Social dimension of the program City of the Hundred Tenement Houses in Łódź

The article presents results of a survey conducted among ‘new residents’ – those who moved into buildings renovated in the Program City of a Hundred Tenement Houses for the first time. The main goal of the article is to present the identified reasons for choosing a given place of residence and evaluations of this decision. The survey was carried out in buildings from which all or most of the residents moved out in connection with the repair and renovation works.W artykule zaprezentowano wyniki badań ankietowych przeprowadzonych w 2015 r. wśród mieszkańców budynków wyremontowanych w ramach Programu Mia100 Kamienic w Łodzi. Głównym celem jest przedstawienie motywów i oceny decyzji o wyborze miejsca zamieszkania. Badania odbyły się w budynkach, w których do początku 2015 r. został zakończony remont kapitalny kamienicy, związany z wyprowadzką wszystkich lub większości mieszkańców

Endosonography and magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of high anal fistulae – a comparison

Anal fistula is a benign inflammatory disease with unclear etiology which develops in approximately 10 in 100 000 adult patients. Surgical treatment of fistulae is associated with a risk of damaging anal sphincters. This usually happens in treating high fistulae, branched fistulae, and anterior ones in females. In preoperative diagnosis of anal fistulae, endosonography and magnetic resonance imaging play a significant role in planning the surgical technique. The majority of fistulae are diagnosed in endosonography, but magnetic resonance is performed when the presence of high fistulae, particularly branched ones, and recurrent is suspected. The aim of this paper was to compare the roles of the two examinations in preoperative assessment of high anal fistulae. Material and methods: The results of endosonographic and magnetic resonance examinations performed in 2011–2012 in 14 patients (4 women and 10 men) with high anal fistulae diagnosed intraoperatively were subject to a retrospective analysis. The patients were aged from 23 to 66 (mean 47). The endosonographic examinations were performed with the use of a BK Medical Pro Focus system with endorectal 3D transducers with the frequency of 16 MHz. The magnetic resonance scans were performed using a Siemens Avanto 1.5 T scanner with a surface coil in T1, T1FS, FLAIR, T2 sequences and in T1 following contrast medium administration. The sensitivity and specificity of endosonography and magnetic resonance imaging were analyzed. A surgical treatment served as a method for verification. The agreement of each method with the surgery and the agreement of endosonography and magnetic resonance imaging were compared in terms of the assessment of the fistula type, localization of its internal opening and branches. The agreement level was determined based on the percentage of consistent assessments and Cohen’s coefficient of agreement, . The integrity of the anal sphincters was assessed in each case. Results: In determining the fistula type, magnetic resonance imaging agreed with intraoperative assessment in 79% of cases, and endosonography in 64% of cases. Endosonography agreed with magnetic resonance in 57% of cases. In the assessment of internal opening, the agreement between endosonography and intraoperative assessment was 65%, between magnetic resonance and intraoperative assessment – 41% and between endosonography and magnetic resonance – 53%. In the assessment of fistula branches, endosonography agreed with intraoperative assessment in 67% of cases, magnetic resonance in 87% of cases, and the agreement between the two methods tested was 67%. Conclusions: Magnetic resonance is a more accurate method than endosonography in determining the type of high fistulae and the presence of branches. In assessing the internal opening, endosonography proved more accurate. The agreement between the two methods ranges from 53–67%; the highest level of agreement was noted for the assessment of branching.Przetoka odbytu jest łagodną chorobą zapalną o niejasnej etiologii, która występuje u około 10 na 100 000 osób populacji dorosłej. Leczenie operacyjne przetoki odbytu wiąże się z ryzykiem uszkodzenia zwieraczy odbytu. Najczęściej dochodzi do tego w przypadku leczenia przetok wysokich, rozgałęzionych oraz przetok przednich u kobiet. W przedoperacyjnej diagnostyce przetok odbytu ważne miejsce, pod kątem planowania techniki zabiegu operacyjnego, zajmują endosonografia oraz rezonans magnetyczny. Większość przetok diagnozowana jest w endosonografii, zaś rezonans wykonuje się w przypadku klinicznego podejrzenia przetoki wysokiej, zwłaszcza rozgałęzionej i nawrotowej. Celem pracy było porównanie obydwu badań w przedoperacyjnej ocenie wysokich przetok odbytu. Materiał i metoda: Retrospektywnie przeanalizowano wyniki badań endosonograficznych i rezonansu magnetycznego wykonanych w latach 2011–2012 u 14 pacjentów (4 kobiety, 10 mężczyzn) w wieku 23–66 lat (średnia 47) ze śródoperacyjnym rozpoznaniem wysokiej przetoki odbytu. Badania endosonograficzne wykonano aparatem BK Medical Pro Focus, głowicą endorektalną 3D o częstotliwości 16 MHz. Badania rezonansu przeprowadzono z wykorzystaniem aparatu Siemens Avanto 1,5 T z cewką powierzchniową, przed podaniem środka kontrastowego w sekwencjach T1, T1FS, FLAIR, T2 i po podaniu. Oceniono czułość i swoistość endosonografii oraz rezonansu magnetycznego. Metodą weryfikującą był zabieg operacyjny. Porównano zgodność każdej metody z operacją oraz zgodność endosonografii i rezonansu magnetycznego w zakresie oceny typu przetoki, lokalizacji ujścia wewnętrznego oraz rozgałęzień. Poziom zgodności określano na podstawie odsetka ocen zgodnych oraz współczynnika zgodności Cohena. W każdym przypadku oceniano ciągłość zwieraczy odbytu. Wyniki: W określaniu typu przetoki zgodność badania rezonansu magnetycznego z oceną śródoperacyjną stwierdzono w 79% przypadków, endosonografii z oceną śródoperacyjną w 64% przypadków, a endosonografii z rezonansem w 57%. W ocenie ujścia wewnętrznego zgodność endosonografii z oceną śródoperacyjną wyniosła 65%, rezonansu z oceną śródoperacyjną 41%, a endosonografii z rezonansem 53%. W ocenie rozgałęzień przetoki zgodność endosonografii z oceną śródoperacyjną wyniosła 67%, rezonansu z oceną śródoperacyjną 87%, a zgodność pomiędzy obiema metodami 67%. Wnioski: Rezonans magnetyczny dokładniej niż endosonografia określa typ przetoki wysokiej i obecność rozgałęzień. W ocenie ujścia wewnętrznego metodą dokładniejszą jest endosonografia. Zgodność między metodami waha się w zakresie 53–67%; najwyższa jest w ocenie rozgałęzień

The pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis in radiological studies. Part II: Imaging studies in rheumatoid arthritis

Early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis followed by early initiation of treatment, pre‑ vent the destruction of joints and progression to disability in the majority of patients. A traditional X‑ray fails to capture early inflammatory changes, while late changes (e.g. erosions) appear after a significant delay, once 20–30% of bone mass has been lost. Sonography and magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that erosions are seen in the first 3 months from the appearance of symptoms in 10–26% of patients, while in 75% they are seen in the first 2 years of the disease. Power Doppler ultra‑ sound and dynamic magnetic resonance studies allow for qualitative, semiquantita‑ tive and quantitative monitoring of the vascularization of the synovium. In addition, magnetic resonance enables assessment of the bone marrow. The ultrasonographic examination using a state‑of‑the‑art apparatus with a high‑frequency probe allows for images with great spatial resolution and for the visualization of soft tissues and bone surfaces. However, the changes seen in ultrasonography (synovial pathologies, the presence of exudate, tendons changes, cartilage and bone lesions, pathologies of ten‑ don attachments and ligaments – enthesopathies) are not only specific for rheumatoid arthritis and occur in other rheumatic diseases. Qualitative methods are sufficient for diagnosing the disease through ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging. Whereas semiquantitative and quantitative scales serve to monitor the disease course – efficacy of conservative treatment and qualification for radioisotope synovectomy or surgical synovectomy – and to assess treatment efficacy

Polish Medical Society of Radiology and Polish Society of Rheumatology recommendations for magnetic resonance imaging of musculoskeletal disorders in rheumatology*

This document presents the recommendations of the Polish Medical Society of Radiology (PLTR) and the Polish Society of Polish Society of Rheumatology (PTR) regarding the standards of collaboration between radiologists and rheumatologists so as to optimize the diagnostics and treatment of patients with rheumatic diseases of the musculoskeletal system, including rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthropathies

The pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis in radiological studies. Part I: Formation of inflammatory infiltrates within the synovial membrane

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease with a multifactorial etiology and varied course, which in the majority of patients leads to partial disability or to permanent handicap. Its characteristic trait is a persistent inflammation of the synovial membrane and the formation of an invasive synovial tissue, called the pannus, which in time leads to destruction of the cartilage, subchondral bone tissue, and the soft tissue of the affected joint(s). The pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis is complex and involves cells of both innate and adaptive immunity, a network of various cytokines and an immunoregulatory dysfunction. An important role in the discovery of rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis was played by magnetic resonance imaging, which showed the disease process to extend beyond the synovium into the bone marrow. Many studies have shown a strict correlation between the vascularity of the synovium (assessed through the power Doppler ultrasound and magnetic resonance examinations), bone marrow edema and the clinical, laboratory and histopathological parameters of rheumatoid arthritis. From the current understanding of rheumatoid arthritis, bone erosions could occur from two directions: from the joint cavity and from the bone marrow. With power Doppler ultrasound, as well as in magnetic resonance imaging, it is possible to visualize the well-vascularized pannus and its destructive effects on joint structures and ligaments. In addition, the magnetic resonance study shows inflammatory and destructive changes within the bone marrow (bone marrow edema, inflammatory cysts, and erosions). Bone marrow edema occurs in 68–75% of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis and is considered to be a predictor of rapid disease progression