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Introduction. Breast cancer is now the most common malignant tumor among women with annually increasing incidence. One of the new, advanced and minimally invasive breast cancer treatment directions is intra-arterial neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The main purpose of the project is to analyze the results of intraarterial chemotherapy in 30 patients with breast cancer during the period 2004-2006. Materials and methods. Intraarterial chemotherapy was carried out by selective internal thoracic artery catheterisation (a. Thoracica interna), supplying blood for the area of tumor lesions of the breast. Chemotherapy used the common scheme - Taxotere 75 mg/m2 + Doxorubicin 60 mg/m2, doses of chemotherapy are calculated on the basis of the nomogram in dosages for intravenous infusion, the speed of infusion was 8001000 ml/h. The sequential intraarterial injection of chemotherapeutic agents took 3-4 hours. Preoperative chemotherapy consisted of 4 courses. The interval between courses was 3 weeks. Results. As a result of treatment after 2-year chemotherapy a partial regression process is registered in 19 (63.3%) patients, 11 (36.7%) patients got stabilized. After 4 treatments a complete regression is registered in 15 (50%) patients, partial regression - in 12 (40%) patients, stabilization of the process - in 3 (10%) patients. As a result of the above kind of treatment, 27 (90%) patients have managed to undergo radical mastectomy. Conclusion. Application of intraarterial chemotherapy in patients during advanced IIIa, IIIb stages of cancer allows to achieve partial regression even after 2-year therapy. However, despite the effectiveness of the method the intra-arterial chemotherapy is only a step before radiotherapy or surgical treatment, so the method should be used as an initial, important link in the combined treatment of breast cancer.

The article addresses theoretical and practical issues of using diffusion- (DW-MRI) and perfusion-weighted (PW-MRI) magnetic resonance tomography in acute period of ischemic stroke. The authors consider prognostic value of the results obtained with both methods of MRI-diagnosis and possibilities of their usage in pathophysiological studies of ischemic stroke. Prognostic value of DW-MRI in measuring of final size of stroke used at the first day of stroke is higher compared to standard regimes. A ratio between clinical and MRI data has been analyzed. A conception comparing a ratio between the presence of lesion and its size using DW-MRI and PW-MRI is presented. A longer duration of the penumbra comparing to conventional terms was described. The results of DW-MRI and PW-MRI study are suggested to be used for prognostic purpose as well as for elaboration of an optimal treatment tactics. Some controversial issues of using DW-MRI and PW-MRI, are discussed.

Efficacy of poststroke rehabilitation depends on intensity of afferent current from the paretic limb to the lesion. The afferentation course is represented by neuromuscular electrostimulation (NMES) of the paretic hand's finger and hand extensors. The procedure's effect on the focus of acute ischemic lesion was analysed with MRT imaging including diffusion-perfusion-weighted MRT which can assess bioenergetic condition of the focus and brain perfusion. The analysis shows that NMES in acute ischemic stroke does not result in enlargement of the lesion and deterioration of brain circulation. Motor function seems to recover faster in the group given NMES.