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To the Editor: Spinning is an aerobic activity performed on a stationary bicycle and carried out in groups in enclosed rooms, with instructors increasing and intensifying the workout by varying the resistance of the bike, altering the pace, or “jumping,” which is repetitive standing and sitting. This form of recreation is becoming extremely popular, and physicians should be aware of the possibility of gross hematuria in patients who participate in spinning. A 58-year-old man was spinning five or six times per week. Gross hematuria was noted during routine examinations. Cystoscopy, retrograde ureteroscopy, intravenous pyelography, computed tomographic scanning, and cytologic studies . . .

RADIATION is effective in eradicating localized lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease, lymphosarcoma or reticulum-cell sarcoma). In patients in whom the disease can be shown to be localized, intensive x-ray therapy to the involved area may control it for an indefinite period and may be curative. The prognosis and proper course of treatment in a given patient depend in large part on determination of the extent of disease. If the patients with localized or regional disease — Peters's Stage I or II1 (Table 1) — can be identified, prompt and vigorous radiotherapy of all affected node-bearing areas may well "cure" a high percentage . . .

THE effectiveness of renovascular surgery in lowering blood pressure in hypertensive patients has been unpredictable, and this has prompted a search for a simple but accurate prognostic test to ascertain which hypertensive patients will improve after surgery. Results of the surgical treatment of hypertension by nephrectomy or renal-artery surgery reported since Goldblatt's original communication1 have had little or no predictability.2 3 4 5 6 Intravenous pyelography has been used as an initial screening procedure for size, rate of filling and emptying, concentration (accentuated by hydration) and a rough estimation of renal function; renal-artery angiography often shows the physical presence and anatomic location of an . . .

In eight patients with chronic renal disease (creatinine clearance of 0.4 to 10.0 ml per minute and urine-plasma creatinine ratio between 4.0 and 9.0), drip-infusion intravenous pyelography did not visualize the renal collecting systems. When pyelography was performed within 12 hours of vigorous dialysis, adequate visualization of the collecting systems was obtained in the six patients whose urine-plasma creatinine ratio exceeded 15 after dialysis. Under such circumstances, radiologic study of the renal collecting systems may be possible in patients with chronic renal disease without requiring the use of instrumentation.

IN 1955 Benirschke and Brown1 reported extensively on the occurrence of congenital anomalies in association with the absence of one of the two umbilical arteries. This study, together with previous and subsequent investigations, has stimulated interest in the value of this defect as a means of early recognition of neonatal malformations. Prospective studies (Table 1) have shown the incidence of single umbilical artery to vary from 0.2 to 1.3 per cent in consecutive single births and from 0 to 7 per cent in twin births.2 3 4 5 The frequency of congenital anomalies in such series has ranged from 20 to 47 per . . .

AS urologists and radiologists we are interested in devising safer and better methods of urologic examination. The opportunity was presented to us a short time ago to use sodium diatrizoate†† as a new radiopaque contrast medium for intravenous pyelography. The substance had previously been used by Moore and Mayer1 with good results, and it was considered for trial in this hospital. Martineau, Forsythe and Soderberg2 had likewise reported 100 cases, with significantly better films. Accordingly, we collected 100 cases, which are presented in this paper. Our results are considered to show a significant improvement in film contrast with a minimum . . .