RESUMO
BACKGROUND: During routine ultrasonographic examination in B presentation, performed as a standard diagnostic procedure during the early post-operative period, the most important problem with the interpretation of the images of perirenal haematoma is their ability to change in time. The aim of this work was to assess the echogenicity and the size of perirenal haematomas in patients after kidney transplant during routine examinations in B presentation and during examinations enhanced with a contrast medium (CE-US). MATERIAL/METHODS: Thirty-seven patients after kidney transplant were examined using standard examination in B presentation. Sixteen patients (7 women and 9 men) with isoechogenic and hypoechogenic areas visualized within the renal parenchyma, who were suspected of perirenal haematoma, underwent a CE-US examination after intravenous administration of sculpture hexafluoride (dose: 2.4 ml/examination). Using time-intensity curves (TIC), changes in the values were analysed for two areas of interest (ROI): in the renal parenchyma and in the areas identified during standard US as haematomas. Identical examination protocols and dynamic data loops allowed the acquisition of identical kidney cross-sections and enabled measuring the echogenicity and thickness of the abnormalities at the same location. RESULTS: During the routine B presentation examination, the average difference between haematoma and the renal cortex was 5 dB. When performing US-CE examination, a significantly greater difference in echogenicity was observed and reached 31 dB. In six patients, the size of haematomas was comparable using both techniques, whereas in ten patients lesions visualized in B presentation were smaller than in the US-CE examination. CONCLUSIONS: The US-CE examination demonstrated a greater, statistically significant, difference in the echogenicity of perirenal haematomas compared to the routine examination in B presentation. This method enabled a more detailed assessment of the size of haematomas in the perirenal space that appeared during early post-operative period.
RESUMO
PURPOSE: To determine the location and activation of brain smell centres in response to olfactory nerve-mediated and combined olfactory and trigeminal nerve-mediated stimulation using functional MRI. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: MRI brain scans were performed in 10 healthy volunteers, aged 22-36 years, right handed, non-smokers, without any CNS diseases, not taking any medication to determine and compare the activated cortex regions during stimulation by patchouli and geraniol. fMRI was performed on Siemens Magnetom Vision 1,5 T imager with a head-neck coil using SE and EPI sequences. Functional MR imaging studies were obteined in the same plane as T11 eighted images in an axial plane by using echo planar imaging. In each of 14 contiguous planes parallel to anterior-posterior commisure line images that depicted blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) effect were acquired. The subject inhaled odorized air through both nares for 30 seconds. During 30-second off period the subject received room air at the same flow rate. For each of activated cortical zones the number of pixels activated was calculated. Image reconstruction and analysis were performed using standard imager software installed in MR imager. RESULTS: The exposure to the olfactory and trigeminal nerve-mediated stimuli showed more activated regions than to the olfactory nerve-mediated stimuli. Geraniol evoked the biggest activation in orbitofrontal region, cingulate gyrus and insula. Patchouli activated orbitofrontal cortex, insula, parahippocampal gyrus, occipital cortex, and corpus callosum. CONCLUSIONS: The results of present study confirm the ability to localize patterns of cortical activity with fMRI during olfactory tasks.