Hepatocellular carcinoma: treatment with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization

This article presents a review of the literature regarding the use of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). There have been two different approaches to the treatment: (a) percutaneous tumor ablation methods which can be divided into injectable and thermal methods; percutaneous ethanol injection (PET) is the most widely used method, and (b) TACE. PEI is the treatment of choice for single HCCs smaller or equal to 3 rm in size. For patients with large HCCs combined TACE and PET is probably the most effective nonsurgical treatment. Tn the presence of multiple HCC nodules, TACE remains the treatment of choice. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Intervention in gastrointestinal tract: the treatment of esophageal gastroduodenal and colorectal obstructions with metallic stents

With the development of newer stent designs and delivery systems, metallic stents are currently established component of nonsurgical treatment of gastrointestinal obstructions. The use of metallic stents is not intended to be curative but palliative. This palliation may be intended for the rest of the patient's life with unresectable disease or as a temporary procedure prior to a definitive surgical procedure to allow time to improve the patient's overall medical condition or quick and noninvasive decompression of the intestinal obstruction. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

MR urography findings of a duplicated ectopic ureter in an adult man

In this report we present the imaging findings in an adult male with a duplicated ectopic ureter which inserted into the prostatic urethra. The appearances at excretory urography, US, CT, and MR urography are described together with the potential pitfalls of the imaging techniques, Both US and MR urography accurately image the collecting system from the kidney to the point of distal ureteral insertion, and in our patient, MR urography provided similar information to US

Palliative treatment of inoperable malignant esophageal strictures with metal stents: one center's experience with four different stents

Purpose: Our center's experience with Ultraflex, Flamingo, SR stent and Flexstent for the palliation of malignant esophageal strictures is reported, and current pertinent literature is reviewed. Material and methods: Stents have been placed under fluoroscopic guidance between August 1993 and February 2002 for the palliation of malignant dysphagia in 116 patients. 59 patients received Ultraflex, 33 patients received Flamingo Wallstent, 20 patients received the SR stent and four patients received Flexstent. Results: Stent placement was successful in all the patients, with good symptomatic control in 123 out of 126 patients (98%) and no procedure-related complications. Four esophagorespiratory fistulas were successfully closed with covered Flamingo stents. Repeat intervention was necessary in 30 patients (51%) who received the Ultraflex stent, secondary to tumor ingrowth, overgrowth, ulceration, fistula and incomplete expansion. Two patients (6%) who received Flamingo Wallstent died due to gastrointestinal bleeding and one patient had proximal migration. Four patients (20%) who received the SR stent had complete migration of the stent. Conclusion: Covered stents were found to provide better long-term palliation compared to uncovered stents. The covered Flamingo Wallstent seems to be the best choice of stent for lesions where crossing the esophagogastric junction is not necessary. For lesions where it is mandatory to cross the junction it may be preferable to use a stent with an antireflux mechanism. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

RETROPERITONEAL HYDATID CYST PRESENTING AS A THIGH MASS - COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC FINDINGS

We report an unusual case of Echinococcus granulosus infestation presenting with a cystic mass originating in the retroperitoneum and extending through the femoral canal to the femoral region

Separate origins of the left internal and external carotid arteries from the aortic arch: MR angiographic findings

Agenesis of the left common carotid artery with independent origins of the internal and external carotid arteries arising directly from the aortic arch is an extremely rare congenital anomaly. We present MR angio-graphic findings in a case with agenesis of left common carotid artery that, to our knowledge, is unique by virtue of its detection and description with MR angiography

MR imaging and electrophysiological evaluation in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

The objective of this study was to compare the MRI findings of wrists in patients diagnosed with CTS with those of the healthy controls, and to evaluate the correlation between the MRI differences and the electrophysiological findings in the patient group. This study involved 55 wrists, 30 of which were clinically and electrophysiologically diagnosed with CTS and 25 healthy controls. These 55 wrists were evaluated electrophysiologically, and in terms of median nerve diameter, ratio of median nerve diameter at psiform bone level to distal radio-ulnar joint level, the flexor retinaculum bulging ratio and the median nerve intensity by MRI

Palliative treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma by chemoembolization

Purpose: The efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and the correlation between iodized oil uptake pattern and tumor response were investigated in cases with inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)