Ultrasound imaging classifications of thyroid nodules for malignancy risk stratification and clinical management : state of the art

Assessing the risk of malignancy in the thyroid with ultrasound (US) is crucial in patients with nodules, as it can aid in selecting those who should have a fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy performed. Many studies have examined whether the US characteristics of thyroid nodules are useful indicators of histological malignancy. Overall, these investigations have identified a few US features that are significantly more frequent in malignant thyroid nodules which can be coalesced into a defining set to be used as an indicator of a higher risk of malignancy. Despite these efforts, none of these classifications have been widely adopted worldwide, and there are still conflicting recommendations from different institutions. Understanding the role and appropriate utilization of these systems could facilitate the effective interpretation and communication of thyroid US findings among referring physicians and radiologists. In this comprehensive review, we outline the major US classification systems of thyroid nodules published in the last few years

Cooled tip radiofrequency ablation of benign thyroid nodules: preliminary experience with two different devices

Background: Thyroid nodules are very common in general population. Even if benign, they may require a treatment in case of symptoms or cosmetic concerns. In the last years, minimally invasive treatments alternative to surgery have been developed, in particular ultrasound (US) guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Methods: Twenty-four patients (9 males; 15 females; mean age 57.9 years) were treated and divided in two groups (A and B) according to the RFA needle used (18 gauge needle, AMICA; 17 gauge needle, COVIDIEN). Nodules and patients characteristics, together with procedural data were registered pretreatment and at 1-month follow-up. US visibility of the needle, volume of the nodules, symptoms and cosmetic concerns, complications were registered. Results: Visibility of the needle was not significantly different in the two groups (P=0.0787). At 1 month the mean volume of the nodules dropped from 37.1 to 25 mL in group A and from 23.2 to 15.4 mL in group B; shrinkage rate (36.9% and 39.5%, respectively) was not significantly different (P=0.3137). Symptoms decreased from 3.1 to 1.4 in group A and from 4 to 1.6 in group B: no significant differences in reductions were observed (P=0.3305). Cosmetic score decreased from 3.7 to 3.4 in group A and from 3.9 to 3.6 in group B: no significant differences in reductions were observed (P=0.96). Total complication rate (18.2% in group A vs. 23.1% in group B) did not showed significant differences (P=0.5049). Conclusions: The two systems used in our study resulted equivalent in terms of US needle visibility, efficacy, symptom/cosmetic relief, safety. More patients and a longer follow-up are necessary to confirm our results

Merleau-Ponty: between ontology and metaphysics

Neste texto, retomamos a avaliação de Michel Haar segundo a qual o projeto ontológico de Merleau-Ponty redundaria em uma metafísica. A fim de tornar tal avaliação mais severa, propomos um outro critério, de inspiração kantiana, conforme o qual a obra de Merleau-Ponty também poderia ser classificada como metafísica. Em seguida, expomos as estratégias filosóficas de Merleau-Ponty com base nas quais julgamos que conforme nenhum desses dois critérios MerleauPonty constitui um discurso metafísico.In this article, we resume Michel Haar’s evaluation according to which Merleau-Ponty’s ontological project would redound to metaphysics. In order to make such an evaluation more rigorous, we propose another criterion, inspired by Kant, according to which Merleau-Ponty’s work could also be classified as metaphysical. After that, we elucidate Merleau-Ponty’s philosophical strategies on the basis of which we judge that neither according to Haar’s criterion nor according to the Kantian’s criterion constitutes Merleau-Ponty a metaphysical discourse

Perception et culture chez Merleau-Ponty

L’auteur essaie de montrer que le paradigme anthropologique de l’incarnation, présenté par Thomas Csordas sous l’inspiration de Merleau-Ponty, entre autres, ne trouve pas de soutien dans la Phénoménologie de la perception, mais dans les textes intermédiaires de Merleau-Ponty (sections 1-5). En plus, l’auteur propose que l’idée de perception informée culturellement, contenue dans ces textes, permet d’assouplir l’opposition entre conceptualistes et non-conceptualistes dans le débat contemporain sur la perception (sections 6-7).The author tries to show that the anthropological paradigm of embodiment, put forward by Thomas Csordas, who drew his inspiration from Merleau-Ponty among others, is not supported by Phenomenology of Perception but by the intermediate texts from Merleau-Ponty (sections 1-5). In addition, the author proposes that the idea of culturally informed perception, comprised in such texts, allows us to minimize the opposition between conceptualists and non conceptualists in the contemporary debate on perception

Notas sobre a passividade em Merleau-Ponty

Neste texto, tenta-se avaliar a dimensão do tema da passividade em algumas obras de Merleau-Ponty. Parte-se da análise de Husserl e acompanha-se a reflexão merleau-pontyana sobre a organização espontânea do sentido na vida do corpo e no exercício da fala

SOME REMARKS ON THE YOGASUTRA

In this article are discussed some problems raised by T. S. Rukmani regarding the Yogasutra. According to Rukmani, yoga is not a coherent logical system. After stating the general goals of the yoga system, interpretations of some passages of the Yogasutra are formulated, and the defense is given that one must at least acknowledge the necessity of more exegetical investigation before judging the logical incoherence of the text. Finally, the problematic doctrine of living liberation in Yogasutra is exposed

Notas sobre a passividade em Merleau-Ponty

Neste texto, tenta-se avaliar a dimensão do tema da passividade em algumas obras de Merleau-Ponty. Parte-se da análise de Husserl e acompanha-se a reflexão merleau-pontyana sobre a organização espontânea do sentido na vida do corpo e no exercício da fala

Perceptual subject and world in Merleau-Ponty

Neste artigo, pretendemos mostrar como a concepção de Merleau-Ponty acerca das relações entre sujeito perceptivo e mundo muda no decorrer de sua obra. Em seu livro Fenomenologia da Percepção, publicado em 1945, Merleau-Ponty atribui a tal sujeito a capacidade de assimilar adequadamente o ser do mundo. No entanto, no início dos anos cinqüenta, seu estudo da obra do psicólogo Kurt Koffka explicita alguns resultados incompatíveis com a atribuição de tal capacidade ao sujeito. Por fim, em O Visível e o Invisível (texto final do filósofo, escrito entre 1959 e 1961, e publicado postumamente), Merleau-Ponty reconhece que as capacidades de assimilação perceptiva do ser do mundo possuem limitações.In this article, we intend to show how Merleau-Ponty’s conception of the relations between the perceptual subject and the world changes in his works. In his book Phenomenology of Perception, published in 1945, Merleau-Ponty ascribes to such subject the capacity of adequately grasping the being of the world. However, in the beginning of the fifties, his analysis of psychologist Kurt Koffka’s works makes explicit some results which are incompatible with the ascription of such capacity to the subject. Finally, in The Visible and the Invisible (the philosopher’s final text, written during 1959-1961 and published posthumously), Merleau-Ponty acknowledges that the capacities of perceptually grasping the being of the world have limitations. perception; perceived world; geographical world; perceptual faith; being