Differential diagnosis of a mass in the upper lateral neck

The differential diagnosis and the duration of symptoms are presented for a group of 288 patients encountered over a ten-year period with a mass in the region of the neck behind and below the angle of the mandible. While infections constituted the largest aetiological group (48.3 per cent), 109 cases (37.9 per cent) had some form of neoplasia, with malignancy being found in 48 (16.6 per cent). The duration of symptoms varied widely, only the acute infections having an acceptably short delay prior to hospital admission. The mean symptom duration for all the neoplastic cases was in excess of five months.     

Correlation of glucose consumption and tumor cell density in astrocytomas. A stereotactic PET study

To determine histological correlates of the variability of glucose consumption in astrocytomas, the authors performed positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) and matched the PET scans three-dimensionally with computerized tomography scans obtained in a stereotactic frame before biopsy. Ten patients with astrocytomas of World Health Organization Grade 2 or 3 were studied; patients with glioblastomas, oligodendrogliomas, or oligoastrocytomas were excluded from the study to avoid any confounding effects of different cell types and necroses. In samples of pure tumor, glucose consumption correlated significantly with cell density, but not with nuclear polymorphism. It is concluded that tumor cell density is a major determinant of glucose consumption in astrocytomas. The use of PET with FDG may help to locate the highest cell density and thus improve the diagnostic yield of stereotactic biopsy.     

Limited value of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose PET for the differential diagnosis of focal liver lesions in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

AIM: The differentiation of HCC from liver metastasis or benign disorders by imaging studies based upon morphological aspects may be difficult. METHOD: In order to evaluate the role of tumour metabolism, we performed FDG-PET (whole-body PET and transmission-corrected regional scans of the liver as well as the SUV determined 60 min after injection of FDG) in ten consecutive patients with HCV-associated focal liver lesions. Definite diagnosis was established after ultrasound-guided liver biopsy followed by histopathological examination. These results were compared with ultrasound, computed tomography, serum anti-p53, and p53 protein expression. RESULTS: The histologic examination revealed a HCC in five patients, regenerative nodules in three patients, and liver metastasis (primary malignancy: one adenocarcinoma and one neuroendocrine tumour) in the remaining two patients. Three of ten lesions were detectable by FDG-PET: two HCCs and one metastatic adenocarcinoma. Seven lesions were not distinguishable by FDG-PET (three HCCs, three regeneration nodules and one metastatic neuroendocrine tumour). In each patient hepatic lesions were visible either by ultrasound or CT. Both tumours (metastatic adenocarcinoma, moderately well-differentiated HCC) with the strongest expression of p53 also presented with highly increased FDG uptake. CONCLUSIONS: FDG-PET is not superior to ultrasound or CT and therefore does not allow the non-invasive differentiation of HCV-associated focal liver lesions. Tissue-diagnosis by means of liver-biopsy followed by histopathological examination remains the gold-standard for the differentiation of HCV-related liver lesions. The finding of the relationship of p53 protein overexpression with the SUV needs further confirmation.     

Tributyrin induces growth inhibitory and differentiating effects on HT-29 colon cancer cells in vitro

HINT list equivalency was examined using 24 listeners between 60 and 70 years old who had sensorineural hearing impairment. A Greco-Latin square design was used to ensure that each list was presented an equal number of times per condition. Four conditions were tested: (1) speech in quiet, (2) speech in 65 dBA noise with noise at 0 degrees azimuth, (3) speech in 65 dBA noise with noise at 90 degrees azimuth, and (4) speech in 65 dBA noise with noise at 270 degrees azimuth. Speech materials were always presented at 0 degrees azimuth. Overall mean scores ranged from 29.9 dBA for the quiet condition to 63.4 dBA for the noise at 0 degrees azimuth condition. A significant difference was found between Lists 13 and 16 only. This was attributed to audibility differences among the listeners. Therefore, the 25 HINT lists should be considered equivalent for older populations with similar hearing impairment. The HINT lists can be used for relative measures, such as comparison of aided versus unaided sentence SRTs or comparison of 2 different hearing aids.     

Untersuchungen zur Analogie zwischen Wärme- und Impulsaustausch bei der Kondensation in rotierenden Trockenzylindern

Zusammenfassung Ausgehend von jenen Ans?tzen, dieStuart verwendet hat, um den durch Taylor-G?rtler-Wirbel verbesserten Impulstransport im Ringspalt zweier koaxial instabil rotierender Zylinder zu beschreiben, wird auch der verbesserte W?rmetransport berechnet. Die Arbeit zeigt, wie man die daraus hergeleitete Analogiebeziehung in davon durchaus abweichenden F?llen anwenden kann: Obwohl der frei schwingende Kondensatfilm in einer rotierenden Trockentrommel nur lokal instabil geschichtet ist, zeigen sich geschlossene Taylor-G?rtler-Wirbel. Aus experimentellen Untersuchungen der Filmdickenverteilung des isothermen Filmes kann die Verbesserung des W?rmeüberganges abgelesen werden. Herrn Professor Dr.-Ing. Dr.-Ing. E.h.Hans Dieter Baehr zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet Vorgetragen auf der GVC-Jahrestagung W?rme- und Stoffaustausch 1986 in Bad S?ckingen.