Detection of Tc-99m labelled albumin particles in the Fallopian tubes after intraperitoneal deposition.

OBJECTIVE: To study the Fallopian tube uptake of intra-abdominal albumin particles. STUDY DESIGN: Six healthy women volunteered for ultrasound guided deposition of Tc-99m labelled albumin particles into the pouch of Douglas, before undergoing sterilisation by salpingectomy. RESULTS: On gamma camera images radioactivity spread evenly over the parietal peritoneum. Autoradiography of the Fallopian tubes showed radioactive "hot spots" on the inner tubal surface. A rapid increase in blood radioactivity stabilised after 2-3 h while radioactivity remained high in the peritoneal cavity. Cervical mucus showed a significant radioactivity. CONCLUSION: Autoradiography strongly indicated that Tc-99m labelled particles deposited into the pouch of Douglas were transported to the Fallopian tubes. The small uptake of radioactivity identified in blood was most likely due to a rapid diffusion of free Tc-99m pertechnetate from the peritoneal cavity. The radioactivity identified in cervical mucus could be pertechnetate or labelled albumin particles or a combination of both. Future development of the present technique may be used for fertility investigation.

Radioactivity in cervical mucus after intraperitoneal deposition of Tc-99m labelled albumin particles before and after sterilisation.

OBJECTIVE: To study the transport of radiolabelled albumin particles from the pouch of Douglas to cervical mucus. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective randomised study, including 10 healthy women, undergoing laparoscopic sterilization. A solution of human serum albumin particles, labelled with Technetium 99(m) (Tc-99(m)) was injected into the pouch of Douglas, either before or after sterilisation. RESULTS: Gamma camera images showed gradual spread to the entire peritoneal cavity. Blood samples, showed increasing levels of radioactivity. Measurement of radioactivity in cervical mucus showed significant activity both in women sterilized before and after the deposition. CONCLUSION: The study showed evidence of transport of radioactivity from the pouch of Douglas to cervical mucus. The transport seemed to consist of free activity since no radionuclide labelled particles could be detected in cervical mucus. The transport was probably haematogenous or lymphatic and not intraluminal through the fallopian tube. Further studies utilizing particles comparable in size to fertilized ova are required to design methods for evaluating the transport from the fallopian tube to the uterine cavity.

Continuous bone loss around a tapered uncemented femoral stem: a long-term evaluation with DEXA.

BACKGROUND: Periprosthetic bone loss is a well-documented phenomenon after uncemented total hip arthroplasty (THA); however, little is known about how bone mineral density (BMD) changes after 2 years. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 14 patients with hip arthrosis (group A) were operated with a proximally porous- and hydroxyapatite-coated stem and followed for 10 years with DEXA, radiographs and Harris hip score (HHS). Another group of 14 patients (group B) was evaluated at 6 and 14 years using the same prosthesis and protocol. RESULTS: No stem was revised and all stems were well-Fixed. At final follow-up, HHS was 97 points in group A after 10 years and 94 points in group B after 14 years. Bone mineral changes in group A were greatest in Gruen zones 1 and 7, where the losses were 31% and 26%, respectively, after 2 years on the operated side. The decrease in BMD continued after 2 years and in Gruen zone 7 it was faster than the rate of bone loss on the control side. In group B, the annual change in BMD on the operated side was not significantly different from the bone loss in group A. INTERPRETATION: Up to 14 years after implantation of a tapered uncemented stem, the BMD in the calcar region continues to decrease faster than would be expected from normal ageing.