[en] Because available therapy cannot always distinguish between malignant and nonmalignant cells, the toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents to normal tissue remains a troublesome issue. Various chemotherapeutic agents such as bleomycin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and L-asparagianse, which cause pulmonary fibrosis, cardiomyopathy, pancreatitis, and hemorrhagic cystitis, respectively, are familiar to radiologists. The purpose of this report is to describe the radiologic findings of various organ abnormalities related to chemotherapy. (author). 8 refs., 8 figs

[en] Highlights: • Electrochemical growth of Si from SiO₂ in CaCl₂ melt is capable of in situ doping. • Controllable doping into Si is mediated by Ag liquid catalyst on Si. • Doping density can be estimated from I–E measurement and Mott–Schottky plot analysis. • The mechanism for catalyst-mediated Si doping is proposed. -- Abstract: The direct electrochemical reduction of silicon dioxide in molten CaCl₂ has been investigated as a promising candidate for alternative production process of solar silicon. Herein, we study a catalyst-mediated doping, which is carried out by introducing dopant precursors like Al₂O₃, In₂O₃, and Sb₂O₃ into the molten CaCl₂ during the electrochemical growth of silicon on Ag catalyst. The photoelectrochemical measurement demonstrates controllable p-type or n-type doping, and the photoresponse of doped silicon reaches 1.1±0.4 mA/cm² under 100 mW/cm² irradiation. Doping densities, estimated from two-point micro-probe measurements and Mott–Schottky plot analyses range from 10¹⁵ to 10¹⁶/cm³. Dopant is incorporated through Si–Ag catalyst droplet, which is supported by a high dopant content in Ag catalyst revealed by the elemental mapping of secondary ion mass spectroscopy. The catalyst-mediated doping mechanism is proposed to elucidate the doping level. The liquid droplet is presumed to be under local equilibrium along with significant loss of the dopant from it whereby the doping level becomes a function of the segregation coefficient and the rate constant of the electrochemical reaction.

[en] To determine the value of additional videorecording during defecography. Ninety-nine consecutive patients (20 males, 79 females;mean age:48 yrs) who between august 1996 and June 1997 had undergone defecography due to defecation difficulty were included in this study. In all patients, spot filming(at rest, during squeezing, during straining) and videorecording during defecography were simultaneously performed. Two radiologists retrospectively reviewed spot films and video images, analyzed discrepancies between the two methods, and reached a consensus. In 52% of patients (51/99), the results of the two examinations were discrepant. The most common finding was anterior rectocele (n=3D33), followed by spastic pelvic floor syndrome (n=3D16), rectal intussusception (n=3D5), posterior rectocele (n=3D3), mucosal prolapse (n=3D2), descending perineal syndrome (n=3D2), and rectal prolapse (n=3D1). All findings except spastic pelvic floor syndrome were additionally found on videorecording. Because videorecording during defecography showed additional findings in 52% of patients, it is a necessary procedure for the diagnosis and management of patients with defecation difficulty.=20

[en] To determine the utility of perfusion MR imaging in the differential diagnosis of brain tumors. Fifty-seven patients with pathologically proven brain tumors (21 high-grade gliomas, 8 low-grade gliomas, 8 lymphomas, 6 hemangioblastomas, 7 metastases, and 7 various other tumors) were included in this study. Relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) and time-to-peak (TTP) ratios were quantitatively analyzed and the rCBV grade of each tumor was also visually assessed on an rCBV map. The highest rCBV ratios were seen in hemangioblastomas, followed by high-grade gliomas, metastases, low-grade gliomas, and lymphomas. There was no significant difference in TTP ratios between each tumor group (p>0.05). At visual assessment, rCBV was high in 17 (81%) of 21 high-grade gliomas and in 4 (50%) of 8 low-grade gliomas. Hemangioblastomas showed the highest rCBV and lymphomas the lowest. Perfusion MR imaging may be helpful in the differentiation of the various solid tumors found in the brain, and in assessing the grade of the various glial tumors occurring there

[en] To present our experience with subintimal angioplasty (SA) for treatment of chronic lower limb ischemia (CLLI) and to assess its effectiveness and durability. From April 2003 through June 2005, we treated 40 limbs in 36 patients with CLLI by SA. Balloons with or without secondary stent placement appropriate in size to the occluded arteries were used for SA of all lesions, except for iliac lesions where primary stent placement was done. The patients were followed for 1-23 months by clinical examination and color Doppler ultrasound and/or CT angiography. Technical results and outcomes were retrospectively evaluated. The presence of a steep learning curve for performance of SA was also evaluated. Primary and secondary patencies were determined using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Technical success was achieved in 32 (80%) of 40 limbs. There was no statistical difference between technical success rates of 75% (18/24) during the first year and 88% (14/16) thereafter. There were four complications (10%) in 40 procedures; two arterial perforations, one pseudoaneurysm at the puncture site, and one delayed hematoma at the SA site. Excluding initial technical failures, the primary patency rates at six and 12 months were 68% and 55%, respectively. Secondary patency rates at six and 12 months were 73% and 59%, respectively. Subintimal angioplasty can be accomplished with a high technical success rate. It should be attempted in patients with CLLI as an alternative to more extended surgery, or when surgical treatment is not recommended due to comorbidity or an unfavorable disease pattern

[en] Objective : We retrospectively assessed the results of performing ethanol embolization for pelvis arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Materials and Methods : During the past 10 years, eight patients (8 females, age range: 27-52 years) with AVMs in the pelvic wall (n = 3) and uterus (n = 5) underwent staged ethanol embolizations (range: 1-5, mean: 2.5) under general anesthesia. Ethanol embolization was performed by the use of the transcatheter and/or direct puncture techniques. Clinical follow-up was performed for all of the patients, and imaging follow-up was available for seven patients. The therapeutic outcomes were established by evaluating the clinical outcome of the signs and symptoms, as well as the degree of devascularization observed on post-procedural angiography. Result : During the 20 sessions of ethanol embolization, the solitary transarterial approach was used 14 times, the transvenous approach was used three times and direct puncture was used once. For two patients, the transarterial and transvenous or direct puncture approaches were used together in one session. For four patients, ethanol and coils were used as embolic agents, and n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) and ethanol were used in one patient. Seven (88%) of eight patients were cured of their AVMs and one patient (12%) displayed improvement. Major complications were seen in two patients (25%). Conclusion : Ethanol embolization is effective for the treatment of pelvic arteriovenous malformations, though there is a chance of a major complication

[en] 

Purpose

To compare the safety and efficacy of combined transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with those of TACE or RFA monotherapy.

Methods

This study included 34 combined TACE and RFA (TACE-RFA), 87 TACE, and 136 ultrasound-guided RFA, which were performed to treat HCC (≤ 3 cm, 3 or fewer) between March and August 2009. The safety (Child–Pugh score indicating hepatic functional reserve, patient discomfort requiring medication, duration of hospitalization, and complications) and efficacy (1-month, 6-month, and 1-year tumor responses) profiles of each treatment were evaluated and compared.

Results

TACE-RFA group showed longer hospital stay and more frequent patient discomfort requiring medication than TACE or RFA group (P < 0.001). The frequency of overall complications after TACE-RFA was higher than TACE (P = 0.006) or RFA (P = 0.009). There were no statistical differences in major complication rates between the three groups (P = 0.094). Child–Pugh score at 1-month follow-up showed no significant difference between the three groups (P = 0.162). 1-month, 6-month, and 1-year tumor responses of TACE-RFA were similar to those of RFA and better than those of TACE.

Conclusions

TACE-RFA appears to result in more frequent patient discomfort requiring medication, longer hospital stay, and more frequent complications than TACE or RFA monotherapy. Tumor response of TACE-RFA seems to be similar to that of RFA and better than TACE monotherapy. Thus, TACE-RFA for treating small HCC may be required for the selected patients, especially patients with small HCC ineligible for RFA monotherapy.

[en] To evaluate mid-term imaging, clinical follow-up, and restenosis rates from patients that had undergone percutaneous transluminal renal artery angioplasty (PTRA) for symptomatic renal artery fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD). Between March 1999 and July 2006, 16 consecutive renal artery FMD patients underwent PTRA for poorly controlled hypertension. The patients were enrolled into this retrospective study after receiving 19 primary and four secondary PTRAs in 19 renal artery segments. Follow-up monitoring of blood pressure, use of antihypertensive medication, and the serum creatinine level after PTRA were assessed at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 months, and each following year. The degree of restenosis was evaluated with computed tomographic angiography (CTA) after PTRA at 6, 12 months, and every year if possible. Technical and clinical success rates for the treatment of FMD, and restenosis rates for the renal artery were evaluated. The technical success rate for primary PTRA was 79% (15/19) and the complication rate was 16% (3/19). Hypertension improved in 80% (12/15) of the patients after four weeks follow-up, and was finally cured or improved in 93% (14/15) during the mean follow-up period of 23.6 months. There was a cumulative 22% (4/18) restenosis rate during the follow-up period. All of the patients were treated with a second PTRA without complications and all of the patients were cured of hypertension after the second PTRA. Percutaneous transluminal renal artery angioplasty for clinically symptomatic renal FMD is technically and clinically successful and safe to perform. For all patients with restenosis, there was a good response after undergoing a second PTRA

[en] The study aimed to describe portal stenting for postoperative portal occlusion with delayed (≥ 3 months) variceal bleeding in the afferent jejunal loop. Eleven consecutive patients (age range, 2–79 years; eight men and three women) who underwent portal stenting between April 2009 and December 2015 were included in the study. Preoperative medical history and the postoperative clinical course were reviewed. Characteristics of portal occlusion and details of procedures were also investigated. Technical success, treatment efficacy (defined as disappearance of jejunal varix on follow-up CT), and clinical success were analyzed. Primary stent patency rate was plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method. All patients underwent hepatobiliary-pancreatic cancer surgery except two children with liver transplantation for biliary atresia. Portal occlusion was caused by benign postoperative change (n = 6) and local tumor recurrence (n = 5). Variceal bleeding occurred at 27 months (4 to 72 months) and portal stenting was performed at 37 months (4 to 121 months), on average, postoperatively. Technical success, treatment efficacy, and clinical success rates were 90.9, 100, and 81.8%, respectively. The primary patency rate of portal stent was 88.9% during the mean follow-up period of 9 months. Neither procedure-related complication nor mortality occurred. Interventional portal stenting is an effective treatment for delayed jejunal variceal bleeding due to portal occlusion after hepatobiliary-pancreatic surgery

[en] The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of contrast enhancement in assessing the depth of stromal invasion in patients with uterine cervical tumors by comparing dynamic and late contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging with T2-weighted MR imaging. Of 58 surgically proven uterine cervical cancer patients, 31 in whom tumors were detected on MRI were included in this study. Using a 1.5 T magnet, T2-weighted imaging contrast-enhanced dynamic and T1-weighted MR imaging were performed. In each MR imaging sequence, tumor visualization, margin delineation, enhancement pattern and depth of stromal invasion were evaluated on sagittal images and were correlated with pathological findings of resected uterus, focusing on the depth of stromal invasion. Surgical FIGO stages were IBI in 20 patients, IB2 in three, IIA in six, and IIB in two. A tumor was detected in 29 (94%) patients on T2-weighted images, in 26 (84%) on dynamic contrast enhanced images, and in 28 (90%) on contrast enhanced T1-weighted images. The tumor demonstrated a clear margin in 22 (71%) patients on late contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images, in 21 (68%) on dynamic images, and in 13 (42%) on T2-weighted images. Correlated with pathologic findings, the depth of stromal invasion was overestimated on T2-weighted images in eight (26%) patients, and on dynamic and late contrast-enhanced T1-Weighted images in three (10%) and three (10%), respectively. Tumor margins are clearer and the extent of tumors may be more accurately evaluated on dynamic MR and late contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging. These sequences thus seem to be useful and superior to T2-weighted imaging for assessing the depth of stromal invasion in patients with cervical carcinoma. =20