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Objective . To study and analyze the significance of the degree and possibility of surgical resection of a brainstem tumor in children and adolescents on the results of treatment in relation to various prognostic factors. Material and methods . This investigation enrolled 102 children with a brainstem tumor. A morphological study was not performed because of the location of the tumor and the inability to perform a surgical intervention. The patients’ mean age was 7.1 ± 3.4 years. The results of the study were assessed in terms of overall cumulative survival rates. Results . Primary chemoradiotherapy was performed in 52 of the 102 patients; 50 children underwent repeat chemoradiotherapy. In the entire group, 89 (87%) patients received no surgical treatment; while subtotal resection or ventriculoperitoneal bypass surgery (VBS) could be done in 13 (13%) children; the median follow-up of the entire group was 19.2 weeks. In the study groups, the statistical differences in overall survival rates were significant (Log-Rank p = 0.044). Conclusion . Regardless of primary or repeat radiotherapy and chemotherapy, surgical intervention, including VBS in children and adolescents, significantly affects overall survival rates.

The article presents the results of analysis of the relevant publications and research works over the last 20 years, devoted to the value of radiation therapy in the treatment of low-grade gliomas. This literature review reflects the role and place of radiation therapy in the treatment of such patients according to the latest research data and modern standards of treatment developed by the most authoritative scientific institutes and international research groups.

The paper gives historical information on the foundation and establishment of the Russian X-Radiology Research Center, as well as the advances that have been fundamental in the further clinical, scientific, and educational activities of the center. It details information of the recent advances of the center in diagnosis, including radiation, clinical and molecular gene, and combined treatments for cancer patients, including surgery, polychemotherapy, and radiotherapy. The achievements of each subdivisions of the Center are given. The paper shows the latest advances of the Center and its workers in researches, which have been embodied in their dissertations, monographs, and guides. Of great importance is the educational process the Center's workers are successfully doing in, by training specialists of different profile.

The present study deals with the ultrasound differential diagnosis of thyroid lesions. A hundred and ninety-two patients, including 130 patients with benign diseases (nodular colloidal goiter) (36.9%), chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (30.7%), and adenomas (32.3%) and 62 patients with malignant diseases (thyroid cancer (88%), lymphoproliferative diseases (6.4%), and recurrent thyroid cancer) (4.8%), were clinically examined. Ultrasound studies (USS) were performed in the B- and (see text symbols) modes. The diagnosis was verified from cytological and histological findings with mandatory morphological confirmation. Interdisease comparison has shown that USS is both a screening and diagnostic technique in revealing thyroid changes and determining their site, sizes, and structure. Ultrasound pathognomonic signs were detected in different morphological types of adenomas, thyroiditis, and nodular colloidal goiter, in the classical, pseudoadenomatous and pseudocystic types of thyroid cancer. At the same time there were characteristic ultrasound parameters at the stage of pronounced changes in undifferentiated thyroid cancer (pseudothyroiditis), lymphoproliferative diseases, and acute thyroiditis. The exception was the diffuse form of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis in which both thyroid lobes were always altered.

The present study deals with the radiation diagnosis of the rare disease--pulmonary venous occlusive disease. The follow-up covered three cases that ended with death. The clinical picture of the disease did not differ from the manifestations of primary pulmonary hypertension. All the patients underwent chest X-ray study in four standard projections. The morphological verification of its diagnosis was made on the basis of autopsy data. X-rat study promoted identification of such signs as peculiar changes in the lung pattern in form of its looping, reticulation, fine-focality along with reticular changes, the presence of Kerley lines, the diameter of root branches, enlargements of the pulmonary trunk without any symptoms of the enlarged left atrium.

The study deals with a complex radiation diagnosis of mass lesions of the distopic thyroid. Forty five patients with mass lesions of the anterior mediastenum were examined. They were 28 with retrosternal and intrathoracic goiter, 6 with teratodermoid tumors, 11 with cysts of the anterior mediastenum. A complex radiation study included serial routine X-ray tomography in 2 standard projects, sonography, computed tomography. The diagnosis was verified on the basis of transthoracic and transbronchial needle biopsy with compulsory morphological confirmation. An intergroup comparison has shown that X-ray study is a screening method to detect a tumor, to define its site and its relationship with the adjacent organs. Ultrasound study reveals pathognomonic signs of the distopic goiter. Of the greatest informative value is X-ray CT which allows one to state about the structure of a tumor and its densitometric signs.

This study assessed the diagnostic value of X-ray characteristics of the heart and pulmonary circulation in CHD patients with aggravated arterial hypertension in three age groups (22-40, 41-59, and 60 years or older). The study covered 246 patients with acute myocardial infarction (140 hypertensives and 106 normotensives) and 182 with postinfarct cardiosclerosis (88 patients with arterial hypertension and 94 without this condition). All the patients underwent teleradiography, 12-lead EGG, echocardiography, and coronary ventriculography. While comparing the two study groups, the X-ray criteria show deteriorated left and right cardiac functions and altered aorta due to both its atherosclerotic changes and lower left ventricular contractility.

The results of routine chest X-ray made in 250 males aged 22-69 years who had acute myocardial infarction were evaluated. The data were compared with the results of ECG, echocardiography, Judkins coronarography, and left ventriculography. The X-ray signs of pulmonary venous hypertension in acute myocardial infarction, even not followed by cardiomegalia suggest lower left ventricular myocardial contractility. In this connection, the significance of follow-up X-ray monitoring becomes higher. In 25% of the young patients (aged 22-40 years) with prior acute myocardial infarction, the dimensions of the heart may be in the normal ranges even in the presence of X-ray signs of venous congestion. If there are no signs of mitral regurgitation in patients with ischemic heart disease, the enlarged left atrium may be regarded as an indirect X-ray sign of reduced left ventricular contractility. The extent of necrosis in patients with myocardial infarction exerts an impact on hemodynamic changes in the lung.

The results of comprehensive studies of 120 males aged 22-69 years who suffered from CHD with angiographic signs of coronary sclerosis were analyzed. The findings have indicated that in young patients (aged 22-40 years) X-ray cardiometric evidence may long remain in the normal range despite profound functional changes in them. Cardiac arrhythmia concurrent with the enlarged heart is an important poor predictor of myocardial infarction.

To define the diagnostic value of X-ray criteria for evaluating the cardiac status in patients with postinfarct cardiosclerosis, coronary, ventricular and electrocardiographic findings were compared with X-ray data in patients with two age groups (22-39 and 60-69 years). An attempt was made to substantiate the use of the X-ray technique while examining patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The comparison of functional and roentgenocardiometric data has revealed that the roentgenocardiometric index, relative cardiac volume, may be used as a noninvasive criterion for evaluating the morphological and functional status of the left ventricle while following up patients with CHD.

To determine the diagnostic significance of x-ray criteria for assessing heart function in patients with postinfarction cardiosclerosis, the coronary-ventricular and electrocardiographic findings were compared with x-ray data in patients of 2 age groups. Group I was made up of patients aged 22 to 39 years, group II of patients aged 60 to 69 years. An attempt was made to base the use of the x-ray method during follow-up of patients suffering from coronary disease. With lesions of the coronary arteries being the same, the functional alterations in the left ventricle were more pronounced in younger patients than in elderly ones. The presence of a sufficiently close correlation between the end systolic volume and the relative heart volume makes it possible to employ this x-ray indicator as a noninvasive criterion for assessing left ventricular function during follow-up of patients with coronary disease.

Altogether 23 patients with aneurysmal aortic lesions of various sites were investigated using MR-tomography. Sagittal and axial projections were used for visualization of the thoracic aorta, frontal and axial ones--for visualization of the abdominal aorta. As compared to radionuclide and x-ray methods of investigation, MR-tomography was characterized by a high informative value in the detection of aneurysmal lesions. Despite a limited number of patients the authors managed to diagnose aortic stratification which could be well visualized in the abdominal aorta.

Eight versions of ECG alterations were identified in 84 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCMP). As for the most prevalent version (60.7 percent of the cases), the pathological Q waves or QS were recorded in the presence of the voltage signs of ventricular hypertrophy or without such signs. The use of ultrasound cardiography and roentgenocardiography made it possible to distinguish 3 groups of patients with different myocardial hypertrophy. The first group included 20 patients with isolated hypertrophy of the interventricular septum (IVS), the second group 40 patients with IVS and left ventricle hypertrophy, and the third group included 24 cases of IVS hypertrophy and combined hypertrophy of the ventricles. The main features of ECG alterations were determined in accordance with the types of hypertrophy under consideration. In the first group, Q waves were mainly recorded (in 71.4 percent of the cases). In the second group, the signs of left ventricle hypertrophy were recorded in 50 percent of the cases while Q/QS in 62.5 percent of the cases. In the third group, the voltage signs of ventricular hypertrophy were observed in 62.5 percent of the cases, whereas the Q and QS were recordable less commonly (in 41.7 percent of the cases).