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Objective: To evaluate the quantification of liver iron concentration using 1-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and its ability to diagnose or rule out hemochromatosis. To evaluate the role of 1.5-Tesla MRI in inconclusive cases., Material and Method: Between 2002 and 2006, we used 1-Tesla MRI (Gandon method) and liver biopsy to quantify the liver iron concentration in 31 patients. Moreover, we used 1.5-Tesla MRI (according to Alústiza's model) and liver biopsy to determine the liver iron concentration in 10 additional patients and to check the results of 10 patients in whom 1-Tesla MRI detected iron overload., Results: In the first group of 31 patients, liver biopsy classified the liver iron concentration as normal (<36 micromol.Fe/g) in 11 patients, as hemosiderosis (36-80 micromol.Fe/g) in 15, and as hemochromatosis (>80 micromol.Fe/g) in 5. The correlation with the values calculated at MRI was 100% in the 5 cases with hemochromatosis; in the 15 patients with hemosiderosis, 5 were correctly classified and the liver iron concentration was overestimated in 10; of the 11 patients with normal liver iron concentration, 6 were correctly classified and 5 were overestimated. Quantification >80 at MRI has a sensitivity and negative predictive value of 100% and specificity of 50% for the diagnosis of hemochromatosis. Quantification <36 at MRI has a positive predictive value and specificity of 100% to identify the absence of iron overload. In the 10 patients with liver biopsy that underwent 1.5-Tesla MRI, there was a high correlation between the two techniques., Conclusion: The reliability of the evaluation of liver iron concentration using 1-Tesla MRI is useful for ruling out hemochromatosis and identifying patients without iron overload. We observed a tendency to overestimate liver iron concentration in both patients with overload and in those without, and this limits the reliability of the technique. 1.5-Tesla MRI is a good alternative for quantifying liver iron concentration more precisely.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) appear in the abdominal cavity in less than 5% of patients. We present two cases of extraintestinal GIST attended in our service and treated with imatinib mesylate. We review the current treatment of these neoplasms with targeted therapies.

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the existence of differences in dental status and in quantitative and qualitative salivary values between 100 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and a group of controls., Material and Methods: We analyzed the number of carious, missing and filled teeth. Also the unstimulated (UWS) and stimulated whole saliva flow rates (SWS) were determined, along with the stimulated parotid saliva flow rate (PSS) and the concentration in both UWS and SWS of sodium, potassium, total proteins and immunoglobulin A (IgA)., Results: A significantly higher number of carious and missing teeth was observed in the patients with cirrhosis (2.4 and 14.6, respectively) than in the control group (1.3 and 10.6, respectively), and a higher stimulated parotid flow rate with LC (0.64 and 0.44, respectively; p < 0.02) with a decrease in sodium and an increase in potassium, total proteins and IgA in patients with cirrhosis. In the LC group, caries were found to affect more teeth in those patients with alcohol-induced LC than in those with liver disease of other causes (3.9 and 1.7, respectively; p < 0.05), but in contrast, no differences were found in the saliva flow rate and the concentration in both UWS and SWS of sodium, potassium, total proteins and IgA. Finally, no relationship was observed between the dental status and functional hepatic tests., Conclusions: CH patients showed a worse dental status, a higher SPS rate and some electrolytes and proteins alterations.

Objectives: A prevalence study on tuberculosis infection among school-children in our area. A study of the family, contacts and teachers of infected children. An analysis of the level of compliance with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures., Design: Observational and descriptive. Clinical-epidemiological., Setting: An urban Basic Health Area with 18,000 inhabitants., Patients and Other Participants: 393 people were included in the study: 162 school-children doing first-year EGB [c. six years old], 199 family members and contacts of the infected children and 32 EGB teachers., Measurements and Main Results: Mantoux intradermoreaction. Application of the study procedure. Following of the evolution and monitoring of the treatment. We found 6 infected children (3.7% of the school-children), all of whom came from the same marginalised area. Among the 231 family members, contacts and teachers studied, we found 30 cases of active Tuberculosis (13%) and 71 cases of infection (30.7%). Antituberculous treatment was indicated for all cases of illness and secondary Chemoprophylaxis for 49 cases. The study could not be completed in 62 cases., Conclusions: The prevalence of tuberculous infection among school-children from the marginalised area is high. Examination of the infected childrens' contacts showed a high level of tuberculous infection. Follow-up of the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures was incomplete for a significant percentage of those under study.