hemolysate; the mean La erythrocyte hemolysate level in healthy controls and in patients suffering from localized inflammatory condition was 14.3 and 33.2 ng ml-1, respectively. Further studies are in progress to evaluate whether or not this element can serve as a marker for diagnosis or prognosis in cancer.

Adult↗