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The number of computed tomography(CT)-guided interventional procedures has increased because they are less invasive and more cost-effective than open surgery. Transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)is a method in which chemotherapeutic drugs are injected into the artery that supplies the tumor. It is also well known that multidetector-CT has tremendously advanced our diagnostic capabilities broadly throughout medicine. These diagnostic benefits have combined with the widespread availability and rapidity of scanning to marked increases in CT use, for example, dynamic contrast-enhanced CT, CT perfusion imaging, and CT during angiography. However, rapidly increasing use of CT has heightened concerns about the high levels of cumulative exposure that may occur in patients undergoing recurrent imaging for chronic conditions such as chronic hepatitis or hepatocellular carcinomas. So far, bone toxicity associated with CT has received little attention. The prevalence of osteoporosis and trabecular microstructural changes using clinical MDCT-based microstructural analysis in patients after TACE with the interventional-CT system to treat hepatocellular carcinoma have been demonstrated here.

The TTV DNA were examined in patients with chronic liver diseases B (n = 35), C (n = 44) and non-B non-C (n = 19). The clinical background, liver function and liver histological finding were compared in patients with or without TTV infection. The prevalence of TTV in patients with chronic liver diseases B, C and non-B non-C were 37.1%, 27.3% and 52.6%, respectively. There was no significant difference in liver function test between TTV positive and negative patients with chronic liver diseases B and C. The gamma-GTP level of TTV positive patients were significantly higher than that of TTV negative patients with chronic liver diseases non-B non-C. The histological findings were similar between patients with or without TTV infection. We concluded that even though the co-infection of TTV in patients with chronic liver diseases B and C was high, TTV does not act as a liver injury agent. The relationship between TTV and non-B non-C chronic liver diseases is unclear.

We constructed a new fluorescein fundus angiography system using a speedy and sensitive fundus camera and an argon laser apparatus as the illumination source. The system consists of a fluorescein fundus camera, a high-speed camera, a digital recorder, an argon laser apparatus, and a cathode ray tube(CRT)monitor. The frame speed was 200 frames/s. It was possible to record high speed fluorescein angiography with lower illumination by using an argon laser as the illumination source. This system allowed us to measure the rate of blood flow in the retinal vessels because it easily detected the dye front in the retinal vessels.

Fluorescein angiographic examination may be prevented by vitreous hemorrhage or opacities in vitreoretinal diseases before vitrectomy. We performed intraoperative fluorescein angiography for such cases, using a conventional light source and an ultrasensitive video camera equipped with a silicone intensifier target tube to avoid retinal phototoxicity. Intraoperative fluorescein angiograms allowed evaluation of neovascular vessels, proliferative tissues, and avascular areas associated with diabetic retinopathy. Indentation of the pars plicata enabled us to also record fluorescein images of the area. This device may aid intraoperative assessment of vitreoretinal diseases including diabetic retinopathy.

The physical dependence liability of guanabenz, a hypotensive agent with central noradrenergic alpha 2-agonistic activity, was investigated. 1) Guanabenz showed a potent analgesic effect nearly equipotent to morphine by the modified Haffner's method, and repeated p.o. treatment resulted in the development of tolerance to the effect. 2) In the combined treatment of guanabenz with morphine or hexobarbital, it potentiated morphine analgesia and prolonged hexobarbital hypnosis in a dose dependent manner. 3) The natural withdrawal signs appearing in morphine or barbital dependent mice was suppressed by guanabenz; however, the effect was accompanied by a marked loss of body weight and weakness of the animals, and especially the dose required for the suppression of barbital withdrawal signs was extremely high and was even lethal in some cases. A substitution test in barbital dependent mice showed that guanabenz could not substitute for barbital. In the primary dependence test after 30 days oral treatment with guanabenz, no appreciable withdrawal signs were observed after discontinuation of the administration. Thus, from the results obtained in the present experiments, it is revealed that guanabenz possesses no physical dependence liability of the morphine or barbital type.