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Eighty-five patients with hemospermia were examined with blood tests, sperm culture, transrectal US (TRUS) and cystourethroscopy. Blood tests and sperm culture demonstrated bacterial inflammation in 48 patients (56.47%). At cystourethroscopy, the urethra was normal or hyperemic in all patients. TRUS demonstrated 40 cases (47.05%) of periurethral calcifications and also with calcifications in the two glandular lobes. TRUS also demonstrated prostatic inflammation in progress or its outcome in 21 patients (24.70%), ectasia and seminal vesicle inflammation in 10 patients (11.76%), a prostatic tumor in 3 patients (3.52%). No patient had cysts, stones or cancers in the seminal vesicles. In 11 patients (12.94%), no specific cause of hemospermia was detected, even though 4 of these patients (4.70%) had received anticoagulants for former heart ischemia. Benign prostatic hypertrophy was found in 44 patients (51.76%) but we did not consider it a possible cause of hemospermia because of the high frequency of this condition in the male population. To conclude, TRUS could demonstrate the cause of hemospermia in most of our patients, which makes us suggest it as the diagnostic technique of choice in the patients with ejaculatory conditions, after clinical exams and laboratory tests, because it allows to study the prostate, the seminal vesicles and the urethra.

Eighteen patients (13 men and 5 women) with uni- and multifocal hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) were examined. Mean patients age was 63.3 years (range: 47-74 years). All patients had alcoholic or posthepatitis cirrhosis; they were submitted to both CT during arterial portography (APCT) and Lipiodol-CT. The diagnosis of HCC was confirmed by fine-needle biopsy (FNB) in all cases. APCT and Lipiodol-CT results were compared for number, size and site of lesions-32 lesions in all. APCT demonstrated all the lesions: 9 of them were smaller than 2 cm, 14 ranged 2-5 cm and 9 were bigger than 5 cm; moreover, APCT demonstrated other lesions in 3/18 patients (16.6%) which had been missed by US, CT and angiography. Also Lipiodol-CT demonstrated all the 32 lesions and showed smaller lesions in 4/18 patients (22.2%); these nodules were smaller than 2 cm. Based on APCT results 11/18 patients (61.1%) were considered operable, vs. 7/18 patients (38.8%) based on Lipiodol-CT results. To conclude, both APCT and Lipiodol-CT are useful in the preoperative staging of HCC; Lipiodol-CT is preferable to APCT in the study of lesions smaller than 2 cm.

In this paper we report the results obtained with Lipiodol CT in 39 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). All patients had focal or multifocal nodular HCC with FNB confirmation and were all submitted to CT 15-20 days after the injection of Lipiodol in common or proper hepatic arteries during an angiographic maneuver. Lipiodol CT showed all the lesions US had demonstrated and depicted more lesions in 12 patients (30.7%)--67 lesions in all. The lesions demonstrated by Lipiodol CT were always smaller than 2 cm: 9/12 had been missed by US, 6/12 by CT and 7/12 by arteriography. In 34/67 lesions (50.7%) enhancement was homogeneous, in 29/67 (43.2%) inhomogeneous and in 4/67 cases (5.9%) Lipiodol was not retained. Lipiodol uptake depended on lesion size: if the lesion was 1-2 cm, uptake was homogeneous, while bigger lesions exhibited inhomogeneous uptake. Lesions bigger than 4 cm exhibited no Lipiodol uptake and were necrotic. A surgical resection was performed in 21/39 patients (53.8%). To conclude, Lipiodol CT is a valuable technique in the preoperative screening of HCC, particularly in the detection of additional lesions: in our series they were demonstrated in 30.7% of patients.

342 short-stature patients were examined to assess the agreement between anagraphic and bone ages. 190 men and 152 women (age range: 0 to 17.5 years) underwent conventional radiographs of the left wrist. The radiographs were studied with the TW2 method which provides an index of the skeletal maturity of short and long bones and a global index of the hand. The bone ages thus obtained were compared with anagraphic ages. Patients' statures were compared with their parents' ones. Finally, radiation exposures were evaluated. Anagraphic and bone ages were in agreement in 199 patients and in disagreement in 220. Three patients were adult. The short stature in 78 patients was in agreement with their parents' one, while 253 patients had at least one parent with normal stature. No comparison could be made in 11 patients. In conclusion, TW2 is a simple method to calculate bone age (in months and years) and to select the patients to submit to further examinations and to hormone therapy.

The results of a retrospective review of the conventional radiographs performed on head injury patients are reported. Skull radiography findings were compared with clinical symptoms and CT results, when CT was performed, to investigate the presence of intracranial lesions. The radiographs of 2,285 adult patients of both sexes were evaluated: skull fractures were observed in 21/2,285 patients (0.9%) only. CT was positive for an intracranial lesion in 18 of 21 patients (85.71%). Clinical symptoms were divided into three groups according to lesion severity and to neurologic impairment. 979 patients were asymptomatic and 1,306 were symptomatic: 1,114 patients were included in group I, their symptoms being nausea, vomit and loss of consciousness for less than ten minutes, 124 were included in group II (epistaxis and loss of consciousness for more than 10 minutes) and 68 were included in group III (coma and focal neurologic signs). All the patients in groups II and III and 30 patients in group I were submitted to CT--222 CT exams on the whole. Thirty-five patients in group III and 9 in group II had an intracranial lesion on CT, while CT findings were normal in all group-I patients. Thus, we conclude that the presence of a skull fracture is not always correlated with the presence of intracranial lesions. The latter are more likely to be correlated with clinical symptoms, especially coma and neurologic impairement. Therefore, the higher value is confirmed of the clinical examination than of conventional radiographs in head injury patients.

Intra-arterial CT of the liver is a valuable method to evaluate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It consists of an infusion of contrast medium into the hepatic artery during CT scanning. Twelve patients with suspected resectable HCCs were evaluated with CT arteriography before surgery. The results of CT arteriography were compared with those of US, of CT with intravenous contrast medium and of angiography; on the rule, all exams had been performed some days earlier. The diagnosis of HCC was confirmed by US-guided fine-needle biopsy. CT arteriography demonstrated liver lesions in 11 patients. The lesions were hyperdense in 3/11 patients (27.3%) and hypodense and surrounded by a hyperdense ring in 8/11 patients (72.7%). In 4 of 11 patients (36.4%) CT arteriography identified additional tumor nodules and thus surgery was excluded. In the latter cases, on the basis of CT arteriographic findings, US, CT with i.v. contrast medium and angiography were repeated but failed to demonstrate the additional nodules, either because they were too small or because of cirrhotic changes in liver parenchyma. Therefore, CT arteriography is recommended in the evaluation of selected patients, especially when detailed information on liver parenchyma is needed--e.g., before surgery. In these patients CT arteriography can be performed together with preoperative angiography.

We studied with US both the knees of 32 long-term dialysis patients (mean dialysis age: 69.7 months), 7 of whom exhibited palpable joint swelling. In 29/32 patients, US scans were combined with knee X-ray films, patellar views included. In one case, opaque arthrography was performed too. US demonstrated the presence of fluid collections within both joint space and synovial cavities in 19/32 patients (59%). Their content was transonic or mildly hypoechoic. X-ray films were positive for amyloid bone involvement in 19/29 cases (66%), with evidence of intra-osseous cysts and cortical erosions. There was a good general agreement between the results obtained with the two techniques: therefore, in some cases only one examination was positive. Needle aspiration of synovial fluid was performed in 18/32 patients (56%). The 2 cases of diffusely hypoechoic collections yielded very dense jelly material, that was highly positive for beta-2-microglobulin. US is proposed, combined with conventional X-ray films, as a simple and reliable method for the diagnosis of articular amyloidosis in dialysis patients and for the follow-up of this disease.

This study was aimed at investigating the occurrence of hepatic artery variants, at comparing the diagnostic value of duplex Doppler US with that of angiography, and at correlating the results with the technical problems in portal hypertension surgery. All patients were studied with angiography, conventional and duplex Doppler US. In 162 patients with portal hypertension, 38 hepatic artery variants (23.4%) were observed and classified according to Michaels. The commonest variant recognized by angiography was right hepatic artery arising from superior mesenteric artery (type III according to Michaels). US demonstrated hepatic artery variants in 9/162 patients (5.5%). At surgery, variants were found in 3/162 subjects (1.8%) and caused surgical problems in 2 of them (1.2%) - i.e., right hepatic artery arising from superior mesenteric artery. Arteriography is still the best examination to depict hepatic artery variants, while duplex Doppler US demonstrates only a few types. Moreover, the number of variants detected by imaging techniques (23.4%) differs greatly from that observed at surgery (1.8%). Finally, hepatic artery variants are not correlated with surgical problems, nor can the latter be foreseen by imaging methods. US is useful but not essential to detect hepatic artery variants which are subsequently confirmed by angiography.

Digital cephalometric radiography with light-emitting phosphors was performed on 15 patients during an orthodontic survey. Lateral views were performed; digital post-processing was carried out according to 3 different sets of characteristic variables (analogic-like, Xeroradiography-like and custom-made). Comparative cephalometric film radiographs were performed on another group of 15 patients matched for age and clinical problems. All the digital and conventional images were evaluated by 3 independent observers, who scored 0-2 the visibility of 16 cephalometric landmarks. Digital cephalometric radiography always provided good and clear images, which were easy to read by every observer, thanks to contrast optimization in the digital technique and to the possibility of interactive post-processing that could improve the lowest-quality images. The visibility study of 16 cephalometric landmarks resulted in a moderately higher score for film cephalography than for the digital technique (79.6/96 versus 78.1/96). Among digital post-processing variables, the customized curve gave the best results (mean score: 78.8/96). Digital cephalometric radiography allowed marked reduction in radiation dose (approximately 30-40% of conventional radiographs). This is a major factor when considering the widespread use of this technique and the young age of most patients.

Sixty-nine patients underwent CT for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). All subjects were examined with CT before and after bolus injection of contrast medium: 42 HCCs were detected. 13/42 patients underwent also CT arteriography (contrast medium in the hepatic artery) and 29/42 were submitted to CT during arterial portography (contrast medium in the superior mesenteric artery). The results of the three techniques were compared with each other and with surgical and pathologic findings. CT during arterial portography detected other lesions in 5/29 patients while it confirmed CT diagnosis in the extant 24 cases; CT arteriography recognized other lesions in 2/13 subjects while in the extant 11/13 it confirmed CT diagnosis. Both CT arteriography and CT during arterial portography affected treatment protocol in 16.2% of cases. The results had surgical confirmation in all patients but 3 in whom intraoperative US showed some nodules undetected earlier. All the lesions were hypodense on CT during arterial portography. On CT arteriography, they were hyperdense in 4/13 cases and hypodense with an irregular hyperdense halo in 9/13 cases. To conclude, CT during arterial portography and CT arteriography are better diagnostic tools than CT: nevertheless, they are invasive techniques and should be employed in selected cases only.

The CT scans of 18 patients (12 males and 6 females; mean age: 43.6 years) with splenic blunt trauma were reviewed. CT examinations had been made at different times after trauma. The CT images were grouped according to the time of examination and both structure and densitometry were evaluated in all lesions. In all cases CT findings were correlated with surgical and pathologic data. The patients were divided into two groups: group I included 11 subjects in whom CT had been performed within 48 hours following trauma and group II included 7 patients who had undergone CT at different times after trauma (3-13 days; mean: 6.5 days). All the lesions in group I exhibited blurred outlines, while the lesions in group II had clear-cut margins. The lesions in group I were always hyperdense while those in group II were hypodense. CT diagnosis was always in agreement with surgical findings. In conclusion, we confirm the value of CT in the examination of splenic lesions by blunt abdominal trauma. The evolution of splenic lesions is usually typical: CT yields useful information for injury evaluation and is therefore very important to plan treatment. We believe that CT should be performed as soon as possible, even on the basis of minor clinical and laboratory data.

Thirty patients of both sexes (15 males and 15 females) with chronic renal failure who had under gone hemodialysis for 2-184 months (mean 45.1 months) were examined with conventional radiographs of the cervical spine and thin-layer CT of C4-C5-C6 to evaluate the radiographic patterns of destructive spondyloarthropathy. The radiographic patterns obtained with conventional and CT exams were compared with one another and with clinical (carpal tunnel syndrome) and biochemical data (alkaline phosphatase, parathormon, Ca, P, Ca/P, Al, beta 2-microglobulin). DSA (erosion and narrowing of the intervertebral space, collapse of the vertebral body and erosion of the vertebral plates) was recognized in 7 patients with conventional radiographs and in 11 patients with CT thanks to greater CT capabilities to recognize minimal osteolytic lesions of the vertebral body. All the patients with destructive spondyloarthropathy had personal and hemodialysis age higher than those without destructive spondyloarthropathy: 59.3 vs 57.7 years; 49 vs 39 months. Parathormon and alkaline phosphatase were increased while beta 2-microglobulin was normal. Only 2 patients with DSA had carpal tunnel syndrome. In conclusion, CT is a valuable technique for the diagnosis of destructive spondyloarthropathy but it must be performed only after conventional radiographs of the cervical spine or in the presence of clinical signs of destructive spondyloarthropathy (parathormon and beta 2-microglobulin increased, long-term hemodialysis).

Digital panoramic tomographies with light-emitting phosphors were obtained in 39 patients, during a study on the clinical applications of digital imaging. Performing digital panoramic radiographies required the preliminary adaptation of the imaging plates to the cassette holder of the radiographic equipment. The digital images were post-processed according to two different protocols, both of which were recorded for each patient. The former image was quite similar to standard X-ray films and was called "analogic-like". The latter, called "xeroradiographic-like", featured a flattening of the overall contrast together with detail contrast enhancement due to the presence of an edge effect, as it occurs in xeroradiography. Digital panoramic tomography allows a marked reduction in patient's exposure to X-rays. In addition, this technique offers constant high-quality results, due to the possibility of recovering over- or under-exposed images during post-processing. Xeroradiographic-like digital films may reduce the sharp contrast that is often present between the anterior and the lateral portions of the maxillary and mandibular arches, thus improving the diagnostic reliability of the examination. Other modalities of digital post-processing may be helpful to depict gingival soft tissues, with obvious advantages for the study of periodontal diseases.

Seventy-two patients (52 males and 20 females, mean age: 50.6 years) were studied. They had undergone distal splenorenal shunts according to Warren and its modifications for portal hypertension. All patients were examined with digital and/or conventional angiography preoperatively and 15 days postoperatively. Preoperative and postoperative angiography was employed to evaluate the changes in vessel diameters including the hepatic, splenic and superior mesenteric arteries, the splenic, superior mesenteric and portal veins; the length of the main axis of the spleen was also measured. Furthermore, the degree of hepatic portal venous perfusion was evaluated according to the degree of portomesenteric-gastrosplenic disconnection. After surgery, the length of the main axis of the spleen is reduced and the hepatic artery diameter is increased, which are both signs of preserved hepatic flow and of reduced hypertension in the splanchnic venous system. The postoperative degrees of portal perfusion were correlated with the degrees of disconnection. In conclusion, the role is emphasized of early angiographic examinations after distal portosystemic shunts according to Warren to evaluate postoperative hemodynamic changes.

We report the results of intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in 100 patients with portal hypertension. The portal venous system was evaluated; all patients underwent angiography of the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries before surgery. Forty-four of them were also examined after Warren splenorenal shunts. Therefore, a total of 144 exams was evaluated. The authors always employed low-osmolality ionic and non-ionic contrast media (iodine concentration: 300-350 mg/ml). In 70 cases pure contrast medium was injected (20-25 ml); in the extant 74 cases it was diluted with an equal volume of saline solution (osmolality and iodine concentration reduced by 50%). Intra-arterial DSA always visualized portal venous system, collateral circulation, shunt location and postoperative changes. The major advantage of intra-arterial DSA is the smaller amount of contrast medium injected, so that local and systemic side effects are rare. According to our experience, it is best to dilute the contrast medium and inject the same amount as in conventional angiography, at the same rate. Other well-known advantages of intra-arterial DSA are quicker execution, less injury to arteries using smaller-caliber catheters, and low cost. The major disadvantage of intra-arterial DSA, as it appeared also in our study, is the field size of the intensifier, which in our case was limited to 6-9 inches. This is an insufficient coverage for the whole portal system to be studied, and some contrast medium injections become therefore necessary. An average of 3 injections were given to each patient. This problem reduces the advantage of less contrast medium per injection. At any rate, even though intra-arterial DSA exhibits this limitation, it can nevertheless yield important information in the pre- and postoperative evaluation of patients with portal hypertension.

Deglutition artifacts often degrade diagnostic quality in digital subtraction angiography (DSA) of neck vessels. In order to reduce this drawback, the authors gave a local anesthetic (Tetracaine) to the patients undergoing DSA of aortic arch and carotid arteries. Hundred-twenty-three subjects divided into two groups were examined: Tetracaine was administered to one group (64 patients) and not to the other (59 cases). In the first group deglutition artifacts were not noted in 59/64 cases. Among those patients not treated with Tetracaine/deglutition artifacts were absent in 45/59 cases. This local anesthetic did not produce important toxic reactions. Therefore the authors believe that administration of local anesthetics can reduce deglutition artifacts in DSA of neck vessels.

Direct magnification radiography was evaluated on 46 patients with skeletal disorders. The equipment employed was based on a microfocus tube and it gave a magnification factor of 3 X. This technique was judged to be more useful than standard X-ray films in 35/46 cases (76%). The size of the part examined played an important role in the effectiveness of this technique, since the most useful and impressive results were obtained in thin anatomic sites, like the extremities. The highest value of direct magnification radiography was found to be in uraemic osteodistrophy, in particular for the study of the hands. This technique appeared to be very useful also in bone tumours, since it allowed a detailed evaluation of the trabecular structure and of the cortical outline.

Radiotherapy of the primary site was employed between 1959 and 1965 in the treatment of 335 unselected cases of mouth cancer. The series is examined with regard to the long-term results and gross survival is evaluated in accordance with an actuarial method. Differences dependent on sex and age, and on the type of cancer involved and the treatment modalities are illustrated and discussed.

The clinical classification of oral carcinomas presents some points still under discussion. In other respects the main questions about the treatment of these cancers could be resolved by cooperative clinical trials which impose the definition of a common clinical language. With a system based on an original computer program for the compiling, store and process essential data on cancer diseases we analyzed 736 consecutive and unselected oral carcinomas and we studied the prognostic value of main clinical factors. In our series, the main prognostic factors are tumor size, clinical appearance of the primary and clinical status of neck nodes. Sex, age and histological grade are unimportant. From our study we propose to complete the TN classification with two useful clinical criteria distinguishing the exophytic or minimally infiltrating tumors from the deeply infiltrating (greater than 1 cm) and the large metastatic omolateral nodes from the small ones (phi less than 3 cm).

Twenty-seven patients were evaluated by intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography: 20 for portal hypertension--6 also after a porto-systemic shunt--, 4 for evaluation of a hepatic mass and 3 for pancreatic or biliary tumours. Intra-arterial DSA has always shown vascular abnormalities. The advantage of intra-arterial DSA are reduction of the required amount of contrast medium and, consequent, reduction of the frequency of contrast medium reactions. Its disadvantages are limited field size of image intensifier and reduced spatial resolution as compared with conventional angiography. However diagnosis had never been affected by this limitation.

Intravenous digital angiography was performed in 55 patients previously submitted to carotid endarterectomy. The angiographic examination was performed in asymptomatic subjects in 43/55 cases, as a routine procedure. In 12/55 cases (22%) the examination was performed following an ischemic recurrency. In 27 patients (49%), digital angiography was repeated before and after surgery, giving the opportunity of a serial evaluation of the vascular pattern. The angiographic findings in the site of operation was normal in 49/55 patients; in 6 patients (12%) steno-occlusive recurrencies were observed. In 21/55 cases (38%) carotid stenosis on the opposite side was demonstrated, owing to the pan-angiographic effect of intravenous contrast administration: among these cases, 18 appeared angiographically normal at the operation site. The clinico-angiographical correlation resulted fairly good (41/55-75%), taking into account the fraction of patients with contralateral carotid stenosis and neurological symptoms. Intravenous digital angiography is proposed as a first-choice diagnostic procedure for the follow-up after carotid surgery.

The hands of 40 patients with psoriasis were examined by conventional and direct magnification radiograms. In 5 cases the hands showed typical psoriatic arthropathy. In 5 other cases only small calcifications in the soft tissues at distal interphalangeal joints were visible: according to clinical and laboratory data, these lesions could be in connection with psoriatic arthritis.

Fifteen patients with portal hypertension were examined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using spin-echo sequences. Sagittal and transaxial images were obtained in all cases. Ten subjects have been evaluated after portosystemic shunt operations (6 portocaval and 4 splenorenal shunts); 5 patients were studied by MRI before shunt placements. Angiographic correlation was obtained in 15 cases. In each of the preoperative examinations, MRI accurately depicted inferior vena cava, portal vein and splenic vein. Shunt patency was documented in 10/10 postoperative studies: portacaval shunts patency was better determined in the transaxial plane while splenorenal shunts were better demonstrated in the sagittal plane. Thus, MRI seems to be an accurate and noninvasive method for detecting portosystemic shunt patency without the use of intravenous contrast media and without patient exposure to radiation.

This paper reports the results of the ECG-gating in non-cardiac digital subtraction angiography (DSA). One hundred and fifteen patients underwent DSA (126 examinations); ECG-gating was applied in 66/126 examinations: images recorded at 70% of R wave were subtracted. Artifacts produced by vascular movements were evaluated in all patients: only 40 examinations, carried out without ECG-gating, showed vascular artifacts. The major advantage of the ECG-gated DSA is the more efficient subtraction because of the better images superimposition: therefore, ECG-gating can be clinically helpful. On the contrary, it could be a problem in arrhythmic or bradycardic patients. ECG-gating is helpful in DSA imaging of the thoracic and abdominal aorta and of the cervical and renal arteries. In the examinations of peripheral vessels of the limbs it is not so efficient as in the trunk or in the neck.

The authors set out the technical innovations which are being used to comply with the three classical aims of endocavitary curietherapy for cervical cancer: the personalization of the irradiation device, protection of staff against exposure risks due to ionizing radiations, planning and control of the irradiation conditions. The personalization of the irradiation device is achieved by preparing a specially shaped vaginal applicator for each patient, and staff protection is ensured by the use of remote-loading techniques and closed circuit television control for in-patients. The planning of the treatments answers to the logic of reproducing the usual curie therapy method with conventional radium-226 sources. In order to control the irradiation conditions, at least the essential part of the treatments must be recognized and expressed: equivalent radium milligrams per hour (MRA h), dose rate (Gy h-1), dimensions of the treated volume and space distribution of the dose.

In this paper the authors report on a new technique--percutaneous transluminal laser angioplasty (PLR) which was performed on 9 patients with iliac and/or femoro-popliteal artery occlusion. All patients were males (mean age: 64.5 years) and had arterial occlusion (mean length: cm 12.5). PLR was performed with an argon laser (max power: 16 Watts). In 8 out of 9 patients (88.8%) a complete recanalization was obtained of the occluded arterial tract, without complications. In one case only (12.2%) there was an arterial wall perforation with unsatisfactory results. In our opinion, PLR has proven a simple methodology, which can be performed on any patient due to the very low incidence of severe complications and distal embolism. Moreover, PLR has quite low costs, and does not prevent eventual surgical/percutaneous interventions.