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P Morello

Publications and source records attributed to P Morello.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

ERCP in the assessment of patients with post-cholecystectomy syndrome: benefits and limitations.

The aim of our study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy yielded by endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) in a group of 41 patients presenting with persistent or recurrent abdominal pain and/or cholestasis following cholecystectomy. Each patient had previously undergone, without success, a different combination of non-invasive tests. Cannulation with adequate opacification of at least one duct was achieved in all patients. Aetiologically diagnostic findings obtained with ERCP were as follows: normal 36.8%, choledocholithiasis 34%, benign biliary stenosis 9.8%, chronic pancreatitis 4.9%, pancreatic carcinoma 2.4%, ampullary carcinoma 2.4%, cholangiocarcinoma 2.4%, miscellaneous 7.3%. ERCP gave a final diagnosis in 26 patients (63%) and in all the cases presenting with cholestasis. ERCP plays a first-line role in the diagnostic assessment of patients with the post-cholecystectomy syndrome. However, there is still a considerable part of this population in whom ERCP does not contribute to a diagnosis.

Abdominal Pain↗

[Comparison of two-dimensional echocardiography, angiocardioscintigraphy and cineventriculography in the study of left ventricular wall motion in ischemic cardiopathy].

Thirty-two patients with non acute myocardial infarction (inferior in twenty, anterior in ten, anterior and inferior in two) were studied with contrast left ventriculography, two-dimensional echocardiography and radionuclide angiography to assess left ventricular wall motion. We adopted the CASS criteria for the standard left ventriculography, and the Mayo Clinic classification for the echocardiographic study. Radionuclide angiography studies were obtained in left anterior oblique view; the images were evaluated with the use of Walsh-Hadamard transform; the left ventricle was divided in basal and apical septal, apical, posterolateral, posterobasal and two central segments. We tried to correlate the findings of the three techniques both for single segments and larger regions made of contiguous segments. Left ventricular angiography and two-dimensional echocardiography showed a fair concordance for both anterobasal and posterolateral left ventricular wall, whereas for the septal, apical and posterolateral regions contrast and radionuclide angiography had the best correlation. Compared to left ventricular angiography two-dimensional echocardiography shows better sensitivity than radionuclide angiography; the latter is more specific in defining left ventricular wall motion. The two non invasive techniques are therefore helpful in the evaluation of wall motion and their role is complementary.

Cineradiography↗

Use of radionuclide angiography and an electrocardiographic stress test to diagnose multivessel disease after a first episode of uncomplicated myocardial infarction.

Sixty consecutive patients who were symptom free 2-12 months after an uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction underwent maximal treadmill exercise testing, radionuclide angiography before and during submaximal bicycle stress test, and coronary angiography. The results of the non-invasive procedures were compared with those of coronary angiography. The sensitivity and specificity of electrocardiogram stress test for detection of multivessel disease were 40% and 77% respectively. Failure of left ventricular ejection fraction to increase at least 5% with exercise identified 20 of the 25 patients with multivessel disease (sensitivity 80%) and 23 of the 35 patients with no additional coronary artery stenosis (specificity 66%). In patients with anterior Q waves the sensitivity was 78% and the specificity 50%, whereas in the presence of inferior Q waves these values were 81% and 87% respectively. Loss of left ventricle synchronicity during effort, as indicated by failure of the standard deviation of the phases to decrease during exercise, demonstrated a radionuclide angiography sensitivity of 80% (77% for anterior myocardial infarction and 81% for inferior myocardial infarction) and a specificity of 50% (33% for anterior myocardial infarction and 64% for inferior myocardial infarction). When the test was considered to be positive if either the ejection fraction or the standard deviation of the phases criteria were positive, the sensitivity was 100% and specificity 46% (30% for anterior myocardial infarction and 65% for inferior myocardial infarction). It is concluded that in patients who are free from angina 2-12 months after an episode of uncomplicated myocardial infarction, a simple exercise electrocardiogram cannot be relied upon to detect residual ischaemia. An abnormal ejection fraction response or an increased standard deviation of the phases during exercise nuclear angiography or both identified all the patients with multivessel disease. None of the patients in whom radionuclide angiographic criteria were negative had multivessel disease.

Coronary Disease↗

The Walsh-Hadamard transform: an alternative means of obtaining phase and amplitude maps.

Currently, Fourier analysis is a method for obtaining the phase and amplitude images used to evaluate abnormalities of cardiac contraction. Since this technique is time-consuming, the present work investigates the application of another algorithm used in digital signal processing: the Walsh- Hadamard transform ( WHT ). This method provides a 48% time saving because it requires only elementary algebraic operations. The study presents the results obtained processing 30 blood-pool cardiac acquisitions in various diseases. No significant difference was found in the pairs of maps and in the parameters chosen for comparison of the data.

Fourier Analysis↗