Biomedical subjects

Peter V Scrivani

Publications and source records attributed to Peter V Scrivani.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Evaluation of factors associated with survival in dogs with untreated nasal carcinomas: 139 cases (1993-2003).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate factors associated with survival in dogs with nasal carcinomas that did not receive treatment or received only palliative treatment. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: 139 dogs with histologically confirmed nasal carcinomas. PROCEDURES: Medical records, computed tomography images, and biopsy specimens of nasal carcinomas were reviewed. Only dogs that were not treated with radiation, surgery, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy and that survived > or = 7 days from the date of diagnosis were included. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival time. Factors potentially associated with survival were compared by use of log-rank and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Multivariable survival analysis was performed by use of the Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: Overall median survival time was 95 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 73 to 113 days; range, 7 to 1,114 days). In dogs with epistaxis, the hazard of dying was 2.3 times that of dogs that did not have epistaxis. Median survival time of 107 dogs with epistaxis was 88 days (95% CI, 65 to 106 days) and that of 32 dogs without epistaxis was 224 days (95% CI, 54 to 467 days). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The prognosis of dogs with untreated nasal carcinomas is poor. Treatment strategies to improve outcome should be pursued.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Diagnosis of skeletal injuries in Chelonians using computed tomography.

Computed tomography (CT) was used to diagnose the cause of lameness in a radiated tortoise (Geochelone radiata) and to determine the extent of shell and skeletal trauma in two snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina). The radiated tortoise's lameness was ultimately attributed to luxation of the right-shoulder joint that was not detected during plain film radiography. Axial and appendicular fractures were identified in one of the snapping turtles that were not detected during plain film radiography. In each patient, the information obtained during CT provided important diagnostic, therapeutic, or prognostic information.

Accidents, Traffic↗

PubMed2003

Computed tomographic appearance of epidural empyema in a dog.

The computed tomographic (CT) appearance of epidural empyema in a 5.5-month-old, intact male boxer dog is described. Epidural empyema was diagnosed by means of CT, surgery, and bacterial culture. The imaging and pathogenesis of epidural abscesses and the pitfalls of differentiating caudal fossa lesions from severe cranial cervical lesions are discussed.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Assessing diagnostic accuracy in veterinary imaging.

With continued specialization in diagnostic radiology and imaging technology, it increasingly becomes important for diagnostic radiologists to focus on the science of diagnosing disease. Imaging modalities provide a means to examine patients; however, it is the detection of imaging signs (Roentgen signs) that constitutes imaging tests. All tests are subject to error, and the degree of error cannot be determined by clinical experience alone. Therefore, measurements of diagnostic accuracy are important. Accuracy estimates are greatly influenced by selection of the decision criterion and sample population. This article reviews some of the principles for assessing diagnostic accuracy in medical imaging, which is helpful for deciding what tests to perform and how to interpret results once a test has been performed.

Animal Diseases↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Accuracy of increased large-intestine wall thickness during ultrasonography for diagnosing large-colon torsion in 42 horses.

Large-colon torsion is a common cause of colic in horses and has a worse prognosis and higher cost than other causes of surgical colic of the large colon. During large-colon torsion, the colon wall becomes thick due to vascular occlusion. Therefore, we hypothesized that detecting increased colon wall thickness during ultrasonography would be an accurate preoperative test for large-colon torsion. The sample population consisted of 42 horses that were admitted for surgical treatment of colic localized to the large colon. The diagnosis was confirmed at surgery or necropsy examination. Twelve (29%) of these horses were diagnosed with large-colon torsion. Duplicate ultrasonographic measurements of colon wall thickness were made at six abdominal locations and an average measurement was calculated. For four of these six sites, a significant difference (P < 0.005) was detected between horses with and without large-colon torsion. All four tests were moderately sensitive and highly specific for diagnosing large-colon torsion using five decision criteria. Using a ventral abdominal window, a colon wall thickness > or = 9 mm accurately predicted large-colon torsion in eight of the 12 horses (sensitivity, 67%; confidence interval [CI], 36-98%) and correctly predicted that large-colon torsion was absent in 28/28 horses (specificity 100%; CI, 98-100%). Intraobserver repeatability was assessed by evaluating the difference between the first and second measurements obtained, which was < or = 2 mm. Therefore, detecting increased large-colon wall thickness during ultrasonography is a reproducible and accurate preoperative test for large-colon torsion in horses with surgical colic localized to the large colon.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Clarifying some aspects of diagnostic-accuracy research.

Evidence-based medicine is an approach to improved patient care that integrates clinical experience with basic science and clinical research in diagnostic accuracy, prognostic indicators, efficacy, and safety of treatments. Both clinical experience and methodical research assessments are essential components in this type of medical practice and underscore the importance of providing residents the opportunity to gain clinical experience as well as training them in how to perform, apply, and interpret clinical research in diagnostic imaging. The challenge for researchers is to design a study so that the data are valid and may be generalized to clinical situations where the test will be used. When assisting residents in the design of a research project for accuracy assessment of an imaging test, we consistently have observed three problem areas that if uncorrected would preclude the study results from being generalized to clinical situations where the test will be used: (1) understanding what is being measured, (2) appropriate selection of the sample population, and (3) the impact of the variability of the decision criterion. In this paper, we review these issues and suggest some solutions.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Accuracy of increased thyroid activity during pertechnetate scintigraphy by subcutaneous injection for diagnosing hyperthyroidism in cats.

Our purpose was to determine the accuracy of increased thyroid activity for diagnosing hyperthyroidism in cats suspected of having that disease during pertechnetate scintigraphy using subcutaneous rather than intravenous radioisotope administration. Increased thyroid activity was determined by two methods: the thyroid:salivary ratio (T:S) and visual inspection. These assessments were made on the ventral scintigram of the head and neck. Scintigraphy was performed by injecting sodium pertechnetate (111 MBq, SQ) in the right-dorsal-lumbar region; static-acquisition images were obtained 20 min after injection. We used 49 cats; 34 (69%) had hyperthyroidism based on serum-chemistry analysis. Using a Wilcoxon's rank-sum test, a significant difference (P < 0.0001) was detected in the T:S between cats with and without hyperthyroidism. Using a decision criterion of 2.0 for the T:S, the test accurately predicted hyperthyroidism in 32/34 cats (sensitivity, 94%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 85-100%) and correctly predicted that hyperthyroidism was absent in 15/15 cats (specificity, 100%; CI, 97-100%). Using visual inspection, the test accurately predicted hyperthyroidism in 34/34 cats (sensitivity, 100%; CI, 99-100%) and correctly predicted that hyperthyroidism was absent in 12/15 cats (specificity, 80%; CI, 56-100%). The positive and negative predictive values were high for a wide range of prevalence of hyperthyroidism. And, the test had excellent agreement within and between examiners. Therefore, detecting increased thyroid activity during pertechnetate scintigraphy by subcutaneous injection is an accurate and reproducible test for feline hyperthyroidism.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Identifying removable radioactivity on the surface of cats during the first week after treatment with iodine 131.

Because radioiodine (1-131) is excreted in urine and saliva, treated cats can accumulate I-131 on their coats from contacting soiled litter and grooming. This could result in removable radioactivity, which is a potential source of human exposure to radiation and specifically to internal contamination. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is removable radioactivity on cats treated with I-131. Daily wipe tests were performed for 7 days at two sites (both flanks, one site; and all four paws, one site) on six hyperthyroid cats treated with I-131. A y counter was used to determine the counts per minute (cpm) of the samples, which were converted to disintegrations per minute (dpm) to estimate activity. The results were compared to the New York State limits of removable activity for a non-controlled area (<1000dpm/100 cm2) to determine if the amount of removable activity was acceptable for a member of the public. The median value of removable activity was 241 dpm (range from 34 to 4184 dpm) for the flanks, and 308 dpm (range from 60 to 1890 dpm) for the paws. The amount of removable radioactivity on the surface of hospitalized cats treated with I-131 during the first week after treatment, occasionally and without obvious pattern, exceeded the New York State limit. Sporadic activity as high as 4148 dpm was found. It is prudent to advise owners to observe routine hygiene when handling cats after discharge to minimize the risk of internal contamination.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of infecting serogroup on clinical features of leptospirosis in dogs.

The purpose of this study was to review recent cases of leptospirosis seen at referral centers in New York State and to identify differences in clinical or clinicopathologic aspects of the disease among different suspected infecting serogroups. Medical records at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals and the Animal Medical Center in New York City were reviewed to identify dogs diagnosed with leptospirosis from September 1996 to August 2002. Records of 55 dogs met the inclusion criteria for the study. The suspected infecting serogroups included 21 occurrences of Grippotyphosa, 12 of Pomona, 6 of Autumnalis, 5 of Bratislava, 2 of Hardjo, and 1 of Canicola. Five dogs had equal titers to serogroups Grippotyphosa and Pomona, and 3 had equal titers to 2 other serogroups. Common clinical signs included lethargy, anorexia, and vomiting. Common clinicopathologic findings included anemia, thrombocytopenia, azotemia, hyperphosphatemia, high liver enzyme activity, and hyperbilirubinemia. Forty-three of 55 dogs were discharged from the hospital. Serogroup-specific analysis indicated that dogs with suspected serogroup Pomona infection were more likely to suffer from vomiting (P = .01), thrombocytopenia (P = .009), severe azotemia (P = .04), and hyperphosphatemia (P = .006) than dogs with other serogroups and were less likely to be discharged alive from the hospital (P = .03). This study suggests that only minor clinically relevant differences exist among serogroups. Leptospira serogroup Pomona caused more severe renal disease and was associated with a worse outcome compared with disease caused by other serogroups.

Animals↗