Hippokratia
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Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an anatomic variant that may lead to several pathological conditions, notably right to left shunt, paradoxical embolism, hypoxemia, and cerebral fat embolism. Mechanical positive pressure ventilation may increase the prevalence of PFO opening in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients; however, the respiratory and hemodynamic determinants of PFO opening have been poorly investigated. Contrast-enhanced transesophageal echocardiogram (ce-TEE) is considered the gold standard for PFO detection. We prospectively performed a multicenter study using ce-TEE in order to determine the respiratory and hemodynamic factors that may lead to PFO opening. ⋯ In this group of mechanically ventilated, critically ill adult patients, right ventricular dilatation and plateau pressure above 26 mmHg were significantly associated with foramen ovale opening. Hippokratia 2016, 20(3): 209-213.
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Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a type of thyroid neoplasm which originates from parafollicular cells, and it is commonly diagnosed by calcitonin screening. Besides the sporadic form, the heritable form of MTC is characterized by constitutive activation of the RET (REarranged during Transfection) proto-oncogene caused by different mutations. ⋯ The RET gene mutation profile has a unique distribution in this study population when compared with the other European populations. The mutations in codon 634 are most common; therefore the cost-reducing genetic screening should primarily target this codon, and if the negative outcome appears, then other codons should be examined in the order that depends on their occurrence. Hippokratia 2016, 20(3): 187-191.
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This study aims at demonstrating the ability of BLADE sequences to reduce or even eliminate all the image artifacts as well as verifying the significance of using this technique in certain pathological conditions. ⋯ BLADE sequence was found to decrease both flow artifacts in the temporal lobes and motion artifacts from the orbits. Additionally, it was shown to improve flow artifacts and image quality in cystic pathologies such as arachnoid cysts. Hippokratia 2016, 20(3): 244-248.
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Bone involvement represents a common symptom at diagnosis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and its prognostic value is not entirely clarified. The aim of this study was to evaluate bone involvement at diagnosis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia as a predictive factor and to correlate its presence with other demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings. ⋯ The presence of bone involvement at diagnosis is related with immunophenotype of B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia, lower mean age, lower mean white blood cell count and good prednisone response. According to presented data, we conclude that the presence of bone involvement at diagnosis represents a positive predictive factor for outcome/survival. Hippokratia 2016, 20(3): 227-230.
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Case Reports
Left atrial appendage pericardial fluid: contrast-enhanced transesophageal echocardiography makes it visible.
Contrast-enhanced transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for the opacification of left atrial appendage (LAA) is not clearly suggested by the current guidelines and only scarce data are available. ⋯ Contrast-enhanced TEE has been demonstrated to safely and accurately enlighten LAA anatomy. Hippokratia 2016, 20(3): 235-237.