RESUMO
A prospective study was performed to determine whether thoracic CT yielded useful information regarding the status of axillary lymph nodes (LNs) in patients with breast cancer. Thirty-five consecutive patients with clinically suspected stage II or III breast carcinomas were scanned preoperatively from the supraclavicular regions to the lung bases. Axillary LNs measuring greater than or equal to 1 cm were considered abnormal. The lymph nodes were classified according to their relationship to the pectoralis muscle. Extracapsular lymph node extension was diagnosed when there was irregularity and spiculation of the lymph node margin with surrounding fatty infiltration. Correlation with axillary dissection was obtained in 20 patients, giving a positive predictive value for axillary metastases of 89% with 50% sensitivity, 75% specificity, and 20% negative predictive value. CT was also able to detect the level of axillary involvement accurately when the lymph nodes were enlarged and to evaluate extracapsular LN extension. Although superior to physical examination, CT was not an accurate predictor of axillary LN involvement, primarily because of its low negative predictive value.
Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama/diagnóstico por imagem , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X , Adulto , Idoso , Feminino , Humanos , Linfonodos , Metástase Linfática , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estadiamento de Neoplasias , Exame Físico , Valor Preditivo dos Testes , Estudos Prospectivos , Sensibilidade e EspecificidadeRESUMO
Endoluminal sonography of the urinary tract was performed by using endoluminal ultrasound transducers contained within 2-mm-diameter catheters. The catheters were inserted into the urinary bladder via the urethra and advanced into the ureters and renal pelvis under cystoscopic control; then, cross-sectional images of the bladder, ureters, and renal pelvis were obtained. Two dogs and seven human patients were studied. In one dog, a 4.5-mm pseudopolyp, which was surgically created in the bladder wall, was successfully imaged; in the other, stones 2 mm or larger inserted into the bladder were identified. Of the seven patients, sonography showed stones embedded in the renal parenchyma (one patient) and the mucosa of the distal ureter (one patient). These were ultimately confirmed by their eventual removal. In a third, sonography showed a tumor of the distal ureter and identified the depth of the tumor. This was confirmed by biopsy. In a fourth, sonography clearly showed a crossing vessel as the cause for narrowing of the proximal ureter. In a fifth, sonography showed that the cause of a ureteral stricture was idiopathic. In the last two cases, sonography did not reveal a cause for hematuria. In these last three cases, negative sonographic results were confirmed by direct ureteroscopic examinations and follow-up studies. Our observations based on this limited study suggest that endoluminal sonography is a useful procedure for diagnosing diseases of the urinary tract. Further study is warranted.